The coal country state of West Virginia is in the middle of a special legislative session to deal with a $270 million budget shortfall, and it's setting the stage for Republicans to completely gut the state's government.

It's the same playbook we've seen the right-wing carry out in Wisconsin, in Kansas, in Michigan, and in Ohio.

West Virginia is facing a massive budget deficit because of the collapsing coal industry and rising unemployment, and despite the recommendations of the Democratic governor, the Republican controlled legislature refuses to consider any new revenue sources.

The state is reeling right now, after House Democrats shot down a tobacco tax paired with a 1 percent sales tax increase that would disproportionately hurt low-income residents.

The Democrats wanted to see a higher tobacco tax and a lower sales tax increase, and the Republicans joined with them just because they simply hate any taxes that might be used to support poor people or improve the quality of life for working people.

So, what is the Republican answer to the budget shortfall?

Cut spending and gut the state government, of course!

West Virginia Republican Delegate Patrick Lane is one leader in the anti-American-government crusade in that state, and he's claiming that he can generate up to $150 million in savings by raiding the state's "rainy day fund," by cutting education at the regional and state level, and by privatizing highway "courtesy patrols," among other budget cuts.

If that sounds familiar, it should: it's "Reaganomics" at the state level.

For years now, Republican governors and legislatures have been using Reagan's tactics to destroy their state's economies while creating massive profits for large corporations and the super-wealthy.

Read more here.

-Thom

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... Senator Nina Turner, plus John Kenneth White, What Happened to the Republican Party? (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)

    

Friday's Daily Stack 

Article: ""Game-Changing" Study Links Cellphone Radiation to Cancer" by Josh Harkinson.

Article: "The superbug that doctors have been dreading just reached the U.S." by Lena H. Sun and Brady Dennis.

Article: "Forget Boxing, the 2012 Election is More Like Professional Wrestling" by Chauncey DeVega.

Article: "Equity fund outflows surpass $100bn in year to date" by Joe Rennison.

Article: "Opting Out Of Medicaid Expansion: The Health And Financial Impacts" by Sam Dickman, David Himmelstein, Danny McCormick, and Steffie Woolhandler.

Article: "This 32-Year-Old Florida Woman Is Dead Because Her State Refused To Expand Medicaid" by Tara Culp-Ressler.

Documentary: Where to Invade Next - Michael Moore.

Article: "2016 Delegate Count and Primary Results" by Wilson Andrews, Kitty Bennett and Alicia Parlapiano.

Article: "Clinton's Closing Argument To Superdelegates" by Marc Ambinder, May 28, 2008.

Hour Two: How Arizona Became the Koch Brothers' Personal Free Market Sandbox
- Alex Kotch PhD, Independent Reporter  

Article: "The Koch Brothers Are Using This State as Their Right-Wing Laboratory" by Alex Kotch.

Article: "Charles Koch's Disturbing High School Economics Project Teaches 'Sacrificing Lives for Profits'" by Alex Kotch.

Article: "The Danger of American Fascism" by Vice President Henry A. Wallace, 9 April 1944.

 

Site: Environmental Patriots of the New River Valley 

Event: 27 May 2016: "Bernie Sanders on the Young Turks".

Bill: "S.Amdt.4293: Amends Bill: S.2943 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017" by Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI].

Article: "Behind Mitt Romney's Increasingly Lonely Challenge to Donald Trump" by Monica Langley.

 

Hour Three: Progressive Politics, Bernie Sanders, the Convention & More...
- Former State Senator Nina Turner (D-OH, 25th District)    

Article: "Let's troll Bernie and Hillary supporters systematically" by Anonymous.

Article: "BUSTED: Trump-loving comment trolls pose as Sanders and Clinton supporters to divide Democrats" by Bethania Palma Markus.

Site: Drinking Liberally

Site: Move to Amend

Site: Progressive Democrats of America

Article: "Indiana woman found guilty of feticide appeals conviction" by AP.

Article: "Turning The Table On Birth Control: Sen. Introduces Bill For Erectile Dysfunction Drugs" by Meghan Casserly.

Article: "Clinton neglected security protocol with email use, IG report concludes" by TMN.

Article: "Anti-Choice Groups Use Smartphone Surveillance to Target 'Abortion-Minded Women' During Clinic Visits" by Sharona Coutts.

 

Talk Media News Segment:
- Bob Ney 

Book: "Sideswiped: Lessons Learned Courtesy of the Hit Men of Capitol Hill" by Robert Ney.

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Site: Governor Free Don Siegelman 

Article: "Obama makes plea to change 'mindset about war itself' in Hiroshima" by TMN.

Article: "Okinawa Murder Case Tests U.S.-Japan Ties Before Obama Visit" by Rick Gladstone.

Article: "US Marine confesses to raping Japanese tourist in Okinawa" by RT.

Article: "Japanese Military Forces Unlikely To Expand Role Despite New Security Laws" by Shawlin Chaw.

Article: "Democrats pile on Bernie Sanders over "bulls***" Donald Trump debate" by Reena Flores.

Site: Memorial Day in the United States.

Article: "Dem Lawmakers Shout 'Shame!' As GOP Scrambles To Save Anti-LGBT Provision" by Jennifer Bendery.

 

Article: "What happens when no one wins a presidential election?" by Scott Bomboy.

Article: "What Is Geoengineering?".

Article: "Renewable energy just provided Germany with almost all of its power" by Jessica Shankleman.

TV: "Veep" by HBO.

Documentary: We the People: The Market Basket Effect.

Article: "The Last Stand of the Middle Class" (Market Basket) by Reclaim the American Dream

Article: "Deal To Sell Market Basket To Arthur T. Demoulas Has Been Reached" by CBS.

 

Do you have all the info you need to vote for @BernieSanders? Find it here.

Monday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET 

 

It's Memorial Day... from all of us to all of you... have a safe and happy holiday with your family & friends... and remember to hug a vet...

Free excerpt, read book for free at Truthout, buy the book!

Tuesday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET 

 

I'll be debating George Landrith of the Frontiers of Freedom about saving The USPS...

 

And, the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...

 

The Thom Hartmann Program, Occupying The Media 3 hours a day 5 days a week" for "we the people"

 

And don't forget...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...

The Thom Hartmann Program is a Charity Wine Partner with the Organic Wine Company. Purchase any wines and they will donate a portion of the proceeds to The Hunter School for children with autism, ADHD, and other learning challenges.

 

One of my favorite wines is CHATEAU VERONIQUE 2011 - The wine that started the Organic Wine Company. Subtle and sophisticated, this wine will complement any table.

 

Purchase your next bottle of organic wine here - www.ecowine.com

 

Thom

Order Death in the Pines: An Oakley Tyler Novel, at Amazon or Barnes & Noble now!