Joe Biden sets his sights on gun control, hoping to have workable legislation by the end of this month. Also, OC journalists' roundtable talks about beaches, power plants, and parks. The director of "Gangster Squad" tells us about his very LA movie. Plus, weigh in on the rise of single motherhood.
Joe Biden sets his sights on gun control
Tasked with crafting new gun legislation in the wake of the horrific Sandy Hook shooting, Vice President Joe Biden has wasted no time in rolling up his sleeves and getting down to business. He’s launched a series of meetings with gun safety advocates and victims’ groups, and is also giving a seat at the table to gun lobbies like the National Rifle Association and retailers, such as Walmart, who have a substantial stake in the approximately $8-10 million annual firearms business. Representatives of mental health organizations and the entertainment and videogame industries are likely to be included as well. Will this all-embracing approach to the conversation lead to consensus, if not workable legislation, by the end of the month deadline? Hill watchers aren’t optimistic.
There are other pressing issues for Congress to address – a little something called the fiscal cliff, for instance – that are bound to take precedence. And if responses to Sandy Hook are any indication, it’s unlikely that common ground on gun control can be found between the White House and the NRA. Biden is determined to take urgent action, however, and this round of meetings is just the first step.
When writing new gun laws, what should the focus be – banning military assault weapons? Tighter background checks? Limits on ammunition sales? Or should the commission concentrate on addressing mental health issues or curbing Hollywood and videogame violence? Now that Obama has entered his second term, does he really have nothing to fear from the powerful NRA by cracking down on gun ownership? Can effective change be enacted that ensures both the safety, and the personal liberty, of all citizens? How would you craft the next series of gun laws?
Guest:
Doyle McManus, Washington columnist for the Los Angeles Times, covering national and international politics. Click here for his column.
OC journalists’ roundtable
Larry and our talented trio of Orange County journalists riff on the latest news from the O.C.: surfers want Trestles to be named a national historic site...a controversial ban on sex offenders in parks and beaches will get a high court review...the bill for the San Onofre nuclear power plant soars to $1 billion....and what’s up with the Great Park?
Guests:
Norberto Santana, Editor-in-Chief of the Voice of OC, a non-profit investigative news agency that covers Orange County government and politics
Julie Gallego, government & politics editor, Orange County Register
Ben Bergman, KPCC’s Orange County reporter
'Gangster Squad' director Ruben Fleischer on his snappy vision of LA, film noir
A team of merciless cops go after a mob boss, by any means necessary. It’s the classic film noir premise, and in this time set in a moonlit 1949 Los Angeles. Director Ruben Fleischer’s biggest work until now was 2009’s Zombieland. But with a star-studded cast that includes Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Nick Nolte, "Gangster Squad" is poised to do very well at the box office. Angelenos will recognize many of the locations, with scenes shot in the Tower Theater on Broadway and Clifton’s Cafeteria in Downtown LA and heavy action at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westlake that spills out into MacArthur park.
Full of gunfights and stylized violence, the film’s release date was pushed back and a scene that involved a gunfight in a movie theater was significantly reshot after the after mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado. But come out it will, in theaters this Friday, January 11.
Guest:
Ruben Fleischer, Director, “Gangster Squad”
How effective can California gun laws be in a national marketplace?
As Vice President Biden looks at crafting new national gun control legislation, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proposes additional regulations in his state, California has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. Handgun owners register with the state, there’s a 10-day waiting period, and private gun sales are supposed to go through licensed dealers. There’s also a ban in place of state-defined assault weapons, which includes AR- and AK- semiautomatic rifles. But with a significant gray market, and very different laws in neighboring states like Arizona and Nevada, there are significant holes even in such a tough legal environment. On top of that, regulations are confusing and come from different branches of state and local government.
If you’re a gun owner in California, is it hard to comply? How difficult is it to enforce the multiple layers of regulation? And are advocates of gun control right to link more regulation with less violence? What about proponents of gun ownership, who counter that places with more guns experience less violence?
Guest:
William Vizzard, professor of criminal justice at Cal State University, Sacramento; and former Special Agent in Charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (1967-1994)
The rise of single motherhood
One of the oldest debates in our society is the fight between those who champion the traditional parenting unit of a mother and father, and those who defend the single mother. Numerous statistics and studies have been made on both sides to support each viewpoint. However, as time marches on and society continues to abandon traditional principles such as marriage and the dutiful housewife, more and more women are becoming single mothers.
Yes, it is often the case that these women are forced into that position, whether by feckless fathers, lack of access to alternatives or socioeconomic access, but more of them are simply choosing to become single mothers because they do not wish to get married, but still want kids. Single-motherhood may no longer be a niche alternative to traditional families, it could become the new normal.
In fact, a 2012 study from research group Child Trends shows that more that of all the births for women under 30, over half of them were single mothers. This also comes on the heels of last year’s presidential election, which saw single women exercise their growing political power by pushing Barack Obama over Mitt Romney. If trends continue, then one day society will have to adapt to the unique needs of a single mother’s lifestyle.
What changes should be made in public education and the workplace to accommodate this new model of motherhood? Should the government start aggressively pursuing daycare options for working moms? What about mothers who moved close to home for help from their families? Will they start embarking on their own with their brood, given the right conditions? Are you a single mother? What developments would you like to see, whether on the large or small scale?
Guest:
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, contributing editor for the Newsweek Daily Beast and author of "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana"
Does our definition of happiness restrict us from having a satisfying life?
We may understand that outward circumstances do not define happiness, but UC Riverside psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky believes most of us associate certain life events with happiness or misery. These preconceptions, or misconceptions, restrict us from a satisfying life.
In her new book, “The Myths of Happiness,” Lyubomirsky draws from scientific research to show how expectations from life events such as a new romantic relationship, having children, and achieving financial stability lead to a “happiness spike” that will not last long. Our emotional responses to adversity in the form of health problems, not having a life partner, and financial struggles are short-sighted and need to be brought into perspective. This book emphasizes that people are adaptable and will return to their initial happiness level, whether it be from the surprises in a new relationship becoming more routine and predictable, or forgetting why negative experiences were unbearable.
Can happiness be biologically understood? Does surprise and variety determine happiness? And does routine lead to indifference? Is long-term passion possible?
Guest:
Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at UC Riverside and author of "The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, But Doesn’t, What Shouldn’t Make You Happy, But Does" (Penguin)