Healthcare Reform Is about to Begin in California
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Republicans say they want to repeal healthcare reform, but it won't be until long after California's newly elected Insurance Commissioner puts it into effect. We talk with Democrat Doug Jones, whose election this week was opposed by the insurance industry. Isn't Obama's reform more of a Republican plan in the first place? We also talk to a Republican consultant who says he knew Meg Whitman had lost the election when she said she'd submit to a lie detector. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, Republicans claim a mandate to cut spending, but which programs do this week's voters want sacrificed? The GOP will be in control of the House and the Senate Minority Leader wants Barack Obama to be a one-term president. Will the White House be looking for compromise?
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Making News
Judge Suspends Jessica's Law ()
Los Angeles Judge Peter Espinoza has blocked enforcement of the residential requirements of Jessica’s Law. That’s the measure passed by the voters in 2006, barring registered sex offenders from living within 2000 feet of a school or a park where children gather. The Judge says that may undermine public safety rather than promoting it. Andrew Blankstein reports for the Los Angeles Times.
Guests:
- Andrew Blankstein: Reporter, Los Angeles Times, @anblanx
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Main Topic
Healthcare Reform Is about to Begin in California ()
Republicans might want to repeal federal healthcare reform, or at least chip away at it while President Obama is still in office. In the meantime, officials in many states will be about the business of putting it into effect. In California, that task falls to Insurance Commissioner-elect Dave Jones, a Democrat who defeated Mike Villines, a Republican whose campaign was financed indirectly by insurance companies through “independent” TV ads by the state Chamber of Commerce. The Insurance Commissioner was made an elected officer when California voters approved Proposition 103 in 1988.
Guests:
- Dave Jones: California Insurance Commissioner-elect
- Harvey Rosenfield: Author, Proposition 103 (Insurance Rates and Regulation)
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Reporter's Notebook
Why Whitman Lost ()
How did Republican Meg Whitman manage to lose the Governor’s race to Democrat Jerry Brown after spending at least $140 million? Pretty much because she spent all that money — and because of the way she spent it. Arnold Steinberg is a veteran Republican strategist and author of graduate-level text books on politics and the media.
Guests:
- Arnold Steinberg: Republican political strategist
Links:
Main Topic
The Lame Duck Congress and the Republican Agenda ()
President Obama has invited future House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to the White House two weeks from today, while the lame duck session of the current Congress is trying to deal with unfinished business.
Guests:
- Anna Fifield: US Political Correspondent, Financial Times
- John Fortier: Research Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
- David Corn: Washington Bureau Chief, Mother Jones magazine, @DavidCornDC
- Matthew Continetti: Opinion Editor, Weekly Standard
- Spencer Ackerman: Senior Reporter, Wired's 'Danger Room' blog
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.
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