A new series of reports from The Washington Post suggests the intelligence community has added incredibly complicated and redundant layers of bureaucracy in the years since 9-11. So why and how did this happen? What would have been a better approach? Are we any safer than we were on 9-11? And will these reports lead to any substantive changes? We ask former CIA officer Larry Johnson, who also served as deputy director of the State Department’s office of counter-terrorism.
Taxpayers Paying for Abortions
In March, President Obama signed an executive order banning taxpayer funding of any abortions through the new health care laws. However, your tax dollars have already been used to pay for abortions in at least three states. So how were abortions funded by taxpayers if that is supposed to be illegal? How much transparency are we getting from the Obama administration as this massive plan gets implemented? How credible is the administration when it promises to fix this problem? And what will happen when the vast majority of this bill takes effect in 2014? We ask Douglas Johnson, legislative director at the National Right to Life Committee.
Immigration Fight in the Heartland
The center of of the national immigration debate is Arizona, but a small city in Nebraska is also divided over whether to enforce federal immigration laws. Radio America’s Jasen Sokol examines the politics, passion and lawsuits surrounding a new law in Fremont, Nebraska.
Is the Stimulus Working?
President Obama went to western Michigan on Thursday to tout what he sees as evidence of his stimulus plan working to rescue the U.S. economy. But is the plan really sparking the long-struggling Michigan economy? What would really kick-start the state’s economic agenda? We ask Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra, who is also running for governor. We hear his economic agenda, how it differs from the plans of his GOP rivals and how ready Michigan voters are for some change.
Tests for the Tea Party
The Tea Party is dealing with several major stories this week. One-time Tea Party darling Scott Brown voted for the Democratic version of financial reforms – the latest in a string of votes that do not please the conservative base. The NAACP says the Tea Party contains “racist elements”. And a new poll shows Harry Reid leading Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle in Nevada. So how is the grassroots movement responding to all of these developments? We ask Richard Viguerie, chairman of conservativehq.com and a longtime fixture in the conservative movement.
Latest Obamacare Nightmares
Late this week, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that by 2014, all of our federal electronic medical records will include our Body Mass Index, which calculates obesity. Why is that significant? And what does it say about government getting involved in our lives and how health care resources may be prioritized or rationed based on overall health? We ask Grace-Marie Turner of the Galen Institute, who also explains how the massive new entitlements contained within the new health care package will financially cripple younger Americans.
Al Gore Tries Internet Dating
Earlier this year, Al and Tipper Gore announced they were ending their 40-year marriage. So as as the former vice president tries to move on, he turns to his invention that changed the world. The Capitol Steps take a peek.
The News
BP finally caps the ruptured Deepwater Horizon oil well, but Republicans are still furious with Obama over his drilling moratorium. Senate approves Democratic Wall Street reform bill thanks to three GOP crossovers. Obama pitches vision of green economy in Michigan.
Democratic Infighting Deepens
Human Events Political Editor John Gizzi says House Democrats and the Obama administration are still furious with one another. Why are House Dems upset with how Obama is treating them after taking so many votes that could cost them their jobs? What is Obama’s campaign plan for the midterm election season? Will Democrats be running on their voting record or away from it? And how will the Tea Party be impacted by the NAACP calling it ‘racist’? We ask John Gizzi.
Obama’s Oil Moratorium Arrogance
After having his first deep water drilling moratorium shot down twice in federal courts, President Obama has already imposed a new one that may be even more sweeping. Why does Arizona Rep. John Shadegg call the president’s move “arrogant” and a job-killer? What do the experts say about whether drilling or not drilling is better for the environment? And does Shadegg agree that Obama is more interested in advancing his energy agenda than cleaning up the mess? We ask Rep. Shadegg.