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Is Tipping at Restaurants Becoming a Thing of the Past? Nov 26, 2015

Show notes

The practice of tipping after dining out began in medieval Europe, but it became a peculiarly American institution. Now there's a movement to ban it as unfair and discriminatory. Will customers give it up in exchange for service charges -- or higher prices?

Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Nov 25, 2015

Show notes

In just 12 days since the attacks in Paris, rhetorical attacks on Muslim Americans are rising toward a fever pitch. A religious database, special ID cards and surveillance of mosques are being proposed. Is it just the heat of the presidential campaign or something more troubling?

Reality at the US-Mexico Border Nov 24, 2015

Show notes

Immigration across the Mexican border is a major issue among Republican presidential candidates -- with Donald Trump calling for a massive increase in security. We hear that reality at the border itself is very different from the way it's depicted on the campaign trail.

A US-France-Russia Coalition against ISIS? Nov 23, 2015

Show notes

France wants the US to join a "grand and unified coalition" to strike back at ISIS. President Obama is already hearing calls from Democrats as well as Republicans to increase military action against the Islamic State. Terrorism is now Topic Number One for international diplomats and American politicians. But will US politics and diplomacy matter if Muslim countries don't lead the charge against ISIS on their own?

The Abortion Wars, Clinic by Clinic Nov 20, 2015

Show notes

The Right to Life movement has changed its focus from overturning Roe v. Wade to regulating abortion clinics. Abortion supporters say the real goal is to deprive women of their Constitutional right to choose. We hear what the rules mean — especially for poor women — as the US Supreme Court considers a case with profound implications in blue states as well as red ones.

Paris Attacks Reignite Surveillance Debate Nov 19, 2015

Show notes

One major concern after the deadly attacks on Paris is that Western governments are losing the war against ISIS online. There's renewed debate about surveillance of electronic messaging as opposed to privacy rights—and calls for Silicon Valley to curb terrorist propaganda on social media.

Paris Attacks Spur Harsh Anti-Refugee Rhetoric Nov 18, 2015

Show notes

The deadly violence in Paris has re-ignited America's ongoing debate over immigration. Traditional values, policies and procedures are up against fears about national security. Is a ban on Muslim refugees fleeing Syria's civil war and terrorism by ISIS needed to keep America safe?

Fighting ISIS Nov 17, 2015

Show notes

It was Frenchmen and Belgians that committed attacks in Paris, but intelligence agencies are convinced they were organized by ISIS in Syria. What does ISIS want? How should the West respond? Can it prevent attacks in the future?

ISIS Attacks Paris Nov 16, 2015

Show notes

CIA Director John Brennan says Friday's attacks in Paris were planned in advance and that others are sure to be "in the pipeline." How should the US and its allies retaliate against ISIS — and strategize for the future?

Guantánamo, the Constitution and Presidential Politics Nov 13, 2015

Show notes

Congress says the inmates left at Guantánamo Bay are too dangerous to allow on American soil—even in prisons as secure as the Gulag. But President Obama made a campaign promise to shut Guantánamo down. Will that lead to a constitutional battle with political implications for next year's presidential campaign?

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