Transcripts For KCSM Democracy Now 20161209

He has been accused of domestic violence. We will get response from labor ,eader Mary Kay Henry representing over 2 million workers. Then to oakland, california, where mourning continues after at least 36 people were killed in a fire at the ghost ship warehouse. They were amazing, you know . They were amazing. It is the people i didnt know i can even it is mind blowing. It is heartbreaking. Amy we will speak with bay area dj nihar bhatt who survived the fire but lost seven of his friends. All of that and more coming up. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President elect donald trump has picked fast food ceo Andrew Puzder to become the next secretary of labor. Puzder is the head of the company that franchises the fastfood outlets hardees and carls jr. He is a longtime republican donor who has been a vocal critic of raising the minimum wage, the fight for 15 movement, expansion of overtime pay, paid sick leave, and the Affordable Care act. In puzder made 4. 4 million, 2012, nearly 300 times more th the average food worker. Kendall fells of the fight for 15 Campaign Said puzder as labor secretary is like putting Bernie Madoff in charge of the treasury. Puzder has also spoken in favor of having robots replace workers at fast food restaurants. In ainterview with business insider, he said robots are always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, theres never a slipandfall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case. The riverfront times in st. Louis also reports that puzder was accused of abusing his former wife multiple times. In one incident in his former 1986, wife said puzder attacked me, choked me, threw me to the floor, hit me in the head, pushed his knee into my chest, twisted my arm and dragged me on the floor, threw me against a wall, tried to stop my call to 911 and kicked me in the back. Well have more on Andrew Puzder after headlines. Democratic lawmakers say they will try to block the appointment of scott pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection agency. One unnamed epa official has told the Guardian Pruitt could be a unprecedented disaster for the environment and public health. He is seen as a close ally of the fossil fuel industry. In 2014, it was revealed he and other republican attorneys general had formed with the paper described as an unprecedented Secretive Alliance with the top Energy Producers to fight obamas climate effort. Senator Bernie Sanders said pruitts record is not only that of being a Climate Change denier, but also someone who has worked closely with the fossil fuel industry to make this country more dependent, not less, on fossil fuels. To see our interview about. Ruitt, go to democracynow. Org city, a Real Estate Agency has been using Donald Trump Secret Service protection as a new amenity average has the apartments at trump tower. Political reports within a week after Donald Trumps election, Real Estate Agents the Douglas Elliman sent out in gmail with the subject line, fifth avenue buyers interested in secret Service Protection to advertise a 2. 1 million, 1052squarefoot condo in the tower on 721 fifth avenue. In syria, the United Nations is running hundreds of men and boys may have gone missing after leaving rebelheld sections of aleppo and crossing into governmentheld territory amid the Syrian Governments ongoing air and ground offensive to retake the entire city of aleppo. The offensive is seen as a major turning point in the war between antigovernment rebels and the Syrian Government, which began as democratic Popular Uprising in 2011 and has since descended into a devastating civil war. Tens of thousands of civilians have been fleeing rebelheld eastern aleppo in recent days, as the Syrian Government has seized control of at least 75 of the rebels territory. Meanwhile, today is the third anniversary of the kidnapping of prominent syrian human rights lawyer and activist razan zeitouneh. She was abducted with three others december 9, 2013, at the office of the Violations Documentation Center in douma. She was a cofounder of the local coordination committees, and was targeted by both the government and by extremist groups for her activism. Before her abduction, she spoke many times about the 2011 Popular Democratic uprising in syria and denounced the brutal crackdown by syrian president Bashar Alassad against the revolution. This is zeitouneh speaking in december of 2011. Started this year daily protests. It is not organized, actually. They have just finished their school and go daily after the school. Beatenve been arrested, in every harsh way. What is remarkable is more and protest is taking place daily, which is very important because until this moment, they were not that involved in the movement in general. Amy how is bush are alassad maintaining his power and what about the lack of western media in syria being able to really show the pictures of what is going on . Killing. Y violence against its own people, only to remain in power. Amy a new report by Amnesty International says an estimated 500,000 people have been forced from their homes amid a brutal government crackdown in majority kurdish regions in turkeys southeast. The report warns the widespread displacement and demolition of homes over the last year may amount to collective punishment, which is a war crime under the geneva conventions. This comes amidst a widening