December 14, 2017
01. GOP Trying to Erase 100 Years of History
02. GOP Tax Bill: What’s Really in There?
03. Foreign Policy Expert on Russia and More
04. Net Neutrality Vote Today
05. Fox News’ Unbalanced and Unfair Treatment of Women
06. Coping with Wildfires’ Lingering Effects
07. Can You Pass a Xmas Carol Quiz?
08. We Love Classic Christmas Specials
09. Avoid a Holiday Spending Hangover
10. Bond, Don’t Bicker: Share Family Stories
11. Buon Natale – An Italian-Style Christmas Feast
12. Budget-Savvy Wedding Tips
13. Sex Addiction: The Intimacy Substitute
14. Affordable Care Sign-Up Ends Friday
15. Stars of Marriage Boot Camp
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1. ==> GOP Trying to Erase 100 Years of History
Although the Republican tax plan is still in the
process of becoming law, Joseph Ellis says the plan
repudiates the social contract that laid the
foundations for the American dream for much of the 20th
century. He says, “That social contract was a bargain
brokered between capitalism and democracy. Corporate
America would be permitted to pursue its profits in the
marketplace on the condition that wealth was
distributed to assure a robust middle class. The
economic pie would grow in accord with capitalistic
principles, while the pieces of the pie would be shared
in accord with democratic principles.” But, he adds,
“In our new Gilded Age there is no need for negotiation
between two sides. Capitalism has bought democracy.
There is no social contract because there is no such
thing as ‘we the people,’ only winners and losers, or
in the Ayn Rand formulation, givers and takers. The
American Dream has become, well, a dream.” Joseph Ellis
is an American historian who won the Pulitzer Prize for
his book, “Founding Fathers.” He is the author of the
forthcoming “American Dialogue: The Founders and Us.”
Contact him at info@JosephEllisHistorian.com or
Gabrielle Brooks at (212) 572-2195;
gbrooks@randomhouse.com
2. ==> GOP Tax Bill: What’s Really in There?
Trying to unravel who wins and who loses in the new tax
overhaul plans? Tax expert Richard Kaplan says, “A
leading principle of the tax ‘reform’ bills — both the
House and Senate versions — is clearly to reward donors
to the Republican party. It lessens taxes on
businesses, especially capital intensive rather than
labor intensive business. In contrast, people who work
for a living are not seeing much benefit, in some
cases, they may see increases, especially because of
the end of state and local taxes write-offs.” Kaplan
can discuss the new tax-favored category of income
called ‘pass-through’ income, as well as how the plans
would affect Medicare and Medicaid. Richard Kaplan
holds a chair at the University of Illinois School of
Law and is a leading expert on taxation. His books
include “Advanced Taxation” and “Elder Law.” Contact
him at rkaplan@illinois.edu
3. ==> Foreign Policy Expert on Russia and More
Daniel McAdams, executive director of the Ron Paul
Institute for Peace & Prosperity can discuss issues
including US-Russia relations, US foreign policy and
the failure of US interventionism, Civil liberties and
the militarization of police, as well as the
intelligence community and surveillance. Daniel McAdams
is Co-host of the Ron Paul Liberty Report, a daily
Internet news and discussion program. He was senior
advisor to US Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) on foreign policy,
military, intelligence, civil liberties, and
immigration from 2001 until Paul’s retirement in 2013.
Before that he spent seven years covering the political
transition in Eastern Europe from Budapest, Hungary.
His writing has been featured widely in the US and
international press and he is a frequent guest on
television and radio programs worldwide. Contact Ryan
McCormick at (516) 901-1103.
