The Stonecipher Report

Late-Night / Early-Morning Edition of The Stonecipher Report Radio Show on in a Few Hours – Friday, 03-25

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 25, 2010

Hey, if you’re up much later – or early Friday morning – you can catch a special, after-hours, expanded, fill-in version of The Stonecipher Report radio show. Tyler and I will be taking over the airwaves for an on-spring-break overnight rock show and broadcasting our usual Liberal and Progressive talk (broken up by some interesting, not-overplayed music) starting at 3 AM and running until 6 AM Friday morning (Chicago time). We’ll look at the eventful occurrences of the last few days, ahead to some of the ongoing political impact, and we’ll even play some more daring, racier songs (as allowed by the FCC in the midnight-to-6 "safe harbor" hours).

You can tune into the show on Chicago broadcast station WHPK-FM, 88.5 FM; we also stream live online at whpk.org - just use the "Listen" tab (or the big "We are now STREAMING!" window) at the station's website. If you happen to be as up as WE intend to be early Friday, we hope you can join us for some lively, entertaining political talk…

Senate Passes Healthcare “Fixes” Bill

House Should Approve Slight Changes Today; Healthcare Reform IS Now the Law of the Land (Yee-Hah!)

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 25, 2010

The final tweaking on the already-signed-into-law healthcare reform bill – the landmark "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" – was approved by the US Senate today. The Democratic-controlled Senate passed the slightly altered healthcare "fixes" bill by a vote of 56 – 43 (after a day, late-night, and morning of attempted Republican sidetracking), sending it back to the House of Representatives for final, complete approval.

Special Edition of The Stonecipher Report Radio Show on the Air Today – Tuesday, 03-23

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 23, 2010

On this historic day – I’m watching the President sign the healthcare reform bill as I type this! – I will be bringing you a special Tuesday edition of The Stonecipher Report radio show. I’ll be broadcasting solo this afternoon, Tuesday, from 1:30 – 3 PM (Chicago time), with some heavy attention on the reality of and the politics surrounding the now-law (yeah!) healthcare reform bill. I’ll also be joined via the phone – for the first part of the show – by my friend and busy, BUSY political blogger Julie Driscoll (of the News Hounds and Chicago Liberal Examiner sites) to talk about the FOX News and Republican talking-points responses to the bill’s passing. And, I will also focus a little non-political time on my coverage of – and some music from – recently passed musical legend Alex Chilton (and you can read my fuller thoughts on the influential Big Star frontman in my new piece on the Newcity Music site).

You can hear the show on Chicago broadcast station WHPK-FM, 88.5 FM; we also stream live online at whpk.org - just use the "Listen" tab (or the big "We are now STREAMING!" window) at the station's website. Hope you can tune me in today – it’ll be a lively and fun (and informative!) show…

Check Out WHERE the Healthcare Votes Came From…

Fascinating Map From the New York Times Shows Distribution of House Votes; Most Dems Voting "NO" Were From South

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 23, 2010

As President Obama prepares to sign the historic healthcare reform bill into law this morning, here’s a very interesting piece of background info on the voting for the bill in the US House of Representatives. From the New York Times, this page has a detailed list of how all House members voted on Sunday night…including a detailed, interactive map showing how the 431 current Representatives voted, broken down by districts and party affiliations. (Because the map is interactively animated – you can zoom in to get the close-up views of the smaller districts and the names / parties of the Reps – I cannot just copy it here as an illustration; but you can fully connect to the piece via this link.)

The quick view is that the support for the bill came – not unexpectedly – from the Northeast, the Upper Midwest, the Southwest, and along the Pacific Coast; the Republican opposition was complete and the Democratic opposition was mainly from the South. I will be talking about this as part of this afternoon’s special edition of The Stonecipher Report radio show…on WHPK, 88.5 FM / whpk.org from 1:30 – 3 PM (Chicago time). More details about that to be posted a little later…

　

Look for my regular posts here on The Stonecipher Report. (And, for a free subscription to my twice-weekly e-mail column on politics and pop-culture, "And, in the News…" send a note to: m_l_sweeney@hotmail.com)

Quick Reminder: The Stonecipher Report Radio Show on Today – Monday, 03-22

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 22, 2010

Tune in as Tyler and I broadcast The Stonecipher Report radio show this afternoon, Monday, from 3 – 5 PM (Chicago time), with a heavy focus on the topic of the just-passed healthcare reform bill. (I’ll also be on tomorrow, Tue., 1:30 – 3 PM; more on that then.) You can catch our show on local broadcast station WHPK-FM, 88.5 FM in Chicago; we also stream live online at whpk.org - just use the "Listen" tab (or the big "We are now STREAMING!" window) at the station's website. Give us a listen – you’ll (most likely!) enjoy it…

Despicable Behavior of the Tea Baggers is Justified by GOP Rep.

Posted by: Tyler Rippeteau

Mar. 22, 2010

As many of you have certainly heard already, the N-word and the F-word (the six lettered homophobic one) were shouted at Democratic Representatives John Lewis and Barney Frank on Friday during another small teabagger, anti-health care reform rally at the Capitol.

