Larry talks about the continuing protests in Iran, immigration issues in Vernon, the state budget, new regulations on the financial industry and Monica Seles
Iran Election Controversy Continues
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday that the government would conduct an investigation into the election. The move seemed intended to calm protester anger but was followed by a rally of hundreds of thousands of people that presented one of the greatest challenges to Iran's government since it took power in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Borzou Daragahi, Los Angeles Times reporter
Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor reporter
Stealth Immigration Raid in Vernon
The scene was unconventional at Overhill Farms food-processing plant in Vernon. There wasn't a crew INS officials waiting at the door waiting for fleeing illegal immigrants. No, this immigration raid was a little stealthier. More than 200 workers at the plant lost their jobs after an IRS audit of Social Security numbers. Since 2007 the Department of Homeland Security has introduced E-Verify. The program is a way for employers to confirm the legal status of new employees. The system was created to crack down on fake and stolen Social Security numbers. Yet, what happens next for the fired workers?
Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times staff writer
Financial Industry Regulations Announced
On Wednesday the Obama administration releases new regulations on the financial industry that are expected to be the most extensive financial reform since the Great Depression. According to the President, regulatory agencies will streamlined and consolidated and protections will be added for consumers and investors. The plan will also give the federal government the power to take over large troubled financial institutions like AIG and investment banks to prevent their failure from threatening the larger economy. It also will tighten regulations on high-risk financial products like derivatives and mortgage-backed securities. Criticisms of the President's proposal so far range from "drastic and premature," to "too little, too late."
Michael Crittenden, reporter for Dow Jones newswires
Brad Sherman, Democratic Congressman representing the 27th congressional district
Scott Talbott, senior vice president for Government Affairs at the Financial Services Round Table
State Budget Crisis Continues
The political tug-of-war continues over the California state budget. Monday the state budget panel rejected Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's most extreme proposals. They said "no" to cutting funds to health insurance for low-income children and families and state parks. With some of California's programs temporarily safe, where will the legislators find the money?
Shane Goldmacher, Los Angeles Times staff writer
Monica Seles
Thrown into the fast-paced world of competitive tennis at a very early age, Monica Seles became the youngest winner in French Open history in 1990. But in 1993 at the height of her career, she was brutally stabbed. Though she recovered from her physical injuries, she suffered from depression and eating disorders, preventing her from competing successfully for several years. In her new book "Getting a Grip," Seles chronicles her struggles both on and off the court.
Monica Seles, professional tennis player and author of "Getting A Grip: On My Body, My Self, My Mind."