National Policy Director, National Nurses United
National Policy Director of National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association; Campaign Manager for Yes on 89, a 2006 campaign to regulate lobbyists, special-interest money in politics
PROFILE
Michael Lighty
Guest
FROM Michael Lighty
Which Way, L.A.?
Looming Deadline for Healthcare Reform The President and Democratic leaders have an agenda for healthcare reform. Pass the Senate version by Christmas Eve; pass a compromise out of both Houses for a White House signing ceremony before the State of the Union Address in late January or early February.
To the Point
The Looming Deadline for Healthcare Reform The President and Democratic leaders have an agenda for healthcare reform . Pass the Senate version by Christmas Eve, and a compromise out of both Houses for a White House signing ceremony before the State of the Union Address in late January or early February. Supports call the Senate version the most important social achievement in decades, but Progressives call it "an insurance company's dream," with a legal mandate to buy their product with no regulation. Big Labor calls it a "catastrophe." Has former Democrat Joe Lieberman sabotaged real reform? Has President Obama abandoned core Party values to get it passed? If he can't pull it off by next week, will that produce further delays and further declines in public approval in an election year?
Which Way, L.A.?
Proposition 89: California Politics without Big Money? November's elections will likely set new records for campaign spending, led by the race for Governor and 13 ballot propositions . One of them promises to change all that by setting limits on corporate contributions. Proposition 89 promises to take the big money out of politics with spending limits and $200 in public financing of campaigns for state offices. Would spending reform limit special interest influence? Would public finance mean tax money for negative campaigns? We'll hear the pros and cons.
Recommended
The 805
A call to prepare for the next natural disaster A local environmentalist says we should spend more time and money preparing for natural disasters than responding to them. A Ventura resident who lost his home in the Thomas Fire says rebuilding is taking longer than he’d hoped. Local animal shelters are becoming critical evacuation centers. And California counties must now hold public meetings on their relationship with federal immigration agents.
KCRW Features
One Year Later: Rebuilding from the Thomas Fire This week marks one year since the Thomas Fire descended on the city of Ventura. It burned more than 500 homes within city limits. Since then, roughly half of those properties have received the green-light to start construction, but only a handful have actually broken ground. We visit one neighborhood where some of the first homes are getting rebuilt.