Both Sides Now this week saw largely conflicting views on Tea Party solutions, tax cuts, Boehner's bosses and Warren's appointment [hear this week's highlights by going to Play Button below].
On GOP Primary 'Fright': The women concurred that Tea Party outsiders, like Christine O'Donnell and Carl Paladino, were more about channeling anger than ideology. But when Mary then argued that they represented those opposed to a too big government, Arianna countered that while their solutions were "laughable", voters "lizard brains" could yet favor candidates who were running on fear and anger rather than rationality.
On Boehner: since he could soon be House Speaker and second-in-line to the president, what makes John Boehner tick? Mary disparaged those who focus on his perpetual tan while Arianna criticized the Ohio congressman for being in the pocket of big interests.
On tax cuts to the rich: so should Washington ok $3 trillion over a decade in tax cuts for 98% of Americans and another $700 billion for those earning over $250,000 annually? Arianna said, respectively, yes and no since lower-income earners would spend their tax breaks and help the economy while giving an average of $100,000 in tax reductions to those earning a million dollars or more annually did nothing but make them richer. Again, Keynes vs. Laffer.
Quick Takes: the two women were in agreement that a) it's new and good that women are now earning more doctorates than men, b) that breast feeding shouldn't be banned and c) that, while Woody Allen is neurotic (!!), they agreed with his habit of not watching his own films after they've been released. Agreed -- nit-picking after-the-fact professionals are beyond Left and Right.
On the Radar: watch out for the Republican "mandate for governance' policy book this coming week and also a bellwether Senate vote on Don't Ask-Don't Tell as apart of the Defense Authorization Act.
Mark Green is the creator and host of Both Sides Now, powered by CommonCause.org.
Send any comments to BothSidesRadio.com, where you can also listen to earlier programs.
