Is Progress on Guns, DREAMers, Climate, Healthcare and More Impossible?

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Garland Nixon and Lee Stranahan will analyze the apparently irreconcilable differences in US politics on a wide range of issues. This especially as opposing sides on key issues seem to move further and further apart.

Americans overwhelmingly support universal background checks for gun ownership and restrictions on machine guns, assault weapons, and other weapons able to kill dozens of people in seconds. Others feel we need more and more deadly guns on the streets, in schools, etc. Most want guns out of schools, but others want more guns in schools. Some blame gun violence on mental illness, yet Trump recently signed legislation to let mentally ill people obtain guns. Is compromise possible?

Americans overwhelmingly support universal healthcare, but since taking office Trump has joined with Republicans working to limit access to healthcare care. Americans overwhelmingly support action to address climate, but the Trump administration is obstructing efforts to limit carbon emissions. Americans overwhelmingly support action to protect DREAMERs from deportation to lands they've never known, but the Congress repeatedly failed to act. Is action possible?

The separation of powers requires coming together to address important concerns and advance the public interest. Is this increasingly untenable when many politicians adhere to inflexible scripts?

Garland, Lee, and guests will discuss top stories of the day: misguided US Middle East Policy, military spending and other budget issues, media coverage of Trump and Russian "clickbait" operations, censorship, gun violence, and emergency as Kurds face attacks, as well as other trending issues in politics in the "Divided States of America."

Scheduled Guests, Topics, and Notes: (Show 7-10 AM ET Thursday, Feb 22):

Whitney Webb — MintPress News Staff Writer | Topic: Middle East Politics and the Future of the Military twitter: @_whitneywebb

James Langford — Business Editor at the Washington Examiner | Topic: The Economy and the Budget

Katie Hopkins — Author and Columnist | Topic: Analyzing Trump and Coverage by the Mainstream Media

Kani Xulam — director of Kurdistan.com | Topic: Conflict in Syria, Turkish / US Relations

Ben Garrison — Political Cartoonist | Topic: Twitter, Censorship, and "Russian Trolls"

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