Friday 18 December '09 show notes

  • Guests:
    • Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) spends the hour with Thom discussing the issues and answering listener questions.
    • Deevi Danes, Project Manager with Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP), sex worker for over ten years and advocates for prisoners and sex worker rights.
    • Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL, 8th District).
    • Bill McKibben of 350.org
  • Topics:
    • "Brunch With Bernie"
    • Anything Goes on Townhall Friday!!
    • 7th Annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
    • Health care, Afghanistan.
    • Wrap up from Copenhagen Climate Summit.
  • Bumper Music:
  • Today's newsletter has details of today's guests and links to the major stories and alerts that Thom covered in the show, plus lots more. If you haven't signed up for the free newsletter yet, please do. If you missed today's newsletter, it is in the archive.
  • Quote: Conscience is the root of all true courage; if a man would be brave let him obey his conscience.. -- James Freeman Clarke.
  • Article: Poll: Voters Reject Health Care Mandate Without Public Option, Medicare Buy-In by Rachel Weiner.

    "A new poll suggests that voters are not pleased by the idea of health insurance mandates without a public option or a Medicare expansion.

    Conducted by Research 2000 for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) and Democracy for America (DFA), the survey finds only 33 percent of likely voters favor a health care bill that does not include a public health insurance option and does not expand Medicare, but does require all Americans to get health insurance. Slightly more Democrats -- 37 percent -- favor the idea, while only 30 percent of Republicans and 31 percent of independents do.

    Meanwhile, if the public option and Medicare buy-in are added, 58 percent of people support the idea. The number of Republican supporters drops to 22 percent, but independent support rises to 57 percent and Democratic support to a whopping 88 percent."

  • Article: GOP Senators Who Used Budget Reconciliation To Pass Bush Agenda Items Now Calling It ‘Chicago Style Politics’ by Lee Fang.

    "While Republicans seem to be experiencing a particular form of political amnesia from the Bush years, they ought to be reminded that budget reconciliation has been used by several other presidents, including Clinton and Reagan. In fact, Republicans — with Bond and Gregg among the leaders of the charge — were instrumental in pushing through key provisions of their signature legislative agenda, the Contract with America, using budget reconciliation.

    A list of instances where reconciliation was implemented: ..."

  • Michael Keleher won an autographed copy of "Screwed!" for his blog about contacting his Senator:

    "I called John Kerry’s office yesterday, told them I was a constituent, and asked them what the Senator’s position on the Healthcare Bill was. They wouldn’t tell me. So I pointed out that the senator’s job is to represent me, and I deserve an answer. I was told that if I put my request in writing they would “try to respond in three or four weeks”"

  • Charity: "New England Salem Children's Village". 

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