On this weekly radio address to the nation, President Obama called on Democrats and Republicans to come together and act on his Congressional “to-do list,” which will create jobs and help restore middle class security. In this make-or-break moment for the middle class, these five initiatives have bipartisan support and will help create an economy that is built to last.

“We all know the past few years have been difficult for this country.  After the worst recession of our lifetimes, it will take longer than any of us would like for the economy to fully recover.  But there are plenty of steps we can take to speed up the recovery.  There are things we can do – right now – to help create jobs and restore some of the financial security that so many families have lost.

Now, the other side isn’t so optimistic.  They think all we can do is cut taxes – especially for the wealthiest Americans – and go back to letting banks and corporations write their own rules again.  That’s their plan.

But I think they’re wrong.  We tried their ideas for nearly a decade, and it didn’t work out so well.  We can’t go back to the same policies that got us into this mess.  We’ve got to move forward.  We need to build an economy where hard work and responsibility are rewarded – where you can find a good job, own your own home, maybe start a businesses, and give your kids the chance to do even better.

That’s where we need to go.  And I’ve been pushing Congress to help us get there by passing a few common-sense policies that would make a difference.  Democrats and Republicans have already done some important work together – from passing tax cuts for workers, to opening up new markets for American products, to reforming our patent system.  But now we need to do more.

That’s why we made Congress a handy “To-Do” list – just like the kind I get from Michelle.  It’s short, but each of the ideas on this list will help create jobs and build a stronger economy right now.

First, Congress should stop giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas, and use that money to cover moving expenses for companies that bring jobs back to America.

Second, Congress should help the millions of Americans who have worked hard and made their mortgage payments on time refinance their mortgages at lower rates and save at least $3,000 a year.

Third, Congress should help small business owners by giving them a tax break for hiring more workers and paying them higher wages.  Small businesses are the engine of economic growth in this country.  We shouldn’t be holding them back – we should be making it easier for them to succeed.

Fourth, if Congress fails to act soon, clean energy companies will see their taxes go up and could be forced to lay off employees.  These companies are putting Americans to work and helping break our dependence on foreign oil.  Congress should extend these tax credits.

And finally, Congress should help our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan by creating a Veterans Job Corps.  Our men and women in uniform have served this country with honor.  Now it’s our turn to serve them.

So that’s Congress’s “To-Do” List.  But now we need them to start crossing things off.  I need you to call your Members of Congress, write an email, tweet, and let them know we can’t afford to wait any longer to get things done.  Tell them now is the time to take steps we know will grow our economy and create jobs.

You’re working harder.  You’re meeting your responsibilities.  Your representatives in Washington should do the same.  Let’s push Congress to do the right thing.  Let’s keep moving this country forward together.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with former presidential candidate Herman Cain about his new book 9-9-9: An Army of Davids; Andy Roth has the Real Story behind the primary election defeat of long-serving U.S. Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana; best-selling author and columnist Ken Timmerman talks about recent foreign policy developments; And, Col. Frank Ryan, USMC (Retired) has an American Radio Journal commentary on why bonds are no longer the safe investment they once were.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

This week, the President traveled to Virginia and New York to urge Congress not to let interest rates double on student loans and to introduce a to-do list for Congress. He also hosted the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the Fermi Science award winners, and this year’s Gershwin Award Winners.

Mark debates Peter Beinart, author of the Book “The Crisis of Zionism.”

Beinart argues that Zionism is in “crisis” because Israel can’t reach a deal with the West Bank Arabs to accept (or even negotiate over) the Palestinian State that Israel repeatedly offers them (which would be the third Arab State in Palestine to exist, in addition to Jordan in Eastern Palestine and Gaza, controlled by the terrorist group Hamas in the Southwest).

Beinart argues that an Arab Palestinian State containing virtually all the Arab population of the West Bank and Gaza and 95-98%+ of the empty land disputed between Jews and Arabs (in which both populations continue to illegally settle) is so insufficient that the Israeli-settled portion of the West Bank should be boycotted. Yet he does not advocate a boycott of the Arab-settled portion of the West Bank, even though he concedes that the Arabs’ terrorism and violence have not been conducive to peace.

In the interview, Beinart occasionally blames both sides but he seems to put the onus for action on Israel, even though it is the Arabs — not Israel — who refuse to even sit down and negotiate peace. Obviously Mark disagrees.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

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The Inside Scoop is nationally syndicated on the Head-On Radio Network and iTunes. The show can be heard on radio weekdays, 5-6 pm Eastern, and can be seen on television Monday 7-8 pm Eastern.

