Off-kilter With Rebecca Vallas

Inside TurboTax’s 20-year fight to stop Americans from filing their taxes for free, with ProPublica reporter Justin Elliott—PLUS: Gbenga Ajilore on why we’re not prepared for the next recession.

Jared Bernstein on why we’re not at full employment yet, federal courts block Trump’s public charge rule from taking effect, and “Catching the Flu Got Me Kicked Out of My Addiction Treatment Program.”

Ian Millhiser & Laura Durso on the three SCOTUS cases that stand to decide the fate of LGBTQ rights in the workplace and beyond—PLUS: Trump’s move to ban immigrants who can’t afford unsubsidized health care, explained; and everything you need to know about Trump’s latest attack on SNAP.

Michael Linden mythbusts scaremongering claims about a wealth tax, one of the buzziest ideas making the rounds in progressive spaces; Elena Botella talks her piece “Debt Collecting Promises Good Pay. All It Costs Is Your Soul”; and TalkPoverty’s Pat Garofalo returns to break down “A Just Society,” AOC’s massive anti-poverty plan.

Conversations with two criminal justice reform leaders whose work stems from their own experiences behind bars: Josh Hoe and Quintin Williams.

Inside Tennessee’s plan to block-grant Medicaid; why market solutions fail to uplift distressed communities; and a look at the Son of Scalia, Trump’s latest nominee for Labor Secretary. Subscribe to Off-Kilter on iTunes.

Jared Bernstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities on this year’s Census data on poverty, income, and health insurance—PLUS: TalkPoverty’s Pat Garofalo on why the next recession will be far more painful than it needs to be, particularly for low-income folks. Subscribe to Off-Kilter on iTunes.

Two conversations from the Off-Kilter archives: Cornell Brooks & Patrick Cokley on race in the Trump era and Zahra Noorbaksh on breaking through bigotry with comedy.

Two conversations from the Off-Kilter archives: Peter Edelman on “Not a Crime to Be Poor” and Carol Anderson on “White Rage.”

Rick Smith shares the story behind The Rick Smith Show—PLUS: Joe Sandberg on why he founded Working Hero Action. 

Inside the first-ever campaign training program for disabled candidates with its creator, Sarah Blahovec; PLUS: Elena Hung and Roger Stone on celebrating 2 years fighting to protect the ACA with the Little Lobbyists.

Alex Lawson on why he co-founded We Act Radio, Off-Kilter’s Washington, D.C. anchor station; how progressives shifted the Overton Window on Social Security expansion; and why he likes to dress as a corporate pirate.

Trump’s latest regulatory attack on food assistance, explained—PLUS: why we need to redefine rural America.

It’s another Disability Justice Initiative takeover!

Ian Millhiser on the death panel determined to strike down Obamacare; David Dayen on private equity’s latest scheme: closing urban hospitals and selling off the real estate—PLUS: the push to make D.C. the 51st state.

We break down a new CBO report that, contrary to some headlines, shows how a $15 minimum wage will change millions of lives for the better; States are doing what Trump refuses: making overtime pay work for workers; Rebecca Cokley returns to share how disability justice will save the progressive movement.

With the ground-breaking Clean Slate law going fully into effect this week in Pennsylvania, we revisit a conversation we had with criminal justice reform leaders at the kickoff of the campaign last November.

Rebecca talks to Joel Berg of Hunger Free America about how Dems are changing the debate on SNAP to how to expand the program. PLUS: A first-person perspective on the emotional and economic consequences of lack of access to dental care.

A history lesson on the origins of Pride and where the community stands today; plus Vox’s Dylan Matthews returns to unpack Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s new bill to create a basic income through the tax code.

The latest on the World Cup gender discrimination lawsuit; inside the fight over the last hospital in D.C.’s poorest neighborhood; and is the “other war on drugs” finally turning into the opioids conversation we should be having?