national cannabis industry association and what if i told you the reporters from the mainstream media are wined and dined and hopes of favorable coverage of former health care insider dish the scoop to raw story the other day blowing the whistle on positive coverage that can be bought and experion of the young turks will join me on that subject then there was another deadly weekend in afghanistan but we haven't seen the same coverage recently about the casualties of war so could that be because americans just don't care anymore and i speak with tom engelhardt about the lack of media coverage on soldiers deaths in afghanistan and imagine somebody who commits a petty crime doing jail time just because they couldn't post bail a new human rights watch report shows that this happens to thousands of people in new york city so could this be proof that the justice system is applied to people based on what they have in their wallet i'm going to speak with jamie fellner from the human rights watch at the end of the show but now let's move on to the day's top story. the official campaign season maybe two years away but there's already

buzz around who could be running for president president obama sarah palin maybe even a congressman ron paul for the past few years we've seen an evolution in the republican doctor turned congressman he used to be shunned by the media and the laughing stock of establishment politicians thanks for his alternative views on issues like monetary reform and u.s. policy of brought but now he is front and center in the media spotlight his message resonated more than ever with the tea party movement because saucy has had the opportunity to interview the congressman several times over the past two years and she gives us this inside look at his transformation into the political spotlight. might have been starting.

we. were people from all walks of life rich poor young and old who were fed up with both parties and politics as usual they were among the first to call for taking the country back still many folks turned away while the media simply made fun if you pull up articles on you consistently you'll see on occasion but consistently there are a lot of people describe you as a flake i'm impressed that you dare say it's right on call world good for you what it says about who are his fans oh they're crazy then there are just on the internet they show up to see him speak and show up they did. from internet money bombs to declaring a ron paul revolution a movement much stronger than the media message behind it the sure out of the media in the united states can only go so far in denying reality from the american people that reality was harsh so you're saying as a result of this a bigger economic crisis is coming you know i think we're in the midst of one and

it was precisely that crisis that finally got the press to pay attention because when talking points no longer fix the problem ron paul's alternative outspoken views offered a concrete solution and that's why this congressman paul welcome to bloomberg there's always unique and outspoken point of view congressman ron paul is now tonight there fearless leader libertarian ron paul today dr paul is all over the mainstream media but interestingly enough the texas congressman comes here to the kind of rotunda to be interviewed just a few years ago he was inundated with requests but not from the u.s. media but instead outlets like al-jazeera press t.v. and. one political reaction seem to stand out that's congressman ron paul he joins me today some politicians here live in congressman ron paul warning that america may be heading in the wrong direction as a result and. one of the things the congressman has warned about for over two

decades this i think is one of your favorite subjects the federal reserve what do you think a potential audit of the fed would expose would people be shocked what goes on in this institution behind closed doors well the way the federal reserve is fighting to keep us from finding out what they're doing it sounds like we will be shocked but now the fed might not have much of a choice because the republican congressman will be the new chairman of the domestic policy subcommittee house panel that oversees the federal reserve putting him in a tremendous position to use it as a good oversight committee of the federal reserve that means more oversight and move toward a true audit of the failed an audit and perhaps even an end to the fed that before was unthinkable but now obviously always good to have you with this especially on a day when they bail out the europeans to the tune of a trillion dollars the media isn't shying away anymore already we're organizing veterans for ron paul two thousand and twelve. and paul supporters are as

optimistic as ever it's really not just about ron paul but the rise of the movement that's behind him that is based on the philosophy of liberty and the ideas of liberty as far as the government and the press right now they're sort of waking up . washington d.c. . so is this ron paul's time can mainstream america really accept his views and give him a shot in two thousand and twelve or will the washington establishment do whatever they can to keep him down well i'm joined by bradley jansen adjunct scholar at the competitive enterprise institute and director of the center for financial privacy and human rights thank you so much for being here thanks for having out tell me how long have you personally been a fan of dr paul's i've been a fan of dr paul's since my early years of high school in one nine hundred eighty one. i agreed with republicans or conservatives and some issues and democrats and liberals on a few issues and then i found ron paul on everything kind of fell into place. i've

