Search results for

This campaign season we will be airing candidate stump speeches as they travel around the country seeking support. This is an excerpt of an address Bob Dole made last week, on Labor Day, at a rally in St. Louis. In the speech, Dole pledges to cut taxes and balance the budget at the same time. He says his economic plan is pretty simple---it's time to give a break to everyone who pays taxes in America. He says there are three good reasons to cut taxes: too many families have both spouses working just to pay taxes, tax cuts will lift the economy and finally, the American people have waited too long for a tax cut---so he promises a 15% tax cut, a $500 per child tax credit, to cut capital gains by 50%, and to repeal the current tax on social security benefits.

Linda talks with Dale Ingram, a spokesman for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. They'll talk about why the nation's largest department store chain refuses to carry singer Sheryl Crow's newest album. The CD includes a song called "Love Is A Good Thing" that refers to Wal-Mart by name as a place where children purchase guns. Ingram claims that the lyrics are an unfair attack on the retail chain, saying that the company has strict policies that prohibit the sale of firearms to minors. In fact, Wal-Mart stopped selling handguns in its stores in 1994, making them available only through its catalogue.

NPR's Michael Goldfarb reports from Diyarbikir (dee-YARR-buh-keer) in Southeastern Turkey that there are new reports of heavy fighting between rival Kurdish militias in northern Iraq, as Turkey declares the establishment of a buffer zone along its borders with Iraq to prevent attacks from yet another Kurdish rebel group.

NPR's Melissa Block reports from New York City that Ramzi Yousef (RAHM-zee YOO-seff) and his two co-defendants have been found guilty in their trial, which accused them of a scheme to blow up American jets in retaliation against the United States for its policies in the Middle East. Yousef still faces charges that he masterminded the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

The Census Bureau today reported that Americans' income edged up last year for the first time in six years and fewer families are living in poverty. The report, hailed by President Clinton, showed median household income of $34,076 in 1995, up 2.7 percent from 1994. The agency said this is the first real increase in six years after adjusting for inflation. NPR's John Nielsen has the details.

Robert talks with Datya Itzhaki, the spokesperson for the municipality of the Gaza region of Israeli settlements. She describes the fighting between Israeli and Palestinian soldiers in Gaza, and how it is affecting settlers there.

Bob Mondello interviews a performance artist who has written an article in the latest issue of the academic quarterly "Theater Magazine." It recounts the months he insinuated himself into various right-wing militia organizations for the purpose of creating performance art. He used disguises and subtrefuges, costumes, voices, false names. He then made films to document his encounters. He is continuing this pursuit, and so elected not to use his real name for NPR's interview, and uses the pseudonym he used for the article -- Blanche Davidian. He talks to Bob about his dual role as activist and artist, about the links between art and social change, politics, and grassroots discussion, and about his technique and performances. (12:30) (S

In the 1940's operatic soprano Kyra (KEER-uh) Vane's pure toned beautiful voice garnered her leading roles in operas like Mussorgsky's "Sorochintsy Fair" and a coveted spot in Europe's opera houses. But then Vane stopped singing, got rid of her beloved piano, and became a typist. Now in her 80's, Kyra Vane has lived to see recordings of her performances on CD and critics are asking how could she have ever stopped singing. Vera Frankl reports.

. Various estimates say unemployment is somewhere from 40 to 70 percent. Many Palestinians blame new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the closing of the borders between Israel, the West Bank and Gaza for the economic problems.

Linda talks to former Astronaut Norm Thagard about the experience of returning to Earth after an extended stay in orbit. Thagard stayed aboard the Mir Space Station last year for over a hundred days. On the eve of Astronaut Shannon Lucid's even longer stay, he comments of bone mass loss, exercise in space and its effects. He says it felt okay to walk, but running was tough for three months.