Archives for August 2010

Over the past few months, the Afghan government has greatly intensified its pursuit of Christian converts.  Afghanistan has never been friendly to Christians, but what’s behind this recent campaign of repression?  How the should U.S. react to such policies after nine years of blood and treasure aimed at freeing and building Afghanistan?  And why is the U.S. government looking the other way while Afghan Christians are targeted, forced into hiding and killed?  We ask World magazine editor Mindy Belz, who just returned from Afghanistan.

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The Obama administration will host a Middle East peace summit in less than two weeks, Iran tests missiles as Russia finishes fueling nuclear plants and outrage continues one year after the Lockerbie bomber was freed.

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On Sunday, opponents of the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque near Ground Zero will hold a protest designed to increase public opposition to the plan at its current site.  So are these protesters opposing the site, the agenda of the head imam or both?  Where would they like to see the mosque built?  And which side is really the intolerant one?  We speak with Hudson Institute President Herb London, a New York City resident and scheduled speaker at Sunday’s rally.

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How much is the U.S. federal debt?  Would you believe it’s well over $100 trillion?  Why is the real number so much bigger than the official number?  How will this impact the fiscal future of our nation?  And how much is the very same thing happening at the state and local levels?  We discuss it all with James MacDougald, founder of Free Enterprise Nation and author of “Unsustainable: How Big Government, Taxes and Debt are Wrecking America”.

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You’ve probably seen the television ads featuring Andy Griffith extolling the virtues of Medicare.  But Social Security Institute President Dr. Larry Hunter says the ad is a lie and the Obama administration and the AARP are using Griffith to lie to seniors and to distract them.  So what are they distracting seniors from hearing?  How is Andy Griffith a major tool in getting seniors to ignore major cuts in Medicare?  And what’s the truth?  We ask Dr. Hunter.

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Republicans have a steep hill to climb to take control of the U.S. Senate this November.  But one of the GOP’s brightest chances to win a Democratic seat is in Delaware.  But will Republican voters nominate moderate-to-liberal Rep. Michael Castle or conservative challenger Christine O’Donnell?  Why is O’Donnell challenging the establishment favorite?  Why does she say Castle is a reliable liberal vote?  And how does she respond to the contention that Castle is the only Republican who can win the general election?  We talk with Christine O’Donnell.

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The last combat brigades have left Iraq, more than seven years after the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  So can we say the U.S. won in Iraq?  If so, why did we win?  How much confidence should we have in Iraqi security forces to maintain order?  Will U.S. forces ever have to return to combat?  When will we see a stable Iraqi government in place?  We discuss all these questions with South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson, a member of the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.

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Does the Obama administration regret that the president got entangled in the debate over a new Islamic cultural center/mosque to be built near Ground Zero?  Are Republicans going too far in criticizing Obama’s support for the mosque?  We ask John Gizzi of Human Events, and we get his thoughts on the possibility of an Israeli strike against Iran and key races in California and Washington.

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A longtime Israeli insider says Israel will not attack Iran in the next few days, a former terrorist says the imam of the proposed mosque at Ground Zero is delivering a much more ominous message on his overseas trip than he has to American audiences, Nancy Pelosi wants critics of the mosque investigated, Obama pushes his economic agenda in Ohio and Rod Blagojevich declares himself the victim of government persecution.

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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is informing employers that they cannot refuse to hire job applicants with criminal backgrounds based solely on those past crimes.  So why is having a rap sheet now joining race, gender and religion as a non-discrimination issue?  What will happen to employers who reject applicants based on their criminal records?  Why would compliance risk lawsuits from other employees?  And what’s the best way to help ex-convicts become productive members of the economy?  We ask Amy Ridenour, president of the National Center for Public Policy Research.

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