Podcasts about hardliners

OpenAI verblufte afgelopen week de wereld met een nieuwe versie van ChatGPT. Nog nooit kreeg een chatbot zo'n menselijke stem, vol emotie. Maar het nieuws werd al snel overschaduwd door een conflict met opstappende mede-oprichters en een boze Scarlett Johansson. Wat maakt deze nieuwe update zo speciaal? En waar komt de interne escalatie vandaan? Dat bespreken we met wetenschapsredacteur Laurens Verhagen.Onze journalistiek steunen? Dat kan het beste met een (digitaal) abonnement op de Volkskrant, daarvoor ga je naar www.volkskrant.nl/podcastactie  Presentatie: Esma LinnemannRedactie: Corinne van Duin, Lotte Grimbergen, Julia van Alem, Jasper Veenstra, Nathalie Denie en Pim HubertsMontage: Rinkie Bartels, Simone EleveldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1980s, a pair of intimidating NRA leaders recast the organization in their own imposing images as the group went on an all-out offensive against gun regulations.

Congress cares more about foreigners than American citizens…PERIOD! «Ep. 1871» + RINO's and “hardliners”, oh my!       Monday, Monday, April 22, 2024   I break down how our so called Representatives seem to care more about foreigners than American citizens! Every American should be outraged by this weekends Ukraine flag waving, no strings attached, $60billion we don't have vote!     + California to the rescue of those wanting an abortion and a group launches a bid to oust AZ Supreme Court justices that voted to uphold AZ abortion ban law.      —————————————— Please FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the Jeff Oravits Show! RUMBLE   YouTube   ApplePodCasts   AmazonMusic   Spotify        Also on Twitter and www.TalkWithJeff.com   Disclaimer: The information provided on the Jeff Oravits Show does not constitute legal, medical, financial or tax advice.  All information is the opinions of the host's and his guests.  You should always seek the advice of a professional regarding any of these complex issues to make sure all circumstances of your situation are properly considered.   ——————————————

A recent Lebanese public opinion poll suggests there may be limits to Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah's restraint in confronting Israel. It also suggests why Iran feels emboldened by escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe and Kailey speak with: Republican Congressman Buddy Carter of Georgia as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson says the topline budget agreement with Democrats will remain despite disapproval from the House Freedom Caucus Bloomberg Pentagon Reporter Tony Capaccio about US and UK strikes on the Yemen-based Houthis last night. Bloomberg Politics Contributors Rick Davis and Jeanne Sheehan Zaino ahead of Monday's Iowa caucuses. Suffolk University Political Research Center Director David Paleologos about the latest polling data from Iowa and New Hampshire. Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Fellow Craig Singleton ahead of Taiwan's elections. Bloomberg Washington Senior Correspondent and Host of The Big Take DC Podcast Saleha Mohsin with a look on the ground in the Hawkeye State. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia Congressman Austin Scott says Congress must get its act together and win for the American people before it's too late. Scott says GOP hardliners must realize that no legislation or deal will be perfect, but cutting any federal spending or a deal on border security is better now than 10 months from now. Scott also says that Republicans “must be professional” so they can achieve successful messaging to independents and liberals on the truth about the Biden family business dealings, and topics that the media isn't talking about. Additional interviews with Freedom Caucus Member Rep. Eli Crane on border and Johnson's budget plan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was joined by seven other Republicans and the Democratic party in a first-of-its-kind maneuver. There is no plan for what comes next.We want to hear from you about the show: npr.org/politicssurveyThis episode: White House reporter Deepa Shivaram, political correspondent Susan Davis, and congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh.The podcast is produced by Casey Morell and Elena Moore. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Unlock access to this and other bonus content by supporting The NPR Politics Podcast+. Sign up via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Connect:Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.orgJoin the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.

WORLD: Republican hardliners oust US speaker in historic vote | October 4, 2023Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein #TheManilaTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The White House is warning of severe economic consequences if Congress fails to pass a funding bill by an October 1 deadline. Far-right House Republicans are demanding deep spending cuts that are almost certain to be rejected by the Democratic-controlled Senate. Also in this edition: France asks its energy firms to sell fuel at cost, and Germany looks to semiconductor production to revive its flagging industrial sector.

House Speaker McCarthy is on a collision course as pressure is growing from his right flank to impeach President Biden which could end up shutting down the government. Plus, Donald Trump wants the judge overseeing his federal election case out, now calling on her to recuse herself. Also, a look back as the nation remembers 9/11 and families continue to seek justice.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining the Church despite hardliners and the point of dogma is to change your life, Allegorically vs. historically true, talking about LGBTQ+ issues and abortion as a Catholic.

Joining the Church despite hardliners and the point of dogma is to change your life, Allegorically vs. historically true, talking about LGBTQ+ issues and abortion as a Catholic.

Joining the Church despite hardliners and the point of dogma is to change your life, Allegorically vs. historically true, talking about LGBTQ+ issues and abortion as a Catholic.

The European Research Group was once the most consequential faction in the Conservative party, playing a central role in bringing down former prime minister Theresa May and installing Boris Johnson in Number 10. And yet, in a recent test of strength, the Brexit hardliners stumbled. This is the story of what happened to the ERG.Tortoise is a newsroom devoted to slow journalism.For early access and ad-free listening subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise for £60 a year.As a member you'll also get our newsletters and tickets to live events. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/slowdown.If you'd like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In de podcast Afhameren analyseren politiek commentator Wouter de Winther en presentator Pim Sedee het laatste nieuws uit Den Haag. De Tweede Kamer werd opgeschrikt door post uit Brussel, waarin de Europese Commissie onderstreept dat Nederland de afspraken moet nakomen over de vermindering van de uitstoot tot 2030. Volgens De Winther is de gelekte stikstofbrief een vrij doorzichtige poging om de politieke besluitvorming te beïnvloeden. „Het is geen hogere wiskunde om te achterhalen wie dit proces probeert te sturen.” Dan is er nog die andere brief; de beloofde reactie van het kabinet op de verkiezingsuitslag. De Winther ziet dat er bij D66 voor het eerst sinds de verkiezingen realpolitik wordt bedreven. „Daar kunnen ze Tjeerd de Groot soms ook wel achter het behang plakken.” Verder: het bezoek van Wopke Hoekstra aan Caroline van der Plas, alsof ‘de CDA-leider op audiëntie ging bij de koningin', de ‘verbazingwekkende' onrust bij JA21 en de toekomst van eenpitter Pieter Omtzigt.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cooperation between Iran and Russia has been growing since Russian forces intervened in Syria to help rescue Iran's top regional ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2015. Military ties between the two countries have now expanded to Ukraine, where Russian forces are using drones supplied by Tehran. The deepening alliance is disrupting regional balances and causing worry among Gulf monarchies and Israel. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fionnan Sheahan joins Eamon to talk about the continuing election expenses reporting issues now impacting Sinn Féin. Also the continuing Northern Ireland Protocol negotiations, will Sunak be able to do a deal with the EU as he faces DUP and Brexit hardliners? Fionnan Sheahan is Ireland Editor at the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, and independent.ie.Recorded on Monday 20th February 2023 Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-stand-with-eamon-dunphy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

House Republicans are getting down to business, drafting legislation to spend more money on border control, less on the IRS. Hardliners are calling for radical changes to social security and Medicare. How will the GOP advance its agenda in the House? Rep. Gary Palmer, Scott MacFarlane and Philip Wallach join Kimberly Atkins Stohr.

Round 11 and No Speaker Of The House Elected as of 1/5/2023 in the United States Congress.The chaos and dysfunction are on display as Republicans try to elect a Speaker of the House. What will it look like trying to govern this country is going to be a real clown show for sure!

A small group of Republican hardliners set out to block Kevin McCarthy, their party's leader in the House of Representatives, from becoming Speaker. That same faction has taken on GOP leaders before.We speak to Paul Kane, senior Congressional correspondent and columnist for the Washington Post, about the history behind this week's standoff in the House and what it means for Congress.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Former Cabinet minister David Gauke and Professor Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Caitlin Doherty to discuss the Brexit row that's bubbled back to the surface and forced new prime minister Rishi Sunak to defend the government's approach to leaving the EU to a Tory party that remains massively divided on the issue.

