The American Musical, Part 2
Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg is a half-hour weekly discussion show focusing on deeper trends, conditions, and ideas behind the week's headlines. Think Tank has been broadcast nationally on PBS each week since 1994 and is now available online.
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Showing 1-178 of 178
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Is Democracy in Crisis Part 2
What is the state of democracy in the world and especially in the Middle East? To find out, the discussion continues with author, Josh Muravchik....
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Is Democracy in Crisis Part 1
What is the state of democracy in the world and especially in the Middle East? To find out, Josh Muravchik joins us to discuss his new book "The Next Founders" ...
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Is Capitalism In Crisis Part 2
David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, returns to continue the discussion about the state of capitalism in America....
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Is Capitalism In Crisis Part 1
David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, joins Ben to discuss the state of capitalism in America....
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RAND: A Unique Think Tank
Think Tank takes a look at the history and culture of the Rand Corporation, one of the most influential think tanks in America. Michael Rich, Executive Vice President of Rand, joins us to discuss the corporation’s fascinating past and it&rs...
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Does America Have Too Many Lawyers?
Is America too litigious? Do all of the lawsuits stifle innovation and cause business to become too risk averse or do they protect us by holding big business accountable? Find out in this week's show....
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Can Nuclear Do It?
What role does nuclear power play in the current debates about global warming and energy independence? Can it provide us with clean, cheap and reliable energy? Find out the pros and cons in this week's episode....
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Health Care Reform
President Obama has called on Congress to pass national health care reform this year. Americans will likely choose between private insurance companies or a government run plan, but will this open the door to socialized medicine?...
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Fighting Words Part 2
Think Tank is proud to bring you the conclusion of the award winning documentary, Fighting Words: A Tale of How Liberals Created Neo Conservatism....
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Fighting Words Part 1
Think Tank is proud to bring you a special presentation of the award winning documentary, Fighting Words: A Tale of How Liberals Created Neo Conservatism. Based on Ben Wattenberg’s political memoir, it traces the evolution of the Neo Conservative movement, a...
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Andrew Wyeth: His Art and Legacy
The great American artist, Andrew Wyeth, left a legacy that will be discussed for decades to come. Is his work timeless, or is his popularity rooted in a view of American life that will someday be forgotten? Watch this week's show to find out....
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The Mind of Netanyahu
When Think Tank traveled to Israel in January 2008, we sat down with Benjamin Netanyahu to get his views on Israel at 60. With Netanyahu’s return to the Prime Minister’s office, Think Tank presents a fresh look at this interview....
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Are We Winning the War on Poverty?
Are the poor better off in America thanks to the War on Poverty? Are there two Americas - one for the rich and one for the poor? Find answers in this week's show....
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Are We All Socialists Now? - Part 2
Has Democratic Capitalism failed? Is the current economic downturn a chance to make needed changes or is it just a big bump in the road? Find out in Part 2 of this discussion....
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Are We All Socialists Now? - Part 1
The Federal Government has taken over a large part of the country's economy. Have we become a socialist nation? Watch this week's episode to find out....
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Is the Fairness Doctrine Fair?
Should the government control the content of the broadcast airwaves? Broadcasters have agreed to work in the public interest in exchange for billions of dollars worth of bandwidth. Should the government enforce this arrangement? If the answer is yes, t...
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Unions in America: Solidarity or Shutdown?
Are labor unions on the verge of a comeback? Membership is down, but recent legislation may make it easier to organize. Will the current economy help or hurt? Find out on this week's episode....
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Stop the Presses - Forever?
Can printed news survive. Readers get more and more of their news from the internet. What are the implications for our society. Find out in this week's show....
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The Bailouts: Good Policy or Bad
In late 2008, problems in the financial markets prompted the government to step in to shore up the economy. What will be the impact of this intervention and how should America rethink its approach to markets and regulation? Find out in this week's episod...
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How Can We Energize Our Energy Policy?
What will be the Obama Administration's priorities when creating the country's energy policy? How much attention will be given to environmental concerns and how can a new policy stimulate the economy? Find out on this week's episode....
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The Nakba
In 1948 the region once known as Palestine was split by the UN, creating Israel and a Palestinian homeland. Conflict has existed ever since. The Palestinians refer to this clash as "The Nakba." We explore the different sides of the issue on t...
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Investing In America: A Path to Prosperity
President-elect Obama has promised to boost the economy through investment in infrastructure. What projects might the new administration initiate? Find out in this week's episode....
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S.J. Perleman: When Slapstick Strikes Home
S.J. Perleman was one of the best known and respected comedy writers of the '30s and '40s. His work is admired by many artists including Woody Allen. However, few people today even know his name. Should his writing be studied, or has his time u...
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The First Annual Think Tank Award Dinner
Think Tank honors outgoing AEI President Chris DeMuth at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. and a panel discusses the role of Think Tanks in American civic life....
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Immigration: Is Demography Destiny
Here's a surprising headline: Illegal Immigration Is Down. Why? Today we'll look at the state of immigration in America and its role in Presidential politics. Joining us are Jeffrey Purcell, Senior Demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, ...
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American Education: Grading Our Classrooms
Over the past fifty years the number of students in America has doubled and the number of teachers has tripled! Yet students in the United Stats are underperforming comparatively to many countries worldwide. What does the government need to do under the next...
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The American Economy - Can It Be Saved?
The economy is at the top of every newscast and campaign speech these days. Words like bailout, stock market crash, recession and depression are flying around Wall Street and Main Street. Joining me today on think tank is special co-host Eric Felton - a regular ho...
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What does the President do on Nov. 5th?
Here’s a bold prediction: On November 4, 2008 America will elect a new president, and on January 20 2009 that president will take office! I’ve no idea who is going to win and neither does anyone else, but our guests today do know something about what a new p...
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Can We Cure Our Health Care System?
One of the most important issues in this year's Presidential election is health care. Now, modern medicine has provided miracles, but can access and cost and quality be improved. Joining us to discuss the future of health car...
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LBJ's Legacy
On August 27, 2008, Lyndon Johnson would have turned 100 years old. Think Tank examines the social programs created during his administration and the impact of the Vietnam War on his legacy....
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The Olympic Politics of Sport
The Olympics in China will dominate the news in August of 2008, but in 1960, the eyes of the world turned to Italy, to Rome for the Summer Olympic Games. Over 18 days, sports gave us glimpses of what the modern world will look like: Cold War political scandals...
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Election 2008: What We Do and Don't Know
A new President will soon lead the nation. As the campaigns enter the home stretch, Think Tank is joined by political scientist election expert, John Fortier of the American Enterprise Institute to discuss the elections of 2008 with no spin. The topic...
