Today on Air Talk KPCC's Nick Roman steps up to the plate to discuss the Obama Administrations proposal to extend some of the Bush-era tax cuts, where the California High-Speed rail stands for now, A stadium by stadium tour of Americas great baseball meccas, why the US military is under scrutiny for test exams of new recruits, an interview with Rajiv Chandrasekaran on his book Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan and a fond farewell to Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine. Plus, the latest news
Obama talks middle-class tax cuts
Once again, the Bush tax cuts have become a topic of division on Capitol Hill. Today, President Obama announced that he will be calling on Congress to pass a one-year extension of the tax cuts, but only on those for families making less than $250,000. Above that threshold, rates would increase to 1990s levels.
Republicans, meanwhile, are at odds with the White House and are calling for an extension on all of the Bush tax cuts, no matter what the level of income. Obama’s plan might not even be a huge hit with some Democrats in Congress, as they want the extensions to apply to all those under the $1 million a year mark. Many in Washington concede that this is a political maneuver, in an effort to steer the conversation away from jobs and the economy to the overall issue of tax fairness. Furthermore, it casts Republicans in a hyper-partisan, gridlocked and obstructionist stance for not being cooperative on a simple one-year plan for middle class Americans.
Data suggests that Obama’s one-year extension would cost $150 billion in revenue, but letting the other cuts expire would lead to $850 billion over the next decade. Does the financial math nullify the political nature of this announcement? What does this decision mean for you and your family? Will you be affected by this new policy? How are Republicans reacting to the announcement?
GUEST
Rachel Smolkin, White House Editor, POLITICO
Darry A. Sragow, Attorney and long time democratic strategist
Jonathan Wilcox, Republican Strategist; former speech writer for Governor Pete Wilson
California’s bullet train — reinventing the wheel?
California lawmakers gave the go ahead to the country’s first high speed rail line which will run through the Golden State — albeit by a tight 21-16 margin.
The first 130-mile stretch of line will run from Madera to Bakersfield. The completed project will take passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco and is expected to cost $68 billion.
Former Chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority, Tom Umberg, says with population of California hitting 50 million in the next twenty years, a high-speed rail is the best solution to transportation challenges.
“High-speed rail is the least expensive, most environmentally friendly way of dealing with that challenge. And California is ideally suited for high speed rail,” Umberg said.
Critics say the high speed rail program is a ‘train to nowhere’ wasting crucial funds that could be used to finance state schools.
Elizabeth Alexis, Co-Founder Californians Advocating Responsible Rail Design (CARRD), says she was initially for the proposal and voted for the bond in 2008 but now sees major problems with the project.
“This project has taken a 380-mile route between L.A. and San Francisco and ballooned it up an extra 100 miles. I mean the cost at this point is projected to be $200 for every round trip in the first 30 years. I mean, it’s very expensive,” Alexis said.
She sees the issue as not whether a train would be good or not but rather if this project is the one to deliver what is needed.
Even with these doubts from many previous supporters, Umberg sees this as a positive solution for the state.
“I believe that especially as transportation pressures become more acute here that it will become not just more popular but increasingly more necessary for us to have this alternative transportation system,” Umberg said.
Weigh In:
Would you use the bullet train? At a cost of 68 billion, do you think the money could be better spent elsewhere?
GUESTS
Tom Umberg, Board member and Former Chairman, California High Speed Rail Authority
Elizabeth Alexis, Co-Founder Californians Advocating Responsible Rail Design (CARRD)
See the USA, stadium by stadium
Summer is baseball season — and road trip season. Just in time for Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City, we’ll take a state-by-state tour of the country’s best and worst major league stadiums with a couple of fans who’ve visited them all.
From L.A. to Boston, every park is reviewed for seating, views, hot dogs, décor, nearby watering holes and attractions. Folklore, stats and trivia about each venue, along with tips for nabbing the best seats or avoiding indigestion, are detailed in the second edition of "The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip: A Fan’s Guide to Major League Stadiums."
Whether you’re traveling by Chevrolet or La-Z-Boy, this guide is a must for the serious fanboy or fangirl.
How many stadiums have you been to? Which are your favorites? How does our own Dodger Stadium stack up to spanking-new venues like Miami’s Marlins Ballpark?
GUEST
Josh Pahigian, co-author of The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip: A Fan’s Guide to Major League Stadiums (Globe Pequot Press); writer for print and web publications including ESPN.com Sport Travel Site. His previous books include 101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out (Lyons Press).
Kevin O’Connell, co-author of The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip: A Fan’s Guide to Major League Stadiums (Globe Pequot Press); co-author of Why I Hate the Yankees
Read an excerpt of this book:
US pressed on military exam for high school students
Questions are being asked about a key military recruitment tool used in the nation's high schools.
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) exam is a series of tests designed to assess a child's suitability for various careers in the armed forces. However, a recent report by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child raised concerns about how the information gathered in these tests is used.
The U.N. has now asked the United States government to provide information on the distribution of details obtained via ASVAB by November this year.
