Radio America Online News Bureau

Thursday marks 36 years since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion.  Politics and the issue of abortion often collide and that’s especially true for Oklahoma Rep. Mary Fallin.  How did a pregnancy complicate her career two decades ago?  What decision did she make?  Why did she make it?  What is the result of that decision today?  And what is her view on the upcoming Democratic attempt to roill back every abortion restriction in every state?  Listen in here to our conversation with Oklahoma Rep. Mary Fallin.

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In 2008, Preesident Bush lifted an executive moratorium on offshore energy exploration along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. And Congress allowed the legislative moratorium to expire. But as a move to explore for oil and natural gas moves forward, President Obama is apparently planning to reverse that policy. Why? What exactly is permissible right now? How much of an impact would offshore exploration have on energy supply and pricing? And what would be the enviornmental impact if this exploration were allowed to proceed? We ask Dan Kish, senior vice president of policy at the Institute for Energy Research.

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What is the most important thing to take away from the Obama inauguration this week? What kind of contrast was seen in the inauguration of the new Republican governor of Arizona? Why did Caroline Kennedy really drop out of the New York Senate sweepstakes at the last moment? And what should we make of Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo Bay? We ask John Gizzi, political editor at Human Events.

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We have Wednesday’s top news…What new rules is President Obama installing for lobbyists and his own staff?  What energy producing policies is Obama about to reverse?  What’s the hold-up for attorney general nominee Eric Holder?  How did Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner fare in his confirmation hearings?  How did the Senate vote on the nomination of Hillary Clinton?  And what happened on Wall Street today?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Wednesday, January 21, 2009.

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What actions did President Obama take on his first full day in office?  What were his first executive orders?  What might we hear from him in terms of a Middle East policy?  How similar will his economic stimulus plan be to the version proposed by house Democrats last week?  How organized is the Obama team to roll out a legislative agenda?  And how will his routine compare to that of President Bush?  We ask Christina Bellantoni, White House Correspondent for The Washington Times.

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President Obama says he wants to keep government programs that work and eliminate those that don’t.  The National Taxpayers Union and the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste have some suggestions for the new administration and for members of Congress.  Where can the slashing begin?  Which programs are wasteful of your tax dollars?  And how does the mounting debt impact the government’s approach to federal spending?  We ask Peter Sepp, vice president for communications at the National Taxpayers Union.

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The Big Three say they have a new business model that will boost revenues and make them much stronger competitors on the domestic and world stages.  So how is that business model on display this month during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit?  What is the most noticeable change in the priorities of the Big Three?  How soon will they be back in Washington asking for more taxpayer dollars?  And when will we know if these new business blueprints have automakers back on the right track?  We ask Marty Padgett, editor of thecarconnection.com.

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We have Tuesday’s top news…What were the major themes Barack Obama highlighted in his inaugural address?  How did he discuss the economic crisis and the international challenges we face?  What did one of the inauguration pastors say to throw cold water on the racial milestone being celebrated by Obama’s inauguration?  Which U.S. Senators fell ill at the Capitol luncheon honoring Obama and how are they doing now?  Which Obama cabinet selections have already been confirmed?  And how did Wall Street greet the new administration?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Tuesday, January 20, 2009.

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Moments after taking the oath of office, President Barack Obama delivered his inaugural address.  He thanked President Bush for his service but charted a different course that may see considerable government expansion and what Obama promises will be a different approach to international affairs.  Listen here now for extended excerpts of the Obama address.

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