The tax cut deal heads to Obama's desk after passing the House. California lawmakers push for greater control over public university budgets. NFL in LA? - plans released for a football stadium near The Staples Center. TGI-Filmweek! KPCC film critics join Larry to discuss the week's new film releases including Tron: Legacy, How Do You Know, Yogi Bear, Casino Jack and others. Christmas time is movie time.
House passes bipartisan tax package – now what?
Despite liberals’ objections, the House passed President Obama’s tax compromise at midnight on Thursday. The $858 billion bill renews the Bush-era tax cuts for two years and extends unemployment insurance for one year. House members voted 277-148 in support of the package, after a failed last-ditch effort by Democrats to alter the controversial estate-tax provisions. Obama, who admits the deal is flawed, is expected to sign it today. Does this mean the spirit of bipartisanship is alive in Washington? Will Obama’s compromise strategy work in the future or was it a one-off? Will Dems now succeed in forcing a weekend vote on the DREAM Act and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell?
Guests:
Ron Elving, Senior Washington Editor, NPR
Jack Shaw, Capitol Hill reporter for Market News International
State pushes for greater control over public university budgets
California lawmakers are seeking broad new powers over how the state's higher education budgets operate. Student fees have continued to increase even as lawmakers injected $584 million back into Cal State and UC budgets, prompting them to act. The proposals include measures to limit student fees, freeze executive compensation, increase transparency, and a Constitutional amendment that would strip the University of California of its historic autonomy. Supporters argue that limiting student fees and increasing transparency will guarantee an affordable, high-quality public education. Governor Schwarzenegger has vetoed similar bills in the past, arguing they would discourage donors and limit the universities' ability to attract the best staff. Would more accountability bring much needed budget reform? Or would less autonomy result in lower quality education?
Guest:
Leland Yee, California State Senator, District 8 (D-San Francisco/San Mateo)
Patrick Lenz, Vice President for Budget for University of California
Design finalists presented for proposed LA football stadium
Los Angeles still doesn’t have a football team, but it’s closer to getting a new football stadium. On Wednesday, Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns Staples Center, unveiled three competing designs for a stadium that would be built on the current location of the Convention Center’s west hall—right next to Staples Center. The designs look impressive and the stadium, if completed, would seat 78,000 people. But these are just the latest of many plans floated over the past 15 years—none of which have materialized. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges will be getting Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz fully on board and working to find the $1 billion it’ll cost to build. So is LA going to get its football team? And what are the relative merits of the three designs?
Guests:
Christopher Hawthorne, Architecture Critic for the Los Angeles Times
FilmWeek: Tron: Legacy, How Do You Know, Yogi Bear, Casino Jack and more
KPCC film critics Claudia Puig, Lael Loewenstein and Charles Solomon join Larry to review the week’s new film releases including Tron: Legacy, How Do You Know, Yogi Bear, Casino Jack, Rabbit Hole, among others. TGI-FilmWeek!
Guests:
Claudia Puig, film critic for USA Today Lael Loewenstein, film critic for Variety Charles Solomon, animation critic, author and historian for amazon.com
Live tweeting this week's reviews:
‘Tis the season for green popcorn & yuletide movie cheer
Who can imagine the holidays without Christmas-themed movies? "A Christmas Story" and "Miracle on 34th" Street are almost as traditional as decorated trees and yule logs. But not all holiday films are safe family fare. Think: "Bad Santa," "Die Hard," and "Gremlins." Then there are the forgotten seasonal flicks that are so bad, they’re actually fun to watch. In his book, "Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas," writer Alonso Duralde picks the best—and worst—holiday movies for stuffing into stockings or watching while roasting chestnuts.
Guest:
Alonso Duralde, writer of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas