A lot of people are wondering what's wrong with the Republican Party. But if you're a resident of Billionaire-istan - then the Republican Party is acting JUST fine.

Geeky Science - Want to know how to be "Happy?"

The Good! Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. In reaction to the Newtown, Connecticut shootings, the Mayor held a gun exchange in his city on Wednesday - allowing residents to turn over their firearms in exchange for grocery store gift cards. Gun owners could receive as much as $200 in groceries for handing over their assault rifles and handguns. The exchange was highly successful, as the city collected nearly 2000 guns in just one day. The gun buyback program was started in 2009, and has taken more than 8000 guns off the streets of LA Let's hope other city's follow LA's lead with their own gun buyback programs.

Kevin Kamps, Beyond Nuclear, joins Thom Hartmann. It's been less than two years, but a new government in Japan has already forgotten all the lessons learned from the Fukushima nuclear crisis. As millions of tons of radioactive debris drift toward the West Coast - find out what the Japanese government is now doing that could put the entire world in danger.

Professor Richard Wolff, New School University NYC, joins Thom Hartmann. Facing salary cuts, Port workers on the East Coast are threatening a strike that could impact the economy to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. We'll talk about why THIS strike in particular is so important - and how - if it's successful - it could bring about a future Leisure Society for working Americans.

Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr., Center for Arms Control & Non-Proliferation, joins Thom Hartmann. 4 days to go until the nation goes off the so-called "fiscal cliff." And nobody is paying closer attention to what's going on on Capitol Hill than the war profiteers in Virginia. What impact will looming defense cuts have - and might they actually be just the thing America needs to get back on the right track?

Thom asks former Lieutenant General Robert Gard why defense cuts aren't being discussed in the "fiscal cliff" negotiations. Also discussed: a potential dockworkers strike on the east coast, Japan's reversal on ending their nuclear power program and Thom takes viewer phone calls in "Your Take, My Take Live." In tonight's "Daily Take" Thom details why even Republicans are fed up with their party of billionaires.

Guest host Sam Sacks fills in for Thom Hartmann and discusses how the FBI is once again on the wrong side of history with new documents revealing their paranoid surveillance of peaceful Occupy Protests. Also discussed: if a "fiscal cliff" deal is possible without weakening social security, another mass shooting with a Bushmaster assault rifle and in tonight's "Daily Take" Thom reveals the extreme measures we've taken against terrorism while doing nothing about gun violence.

Richard Eskow, Campaign For America's Future & Zaid Jilani, Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) & Aaron Huertas, Union of Concerned Scientists join Thom Hartmann. The Big Picture's version of A Christmas Carol - Where this nation has been - where it's at now - and what it might look like in the future.

Richard Eskow, Campaign For America's Future & Zaid Jilani, Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) & Aaron Huertas, Union of Concerned Scientists, join Thom Hartmann. The Big Picture's version of A Christmas Carol - Where this nation has been - where it's at now - and what it might look like in the future.

Neil McCabe, Editor-Guns & Patriots & Michael Moroney, Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity & Erikka Knuti, Democratic Strategist all join Thom Hartmann.

Neil McCabe, Editor-Guns & Patriots & Michael Moroney, Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity & Erikka Knuti, Democratic Strategist all join Thom Hartmann.

Tonight's "Big Picture Rumble" panel discusses the NRA's absurd plan to protect our students in America from gun violence, the failure of Boehner's "Plan B" and what it means for the fiscal cliff negotiations and a new report showing how tough single parents have it in the US compared with other nations. And Thom brings you "The Big Picture Christmas Carol," a look at where this nation has been, where it is now and what it might look like in the future.

The attacks against our privacy rights keep coming and coming. You might want to think twice about streaming that "subversive" documentary about the Weather Underground on Netflix. If Republicans have their way, you just might end up on a watch list somewhere.

All across America - gas companies are tearing up land to make room for the piping needed for hydraulic fracturing - the highly controversial process used to harvest natural gas from shale rock. And along with this destruction of land come the risks of contaminated drinking water, toxic fumes and even poisoned livestock. One of the many groups trying to shut down the dangerous fracking practice is Artists against Fracking - a group of nearly 200 members working to expose and stop the practice of fracking through mass awareness and peaceful democratic action. Musician Sean Lennon, one of the founding members of Artists against Fracking - joins us now from our New York studios.