Economist, commentator and podcaster Chris Johns joins Eamon to talk about Brexit, the UK economy and Rishi Sunak's government. Chris also talks about the negative impact of the struggling NHS on the economy. Chris Johns co-hosts his own podcast, The Other Hand, with economist Jim Power.Recorded on 11th November 2022. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-stand-with-eamon-dunphy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ORN Martin Armstrong show notes 10/25/22 US sanctions over Russia are a nail in our coffin. Including other countries in our sanctions violated international law. Undermining rule of law. NATO wanted Russia to join NATO in 1991. Story about failed Gorbachev coup, Yeltsin in interim, and Putin come to power. Documents show Clinton part of getting Putin in and communist takeover. People behind Putin are far worse. The communists are still there. Putin criticized by Russian hardliners for being too nostalgic about Ukraine, the root of Russia. He didn't want to destroy it. Ukraine not a nation before 1991. Area east of Dnieper River was always Russian empire. Yeltsin forced out of power over fraudulent transaction at Bank of New York in July 1999. He picked Putin to succeed. Biden administration is controlling Zelensky. Zelensky told not to negotiate. Said Ukraine would rearm with nuclear weapons. It's a war for climate change. 55% of Russian economy is fossil fuels. West wants to cut off ability of Russia to sell fossil fuels. US wanted to invade Syria because Syria wanted to run a pipeline. US invasion of Iraq is old story of projections that US will take out the dictator and the people will cheer and support the US. Invading countries take out the power grid first. Putin only now is taking out the Ukrainian power grid. Hardliners want Putin out. US blew up the Nordstream pipeline. A drone was discovered, Sweden not saying whose it was. The problem is having standing armies. US second amendment was supposed to enable a militia. They have to always demonize Russia. Every prior leader has always sought world peace. Only the opposite now. Not one leader is talking peace. They just want war. They need war because the financial system is collapsing. They plan to default on debts and start over again. Kissinger is very smart. Every president since Nixon has invited him to the White House except Biden. US history of false flags. They never tell the truth about anything. Removing Russia from SWIFT gave China the go ahead to initiate their CIPS financial system. Neocons on both sides, Republican and Democrat. Ukrainian Nazis horrified even the German Nazis. Deep-rooted hatred between Russia and Ukraine. Even the IMF refused to give Ukraine money until they cleaned up their corruption. Major area for laundering money. Minsk agreement that NATO would stay out of Ukraine. Donbass supposed to vote and form their own republic then. US started the civil war in Ukraine in 2014. US wanted Yanukovych out, forced protests and new election. Attacks on Donbass started then. November 7 is US election but also a critical time for the Ukrainian war. Will there be a false flag before the election? US, UK, France, Turkey warned by Russia that Ukraine will set off a dirty bomb. Armstrong's SOCRATES computer and its successful predictions. Japan has 2nd largest sovereign debt. Will fall before the US does. Uncertainty created about their financial system, so capital comes to the US. EU money also coming to the US now, because of liquidity crisis. FED creates money when it takes in debt. Yellen is shortening the yield curve. Biden is increasing expenditures dramatically. Bank needs a balance sheet to buy debt. Debt increasing so fast that banks can't buy debt. Yellen will buy 30 year bonds from the market and then issue short term debt as a swap. Is making the Treasury more susceptible to interest rate changes. Phase 1 was repo crisis. US wouldn't sell to European banks. The first crack in confidence. Now in Phase 2. Crack in confidence in government debt itself. Phase 3 is a complete collapse. They go into war to get out of this. Armstrong's new book, The Seizure of Russia.

The world is finally asking questions about the past two years. Some still think they have to call names and try to silence those who see it differently but they are in the minority which is probably why they lash out and stoop to such tactics. Let's talk about that.

Bishop George Muteti Anguza

Kremlin hardliners and the Special Military Operation The Duran: Episode 1282 #Russia #Putin #Ukraine #TheDuran

The all-male cabinet in Kabul includes figures linked to attacks on US forces and a leader wanted by the FBI. Also: Mexico decriminalises abortion in landmark ruling, and youngest Catholic bishop in Spain resigns from church to marry erotic novelist.

In the summer of 1991, my friends and I were 20-year-old college students who had no intention of participating in our country's politics in any way, shape, or form. But on the morning of August 19, politics came to us - in the form of radio broadcasts and tanks on the streets of Moscow. It was a real shock, even in 1991, when the Soviet system was coming apart before our eyes. Original Article: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2021/08/23/hi-there-s-a-military-coup-underway

President Biden campaigned on a swift return to the Iran nuclear deal. But with Iran freezing what have become laborious negotiations until the new hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, takes office next month, the prospect for a revitalized agreement remains uncertain. Is Tehran solely to blame for this impasse? This week, Eurasia Group Foundation's Mark Hannah is joined by Barbara Slavin and John Glaser to make sense of U.S.-Iran relations and the implications of Raisi's election. While a deal may be closer than headlines might lead you to believe, Barbara and John argue that prospects for détente continue to remain hindered by hardliners on both sides of the negotiating table — and decades of deep-seated animosity.   Barbara Slavin is a career journalist and the director of the Atlantic Council's Future of Iran Initiative. She is the author of the book, Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S., and the Twisted Path to Confrontation. You can follow Barbara on Twitter at @barbaraslavin1. John Glaser is the director of foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute. He is also the host of the Power Problems Podcast and coauthor of the book, Fuel to the Fire: How Trump Made America's Broken Foreign Policy Even Worse (and How We Can Recover). You can follow John on Twitter at @jwcglaser.

Scott talks to Ted Snider about America's relationship with Iran and Syria. Iran has just elected a new president, Ibrahim Raisi, who Snider says is much more of a hardliner than his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani. Rouhani was the one who worked with the Obama administration on the JCPOA, so on the surface it seems that Raisi's more obstinate stance toward the U.S. will be to America's disadvantage. But Snider goes on to explain a bizarre dynamic that pervades American—and especially neoconservative—foreign policy: the U.S. government will push for moderate leaders in Iran, then discredit their reformist positions by betraying our agreements (as President Trump did with the JCPOA), which in turn give rise to more radical, conservative leaders in their place. And Snider suspects that this pattern is deliberate. The establishment war planners in Washington want Iran to be America's arch-nemesis, and moderate reformers stand in the way of that portrayal. Needless to say, none of this is actually good for the American people. Discussed on the show: "Why Are We Still at War with Syria?" (Antiwar.com) "Iran's Election: Making Your Iranian Nightmares Come True" (Antiwar.com) "Why I'm Rooting for the Hardliner in Iran's Elections" (POLITICO Magazine) "The Redirection" (The New Yorker) Going to Tehran: Why America Must Accept the Islamic Republic of Iran Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Ted Snider has a graduate degree in philosophy and writes on analyzing patterns in U.S. foreign policy and history. He is a regular writer for Truthout, MondoWeiss and antiwar.com. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee; Zippix Toothpicks and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG.

Scott talks to Ted Snider about America's relationship with Iran and Syria. Iran has just elected a new president, Ibrahim Raisi, who Snider says is much more of a hardliner than his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani. Rouhani was the one who worked with the Obama administration on the JCPOA, so on the surface it seems that Raisi's more obstinate stance toward the U.S. will be to America's disadvantage. But Snider goes on to explain a bizarre dynamic that pervades American—and especially neoconservative—foreign policy: the U.S. government will push for moderate leaders in Iran, then discredit their reformist positions by betraying our agreements (as President Trump did with the JCPOA), which in turn give rise to more radical, conservative leaders in their place. And Snider suspects that this pattern is deliberate. The establishment war planners in Washington want Iran to be America's arch-nemesis, and moderate reformers stand in the way of that portrayal. Needless to say, none of this is actually good for the American people. Discussed on the show: "Why Are We Still at War with Syria?" (Antiwar.com) "Iran's Election: Making Your Iranian Nightmares Come True" (Antiwar.com) "Why I'm Rooting for the Hardliner in Iran's Elections" (POLITICO Magazine) "The Redirection" (The New Yorker) Going to Tehran: Why America Must Accept the Islamic Republic of Iran Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Ted Snider has a graduate degree in philosophy and writes on analyzing patterns in U.S. foreign policy and history. He is a regular writer for Truthout, MondoWeiss and antiwar.com. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: The War State and Why The Vietnam War?, by Mike Swanson; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; EasyShip; Thc Hemp Spot; Green Mill Supercritical; Bug-A-Salt; Lorenzotti Coffee; Zippix Toothpicks and Listen and Think Audio. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjYu5tZiG. https://youtu.be/od7O-UUHgqM

Joshua and Hugh's fortnightly wrap-up of news from around the world is here! Join us as we chat about: Iran's controversial new president. The CCP's 100th birthday celebrations. Protests in Spain as separatists are freed from jail. The threat posed by far-right security officials within the EU. Are you enjoying Global Questions? Do you have a tip for how we can improve? Got an idea for an upcoming episode? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Head to our suggestions page. Follow us on Instagram @global.questions for more content or visit our website.

Ebrahim Raisi's election could cement religious control over the presidency, parliament and judiciary.

The family of a prominent Turkish dissident, Orhan Inandi hold grave fears for his safety after he disappeared in the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan. And, they call him the execution ayatollah. Is he about to become Iran's new president? Also, how the tough new Vatican laws have upset Catholic feminists.

