Georgia Good Politics Radio

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

Upriver, downriver, natives versus ranchers and utilities: a classic conflict plays itself out over the use of water resources in the Klamath River Basin of California and Oregon. While most throw up their hands in frustration, a determined few seek commonality amid the divisive turbulence.

Guests:
Bob Chadwick, Jon Coney, Troy Fletcher, Becky Hyde, John Kitzhaber

Credits: Music in this program: open- “Down By the Riverside” by Chris Barber’s Jazz Band, Great Southern Records; welcome- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 1- “Hurt Like Mine” by The Black Keys, Fat Possum Records; insert 1- Rekindle the Fire by Mary Youngblood, Silver Wave Records; break 2- “One Sweet World” by Dave Matthews Band, RCA/Bama Rag Records; Bottom of the Hour Billboard- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell with Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 3- “Down to the River to Pray” by Allison Krause, UMG Recordings; close and credits- “Fishing Blues” by Taj Mahal, CBS/Columbia Records.

Funding: The Park Foundation

Duration: 55:00 minutes

To listen to this podcast click here.

This week on American Radio Journal: Ryan Shafik gets the “Real Story” from Club for Growth President Pat Toomey on what is happening to the U.S. economy; Lowman Henry talks with Jim Boulet, Jr. of English First about the latest efforts to have English be the official language of the U.S. government; Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, USA has an American Radio Journal commentary on the impact of Barack Obama’s speech on racial issues.

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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 podcast click here.

Everyone knows Montel Williams is a very popular prime time TV show host. His fans also know he was diagnosed 9 years ago with Multiple Sclerosis. In this interview, Montel tells our listeners how they can join with him in a dazzling glamour gala where proceeds will go to fight MS and find a cure for this deadly disease.

We know how difficult it may be to find ways to make a difference in the world. We are all busy and maybe a little worn out listening to all of the woes of the world. Montel has a simple, convenient way for our listeners to help shut down this terrible disease that literally eats a person’s neural net, degenerating every function and system of the body in a long slow, painful spiral. No imaginary monster is as cruel.

So take a listen as we interview the master interviewer about joining his Poker Party Gala to beat MS. Yes…you can join in the glitzy, glamorous NYC Gala. After you listen, click here to find out more.

This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry has a “Newsmaker Interview” with Dr. Gary Scott Smith of Grove City College, author of Faith & The Presidency, on how faith has influenced the actions of America’s presidents: Ryan Shafik talks with Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth on possible running mates for John McCain; and Col. Frank Ryan has an American Radio Journal commentary on the need to tie corporate bonus pay to performance.

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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.

Speak Out Georgia

The Black Woman’s Rally For Obama
By Chika Oduah

 
Greetings! Welcome to Speak Out Georgia on Good Politics Radio. I’m Chika Oduah, your podcast anchor. Thank you for joining in. We have a very interesting program today all about politics. Stay tuned for today’s discussion. (Break)

Welcome back. You are listening to Speak Out Georgia. As you know, the presidential campaign is in full swing. We’ve heard the debates, watched the diplomatic kisses on the cheeks of cherubic babes, we’ve seen candidates come in and out of the great race, and we’re all in tune to that buzz word: change.

This call for change is the resounding mantra of Senator Barack Obama’s campaign and today we’ll speak with one organization that is completely in tune with that mantra.

Today, I speak with Patricia Wilson-Smith from Black Women For Obama. Patricia Wilson-Smith is a freelance writer and authored a book that received quite a bit of attention entitled, Duped By Love. The book brought the author into the spotlight of African American romance literature. Reviewers commented that the novel is “hilarious” and “boldly realistic.” The author was described as one with a “wicked sense of humor.”

The author is with us today, but not because of her acclaimed expertise in dating and romance, but for her political initiatives.

Patricia, thank you for joining us today on Speak Out Georgia. 

Speak Out Georgia: What role do you play in Black Women For Obama as a contributor?
Patricia: Actually I am the executive director for Black Women For Obama. It’s an organization that I started. It started as a small group of women in Atlanta, Georgia that really wanted to get involved in the campaign and some aspects of pulling black women into the political process and it’s actually spread to 16 chapters around the country.