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The World of Herb London
Think Tank is joined by Herb London, a true poly man, President of the Hudson Institute and former Dean of the Gallitan School within New York University where the curriculum is still based on the great books. The topic before the house: The World of He...
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Is the Media Machine Broken?
E.J. Dionne and Newt Gingrich discuss the state of the modern media landscape...
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What's a Neocon?
What’s a neocon? And why does it matter...
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There's no Place like your Home
Our guest today on Think Tank is Alex J. Pollack, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and past President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago. The topic before the house: There’s no place like your home...
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Is "Lobby" a four-letter word?
Meredith McGehee of the Campaign Legal Center, James Thurber of American University and Journalist Michael Gerson discuss the current and hisorical role of Lobbying in Washington. Is it a good thing for the public?...
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William Safire, a Gem of an American
William Safire, Pulitzer Prize winning political columnist is the author of more than 25 books. He is a legendary language expert and has been examining America’s politics for over 40 years. The new edition of Saphire’s political dictionary was r...
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Israel at 60 Part 3
Israel at 60 part 3, with Judy Miller, Joseph Joffe, Stanley Fischer on location in Herzliya, Israel...
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Israel at 60 Part 2 - Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu served as prime minister of Israel during a decisive period in the late 1990’s. Amongst fiscal turmoil and the terror of the 2nd Intifada, Netanyahu revitalized the Israeli economy. ...
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Israel at 60 Part 1 - Natan Sharansky
Over the past 60 years Israel has moved from a poor nation to an economic power. In this, the first of three episodes on Israel at 60 we talk with Natan Sharansky, former famous political prisoner and activist- whose imprisonment brought the eyes of the world on cold wa...
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American Entertainment Quo Vadis?
Think Tank travels to Hollywodd to discuss the future of the entertainment industry, amidst a writers strike and the digital innovations being made in distribution...
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Ben Stein's America
Ben Stein is an author, actor, speech writer and columnist. He has unique views which we shall explore. The topic before the house: Ben Stein’s America...
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Digging for History
The living history here in Jerusalem is only rivaled by what may exist just below the surface. Israeli archeologist, Dr. Eliat Mazar joins us to talk about her excavations at the ancient city of David - And Professor Haneed Nour El-Din of Al Quds University of...
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Are We What we Eat?
In the last 25 years Americans have eaten less fat and exercised more. Yet, the incidents of obesity and type two diabetes have increased. What happened? For an examination we are joined by Gary Taubs, science journalist and author of the new book Good Calor...
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Heroic Conservatism: Michael Gerson
Former chief speechwriter for president Bush discusses the white house and his new book Heroic Conservatism...
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Jacob Frankel
Our guest is Jacob Frenkel, the former Governor of the Bank of Israel, roughly the equivalent of the American Federal Reserve Bank.While serving as Governor, he helped transform the Israeli economy. The topic before the house: Jacob Frenkel, Israel, the...
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Global or Verbal Warming
Our guest today is Bjorn Lomborg of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and author of "Cool It". Is the world speding properly on Global Warming, are other issues being neglected in the rush to go green?...
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James Q Wilson Part 2
When President Bush awarded James Q. Wilson the Medal of Freedom, he noted that Wilson writes with intellectual rigor and moral clarity. Jim Wilson’s insights have placed him amongst the great social thinkers of our time....
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James Q Wilson Part 1
Thinking Things through with James Q. Wilson. Part 1 ...
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Tom Wolfe and the Derriere Guard
Tom Wolfe has been part of reporting and shaping our cultural landscape throughout his prolific career. His approach to reporting ushered in what was refered to as New Journalism and he has penned many bestselling books. Think Tank caught up with Tom Wolfe in Manhattan ...
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Iranian Runaround
American policy on Iran has been based on the idea that the country is trying to build a nuclear weapon. A recent intelligence estimate indicates that Iran's nuclear program may have been stopped years ago. What does this mean for future policy towards the country. ...
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Elon Musk and the Frontiers of Technology
Elon Musk, 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year, discusses his company SpaceX from their factory floor. SpaceX hopes to privatize space exploration, and the company has been growing at a rapid pace. Elon Musk, after being on the development team that created and sold PayPal, t...
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Feeling Secure in a Time of Terror
Brian Jenkins, a senior advisor at the RAND corporation sits down to discuss the global impacts of terrorism and the history of terror as a weapon on the world stage. ...
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Akbar Ahmed:Journey into Islam
World renown Muslim scholar Akbar Ahmed offers a coherent explanation of Islam in the context of our modern world. ...
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Dave Zirin: Sports, Is it just a game?
Writer Dave Zirin and former Defense Secretary William Cohen discuss political and social implications of the modern landscape in profesisonal sports...
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The Great Upheaval 1788-1800 with Jan Winik
At the end of the 18th century a remarkable group of leaders and philosophers presided over a ferment that would change the world forever. Over 12 turbulent and violent years reform swept through France, Russia and a fragile newborn America. To explore the magnitude of ...
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Economic Bubbles with Dan Gross
Dan Gross, NEWSWEEK writer and author of POP! discusses Economic bubbles and the importance they have played historically in stimulating the U.S. economy...
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Al Shanker: Tough Liberal
Richard Kahlenberg, author of "Al Shanker: Tough Liberal" Discusses Albert Shanker's life and importance in the modern history of public education. ...
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Public Diplomacy, Broadcasting in the war of
Memories of the Cold War often focus on the military standoff or the intrigue of espionage, but some believe that the war was truly one with “soft power,” “public diplomacy” and a war of ideas. Witness the case of Voice of America, Radio Free Eur...
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Francis Collins Part 2
Dr. Francis Collins, head of the Human Genome Research project at the National Institutes of Health and author of "The Language of God" ...
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Francis Collins Part 1
Dr. Francis Collins, head of the Human Genome Research project at the National Institute of Health and author of : The Language of God. ...
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Immigration Reform
Hello, I'm Ben Wattenberg. Immigration reform is perhaps the most dominant domestic issue on the political scene today. Few other topics demand such passion from all along the political spectrum. President Bush's plan for a guest w...
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William and Janet Cohen: Love in Black and Wh
There isn’t another Washington power couple quite like Janet and Bill Cohen. She is a former model, television journalist and CEO of her own communications firm. And he is a Republican former Congressman and Senator from Maine and Secretary of Defense ...
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The End of Government As We Know It
In recent years a new philosophy of government has tried to emerge blending the best of liberal and conservative ideas. This approach has been called the Third Way. Elaine Kamarck has been at the center of this activity. The End of Government As We Know It, this w...
