Radio America Online News Bureau

President Obama wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and move towards equal benefits in all ways for gay couples with the exception of endorsing full-fledged gay marriage.  What is the Defense of Marriage Act?  What does it ensure?  What would happen if it is repealed?  What would happen to our education system if there the traditional definition of marriage does not remain the national standard?  And what exactly would Obama’s vision for the American family look like?  We ask Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, Founder and President of the Ruth Institute.

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Over the first few days of the Obama administration, we have seen the new president sign multiple executive orders on issues ranging from abortion to Guantanamo Bay to the environment.  What can a president achieve through executive orders and what can’t they do?  Also, can Karl Rove avoid a Congressional subpoena by claiming executive privilege or does that option vanish now that George W. Bush is out of office?  We ask Doug Kmiec, professor of Constitutional Law at Pepperdine University.

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Reports from Iran now suggest the regime will have enough enriched uranium by the end of 2009 to make a nuclear weapon.  What does that mean for our efforts to keep nukes away from the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism?  Will we have to accept a nuclear Iran or is there a way to prevent it?  We ask retired U.S. Navy Captain Chuck Nash.  We also get his insights on U.S. plans to double the number of troops in Afghanistan.  What impact will that have?  How can we kill the enemy without also killing the civilians being used as shields?  And will Congress have any more patience with this administration in finishing the job in Afghanistan?

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We have Monday’s top news…What executive orders did President Obama issue on the environment on Monday?  What impact will these orders have?  How is the Obama administration reacting to reports that the GOP is getting squeezed out of negotiations on a stimulus package?  What clues are we getting into how Obama will spend the final $350 billion of the TARP money?  What’s the latest on the impeachment trial of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich?  And what happened on Wall Street Monday?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Monday, January 26, 2009.

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President Obama has his full share of domestic challenges to address, but on the international side many of his headaches will likely emerge from the Middle East.  Why will exiting Iraq, promoting freedom and a Middle East peace require the new administration to deal with Iran?  How can the U.S. forge a two-state solution in the Middle East while still not giving ground to Hamas?  What is the best policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan?  And how long does Obama have to set forth a clear and comprehensive policy?  We’ll discuss it all with Dr. Walid Phares of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

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On Monday, President Obama signed two more executive orders…one to mandate higher fuel economy standards for vehicles starting in the 2011 models…and the other to allow California to establish its own, higher emissions standard.  So what will be the impact of all these demands on the auto industry?  How will it impact your car-buying options?  And why could it mean you have a lower chance of surviving a car crash in the future?  We ask Max Schulz, an environmental policy expert at the Manhattan Institute.

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Last week, President Obama signed an executive order that will close the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Obama says America can be secure without compromising our values?  But have our values actually been compromised at Gitmo or is the policy the victim of a smear campaign?  Are prisoners being abused or being treated far better than inmates at any other prison camp in the history of warfare?  How much have we learned from interrogations there?  And what comes next?  We ask James Robbins, former Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense and senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council.

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Some major corporations are simply shutting down because going through Chapter 11 is too tough and lenders aren’t in the mood to help rescue a faltering firm.  This trend which includes retailers like Circuit City, Mervyn’s, Linens ‘N’ Things and Sharper Image suggests not only an economy badly in need of recovery but also a nation in need of a morale boost.  So how does that happen?  What policies will work?  And what can President Obama or anyone else say to cheer up a country drifting through very rough economic waters?  We ask Daniel Gross, senior editor at Newsweek.  His latest article is entitled “The Quitter Economy”.

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We have Friday’s top news…What is President Obama saying about the negotiations for an economic stimulus?  Is this the main effort to jump-start the economy or is there a lot more spending to come?  What are Republican and Democratic congressional leaders saying about the stimulus plan?  What abortion policy of the Bush administration did Obama reverse on Friday?  How are Republicans reacting to that?  Who is the new U.S. Senator from New York?  And what is the latest line of defense from scandal-swamped Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Friday, January 23, 2009.

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As we previewed on Tuesday, President Obama made good on his promise to reverse Bush policy and allow tax dollars to fund the performing and advocating of overseas abortions?  How significant is this policy reversal?  Why might the 30-year ban on taxpayer-funded abortions soon be in jeopardy?  And what other plans does Obama have on the abortion front?  We ask Douglas Johnson, legislative director at the National Right to Life Committee.

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