Good Politics Radio

Left, Right and Center
from KCRW 

Left, Right and Center is a weekly half-hour radio broadcast and podcast produced by KCRW in Santa Monica.  This week’s show discusses the recent primary election which indicated that Senator Clinton should withdraw from the nominating race.  The panel discusses which Democratic candidate is more electable.  Arianna Huffington takes Senator McCain to task for his denial that he did not say that he did not vote for President Bush, a statement that Huffington says she heard him say in her presence.

The four participants on the show are Robert Scheer who represents the left, Tony Blankley who represents the right, Matt Miller who represents the center, and Arianna Huffington who represents the independent blogosphere.

At the end of this entertaining show the participants each have a 30 second rant to summarize the issue that each sees as most significant.

Click here to be taken to the Left, Right and Center home page where you can download or listen to the podcast.

President Bush, in his weekly radio address to the nation,  talked about his daughter Jenna’s wedding day, and he gave a Mother’s Day message.

“Good morning. Today is my daughter Jenna’s wedding day. This is a joyous occasion for our family, as we celebrate the happy life ahead of her and her husband Henry. It’s also a special time for Laura, who this Mother’s Day weekend will watch a young woman we raised together walk down the aisle.

Mother’s Day is a special time for mothers all across America. On this holiday, we pause to celebrate the love and compassion of the women who have raised us, and to thank them for the many years of patience and selflessness. Throughout our lives, mothers are there with an encouraging word, a sympathetic ear, and a tender heart. They set our direction in life, and from time to time they have been known to correct our course.

Like many of you, my life has been blessed by a mother who is a source of unconditional love. Those of us who have been so fortunate are forever in debt to these caring women. So on this holiday weekend, we celebrate all those mothers who help make our country a better place.

On this Mother’s Day weekend, we think of the mothers who are celebrating this holiday for the very first time. Few blessings can compare to starting a new family. And few bonds are stronger than those between a mother and her newborn baby. This is also a special time for new adoptive mothers, who have welcomed their children into their homes with open arms and an open heart. We wish all these new parents many happy Mother’s Days to come.

On this Mother’s Day weekend, we think of the many mothers who raised the brave men and women serving our country in uniform. And to those mothers, I offer the thanks of a grateful Nation. Your sons and daughters are defending our freedom with dignity and honor. And America appreciates the sacrifices that your families make in the name of duty.

On this Mother’s Day weekend, we remember the mothers grieving a son or daughter lost in the service to their country, as well as the children who have lost a mother in uniform. We share their pride in these wonderful Americans who have given everything to protect our people from harm. Nothing we say can ever make up for their loss. But on this special day, we hold them in our hearts and we lift them in our prayers.

I wish every mother listening this morning a blessed Mother’s Day, including my own. And I have a message for every son and daughter listening this morning: Remember to tell mom the first thing tomorrow how much you love her.

Thank you for listening.”

To listen to this broadcast click here.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry interviews Edward Hamberger of the Association of American Railroads on efforts to re-regulate the rail freight industry; Ryan Shafik gets the “Real Story” from Pat Toomey on why conservatives should challenge liberal Republicans in GOP primaries; and, Dr. Paul Kengor of Grove City College has an American Radio Journal commentary on Barbara Boxer’s continued assault on the rights of the unborn.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

Resilience…the capacity to absorb shocks to the system without losing the ability to function. Can whole societies become resilient in the face of traumatic change? In April 2008, natural and social scientists from around the world gathered in Stockholm, Sweden for a first-ever global conference applying lessons from nature’s resilience to human societies in the throes of unprecedented transition.

Guests:
Crawford Stanley (Buzz) Holling , Emeritus Eminent Scholar and Professor in Ecological Sciences, University of Florida
Dr. Brian Walker, Honorary Post-retirement Fellow CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra, Australia
Dr. Carl Folke , Editor-in-Chief Ecology and Society, Resilience Alliance, Sweden
Charles Redman , Director, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
Will Steffan , Director, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
Dr.Frances Westley , Chair, Social Innovation Generation (SiG), University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

The following conversations were also recorded at the conference, but were not included in the full program.

