• Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) spends the hour with Thom discussing the issues and answering listener questions.
• Deevi Danes, Project Manager with Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP), sex worker for over ten years and advocates for prisoners and sex worker rights.
• Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL, 8th District).
• Bill McKibben of 350.org

• "Brunch With Bernie"
• Anything Goes on Townhall Friday!!
• 7th Annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
• Health care, Afghanistan.
• Wrap up from Copenhagen Climate Summit.

• Against the Wind, Bob Seger (video).
• The Twelve Pains Of Christmas, Bob Rivers.
• Holidaze (S'cuze Me, I Got Gifts To Buy), Bob Rivers.
• The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, Ennio Morricone.
• I Want a Boob Job for Christmas - Virginia Kegel, Bob and Tom.
• Come On In, Brad Paisley (video).
• Fireflies, Owl City.
• What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong.

"A new poll suggests that voters are not pleased by the idea of health insurance mandates without a public option or a Medicare expansion.

Conducted by Research 2000 for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) and Democracy for America (DFA), the survey finds only 33 percent of likely voters favor a health care bill that does not include a public health insurance option and does not expand Medicare, but does require all Americans to get health insurance. Slightly more Democrats -- 37 percent -- favor the idea, while only 30 percent of Republicans and 31 percent of independents do.

Meanwhile, if the public option and Medicare buy-in are added, 58 percent of people support the idea. The number of Republican supporters drops to 22 percent, but independent support rises to 57 percent and Democratic support to a whopping 88 percent."

"While Republicans seem to be experiencing a particular form of political amnesia from the Bush years, they ought to be reminded that budget reconciliation has been used by several other presidents, including Clinton and Reagan. In fact, Republicans — with Bond and Gregg among the leaders of the charge — were instrumental in pushing through key provisions of their signature legislative agenda, the Contract with America, using budget reconciliation.

A list of instances where reconciliation was implemented: ..."

"I called John Kerry’s office yesterday, told them I was a constituent, and asked them what the Senator’s position on the Healthcare Bill was. They wouldn’t tell me. So I pointed out that the senator’s job is to represent me, and I deserve an answer. I was told that if I put my request in writing they would “try to respond in three or four weeks”"