By Chingyu Wang – Talk Radio News Service

Members of the GOP Solutions Group blasted the White House’s health reform proposal during a conference call with reporters on Thursday.

“The new plan looks a lot like the old plan, and every time when they are talking about the old plan I think Democrats lost this debate,” said Group Chairman Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). “We’d like to see a plan that reduces costs, increases access and doesn’t cripple the states.”

Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), a physician himself, slammed a provision within both Democratic health bills that would require Americans to purchase health insurance. Price said the question of who should decide what kind of medical care individuals receive is one of the main factors dividing Republicans and Democrats on the issue of healthcare reform.

A proposal by the Republicans would allow Americans “To truly shop across state lines to purchase the insurance that you want for yourself or your family,” said Price, adding that the Democrats’ bills would allow the “government to dictate [your insurance policy] for you.”

“Democrat solutions come down on the side of larger government [and] integrated bureaucracy.” he argued.

Co-Founder of Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) Adam Green says Thursday that the American public is in favor of the public option, adding that he thinks the public option could get bipartisan support in Congress. (0:31)

 

 Standard Podcast [0:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen warns that the U.S. could fall into a cold, or even a hot, war if Americans and Russians fail at their reconciliation effort. Cohen says that the U.S and Russia must remain in contact with each other to avoid the possibility that each nation will “demonize” the other. (0:29)

 

 Standard Podcast [0:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

By Celia Canon- Talk Radio News Service

Charles D. Ferguson and Stephen Sestanovich, Senior Fellows at the Council on Foreign Relations, explained that the 1991 START non-proliferation treaty may not be renewed following the U.S.-Russia Summit this July.

“There can’t be an agreement unless there’s also a formal renunciation by the U.S of the missile defense plan. That’s rather unlikely to happen, and if the Russian stick to that line, the chances of arms control are [slim],” said Sestanovich.

START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was ratified in 1991 by Russia and the U.S in an effort to achieve a dramatic reduction in strategic forces such as warheads and inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in the post-Cold War era.

According to the U.S. based Arms Control Association, “Russia claimed 4,237 total deployed strategic warheads under the terms of the 1991 START nuclear reductions agreement” while the U.S has 3,696 deployed strategic warheads.

“What has really agitated the Russians… is the American plan to deploy some rather basic elements of the missile defense system in Eastern Europe,” Sestanovich explained, referencing the Bush administration’s decision to install missiles at a base in Poland and to build a radar station in the Czech Republic. Both deals intended to protect Europe from “rogue states” such as Iran.

Ferguson added, “The [Obama] administration has a review of its missile defense policy on the way, and that makes it a little more difficult for them to reach any specific understandings with the Russian about this issue. They can’t offer certain kinds of assurances.”

President Barack Obama has recently agreed to halt military developments in Eastern Europe if Russia agrees to participate actively against Iran.

Ferguson countered Moscow’s accusations that a U.S presence in neighboring states is a serious military threat, saying “What we are looking at is a much smaller, much more modest missile defense system… There’s really no technical reasons for the Russians to be worried at this stage about missile defense as it is currently proposed.”

By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service

Eric Farnsworth, Vice-President for Council of Americas suggests Brazil and Mexico should be allowed to join the G8 at a Subcommittee meeting on the Western Hemisphere. February 4, 2009.

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Small business owners gathered at the 2008 National Small Business Summit held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Guest speaker William D. Novelli, Chief Executive Officer of American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) doled out alarming statistics saying that only a fifth of American workers have a defined pension plan and only half of all Americans have money in their retirement fund. Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, the woman who is recognized as the first of 78 million baby boomers, just received her Social Security retirement benefit. (more…)