We take a look at the California propositions: Which ones passed, which ones failed and what happens next? Swing-state Colorado goes to Obama, but it was once a state that Republicans could count on. We look at why that might be. Plus, Molly Munger joins the show with her reaction to Prop 38's failure.
What the passage of Prop 30 means for California residents, budget
First we bring you an update on the passage of Proposition 30. It increases the income tax on wealthy Californians and temporarily raises the state sales tax
Governor Brown's initiative was passed with 54 percent of people voting yes. Its rival measure, Prop 38, went down in flames, with just 28 percent of the voters supporting it.
For more on these results we're joined by Dan Schnur, Director of the Jesse Unruh Institute of Politics at USC and KPCC's education reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez.
To talk about what happens next for California's budget, KPCC's Julie Small joins the show.
Molly Munger on the failure of Proposition 38
Molly Munger's Proposition 38 has officially lost. Munger, a multi-millionaire and Pasadena civil rights attorney has personally spent more than $44 million on the Yes on 38 campaign. Her brother Charles Munger spent $3 million on the campaign.
Molly Munger joins the show to talk about the outcome of her proposition and what she thinks is next for California schools.
Interview Highlights:
Her thoughts after hearing Prop 38 did not pass:
"Proposition 30 was supported by an enormous and powerful political machine, we certainly weren't so its not such a surprise that when the governor of the state and all of the muscle that comes with that gets behind something that its very hard for the underdog, But when the underdog still comes up with 2.5 million votes thats still pretty good. You have to look at it that way, we're fighting for the kids."
On the future of California schools with Prop 30's success:
"Our schools are funded 47th in the country, our early childhood programs have been cut by a third, our public education system in California is in tatters, Prop 30 will not change that, it will not change that a bit, it will only prevent further deterioration in an already dismal situation. we have got to turn California education around and its a long battle. This is just the opening round, this is not the end, this is the beginning."
On whether she has any regrets after spending $44 million on her campaign:
"Proposition 38 would have brought $120 billion over 12 years to our public schools. Was it worth $45 million for a change to get $120 billion for our kids? Absolutely, even if the odds were long. Learn by doing, when there's something you want to do, start doing it, pursue it, try to make it happen. You can't just sit there and say well its too hard, the hills too high I can't. You have to say, look, the voters show in polls that they want to support the schools. The schools desperately need it as a matter of policy. When you have its the right thing to do and the voters know it, somehow there's got to be a way to unlock the formula to bring those two things together and get it done and we will get it done if we keep working on it.
On whether she'll run for office some day:
"I am a civil rights lawyer, and I love being a civil rights lawyer, and I'm 64 years old and I want to stay one until the day I die. That's my ambition, and it's funny to me that people always ask me this about do I want to run for office. I think, 'Are you kidding? I love what I wouldn't like to be a public official.' When you're a public official you have so many ceremonial duties and you have so many, I don't know, there's an awful lot of constraints and boxes that you get into in that role. I see it because I'm an advocate so often for public officials and I see how tied up they are and when you're an advocate you're much freer you can do the right thing, you can just say it like it is, and that's just a much more comfortable role for me."
70 percent of US Latinos voted for Barack Obama
More than 12 million Latinos voted and they broke overwhelmingly for President Obama: 71 percent voted for the incumbent compared to 27 percent for Romney. That's a forty-point difference.
Here with more analysis is syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette.
Swing-state Colorado turns blue again, but not by a landslide
Latino voters played a crucial role in Colorado, helping President Obama carry the swing state as he did in 2008. However, it was still a close race in the state with 51 percent for Obama versus to 46 percent for Romney.
Once upon a time, Republicans could count on Colorado to deliver, so what's changed?
Floyd Ciruli, an independent pollster in Denver, joins the show to give us some insight on his state's changing politics.
California state election round up
In California state politics, it wasn't all about Proposition 30. The California ballot had 11 propositions, plus there were also local ballot measures and hotly-contested Congressional and mayoral races.
We get the highlights from Sanden Totten and Josie Huang.
Analyzing the election results for California
Darry Sragow, partner of SNR Denton lawfirm and former chief campaign strategist for Democrats in the California State Assembly and Allan Hoffenblum, Republican political analyst join the show to analyze the election results for California.
Who were the winners and losers in the election media frenzy?
Who were the winners and losers when it came to media coverage of the election? Joining us is Tim Goodman, TV critic at The Hollywood Reporter.
Prop 36 success and Prop 34 failure bring change to CA criminal justice system
Last night brought mixed news for California's criminal justice system. Voters approved Prop 36 to ease California's Three Strikes Law, but they failed to end the death penalty by rejecting Prop 34.
Joining us to explain voters' reasoning, is Loyola Law School professor and former federal prosecutor Laurie Levenson.
Democrats keep control of Senate after two Tea-Party backed losses
The presidential race always gets top billing, but a third of the Senate and all members of the House were up for re-election yesterday, too. Lawmakers will be heading back to work with many of the same faces, and likely much of the same divisiveness.
Republicans maintained control of the house, but in the Senate, two key losses by Tea Party-backed candidates allowed Democrats to keep their majority.
We're joined now by David Grant, congressional correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor.
Colorado and Washington legalize marijuana, but may face federal fight
Two Western states, Colorado and Washington, have become the first states to legalize recreational marijuana.
Voters there approved ballot measures that remove criminal and civil penalties for the adult possession of cannabis, but it's likely the measures will result in a confrontation between these states and the federal government, which prohibits use of the drug.
To discuss the future of these measures, we have with us Beau Kilmer, Co-Director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center.
The role of hindsight in the presidential election
President Barack Obama has won the race for the White House. Did you see that coming? As the saying goes, hindsight is always 20/20. Is there a way to catch ourselves from becoming know-it-alls after the fact?
Colin Camerer, a neuroscientist at the California Institute of Technology joins us to talk about the pros and cons of hindsight.