Retired U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North says the best strategy change for the U.S. in Afghanistan would be for President Obama to renounce his goal of bringing troops home as early as next summer and vowing to have all of them home by 2014. What impact would that have? How successful have our troops been in Afghanistan in recent months? Are Afghan forces ready to provide their own security? We ask Col. North, who also skewers the Obama administration for trying to lift the ban on gays in the military and pushing to “legalize consensual sodomy on military bases”. North explains why lifting the ban would be devastating for recruiting and retention.
American Heroes in Special Operations
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Oliver North joins us to discuss the many American heroes who serve this country in obscurity as members of Special Operations. North is author of the new book “American Heroes in Special Operations”, which chronicles the truly amazing exploits of our American heroes in Iraq and Afghanistan. He discusses why the media seem to spend little time reporting on the remarkable successes of our troops and the importance of America having heroes and knowing who those heroes are. He also explains how you can get the book in time for Christmas.
Three Martini Lunch 12/14/10
Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty delight in a federal judge declaring the individual health care mandate unconstitutional. They also worry about Republicans bringing forward their own version of the DREAM Act and wonder why Michael Steele is mounting a seemingly ill-fated re-election bid for RNC Chairman.
Obamacare Mandate Unconstitutional
A federal judge in Virginia says the government cannot force someone to buy health insurance or anything else. The decision moves this fight one step closer to a Supreme Court showdown over whether we all have to buy a government-approved health insurance policy. So how significant is this decision? Why was this the right decision compared with two other judges, who have ruled the mandate is legal? And what is Congress ready to do to repeal and gut Obamacare next year? We ask Texas Rep. Ted Poe, a former judge and sponsor of a House resolution to prevent such legislation form being considered in the future.
GOP Freshman Slams Tax Deal
Republicans are generally perceived as getting the better end of the deal on their tax cut compromise with President Obama. But Arizona Congressman-Elect Dave Schweikert says the plan stinks. Why is he not impressed with the two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts? What would be a better plan? How will the huge freshman class in the new Congress approach the massive deficits? And what issue will Schweikert personally be focused upon after taking office in January? We ask all these questions to Congressman-Elect Schweikert.
Three Martini Lunch 12/13/10
Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty celebrate the House Democrats admitting defeat on the tax cut fight after just a week of backlash. They also gauge the danger that the No Labels group poses to Republicans in 2012 and revel in the bizarre theater played out between President Obama and Bill Clinton at the White House.
‘I’m Inclined to Vote for It’
While not liking all aspects of the tax cut compromise hammered out between President Obama and Republican leaders, Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker says he is inclined to vote for the deal when it comes to the Senate floor. Why does he believe this package is worth supporting even though he’s not ‘overly delighted’ with it? Why does he say it needs to pass before the end of the year? Will it spark the kind of small business growth needed to jump-start the economy? How does he sum up the Democratic strategy on the economy? And does he think it actually will pass in the coming days? We discuss it all with Sen. Wicker, a member of the Senate Commerce and Small Business committees.
Muzzle Joe
The Capitol Steps use Christmas carol parodies to take aim at Vice President Biden and his many verbal gaffes. They also lament the still-weak economy in the midst of the Christmas shopping season. Guest is Steps star Elaina Newport.
Three Martini Lunch 12/10/10
Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty watch with delight House Democrats ‘punishing’ President Obama by forcing Guantanamo Bay to stay open and denying funding for civilian trials of Gitmo detainees. They also wince as House Republicans nominate a lawmaker known as the ‘prince of pork’ to lead the Appropriations Committee. And they discuss the descent of House Democrats into profane name-calling of President Obama.
Political Timing, Bad for Troops
On Thursday, the Senate refused to begin debate on the 2011 Defense Authorization Bill, which includes a repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy banning gays serving openly in the military. So why is this exactly the wrong time to make this change? Would there ever be a good time to lift the ban? Did the Pentagon report discover any benefits to lifting the ban? And what happens to the bill after today’s vote? We ask Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and its Personnel Subcommittee.