On Thursday, the Dow Jones plunged more than 500 points. What’s behind the steep drop? How much of it is related to the outcome of the debt ceiling debate? And how are voters reacting to all of this? We discuss it with Georgia Rep. Tom Price.
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review applaud Marco Rubio for telling the truth about our real debt crisis. We also rip President Obama for billing taxpayers for his obviously campaign-related bus tour. And we try to figure what Al Gore is talking about as he calls for an “American Spring”.
Iowa Rep. Steve King has been elected to his seat five times, but 2012 could well be his toughest race yet. Iowa is making some major changes to it’s Congressional map after losing a seat in the 2012 U.S. Census. How different is King’s district? Which party has the edge? How will he focus his campaign in the face of a challenge from former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack, wife of U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack? And what can he already discern about the campaign Vilsack intends to run? We discuss these questions with Rep. King.
Iowa Rep. Steve King was one of 22 Republicans to oppose the Boehner plan and one of 66 to vote against the final deal. Why were those plans unacceptable to him? What did he want to see in a debt ceiling bill? And why does he say he’s now convinced Democrats never want to live under a balanced budget? We discuss it all with Rep. Steve King.
On Wednesday, the Obama administration is releasing its much-awaited strategy to counter radicalism in the U.S. The primary purpose is to prevent homegrown Islamic radicalism. What is the current strategy? What can we expect from this administration? Will the strategy look similar to the recent Homeland Security Committee hearings on radical Islam or will the White House take a much different tack? And what other groups might be deemed radical in this report? We discuss it all with counter-terrorism and intelligence expert Dr. Michael Levitt of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
The official unemployment rate is 9.2 percent. However, when factoring in part-time workers and those who have given up the job search for now, the rate is more than 16 percent. What’s behind these differing statistics? Why are so many unemployed workers out of work for so long? What impact does that have on prospective employers? And what efforts are underway to make sure the unemployed are not discriminated against for being unemployed? Radio America’s Jordan Ecarma has the story.
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review are cautiously pleased to see lower than expected fundraising numbers for President Obama. We also sigh as Obama continues his class warfare rhetoric – even after the debt deal is signed. And we offer some thoughts on why Harry Reid was waxing eloquently about his pomegranates just before the debt ceiling vote on the Senate floor.
On Monday night, the House of Representatives easily approved the debt ceiling extension and 174 of the 269 ‘yes’ votes came from Republicans. One of them was cast by Oklahoma Rep. James Lankford, who is also a member of the House Budget Committee. Why did Lankford support the plan? What is in there that overcame his disappointment in the size of spending reductions? Will any of this impact future Congresses? Is he worried that the special committee will increase taxes? And how would he describe the House Republican Conference after a week of high tensions? We discuss it all with Rep. Lankford.
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review are thrilled to see Rep. Gabby Giffords back on the House floor. We are disgusted by what Joe Biden may have said and what he definitely said about House Republicans. And we shake our heads as Tim Geithner proves a major Obama talking point in the debt debate was pure fiction.
The debt ceiling compromise will likely pass the House and Senate tonight, but that passage will come without the support of Louisiana Sen. David Vitter. Why is Vitter unsatisfied with the spending cuts promised in the bill? What do we need to know about the proposed “cuts”? Why is the approach to defense spending a major concern to Vitter? And does this bill provide a fast track to tax hikes? We discuss it all with Sen. Vitter.
