Enron: The Consequence of Corporate Governance? Listen

Enron Corporation headquarters building, Houston, Texas

Read Eichenwald's article "Audacious Climb to Success Ended in a Dizzying Plunge"

Forums: Could the Enron debacle turn into the next big political scandal?

The investigation of the largest bankruptcy in American history is gathering steam. Some experts are accusing Enron executives of manipulating their books to keep stock prices high, allowing them to cash in while but screwing investors and employees when the stock prices collapsed.

Several members of the Bush Administration have close ties to Enron, leading some to question whether the government could have intervened earlier to protect investors. The relationship between corporations and government has been a contentious issue in American politics since the days of Teddy Roosevelt. This hour: do corporations have too much influence on national politics?

Guests:

Jared Diamond

Read Jared Diamond's editorial, "Why We Must Feed the Hands That Could Bite Us"

Forums: What role should the U.S. play in the rebuilding of Afghanistan?

Avoiding Future Battles Between the 1st and 3rd Worlds Listen

"If a dozen years ago you had asked an ecologist uninterested in politics to name the countries with the most fragile environments, the most urgent public health problems and the most severe overpopulation (measured against available resources), " says Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jared Diamond, "the answer would have included Afghanistan, Burundi, Haiti, Iraq, Nepal, Rwanda, Somalia, Yugoslavia and Zimbabwe. The close match between that list and the list of the world's political hot spots today is no accident."

Jared Diamond argues that if the U.S. wants to avoid another September 11th, it needs to use direct aid to improve the public health systems, the environments and the family planning programs of troubled countries. This hour: Jared Diamond on preventing another 9/11.

Guest: