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Props 20 and 27: Who's Behind the Political Battle Lines?
Propositions 20 and 27 are a recipe for confusion, two measures with different answers to the same question: should an independent panel draw the lines for legislative and congressional districts, or should it be the politicians themselves? Voters can decide to expand what they did two years ago or reverse themselves, with important consequences for the distribution of political power. Also, community colleges and California's economic future. A study of failure shows the key to success. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, Germany's identity crisis.
By Warren Olney • • 52m ListenPropositions 20 and 27 are a recipe for confusion, two measures with different answers to the same question: should an independent panel draw the lines for legislative and congressional districts, or should it be the politicians themselves? Voters can decide to expand what they did two years ago or reverse themselves, with important consequences for the distribution of political power. Also, community colleges and California's economic future. A study of failure shows the key to success. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, German Chancellor Angela Merkel says "multiculturalism" is a failure and that it's time for a change. Have Turkish immigrants refused to assimilate, or are they unwelcome? Is the question an unwelcome of Germany's dark past?
Banner image: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger addresses guests at his election night party on November 8, 2005. As the results of the special election came in it appeared that Schwarzenegger failed in his push to rein in the Democrat-controlled Assembly with ballot measures that would remove legislators' redistricting powers. Photo: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesCommunity Colleges Failing Students, Study Says
California's community colleges have granted access to more and more students, but they're not helping students succeed when they get there. Those findings come from a study by the Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy at Cal State Sacramento, which followed 250,000 students for six years. What's at stake?
Read the story9 minProps 20 and 27, a Recipe for Confusion
Two years ago, California voters decided to set up an independent commission to draw the boundaries for legislative districts, a job now done every ten years by the lawmakers themselves. Governor Schwarzenegger and others claimed that was the source of legislative gridlock in Sacramento and more than 50 percent of the voters agreed.
Read the story17 minGermany Ignites Debate on Multiculturalism, Integration
Memories of the Holocaust made Germany sensitive to ethnic discrimination after the Second World War. But the demand for labor has led to the immigration of two million Turks who are now living in ethnic ghettos.
Read the story27 min