been a supporter of the since nine hundred eighty one to me that was like forever especially if we talk about politics so what's it like now watching his transformation and watching every single channel out there you know put him on the media all of a sudden he's not this outsider this lawmaker anymore he's mainstream right well i've had the opportunity to vote for him for president twice once in one thousand nine hundred eighty eight and then again in the most recent presidential primary and when i voted for him the first time was just me and a couple of my college friends and then this last time of course it was a huge groundswell and it was funny watching the debates and then there was an economic debate among the republicans in detroit and if you go back and read the transcripts or watch it now the republican candidates mccain and romney and the others were falling all over themselves trying to take credit for bush's great economic legacy and how great the economy was and dr paul was just asking what planet they were from and trying to point out the structural and serious problems of the country was facing and of course you know a year and a half two years later everyone's kind of come around to ron paul's way of understanding where we are with the economy and what needs to be changed what do

you think it had not been for the economy would anyone have brains to stand we now we have a majority of americans that even consider you know perhaps even abolishing the fed or at least changing its structure somehow these were ideas that were seeing it looked at as absolutely crazy to have the economy not collapsed would ron paul be popular the way he is now. of course cancer hypothetical but i mean the federal reserve in the breakdown of the bretton woods system was why dr paul got into politics in the first place he knew what was happening you know when we went off the gold standard in seventy one and that's why he got into politics so he's been out there explaining this for a long time and if you look at graphs that show the value of the dollar you know from the time the country started to the creation of the fed it's after we went off the gold standard internationally that we that we really start having a lot of problems and dr paul was the lone voice pointing out that the what the results of those problems would be and so yeah i do think a lot of people are coming around because of the how far do you think that the establishment republicans are actually going to let him go will we now we know that he's chairing that monetary policy. subcommittee but it's actually you feel like

he's about to you feel like at some point there's going to have to say stop enough shut up nobody actually wants to end the fed nobody actually wants to end all wars that's not republican well ok he's not to be able to end the wars from the domestic monetary policy subcommittee. the how much are they going to let him say before they try to push him down the congress is a collaborative body and things are done by committee so it's important in those negotiations to start off with your strongest hand and that is dr paul so whatever happens there are going to be compromises through the congress through getting things through the senate signed by senate signed by president obama so it's important we start off with our strongest hand in dr paul is that hand you start off as pure and strong as possible you know you don't start off with a compromise position where the republicans always have do you think that he's going to ransom problems here that you could say that libertarians really isn't itself is picking up in america but when it comes to social issues he's not

necessarily the most liberal khai well and i think the republican caucus put dr paul where he can play to his strengths i mean the monetary policy doesn't do with war doesn't deal with the social issues but on the economic issues it is where the republican caucus looks for him for guidance and leadership and understanding of how to address these problems and they've given him the perfect format for that what about when it comes to another presidential run if he does have one in two thousand and twelve. he will have a much bigger soapbox to stand on that he has never before had ever had before i think is going to have a chance to who could possibly run with him. who would run who would his competitor on the data who would run with him on the ticket as well yeah i think it's actually interesting this time because when he ran in ninety eight and again in the last time if he had not been there that voice wouldn't have been in the debate. this time i think you're going to find a lot of other candidates sort of trying to pick up that same mantle and run with that same message so we've got gary johnson and i think sanford of thinking. before

before he sort of took himself out of politics mitch daniels pence and some others are very close with dr paul a lot of issues and in fact you know pence has been a conservative leader in the house for a long time thinking of running for president is now trying to make monetary policy and attacks on the fed part of his agenda and he's trying to claim that mantle so instead of dr paul being you know the lone voice in the cold it's been reported you know now we've got copycat politicians trying to take on his issues and his mantle and present them as their own so i mean nobody wants to give him credit on this one but definitely it has been a transformation of the guy there once was once laughed at by the media really has become mainstream will see how far will take him bradley thank you so much for joining us thank you. then and other news now and what was once fringe going mainstream there comes a new development we know about big oil big pharma but here comes the big marijuana a new trade group has been formed called the national cannabis industry association as an attempt to bring together sellers growers manufacturers and overall to push

