Why is North Korea planning to launch a rocket next month? Why is Japan threatening to shoot down the rocket if it feels endangered? Is North Korea still a major nuclear threat? What is its long-term goal? And what will be Obama administration position on North Korea? We ask Bruce Klingner, a CIA and DIA veteran who is now a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
Capitol Steps Parody
We bring some levity at the end of the week by examining the options of the beleaguered auto industry. The song is “Help Me Honda” and our guest is Steps star and co-founder Elaina Newport.
The News
We have Thursday’s top news…How is President Obama defending his stimulus plan to business leaders? What is he focusing on for long-term economic growth? How is Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner answering criticism of Obama’s huge budget for the next fiscal year? What did Republicans say in response? What happened to Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff in federal court today? What happened on Wall Street? And what is the Obama plan for the drug violence along the Mexican border? We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Thursday, March 12, 2009.
Louisiana Sen. David Vitter Discusses His No-Cost Stimulus Plan
As Congressional Democrats take the first steps toward another massive stimulus bill, Louisiana Sen. David Vitter and Arizona Rep. John Shadegg are introducing their No-Cost Stimulus plan. How do they plan to raise huge revenues and create millions of jobs without spending another dime of your tax dollars? Why is energy production the answer? What specific steps do they believe would trigger that kind of economic boom? Will the Democrats go along with it? Will Democrats succeed in passing another huge spending bill? What should we make of the Obama budget blueprint? And can Republicans really do anything to stop the Democratic agenda? We ask Sen. David Vitter in this wide-ranging interview.
Living Paycheck to Paycheck in A Recession
How many American workers will be in big financial trouble within just a month if they were to lose their jobs? How many would be in trouble in half that time? What is the impact of Americans failing to save during the robust economic times? How could it compound our existing economic problems? And what government policies are best and worst for creating jobs and helping us keep our money? We ask Pete Sepp, Vice President for Communications at the National Taxpayers Union.
Ford’s Future Focuses on Hybrids
What hybrid milestone is Ford celebrating this week? What does it say about the popularity of hybrids in this country? Are buyers more concerned about the environment or about saving money on gas prices? What kind of fuel economy do hybrids get these days? And how important are hybrids to Ford’s long-term strategy? We ask Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager at Ford.
Gizzi on Politics
Will there be a second massive stimulus package passed by Congress? What is the fallout of President Obama slamming earmarks and signing the earmark-infested omnibus bill? Will unions get a big win in Congress in the coming days? How has Obama’s decision on embryonic stem cells impacted the political environment here in Washington? And will GOP Chairman Michael Steele survive after his run-in with Rush Limbaugh and his supposed endorsement of abortion? We ask John Gizzi, political editor at Human Events.
The News
We have Wednesday’s top news,,, What is President Obama saying about more responsible spending as he signs a $410 billion spending bill loaded down with earmarks? Why is Nancy Pelosi already considering another economic stimulus package? How does the omnibus bill change the U.S. policy toward Cuba? What happened on Wall Street today? How are Hillary Clinton and the Chinese foreign minister downplaying the incident between U.S. and Chinese vessels less than a week ago? And what are the details of a shocking killing spree in Alabama? We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Wednesday, March 11, 2009.
New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett Discusses Earmarks, Spending Bills and A Second Stimulus Package
Why did President Obama say the deeply flawed $410 billion spending bill wasn’t worth doing again? How convincing was his criticism of the earmarking process? Will anything really change as Congress puts these bills together? Why are Democrats calling for another economic stimulus package? What are the Republican alternatives to the Democratic agenda? And are Democrats easy pickings in 2010 on the economy or will even a slight improvement give the Dems the upper hand? We ask New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett, a member of both the House Budget and Financial Services Committees.
The Huge Tax Hike Coming for All of Us
President Obama has promised not to raise taxes at all on anyone making less than $250,000 per year, but does that mean his plans won’t hit you in the pocket book? Why does his cap and trade plan to combat the alleged threat of climate change mean much higher energy bills for you? Why will your energy costs under cap and trade be several thousand dollars more per year? And which income class gets hit the hardest? We get the details from Phil Kerpen, policy director at Americans for Prosperity.