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Robert Novak: Prince of Darkness PT.2
In Washington journalistic circles Bob Novak is known as the Prince of Darkness and that is the title of his forthcoming memoir. He tells stories, explains his changing views and offers some harsh judgments. Bob Novak: 50 years in the political cauldron, thi...
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Robert Novak: The Prince of Darkness PT.1
In Washington journalistic circles Bob Novak is known as the Prince of Darkness and that is the title of his forthcoming memoir. He tells stories, explains his changing views and offers some harsh judgments. Bob Novak: 50 years in the political cauldron, thi...
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt1
At a major economic conference, former U.S. senator and President of the New School, Bob Kerrey discusses deficits and poses the question, "is our conventional economic wisdom wrong?" 8:00 min....
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt2
In his opening remarks, former chairman and CEO of Loral Space and Communications Inc., Bernard Schwartz, stresses that economists should remain optimistic about the United States' fiscal future. 3:20 min ...
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt3
In an interview with Think Tank's Ben Wattenberg, former chairman and CEO of Loral Space and Communications Inc., Bernard Schwartz, stresses the importance of public investment in education, healthcare and infrastructure to prevent the economic sky fr...
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt4
Always expect the economically unexpected. This is the message expressed by the panel of U.S. economic experts gathered to debate the future of both the American and the global economies. 17:30 min...
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt5
Panelists assert that in order to ensure the United States' economic stability, the government must tackle several critical problems facing the nation's infrastructure. 18:00 min...
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt6
Panelists address U.S. economic issues ranging from the current housing crisis to the startling uncertainty of the derivatives market during a brief question and answer session. 15:10 min...
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt7
This panel of US Senators asks. "How can we make the global economy work for us?" With the burdens of growing trade and budget deficits the U.S. must reevaluate how it views its current economic situation in order to remain competitive in an in...
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt8
The Senatorial Colloquium continues as panelists debate over how to best manage the U.S.'s rapidly growing national debt to avoid a fiscal crisis. 17:20 min....
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The Economy: "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt9
During the question and answer session, Senators address how reevaluating social security and Medicare, as well as restructuring how the nation deals with illegal immigration, could positively affect the national deficit. 17:20 min....
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The Economy "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt10
Panelists discuss the state of the current U.S. economy and project where it is headed within the next several years. Should Americans anticipate the worst or is this just another example of ever-changing global imbalances? 21:30 min...
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The Economy "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt11
How should the U.S. government focus on making investments for the future? Panelists weigh in on how free trade, education and middle class wage compression are affecting the way Americans feel about their economic security. 18:00 min...
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The Economy "Will the Sky Fall?" Pt12
Panelists discuss the ideas of universal health care as well as a better unemployment system during a brief question and answer session. 6:00 min....
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The American Musical, Part 2
From Showboat to The Lion King, from Oklahoma to Chorus Line, the lights of Broadway burn brightly in the imaginations of millions of people around the world. The Broadway Musical is a unique 20th century art form, combining comedy and romance, music and dance.&nb...
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The American Musical, Part 1
From Showboat to The Lion King, from Oklahoma to Chorus Line, the lights of Broadway burn brightly in the imaginations of millions of people around the world. The Broadway Musical is a unique 20th century art form, combining comedy and romance, music and dance.&nb...
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One Nation, One Standard
“The Hispanic community doesn’t care about education as much as other minority groups.” This is the controversial claim of Herman Badillo’s immigrant education reform manifesto, One Nation One Standard. Badillo himself embodies the idea of ...
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America, Quo Vadis? Part 2
Arguments about military strategies for the conflict in Iraq fill the news but do they squeeze out a discussion about America’s broader foreign policy challenges in the region. Do all roads lead to the Middle East? What are the limits of diplomacy? Today&rsq...
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America, Quo Vadis? Part 1
Arguments about military strategies for the conflict in Iraq fill the news but do they squeeze out a discussion about America’s broader foreign policy challenges in the regions. Do all road’s lead to the Middle East? What are the limits of diplomacy? T...
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The Ethiopian Exodus, Part 2
At the end of 1984 and in May of 1991 the Israeli government orchestrated 2 massive covert operations to transport virtually the entire Ethiopian Jewish community to Israel. The first was codenamed Operation Moses; a six week campaign to secretly transport 8000 Et...
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The Ethiopian Exodus, Part 1
At the end of 1984 and in May of 1991 the Israeli government orchestrated 2 massive covert operations to transport virtually the entire Ethiopian Jewish community to Israel. The first was codenamed Operation Moses; a six week campaign to secretly transport 8000 Et...
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Lipset and Friends, Part 2
When Seymour Martin Lipset died on December 31, 2006. America lost oneof its great political scientists. His works ranged far a field:Political sociology, trade union organization, social stratification,public opinion, and the sociology of intellectual life. He wr...
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Lipset and Friends, Part 1
When Seymour Martin Lipset died on December 31, 2006. America lost oneof its great political scientists. His works ranged far a field:Political sociology, trade union organization, social stratification,public opinion, and the sociology of intellectual life. He wr...
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Breaking Barriers: 1950's College B-ball
In 1950, 3 jews and 2 blacks, all local New Yorkers, made college sports history and helped shift America’s attitudes about racial and religious integration. They were the starting 5 of the City College of New York (CCNY) Basketball team. They are the only t...
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Darwinism vs Intelligent Design, Part 2
In recent decades Charles Darwin’s explanation of evolution through natural selection has been challenged by an alternative theory called Intelligent Design. A growing number of science teachers and school boards are struggling with how to present students with th...
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Darwinism vs Intelligent Design, Part I
In recent decades Charles Darwin’s explanation of evolution through natural selection has been challenged by an alternative theory called Intelligent Design. A growing number of science teachers and school boards are struggling with how to present students with th...
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The Real Mark Twain, Part 2
Samuel Longhorne Clemens, alias Mark Twain, is regarded by many as America’s greatest writer. Ernest Hemmingway said all American writing begins with Huckleberry Finn. Twain’s talents made him the greatest global American celebrity of his time. But beyond th...
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The Real Mark Twain, Part 1
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, alias Mark Twain, is regarded by many as America’s greatest writer. Ernest Hemmingway said all American writing begins with Huckleberry Finn. His talents made him the greatest global American celebrity of his time. But beyond the witty tu...
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The GOP on the Ropes?
The 2006 mid-term elections are rapidly approaching, campaigns are swinging into high gear, and the gloves are coming off. This election season promises to be as heated as any with a closely divided Congress and a host of contentious issues. Several of the President&rsq...
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Financial Finagling, Part 2
The financial scandals of the last five years have given many American corporations a bad name. From Enron to Global Crossing, from Arthur Andersen to Merrill Lynch, big firms have been accused and sometimes convicted of financial skullduggery in all its forms. This has...