On this edition of Parallax Views, leaked material reveals a shift to hardliners ahead of the June 18th elections in Iran. Journalist Gareth Porter, whose work is featured at The Grayzone, Consortium News, and Antiwar.com, joins me to discuss this development as well as to cover the rocky history of U.S.-Iranian relations. During the course of our conversation Gareth and I delve into Iranian Foreign MinisterJavad Zarif conflicts with the late General Soleimani of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and how Soleimani's death at the hands of a drone strike during Trump Presidency has effectively pushed many in Iran towards potentially voting for candidates that are opposed to negotiating a new deal with the U.S. In addition to this Gareth and I also delve into the history of the Iran nuclear program, Reagan vs. Iran, Soleimani vs. ISIS, Soleimani in Syria and Iraq, the tension between Shia principles and the IRGC, the JCPOA and Obama, and much, much more.

Germany’s long-time ambassador to North Korea, Thomas Schäfer, joins the NK News podcast to discuss diplomatic life in North Korea, politics in Pyongyang, changes in attitudes and beliefs over time among there, Germany’s approach to scientific and cultural exchange, nuclear weapons, the lessons of German reunification for the Korean Peninsula, and why he is not […]

Opinion Out Loud brings you a selection of the National Secular Society's opinion pieces in audio format. Read this original opinion piece: https://www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2021/05/the-dfe-must-show-leadership-when-religious-hardliners-turn-on-schools The start of an investigation into the Batley Grammar affair raises questions over the government's willingness to ensure assertive religious voices don't dictate what happens in classrooms, says Stephen Evans.

Ever wonder what it would be like to be unable to wear your colors because it was against the law!? The Hardliners MC in Holland found this out the hard way.This is a podcast so that is why there is no moving video. If you want to hear the podcast go to "The Dragon's Lair, Motorcycle Chaos, wherever you download podcasts, or click the source link below. Thank you!Help us get to 10,000 subscribers on www.instagram.com/BlackDragonBikerTV on Instagram. Thank you!Subscribe to our new discord server https://discord.gg/dshaTSTGet 20% off Gothic biker rings by using my special discount code: blackdragon go to http://gthic.com?aff=147Subscribe to our online news magazine www.bikerliberty.comBuy Black Dragon Merchandise, Mugs, Hats, T-Shirts Books: https://blackdragonsgear.comDonate to our cause with Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BlackDragonNP Donate to our cause with PayPal https://tinyurl.com/yxudso8z Subscribe to our Prepper Channel “Think Tactical”: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-WnkPNJLZ2a1vfis013OAgSUBSCRIBE TO Black Dragon Biker TV YouTube https://tinyurl.com/y2xv69buKEEP UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackdragonbikertvTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/jbunchiiFacebook : https://www.facebook.com/blackdragonbiker

Join this week's program as “The Professor” and “Double B” Bobby Blaze as they take a deep dive into the life and career of Dick Slater. Known as a legitimate tough guy in and out of the ring, always Unpredictable, Slater left his mark on many guys and had a huge impact in professional wrestling. Who shot Dirty Dick in the leg? A sniper? What NFL player did Slater beat up? Is it true he gave a huge future star a swirly one night while in Mid-South Wrestling? Find out about Dark Journey. Also learn about the many fractions in wrestling he was associated with, such as Th J-Tex Corporation, The Hardliners and so much more. Tune in for this unique deep dive. Buy Bobby's Books Pin Me Pay Me I kicked out on two --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/belltobellblaze/message

Scottish politics has been rocked by a bitter public feud between first minister Nicola Sturgeon and her predecessor Alex Salmond. A complex saga with many twists and turns involving a sex scandal and allegations of a government coverup, could it also have implications for the existence of the United Kingdom? In January 2018 at the height of the #MeToo movement, the Scottish government launched an inquiry into sexual misconduct allegations made by two women against former first minister Alex Salmond. Salmond, denying all allegations, successfully sued the government in 2019, claiming the investigation against him was biased. It was revealed that the investigating officer had previous contact with the accusers. The Scottish government was suspected of behaving unlawfully and ordered to pay over £500,000 for Salmond’s legal fees.  At a criminal trial on 23 March 2020 Salmond was also acquitted of 14 charges of sexual offences including attempted rape.  'A failure of leadership,' a 'conspiracy' The issue is gaining traction because a parliamentary committee set up to investigate the government’s mishandling of the affair finally heard evidence from the former Scottish leader in February this year. Salmond claims senior Scottish National Party (SNP) officials conspired to remove him from public life and tried to cover up their misdeeds afterwards.  “The Government acted illegally but somehow nobody is to blame.” Salmond said. “Scotland hasn’t failed, its leadership has failed.”  Giving evidence to the committee on 3 March, first minister Nicola Sturgeon (Alex Salmond’s protégée and former deputy) dismissed Salmond’s plot claims as “absurd,” explaining that she simply “refused to follow the age-old pattern of allowing a powerful man to use his status and connections to get what he wants.” Key questions remain to be answered Many claims by Alex Salmond lack hard evidence but there remain key unanswered questions:  Why did the Scottish government fight Salmond’s lawsuit? Lawyers have said they advised the government against it, warning that it was doomed to fail.  When did Nicola Sturgeon first hear of the allegations against her former boss? When previously questioned in parliament, her recollection of dates has been patchy. Honest forgetfulness, or evidence that she knew of the problem much earlier but failed to act?  Why has the government delayed and withheld key evidence in the investigation? Scotland’s prosecution service claims it was to protect the identities of the female accusers. Critics say accountability and transparency are at stake. Tangled threat to the cause of independence This whole tangled web risks damaging the cause for Scottish independence precisely at a time when it’s on the march.  Though Scots narrowly voted to stay part of the United Kingdom in 2014, independence supporters believe that the Brexit vote two years later (opposed by 63 percent of Scotland's electorate) is the kind of fundamental change that warrants another referendum. Boris Johnson – in theory the only one who can allow it - has refused to grant one, saying in parliament that it was “the last thing that the people of this country need right now”.  But how sustainable is his position? Over the last year support for independence has risen to around 55 percent, its highest ever sustained levels. On 6 May, there will be elections for the Scottish Parliament. If pro-independence parties win a majority, Johnson will be under renewed pressure to allow a second Scottish referendum.  Badly timed turmoil That’s why the current political turmoil is very bad timing for the Scottish government. Recent polls taken after the committee evidence hinted at a marginal dip in support for independence. Two investigations into the scandal are still due to report before the election to judge if Nicola Sturgeon broke the rules. Will the findings be conclusive enough to unseat her? She remains the most popular leader in the United Kingdom. Voters could decide that independence is more important than any of this and give her the majority she seeks.  But in the background, the storm clouds are gathering. Fault lines within the independence movement are opening up over how to proceed if Boris Johnson continues to block them. Nicola Sturgeon has hinted she may challenge the British government in court, but some think that’s a trap and could delay things for years. Hardliners are impatient, and some speak of holding a Catalonia-style unsanctioned vote.  Whatever the outcome of the scandal, Scotland’s future is far from certain and its independence may be endangered just when it’s within reach.  