crackdown across turkey against kurds and prokurdish activists, lawmakers, and journalist. In november, the turkish government fire 10,000 civil servants, ordered 15 mostly kurdish news outlets to shut down, and attain a dozen journalists from the onrdwinning newspaper terrorism charges. Also in november, turkish authorities arrested two leaders and at least 10 other lawmakers from the prokurdish Peoples Democratic party, the thirdlargest party in the turkish parliament. South koreas parliament has voted overwhelmingly to impeach President Park amid an ongoing corruption scandal. Shes faced widespread protests, including a demonstration in november when as many as 1 Million People took to the streets of seoul to demand her resignation over claims she helped a close friend embezzle up to 70 million. Protesters celebrated the news of her impeachment. I was hoping parliament would pass the impeachment bill. I think this shows the public sentiment is accepted and it works out that way. I feel proud im at the center of this historic moment and i hope the new government will reflect the will of the people when it comes to the Government Affairs not to let this happen again. Amy there has been speculation ban kimoon may become the next president of south korea. In egypt, human Rights Groups are denouncing the arrest of prominent egyptian feminist azza soliman, the founder of the centre for egyptian womens legal assistance. Last week she was prevented from leaving egypt at cairos airport. Then on she was detained for wednesday, unknown reasons by police at her home. Her arrest is part of an ongoing government crackdown against activists and journalists. Scientists say giraffes are at risk of extinction. The number of giraffes worldwide has declined nearly 40 over the last 30 years. The International Union for the conservation of nature warns the species is facing a silent extinction. Their decline is part of an ongoing global mass extinction that scientists warn could lead to the disappearance of twothirds of all wild animals on the planet by 2020. In paris, authorities have made a Public Transportation free for the Third Straight day today in efforts to combat the worst winter air pollution in paris in a decade. Officials have also banned some cars from driving in efforts to limit emissions. These are two parisians. I try not to be in the street and to walk too much. I decided to turn to public transport, such as the bus. I have never been to affected by the pollution until now. When others felt it, i didnt. For the past few days, ive had an unusual dry cough that i cannot explain. Amy back in the united states, the number of People Killed by police and other Law Enforcement agents this year has topped 1000. Thats according to an Ongoing Investigation by the guardian called the counted, which relies on local news stories and databases to track every Single Police killing in the u. S. The vast majority more than 900 people have been killed by police fire, although at least 20 have died after being tased by police, while 30 more have died in police custody. The three youngest victims of Law Enforcement agents this year were 10yearold nathan roman, who was killed by his father, a police officer, who fatally shot both his son and his wife with his service gun in new york state. 12yearold ciara meyers, shot dead by a Pennsylvania State constable serving an eviction order against her family. And 13yearold tyre king, shot dead while running away, after officers allegedly mistook the boys bb gun for a real gun. In a split vote thursday night, the Supreme Court ruled not to halt the execution of ronald smith who was convicted of killing a Convenience Store clerk. His execution comes after the jury in the case had recommended a life sentence but a judge imposed capital punishment. In north dakota, police have arrested a man who was caught on camera monday threatening water protectors fighting the 3. 8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. 33yearold jesse mclain of bismarck is facing two counts of terrorizing after he and another man, both with their faces covered, surrounded a water protectors car at the ramada inn and began threatening them while preventing the car from leaving. This is a clip of the video shot by Standing Rock sioux tribe member dean dedman jr. , also known as shiye bidziil, which has been viewed more than one million times. Just go. Though. Turn your phone on. Turnaround. Go home these north dakota people are going to [bleep] you up. Just go. I cant, theyre blocking me. Amy meanwhile, two other indigenous media makers were attacked last night by snowmobilers and a truck which try to run their call car off the road. Video they shot from the car shows the three men driving down along icy stretch of road when these to mobile are secured just werent in front of their car and yelled a string of expletives at them. Water protectors say this is part of it will escalating wave. F harassment by white in cameroon, police have killed four antigovernment demonstrators amid ongoing protests that began a month ago when teachers and lawyers demanded better working conditions. Reuters reports the police initially tried to disperse thursdays protest using tear gas, and then began to shoot live ammunition into the crowd, killing at least 4. And saturday is human rights day, observed each year on the anniversary of december 10, 1948, when the u. N. General assembly