New immigration reviews may mean fewer illegal immigrants deported. Are corporations people too? KPCC film critics Andy Klein and Henry Sheehan join Larry to review this week’s films including Conan the Barbarian, Fright Night, One Day and more. TGI-FilmWeek! New study spoils spoilers.
New U.S. immigration reviews may mean fewer illegal immigrants deported
The Obama administration announced yesterday that they will begin reviewing the deportation cases of hundreds of thousands of “low priority” illegal immigrants. That means that undocumented immigrants without criminal records may be allowed to stay in the country. Immigrant rights activists welcomed the news saying it’s a step in the right direction. But given the increasingly harsh deportation practices of the administration, they remain skeptical about the administration’s approach. Critics say President Obama is pandering to Hispanic voters in the hopes that they’ll turn out for him in November like they did in 2008. They also insist that easing immigration policy will make America less safe. The change comes right in the middle of a contentious debate about another administration policy, Secure Communities. This program mandates that anyone booked into state and local jails have their fingerprints sent to the Department of Homeland Security to check for immigration status. The administration says the vast majority of people deported under the program are convicted criminals or people violating a deportation order. But a growing number of critics argue that innocent people are getting caught in the net. So what spurred this shift? Does the administration believe it’s the right thing to do or do they have ulterior motives? Will easing back harsh immigration policy make us less safe? Will Secure Communities ensure the worst of the worst get sent back to their home countries? Or is it a draconian law that will rip families apart and lead to distrust between illegal immigrants and authorities?
Guests:
Marshall Fitz, Director of Immigration Policy at Center for American Progress
Chris Newman, Legal Director, National Day Laborer Organizing Network
Steven Camarota, Director of Research for the Center for Immigration Studies
Are corporations people too?
Unscripted moments on the campaign trail provide richer fodder than the droning of most teleprompter speeches. Mitt Romney's exchange with an Iowa heckler last week stands out because it's already been turned into a cheeky T-shirt -- sales to fund the Democratic National Committee. Romney couldn't have foreseen that when he started what should have been a predictable stump speech at the Iowa State Fair. Contrary to traditional Midwest hospitality, he was interrupted by loud shouts about protecting social security and Medicare by taxing corporations. Romney's reply: "Corporations are people, my friend." Perhaps too concise an argument for Romney's so-called friend, the Republican candidate continued, "Of course, they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to people." Critics seized on the comment as a gaffe. However, those in agreement with Romney termed it a “Washington gaffe:” defined as a politician inadvertently saying something they believe is true, but is politically inconvenient. So which is it? What point was Romney trying to make? Why was he greeted with mocking laughter? Are the organizations that are created by people, that employ people and that meet the needs and desires of people then, by extension, people? What is the perception of corporations and whose interests do they represent?
Guests:
Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; from 2009 to 2011, Bernstein was the Chief Economist and Economic Adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, executive director of the White House Task Force on the Middle Class, and a member of President Obama’s economic team.
Steven Horwitz, Ph.D.; Charles A. Dana professor and chairman of the department of economics at St. Lawrence University in New York
FilmWeek: Fright Night, Conan the Barbarian, One Day and more
KPCC film critics Andy Klein and Henry Sheehan join Larry to review this week’s films including Conan the Barbarian, Fright Night, One Day and more. TGI-FilmWeek!
Guests:
Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and henrysheehan.com
Live tweeting this week's reviews:
New study spoils spoilers
SPOILER ALERT! Norman Bates is the murderous mother. Darth Vader is Luke’s father. The limping thief is Keyser Soze. And don’t cry, but that dude is no lady. Chances are, you already knew these famous film reveals. But if you didn’t, we might have just done you a favor. This, according to a new study that shows people actually enjoy stories more when they know the ending ahead of time. Researchers from U.C. San Diego asked 30 college students to read three different stories by writers such as Raymond Carver, John Updike, and Agatha Christie then rate their enjoyment of each one. The twist: one story had a plot spoiler at the top. Another had it worked into the text, early on. The last story was read as intended, sans spoiler. Want to know the outcome? It turns out readers consistently preferred the stories where the plot was revealed in advance. How could this be? Well, one theory is that plot just isn’t that important. Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, might agree. To Hitchcock, suspense wasn’t about surprising twists. He actually liked when the audience knew what was going to happen (think: ticking time bomb placed visibly under a table). And Wired Magazine’s Jonah Lehrer says, “While authors and screenwriters might enjoy composing those clever twists, they should know that the audience will enjoy it far less.” Crazy as it may sound, Lehrer purposely reads the last five pages of a book first – so he can keep the grand finale in mind. This, however, is heresy to many pop-culture fans. What about you? Do spoilers ruin the fun? Or is plot overrated? Should film critics be hung for accidentally revealing critical plot points? Or should we skip to the end and celebrate our loose-lipped friends?
Guests:
Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and henrysheehan.com