An Age of Austerity: Can It Happen Here?

Making News

Tsunami and Volcano Hit Indonesia in One 24-Hour Period ()

Remote islands that are part of Indonesia have been devastated by a 7.7 earthquake and subsequent tsunami.  More than 300 have been killed and hundreds more are missing. There’s concern that a volcano on Java may erupt again.  Sara Schonhardt is a freelance reporter in Jakarta.

Guests:

• Sara Schonhardt: Freelance Reporter

Main Topic

An Age of Austerity: Can It Happen Here? ()

The French senate today passed pension reform despite weeks of angry street demonstrations and occasional violence. In Britain, a new coalition government is prepared to dismantle much of the welfare state. In the midst of the economic crisis, calls for "smaller government" have been deafening in America's election campaigns. But what might that really mean? Will Democrats stand for shredded safety nets? Will Republicans approve cuts in Social Security and Medicare?  Are new taxes out of the question? Does either political party have the moral authority to face new realities, or will the fear of bold action lead to paralysis and partisanship intensified?

Guests:

• David Herszenhorn: Congressional Reporter, New York Times, @herszenhorn
• Tom Edsall: Political Editor, Huffington Post, @Edsall
• Ted Fishman: Journalist and author, 'Shock of Gray'
• Neal Gabler: Cultural Historian

Links:

• Herszenhorn's article, 'The British Ax, If Imported Here'
• Edsal's (TNR) article, 'How The Age of Austerity Will Remake American Politics'
• Fishman's 'Shock of Gray: The Aging of the World’s Population and How It Pits Young Against Old, Child Against Parent, Worker Against Boss, Company'
• Gabler's (LAT) article, 'America the Timorous'

Reporter's Notebook

Global Biodiversity Study Warns of Looming Extinction Crisis ()

After assessing some 26,000 animal species across the world, scientists calculate that a fifth of all vertebrates face the threat of extinction, as do a third of all sharks and rays. In Nagoya, Japan, 174 researchers from 38 countries are debating conservation goals for the coming decade, coping with grim figures about habitat destruction, over-exploitation and invasive competitors. That’s according to Juliet Eilperin, national environmental reporter for the Washington Post.

Guests:

• Juliet Eilperin: National Environmental Reporter, Washington Post, @eilperin

Links:

• Kyoto Protocol (UN Global Warming Treaty)
• International Union for Conservation of Nature's '2008 Red List'
• Convention on Biodiversity
• Conference of the Parties (COP, Nagoya conference)