Question/Newspaper Articles/Phones
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Environment & Public Works Committee - Ranking Member
Topic: Guest will discuss new book on global warming as well as 2012 Presidential politics and the political debates over contraception and the XL Keystone pipeline.
Yamiche Alcindor (on the phone), USA Today, Reporter
Topic: Reporter will talk about her recent article “States Consider Drug Testing Welfare Recipients” and share which states have or are exploring rules requiring drug testing for welfare applicants. She can outline the arguments for and against, and explain what other measures states are taking to tighten welfare qualifications.
Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Center for Law & Social Policy, Senior Policy Analyst
Topic: Twenty-three states around the country are considering requiring drug tests for recipients of programs like welfare (TANF) and food stamps. Guest will discuss which states are proposing these tests and why she believes that they are unnecessary.
Lisa Blumerman, U.S. Census Bureau, Governments Division Chief and Tracy Gordon, Brookings Institution, Economic Studies Fellow
Topic: State and local government finances. Guests will discuss how the size & scope of state and local governments has changed over the last 50 years, including numbers of employees, revenues & expenditures; how tax & other general revenue is collected and spent; financial revenues & grants from the federal government; unemployment compensation; defined benefits pension system holdings & investments; and other issues.