Radio America Online News Bureau

Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez took another major step in his effort to consolidate power this month, as he forced the closure of more than 30 broadcast outlets that had dared to be critical of his rule.  So just how much of Venezuela’s democracy has been extinguished?  Why does Chavez say he fears a U.S. invasion of his country?  What should be the Obama position on Venezuela?  And what is the consequence of the U.S. not being more vocal in condemning Chavez?  We ask former Pentagon official James Robbins, now a senior editorial writer for The Washington Times.

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Michigan Rep. Peter Hoekstra slams President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder for reportedly planning to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that U.S. interrogators broke the law in their questioning of terrorist detainees.  Why does Hoekstra think this is a bad idea?  What impact would it have on the intelligence community  And who does Hoekstra think should be the first targets of this unnecessary probe?

Listen here for the answers and then tell us what you think.

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Oklahoma Rep. Mary Fallin joins us to discuss the biggest issues of the day.  First, she says voters in her state and district are extremely frustrated and angry at President Obama’s big-government agenda on health care, energy and more.  She explains what about those issues angers her constituents and then details her concern over provisions in the health plan to bring back taxpayer-funded abortions.  We also get her thoughts on the latest unemployment numbers, which the Obama administration says are proof the stimulus plan is working.

Listen to the interview and then tell us what you think.

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Several credible sources are reporting that a U.S. missile strike successfully killed the commander of the Pakistani Taliban.  But now the Taliban claims that Baitullah Mehsud is still alive and says the burden of proof is on the Pakistan government to prove he is dead.  How significant is it if Mehsud is dead?  What will that mean for Taliban cohesion?  Why might his death actually make the Pakistani military ease up in its push against the Taliban?  And just how vast are the changes to the U.S. strategy in that theater of the war on terrorism?  We ask Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, vice president of research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Listen to the interview and share your thoughts with us!

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We discuss the new unemployment report with Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former chief economist for the U.S. Department of Labor.  Should we focus on the unemployment rate dipping from 9.5 to 9.4 percent or that this nation lost another quarter of a million jobs in July?  What do the numbers in this report really show?  And why is the drop in unemployment actually misleading?  Should Obama take take credit if the economy is starting to turn the corner?  And what would really jumpstart our economic health?

Listen to the interview and share your thoughts with us.

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Thursday’s headlines…Sotomayor confirmed, Obama watching jobless numbers, health debate furor.

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Expert slams White House for watering down terminology used in fight against Muslim radicals.

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Former deputy Republican National Committee Chairman Frank Donatelli says the White House should recognize the fierce anger voters have for the administration spending so much money and wanting to tax and spend a whole lot more.  So is this outrage genuine or drummed-up for the cameras?  Why does Donatelli think the Obama administration is the last group that should be critical of choreographing political events?  And what will this fierce debate over health care mean for the 2010 midterm elections?

Listen to the interview and tell us what you think!

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John Gizzi of Human Events joins us to discuss President Obama’s first 200 days and the rest of the week’s biggest political news.  Why will the next 100 days be even more challenging for Obama?  What should we make of the U.S. negotiating the release of the reporters jailed in North Korea?  What is the legacy of convicted ex-congressman William Jefferson?  And how should the late Filipino President Corazon Aquino be remembered?

Listen to our discussion on all of these topics and tell us what you think!

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Retired Israeli Brigadier Gen. Elihu Ben-Onn joins us to discuss the mounting Iranian nuclear threat and Israeli frustration towards President Obama’s obsession with stopping settlement construction on the West Bank.  How worried are the Israeli people about an Iran with nuclear weapons?  Do they believe diplomacy will work in the next couple of months or do they think a military option is necessary?  Why does Gen. Ben-Onn believe Obama’s actions thus far show the president does not like Israel?  How will that impact U.S.-Israeli relations for the coming years?  And how could Obama demonstrate that he does care about Israel’s future?

Listen to Greg’s interview with Gen. Ben-Onn and tell us what you think!

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