We have Monday’s top news… What did President Obama order today on the issue of embryonic stem cell research? Why are critics very upset about the moral and ethical precedent this sets? What are the facts on progress involving the destruction of embryos and progress with adult stem cells? What are the latest moves from the Obama administration concerning the economy? Why is the White House not concerned about the myriad of vacancies at the Treasury Department? What happened on Wall Street Monday? We answer all these questions as we bring you the biggest stories for Monday, March 9, 2009.
Should the U.S. Be Negotiating with the Taliban?
President Obama recently told The New York Times that he believes discussions with certain elements of the Taliban could be constructive in arriving at a long-term strategy for Afghanistan. Is he right or is this a pipe dream? Is Iraq good or bad evidence to support Obama’s theory? How have Obama’s own words hurt the potential for this strategy? And what is the secret behind the Taliban resurgence in recent years? We ask retired U.S. Navy Captain Chuck Nash.
The Truth About Stem Cells
On Monday, President Obama reversed Bush administration policy on embryonic stem cell research and allowed for a major increase in taxpayer dollars for projects that will include the creation and destruction of human embryos. What are the facts on embryonic stem cell research? Has it shown any promise in the great deal of research that has been funded? Where is the real progress being seen when it comes to stem cell treatments? Why the big push for more dollars on the embryonic front? And will a cloning ban be effective or are we headed down a slippery ethical slope into a moral sewer? We ask David Christensen, senior director of Congressional affairs at the Family Research Council.
Fewer Americans Identifying with or Serious About Faith
A new American Religious Identification Survey shows that fewer Americans identify themselves with a particular faith or denomination. It also shows a huge rise among those who have no faith affiliation and an increase in those nominally connected with a particular church? Why is this happening? How are American attitudes changing? What role do the churches play? How consistent is the trend? And what is the long-term impact on our nation and on our culture? We ask Alan Wisdom, vice president at the Institute on Religion and Democracy.
The Latest Tension with China
Relations with China have been tested again by a series of seemingly minor international incidents. But the latest episode of China trying to force a U.S. ship further away from its waters is drawing ire from the Pentagon? What is China trying to prove through these unnecessary acts of aggression? What does it tell us about China’s long term goals? And what role do our differences with Taiwan play in all of this? We ask retired U.S. Army General Paul Vallely, who served as deputy commanding general in the Pacific theater.
The News
We have Friday’s top news…How bad were the unemployment numbers for February that were released on Friday? Do experts see the numbers improving soon? What are Congressional Republicans urging President Obama to do to address the financial crisis? How did stocks react to the dismal news? What did Obama have to say about our nation’s fiscal woes on Friday? What step will Obama take on Monday that’s sure to infuriate pro-life Americans? Why does Secretary of State Hillary Clinton say we should not “waste a crisis”? And what diplomatic stumbles did Clinton and Obama make this week? We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Friday, March 6, 2009.
The Case of Capt. Roger Hill and Military Injustice
Why has a U.S. Army captain been ordered out of the military? What did he do in Afghanistan to save the lives of his men? How extreme were his actions against the enemy? Why were those actions necessary in the first place? How did it get turned into a massive legal issue? And who are the real culprits in this case? We discuss the case of Captain Roger Hill with retired U.S. Air Force General Tom McInerney.
The Cost and Strategy of Obama’s Brand of Health Care Reform
How much government spending would be required to fund President Obama’s health care agenda? How can we afford that while Medicare remains awash in red ink – like the rest of the government? Why is the Obama team likely to shrink rather than expand the private sector role in health care? We ask these and other questions to Joe Antos of the American Enterprise Institute. He is also a health adviser to the Congressional Budget Office.
Capitol Steps Parody
As the week comes to an end, we tak a break from the debates over budgets and Wall Street and health care to visit with the Capitol Steps, Washington renowned musical and political parody group. This week, the Steps focus on the Octo-Mom in their new song “What Child Is This?” Our guest is Steps impressionist Mark Eaton.
Forbes Columnist Robert Lenzner Discusses Rising Unemployment, Plunging Markets and Washington Ineptitude
What are the biggest reasons that more than 650,000 jobs were cut in February and unemployment is the highest since 1983? What additional reasons explain the tanking stock market? How badly does Wall Street need a clear banking reform policy from Washington? Why does Wall Street lack confidence in Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner? And what should be the most immediate priorities for President Obama and leaders in Congress? We ask Robert Lenzner, contributing editor and columnist at Forbes magazine.