Guest host David Lazarus looks at air quality at the beginning of Southern California's fire season, finds out more about tax hikes for CA, and gets all the latest news from Orange County. Then, can we afford health care reform? Joe Lieberman says no, while others say we can't afford to wait. And, can routine circumcision reduce the spread of HIV?
Air quality in fire season
The Morris fire in the Angeles National Forest has covered large parts of the Los Angeles Basin in smoke that's expected to last through the weekend. During fire season, what precautions should people take to protect from the bad air? Who is at greatest risk? Guest host David Lazarus finds out the proper measures.
Guests:
Joe Cassmassi, Senior Meterologist for the South Coast Air Quality Management District
Stanton Florea, Public Information Officer, U.S. Forest Service
Colleen Callahan, Manager for Air Quality Policy, California Lung Association
Tax hikes in the Golden State
Guest host David Lazarus discusses the move by the tax board to lower the point where tax brackets begin which will result in moving many Californians into higher tax brackets. This will undoubtedly generate more revenue for the state to pay for its infrastructure, but at what cost to businesses and individuals already reeling financially? David finds out and takes listener calls.
Guest:
Steve Levy, Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy
Orange County journalists roundtable
David Lazarus talks with OC journalists about the latest news events and developments in Orange County.
Guests:
Steve Greenhut, Orange County Register senior editorial writer and columnist
Gustavo Arellano, staff writer for the OC Weekly and author of "Ask A Mexican"
William Lobdell, co-publisher of the Newport-Mesa Daily Voice, an online local paper, and author of "Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America - and Found Unexpected Peace"
Can we afford health reform now?
Out of every dollar Uncle Sam shells out, forty cents of it was borrowed. The White House is predicting a 10-year Federal deficit of $9 trillion. Given these chilling numbers, can we afford health care reform now? Senator Joe Lieberman says no. But President Obama says putting it off will cost us more down the road. David Lazarus crunches numbers with guests on both sides of the debate.
Guests
Brian Riedl, Senior Policy Analyst, Heritage Foundation
Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
CDC considers promoting circumcision
In an effort to prevent the spread of AIDS, the Center for Disease Control is considering recommending that all infant boys born in the US and high-risk heterosexual men get circumcised. The procedure has helped prevent HIV among heterosexual men in Africa. But a new US study suggests that circumcision doesn’t protect gay men from the virus. So why is the CDC mulling this over?
Guests
Dr. Roy Gulick, Chief of Infectious Diseases at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill-Cornell Medical College
Dr. Larry Baskin, Chief Pediatric Urology at UC San Francisco Children’s Hospital