This Saturday in #nerdland: Capitalism, a chance for juvenile criminal justice reform, and the state budget crisis threatening to keep thousands of kids out of school.
CAPITALISM! The topic was recently brought into the spotlight at Democratic Debate by the two top contenders to be the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Why are we having this debate at this point in time? Is capitalism actually good for America? Melissa talks to the panel to find out.
As the President continues to champion comprehensive criminal justice reform, we take a look at whether the Supreme Court will retroactively apply its 2012 ruling banning mandatory sentences of life without parole for juveniles convicted of homicide.
Then we’ll take a look at the budget crisis in Pennsylvania and the toll it’s taking on the state’s schools. The school district in Erie could have to send its 12,000 students home starting November 1st if the state budget is not settled.
All that plus the President’s foreign policy legacy after a major policy shift in Afghanistan.
Joining our Saturday morning conversation will be:
- Matt Welch, Editor-in-Chief, Reason Magazine
- Carmen Rita Wong, Columnist for Cafe.com
- Jeffrey Miron, Director of Economic Studies, Cato Institute
- Joshua Perry, Executive Director, Louisiana Center for Children's Rights
- Nina Khrushcheva, Associate Dean, The New School
- Noah Shachtman, Executive Editor, The Daily Beast
- DaWayne Clekly, Father of Student in an Erie Public School, The Partnership for Erie's Public Schools
- Sharece Crouther, Program Associate, Brownsville Youth Court
To prep for our discussions, feel free to check out:
- Thanks to Sanders, Democratic Party Just Debated Merits of Capitalism
- The Real Debate Last Night Was Between Democratic Socialism and Casino Capitalism
- Cruel and Unusual Punishments Before the Supreme Court
- Lessons of Iraq Loom Over Obama’s Decision to Keep Troops in Afghanistan
- After 52 years in prison, SCOTUS may help set Henry Montgomery free
- CPS chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett resigns amid federal criminal investigation
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10am ET on MSNBC. Join the conversation—share your thoughts about these issues on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.