Jeremy Symons, National Wildlife Federation joins Thom Hartmann. The UN Climate Summit in Durbin, South Africa wrapped up over the weekend - without a comprehensive treaty for the world to stop or even slow down global climate change. The deal reached in Durbin just kicks the can down the road - by laying out steps toward signing a new climate change treaty in 2015 - that will be enacted in 2020 - well beyond the time frame most climate scientists agree is the "point of no return." One small victory from the Durbin Summit is that nations like China and India will no longer be considered "developing nations" - and will no longer be exempted from mandatory emissions cuts when a deal is finally reached. Meanwhile in Congress - in a direct slap in the face to environmentalist and future generations- House Republicans are holding the payroll tax cut extension for 160 million American hostage until the dangerous Keystone XL pipeline is approved. So why is it that our nation is incapable of addressing climate change - and, in the face of catastrophic weather, pushing ahead with even more climate-destroying energy projects?

Amie Stepanovich, National Security Counsel-EPIC joins Thom Hartmann. We've all seen them - the super high-tech predator drones used by the American military to collect intelligence and hunt down terrorists in the Middle East. So what the heck are they doing circling the skies over NORTH DAKOTA?!?! According to the Los Angeles Times - unmanned Predator drones aren't just for hunting terrorists in the Middle East anymore - they're being used to hunt American citizens too. Three men were arrested in North Dakota on suspicions they stole cattle from a nearby farm - and they were located thanks to the help of a Predator drone conducting surveillance above. Local police are now saying they've used Predator drones to run at least two dozen surveillance flights in North Dakota alone since June. Although Congress authorized the drones to be used domestically in 2005 to patrol our Northern and Southern borders - their use for local law enforcement is increasing - with virtually no input from the American people. And privacy experts warn continued use of drones radically threatens the privacy of all of us.

Thom debate the issue of the payroll tax cut, drug testing of the unemployed population and Newt Gingrich's surging popularity at the GOP polls in the Lone Liberal Rumble. Later in the show, Dr. Peter Beilenson, founder of "The Evergreen Project" joins Thom for Conversations with Great Minds.

In this week's Conversations With Great Minds we'll meet a true pioneer who may well help revolutionize your relationship with our healthcare system. For tonight's Conversations with Great Minds I am joined by Dr. Peter Beilenson. He currently heads up the Health Deparment in Howard County, Maryland where he and his team have launched the Healthy Howard Intiative - a program that joins individuals, businesses, schools, community organizations and government to ceate and make accessible healthy alternatives in many different aspects of daily life for county residents. For 13 years he served as the Health Commissioner of Baltimore City in Maryland where his vision led to expanded drug treatment programs, improved immunization compliance, a wide range of extremely effective lead poisoning prevention initiatives, juvenile violence prevention, and the creation of the state-wide initiative for universal health coverage in Maryland called "Health Care for All" He is also the founder of "The Evergreen Project" - an initiative that was inspired by a provision in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and seeks to create healthcare co-ops that cut costs to both patients and providers while making sure that excellent health care is avaialble to communities. Dr. Beilenson was chosen as an Utne Reader visionary in 2011 - joining a distinguished list of individuals who - as described by the Editors of the publication - "are world visionaries who don't just concoct great ...