Now that the Government has officially shutdown, what does that mean for citizens? What do California lawmakers think? Then, Obamacare launches online today in California. Will you be signing up? Next, a new survey shows LGBT performers still experience a lot of discrimination in Hollywood. If you work in the industry, what has been your experience? Then, how much of the Jewish identity centers around religion? Lastly we look at what's new in guerrilla style filmmaking.
California politicians react to government shutdown
With the federal government officially running on only essential personnel, 800,000 federal workers furloughed and President Obama and Democrats in Congress dug in to defend the administration’s signature health-care program, the question is, what will the next move in this political and economic game of chess look like?
Is the shutdown a polarizing force in American politics? Does the “we need to pay our bills” argument work on you? Do you support this principled stand, or is this action going to hurt the reputation of America?
Guests:
Adam Schiff, democratic member of the House of Representatives from the 28th District, which stretches from West Hollywood to Tujunga, he’s a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence charged with the oversight of the United States Intelligence Community
Ron Nehring, Chairman Emeritus of the California Rep Party and a Republican strategist
Forget defunding, here's the thing that could really sink Obamacare
Defunding efforts aside, health insurance exchanges under Obamacare are coming online Tuesday, where consumers can shop online for health plans and check out what kind of federal subsidies they qualify for.
Covered California is the state's online marketplace and will launch today. The Golden State is one of 14 states that have established its own health insurance marketplace. The federal government will operate exchanges in the remaining states.
The success and failure of the Affordable Care Act, many observers argue, will depend on one thing: the ability of it to attract enough healthy, young people to sign up.
RELATED: FAQ: Is Obamacare a good thing for California's small businesses?
They are much cheaper to insure and their buy in is necessary in order to balance out older, sicker patients that will cost the system more. It’s not a coincidence that young people is being bombarded by ads from both supporters and detractors of Obamacare.
RELATED: FAQ: Navigating Covered California's health insurance exchange
But how many young people does Obamacare need to enlist in order for it to be sustainable? If it fails to do so, is Obamacare doomed? If you are currently uninsured, are you going to sign up for care through Covered California?
Guests:
Shana Lavarreda, Director of Health Insurance Studies, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Avik Roy, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Policy Institute; In 2012, Roy was a health care policy advisor to Mitt Romney
Opportunities for LGBT performers in Hollywood improving, but discrimination remains
A new report released by the Screen Actors Guild found that Hollywood is not that gay-friendly when the cameras are not rolling. Despite the rise in gay and transgendered characters in television shows and in movies, gay actors are still experiencing discrimination in Hollywood.
The survey found that more than 50 percent of actors who identify as gay felt producers and directors were biases against them. The survey that featured more than 5,000 LGBT respondents found that 16 percent of respondents said they experienced discrimination. More than half said they heard directors and producers make anti-gay comments on set.
Do you think Hollywood is becoming more gay-friendly? If you work in the industry, what has been your experience? What can be done to curb on-set discrimination?
Guests:
Jody Herman, co-author of the study “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Diversity in Entertainment: Experiences and Perspectives of SAG-AFTRA Members;” Public Policy Fellow and Manager of Transgender Research, Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law
Jason Stuart, National Co-Chair of the SAG-AFTRA LGBT Committee; comedian and actor
What makes someone Jewish?
A new study from the Pew Research Center tackles that very question. One in five respondents of the survey who identify as Jewish say that they have no religion. They say they are connected to the Jewish community through culture and ancestry, not necessarily through a common belief in God. About two-thirds of the 3,500 Jewish Americans surveyed think that you can still be Jewish without being religious.
RELATED: A rapid shift for Jews away from religion, but not Jewishness
This demographic of secular Jews appear to be growing, especially among the young. The Pew survey finds that younger Jews are more likely to downplay the role of religion in their lives.
Does the rise in secularism, mean the demise of Judaism? Is being Jewish about birth and belonging or a leap of faith? If belief in God isn’t necessary to one’s Jewish identity, what is? Is it more a cultural or historic bond? We’d like to hear from our Jewish listeners about what it means for you to be Jewish?
Guests:
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, an Orthodox rabbi; President of CLAL—The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership in New York City; co-founder and executive editor of a new publication, The Wisdom Daily
Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, which represents roughly 600 synagogues in North America
'Escape from Tomorrow' showcases DIY film advances
A feature film shot surreptitiously at Disney World - featuring Epcot Center, pretty princesses and It’s a Small World - is somehow escaping litigation and coming to a handful of theaters and video-on-demand October 11.
The strange guerilla film centers on a family whose Disney vacation turns into a surrealist horror. The filmmaker, Randy Moore, and his cast and crew spent days and days at Florida’s Disney World using small, but pro cameras, to pull off the high-production-value feature. The advent of affordable, high-quality digital cameras, such as Canon’s 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera and the RED ONE mean do-it-yourself filmmakers can come off looking like Spielberg.
So if “Escape from Tomorrow” was hugely buzzworthy when it premiered at Sundance, why hasn’t it provoked a lawsuit from Disney? How far can independent filmmakers go in avoiding proper permits and licenses? If you’re an independent filmmaker, what risks do you take to envision your dream?
AirTalk speaks to intellectual property attorney, Ruth Carter, and for the indie filmmaker perspective, co-founder of SlamDance (a truly indie collective created as a backlash to Sundance going “too commercial”), Peter Baxter.
Guests:
Ruth Carter, Attorney specializing in intellectual property, based in Arizona
Peter Baxter, Founder and Director, Slamdance - a film festival and film collective; Filmmaker - upcoming documentary “Wild in the Streets”