President Obama is using a recess appointment to elevate Donald Berwick to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Studies (CMS). Why are Republicans outraged about Obama’s use of the recess appointment in this case? Why are they vigorously opposed to Berwick in particular? What has Berwick said about the role of government in health care? We ask Georgia Rep. Tom Price, chairman of the Republican Study Committee and a practicing physician.
Voter Intimidation, Voter Fraud
On Tuesday, former Justice Department attorney J. Christian Adams told the U.S. Civil Rights Commission that Obama administration officials told him and others that the department had no interest in prosecuting black Americans who infringed the voting rights of white Americans. He further testified that the DOJ had no intention of cleaning up voter rolls to help eliminate voter fraud. Why were these decisions made? How did the debates play out? What evidence had been accumulated in a major voter intimidation case? Who were DOJ officials trying to protect by not enforcing the updating of voter rolls? And are these accusations based upon fact or are these bombshells politically motivated? We speak with Mr. Adams, who brought all of this to light on Tuesday.
Obama Allied with Illegals
On Tuesday, the Obama Justice Department filed suit against Arizona over the state’s new immigration enforcement laws. Why does California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher believe this action puts all law-abiding Americans in danger? Why does he say President Obama is actually in alliance with illegals? How does he respond to the government’s reasons for filing this case? And why does he fear legislative tricks will allow the Democrats to pass a major amnesty bill later this year? We ask Rep. Rohrabacher.
Obama, Netanyahu Play Nice
A few months after what many consider a snub of Israel by the Obama administration, Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke glowingly of each other before the television cameras. How important is this change in hospitality? Will it lead to any real breakthrough on the Middle East or Iran? We ask former Reagan administration Pentagon official K.T McFarland.
Iraqi Success, Afghan Challenges
The U.S. is preparing for a major downsizing of forces in Iraq next month. Are we ready? Is Iraq ready to take much responsibility upon itself? And what needs to change to give us a better chance of winning in Afghanistan? How important could a change in the rules of engagement be? We ask retired U.S. Navy Captain Chuck Nash.
Obama Reneges on Tax Vows
With a new tanning bed tax in place and Bush tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year, Americans for Tax Reform is calling President Obama to account for breaking his pledge not to raise any kind of tax on families making less than $250,000 per year. So what is the Obama record on taxes and spending? How much does that contribute to his sliding poll numbers? And should Obama get some slack because of the difficult economic conditions facing our nation? We ask Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Repeal and Replace
Over the past three months, more and more gloomy realities are emerging about the real impact of the recently passed health care laws – from the true cost of the plan to whether you can keep your coverage. Rep. Paul Broun, who is also a doctor, says the plan needs to be repealed as soon as possible. He also says the Congress needs to adopt a more conservative approach to health reform, including his plan to make all health care expenses for Americans tax-deductible.
Not as Bad as You Think
The economy took a beating in 2008 and we are still feeling the impact. Capitalism also took a beating, as the free markets were assigned blame for the meltdown from politicians here in Washington and by many people around the country. So as government tries to severely regulate Wall Street, should we be worried about the future of capitalism, or will the system thrive despite these additional hurdles? We ask Brian Wesbury, former chief economist for the Joint Economic Committee. He is also the author of “It’s Not as Bad as You Think”.
The Battle for America’s Future
The vast majority of Americans favor small government and a free-market system, but increasingly the big government agenda wins the day. How have liberals managed to accomplish their goals despite being in a distinct minority? How have liberals built a much more effective alliance to achieve their goals? We ask Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute and author of “The Battle”.
Can Government Growth Be Slowed?
Government has been been growing by leaps and bounds in the past couple of years, and it just continues a pattern that dates back almost 80 years. What were the big triggers for the onslaught of federal spending and regulation leading up to the efforts we are seeing today? How did big government advocates get the upper hand after Republicans and Democrats successfully ran as small-government supporters in the 1980s and 1990s? And can conservatives really change the big government agenda that’s been implemented to this point? We ask William Voegeli, author of “Never Enough: America’s Limitless Welfare State”.