Supreme Court extends gun rights. Artist John Baldessari gives Larry Mantle a tour of his new exhibition at LACMA. Then, we preview Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination hearings. Later, understanding the Hispanic electorate in America.
Supreme Court extends 2nd Amendment gun rights
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 today to strike down strict anti-gun laws in Chicago and one of its suburbs. Today’s ruling expands a previous decision that invalidated Washington D.C.’s handgun ban, affirming the majority’s belief that the 2nd Amendment protects the individual right to own a gun for self-defense. While the previous case made federal anti-handgun laws unconstitutional, today’s ruling further prohibits states and municipalities from banning guns outright. Do local governments have the right to restrict gun ownership? And since Chicago had one of the nation’s strictest bans, will other local gun laws stand?
Guests:
Jonathan Lowy, Director of the Legal Action Project at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Eugene Volokh, the Gary T. Schwartz Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law. Prof. Volokh is a constitutional law expert, who specializes in the First Amendment, cyberspace law, harassment law and gun control.
Pure Beauty at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
California artist John Baldessari has had his work featured in more than 200 solo exhibitions and 900 group exhibitions throughout the US and Europe. Now the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has put together the most extensive Baldessari retrospective to date. Called “Pure Beauty,” the show will run through mid September. It features more than 150 pieces, including many of his lesser-known works. Larry visited “Pure Beauty” while it was in its final week of preparation and toured the exhibition with the artist.
Slideshow of selected works from Pure Beauty.
Guest:
John Baldessari, artist
Kagan confirmation hearings: let the political, er, legal theater begin
As hearings begin today to confirm U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, the Senate Judiciary Committee will try to gain a better understanding of the kind of justice she would be. What is known about her legal views? Is her lack of judicial experience an issue? And what political strategy will the parties use to position themselves?
Guests:
John Eastman, Former Dean and Professor, Chapman University School of Law; Founding Director, Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence
Lawrence Rosenthal, Professor, Chapman University School of Law
Understanding the Hispanic electorate in America
When Latinos go to the polls, most have the same political agenda, right? Not necessarily, says CalTech’s Michael Alvarez. He’s the co-author of a new book that looks at the political identity, public opinion, turnout and voting behavior of the nation’s largest minority group. What do the data predict about Hispanic voters? Which factors most greatly influence voting behavior? And what influence will Latinos exercise on state and national races in November?
Guest:
R. Michael Alvarez, co-author of New Faces, New Voices: The Hispanic Electorate in America (Princeton University Press). He is a professor of political science at California Institute of Technology.