In the aftermath of WW II, the Holocaust, and the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan, global non-governmental agencies ushered in an era committed to the health and welfare of the world’s children.
A generation of American children carried around the orange UNICEF carton during their Halloween trick or treating.
But in the face of genocide in Gaza killing so many children, the US bombing of an Iranian elementary school that killed scores of little girls and President Trump’s suspending US AID, it’s fair to ask is that era over?
In 2026, are dead children just collateral damage?
It was not that long ago that Republicans in Congress representing farming states found common ground with Democratic colleagues from Blue urban states and funded food stamps so ALL of America’s kids could be fed.
Now, the Trump junta shifts billions from safety net programs to fund tax cuts for their billionaire donors.
In this episode of We Decide: America at the Crossroads Jenna Flanagan checks in with First Focus on Children’s Bruce Lesley who leads the policy advocacy non-profit.
Before that, Bruce served on Capitol Hill for many years for five members of Congress. Bruce was joined by Layla Nimatallah who has over 25 years of advocacy experience in international children’s issues, global health, and poverty alleviation. She has also worked for Global Action for Children and Catholic Relief Services.
Dr. Steve Auerbach, a retired Captain in the US Public Health Service, who specializes on pediatrics and epidemiology, was also on hand.
In the A Block we heard from our political panel about the rhetoric coming out of Washington about a potential military strike on Cuba. We will also got the latest on the war with Iran, and look at the effects of the government shutdown, now in its 38th day as President Trump sends ICE agents to airports across the US to assist with security .
Our political panel includes Egberto Willes, host of KPFT's Politics Done Right, Laura Jedeed, a writer at FirewalledMedia.com and an Army veteran of two tours in the War in Afghanistan, and David Levinthal, Washington DC correspondent and Senior Editor at NOTUS.
In the C Block, we spoke to Major General Dennis Laich about what it is like for members of the military when the commander in chief is all over the map on the reasons for entering a war, as this President has been. Laich warns that
This Saturday, March 28th, millions of Americans are expected to show up at over 3,000 No Kings protest planned in all 50 states. The Pacifica Radio Network will carry the protests LIVE from Maine to Hawaii—from Florida to Alaska-six time zones-one nation indivisible.
Jenna asks her co-hosts what’s motivating people in their region to turnout for the No Kings protest.
We hear from Katey DeCelle, Executive Director of WFNU Frogtown. Community Radio in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and podcast producer with Minnesota Public Radio; D.A. Bullock, an award-winning filmmaker and story-based organizer in Minneapolis whose films have been featured at national and international festivals including Toronto International Film Festival & Chicago International Film Festival and the host of No Name in The Street; a politics, music, roots & culture show onKFAI 90.3 FM in the Twin Cities; Lauren Schmitt, News. Director of KPFA in Berkeley, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area; and Maeve Conran, Managing Editor at Rocky Mountain Community Radio Coalition a coalition of 21 non-commercial radio stations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah,and Wyoming.