adopted the universal declaration of human rights. In the philippines, family members of those who have died in extrajudicial killings amid president Rodrigo Dutertes escalating socalled war on drugs appealed for justice ahead of saturdays commemoration. Police have killed at least 2000 people and vigilantes have killed at least 3500 more sense duterte took office this summer. Tens of thousands more have been arrested or turned themselves over to police out of fear they would be killed. Human Rights Groups say many of those killed have been summarily shot and had nothing to do with the drug trade. A recent buzz feet investigation revealed the u. S. State department is continue to send planes of dollars in aid as well as training and equipment to the Philippine National police amidst the way the killings. This is the mother of an 18yearold the them of the extrajudicial killings. We are poor. They will not listen to us. It is pitiful of the poor killed because no matter how hard we try to explain, they will not listen to us. They judge has because we are poor. Amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and in oakland, california, the mourning continues over the death of at least 36 people who were killed in a fire at the ghost ship warehouse one week ago. The fire is one of the deadliest building fires in the last half century in the united states. The ghost ship was an artist collective that housed many Young Artists and musicians in the victims who were overwhelmingly Young Artists and committed the art of us does committed he activists. It is set. I knew two people. I am sad, but im more concerned about their family and their wellbeing. More than that, ive lost two friends. Amy the ghost ship warehouse was reportedly rife with fire hazards. Its landlord had a history of owning properties with building violations. Many local oakland artists and tenants, rightist, activists a it is a symptom of a field or heaven housing or rising rents have forced people to make art in sometimes hazardous spaces. In the wake of the fire, the oakland mayor has pledged 1. 7 million to create and sustain affordable safe spaces for local artists and arts organizations. For more we go directly to oakland, california where were joined by nihar bhatt, a bay area dj and record label owner who survived the ghost ship warehouse fire. Seven of his friends died that night. Nihar, welcome to democracy now our deepest condolences for your loss. Can you describe what happened that night . Thank you for having me on. Which wasof the fire, last friday i cant believe it was only a week. It feels like a lifetime. I was going to the event. A good event to support the number of friends that were performing that night. I got out of the car, walked over to the building where the event was happening. Out front a saw a couple of my friends. They started chatting with them. It was two friends in particular. One of them when inside midway through our conversation, a couple of minutes later. He never came out of the building. The other friend i was chatting with, we hung back, chatted for a little bit, and then suddenly we heard the fire the words fire. Eople started pouring out we could not believe what we heard. We immediately thought, what can we do . We were we were about to enter the building. Before we could even formulate our thought on that question, the entire building filled up with just plumes of smoke starting to waft out of the building. We realized it was no way we could enter. We had no idea what was going on. We waited outside of the building for hours. Realizing that no one was coming out. I just lot of time dreaming of our friends emerging in some way. The fact is, the building it was not possible to enter the building. Very quickly, this entire incident happened. Us couldhink any of have imagined a fire taking completely consuming the smoke is something that none of us could have anticipated it would be that deadly that quickly. It happen and waited outside, realizing that a lot of people we knew in my case seven people i knew well, people that were important to me were inside. Basically, we waited and waited to see if there were something we did not know. The simple truth was they were never coming out. Amy can you describe the ghost ship, what this space represents for the community, for artists . Sure. The ghost ship is just one of the few places left where the community for my community, one of the few sort of underground techno, external music scene, was one of the few places that was open to us to do longs, events that had a timeline and could go very late into the night. Where we could go outside of the typical bar and club scene, that that type of event sort of usually often takes place in. Which is really important because, you know, in bars and clubs, the imperative is to sell alcohol. Whether good people working in a bar or club or not, the reality is sell you have to do as many drugs as possible. That creates a certain dynamic around the space. It means the people that are to shape events in that the people with the biggest pockets. At a space like the ghost ship amy why do they call it the ghost ship . Im not entirely sure where that name came from. One thing about the space is that it was it was a space that our community rented for events. Most of the people the people that lived there were not involved with the organization of the event. A there were some people