We are in the process of regime changing Belarus. In this episode, I prove it. Executive Producer: Nich Secord Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank’s online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Episodes CD225: Targets of the Free Marketeers CD206: Impeachment: The Evidence CD190: A Coup for Capitalism CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress CD102: The World Trade Organization: COOL? CD068: Ukraine Aid Bill CD067: What Do We Want In Ukraine? Bills Omnibus 2021 Outline Bill Text DIVISION FF - OTHER MATTERS TITLE III - FOREIGN RELATIONS AND DEPARTMENT OF STATE PROVISIONS SUBTITLE C - Support for Human Rights in Belarus Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 Sec. 322: Findings "Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled Belarus as an undemocratic dictatorship since the first presidential election in Belarus in 1994." "Subsequent presidential election in Belarus have been neither free nor fair..." In response to the 2006 presidential election, "Congress passed the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006" 2006: President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13405 which authorized sanctions 2011: Senate Resolution 105 condemned the December 2010 elections in Belarus as illegitimate Repeatedly says, "The Government of Belarus, led illegally by Alyaksandr Lukashenka..." Accuses the government of conducting flawed elections, retribution against protestors, the suppression of the media, "a systematic campaign of harassment, repression, and closure of nongovernmental organizations", and pursuit of policies that make Belarus "subservient" to Russia by integrating into a "so called 'Union State' that is under the control of Russia". Accuses the government of arresting journalists, activists, and "3 leading presidential candidates" ahead of the August 2020 election. Accuses the government of conducting a fraudulent election on August 9, 2020, which reelected Alyaksandr Lukashenka and says the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada refuse to recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as the legitimate President of Belarus. The opposition candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhaouskaya fled to Lithuania in the days following the election, and from Lithuania, she "announced the formation of a Coordination Council to oversee... a peaceful transition of power..." The government of Belarus is accused of arresting journalists, including six who report for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Alyaksandr Lukashenka has requested security assistance from Russia, which Russia has promised to provide Sec. 323: Statement of Policy "To continue rejecting the invalid results of the fraudulent August 9, 2020 presidential election in Belarus..." "To continue supporting calls for new presidential and parliamentary elections..." "To refuse to recognize Alyaksandr Lukashenka as the legitimately elected leader of Belarus" "To not recognize any incorporation of Belarus into a 'Union State' with Russia..." "To continue calling for the fulfillment by the Government of Belarus of Belarus's freely undertaken obligations as an OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) participating state and as a signatory of the Charter of the United Nations" "To recognize the Coordination Council as a legitimate institution to participate in a dialogue on a peaceful transition of power." "To impose targeted sanctions, in coordination with the European Union and other international partners..." Sec. 324: Assistance to Promote Democracy, Civil Society, and Sovereignty in Belarus Authorizes "Belarusian groups outside of Belarus" to receive assistance Authorizes assistance to be used for "enhancing the development of the private section, particularly the information technology sector, and its role in the economy of Belarus, including by increasing the capacity of private sector actors..." Authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2021 and 2022. Sec. 325: International Broadcasting, Internet Freedom, and Access to Information in Belarus Gives the Biden administration's State Department 120 days to submit a strategy, with a cost estimate, for expanding radio, television, live stream, and social network broadcasting and communications in Belarus to provide news and information, to develop and deploy circumvention technologies to allow people in Belarus to communicate on the internet without interference from the government of Belarus, to monitor the cooperation between Belarus and other countries in regards to internet monitoring or censorship capabilities, and "build the capacity of civil society, media, and other nongovernmental organizations and organizations to identify, track, and counter disinformation." Part of this report can be classified Sec. 326: Sanctions Against the Government of Belarus Allows sanctions to be applied to "a member of any branch of the security or law enforcement services of Belarus...", or is "an official in the so-called 'Union State' between Russia and Belarus (regardless of nationality of the individual) and their family members. Articles/Documents Article: Institutional interest in bitcoin sets the latest bull run apart from 2017's retail-driven surge, Goldman's digital asset chief says, By Emily Graffeo, Business Insider, March 9, 2021 Article: The European Deterrence Initiative, By Candela FERNANDEZ GIL-DELGADO, Legal Researcher at Finabel – European Army Interoperability Centre, March 4, 2021 Article: Atlantic Council urges Biden to enforce regime change in Belarus, By Paul Antonopoulos, Aletho News, February 18, 2021 Press Release: Nominations Sent to the Senate, The White House, February 13, 2021 Article: Joe Biden’s Pick of Victoria Nuland Means Relations with Russia Could Get Worse, By Mark Episkopos, The National Interest, January 15, 2021 Article: Opinion: How Biden can undo damage to U.S.-backed news outlets that counter authoritarian propaganda, By Gregory Feifer, Slate, December 18, 2020 Article: Belarus Will Be an Early Challenge for Biden, By Jamie Fly, The Washington Post, December 24, 2020 Article: U.S. Senate Unanimously Approves Julie Fisher As New Ambassador To Minsk, BelarusFeed, December 17, 2020 Article: Opinion: The people of Belarus are still marching against dictatorship. The U.S. can help., By Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, The Washington Post, December 4, 2020 Statement: BELARUS – STATEMENT BY VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, Joe Biden, October 27, 2020 Statement: Public Companies Have Invested Billions in Bitcoin This Year, By Martin Young, CryptoPotato, October 14, 2020 Press Release: Treasury Sanctions Belarus Officials for Undermining Democracy, U.S. Department of the Treasury, October 2, 2020 Press Release: House Members Introduce Belarus Democracy and Human Rights Act, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, October 1, 2020 Article: What Exactly Is The Coordination Council And What Are Its Plans To Oust Belarus’s Leader?, By Tony Wesolowsky, RadioFreeEurope, RadioLiberty, August 25, 2020 Document: Belarus: An Overview, By Cory Welt, Congressional Research Service, August 24, 2020 Article: The U.S. Was Set to Send an Ambassador to Belarus. Then Came the Crackdown., Robbie Gramer and Amy Mackinnon, Foreign Policy, August 12, 2020 Document: EUROPEAN DETERRENCE INITIATIVE, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, February 2020 Article: The Union State of Russia and Belarus: Searching for a Development Vector, By Sergey Rekeda, moderndiplomacy, December 20, 2019 Article: Why economic reforms in Belarus are now more urgent than ever, By Alex Kremer, World Bank Blogs, June 26, 2019 Article: Yeltsin Shelled Russian Parliament 25 Years Ago, U.S. Praised “Superb Handling”, By Svetlana Savranskaya and Tom Blanton, National Security Archive, October 4, 2018 Document: Belarus: Background and U.S. Policy Concerns, By Steven Woehrel, Specialist in European Affairs, Congressional Research Service, February 12, 2013 Statement: Statement on the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004, George W. Bush, Office of the Press Secretary, October 20, 2004 Document: Russia’s Economic and Political Transition: U.S. Assistance and Issues for Congress, By Curt Tarnoff, Specialist in Foreign Affairs, Congressional Research Service, May 5, 1999 Article: 1991: Hardliners stage coup against Gorbachev, BBC, August 19, 1991 Books The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein, September 2007 Additional Resources FY 2020 European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) Fact Sheet, U.S. European Command Public Affairs Office Coordination Council Leadership History: Since 1961 Atlantic Council Board of Directors, International Republican Institute Profile: Joanna Rohozinska, LinkedIn Visual References Sound Clip Sources Meeting: Biden and Belarus: A strategy for the new administration, Atlantic Council, January 27, 2021 Authors Dr. Anders Åslund, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, Melinda Haring, deputy director at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, Ambassador John Herbst, director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, and Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, join to present their key findings and ideas for the Biden administration. They are joined by Valery Kovaleuski, an adviser to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, to discuss the report. The event will be moderated by Eurasia Center Nonresident Fellow and Tsikhanouskaya adviser Hanna Liubakova. Watch on Youtube Speakers: Melinda Haring Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center Eurasia Foundation Freedom House National Democratic Institute Council on Foreign Relations John Herbst Director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council 2003-2006: US Ambassador to Ukraine 2000-2003: US Ambassador to Uzbekistan - played a critical role in the establishment of an American base to help conduct Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan Former Principal Deputy to the Ambassador at Large for the New Independent States Dr. Anders Åslund Senior fellow at the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Bank of Finland Institute for Economies in Transition Former Director of the Russian and Eurasian Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Valery Kovaleuski Adviser to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Transcript: 9:40 Melinda Haring: The problem, though, is that there's all kinds of limitations on moving money into Belarun. It's A, it's a security state, B, we have COVID. And people can't move in and out of the country very easily. So this has to be handled sensitively. The folks that I'm talking to say that cryptocurrencies are the way to do it, but there's a bigger problem. The US government is not very good at moving money. They are tied up in all kinds of reporting requirements. The European Union has the same issues. But we need to be more creative. If we don't think with some new creative energy. This protest movement is going to fizzle out. So it's time to go back to the drawing boards and talk to people who are good at moving money and make it happen now. 14:40 Dr. Anders Åslund: Lukashenko today has only reserves for about one month of imports normally said it should be for three months. And he has a$3 billion of cash he needs $6 billion more to carry, to cover this year. And traditionally there are two sources to get that. One is from the IMF and back is not available because the IMF is not prepared to deal with Lukashenko because he is normally cheating them. And they know that. And the other source is Russia. Putin declared when Lukashenko came to his knees to Putin in Sochi on the 14th of September, but he's ready to give one and a half billion dollars as loans. But, Lukashenko needs much more, and well to Putin hinted at it is that Russian private money can come in and buy the big companies, and the Belarusian economy is quite concentrated to a few big companies. So there are four big companies: two fertilizer plants and two oil refineries that account for two thirds of the Belarus's exports to the west. And then where do they get the raw material from? All the oil comes from Russia, and the gas for one of the fertilizer plants come from Russia. So the natural thing is that the Russian private businessmen by these Belarusian companies, we have seen it before. It has happened with gas assets in Belarus and half of one of the refineries is already bought by Russian companies. But where does the money come from? It comes from Russian state banks. So what Putin is essentially saying it is a couple of my most loyal oligarchs are allowed to get billions of dollars of Russian state bank financing in order to buy Belarusian companies cheaply, and that would completely tie up the Belarusian economy and this is what we have to avoid. 