Category Archives: Religion

May 5, 2013

A former Republican ambassador warns that anti-Americanism and fundamentalism is growing in the Muslim world. He also says it is not certain that the Boston bombing will actually help our relations with Russia.

Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro says despite legislative setbacks on gun safety legislation, the NRA will be revealed as a paper tiger.

And Bill Press talks with Emily’s List communications director Jess McIntosh about the drive to elect a woman president.

  • May 5th, 2013 May 5th, 2013 Former ambassador Mike Ussery on the Boston bombing and Islam, Fred Rotondaro calls the NRA a paper tiger, and Jess McIntosh on the drive to elect a woman president.
  • Mike Ussery Mike Ussery Mike Ussery was ambassador to Morocco in Republican administrations, and in the wake of the Boston bombing, he cautions about rising anti-Americanism in Muslim countries. He says things could go either way in dealing with Russia in the fight against terrorism.
  • Fred Rotondaro Fred Rotondaro Fighting the NRA may take a long time, but the gun lobby is going to be revealed as a paper tiger, says regular commentator Fred Rotondaro.
  • Jess McIntosh Jess McIntosh Bill Press and his guest Jess McIntosh of Emily’s List on the drive to elect a woman president.
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower The cold calculation of clothing corporations.

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April 14, 2013

An expert on nuclear weapons says don’t panic about North Korea. The threats of using missiles against the United States are just empty bluster.

A theologian calls out Catholic lawmakers by name to explain that putting reasonable restrictions on firearms is the pro-life position.

And Bill Press talks with Chicago Congresswoman Jan Schakowski, who predicts eventual passage of gun safety legislation.

  • Apr. 14, 2013 Apr. 14, 2013 Don’t worry about Kim Jong Un, says a leading nuke expert. Catholic theologian puts Boehner and Ryan on the spot about what pro-life really means. And Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky on prospects for gun safety legislation.
  • Joe Cirincione Joe Cirincione Joe Cirincione is president of the Ploughshares Fund and an expert on nuclear nonproliferation. He says don’t worry about the empty bluster coming from North Korea. Its missiles can’t hit anything. The only problem is the possibility of North Korea blundering into a conventional war.
  • Tobias Winright Tobias Winright Professor Tobias Winright of St. Louis University says the Catholic Church’s consistent pro-life position should be extended to sensible gun control legislation, and he puts the Speaker of the House and a couple of Democratic senators on the spot.
  • Jan Schakowsky Jan Schakowsky Bill Press guest U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky predicts the eventual passage of gun safety legislation.
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower Where's the cop on the Wall Street beat?

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April 7, 2013

With the deadline for filing your returns just days away, a historian of the income tax says you can’t talk about taxes these days without talking about class.

Our regular contributor and Catholic activist Fred Rotondaro talks about his expectations for Pope Francis.

And Bill Press talks with immigration advocate Angela Kelley about prospects for congressional action.

  • Apr. 7, 2013 Apr. 7, 2013 Rendering unto Caesar – conversations this week about income taxes and about the new pope’s commitment to the poor.
  • Molly Michelmore Molly Michelmore Professor Molly Michelmore has written about the history of the income tax, now 100 years old. Originally, it was very popular because it was seen as a way of sticking it to the robber barons. Now, she says, we still can’t talk about taxes without talking about class.
  • Fred Rotondaro Fred Rotondaro Fred Rotondaro, a regular contributor, is a progressive Catholic activist. He sees the election of Pope Francis as a move toward a new emphasis on the issues of inequality, poverty and the role of women in the church.
  • Angela Kelley Angela Kelley Bill Press and his guest, Angela Kelley of the Center for American Progress, on prospects for immigration reform legislation.
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower The wisdom of the wealthy.

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January 20, 2013

As President Obama begins his second term, he faces difficult challenges. Former Congressman Tom Allen says one of those challenges is dealing with a Congress whose members look at each other as visitors from another planet.

And Latina political analyst Maria Teresa Kumar says gains made in the 2012 elections can take effect only if minority voters and other Democrats show up at the polls in the 2014 midterm elections to retake the House of Representatives.

Bill Press speaks with Vincent DeMarco, who says the faith community can be a powerful force in getting more sensible gun laws.

  • Jan. 20, 2013 Jan. 20, 2013 Visitors from another planet inhabit Congress … and in the real world, a pressing issue for Congress is how to deal with visitors from other countries.
  • Tom Allen Tom Allen Tom Allen is a former Democratic congressman from Maine. He has just written a book about why Congress is so dysfunctional. He says the blame lies mostly with Republicans, whom he says must eventually become more pragmatic if they are to survive.
  • Maria Teresa Kumar Maria Teresa Kumar Latina political activist Maria Teresa Kumar reviews the 2012 election in terms of minority turnout and warns that Democrats have to gin up their vote in the 2014 midterm elections to win back the House of Representatives.
  • Vincent DeMarco Vincent DeMarco Bill Press and his guest, Vincent DeMarco, says the faith community can be a powerful force in getting more sensible gun laws.
  • Jim Hightower Jim Hightower Let a grunt run the Pentagon for a chance.

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