Today on AirTalk, we'll examine the political scene nationally, in Ohio and the workplace, discuss the beginning of bidding season for AEG, debate Proposition 33, get to the bottom of some gas tank myths and hear about the origin story of Marvel.
Romney rallies in voter polls, especially among women, but is it enough to win the White House?
Mitt Romney’s post-debate surge may have wiped out President Obama’s lead in the polls, especially among women voters, according to the latest voter survey from the Pew Research Center. In September, Pew showed Obama leading by 18 points among women, but the center’s most recent data indicates the Republican nominee has pulled even with his Democrat opponent among that particular demographic.
Another major polling organization, Gallup, released results from its national tracking poll on Monday afternoon that paint a less rosy picture for Romney. Gallup calculated Obama to be leading with support from 50 percent of registered voters, which puts Obama up 5 points over Romney’s reported 45 percent. This also puts Obama ahead beyond Gallup’s margin of error of 2 percentage points.
Is Romney’s post-debate comeback beginning to fade or has it sparked enough momentum to give him a winning edge? What might explain Romney’s possible surge among women voters?
Guests:
Steven Shepard, Polling editor, National Journal
Let the bidding begin! AEG goes on the auction block
As reported by Reuters today, billionaire Phil Anschutz has officially kicked off the bidding for his Anschutz Entertainment Group. AEG owns more than 100 sports and entertainment venues worldwide, including what Angelenos might consider the crown jewel: the Staples Center. Other assets include the L.A. Galaxy soccer team and a good-sized chunk of the Lakers. But don’t go digging in your couch cushions, sports fans. Anschutz won’t entertain any bids below the $6 to $10 billion range. Not many of us could come up with that kind of scratch, even without a recession.
Among the dozens of likely candidates, according to Reuters, are the newly proud owner of the Dodgers, Guggenheim Partners, private equity companies such as Bain Capital and Colony Capital, and billionaire-about-town Patrick Soon-Shiong. Or, a consortium made up of individual and corporate buyers. Of course, transferring ownership of AEG’s sports assets will be subject to approval by the NHL and the NBA – making the sale potentially problematic.
What will new ownership mean to the company’s 25,000 employees? Who has the power to write a check for this big-ticket property? Which buyer is most likely to bring L.A. its long-awaited NFL franchise? Going once…going twice….
Guest:
David Brooks, Managing Editor, Venues Today
Buckeye state, more like bellwether state
Nationally Mitt Romney is seeing quite a bump in the polls from the first Presidential debate last week. Both the Rasmussen poll and the Gallup poll show the presidential race in a dead heat. But as we enter the last month of the race, how are the purple states, or the states that are up for grabs looking?
Of all of the swing states, Ohio has the largest pot, 18 electoral votes. President Obama has made five trips to the Ohio State University campus in the past two years. Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s three trips to Ohio in the last two weeks prove just how important the Buckeye state is in this election.
A CBS News survey suggests that the voter hot button issues include the economy, health care, budget deficit, and taxes. Ohio has traditionally been a bellwether: The last president elected without winning Ohio was Democrat John F. Kennedy in 1960, and no GOP candidate has ever won the White House without winning Ohio.
Guest:
Henry Gomez, politics writer, The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
Talking politics: is it taboo in the workplace?
As we enter the last few weeks of one of the closest presidential races in recent history, people of all political persuasions are finding it hard to keep opinions to themselves.
But how much political discourse is allowable in the workplace? Whether it’s a casual water cooler dissection of last night’s debate, following a candidate’s Facebook page or the actual solicitation of signatures or donations, the range of political engagement can be a sore spot for many employers, and in some cases, may even leave them open to legal action.
Some businesses draw the line at displaying buttons, flyers or t-shirts, the sending of political e-mails or using company facilities for political activities. Others may enforce a “no political discussions” policy.
Are employees exercising First Amendment rights when they expound on their favorite candidates and causes? Is shushing them a form of discrimination? What if co-workers feel harassed, intimidated or uncomfortable with others’ opinions?
Do you find political arguments at work annoying and distracting, or do you love a stimulating debate? Would you rather not be forced to share your political views? Do you wish your workplace was a “pundit-free” zone?
Guest:
Steve Kaplan, Labor Employment Lawyer in practice in Los Angeles; former chair of LA County Bar’s labor and employment section
Debating California’s Prop 33, auto insurance discounts
Are you a driver in Los Angeles? (Is that a stupid question?) Well, if you are, then Proposition 33 is one of the upcoming ballot initiatives that could have a huge impact on your finances.
As it stands now, California insurance companies offer a “continuous coverage” discount, so you get a better rate for being a loyal customer and a safe driver. However, the discount only applies to that particular company, and if you transfer to another provider, the discount is lost. Proposition 33 would instead make it possible to get at least some sort of cost reduction when switching agencies, as long as you’ve had coverage for at least five years.
Proponents of the initiative say this will make insurance companies compete more for customers, thus driving the costs down. Opponents stress that this discount only applies to those who already have had insurance for some time, and to offset the reduced costs for loyal customers, prices would rise for everyone else, which could lead to more people being uninsured. That’s a financial burden on those who haven’t had coverage for five straight years, and could make the roads a lot less safe.
Plus, Proposition 33 draws 99.5 percent of its funds from George Joseph, chairman of auto insurer Mercury General, who just dropped another $8 million in the Yes on 33 campaign yesterday. Are there ulterior motives there?
Prop Breakdown:
Official Title: Automobile Insurance Persistency Discounts InitiativeChanges current law to allow insurance companies to set prices based on whether the driver previously carried auto insurance with any insurance company. Allows insurance companies to give proportional discounts to drivers with some history of prior insurance coverage. Will allow insurance companies to increase cost of insurance to drivers who have not maintained continuous coverage. Treats drivers with lapse as continuously covered if lapse is due to military service or loss of employment, or if lapse is less than 90 days.
Weigh In:
Which side is more effectively pitching to the public? Is it fair for auto insurance to be raised on the uninsured? Do you wish you could switch insurance agencies and maintain your discount?
Guests:
Rachel Hooper, campaign consultant for Yes on Prop 33
Carmen Balber, director of the Washington office for Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group that has been highly critical of the insurance industry
Busted: The 5 biggest gas-saving myths
With California gas prices soaring to painful new highs this week, you might be wishing you could trade in that gas-guzzler for a hybrid. Unfortunately, that’s not an option for everyone. So what’s a driver to do?
Well, it turns out there are some useful tips out there for saving real dollars without having to buy a new car. Chances are, you’ve heard a few of them and wondered if they were true.
Phil Reed, senior consumer advice editor of Edmunds.com shares with us some of the tests that they have done to see if the different ways of saving gas mileage really pay off or not.
Myth number one: Low tire inflation wastes fuel
“Tire pressure, I have to say, it’s extremely important for safety, but the problem is if you have uninflated tires and you fill them up you wont be able to tell the difference in fuel efficiency. It’s in the area of one-to-three percent, which is hard to tell for consumers, but you will be able to drive more efficiently and more safely,” Reed said.
So while your wallet might not be able to tell the difference in having a good tire pressure, it is a good idea to make sure you are safe on the road.
Myth number two: Does turning off the air conditioner save gas?
Reed says, “It depends on the aerodynamics of your vehicle, it’s a fine line. The myth comes from the old days when they had really old parts of the older cars… there isn’t absolutely no difference but it is really, really small. You wont see a big jump in your fuel economy.”
Meaning don’t worry too much about running that A/C.
Myth number three: Does excessive idling waste fuel?
In the Edmunds experiment, Reed finds that, “We drove a certain route stopping ten times and idling for two minutes each time. Then we did the same route but with just stopping and turning the car off and we found a 10-percent difference, which is very significant.”
So next time you have to run into the house to grab something, turn the car off and you will save more cents per gallon.
Myth number four: Aggressive driving goes through fuel more quickly
“We accelerated hard 10 times and cruised through the high speed, then used the breaks very aggressively, and we are talking about a three-quarters throttle…if we went from the three quarters to a one quarter throttle, some of the savings were up to 37 percent and the average was 31 percent, so my advice would be stop driving like a maniac,” Reed and the Edmunds team reports.
And on premium fuel use?
Reed notes, “They are going more towards turbo-charged engines, and it is worth trying the higher grade with the turbo-charged engine because you may have a net gain with your fuel costs, but for all others only use premium fuel if it is required. Not recommended, required, that’s the key word.”
For more tips visit the Edmunds website.
Weigh In:
Can the Edmund’s tests be matched by anyone? What’s your favorite gas-saving tip?
Guest:
Phil Reed, senior consumer advice editor, Edmunds.com
Sean Howe reveals the origin of a super company in 'Marvel Comics: The Untold Story'
“POW!” That is the aural adjective typically used to describe the sound produced by superheroes when they pummel their competition, but when The Walt Disney Company purchased Marvel Entertainment to the tune of $4.24 billion in 2009, the sound that manifested in the minds of Marvel executives was probably more like “cha-ching!”
Having established itself as a multi-billion dollar giant, Marvel Comics had come a long way from its origin in a tiny office on Madison Avenue in the early 1960s. Thanks to popular characters like the X-Men, Spider-Man, Captain America and their creators, the struggling company attracted millions of readers and fans and grew to become an entertainment industry powerhouse.
Former “Entertainment Weekly” editor Sean Howe reveals a behind-the-scenes account of one of the most influential pop culture forces in America in his new book “Marvel Comics: The Untold Story.”
Excerpt From 'Marvel Comics the Untold Story'
Guest:
Sean Howe, author, “Marvel Comics: The Untold Story” (Harper); former editor and critic at “Entertainment Weekly”