18:07 Valery Kovaleuski: Biden has expressed a lot of interest in the situation in Belarus, he showed himself as fairly well informed about the events in those. And he was very vocal in kind of demanding the action and kind of defining the policy of the United States government. At this stage, I think the most important than the sort of doses are waiting for very specific steps that will be tangible, and that will be impactful. And number one is fast reintroduction of economic sanctions. And you might know that the United States have has imposed the sanctions since long, but they were suspended when Russia invaded Ukraine and the United States and European Union decided to engage with those and normalize relations. And that was one of the steps that they made. They introduced the waiver to the sanctions and now they are in the the suspension state. The other one would be to continue not recognizing Lukashenka's legitimacy as he is not legitimate ruler of Belarus at the moment. Very important would be to start implementation of the those Democracy Human Rights and Sovereignty Act that was adopted just last year, and actually it was, it was adopted in a very kind of fast, fast pace in just three months since in introduction in the house. But the whole Act has as a kind of arsenal of tools and mechanisms to to influence the situation that was to influence, the behavior of Lukashenka. 21:46 John Herbst: The first is to promote the legitimacy of the opposition in Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and the delegitimization of Lukashenko. So, for example, our ambassador when she goes out, Julie Fisher, a wonderful diplomat, should not present credentials to Lukashenko, she should be spending most of our time in Vilnius near Ms. Tsikhanouskaya to wish to organize the US government to manage this crisis. So we should have a senior coordinator to manage sanctions against Lukashenko regime, and maybe against appropriate Russians, and also should have a senior official designated to manage assistance to the opposition and to the people of Belarus. And finally, this this combines both organization and resources, we should double the budget of RFP and RL. So we can get out our message to the people of Belarus. The third category is to increase specific support to the opposition. So for example, Melinda already mentioned the need to get resources to the opposition using cryptocurrency, we should also push to give legitimacy to the opposition. The fourth, the next element is to keep Russia out of the conflict. I mean, they're already in. We've seen what they've done by sending media experts, for example. But this this involves I say, a series of measures that have to be conducted simultaneously. One, we don't want to frighten Russians into thinking that Belarus is is now going to become part of the West. So we would encourage the opposition not to talk about NATO not to talk about the EU talk simply about the need for Belarus to choose its own president to work with the EU should be in dialogue with Moscow about the crisis in Belarus. But three, we should send a very clear signal to Moscow that if they intervene with their repressive opperatives, whether with their secret police, with their regular police with their military, to repress the people of Belarus, or to prop up Lukashenko or Lukashenko-like alternative, there will be serious sanctions against the Russian economy against Russian officials. 43:09 Melinda Haring: I think that Ukraine can definitely play a role here. And you know, there's a lot of Belarusians who are in Ukraine. One of the more interesting things I found in in my section of the report, I focused on the domestic picture, is where Belarusians have gone since August, so Belarusians have gone to give, they've got to Riga, they've got to Vilnius and they've gone to Warsaw. And they're creating massive civil society organizations that are helping people who had to leave quickly. And many of the people in Kiev are students so you can help students, you can, you can send a pizza, you can provide a house for them. You can do very basic things. 55:09 Dr. Anders Åslund: The aim of the sanctions is to put sufficient pressure on a bilateral so that Lukashenko has to go. This is a really a regime change group of sanctions. Meeting: A conversation with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Atlantic Council, December 7, 2020 Watch on Youtube Speakers: Damon Wilson Executive VP of the Atlantic Council 2007-2009: Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council Former Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff at US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq 2004-2006: Director for Central, Eastern, and Northern European Affairs at the National Security Council 2001-2004: Deputy Director in the Private Office of NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson - Played a lead role on the Alliance’s response to 9/11 and its operations in Afghanistan and the Western Balkans Melinda Haring Deputy Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center Eurasia Foundation Freedom House National Democratic Institute Council on Foreign Relations Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Transcript: 1:37 Damon Wilson: After her husband was jailed by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenka, while running for President, Svetlana stepped in. Running a historic campaign for change. Much of the world recognizes that she overwhelmingly won the August 9th election, but Tsikhanouskaya was forced to flee the country after the regime threatened her family. The people of Belarus have protested for months demanding that Lukashenka resign, they are the true source of legitimacy. Tsikhanouskaya and the coordination Council for the transition of power which she leads from Vilnius, Lithuania, is recognized by the European Union and many others as the true voice of the Belarusian people. 5:42 Melinda Haring: How can the people of Belarus change the dynamic on the ground and force out Lukashenka? 8:07 Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: We are asking the west to act faster. In my opinion, Western countries should demand new and fair elections and release of all political prisoners. Belarus democracy Act would serve as timely and extremely helpful step from the head of the US government in support of their brave people. 19:57 Melinda Haring: Look, I wanted to tell our audience if they haven't had a chance to get a copy of The Washington Post. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya has a piece in it this weekend. It's called 'The people of Belarus are Still Marching, Help Us.' And she writes very passionately about the need to pass the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights and Sovereignty Act of 2020. There's two weeks left to pass this act before Congress is out. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya what's in it and why is it important? Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: The proceeds the bipartisan support received in favor of this act. We hope that this draft bill becomes law as soon as possible, as it would inspire the US to act decisively and urgently to support Belarus. Belarusian peaceful protest is a turning point. People struggle, people suffer. People struggle everyday with great dedication, yet there is a need of support on behalf of the international community. And when the new democracy act becomes low, it would send a strong signal to the Belarusian regime and the rest of the world on non recognition of Lukashenka's legitimacy, call for new presidential elections and oversee standards and demand the release of all political prisoners. You know, in our opinion, the Act would allow prompt US assistance to the civil society, media and urgent actions such as counter internet blockages in Belarus. Meeting: Backing Batka: Russia's strategic economic integration with Belarus, Atlantic Council, November 6, 2020 Watch on Youtube Speakers: Host: John Herbst Director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council 2003-2006: US Ambassador to Ukraine 2000-2003: US Ambassador to Uzbekistan played a critical role in the establishment of an American base to help conduct Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan Former Principal Deputy to the Ambassador at Large for the New Independent States Dr. Katerina Bornukova, academic director of the BEROC Economic Research Center Professor Vladislav Inozemtsev Senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Dirk Schuebel Ambassador of the European Union to Belarus Dr. Anders Åslund Senior fellow at the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Bank of Finland Institute for Economies in Transition Former Director of the Russian and Eurasian Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 5:58 Dirk Schuebel: The pro-democracy movement and Belarus now faces the difficult prospect of dislodging Mr. Lukashenko, the unrecognized President who refuses to leave office. 6:47 Dr. Katerina Bornukova: So, if we take a look at the recent economic growth, over the last 10 years, we will see stagnation, average growth rate was around 1.7% only, which is too low for a developing economy, which needs to catch up. And the reason for this is structural problems, lack of reforms and privatization. As a result, we have a very large state owned sector, which is inefficient and which has accumulated a lot of debt, and this debt was slowly transferred to the government. So, which means that, well, right now, over the years, Belarus has also accumulated public debt. And right now that that is up to 35% of GDP. It's not relatively large, but it's quite difficult to serve because the majority of this debt is nominated in foreign currencies and that means that the liquidity and currency is always a problem with Belarus, and it often turns to Russia to solve this problem. So right now 50% of the debt is held by Russia or Russia associated funds. 10:45 Professor Vladislav Inozemtsev: Even if the government in Belarus changes, Russia will not...it cannot decouple from better because there are a lot of links, which tightens the two countries. First of all, Belarus is a part of the so called union state with Russia existing from like 99. It's a part of the Eurasian Economic Union. And in this case, Russia can allow to lose Belarus. There is a huge difference between Belarus and Ukraine for example, in this case, because Ukraine never was a part of any Russian led organizations but Belarus is. 13:49 Professor Vladislav Inozemtsev: The difference between Ukraine for example and Belarus is that Belarusian economy is state owned, it is not controlled by the oligarchy groups as it is in Ukraine. So therefore, for participating in this privatization for getting this shares or stakes in Belarus enterprise, the Russian private companies should be allowed to do so. So, therefore, there were several moves from the Russian side from the Russian private companies in direction of somehow changing the situation and to being allowed to jump in. 24:40 Dr. Anders Åslund: More money must come. And as we have discussed, all of us, this essentially has to come from the private sector. Ideally, this would be an IMF program, but the IMF is not ready to go for any program way of Lukashenko. They haven't had anything since 2009. Because Lukashenko refuses to do the elementary thing, stop subsidies to state enterprises and deregulated certain prices. So this is out of question. Hearing: Markup Hearing including Belarus bill, U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, October 1, 2020 Watch on Youtube Transcript: 1:18:30 Rep. Chris Smith (NJ): Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you as well for bringing the Belarus Democracy Human Rights and Sovereignty Act of 2020. And thank you to Ranking Member McCall for his leadership on this Chairman Keating and Mr. Kissinger for their leadership as well. And Marcy Kaptur, who is also one of the co sponsors originals of this bill. 1:20:15 Rep. Chris Smith (NJ): We are now approaching almost two months since the fraudulent poll. And the people of Belarus despite the brutal crackdown, are still organizing rallies of 100,000 people or more demanding that Lukashenko leave power, and lead Belarus to the people to whom it belongs. I would note to my colleagues that according to the UN Special Rapporteur, more than 10,000 peaceful protesters have been detained as of September 18. And they need our help. Recent reports indicate that the police are using now, today increasingly violent tactics against these peaceful demonstrators. We do have a window of opportunity, and we need to seize it with everything that we have. As my colleagues know, the leading opposition presidential candidate, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who won the election by most accounts. Of course, there's not access to the ballots, but it seems clear that she won the election formed the coordination Council. Svetlana is an incredibly brave woman. She ran a brilliant campaign. But today she has an exile in Lithuania, where she continues to rally the Belarusian people and the world. I want to thank Mr. Keating for putting together that WebEx a few weeks ago with her and some of the coordination leaders from the council. We all saw a new and a fresh, just how important it is that we stand behind her. And behind all of the people of Belarus who have aspirations for free and fair elections and for democracy. 1:21:50 Rep. Chris Smith (NJ): This bill today updates the Belarus Democracy Acts of 2004, 2006, and 2011 that I authored, and renews the personal economic and visa sanctions on an expanded list of bad actors in the Belarusian government. And, this is new, Russian individuals complicit in the crackdown. It calls for new elections, it recognizes the coordination council as a legitimate institution to participate in a dialogue on a peaceful transition of power. 