On Friday’s Radio Show…

• Leading the Way to Single-Payer: Dr. Deborah Richter, president of Vermont Health Care for All, joins Alan to discuss her role in Vermont’s new health care legislation.

• Do the Republicans have a contender? Alan weighs in on the potential 2012 GOP candidates.

• It’s the Friday Night Free-For-All!…

Lech Walesa Refuses To Meet Obama

Says likely another time, but this time would be just a photo op

“I believe one day I will meet with Obama, but not this time,” Walesa said, adding he wished the US president “very well, but sometimes things just don’t work out.”…

Did Bill Clinton Betray The Democrats On Medicare?

By Yashwanth Manjunath

With a stunning upset victory in New York’s heavily Republican 26th Congressional District, Democrats appear poised to change the 2012 electoral landscape and put the House of Representatives back in play. All objective observers agree that Paul Ryan’s disastrous plan to destroy Medicare played an enormous role in the outcome of the race. A majority of voters do not want any cuts to Medicare in order to balance the budget. But just as it looks like the Democrats have the Republicans on the ropes, in comes Bill Clinton to help snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.…

Libyan Prime Minister Wants Russia To Mediate Ceasefire

Russia Calls for Qaddafi to step down

Libyan Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi asked for help in achieving a cease-fire and starting talks without preconditions, according to a statement posted by late Thursday by the Russian Foreign Ministry.…

House Republicans Have A 59% Disapproval Rating

Up from 55% in April according to Democracy Corps

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GOP Rep Joe Walsh: Obama Elected Because He Was Black, And Because Of “White Guilt”

“…he pushed that magical button: a black man who was articulate, liberal, the whole white guilt, all of that.”
Dave Weigel: Walsh will “say anything, which is why he’s interviewed everywhere”…

Paul Ryan’s Plan To Increase Poverty For Seniors And Increase Bonuses For Insurance CEO’s

By Karolyn Roberts

In an op-ed piece for Business Week, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R, WI) blames the high cost of Medicare on the fee-for-service system.

“This system leads to higher costs and lower quality for two reasons: First, the patient is disconnected from the cost… We all pay for Medicare with our tax dollars, and Medicare patients also pay premiums, but someone else pays the actual bills — and so the true cost of care is hidden. When we pay directly for something, and we know how much it costs, we have a strong incentive to …

Why, Oh Why Do The Israelis Hate Israel?

by Sandi Behrns

It would appear that the United States Congress is more pro-Israel than a majority of the Israeli people. While Democrats and Republicans alike fawned over Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress Tuesday (interrupting him with an amazing 29 standing ovations), an Israeli poll conducted the following morning shows voters wishing they’d heard a more conciliatory and less strident message.

In the morning following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress, a poll published by the Israeli daily Maariv indicates that while Netanyahu enjoys considerable support among Israelis, the public

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Bachmann Likley To Announce In Iowa In June

Such a tease!…

Rep Allen West: Anti-War Congresspeople Should “Get Shot At A Few Times”

Miami Herald asks about U.S. involvement in Afghanistan

“I would take these gentlemen over and let them get shot at a few times and maybe they’d have a different opinion.”…

House Defeats Measure To Scale Back Afghan War

But it was close, 204-215…