Presbytarian Church USA
Director of the Presbytarian Church USA, Office of Public Witness
PROFILE
James Herbert Nelson
Guest
FROM James Herbert Nelson
Which Way, L.A.?
Public Spending Cuts, Private Charities and the 'Truly Needy' When George H.W. Bush was President during tough economic times, he said public money for what Ronald Reagan had called the "safety net" could be replaced, in part, by a "new activism" from "a thousand points of light, community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good." Now those stars may be losing their sparkle. Washington is looking for cuts in programs serving millions of Americans who are poor, sick and hungry. Private nonprofits and charities won't be able to make up the difference. We look at the prospects for people in need.
To the Point
Public Spending Cuts, Private Charities and the 'Truly Needy' As Washington looks for cuts in government programs, support for nonprofits is also on the line, and donations to philanthropies have not been growing. President Obama is targeting tax breaks for what George H.W. Bush called "a thousand points of light" that help make up for cuts in safety-net spending. At the same time, Christians on the Left and the Right argue about the duty to help the poor and the danger of creating dependence on others. What's in store for the aged, blind and disabled? What about the unemployed and those who can't afford medical insurance?
Recommended
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
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
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.