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Has Spitzer Saved Wall Street?
Enron, Worldcom, Tyco, Adelphia – these companies and many others are now synonymous with corporate scandal, greed and corruption. Many Americans have looked to the government to bring Wall Street to heel, and one man has been seen as the most important anti-corpo...
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Financial Finagling, Part 1
The financial scandals of the last five years have given many American corporations a bad name. From Enron to Global Crossing, from Arthur Andersen to Merrill Lynch, big firms have been accused and sometimes convicted of financial skullduggery in all its forms. This has...
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Ford's Fundamentals, Part 2
After nearly a century of making cars, Ford is still one of the most important names in American business. And while much has been written about Ford’s automobiles, there has been comparatively little focus on his life. Today’s guest believes that Henry Ford...
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Ford's Fundamentals, Part 1
After nearly a century of making cars, Ford is still one of the most important names in American business. And while much has been written about Ford’s automobiles, there has been comparatively little focus on his life. Today’s guest believes that Henry Ford...
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The Western: America’s Story, Part 2
Scholars are divided over American’s fascination with the Old West. Some say the Western film is more flawed and less heroic than movie audiences assume. Others say the films reflect the real hardship and courage of Nineteenth Century America. What do Westerns say...
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The Western: America’s Story, Part 1
The Great Train Robbery, considered by many historians to be the first Western film, premiered a century ago in 1903. In the years that followed, generations of filmmakers turned again and again to the stories from the frontier--the conquest of Indian land, the Californ...
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After Katrina, Part 2
Last summer, Hurricane Katrina flooded over 80 percent of the city of New Orleans. President George W. Bush proclaimed a call to action to make the city great again. However, since then the only progress seems to be a confusing patchwork of regulations, plans, and progr...
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The Future of the Constitution, Part 1
The Constitution is America’s framework for government. It has survived over two centuries with only a few amendments. But despite its apparent simplicity, interpreting the Constitution is difficult. Although Americans have a strong libertarian identity, they also...
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Has Neoconservatism Failed? Part 2
In 1989, political scientist Francis Fukuyama argued that the end of the Cold War also brought a certain kind of end to human history. Free markets and peaceful democracy would be the final form human government. But since then, al-Qaeda has attacked America, London, Ma...
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Has Neoconservatism Failed? Part 1
In 1989, political scientist Francis Fukuyama argued that the end of the Cold War also brought a certain kind of end to human history. Free markets and peaceful democracy would be the final form human government. But since then, al-Qaeda has attacked America, London, Ma...
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The Unknown Iraq
The news from Iraq seems to get worse by the day, but is that the whole story? Is there another Iraq behind the scenes, where long-term stability and peace is being established? And has the war in Iraq affected the prospects for democracy in other countries? To find out...
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Fixing Immigration and More, Part 2
America is divided on immigration. Some say that immigration hurts American workers. Others maintain that immigrants are a vital part of our economic engine. President George W. Bush supports a temporary guest-worker program, but proposals in Congress range from buildin...
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Fixing Immigration and More, Part 1
America is divided on immigration. Some say that immigration hurts American workers. Others maintain that immigrants are a vital part of our economic engine. President George W. Bush supports a temporary guest-worker program, but proposals in Congress range from buildin...
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Interview with Margaret MacMillan
At the close of World War I - the "war to end all wars" - leaders of the major powers met in Paris to create what they hoped would be a lasting peace. From the ruins of four bankrupt empires they redrew the boundaries of the modern world. They carved out entir...
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James Fallows on America
Today we are joined by one of the most eclectic minds of journalism and editorial thinking in America: James Fallows. His topics have included Iraq, the market place, Japan, Vietnam, to just begin a long list. Today we are getting his general take on where America has ...
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Civil Rights Then and Now, Part 2
America’s Civil Rights Movement was the work of many people, but one name stands out: the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. His bold and courageous action opened the eyes of the nation to racial injustice. Coupled with President Lyndon B. Johnson’s passionate...
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Civil Rights Then and Now, Part 1
America’s Civil Rights Movement was the work of many people, but one name stands out: the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. His bold and courageous action opened the eyes of the nation to racial injustice. Coupled with President Lyndon B. Johnson’s passionate...
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Rating Rudy, Part 2
In the awful days after September 11th, Americans were inspired by the bold leadership of the mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani. But prior to 9/11 he was both loved and hated, even though New York had experienced a renaissance under his administration. What was t...
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Rating Rudy, Part 1
In the awful days after September 11th, Americans were inspired by the bold leadership of the mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani. But prior to 9/11 he was both loved and hated, even though New York had experienced a renaissance under his administration. What was t...
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Reagan's Imagination, Part 2
President Ronald Reagan led America through one of the most remarkable periods in world history - the end of the cold war. He cut taxes, increased military spending, and aimed to shrink the size of government. He also presided over huge budget deficits, controversy over...
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Reagan's Imagination, Part I
President Ronald Reagan led America through one of the most remarkable periods in world history - the end of the cold war. He cut taxes, increased military spending, and aimed to shrink the size of government. He also presided over huge budget deficits, controversy over...
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Getting It Right In Iraq
America’s presence in Iraq is entering its third year. Despite progress and establishing democracy, violence against Iraqis and American troops continues. What is the best strategy for success in Iraq? Has the game been worth the candle? To find out, Think Tank is...
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Ogden Nash Revealed
"Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker". You may have heard this before and laughed, but like so many other wonderful poems, it has become such a part of American culture that many cannot even remember the source. Well, the author was Ogden Nash. While his...
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Congressional Corruption Cancer
Scandal is in the air in Washington, DC, and the name of one man is leading the headline parade -- Jack Abramoff. Legal terms like charging papers, subpoenas, plea bargains, indictments and perp walks are giving America a crash course in corruption. With Congressional e...
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Irving Berlin's America, Part 2
From Ragtime to Swing and from Broadway to Hollywood, Irving Berlin’s music defined American songwriting for more than half a century. Songs like "God Bless America," "There’s No Business Like Show Business," Cheek to Cheek" and &quo...
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Irving Berlin's America, Part 1
Irving Berlin pulled himself up from poverty on New York’s Lower East Side to become America’s most famous and enduring songwriter. Born Israel Baline in Belarus, then part of the Russian empire, on May 11, 1888, he immigrated with his family to America at a...
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Politics, 2006
In 2004 Republicans held on to the White House and gained in both houses of Congress, but now public opinion of Republicans has plummeted. The 2006 elections are approaching. With several state governorships and a some key congressional races at stake, will the Democrat...
