Another hostage scenario is brewing – this time Republicans are holding victims of natural disasters for ransom. Congress needs to approve a funding measure by the end of the month – or the government will shut down – furloughing 800,000 federal workers. But the Senate and the House aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on a funding bill – and it all comes down to disaster relief aid. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid passed a funding bill that included nearly $7 billion of disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Irene – the Joplin tornados – and the countless people across the nation devastated by historic flooding this year.

So far – estimates put damage from natural disasters this year alone at about $32 billion. But Republicans in the House won't spend money on things that show government can actually work and solve problems, so they’re proposing a much smaller relief package – about $3.6 billion – and they likely won’t budge on that number.

As Senator Reid said, “I'm not that sure (that a shutdown will be averted), because the Tea Party-driven House of Representatives has been so unreasonable in the past, I don't know why they should suddenly be reasonable." Welcome to Republican rule in American – where the next hostage could be you!

-Thom

(Do you think there will be a shutdown? Tell us here.)

"But congressman (Ron Paul), are you saying that society should just let him die? "

The Daily Stack

Quote: "To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice." -- Desmond Tutu.

Hour One: Last efforts to save Troy Davis Mike Farrell.

Book: "Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist" by Mike Farrell.

Article: "Last-ditch appeals as Troy Davis execution nears" by MSNBC.

Article: "Request for Troy Davis polygraph test; lawyers seek execution stay" by CNN.

Article: "Polygraph for Troy Davis blocked, attorney says" by CBS/AP.

Site: "Death Penalty Focus".

Article: "U.S. assembling secret drone bases in Africa, Arabian Peninsula, officials say" by Craig Whitlock and Greg Miller.

Article: "Shutdown Showdown Redux? Congress Squabbles over Disaster Relief Money" by ABC.

Article: "House Democrats push legislation to overturn Citizens United ruling" by Mike Lillis.

Article: "Lamar Alexander quitting leadership post in Senate" by Manu Raju.

Video: "Sen. Bernie Sanders, a man of the people, Fighting Bob Fest 2011".

Article: "Sen. Durbin calls GOP outreach to the Fed 'wrong-headed'" by Pete Kasperowicz.

Article: "Poll: Economic pessimism deepens, and more blame Obama" by Susan Page.

Video: "Jim Hightower at Fighting Bob Fest 2011".

Crazy alert: "Buzz Aldrin, 81, apparently over the moon with 51-year-old" by Courtney Hazlett.

Article: "U.S. to build new massive prison in Bagram" by Glenn Greenwald.

Article: "http://thesocietypages.org/pubcrim/2011/06/06/get-the-message/" by michelle. Photos of NAACP's "Welcome to America, home to 5% of the world's people & 25% of the world's prisoners" posters.

Book: "Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President" by Ron Suskind.

Video: "Conversations with Great Minds with David Stockman. P.1".

Video: "Conversations with Great Minds with David Stockman. P.2".

Article: "Republicans - Please Take Back Your Party" by Thom Hartmann.

Article: "Matthew 5:38-39" "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Hour Two: Crashing the private Perry party, H.R. 2394-Rebuilding America's School Act, president's bill. Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY, 15th District)

The good: "Charlie Rangel Crashes Secret Rick Perry Event In New York" by Evan McMorris-Santoro.

Article: "Rangel Urges Rebuilding Of American Schools " by Charles Rangel.

Article: "Gimme a Break" by Josh Marshall.

Article: "Israel: Adrift at Sea Alone" by Thomas L. Friedman.

Video: "Dr. Cornel West inspires thousands at Fighting Bob Fest 2011".

Article: "No more stimulus, Republican leaders say" by Josh Boak.

Article: "IMF warning over stimulus policies" by Alan Beattie.

Article: "An Eye for an Eye".

Article: "Thou shalt not kill".

Movie: "Rosemary's Baby".

Article: "Book of Revelation".

Book: "The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR'S Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience" by Kirstin Downey.

Article: "Perry blasts Obama’s Israel policies" by Amanda Sakuma.

Hour Three: HPV vaccination - who should give consent...12 year old girl or parents? Heather Cirmo, Conservative Strategist

Article: "Atkins Disease Prevention Bill Passed by State Legislature" by Toni Atkins.

Article: "Ask The Governor To Sign Bill To Save Teen Lives - AB 499 Allows Minors To Access Preventive Treatment For HPV & HIV" by Toni Atkins.

Site: "New England Salem Children's Village" (NESCV).

Abstinence or abstinence-plus...things really are bigger in Texas? Carol Swain, Vanderbilt University law professor

Article: "Texas School District Looks To ‘Abstinence-Plus’ Curriculum After ‘Abstinence-Only’ Proves Ineffective" by Zara Golden.

The good: "Rep. Phil Roe helps save apparent heart attack victim" by Stephanie Condon.

The bad: "36% of South Carolina Republicans believe Obama not born in U.S." by Eric W. Dolan.

The very, very ugly: "Rick Santorum contacted Google, says company spreads 'filth'" by Alexander Burns.

Talk Radio News Segment: Ellen Ratner, Bureau Chief

Article: "Text of Obama’s Speech at U.N.", September 21, 2011.

Article: "Obama and Netanyahu meeting. "The bonds between the United States and Israel are unbreakable." Transcript." by Lynn Sweet.

Article: "Dissecting The Palestinian Statehood Bid" by TRNS.

Article: "South Sudan President to Meet Obama" by VOA.

Article: "Japan's leader fears 'another recession'" by David Jackson.

Article: "VA Paid $2.2B in Benefits for New Agent Orange Claims" by Ross Wilkers.

Article: "US faces new shutdown threat as budget talks stall" by AFP.

Article: "Boehner Claims Obama Consumed By Reelection" by Elianna Mintz.

Article: "Warren leads Brown in Massachusetts Senate race" by Reuters.

Why is the state of Colorado threatening a 63 year old leukemia patient with jail time over the medicine he uses to treat his illness? I'll talk with Bob Crouse who is not only ill but dealing with state bureaucracy over the use of medical marijuana...

Plus, Geeky Science Rocks...surprising new connection between the brain & immune system discovered!

And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...

The Thom Hartmann Program... your media support group for we the people.

Read an excerpt here, and buy the book!