The Factor Rundown
Unresolved Problems Segment
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America... noble, or not?
"My new book 'Culture Warrior' investigates the war between traditional Americans who think the country is noble, and secular-progressives who believe the USA is deeply flawed. Now comes a new poll defining the culture war even further. 61% of Americans believe American society is generally fair and decent, while 30% say the U.S. is unfair and discriminatory. 77% of Republicans say the USA is noble, but only 44% of Democrats say America is good, while 44% say it's bad. That is the far-left secular bunch, which is well-funded and supported by many in the media. These people are hell bent on changing the U.S. into a secular nation along the lines of Holland and France. Let's lock in on money. Millions of illegal aliens have entered the USA to make money. Most of them are hard working - they come here because if you do work hard in America you can do well. But if you don't want to work hard and get educated, the S-P's believe society must provide you with stuff anyway - a house, good food, the staples of life. And if you oppose open borders and cradle-to-grave entitlements, you're monstrous. Over the years Talking Points has seen the secular-progressive movement gain a lot of ground in America, and this poll proves it. Dismiss the S-P's at your peril."
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Border controversy intensifies
Guests: Author Pat Buchanan & Sally Vance-Trembath, Santa Clara University
The Vatican has called the proposed fence along the Mexican border "inhuman," a description echoed by theologian Sally Vance-Trembath. "What the Vatican is asking us to do is pay attention to the whole system of laws, so the problems that cause people to flee Mexico are addressed. American bishops are asking how we can apply the principles of Jesus Christ that call for human dignity to people who come to do jobs Americans don't want." Author Pat Buchanan accused some religious groups of unfairly singling out America. "The U.S. government is responsible for enforcing our borders and laws. Our immigration laws are not unjust, we are the most generous people on Earth, but we can not take in everyone who wants to come here." The Factor pointed to the apparent hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. "The Vatican opposes the fence, it opposes using the National Guard or any punitive action against people who sneak into the U.S. But if a million people decide to camp out in Vatican Square tonight, the Swiss Guard will have them removed. The Vatican has to wise up or shut up."
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10-year old suspended for hug
Guests: Student Aaron Perez & parent Lira Perez
Fifth-grader Aaron Perez was suspended for asking his teacher for a hug - he had previously told her she was "sexy." 10-year old Aaron joined The Factor and explained his comments. "She looked pretty that day, so I said 'you really look sexy today.' They say that's a curse word in the school, but I'm not like the gangsters who have sex with their girlfriends." Aaron's mother Lira objected to her son's suspension. "Where was the common sense on the part of the teacher? She never contacted me, and there was no communication from the school." The Factor gave young Aaron some fatherly advice. "You're a good kid, Aaron, I can tell that. But you have to learn that there are some things you can say and some things you can't say. I hope you both meet with the teacher and the principal and everyone can learn from this."
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When marriages go bad
Guests: Attorney Dori Foster-Morales & Jill Dobson, Star Magazine
Pop star Britney Spears is embroiled in an ugly divorce - husband Kevin Federline is reportedly peddling a sex tape they made together. Star magazine's Jill Dobson told The Factor that stars are especially vulnerable to threats. "If you're famous and your partner is angry and wants your money, they can go on a talk show and say things about you, or release a video about you." But attorney Dori Foster-Morales advised that Spears and other spouses do have some protection. "You can't just threaten someone that you'll use something to hurt them - it's extortion. Go to the state attorney's office, seek an injunction. You have legal remedies."
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Is the terror threat overblown?
Guest: Dr. John Mueller, Ohio State University
According to professor John Mueller, the focus on terrorism is unwarranted. "It's definitely a threat," Mueller explained, "and there are bad guys out there, but the overall amount of damage they do seems to be reasonably limited. My argument is not that it doesn't exist, but it doesn't threaten the existence of the United States. The chances of being killed by an international terrorist is about 1 in 80,000." The Factor argued the other side of the terror threat. "Islamic fascists have killed 39,000 civilians since 1990. If these people are allowed to run wild they're going to commit as much damage as they can. And if we didn't aggressively hunt these people down, they would grow in strength, get the nuke, and kill hundreds of thousands."
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Fixing nationwide air travel
Guests: Author Peter Greenberg & Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Jackson
Between long security lines, lost luggage and cramped seats, many Americans now dread traveling by air. The Factor complained about inconsistent security measures. "I know Homeland Security has a responsibility to protect Americans. But in Chicago I don't have to take my shoes off, in New York I do. Isn't there an easier way to do this?" Homeland Security official Michael Jackson responded that his department is working on the problems. "We're trying to harmonize standards so you'll be treated the same way everywhere, and taking shoes off is now a part of the routine we're requiring at all airports. We're aggressively doing research on new bomb detection tools." Travel writer Peter Greenberg added that security is just one aspect of the airport nightmare. "They're losing bags like crazy because they reduced capacity in the U.S. to move more airplanes overseas to make money on higher yield fares. They literally can not carry all the bags on every plane, so the number of missing bags is growing exponentially."
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Parental violence in front of kids
Guest: Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow
In the latest episode of sports-related violence, a pee-wee football game in Texas erupted into a brawl when a coach punched the referee. Psychiatrist Keith Ablow described the effect of these incidents on young children. "The kid takes the lesson you'd expect, which is that violence solves problems and you don't have to respect any rules or authority. A kid would conclude that nothing is safe, not even a structured environment where they're playing a game." The Factor urged authorities to penalize violent parents. "The message has to be sent by the legal system. I don't know if I'd put these guys in jail, but they'd pay a fine and they would be on probation. If kids could see that violent parents pay a huge price, that's a lesson in itself."
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Viewers sound off
Many of you wrote about the segment on atheism. Some excerpts:
Anthony Tangorra, New York, NY: "Atheism is a religion as believing in nothing is a belief. I wish they'd stop forcing their religion on the rest of us."
Greg Vogel, Cape Coral, FL: "Elton John is right when he says religion should be discouraged. It is responsible for most of the problems in the world."
Pete Weaver, Somerset, PA: "Bill, you nailed it when you said cleansing religion from public life is a political strategy held by secular-progressives."
Jose Colon, San Juan, Puerto Rico: "The Dalai Lama lives in exile because of 'atheistic enlightenment.'"
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Check out the books mentioned during this show.
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Travel Detective: How to Get the Best Service and the Best Deals from Airlines, Hotels, Cruiseships, and Car Rental Agencies
by Peter Greenberg
Read more...
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Overblown: How Politicians and the Terrorism Industry Inflate National Security Threats, and Why We Believe Them
by John Mueller
Read more...
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