Governor Schwarzenegger Delays Revision of State Pension System; Social Security Reform Update; The "Nuclear Option"; Charles Barkley
Governor Schwarzenegger Delays Revision of State Pension System
Governor Schwarzenegger yesterday announced his decision not to pursue reforming California’s public employee pension system on the ballot this November. Democratic legislators and unions are calling the change in plan a “victory,” while the Governor says this is a delay until the June 2006 primary—to allow more time to “do it better.” Dan Weintraub, Sacramento Bee columnist, Dick Ackerman, Republican State Senator from the 33rd District, south Orange County area, and Jackie Goldberg, Assemblywoman representing the 45th district (communities in Los Angeles including Hollywood, Atwater Village, Highland Park and El Serreno), join Host Larry Mantle to discuss the change in plan.
Social Security Reform Update
Senate Republicans are considering putting Bush’s private investment account idea on the back burner, in hopes of trying to attract Democrats to the table for a bipartisan plan to reform social security. The Democrats have been successful in their criticism of Bush’s plans to reform social security, and opinion polls show that the American public is skeptical of the administration’s plans as well. That said, many people wonder just what the Democratic plan to reform social security might entail. Roger Hickey, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, and William “Bill” Beach, Director of the Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation, join Larry for an update on social security reform.
The "Nuclear Option"
Republicans in the U.S. Senate would like to lower the threshold for ending a filibuster from two-thirds to one-half for judicial nominees. In Washington the issue is considered so explosive it’s now referred to as “the nuclear option.” Republicans says the change is needed to streamlining the lengthy, and combative judicial nomination process. Democrats say the change will interfere with the legislative checks and balances by allowing the confirmation of only conservative judges in the near future. Larry Mantle talks with the Honorable C. Boyden Gray “Boyden”, Chairman of the Committee for Justice, an organization that defends and promotes President Bush’s judicial nominees, and Nan Aron, President of the Alliance for Justice, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy group focusing on the judicial system about the political and legal implications of messing with the filibuster.
Charles Barkley
Larry Mantle talks with one of the greatest NBA players of all time, Charles Barkley. Barkley has written a new book called Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man? (Penguin Press).