On the big picture coming up next. On this weeks show let me tell you about the birds and the bees they are disappearing why and why thats not good also this half hour when the facts of life arent obvious to government leaders citizen diplomats personal fear despite our leaders but 1st we shop til we drop even as the american middle class is drowning in debt im hala cook in washington for the next half hour its an impeachment free zone this is the big picture america. While President Trump crows about a booming economy the american middle class is. Browning in debt not including mortgages we owe 4 t. Trillion 1. 12 zeros a trillion and a half in Student Loan Debt haunts many people well into middle age car loans average over 32000. 00 now and a 3rd of new car buyers roll in the remaining balance from the last car alone with low unemployment Consumer Confidence is confident and the president nags the Federal Reserve to lower Interest Rates even more how did we get here and how risky is
Acting director. This hearing on the 2020 census is available on cspan. Org. Leaving the last few minutes for a conference on countering violent extremism in qatar, iran, and the Muslim Brotherhood, featuring lawmakers and former intelligence officials. House Homeland Security Committee Chair mike mccaul, david petraeus, and former white house strategist steve bannon. Coming up shortly, former defense secretary leon panetta. From the beginning, it has been devoted to the freedom, security, and prosperity of the United States and the health of its institutions. Its work is especially focused on strategies for the long term, strategies that thus deal with our most abiding challenges. In its research, it draws upon a wide variety of perspectives and opinions, and it will do so today. And it covers a wide variety of policy areas. Domestic, foreign, and National Security. Let me first of all in addition thank you all for being here and participating in this conference. I said before that th
This is al jazeera and live from studio fourteen here at aljazeera headquarters in doha. Welcome to the new spirit and order for saudis to leave lebanon thats just happened but people are also asking where in the world is the lebanese Prime Minister was supposed to be back in beirut on certain questions about his would be resignation but he hasnt arrived and the latest word is hes still in riyadh also on the grid a new twist in the continuing gulf crisis did the United Arab Emirates intend to steal the twenty twenty two world cup from qatar. Apparently wanted to wage an economic war against. And in yemen millions will die its been stated almost as fact by the United Nations humanitarian agency unless the blockade on yemens air and sea ports is lifted the thing is yemen is not a new crisis so what will it take for the International Community to take some i. Post something hateful online and you can get twenty years in prison thats the new law in venezuela and the opposition is not happy
Weve had a full day today. Weve heard many voices. We have had several speakers. We have heard from republicans, democrats, senior retired officials. Generals. Two excia directors. So the last thing that you needed, we thought, was an exile talking to an insurgent. I dont think i need to introduce mr. Steve bannon. He is the former white house strategist and the executive chairman of breitbart news. He has interesting things to say even for those who do not agree with him and its important for us to hear his perspective. Any attempt at trying to introduce him would only get me into greater trouble than is necessary. Everybody knows who he is and i welcome him on behalf of the Hudson Institute to this conference. I would just begin by saying that mr. Bannon has identified with the identify of America First and there are those who would say that America First would be more of an isolationist idea. His agreement to come and join us today actually gives us an opening to ask him to share wi