Radio America Online News Bureau

President Obama says he wants to keep government programs that work and eliminate those that don’t.  The National Taxpayers Union and the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste have some suggestions for the new administration and for members of Congress.  Where can the slashing begin?  Which programs are wasteful of your tax dollars?  And how does the mounting debt impact the government’s approach to federal spending?  We ask Peter Sepp, vice president for communications at the National Taxpayers Union.

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The Big Three say they have a new business model that will boost revenues and make them much stronger competitors on the domestic and world stages.  So how is that business model on display this month during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit?  What is the most noticeable change in the priorities of the Big Three?  How soon will they be back in Washington asking for more taxpayer dollars?  And when will we know if these new business blueprints have automakers back on the right track?  We ask Marty Padgett, editor of thecarconnection.com.

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We have Tuesday’s top news…What were the major themes Barack Obama highlighted in his inaugural address?  How did he discuss the economic crisis and the international challenges we face?  What did one of the inauguration pastors say to throw cold water on the racial milestone being celebrated by Obama’s inauguration?  Which U.S. Senators fell ill at the Capitol luncheon honoring Obama and how are they doing now?  Which Obama cabinet selections have already been confirmed?  And how did Wall Street greet the new administration?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Tuesday, January 20, 2009.

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Moments after taking the oath of office, President Barack Obama delivered his inaugural address.  He thanked President Bush for his service but charted a different course that may see considerable government expansion and what Obama promises will be a different approach to international affairs.  Listen here now for extended excerpts of the Obama address.

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How are Democrats celebrating the return of the White House to a president of their party?  What are the lasting memories from this inauguration?  And how can we expect the new administration to hit the ground running?  We ask Michael Lewan, a longtime Democratic activist and former Chief of Staff for Sen. Joe Lieberman.

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Among President Obama’s very first acts will likely be the reversal of the Mexico City Policy and a far-reaching expansion of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.  So what exactly is the Mexico City policy and how would it impact the unborn?  What are the facts about what’s being achieved through adult stem cell research as opposed to work done through the destruction of human embryos?  And what legislation is in the pipeline that would roll back even the most minor of abortion restrictions?  We ask Matt Staver, Founder and President of Liberty Counsel and Dean of the Liberty University School of Law.

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Officials estimate more than a million people flocked to the National Mall in Washington for the inauguration of President Barack Obama.  What was the atmosphere like among the throngs?  What will be the memorable lines from the inaugural address?  What clues did Obama give about how he will approach our nation’s challenges?  And what does this day tell us about the enduring strength of our Constitution?  We ask Dr. Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia.

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We have Monday’s top news…Which two men are smiling today after having their prison sentences commuted by President Bush?  Why might some Bush administration figures soon be facing their own prosecution?  Just how much security will be in place for Tuesday’s presidential inauguration?  What little secret did Joe Biden’s wife let slip about how her husband got his new job?  And who is the apparent winner of the race to replace Hillary Clinton as the new U.S. Senator from New York?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Monday, January 19, 2009.

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On Tuesday, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States.  The cost for this year’s celebration – from the ceremony to the giant screens on the National Mal, to the portable toilets to the security to the lavish inaugural balls will total $170 million.  Is that too much?  Why are there fewer complaints this year than four years ago when President Bush was criticized for a much smaller tab?  How does all of this plus a presidential transition get planned in just over two months?  And how important is Obama’s inaugural speech?  We ask Rich Galen, former press secretary to Dan Quayle and communications director for then House Speaker Newt Gingrich.  Galen served on the Presidental Inauguration Committee in 2001 and 2005.  He now writes the internet column mullings.com.

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