Since June 2003, Mark Levine has given listeners The Inside Scoop from political players inside the Beltway – news that the Media almost never reports and those in power in the Government do not want you to know about. Mark welcomes all during his talk radio hour, and he particularly values calls from folks who disagree with him.

Visit Radio Inside Scoop.com to access more information and additional podcast shows.

The following podcast is brought to you courtesy of A World of Possibilities and The Mainstream Media Project.

Why is it that while many of us are discouraged and some devastated by life’s losses, a rare few not only survive but thrive in their wake –transcending tragedy, growing not despite but through it. We’ve all known such people — a cancer survivor, someone who’s lost loved ones, maybe someone who experienced war, incarceration or abuse and somehow came out of it finding life all the sweeter for being so fragile and fleeting. Such individuals don’t simply endure; they transform. And through this transformation, they gain a new appreciation for life. In this program, part of our LoveLife series, we meet three remarkable individuals and communities – a female minister in Zambia who lost nearly every member of her family to AIDS, then broke the taboo of silence by revealing to her congregation that she too was HIV positive; a fourteen-year-old student abducted with scores of classmates in Northern Uganda and held captive in Sudan for eight years before freeing herself when powerful people had tried and failed; and a mother in Colombia who lost nine members of her immediate family to the army, paramilitary forces, and guerrillas before dedicating her life to helping other grief-stricken mothers find purpose and meaning again. Each of these women has found a way not just to survive but to turn her misfortune into renewed strength and a gift to the larger world. In an age of widespread skepticism about human possibilities, it’s heartening to hear from those who, despite losses often far greater than our own, have found ways to embrace life and convey that inner joy to others.

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with Todd Zywicki of George Mason University about the proposed People’s Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; Andy Roth has the Real Story behind why GOP leaders in congress are opposing TEA Party and conservative candidates; Adam Tragone, Managing Editor at Human Events has an Off the Cuff discussion with Karl Selzer of the newsweekly about the President’s politicizing the anniversary of the killing of Osama Bin Laden; And, Dr. Paul Kengor from the Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College has an American Radio Journal commentary on why so many “progressives” have communist backgrounds.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with Tony Woodlief of the Bill of Rights Institute on educating young Americans about the U.S. Constitution; Andy Roth of the Club for Growth has the Real Story behind why Blue Dog Democrats are disappearing from congress; Adam Tragone, Managing Editor of Human Events talks with the paper’s Political Editor John Gizzi about the impact of the French presidential election on the U.S.; And, Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, USA has an American Radio Journal commentary on what Mitt Romney must do to win the enthusiastic backing of conservatives.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

“Hello, my name is Paul Ryan and I represent the first district of Wisconsin.

“As I go around Southern Wisconsin and visit with Americans across the country about the debt and the economy, people often ask: is it too late to save America from a diminished future?

“It’s a difficult question, it’s one that makes me worry about my children’s future, and I know you’re worried too.

“But the honest answer is this: It’s not too late to save the American Dream.

“You see, we are closer than you think to solutions that will help create jobs and put us back on a path to prosperity.

“Regrettably, this president has failed to lead us, to unite us, and to help us address our defining challenges.

“Last week, leaders in the United States Senate, which is controlled by the president’s own party, announced they would not advance a budget for the third year in a row. Tomorrow, in fact, will mark three years to the day since the Senate last fulfilled this basic governing responsibility.

“This unserious approach to budgeting has dire consequences for American families. The President and his party leaders are now insisting that Washington take trillions of dollars from hardworking Americans in an effort to lock in ever-higher government spending.

“If we’ve learned anything over the last three years, it’s that this approach won’t work.

“The good news is, there’s a better way forward: a budget, recently passed by the House of Representatives, that would lift the debt and free the nation from the constraints of ever-expanding government.

“If enacted, this budget would promote economic growth and opportunity starting today, with bold reforms to the tax code and a credible, principled plan to prevent a debt crisis from ever happening.

“It would support safe, responsible energy exploration here at home to address high gas prices and it would repeal the president’s health care law, which is making it harder for businesses to hire new workers.

“Repealing the President’s health care law would also protect America’s seniors. The law raids over $500 billion from Medicare and empowers a board of 15 unelected bureaucrats to cut Medicare in ways that would deny seniors access to the care they need.