to promote pot on capitol hill but with a republican controlled congress about to be sworn in well they really be able to garner any support well joining me to discuss it is steve fox director of public affairs at the national cannabis industry association steve thanks so much for being here thanks for having me big marijuana out quite the way to look at it here tell me how it is that you plan to really. really make it in and make a difference here to have influence in congress in washington it because i think that although you could say that perhaps some of the people in america are starting to accept the idea of legalized marijuana you can't really find a politician out there it's going to say right well that's that's why we pour and there are so many businesses out there in california colorado and other states that are legitimately under state law selling growing producing marijuana in marijuana infused products and they don't have the kind of representation. and they need in

washington d.c. and we feel that by bringing them all together that we can have that voice and let the politicians know that these businesses are creating jobs generating tax revenue and really providing useful product to people so just like everyone else out there your main strategy is going to be jobs and the economy because that's what everyone wants to hear you think might actually have a chance with a now republican controlled congress is about to be sworn in yeah i mean this was planned even before the republicans took over the house but the point is yeah i mean jobs and the economy are relevant but the real point here is that these businesses are operating legally under state law and they should be treated like other legitimate businesses and they're not are there any growers or sellers or manufacturers out there that they don't support what you do they don't want we need to become so mainstream and. i don't know that there are i mean all kinds of business people have all different opinions and there may be some people you can

look at the battle over proper nineteen in california for example where the end of the day of course it didn't pass and a lot of the small time growers ended up voting against it because they thought that that could be a threat to their livelihood and that starts a problem primarily with the california law which doesn't currently license growers individually if they were licensed under state law then perhaps they would be more supportive of the new law would allow all adults to purchase marijuana instead of just medical marijuana patients it's so interesting to me how do you think you're really going to fit it on capitol hill because if we think about all the other lobbyists that are out there they're thought of as the bad guys right and they just try to wine and dine congress members and you know perhaps that they're always working against regulation they want to maintain the status quo and here we have a brand new lobby with a rather progressive issues so do you even like the term the marijuana lobby big big marijuana but i don't know about the. big marijuana i don't know how i would

play but we are on the right side of history here marijuana is a product that's been propagandized against and given a bad name for so long and we think that adults should be able to use marijuana or cannabis instead. it's what they choose it's a less harmful substance and if that's what they prefer to do to recreate they should be able to do so and we want to represent the industries that are making. choices available to people now why do you think that this is the right time to make this push for years just like with my previous guest i was saying that ron paul and his you know his monetary policies used to be something considered so fringe and then we had the economic crisis do you think that the economy has somehow helped out the fight to push for legalizing marijuana as well i think it's been more of the evolution of the industry in california colorado and fifteen other states plus the district of columbia that now have medical marijuana laws and there are literally hundreds actually more like thousands of businesses that are out

there operating and just can't be denied it's not really the right time in history politically it's just the evolution of an industry and it's time that industry had representation in washington very quickly what do you think the chances are for two thousand and twelve another prop nineteen passing in a state like california. california colorado and we'll see if they'll be any others will definitely be watching steve thanks so much for being here thank you well coming up next we'll tell you about prison protests underway in georgia and we'll bring you details on a sobering study people who are incarcerated for petty crimes are spending serious time behind bars because they can't post bail so is this just a glaring example of justice being applied differently in this country we're going to speak with someone from the u.s. human rights watch program after the break. what.

