Radio America Online News Bureau

Since 1996, welfare reforms have brought millions back into the workforce.  But with an economic downturn, Congress is poised to send billions of dollars to the states in order to cover the cost of many programs – including welfare.  But how might the provisions in this bill actually reward states for adding names to the welfare rolls?  How strong have the reform laws been over the past 13 years?  And what would be a smarter way to allocate funds when it comes to welfare?  We ask Steve Malanga, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

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One of the provisions inside the massive economic stimulus plan calls for the modernizing and computerizing of America’s health care records.  It also calls for the creation of a technology coordinator for the health care industry.  Bringing our medical information into the 21st century sounds like a good idea, so why could that be a very dangerous thing?  What power would we unwittingly be giving to government?  And what kind of decisions could government bureaucrats end up making about your medical care?  We ask James Robbins, senior editorial writer for The Washington Times.

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Over the past few weeks, several Democratic members of Congress have called for a return of the so-called Fairness Doctrine, which demands equal time on the airwaves for differing views on key issues?  But what was the track record of the Fairness Doctrine the first time around?  Did it expand the national dialogue or shut it down altogether?  Why are Democrats so eager to shut down talk radio?  What do they fear?  Why would this be a massive infringement of the first amendment?  And what should we know about another tactic to shackle talk radio known as ‘localism’?  We ask Texas Rep. Ted Poe, a strong opponent of the Fairness Doctrine.

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We have Tuesday’s top news…What was the final vote on the Senate version of an economic stimulus plan?  What warning do Republican moderates have for negotiators hammering out the final version of the bill?  What will happen to the protectionist effort on steel?  What did President Obama say while campaigning for the stimulus plan in Florida?  What plans did the Treasury Secretary outline for spending the last $350 billion of the Wall Street bailout money?  How did Wall Street respond?    We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Tuesday, February 10, 2009.

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Is the Senate version of the stimulus more appealing to Congressional Republicans than the one they unanimously voted against two weeks ago?  How much better or worse could the bill get in a House-Senate conference committee?  Why does the GOP want that committee process televised?  What should we make of the strategy outlined by the Treasury Secretary Tuesday on how best to allocate the final $350 billion of the Wall Street bailout fund?  How concerned should we be that the details of the spending will not be immediately known to the public?  We ask New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett, a member of both the House Budget and Financial Services Committee.

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Why are Americans increasingly pessimistic about the future of our economy and their own economic conditions?  How does that pessimism impact the performance of our economy?  Why are attitudes about our economy still framed by one’s political affiliations?  And how confident should we be in the Obama administration’s plans to use the remainder of the Wall Street bailout funds?  We ask Terry Jones, associate editor at Investor’s Business Daily.

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Florida’s Republican Gov. Charlie Crist introduced President Obama at today’s town hall event on the economy in the Sunshine State.  But is Crist just in the spirit of bipartisanship or does Florida hope for some major dollars in the stimulus plan?  What program has the Florida government seeing nightmares?  What do officials there want from Washington?  What’s the best fix for the problem?  We ask Eli Lehrer, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Insurance Project.

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On Monday, New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, including steroids, between 2001-2003.  How big of a blow is this to the integrity and popularity of baseball?  What does it mean for A-Rod’s place in history?  Should he and others under the steroid cloud lose postseason awards won during years they broke the rules?  And should we learn who else tested positive in these secret tests back in 2003?  We ask Phil Wood, co-host of ‘Talkin’ Baseball” on the Radio America network.  He’s also an analyst for Washington Nationals baseball on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.

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We have Monday’s top news…What was the Senate vote this evening on ending a Republican filibuster attempt?  What message did President Obama have in pushing for the stimulus plan Monday in Indiana?  Why are most Republicans refusing to support the plan?  What part of the Senate compromise is not sitting well with Obama?  How popular is the stimulus plan with the public?  What made this the deadliest day of the year for U.S. forces in Iraq?  Why does a prominent Democratic senator want to create a Truth Commission?  What did Yankees star Alex Rodriguez say today in response to allegations he tested positive for steroids in 2003?  And what happened today on Wall Street?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Monday, February 9, 2009.

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The economic stimulus plan calls for $125 billion in spending for America’s schools.  But where exactly will the money go?  Why is the largest recipient of the money likely to make bad decisions with it?  Will the quality of education improve for your kids?  What would be the best ways to allocate this money for our schools?  We ask Jay Greene, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and professor of education at the University of Arkansas.

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