United Steelworkers of America
International President of the United Steelworkers of America
PROFILE
Leo Gerard
Guest
FROM Leo Gerard
Which Way, L.A.?
Is China Becoming the World's New Civil Engineer? During his White House news conference today, President Obama insisted again that infrastructure, especially high-speed rail, will be essential to getting the US economy back on track. One of many competitors in this regard is China, which has ballyhooed this week's opening of a high-speed train between Beijing and Shanghai as its latest demonstration of technological expertise. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is being rebuilt partly in China, by Chinese workers using advanced technology. What about the President's call for infrastructure construction to bolster America's economy? Photo: Aerial view of the Bay Bridge retrofit project, © California Department of Transportation
To the Point
Is China Becoming the World's New Civil Engineer? Once again today, President Obama insisted that infrastructure, especially high-speed rail, will be essential to getting the US economy back on track. But an essential part of America's transportation infrastructure, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge , is already being rebuilt by Chinese workers using Chinese technology. In a Shanghai manufacturing complex, workers are assembling two dozen giant steel modules, each with a roadbed segment half the size of a football field. Giant ships then take them 6500 miles to California, where American workers fit them into the eastern span of the new bridge. Can the US compete on US soil and in the rest of the world?
To the Point
Do Political Labels Still Fit in an Era of Change? As the presidential campaign begins in earnest, both candidates are trying to define themselves and each other. But the distinctions are blurred. "Blue Dog" Congressional Democrats say Barack Obama 's too liberal, while labor leaders worry that he's not liberal enough. John McCain is supposed to be a "maverick" Republican, but he's sounding more like President Bush. Is he or is he not a real conservative? Why are some Republicans calling themselves " Obamacons ?" Will those labels still matter this coming November?
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To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.