- Reporter-s Notebook: Are Mexicans in US Gaining Vote in Mexican Elections?
Fifteen percent of Mexico-s potential electorate lives outside the country, almost half of them here in California. Unlike most countries, Mexico won-t allow them to vote while they-re abroad. Now, after decades of struggle, that may be about to change. KCRW-s Eric Roy reports on the growing move to grant national voting rights to Mexican ex-patriots living in the US.
Indian Gaming
Sixty-one California Indian tribes run gambling casinos to the tune of some $5 billion a year. Governor Gray Davis wants them to pony up $1.5 billion to help the state solve its budget problems. He also wants them to reopen their -compacts,- the basic agreements that govern casino operations. Tribes that want to expand with more slot machines might be interested, but others are telling the Governor to go take a hike. As sovereign nations, they can probably get away with that. We update the Governor-s effort to use Indian gambling to help bail out the state deficit with a journalist who-s following the story and the tribal chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and hear what-s at stake for local governments from a Sonoma County Supervisor who-s vice-chair of the Indian Gaming Working Group.