Good versus evil, protagonists, antagonists, superheroes, and nefarious villains–they are all crucial elements of a classic summer blockbuster. And then there’s politics…
In the summer blockbuster, it’s simple: you root for your guy to win, and cut down the opponent. And in presidential politics, it can be similar–your guy is the good guy, and the opponent is the bad guy. But in summer politics, unlike summer movies, the good guy/bad guy motif is very complicated. In the wake of partisan bickering over the failed farm bill from the House of Representatives, and the fight over immigration reform, on Saturday, Melissa Harris-Perry will dissect the political dichotomy of good vs. evil. We’ll be talking Superman, General Zod, and Gru. (Don’t know Gru?)
The saga of good versus evil continues! Our show will look at the ongoing battle to limit women’s reproductive rights–one where the bad guys are usually quite evident. But what happens when women go to war on each other? Saturday’s show will focus on the women in Congress–such as Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee–legislating on women’s health according to less than progressive agendas.
Recent headlines claim that the economy is healing, the housing market is improving, and the jobs reports look promising. But what about the Americans who are fighting to claw their way out of debt with no end in sight? Welcome to Debtor’s Nation. Host Melissa Harris-Perry and her panel will discuss the ways in which many individuals fall into debt from mortgages to student loans, and all the tricks that promise to help–but only end up hurting.
As the Supreme Court gears up to rule on the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8, others in the country are taking the initial steps righting the wrongs committed by so-called “conversion therapy.” Meet Alan Chambers, president of Exodus, a Florida based Christian ministry that enforced the notion that homosexuality could be cured with proper therapy. This week, Chambers apologized for his actions. Saturday’s show will look at that development, as well as the increasing support marriage equality is finding on Capitol Hill even as we await a key ruling from the bench.
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10:00 a.m. EST on msnbc! Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
Rachel Zuckerman