Melissa Harris-Perry

Is Federal Education Policy Racially Discriminatory?

Melissa Harris-Perry on January 28, 2013 - 11:13 AM ET

Who ends up being most affected by urban schools closings? On her Sunday show, The Nation’s Melissa Harris-Perry speaks with a panel of guests, including Nation writer Ari Berman and parent activist Zakiyah Ansari from New York’s Alliance for Quality Education, about the racialized impact of school closings and turnarounds. Ansari is an organizer for the national “Journey for Justice” campaign, which will be meeting with Education Department officials this Tuesday.

—James Cersonsky

Melissa Harris-Perry: Who Is to Blame for Haiti's Ongoing Crisis?

Melissa Harris-Perry on January 14, 2013 - 4:27 PM ET

Haiti has received $13.34 billion dollars in public donations marked for 2010–20. But 55 percent of Haitians are still living on less than $1.25 a day, and 50 percent of the population is 18 years old or younger. Why aren’t Haitians reaping the benefits of foreign aid? As Melissa Harris-Perry and guests discuss on her show, we have to hold to account NGOs and opportunistic foreign governments.

—James Cersonsky

What a Real 'War on Poverty' Looks Like

Melissa Harris-Perry on January 8, 2013 - 12:18 PM ET

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This week, Melissa Harris-Perry asks us “to have a conversation not only about the poor but with people who are themselves living in poverty.” That’s because the war on poverty has too often been a war on the poor themselves. Watch the full clip to hear how we can take full stock of how this war has been waged from Clinton through Obama.

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Low-Income Americans Are Facing the Real Cliff

Melissa Harris-Perry on December 11, 2012 - 11:23 AM ET

If Congress can’t reach a deal by New Year’s, 2.1 million people will be kicked off unemployment benefits. Not only would that be catastrophic for millions of low-income families across the country, it could strike a huge blow to our economy. Cutting support for the jobless would mean a loss of 48 billion in economic revenue. Nation blogger Greg Kaufmann joins Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry on her MSNBC show to raise the alarm about the real looming cliff—the one facing families unable to find work.

—Christie Thompson

Walmart Paved the Way for Poverty Wages

Melissa Harris-Perry on November 26, 2012 - 6:05 PM ET

On Black Friday, hundreds of Walmart workers protested the superstore’s unfair labor practices and “Always Low Wages” policy. While Walmart’s bottom-line business model has made the Walton family billions, their employees in California were 40 percent more likely to need public assistance. Walmart is not only slashing prices on flat-screen TVs—they’re suppressing wages and costing tax payers millions of dollars. Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry checks the numbers to see why the Walton’s “Live Better” math—which claims their low-price model benefits all families—doesn’t quite add up.

—Christie Thompson

Obama's Drone Presidency

Melissa Harris-Perry on November 19, 2012 - 4:20 PM ET

Obama’s use of drone warfare is a key conflict in any progressive support for the president. And as the number of civilian casualties mounts, our nation’s “kill list” only grows longer. Nation contributor Allison Kilkenny and Nation editor-at-large Chris Hayes join Melissa Harris-Perry to debate the unprecedented extrajudicial killings under President Obama. As Harris-Perry points out, drones aren’t the only way the American government is killing American citizens—just look to communities of color in our own backyard.

—Christie Thompson

What Mandate Did Voters Give Obama?

Melissa Harris-Perry on November 12, 2012 - 1:56 PM ET

Contrary to conservative conspiracy theories, Barack Obama won by a bigger margin than JFK, Nixon, Carter and George W. Bush. But what are voters trying to tell him about their hopes for his second term? As TheNation.com executive editor Richard Kim put it, “They rejected the Romney/Ryan agenda…they rejected the idea that society is made of takers and givers.” He joins Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry to piece apart what Obama’s new mandate means for the future of progressive policy.

—Christie Thompson

Obama Champions Early Voting

Melissa Harris-Perry on October 30, 2012 - 2:21 PM ET

With less than a week until Election Day, the Associated Press has reported the presidential race could come down to just 106 counties. In a final push, President Obama has been a broken record asking decided voters to get to the polls early, while Romney is calling for a last-minute turnout on November 6. Melissa Harris-Perry breaks down the final-countdown strategy of each candidate, as both fight to reserve their seat in the Oval Office.

—Christie Thompson

Women Voters Will Decide This Election

Melissa Harris-Perry on October 22, 2012 - 5:30 PM ET

Although Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are currently neck and neck, a recent NBC News and Wall Street Journal poll says the president is leading among women voters by eight points. Suddenly, reproductive health and pay equity have become key questions of this election. But “women's issues” is a misnomer for what are really economic policies that impact everyone. Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry asks: Will Romney and Ryan be held accountable for their proposed rollback of women’s rights?

—Christie Thompson

The Psychological Toll of Voter Suppression

Melissa Harris-Perry on October 16, 2012 - 10:02 AM ET

Though activists are celebrating a slate of recent victories against voter ID laws, the fight isn’t over. Republicans in Florida are purging eligible voters from registries, and using intimidation tactics to convince Sunshine State citizens of their political inefficacy. Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry breaks down why voting rights can never be a partisan issue: they are crucial to our national social (and mental) well-being.

—Christie Thompson