The Democrats have rejected the Republicans attempt to fund part of the government during the shutdown. Will the Republicans be able to shift the blame? Next, it's our OC Roundtable where we discuss San Onofre decommissioning, and the politics of Angel Stadium. Then the Huntington Beach Riot over the summer created tension between residents and "909ers." What can be done to mend these strained relations? Next, the Dodgers are without two main center fielders, can they still win? Lastly, we talk with author Diane Ravitch about the dangers of privatizing public education.
Democrats reject Republican attempt to fund government selectively
In the latest move to get the government functioning again after a partial shutdown, the Republicans have tried to get three emergency funding bills passed that would reopen the national parks and the D.C. government, and restore veterans’ benefits. One glitch though: the Democrats are refusing to play ball and voted all the measures down.
A poll released yesterday by Quinnipiac University found that an estimated 72% of voters oppose the Republican strategy of linking federal funding to the funding of Obamacare.
With public opinion appears to be firmly on the side of the Democrats, would the party’s refusal to fund the government in piecemeal fashion hurt them? Would the Republicans be able to shift the blame now to the Dems?
Guests:
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist; former senior Obama advisor in 2008, who now runs the Los Angeles office for the Dewey Square Group
Jon Fleischman, publisher of FlashReport.org and former executive director of the state Republican Party
OC Journalists Roundtable: San Onofre decommissioning, the politics of Angel Stadium and more
Larry is joined by Orange County journalists who will round up the latest news concerning OC residents, including the future of the San Onofre nuclear plant that closed in July and once powered 1.4 million homes in Southern California.
We’ll also discuss a challenge to a zoning ordinance in Newport Beach that drove group homes for recovering addicts out of the city. The challengers to the 2008 law say it was a case of illegal discrimination.
And we’ll talk about a law requiring registered sex offenders in Orange County to post signs on their lawns at Halloween that opponents say is unconstitutional. We’ll also take a look at the long awaited arrival of homes in Great Park, the Angels stadium lease, the reigning in of Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait by city council members and more.
Guests:
Ed Joyce, Orange County Reporter, KPCC
Teri Sforza, Watchdog Columist, OC Register
Nick Gerda, Reporter, Voice of OC
Huntington Beach riot strains relations between beach residents and '909ers'
Back in July, after the final day of competition in the U.S. Open of Surfing at the Huntington Beach Pier, police clashed in the streets of Huntington Beach with mostly young males who knocked over portable toilets, vandalized shops, and started fights.
In a recent Los Angeles Times piece by Paloma Esquivel, locals blame those who travel from inland to their beaches for the violence, and they lament the presence of people they call “909ers,” because it’s the area code for San Bernadino County, for turning summer nights into clashes with police.
Is it fair to blame this violence on visitors? Do you find the term “909er” offensive? Is Huntington Beach, a town that relies on tourism, two-faced for wanting tourism dollars but also for wishing people from inland would simply stay home?
Guest:
Paloma Esquivel, Orange County reporter for the Los Angeles Times
Dodgers open playoffs against Atlanta Braves
The Dodgers and Braves will kick off the National League division playoffs this Thursday, in Atlanta. It’s the Dodgers’ first playoff appearance in four years, and they’ll be making it without center fielder Matt Kemp who’s out for the entire postseason with an injured left ankle.
This is bad timing for the Dodgers, as right fielder Andre Ethier might also be on the disabled list. If Kemp and Ethier are both out, utility man Skip Schumaker will likely have more time on the field. The Dodgers are favored to win their division series, which has apparently left the Braves feeling a bit miffed.
Braves backup catcher Gerald Laird told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “We get no love from anyone.” But if the Dodgers are without their two main center fielders, will they still be good enough to win? The series returns home to Los Angeles on Sunday.
Guest:
Bill Shaikin, National Baseball Writer, Los Angeles Times
In 'Reign of Error,' Diane Ravitch makes the argument against privatizing education
America’s public school system is broken. That’s the narrative being fed to the public by misinformed lawmakers according to Diane Ravitch, former U.S. assistant secretary of education.
In her book “Reign of Error,” Ravitch uses data to argue that public schools in the U.S. are not failing. While there are many districts--mainly in areas of high poverty and segregation--with low test scores, overall test scores and graduation rates are higher than they’ve ever been and dropout rates are lower.
So why the narrative of failure? Ravitch says it comes in part from major foundations and hedge fund managers who advocate for the privatization of schools. “Reign of Error” documents the problems of efforts to reform and privatize the public school system and emphasizes the importance of a public school education in the U.S.
Guest:
Diane Ravitch, Research Professor of Education at New York University; former Assistant Secretary of Education (1991-1993)