John Burnett archive

November 20, 2009 The Senate is conducting hearings into the recent shootings at Fort Hood — a tragedy that took place just miles from the site of a deadly 1991 attack. That episode, in which a gunman killed 23 people at Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas, reshaped how police, medical and psychological personnel respond to such tragedies.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

October 21, 2009 Did Texas execute an innocent man? That question, and the controversy surrounding it, continues to swirl around Gov. Rick Perry. Critics say the governor has tried to squelch an investigation into the case. Now the issue has moved to the forefront of Perry's effort to win re-election.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

October 15, 2009 Texas has more than 73,000 sworn peace officers — roughly one for every 330 people, serving everything from local water districts to schools to the State Board of Dental Examiners. But the proliferation of these police forces raises serious questions of resource allocation and jurisdiction.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

October 10, 2009 The news of Mexico's bloody cartel war is reflected in a controversial folk-music genre called narcocorridos, or drug ballads. They're like journalism put to song — telling stories of drug lords, arrests, shootouts, daring operations and betrayals. But, like the cartel war itself, writing corridos about drug traffickers can be risky business.

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SaturdayPlaylist

October 2, 2009 On the Texas-Mexico border, Los Zetas are mythic — their crimes chronicled in the media and memorialized in song. Considered the most dangerous drug cartel in Mexico, the Zetas have earned a reputation as super-gangsters adept at paramilitary-style ambushes and bold jailbreaks.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

• Mexico's 'La Familia' Cartel Mixes Spiritualism, Crime

August 20, 2009 With the price of raw milk at historic lows, dairy farms are going under across the United States. As the crisis deepens, many blame two dairy giants that they say are trying to monopolize the industry, to the detriment of independent farmers and consumers.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

• Small Farmers See Promise In Obama's Plans

August 20, 2009 Less than 2 percent of America's farms account for half of the country's agricultural sales. The antitrust division of President Obama's Justice Department says that scrutinizing agriculture monopolies is a top priority — a shift that gives hope to independent farmers.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

August 19, 2009 Whole Foods has taken pains to distance the corporation from founder and CEO John P. Mackey, but it may be too late. His article slamming Obama's health care plans has caused an uproar and led some to boycott the store.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

• Lawmakers Strive To Avoid Heated Town Halls

August 4, 2009 The Rio Grande is far more than a border between the United States and Mexico, and it's more than a barrier to illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. To one man who lives in the borderlands, the river is a kayaker's paradise.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

August 1, 2009 Mexican President Felipe Calderon has asked the United States to do more to curb the flow of weapons smuggled into Mexico. But the U.S. has the most permissive gun laws in the developed world, making it difficult for federal agents to battle arms trafficking.

Transcript

July 11, 2009 At a shelter in Reynosa, Mexico, a group of men reflect on their recent deportations. Many were sent back to Mexico after committing crimes in the United States. On top of that, the distressed economy is squeezing illegal workers out of their low-wage jobs.

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SaturdayPlaylist