Obama Says Tax Plan Will Save Families $1,500 Next Year

President Obama said during his speech in Scranton, Pennsylvania Wednesday that payroll relief will lower  taxes for middle class families by $1,500 next year. (0:16)

Listen

Obama: No Payroll Relief Extension Will Raise Taxes By $1,000

During a speech in Scranton, Pennsylvania Wednesday, President Barack Obama said that if Congress does not extend payroll taxes, taxes for middle class American families will rise by $1,000. (0:12)

Listen

Herman Cain: I Know What A Leader Is

Republic presidential candidate Herman Cain says that while he may never have held a high political office, he knows what a leader is. (0:21)

Listen

Cain: I'm No Longer A Long Shot

Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain says acknowledges his newfound position near the top of the GOP presidential field. (0:38)

Listen

Pentagon Should Keep Air Force Contracts In U.S. Says Republican Bond

Senator Kit Bond (R-Mo.) says he doesn't "think our European friends should be rewarded with U.S. contracts for products they illegally subsidized. It's time the Pentagon starts looking out for maintaining our own defense industrial base." (0:28)
Listen

Agriculture Secretary Hopes Energy Bill Will Meet The President's Objectives

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says he hopes Congress will enact a bill that meets the President's objectives on energy, which include creating an efficient, cost-efficient and a comprehensive approach that leverages the Nation's capacity for innovation. He also touched upon the need for job creation, reduced dependence on foreign oil, and protection of U.S. children from "ills associated with pollution." (0:20)
Listen

Expert: Lebanese President On 'A Balancing Act'

Bilal Saab, a Lebanon expert at the Brookings Institution, explains that the Lebanese president is faced with a 'balancing act' as he should try to satisfy two opposing groups. Indeed, the radical Hezbollah party does not trust the President for his Western inclinations whilst the March 14th coalition of anti-Syrians believes the President is too lenient with the Syrians. As a result, the President might not be granted additional powers. (0:41)
Listen

Pelosi Welcomes Afghan President

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) welcomed the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai to the U.S. Capitol today for a meeting with the bi-partisan leadership of the House of Representatives.
Speaker Pelosi said: "The relationship between the United States and Afghanistan began as one of importance to our country and it continues to be so."
Listen

Boehner Welcomes Afghan President

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) welcomed the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai to the U.S. Capitol today for a meeting with the bipartisan leadership of the House of Representatives.
Boehner said: "This is an important period in our relationship with the Afghan government and with President Karzai."
Listen

Afghan President Visits U.S. Capitol

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

The President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a meeting with the bi-partisan leadership of the House of Representatives.
President Karzai said: "The Afghan people with the journey that they began with the United States after the tragedy of September 11, have really seen that this friendship pays off."
Listen

Boehner: The Question is, Do You Feel Safer?

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) expresses concern at President Barack Obama's national security approach, and questions the wisdom of releasing detainees from Guantanamo Bay without knowing where they will be sent. (00:44)
Listen

Congressman Sestak On Arlen Specter

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Regarding Arlen Specter changing parties, Congressman Joe Sestak (D-Penn.) said that it's better for the constituents of Pennsylvania to decide which candidate should win the primary. He feels like the Democratic National Party backing Specter may be giving him too much of an advantage in the Pennsylvania primary. President Barack Obama and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have already committed to personally supporting Specter in his 2010 election. (00:47)
Listen

Kyl: Choice - Us Or Iran

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

At a press conference regarding the bi-partisan Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz) said, “In effect what we are saying to the few companies in the world who provide this refined gasoline to Iran is, ‘You can either do business in our $13 trillion economy with us, or you can do business with Iran with its $250 billion economy, but you can’t do both.’”

The Bill would expand on the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, giving President Obama the power to "stop companies who continue to sell refined gasoline to Iran or provide refining capacity from doing business in the United States or through the American banking systems,” said Kyl.

