At last week's White House Jobs Summit, small business owners from across the country pressed President Obama on dozens of issues related to the economic downturn. Credit, though, was a central issue: The credit crunch has prevented thousands of businesses from obtaining loans to expand, shift gears, or even just fund day-to-day operations. Today, Maryland governor Martin O'Malley will unveil a strategy intended to help small business owners get credit. One such business owner, Dawn P. Jackson, is the owner of NuDawn Marketing Group in Maryland and president of Women Business Owners of Prince George's Country. Dawn hoped to expand her small marketing business, but she has been discouraged from applying for credit after several banks told her that she was unlikely to get any. Maryland's Secretary of Commerce, Christian Johannson, joins us with a preview of what the governor's plan entails.
Reihan Salam, fellow at the New America Foundation; and Adam Mynott, BBC world affairs correspondent, look at the week's agenda: what to look for from Copenhagen as international climate talks kicks off; what's ahead for health care in the Senate; what President Obama could say in his new-jobs speech on Tuesday, and what's in store for an overhaul of America's financial system.
The President made a rare visit to Capitol Hill this Sunday to urge Democratic lawmakers to "finish the job" of hammering out the details in the health care reform bill currently on the Senate floor. The Democrats need a 'supermajority' of 60 Senators to keep the bill moving in the face of determined opposition from Senate Republicans. Divisive issues within the majority party leaving the future of the bill uncertain. This morning, the Senate is scheduled to vote on an amendment which will determine whether or not taxpayer money goes to paying for abortion procedures. The New York Times' David Herszenhorn joins us to explain exactly how this morning's vote could prove a tipping point for national health care reform as a whole.
For many families the holidays are a time of togetherness, good food and especially, presents. But in the middle of an economic downturn, it is harder than ever for many families to stack the hearth high with gifts for the kids. We talk with two parents who have been thinking a lot about downsizing their holidays. Marvin Powell lost his job with General Motors in October, and when he tried to explain a leaner Christmas to his son, the six-year-old suprised him with some youthful wisdom, saying "Daddy, [presents] are not even what its about. It's about being thankful." Ylonda Gault Caviness, longtime parenting journalist for the website iVillage, shares her tips on how to explain a scaled-back holiday to children.
The most anticipated conversation about the environment in years will kick off in Copenhagen today. It'll last seven days: Leaders from 192 countries, including President Obama, will attend at least some of the conference. by. International Herald Tribute correspondent James Kanter joins us from Copenhagen to tell us what's on the agenda there. Meanwhile, climate legislation seems low on the list of major priorities for the Obama administration. Politico's Ben Smith joins us to talk about how, with healthcare and financial reform on the agenda, serious legislative action on climate will likely be a long time coming.
In a front page article published in Sunday's New York Times, Peter Baker details how President Obama came to decide on the new Afghanistan war strategy he delivered to cadets at West Point last week. Baker's article describes a patient, methodical and oftentimes frustrating process which, over the course of three months, led to a policy that may define Obama's presidency.
We've talked a lot about research on the dangers of texting and even talking on the phone while driving. But a new report out by our partner The New York Times shows evidence of a cell phone industry that was aware of those risks decades before most people had ever seen seen the devices initially marketed as "car phones." It's part of the Times' Driven to Distraction series; we're joined by the series' editor, Adam Bryant, deputy business editor for The New York Times.
Most of us know that environmental change is an issue and that our choices affect it... so why aren't we doing all we should to fix things? David Biello, associate online editor for Scientific American, and Benjamin Ho, behavioral economist at Cornell University, discuss why humans aren't more ecologically responsible, and how we can convince (or trick, even) ourselves to change our behaviors for the common good.
We're watching the story unfold in Tehran today, where student protestors have gathered to express their opposition to the government. Our partner, the BBC, is reporting that riot place have fired live ammunition and used tear-gas and batons against the anti-government protestors. We talk with Hamid Dabashi, professor of Iranian studies and comparative literature at Columbia University.
The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International, in collaboration with The BBC World Service, New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
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