First and foremost, check out our guest Debbie Burak’s website, www.veteranaid.org/store  and please help her raise the money she needs to get her message about the Aid & Attendance Pension Benefit that our veterans and their families need and deserve.

Secondly, is America dying?  Is focusing on strengthening the dollar the best way to revive America and its economy?  I am a little confused by this myself.  If we strengthen our dollar does that mean oil prices may go down?  Obamanomics seems to think yes.  “Americans know instinctively that something is wrong when the Canadian loonie is worth more than the greenback.”  Do we?

Two Jim’s joined us today…  one with Talent, the other a Senator! 

We did have two guests today.  Pete’s Uncle Jim and Former Missouri Senator Jim Talent.  Senator Jim Talent brought to our attention something we didn’t think was a huge issue, but it really is something that concerns all of us - and also is something that seems like a quicker fix than health care, the economy and the war.  If you find you’re having problems with the roads in your communities, be it a pothole or a condition of the bridge you cross everyday to work, then check out www.getamericamoving.com and do something about it.

Uncle Jim covered a lot in education.  In essence, I agree with his overall argument, that there is a dumbing down of America.  Test scores are low and schools are being put on watch due to No Child Left Behind.  We’re in serious trouble America.  What should we do here?   Should we adopt A-PLUS?  I think we seriously need to leave “No Child” behind.

Pete has our Uncle Jim Lobdell on the show today, and we’re all looking forward to two hours of talk and debate about our education system. One of the best ways to figure out what we want out of educators is to reflect on the teaching styles, personalities and other factors that have made a difference for us as individuals.

So think back and let us know: Who was your best teacher ever (in or out of formal schooling), and most importantly — why?

If you answer during the show, Pete will consider reading your response on the air.

Republican Candidate John McCain has broken his promise.  Such a politician.  He claimed he would run a clean campaign, saying the American people deserve to hear what candidates think about the issues and shouldn’t have to pick a president based on the mudslinging campaign ads.  His latest ad, “The One,” paints Barack Obama as the chosen candidate who has proved his popularity, but, is he ready to lead?  Um?  Wait a minute…  I am really confused.  People like this guy.  It seems like he is the choice of the majority.  I am voting for this guy!  But this ad is paid for by the opponent?!  Hmm…  I should get Pete to hire the advertising company John McCain hired to make an ad bad mouthing me.  Maybe I wouldn’t come off as such a douche.

Terrorism is NEVER going to stop.  Pete brought up that there were three places attacked this weekend, all of which may or may not have been linked to one another.  Regardless of that, he also posed the question, “How do we stop terrorism?”  Pete loves to answer his own questions (along with laughing at his own jokes and pleasuring himself) and made the analogy that if someone hates you, you don’t punch them in the face.  It really is a hard decision to come to.  You really can’t punch someone in the face if they don’t like you, but if they hit you first, you do have to attack.  However, you can’t be “invading” the house two doors down from the prick who doesn’t like you…  You’re just giving him more of a reason to hate you (here’s a MAP for all of you who don’t remember the teachings of Rand McNally and didn’t catch my analogy).

Speaking of Terrorism, he also brought up kids and should you spank them.  I think all children should be spanked (and maybe some of the half-assed parents who have them).  I was hit twice as a child, once with the wooden spoon and once with a shoe.  I never acted up again.  That’s a lie.  I never got caught again!

In the last hour of Friday’s show Brian Dominick aka Pete’s Big Bro took on all PaulTards who were brave enough to stand by their man. We’d like to know your thoughts on Ron Paul and the segment with Brian. Who came out on top? Are all Ron Paul Supporters hypnotized and marching to the beat of a Zombie Nation that wants to privatize everything? Does he have some good ideas? What issues do you agree or disagree with him on?

If nothing else, the most important thing that you can take from the conversation is, if you’re ever attacked by zombies make sure you aim for the head. Thanks Tard!

Yup.  That’s the title of Pete’s CD.  And there are different volumes.  I didn’t get a close look at the CD, but I would imagine the “Meat Mix” we listened to today was labled “Meat Mix Volume 2: Pete 2002 Roadtrip.”  Had to get this out there because I know there is a picture floating around and I know Pete will have you commenting on my flowing main soon. 

Also, in my defense, Dog CPR is in fact “mouth to snout.”  It may not be the prettiest of terms, but when you watch this instructional video on how to save your dog, well, you’ll see what I mean.

Our main discussion today, “Should our president be a genius?”  To Pete’s suprise, many of you said no.  You said you want your president to be wise, smart and emotional.  John from Cleveland brought up a great point, one I think I agree with.  He said that the president should be charismatic and surround themselves with geniuses.  I don’t think the president should have all the answers but should be able to make sound, rational judgments from what their advisors are telling them… and can do the Sunday Times crossword puzzle.  What do you think?

Pete really is  a buzzkill when it comes to trying to show his daughters cool shit.  Not only does she think a fire work is a cloud of blue smoke, now she doesn’t even know how to catch a damn fish…  Disappointing, Pete.

Today, we spent a great deal of time talking about the president’s decision to lift the ban on drilling for oil.  We learned that demand is a key problem when it comes to drilling for oil.  And it’s not just the demand for oil that’s killing us at the pump but as Dan from Michigan let us know the demand for steel, which is used for piping in oil drilling, is going up and the supply has dropped sigificantly, due to China putting a hault on production until after the Olympics.

What’s the solution here people?  How can we get ourselves out of this dependence for oil?  Is drilling for oil in the OCS the way to go?  I think we should take our focus off of oil and get the gears in motion on alternative sources of fuel.  Even if drilling for oil is the solution, we are going to be in the same situation we are in now.  Let us know your ideas.

~Sean

The hours just flew by today, considering we filled the second hour of Pete’s Big Mouth with amazing guests.  We were honored to have the Governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman talk to Pete about his “Working 4 Utah” initiative.  Be sure to check out Pete’s response to that interview on SIRIUS Satellite Radios video blog, coming soon.

We were also joined by Kimberly Pierce, writer and director of the movie Stop-Loss, which is out on DVD now.  Kimberly and Pete really got into a great discussion about the movie, but also about this real life and emotional issue.  Our veterans are coming back only to be sent out to the battlefields again, returning with PTSD, traumatic brain injury and even issues of suicide.  Kimberly brought up that everyweek, 120 veterans are trying to commit suicide.  See Stop Loss and then sound off and let Kimberly know your thoughts at www.stoplossmovie.com/soundoff.

We had a lot of feed back from listeners who have been affected by Stop-Loss, epecially military wives, who called in and let us know that as terrible as this is, they are behind their husbands 100%.  What is solution to Stop Loss?  Is this “back door draft” legal?  Do you think the government has the right to drag these veterans back to do another tour of duty, another year away from their families?  Let Pete know!

That’s how I would describe the discussion on Pete’s Big Mouth today. The whole day’s conversation revolved around our guest, Vincent Bugliosi, and his book, The Prosecution Of George W. Bush For Murder. Is Bugliosi right? His argument here, along with many other Americans, is that someone should be responsible for getting us into a war that has cost us trillions of dollars and thousands of lives.

A key issue brought up was that of the Downing Street Memo, where an aide to former Prime Minister Tony Blair said President Bush planned to go to war all along by misleading the public. Plus the Manning Memo, about how Bush wanted a spy plane flown, painted to look like a UN plane over Iraqi air space and hoped it would be shot down, giving him a reason to invade Saddam’s Iraq.

Also, something to think about. Originally, we were going to invade Iraq due to its storing of WMD. When it was later found there were no WMD, we were then going into Iraq to free the Iraqi people. So why are we there? Has being in Iraq really made it better for the country and its people? Civil war and refugees are telling me not. What do you think?

Listen to Pete’s discussion with Stop Loss director Kimberly Pierce and Utah Governor Jon Huntsman who will speak about his ‘Working 4 Utah’ initiative tomorrow, only on Pete’s Big Mouth on Indie Talk, SIRIUS 110.