December 12 – The Day After for Labor and the Democrats in Michigan; Why China Protects North Korea’s Ruling Dynasty; A General on Why We Should Cut the Defense Budget

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Part 1	We begin with a post-mortem on the defeat for labor and the Democrats as the state of Michigan, the birthplace of the labor movement, became the 24^th state to adopt the anti-union right to work law. A specialist on labor at U.C. Berkeley, Dr. Harley Shaiken joins us to examine how the Republicans snookered Labor and the Democrats and what can be done to reverse the situation.
Part 2	Then we look into the latest successful missile test by North Korea that has boosted the prestige of the emperor-like boy-leader whose subjects are dancing with joy in the streets. Sue Mi Terry joins us. She was the deputy national intelligence officer for East Asia at the National Intelligence Council and the Director of Japan, Korea and Oceanic Affairs at the National Security Council. While China has appealed for calm, we discuss the reasons why China protects the family dynasty that rules this erratic failed state on its border.
Part 3	Then finally we speak with a general who wants to cut the Pentagon budget that has been largely exempt from alarm over the so-called “fiscal cliff”. General Robert Gard, the Chairman of the Center for Arms Control and Non-proliferation and a former executive assistant to two secretaries of defense joins us to discuss the low-hanging fruit that could be easily cut from the bloated defense budget and would improve the nation’s national security and economic health.