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Evo Morales Looks Poised to Win Bolivia Elections
Kathryn Ledebur, Director of the Andean Information Network, Nick Buxton, writer and activist in La Paz

On Sunday, December 18th, Bolivians go to the polls to elect a new President. History could be made as indigenous activist, Evo Morales is the leading candidate with roughly 34% of the vote. Ex-President Jorge Quiroga is his closest opponent polling at 29%. Morales will likely fail in obtaining an absolute majority. The top two candidates will then face Bolivia’s Congress, which will decide who is President. Evo Morales founded the Movement Towards Socialism or MAS in 1995 and campaigned on a platform of nationalization of hydrocarbon resources and legalization of coca. He recently said that his movement “represents a nightmare for the government of the United States.” Morales could become the first indigenous president of the Andean nation.

Black Commentator
GUEST: Glen Ford, co-publisher of The Black Commentator

The Black Commentator is an online political magazine bringing you commentary, analysis and investigation from a black perspective. Today’s commentary is about the two war parties

The Black Commentator is online at www.blackcommentator.com.

Anti-Muslim Riots in Australia
GUEST: Kuranda Seyit, Director of Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations (FAIR)

Over a week ago, on Sunday a mob of about 5000 white youths, many drunk and wrapped in Australian flags, attacked people they believed to be of Middle Eastern origin, at a beach in Sydney, Australia. Hundreds of Lebanese and other Middle Eastern youths responded a day later with the violence spreading to two other major cities. New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma described the riots as “the ugly face of racism,” and confirmed that white supremacists were involved. The incidents are being called the worst instance of race violence in Australia’s modern history. Tensions between youths of Arabic and Middle Eastern descent and white Australians have been rising in recent years with anti-Muslim sentiment apparently fueled by the Bali bombings in October 2002. Our next guest claims it’s also anti-Muslim media coverage that has contributed to racial tensions.

Empire Notes
GUEST: Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade

We go now to our weekly commentary Empire Notes by Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade. Today’s commentary is about climate change.

Empire Notes is online at www.empirenotes.org.

Controversial Changes Proposed to Natl’ Park Management
GUEST: Theresa Pierno, Vice President of Regional Operations with the National Parks Conservation Association, NPCA

A Congressional Review was scheduled last week on controversial revisions to US National Park management policies. The revisions propose weakening existing guidelines. Critics fear it would worsen problems affecting national parks, such as commercialization, reduction in personnel, and air pollution. Because national parks are home to a majority of the US’s endangered species, critics also note that the policy revisions would weaken protection of wilderness areas. Current National Park Service research shows that smog is worsening in national parks all across America. Conservation groups have been challenging the steadfast refusal of the Environmental Protection Authority to strengthen Clean Air Act provisions designed to protect the air quality of natural areas, including National Parks.

For more information, visit www.npca.org.

House Passes Anti-Immigrant Legislation
GUEST: EunSook Lee, Executive Director of National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)

In early December a bitterly divided House Judiciary Committee approved the so-called “Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act.” The bill is expected to come to a vote soon in the House of Representatives. If passed, the act would introduce serious changes in US immigration policy. For example, “unlawful presence” in the United States would now be considered an aggravated felony. The bill also calls for an increase in employer fines from the current $1,000 dollar penalty to a new $25,000 penalty. Such measures are not harsh enough for some Republicans in the House, however. Representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado proposes amendments such as the construction of a fence along the entire U.S. – Mexico border and the elimination of birthright citizenship. In response, immigrant rights advocates all across the nation are organizing in opposition to the “Border Protection” act saying it would be just another failed “enforcement-only” approach.

The Congressional Switchboard telephone number is 202-224-3121.

Sonali’s Subversive Thought for the Day:

“The U.S.-Mexican border is an open wound where the third world grates against the first and bleeds.” — Gloria Anzaldua,1987.