Radio America Online News Bureau

Official Washington is chattering about the latest Bob Woodward book – this one offering the inside story of how the current policy in Afghanistan was compiled and the infighting that accompanied the new strategy.  Should we be surprised that President Obama’s top priority is to get out of Afghanistan?  What is the impact of many military leaders being skeptical of success?  Why does the book hurt national security?  And is our policy working in Afghanistan?  We talk about these and other questions with former Pentagon official and eight-time embed reporter Bing West.

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Why is the mainstream press talking non-stop about a Delaware senate candidate they hadn’t heard of two weeks ago?  Why do the media see Republican women as a threat?  What are the key narratives the networks and newspaper are trying to craft in the minds of voters?  How blatant is the media activism in this campaign?  And does media bias make a big difference in the outcome of elections?  We ask Richard Benedetto, former White House Correspondent for USA TODAY and current professor of politics and journalism at American University and Georgetown University.

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In a new book, author and professor Paul Kengor says American adversaries have cleverly exploited American progressives for a century.  But how did this exploitation begin and how did Communists gain the trust of liberals?  Which Democrats fiercely resisted this pressure and became heroes because of it?  How id Communists use the biggest names in Hollywood to their advantage?  And how do the early years of stealth Communist activity have a direct impact on America today?  We ask, Dr. Paul Kengor, author of “Dupes: How America’s Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century”.

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President Obama, Democratic leaders in Congress and even some of the top figures at the Pentagon are all pushing for a repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy banning gays in the military.  But many of the military brass believe allowing gays to serve openly would be a big mistake.  What is the case against gays in the military?  What should we think of how lawmakers are trying to include this as part of a must-pass defense spending bill?  How would members of the military react to the policy being repealed?  Would it impact recruiting and retention?  We ask retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Tom McInerney, who also has some choice words for Defense Secretary Bob Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen.  We also get Gen. McInerney’s thoughts on the latest developments in Afghanistan.

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Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported the highest increase in poverty in recorded history.  The down economy is partly to blame for the increase, but Heritage Foundation expert Robert Rector says one factor dwarfs all others in explaining why the poverty rate continues to rise despite almost 50 years of government efforts.  Why is getting married before having kids the key to fighting poverty?  Why do single parents make up the bulk of those living in poverty?  How many would escape poverty simply by getting married?  What can the government do to encourage people to be married before having kids?  We ask Robert Rector, senior fellow in domestic policy at the Heritage Foundation.

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The public seems to be in the mood to give Democrats the boot in November, but if Republicans do reclaim the majority, what will their agenda look like?  How will they address rampant federal spending?  What drives the vast majority of our spending and debt?  How would they change the tax code?  What would a GOP energy plan look like?  And are Republicans going to look markedly different than the Republicans who lost the majority four years ago?  We ask California Rep. Devin Nunes, author of “Restoring the Republic: A Clear, Concise and Colorful Blueprint for America’s Future”.

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Obama administration science czar John Holdren says ‘global warming’ should now be referred to as ‘global climate disruption’.  Is this just a semantic change or is it a strategic move designed to give cover to those in the climate change movement – no matter what the climactic evidence shows?  What should we know about Holdren’s many years of involvement in this movement?  Why is the terminology changing now?  And how can anyone not schooled in climatology determine which side is right in this debate?  We ask Dr. Tim Ball, former professor of climatology at the University of Winnepeg.

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President Obama and his fellow Democrats are getting more aggressive in their criticism of the Republican economic agenda and are hoping to gain ground over differences in how to address the expiring Bush tax cuts.  But are the Democrats making progress or are most voters already convinced Obama is leading us on the wrong course?  Is Obama’s push to extend most of the Bush tax cust an admission that most of those tax cuts were not for the rich?  And why have the Democrats failed to put forth a budget or any major spending bills just 10 days before the start of a new fiscal year?  We ask Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, a member of the House Appropriations Committee and former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

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The Defense Authorization bill is supposed to focus on the needs of the military, but this year’s version is becoming the repository for a number of divisive social issues as well.  Already included is language to repeal the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy banning gays in the military and a provision providing college scholarships for illegal immigrants.  Now Illinois Sen. Roland Burris is trying to lift a ban on abortions performed at military hospitals.  Why would lifting this ban be a terrible precedent?  How is this proposal part of a much larger agenda?  And how has the military become the testing ground for major shifts in social policy?  We ask Denise Burke, vice president of legal affairs at Americans United for Life.

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Earlier this week, Senators Tom Coburn and John McCain released a report detailing how billions of stimulus dollars were wasted on frivolous projects that only served special interests and created very few jobs.  On Friday, Vice President Joe Biden responded with a list of 100 stimulus success stories.  So which side has it right?  Did the government essentially flush $800 billion or would our economy be far worse without the stimulus?  We ask Illinois Rep. John Shimkus and get his thoughts on President Obama’s new czar – this one designated to head up the brand new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

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