Will Obama’s new populist message resonate with voters? Congress scolds navy for controversial ship naming. Blagojevich gets 14 years in prison for corruption. Mayor Villaraigosa touts advertising in L.A. parks. The challenges of diagnosing and treating pedophilia.
Will Obama's new populist message resonate with voters?
In Kansas on Tuesday, President Obama delivered his most populist speech to date and called for a strong governmental role in tax policy and regulation to level the economic playing field.
The speech was laced with language that echoed Occupy protest rhetoric with the president warning that growing income inequality in the United States was undermining the middle class.
Naming the wealth gap the most defining issue of our time, Mr. Obama demanded a "New Nationalism" to combat the "breathtaking greed" that contributed to the country's economic turmoil. Conservative critics of the speech in blogs like "Hot Air" and "Lonely Conservative" said that the president's appeals for a hike on taxes for millionaires constituted pure class warfare.
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But what do the majority of middle class taxpayers actually think about the wealth gap and what's causing it? Do they blame the richest 1 percent, and will that sentiment translate into votes for Obama? Is this a winning strategy for the president in the up-coming campaign or will it backfire on him and lead to his defeat?
Guests:
Jonathan Wilcox, Republican Strategist; former speech writer for Governor Pete Wilson
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist; former senior Obama advisor in 2008, now runs the Los Angeles office for the Dewey Square Group.
Bill Beach, Director of the Center for Data Analysis, Heritage Foundation
Chad Stone, Chief Economist, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Congress scolds Navy for controversial ship naming
Last week, Congress passed a massive $662 billion defense bill that may or may not be vetoed by the president because of a couple controversial provisions about the military's role in dealing with terror suspects. But also snuggled inside that huge bill was a very small provision from Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt. The amendment would require the Secretary of the Navy to "perform a study and seek recommendations to evaluate how Naval vessels are named."
Blunt's provision is in response to the decision by the Secretary of the Navy last May to name one of its ships after famed labor leader Cesar Chavez. Chavez has long been a polarizing figure. Some say he was a far-left union organizer who drove small farmers out of business and looked the other way while people perpetrated violence in his name. Others call him an inspiring leader who worked tirelessly for the good of agricultural workers. For what it's worth, Chavez spent two years in the Navy, although he did often refer to that time as "the worst two years of my life."
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Whether a naval vessel should or should not be named for a controversial union organizer is certainly a question for debate, but another question is: How does the U.S navy come up with whom to name a ship after? Is there a panel? A nominating system? What's the process? Does it need an overhaul as Representative Blunt suggests? And, if we are going to continue to name ships after historical figures should there be a set of criteria for determining who is eligible?
Guest:
Wayne Hughes, Senior Lecturer, Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey California; former Navy Captain
Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years for corruption charges
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison today for 18 convictions of corruption. As a last gasp for mercy, Blagojevich actually apologized for and acknowledged his crimes, which is quite a turn from his three-year commitment to his innocence.
The judge commended him for taking responsibility and for some of his positive decisions as Illinois governor, but said that wasn't enough to mitigate his criminal acts.
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Has Blagojevich already suffered enough, as his defense team argued in court? Is this sentence too harsh? What does this all mean for Illinois and its history of crooked politics?
Guest:
Robert Wildeboer, Criminal Justice Reporter, Chicago Public Radio
Mayor Villaraigosa supports ads in city parks, zoos
In a city strapped for cash and looking for a financial boost, it is no surprise that certain Los Angeles officials are urging the City Council to allow for advertising in city parks, as well as the L.A. Zoo. Brian Currey, an attorney in Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office, touts the idea as the city needs "innovative revenue sources" to make up for the $70 million deficit.
L.A.'s sign ordinance is currently being overhauled, and while one reform objective is to rein in illegal billboards, several people look at this as a financial opportunity for the city. Obviously, such a plan would cause some blowback, and residents are already speaking out against the possibility of being marketed to while going on a nice, secluded hike. A city ordinance allowing for such advertisements would take a few months to draft, and would require another panel review before going up for a vote.
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It's not an ideal situation, but does Los Angeles need the money so badly as to justify advertising in public spaces? How would it affect you to see such signs in Griffith Park? If such an ordinance were to pass, what could come next?
The challenges of diagnosing and treating pedophilia
You've seen the headlines: "Jerry Sandusky Accused of Sexually Assaulting 8 Boys"; "Another Accuser Steps Forward in Penn State Scandal"; "Eight of Sandusky’s Alleged Victims Will Testify Against Him" (at a preliminary hearing next week).
Then came Syracuse: "DA to Address Sex Abuse Claims Against Former Coach Bernie Fine"; "Excuses Don't Fly in Syracuse Sex Abuse Case." And this recent headline, which wouldn’t require such high profile scandals to be timely: "Silence Common in Child Sex Abuse Cases."
Ok, so we know sex abuse of minors happens. But why? As difficult as it is to understand and talk about, experts in the field say it's imperative that we try. Without level-headed, informed discourse, it might be impossible to develop solid treatment approaches, support services and sound policy that keep our communities safe.
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So what do we know about the root causes of sexually abusive behaviors? What's the difference between pedophilia and molestation? What are the different types of treatment? Is pedophilia chronic and incurable, as some experts believe? If so, are any treatments effective?
Guests:
Dr. Hy Malinek, Ph.D., Clinical and Forensic Psychologist in private practice in Beverly Hills; certified by the California Superior Court as a professional testimony expert; he also consults with U.S. Attorney’s Office in cases of sexual molestation and risk assessment and California’s Department of Mental Health in civil commitment of high risk sex offenders
Dr. L.C. Miccio-Fonseca, Ph.D., Clinical Researcher and Forensic Psychologist with over 30 years experience dealing with sex offenders of all kinds and genders; helped develop the MEGA risk assessment tool (Multiplex Empirically Guided Inventory of Ecological Aggregates for Assessing Sexually Abusive Children and Adolescents Ages 19 and Under)