Radio America Online News Bureau

Senate Democrats are having a very tough time finding the votes to pass the cap-and-trade climate change bill sponsored by Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman.  And that’s a good thing, according to scientist and author Dr. Leighton Steward.  Why does he believe the bill would greatly damage our economy and our environment?  Why are activists targeting carbon dioxide in their agenda when it doesn’t harm us or warm the planet?  How much of our energy needs could really be supplied through alternative sources like solar and wind power?  We discuss it all with Dr. Steward.

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Congressional Democrats and President Obama are pushing a bill they say will spearhead the restoration of the Gulf coast after the BP spill.  But what’s really in the bill?  A major provision is ending a major tax break for domestic energy producers – but it would not apply to foreign oil and gas producers.  What would the impact of these new taxes have on the energy industry and on jobs?  We ask Peter Sepp, executive vice president at the National Taxpayers Union.

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In just five months, the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts will expire unless Congress votes to extend them.  President Obama and many Congressional Democrats say they will allow the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to end.  But what impact would that have?  Why would that be a major hit on small businesses?  Why could it be bad news for an already dismal job market?  We ask Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte, who also reacts to Democratic accusations that the tax cuts greatly add to the national deficit.

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Last week, The Washington Post reported on the bloated bureaucracies within our intelligence agencies in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks.  Now Texas Rep. Mike Conaway says it is vital for Congress to do a comprehensive audit of the intelligence community, an audit which is required by law.  So why are intelligence leaders leery of such an audit?  How should it be done?  And how well has our intelligence community adapted to its mission since 9-11?  We ask Rep. Conaway.

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Charlie Rangel saddled with 13 ethics charges, Pentagon brass unloads on Wikileaks and its sources and Arizona officals vow to fight on to preserve new immigration enforcement laws.

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John Gizzi of Human Events says the ethics charges against Democratic New York Rep. Charlie Rangel are worse than expected, and he says the scandal could tar Democrats in races all over the country.  Gizzi also discusses the political fallout over the federal court striking down key parts of the new Arizona immigration laws, the Wikileaks controversy and next week’s Michigan primary.

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A federal judge temporarily struck down the most significant provisions within Arizona’s new immigration enforcement laws.  Many law enforcement leaders are outraged, including Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever, whose county borders Mexico.  Why does he strongly support the new laws and what does he see as the flaws in Judge Bolton’s decision?  Which provisions of the new law does he see as most important?  How does he characterize the federal government’s commitment to border security?  We discuss it all with Sheriff Dever, who is also affiliated with www.bordersheriffs.com.

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Earlier this year, Congress approved a new health care system that took more than 2,000 pages to describe.  So how simple or complicated will the new system be?  Texas Rep. Kevin Brady says the layers of government bureaucracy are exploding and those bureaucrats will be getting between us and our doctors.  Which person will gain immense new powers in this bureaucracy?  How much will it cost you?  And how are Congressional Republicans trying to stop the health plan without repealing it?  We talk with Rep. Brady.  To see the levels of bureaucracy in the new health plan, visit http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx08_brady/pr_100728_hc_chart.html

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A federal judge has imposed a temporary injunction on several key provisions of the new Arizona immigration enforcement laws.  Is this the right legal decision?  Should the states have the right to do the federal government’s job if the feds don’t do it?  We ask Texas Rep. Ted Poe, who is also a former judge.  And we’ll find out why Poe thinks the government is intentionally failing to secure our borders.

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It’s now been 100 days since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig began gushing crude into the Gulf of Mexico.  The rig has been capped, but major challenges remain.  What help is needed in protecting sensitive marshlands?  Has there been any improvement in the bureaucracy that has bogged down response efforts?  And how is the drilling moratorium doing more damage than the oil spill itself?  We ask Louisiana Sen. David Vitter.

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