Good Politics Radio – Utah

 

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.  

One of the most difficult challenges facing governments, communities and families in the aftermath of civil or international conflict is re-integrating soldiers into civilian life. This program highlights the most successful of these re-integration initiatives as identified by leading practitioners in the field and will examine what has made them successful when so many have failed.

Guests:
Larry Attree, Senior Program Officer, Center for Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations; US Institute of Peace
Vanessa Farr, United Nations Development Programme: Crisis Prevention and Recovery
Beth Cole, Senior Program Officer, Center for Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations; US Institute of Peace
Klubosumo Johnson Borh, National Program Coordinator for National Ex-Combatant Peacebuilding Initiative of Liberia
(Click on a guest’s name to listen to their full unedited interview.)

Credits: Music in this program: open- “Bass Is the Place” by Dub Gabriel; “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour – Putamayo Wolrd Music; “Dub Rise” by Groundation; “Water is Life” by Tinariwen; “Babylon World” by Casper; “Please Open Your Heart and Let Me in” by Souleman Rowgie – Songs and Creations; “Dubstorted Planet” by Audio Pharmacy – Spare Change; Host: Mark Sommer Producer: Gregg McVicar Engineers: Michael Schwartz Matt Fidler

Funding: Compton Foundation

Duration: 55:00 minutes

Click here to listen to this podcast.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry and Ryan Shafik return from New Hampshire to offer analysis of the nation’s first Presidential Primary; Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth takes at look at contests in the upcoming primary states; and Col. Frank Ryan has a Restoring America commentary on the economic problems underlying the home mortgage crisis.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc.   The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is:  “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

Ever wish you could put your own words in the president’s mouth? You’re not alone! Join us to hear how regular folks and political insiders talk about and re-conceive America’s foreign policy and its role in the world.

Guests:
Derek Thompson, Student at Northwestern University
Salman Ahmad, Founder and Guitarist of the South Asian band, Junoon
Rand Beers, President National Security Network
Jamal Dajani, Producer and Director of Middle Eastern Programming at Link TV
Sabienne Brutus, Sophomore at the High School for Global Citizenship
Aneka Hewitt, Junior at the High School for Global Citizenship
(Click on a guest’s name to listen to their full unedited interview.)

Credits: Music in this program: open- “Hail to the Chief” by U.S. Air Force Concert Band, courtesy of U.S. Air Force Concert Band; and, “Dimension 37” by Chris Surma, courtesy of Chris Surma; insert 1- “Ghoom Tana” by Junoon, Nameless Records; break 1- “Ghoom Tana” by Junoon, Nameless Records; break 2- “President” by Alexis Harte, courtesy of Alexis Harte; bottom of the hour billboard- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 3- “Dear Mr. President” by Pink and The Indigo Girls, LaFace Records; insert 2- “Folk Vibe #1” by Tananas, ATO Records, insert 3- “New Orleans Instrumental #1” by R.E.M., EMI; close and credits- “Chord Sounds” by Moby, V2 Records; and, “Ghoom Tana” by Junoon, Nameless Records. Other Credits: Sound from State of the Union address courtesy of americanrhetoric.com. Funding: The Ploughshares Fund

Duration: 55:00 minutes

Click here to listen to this podcast.

This podcast is courtesy of The Keystone Report by Matt Best on Good Politics Radio Pennsylvania.

Today on The Keystone Report, host Matthew Best interviews Dr. Paul Kengor. Dr. Kengor is a professor of Political Science at Grove City College, in Grove City, PA. Dr. Kengor specializes on Foreign Policy, the Middle East, and the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He’s also a fellow at the Hoover Institution and has authored over 2 dozen articles that have appeared in national newspapers. He’s also the published author of two national best sellers, God and Ronald Reagan and God and George W. Bush. In addition, his newest book, God and Hillary Clinton was released in September of this year.

During the interview, Mr. Best asked Dr. Kengor about his latest book, the series that he has been writing, the impact of faith on prominent political figures, and the impact the book might have on the 2008 presidential election.

To listen to this podcast click here.

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Matthew Best is the host of “The Keystone Report” which can be heard on the Good Politics Radio Network. Mr. Best is also the President of Best Solutions, an entrepreneurial coaching firm, and co-author, with Ken Blanchard, Jack Canfield, and Steven Covey, of Speaking of Success. He also serves as the Political Editor for The National NetWorker online magazine and is the founder of Link to Politics, an online political community. You can read more of Matthew’s thoughts on politics and courage on his blog – Courage of Conviction.

On November 15, 2007, a huge cyclone hit the country of Bangladesh, killing more than 3200 people, injuring 34,500 more and damaging more than 450,000 homes. The cyclone and recent floods have caused losses currently estimated at $1.4 billion.

In this podcast Muriel Glasgow interviews Mr. Fazle Abed, chairman and founder of BRAC (formerly the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee). Mr. Abed has been working at the grassroots level for over 35 years and has helped to mobilize 70,000 of Bangladesh’s 80,000 villages.

Here, Mr. Abed shares his valuable and enlightening message about the people of Bangladesh. This interview with Mr. Abed illustrates what is possible in relation to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

By Chika Oduah

Greetings! Welcome to Speak Out Georgia here on Good Politics Radio. I’m Chika Oduah, your podcast anchor. Thank you for joining in.

Let’s talk about that 7 letter word that negatively affects about 1 billion people worldwide. I’m talking about poverty. So, there’s finally an international initiative to fight poverty. Sounds like another dreamy wish? Think again. Stay tuned to find out more.

You are listening to Speak Out Georgia. I’m Chika Oduah. As I preluded, an international initiative to fight poverty is finally in place, with the backing of governments, NGOs, religious groups, celebrities, and experts worldwide. And we’ve all heard the disheartening facts: 50,000 people die everyday from preventable causes. Every 3 seconds a child dies from extreme poverty. More than 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day. This is abject poverty. But this global spark has erupted and a collective concern is encouraging the masses to take charge, to take responsibility, and to take a stance against poverty.

But maybe this is just a surge of collective guilt or maybe it’s a global moral awakening to do some good in the world. Whatever it is, it is working. How do we know? Because on October 17, which is the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty, a record breaking 38.8 million people in 110 countries joined efforts to make their voices heard and support the goals put out by the United Nations Millennium Campaign.

These 8 goals are monumental in the fight against poverty and include: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by reducing by half the proportion of people who live on less than $1 a day and reducing by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development. These goals were adopted in 2000 by the UN General Assembly. The UN seeks to accomplish these goals by 2015.

Oct. 17’s Stand Up and Speak Out Day was an international success. Hordes of individuals gathered at churches, shelters, government buildings, schools, parks, and every other public space. The numbers were impressive. Specifically, there was a huge amount of participation in the developing nations. 1400 people participated in Manila, Philippines; 1547 students and teachers gathered in Singapore; 200,000 participants in Afghanistan; 401,900 participants in Nepal; 103,000 participants in Australia. Bangladesh boasts 847,000 participants. Last year’s record of 23.5 million is incomparable to this year’s 38.8 million.

But what exactly is the purpose of October 17? Let’s discuss this. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon stated in reference to October 17, “Today tens of millions of people are making their voices heard by standing up and speaking out against poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals. They are sending messages that call on their leaders to keep their promises. They are calling for the actions of citizens to be matched by the actions of Governments, in developing and developed countries alike, to demonstrate the political will required to end the scourge of poverty once and for all.”

October 17, the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty, was adopted by the United Nations in 1992 and has been globally recognized ever since. It all began with a humble French Catholic known to the world as Father Joseph Wresinski who lived from 1917- 1988. Father Wresinski, who himself grew up in an impoverished household, worked tirelessly for the causes of the poor. In 1957, He founded the ATD Fourth World Movement, an international NGO that still operates today. He devoted his time at an emergency housing camp in France, helping and guiding those inflicted with extreme poverty. Father Wresinski continue to plead for the poor and his plea was finally recognized in 1987 on October 17 when 100,000 people stood in the Trocadero Plaza in Paris in a public demonstration calling for the eradication of poverty and for the preservation of human rights. In December of 1992, The UN General Assembly officially proclaimed October 17 as the “International Day for the Eradication of Povery.”

Since then, October 17th has been recognized all over the world. It is the day for the poor to speak out, to plea, to get attention, to demonstrate. It is a day for the rich, the middle class, the students, the mothers, the corporates, the NGO’s and everyone else to listen to the poor and unite their efforts to eradicate poverty. 38.8 million is a great number for this year’s commemoration.

On October 17, we all remember the words of Father Joseph Wresinski: “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty.”

This year was the 20th anniversary and the theme for October 17 was “People living in poverty as agents of change.”

We can confidently say that this is the largest effort to end poverty. International organizations in collaboration with the UN Millennium Campaign include: Amnesty International, Global Call to Action Against Poverty, International Movement ATD Fourth World.

UN Millennium Campaign’s Executive Coordinator, Eveline Herfkens remarked about this year’s number of 38.8 million stating, “Together we have broken the incredible record for the largest number of people standing up to demand action on poverty. But the record we really want to break is the world’s record of poverty every year. This is the great issue of our times, let us become great by dealing with it decisively.”

Many experts have declared that poverty is the greatest issue of this age and some have labeled the problem as a conundrum because it seems that there are more than enough monetary and agricultural resources, yet the number of impoverished individuals is staggering.

So, even if you think this is a temporary spasm of guilt, the United Nations is pushing onward, working with NGOs to eradicate poverty.

For in-depth information on this topic, visit the websites of the United Nations Millenium Goals, www.standagainstpoverty.org, and www.oct17.org.

Listeners, that’s the end of the today’s program. The opinions on Speak Out Georgia do not reflect those of Good Politics Radio. Thank you for listening to Speak Out Georgia. I’m Chika Oduah.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Coming up soon, on October 16 and 17, is an event called Stand Up and Speak Out. Stand Up is a collection of events worldwide where participants are encouraged to stand up and speak out in favor of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Last year a total of about 23.5 million people participated in the event. Schools, church groups, political groups, business groups, and individuals literally stood up to show their support for the Goals. The event set a record that was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records and the event expects to set a new record this year.

What are Millennium Development Goals?

Back in 2000 a resolution was adopted by the General Assembly of the U.N., called the United Nations Millennium Declaration. Included in the declaration are 8 goals that the nations of the world agreed to achieve by the year 2015. The resolution was adopted by 192 nations.

Here are the eight goals:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Reduce by half the proportion of people living on less than one U.S. dollar a day.
Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

2. Achieve universal primary education
Ensure that all boys and girl complete a full course of primary schooling.
Increased enrollment must be accompanied by efforts to ensure that all children remain in school and receive a high-quality education.

3. Promote gender equality and empower women
Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015.

4. Reduce child mortality
Reduce the mortality rate among children under five by two-thirds.

5. Improve maternal health
Reduce by three-quarters the maternal mortality ratio

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.

7. Ensure environmental sustainability
Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs; reverse loss of environmental resources.
Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.

8. Develop a global partnership for development
Develop further an open trading and financial system that is rule-based, predictable and non-discriminatory.
Address the least developed countries’ special needs. This includes tariff- and quota-free access for their exports; enhanced debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries; cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous official development assistance for countries committed to poverty reduction.
In cooperation with the developing countries, develop decent and productive work for youth.
In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries.

I see that there are about 500 events scheduled in many locations around the world on October 16 and 17. You can search for a location near you at the Stand Against Poverty website at www.standagainstpoverty.org/en/events.

Your call to action is to find an event near you and participate in a stand up and speak out in favor of the Millennium Development Goals.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

Potpourri
by Rebecca Sahm and Astara Briski

On this week’s Potpourri podcast, Rebecca and Astara interview Matt Wade, the owner of American Cannabis Clothing Company.

Did you know that hemp clothes are durable, attractive, and long lasting? Hemp clothing has been made for centuries. Matt thinks that it’s time we brought this wonderful fabric back into our lives. Visit Matt’s website and see the great selection of hemp clothing, shoes, hats, and household items.

Hemp is one of the earliest known woven fabrics, with hemp fiber imprints found in pottery shards in China and Taiwan over 10,000 years old.

Currently in the US it is illegal to freely grow hemp because the plant is related to marijuana. However, the amount of THC in industrial hemp is very small and is not considered to be strong enough to produce any intoxicating effects. However, the US is the only industrialized nation where it is illegal to grow hemp.

There have been a few changes in America’s acceptance of industrial hemp in the past couple of decades. Pro-hemp laws have been passed in a dozen states, including five new laws in North Dakota alone. Under the new North Dakota law, farmers no longer need permission from the DEA to grow industrial hemp.

Until the 1820’s in America about 80% of all textiles and fabrics used for cloting, tents, bed sheets, rugs, drapes, quilts, towels, and diapers were made from hemp fibers.

Here’s a trivia fact for you. Did you know that Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper?

Matt Wade and his wife, Victoria, own a family business called American Cannabis Clothing Co. They both have successful careers in the financial industry, but they both have wanted to help educate people to live a better way, green and clean. They are helping the planet by introducing hemp clothing and hoping that this wonderful product will become a part of all of our lives once again.

They are promoting the benefits of hemp fibers from a plant that has been grown and harvested for over 10,000 years. Hemp is one of the easiest crops to grow and has been one of the sustaining crops of the world’s civilization for centuries.

Matt and Victoria are now selling great-looking hemp clothes, shoes, hats, bags, and other hemp products. Visit their web site at http://www.americannabisclothing.com. Or call them at 623-298-7187 for more information.

