Radio America Online News Bureau

On Tuesday, the trustees for Medicare and Social Security reported dire projections for the major entitlement programs.  Medicare is eight years away from complete collapse and Social Security will start losing money in seven years.  So just how big of a crisis is facing these programs and this country?  Why is Medicare a much worse and much more complicated problem?  What’s the best approach to make it solvent again?  And what is the best path to bringing the costs of Social Security under control as the Baby Boomers reach eligibility?  We ask Bill Beach, Director of the Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation.

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On Wednesday, President Obama reversed his earlier decision and said he would ask the federal courts to block the release of photos depicting enhanced interrogation techniques – not to cover up the practice but to protect our troops.  So what should we make of this decision?  How could these photos make our troops more vulnerable?  Why didn’t Obama make this call in the first place?  Should more CIA memos be released so Americans know how effective the interrogations were?  And what should Congress focus on as it examines the whole issue of possible torture?  We ask retired Army Lt. Col. Bob Maginnis.

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Why do teachers and coaches need to be better educated on the issue of asthma?  What risks do educators and students run when they don’t fully understand this condition?  What are the keys to leading an active and healthy life with asthma?  We ask Chris Draft, a linebacker for the St. Louis Rams who also deals with asthma.  He is also a spokesman for the “Winning with Asthma Coaches Clipboard Program.

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We have Tuesday’s top news…How dire is the forecast for the insolvency of Medicare and Social Security?  What is the Obama prescription for all this red ink?  What charges have been filed against the U.S. soldier accused of killing five fellow service members?  What did lawmakers hear concerning the keys to victory in Afghanistan?  Why are NASA officials concerned about yesterday’s shuttle launch?  What has the NTSB discovered about the pilots of the ill-fated commuter plane that crashed in Buffalo back in February?  Why is the outlook for GM even more bleak than before?  And what happened on Wall Street Tuesday?  We have the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Tuesday, May 12, 2009.

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Americans remain split on whether the national economy and their own financial health are headed for brighter days or continued stress.  What keeps almost half of all Americans convinced the economy will be better by the end of the year?  Why do Americans have far less confidence in current economic policies?  Is that a referendum on the Obama economic agenda?  We ask Terry Jones, associate editor at Investors Business Daily.

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Why did Iran convict U.S. journalist Roxana Saberi of espionage in the first place?  Was this an early test for Obama?  What kind of American response did Tehran want?  Did they get it?  How has this impacted U.S. – Iranian relations if at all?  What does Iran want most from the Obama administration?  We ask Dr. Walid Phares of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

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On Monday, the Obama administration announced the Fiscal Year 2009 budget deficit would be bigger than expected – a whopping $1.84 trillion in red ink.  Is this largely the result of a bad hand dealt to Obama by the Bush administration and a struggling economy?  Or is it directly linked to excessive, irresponsible spending by the Democrats in Congress and the White House?  How are taxpayers reacting?  And how will the government eventually try to pay for all of this?  We ask South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson.

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What do Americans need to know about the Democratic ‘Cap and Trade’ legislation that they don’t currently know? Why will almost everything cost more if the Democrats get their way? Why is the idea of creating millions of green jobs a fantasy and more likely to cost more jobs than are created? What message will free market forces be promoting? We ask former Virginia Gov. George Allen, founder and chairman of the American Energy Freedom Center.

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We have Monday’s top news… How much does President Obama believe can be trimmed from our health care costs over the next decade?  How much higher will our deficit be in Fiscal Year 2010 than previously thought?  What tragedy has struck U.S. troops in Baghdad?  What major leadership change is coming in the war on terror?  What is former Vice President Dick Cheney saying in defense of the Bush approach to Guantanamo and interrogation and in criticism of the Obama White House?  How is the Obama national security team responding?  Is bankruptcy inevitable for GM?  And what happened on Wall Street today?  We have the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Monday, May 11, 2009.

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On Monday, President Obama announced his health care reform efforts were bringing all major voices to the table in this debate.  He also says his reform plans will save this country $2 trillion in health care costs over the next decade.  Is that true?  Are all the players in the health care industry really on board with his version of reform?  Will we really get to keep our private coverage as long as we want?  And how will the Obama plan impact the number of talented Americans entering the health care field?  We ask Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute.

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