Greg Corombos of Radio America and Daniel Foster of National Review are glad new polls show the Democratic accusations of a GOP “war on women” are not working. They also lament that regardless of tonight’s results the GOP primary races are going to last a long time. And they wonder why the Obama re-election team is trying to raise money by attacking Sarah Palin.
Time for A Mission Change
Retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Tom McInerney says it’s important to wait for all of the facts to come in before casting judgment on the alleged killing of 16 Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier. McInerney adds the relationship between our two countries is far more tense than it needs to be and he lays much of that blame at the feet of Afghan President Hamid Karzai – especially for his weak efforts to restore calm after the recent Koran burnings. McInerney also explains why he thinks it’s time to scale down our presence in Afghanistan, abandon fruitless nation building efforts and focus on taking out Taliban and other terrorist targets.
Assessing Afghanistan
Over the weekend, reports from Afghanistan claim a U.S. soldier killed up to 16 people, including several children. Coming just a couple of weeks after deadly riots over accidental Koran burnings, how much will this incident further erode the relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies explains the state of our relations with Afghanistan and why the answer really depends on which part of the country and with ethnic group we consider. He also explains what may be the best case scenario for U.S. and Afghanistan alike as we try to prevent the country from returning to a safe haven for terrorists.
Occupying the Occupiers
The Occupy DC movement continues to hold court in Washington’s Freedom Plaza. But now it has some company. The Occupy Occupy DC effort is a product of the National Center for Public Policy Research. So far the counter protest has held detailed demonstrations on the toxic threat of mercury inside the new light bulbs being pushed by the federal government and the deadly toll that wind farms are having on birds and bats. Bonner Cohen of the National Center for Public Policy Research explains the facts behind both presentations.
Three Martini Lunch 3/12/12
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review cheer new poll numbers showing Obama’s approval in decline – especially over gas prices. They also shudder at the allegations against a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan. And they discuss the political comeback attempt of Democratic firebrand Alan Grayson.
Values and Capitalism
In 2008, young voters overwhelmingly supported Barack Obama for president. Some surveys even suggest young Americans are more sympathetic to socialism than they are to capitalism. One of the reasons for these trends is the perceived greed and unfairness associated with capitalism and the free market. Henry Olsen of the American Enterprise Institute is looking to reverse the tide among young people and every generation by releasing an eight-part series of very short books entitled “Values and Capitalism”. Olsen tells us why he believes there’s an easy case to make for capitalism as the most fair and most moral economic system on earth. He explains some of the bedrock principles that people are simply not taught about capitalism and how those tenets impact views about taxes, the environment, trade, energy and much more. Olsen details why young people have been attracted to other movements and ideas in the name of fairness and justice. He also tells us why he thinks the Republican presidential candidates are not doing a great job of extolling the virtues of capitalism and how President Obama is teaching America that we should feel guilty about success.
Putin On A Blitz
The U.S. presidential race is not the not only vote making news. Last weekend in Russia, former president Vladimir Putin reclaimed his old job in an election many critics labeled as fraudulent. But the Capitol Steps are only too happy to see Putin replace the relatively dull Dmitry Medvedev. The Steps pull out a classic Putin parody for the occasion. Our guest is Steps impressionist Mark Eaton.
Three Martini Lunch 3/9/12
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty like that more jobs were created in February but the creeping improvement is still proof that President Obama’s policies are not working. They also slam Obama for not only opposing a Senate vote on the Keystone pipeline but actively lobbying Democrats to vote against it. And Jim offers his review of ‘Game Change’, the new HBO movie about the McCain-Palin campaign.
A New Obamacare Showdown
On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board,a provision in the new health care laws that creates a board of unelected officials to reduce Medicare costs. Tennessee Rep. Phil Roe is a longtime physician and author of the repeal effort. Roe tells us Congress should be eager to rescind this part of the law since the Congress would have virtually no oversight over this panel. He explains how the provision got into the law in the first place and why quite a few Democrats are on his side. Roe also details how care would be indirectly denied by this panel, not by denying treatment but by denying reimbursement to doctors who prescribe treatment rejected as being too costly. Listen here for the full discussion with Rep. Phil Roe.
Neighbor Helping Neighbor
Late last week, a powerful storm system spawned deadly tornadoes across multiple states. Some of the deadliest storms struck southern Indiana, much of which is represented by Rep. Todd Young. He describes his reaction to seeing the devastation in the district and how many families and business owners are affected by the storms. The congressman also describes the inspiring spirit of the people he represents and the selflessness demonstrated at the darkest hours. Young explains why neighbor helping neighbor is preferable to waiting for federal assistance but also says critical aid is available through state and federal sources. He also discusses how anyone can help with the relief effort – either through donations or volunteering one’s own time and energy.