Robert Keliihoomalu, the Prince of Peace, is a member of the House of Nobles of the legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Kingdom of Hawaii is not the same as the State of Hawaii. The Kingdom of Hawaii is the sovereign government of Hawaii. In 1898, the Kingdom of Hawaii was illegally annexed by the United States. Queen Lili’uokalani, monarch at that time, never consented to the occupation but it was not until 1993 that native Hawaiians received an apology for the illegal overthrow of their government over a century before. It was President William J. Clinton who signed Public Law 103-150 that acknowledged the wrong-doing by the United States government and that the “people of Hawaii never… relinquished their claims to their inherent sovereignty…” .

In this riveting interview, Denise Bach, CEO of Yaktivate.com, talks with Robert about the ongoing process, progress, and sometimes struggles of the indigenous Hawaiian people to reinstate the Kingdom of Hawaii through established International Laws.

Please visit reinstated.org to learn more.

In his weekly radio address to the nation, President Bush talked about the status of our military involvement in Iraq and about the importance of Iraq’s young democracy.

THE PRESIDENT: “Good morning. This week, General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before Congress on the progress of America’s strategy in Iraq, including the surge in forces. They agreed that our Coalition faces formidable challenges. Yet they also said that security conditions are improving, that our forces are seizing the initiative from the enemy, and that the troop surge is working.

Because of this progress, General Petraeus now believes we can maintain our security gains with fewer U.S. troops. He’s recommended a force reduction of 5,700 troops in Iraq by Christmas, and he expects that by July we will be able to reduce our troop levels in Iraq further, from 20 combat brigades to 15. He’s also recommended that in December we begin a transition to the next phase of our strategy in Iraq, in which our troops will shift over time from leading operations to partnering with Iraqi forces, and eventually to overwatching those forces.

I have accepted General Petraeus’s recommendations. And I have directed that he and Ambassador Crocker deliver another report to Congress in March. At that time, they will provide a fresh assessment of the situation in Iraq and of the troop levels we need to meet our national security objectives. The principle that guides my decisions on troop levels is “return on success.” The more successful we are, the more troops can return home. And in all we do, I will ensure that our commanders on the ground have the troops and flexibility they need to defeat the enemy.

Anbar Province is a good example of the progress we are seeing in Iraq. Last year, an intelligence report concluded that Anbar had been lost to al Qaeda. But local sheiks asked for our help to push back the terrorists — and so we sent an additional 4,000 Marines to Anbar as part of the surge. Together, local sheiks, Iraqi forces, and Coalition troops drove the terrorists from the capital of Ramadi and other population centers. Today, citizens who once feared beheading for talking to our troops now come forward to tell us where the terrorists are hiding. And young Sunnis who once joined the insurgency are now joining the army and police.

The success in Anbar is beginning to be replicated in other parts of Iraq. In Diyala, a province that was once a sanctuary for extremists is now the site of a growing popular uprising against the extremists. In Baghdad, sectarian killings are down, and life is beginning to return to normal in many parts of the city. Groups of Shia extremists and Iranian-backed militants are being broken up, and many of their leaders are being captured or killed. These gains are a tribute to our military, to Iraqi forces, and to an Iraqi government that has decided to take on the extremists.

The success of a free Iraq is critical to the security of the United States. If we were to be driven out of Iraq, extremists of all strains would be emboldened. Al Qaeda could find new recruits and new sanctuaries. And a failed Iraq could increase the likelihood that our forces would someday have to return — and confront extremists even more entrenched and even more deadly. By contrast, a free Iraq will deny al Qaeda a safe haven. It will counter the destructive ambitions of Iran. And it will serve as a partner in the fight against terrorism.

In this struggle, we have brave allies who are making great sacrifices to defeat the terrorists. One of these Iraqis was a man named Sheikh Abdul Sattar. He was one of the tribal leaders I met on my recent visit to Iraq, who was helping us to drive al Qaeda out of Anbar Province. His father was killed by al Qaeda in 2004. And when we met Sheikh Sattar, he told me, quote: “We have suffered a great deal from terrorism. We strongly support the democracy you have called for.” Earlier this week, this brave tribal sheikh was murdered. A fellow Sunni leader declared: “We are determined to strike back and continue our work.” We mourn the loss of brave Iraqis like Sheikh Sattar, and we stand with those who are continuing the fight.

If Iraq’s young democracy can turn back its enemies, it will mean a more hopeful Middle East — and a more secure America. So we will help the Iraqi people defeat those who threaten their future — and also threaten ours.

Thank you for listening.”

To listen to this radio broadcast click here.