More than a week after record floods devastated countless homes and left some of Nashville’s most famous landmarks badly damaged, a massive cleanup effort is in full swing. What are the biggest needs right now? To what extent has the water receded? How has this tragedy galvanized the community? Are folks there frustrated with the lack of media attention? We ask Jeremy Heidt of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
Employers Ready to Drop Coverage
The new health care laws mandate that employers provide coverage for their workers and impose penalties on those who don’t. But many employers are quickly discovering that it is far cheaper to pay the penalties than provide coverage. Why is that? How big of a surge will we see in companies refusing to extend health coverage to their employees? How much will this trend cost the typical working family? And will there be any remedy to this looming problem? We ask Grace-Marie Turner of the Galen Institute. She will also explain how the new health laws will cost taxpayers even more, now that states are opting out of their share of new government health plans.
The News
The economy adds many new jobs but the unemployment rate rises too. Wall Street was more calm on Friday but still down. Greek debt crisis still spooks investors, but Obama says help is on the way. No British party wins a majority in parliament, triggering the first coalition government in decades. All three Navy SEALs are now exonerated for their handling of an Iraqi terrorist. Out of wedlock births skyrocketing in the U.S. And we mark a momumental anniversary.
Wall Street, Greece and Chaos
A bad stretch on Wall Street briefly descended into sheer chaos on Thursday as the Dow Jones Industrial average plummeted nearly 1,000 points before gaining much of it back. So why were investors on edge to begin with? How will Thursday’s problems be resolved? How will the Greek debt crisis impact the markets? And will the jobs report have much of an impact in the days ahead? We ask Forbes magazine executive editor Neil Weinberg.
Conservatives on the Brink in UK
British voters delivered a strong rebuke to the ruling Labour Party on Thursday, but while the Conservatives won the most seats, they did not win a majority. How big of a disappointment is this for the Tories? Will the party be able to find help in taking control of parliament? When will all of this get sorted out? And what role will Queen Elizabeth II have in this process? We ask Amanda Bowman, CEO of Atlantic Bridge and close ally of MP Liam Fox, who may be the next secretary of defense.
Taking on FEMA and Korea
The Capitol Steps provide a double feature today as they wonder how Gulf Coast residents feel about the return of FEMA and speculate about why North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il visits China. Our guest is Steps star Elaina Newport.
More Jobs, Higher Unemployment
The Department of Labor reports 290,000 jobs were created in April but the overall unemployment rate actually rose to 9.9 percent. So how encouraging are the additional jobs? What should the numbers look like now that the economy has grown substantially for the past two quarters? What is the ‘real’ unemployment rate when factoring in part-time workers who would like to be full-time and those who have given hopes of finding work? How will the new health care laws stifle job creation? And how does the immigration debate influence the jobs picture? We ask Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former chief economist at the Department of Labor and former chief of staff for the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.
More Dem Retirements to Come
John Gizzi of Human events tackles the week’s biggest issues. Why does he see the latest terror threat more as luck than good government prevention? How will the politics of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill play out? How will the Greek debt crisis impact the U.S.? Which party will win the British parliamentary elections? Did David Obey retire from Congress on his own terms or because he thought he would lose? And which veteran Dems might follow his lead?
The Founders and Faith
Thursday is the National Day of Prayer, an event proclaimed by the government for generations. But as hostility towards people of faith intensifies and a federal judge even declares the day unconstitutional, what should we really know about the founding fathers and their beliefs? How important was faith in the public square to the likes of George Washington and John Adams? What about supposed deists like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson? What have presidents had to say about faith throughout our history? How did the movement to stifle religious expression gain momentum? And how vital is it for the American people to pray for our nation? We ask Mathew Staver, chairman and founder of Liberty Counsel, a leading defender of religious freedom.
Left Pushes Puerto Rico Statehood
Last week, the House of Representatives approved legislation calling for a non-binding vote of Puerto Ricans on the issue of statehood. Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz is leading the fight against the bill. Why is he concerned? Why would voters on the mainland be allowed to vote on Puerto Rican statehood? How have Puerto Ricans voted in the past? What’s the real reason for this push? How are supporters using a convoluted process to accomplish their goals? And what happens next? We ask Rep. Chaffetz.