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Concierge Doctors: Primary Care and the Well-to-Do Aug 27, 2009

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The concierge doctor is a relatively small but growing practice aimed at cutting out the middle man and delivering medicine directly to the patient…for a price. Meanwhile, the number of doctors going into family practice has dropped dramatically, even though healthcare analysts say general practitioners are essential as the backbone of an efficient and accessible national healthcare system. Guest host Judy Muller examines the disparity and wonders what Ted Kennedy would have thought. Also, the Dalai Lama’s upcoming visit to Taiwan provokes China, and the 150th anniversary of striking oil and the new age of oil.

Iraq's Future: The Battle Continues Aug 26, 2009

Show notes

Massive truck bombs in Baghdad last week dramatized sectarian differences, even as Prime Minister al-Maliki claimed to have security well in hand. Will political instability lead to civil war? Will Iran extend its influence in Iraqi affairs? Should the US continue its troop withdrawal? Also, Senator Edward Kennedy, who died of brain cancer last night.

Prisoner Abuse and National Security Aug 25, 2009

Show notes

The Inspector General's report describes CIA interrogators menacing suspects with guns and power drills and threatening to rape their wives and kill their children. Did Bush White House officials authorize torture? What's next for the CIA, the FBI and efforts to protect America's national security? Also, President Obama nominates Fed Chair Bernanke to a second term, and Scotland, Libya and the Lockerbie bomber.

A New Look for America's Terrorism Interrogations Aug 24, 2009

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President Obama has set up a new team to question terrorist suspects, with less authority for the CIA and more for the White House and the Justice Department. Meantime, more details are being revealed about past abuses, including the use of a gun and a power drill. Will a special prosecutor reopen investigations? Also, industrial agriculture produces huge quantities of meat and grain, but are they as cheap as they seem? Is there damage to land, water and even human health, including human obesity? Is there a better way?

How Much Does Vacation Matter? Aug 21, 2009

Show notes

Hard as it is to get away from his job, President Obama is spending a week on Martha's Vineyard. But most American workers are cutting back on vacations this year. We hear what that could mean for both mental and physical health — and the economy. Also, polls show rising opposition to healthcare reform, and athletic performance and gender determination.

The Afghan Election: Democracy in Wartime Aug 20, 2009

Show notes

The polls are closed and the vote count is under way in Afghanistan, where a national election has been held in the midst of bloody fighting. We look at the turnout, the possible outcomes and the potential consequences for US diplomacy and military commitments. Also, the Lockerbie bomber is released, and Whole Foods and healthcare reform.

The Dream of Home Ownership Is Becoming a Nightmare Aug 19, 2009

Show notes

A record pace of home foreclosures is taking its biggest toll on blacks and Hispanics. Did big lenders conduct a new kind of housing discrimination by pushing sub-prime loans to minorities hoping for a piece of the American dream? Also, violence surrounds Afghanistan's presidential election, and combat soldiers and training in mental health.

Is It a Crime to Be Poor and Homeless in America? Aug 18, 2009

Show notes

At the same time homelessness is on the increase, some cities are passing laws that make it harder to survive on the streets. Is poverty being criminalized in the midst of a recession? Also, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak comes to Washington, and public protest and the right to bear arms.

Healthcare Reform: Angry Crowds and the 'Public Option' Aug 17, 2009

Show notes

Two weeks into the Congressional recess, angry crowds are still showing up to vent their anger against healthcare reform. Is the Obama White House caving in on a controversial provision? Will it lose liberal Democrats in the effort to appease Republicans? Also President Obama discusses the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with vets, and third world conditions in one of America's major cities.

Woodstock: The Myths and the Realities Aug 14, 2009

Show notes

Forty years ago this month, Woodstock was a music concert that became both a cultural "happening" and a political moment that still inspires passion on the Left and the Right. We find out why it's still worth talking about today. Also, the Dow takes a nosedive. On Reporter's Notebook, can Barack Obama do for health care what Franklin Roosevelt did for Social Security?

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