Radio America Online News Bureau

In a few weeks, lawmakers will decide whether to raise the debt ceiling.  Conservatives are resisting the idea, but Democrats say the ceiling must be raised or else defaulting on our debt payments will damage our credit rating.  Now, California Rep. Tom McClintock says he has a solution through his “Full Faith and Credit Act”.  How would it protect our credit rating even if the debt ceiling is not raised?  How has it been used successfully in the past?  Why does he believe Democrats oppose the legislation even though it doesn’t impact the vote on the debt ceiling?  Is our credit rating going to plummet anyway because of our bulging debt?  What does McClintock want done with the debt ceiling?  And are the two parties heading for a game of political chicken over this issue?  We discuss it all with Rep. McClintock.

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Greg Corombos and Radio America’s Jim Geraghty relish Virginia Sen. Jim Webb’s retirement and the chance for a conservative pickup in 2012, but they regret Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl’s decision to retire next year.  And they try to explain the stunning behavior of disgraced ex-Congressman Christopher Lee.

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The House Budget Committee heard testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday, but even more telling are the two approaches to our massive debt that were revealed in questions from each side of the aisle.  Will Republicans be able to implement many of their proposed spending cuts?  Why is entitlement reform essential?  What specifics are Republicans offering on entitlement reform?  Why does the GOP see Democratic priorities of investment and taxes as a dead end economically?  And how committed is the House Budget Committee to really tackling the deficits compared to the last Congress?  We ask Missouri Rep. Todd Akin, a member of the House Budget Committee.

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Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty give the House GOP credit for rolling up their sleeves and getting to work on spending and scrutinizing the Fed.  We also wonder why Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar seems to be doing everything he can to antagonize the Tea Party ahead of his 2012 re-election effort.  And we chronicle the latest insanity from MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, after he tells a black conservative from National Review that he looks more like President Obama than GOP front-runner Mitt Romney.

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The most recent job numbers showed a falling unemployment rate but very few new jobs being created in January.  So why is our recovery so sluggish?  What do small business owners want more than anything else from Congress?  What does Congress need to overturn?  What does it need to pass?  And what can we expect this Congress to accomplish?  We ask Tennessee Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a longtime small business owner and member of the House Small Business Committee.

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Last year, Maryland entered the marriage debate when its attorney general decided to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.  Now the Democratic-led legislature there is poised to fully legalize gay marriages.  What will be the fate of this bill in the Maryland legislature?  What is the chief strategy of traditional marriage supporters?  Can traditional marriage defenders win in a liberal state like Maryland?  We ask Maryland Delegate Don Dwyer, a leading opponent of the gay marriage push in his state.

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Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty enjoy watching four Senate Democrats plot to bring down the individual mandate in the health care plan.  They also shake their heads as President Obama fails to understand why more jobs aren’t being created and get some laughs out of Rod Blagojevich trying to damage Rahm Emanuel just days before the Chicago mayor’s race.

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Last week, Federal Judge Martin Feldman found the Obama administration in contempt of court for still refusing to left a de facto drilling moratorium imposed in the wake of the BP disaster.  Today, we ask Texas Rep. Joe Barton, former chairman and current ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, what impact this decision might have.  Is Obama likely to adhere to this ruling when he ignored the others?  How can a new Republican House push the administration to open up coastal waters for more energy exploration?  What is the economic impact to his district, his state and the nation from this ongoing moratorium?  And what will the Energy & Commerce Committee do to pressure the Obama administration on its many new EPA regulations that Republicans consider harmful to our economy and our freedom?  We ask Rep. Joe Barton.

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Former South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis is pushing what he calls a conservative approach to our nation’s energy challenges.  Why does he reject the president’s recent call for more investment in green technologies?  Why does he want to slap major oil companies with higher taxes and fees?  How would he prevent those companies from passing the costs along to us?  Why does he believe that global warming does exist and is largely caused by human activity?  And why does he consider the energy policies advocated by other self-proclaimed conservatives as ‘populist poppycock’.  We ask Rep. Bob Inglis, a six-term member of Congress, who was defeated for re-election by a Tea Party primary challenger in 2010.

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Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty celebrate Republicans and Democrats choosing spending cuts over tax increases to reduce the debt.  They also bemoan Michelle Obama’s push to make restaurant menus more health-conscious and scratch their heads at the bizarre and sometimes sleazy Superbowl moments.

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