Most Americans were shocked the horrific images of Abu Ghraib, but Alfred McCoy was not.  He’s been following the Central Intelligence Agency since the early 1970s, when it tried to stop the publication of his book, The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade. As soon as McCoy saw the images, his reaction was recognition. In this discussion with Burt Cohen, McCoy talks about the CIA's pioneering research into methods of psychological torture.  The photos from Abu Ghraib were no aberration: they represent policy out of the CIA's several-decade-old torture playbook. What happens to the perpetrators of torture? Listen in to this edition of Portside.

Listen to the podcast

On this Portside, Burt dicusses the roots of the health insurance reform debate with UMass economics professor Richard Wolff, who argues the trend has been our govenrment answering to big money interests more and more. Yet he believes the Blue Dogs might still be turned to listen to the people. Wolff also argues that national health is cheaper and better for private enterprise.

Listen to the podcast

Standing in the way of Obama's health insurance reform are the Blue Dogs, a group of conservative Democrats in Congress. On this edition of portside, Burt talks with Donna Smith, legislative advocate for the California Nurses Association about who the Blue Dogs are really working for and what they really aim to achieve.

Listen to the podcast

Here  he comes to save the day!  Not Mighty Mouse, Dennis Kucinich. On the first part of this Portside, columnist Joshua Holland explains the Ohio congressman’s plan (with bipartisan support) to save single payer health care by enabling states to enact their own single payer health care plans. And on part two you’ll learn about the Hopscotch Terrorists: Four Californians on trial for violating the  Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. Their crime; passing out leaflets and writing in chalk on the sidewalk. A spokesman for the Center for Constitutional Rights explains this is no joke.

Listen to the podcast

Is the American Clean Energy and Security Act a good first step or does it effectively lock pollution in place? On the first half of this edition of Portside, Burt Cohen talks with Jesse Jenkins of the Breakthrough Institute about the questionable good of the Waxman-Markey bill now headed to the Senate. On the second half, Burt looks at CaliforniaTV stations pulling the plug on ads advocating taxing marijuana to ease the massive state budget deficit.

Listen to the podcast

The House-passed Waxman-Markey Bill may do little to cut emmissions and create green jobs in America, but wall St stands to gain a lot. Burt Cohen talks with Teryn Norris of the Breaktrough Institute on the first half. In part two, Burt talks with Author Leslie Savan about the odd love affair between the neo-cons and Iran's Ahmadinijad.

Listen to the podcast

At last gay couples are gaining the right to marry. But given how often marriage is sexless and oppressive to the individuals involved, others are wondering: Is it time to rethink the whole institution?  On this edition of Portside Burt Cohen talks with author Amanda Marcotte about the myth and uniquely American fascination and obsession with marriage .

Listen to the podcast