Alan Wieder hosts this Old Mole Variety Hour and we hear:

Joe Clement remarks briefly on the massively coordinated strikes in Europe and comments on their meaning. He quotes or mentions material from Counterfire.org, Libcom.org, The Christian Science Monitor and the Wall Street Journal.

 Bill Resnick is our host for this episode of the Old Mole, and he guides us through the following segments with some brief pauses for music by regular folks.  To hear any of these pieces, click on the links below.  To hear the whole show, use the play button below.  

1.  David Schultz talks with Bill about the "fiscal cliff" and the real issues behind it.

2. The Left and the Law (Mike Snedeker and Jan Haaken) examine the use of solitary confinement -- its origins and its destructive effects. 

Joe Clement brings us news of strikes, protests, rallies and marches from across the Atlantic -- in Spain and Greece especially -- all in opposition to austerity programs that cut jobs and social services.   

 Old Mole Bill Resnick talks with Political Scientist David Schultz about how the so-called "fiscal cliff" was created and the real political and economic issues behind it.   Schultz teaches at Hamline University.

Old Mole Bill Resnick talks with political scientist David Schultz about the "fiscal cliff" and how mainstream discourse about it obscures the real issues.