• Thom is in Copenhagen all this week. The show was "live" from the Danish Broadcasting Network.


• Danish TV did a special on Thom.


• FISA Roll Call.


• "Brunch with Bernie" with Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont.


• Guest: Ravi Batra, professor of economics at Southern Methodist University, Dallas. The economy is approaching a disaster.


• Guest: Mogens Lykketoft, former member of the Danish parliament, former tax minister, former finance minister, former foreign minister, leader of the Social Democratic party. How to make a country work, particularly with regard to trade?

Topics, guests, upcoming events, quotes, links to articles, audio clips, books & bumper music.

Friday 27 June '08 show

• Thom is in Copenhagen all this week. The show will be "live" each day from Denmark in partnership with the Danish Broadcasting Network. Denmark was rated the happiest country in a recent study, whereas Sudan which Thom visited earlier this year is arguably the worst place on Earth. He's coming home tomorrow.
  
• Danish TV did a special on Thom.
  
• Roll Call On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 6304 ) (FISA).
  
• "Brunch with Bernie" with Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont. He's glad Thom is in Denmark, talking about social democracy. Danish health care. Thom did an hour live Internet chat for Danish TV. Danish education. This morning Thom was talking to the Copenhagen Post, somebody he spoke to had surgery the day after diagnosis for cancer. Dave Miller said they have visiting doctors there. Bernie invited the Finnish ambassador to Vermont, and Thom had him on the show. Oil companies, pharma, banks etc decide their own legislation. Wedge issues. Tax rates. Defense spending. Is someone being intimidated? Dennis Kucinich impeachment list and FISA vote coverage. Bernie has seen a lot on FISA, he voted against cloture. Bernie and Wyden were among the 15 who voted against it.
  
  Income disparity. Median pay around $43,000 a year. Senators get $165,000. Limit it? Focus on the top people, Senators are making 4 times the average, the top people are getting 400 times. Start a government oil company to drill federal lands? The long term solution should be public transportation, railroads, buses, high mpg. He's off to New Mexico to look at solar thermal plants. America could have 20% wind energy like Denmark. He wants to double federal fuel assistance (LIHEAP). Bernie was never a lawyer. "Constructive notice" on the Iraq war? It will only end with the right president. Tom Coburn put lots of holds on. Why not hold FISA? In late July the Senate will spend a weekend dealing with Coburn's holds. The bill was not voted on last night, there will be Dodd Leahy Feingold amendment to get rid of immunity. HR 363, SR 580 naval blockade of Iran and financial sanctions. We had success with North Korea by negotiating. Bolton and Cheney are upset about North Korea blowing up their nuclear facility.
  
  Good news, the Senate passed the new GI education bill, the House already passed it, Bush is going to sign it. McCain did not turn up to vote. The oil leases they already have are not being drilled. Long term we are not going to drill our way out of this thing. Why can't we look after our people like Denmark? It's a long and complicated answer. Lot of factors. The current political culture. Two party system. The control of big money over the media, the political parties. In Denmark it's against the law for politicians to run TV ads. One of Bernie's opponents spent millions of dollars in a year running against him. What we need is a strong grass roots movement, not distracted by wedge issues.
  
• Bumper Music: I get around, Beach Boys.
  
• Bumper Music: Brothers of the Highway, George Strait.
  
• Bumper Music: A Day In The Life Of America, Ronnie Milsap.
  
• Article: Fuels on the Hill.
  "What about those who argue that speculative excess is the only way to explain the speed with which oil prices have risen? Well, I have two words for them: iron ore.
  
  You see, iron ore isn