Archives for January 2009

We have Wednesday’s top news…What is President Obama saying to boost support for the $825 billion stimulus package? What are Republicans saying to explain why most of them can’t get behind the plan? What’s the latest on the nomination of Eric Holder to be the next attorney general? Why is the former CIA station chief in Algeria in very big trouble? What can Illinois lawmakers deciding the fate of Gov. Rod Blagojevich expect on Thursday? And what happened on Wall Street today? We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Wednesday, January 28, 2009.

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President Obama has promised a drastic change in U.S. policy on the alleged threat of climate change.  This week, we’ve seen the first steps toward that different approach.  Who is Obama and Hillary Clinton bringing in as a top ‘green’ diplomat?  What course can we expect the new president to pursue?  We ask Penny Starr, senior staff writer for cnsnews.com.

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Why do Democrats believe their $825 billion stimulus package is the best way to invigorate our economy? Why do they favor spending money into the economy over the GOP priority of aggressive tax cuts? Why do Democrats believe they can avoid massive new debt through the way this bill is structured? And what might be coming next? We ask Larry Haas, former spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget in the Clinton administration.

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What is actually in this economic stimulus plan?  Will it stimulate the economy?  What historic approach to a bad economy should this plan bring to mind?  Did that approach work?  When will this money actually get injected into the economy?  And what is the price of doing nothing?  We ask Bill Beach, director of the Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation.

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Today, the House of Representatives is voting on the largest economic stimulus bill in American history.  Why are the vast majority of Republicans unwilling to support this package?  What do they want to see in this bill?  How concerned should we be about the mounting debt?  And is there any common ground to found between the GOP and Democrats in Congress?  We ask New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett, a member of both the House Budget and Financial Services Committees.

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We have Tuesday’s top news…What are President Obama and Congressional Republicans saying about the current stimulus package?  Will there be some bipartisan concessions or will Democrats ram through their plan?  What does Defense Secretary Robert Gates consider the top military challenge right now?  What did Illinois lawmakers hear in the Rod Blagojevich impeachment trial today?  Which airline lost over a billion dollars in the 4th quarter of 2008?  And how did Wall Street fare today?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Tuesday, January 27, 2009.

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Why do Republicans believe a fair challenge to the Minnesota senate race will show that Norm Coleman really did defeat Al Franken?  What are the key complaints from the Coleman team?  How important is this seat for the balance of power in Washington?  What should we make of the economic stimulus plan as we know it so far?  And can Republicans do anything to stop this or any other piece of legislation over the next two years?  We ask former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

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President Obama wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and move towards equal benefits in all ways for gay couples with the exception of endorsing full-fledged gay marriage.  What is the Defense of Marriage Act?  What does it ensure?  What would happen if it is repealed?  What would happen to our education system if there the traditional definition of marriage does not remain the national standard?  And what exactly would Obama’s vision for the American family look like?  We ask Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Founder and President of the Ruth Institute.

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Over the first few days of the Obama administration, we have seen the new president sign multiple executive orders on issues ranging from abortion to Guantanamo Bay to the environment.  What can a president achieve through executive orders and what can’t they do?  Also, can Karl Rove avoid a Congressional subpoena by claiming executive privilege or does that option vanish now that George W. Bush is out of office?  We ask Doug Kmiec, professor of Constitutional Law at Pepperdine University.

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Reports from Iran now suggest the regime will have enough enriched uranium by the end of 2009 to make a nuclear weapon.  What does that mean for our efforts to keep nukes away from the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism?  Will we have to accept a nuclear Iran or is there a way to prevent it?  We ask retired U.S. Navy Captain Chuck Nash.  We also get his insights on U.S. plans to double the number of troops in Afghanistan.  What impact will that have?  How can we kill the enemy without also killing the civilians being used as shields?  And will Congress have any more patience with this administration in finishing the job in Afghanistan?

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