4. ==> Net Neutrality Vote Today
The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission is
scheduled to vote today on a controversial plan to
repeal Obama-era net neutrality protections. The repeal
is expected to pass on a party-line vote. Net
Neutrality was designed to ensure Internet service
providers treat all web content equally by preventing
providers from throttling, blocking, and paid
prioritization—”fast lanes” for sites that pay, and
slow lanes for everyone else. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is
a former Verizon lawyer and Mary Alice Crim of the Free
Press Action Fund says, “His plan is expected to
contain a ‘total repeal’ of Net Neutrality protections,
posing a grave threat to the future of freedom of
expression, access to information, and small businesses
particularly for communities of color and low income
communities.” Free Press is a media democracy advocacy
group. Contact Tim Karr at tkarr@freepress.net;
@freepress
5. ==> Fox News’ Unbalanced and Unfair Treatment of
Women
The late Roger Ailes no longer runs Fox News and Bill
O’Reilly is gone from the anchor chair but, according
to Nita Wiggins, who worked for the Fox affiliate in
Dallas for a decade, inferior assignments and poor
video quality control limited how far she, as a woman,
could go in the organization. Wiggins can share her
personal discrimination story of sabotage by a male
colleague and the inaction by her bosses to correct the
behavior she reported to them. Wiggins’ health and
career, as well as that of other female TV employees,
were adversely affected by institutionalized sexual and
racial discrimination. Today Wiggins is a journalism
professor at ESJ-Paris (l’Ecole Supérieure de
Journalisme de Paris in France) where she is helping to
train the next generation of journalists to avoid
stereotypes in interview choices for stories and in
hiring for the news team. Her upcoming book, “Civil
Rights Baby: My Story of Race, Sports, and Breaking
Barriers in American Journalism” is the story of her 20
years in American television. Reach her at
nitadallas@yahoo.com; or @MsNitaWiggins
6. ==> Coping with Wildfires’ Lingering Effects
As firefighters continue to battle wildfires in
Southern California many people are struggling to put
their lives back together. People lost their homes and
businesses, 95,000 were evacuated and others were
coping with smoke and water damage and breathing
issues. Former ICU nurse Carmelita Kinjo of Loma Linda,
Calif., has initiated working with churches in the
affected areas to provide resources to those displaced
or devastated by the wildfires. Interview Carmelita to
find out ways victims can cope with their sorrow,
anxiety, fear, and nightmares which left unchecked can
lead to serious illnesses. Carmelita has some firsthand
experience with fires and the panic they can bring and
she also knows what it is like to have to restart your
life after a traumatic event. Her new book is “Stop the
Pain.” Contact her at (909) 253-1394 or
melykinjo@yahoo.com
7. ==> Can You Pass a Xmas Carol Quiz?
This time of year It’s nearly impossible to escape
Christmas carols. But how much do your listeners really
know about them? You’ll find out when you interview
actress and professional carol company owner Renae
Baker. For example, do you know which of these songs
were written by a Jewish songwriter: “White Christmas,”
“Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” or “Silver Bells”?
Will they be able to identify which wars were
temporarily stopped by carols? Or what secret code lies
behind “The 12 Days of Christmas”? Listening to holiday
music will be a lot more fun after interviewing Renae,
who if time permits, might sing a carol on your show.
She runs the caroling company I S.M.I.L.E in New York
Productions, whose Broadway trained singers include
Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and atheists. Contact her
at (917) 509-9022; ismileny@gmail.com
8. ==> We Love Classic Christmas Specials
Before cable TV and computerized animation, millions of
kids waited all year to see their favorite holiday
classics like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-
Nosed Reindeer. But the shows remain classics as
parents now share them with their children, or indulge
in some nostalgia. Invite Rankin/Bass Productions’
official historian/biographer Rick Goldschmidt to share
trivia about the Christmas specials including who made
them and how they did it. He’ll also tell you which
special is the longest running, highest rated TV
special of all time. Goldschmidt is the author of
several books including the new, 20th Anniversary
Edition of his acclaimed “The Enchanted World of
Rankin/Bass.” Rick is also the lead singer and
guitarist for the band The Starving Artists and has
recorded with members of Gin Blossoms. Contact him at
(708) 476-1964; rickgoldsc@aol.com
9. ==> Avoid a Holiday Spending Hangover
According to economists, this holiday season will be
robust as confident consumers freely open their
wallets. But how can people avoid going overboard,
ending up with a holiday spending hangover they’ll be
coping with well into the New Year? Patricia Davis
knows. Invite her on-air ASAP to discuss ways to have a
jolly time without spending your last dime. She’ll
cover everything from creative ways to give thoughtful
presents that don’t cost a lot to why re-gifting is not
a dirty word. Davis is the author of “Going Broke Is No
Joke.” She holds an MBA from Stanford, a master’s
degree in personal financial planning from Golden Gate
University and a certificate from Georgetown
University’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking and
Finance. Reach her at (301) 249-2261;
davisfinancial373@msn.com
10. ==> Bond, Don’t Bicker: Share Family Stories
For most families, a good portion of the holidays is
spent around the dinner table with friends and
relatives who may or may not be on their best behavior
and may, if left untended, insist on turning the
holiday table into their own political soapboxes. But,
according to Robb Lucy, a little planning can help
people avoid standing helplessly by as their dinner
table devolves into a political battlefield. In fact,
Lucy maintains, there is a way to turn this year’s
Hanukkah and Christmas dinners into priceless
opportunities for laughter, listening and learning new
things about friends and family members. The author of
“How Will You Be Remembered?” will share ways to get
the conversation started and how it can bring families
closer. He’ll also discuss what a legacy is, why it’s
not just packaging up all your wealth and divvying it
up to the kids, and how anyone can write their own
legacy letter that tells the world the values you lived
by, and the story of how you lived each value. A
journalist, writer, and producer, Robb Lucy is the
author of the “How Will You Be Remembered: A Guide to
Creating and Enjoying Your Legacies Now.” Contact him
at (604) 874-7700; rlucy@createmylegacy.com
11. ==> Buon Natale – An Italian-Style Christmas Feast
Italians love any holiday that brings together friends
and family (and of course food!), but the Christmas
season is much anticipated as one of Italy’s most
celebrated holidays. Natale is an exciting occasion to
cook up some best-loved family recipes and dine with
friends and family. If you really want to celebrate
Christmas Italian-style, invite food blogger and author
Dominic Condo to discuss the many ways Italians
incorporate their traditions and culture into holiday
dishes, from Christmas Eve’s Feast of the Seven Fishes
to biscotti and panettone. Not sure what to serve?
