Archives for November 2011

Wall Street boomed again on Wednesday, supposedly on the news that the Federal Reserve, Europe’s central bank and banks in several other nations added liquidity to the markets through temporary interest rate reductions.  But can the U.S., Great Britain and others really afford this?  Is this a major intervention that will stabilize the Euro zone or are we just delaying the inevitable pain?  And would a Euro collapse actually be the best thing for Europe?  We discuss it all with Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation.

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As we prepare to enter December, Congress still has a lot of work to do – from passing appropriations bills to debating payroll tax cuts to considering Medicare reimbursements for physicians.  Why are taxpayers likely to foot the bill for another omnibus bill for Fiscal Year 2012?  How will spending compare to current rates?  When will we get some significant entitlement reform?  Why are Republicans largely opposed to extending payroll tax cuts?  And how will the House address the massive tab owed to doctors by the Medicare program?  We discuss it all with Georgia Rep. Rob Woodall, a member of the House Budget Committee.

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Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review cheer Chris Christie for his blunt criticism of President Obama’s failure to get involved in the super committee’s work.  They also look for the silver lining in Rick Perry not knowing the legal voting age or when next year’s general election will be held.

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Minnesota Rep. Chip Cravaack is pushing a bipartisan bill to allow for a more dignified and streamlined airport security process for U.S. troops.  What convinced Cravaack that this legislation was needed?  What type of security would he prefer for troops?  And would a less stressful security policy for troops present terrorist or radicalized service members with easier entry into the airline system?  We discuss it all with Rep. Cravaack.

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On Monday, Iranian demonstrators stormed and looted the British embassy in Tehran.  The violence follows a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran’s nuclear program.  Was this a genuine protest or something carefully orchestrated by the Iranian regime?  Are the new sanctions reason for Iran to be worried?  We ask Alireza Jafarzadeh, former spokesman for the Iranian parliament in exile and author of “The Iran Threat”.  Jafarzadeh also offers his insights into the latest mysterious explosions in Iran – this time at the Isfahan uranium enrichment facility.

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Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, many experts are taking part in the “Building A Healthier Future” summit in Washington to discuss ways to fight childhood obesity.  Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is a major player in this effort.  What does he see as the keys to reducing obesity among children?  What “national resources” does he want committed to this fight?  How much of the crusade against obesity is the responsibility of restaurants and how much of it common sense on the part of parents?  We discuss all this and more with Sen. Frist.

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Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review are glad that Obama’s stunning strategy of giving up on trying to win over white working voters has been made public.  They also sigh as Herman Cain tries to fend off allegations of a lengthy extramarital affair.  And they rip The Washington Post for asking readers to feed them material to make Newt Gingrich look bad.

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Relations between the U.S. and Pakistan are even worse following weekend NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani troops.  Can the relationship be repaired?  Why are we actually dealing with three separate Pakistans?  What’s the key to making the partnership as strong as possible?  We discuss it all with Dr. Walid Phares, terrorism expert, adviser to the House Homeland Security Caucus and author of “The Coming Revolution”.

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Over the weekend, the New Hampshire Union Leader endorsed Newt Gingrich for the Republican presidential nomination.  Will this be a major boost for Newt or just one of many factors in the race?  Why are many Romney voters still not totally sure he’s their choice?  Who else could be a factor in this race?  And what will the participation of independents in the primary tell us about how the state is trending in the general election?  We discuss it all with Scott Spradling, former news anchor and political director at WMUR-TV in New Hampshire.

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On Monday, longtime Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank stunned many people in both parties by announcing he will not seek a 17th House term in 2012.  With such a vocal and controversial track record, what will be Frank’s legacy?  Do Republicans believe that Congressional redistricting is the real reason for this retirement?  Does a competitive GOP run against Frank in 2010 mean this seat is in play?  And what does Frank’s retirement tell us about Democratic hopes of winning back a House majority next year?  We discuss it all with Paul Lindsay, communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

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