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April 1865
April 1865 was perhaps the most critical month in American history. In the span of a mere five days, the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered, effectively ending the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. That perilous time is the subject of a new book by his...
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21st Century Science, Part 2
Human cloning, stem-cell research, global warming, and so-called “Intelligent Design” are only a few of the countless issues that seem to intertwine science, morality, commerce, and politics. Where is the balance? What is the role of the government in guidin...
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21st Century Science, Part 1
In the 21st century, scientific advances may help people live longer lives, be smarter, stronger, and even happier. Most every day we hear about designer babies, miracle cures, you name it — thanks mostly to genetic engineering. But despite the promised benefits, ...
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Thinking about Think Tank, Part 2
Today on Think Tank we are going to talk about Think Tanks. In Washington and elsewhere there are a plethora of such institutions - sometimes shrouded in mystery. Ideologically, they range from left, to right, to center; they play an important role in defining issues an...
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Thinking about Think Tank, Part I
Today on Think Tank we are going to talk about Think Tanks. In Washington and elsewhere there are a plethora of such institutions - sometimes shrouded in mystery. Ideologically, they range from left, to right, to center; they play an important role in defining issues an...
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Women in the Bible
Many of us can recall powerful stories of important figures from the Old Testament, leaders like Abraham, Joseph, and King David. But today’s guest argues that there are other important characters in the Bible who have often been overlooked — women. These Bi...
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Woodrow Wilson, Part 2
Woodrow Wilson rose in just 10 years from college professor, to president of Princeton, to governor of New Jersey, to President of the United States, to ultimately the most admired man in the world. He was a progressive who banned child labor and introduced the federal ...
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Woodrow Wilson, Part 1
Woodrow Wilson rose in just 10 years from college professor, to president of Princeton, to governor of New Jersey, to President of the United States, to ultimately the most admired man in the world. He was a progressive who banned child labor and introduced the federal ...
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The Future of Socialism
By the 1970s, roughly 60 percent of the earth’s population lived under governments that espoused socialism in one form or another. But this is the era of free market economics. In Britain, Tony Blair has changed what it means to be a socialist. Israel’s fame...
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The Truth about the Flat World, Part 2
We’re just a few years into the twenty-first century, and it looks like globalization is here to stay. Rapid advances in telecommunications and falling trade barriers have linked national economies like never before, and the free flow of goods, capital, and inform...
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The Truth about the Flat World, Part 1
We’re just a few years into the twenty-first century, and it looks like globalization is here to stay. Rapid advances in telecommunications and falling trade barriers have linked national economies like never before, and the free flow of goods, capital, and inform...
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Democracy Unleashed, Part 2
President George W Bush maintains that promoting freedom and democracy around the world is the focus of his presidency. He believes it is not only right, but it will also help to reduce terrorism. Today’s guest, Natan Sharansky, a former Soviet political prisoner,...
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Democracy Unleashed, Part 1
President George W Bush maintains that promoting freedom and democracy around the world is the focus of his presidency. He believes it is not only right, but it will also help to reduce terrorism. Today’s guest, a former Soviet political prisoner, agrees, particul...
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American Greatness
The 20th Century, has been called "The American Century." And at the beginning of the 21st, America is the world’s only superpower. Among the world’s nations, America ranks number one economically, militarily and culturally. But has America lost i...
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Books to Please, Part 2
In today’s fast, computerized environment, good books are sometimes forgotten. Not so for Michael Dirda, a lover of literature since his childhood in a working class town in the Midwest. A Pulitzer Prize winning book critic for the Washington Post, Dirda says that...
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Books to Please, Part 1
In today’s fast, computerized environment, good books are sometimes forgotten. Not so for Michael Dirda, a lover of literature since his childhood in a working class town in the Midwest. A Pulitzer Prize winning book critic for the Washington Post, Dirda says that...
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The Competition Solution, Part 2
America’s economy has seen strong growth since the end of World War II, but there have been painful bumps in the road. Economists have struggled for years to figure out what to do to help. We hear about about tax policy, trade policy, exchange rates, and the role ...
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The Competition Solution, Part 1
America’s economy has seen strong growth since the end of World War II, but there have been painful bumps in the road. Economists have struggled for years to figure out what to do to help. We hear about about tax policy, trade policy, exchange rates, and the role ...
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Iraq: The Bullet and the Ballot, Part 1
In January of 2005, Iraqis headed to the polls for their first free elections in half a century. But as the new government takes shape, a violent insurgency and ethnic tensions continue to threaten hopes for a stable Iraq. What is the future of Iraqi democracy? What are...
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The Life of Andrew Jackson, Part 2
Most Americans only know of Andrew Jackson as the man whose face adorns the twenty dollar bill. But during his two terms as President, from 1829 to 1837, Jackson left a distinctive stamp on issues we care about 160 years later, such as states’ rights, American for...
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The Life of Andrew Jackson, Part 1
Most Americans only know of Andrew Jackson as the man whose face adorns the twenty dollar bill. But during his two terms as President, from 1829 to 1837, Jackson left a distinctive stamp on issues we care about 160 years later, such as states’ rights, American for...
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Is America Polarized?
One of the most enduring images of the 2000 presidential election is the map of an America divided between the Republican Red states in the south and west, and Democratic Blue states on the coasts and Great Lakes. Many academics and pundits say a hopeless cultural divid...
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Fewer People, Part 2
We have all heard about the population explosion. Indeed, global population is still going up much more slowly than expected. But something is going on that is quite unexpected. In the last half century the number of children born per woman fell from 5 to 2.7. Now, it t...
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Fewer People, Part 1
We have all heard about the population explosion. Indeed, global population is still going up much more slowly than expected. But something is going on that is quite unexpected. In the last half century the number of children born per woman fell from 5 to 2.7. Now, it t...
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God's Secretaries
Four hundred years ago, a Scottish king ascended the throne of a deeply divided England. Bubonic plague had broken out in the towns and cities. Within two years, political terrorists would be plotting to blow up Parliament. And many of the most fundamental assumptions a...
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Henry Kissinger At Large, Part 2
Think Tank is once again joined by one of the towering figures of 20th century American Foreign Policy, Dr. Henry Kissinger. He has served as Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford, as well as National Security Advisor during some of the most tumultuous year...
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Henry Kissinger At Large, Part 1
Think Tank is joined by one of the towering figures of 20th century American Foreign Policy, Dr. Henry Kissinger. He has served as Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford, as well as National Security Advisor during some of the most tumultuous years of the Co...
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The Next Pope, Part 1
Pope John Paul II has presided over the Roman Catholic Church for 25 years. The next pope will be the 265th successor to St. Peter. He will face a church that is described as split between the politically powerful and more liberal clergy in Europe and the more tradition...