Dom’s got some great ideas for feeding a crowd Italian-
style. Dom shares traditional (and personally updated)
Italian American recipes and the family stories that go
along with them on his blog, Cucina Domenico, and his
podcasts. His new book is “A Little of This and Some of
That.” Contact him at (484) 680-2176 (PA);
info@domskitchen.com
12. ==> Budget-Savvy Wedding Tips
With the average wedding costing more than $35,000,
doing what you can to rein in wedding expenses is a
priority for budget-conscious couples and their
families. Luckily, internationally known wedding gown
designer Rani St. Pucchi is available to offer her best
tips for spending less without sacrificing anything.
Rani, who has worked with more than 15,000 brides since
launching her St. Pucchi Bridal House more than 30
years ago, explains how to reap significant savings by
skipping a Saturday wedding, shortening the height of
your wedding cake, marrying in January or February,
charging everything on a credit card with a reward
program and saving on wedding rings. She’s the author
of “Your Bridal Style; Everything You Need to Know to
Design the Wedding of Your Dreams,” and has dressed
countless celebrities. Reach her at (310) 990-3912;
rani@ranistpucchi.com
13. ==> Sex Addiction: The Intimacy Substitute
There’s no business like porn business. The industry
makes $10-14 billion in annual sales. And it’s a part
of the daily routine for many people. Invite Tom
Gagliano to talk about porn, sex addiction and what it
does to relationships, and how porn makes addicts think
they’ve got their addiction under in control when in
reality they don’t. Gagliano says, “Sex is the
symptom; the problem is the need to be lusted after.
Sex addicts are emotional cripples, looking to fill a
void created in childhood.” Gagliano will also discuss
the shame involved in sex addiction, and why many
therapists still refuse to treat it. Tom Gagliano, MSW,
is a mentor, speaker and the author of several books
including “Don’t Put Your Crap in Your Kid’s Diaper.”
Contact him at (732) 266-4952; gags17285@aol.com
14. ==> Affordable Care Sign-Up Ends Friday
Time is running out to sign up for medical coverage
under the Affordable Care Act, but you might not know
it. The refusal of Trump administration officials to
promote it is likely to have a major impact on the
number of people covered. “The administration is not
hiding the fact that they don’t want people to sign up
for health coverage,” says Lori Lodes, a former top CMS
official and co-founder of the group, Get America
Covered. “The Open Enrollment period was half as long
and there were no TV ads and a fraction of the digital
outreach—but they also refused to use the basic tools
of their positions and of the federal government to get
the facts out.” Lori Lodes oversaw outreach & education
for Medicare, Medicaid & ACA marketplaces in the Obama
administration. Contact her at @loril. Interviews with
experts in your market/area are also available. Contact
press@GetAmericaCovered.org
15. ==> Stars of Marriage Boot Camp
In the WE TV hit series Marriage Boot Camp Reality
Stars, reality TV’s biggest stars endure extreme
couples’ therapy, pushing themselves to the limit with
physically, mentally and emotionally draining exercises
to see if their relationships are worth saving or if
it’s time to call it quits. Speak with two of this
season’s stars — Juelia Kinney (Bachelor in Paradise)
and Kailyn Lowry (Teen Mom 2) to find out about their
experiences in the house, the most difficult part of
this intense couples’ therapy, and how they’re doing
today. Marriage Boot Camp Reality Stars is now in its
ninth season. WE TV is owned by AMC Networks. Contact
John Angelo at john@premieretv.com.