Democrats Make One Last Push for the DREAM Act
Host:
Produced by:
Subscribe to this Podcast:
Listen to/Watch entire show:
Pedro Ramirez was brought to the US by illegal immigrant parents when he was three years old. Now he’s Student Body President at Fresno State. Unless Congress passes the DREAM Act, he won’t be able to work, join the military or qualify for public assistance. Is the DREAM Act simple fairness or a gateway to “amnesty?” Also, big fines for Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield and other insurance companies for not paying California hospitals and doctors what they were owed. On our rebroadcast of today’s To the Point, the Obama Administration says a quarter-million confidential documents released by WikiLeaks risk lives and threaten the conduct of diplomacy. Is there any upside to revealing secrets many people already suspected?
Banner image: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Making News
California Regulator Fines Insurers for Underpayment ()
California's seven largest health insurance companies have been fined almost $5 million for late payments and underpayments to hospitals and doctors. The State Department of Managed Health Care says mistakes the companies regard as a "cost of doing business" could cause healthcare delivery "to grind to a halt." Duke Helfand is following the story for the Los Angeles Times.
Guests:
- Duke Helfand: Reporter for the Los Angeles Times
Main Topic
One Last Push for the DREAM Act ()
After the results of this month's elections, supporters think comprehensive immigration reform is a lost cause in the next Congress. But President Obama says a "down payment" would be passage of what's called the DREAM Act during the lame-duck session. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would apply to some 2.1 million people brought to the US illegally by their parents when they were under the age of 16. They'd get "conditional green cards" allowing them to work and putting them on a path to citizenship. We hear several perspectives, including that of Pedro Ramirez, Student Body President at Cal State Fresno, who was recently exposed as being in the US illegally.
Guests:
- Gail Russell Chaddock: Congressional Reporter, Christian Science Monitor
- Pedro Ramirez: Student Body President, Cal State Fresno
- Mark Krikorian: Executive Director, Center for Immigration Studies, @MarkSKrikorian
Links:
Reporter's Notebook
Unemployment Insurance Running Out ()
Unemployment in California is now officially 12.4 percent, two percent higher than it was a year ago. Unofficially about 16 percent are out of work. California is borrowing billions of dollars to pay for unemployment, but tomorrow extended benefits will expire for those who've been without jobs the longest, says Tom Abate, business reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Guests:
- Tom Abate: Business Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle
Main Topic
WikiLeaks Rips the Lid off US Diplomacy ()
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today denounced the release by WikiLeaks of a quarter-million documents she said "purport" to be confidential State Department communications.
Guests:
- Alan Rusbridger: Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Newspaper
- Roger Cressey: former Director for Counterterrorism, National Security Council
- David Rieff: Policy Analyst
- Trita Parsi: President, National Iranian American Council, @tparsi
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
