BETWEEN THE LINES
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ACTIVIST RESOURCES
Panel discussions from the Left Forum, April 18, 2009

10,000 March on Wall St., April 4, 2009

Global social justice movement resources
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Hungry for more news from Between The Lines?

Many BTL interviews are excerpted from Scott Harris' live, 2-hour program, Counterpoint. To hear more in-depth analysis you won't get in mainstream media, listen to Counterpoint LIVE Monday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. EST on WPKN Radio

Counterpoint is now archived in its entirety on The White Rose Society website


Check out our
collection of selected in-depth interviews and other audio collectibles on our distribution production company's site at www.squeakywheel.net

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on independent media values.


New Haven Advocate's
"Best of New Haven 2001"
-- Staff Picks --
Scott Harris, Best Radio News Reporter
WPKN Radio, 89.5 FM



ISSUES IN DEPTH
'A New Era of Responsibility'

"Push Obama to Follow Through on Peace Vows," by Amy Goodman, The Capital Times (Wisconsin), Jan. 22, 2009
"How to Push Obama," by John Nichols, The Nation, Jan. 12, 2009

"The Danger of Green Stimulus," Jesse Jenkins, Huffington Post, Jan. 5, 2009

"Who Will Seize the Moment?" Turning Crisis into Opportunity, by Ralph Nader, Counterpunch, Dec. 4, 2008

"Community Organizers Press Obama for Real Change," by CommonDreams.org, Dec. 3, 2008

Civil Liberties

"The effects of Obama's refusal to investigate Bush crimes," by Glen Greenwald, Salon.com, Jan. 20, 2009

"Binding U.S. law requires prosecutions for those who authorize torture, " by Glenn Greenwald, Salon, Jan. 18, 2009

"Obama Has to Hold Bush Accountable for the Laws He Broke," by Elizabeth Holtzman, The Nation, Jan. 16, 2009

"Obama Must Restore the Constitution: Prosecuting Bush and Cheney," by Dave Lindoff, Counterpunch.org, Jan. 16-19, 2009

A BETTER WORLD IS POSSIBLE: Human Rights Solutions

"Single-Payer Health Care Would Stimulate Economy," by John Nichols, The Nation, Jan. 15, 2009

"Fulfilling the Promise of Human Rights: The Universal Declaration at 60," audio recordings from a Connecticut conference marking the 60th anniversary of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Conn., Dec. 6, 2008

A BETTER WORLD IS POSSIBLE: Converting Fossil Fuel/War Economy to Green, Renewable Energy/Peace Economy


"Green Jobs Should Top Our Economic Recovery List," by Juleyka Lantigua, Jan. 6, 2009

"Obama Must Get Afghanistan Right,"by Katrina Van Heuvel, The Nation, Jan. 9, 2009

"Nine Steps to Peace for Obama in the New Year," by Deepak Chopra, Alternet, Jan. 1, 2009

"Electric Cars Put Hawaii on The Road to Independence," by Times Online/UK, Dec. 4, 2008

"Weapons Come Second: Can Obama Take on the Pentagon?" by Frida Berrigan, TomDispatch.com, Nov. 25, 2008

The FY 2009 Pentagon Spending Request - Global Military Spending, by the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Economic Crisis

"The Outcry Is Muted, But The Food Crisis Is Getting Worse," by Jayati Ghosh, The Guardian/UK, Jan. 9, 2009

"Ideas for Obama, "by Paul Krugman, by The New York Times, Jan. 12, 2009

"The Ponzi Scheme Presidency: Bush's Legacy of Destruction," by Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch.com, January/February, 2009

"Fiscal Therapy," by David Cay Johnston, Mother Jones, January/February, 2009

"A Look At Wall Street's Shadow Market: How Some Arcane Wall Street Financial Instruments Magnified Economic Crisis," 60 Minutes, Oct. 5, 2008

"Swapping Secrecy for Transparency," by Christopher Cox, SEC Chairman, The New York Times Op-Ed, Oct. 19, 2008

"The Bet That Blew Up Wall Street: Steve Kroft On Credit Default Swaps And Their Central Role In The Unfolding Economic Crisis," 60 Minutes, Oct. 26, 2008

Broken Government



"Broken Government: By The Numbers," 40 ways in which the federal government failed to perform under the administration of George W. Bush, 2001-2008

Class Warfare

"How the Rich Are Different From You and Me,"Places that went for Obama are richer and smarter than places that went for McCain, by Bill Bishop and Robert Cushing, Slate, Dec. 11, 2008