1:23:15 Rep. Chris Smith (NJ): So I just want to thank my colleagues. It's a totally bipartisan bill. I want to thank Katie Earle for her work on the bill. I want to thank Jackie Ramos, Pierre Tosi, Patrick, the Doug Anderson, there are just many who have worked together fast, quickly and effectively, and members to put together this bipartisan legislation. Hearing: Protecting Democracy During COVID–19 in Europe and Eurasia and the Democratic Awakening in Belarus, Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment, September 10, 2020 Watch on Youtube Witnesses: Douglas Rutzen President and CEO of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law Professor at Georgetown University Law Center Advisory Board member of the United Nations Democracy Fund Therese Pearce Laanela Head of Electoral Processes at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Joanna Rohozinska Resident Program Director for Europe at the Beacon Project at the International Republican Institute Senior program officer for Europe at the National Endowment for Democracy at least as of 2019. She has worked there for about a decade Jamie Fly Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund and Co-Director of the Alliance for Security Democracy Senior Advisor to WestExec Advisors Co-founded by incoming Secretary of State, Antony Blinken Former President and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in 2019 & 2020 Former counselor for foreign and national security affairs for Sen. Marco Rubio from 2013-2017 Former Executive Director of the Foreign Policy Initiative from 2009-2013 Former member of GWB's National Security Council from 2008-2009 Former member of GWB's Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2005-2008 Transcript: 53:30 Joanna Rohozinska: Lukashenko must be held responsible for his choices and actions. Word mating strategies with transatlantic allies should be priority and to call for dialogue, immediate release of political prisoners and support for the political opposition's demands for holding elections under international supervision and beginning negotiations on a Lukashenko transition. 53:56 Joanna Rohozinska: Support for democracy requires patience as well as long term commitment and vision. This has been made possible with the support of Congress to IRI and the family. Thank you and I look forward to your questions. 1:03:05 Therese Pearce Laanela: Institutions that are as strong...What we are seeing... those that are able to safeguard and against disinformation for example, they are working in innovative ways because this isn't a challenge that existed really as much before social media and one of the things that we're seeing is a kind of interagency cooperation, a partnership between private and public. That's really hasn't been seen before. Let me just take Australia as a case, but the working together with social media companies and government agencies and security agencies and election officials for rapid reaction to anything that comes in and that kind of seamless communication between agencies, that is one of the ways in which we can protect. 1:04:15 Jamie Fly: We have tools. Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty has a Bella Russian language service Radio Svoboda which has significant of followers inside Belarus. The problem is that Lukashenko like many other authoritarians have realized that when they face significant pressure, they should take the country offline. And Belarusian authorities have done that on a regular basis, which makes it much more difficult to communicate and allow information to spread freely. So what they really need outlets like Svoboda and other independent media are access to internet circumvention tools, which are also funded by the State Department and the US Agency for Global Media. 1:09:57 Douglas Rutzen: China is providing surveillance technology to countries including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Serbia. They also provided a $2 billion dollar loan to Hungry to construct a railway which Hungry then classified as a state secret in terms of the construction. 1:19:28 Brian Fitzpatrick: In 2013, in 2000, and he saw large scale protests in Ukraine, following what many believed to be a falsification of elections by their federal officials. So my first question for the entire panel, do you believe that Belarus protests could lead to a revolution similar to the one we saw in Ukraine and secondarily, on Tuesday, President Lukashenko, refused to rule out the idea of holding new elections, and acknowledge that he may have overstayed his time at office, whether or not you see revolutions similar to Ukraine, do you think that these protests could lead to an actual change in leadership? Joanna Rohozinska: So I take it as a question to me. I mean, I think that things have been building up and I would say that with this similarity to Ukraine was that there was also a deep seated frustration with corruption. Here, it's less about corruption. But it's still meets, where you have the accountability and transparency aspect of it that I was mentioning in my testimony. And I think that the frustration with the lack of responsive government and being treated like animals, frankly, is what they say, is what finally boiled over, but there's been, there's been an uptick in protests in Belarus, if you watch these kinds of things over the past two years, over the parasite tax, for example, which was also was a special tax that was put on unemployment, and on to penalize people who are unemployed, is trying to target civic activists, but it ended up reaching far farther than that. So you can see things percolating below the surface for quite a long time. Now. You never know when it's going to blow. Here, I think that there was just the COVID, underlay everything and it mobilized such a broad swath of society, that the trigger event was finally the elections, which again, demonstrating a degree of hubris they decided not to put off right, they figured that holding the elections at the beginning of August was the best thing to do, because there is always a low torque turnout and all this, frankly, because people tend to go out to the countryside. So they simply miscalculated. They did not understand how the people were feeling. And here, you do have a similarity with Ukraine, I think. And in terms of in terms of the other questions to going forward? No, you have to appreciate that this is a country that's never experienced democracy ever. Which means that even the democratic opposition leaders basically know it from textbooks, they don't know what from firsthand practice. And, Lukashenko himself, ironically, has been supporting the notion of sovereignty and independence in the face of the Russian state for the past couple of years. And he only changed his tune a couple of weeks ago, when he started getting backed into a corner. And in terms of, you know, his promises and calling new elections, I would be wary. He does not have a particularly good track record of following through on promises. And so I would probably take that as a lesson learned and be extremely cautious. I personally think he's just buying time. Because he also said that he would consider holding the elections after introducing constitutional changes and the constitutional changes that he's proposing is to introduce term limits. So I mean, he's still looking at the succession. He understands that this is the end of his time in office. I don't know if he wants to do that right, exactly now, however, understanding that this would have been his last term anyways, you're probably preparing for an exit strategy. 1:23:00 Joanna Rohozinska: I would certainly invest in looking at quality early parliamentary elections as being much more significant. Because once you turn the house, once you turn the parliament and then at least you start building up a degree of political capital that can start carrying forward into into the governance. 1:52:37 Therese Pearce Laanela: Your people are excellent. I really want to say that I'm calling in from Sweden. I'm not American myself. But I have worked in this business for 28 years working in different countries in really tough situations. And some of the best experts out there are from organizations that are very close to those of you when you're normally working in Washington. So the United Nations as well based in New York, but also organizations like IFIS, NDI, our colleagues from IRI they are doing excellent work supported by USA ID. So and they've kind of got it figured out how to support institutions for the long term, so you can trust the people that you are supporting. Hearing: Foreign Affairs Issue Launch with Former Vice President Joe Biden, Council on Foreign Relations, January 23, 2018 Speakers: Richard Haass - President of the Council on Foreign Relations Joe Biden State Department Daily Briefing, Department of State, February 6, 2014 Ukraine coup - leaked phone call between Victoria Nuland and Geoffey Pyatt, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, February 6, 2014 Watch on YouTube Hearing: Economic Aid to New Independent States, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, January 24, 1994 Witnesses: Brian Atwood Then: USAID Adminstrator Now: NDI board member - Was the first president of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs Stephen Cohen Then: Professor at Princeton with emphasis in Russian studies Married to Katrina Vanden Heuvel Criticized the Obama administration for starting the new Cold War Said in 2014 that Ukraine crisis was a result of US actions, starting with Clinton, aimed at expanding NATO up to Russia's border. Wrote about our role in the 2014 Ukraine coup  Strobe Talbot Then: Deputy Secretary of State Former Director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization President of the Brookings Institution for 15 years Member of CFR Transcript: 14:23 Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT): There is no greater United States national security objective today than to assist Russia make a peaceful transition to a stable democratic form of government, an open pluralistic society, a market economy. Such a transition offers the best prospect of a long term cooperative, peaceful relationship with the only other nuclear power capable of destroying the United States. 26:39 Strobe Talbot: Our approach from the beginning, our strategy has been to reinforce those trends in Russian political and economic life that together we believe, constitute the essence of the Great Transformation underway in that country. Those trends are democratization and privatization. They are in fact interlocking. They are mutually reinforcing. The more people work in private enterprise, the more they are likely to participate in the democratic process and the more they are likely to vote for candidates who will support economic as well as political freedom. 27:27 Strobe Talbot: Our bilateral foreign aid program is intended in its essence, to help prime the pump for the flow of much higher levels of support from two other sources from the international business community in the form of trade and investment, and from the international financial institutions in the form of loans to help Russia make the transition from a command to a market economy. 28:25 Strobe Talbot: President Yeltsin needs to have the confidence that if he continues to press forward on a strong economic reform program, Western support will be swift and substantial. But he and his colleagues in both the executive and the legislative branches of the Russian government must also understand something else. And that is the cause and effect relationship between internal reform and outside support. Our support will follow their reform. It cannot be the other way around. 29:30 Strobe Talbot: Privatization involves closing down inefficient state enterprises while the shift to market economics at least initially brings higher prices. The result is social pain, disruption and fear of the future. If they reach critical mass, those ingredients can explode into a political backlash against reform. 1:46:00 Strobe Talbot: The world has capital flows, potential for investment that can move into societies like Russia, where the population is highly educated. It's a tremendous human resource where there are natural resources that can be exploited for the good of Russia and for the entire world economy. 2:23:47 Strobe Talbot: Now we do not know what the future holds. We do not know what kind of Russia we will be sharing the planet with early in the 21st century. We do not know if it will have stayed on a reform path and have continued to move in the direction of integration. 2:53:10 Stephen Cohen: Now, to be fair, this unwise American policy toward Russia began under President Bush in the end of 1991, with the breakup of the Soviet Union, but for a full year now President Clinton has expanded that policy, made it worse and therefore now, it is his policy. 2:54:10 Stephen Cohen: The guiding principle of that policy since 1991 has been, and evidently based on the hearing today remains, an exceedingly missionary and highly interventionist idea that the United States can and should intervene in Russia's internal affairs in order to convert or transform that nation into an American style system at home, and a submissive junior partner of the United States abroad. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Working from the local level on up. Hardliners looking to stick it to the CCP, I feel that is the wrong approach. Pension bailout bonanza. Citigroup reboot? COVID numbers. SPECTRE otherwise known as the World Economic Forum continues to show us their true identity.