that it was reminiscent of that field. It was a large ship at one point suspended in think that was part of the aesthetic. Amy several residents and friends say the fire highlighted the longstanding issue of the lack of Affordable Properties in the bay area. This is berkeley mayor jesse arreguin. This is a symptom of the broader housing justification crisis affecting the entire bay area where artist are being pushed out of cities and pushed into oftentimes dangerous situations. We need to do more to create more affordable and safe space for artists to live and work in our community. Amy nihar bhatt, your response . I could not agree more. What we have seen in oakland in general, the bay area, there have been thousands of evictions a year. The scale of the housing crisis is something that is well known worldwide in the bay area. What has become epidemic in San Francisco has bled into oakland in a really dramatic way. That is something that affects all kinds of people. Within the artist community, in the case of the work was spaces for artists, you see this dramatically. There are so many spaces that have been evicted, evicted in the last few years. The 1990 Market Street in oakland, lost in recent times. It is just one symptom of it but it has an effect on all kinds of things. In this case, it drove people into a space that i think had it was a compromise. I think a lot of people were conscious that it was not the safest place because of some specific factors about it. Nobody understood the scale of how unsafe it would end up being. I dont think anyone could have predicted how bad this tragedy would be. But it is the case that the reason why people were driven to both live and through throw events of the space, the majority of people did not live there. Attending ant event there. The majority of the people the reason why people why this space became central was because of the dwindling and lack of alternatives. Amy [music break] pledging money for safe spaces. What do you think she should be doing . Not nearly enough. One pretty s before the fire. It is not a response to the fire, but it has been announced since then part of libby aaf plus attempts overreaction of the fire. The reality is right now, multiple warehouse spaces have are ready been served eviction notice within oakland. Right now in the last couple of days, since the fire. Others have been served inspection notices. 19 19 market, it was inspection notice that led to their eviction. Others have beenthe reality iso be much more swift action. Isht now what we really need a moratorium on evictions. A moratorium on red tagging of buildings. Things that will affect all of the people being evicted because what has happened after this disaster has been, i think, another example of disaster capitalism. A situation where landlords, developers, and other people that actually cap profit quite a bit from closing up rebooting these spaces are jumping on this. And taking advantage to colonize even more space. That dynamic is unfolding immediately. It requires immediate action. It is not enough. Furthermore, there needs to be live workr not just spaces, which is a central piece in this, but also venues for this specific type of art. Theynow, late night need a space to unfold, to actually, you know, realize its on purpose, which is to actually have these long, late night events. Amy nihar bhatt, who owns the building . Owned building itself is by some absentee landlords. The names escape me right now, but the building was ministered in large part by the Master Tenant at the time. Amy on oaklands alternative wednesday, weekly, the east bay express, published an article in which Fire Department whistleblowers blamed the tragedy on a poorly managed Fire Department. The article reads several oakland Fire Department employees looked up the warehouses firecode inspection history. But when they attempted to pull records for 1315 31st avenue from their own fireprevention bureaus files, they discovered nothing. its not even in the system, one firefighter said. He and other firefighters went on to say that the departments buildinginspection program is dangerously understaffed and disorganized. Again, that from the oakland east bay express. That is absolutely right. I think the priorities of the city have not been with fire sixty there were only the ling inspectors in oakland and had not been inside this building for years and years and years. This mismanagement and negligence there is been a lot of talk about trying to shift wayne to be renters or the organizers of this event for this incident, but the reality is, not only is the oakland Fire Department very understaffed and mismanaged,ced and it seems, too, but there is also a tremendous incentive within the city to not read for the space that you work. To not report the space that you work. People who live in the spaces, through events at these spaces, people who attend these spaces. Right now if you report a space, you might be homeless. Or you not be out of a space to have special events. Until there is a clear and nonpunitive path of people coming into compliance, to people being able to throw events in the way that they need or want to and need to, i think people will continue to operate in secrecy like this. It is part of a larger systemic problem. Amy i want to ask about the trench gender people transgender people who died in the fire, including the bandmember a number