SOG: What is the purpose of Black Women for Obama?
Patricia: Well, obviously we are all very strong Obama supporters but also, we felt like this election year, more than any other, black women had a very important voice and we wanted to make sure that as supporters of Senator Obama, we let the world know and other black women know that there was a group of us who firmly believe that Senator Obama is the best choice for the President of United States. Also, we’re very very adamant about doing what we can to bring more black women into the political process. And not just black women. We reach out to voters of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds. We call ourselves Black Women for Obama because we are a group of black women.

SOG: Is BWFO simply on online community or is there more behind it? Is there a type of philosophical meaning behind it?
Patricia: Actually it started out as an online community. It basically started out with me and a blog and it kinda spread from there into a formal group here in Atlanta, Georgia then turned into several groups around the country. We do voter registration; we do volunteer events to feed the hungry. We meet, most chapters, meet at least once a month. We meet by conference as a national organization. So it started out as an online community but now it’s a full blown organization.

SOG: Ok. It does sound to be very hands on and very active which is very impressive. The polls show that women very much are in support of Obama. Why do you think this is, why do you think he is so appealing to females?
Patricia: I think Hilary has good support among the women and Obama has some strong support among the women. But I think it’s primarily because he’s proven himself to be the candidate who has the best interests of families at heart and the interests of children. Improving the health care system, so I think he appeals to them from that standpoint. I think that women are pretty much very very tired with the direction that the country is going in. And for them, he represents change. (more…)

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

Farmers’ markets: From four hundred to four thousand in less than two decades. They’re sprouting like sunflowers in parking lots, town squares and plazas all across the country. They represent signs of life, connection and community in a culture of isolation and alienation. Join us for a stroll through the throngs, the music, the aromas, colors and laughter of farmers’ markets.

Guests:
Ralph Cwerman, President and Co-Founder, The Humpty Dumpty Institute
Sonia DeMarta, Co-Founder and Market Manager, Lexington Farmers’ Market in Massachusetts.
Dan Best, Certified Farmers’ Markets of Sacramento; Member, Federation of California Certified Farmers’ Markets
(Click on a guest’s name to listen to their full unedited interview.)

Credits: Music by The Delta Nationals courtesy of The Delta Nationals; welcome- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 1- “A Small Farm in Kentucky” by John Anderson, Koch Records; break 2- “Food” by Deirdra Flint, courtesy of Deirdra Flint; bottom of the hour billboard- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 3- “A Small Farm in Kentucky” by John Anderson, Koch Records; close and credits- “Hog Potato” by Yonder Mountain String Band, Partners in Music. Distribution: WFMT Radio Network, Chicago. Marketing: Creative PR, Los Angeles. Funding: W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Duration: 55:00 minutes

Click here to listen to the podcast.

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

Ever wish you could put your own words in the president’s mouth? You’re not alone! Join us to hear how regular folks and political insiders talk about and re-conceive America’s foreign policy and its role in the world.

Guests:
Derek Thompson, Student at Northwestern University
Salman Ahmad, Founder and Guitarist of the South Asian band, Junoon
Rand Beers, President National Security Network
Jamal Dajani, Producer and Director of Middle Eastern Programming at Link TV
Sabienne Brutus, Sophomore at the High School for Global Citizenship
Aneka Hewitt, Junior at the High School for Global Citizenship
(Click on a guest’s name to listen to their full unedited interview.)

Credits: Music in this program: open- “Hail to the Chief” by U.S. Air Force Concert Band, courtesy of U.S. Air Force Concert Band; and, “Dimension 37” by Chris Surma, courtesy of Chris Surma; insert 1- “Ghoom Tana” by Junoon, Nameless Records; break 1- “Ghoom Tana” by Junoon, Nameless Records; break 2- “President” by Alexis Harte, courtesy of Alexis Harte; bottom of the hour billboard- “A United Earth I” by Alan Stivell and Yousou N’Dour, Putumayo World Music; break 3- “Dear Mr. President” by Pink and The Indigo Girls, LaFace Records; insert 2- “Folk Vibe #1” by Tananas, ATO Records, insert 3- “New Orleans Instrumental #1” by R.E.M., EMI; close and credits- “Chord Sounds” by Moby, V2 Records; and, “Ghoom Tana” by Junoon, Nameless Records. Other Credits: Sound from State of the Union address courtesy of americanrhetoric.com. Funding: The Ploughshares Fund

Duration: 55:00 minutes

Click here to listen to this podcast.