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The Next Pope, Part 2
Pope John Paul II has presided over the Roman Catholic Church for 25 years. The next pope will be the 265th successor to St. Peter. He will face a church that is described as split between the politically powerful and more liberal clergy in Europe and the more tradition...
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India Ascendent
India is the world’s largest democracy with 1.1 billion people. These days India has a vibrant economy and is best known for its advances in information technology and schools that produce world class high-tech personnel. But India has daunting challenges as well....
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Cuba after Castro
In January 1959, Fidel Castro rode triumphantly into Havana after successfully ousting Fulgencio Batista. Forty-five years later, Castro still rules with an iron hand. The United States maintains a controversial embargo on trade and travel to Cuba. Life for Cubans is be...
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Zbigniew Brzezinski At Large, Part 2
Think Tank is joined this week by one of the significant voices in American foreign policy, Zbigniew Brzezinski. Dr. Brzezinski served as National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter, where he played a key role in securing the peace accord between Israel and Egyp...
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Zbigniew Brzezinski At Large, Part 1
Think Tank is joined this week by one of the significant voices in American foreign policy, Zbigniew Brzezinski. Dr. Brzezinski served as National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter, where he played a key role in securing the peace accord between Israel and Egyp...
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Orwell’s Century
The year 2003 marked the centennial of author George Orwell’s birth. Called by some the most important writer of the twentieth century, his legacy is his language: Newspeak, Thought Police, Big Brother. Even his name has become an adjective: Orwellian. Although Or...
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The Blending of America
Author and journalist Richard Rodriguez discusses race in America and his book, "Brown: The Last Discovery of America." Drawing on his own experiences as the son of Mexican immigrants, Richard Rodriguez challenges conventional notions of race and identity. Occ...
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Population Explosion or Birth Dearth? Part 2
This week Think Tank is at the United Nations Secretariat in New York City, where demographers from all over the world met in March to revise the conventional wisdom about world population growth sharply downward. The numbers that came out of this meeting should shape h...
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Population Explosion or Birth Dearth, Part 1
This week, Think Tank is at the United Nations in New York City, where demographers from all over the world gathered to rethink estimates of future world population growth. For many decades, most of the talk has been about a population explosion, but now the UN has come...
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The Language Police
Are textbooks publishers dumbing down what children learn in school? Some critics say that what began in the 1970’s as a well-meaning attempt to eliminate words and images that were demeaning to women and minority groups has resulted in censorship. Do bias and sen...
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Great Scots!
Only three centuries ago, Scotland was a primitive country, still the scene of barbaric wars, torture, and witch trials. But not long after, Scottish philosophers created a common sense approach to the study of political economy - one whose reverberations can still be f...
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What’s Going on in Iran?
President Bush has proclaimed Iran a member of the Axis of Evil. The Islamic State has come under international scrutiny for its alleged development of nuclear weapons and for its long-standing support of terrorism. From within, Iran’s leaders are the focus of a g...
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Who Was John Philip Sousa?
The legendary John Philip Sousa composed the most famous piece of American music ever written - The Stars and Stripes Forever. This week, we examine Sousa the man, the composer and the promoter. Just who was the man known as "The March King?" And how is it tha...
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Was Benjamin Franklin the First American?
This week, Think Tank takes a look at America’s founding grandfather, Benjamin Franklin. Though he was an eminent diplomat, politician, and prose stylist, most think of Franklin as the kite-flying discoverer of electricity. Those who have taken a closer look, howe...
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In The Wake of the Plague
The plague that struck Europe in the middle of the 14th century, known as the Black Death, wiped out nearly two-fifths of the continent’s population in the span of only a few years. But according to a recent book by Norman Cantor, "In the Wake of the Plague: ...
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North Korea: Desperate and Dangerous
Few nations are as mysterious, isolated, and defiant as North Korea. Confronted in October 2002 with hard evidence of a secret nuclear weapons program, the North Korean government readily confessed. Within weeks it was threatening nuclear war. Meanwhile the North’...
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George Washington
Think Tank looks beyond the mythology of the father of our country and to the extraordinary man who was the president of the United States. Was George Washington an indispensable man? To find out Think Tank is joined by Edwin Yoder professor of journalism and humanities...
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Unexpected Dissident: Andrei Sakharov
The life of Russian physicist Andrei Sakharov spanned the years from Lenin to Gorbachev, from an expanding Soviet empire to the collapse of that empire. Sakharov was father of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, a much-decorated hero of the Soviet Union, an exiled human rights ac...
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Richard Posner: Courting Controversy
Richard Posner is a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals, the court second only to the Supreme Court. In his spare time, he is one of America's most eclectic and provocative thinkers. His latest book, Public Intellectuals: a Study of Decline, slammed the work of many ...
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The Commanding Heights
This week, Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg examines the shifting tide of economic thought. In the last two decades, the free-market capitalist model seems everywhere on the march, routing communism and pushing tired welfare states to privatize, cut back benefits and incr...
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A Conversation with Sydney Pollack
Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg visits the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, to sit down with Sydney Pollack, one of America's foremost film directors. Over the course of a career that spans more than three decades, Pollack has directed such memorable...
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The Soviet Gulag
Nearly a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many have forgotten why we fought the Cold War. Applebaum’s "The Gulag: A History" is the first book to apply definitive, archival data to expose the Gulag and is the most important work since Alexa...
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Does History Have a Purpose?
Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg talks with author Robert Wright about his recently published “Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny.” Many have argued that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution suggests human history is aimless. However, in his new book, W...
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Evolution with Richard Dawkins
Think Tank discusses Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution with Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s leading scientists, as he compares the theory that humans evolved from more simple organisms with the theory of creationism....
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Miss Manners: Why Manners Matter
It’s said that Americans have lost their manners, that they are coarse and vulgar, and that such behavior ultimately corrodes our society. This happens whether such behavior occurs in politics, in business or in our personal lives. Today’s guest argues that ...
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Moynihan Looks Back
1997 marks Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s 70th birthday. Think Tank looks back on the senator’s long, distinguished career as a central figure in American political and intellectual life for almost four decades....
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Daniel Patrick Moynihan: In His Own Words
When former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan died on March 26th, 2003, at the age of 76, the nation lost one of its most original and controversial voices. Pat Moynihan was a great intellect, a probing social scientist, and a canny politician. He served in the administra...
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Tocqueville’s Democracy in America
In May of 1831, twenty-six year-old Alexis de Tocqueville landed in Newport, Rhode Island, then a city of fewer than 16,000 residents. From there he began a ten-month journey across America. Tocqueville sought to answer the political riddle of the era: Why was it that d...