Dr. Gary J. Martin , Director, The Global Diversity Foundation, Marrakech, Morocco
Katrina Brown, (This interview is not yet available) Leader, International Development Research Programme, Tyndall Centre University of East Anglia, U.K.

(Click on a guest’s name to listen to their full unedited interview.)

Credits:
Host: Mark Sommer
Senior Producer: Gregg McVicar
Associate Producers: Naihma Deady, Matt Fidler
Production Engineer: Michael Schwartz
Field Engineers: Neil Harvey
Special Thanks: Gleb Raygorodetsky, The Christensen Fund, for logistical support.

Music in this program: Open - “Time Passes” by Lo’Jo - Irl; “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour - Putamayo World Music; “Origin Of Species” by Chris Smither - Signature Sounds Recordings; “Mother Nature’s Son” by The Beatles - Capitol Records.; “Angle Of Acceptance” by Dub Trio - Roir Records
Funding: Christensen Fund

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

Left, Right and Center
from KCRW 

Left, Right and Center is a weekly half-hour radio broadcast and podcast produced by KCRW in Santa Monica.  This week’s show discusses topics ranging from the so-called “pastor disaster” of Barack Obama to US health care to the state of the economy.

The three participants on the show this week are Robert Scheer who represents the left, Tony Blankley who represents the right, and Matt Miller who represents the center.  Arianna Huffington, a regular panelist is away this week.

The panelists begin by discussing the relationship between Reverend Wright and Barack Obama and question whether it is important.  A few words are said about Senator Clinton’s remarks about the obliteration of Iran. 

Next the panelists talk about the recent political polls and what they mean for the upcoming primary elections.  Then they talk about the wisdom of the gas tax amnesty as proposed by Senators Clinton and McCain, followed by a discussion of Senator McCain’s proposal for a tax break voucher so that individuals can buy a health insurance plan.

Finally, the panelists talk briefly about the recent economic news, questioning whether the news is upbeat or gloomy.  And then they finish the show with their individual one minute rants about the week’s events.

Click here to be taken to the Left, Right and Center home page where you can download or listen to the podcast.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry interviews Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist on his new book Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government’s Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives; Ryan Shafik gets the “Real Story” from Club for Growth President Pat Toomey on the economic impact of the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates; And, Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, USA has an American Radio Journal commentary on the effect of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright on Barack Obama’s campaign for president.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

Upriver, downriver, natives versus ranchers and utilities: a classic conflict plays itself out over the use of water resources in the Klamath River Basin of California and Oregon. While most throw up their hands in frustration, a determined few seek commonality amid the divisive turbulence.

Guests:
Bob Chadwick, Jon Coney, Troy Fletcher, Becky Hyde, John Kitzhaber

Credits: Music in this program: open- “Down By the Riverside” by Chris Barber’s Jazz Band, Great Southern Records; welcome- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 1- “Hurt Like Mine” by The Black Keys, Fat Possum Records; insert 1- Rekindle the Fire by Mary Youngblood, Silver Wave Records; break 2- “One Sweet World” by Dave Matthews Band, RCA/Bama Rag Records; Bottom of the Hour Billboard- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 3- “Down to the River to Pray” by Allison Krause, UMG Recordings; close and credits- “Fishing Blues” by Taj Mahal, CBS/Columbia Records.

Funding: The Park Foundation

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

United States Bill of Rights

I ran across an interesting website called Librivox, which has a large number of audio readings of public domain documents and books.  One of the documents that caught my attention was the Bill of Rights from our Constitution.

The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. They were introduced as a series of amendments in 1789 in the First United States Congress by James Madison. Ten of the amendments were ratified and became the Bill of Rights in 1791. These amendments limit the powers of the federal government, protecting the rights of all citizens, residents and visitors on United States territory. (Summary courtesy of Wikipedia)

You can read the Bill of Rights and other Amendments at the Good Politics Radio US Constitution Amendments page.

You can listen to and download the audio reading of the Bill of Rights here.  By the way, the reader has a very pleasant English accent, which you will enjoy.