"Questions About the $700 Billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Funds, " First Report of the Congressional Oversight Panel for Economic Stabilization, Dec. 10, 2008

War And Profiteering

"This Is Change? Twenty Hawks, Clintonites and Neocons to Watch for in Obama's White House," by Jeremy Scahill,Alternet, Nov. 20, 2008


"Don't Let Barack Obama Break Your Heart," Why Americans Shouldn't Go Home, by Tom Engelhardt, Nov. 12, 2008

"The Future of Iraq: The Spoils of War," Blood and oil: How the West will profit from Iraq's most precious commodity, by Danny Fortson, Andrew Murray-Watson and Tim Webb, The Independent/UK, Jan. 7, 2007

"Noam Chomsky on Middle East Conflict and U.S. War Plan Against Iraq," Between The Lines interview with Noam Chomsky, conducted by Scott Harris, for the Week Ending May 3, 2002

The Iraq Crisis, a Global Policy Forum, U.N. Security Council section on the 13 years of sanctions and other background of the war, the humanitarian situation, the importance of Iraq's huge oil resources, and disputes over a post-war government and reconstruction plan

"Pipeline Politics: Oil, The Taliban, and the Political Balance of Central Asia," World Press Review Special Report, November-December 2001

Between The Lines

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Posted Oct. 21, 2009

Between The Lines
For The Week Ending Oct. 31, 2009


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Between The Lines' webhosting service will be upgrading our site Friday Oct. 23, through the weekend. We don't anticipate any service interruptions, but in case one does occur, here are alternate sources for downloading our program:

- The A-Infos Radio Project (public access - a.k.a. Radio For All- www.radio4all.net) at http://tinyurl.com/btl-r4a. This link includes iTunes podcast subscription.
- Pacifica Radio Network station affiliates only at www.audioport.org or the Pacifica Radio Network satellite, KU left channel

The procedure for downloading the program from our website will remain unchanged following the upgrade. The download page, at www.btlonline.org/download, is updated Wednesdays 12 noon ET.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions at (203) 268-8446

SATURDAY, Oct. 24, 2009
Join Us to Learn What Michael Moore Doesn't Cover in His New Film!

Richard Wolff, economics professor emeritus and consultant
on "Capitalism: A Love Story," shares his analysis and solutions


Between The Lines Radio Newsmagazine/Squeaky Wheel Productions
will present a public forum and film screening:

"Capitalism Hits the Fan: The Global Economic Meltdown
and What Can be Done About It"

with Richard D. Wolff,
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2-4:30 p.m.
Unitarian Society of New Haven
700 Hartford Turnpike, Hamden, CT
Suggested donation: $15. Students: $5 Reception to follow.
Reservations: (203) 268-8446
More details here.


THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM

 RealAudio (full-length) |  MP3 (full-length)
RSS broadcast-quality MP3 RSS near-broadcast quality MP3


This week we present Between The Lines' summary of under-reported news stories and:

Health Care Reform Bills Could Reverse
Insurance Discrimination Against Women


 RealAudio  MP3

Interview with Eleanor Smeal,
president of the Feminist Majority and
past president of NOW, conducted by Scott Harris


womenhealth

The drive for health care reform cleared another hurdle on Oct. 13th, when the Senate Finance Committee voted 14 to 9 to pass a reform proposal shaped by committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine was the only Republican to vote for the bill. Of the five committees in the House and Senate that have passed proposed health care reform legislation, the Baucus bill is the only measure that does not include a government health insurance option to compete with private, for-profit insurance companies. Many health care reform activists have criticized the Baucus bill as a gift to the insurance industry, with little in it to control the rise in premiums.

Most bills being considered prevent insurance companies from denying coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions, and require nearly all Americans to purchase health insurance, while offering federal subsidies to lower income citizens and small businesses assistance to pay for coverage. But despite recent opinion polls finding that a strong majority of Americans support a public option, whether or not to include the provision remains the primary focus of debate.

The next step in the process will see the House and Senate each merge the various committee reform proposals into one bill, followed by a vote. Then both chambers must hammer out the differences between the two bills, clearing the way for a full Congressional vote. Between the Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority and past president of the National Organization for Women. She assesses the status of the heath care reform debate and the discriminatory practices women face in obtaining affordable health insurance coverage under the current system.

______________________________________________
See rush interview transcript.
Sign up for Between The Lines Q&A
interview transcripts.