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Bob Novak pt.1
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The American Musical, Part 2
From Showboat to The Lion King, from Oklahoma to Chorus Line, the lights of Broadway burn brightly in the imaginations of millions of people around the world. The Broadway Musical is a unique 20th century art form, combining comedy and romance, music and dance.&nb...
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The American Musical, Part 1
From Showboat to The Lion King, from Oklahoma to Chorus Line, the lights of Broadway burn brightly in the imaginations of millions of people around the world. The Broadway Musical is a unique 20th century art form, combining comedy and romance, music and dance.&nb...
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One Nation, One Standard
“The Hispanic community doesn’t care about education as much as other minority groups.” This is the controversial claim of Herman Badillo’s immigrant education reform manifesto, One Nation One Standard. Badillo himself embodies the idea of ...
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America, Quo Vadis? Part 2
Arguments about military strategies for the conflict in Iraq fill the news but do they squeeze out a discussion about America’s broader foreign policy challenges in the regions. Do all road’s lead to the Middle East? What are the limits of diplomacy? T...
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America, Quo Vadis? Part 1
Arguments about military strategies for the conflict in Iraq fill the news but do they squeeze out a discussion about America’s broader foreign policy challenges in the regions. Do all road’s lead to the Middle East? What are the limits of diplomacy? T...
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The Ethiopian Exodus, Part 2
At the end of 1984 and in May of 1991 the Israeli government orchestrated 2 massive covert operations to transport virtually the entire Ethiopian Jewish community to Israel. The first was codenamed Operation Moses; a six week campaign to secretly transport 8000 Et...
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The Ethiopian Exodus, Part 1
At the end of 1984 and in May of 1991 the Israeli government orchestrated 2 massive covert operations to transport virtually the entire Ethiopian Jewish community to Israel. The first was codenamed Operation Moses; a six week campaign to secretly transport 8000 Et...
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The Future of Neo-Conservatism
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The Market For Human Organs
What would you do if tomorrow you discovered that you needed a new kidney? What would you pay? Would you wait patiently in line with thousands of others for a compatible donor to die? What would you do if you found out that a friend needed a kidney and that you were a m...
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Uncovering Clemente: Baseball's Last Hero
While responding to a catastrophic earthquake in Nicaragua, Puerto-Rican born baseball great, Roberto Clemente, died in a tragic plane crash. The twelve-time All-Star of the Pittsburgh Pirates with exactly three-thousand hits to his name is accredited with a remarkable ...
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Miss Manners: Why Manners Matter
It’s said that Americans have lost their manners, that they are coarse and vulgar, and that such behavior ultimately corrodes our society. This happens whether such behavior occurs in politics, in business or in our personal lives. Today’s guest argues that ...
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Daniel Patrick Moynihan: In His Own Words
When former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan died on March 26th, 2003, at the age of 76, the nation lost one of its most original and controversial voices. Pat Moynihan was a great intellect, a probing social scientist, and a canny politician. He served in the administra...
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Darwinism vs. Intelligent Design, Part 2
In recent decades Charles Darwin’s explanation of evolution through natural selection has been challenged by an alternative theory called Intelligent Design. A growing number of science teachers and school boards are struggling with how to present students with th...
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Darwinism vs Intelligent Design, Part 1
In recent decades Charles Darwin’s explanation of evolution through natural selection has been challenged by an alternative theory called Intelligent Design. A growing number of science teachers and school boards are struggling with how to present students with th...
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The Real Mark Twain, Part 2
Samuel Longhorne Clemens, alias Mark Twain, is regarded by many as America’s greatest writer. Ernest Hemmingway said all American writing begins with Huckleberry Finn. Twain’s talents made him the greatest global American celebrity of his time. But beyond th...
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The Real Mark Twain, Part 1
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, alias Mark Twain, is regarded by many as America’s greatest writer. Ernest Hemmingway said all American writing begins with Huckleberry Finn. His talents made him the greatest global American celebrity of his time. But beyond the witty tu...
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The GOP on the Ropes?
The 2006 mid-term elections are rapidly approaching, campaigns are swinging into high gear, and the gloves are coming off. This election season promises to be as heated as any with a closely divided Congress and a host of contentious issues. Several of the President&rsq...
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Financial Finagling, Part 2
The financial scandals of the last five years have given many American corporations a bad name. From Enron to Global Crossing, from Arthur Andersen to Merrill Lynch, big firms have been accused and sometimes convicted of financial skullduggery in all its forms. This has...
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Financial Finagling, Part 1
The financial scandals of the last five years have given many American corporations a bad name. From Enron to Global Crossing, from Arthur Andersen to Merrill Lynch, big firms have been accused and sometimes convicted of financial skullduggery in all its forms. This has...
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Has Spitzer Saved Wall Street?
Enron, Worldcom, Tyco, Adelphia – these companies and many others are now synonymous with corporate scandal, greed and corruption. Many Americans have looked to the government to bring Wall Street to heel, and one man has been seen as the most important anti-corpo...
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Ford's Fundamentals, Part 2
After nearly a century of making cars, Ford is still one of the most important names in American business. And while much has been written about Ford’s automobiles, there has been comparatively little focus on his life. Today’s guest believes that Henry Ford...
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Ford's Fundamental's, Part 1
After nearly a century of making cars, Ford is still one of the most important names in American business. And while much has been written about Ford’s automobiles, there has been comparatively little focus on his life. Today’s guest believes that Henry Ford...
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The Western: America's Story, Part 2
Scholars are divided over American’s fascination with the Old West. Some say the Western film is more flawed and less heroic than movie audiences assume. Others say the films reflect the real hardship and courage of Nineteenth Century America. What do Westerns say...
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The Western: America's Story, Part 1
The Great Train Robbery, considered by many historians to be the first Western film, premiered a century ago in 1903. In the years that followed, generations of filmmakers turned again and again to the stories from the frontier--the conquest of Indian land, the Californ...
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After Katrina, Part 2
Last summer, Hurricane Katrina flooded over 80 percent of the city of New Orleans. President George W. Bush proclaimed a call to action to make the city great again. However, since then the only progress seems to be a confusing patchwork of regulations, plans, and progr...
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After Katrina, Part 1
Last summer Hurricane Katrina reminded Americans that death and destruction are not just the domain of terrorism. The images of a flooded New Orleans were to many a symbol of government failure, from city hall to the White House. But what responsibility does government ...
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The Future of the Constitution, Part 2
The Constitution is America’s framework for government. It has survived over two centuries with only a few amendments. But despite its apparent simplicity, interpreting the Constitution is difficult. Although Americans have a strong libertarian identity, they also...
