Lamar Alexander: Republicans Want Obama To Succeed, But With A Different Reform Plan

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said during the health care summit on Thursday that Republicans want President Obama to succeed, but with a different health care reform plan. (0:09)
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Public Option Should Be Discussed, Says Democrat Weiner

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) said during a conference call on Thursday that he wanted the public option to be discussed during Thursday's health care summit. (0:28)
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The Only Way to Increase Access To Health Care Is To Reduce Cost, Says Republican Alexander

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said during the House health care summit Thursday that the only way to increase health care access is to reduce its cost. (0:36)
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Cutting Medicare A Step In The Wrong Direction, Says Republican Camp

Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) said during the House health care summit Thursday that cutting Medicare to fund new entitlement programs is a "step in the wrong direction." (0:31)
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RNC Chairman Steele Says Elections Signal Republican Renaissance

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says Tuesday's election signals a "Republican Renaissance."

"The message was sent yesterday. It's not about the change we need, it's about the change we want." (0:27)
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Pence Slams Stimulus Package, Says GOP Has Better Alternatives

Congressman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) accuses the Obama administration's economic stimulus package of causing further job losses instead of decreasing unemployment rates. Pence argues that Republicans are advocating fiscal discipline and tax relief for working families and small businesses. (0:50)
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GOP Rep: Freeze Mullahs' Bank Accounts!

Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) advocates that in order to support the Iranian citizens who are currently fighting in favor of democracy in Iran, the United States should further economic sanctions on Iran. More specifically, Rohrabacher explains that the Mullahs (Islamic clerics, who hold leadership positions in Iran) are stealing from the people and their accounts abroad should b frozen as well as any commercial interactions between American high-tech firms and Iran. (0:31)
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Bishop: "Two Roads" For Energy

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

At a press conference today the Republican Study Committee and Western Caucus introduced their alternative energy proposal, The American Energy and Innovation Act.

Congressman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said there were now “two roads” Americans could chose to tackle energy needs. “The Democrat road is saying it can’t work we are not even going to it, our road is saying we have the ideas now is the time to do it, said Bishop.

Adding that “The Democrats have already given us an option on energy issues that will cost individuals up to $3000...the Republican road we want to go down is one that actually grows our energy supply so that no-one is harmed and in fact we have the chance to reduce the cost of energy.”

Bishop compared the two strategies to the movie ‘Back to the Future’ saying, “Remember those sequels to ‘Back to the Future’ where there were the two worlds? Our world is the one where the McFly family is happy, the Democrat version is the one where Biff runs everything.”


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Fleming: "So Called Paper Mache Jobs - Green Jobs"

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

At a press conference today the Republican Study Committee and Western Caucus introduced their alternative energy proposal, The American Energy and Innovation Act.
Congressman John Fleming (R-La.) said our vision “creates a vision for jobs, more jobs, not the so called paper mache jobs the green jobs, but real jobs created by industry.”

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The Democrats Will Support Arlen Specter

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

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) talks with Ron Brownstein of the National Journal at a breakfast on Capitol Hill. Reid, President Barack Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden all said that they would personally support Arlen Specter in his 2010 election. Reid said that support was not conditional.

“I’m not going to be in a forever, never position, but the facts are that [Specter is] going to vote with us most of the time,” Reid Said. “I can’t foresee him doing anything that would be so mean spirited that Obama, Biden, and Reid would turn against him.” (00:44)
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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)
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Child Questions Pelosi On Why She's A Democrat

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s weekly press conference took a different turn today as she fielded questions from children instead of reporters.
A young boy asked Pelosi: “Why did you join them and not us, and by them I mean the Democrats, and by us I mean the Republicans?” Pelosi responded in good humor. “I am delighted you associate yourself with a political party. I wish more people would and I hope the next generation will take back the Republican Party for the grand old party that it used to be,” she said.

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McConnell says pressure is needed in Afghanistan

After a trip to the Middle East, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says Afghanistan is “clearly an area where we need to keep the pressure on to prevent another attack on the homeland.” And he went on to say that “over in Afghanistan, I think the surge that the President has ordered is the right thing to do,” said McConnell pertaining to President Obama’s decision to send additional troops to boost Afghan efforts. (0:33)
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Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr.: The Internet Educates The Citizenry

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr., the 2008 Libertarian Party nominee for President and former U.S. Congressman (R-Ga.) , talks about today's "tea bag" protests and how the use of the internet can educate and organize citizens. (00:34)
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The unemployment crisis

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

Correspondent Michael Ruhl reports on the recent release of the unemployment statistics for March.

Long segment: (01:00)
Short segment: (00:32)
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The unemployment statistics for march

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Keith Hall testifies before Congress on the nation's unemployment numbers from March 2009, and how the recession has affected employment.

Hall said that unemployment numbers have climbed from 8.1 percent to 8.5 percent, and that the industries hardest hit are manufacturing, construction, and temporary services.

(00:34)
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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)
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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)
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"Americans can't love losing freedom"

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

At the House Republican Conference Radio Row, Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) spoke with Michael Ruhl about President Obama's budget, and how it takes freedom away from American citizens through over regulation and over taxation. He said that it shackles the country in "the gold chains of the welfare state". Akin said that the Obama administration wants to pass on debt to future generations, which he said would make ours the opposite of the greatest generation.

(04:46)
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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)
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