of transgender people dying in the fire, since the multiple Media Outlets have missed gender them, adding to the grief of the community. Can you talk about this . Cash askew is somebody who struggled a lot within the music scene to be treated equally and to be recognized the way that she wanted to be. Her andgendering of transgenderother victims, just adds further insult to what has already been a horrible tragedy. These People Struggle their whole lives for recognition. It is the least we can ask when paying respect to them that the waya recognizes them in the that they wanted to be recognized in their lives. Think it is i important to say one of the reasons why are so many transgender people at this event queer attendees and people of color that were victims of the fire, it is because the type of opportunity a space like this reasons. In the mainstream sort of club reinonment where alcohol supreme, where theres a different kind of environment, often i think these marginalize committees can face harassment. It does not feel like a safe space for them for completely different set of reasons. In a space like this, communities can self organize and essentially be part of it in a different way, be included. In oakland, theres a very strong scene of queer, transgender artists, especially theriment a artists within Electronic Music Scene in particular, as well as black and brown artists that are a key part of the city scene. Amy i just want to say that we have heard of a number ofs aces from baltimore to nashville to other cities being closed down and we just got this enough from a listener who wrote in denver, harvey levin Artist Spaces were shut down last night by authorities to stop the event hosting events for independent artist for over 10 years. They passed the annual inspection and were up to code with the city and the landlord. It would on to say the community was in mourning and now many are without be home in the spaces they pour their hearts and souls into. These are spaces radically tolerant for selfexpression. Were all very sad. As we wrap up, nihar, your thoughts about safe and unsafe spaces and what to do . I think what we see right now what we see right now is across the country, like you said, amy, landlords are either, out of fear or out of the opportunity that this present for them, shutting down spaces. This city, in many cases, are collaborating with them. But i think this will only make the problem worse. I punishing these spaces, we are creating conditions for people to live in even more dangerous places as well as throw events in even more dangerous spaces. The city needs to find and protect people that are right now under attack from election, from being thrown out of these spaces, and they also need to fund the arts. They need to find spaces for people to throw late night electronic music parties as well because people often think of this, funding for the arts, support for the arts, played is for artists places for artists to live and do their work as something extra, something beyond the breadandbutter issue. I think we have seen through this event, this is a matter of life and death. We need safe spaces to be up to come into the light and to stop treating artists like criminals. Any kind of artists whether youre throwing a dance party or organizing awardsless a workless space. Nihar bhatt, we have to leave it there, but we appreciate spending so much time with us. Bay area dj and record label owner who survived the ghost ship warehouse fire. Seven of his friends died. Indigo ship fire. Our condolences to you as we go out with the music of cash ask you, one of the victims of the fire. . [music break] amy that was actually patti singing monday night at Riverside Church as we celebrated democracy now s 20 the anniversary. She wrote the song for rachel corrie, the peace activist was killed by an israeli bulldozer by an israeli bulldozer in gaza in 2003. She dedicated the song to the Young Artists who died in the oakland fire, as well as young journalists and activists who have lost their lives. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President elect donald trump has been a fast food ceo to become the next secretary of labor. Andrew puzders head of the company that franchises the fast food outlet hardees and carls jr. He is a longtime republican donor who has been a vocal critic of raising the minimum wage, the fight for 15 movement, expansion of overtime pay, paid sick leave, and the Affordable Care act. Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized puzders nomination saying Andrew Puzder looks down on working people. At hardees carls jr, he got rich squeezing frontline workers on wages, overtime benefits. In 2012, Andrew Puzder made 4. 