Former Governor of New Jersey, co-chair of National Task Force on Rule of Law and Democracy
President of the Whitman Strategy Group, former former Governor of New Jersey and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, she now co-chairs of the National Task Force on Rule of Law and Democracy
Republican Stages of Grief, All at Once GOP anger, bargaining and depression; and the women of SCOTUS
Public-Employee Benefits and Republican Politics Both Democratic and Republican governors want to cut the pay or benefits of public employees to help reduce massive state deficits. But a poll released today by the New York Times and CBS News says Americans oppose that idea by a margin of 56 to 37 percent. Republican efforts to reduce bargaining rights are opposed by 60 to 33, with only a slim majority of GOP voters in favor. We talk further about those numbers and learn just how badly off state finances are.
Public-Employee Benefits and Republican Politics Between the amount states have promised their workers -- and the money they have to pay -- the gap totals no less than a trillion dollars. Both Democratic and Republican governors want to cut the pay or benefits of public employees to help reduce massive state deficits, but some Republicans are challenging public-sector unions and their right to bargain. While this is music to GOP strategists who've prepared for years to exploit the issue, a poll released today by the New York Times and CBS News says Americans oppose that idea by a margin of 56 to 37 percent. Republican efforts to reduce bargaining rights are opposed by 60 to 33, with only a slim majority of GOP voters in favor. Will there be a political backlash if private-sector voters identify police officers, firefighters and teachers as partners in the besieged middle-class?
Tiny Desk Talks NPR Music is proud to introduce their newest series, “Tiny Desk Talks” fueled by Lagunitas Brewing Company. Featuring one of their talks in collaboration with KCRW for an intimate conversation on music in film with composer Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther, Atlanta, Creed) and music supervisor and KCRW DJ Liza Richardson (Barry, Narcos), moderated by KCRW’s Jason Bentley. Watch the conversation below.
Who will get displaced by a new Santa Barbara police station? The city of Santa Barbara says it needs a new police station, but building one means displacing either farmers or lawn bowlers. The Woolsey has not only destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to evacuate, but it’s displaced a diverse mix of wildlife. And a new contemporary art exhibition takes a deep dive into the most famous art heists in history.
Jerry Gonzalez, Latin Jazz Heavyweight, RIP We interviewed Gonzalez twice on KCRW—in 1996 and 2000—and we hear excerpts from those Café LA visits in this special feature.
California catastrophe The fires rage on in our own backyard, and in Northern California, encompassing tens of thousands of acres each. In L-A and Ventura Counties, the Woolsey Fire has scorched everything in its path. To the north, in Butte County, the Camp Fire has charred and destroyed even more acreage, of trees, brush and everything else, north of Sacramento, and the town of Paradise is a scene of utter devastation and heartbreak.