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Los Angeles Times
Sacramento reporter for the Los Angeles Times; former political reporter for the Las Vegas Sun
PROFILE
Michael Mishak
Guest
FROM Michael Mishak
Which Way, L.A.?
What's Behind the Fight over Proposition 32? Proposition 32 on next month's ballot is generating big money and deluge of campaign commercials. One supporting Prop 32 cautions, "Money and politics, corporations and unions give politicians millions in contributions. They get tax breaks and big pensions and we get higher spending. There's a better way: Prop 32 prohibits deductions from employee's paychecks without permission… No loopholes, no exceptions." In another, the League of Women Voters' Helen Hutchison expresses the League's opposition . [It's] deliberatively written to look like campaign reform, but it's not. It actually gives more power to Wall Street, Big Oil, and those secret campaign Super PACs. And Prop 32 let's those same special interests spend that same unlimited and unregulated funds… Learn more about Prop 32 because it's not what it seems."
Which Way, L.A.?
Front-Loading the Primaries To give the western states a louder voice, the Democrats will hold nominating caucuses in Nevada in January, before the New Hampshire primary. Meantime, Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wants next year's primary on February 5, to give California a voice in selecting presidential nominees. Increased political clout may motivate Democrats and Republicans in the state legislature to go along. Elected officials may hope that voters asked to change the primary date, will also respond favorably to extending term limits of Senators and Assembly members. There's also the argument that an early California primary means discussion of California issues. (An extended version of this discussion was originally broadcast earlier today on To the Point .)
To the Point
Will Voters Be Singing Christmas Carols in New Hampshire? Next year's presidential primary process may be over exactly one year from today as big states and little states compete to become more important. Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, echoing the familiar complaint that California has become a sort of ATM for candidates looking for big money, has encouraged the Democrats who control the State Legislature to move next year's primary up to February 5. Other big states, including Texas, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey are threatening to do the same thing. Moves by Nevada and Iowa may push New Hampshire up to December of this year, with 11 months still to go before the general election. What would that mean for discussion of issues or the chances of dark horse candidates who don't have massive war chests? Would they still have to shake hands with voters, or would it all be about TV?
Recommended
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.