On this edition of Your Call, veteran journalist William Kleinknecht is discussing his forthcoming book, States of Neglect: How Red State Leaders Have Failed Their Citizens and Undermined America.
He documents how conservative politicians have systematically kept those living in Republican-controlled states in perpetual deprivation through tax cuts, deregulation, and reductions in funding for health care, education, and other public services.
He writes, "There has been a lurch to the right in Republican-controlled statehouses across the country that has had dire results for ordinary citizens but, until very recently, has largely escaped the lens of the national media. Major news outlets came to this story late and with blinders on. They have tended to pay attention to manifest injustices in GOP states, such as the attack on voting rights, only to the degree that they impinge on the balance of power in Washington."
What's at stake in the midterms and what will it take to counter the influence and power of the far right?
Guest:
William Kleinknecht, longtime reporter covering politics, government, criminal justice, and the environment for the Detroit Free Press, New York Daily News, and Newark Star-Ledger, and author of several books, including The Man Who Sold the World: Ronald Reagan and the Betrayal of Main Street America, and his latest, States of Neglect: How Red State Leaders Have Failed Their Citizens and Undermined America
Web Resources:
Publishers Weekly: States of Neglect: How Red-State Leaders Have Failed Their Citizens and Undermined America
Center for American Progress: How Weak Safety Net Policies Exacerbate Regional and Racial Inequality
Scientific American: People in Republican Counties Have Higher Death Rates Than Those in Democratic Counties
Vox: The end of Roe will mean more children living in poverty