This podcast is courtesy of The Keystone Report by Matt Best on Good Politics Radio Pennsylvania.

Today on The Keystone Report, host Matthew Best interviews Dr. Paul Kengor. Dr. Kengor is a professor of Political Science at Grove City College, in Grove City, PA. Dr. Kengor specializes on Foreign Policy, the Middle East, and the Reagan and Bush Administrations. He’s also a fellow at the Hoover Institution and has authored over 2 dozen articles that have appeared in national newspapers. He’s also the published author of two national best sellers, God and Ronald Reagan and God and George W. Bush. In addition, his newest book, God and Hillary Clinton was released in September of this year.

During the interview, Mr. Best asked Dr. Kengor about his latest book, the series that he has been writing, the impact of faith on prominent political figures, and the impact the book might have on the 2008 presidential election.

To listen to this podcast click here.

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Matthew Best is the host of “The Keystone Report” which can be heard on the Good Politics Radio Network. Mr. Best is also the President of Best Solutions, an entrepreneurial coaching firm, and co-author, with Ken Blanchard, Jack Canfield, and Steven Covey, of Speaking of Success. He also serves as the Political Editor for The National NetWorker online magazine and is the founder of Link to Politics, an online political community. You can read more of Matthew’s thoughts on politics and courage on his blog - Courage of Conviction.

Speak Out Georgia
By Chika Oduah

Greetings! Welcome to Speak Out Georgia here on Good Politics Radio. I’m Chika Oduah, your podcast anchor. Thank you for joining in.

Let’s talk about that 7 letter word that negatively affects about 1 billion people worldwide. I’m talking about poverty. So, there’s finally an international initiative to fight poverty. Sounds like another dreamy wish? Think again. Stay tuned to find out more.

You are listening to Speak Out Georgia. I’m Chika Oduah. As I preluded, an international initiative to fight poverty is finally in place, with the backing of governments, NGOs, religious groups, celebrities, and experts worldwide. And we’ve all heard the disheartening facts: 50,000 people die everyday from preventable causes. Every 3 seconds a child dies from extreme poverty. More than 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day. This is abject poverty. But this global spark has erupted and a collective concern is encouraging the masses to take charge, to take responsibility, and to take a stance against poverty.

But maybe this is just a surge of collective guilt or maybe it’s a global moral awakening to do some good in the world. Whatever it is, it is working. How do we know? Because on October 17, which is the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty, a record breaking 38.8 million people in 110 countries joined efforts to make their voices heard and support the goals put out by the United Nations Millennium Campaign.

These 8 goals are monumental in the fight against poverty and include: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by reducing by half the proportion of people who live on less than $1 a day and reducing by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development. These goals were adopted in 2000 by the UN General Assembly. The UN seeks to accomplish these goals by 2015.

Oct. 17’s Stand Up and Speak Out Day was an international success. Hordes of individuals gathered at churches, shelters, government buildings, schools, parks, and every other public space. The numbers were impressive. Specifically, there was a huge amount of participation in the developing nations. 1400 people participated in Manila, Philippines; 1547 students and teachers gathered in Singapore; 200,000 participants in Afghanistan; 401,900 participants in Nepal; 103,000 participants in Australia. Bangladesh boasts 847,000 participants. Last year’s record of 23.5 million is incomparable to this year’s 38.8 million.

But what exactly is the purpose of October 17? Let’s discuss this. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon stated in reference to October 17, “Today tens of millions of people are making their voices heard by standing up and speaking out against poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals. They are sending messages that call on their leaders to keep their promises. They are calling for the actions of citizens to be matched by the actions of Governments, in developing and developed countries alike, to demonstrate the political will required to end the scourge of poverty once and for all.”