“Our budget saves and strengthens Medicare by proposing to put 50 million seniors, not 15 unaccountable bureaucrats, in charge of their personal health care decisions.

“This budget would also ensure the federal government can make good on its commitment to younger Americans – a stark contrast to the dismal economy and empty promises offered by the President’s policies.

“Our budget expands opportunity for the next generation, saves them from a debt-burdened future, and ensures that the important education programs they rely on are made stronger and more sustainable.

“The President is hunkered down in campaign mode, and seems intent on dividing Americans for political gain instead of offering credible solutions to our most pressing fiscal and economic challenges. And his party leaders in the Senate? They’re about to go another year without a budget.

“By contrast, the Republican-led House has passed a pro-growth budget and nearly 30 jobs bills that are waiting for action in the Senate. This week, we passed four more bills relating to stopping cyberterrorism – which hurts our economy and costs jobs. And we’re working to advance the Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring 20,000 jobs to the United States.

“We will get back on a path to prosperity – it is not too late to get this right. But only with the right leadership in place can we renew the American promise of leaving our children a stronger nation than the one our parents left us.

“Thank you.”

On this weekly radio address to the nation, President Obama told the American people about a new Executive Order he signed on Friday to crack down on bad actors that prey on our veterans and service members considering higher education.  Unfortunately these brave men and women are often bombarded by schools that provide false or misleading information about things like interest rates on loans, credit transfers, and job placement programs.

“On Friday, I traveled to Ft. Stewart in Georgia to meet with soldiers from the Third Infantry Division.

These men and women have fought with bravery and honor in some of the most dangerous places on the planet.  Some of them didn’t make it back.  But those who did are now fighting a different kind of battle here at home.  They’re looking for new jobs, new opportunities, and new ways to serve.

For many, that means going back to school – and America has a long tradition of making sure our veterans and our men and women in uniform can afford to do that.  After World War II, we helped a generation of Americans – including my grandfather – go to school on the GI Bill.  Now, thanks to the 9/11 GI Bill and the Tuition Assistance program, last year we supported more than half a million veterans and over 300,000 service members who are pursuing a higher education.

That’s progress.  But it’s not enough to just help our veterans and service members afford school – we need to make sure they have all the tools they need to make an informed decision when it comes to picking the right program.

The sad truth is that there are people out there who are less interested in helping our men and women in uniform get ahead and more interested in making a buck.  They bombard potential students with emails and pressure them into making a quick decision.  Some of them steer recruits towards high-interest loans and mislead them about credit transfers and job placement programs.  One of the worst examples was a college recruiter who visited a Marine barracks and enrolled Marines with brain injuries so severe that some of them couldn’t recall what courses the recruiter had signed them up for.

That’s appalling.  It’s disgraceful.  And even though the vast majority of schools do the right thing, we need to guard against the bad actors who don’t.

That’s why, on Friday, I signed an Executive Order making life a whole lot more secure for our service members, veterans and their families – and a whole lot tougher for anyone who tries to prey on them.

We’re making sure veterans and service members get a simple fact sheet called “Know Before You Owe” that lays out all the information they need about financial aid and paying for college.  We’re requiring schools to offer counseling to help students finish their degree even if they have to move or deploy.  And we’re stepping up our efforts to fight dishonest recruiters by strengthening rules about who can come on base and making it easier to file complaints.

When our men and women in uniform succeed, our country succeeds.  They have our back – now it’s our turn to have theirs.  And as long as I’m President, I’m going to make sure that anyone who serves this country gets every opportunity they deserve.

Thank you, and have a great weekend.”

This week, the President hosted the Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride, visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, and traveled to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa to launch a sustained effort to get Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling on July 1st.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with Jeff Lord of the American Spectator about the Left’s war on free speech; Andy Roth of the Club for Growth has the Real Story on why the nation needs comprehensive tax reform; Adam Tragone of Human Events has an Off the Cuff talk with reporter Audrey Hudson on the Obama Administration’s efforts to regulate the oceans; And, Col. Frank Ryan, USMC (Ret.) has an American Radio Journal commentary on why government regulations are prolonging the economic downturn.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

This week, the President hosted a forum on Women and the Economy, welcomed the President of Brazil, traveled to Florida to urge the Senate to pass the Buffett Rule, and took part in the great annual White House tradition, the Easter Egg Roll. That’s April 6th to April 12th or “You’re Proof of Change.”