Left, Right and Center
from KCRW 

Left, Right and Center is a weekly half-hour radio broadcast and podcast produced by KCRW in Santa Monica.  This week’s show is so interesting that I want to present you with the opportunity to listen to it.

The four participants on the show are Robert Scheer who represents the left, Tony Blankley who represents the right, Matt Miller who represents the center, and Arianna Huffington who represents the independent blogosphere.

On this show the participants, regulars on the show, engage in lively and insightful commentary that produces its share of fun and laughter and provokes a large share of thought.  They discuss the aftermath of the Pennsylvania primary which has created a Democratic crack-up and meltdown.  They talk about the intentions and flaws of the Democratic candidates, Clinton and Obama.  They discuss how the Democrats are in disarray and mention that this is the 3rd winnable election that they have a chance to blow.

The panel also discusses John McCain, attacking and defending the idea that he is deeply flawed, having flip-flopped on many important issues.

At the end of this entertaining show the participants each have a 30 second rant to summarize what each sees as most significant.

Click here to be taken to the Left, Right and Center home page where you can download or listen to the podcast.

This week on American Radio Journal: Ryan Shafik talks with Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayer’s Union about their new Congressional ratings; Lowman Henry gets the “Real Story” from Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth on the impact of the Pennsylvania primary; and Col. Frank Ryan has an American Radio Journal commentary on “irrational pessimism” in the economy.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

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The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

The mechanistic world view that has dominated Western thinking has much to learn from healthy, well-balanced biological systems, as well as from indigenous cultures that have a symbiotic relationship with their environment. This weeks show was recorded at a major international conference on biocultural diversity held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in April 2008.

Guests:
Rick Step, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Latin American Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, US
Tero Mustonen, and Vyacheslav Shadrin, The Snowchange Cooperative, Finland; Head, Yukaghir Elders Council
Gary Paul Napham, Founder, Renewing Americas Food Traditions, Southwest Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, US
Alejandro Argumendo, Founding Member and Co-Chair, Call of the Earth Steering Committee, Cusco, Peru
Eleanor Sterling, Director, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, US
Jules Pretty, Professor of Environment and Society, University of Essex, UK

(Click on a guest’s name to listen to their full unedited interview.)

Credits:
Host: Mark Sommer
Senior Producer: Gregg McVicar
Associate Producers: Naihma Deady, Matt Fidler
Production Engineer: Michael Schwartz
Field Engineers: Jon Kalish, Neil Harvey
Music in this program: open - “Cry of the Forest” by Cha-das-ska-dum Which-ta-lum - Soundings of the Planet; “Flametop Green” by Daniel Lanois - Anti Records; “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour - Putamayo World Music; “The Sound is Fading” by Robbie Robertson - Capitol Records; “@ Ley” by Gjallarhorn - Vindauga Music Ltd.; “Juju In Those Strings (Big Mind Ambient Remix” by Eccodek - Festival Distribution Inc.

Funding: The Christensen Fund

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

President Bush, in his weekly radio address to the nation,  talked about his upcoming summit in New Orleans and the need to expand trade in our hemisphere.

“Good morning. Next week, I will be hosting the North American Leaders’ Summit in New Orleans. This event will give me an opportunity to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon to discuss some of the most significant issues facing our hemisphere and the world.One of the issues that I’ll be discussing with these leaders is the importance of expanding trade in our hemisphere. Recently I sent Congress an agreement that would expand America’s access to markets in Colombia. Unfortunately, the Speaker of the House has chosen to block the Colombia free trade agreement instead of giving it an up or down vote that Congress committed to. Her action is unprecedented and extremely unfortunate. I hope that the Speaker will change her mind. If she does not, the agreement will be dead. And this will be bad for American workers and bad for America’s national security.

And here is why: Today, almost all of Colombia’s exports to the United States enter duty-free. But the 9,000 American businesses that export to Colombia, including nearly 8,000 small and mid-sized firms, face significant tariffs on their products. The situation is completely one-sided. Our markets are open to Colombian products, but barriers that make it harder to sell American goods in Colombia remain. If the free trade agreement were implemented, however, most of Colombia’s tariffs on American goods would be eliminated immediately.