______________________________________________
Visit the Feminist Majority's website at www.feminist.org or call them at (703) 522-2214.


Related Links:
Concessions in Cap and Trade Bill
Boost Nuclear Power, Offshore Oil Drilling


 RealAudio  MP3

Interview with author and activist Harvey Wasserman,
conducted by Scott Harris


capntrade

The announcement at the Oct. 19th Washington D.C. press conference was unexpected: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a staunch opponent of cap and trade legislation designed to reduce carbon emissions which cause global warming, had switched sides and now supported the bill. But, alas the declaration turned out to be a hoax orchestrated by the political tricksters the Yes Men, staged to promote government regulation to reverse climate change and expose corporate greed.

But the hoax may not have been too far off from reality, given the erosion of the cap-and-trade bill being negotiated by Sen. John Kerry of D-Mass. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The two legislators are working to include major concessions in the bill to pacify the energy industry that they hope will attract bi-partisan support. The proposed legislation would mandate regulations to reduce carbon emissions by refineries and manufacturers tied to government incentives to build more nuclear power plants and expand offshore oil drilling.

President Obama is anxious to get the cap-and-trade bill passed in Congress before he attends the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen this December. Between The Lines’ Scott Harris spoke with author and energy activist Harvey Wasserman, who takes a critical look at what he believes is a sell-out of the basic principles of the cap-and-trade climate change bill.

Harvey Wasserman is author of "Solartopia! Our Green-Powered Earth, A.D. 2030." Read his recent article online at "Is the climate bill being fossil/nuked?"


Related links:

W. Virginia Community Rallies to Safeguard Schoolchildren
from Coal-Processing Health Hazards


 RealAudio  MP3

Interview with Ed Wiley,
West Virginia coal country activist,
conducted by Melinda Tuhus


coalschool

Ed Wiley is a resident of Rock Creek, W.Va., in the Coal River Valley. In 2006, he walked more than 500 miles from Charleston, W. Va. to Washington, D.C. to urge Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W. Va.) to support the community's efforts to build a new school because the existing Marsh Fork Elementary sits in the shadow of a massive coal processing plant and coal loading silo. Nearly 3 billion gallons of toxic sludge sit behind a leaking impoundment dam 400 yards from the school's front door.

When he worked for the mining company, Wiley helped pump that sludge into the mountain without much thought of the danger it posed. Then his granddaughter, a student at the school, became ill along with many other kids there, due to the school's close proximity to the coal facilities. Tests indicated severe air contamination, and everyone at the school lives with the fear of a catastrophic break in the dam.

After fruitless appeals to the county and state boards of education and to West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, Wiley decided to up the ante. He and fellow grassroots activists formed a group, Pennies of Promise, to collect money to build a new school themselves and to raise awareness of the dangers coal mining poses to communities dependent on the industry throughout southern West Virginia. Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Ed Wiley at his Rock Creek home. He explains that the coal operation there is illegal and describes his efforts to ensure the safety of his town's children.

Visit Ed Wiley's group's website at www.PenniesofPromise.org. More information can be found at the site of Coal River Mountain Watch at www.crmw.net. Contact the group at (304) 854-2182.


This week's summary
of under-reported news


 RealAudio  MP3

Compiled by Bob Nixon

  • Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the Movement for Democratic Change has suspended cooperation with President Robert Mugabe after a key MDC figure was detained on terrorism charges. ("Zimbabwean Judge Postpones Trial for Top Aide," Associated Press, Oct. 17, 2009; "Zimbabwe Prime Minister Suspends Cooperation with Mugabe Party," Agence France Presse, Oct. 16, 2009; "Zimbabwe Prime Minister Suspends Cooperation with Mugabe Party," Agence France Presse, Oct. 16, 2009; "Tsvangirai: Zimbabwe's MDC 'Disengaging from Unity Government,'" Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 16, 2009)
  • Trade unions in Mexico City protest the government seizure of a state-run electric utility, an action seen as a powerplay against the Mexican Electricians Union. ("Seizure of Mexican Utility Spurs Protests," Washington Post, Oct. 16, 2009; "Power to the People," Economist, Oct. 17, 2009)
  • ProPublica reports growing health warnings about General Electric's MRI imaging dye known as Omniscan. ("Specter of MRI Dyes Haunts GE," ProPublica, Oct. 15, 2009; "FDA to Take a Second Look at Warnings on MRI Drugs," ProPublica, Oct. 16, 2009)


