Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle easily won the GOP senate nomination in Nevada and will take on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in November. Democrats think they caught a big break break with Angle winning the nomination. Are they right or are they still misreading voter sentiment? How will her positions on education and social security impact the race? We ask Peter Ferrara, general counsel at the American Civil Rights Union.
Women Win Big Primary Fights
On Tuesday, four Republican women won major senate and gubernatorial primaries. And Democrat Blanche Lincoln surprised many by winning the senate runoff in Arkansas. So why are we seeing this female surge in politics – especially in the GOP? Is the party late in embracing women as candidates? Are they winning because voters want women to shake things up politically or because voters want conservatives and the most conservative candidates in many races happen to be women? And how will they do in November? We discuss it all with Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn.
More Government, Less Freedom
Congressional Democrats are trying to merge House and Senate versions of financial reform legislation, but some major differences remain. Will there be a massive fund that some say perpetuates the “too big to fail” mentality? Will there be a serious audit of the Federal Reserve? Will Americans have more or less freedom when this process is over? And will businesses have more or less access to credit? We ask Brian Johnson, federal affairs manager at Americans for Tax Reform.
Palmetto State Politics
A year ago, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford shocked the people of his state by admitting an affair with a woman in Argentina. Today, voters get their first crack at picking his replacement. Who will likely emerge from a very crowded Republican primary? How will allegations of extramarital affairs impact the GOP front-runner? Will she survive a likely run-off? Which candidates are faring best on their economic plans? Which Republicans are locked in tough primaries in U.S. House races? We ask Van Hipp, former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.
Obama’s Rationer-in-Chief
During the health care debate, President Obama promised everyone could keep their current doctor or plan if they wished. He also dismissed allegations that his plan would usher in health care rationing. Nonetheless, Obama’s nominee to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Studies (CMS) is on the record advocating rationing and has been knighted in Britain for his support of the UK’s government-run system. So what kind of power will Donald Berwick have? Could he actually order rationing or denial of care? What other developments in recent days suggest more flaws in the new health care laws? Why has an innovative firm in Virginia been forced out of business? And what is the significance of President Obama touting $250 rebates to some Medicare patients? We ask Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute.
Democratic Budget Gimmicks
It’s now June, and Democrats in Congress have yet to put forth a budget – a move Republicans claim is designed to prevent voters from seeing just how much red ink Dems have planned for the next fiscal year. How significant is that when our debt is about to exceed our GDP? How endangered is our credit rating as the debt soars? What can realistically be done to stop it? We ask New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett.
Embracing Obama with One Arm
As several states hold critical primaries, will Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln be denied her own party’s nomination? Which candidate has a better chance of winning in November? How worried are Democrats about holding on to key House seats in Virginia? Which party has the edge in the two big California races? Are Dems embracing Obama or running away from him? And do Democrats fear another 1994? We ask Michael Lewan, former chief of staff for Sen. Joe Lieberman and partner in the Washington office of Brown Rudnick.
Iran Wants War with Israel
Iran has threatened to use it’s own ships to act as a convoy bringing materials through an Israeli blockade into Gaza. Is this a real threat and what would happen if the convoy meets the blockade? We ask Dr. Mike Evans, adviser to many Israeli officials and longtime friend of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He is also the author of “Atomic Iran”. Dr. Evans also explains why the controversy erupted when it did and how the Obama administration’s actions played a major role. He discusses why U.S.-Israeli relations are the worst since the modern state of Israel was created, and why he thinks another proxy war and Iran nukes may just be six months away.
‘We’re Still Not Creating Jobs’
The U.S. economy added 431,000 jobs in May, but just 41,000 in the private sector. 411,000 jobs are for U.S. census workers, who will only have jobs for a few months. Should we cheer positive numbers or be concerned that the private sector gains are far less than last month? How does the oil spill make these numbers even more sobering? What is the real unemployment number when factoring in those who have given up the job search or are forced to take part-time work? Why are private employers reluctant to hire? What would give them more incentive? We Ask Diana Furchtgott-Roth, chief economist for the Department of Labor under President George W. Bush.
Behind the BP Boycotts
Many Americans are looking to hurt BP in the pocketbook by boycotting BP gas stations across the country. How are these boycotts being organized? Who will actually get hurt by this effort? What would it take to really hurt BP’s bottom line? Correspondent Jasen Sokol reports.