Governor Jerry Brown signs CA renewable energy bill. President Obama lays out fiscal policy.
Gettin' green in the Golden State
Governor Jerry Brown signed a landmark energy bill on Tuesday that requires electricity producers in the state to get 33% of their energy from renewable sources by the year 2020. Green power advocacy groups see this as a “huge victory for environment” but Brown also predicts that the bill would jump start the California economy by creating jobs in the green technology sector. Critics like California Manufacturers and Technology Association claim the new standard will increase electricity costs at least 7%, despite language in the legislation to limit cost increases. Their spokesman Gino DiCaro said, "Industry in California already pays electricity rates about 50 percent higher than the rest of the country." Is this green power mandate a job creator or a job killer?
Guests:
Molly Peterson, KPCC Environment reporter
Jack Stewart, President of California Manufacturers and Technology Association
Bernadette Del Chiaro, Director of clean energy programs, Environment California
President Obama lays out fiscal policy
In his speech at George Washington University, President Obama will outline a series of steps to promote fiscal discipline and curb the growth of the nation’s national debt. The president’s speech is a response to the Republican plan proposed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and will call for a bipartisan effort to tackle deficit spending. Obama will propose a combination of tax increases on the wealthy, a reduction in the cost of Medicaid and Medicare and cuts to defense spending and will provide a stark contrast to Congressman Ryan’s budget proposal. The Ryan budget arrives at $6 trillion in cuts by making much deeper reductions in spending on Medicare and Medicaid, something the Democrats maintain is unacceptably harmful to poor people and the elderly. Looming ahead is the vote to raise the debt ceiling but if Obama’s budget plan doesn’t satisfy deficit hawks, will Republican leaders be able to get the votes needed? How will the cuts proposed in Obama’s speech affect Medicare and Medicaid recipients?
Guests:
Jonathan Wilcox, Republican Strategist; former speech writer for Governor Pete Wilson
David Menefee-Libey, professor of politics, Pomona College
Brian Bilbray, Republican Congressman representing California’s 50th District (Encinitas, Escondido)
Brad Sherman, Democratic Congressman representing California’s 27th District (San Fernando Valley)