4 million, nearly 300 times more than the average food worker. According to one count, 60 of restaurants in puzders fastfood chain had wage violations. This is Andrew Puzder a hearing on fox business last year. If your objective is to bolster and support the unions and youre not all that concerned about whether young people will have entrylevel jobs, then you should be protesting in favor of the 15 minimum wage. I think most people are concerned about young people in this country and fewer are concerned about big labor. Amy labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder has also spoken in favor of having robots replace workers at fast food restaurants. In an interview with business insider, puzder said robots are always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, theres never a slipandfall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case. Christine owens of the National Employment law project said based on mr. Puzders own comments, its hard to think of anyone less suited for the job of lifting up americas forgotten workers as trump had campaigned on then puzder. Puzder is a longtime republican activist. In the 1980s, he served as the chair of John Ashcrofts task force for mothers and unborn children. According to the st. Louis postdispatch, puzder helped draft a missouri law banning most abortions at public facilities and requiring doctors to test the viability of fetuses starting at 20 weeks. The riverfront times in st. Louis also reports that puzder was accused of abusing his former wife multiple times. In one incident in 1986 his former wife said puzder attacked me, choked me, threw me to the floor, hit me in the head, pushed his knee into my chest, twisted my arm and dragged me on the floor, threw me against a wall, tried to stop my call to 911 and kicked me in the back. Puzder has also faced criticism for airing sexist tv ads showing scantily clad models dressed in bikinis and lingerie eating hamburgers from his restaurants. Last year he defended the ads saying i like our ads. I like beautiful womenating burgers in bikinis. I think its very american. To talk more about the nomination of Andrew Puzder as labor secretary we are joined by , labor leader Mary Kay Henry, president of seiu, the Service Employees International Union which represents over 2 million workers. Welcome to democracy now , Mary Kay Henry. Your thoughts on the labor secretary designee . I think reflects how out of touch donald trump is with the vast majority of working people in this country. Were dealing with the worst economic racial and gender inequality of our time. And Andrew Puzder, as you just so clearly made the case, represents corporate rate to the bottom that does not treat the value of work in the dignity of the people doing work, even in his own restaurants. I have to say when i heard that he was the nominee, it made me inc. About the first time the chris secretary of labor tom 15ez welcomed the fight for and Union Leadership into his office because he wanted to hear about the lives of people that were fearless enough to actually decide to make what was that a bodacious demand for years ago for 15 in a union. Our current labor secretary, every time those leaders take action in the street, applaud them through email, speeches, and twitter. We could not have a more extreme context and labor contrast in labor secretarys. Amy so talk about exactly what the job of the labor secretary is and what kind of impact Andrew Puzders position would have. The labor secretarys mission is to stand up for american working people. And oversee the administration of wage and hour division, which makes sure when you work for a living, you get paid for the hours. Andrew puzders restaurants have been find in california alone 20 million for wage and hour violations or somebody is cheated in their check and able to go to the Labor Department to redress for that. The other thing the Labor Department does is encourage earning more money, raising wages in this country, which tom perez has done valiant little desk valiantly with individual employers, making the case about how when you work hard for a living, you ought to be able to feed your family and have your kids get ahead. And he is done that in every sector of the economy. He has convened the labor movement. He has convened American Business owners to try to find Common Ground because he knew in his bones that when workers had more money in their pockets, they could spend it in their communities and we could get the economy growing from the bottom up in this nation. Puzder represents exactly the opposite trickledown theory that we know has failed. That is the role the labor secretary plays, and that is why it is completely outrageous that donald trump sees puzder fit to serve in this role frankly, in a long line of appointed from the Environmental Protection a education for the people he is nominated to leave those departments and government the are supposed to advance right privileges in those areas are all people that want to use government to favor corporations over the majority of americans. Amy during an appearance on fox news fox and friends last year, andy puzder claimed any workers do not want higher wages because theyre afraid of losing government and if its. The policy guys call it the wher welfare cliff. In lose thousands of dollars benefits. These benefits are scheduled for some people. How they pay the rent, how theyve either kids. What happens is we have people who turned out promotions or minimum wage goes up, they want fewer hours, less hours because they are afraid they will go over that cliff. Ellie mae could distance between dependence and independence brought together. Drive you nuts because youre looking for good people to run your stores. If they would take the next step, the next step of the latter, they could be a manager making 80,000, but they dont want to lose the free stuff from the government. It locks people into poverty. It was well attended and intended to help people who need relief, but it really locks them into poverty and we need a different system. Amy that was andy