Today on AirTalk, we'll discuss the Mahony sexual abuse cover-up and the church response. We'll also talk about oil drilling in Whittier, the 10 and 110 express lanes, and the power of the millenial vote in 2016. Later, we'll consider Super Bowl social media and examine the psychology behind lying toddlers.
Cardinal Mahony’s explanation of child sex abuse scandal
Retired Cardinal Roger Mahony responded to criticisms in a blog post published Friday. Archbishop José H. Gomez stripped Mahony of his administrative and public duties and accepted the resignation of bishop Thomas Curry, who allegedly assisted in the cover-up of church sexual abuse with Mahony. Gomez also agreed to fulfill a court order to deliver thousands of pages of confidential files related to Catholic priest sexual abuse.
Mahoney publicly apologized two weeks ago after the release of confidential church files showed that he had played a part in covering up sexual abuse in the church, and had kept evidence away from prosecution. In a blog post published Friday, Mahony expressed his frustration at being shamed by Gomez and argued that his archdiocese had been at the forefront of abuse victim protection. Gomez’s public rebuke continued Sunday when he addressed the Catholic community from the pulpit and in a letter.
What’s your reaction to Mahony’s explanations? Is it possible Church leadership didn’t know any better how to deal with perpetrators of child sexual abuse? How could someone in such a position of (moral) authority seem to have a moral disconnect?
Guests:
Mary Gail Frawley-O'Dea, a clinical psychologist, was the only mental health professional to address the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on the sexual abuse crisis at their 2002 Dallas meeting. Author, "Perversion of Power: Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church."
Jennifer Hughes, Associate Professor of History at University of California, Riverside, with an expertise in Catholic Studies
Whittier vs. Los Angeles County on oil
Last Thursday, the city of Whittier made a bold move regarding a local nature preserve. Whittier purchased the land for this preserve, along with the mineral rights, using $9.3 million in funds opened up to the city by the passage of Proposition A. Proposition A stipulated that any land purchased must be used for conservation purposes, and thus a preserve was established.
However, now the preserve is on the table as a source of revenue, as Whittier and Matrix Oil Company are eyeing it for development and drilling. The arrival of bulldozers prompted outrage in environmentalists, as well as those convinced that this is in direct violation of Proposition A. Los Angeles County is coming down hard on Whittier, saying that the city doesn’t have the authority to decide what happens to the land, since it was purchased with county bonds. However, the city points out that the bond does not take into account mineral rights, which Whittier owns exclusively. Beyond the legal nuances of who owns what, there is also the issue of what parties would benefit from the newfound revenue, which could be upwards of $100 million per year.
The city is obviously pushing for this to beef up its budget, but the county stresses that any financial rewards should go to county taxpayers, not the city itself. So who is right? Will the county win out, or will Whittier be allowed to start drilling and reap the payoff? What is the environmental impact of this plan? What are the pros and cons of each side?
Guests:
Gloria Molina, Los Angeles County Supervisor, 1st District (includes Whittier Hills)
Jim Markman, shareholder in the Public Law Department and Water Rights and Water Law Practice Group at law firm Richards, Watson & Gershon, currently representing the city of Whittier on this issue
Toll lanes on the 10 and 110: Wide open spaces or cash grab?
On February 23rd Metro ExpressLanes opens the HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes on the I-10 freeway. The I-10 will adhere to most of the same confusing rules as the I-110, but will the toll lanes actually relieve congestion or is it just an additional revenue stream for Metro?
Metro ExpressLanes is a 12-month pilot program and primarily funded with a $210 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funds have resulted in two ExpressLanes in each direction by converting the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane and adding a new lane. The condition for the grant is that the HOT lanes must allow for speeds over 45 mph at least 90 percent of the time. The 110 freeway is currently meeting that minimum requirement, according to Metro officials.
However, motorists have criticized that the HOT lanes actually cause more traffic in the general, all-purpose lanes.
“We’re still in the ramp up period, which is typical for all HOT lanes as people begin to understand how the lanes will work and get their FasTrak transponders,” said Stephanie Wiggins, Metro’s Executive Officer of the Congestion Reduction Initiative. “So during the ramp-up period, the general purpose lanes, or the regular lanes, are more congested than before the lanes were converted, but that’s expected to be a temporary condition.”
While carpoolers with at least three people are always able to use the ExpressLanes for free, two-person carpools will have to pay a toll during peak hours (5 A.M.-9 A.M. and 4 P.M. – 7 P.M.) on the 10 freeway. Solo drivers in the ExpressLanes will be charged between $0.25 to $1.40 per mile, depending on the congestion at that moment. If the ExpressLanes become overcrowded, tolls will increase to alleviate congestion in those lanes.
“The solo driver has the choice when they choose to, depending on the toll amount at a given time, to shift over and get more reliability,” said Wiggins. “They’re paying for reliability and a guaranteed trip.”
If an accident occurs and a solo driver does not get a 45 mph-minimum trip, then their toll charges will be credited back by the next business day.
