wbur.org
support wbur today!
Tuesday      
November 3, 2009
Listen

Election Day

Listen
Voters in Virginia and New Jersey chose governors, a seat is up for grabs in New York’s 23rd Congressional district, and in a handful of states ballot measures on hot-button issues like medical marijuana, gambling and same-sex marriage will be decided. In Washington state, Referendum 71 would extend greater rights to domestic partners. It’s provoked a fight over whether the signatures that put the referendum on the ballot should be made public. We speak with Austin Jenkins, political reporter for Northwest News Network.

What is Capitalism?

Listen
We think the answer is markets and the invisible hand, but our guest Bruce Scott says we’ve been getting it disastrously wrong for a long time now. Capitalism, as he defines it, is a form of governance, in which rules and rule-making are the system as much as the market. When you look at it closely, says Scott, it’s really the visible hand of regulators and regulation that make it capitalism. Bruce R. Scott, Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School, is writing a book on capitalism. A key chapter from the book, “The Concept of Capitalism,” has been published independently.

Clinton in Egypt

Listen
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Cairo today for a hastily arranged meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. She was scheduled to travel home, but instead appears to be responding to Egyptian concerns the U-S may be recalibrating its approach to the Middle East Peace process. The meeting comes amid speculation about President Mubarak, who is 81 years old. The BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Christian Fraser reports on who might be in line to replace him.

Andy Williams’ ‘Moon River and Me’

Listen

Andy Williams (AP)

Andy Williams (AP)

Iconic musician Andy Williams has had his ups and downs over his 70-year career in show biz. His successes include ten years on an Emmy-award winning television series, 18 gold and 3 platinum albums and 20 years playing in Las Vegas. On the downside, he trudged through seedy nightclubs in the 1950’s, rarely getting paid much if anything. At 82, Andy Williams takes us through his storied career, as presented in his new memoir, “Moon River and Me.”

Music from the Show

  • Air, “Mike Mills”
  • Ahmad Jamal, “Patterns”
  • Freddie Hubbard, “Little Sunflower”
  • Fred Hirsch, “Desafinado”
  • Tito Puente, “Royal T”
Listener comments
  • Be sure to ask him about his rant concerning how Obama is turning the nation into a Socialist dictatorship. Thanks!

    Posted by ted paxton, on November 3rd, 2009 at 11:47 am
  • It’s about time someone talked about how rules and regulations are necessary for capitalism to work in a way that doesn’t destroy our society.

    Posted by Audrey Roth, on November 3rd, 2009 at 12:30 pm
  • I loved the Andy Williams interview, and his recording of “Moon River.” but lets not forget the slightly better version by Jerry Butler. Although both would improve with a little less production.

    Posted by Don Spence, on November 3rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
  • Thank you so much for having Professor Scott on your show today. He is the first person I recall hearing make the analogy between capitalism and sports, and their both needing rules or there would be chaos. I have been thinking exactly that for a while, even though I have limited understanding of economics. It just seems so obvious, which makes it so interesting why others seem to be oblivious to the idea.

    He made many great points and observations and I hope he gets a lot more exposure. He needs to be heard.

    Posted by Lisa Recko, on November 3rd, 2009 at 1:28 pm
  • Hearing Andy Williams speak and sing is deeply nostalgic. My mother was his personal secretary at the Moon River Theatre for many years. I remember staying backstage and hearing him sing Moon River almost nightly when I was 6. I’m proud to say I was the first to show him The Simpsons clip too.

    Thank you so much for bringing these memories back!

    Posted by Sean Church, on November 3rd, 2009 at 1:52 pm
  • We need Prof. Scott advising Pres. Obama and Congress instead of Larry Summers, Tim Geitner, and all the other devotees of unfettered capitalism. Let’s get him into the spotlight and keep him there.

    Posted by Janice McDaniel, on November 4th, 2009 at 11:52 am
  • Forget the sports analogy – they’re just games w/ a time limit.
    What is needed is a framework that everyone currently subscibes to and accepts everyday regardless of party affiliation (or athletic ability) – think traffic laws.
    We all loathe them, yet follow them or face the consequences. They allow you to get where you need to go and, if you plan ahead can get there ontime (profits!). For those that want to “speed” ahead of the rest, they can take their chances with the law – but without a federal bailout!
    Nobody claims the current traffic system (however imperfect) to be socialism, so why not something similar for the economy?

    Posted by Jack, on November 6th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
RECENT SHOWS
A humpback whale calf breaching in the Silver Banks Marine Sanctuary off the coast of the Dominican Republic. (Kike Calvo via AP Images)

Democrats Target Votes For Health Care Reform, Whale Tale Reveals How Pollution Disrupts Reproduction, Thousands Of Haitian Criminals Roam Free, Congress Aims To Reign In Credit Rating Agencies, “Silence of the Lambs” Director Films Real Lives

more »
Jabbar Swaiyed, 72, and his wife look over a ballot before casting their vote in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city on March 7, 2010.  (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)

Pres. Obama Looks To Re-write No Child Left Behind, Political Fortunes May Shift In Iraqi Vote Count, Butte, Mt. Celebrates Luck Of The Irish, Northern Ireland Is Still A Land Divided, Psychologist Says Evolution Helps Make Us Fat

more »
RECENT STORIES
A pen-sketched portrait of Bryan Cranston's character, Walt White, appears in an eerie temple on AMC's "Breaking Bad."

The third season of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” finds Bryan Cranston’s Walt White delving deeper into the drug underworld.

(Friday, March 19, 2010)
more »
Map of Texlahoma (Michael Trinklein)

Author Michael Trinklein’s maps of states that have been proposed over the years, but which never made it onto the official map of the United States.

Get Flash [...]

(Tuesday, March 16, 2010)
more »
NOTES & UPDATES

Welcome to our newest listeners in Orlando, FL, Chicago, IL, Morris, IL and Chesterton, IN! In the past few months we’ve been joined by new stations in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

more »

Some recent stories we thought you’d enjoy- from our conversation with oncologist Jerome Groopman about the status of the war on cancer, to accordion champion Cory Pesaturo.

more »

Here & Now producers share their favorite music, books and websites.

more »

Looking for a book for the young person in your life? We share our favorites.

more »
PRIBBC World Service
ADVERTISEMENT