End-of-Year National Politics:

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A Lame-duck President, a Divided Congress and 2006 ElectionsThe House has adjourned for the year, but the Senate is still wrestling with defense and budget bills loaded with partisan controversies, including the Artic National Wildlife Reserve, cuts in social programs and extending the Patriot Act. Some Republicans are defying the White House and Vice President Cheney's rushing home from his overseas trip in case he's needed to break a tie. What about the Patriot Act? Will voters be more concerned about civil liberties or national security? We update the action on Capitol Hill and what's in store for the poor, the disabled and the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. Making News: Judge Bars Dover School District from Mentioning "Intelligent Design"In Pennsylvania today a federal judge has ruled that "intelligent design" cannot be mentioned in biology classes as an alternative to evolution. In fact, Judge John Jones says it's unconstitutional. Carl Tobias, Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Richmond, Virginia, says the court heard six months of testimony from a very divided community before making it's ruling. Reporter's Notebook: ACLU Charges FBI Surveillance of Activist GroupsThe American Civil Liberties Union has released some 2300 pages of FBI files obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. They include records of surveillance on groups including Greenpeace, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Catholic Worker. The FBI denies any interest in monitoring political or social activities. Spencer Hsu is reporting the story for the Washington Post.
A Lame-duck President, a Divided Congress and 2006 Elections
The House has adjourned for the year, but the Senate is still wrestling with defense and budget bills loaded with partisan controversies, including the Artic National Wildlife Reserve, cuts in social programs and extending the Patriot Act. Some Republicans are defying the White House and Vice President Cheney's rushing home from his overseas trip in case he's needed to break a tie. What about the Patriot Act? Will voters be more concerned about civil liberties or national security? We update the action on Capitol Hill and what's in store for the poor, the disabled and the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Making News: Judge Bars Dover School District from Mentioning "Intelligent Design"
    In Pennsylvania today a federal judge has ruled that "intelligent design" cannot be mentioned in biology classes as an alternative to evolution. In fact, Judge John Jones says it's unconstitutional. Carl Tobias, Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Richmond, Virginia, says the court heard six months of testimony from a very divided community before making it's ruling.
  • Reporter's Notebook: ACLU Charges FBI Surveillance of Activist Groups
    The American Civil Liberties Union has released some 2300 pages of FBI files obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. They include records of surveillance on groups including Greenpeace, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Catholic Worker. The FBI denies any interest in monitoring political or social activities. Spencer Hsu is reporting the story for the Washington Post.

Kitzmiller v Dover Area School District, US District Court for the Middle of PA on

Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 2005 (SB 1932)

CNN-USA Today-Gallup Poll on President Bush's failure to sway public on Iraq

Washington Post-ABC Poll on President Bush's increased approval rating

Washington Post article on Senate resistance to the House budget bill

Pew Poll on public's reaction to Washington Rhetoric on Iraq

ACLU on FBI targeting environmental, animal-rights groups

FBI refutes claims of arbitrarily investigating advocacy groups

Hsu's article on FBI monitoring of activist groups

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Host:

Warren Olney