California State Senate
Democratic State Senator representing parts of the San Fernando Valley; co-founder and former chairman of G24 Innovations, a company based in Cardiff, Wales, making flexible solar cells; former California State Assembly Speaker
Is the Fight against Global Warming Already Lost? In his first week as President, Barack Obama called for urgent measures to combat global warming. At the same time, researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research released discouraging new findings . If carbon dioxide levels were cut back to pre-industrial levels, it would still take 1000 years to reverse the climate change that have already happened.
Is Climate Change Irreversible? Just as President Obama cracks down on climate change , scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research have issued discouraging new findings . This new “wake-up call” says that if carbon dioxide levels were cut back to pre-industrial levels, it would still take 1000 years to reverse the climate change that's already happened. Does that mean the effort is not worth the trouble, or that it's time to get serious before it's really too late? Can new, innovative technology make a difference? Is it contradictory to beef up production and consumer consumption at the same time greenhouse gases are being reduced? Is the real problem too many people?
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.
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.
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?