There is also a strategic imperative to approve the agreement. By obstructing this agreement, Congress is signaling to a watching hemisphere that America cannot be trusted to support its friends. Over the past six years, Colombia’s President Uribe has been a steadfast ally of the United States. He’s transformed his country from a near-failed state to a stable democracy with a growing economy. He has partnered with America in the fight against drugs and terror. And he has addressed virtually every one of Congress’s concerns, including revising the free trade agreement to include some of the most rigorous labor and environmental protections in history.

He has done all this while his country is under violent assault from a terrorist organization and facing constant intimidation from anti-American regimes in the region. As Canada’s Prime Minister Harper has said, “If the U.S. turns its back on its friends in Colombia, this will set back our cause far more than any Latin American dictator could hope to achieve.”

Leaders in Congress have made a serious error, but it is not too late to get it right. This week, a long list of senior officials from Democratic administrations and Democrats from previous Congresses signed a letter urging Congress to approve the agreement this year. They wrote, “We feel that the treaty should be considered as soon as possible and that any obstacles should be quickly and amicably resolved.” I strongly agree. I believe that if the Speaker allows a vote on the merits, a majority of the House of Representatives will approve the trade agreement. So I urge leaders in Congress to reconsider their position, recognize the stakes at hand, and approve the Colombia agreement as soon as possible.

Thank you for listening.”

To listen to this broadcast click here.

This week on American Radio Journal: Brad Bumsted of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review joins Lowman Henry and Ryan Shafik for a roundtable discussion on the Pennsylvania Presidential primary election; Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth takes a look at possible Vice Presidential candidates; and Dr. Paul Kengor of Grove City College has an American Radio Journal commentary on how Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama have different views of America.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

School lunches, long ridiculed, were at one time at least real food. Now, they’re most often processed fast foods that threaten kids with epidemics of diabetes and obesity. Fortunately, some schools are trying to reverse this trend. Join us to explore the challenges cash-strapped schools face as they struggle to turn lunch into something worth eating.

Guests:
Janet Brown, Program Officer for Food Systems, Center for Ecoliteracy, Berkeley, California
Pam Koch, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Program in Nutrition, Columbia University Teachers College, NYC
Eric Weaver, Parent, Berkeley Unified School District, Berkeley, California
Ann Cooper, Chef, Berkeley Unified School District, Berkeley, California
Mark Arakelian, Director of Healthy Lifestyles, Perspectives Charter School, Chicago
(clicking on a guest’s name opens their full interview audio file)

Credits: Music in this program: open- “Why I Pack My Lunch” by Trout Fishing in America, Trout Records; welcome- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; insert 1- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 1- “Girls Just Want to Have Lunch” by Weird Al Yankovic, Volcano Entertainment; insert 2- “Girls Just Want to Have Lunch” by Weird Al Yankovic; Volcano Entertainment; break 2- “Lunch Lady Land” by Adam Sandler, Warner Brothers; Bottom of the Hour Billboard- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; insert 3- “Hot Lunch” by Asylum Street Spankers, courtesy of Spanks-a-Lot Records; break 3- “Hot Lunch Jam” by Irene Cara, Turner Entertainment; close and credits- “Hot Lunch” by Asylum Street Spankers, Spanks-a-Lot Records; and “Lunch Time” by Kidzup Productions, Orchard Records. Simpsons Clip Credit: Clips from “The Simpsons” courtesy of Fox.

Funding: The Kellogg Foundation

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with Dr. David John of the Heritage Foundation about potential new regulations of the financial markets; Ryan Shafik gets the “Real Story” on the week’s events in Washington, D.C. from Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth; and Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, USA has an American Radio Journal commentary on who might end up running for Vice President of the United States.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

A landmark 2005 directive issued by the U.S. Defense Department for the first time placed post-conflict “reconstruction and stabilization” on the same level with the U.S. military’s role as war-fighter. But the implementation of this directive has led many to fear that in embracing “peacebuilding”, the Pentagon is actually militarizing and commercializing it.

