Salon.com
Staff writer at Salon.com and a visiting fellow at Yale Law School's Program for the Study of Reproductive Justice
PROFILE
Irin Carmon
Guest
FROM Irin Carmon
To the Point
Should Americans Be Having More Babies? In the late 1960's, Paul Ehrlich warned that a Population Bomb was creating so many people they wouldn't be able to feed themselves within 20 years. The new book, What to Expect When No One's Expecting , is claiming the opposite: the root of America's problems is that the birthrate's declining. That means too few workers to care for the elderly, innovate and keep the economy growing. Is raising children just too expensive? Are liberated women working instead of staying home? What about abortion and contraception? Debate about population raises a host of hot-button issues, including immigration reform. If we're not producing enough people, why not import them?
Which Way, L.A.?
Abortion and SCOTUS Become Presidential Campaign Issues In last week's vice presidential debate , Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan disagreed last week on questions central to controversy about women's rights. Moderator Martha Raddatz asked both about abortion. Biden said his Catholic religion required him to oppose it in his own life, but that he would not impose his views on others. Ryan, who's also Catholic, said "elected representatives," not "unelected judges," should make that call. We hear how abortion and the right to appoint Supreme Court Justices have become issues in the presidential campaign.
To the Point
Women's Rights, the Supreme Court and the Race for the White House The US Supreme Court legalized abortion in Roe v. Wade , and the Obama Administration calls it "settled law." In last week's vice-presidential debate , moderator Martha Raddatz asked about abortion. Vice President Joe Biden said his Catholic religion required him to oppose it in his own life, but refused to impose that on others, calling it a decision between a woman and her doctor. Raddatz asked Congressman Paul Ryan, who's also Catholic, if supporters should fear a Romney administration. He, and the website of the Romney campaign, said "elected representatives," not "unelected judges," should make that call. Would Romney sign legislation to overturn Roe v. Wade? Would he appoint new justices to replace aging supporters of a woman's right to choose? Has he been clear about his own views on reproductive rights or the standards he would apply to his power of appointment? NOTE: You can find all our election coverage at KCRW.com/election 2012 .
To the Point
Love, Respect and the GOP After Monday's cancelled session, delegates packed the Tampa Bay Times Forum last night. First, they called the roll of states and officially nominated Mitt Romney . Then they heard speech after speech by Republican headliners. But the big moments came in prime time, Ann Romney wowed them with talk about "love" and life with her husband. Did she blunt the Democrats' charge about a Republican "war against women?" In his keynote address, New Jersey's Governor Chris Christie said , "We choose respect over love." Is the convention sending mixed messages? The answer may come tonight from vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan, if he adds any specifics to the generalities we've heard so far. Do Romney strategists think the convention is meeting its goals? How much harder is Hurricane Isaac making that job? We hear excerpts from both speeches, as well as commentary from the Left, the Right — and the Center.
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Left, Right & Center
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
Left, Right & Center
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?