October 17, the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty, was adopted by the United Nations in 1992 and has been globally recognized ever since. It all began with a humble French Catholic known to the world as Father Joseph Wresinski who lived from 1917- 1988. Father Wresinski, who himself grew up in an impoverished household, worked tirelessly for the causes of the poor. In 1957, He founded the ATD Fourth World Movement, an international NGO that still operates today. He devoted his time at an emergency housing camp in France, helping and guiding those inflicted with extreme poverty. Father Wresinski continue to plead for the poor and his plea was finally recognized in 1987 on October 17 when 100,000 people stood in the Trocadero Plaza in Paris in a public demonstration calling for the eradication of poverty and for the preservation of human rights. In December of 1992, The UN General Assembly officially proclaimed October 17 as the “International Day for the Eradication of Povery.”

Since then, October 17th has been recognized all over the world. It is the day for the poor to speak out, to plea, to get attention, to demonstrate. It is a day for the rich, the middle class, the students, the mothers, the corporates, the NGO’s and everyone else to listen to the poor and unite their efforts to eradicate poverty. 38.8 million is a great number for this year’s commemoration.

On October 17, we all remember the words of Father Joseph Wresinski: “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty.”

This year was the 20th anniversary and the theme for October 17 was “People living in poverty as agents of change.”

We can confidently say that this is the largest effort to end poverty. International organizations in collaboration with the UN Millennium Campaign include: Amnesty International, Global Call to Action Against Poverty, International Movement ATD Fourth World.

UN Millennium Campaign’s Executive Coordinator, Eveline Herfkens remarked about this year’s number of 38.8 million stating, “Together we have broken the incredible record for the largest number of people standing up to demand action on poverty. But the record we really want to break is the world’s record of poverty every year. This is the great issue of our times, let us become great by dealing with it decisively.”

Many experts have declared that poverty is the greatest issue of this age and some have labeled the problem as a conundrum because it seems that there are more than enough monetary and agricultural resources, yet the number of impoverished individuals is staggering.

So, even if you think this is a temporary spasm of guilt, the United Nations is pushing onward, working with NGOs to eradicate poverty.

For in-depth information on this topic, visit the websites of the United Nations Millenium Goals, www.standagainstpoverty.org, and www.oct17.org.

Listeners, that’s the end of the today’s program. The opinions on Speak Out Georgia do not reflect those of Good Politics Radio. Thank you for listening to Speak Out Georgia. I’m Chika Oduah.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

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Chika Oduah, host for Speak Out Georgia, is a student and a documentary film maker.

Speak Out Georgia
By Chika Oduah 

Hello and Welcome to Speak Out Georgia on Good Politics Radio. I am Chika Oduah, your podcast anchor in Atlanta, Georgia.

Today, I will present a hot topic that has been receiving quite a bit of attention in the past decade. It’s the topic of gentrification and we’ll focus on the southern charm of Atlanta, Georgia. So stay tuned to hear more.  

You are listening to Speak Out Georgia. Let’s jump right into the program.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word gentrification? Now, I remember the first time I heard the word gentrification. It was in my 10th grade Magnet world history class at Southwest DeKalb High School located in Decatur, a city in metro-Atlanta. My teacher, an innovative, slightly quirky guy with a brown beard casually mentioned the word and my head shot up because I had never heard of it. He continued to talk to whoever was listening, I think I may have been the only one, about the socioeconomic phenomenon of gentrification, describing it as a process in which long-time poorer residents of a neighborhood are forced to move out due to the construction of high-priced housing. The word, stayed on my mind, up until today, as I have decided to make “gentrification” the topic of today’s broadcast.

Gentrification is a loaded word; it’s heavy, usually associated with its negative connotation. Perhaps the term conjures images of poor people walking on the street carrying their life on the backs. Or maybe you think of race and racial tension. Or, you may think of the mixed income housing communities where doctors live next to financially struggling families. Demographic shifting may also come to mind. Whatever you may think of, gentrification encompasses all of it. Today in Atlanta, a new wave of gentrification is occurring in which mixed income housing communities are popping up everywhere in Fulton County from the eastern town of East Lake, through the historic Sweet Auburn Avenue, all the way to the Cobb County border. Gentrification is a general word that relates to the restoration of urban areas that are experiencing economic and social deterioration. Areas subjected to gentrification tend to be eyesores to the commercial public and are plagued with crime and low performing schools. Gentrifying a community results in the displacement or the accommodation of low income households and the buying of homes by middle to upper class families.

To listen to this podcast click here.

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