Voting Act Upheld; The Future of Universal City; The Governor's Re-Vamped Redistricting Proposal; Europe and Global Warming
Voting Act Upheld
Guest host Ted Chen discusses yesterday's ruling by a California appeals court to uphold a state law that makes it easier to challenge at-large election systems when a group of voters can prove that their district is in a "racially polarized" voting pattern.
The Future of Universal City
NBC Universal has unveiled a $3 billion plan to expand the facilities within their nearly 400 acre Universal City property. The 25-year master plan would include an 80,000-square-foot expansion of the theme park, new soundstages and a residential development called "Universal Village." Studio executives and city officials hope the project will be an economic boon for the region. Ted and his guests discuss the future of Universal City.
The Governor's Re-Vamped Redistricting Proposal
A year after state voters killed his redistricting initiative, Governor Schwarzenegger has presented a new proposal to solve California's gerrymandering controversy. He would now like to put an 11-member independent citizens' commission in charge of drawing California's political map. Ted talks with Common Cause of California's Executive Director Kathay Feng and Democratic State Assemblyman Ted Lieu.
Europe and Global Warming
It's no secret that the Europeans are ahead of the US in reducing carbon emissions. Higher gas prices, reliable public transportation, and the relative popularity of cycling and walking are just a few of the reasons. But some European nations, notably the UK, Sweden, and Denmark have taken the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As part of our series on global warming, guest host Ted Chen talks to Robert Pierce, Consul General for the UK in Los Angeles, to discuss developments in his country. Ted also talks with Robert Donkers, Counselor for Environmental Affairs at the Delegation of the European Commission in Washington, DC, and Kenneth Green, an economist from the American Enterprise Institute.