American Politics

Robert Greenstein ("stine" not "steen"), executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. His group has just released a new study that shows how many state's budget cuts have had meant a disproportionate cut in programs for the poor.

In light of the current dilemma over the fate of Haitian refugees, we examine the U.S.'s current immigration policy.
First we talk with Representative Lamar Smith, vice chairman of the House Subcommittee on Immigration.

Then Terry talks with Frank Sharry, the executive director of the National Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Forum, a group that works for the rights of new immigrants.

Legendary television producer Norman Lear. His shows include All in the Family, Maude, the Jeffersons, and Good Times. Lear returns to the small screen next year with the show The Powers that Be. Lear is also the founder of People for the American Way, a citizens' group dedicated to stemming the influence of the Religious Right. The group is currently fighting the "gag" rule preventing doctors from discussing abortion in federally funded facilities. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Terry talks with Richard Baudouin ("BO-dwahn"), editor of the Times Of Acadiana, a weekly newspaper in Lafayette, Louisiana, the heart of Cajun country. He'll talk about how the Duke and Edwards campaigns are playing in his part of the state.

Terry next talks to David Touchstone, coordinator of David Duke's campaign in northwest Louisiana. Touchstone is a lawyer in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Today, we examine the Louisiana governor's race, and the controversy surrounding republican candidate David Duke.
First, we talk with Lance Hill, of the Louisiana Coalition Against Racism and Naziism. He discusses what he calls Duke's long term strategy to build mass appeal among voters.

Finally, we hear from John Slade, editorial cartoonist for the Louisiana Weekly, an African American newspaper based in New Orleans.

Gary Sick was an aide to President Carter during the Iranian hostage crisis. Now Sick charges that in 1980, the Reagan campaign made a secret deal with the Iranians to hold the release of the American hostages until after the election. In his new book "October Surprise" (published by Random House), Sick tries to reconstruct the story.

Philadelphia Inquirer reporters Donald Barlett and James Steele. For the past 9 days, the Inquirer has run a series of scathing front page articles by Barlett and Steele titled "America: What Went Wrong?" In it, they examine how government policies as diverse as changes in the bankruptcy laws and the sanctioning of political action committees have worked to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg has some thoughts on the literal meaning of "the body politic."