AUDIO CLIPS

These bits and pieces from podcasts help shed much light on the issue of checks and balances

1. "Lincoln, Congress, and 'This Mighty Scourge'," NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7146831

This audio clip is an interview with James McPherson, one of the leading historians of the American Civil War and Abraham Lincoln himself. In this, McPherson answers questions about Lincoln's actions as president in which he overstepped the separation of powers and how they compare to Bush's. McPherson focuses solely on the issue of the suspension of Habeas Corpus, an act that both presidents suspended.

This gives a quick and easy look at how scholars continually re-evaluate the actions of the past and how those actions are compared to the current era. It is a very recent interview, Feburary of 2007, and gives one a good idea of how the issue of checks and balances is constantly under review, not only for the current era, but the past as well.

2. "Charlie Savage, In Pursuit of the Imperial President," NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14181701

On September 5, 2007, reporter and Pulizer Prize winner Charlie Savage gave an interview to NPR concerning the growing strength of the executive power under President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Savage gives his opinions on how the president has this new and growing power to bypass provisions of new laws. His focus is solely on the current administration and how they are ruining the system of checks and balances.

This interview is important to the understanding of the current issues surrounding checks and balances and the opinions of people with regard to the actions of President Bush. The sole focus on the current administration gives the most up to date information regarding checks and balances and the questions about them in the world today. This issue of executive privilege is a major issue for President Bush and Savage clearly outlines the problems with the Bush Administration from his point of view.

3. "Ring of Fire"-Air America Radio

http://www.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?match=query,channel&expand=true&filter=1&num=10&dedupe=1&start=0&mc=en-aud&il=en&col=en-aud-public-ep&q=checks+and+balances+&res=131177449&e=15263830&index=6&seek=0

Upon reaching the clip at 0:47 minutes, this piece of an interview of Henry Waxman focuses on the Congressman's dedication to addressing the issues regarding checks and balances in the current administration, as well as other issues between the legislative and executive branches. Waxman, chairman of the committee for oversight and reform, is dedicated to bringing the Bush Administration's actions to light and his goes into details in this interview.

Hearing this interview gives one an idea of how concerned politicians are with the issue of checks and balances within the current administration. Once ignored, the actions and decisions of the executive branch are now under review and Waxman discusses the importance of this and why it must be done. Gives one a good idea of what is wrong with checks and balances right now in politics, especially since the interview was taken on December 8, 2007.