Working from the local level on up. Hardliners looking to stick it to the CCP, I feel that is the wrong approach. Pension bailout bonanza. Citigroup reboot? COVID numbers. SPECTRE otherwise known as the World Economic Forum continues to show us their true identity.

A whistleblower in a Chinese Red Cross scandal has issued a call for help. Jiang Pengyong exposed how the Chinese Red Cross has been reselling virus protective gear that it receives through donations. Jiang said in an interview that he had previously decided to do business with the Chinese Red Cross, and since exposing its crimes he has received death threats, and has been threatened with jail time. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy is getting pushback from hard-liners in the Party leadership, who believe it’s more effective for the regime to use a strategy from former Party leader Deng Xiaoping to “hide our capability and bide our time.” Among Xi’s two main critics are two PLA hawks, including retired Major General Qiao Liang, author of “Unrestricted Warfare”, which proposed a form of unconventional war to dominate other countries by weaponizing open systems including in culture, economy, and ideology. These stories and more in this episode of Crossroads. ⭕️ Subscribe for updates : http://bit.ly/CrossroadsYT ⭕️ Donate to support our work: https://www.bestgift.tv/crossroads ⭕️ Join Patreon to Support Crossroads: https://www.patreon.com/Crossroads_Josh  

Iran held parliamentary elections at the end of February, resulting in a serious swing to the right, with conservative Principlist politicians sweeping the majority of seats from the sitting Reformists. How did this happen, and why are the results unsurprising? Also, the dreaded coronavirus has made Iran the third largest epicenter of the outbreak - how has the Iranian government been responding to the crisis, and how has it spread so quickly? Phil and Cooper discuss this and more with Ali Ahmadi, a geopolitical analyst based in Tehran. How Iranian hard-liners helped Reformists ahead of elections (Rohollah Faghihi) Khamenei calls on Iranians to participate in parliamentary vote Coronavirus puts more pressure on Iran's already strained economy (Bijan Khajehpour) Intel: Trump administration eases humanitarian trade restrictions on Iran amid coronavirus fears (Bryant Harris) Extra Listening: Episode #123,  Off the Brink (1/10/20): The Trump administration pulls off a targeted killing of the IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani, raising tensions between the US and Iran. Music: Radio Tehran - “Hamesheh” ( Spotify |  Apple Music)

Victory for Iran's hardliners in this month’s parliamentary elections has come at the cost of a despondent population suffering under the weight of renewed US sanctions. With the future of the nuclear deal in doubt and isolationist leaders in the ascendant, Andrew England, Middle East editor, and Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Tehran correspondent, discuss what happens next.Contributors: Andrew England, Middle East editor, and Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Tehran correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Mehrnosh Khalaj. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kate Grealy discusses the role of the label "radical" in Indonesia's current political climate. This episode is based on a conference paper Kate recently presented, called Hardliners, Moderates and the Politics of Islam in Indonesia. Terrorism prevention efforts in Indonesia have long had a strong focus on ideological expressions of extremism within Islam, and claimed to promote a moderate Islam as an antidote to the extremism deemed to create terrorism. Kate's research asks just how useful this type of approach actually is, and why are some extremisms considered riskier than others in the current political climate. It finds that the label "radical", while an important definitional tool, is being instrumentalised by the state and those in positions of power to repress certain forms of criticism and silence those considered a threat.

#MagaFirstNews 8-26-19China announces it seeks 'calm' end to trade war, as Asian markets tankTrump talks Iran, 'surprise' visit from foreign minister at G7 SummitClashes escalate in weekend Hong Kong protestsSanders slams McConnell in campaign stop at top Republican's home turfThieves tie up employees in 'massive' heist in New York City's Diamond DistrictChina announces it seeks 'calm' end to trade war, as Asian markets tankhttps://youtu.be/Wwyo3qlxHAAChina signaled on Monday it was now seeking a "calm" end to its ongoing trade war with the U.S., as Asian markets crumbled and China's currency plummeted to an 11-year low following the latest tariffs on $550 billion in Chinese goods announced last Friday by the Trump administration.News of the possible opening in negotiations came shortly after President Trump threatened to declare a national emergency that would result in American businesses freezing their relationships with China.Trump's tariff barrage on Friday was a response to China imposing its own retaliatory tariffs on $75 billion in U.S. goods. At the Group of Seven summit in France on Sunday, White House officials rejected suggestions the president was wavering and insisted that his only regret was not implementing even more tariffs on China.Trump talks Iran, 'surprise' visit from foreign minister at G7 SummitPresident Trump on Monday said the U.S. is not seeking regime change in Iran and told reporters at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France, that he hopes to see a strong Iran. Trump’s comments came after a day of tense meetings with his European counterparts about how best to approach Iran and the recent tensions in the region. On Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made a surprise visit at the summit at the behest of French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump insisted that he knew about Zarif’s appearance but did not meet with him.Clashes escalate in weekend Hong Kong protestsHong Kong police have confirmed an officer fired a warning shot as protesters surrounded them and said they arrested 36 people during the latest round of pro-democracy demonstrations. A police news release Monday said that one police officer fell to the ground as protesters threw hard objects at a small group of officers the previous night. The officers could be seen holding up their shields as protesters surged forward swinging sticks and rods. The incident happened after an earlier clash with hundreds of protesters who occupied a main street following a peaceful protest march. Police used tear gas to clear the street, but some protesters remained in the neighborhood. Hardliners confronted police anew after largely holding back the previous weekend. The police deployed two water cannon trucks Sunday for the first time during the 11 weeks of protests. - The Associated PressSanders slams McConnell in campaign stop at top Republican's home turfBernie Sanders renewed his attacks on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at a rally in the top Republican's home state of Kentucky on Sunday afternoon, demanding that McConnell stop his "cowardice" and "have the guts" to immediately take up legislation aimed at reducing gun violence, strengthening election security and raising the federal minimum wage. The blistering address in Louisville came as national Democrats, hoping to retake not only the White House but also the Senate in 2020, increasingly have set their sights on the 77-year-old McConnell.Meanwhile, Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat and Sanders’ national campaign co-chair, said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures" that he believed former Vice President Joe Biden “regretted” making a comment over the weekend about what would have happened had former President Barack Obama been assassinated while on the campaign trail in 2008. The comment stirred up controversy, but a Biden aide said the candidate has used the analogy before when speaking to younger generations who were not alive during the turbulent 1960s. Biden asserted the assassinations of King and Kennedy raised his political awareness and propelled him to run for office.Thieves tie up employees in 'massive' heist in New York City's Diamond DistrictThe Wild West came to Midtown on Sunday when at least three armed bandits — one of whom wore what witnesses described as a cowboy hat — bound workers in a massive jewelry-store heist, according to police. The crooks coolly posed as customers at Avianne and Co. in the heart of the Diamond District, browsing the bling before pulling handguns on the four workers in the shop at the time of the high-noon hold-up, cops said. After restraining the workers with zip ties, the robbers raided the safe and display cases, dumping nearly all of the sparklers into at least one duffle bag before high-tailing it out onto surveillance-camera-lined West 47th Street, according to authorities. - Reported by the New York Post

Alarm bells went off last September in Washington's corridors of power when John Bolton’s national security council asked the Pentagon for options for military strikes against Iran.

