Will rising gas prices stall the sputtering economic recovery? Military justice in the information age. An LA city election preview. The Doctor is in - talking about treating humans, not diseases.
Will rising gas prices stall the economic recovery?
As of this morning, U.S. gasoline prices have climbed to a national average of $3.51 a gallon – a 4% rise in just one week. Unrest in the Middle East and the recent conflict in oil-rich Libya have pushed the price of crude over $100 per barrel for only the second time in history, causing analysts to fear that these spiking prices could slow the economic recovery here in the U.S. Small businesses and families are feeling the pinch as they change habits and shift spending from products and services that spur economic growth to cover transportation costs. Two years of high unemployment and tepid economic growth have left consumers less able to absorb another oil crisis. Can the economy handle this bump in prices at the pump? Should the strategic petroleum reserves be tapped to keep the economy from sputtering?
Guest:
Ryan Avent, online economics editor for The Economist
Military justice in the information age
Those who commit crimes within the military are often met with severe consequences as doled out by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Pfc. Bradley Manning, the alleged source of classified U.S. military and State Department information for WikiLeaks, has just been accused of “aiding the enemy” by the Army and although military prosecutors contend that they are not seeking the death penalty, life in prison is not out of the question. The accusations against Manning do not provide specific details concerning how he may have directly or indirectly aided the enemy – or who the enemy is exactly. They do, however, outline that Manning installed software onto military computers without authorization for the purpose of extracting data which was then transmitted to another, unidentified source. If this second source turns out to be WikiLeaks, would the Army’s charge be valid? Would putting Manning away for the rest of his life be a fair and balanced punishment or an excessive one? Would it be indefensible for the Army to pursue the death penalty?
Guests:
David Sheldon, Co-Chair of the Military Law Committee of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia
Lt. Col. Hal Kempfer, Retired Marine Core Lt. Colonel, CEO of Knowledge and Intelligence Program Professionals, military expert for ABC-7
Election day -- Los Angeles voters to decide on big issues & important races on tomorrow’s ballot
Tomorrow, Los Angeles voters – those who turn out anyway – will decide the fate of several ballot measures and city council races. Measures on the March 8 ballot could have a big impact on policy in the city and include proposals to create new taxes on oil and medical marijuana and reform pensions in order to address LA's $319 million budget shortfall. If passed, Measure M would impose a $50 business tax per $1,000 of gross receipts at each marijuana dispensary in the city. Measure O would add a new tax on oil producers of nearly $1.50 per barrel extracted from land located in the city. In addition to the ballot measures twenty-six candidates are vying for city council seven seats. A contentious match is playing out between incumbent Councilman Bernard Parks and former DWP Commissioner Forescee Hogan-Rowles; incumbent Jose Huizar is trying to fend off a challenge from businessman Rudy Martinez; and Councilman Tom LaBonge is being challenged by upstart businessman Tomas O'Grady. What’s at stake? Who are the best candidates? What measures should pass? And what impact will all this have on LA’s budget crisis?
Guest:
Bob Stern, President, Center for Governmental Studies
The doctor is in
Today, AirTalk begins a new, semi-regular series looking at the top health stories, fads and frustrations facing patients and doctors. Making headlines last week, entertainment legend Mickey Rooney testified in front of a Senate Committee on Aging that he was “…unable to avoid becoming a victim of elder abuse.” Through tears, Rooney said it’s time to stop the chronic physical, emotional and financial abuse of elderly Americans by family and caregivers. Dr. Mark Lachs, a gerontologist at Weill Cornell Medical College, was with Rooney during his emotional testimony. Lachs joins us to talk about this and how patients of all ages can get the care they need. We’ll also look at the movement underway to get doctors to treat the whole patient, taking into account feelings, lifestyle, nutrition and other factors. Is this something you want from your doctor? Do you wish physicians would tell you it’s time to lose weight, eat better or quit smoking? Or would you prefer they mind their own waistlines and stick to the CT scans at hand? Does it work when doctors tell patients how they should live to improve their health? Dr. Lachs is in to take your questions and calls – no health insurance or appointment necessary.
Guest:
Mark Lachs, M.D., Director of Geriatrics for the New York Presbyterian Health Care System; physician, scientist, and gerontologist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City; author, Treat Me, Not My Age: A Doctor’s Guide to Getting the Best Care as You or a Loved One Gets Older (Viking Press)