Listen

Somalia's Piracy Problem

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Correspondent Michael Ruhl reports on the security and humanitarian crisis presently plaguing Somalia. Ruhl interviews Somalia's Ambassador-At-Large to the U.S., Abdi Awaleh Jama, and also speaks with Joel Carny from Refugees International.

Read the full article here

Version 1: (00:30)
Version 2: (02:00)
Version 3: (03:25)
Listen

A partisan budget

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

At a Republican Radio Row, Congressman Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) spoke about President Obama's budget. He is disappointed at the partisan atmosphere which has swallowed Congress in the budget process and in legislation thus far in this Congress.

(08:02)
Listen

What would Reagan do?

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Congressman Ted Poe (R-Texas) spoke with Michael Ruhl at the House Republican Conference Radio Row concerning what kind of budget Ronald Reagan would put together in this economy. He emphasized the importance of the Government staying out of the private sector, the limited role of small government, and the need for limited taxation.

Poe called the President Obama's budget an abomination, but said that the Republicans may themselves be spending too much in their budget.

(08:42)
Listen

Ralph Nader interview on the need for election reform

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Former presidential candidate and long time consumer rights advocate Ralph Nader talked with Michael Ruhl to discuss the status of his lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee (DNC). This was immediately following the circuit court argument for Nader vs. DNC. Nader claims that he was harassed and burdened in 2004 presidential election by the DNC, in what he calls "an abuse of the legal process" and malicious prosecution. In this interview, Nader explained background of the case, and the case's current status. He said, "there is no other western democracy that comes close to obstructing voters and obstructing candidates as is the case in our country."

Nader also spoke about the two-party system, and the effect that his case has on future third party candidates in the presidential process. He said that his case is designed to draw boundaries, to make sure that third party candidates can exercise their First Amendment rights. Nader also referred to the issue as one of democracy, because he said in limiting ballot access, one is truly limiting the right of the people to decide who they want to represent them. Nader called for national ballot standards, instead of ballot standards which vary state by state. He also advocated instant runoff voting and public funding of public campaigns.

Nader said that the two-party system is not allowing third parties access to the higher tiers of federal government, and this two-party system is moving gradually to a one-party system, where gerrymandered districts make reelection almost certain for many members of Congress. He called this a system that can be rented by the rich. In spite of the stronghold that the two parties have on the system, Nader said that he has talked with several members of Congress who may be interested in helping to move legislation on election reform. He mentioned by name: John Conyers (D-Mich.), Ron Paul (R-Texas), Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), and Jessie Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.). He anticipates this reform effort to be difficult, because as he said, "the foxes are guarding the chicken coop." Nader seems ready for a fight.

(08:50)
Listen

Boehner: "President Obama will create more debt than his 43 predecessors have in the last 220 years”

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

At a House GOP leadership stakeout this morning Republican leader Congressman John Boehner (R-OH) said: “The President’s budget spends too much, taxes too much and it borrows too much from our kids and grandkids…if you look at the debt numbers in his budget you will see that over the next six years President Obama will create more debt than his 43 predecessors have in the last 220 years.”
Listen

Obama calls for new financial regulating body

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

President Barack Obama said that his administration is working on establishing a new regulatory framework to prevent future situations such as the one the government faces with AIG. Obama said these would be part of his broader economic plan, and would serve as tools to help maintain balance. The new body would be similar to the FDIC, and would protect consumers, investors, and depositors. (01:47)
Listen

Look At United Kingdom and Germany Prisoner Re-entry Initiatives

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

Jeremy Travis, President of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice tells the The House Appropriations Committee: “America stand apart from the rest of the Western world, worse, in terms of our levels of incarceration, how we treat people while they are in prison and the approach to reintegration.” Mr. Travis suggested that America look at reintegration strategies used in the United Kingdom and Germany at a Subcommittee hearing today on “What Works for Successful Prisoner Re-entry.”



Listen