First hour: Discussing Democrats' views on taxing the wealthy
Second hour: Should there be boundaries in comedy?
The Washington Post writes that Democrats typically campaign on raising taxes for millionaires, or the wealthiest Americans. But when they finally gain power, they don't follow through. That's the case in New Jersey, where state Democrats pushed a millionaire's tax for years, only to back down once they controlled the statehouse. Our panel will discuss what this means for a party that has long claimed to care about income inequality and wage disparity, and has promised to fund health care and social supports with millionaire's taxes. Our guests:
- Karen Vitale, co-chair of the Rochester Democratic Socialists of America
- Douglass Jay, writer for Balloon Juice
- Adrian Hale, activist, veteran, and manager of strategic initiatives for the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce
Then in our second hour, comedians are often considered truth tellers. But in recent years, critics say they have largely become party props, while pushing the typical limits of civility. Michelle Wolf has been criticized for her performance at the White House Correspondents Dinner; Samantha Bee offered a limited apology for her remarks about Ivanka Trump; Robert De Niro rallied the audience at the Tony Awards by firing an epithet at President Trump. Our panel of comedians will discuss where the line is, and if there should be one. In studio:
- John Forrest Thompson
- Woody Battaglia
- Andrea Springer