KSKA: Tuesday, February, 27 2018, at 2:00 p.m. This week we'll explore an answer to the question “Will killing the Nuclear Deal bring the US and Iran closer to war?” It's a complicated topic, but today's speaker, Trita Parsi, an expert on US-Iranian relations, is as qualified as anyone to answer it. LISTEN HERE

KSKA: Tuesday, February, 27 2018, at 2:00 p.m. This week we’ll explore an answer to the question “Will killing the Nuclear Deal bring the US and Iran closer to war?” It’s a complicated topic, but today’s speaker, Trita Parsi, an expert on US-Iranian relations, is as qualified as anyone to answer it. LISTEN HERE

KSKA: Tuesday, February, 27 2018, at 2:00 p.m. This week we’ll explore an answer to the question “Will killing the Nuclear Deal bring the US and Iran closer to war?” It’s a complicated topic, but today’s speaker, Trita Parsi, an expert on US-Iranian relations, is as qualified as anyone to answer it. LISTEN HERE

The Warren Markowitz Show, It's My World You Just Live In It. A soap box for Independent Ideas, current events and politics of the day. Identity Politics, This week has been filled with an exciting buffet of government actions. From the outright threat from the left to keep an illegal immigration policy in place (DACA), to the complaints that the Temporary Protected Status for 200,000 Nicaraguans is being lifted, to the events in Las Vegas, NV when the Federal Judge dimissd the case against Clliven Bundy and some of his suppporters. Hardliners on both sides have had something to say with little to contribute. Join me tomorrow at 1030am Pacific, when I open up the lines, and discuss how all of these changes are good for us, and even the people that they effect. Trigger Warning; I'm not intending to be Politically Correct. Podcast: Galtspeaks.com Contact: Radio@galtspeaks.com Follow us on twitter.com/radiomarkowitz & Facebook.com/radiomarkowitz Also available on Podomatic.com at http://wrm.podomatic.com, and Spreaker-www.spreaker.com/show/the-warren-markowitz-show

We spoke with Kenneth M. Pollack to discuss what's ahead for Iran in the short and medium term and what this means for U.S. policy in the region.  The post Why the Iran Protests Were A Victory for Hardliners appeared first on Octavian Report.

Richard Porritt, Steve Anglesey and Geri Scott get steamy in the tub, promote Jacob Rees-Mogg's nanny to chief negotiator and crown a Brexiteer of the Week.

Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about the We Happy Few, the Atari Box, and we ask you about your feel-good games. The Brief: Atari mini console is a mini computer. University does study on action games and pattern recognition. Nintendo Switch prices are normalizing. Sonic 3D Blast facts. The Multiplayer: What's your feel-good game? The Grind: Jala: Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. Kole: Clive Barker's Undying. Golf Story. David: Destiny 2. Ben: Rocket League Season 4. Golf It.

Hardliners in the U.S. regarding Iran may empower the Iranian hardliners regarding the U.S. Emma Ashford and Ben Friedman comment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There was plenty of saber rattling as world leaders gathered for the Munich Security summit. There, Vice President Mike Pence and other administration officials took a hawkish tone towards Russia, and Iran was also the target of heated words. Mark Sleboda, international affairs and security analyst, joins the show to discuss what to make of the words from Trump administration officials.Brian Becker is joined by Eugene Puryear, the host of Radio Sputnik's By Any Means Necessary, and by Loud & Clear producer Walter Smolarek. President Donald Trump has appointed H.R McMaster as his new national security advisor after Michael Flynn’s resignation. Does this set the Trump administration and Russia on a collision course? Secretary of Defence James Mattis made an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Monday as Iraqi forces begin the deadly push into western Mosul. Is U.S. policy in Iraq and Syria changing under Trump, or are we seeing a continuation of Obama-era policy? Alexander Mercouris, editor-in-chief of The Duran, speaks with Brian about what's next in the ongoing U.S. occupation in Iraq.

Trump’s cabinet picks deserve A Closer Look.

The Democrats are still reeling after last week's loss of the White House and their failure to regain power on Capitol Hill. We hear how they're planning to build momentum for the mid-term election of 2018.

Put not your trust in princes,' the Bible tells us. Shoulda listened to the Bible! The Klavanless weekend begins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Put not your trust in princes,' the Bible tells us. Shoulda listened to the Bible! The Klavanless weekend begins.

I want to talk to libertarians for a moment. More specifically I want to talk to those of you who have potentially been blinded by hardliners or are hardliners yourself. Now before I start, let me just say that I am quite sure I’m going to upset some people with what I’m about to say. I don’t care; it needs to be said. So get your feelings hurt if you want. But I need to clarify a few things.I’ve received a couple of emails, a private message on FB and even a post to the private FB group chastising me for my discussion on taxation.The first one came from someone who ridiculed me for saying I had not found a way to provide for a common defense without taxation. (something I lamented by the way)I also got a very hate filled FB post on the same issue where the author incorrectly made the assumption that I was advocating for and supporting such a tax.Then I got a private FB message from a self-described Tom Woods Fan. I know many of you are fans of Tom, as am I. this fan was ridiculing my discussion this week about the different tax plans offered by the candidates.Let me try to explain this for those of you who are too hard headed to see beyond the rhetoric you’ve been fed.I don’t like taxes. I think taxes are theft. I think you have a right to the fruit of your labor. That nobody has any claim to it. No one should be allowed to compel you against your will to provide for good or another or the common good of a group.Is that clear enough? good.Now let’s talk about reality. The reality is that taxation is a way of life here in America. And although I’d love to see all taxation illuminated that option is not on the table. Not only is it not on the table, but it's also never going to be on the table. In the last 500 years can anyone point to a society that operated without some form of community contribution?So other than stating for the record that taxes are theft, and we shouldn’t steal, what good does it do to simply refuse to discuss any option that limit or reduce the injustice being perpetrated by our government?Libertarians have for years chosen to disengage from government, from activism and from politics itself. Just this week Tom had his 500th episode in which he invited on Lew Rockwell who worked with Ron Paul. And Lew, God love him, poo-pooed the idea of libertarians getting into politics. While at the same time admitting Ron as done more to advance the ideas of libertarianism than virtually anyone else in modern America.I love Lew, but I just think he’s wrong. You talk about men like Mises, like Rothbard, and what they’ve done for the advancement of libertarian ideas but let me ask you a question. Who outside of a diehard libertarian knows who Murray Rothbard is? Who, other than your committed libertarian has read Man, Economy and State? Nobody!What I'm trying to do here is take the libertarian ideal and move it mainstream. To take the ideas and principles of liberty and deliver it to an audience that is hungry to hear it. And that means being willing to discuss how we get from where we are now to where we want to be. You’ve got a lot of libertarians out there right now who are living in a fantasy world. Worse yet their living in a nightmare waiting for our entire political and economic system to come crashing down. Some of them are even hoping for it to happen.That ain't me.And I’m not suggesting that you need to go out and run for office. What I am saying is that if you have the option of a progressive tax or a flat tax, the flat tax is better. It’s better for economic reasons, and it’s better for libertarian reasons.There are plenty of places you can go to hear the standard libertarian line and listen to someone bash government, call our troops “Stupid animals” and paint grand visions of how perfect life would be if we all lived in a libertarian society. (if people weren’t all so stupid.)That is not this show. It’s not ever going to be this show. This is a show about hope about principles and about creating a roadmap for getting from where we are now to a free’er more peaceful society.Support the show.

Michael Medved talks with Alan Dershowitz, author of "The Case Against the Iran Deal." Bill Bennett turns to Weekly Standard columnist and Fox contributor Stephen Hayes for analysis on the Iran nuke deal. Casey Mattox, Sr. Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, speaks with Bill Bennett about Planned Parenthood's grisly practices. Carly Fiorina tells Hugh Hewitt that she would shut down the government to end funding of Planned Parenthood. Professor Owen Strachan shares thought from his book, "The Colson Way." The former president of Greenpeace left the organization because it became to radicalized, focusing on saving the earth rather than bringing peace to humans. He talks to Dennis Prager. Prager wraps up the discussing the EPA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.