To the Point

Helms to Retire

When Jesse Helms was elected Senator from North Carolina in 1972, most regarded him as just another conservative Southern voice. That image didn't last long as Helms demonstrated not just a skill for harsh conservative rhetoric, but a clever facility with the Senate's arcane procedures. With battering ram and scalpel, he sharply shaped the arts, domestic, and international policy. What will life be like without this titan of the right battling for his conservative causes, and who is likely to replace him? We ask journalists, politicians and a former statesman. (Jim Sterngold, of the New York Times, guest hosts.) Newsmaker: IMF Package May Not Solve Argentina's Economic Woes - The International Monetary Fund has decided to extend aid to Argentina with the promise of more if it can get its house in order. But, as we hear from La Naci-n's Mart-n Kanenguiser, this short term assistance is not likely to ensure long term recovery for the country that's now suffering through its fourth year of recession. Reporter's Notebook: Fifth Anniversary of Welfare Reform - With landmark welfare reform now five years old, there's still debate over how well those forced off welfare and into the work force are faring. We get contradictory views from a reform critic and a Bush administration official on the program's success, especially during the nation's current economic downturn.