An Evangelical from a Conservative Background, Dr. Rocky White is Not Your Typical Advocate for Single-Payer Healthcare20 Apr 2008While there are differences between the healthcare plans offered by Democratic presidential opponents Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, neither of them is proposing a single-payer system of national healthcare. That’s despite the endorsement of precisely such a plan last December by the American College of Physicians, the largest medical specialty organization. We speak with Dr. Rocky White, a passionate, if unusual, advocate for a single-payer health insurance program. He describes himself as an evangelical from a conservative background and is on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit Health Care for All Colorado. [includes rush transcript]
Headlines for April 21, 200820 Apr 2008Sadr Warns Of “Open War” In Iraq, Rice Praises Iraqi Crackdown on Basra & Baghdad, Pentagon Propaganda Program Exposed, Obama & Clinton Prepare For Penn. Primary, Carter: Hamas Willing to Live in Peace With Israel, Israel To Probe Killing of Reuters Journalist, “Bishop of Poor” Wins Paraguayan Election, Pope Fails to Mention Iraq in UN Speech, 81 Die in Somalia, S. African Dockworkers Refuse to Unload Arms For Mugabe, Citigroup and AT&T To Lay Off Thousands, Bush Heads to New Orleans For SPP Summit, Arizona Bill to Prohibit Anti-American Teachings, Ban Ki-Moon: Surging Food Prices Threaten Anti-Poverty Efforts, Study: GM Crops Reduces Productivity, Palestinian Activist Found Dead in Texas
No Bases for Empire: International Activists Organize Against US Foreign Bases in Their Backyards17 Apr 2008The United States maintains over 700 military bases in dozens of countries across the globe. We speak with two international activists who are in the US for a speaking tour as part of a campaign called ?No Bases for Empire.? Jan Tamas, from the Czech Republic, is the founder of the No Bases Initiative, a coalition against the proposed US missile system in Eastern Europe. Olivier Bancoult is with the Chagos Refugee Group. He was expelled from his native Diego Garcia when he was four years old. The US has operated a military base there since British forces expelled native islanders in the early 1970s.
Great American Hypocrites: Glenn Greenwald on the Corporate Media’s Failures in the 2008 Race17 Apr 2008ABC News is coming under intense criticism for its handling of Wednesday night?s Democratic debate in Pennsylvania. During the first forty-five minutes of the debate, the moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos focused on Obama?s comments that some voters in Pennsylvania were bitter, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, Clinton?s Bosnia ?sniper fire? story, flag pins and the Weather Underground. We speak with Glenn Greenwald, author of “Great American Hypocrites: Toppling the Big Myths of Republican Politics.”
Executions to Resume Following Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Lethal Injections17 Apr 2008Several states have announced plans to resume carrying out executions by lethal injection after a major Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday. In a seven-to-two decision, the court upheld Kentucky?s method of execution by lethal injection. We speak with the founder of the Texas Coalition Against the Death Penalty, David Atwood.
Headlines for April 18, 200817 Apr 2008Report: 300,000 Iraq & Afghan Vets Suffer PTSD & Depression, Suicide Bomber Kills 50 Iraqis at Funeral, US Builds Wall Around Sadr City, Pentagon Report: Iraq War Is a “Major Debacle”, US to Release Iraqi Prisoners, Teach Them About Islam, Kenya Swears in Power-Sharing Government, Pope Meets with Sex Abuse Victims, Amnesty Calls for Probe into Civilian Deaths in Gaza, Carter Heads to Syria to Meet with Hamas Leader, Merrill Lynch to Eliminate 4,000 Jobs, Bank of America Ends Private Student Loan Business, Barrick Gold Threatens Canadian Book Publisher, Rep. Frank Introduces Marijuana Decriminalization Bill
Nader’s Running Mate Matt Gonzalez on the Dems, the War and the Strategy for November16 Apr 2008We speak with independent vice-presidential candidate, Matt Gonzalez, who is running on Ralph Nader’s ticket in November. Gonzalez is a San Francisco-based attorney and the former president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In 2003, he ran for mayor of San Francisco on the Green Party ticket but lost in a close race to Democrat Gavin Newsom. [includes rush transcript]
