Sue's Daily Stack, The Thom Hartmann Program 12/17/25
Your daily homework - links to everything discussed on today's show
Wednesday’s Daily Stack
Hour One: National Progressive Townhall Meeting taking your calls
- Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI, 2nd District) / Current Member & Chair Emeritus-Congressional Progressive Caucus / (Committees: Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Labor Caucus, and Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus.) @pocan.house.gov @repmarkpocan
Article: “Donald Trump addressing world with mystery announcement in unusual move“ by Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas, David Rivers.
Article: “Four Republicans defy Mike Johnson to sign Democratic petition to force vote on healthcare subsidies“ by Eric Garcia.
Law: “Article I, Section 8“. “The Congress shall have Power... To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;”
Article: “‘Unquestionably an Act of War’: Trump Declares Naval Blockade Against Venezuela“ by Jake Johnson.
Article: “Senator Reaches Damning Conclusions After Classified Briefing With Hegseth, Rubio“ by Ron Dicker.
Article: “Sen. Marco Rubio said his parents ‘came to America following Fidel Castro’s takeover’ of Cuba“ by Becky Bowers.
Article: “United States seizure of the oil tanker Skipper“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “More than 116,000 homes damaged in eastern Cuba by Hurricane Melissa“ by CiberCuba.
Article: “‘We are dying’: Cuba sinks into a health crisis amid medicine shortages and misdiagnosis“ by Carla Gloria Colomé.
Article: “Contextualizing Trump post about Venezuela stealing ‘oil, land and other assets’ from the US“ by Anna Rascouët-Paz.
Article: “Why Blowing Up Venezuelan Boats Won’t Stop the Flow of Drugs“ by Samuel Granados, Genevieve Glatsky and Annie Correal.
Article: “Hegseth says he won’t release unedited video of double-tap boat strike“ by Alex Woodward.
Article: “ArtI.S9.C8.2 Historical Background on Foreign Emoluments Clause“ by LII.
Article: “Gift Rules for Congress“ by Caralyn Esser and Craig Holman.
Article: “Moderate Republicans revolt against GOP leadership to force vote on 3-year ACA extension“ by Cami Mondeaux.
Article: “State of the Union: Why did all these women wear white to Donald Trump’s address?“ by Lucia Stein.
Site: Transparent Election Initiative (to beat Citizens United in Montana).
Case: “Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission“ (2010).
Videos: “Mark Pocan“.
Article: “‘He’s going to be next’: Trump threatens Colombian president“ by Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing.
Article: “Monroe Doctrine“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “National Security Strategy of the USA“ by Donald J. Trump et al.
Article: “The NSS: From Monroe Doctrine to Moscow Doctrine“ by The National Security Desk.
Trump says Venezuela sends US lethal drugs, but data tells different story” by Josh Meyer.
Article: “Trump slammed for ‘dictator talk’ as he jokes with Zelensky about having ‘no more elections’ in US“ by Reanna Smith.
Article: “China moving against fentanyl manufacture amid US pressure“ by Namita Singh.
Article: “Medicare To Test Prior Authorizations In 6 States As Part Of A Pilot Program“ by KFF Health News.
Article: “Medicare Advantage: The Scam You Can’t Afford to Ignore“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “UnitedHealth to exit Medicare Advantage plans in 109 US counties“ by Amina Niasse.
Article: “Equal Credit Opportunity Act turns 50“ by Yahoo!Finance.
Article: “Consumer advocates warn CFPB proposal could weaken fair credit rules“ by Truman Lewis.
Hour Two: Who’s Really Pulling the Trigger—The Shooter, or the Predator Lobby?
Article: “Who’s Really Pulling the Trigger: The Shooter, or the Predator Lobby?“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “Trump administration plans to end the IRS Direct File program for free tax filing, AP sources say“ by Fatima Hussein.
Article: “Food Insecurity in 2023: Notable Research Findings from the USDA’s Annual Food Security Report“ by Feeding America.
Article: “How The Richest Democracy in the World Abandons Americans“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “Medicare Advantage: Why Are We Paying for “Sham” Insurance?“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “Why Is It You Can Host Terrorist Attacks & Drug Sales On the Web, But Not At Your Home?“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “Why Is the For-Profit Health Industry Like a Giant, Bloodsucking Tick?“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “As Americans Struggled, Health Insurers Made a Record-Breaking $71.3 Billion in Profits“ by Wendell Potter.
Book: The Hidden History of American Healthcare: Why Sickness Bankrupts You and Makes Others Insanely Rich by Thom Hartmann.
Book: “The Hidden History of Guns and the Second Amendment“ by Thom Hartmann.
Book: “The Hidden History of the Supreme Court and the Betrayal of America“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “Mass Shootings in 2025“ by CVA.
Article: “Big Business Is Overcharging You $5,000 a Year“ by David Leonhardt.
Article: “Playbook: Shutdown? Averted. Crisis? Delayed.“ by Eugene Daniels, Rachael Bade.
Article: “Trump’s Treasury Pick Excelled at Kicking Elderly People Out of Their Homes“ by Paul Kiel and Jesse Eisinger.
Article: “Health expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in selected countries as of 2024“ by Statista.
Article: “World’s five richest men doubled wealth since 2020, Oxfam says“ by Deepthi Nair.
Article: “2025 Brown University shooting“ by Wikipedia.
Law: “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act“ (2005).
Article: “Social Security: Could AI Push the Program Into Insolvency Faster As it Takes American Jobs?“ by Vance Cariaga.
Article: “Why US soya bean farmers are upset with Trump’s $20bn Argentina bailout“ by Louis Jacobson.
Article: “U.S. support for Argentina could hit $40 billion“ by Rob Wile.
Article: “Argentina lifts veil on its past as a refuge for Nazis“ by Michael Dorgan.