Credits:
Executive producer: Scott Harris
Segment producers: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus
Senior news editor: Bob Nixon
Program narration: Denise Manzari
News reader: Elaine Osowski
Senior web editor/producer: Anna Manzo
Web producer: Jeffrey P. Yates
Web consultant: Gary Trujillo
Newswire editors: Hank Hoffman
Photo editor: Scott Harris
Outreach coordinator: Anna Manzo
Distribution: Anna Manzo and Jeffrey P. Yates
Theme music: Written by Richard Hill and Jody Gray, and performed by Mikata


Between The Lines
Airs on WPKN 89.5 FM
Wednesdays, 12 noon; Sundays, 5:30 p.m. ET


Listen to Between The Lines live at these times by clicking here!
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Last Week's Program

Between The Lines Week Ending 10/23/09

Between The Lines' Blog

"Reading Between The Lines"

U.S. Politics

"2 South Carolina Republicans Apologize for Reference to Jews," The New York Times, Oct. 20, 2009

"Labor's Love Lost: Is the Battle for EFCA a Quixotic Crusade?," by Max Fraser, New Labor Forum, Oct. 20, 2009

"Bush appointee: GOP lawmakers siding with 'professional bigots,'" Raw Story, Oct. 20, 2009

"Fighting the Last War: Can the Democrats Avoid a Populist Health Care Rebellion?," by Kevin Zeese, Counterpunch, Oct. 20, 2009

"Insurers Argue for Public Option," by Dean Baker, Truthout, Oct. 19, 2009

"In health care overhaul effort, millions are being spent to influence Congress," Kansas City Star, Oct. 18, 2009

"So Much for Transparency: Small Group Now Leads Closed Negotiations on Health-Care Bill," Washington Post, Oct. 18, 2009

"The Politics of the Public Option," by Robert Parry, Consortium News, Oct. 16, 2009

"The ACORN Standard," by Jeremy Scahill, The Nation, Oct. 14, 2009

More newswire ...

Economy

"One in six Americans in poverty, new study finds," Associated Press, Oct. 20, 2009

"How Moody's sold its ratings -- and sold out investors," McClatchy Newspapers, Oct. 18, 2009

"The Banks Are Not All Right," by Paul Krugman, The New York Times, Oct. 18, 2009

"Foreclosures Force Ex-Homeowners to Turn to Shelters," The New York Times, Oct. 18, 2009

"Outrage at Socialism for the Rich," by Mark Shields, Creators Syndicate, Oct. 17, 2009

"The Great Marginalization II: Where $18 an Hour is Too Much," by Carl Ginsburg, Counterpunch, Oct. 16-19, 2009

"Barney Frank and the Planet of the Banks," by Ralph Nader, Common Dreams, Oct. 16, 2009

"The Housing Hangover," by Tim Fernholz, The American Prospect, Oct. 16, 2009

More newswire ...

Bush Accountability

"CIA Efforts to Keep Torture Secrets Suffer a Key Loss in British High Court," by Scott Horton, Harper's, Oct. 19, 2009

"Bybee Avoids Judicial Complaint," by Scott Horton, Harper's, Oct. 15, 2009

More newswire ...

International Affairs

"The Urgent Need to Demilitarize the National Security State," by Melvin A. Goodman, Truthout, Oct. 20, 2009

"A Rumsfeld-era reminder about what causes Terrorism," by Glenn Greenwald, Salon, Oct. 20, 2009

"Lessons From the Long War and a Blowback World," by Tom Engelhardt, The Nation, Oct. 19, 2009

"Iran Blames U.S. and Britain in Attack," The New York Times, Oct. 19, 2009

"US condemns Iran bombing; denies involvement," Agence France Presse, Oct. 18, 2009

"Despite promises to Obama, construction continues in dozens of W. Bank settlements," Haaretz/Israel, Oct. 18, 2009

"Iran suicide bombing kills Revolutionary Guard commanders: Tehran blames US and Britain," Guardian/UK, Oct. 18, 2009

"US-Iran: Congress Begins Pressing Sanctions Legislation," by Jim Lobe, Inter Press Service, Oct. 16, 2009

"Cindy McCain Bankrolled Conference That Called for Ban on Mercenaries," by Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports, Oct. 16, 2009

"American Jews Rethink Israel," by Adam Horowitz & Philip Weiss, The Nation, Oct. 14, 2009

More newswire ...