puzder last year with steve doocy of fox news fox friends. It is another indication of how out of touch he is. Lets take the case of mcdonalds. Cke restauranthe numbers. There are 4000 store managers and mcdonalds. There are one Million People working in mcdonalds restaurants. There are not enough management jobs for people to promote into in the way that he is suggesting. That is a smokescreen for a decision by the wealthiest corporations in this country who are earning record profits, where ceo pay is 1200 times the frontline workers. To divert our attention from the fact that they refuse to pay living wages when it is completely possible for profits to be invested on the frontline workforce and for shareholders to still get what they need, and for workers to come off of tax subsidy. Every fight for 15 leader i have walked with, struck with, gotten arrested with does not want government assistance. People want to be able to work for a living and feed their families and get ahead in this economy. It would be Game Changing if andy puzder came into the labor secretary role, convened fast food employers, and required them to sit down and recognize the union voluntarily with the fight for 15 leadership. 4 Million People could come out of poverty through a collective Bargaining Agreement in this country, just like these companies have done in countries around the world. So for him to sit on fox news and talk about people wanting government assistance and to live in poverty is complete baloney. Amy so how are you going to organize . I mean, this is not complete at this point. We are objecting, as we have done in the last 24 hours. Were supporting the fight for 15 and Union Leadership who have also gone into the streets objecting. We are galvanizing across the Progressive Movement gni in our objection, not just the labor secretary, but all of the cabinet appoints that are completely and a federal to the country that we want to live in. We are going to mobilize for the nominations process to not allow for these appointments to occur. And beyond that, we think we need to expand the fight for 15 in a union movement, have more workers join. We need to connect it to electronic desk electoral politics happening in 2017 and get ready to turn the tide in 18. Were going to talk about how the Affordable Care act needs to be maintained. We will object to the education secretary suggesting we should privatize Public Education in this country. Were going to jack did attorney general further once to suppress our voice by not defending the Voting Rights act in this country. There is a lot for us to organize around amy i want to ask you very quick about donald trump attacking union leader chuck jones on twitter after the president of united still workers appeared. Lastly trump appearing at the carrier or Commission Plant in indianapolis boasting he is able 1100 jobs from being moved to mexico but jones to represent the workers has trump lied his ass off. Jones says trump helped keep only 730 jobs in the u. S. , not 1100. On wednesday, donald trump tweeted chuck jones, who is president of united steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country less than two hours later, he sent out another tweet saying if united steelworkers 1999 was any good, they would have kept those jobs in indiana. Spend more time workingless time talking. Reduce dues. Your thoughts, Mary Kay Henry . I think this moment requires all of us to stand up and speak out and call out the misinformation of the next president elect donald trump. I am proud of what chuck jones did. Rez didoud of what alva when the fight for 15 got in the streets and three hundred 40 cities. Were going to need to stand up and speak out and have each others backs. And call out the lies of this administration and make it Crystal Clear that we are not backing down. Were going to fight for our vision of america. Amy finally, Mary Kay Henry, your union seiu acing criticism for dressing her clinton in november 2015, even though many labor activists all Bernie Sanders has the candidate with a stronger record on labor issues, nearly back or, for example, for the fight for 15 movement while clinton faced criticism for her time serving on the board of walmart. Do you think seiu made a mistake in endorsing clinton so early on in the campaign . Collects no. Our home territory workers met with her the summer before. We knew this was a leader who would advocate for womens were, finally becoming living wage work in the care sector. She united with our vision that the 64 Million People living and working more than fulltime and poverty deserved a shot at becoming the next american middle class. Amy but given the kind of well, reflections the poor making right now, was the right candidate put forward . Especially, as you talk about, Going Forward . Is there any kind of critical self reflection that your union is doing . Were doing critical self reflection on every aspect of our work in the two years leading up to the november election. The thing that we are digging into, amy, is how do we protect economic agenda in this country where we are not divided by race and gender. The key question we are digging into is that because we think it is what is required for us to build the most powerful movement for change Going Forward and to make the gains we need to in 2017 and 2018 to turn the tide 2020 and build up our we need to make the national change that every american deserves. Amy Mary Kay Henry, thank you for being with Us International , president of the Service Employees International Union, which represents 2 million workers in healthcare, public, and property services. When we come back, an update on the recount with green Party President ial candidate dr. Jill stein. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Is, federal judge Holding Hearing today in wisconsin to decide if a recount of the state president ial vote can proceed. Dr. Jill stein requested recounts in three states were donald trump narrowly built beat hillary clinton. Stein has faced obstacles in all three states. Todays rain wisconsin comes after two protrump groups filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop the recount process. In michigan, a judge has halted the recount this week. Entering will be held in pennsylvania today to decide if a recount there can begin. Joining us, dr. Jill stein. Well them back. What is happening in wisconsin . In wisconsin is what is happening in all three states where the recount is proceeding. What is happening all over america. This is not what democracy looks like. The recount asks the question, do we have a Voting System which is accurate, secure, and just . Is this a Voting System we can trust . We attempted to verify the vote and were still fighting to do that. 10,000 more volunteers who are involved at the Community Level are fighting on. But there has been obstruction at every turn, including gamesmanship in the courts. , thed trump, his pacs Republican Party have created a minefield everywhere that they can at every possible turn to create legal hurdles. The cost has been raised to an outrageous price will stop wisconsin started at 1. 1 million, raised the price to three point finally and dollars. The idea that we should have we ordinary citizens, in order to have a vote we can be called in and, should have to go out and raise millions and millions of dollars in order to do that is outrageous. Amy explain what is happening in wisconsin. A case was filed at least a week ago. The fact it was not scheduled to be heard until the very and of this process, as wisconsin is wrapping up, tells you the court is not taking this too seriously. We do not expect this to have an impact. However we are continuing to fight in milwaukee where it is most important we have a hand count, yet in milwaukee, as in many other communities of color, that hand recount is being blocked and essentially a button is being pushed on the same fallible machines prone to tampering, ms. Programming, ms. Calibration. This is why the Voting System is essentially a de facto m crow and we have essentially defected jim crow elections. Amy usa today what happens now . Collects now we go to the Supreme Court in the state of michigan. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a kangaroo court, including two judges who were actually on Donald Trumps list of potential Supreme Court nominees. This characterizes the whole process. It is very much been an exercise in political cronyism throughout the attorney general who is also a crony of Donald Trumps, has also attempted to obstruct other recounts. Amy yesterday, our guest was commenting on the difference between how bush dealt with the 2004 request for recount and what is happening today, the bushs lawyers did not even show up places but trumps lawyers are deeply involved in every level. Exactly. Amy why . I think it speaks volumes that donald trump is not confident in the outcome of this vote and is very worried. In michigan, the difference turned out to be 10,000 votes. That is the margin of difference between clinton and trump, yet there are 75,000 votes which are mysteriously blank which should be hand recounted. That recount is essentially being blocked in the communities where it is most likely to make a difference. That is in communities of color, particularly around detroit. In pennsylvania, pennsylvania is messcredible bureaucratic with these 9000 precincts, each of which have to be handled differently. In pennsylvania, we will be in court today pressing the case forward for statewide recount. At this point, we are pushing ahead. We are building this movement which is not going to be stopped by political cronyism and economic extortion. We deserve a right to vote. We deserve the right to be confident in that vote. To have automatic recounts when it is close to get rid of these fallible Voting Machines fault of amy we have to leave it there, dr. Jill, 2016 president ial nominee of the green party. That does it for our show. If you like to see our 20th anniversary democracy now event, you can go online to see the whole thing democracynow. Org. [announcer] P Allen Smiths garden to table is brought to you by the berry family of nurseries growers of edibles, hardy trees and shrubs, and fresh holiday greenery. And by the makers of jobes organic fertilizer now in spikes, granular and water soluble formulas easy gardener. Com. Autumn is a season of change. Theres lots going on in the way of days getting shorter, temperatures are dropping, and all of this triggers that transformation of leaves that we see going from green to all of those miraculous colors. Its also a season of abundance. Theres so much coming in with regard to the harvest which allows us to get creative in our homes and in the kitchen and thats what todays show is all about, so lets get started