Archive - Aug 14, 2008

Each week, KPFK News Director Patrick Burke brings together an unusual panel of guests to talk about election issues. He invites a Republican and a Democratic strategist or official in studio with an organizer from outside the two mainstream parties. This week, Patrick spoke with Independent Vice Presidential Candidate Matt Gonzalez and Democratic strategist Bill Carrick by phone. Republican Jewish Coalition representative Larry Greenfield was in the studio. These three guests offered their divergent perspectives on the role of advertising and media hype in this year's election. The trio of guests go on to speak about the candidacy of
Ralph Nader this election year. 

• An Older, More Diverse US by 2050
• Will Social Security Survive the Challenge of an Aging Population?
• Taking "America's Toughest Sheriff" to Court
• Environmentalists Decry Plan to Use Oil Shale
• Street Beat – South African Women Farmers

• US and Russian Governments Trade Verbal Jabs Over Georgia
• BP Resumes Operations at Georgia Pipeline
• Zimbabwean Opposition Leader's Travel Documents Confiscated
• War Resister Jeremy Hinzman Receives Orders to Leave Canada
• Denver Police Plan Special "Arrestee Processing Center" for DNC
• Jackson Browne Sues John McCain and Republican Party

Click here for newscast for Thursday, August 14, 2008

Click here for newscast for Thursday, August 14, 2008

Whites in the United States will become the minority in numbers by 2042, according to a report released by the Census Bureau today. And by 2050, The African-American population will rise slightly to 15%, the Asian-American population will nearly double from 5.1 to 9.2%; and where today, Latinos make up 15% of the population, they'll be 30% of the population by 2050. The Census Bureau report adds that the population will become much older. FSRN's Karen Miller looks at some of the implications of having an older and more diverse country.

Click here for newscast for Thursday, August 14, 2008

The Census report's projection of an older US raises questions about whether Social Security will survive the aging of the Baby Boomers. On the 73rd anniversary of the program, Democrats held a birthday celebration for Social Security and warned Republicans not to privatize it. FSRN's Tanya Snyder reports.

Click here for newscast for Thursday, August 14, 2008

Lawyers in Arizona are suing Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the
so-called "Toughest Sheriff in America", over prison conditions for
pre-trial detainees. The suit seeks to make the Maricopa County Jail
facilities that house pre-trial detainees meet the minimum
constitutional requirements mandated by a federal consent decree, which
Sheriff Arpaio has largely ignored for years. Detainees who have mental
health problems or chronic medical conditions such as respiratory
diseases and diabetes have been left untreated – at risk to their life
and health. Larry Hammond is a member of the firm Osborn Maladon in
Phoenix, and is one of the lawyers working with the ACLU on the case. 
He describes some of the conditions that detainees face.