Louisiana Sen. David Vitter says he expects the formal moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico to be lifted sooner than scheduled. But he says a de facto moratorium will likely stay in place much longer as a result of oppressive regulations. What does Vitter think of a new report alleging the Obama administration blocked public discussion of a worst-case scenario of this year’s oil spill crisis? How is Vitter’s record different on this issue from the positions taken by his opponent? How does he expect the lackluster jobs picture to impact the midterm elections? And why should he be re-elected? We discuss it all with Sen. David Vitter.
‘They Are Totally Confused’
Just days after McDonald’s suggested the new health care laws would force it to end coverage for hourly employees, the Obama administration has issued an exemption to the golden arches and dozens of other firms that were poised to eliminate health coverage over prohibitive costs. Why were the exemptions granted? What happens to small business owners who don’t have enough clout to earn a federal exemption? And how significant is a federal judge’s decision upholding the Constitutionality of the individual mandate? We ask Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute and find out why she likens the stream of revelations about the new plan to an ‘army of centipedes’.
Honoring Columbus’ Courage, Vision
As America observes Columbus Day, what should America appreciate about the man whose exploration triggered the great European migration to the New World? Why has Columbus been diminished in our culture over the past generation? Why do most of the people who do speak out on Columbus seem to be obsessed with his perceived flaws in dealing with the indigenous people? We ask Frank Donatelli, former deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee who also served as chairman of the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Commission from 1990-1992.
Baked, Cooled and Iced
With just over three weeks remaining until the midterm elections, University of Virginia political science Professor Larry Sabato says huge Republicans gains are already a certainty. But how big will the gains be? Will Republicans control the House, or the Senate or both? How surprising is it for voters to reject a party so quickly after putting it into power? And will a lackluster final jobs report before Election Day remove Democratic hopes of minimizing the losses? We discuss it all with Dr. Larry Sabato.
Jobs and the Midterms
Texas Rep. Kevin Brady says the new jobs report is the latest evidence that the Obama economic agenda is not working. So what would Republicans do if returned to the majority, and how quickly would we see significant economic growth if the GOP were able to pass its agenda? And how does Brady respond to the Democratic contention that going back to Republican control would only bring back the policies that led to this crisis in the first place? Listen here for a wide-ranging economic discussion with Rep. Kevin Brady.
Economy Not on Right Track
On Friday, the final jobs report before the midterm elections showed the national unemployment rate staying at 9.6 percent, 95,000 jobs being lost in September and 64,000 private sector jobs added to the rolls. So is this proof of a failed Obama economic agenda, or do nine months of modest private sector job growth show the job market is slowly coming back? What is the unemployment rate when factoring in workers who have quit looking for jobs or have settled for part-time positions? We ask Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former chief economist at the Department of Labor and current director of the Center for Employment Policy at the Hudson Institute.
Changing of the Guard
On Friday, President Obama announced National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones is resigning in the coming days. What kind of job has Jones done? What can we expect from incoming adviser Tom Donilon? Why should we be expecting Afghan efforts to reach a peace deal with elements of the Taliban? And why should we be skeptical that such a thing would ever work? We discuss all these questions with retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Bob Maginnis, now a senior strategist with the Army.
Record Food Stamps Good for U.S.?
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggested this week that record levels of Americans on food stamps show that Democrats are party of food stamps and Republicans are the party of paychecks. Nancy Pelosi shot back by saying that until the job market picks up, food stamps and unemployment insurance provide the “biggest bang for the buck”. So who is right and what does this debate tell us about the very different economic philosophies of the parties? What does the rhetoric suggest both parties fail to comprehend? We ask Bill Beach of the Heritage Foundation. He also explains why he considers a possible Federal Reserve plan to intentionally allow inflation to rise the most “hare-brained” idea to come from the Fed in the past 20 years.
Let the Midterm Predictions Begin
John Gizzi is here with his first batch of predictions on competitive races in this midterm election cycle. Who does he see emerging in key Senate contests in Alaska, Washington and Colorado? Will Republicans or Democrats gain ground after Nancy Pelosi suggests record numbers of food stamp recipients is the right way to address the rough economy? We discuss that and more in our weekly chat with John Gizzi, political editor at Human Events.
Peace Talks & Convoy Attacks
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is reportedly ready to engage in peace talks with some war-weary elements of the Taliban. Is this promising or just a ploy? Can the most radical Taliban factions ever accept a political compromise? What would be signs that such a truce might actually happen? We ask K.T. McFarland, former Pentagon official in the Reagan administration and national security analyst for the Fox News Channel. She also weighs in on the series of terrorist attacks in Pakistan on convoys bringing critical supplies to our troops in Afghanistan.