Bacevich joins Laura in studio to discuss the changes in the administration and the ongoing situation in Libya and Syria, and notes that at a time when the Arab world is undergoing deep changes, it should be a time for modesty in the US and a reconsideration of military power and the use of violence to achieve goals.

"Rock is, among other things, a potent means of expressing the active emotions--anger, aggression, lust, the joy of physical exertion--that feed all freedom movements, and it is no accident that women musicians have been denied access to this powerful musical language."  So wrote Ellen Willis in June of 1974, when the acclaimed feminist thinker and cultural critic was working as the Rock, Etc. columnist at the New Yorker.

A new book of Willis's rock criticism is out now, titled Out Of The Vinyl Deeps and edited by her daughter, Nona Willis Aronowitz, and this weekend a conference at New York University will celebrate her work as a pop culture thinker and writer. Nona joins Laura in studio with Drexel University professor Devon Powers to discuss Willis's influence and ideas.

Baratunde Thurston is usually one of our favorite comedians, but even he couldn't bring himself to laugh at the ugly spectacle of a privileged white man like Donald Trump congratulating himself in front of news cameras for getting Barack Obama to produce a "long-form" birth certificate.  Baratunde recorded his feelings about that statement, and what it says to millions of African-Americans.

Mosley joins us for part one of a two-part conversation on his vision for a truly people-powered America.

With prices two times higher than they were when President Obama took office, and up 37% just this year, Americans are feeling an additional squeeze at the pumps. The White House's plan to reduce fuel costs may be a step in the right direction, says Antonia.   However, as we continue to navigate issues like speculative trading and a lack of regulation in the Intercontinental Oil Exchange, true progress may be difficult. Is there a responsible way forward? And, more importantly, is the Obama administration ready to set us on that path?

"People actually want to believe in heroes, so they'll believe in Glenn Beck, they'll believe in Barack Obama, they choose individuals to believe in but won't believe in politics itself," says Walter Mosley, author and activist.  Obama may have been pressured into releasing his "long form" birth certificate this week, but that won't heal the hurt in our politics, Mosley says, until Americans stop trusting heroes and experts and start trusting each other.

Mosley joins us for part one of a two-part conversation on his vision for a truly people-powered America.

Finally, the media is more obsessed with the British royal wedding than the US people actually are, but why should we bother with British royals at all when we have our own royals right here? They're called corporations.

Hightower and former Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager spoke with Laura Flanders this weekend during protests that saw more than 120,000 people descend on Madison to demonstrate against Governor Scott Walker's bill that took collective bargaining rights away from public unions.

Lautenschlager says that the process Governor Scott Walker and other Republicans circumvented Wisconsin state law and will face pending legal challenges, both to the process and the bill itself.

Japan has been left reeling by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami that has killed thousands. To make matters worse, numerous nuclear energy facilities in damaged in Japan are in danger of releasing deadly radiation. Experts are already claiming the situation is worse that the nuclear emergency of Three Mile Island and may get worse.

"This has been spontaneous combustion, what's happening here in Wisconsin," Jim Hightower says. "Ordinary folks have been knocked down: workers, farmers, consumers, environmentalists."

Hightower and former Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager spoke with Laura Flanders this weekend during protests that saw more than 120,000 people descend on Madison to demonstrate against Governor Scott Walker's bill that took collective bargaining rights away from public unions.

Lautenschlager says that the process Governor Scott Walker and other Republicans circumvented Wisconsin state law and will face pending legal challenges, both to the process and the bill itself.

Finally, President Barack Obama is firing up his behind-the-scenes campaign personnel and looking to draw from his base for support, but what about his support for the base? Laura has a few choice words of warning.

Sarandon implored people to recognize the strength in their numbers and continue to fight for what they know is right.

During the rally Laura spoke with Wisconsin State Senator Robert Turner who said that, in his 21 years of public service, he had never seen such actions by the state assembly.

"Wisconsin will never be the same again," Turner said.

Williams spoke with Laura from the streets of Madison during this weekend's protests. He pointed to the widening wealth gap and excessive military spending as evidence that the middle class is being forgotten.

"This governor we have has taken away everything that working people had, what was built throughout years of struggle," Williams said. "He took it in the stroke of a pen."

As more than 120,000 protesters filled Madison to demonstrate against the passage of anti-union legislation, Laura spoke with Rep. Taylor, who had recently returned to Madison after leaving the state to stall the bill. Taylor previously spoke with GRITtv from an undisclosed location during her time out of Wisconsin.

Taylor says that she and her fellow Democrats were eager to work on the state budget, but that it would require Governor Scott Walker and the Republicans to be willing to negotiate.

Rolling down the streets of Madison in their tractors, Wisconsin's farmers joined the protests that rose throughout Madison this weekend. While in Madison, Laura also spoke with Scott Schultz, executive director of Wisconsin Farmers Union, who spoke about the ripple effects of the anti-union bill that will be felt throughout their community.

"Schools are the epicenters of activity in any rural community and in some, in most probably they're by far the largest employer," Schultz said. "If you take a quarter or a third of their employers or employees away or greatly reduce the money they make, that effects the downtown grocery store owner in a small community and these communities are already being threatened."