Taxes and Spending, from Washington to Sacramento
Host:
Produced by:
Subscribe to this Podcast:
Listen to/Watch entire show:
Legacy Player:
Four legislative leaders and one governor have a deal on the state budget. Will the rest of the lawmakers go along? We have that story and a debate on Measure B, solar energy, on next month's Los Angeles City ballot. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, a $789 billion stimulus package is likely to pass the House and the Senate. We look at what's in the bill and what's not. Did Republicans force enough compromises to tarnish a victory for President Obama?
Guest Interview
Update on the State Budget ()
After weeks of secret "Big 5" meetings between Governor Schwarzenegger and four legislative leaders, details of a budget package have leaked out. But there's no guarantee that the Assembly or Senate will provide enough votes for passage. Kevin Yamamura reports from the Capitol for the Sacramento Bee.
Guests:
- Kevin Yamamura: Reporter, Sacramento Bee
Main Topic
House and Senate Agree on Stimulus Package ()
Despite all their differences over the stimulus bill, Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate reached a $789 billion compromise in a little over one day. Though President Obama calls the stimulus package “enormous” in “scope and scale,” it would likely create or save fewer jobs, afford less aid to the states and schools and include much more in tax cuts than he wanted. Most Republicans say it's too expensive, while many supporters complain it won't be enough to restart the economy. We debate the pros and cons and analyze the political fallout for Democrats and Republicans.
Guests:
- Jonathan Weisman: Reporter, Wall Street Journal
- Robert Barro: Professor of Economics, Harvard University
- Daniel Gross: Senior Editor, Newsweek
- Ron Brownstein: Political Director, Atlantic Media
Links:
- Rove's (Wall Street Journal) article on the stimulus debate energizing the GOP
- Brownstein's 'The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship Has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America'
- Weisman's article on the stimulus compromise
- Gross' 'Dumb Money: How Our Greatest Financial Minds Bankrupted the Nation'
Main Topic
Measure B: Solar Power ()
Nobody disagrees that solar power should be developed -- the sooner the better, but there's a major debate about Measure B on the March 3 ballot for the City of Los Angeles. It calls for 400 megawatts of solar power by 2014, installed, operated and maintained by the city-owned Department of Water and Power. The City Council put the measure on the ballot unanimously, with full support from Mayor Villaraigosa. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which contracts with the DWP, is helping to finance the campaign. We hear a debate between City Controller Laura Chick, who publicly broke with the Mayor and is urging a “no” vote, and David Freeman, a former General Manger of the DWP, who helped put Measure B together.
Guests:
- Laura Chick: Los Angeles City Controller
- David Freeman: former General Manager, LA Department of Water and Power
Links:
Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.
Engage & Discuss
Further the conversation with your thoughts and comments. Agree, disagree, present a different perspective -- engage.
For information and guidelines click: Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
Please note, comments are moderated. KCRW reserves the right to edit and or remove posts deemed off-topic, abusive or not in accordance with KCRW's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
