Redistricting Maps Redraw California's Political Landscape
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For the first time, district lines for the legislature and Congress have been drawn up by a citizens' commission sworn not to take politics into consideration. The process has gone from the backroom to the public hearing, but that doesn't mean it won't have political impacts. Which powerful incumbents might be out of a job? Which will have to compete with colleagues from the same party? Did the commission pay too much attention to race? Also, the likely impact of the debt-ceiling deal on California. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, will the deal pass the Senate and Congress?
Banner image: Among the California Congressional districts that will be impacted by redistricting are those of (L-R) Brad Sherman (D-San Fernando Valley), David Dreier (R-San Gabriel Valley) and Howard Berman (D-San Fernando Valley)
Making News
How a Debt Ceiling Deal Would Impact California ()
Is the debt deal a done deal? That's the big question in Washington, one we might not know until tomorrow. But California gets about 10 percent of all federal spending. That adds up to 40 percent of the state budget. From highways to universities, defense spending to unemployment insurance, cuts may be on the way. Carolyn Lochhead reports from Washington for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Guests:
- Carolyn Lochhead: San Francisco Chronicle, @carolynlochhead
Main Topic
Political Musical Chairs in California ()
In the elections of 2008 and 2010, California voters created the first citizen's reapportionment commission in state history. Friday it finished its work and on August 15, it will take a final vote on district boundaries for Congress, the Assembly and Senate and the State Board of Equalization. One stunning consequence is that powerful Congressional Democrats Howard Berman and Brad Sherman will now be in the same district; and there likely will be a challenge by two African Americans who now live in the district just won by former LA Councilwoman Janice Hahn.
Guests:
- John Myers: KQED Public Radio, @johnmyers
- Jonah Lowenfeld: Jewish Journal, @jonahlow
- Paul Mitchell: Democratic political consultant
- Tony Quinn: Republican political consultant
- Rosalind Gold: National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
Links:
Main Topic
Will the Senate and Congress Pass the Debt-Ceiling Deal? ()
Late last night, the President and Congressional leaders announced a debt-ceiling deal. The trade-off is deficit reduction that relies entirely on spending cuts and no increases in taxes. It still may not pass both houses, but here's how it stands. Almost no Democrats are willing to go past tomorrow's deadline without raising the debt ceiling. But a lot of Republicans are willing to risk the first default in American history. It's a dynamic that doesn't create a deal so much as it creates a "ransom." We hear what the President and leaders of Congress agreed to and what it could mean for their partisan rank and file, the American people and the global economy.
Guests:
- Ezra Klein: Washington Post, @ezraklein
- Clive Crook: The Atlantic, @clive_crook
- Jared Bernstein: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, @econjared
- John Berlau: Competitive Enterprise Institute
- Neil Buchanan: George Washington University
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Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert 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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