Governor’s open letter to California voters – hike taxes on sales, wealthy. Gates opening to allow domestic horse slaughter. Bigger, badder black holes, alien planets, habitable zones 600 light years away and other “out of this world” discoveries. The branding of America.
Governor’s open letter to California voters – hike taxes on sales, wealthy
Governor Jerry Brown announced Monday his plan to file a ballot initiative to temporarily raise taxes on sales and high income earners. Brown says the proposal would generate $7 billion for the state, which would go directly to schools and county inmate housing.
Under the plan, millionaires, singles who make more than $250,000 annually and couples that earn more than $500,000 a year – would all pay up to 2% more in income taxes. The state sales tax would go up by a half-cent. The new taxes would be set to expire within five years.
Republican lawmakers are already criticizing the plan, arguing that California needs jobs, not new taxes. Brown blamed Republicans for blocking a similar tax vote this year. This time, in an effort to avoid what he calls the “partisan gridlock” that bogged down his last effort, he’s taking it straight to the voters. The governor will need to gather signatures to get his plan on the ballot.
WEIGH IN:
Will voters respond differently in November? Brown calls the tax increases “straightforward and fair” – do you agree? Will they help or hurt California’s economy? Do they go far enough to solve California’s budget crisis?
Guests:
Julie Small, KPCC’s Sacramento Reporter
Robert Schoonover, president of SEIU local 721 (represents 85,000 public service city and county workers in Southern California, from healthcare to social services)
Chris Thornberg, Principal with Beacon Economics
Bill Watkins, Executive Director for the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting at California Lutheran University
Tracy Rafter, CEO, BizFed: The Los Angeles County Business Federation
Gates opening to allow domestic horse slaughter
Five years ago, Congress cut off federal funding for horse meat inspection, which effectively killed off the factory slaughter of horses in the United States. The unintended consequence of that action has resulted in the inhumane transport of old, abandoned and neglected horses to slaughterhouses outside of the U.S., to Canada or Mexico, where they may be subject to cruel treatment and unregulated slaughter.
Last week, the funding was quietly reinstated as part of Department of Agriculture bill, ending the de facto ban on domestic slaughter. Animal rights activists are up in arms, saying any factory slaying of horses is inhumane, and advocate for affordable euthanasia. Supporters of the bill cite horse welfare and the economic health of the equine industry as reasons to reopen horse processing plants. They say horse slaughter is as acceptable as that of cattle, pigs or any other agricultural animal, and should be monitored and regulated by the USDA.
Either way, the practice is illegal in California, as is the transport of horses for the purpose of slaughter. But, say horse lovers, those laws aren’t being enforced, and horses are being shipped outside of the country illegally to be processed and consumed in China, Mexico and Europe.
WEIGH IN:
Should factory slaughter be allowed in the U.S. in order to ensure safe and humane practice? What should be done about horses who have reached the end of their usefulness? Is humane slaughter preferable to abandonment, neglect and starvation?
Guests:
Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States
Sue Wallis, Vice President, United Horsemen and Republican Representative from Wyoming
Bigger, badder black holes, alien planets, habitable zones 600 light years away and other “out of this world” discoveries
Outer space is ever-expanding as are astronomers’ record-setting observations of the universe. Recently, astronomers found 18 new, Jupiter-size planets that encircle stars larger than the sun. They also found a planet – named Kepler 22b – in the middle of its sun-like star; the planet’s surface of which still remains unknown to scientists. And yesterday, astronomers reported that they have discovered two of the biggest black holes yet found in the universe.
The discovery has implications as enormous as a black hole itself. These holes can clue astronomers in to the fates of quasars – powerful explosions that occur in a cluster of thousands of young galaxies, and historically conquered the universe’s early years. One of the black holes reportedly weighs the equivalent of 21 billion Suns. The other black hole, weighing 9.7 billion Suns, rests in the center of NGC 3854, a galaxy found in another cluster. Researchers assert that new findings could shed light on the creation of the universe. What are black holes? What is their role in the formation and evolution of galaxies? Are they dangerous? What do these new astronomical discoveries mean for us on Earth?
Guest:
Miles O’Brien, Science Correspondent for PBS News Hour; journalist specializing in space, aviation, science and technology
The branding of America
For decades the image of the U.S. abroad has been negative and unchanging but experts in foreign affairs are re-examining these views. In his new book “American Avatar,” author Barry Sanders explores a contrary notion, that views about the US are complex, contradictory and often changing.
The author is an international lawyer and adjunct professor at UCLA who is deeply involved in the foreign affairs community. Drawing on his years of experience in cross-border negotiations, Sanders has developed a clear understanding of how people around the world form their views of America and what can be done to change them.
Why is this important? Images of the U.S. and its people have always affected commerce, immigration and tourism but now it’s thought that these views affect national security and our ability to resolve international conflict as well.
In “American Avatar,” Sanders underscores how difficult it is for American policy makers and diplomats to change attitudes about America and challenges assumptions as to whether the U.S. is loved or hated and why? What does the world think of the U.S. and why does it matter?
Guest:
Barry Sanders, author of "American Avatar: The United States in the Global Imagination" (Potomac Books Inc.)