Monday 20 April '09 show

• Book: "The Way of The World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism", Ron Suskind.
  "From Pulitzer Prize—winning journalist and best-selling author Ron Suskind comes a startling look at how America lost its way and at the nation's struggle, day by day, to reclaim the moral authority upon which its survival depends. From the White House to Downing Street, from the fault–line countries of South Asia to the sands of Guantánamo, Suskind offers an astonishing story that connects world leaders to the forces waging today's shadow wars and to the next generation of global citizens. Tracking down truth and hope within the Beltway and far beyond it, Suskind delivers historic disclosures with this emotionally stirring and strikingly original portrait of the post-9/11 world."
• Torture memos. ACLU filed a lawsuit and got them, were going to release them anyway. The essence was in Ron Suskind's book, but the administration released them. At the weekend Rahm Emmanuel was TV saying they would not prosecute the CIA or authors of the memos.
• Guest: Richard Perle, Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; was Assistant Secretary of Defense under Ronald Reagan and worked on the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee from 1987 to 2004. He was Chairman of the Board from 2001 to 2003 under the Bush Administration. Precedents for other governments torturing Americans? Waterboarding torture? He thinks torture ineffective. Comparison between mass murder prosecuted at Nuremburg with waterboarding. Did not repudiate it.
• Bumper Music: War, Edwin Starr.
• Article: U.N. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
  

  Article 2

  1. Each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.

  2. No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political in stability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture.

  3. An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture.

• Article: UN Rapporteur On Torture: Obama’s Pledge Not To Pursue Torture Prosecutions Of CIA Agents Is Not Legal.
• Torture. Nuremburg. We executed a guy for waterboarding. Iran holding a US journalist, what if they waterboarded her? Nazi guard being extradited for following orders. Ashamed to be American. George Washington said give them no reason to complain. Many British soldiers elected to become U.S. citizens and stay. Watch "Torturing Democracy". The Third Reich was shut down.
• Oregon comes under the 9th district, judge Bybee.
• Nation of laws? Lynndie England jailed but top people not being investigated. Expats outraged. The French press mentions the torture stories, but not judgmental. Comparisons with Nuremberg, etc. are distracting from the main point that these acts are illegal, and would you be OK with your local community police doing them?
• Obama's hand being forced? Obama had to take an oath to protect the constitution.
• Blair Holt Bill.
• Thom and his brother went to buy ammunition at two gun shops in Michigan last weekend, and were told it was rationed as they were nearly sold out. He was told it was because Obama was going to take their ammo. Thom checked the House Bill they mentioned and it had nothing to do with ammo. They probably meant Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, which has no co-sponsors and so is not going anywhere. It was introduced by rep. Bobby Rush after a constituent, Blair Holt, was killed by gang crossfire when shielding a girl on a bus. One said the reason is that ammo is going to the Middle East, but the ammo Thom was after was the wrong caliber for that. A variety of misleading emails is doing the rounds. There was a lot anger in the shops. Is the NRA information reliable?
• Bumper Music: Don’t Take Your Guns to Town, Johnny Cash.
• It’s the anniversary of Waco, Oklahoma City, Columbine, Hitler. This is not about gun control, but, along with the tea bag parties, part of another disinformation campaign to reduce the power of Barack Obama, probably from the same right wing think tank.
• Bumper Music: Wild Wild West, The Escape Club.
• Article: Fox News: Obama Visits Latin America To Help Communist Author.
• The front page of Drudge, "guns and ammo diminish", takes you to a McClatchy story...
• Article: Shortages of ammo and gun accessories cropping up nationwide.
• Obama has only been in office 3 months. Racists using guns as an excuse against Obama. Tim McVeigh, crazy poor white people. It's projection.
• Bumper Music: Ballad of Paladin, Johnny Western (Have Gun Will Travel Theme Song) (video).
• Bumper Music: You can leave your hat on, Randy Newman.
• Article: Couple fined for noisy sex after court hears tape of 3-hour session.
• The Ludlow massacre, 1914.
• Article: Rep. Jerry Nadler: Impeach Judge Bybee.
• Guest: Phil Radford, the new Executive Director of Greenpeace. New EPA regulations on global warming pollution…are they enough? The new EPA regulations on greenhouse gases have the corporate right hysterical. Greenpeace is one of those who sued for it. Obama wants Congress to do it, but if not, will do himself? Around 150,000 people a year die because of global warming. They said seatbelts, cleaning the air, airbags would destroy the economy, too. The Greenpeace site shows we can do it all and increase jobs at no extra cost. The bulk of their work is asking people to stop whaling, producing toxic things. They are running 5 campaigns, including global warming, Kleenex, chemical security - chlorine trains, nuclear energy - safety from terrorism and waste. Army of unemployed - volunteers, interns? They would appreciate time or money. www.greenpeace.org/getinvolved. James Hanson's 350 ppm CO2.
• Bumper Music: The Heat Is On, Glenn Frey (video).
• Guest: Labor Update: Bjorn Claeson, Executive Director of Sweatfree Communities. U.S. tax dollars still being spent in sweatshops. Their new report, "Subsidizing Sweatshops II". Ludlow, Colorado coal miners strike, families in tents. "SweatFree Communities assists sweatshop workers globally in their struggles to improve working conditions and form strong, independent unions." Research and grass roots organizing. Sweatshop Solutions? Economic ground zero in Bangladesh and Wal-Mart's responsibility.
• Bumper Music: Shake It Up, The Cars.
• Bumper Music: Crazy, Gnarls Barkley.
• Article: Stay slim to save the planet.
• Blackwater (Xe). The police departments have way more guns than individuals. Thom is concerned about the militarization of the police. He did a show a year ago, people are dying because SWAT teams go to the wrong house. McVeigh. Bush created terrorists by bombing people after 9/11. People should have taken "Democrats control the voting machines" signs to tea parties.
• Bumper Music: United We Stand, Brotherhood of Man (video).
• Thom will be giving away a book each day to the best blog or message or caller or chatter. The winner announced today was Ed Crist who won a copy of "Cracking The Code: How to Win Hearts, Change Minds, & Restore America’s Original Vision" for:
  

  What about our founders views on torture….(from CommonDreams)

  “In 1776,” wrote historian David Hackett Fischer in “Washington’s Crossing,” “American leaders believed it was not enough to win the war. They also had to win in a way that was consistent with the values of their society and the principles of their cause. One of their greatest achievements … was to manage the war in a manner that was true to the expanding humanitarian ideals of the American Revolution.”

  How can ANYONE who reveres the American founders support torture???

  Wakeup, America! I’m beggin you!

• Victoria Jones of Talk Radio News. Senator Frank Lautenburg to push to close gun show loophole, for any show with over 50 guns. hey will find a way around it? NRA. The Supreme Court will decide whether prosecutors will have to face court where their case was thrown out because they did not reveal information. Max Baucus and Ted Kennedy wrote letters to Obama, will have bills by early June to overhaul health care, will be compatible so can merge. House bill would be separate.