ABC News Coming Under Criticism for Focus of Obama, Clinton Debate16 Apr 2008ABC News is coming under intense criticism for its handling of Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Pennsylvania. During the first forty-five minutes of the debate, the moderators focused on Senator Barack Obama’s comments that some voters in Pennsylvania were bitter, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, Senator Hillary Clinton’s Bosnia “sniper fire” story, flag pins and the Weather Underground, before later turning to the issues. We play highlights of the debate. [includes rush transcript]
Headlines for April 17, 200816 Apr 200820 Palestinians & 3 Israelis Killed in Gaza, Israeli Troops Kill Reuters Cameraman, ABC Criticized Over Handling of Democratic Debate, US Military Releases AP Photographer Held for Two Years In Iraq, Supreme Court Upholds Lethal Injections, Pope Expresses Deep Shame Over Sexual Abuse Scandal, Pope Calls for Fair Treatment of Immigrants in the US, 400 Detained in Immigration Raids, Groups Call for Rice to Resign Over Role in Approving Torture, ACLU Uncovers New Details on US Torture in Afghanistan, Mistrial Declared Again in Miami Terror Case, House Passes International Debt Relief Act, Bush Sets 2025 Goal to Stop Emissions Growth, Three Arrested in Anti-Coal Plant Protest in Virginia, Report: Netanyahu Says 9/11 Has Been Good for Israel, Nigeria Releases US Filmmakers, Tim Robbins Slams State of Broadcasting at NAB Meeting
Stuffed and Starved: As Food Riots Break Out Across the Globe, Part II of Raj Patel on ?The Hidden Battle for the World Food System?15 Apr 2008The rise in global food prices has sparked a number of protests in recent weeks, highlighting the threat of worsening already dire levels of global hunger. The World Bank estimates world food prices have risen 80 percent over the past three years and that at least 33 countries face social unrest as a result. The World Food Program has issued a rare $500 million-dollar emergency appeal to deal with the growing crisis. We go to Part II of our conversation with Raj Patel, author of ?Stuffed and Starved: the Hidden Battle for the World Food System.?
Egypt Opposition Leaders Sentenced in Military Court15 Apr 2008In Egypt, 25 members of the opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, were sentenced to jail by a military court on Tuesday. Among those sentenced was the group’s second most senior member. In the weeks ahead of Egypt’s municipal vote earlier this month, hundreds of members of the group were arrested. The verdicts come on the heels of food riots in Egypt in response to sky-rocketing prices for food staples such as bread, rice, pasta. We speak with Hossam el-Hamalawy, an Egyptian journalist, blogger and activist.
Maoist Rebels Win Majority in Nepalese Assembly15 Apr 2008Maoist rebels in Nepal say an end to monarchy is near following their surprise victory in last week’s national elections. The Communist Party of Nepal is expected to come out with more than half the seats in the Constituent Assembly when final results are released. Maoist officials say one of their first orders of business will be to abolish the monarchy and declare a republic. We speak with New York-based journalist, Kashish Das Shrestha and we go to Nepal to speak with anthropologist, Mary Des Chenes.
Headlines for April 16, 200815 Apr 200870 Die in Iraq; Bus Bombing Kills 40 in Baquba, Report: Sadr Movement Largest Humanitarian Organization in Iraq, Home Foreclosure Filings Surge 57 Percent, Senate Foreclosure Bill Includes Corporate Tax Breaks, Poll: 70% Disapprove of Bush’s Handling of Economic Crisis, Warning Issued about Chemical Used in Plastic Baby Bottles, Pope Benedict Vows to Kick Pedophiles Out of Church, Report: Sea Levels Could Ride Five Feet by 2100, Bush to Endorse “Intermediate Goal” for Cutting Greenhouse Gases, Gov’t Obtains Phone Records of NYT Reporter, Carter: Engage Hamas & Syria in Peace Talks, Jewish Liberals Form Lobbying Group to Counter AIPAC, Amnesty: U.S. Remains One of World’s Top Executioners
Portland Considered Most Bicycle-Friendly City in North America14 Apr 2008For many, Portland is a haven of green-friendly urban planning. It recently topped Popular Science’s list of the Greenest Cities in the United States. A big part of that is bikes. Portland is widely considered the most bicycle-friendly city in North America, so much so that bikes are on display throughout the Portland airport. Worldwide, it’s seen as only second to Amsterdam. We speak with two local Portland transportation activists. [includes rush transcript]
Lawmakers Hold Tax Day Press Conference on Cost of Iraq War14 Apr 2008On Capitol Hill, several Democratic lawmakers are holding a Tax Day press conference this morning on the cost of the Iraq war. They will present taxpayers with a bill that shows how much each American family owes for the Iraq War. We speak with Illinois Representative Jan Schakowsky. [includes rush transcript]
