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June 25 - 29, 2007
Monday, June 25
Rudy Giuliani
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He rejuvenated a crime-infested New York City in the '90's and became "America's Mayor" with his leadership in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been known as a hard-charging federal prosecutor, a tough mayor of America's largest city and now wants to be known as the next president of the United States. Can he soothe nervous social conservatives about his liberal social policies and use his cross-over appeal to woo centrist Democrats? Patt talks with the Republican front-runner, "Da Mayor."
- Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City; candidate for the Republican Party Nomination for President of the United States.
SCOTUS Ruling on Campaign Finance
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McCain-Feingold campaign finance rules took another hit today, as the Supreme Court ruled that corporations, unions and special interest groups may run political ads in the days before an election, even if they name federal candidates. Justice Roberts, who wrote for the 5-4 majority, said the difference between "issue ads," which are allowed under McCain-Feingold, and those that "express advocacy" are too hard to define. He writes that the First Amendment requires a ruling on the side of protecting free speech. Patt assesses the impact of the ruling on the upcoming election Presidential election.
- Ron Elving, Senior Washington Editor, NPR
- Rick Hasen, election law specialist at Loyola Law School in LA
The Diana Chronicles
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Ten years after her death, Diana, the former Princess of Wales, remains an iconic and multi-faceted figure whose life is still under scrutiny. British transplant and former New Yorker and Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown has written a new tell-all biography of "the people's princess" that reveals the trials and tribulations of one of the most photographed and famous women the world has known. The Diana Chronicles (Double Day), provides insight and analysis into the life of a woman who redefined the notions of modern royalty and celebrity.
Tuesday, June 26
County Supervisors Weigh King-Harbor Possibilities
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The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that MLK-Harbor Hospital has corrected the problems that federal inspectors said put emergency room patients in "immediate jeopardy" of harm or death. Despite the improvement, some Los Angeles County Supervisors intend to introduce a motion that would start the process of closing the emergency room. Patt gets an update on MLK-Harbor's uncertain future.
Brush Clearing Rules in Tahoe
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As wildfires sweep through the southern region of the Lake Tahoe Basin, the question on everyone's mind is... who's to blame? Dead trees and brush allowed the fire to spread exceptionally quickly, destroying over 250 homes in just two days. Homeowners claim that rules about clearing foliage are too strict while officials say that their clearance programs and safety recommendations are not being taken advantage of. Who's right and what's the best method of dealing with clearance issues in the future?
Immigration Test Passes Senate
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With a 64-35 vote, the Senate jump-started a stalled immigration measure to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants. What does it mean for the future of immigration reform?
Statecraft
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Dennis Ross spent years as an American envoy to the Middle East and as a negotiator for peace on behalf of the first George Bush and Clinton administrations. Now he's written a book, Statecraft, about how to restore America's standing in the world. As the Iraq war drags on and Gaza and the West Bank tumble into factional bloodshed, is there anything that can bring a modicum of peace to the Middle East?
Wednesday, June 27
Population Cap for California Prisons?
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The two federal judges involved in prison overcrowding cases held a joint hearing today in Sacramento to decide whether to set up a three judge panel to cap the prison population. The judges will weigh the state's prison reform bill that was passed last month (AB900) against the opinions of other vested parties, including the corrections officer union, the federal receiver, and attorneys for plaintiffs. KPCC reporter Julie Small was at the hearing.
- Julie Small, Sacramento-based reporter, KPCC
Controlling the McMansions
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Chances are you've seen them sprout up on your block: Over-sized, cookie-cutter mansions squeezed onto small lots that brood over their neighbors single-story, modest homes. The "McMansion" phenomenon is nothing new, but the backlash against them is growing as more cities try to regulate the size of new houses. Now it's the Los Angeles Planning Commission's turn to take up "mansionization control" as they ponder new limitations at a community meeting on Thursday. Will the Commission go far enough to box in big box houses?
CIA to Air Dirty Laundry
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The CIA declassified hundreds of documents yesterday on long-secret operations, some reportedly involving serious illegal abuses. These include assassination attempts, spying, kidnapping and infiltration, or what intelligence operatives call the CIA's "family jewels." Some CIA watchers complain that significant portions of the "declassified" documents are still blacked out. Patt talks to intelligence experts on the implications and significance of this move.
Thursday, June 28
Ask the Chief
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Newly reappointed Police Chief William Bratton joins Patt in studio for our monthly Ask the Chief Q and A. Patt takes listener calls and gets the Chief's input on the new gang czar for Los Angeles, on various law enforcement bills pending in Sacramento - including one bill that would have opened disciplinary hearings and records of police officers; that bill was stalled in an Assembly committee Tuesday. The Chief also addresses rumors of a new role for him in the administration of the next U.S. President.
Supreme Court Eases Restrictions on Minimum Price Fixing
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In a spilt, 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned a ruling that dates back to 1911-an anti-trust ruling that banned manufacturers from dictating to retailers a minimum price for its goods. This may limit the ability of small boutique retailers to drop prices or, perhaps more importantly, for Internet dealers to undercut large merchants such as Walmart. Patt talks with economists on opposite ends of the philosophical spectrum about the repercussions of this ruling.
Friday, June 29
New Laws that Affect You
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This Sunday, July 1, a set of new laws will take effect across California. The new legislation will include bans on school junk food, increases in recycling charges and refunds, and new regulations for hospitals, including the creation of an advisory committee, which will help address the issue of health care-associated infection. Patt gets an update from Sacramento.
- Harrison Sheppard, staff writer covering Sacramento for the L.A. Daily News
Urban Growth-Urban Poverty: UN Report Cites New Danger
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When we think of urban poverty, we generally think of the slums that grow around large city centers such as Manila, Mumbai or Rio de Janeiro. But a new study from the United Nations Population Fund has a dire warning: it's the second-tier cities, with populations under 500,000, where we need to pay attention. The UN is sounding the alarm about a second wave of urbanization that may bring terrible conditions to smaller cities in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
iMania
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It's the latest in a perpetual string of must have gadgets. Apple's iPhone promises to revolutionize the cell phone industry with its advanced touch screen display and by integrating an iPod player, a video player, true internet browsing, and Wi-Fi capability into one slim, cool package. The iPhone has become the new status symbol and will further connect us to our work and each other -- how badly do we want it? Patt hears from two tech mavens, standing in lines 3,000 miles apart waiting to buy their own.
- Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer; from a line outside the Apple Store in San Jose
- David Pogue, New York Times technology reporter and columnist; from a line outside the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, NYC
Women Artists in Southern California
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An important exhibit at Track 16 Gallery features the work of thirty-six female artists residing in Southern California who have made art since the 1970s and continue to do so. June Wayne, visual artist, writer, and activist, has been a leading figure in the art world for decades, and she joins Patt to share her experience and perspective on women in this field.
The exhibition, Women Artists in Southern California Then & Now, runs through June 30, 2007 at Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica. For information, call (310) 264-4678.
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