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The Brian Lehrer Show

Tuesday, May 16, 2006
  • A sign warning motorists to beware of people crossing the road is seen on Interstate 5, just North of the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)
    (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)

    On the Fence

    President Bush is trying to bring immigration reform back on the agenda. What will reform mean for border enforcement and for the millions of illegal immigrants already here? Plus, the new New York City Council Education Committee chairman Robert Jackson on cell phones in the classroom and No Child Left Behind, students commence protesting John McCain and listeners call in on cell phones ... in schools.

Crossing Over

Bay Buchanan, Chairman, Team America PAC
- on why America needs a strong border defense program
and
Frank Sherry, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum
- on why you can't enforce the border until you fix immigration
and
Jennifer Allen, Director, Border Action Network
- on why we should be focusing on a path to citizenship, not militarizing the border

» Team America
» National Immigration Forum
» Border Action Network

School of Thought

Robert Jackson, City Council Member (D-7), chair of the education committee
- describes his agenda as the new chair of the education committee and why he thinks kids should be allowed use cell phones in school

» Robert Jackson's Council website

Is McCain Able?

Brittany Charlton, The New School University Student Senate vice chairman
- explains planned protest against Sen. McCain's commencement address
and
Jan Clausen, poet, creative writing teacher at Eugene Lang College, New School University
- on her petition campaign to protest John McCain's commencement address
and
Jonathan Chait, senior editor, The New Republic and columnist at the Los Angeles Times
- on John McCain's place on the political spectrum

» The New School Commencement 2006 Petition website
» Jonathan Chait's recent articles inThe New Republic
» Jonathan Chait on John McCain in the Los Angeles Times

Open Phones

-listeners call in about the ban on cell phones in city schools

Uncommon Indicators

The Brian Lehrer Show

The Brian Lehrer Show wants to hear how the economy is affecting the little things in your daily life. Share your stories and photos of the downturn.

Just Launched! The Uncommon Economic Indicators Video Contest. All the details here!

The Rocky Road Ahead

The Brian Lehrer Show

Ray Young, the chief financial officer of General Motors, talks about GM’s bankruptcy.

Then, Damon Lester, president of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers, and Greg Williams, former owner of the recently closed Huntington Chevrolet in Huntington Station, NY., discusses the effect GM’s bankruptcy has had on dealerships and their employees.

Tweet If You Use Twitter

The Brian Lehrer Show

Farhad Manjoo, Slate's technology columnist and the author of True Enough: Learning To Live in a Post-Fact Society talks about what Twitter means and how different groups use it.

What's your take on Twitter? How do you use it? Comment below!

Don't Say That, Literally

The Brian Lehrer Show

John Flansburgh of the band They Might Be Giants discusses the running list the band keeps of "things we can no longer say." (a few examples: "my bad" "don't go there" "one hundred and ten percent" and "voted off the island")

What would be on your list of banned words or phrases? Comment below!

From Denmark with Love

The Brian Lehrer Show

Jesper Grunwald, senior managing editor with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, talks about the Danish economy, biking to work, and why the Danes are allegedly the happiest people in the world.

Squatting, Then and Now

The Brian Lehrer Show

As former squats in the East Village make the transition to coops, making homes from abandoned housing is again an issue. Andrew Reicher executive director of Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, Frank Morales an Episcopal priest involved in East Village/Lower East Side squatting and homelessness activism since the late '70s, and Rob Robinson, a leader of the Housing Campaign of Picture the Homeless, discuss the return of squatting.

Video Picks

The Brian Lehrer Show

Check out some recent video clips of interviews with guests and Brian Lehrer's weekly Web video picks.