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The Future of The Constitution, Part 1
The Constitution is America’s framework for government. It has survived over two centuries with only a few amendments. But despite its apparent simplicity, interpreting the Constitution is difficult. Although Americans have a strong libertarian identity, they also...
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Has Neo-Conservatism Failed or Succeeded? Par
In 1989, political scientist Francis Fukuyama argued that the end of the Cold War also brought a certain kind of end to human history. Free markets and peaceful democracy would be the final form human government. But since then, al-Qaeda has attacked America, London, Ma...
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Has Neo-Conservatism Failed or Succeeded? Par
In 1989, political scientist Francis Fukuyama argued that the end of the Cold War also brought a certain kind of end to human history. Free markets and peaceful democracy would be the final form human government. But since then, al-Qaeda has attacked America, London, Ma...
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Social Policy with Karl Zinsmeister
Karl Zinsmeister, newly appointed domestic policy advisor to President George W. Bush, sat down with host Ben Wattenberg in April for a candid and exclusive interview about issues affecting Americans every day -- sexual morals, abortion, the future of Social Security, w...
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E.O.Wilson and the Future of Life
Host Ben Wattenberg talks with one of the world’s most influential scientists, biologist Edward O. Wilson. Wilson is a professor at Harvard University and has written two Pulitzer Prize-winning books, On Human Nature and The Ants. In his most recent book, The Futu...
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Who Was John Philip Sousa
The legendary John Philip Sousa composed the most famous piece of American music ever written - The Stars and Stripes Forever. This week, we examine Sousa the man, the composer and the promoter. Just who was the man known as "The March King?" And how is it tha...
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Women in the Bible
Many of us can recall powerful stories of important figures from the Old Testament, leaders like Abraham, Joseph, and King David. But today’s guest argues that there are other important characters in the Bible who have often been overlooked — women. These Bi...
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The Unknown Iraq
The news from Iraq seems to get worse by the day, but is that the whole story? Is there another Iraq behind the scenes, where long-term stability and peace is being established? And has the war in Iraq affected the prospects for democracy in other countries?...
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Fixing Immigration and More, Part 2
America is divided on immigration. Some say that immigration hurts American workers. Others maintain that immigrants are a vital part of our economic engine. President George W. Bush supports a temporary guest-worker program, but proposals in Congress range from buildin...
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Fixing Immigration adn More, Part 1
America is divided on immigration. Some say that immigration hurts American workers. Others maintain that immigrants are a vital part of our economic engine. President George W. Bush supports a temporary guest-worker program, but proposals in Congress range from buildin...
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How Should Humanity Prosper?
Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich has been at the pessimistic forefront of the modern ecological movement for nearly four decades. His book, The Population Bomb, published in 1968, was an intellectual spark that contributed to the popular view that mankind was running out...
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Interview with Margaret MacMillan
At the close of World War I - the "war to end all wars" - leaders of the major powers met in Paris to create what they hoped would be a lasting peace. From the ruins of four bankrupt empires they redrew the boundaries of the modern world. They carved out entir...
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James Fallows On America
Today we are joined by one of the most eclectic minds of journalism and editorial thinking in America: James Fallows. His topics have included Iraq, the market place, Japan, Vietnam, to just begin a long list. Today we are getting his general take on where America has b...
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Civil Rights Then and Now, Part 2
America’s Civil Rights Movement was the work of many people, but one name stands out: the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. His bold and courageous action opened the eyes of the nation to racial injustice. Coupled with President Lyndon B. Johnson’s passionate...
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Civil Rights Then and Now, Part 1
America’s Civil Rights Movement was the work of many people, but one name stands out: the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. His bold and courageous action opened the eyes of the nation to racial injustice. Coupled with President Lyndon B. Johnson’s passionate...
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Rating Rudy, Part 2
In the awful days after September 11th, Americans were inspired by the bold leadership of the mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani. But prior to 9/11 he was both loved and hated, even though New York had experienced a renaissance under his administration. What was the se...
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Rating Rudy, Part 1
In the awful days after September 11th, Americans were inspired by the bold leadership of the mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani. But prior to 9/11 he was both loved and hated, even though New York had experienced a renaissance under his administration. What was t...
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John Rawls
Harvard University Professor John Rawls, who died in 2002, has been called the most influential political philosopher of the twentieth century - certainly for Democrats. His 1971 book, "A Theory of Justice," touched off a debate over individual rights versus t...
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Getting it Right in Iraq
America’s presence in Iraq is entering its third year. Despite progress and establishing democracy, violence against Iraqis and American troops continues. What is the best strategy for success in Iraq? Has the game been worth the candle?...
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Ogden Nash Revealed
"Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker". You may have heard this before and laughed, but like so many other wonderful poems, it has become such a part of American culture that many cannot even remember the source. Well, the author was Ogden Nash. While his vers...
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Congressional Corruption Cancer
Scandal is in the air in Washington, DC, and the name of one man is leading the headline parade -- Jack Abramoff. He has touched off a firestorm of investigation. Legal terms like subpoenas, charging papers, plea bargains, indictments, and perp walks are giving America ...
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Corruption Then and Now
Bribery, graft, extortion, cronyism, money laundering. Political corruption has a lot of names but whatever it’s called there seems to be more of it than ever. American political scandals pre-date the founding of the country, but has their essential character chan...
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God's Secretaries
Four hundred years ago, a Scottish king ascended the throne of a deeply divided England. Bubonic plague had broken out in the towns and cities. Within two years, political terrorists would be plotting to blow up Parliament. And many of the most fundamental assumptions a...
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Irving Berlin's America, Part 2
From Ragtime to Swing and from Broadway to Hollywood, Irving Berlin’s music defined American songwriting for more than half a century. Songs like "God Bless America," "There’s No Business Like Show Business," Cheek to Cheek" and &quo...
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Irving Berlin's America, Part 1
Irving Berlin pulled himself up from poverty on New York’s Lower East Side to become America’s most famous and enduring songwriter. Born Israel Baline in Belarus, then part of the Russian empire, on May 11, 1888, he immigrated with his family to America at a...
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Reagan's Imagination, Part 2
President Ronald Reagan led America through one of the most remarkable periods in world history - the end of the cold war. He cut taxes, increased military spending, and aimed to shrink the size of government. He also presided over huge budget deficits, controversy over...
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Reagan's Imagination, Part 1
President Ronald Reagan led America through one of the most remarkable periods in world history - the end of the cold war. He cut taxes, increased military spending, and aimed to shrink the size of government. He also presided over huge budget deficits, controversy over...
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The Soviet Gulag
Nearly a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many have forgotten why we fought the Cold War. Applebaum’s "The Gulag: A History" is the first book to apply definitive, archival data to expose the Gulag and is the most important work since Alexa...
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