Guests:
Lisa Schirch, Professor of Peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite University
Col. John Agoglia, Director of the U.S. Army’s Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute (PKSOI) at Carlisle, PA
Lorelei Kelly, Policy Director for the Real Security Initiative, The White House Project
Eric Schwartz, Executive Director Connect US Fund
(Click on a guest’s name to listen to their full unedited interview.)

Credits:
Host: Mark Sommer
Senior Producer: Gregg McVicar
Associate Producers: Naihma Deady, Matt Fidler
Production Engineer: Michael Schwartz
Music in this program: open- “Bombs Over Baghdad” by John Trudell - Rykodisc; “Surfin” by William Orbit - Sanctuary Records; “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour - Putamayo World Music; “One Day at a Time” by Yusuf - Atlantic Records; “This is Baghdad” by Bruce Cockburn - Rounder Records; “What I’ve Seen” by Michael Franti and Spearhead - Anti Records

Funding: Ford Foundation

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

Podcast Potpourri
By Rebecca Sahm and Astara Briski

 ”The world has entered a new era, evolving from an industrial into a knowledge-based society, and into a society that wants to live in harmony with nature. ”       Minoru Mori

 We  welcome Cait Stanley to Potpourri this week. We will be talking about what we can do to make a difference in our planet’s livability and health.  Cait is  a Chicago native and former sales manager for the leading electronic audio publisher in the areas of inspiration and business training.

Cait, also known on the web as “greener boomer” is working with others toward a more conscious and earth-friendly world  of business. Her current projects include Green Boomer Business development through her site: GreenWithRoger  Working with a team of international business leaders,  she  is also developing green business opportunities in China.  Cait Stanley divides her time between Chicagoland and the beautiful Southern US Mountains of Arkansas.  You can contact Cait at   www.greenerboomerblog.com

To listen to the podcast click here.

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This week on American Radio Journal: Ryan Shafik finds out when Tax Freedom Day is this year from Scott Hodge of the Tax Foundation; Lowman Henry gets the “Real Story” from Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth on why the housing mortgage crisis has caused so many problems for the overall economy; and, Col. Frank Ryan has an American Radio Journal commentary on how Barack Obama fails to understand what is at stake in Iraq.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

With the globe warming and gas prices rising hybrid vehicles start to look pretty good for both the environment and the wallet. Hybrids are rolling off new car lots across the U.S. and hold great promise as a transitional technology on the way to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Join us for a test drive of a vehicle that may show the way to an oil-free future.

Guests:
David Friedman, David Hermance, Betsy Taylor, Mary Ann Wright

Credits: Music in this program: open- “Automobile” by John Prine, Oh Boy Records; welcome- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 1- “Keys in My Car” by Caribbean Blue, Caribbean Blue Records; break 2- “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson, Sony Music; Bottom of the Hour Billboard- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 3- “Raggedy Old Car Blues” by Ed Early Band, Ed Early Records; close and credits- “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” by Lucinda Williams, Island/Mercury Records.

Funding: The Chernoff Charitable Foundation

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

The ICT, the International Campaign for Tibet, is calling on President Bush to not attend the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games this summer in Beijing as a protest against the Chinese government’s actions in the latest conflict between China and Tibet.  There will be a demonstration in front of the White House on Monday, March 31 to show support for Tibet and to call on President Bush to personally boycott the Olympics in China.

 The ICT has a clear position on the conflict, which can be seen on their website on Facebook.  “Our mission is to return self-determination to the people of Tibet and encourage China to reach a negotiated solution with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”

The Administration’s position is not altogether different.  A few days ago, on March 26, President Bush called President Hu Jintao of China and “encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives,” to quote a statement made by Press Secretary Dana Perino.

Also, on March 28, during a press conference with Prime Minister Rudd of Australia, President Bush said that in his conversation with Hu Jintau of China he told him, “it’s in his country’s interest that he sit down again with representatives of the Dalai Lama . . . and that we urged restraint.”

For more information about this issue, please listen to the 13 minute podcast.