Yesterday, the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) blasted out a press release detailing the amount of funding California is to receive from the $1.2 trillion spending bill passed by the House and Senate to keep the government running until September - we dive into the list of projects. We'll also cover the GOP health care bill's move to the Senate; FilmWeek and your favorite song compilations in a movie; and more.
What to watch for as the GOP health care bill heads to the Senate
Republicans cracked beers. Democrats mockingly sang “Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” as the final vote count came in.
And President Donald Trump can finally chalk up a ‘W’ in the ‘legislative victories’ column as the House of Representatives passed Republicans’ version of a replacement to the Affordable Care Act. Among the highlights of the House’s bill are the removal of the individual mandate and the return of power to the states to make important healthcare decisions.
While the Trump administration and Republicans may have declared victory yesterday, the road ahead will be both long and bumpy for the legislation. The Senate has said it plans to essentially gut the House’s version of the bill and rewrite its own. What remains to be seen is whether the Senate’s version will look anything like the House’s and how much Republicans’ 52-member majority will factor in, as the narrow margin doesn’t leave much room for GOP Senators to jump ship.
Who are the big winners and losers from Thursday? What will the Senate change as it rewrites the legislation? What hurdles will it face in the Senate?
Guests:
Margot Sanger-Katz, health care correspondent for the New York Times; she has been following the story; she tweets
Kevin Whitelaw, Congress editor for Bloomberg News; he tweets
Surprise! CA comes out big winner in $1.2 trillion government funding bill
Both the House and the Senate this week passed a $1.2 trillion spending bill that would keep the government running until September. The bill now awaits President Trump’s signature.
As reported by various outlets, the deal includes $15 billion for the military, and $1.5 billion for border security.
But it also includes a whole lot of funding for California projects. Yesterday, the office of state Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) blasted out a press release detailing the amount these projects -- including $100 million for Caltrain electrification and $407 million in emergency funds to fight wildfires-- are getting. The spending bill would not strip funding for so-called “sanctuary cities,” nor does it strip funding for Planned Parenthood.
Here’s a partial list of CA projects in the spending bill:
- $140 million for drought resiliency projects, which President Trump proposed eliminating.
- $800 million for nine transit projects in California.
- $100 million for Caltrain electrification.
- $100 million for BART to San Jose.
- $150 million for San Francisco Central Subway.
- $100 million for Los Angeles Regional Connector.
- $100 million for Los Angeles Purple Line Phase 1.
- $100 million for Los Angeles Purple Line Phase 2.
- $50 million for San Diego Mid-Coast Light Rail.
- $50 million for Orange County Streetcar.
- $50 million for Sacramento Streetcar.
- $528 million for emergency repairs to U.S. highways that will help California repair roadways damaged by winter storms.
- An additional $407 million in emergency funds to fight wildfires in advance of a potentially catastrophic wildfire season.
- $10.2 million for the development of an earthquake early-warning system.
- $43 million to battle youth homelessness.
- $3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program, which President Trump proposed slashing by $1.5 billion.
- $500 million for TIGER transportation grants, which President Trump proposed eliminating.
- $10 million for water and wastewater infrastructure along the U.S.-Mexico border.
- $4.8 million for restoration of the San Francisco Bay.
- An additional $2 billion for the National Institutes of Health.
- $512 million to combat opioid abuse.
- Additional grant flexibility to spur the development of affordable housing.
- No riders blocking California high-speed rail.
- No riders preempting California law to provide meal and rest breaks for truck drivers.
Guest:
Evan Halper, DC-based reporter for the LA Times who’s been looking at President Trump’s use of federal money as a reward or punishment for states who support or oppose his agenda. He tweets
Concerns over the depiction of teen suicide in Netflix’s '13 Reasons Why'
Netflix’s new original series, “13 Reasons Why,” is generating a good bit of controversy. The show, about a teen girl named Hannah Baker who takes her own life and, before she does, records a series of 13 cassette tapes. The subject of each tape is a fellow student at her high school who, according to Hannah, is partially responsible for her suicide. Hannah’s tapes serve as the narration for the show but viewers follow her friend, classmate and love interest, Clay Jensen, who is also a subject of one of the tapes.
The series has started a national discussion among kids, parents, educators, and mental health professionals across the country over the way that the narrative handles the issue of suicide and whether the show glamorizes it.
Have you or your family watched “13 Reasons Why”? What do you think of the series’ depiction of suicide? If you’re a parent, did you use this as an opportunity to talk with your kids about suicide, whether it pertains to them or someone they might know? How do you broach the subject with your kids? With your parents?
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 if you or someone you know need support or assistance.
Guests:
Melissa Reeves, president of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and a licensed professional counselor. NASP has developed a guidance which it sent to school mental health professionals across the country on how to talk about “13 Reasons Why”
Jeremy Goldbach, assistant professor in the School of Social Work at USC, and a licensed social worker
FilmWeek: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,’ ‘3 Generations’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Justin Chang and Christy Lemire review this weekend’s new movie releases including:
- "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" in wide release
- "3 Generations" at ArcLight Hollywood, Laemmle's Monica Film Center, Laemmle's NoHo and Laemmle's Playhouse
- "The Lovers" at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark
- "The Dinner" in select theaters including AMC Burbank, Laemmle's NoHo and The Landmark
- "Chuck" at ArcLight Hollywood and The Landmark
- "Risk" at ArcLight Hollywood and Laemmle's Monica Film Center
- "Obit." at Nuart Theatre
- "Buster's Mal Heart" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center, Laemmle's NoHo and Laemmle's Playhouse
- "Panique" at Laemmle's Royal Theatre
- "Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait" at Laemmle's Monica Film Center
Critics' Hits
- Justin: "Panique" & "The Lovers"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXpddF9qBFA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1o-XSHgypE
- Christy: "The Lovers," "Risk," "Obit." & "Buster's Mal Heart"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1teM525rVlc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVafxOpEReM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeG2PWi5etc
Mixed Feelings
- Justin: "The Dinner"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZzcjIbd8O0
- Christy: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cv2ueYnKjg&t=11s
Misses!
- Justin: "3 Generations"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MeFmXpkryw
- Christy: "Chuck"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AQXwOOqNNw
Guests:
Justin Chang, film critic for KPCC and the Los Angeles Times; he tweets
Christy Lemire, film critic for KPCC and co-host of YouTube’s “What the Flick?;” she tweets
When the soundtrack makes the movie
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” hits theaters today, with a much anticipated soundtrack that compiles classics such as Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr. Blue Sky” and George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” – and that makes us want to know, what’s your favorite use of an already existing song in a film?
Back in 2014, “Guardians of the Galaxy” made waves with its nostalgic use of 60s and 70s classics that director James Gunn said grounded the superhero alien film.
But setting aside “Guardians”, there’s the iconic zombie slaughter scene from “Shaun of the Dead” set to Queen’s “Don’t stop me now,” the bold and anachronistic musical choices of directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Sofia Coppola and the Cat Stevens soundtrack to “Harold and Maude.”
What are your favorite compiled soundtracks or songs featured in a film? How did this music “make” the movie or scene? Which soundtracks are better than their film counterparts?
Guests:
Season Kent, music supervisor who’s worked on films such as “Suicide Squad” and “The Fault in our Stars,” and shows such as “Luke Cage” and “13 Reasons Why”
Justin Chang, film critic for KPCC and the Los Angeles Times; he tweets
Christy Lemire, film critic for KPCC and co-host of YouTube’s “What the Flick?;” she tweets