world leaders. bringing you the latest in science and technology from around russia . we've got the huge earth covered. all right so it's time for show and tell on the lower show now last thursday we asked if you think that obama should face a primary challenger in two thousand and twelve and if so who would it be so here's some of your responses on facebook tommy a dragnet field said i would like to see howard dean come back maybe with fine gold

or grayson we need a white house they can whip congress into doing the right thing then gear more rebus chimed in with his choice and challenging obama he said al gore most definitely and on our twitter page pauline murphy thinks that obama could be in trouble come the next primaries she says i think so and i think it could be hillary i think bring back bill polian that seems perhaps a bit farfetched but you never know because bill did show up at a joint press conference with obama just last week and to be honest he kind of made obama look bad now we always appreciate your responses so here we are for the next round of questioning on the ilona show the health care law returned to the federal courts today at a federal judge in virginia has ruled that the individual mandate a very crucial element in obama's health care plan is constitutional virginia's attorney general claim that the individual mandate exceeds the constitutional

boundaries of congressional power so we want to know your thoughts on this what do you think of the individual mandate passed as part of health care reform is constitutional you can let us know on facebook you can let us know on twitter or you tube and who knows your response just might make it on air. now you might not have heard this through the mainstream media but there's a massive prison strike underway in georgia since last thursday prisoners have staged a peaceful protest locking down their cells and refusing to work and take part in. other activities thousands of prisoners from six jails across the state are protesting the georgia department of corrections telling them to stop treating prisoners like animals now as they've made the following request a living wage for work educational opportunities decent health care ending cruel and unusual punishment decent living conditions nutritional meals vocational opportunities access to families and just parole decisions as you can imagine these

protests aren't going over so well the prisons the department of corrections has already been caught pulling prisoners from themselves from the cells beating them beyond recognition in some instances if those prisoners refuse to work on the prisoners are getting kudos with this protest for several reasons first of all incarcerated individuals were using contraband of cell phones to call prisoners and other jails to encourage them to join in the peaceful protest another important note here as of this protest spans across all prisoners despite race or gang affiliations which is really different considering racism has always been a major problem in jails now those who staged the protests are getting props in the cyber world for using illegal means to stage a grassroots movement a movement to ask for better treatment all in hopes of being able to rejoin society once they're out of jail now currently no changes have been made to prisoners living standards but if the movement continues to gain momentum through cell phones and word of mouth prisoners are hopeful that will it will encourage change that

brings us to our next story. according to a new report by human rights watch thousands of people arrested on low level crimes in new york city spend days in jail not because they've been found guilty but because they're too poor to post bail and titled the price of freedom the report finds the overwhelming majority of defendants in cases where the bail was set at one thousand dollars or less were unable to pay and were sent to jail where they remained on average for more than two weeks not only should this. the disturbing for taxpayers but perhaps for democracy in general once again it looks like we have an example of justice being applied differently depending on how much you have in your wallet or joining me from our studio in new york to discuss it is jamie fellner senior counsel in the u.s. program of human rights watch now jamie thank you so much for joining us first of all can you tell us what exactly what kind of crimes we're referring to i mean is this something as simple as jumping the turnstiles at the subway and for that you

might spend two weeks in jail if you can't afford it absolutely our report look to people who are accused of non felonies mostly misdemeanors such as you mentioned jumping turnstiles smoking marijuana in public possessing a little bit of crack for personal use getting into a fight. these are minor crimes they are crimes which in most cases wouldn't even be punished if the person were convicted with a jail sentence nevertheless if jail bail is set and you can't post it minor crime or not you're going to be sent to jail now as far as i understand one of the largest problems here is that some of these people are going to plead guilty just for the sake of getting out of jail so they don't have to sit there whether they're guilty or not right. absolutely i mean wouldn't you do the same if you if you insist on fighting for your innocence and you can't post bail you could spend actually almost

a year in jail before your case is finally determined people will either plead before they're sent to jail or once they're sent to jail if they can't post bail in fact ninety nine percent of convictions and misdemeanor cases come from people plea bargaining how much does it cost the taxpayer for somebody who essentially could be out right away if they could pay their bail to stay in jail for two weeks. well at the act we calculated that it cost the city of new york forty two million dollars simply to incarcerate the sixteen thousand people who had been arrested on low level charges and couldn't post bail of a thousand or less people had been arrested in two thousand and eight if you start multiplying forty two million for a number of years we're talking serious money and these are people who can't post five hundred dollars seven hundred fifty thousand dollars bail in this city would save money simply giving them the money to post the bail rather than incarcerating

