The Dog days of summer, indeed—make that the Blue Dog days, as a flurry of activity is underway in Congress as representatives scramble to reach a compromise on a national health care reform bill before the August recess at the end of this week. Conservative Blue Dog Democrats are in the driver's seat for negotiations and on the chopping block could be the "public option" for a government-provided health insurance plan. What are the politics of health care and can a deal realistically pass by Friday?
There was no champagne or confetti in Sacramento this morning as Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the much delayed, much debated California budget into law. There was, however, one last round of cuts as the Legislature fell about $1 billion short in providing the Governor with the budget reserve he requested. We detail the latest round of cuts and look ahead to that next budget battle just over the horizon.
A new study from the Urban Institute says that using anti-tobacco tactics to help fight obesity could raise $500 billion by 2019. As with tobacco, enforcing a 10% excise tax on fattening foods, revamping nutrition labels on packages, and limiting advertising and marketing of junk foods could all lower people’s consumption of unhealthy foods and prevent obesity. But will legislators listen?
Dr. Morris Chafetz, one of the people instrumental in pushing for laws passed in the 1980s to increase the legal drinking age to 21, now says his actions were "the single most regrettable decision" of his career. We hear his story and the case for lowering the drinking age in the U.S.
Fallen Fruit is a Los Angeles organization that advocates for increased planting of fruit-bearing trees in public spaces and parks, as well as homeowners' back yards. They also distribute maps of various city neighborhoods showing where publicly-available fruit can be harvested from trees. This Sunday, August 2nd, Fallen Fruit will lead the 4th Annual Public Fruit Jam, where anyone can bring their home-grown or publicly-collected fruit, and take home a jar of communal jam.
The event happens between 10am and 1pm at the Los Angeles art collective <a href="http://machineproject.com/">Machine Project</a>
Will Kempton, the outgoing director of Caltrans and the soon-to-be CEO of the Orange County Transportation Authority, has been working on California's transportation system long enough to see plenty of ups-and-downs in the state's fortunes. Presiding over Caltrans in some of the best and worst budget and economic environments in California's history, Kempton has started hugely ambitious projects and also been forced to slash new transit work. What's the future of California's transportation infrastructure?
Patt Morrison is known for its innovative discussions of local politics and culture, as well as its presentation of the effects of national and world news on Southern California.
