This Saturday in #nerdland: Democrat’s biggest losses, a major change in Chinese policy, drug abuse as a 2016 election topic, and a life changing program for recently released prisoners.
The headlines this week focused on severe losses for democrats in Tuesday’s elections. With the focus shifting to the question of who is to blame for a declining Democratic foothold, is there a pattern evident in political history that could yield the answer? Melissa speaks with Mark Alexander, Associate Dean for Academics at Seton Hall, Former Senior Advisor to Barack Obama, and Amy Goodman, Host & Executive Producer of Democracynow.org.
Last week China announced that it would end its one-child policy. Though the communist government has suggested that the policy led to an economic boom, we can’t forget the immense human toll that came with it. Mei Fong, author of “One Child, The Story of China’s Most Radical Experiment “ joins Melissa to discuss the effects of this policy.
Drugs were a big part of the 2016 Presidential conversation this week. Some presidential candidates have spoken candidly about the impact of drugs on their families and advocated plans for tackling drug addiction. In New Hampshire, which hosts the first in the nation primary, drug abuse has emerged as a top concern. We’ll examine how residents in that state are urging the candidates to bring the problem of drug abuse to the national spotlight.
We’ll also talk to a former top engineer who left Twitter amid concerns about diversity.
Joining our Saturday morning conversation will be:
- Amy Goodman, Host & Executive producer, Democracy Now!
- Mark Alexander, Associate dean for academics and Professor of law, Seton Hall Law School; Former senior advisor to President Obama; Former candidate for NJ state senate (D)
- Carl Hart, Author, “High Price;” member, National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse; Associate professor, neuroscience and psychology, Columbia University
- Daryl Atkinson, Senior Staff Attorney at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice
- Mei Fong, Author, “One Child: The Story of China’s Most Radical Experiment;” fellow, New America Foundation
- Nicole Porter, Director of advocacy, The Sentencing Project
- Juan Manuel Benitez, Political reporter and host, “Pura Politica” on New York One Noticias
- Jason Bailey, Director, Kentucky Center for Economic Policy
- Leslie Miley, Former Twitter Engineering Manager
To prep for our discussions, feel free to check out:
- The Party’s Over: Kentucky Marks the End of the Democratic Party in the South
- The Daily 202: Democrats playing offense on Obamacare in Kentucky
- Top Black Engineer Blasts Twitter's Lack Of Diversity
- First in Heroin, First in the Nation to Vote
- Obama tells federal agencies to 'ban the box' on federal job applications
- Mission: Launch job program turns former prisoners into budding entrepreneurs
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.