Daily Briefing - Thursday, November 11, 2010

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Today we will look into a number of subjects and issues in the news. We will begin in a moment and analyze the tax reform proposals in the Simpson-Bowles Presidential Commission's report that came out yesterday, and assess the news from the White House today that they are likely to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. Joining us is one of the nation's leading experts on taxation, tax policy and tax fairness, David Cay Johnston, who is a Pulitzer-prize winning investigative journalist who now teaches tax law at Syracuse University and writes a column for Tax Notes. He is the author of the best-selling books “Perfectly Legal” and “Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense and Stick You With the Bill”

Then on this Veteran's Day, we will hear from soldier/poet Brian Turner who served as an infantry team leader in Iraq with a Stryker brigade. His latest book is “Phantom Noise” which is a collection of poems that deal with the invisible war at home, where places like Iraq and Afghanistan might as well be on the moon for the average American, but for the veterans of these wars, who wage a daily battle for normalcy in the country they fought and sacrificed for, it is a different matter.

And then finally we will be joined by George W. Bush, not in person, as much as he wanted to join me today, but reading from his latest book “Decision Points”. And also joining us to comment on the former President's memoirs is Adam McKay, a former Saturday Night Live writer and director of such films as “Anchorman” and “Talledega Nights”. He is also the founder with Will Ferrell of “Funny Or Die” a website that has created numerous comedy videos for political causes. Adam McKay co-wrote with Will Farrell and directed “You're Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush” on Broadway which later aired on HBO.

David Cay Johnston is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter formerly of The New York Times. He teaches at Syracuse University College of Law and writes columns for Tax Notes and The Nation. He has uncovered so many tax dodges that he has been called the “de facto chief tax enforcement officer of the United States.” He is the author of the bestselling books Perfectly Legal and Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (And Stick You With the Bill).

Brian Turner is a soldier-poet whose debut book of poems, Here, Bullet, won the Beatrice Hawley Award, the New York Times “Editor's Choice”, the Pen Center "Best in the West" award, and the Poets Prize. Turner served seven years in the US Army, including one year as an infantry team leader in Iraq with the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Turner was featured in Operation Homecoming, a unique documentary of firsthand accounts of American servicemen and women. His poems were published in the Voices in Wartime Anthology and documentary film. His new book of poems is Phantom Noise which he will be presenting at the LA Public Library on Thursday, November 18, 2010 7:00 PM with Louise Steinman, 
curator of ALOUD.

Adam McKay is the former head writer of Saturday Night Live and the director of films such as Anchorman and Talledega Nights. His recent film The Other Guys put a comedy spin on the financial meltdown, focusing on the Wall Street Ponzi scheme and celebrating the regular people who were affected. He is also the founder, with Will Ferrell, of Funny or Die, a website that has created numerous comedy videos for political advocacy. He also co-wrote with Will Ferrel, and directed on Broadway, You're Welcome America: A Final Night with George W Bush which later aired on HBO.

The author Adam mentioned was Gary Shteyngart, who wrote Absurdistan and the recent Super Sad True Love Story.