Critics of the ASVAB exam say the test scores, along with personal information of the participants, is automatically shared with military recruiters without the knowledge of the student or the consent of their parents under provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. In 2010, Maryland became the first state to ban the release of ASVAB scores to the military. Similar legislation for California was vetoed by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008.
Director of the National Coalition to Protect Student Privacy, Pat Elder, wrote the Maryland legislation and has worked with school administrators across the country. Elder dispelled a common misconception, explaining that No Child Left Behind does not automatically release ASVAB scores but No Child Left Behind does give military recruiters student contact information.
“Whether the test is mandatory or just strongly encouraged by school officials, student information including social security numbers and in-depth demographic information along with three hours of test results [is] released to recruiters without parental consent and often parental knowledge,” he said. “And this is an egregious violation of civil rights and these ASVAB results are the only information leaving American schools without parental consent.”
He said “there’s a great deal of confusion” among high school administrators about whether they are legally obligated to administer the test and what to do with the test scores once they’re received.
Retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and the CEO of KIPP, Knowledge and Intelligence Program Professionals, Hal Kempfer said it sounds like the real challenge here is communication -- recruiters, administrators and parents need to have a better understanding amongst each other about ASVAB.
However, Elder and Kempfer both agreed there is nothing wrong with the administration of ASVAB at public institutions.
“In fact it’s an excellent career exploration test,” Elder said. “The thing is, when it initially allowed for the military to enter into the public schools to administer this test, there were certain release options that school officials could pick. And one of the release options is to not release test results at all to recruiting offices but we have found very few administrators who are aware of this ASVAB release Option 8.”
Listeners weighed in and several commenters to the KPCC website said they had in fact taken the ASVAB while they were students but they had no intention to join the military.
“I took that exam in H.S. and was bombarded with military recruiters calling me for months and months afterwards, despite my clearly expressing to them that I had no interest in joining the military ever,” commenter MotoVixen wrote. “It was upsetting to me that they did not respect my request and continued to call repeatedly. Looking back, if I'd known of an option to not release my test results to the military, I would have appreciated that.”
Kempfer said many complaints received about military recruitment and the ASVAB come from several years ago when Iraq and Afghanistan were “hot” and recruiters were pressured to bring in more people. But, he said, the atmosphere around recruitment is different now and recruiters do not feel the same pressure to meet quotas.
But not everyone agrees with Kempfer’s assessment of today’s military recruitment.
“This is SALES 101,” commenter Ralph writes on the KPCC website. “Recruitment is about sales and sales is about the leads. In the eyes of the military, this test and its results is only about creating leads in the hope it will help them meet recruitment quotas, period.”
Nonetheless, 14,000 high schools administer the exam and a thousand students are required to take the ASVAB.
“It isn’t like a job fair,” Kempfer said. “It’s not like McDonald’s recruiting at schools.”
Weigh In:
As a parent, would you, or have you allowed your child to sit the ASVAB exam? What was your experience with military recruiters once they received the information? Do you see the sharing of information as a way to help students into potential lifelong careers?
GUESTS
Pat Elder, director, National Coalition to Protect Student Privacy
Hal Kempfer, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and CEO of KIPP knowledge and intelligence program professionals
New book explores President Obama’s 2009 surge in Afghanistan
U.S engagement in Afghanistan is often connected to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on American soil. Yet a new book dates America’s presence in Afghanistan back to 1951 and a young king in Kabul.
In Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan, author Rajiv Chandrasekaran explores the latest incarnation of U.S. involvement in the Middle Eastern nation and President Obama’s 2009 military surge.
In a behind-the-scenes view, Chandrasekaran reveals previously unknown details of the political struggle to transform Afghanistan; from a CIA assessment of security in Afghanistan, information on infighting between senior White House officials and Richard Holbrooke, the President’s former special envoy to Afghanistan and how electronic eavesdropping led to successful raids on the Taliban.
What are your thoughts on the U.S.’s involvement in Afghanistan? Do you believe it has taken too long to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan?
GUEST
Rajiv Chandrasekaran author of Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan (Knopf) and Senior Correspondent for the Washington Post
Remembering “Ernie”
Prolific television and film actor Ernest Borgnine died yesterday of kidney failure at the age of 95. Born in Connecticut to Italian immigrant parents, Borgnine fell into acting after his discharge from the Navy. He started his career playing bad-news heavies in movies like Bad Day at Black Rock; ten years later, he was receiving an Academy Award for his portrayal of the lonely Bronx butcher who gets the girl in Marty.
He often portrayed unconventional leading men. But he was perhaps best known for his role as the crafty Lt. Commander Quinton McHale in the 1960’s TV series McHale’s Navy, which may not have garnered critical acclaim, but certainly gained many loyal viewers over its four year run. The actor’s gap-toothed grin and undeniable charm served him well throughout his long career; he worked as an actor for more than 60 years, appearing in more than 115 films and dozens of television shows.
Larry spoke with Ernest Borgnine in August of 2008, on the release of his autobiography, "Ernie,” when the actor was 91.
GUEST
Ernest Borgnine, Academy Award winning actor