Rather than denouncing this disgusting language and outright racism and homophobia, Republican Congressman, Devin Nunes of California decided to justify this behavior and blame the Democrats for it while making an appearance on C-SPAN.  Here's the video:

Michael and I will be discussing this topic more in-depth today on The Stonecipher Report on-the-air at 88.5 WHPK in Chicago and online at whpk.org from 3:00 - 5:00 Central Time today

YES!!!

Healthcare Reform Bill Passes House Vote; A Few More Tinkerings, Then to the Prez For Historic Signature

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 21, 2010

We’ll have PLENTY to talk about on the radio show the next two days! Tonight, in an historic culmination, the long-debated healthcare reform bill – which looked dead just weeks ago – passed the US House of Representatives by a vote of 219* to 212…with ONLY Democrats voting for the bill. (What comes next is the very easily expected Senate reconciliation of the House bill by a simple majority; then, it goes to the President to be signed into law.)

*That was the recorded number for the initial vote; it rose to 220 for the reconciliation when a Rep decided to join / switch to the clearly winning side...

Healthcare Reform Bill to Pass Tonight!

Check Out Some Great Breaking Coverage on it From "Friend of the Site / Show" Julie Driscoll on her Chicago Liberal Examiner Page

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 21, 2010

It’s a great day in America as the historic healthcare reform bill is going to pass the House of Representatives tonight. Then, it’ll be onto the Senate for the (only 50 votes + the President of the Senate (i.e., VP Joe Biden) needed) reconciliation vote…and then onto President Obama’s desk for the epoch-changing signature. Yes, a single-payer, public-option bill would’ve been my preference, but…I could not be happier about this FINALLY coming to fruition. Look, Teddy – look what we’ve finally been able to do for you: Reach the goal line on the positive change for healthcare for ALL Americans that the leading Democratic legislator of the 20th Century LONG worked towards…

And, for some great, breaking coverage on all of this – including at least 5 new pieces today, ALREADY! – head over to this site, the Chicago Liberal Examiner, where Julie Driscoll, my friend, and a multiple-guesting friend of our site and radio show, is keeping her fast-typing fingers going to update readers on what’s going on in Washington AND how FOX News is battling the historic tide with inaccurate, misleading, and flat-out lying coverage and reporting. She will also call in to join me on Tuesday for a special edition of The Stonecipher Report radio show, from 1:30 – 3 PM (Chicago time) to talk about all of this (probably during the show’s first segment; more details coming on Tuesday).

Sen. Mitch McConnell – the Minority “Obstructor-in-Chief”

New York Times Article Looks at GOP Senate Leader’s Efforts to Keep His Team Together – AND To Block the President’s and the Majority’s Policies

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 20, 2010

Here’s some interesting stuff that we will (no doubt!) be talking about on Monday’s radio show (and that I figured would interest many of our readers who may not have seen the original article). As we sit on the verge of the final passage of the (don’t forget – ALREADY Senate- and House-victorious once) healthcare reform bill, it can be informative and valuable to keep in mind exactly what the Congressional Republicans – especially those in the Senate, led by Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky – have brought to the table, to the debate, and to the bill that this country has waited decades (more than a hundred years since Teddy Roosevelt brought it up!) to see enacted: Nothing. Bupkis. Nil. Zero. Nada. A great big goose egg…

And the main reason for that? Because McConnell has managed to keep his – first 40-member, now 41 strong! (out of…uh…100) – team on the same page of unified opposition. An article in last week’s New York Times took an closer look at the man behind the roadblocks and why. In the piece (available via this link), titled "Senate G.O.P. Leader Finds Weapon in Unity," the Times reports that it has been apparent for some time that the GOP leadership prioritizes short-term political gain over progress on ANY policy issues (even those – such as the economy and healthcare – supported (when properly explained) by large majorities of Americans)…an attitude which is IDed as representing the worst aspects of Washington politics. The Times also notes that this cynical attitude comes down from the top, directly from the party’s Senatorial leader:

Special Edition of The Stonecipher Report Radio Show on Today – Wednesday, 03-17

Posted By: Michael Sweeney

Mar. 17, 2010

OK, since I’m Irish (duh: Sweeney), I won’t have to be fake-wearing any green…and, since I’m off the sauce lately, I won’t be imbibing a green (or ANY color) beer here in Chicago today…but, on this St. Patrick’s Day, I WILL be heading down to the University of Chicago campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood to do a special hour of radio…

Tune me in this afternoon, Wednesday, from 3 – 4 PM (Chicago time) for a special fill-in edition of The Stonecipher Report radio show. I’ll be there, flying the big jet solo this afternoon, talking Liberal and Progressive politics…with a heavy concentration around the topic of the imminent healthcare reform bill. Hey, if ya feel like it, you can even call in to join me with a cogent point or even a dissenting opinion or two, by calling me at the station at 773/702-8424 (but, please be patient – it’ll only be me in that whole studio and control booth).

As ever, you can catch our show on local broadcast station WHPK-FM, 88.5 FM in Chicago and also streaming live online at whpk.org; just use the "Listen" tab (or the big "We are now STREAMING!" window) at the station's website. In the immortal lyrics of the great Joni Mitchell, you turn me on – I’m a radio! Hope you get a chance to make it out there…