On this weekly radio address to the nation, President Obama urged Congress to pass the Buffett Rule, a principle of fairness that says if you make more than $1 million a year, you should pay at least the same percentage of your income in taxes as middle class families.  Meanwhile, if you make under $250,000 a year – like 98 percent of American families do – your taxes shouldn’t go up.

“One of the fundamental challenges of our time is building an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.

And as many Americans rush to file their taxes this weekend, it’s worth pointing out that we’ve got a tax system that doesn’t always uphold the principle of everyone doing their part.

Now, this is not just about fairness.  This is also about growth.  It’s about being able to make the investments we need to strengthen our economy and create jobs.  And it’s about whether we as a country are willing to pay for those investments.

In a perfect world, of course, none of us would have to pay any taxes. We’d have no deficits to pay down.  And we’d have all the resources we needed to invest in things like schools and roads and a strong military and new sources of energy – investments that have always bolstered our economy and strengthened the middle class.

But we live in the real world, with real choices and real consequences. Right now, we’ve got significant deficits to close.  We’ve got serious investments to make to keep our economy growing.  And we can’t afford to keep spending more money on tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans who don’t need them and didn’t even ask for them.

Warren Buffett is one of the wealthiest men in the world.  But he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.  That’s just the way the system is set up.  In fact, one in four millionaires pays a lower tax rate than millions of hardworking middle-class households.

As Warren points out, that’s not fair and it doesn’t make sense.  It’s wrong that middle-class Americans pay a higher share of their income in taxes than some millionaires and billionaires.

This week, Members of Congress are going to have a chance to set things right.  They get to vote on what we call the Buffett Rule.

It’s simple:  If you make more than $1 million every year, you should pay at least the same percentage of your income in taxes as middle-class families do.  On the other hand, if you make less than $250,000 a year — like 98 percent of American families do — your taxes shouldn’t go up.

That’s all there is to it.  It’s pretty sensible.  Most Americans support this idea. One survey found that two-thirds of millionaires do, too.  So do nearly half of all Republicans.

We just need some Republican politicians to get on board with where the country is.

I know they’ll say that this is all about wanting to raise people’s taxes.  They probably won’t tell you that if you belong to a middle-class family, then I’ve cut your taxes each year that I’ve been in office, and I’ve cut taxes for small business owners 17 times.

But the thing is, for most Americans like me, tax rates are near their lowest point in 50 years. In 2001 and 2003, the wealthiest Americans received two huge new tax cuts.  We were told these tax cuts would lead to faster job growth. Instead, we got the slowest job growth in half a century, and the typical American family actually saw its income fall.

On the flip side, when the most well-off Americans were asked to pay a little more in the 1990s, we were warned that it would kill jobs. Instead, tens of millions of jobs followed.

So we’ve tried this trickle-down experiment before. It doesn’t work. And middle class families have seen too much of their security erode over the past few decades for us to tell them they’re going to have to do more because the wealthiest Americans are going to do less.  We can’t stop investing in the things that will help grow our economy and create jobs – things like education, research, new sources of energy – just so folks like me can get another tax cut.

So I hope you’ll ask your Member of Congress to step up and echo that call this week by voting for the Buffett Rule. Remind them that in America, prosperity has never just trickled down from a wealthy few.  Prosperity has always been built by a strong, thriving middle class.  That’s a principle worth reaffirming right now.

Thank you, God bless you, and have a great weekend.”

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with Myron Ebell of the Competitive Enterprise Institute about new Obama Administration regulations aimed at preventing the construction of new coal fired electric generation plants; Andy Roth of the Club for Growth has the Real Story behind tough primaries for the U.S. Senate in Utah and Indiana; Adam Tragone of Human Events has an Off the Cuff discussion about the so-called “Amazon Tax” with David Harsanyi of Human Events; And, Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, USA has an American Radio Journal commentary on why Jesus was a conservative.

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American Radio Journal is produced and distributed by the Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, Inc. The Lincoln Institute is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1993, the mission of the Lincoln Institute is: “To promote the ideals of free market economics, individual liberty, and limited government through the conduct of public opinion research and related educational programs.”

The Lincoln Institute accepts no government money and is completely funded by philanthropic grant making foundations, corporations, and individuals.

To listen to the broadcast click here.

This week, the President celebrated his fourth St Patrick’s Day in the White House and hosted the Irish Prime Minister, marked Nowruz with a video address, then embarked on a four state energy tour.