"Postwar" Occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan

"Afghanistan: anatomy of an election disaster," Guardian/UK, Oct. 20, 2009

"Throttling Back on Afghanistan," by Jeff Huber, Antiwar.com, Oct. 20, 2009

"CNN Poll: Will Afghanistan turn into another Vietnam?," CNN, Oct. 19, 2009

"Audit Pushes Karzai Below 50 Percent in Afghan Vote," The New York Times, Oct. 19, 2009

"Decision on Afghan Troops May Wait," The New york Times, Oct. 18, 2009

"David Rohde's insights into what motivates the Taliban," by Glenn Greenweald, Salon, Oct. 18, 2009

"War next door creates havoc in Pakistan," by Eric Margolis, Toronto Sun/Canada, Oct. 18, 2009

"Same old mistakes in new Afghan war," Guardian/UK, Oct. 18, 2009

"Karzai balking at deal to end Afghan election dispute," McClatchy Newspapers, Oct. 17, 2009

"Afghan economy stumbles amid election uncertainty," McClatchy Newspapers, Oct. 16, 2009

"McChrystal's 40,000 Troop Hoax," by Robert Naiman, Truthout, Oct. 15, 2009

"Karzai Aide Says Afghan Runoff Vote Is Likely," The New York Times, Oct. 15, 2009

"$400 per gallon gas to drive debate over cost of war in Afghanistan," The Hill, Oct. 15, 2009

More newswire ...

Civil Liberties/ Human Rights

"UK: Secret files reveal covert network run by nuclear police," Guardian/UK, Oct. 20, 2009

"Justices to Decide on U.S. Release of Detainees," The New York Times, Oct. 20, 2009

"'War on Terror' II," by Julian Sanchez, The Nation, Oct. 19, 2009

"Obama's commendable change in federal drug enforcement policy," by Glenn Greenwald, Salon, Oct. 19, 2009

"British High Court rejects U.S./British cover-up of torture evidence," by Glenn Greenwald, Salon, Oct. 17, 2009

"White House 'Ordered' Lawmakers to Amend FOIA in Order to Conceal Torture Photos" by Jason Leopold, Truthout, Oct. 17, 2009

"UK to appeal order demanding publication of US torture docs," Agence France Presse, Oct. 17, 2009

"Binyam Mohamed: Judges overrule attempt to suppress torture evidence," Guardian/UK, Oct., 16, 2009

"Resisting Injustice in Guantánamo: The Story of Fayiz Al-Kandari," by Andy Worthington, Truthout, Oct., 16, 2009

"Obama Renews Bush's 9/11 State of Emergency," by Lewis Seiler and Dan Hamburg, Common Dreams, Oct., 16, 2009

"Obama's Guantánamo, counterterror policies similar to Bush's?," Christian Science Monitor, Oct., 15, 2009

"Democrats Take a Pass on Civil-Liberties Reform," by Adam Serwer, The American Prospect, Oct., 14, 2009

More newswire ...

Environment and Sustainability

"US gives Shell green light for offshore oil drilling in the Arctic," Guardian/UK, Oct. 20, 2009

"Report looks at hidden health costs of energy production," McClatchy Newspapers, Oct. 19, 2009

"Oil prices hit high but report warns of supply crunch," Guardian/UK, Oct. 19, 2009

"Politicians Have Failed in Efforts to Stave Off Climate Change, Now It's Up to Us," by Bill McKibben, Mother Jones, Oct. 17, 2009

"Corporations Badmouth Public Water," by Patti Lynn, Common Dreams, Oct. 16, 2009

"Is the climate bill being fossil/nuked?," by Harvey Wasserman, Free Press, Oct. 14, 2009

More newswire ...

Media Issues

"AT&T Boss Asks Employees to Fake It," by Timothy Karr, Save the Internet, Oct. 20, 2009

"Report Urges Broad Actions to Preserve Journalism," Associated Press, Oct. 20, 2009

"Knowing Thyself," by digby, Hullabaloo, Oct. 18, 2009

More newswire ...

Activism

"US Chamber of Commerce falls victim to 'fraud' over climate hoax," Guardian/UK, Oct. 19, 2009

"Antiwar protest draws hundreds from NE region," Boston Globe, Oct. 18, 2009

"In Oregon, an eight-year antiwar protest," Los Angeles Times, Oct. 18, 2009

"UK: Hundreds of Climate Change Protesters Clash with Police After Early Arrests Fail to Stop Demonstration," Daily Mail/UK, Oct. 17, 2009

"CodePink Founder Jodie Evans Challenges Obama Up Close and Personal on His Afghanistan Policy," by Don Hazen, AlterNet, Oct. 17, 2009

More newswire ...



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