Do LA County Supervisors Want to Limit Public Engagement?
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The five LA County Supervisors almost never face serious challenges at election time, and they're famous for ignoring the public at their Tuesday meetings, while they spend time on dog adoptions, special awards and adjournment resolutions. When new Board Chair Zev Yaroslavsky proposed to reduce the time for public comment, he lit a firestorm among regulars who insist they have a right to address their elected officials. Are Board meetings dominated by "gadflies" who waste precious time? Is the Board conducting real public business behind closed doors? On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, the US and Iran: diplomacy or confrontation?
Main Topic
The Right to Speak to Elected Officials ()
Last month, it was Zev Yaroslavsky's turn to chair the meetings of LA County's Board of Supervisors. He set off a firestorm by proposing to reduce the available time set aside for public comment. Reaction was fierce. But Board members complain that so-called "gadflies" often dominate meetings. What about people who want to bring up real issues?
Guests:
- Eric Preven: resident of Los Angeles County
- Joel Bellman: Office of LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky
- Garrett Therolf: Los Angeles Times, @gtherolf
- Mark Ridley-Thomas: LA County Board of Supervisors, @mridleythomas
- Bob Stern: Center for Governmental Studies
Links:
Main Topic
The US and Iran: Diplomacy or Confrontation? ()
The US has categorically denied any role in yesterday's assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist or the recent deadly attack on an Iranian missile facility. But two American aircraft carrier battle groups are near Iranian shores with a third on the way, and the US is imposing new sanctions that could do real damage to Iran's oil economy. Is regime change of the current leaders of Iran's Islamic Republic America's real goal? Could that policy backfire, making Iran more determined than ever to build nuclear weapons? Will tough talk in the presidential campaign convince them there's no other choice?
Guests:
- Barbara Slavin: Atlantic Council, @barbaraslavin1
- Flynt Leverett: Pennsylvania State University
- Dennis Ross: Washington Institute for Near East Policy
- Trita Parsi: National Iranian American Council, @tparsi
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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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