Director, American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
Professor of Political Science at American University and Founding Director of its Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
PROFILE
Jim Thurber
Guest
FROM Jim Thurber
Which Way, L.A.?
Can the Lame Duck Congress Get Anything Done? Democrats postponed some of their most important business until after the mid-term elections. Now, they’re facing a lame-duck session with no appropriations bills passed and the Bush tax cuts about to expire before the end of the year.
To the Point
Can the Lame Duck Congress Get Anything Done? Democrats are still in the majority with hopes of completing unfinished business. Republicans want to wait until next year. But the federal government could shut down unless there's compromise on appropriations bills. Even defense spending has yet to be passed. The 800-pound gorilla is the Bush tax cuts, with Republicans demanding all or nothing and liberal Democrats pushing the President not to compromise. What are the prospects of making order out of impending chaos?
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To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
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.