War Tax Resistance: How a Portland Couple Have Refused to Pay Taxes for Over 30 Years to Protest Military Funding14 Apr 2008Today is April 15th, Tax Day, a day when tens of millions of Americans scramble to file their income taxes on time. It’s also a day when people across the country are planning to protest the use of tax dollars to fund war. A recent study shows that more than 40 percent of every income tax dollar in 2007 went towards military spending. We speak with Pat and John Schwiebert, a Portland couple who have refused to pay their taxes for the past thirty years to protest military spending. [includes rush transcript]
Headlines for April 15, 200814 Apr 2008Ban Ki-moon: Global Food Crisis Reaches Emergency Proportions, Food Protests Start in Bangladesh and South Africa, US Food Inflation at Highest Level in 17 Years, US Military to Release AP Photographer After Two Years, Kidnapped CBS Journalist Released in Iraq, Clinton & McCain Accuse Obama of Being “Elitist”, GOP Congressman Describes Obama as a “Boy”, Delta and Northwest Airlines to Merge, Israel Blocks Jimmy Carter from Entering Gaza, Berlusconi Wins Italian Election, Maoist Rebels Win Majority in Nepalese Assembly, Opposition in Zimbabwe Calls for General Strike, Pope Benedict XVI Begins US Trip, Four US Journalists Arrested in Niger Delta
Did Burger King Target and Spy on Tomato Pickers Rights Groups?13 Apr 2008In Florida, groups organizing for tomato pickers’ rights say they might have been spied on and vilified online by the fast-food conglomerate Burger King. The Fort Myers News-Press traced threatening emails directed at the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Student/Farmworker Alliance to Burger King’s corporate headquarters in Miami, Florida. We speak with the reporter who broke the story and with the coordinator of the Student/Farmworker Alliance who says he received a call from the owner of a private security company posing as a student. [includes rush transcript]
Black Ops on Green Groups: Private Security Firm Run by Fmr. Secret Service Officers Spied on Environmental Orgs for Corporate Clients13 Apr 2008A private security firm spied on Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and several other environmental organizations, from the late 1990s until at least the year 2000, according a new investigation by Mother Jones magazine. The security firm was run by former Secret Service officers who infiltrated environmental groups, collected their phone records and confidential internal documents, and even went through their trash. The information was then passed on to public relations firms and corporations involved in environmental controversies. We speak with the rporter who broke the story, James Ridgeway.
Headlines for April 14, 200813 Apr 2008Iraq Fighting Worsens With Killing of Top Sadr Aide, Iraq Dismisses 1,300 Troops Over Basra Desertion, U.S. Suffers Deadliest Week of 2008, Bush Admin: Iran Poses ?Primary Threat? to Iraq, Iraq OKs 35 Firms for Oil Bids, Bush Admits Knowledge of White House Meetings on Interrogation Techniques, Group: U.S. Military Prisoners Sent to Unfair Trials in Afghanistan, Venezuelans Mark 6th Anniversary of U.S.-Backed Coup, Venezuela to Send Food Aid to Haiti, Haiti Announces Rice Subsidy as P.M. Removed, World Bank Launches Emergency Food Plan, Cuba Eases Restrictions on Wages, Home Ownership, 2 Women Journalists Slain in Oaxaca, Dalai Lama: Protest, But Don?t Boycott, Beijing Olympics, 14 Palestinians Killed in Week of Israeli Attacks, Outgoing HUD Secretary Accused of Ignoring Housing Crisis, 2007 Record Year for Lobbying in U.S., Admin Rejects Congressional Challenge to Satellite Surveillance, Jailed Professor Sami-al-Arian Moved to Solitary Confinement Days Before Scheduled Release
V to the Tenth: Thousands of Women Gather in New Orleans for 10th Anniversary of Global Movement to Combat Violence Against Women10 Apr 2008Democracy Now! broadcasts from New Orleans where thousands of women are gathering to celebrate the 10th anniversary of V-Day, the global movement to combat sexual violence against women and children. V-Day began a decade ago when playwright and activist Eve Ensler held the first benefit performance of her award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues. This weekend, Ensler is organizing a two day celebration at the Superdome called V to the Tenth. Its focus is on helping the women of New Orleans and the Gulf South. We speak with activists from New Orleans, Kenya and Iraq.
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