them it's a very expensive proposition to keep someone in jail so it's costing the taxpayers and the effect on people's lives is devastating now why are you focusing only on the city of new york i can't imagine that we don't see the same problem nationwide that people don't have the same justice applied to them you know if they can't pay as much as the next defendant. absolutely and we started with new york because we have very good data here it is a national problem. and a guesstimate that this nationwide it cost nine billion dollars is spent to keep people in jail because they couldn't post bail but some of those people may be there because they were deemed a threat to public safety human rights watch believes that nobody should be held in jail simply because they have a small wallet you know when sunny friends eenie or any of the other big mobsters get arrested and they get million dollar two million dollars bail they post it and

walk out these are period people accused of very serious crimes and they're dangerous people yet. you know take joey a guy i watched his arraignment they caught him with some crack in a cigarette and they wanted bail of seven hundred fifty dollars the man is homeless and has some serious mental issues he didn't have it so he went to jail and he stayed there for five days until he finally pled now i have to mention some of the crew. that have come up regarding your report where there are people that are saying that well you did a five minute interview that those people in those five minutes you can't possibly really find out their financial background what their financial standing is whether they might have another case open against them what do you do what response do you have to that first first of all you can find out whether there's another case open and everybody knows gets in the criminal record whether they have a case open in terms of money prosecutors say that how do we know if somebody is arrested for stealing twenty dollars from a grocery store you know they don't have

a thousand dollars to post bail i think it's very disingenuous when prosecutors say well how do we know exactly how much they have if they can't post the bail at a thousand dollars or five hundred that's a good reason then for the judge to lower the amount the purpose of bail is simply to get people to come back to court it's not supposed to be as so gross a vehicle for getting them into jail or to force them to plead in fact new york judges unlike many other states but new york judges have an option of setting bail in the form of what's called a secured essential you don't pay to get free but if you don't show up in court then you owe the court money subsequently that's a much fairer way of proceeding now what is a human rights watch very quickly hopes to achieve here do you have another way of making people show up at court you have a way of trying to help these individual campaign. they show up in court it's not a problem most people show up in court about ninety four percent of all misdemeanor

defendants show up either make all their court appearances or they miss one but then they return the next day or within a couple of weeks so actually showing up in court is not such a problem we watch judges to tailor their bales to people's financial situation and to use unsecured bonds rather than sending people to jail because they can't post bail and we want this city. create a supervised release program so for people who shouldn't be released on their own recognizance that means just released on the promise to return and who can't post bail or for whom bail is seemed as on approach inappropriate then there's a sort of a program to make sure that they do return to court. both of these options would be far less expensive for the city and far fairer to people who are presumed innocent and in this case presumed innocent of very minor petty offenses are jamie thank you so much for joining us and definitely an interesting report we look forward to

seeing more nationwide thanks. thank you now we're taking a break but afterwards did you think that the role of elected officials is to serve the people that's what i thought but apparently one lawmaker out there is a little bit confused time where it thinks that the job of washington is to serve the banks more and i'm just a moment then our casualties in the u.s. war in afghanistan no longer news i mean speak with tom engelhardt to find out why nobody in the mainstream media seems to care about u.s. soldiers dying at war.

more riot police deployed in central moscow over fears of fresh violence has to be . pledges swift punishment for those involved in last weekend's botches a rally on saturday commemorating a football bad was killed turned into a bloody brawl with police and lead with attacks on ethnic minorities. russia condemns north korea's attack on the south and urges pyongyang bed of its nuclear activity moscow expressed concern over reports of the country's uranium enrichment and called restart six party talks. controversial and i drive campaign is dividing public opinion already. defended the ad saying that only harsh reality will discourage youngsters from substance abuse. back now to be alone a show this time they take an in-depth look at the actions of the u.s. attorney general and if he's trying to build a case against wiki leaks founder julian assange coming your way next.

chosen from among many. he was given the clear cut mission. a mission he successfully accomplished. became the first encounters space. of the soviet union one of the best known persons in the world. his thoughts were focused on flight. could he ever think that his life's work would cost him his life. one happened in those few seconds. and what seemed good season sealed barrels still hold. your regard.