Organizations like the National Motorists Association believe that HOV and HOT lanes should not exist at all. California Representative Jim Thomas stated, “Our position is basically that all motorists are required to pay the taxes to build a highway system and therefore should be entitled to the full use of it.”
Wiggins emphasized that use of the ExpressLanes is preserved for transit and carpoolers, but for solo drivers, “It’s a choice. As a solo driver, you also have the choice to remain in the general purpose lanes.”
Beginning on February 23rd, single drivers who use the toll lanes less than four times a month will pay an additional $3 monthly for maintenance and revenue costs, and undoubtedly, this has caused much complaint from motorists who are considered “infrequent users.” Board Director Zev Yaroslavsky has motioned to wave this fee for all Los Angeles County residents because it may negatively generate participants from other counties piggy-backing on Metro’s program to avoid the costs of their local systems. Metro is examining this proposal and will consider in March whether or not to change the fee.
Currently, there are over 87,000 accounts opened, and Metro estimates generating $18-20 million annually from the toll lanes. After $10 million for operations and maintenance, the balance will be reinvested in transportation improvement.
All motorists who choose to use ExpressLanes must open an account and have a transponder because the toll system is entirely automated. To open an account, a $40 pre-paid deposit is required to go towards tolls and obtain a transponder. The fees for the transponder are waived as long as the transponder is returned in working condition when the account is closed.
This pilot program will be under evaluation, and in December, CalTrans and Metro will have to report to the public and state legislature about the performance of the HOT lanes. If ExpressLanes become a permanent fixture in the L.A. freeways, Metro hopes to make more adjustments such as allowing electric vehicles to travel toll-free.
Are you going to use ExpressLanes? Will it alleviate traffic on these freeways or is it just a money grab? Will it cause more congestion in the general lanes?
Guests:
Stephanie Wiggins, Metro’s Executive Officer of the Congestion Reduction Initiative
Jim Thomas, California Representative of National Motorists Association
The millennial vote in 2016
Looking forward to the next presidential election, some big names have been bandied about. Even before the 2012 race was over, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Jeb Bush and Chris Christie were all mentioned as potential contenders for their respective parties. While Democrats and Republicans are at odds more than ever these days, all their possible candidates have one thing in common. They’re not Barack Obama.
Now, while some may think that’s a positive aspect, there’s one thing that Obama undeniably has over any other candidate in modern history. He energized and inspired the youth vote in a way that significantly contributed to his victory, particularly in 2008. None of the top tier candidates that have been discussed have the same ability to appeal to Millennials.
Hillary Clinton may appeal to young female voters, but what about their male counterparts? Joe Biden may be a hit in The Onion, but what about on the campaign trail? And Republicans have long had a problem connecting to the younger generation, no matter who the candidate is. Are there any younger politicians out there who can tap into this group in the same way that Barack Obama did? Can they also retain the other voting blocs, such as seniors and the middle-aged? Or does it have to be one or the other? Who do you think out there has the most youth appeal?
Guests:
Morley Winograd, co-author (with Michael D. Hais) of “Millennial Momentum: How a New Generation is Remaking America” (Rutgers University Press, 2011), served as senior policy advisor to Vice President Al Gore and director of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR)
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist; former senior Obama advisor in 2008, now runs the Los Angeles office for the Dewey Square Group.
The Super Bowl scores a touchdown for social media activity
Who knew that football and social media go together like chips and dip at a Super Bowl party? Everyone knows that the Super Bowl scores big viewer ratings for TV networks, but this year the Baltimore Ravens’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers also ignited more posting on Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks than ever before.
During the game, there were an estimated 47.7 million social media posts, according to Trendrr TV, which tracks social media activity. That means the rate of social network bustle during this year’s big game nearly tripled since the 2012 Super Bowl, which was the subject of approximately 17 million posts.
What explains the explosion of social media activity during this year’s Super Bowl? Are Twitter and Facebook simply more accessible to more people now? Or has there been a cultural shift in how society communicates on a daily basis? Has our perspective and appreciation of social media drastically changed since the previous Super Bowl and if so, why?
Guest:
Mark Ghuneim, CEO, Trendrr, a firm that captures and analyzes social media engagement; Trendrr measured Super Bowl second-screen engagement for its client CBS.
Why your two-year old tells little lies
Anyone who spends time with toddlers know they can have active imaginations. Now a study shows some children as young as two are capable of telling minor fibs. Researchers in the journal of Developmental Psychology say it's the first time deception has been studied in children so young. They found 25 percent of children that age say little mistruths. It's not just to cover-up things, according to these experts, but rather to show how smart or capable they are. It could be indicative of advanced mental development. As children grow, so can lying. Eighty percent of four-year olds are said to lie. However, the percentage decreases through adolescence, according to empirical evidence.
Has that been your experience as a parent? How can you teach honesty when lying is a natural stage of development? How should you react when your tot tells tales?
Guest:
Angela Evans, Ph.D., Developmental Psychologist; Assistant Professor, Brock University in Ontario, Canada; Study Co-Author (along with Kang Lee of University of Toronto) "Emergence of Lying in Very Young Children," published in Developmental Psychology journal; Evans has studied lying in children of all ages.