Today on Kresta - December 31, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Dec. 31

Kresta Countdown of the top interviews of 2009

#7 - Meltdown
Back in February, Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan passed both Houses of Congress, but many argued that this tidal wave of spending will sink our economy, not save it. That’s the argument of Thomas Woods, author of Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse. He says this new bailout is more of the same for America—failed economic stimulus policy that will quickly drive America deeper into recession. In fact, Woods proves in his new book that government interventions in financial crises not only fail but makes matters much worse. He is here to make his case.

#6 – Breathless
Supernatural thriller writer Dean Koontz has written more than 50 novels, 45 of which have been on The New York Times’ best-seller list. While his novels are often filled with darkness (Faith & Family magazine warns, he is animated by his Catholic faith — a faith which has become more evident in his books in recent years. He is here to discuss his latest thriller, Breathless, a novel of suspense and adventure, as the lives of strangers converge around a mystery unfolding high in the Colorado mountains—and the balance of the world begins to tilt….

#5 - The Political Philosophy of George Washington
George Washington is revered as the father of his country, a clever and skilled general, and a man of restrained principle -- but not as a political thinker. Though Washington left little explicit writing on political philosophy, on this 210th anniversary of Washington’s death, Jeffry Morrison is here to examine his key writings, actions, education, and political and professional lives. He finds that Washington held closely to a trinity of foundational principles -- classical republicanism, British liberalism, and Protestant Christianity -- with greater fidelity than many of the other founding fathers. In unearthing Washington's ideological growth, Morrison reveals the intellectual heritage of his political thought and shows how these beliefs motivated him to action.

#4 - Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem
Does capitalism promote greed? Can a person follow Jesus' call to love others and also support capitalism? Was our recent economic crisis caused by flaws inherent to our free market system? Jay Richards presents a new approach to capitalism, revealing how it's fully consistent with Jesus’ teachings and the Christian tradition, while also showing why this system is our best bet for renewed economic vigor.