Article: “Trump unveils $12bn farm aid package to help farmers who faced ‘unjustified trade actions“ by Bernd Debusmann Jr, Danielle Kaye.
Could the board of the Pulitzer Prize take Trump down?
Article: “BREAKING: A Little Known Lawsuit Meant To “Vindicate” Trump May End Up Exposing Everything He’s Spent Decades Hiding.“ by Dean Blundell.
Article: “Medigap“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “Mutual of Omaha“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “The Perils of Privatization: Bush’s lethal plan for Social Security“ by Edith Rasell and Christian E. Weller.
Article: “Trump’s First Judicial Nominees Dodge 2020 Election Question“ by Tiana Headley.
Article: “Progressive group targets Senate Democrats for backing Trump’s judicial nominees“ by Jonathan J. Cooper.
Article: “23 Democrats vote against Donald Trump impeachment effort: Full list“ by Jason Lemon.
Article: “United States invasion of Grenada“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “Gulf War“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “2003 invasion of Iraq“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “United States invasion of Afghanistan“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “Federal Assault Weapons Ban“ (1994-2004) by Wikipedia.
Case: “District of Columbia v. Heller“, 2008 (2nd Amendment). Stevens, J., dissenting.
Case: “McDonald v. City of Chicago“ (2020, gun rights).
Law: “14th Amendment, July 9, 1868 (citizenship, representatives, public debt, Equal Protection Clause).
Law: “Declaration of Independence“. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.“
Hour Three: How Much Profit Is Your Life & Health Worth to Them?
Article: “How Many Persons Each Year Pass Away Due To A Lack Of Health Insurance?“ by Alivia Cooper.
Article: “How Many People Will No Longer Be Covered By The Affordable Care Act?“ by Alivia Cooper.
Article: “300,000 Oklahomans face major spike in health insurance premiums. What does it mean for you?“ by Libby Hobbs.
Article: “House speaker says affordable health care ‘just was not to be’“ by Emily Singer.
Article: “Republican Chip Roy Trashes Own Party’s Healthcare Bill in Committee Hearing: ‘Milquetoast Garbage’“ by Dec 16th, 2025, 8:36 pm.
Speech: “A Rendezvous With Destiny“, 27 June 1936 acceptance speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt. “An old English judge once said: “Necessitous men are not free men.”“
Article: “‘Everything Is on Tape’: Reporter Fires Back at Trump World for Claiming His Explosive Susie Wiles Piece Was a Hit Job“ by Charlie Nash.
Trump world Texts Dana Bash “live” while she’s on air to dispute her - as Vanity Fair says “everything is on tape.”
Article: “CNN’s Dana Bash Receives Texts From ‘Trump World’ Blasting Her Coverage During Show: ‘You Probably Saw Me Looking Down…’“ by Zachary Leeman.
Are we in a recession now?
Article: “Expert startled by new Trump economy figures: ‘Recession is imminent’“ by Matthew Chapman.
Article: “Liberation Day tariffs“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “U.S. hits $38 trillion in debt, after the fastest accumulation of $1 trillion outside of the pandemic“ by Fatima Hussein.
Article: “GDP (current US$) - United States“ by World Bank Group.
Article: “Sahm rule“ (recession indicator) by Wikipedia.
Article: “Canada’s third-quarter annualised GDP surprises with growth of 2.6 percent“ by Reuters.
Shocking updates on Russia and Venezuela ...
Article: “Russia threatens to invade Europe and ‘destroy Berlin’ as all-out WW3 fears erupt“ by John Varga.
Article: “After a Generation of Peace, Europe Tells Its People to Prepare for War“ by Max Colchester, Bertrand Benoit.
Article: “Russia: US has promised us Ukrainian territory“ by Kieran Kelly.
Article: “Zelenskyy offers to drop NATO aspirations, remains against ceding territory to Russia“ by AP.
Article: “Full video of Venezuela drug boat strikes will not be made public, Hegseth says“ by Joe St. George , Nathaniel Reed.
Article: “‘Shock like they’ve never seen’: Trump threatens foreign nation with ‘largest armada ever’“ by Daniel Hampton.
Article: “Trump Orders Blockade of Some Oil Tankers to and From Venezuela“ by Edward Wong, Simon Romero, Charlie Savage and Julian E. Barnes.
Substack: “LookingNWords“ by Rohn Kenyatta.
Article: “Sialorrhea: Anatomy, Pathophysiology and Treatment with Emphasis on the Role of Botulinum Toxins“ by Amanda Amrita Lakraj, Narges Moghimi, Bahman Jabbari.
Article: “Which behavioral incidents have raised concerns among clinicians about Trump’s mental health?“ by factually.
Article: “Simón Bolívar“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “Kwanzaa“ by Wikipedia.
Quote: “I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.“ - Peter Thiel.
Article: “China proves poverty can now be eliminated“ by Fiona Edwards.
Quote: “Houses are for living, not for speculation“ - Xi Jinping.
Article: “‘Enough Weapons to Blow Up World 150 Times’: Trump Drops Nuclear Testing Bombshell“ by Arun Nair.
Article: “Gulf of Tonkin incident“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “Jim Morrison’s Father Played a Role In the Gulf of Tonkin Incident“ by Madeline Hiltz.
Article: “What is the income-related monthly adjusted amount (IRMAA)?“ by medicareresources.org.
Article: “Supreme Court says Trump has absolute immunity for core acts only“ by Nina Totenberg.
Article: “Brown University shooting GoFundMe pages, other ways to help“ by Rin Velasco, Antonia Noori Farzan, Margie Cullen.
Article: “Now we know how big DOGE’s firings really were“ by Brent D. Griffiths and Grace Eliza Goodwin.