The impacts of the growing Asian population in the US, young conservatives look at where the GOP is headed, 'Braveheart' documentary.
Asians to lead immigration surge by 2065, overtaking Hispanics
The year 2065 will mark a big shift in US immigration: by then no racial or ethnic group will hold a majority in the country and Asians will pass Hispanics as the top immigrant group.
That's according to a new study out today from the Pew Research Center. We're joined by Jeffrey Passel, one of the lead authors of the report and a senior demographer at Pew.
State of the GOP: Where young conservatives see the party going
It's likely to be a tough week in the House as lawmakers struggle to get the majority they need to keep the government operating.
Outgoing speaker John Boehner says he's willing to reach across the aisle to close a deal. Meanwhile, a joint poll from NBC and The Wall Street Journal put Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Marco Rubio in the lead with voters, with Carly Fiorina trailing close behind.
With three political outsiders topping the list, one thing seems clear: GOP voters want fresh faces and stronger stances. But the party has become polarized in recent years, and many are worried that division in the ranks could continue to gum-up the House and hurt conservatives heading into 2016.
Mary-Briana Perez is a junior at the University of Southern California, and a member of the student-led organization, USC GOP. She says she’s not surprised by Boehner’s recent decision to step down.
“There has been a lot of pressure from both sides of the party for speaker Boehner to resign,” she says. “But I was saddened too. I think that he was -- amidst different opinions -- someone who could really reach across the aisle and make compromise.”
She adds that Boehner had ‘a good heart.’
Fellow young conservative Zachary Hayes sees the outbound speaker differently, however. Hayes is the president of the student-run Loyola Marymount Republicans.
“I felt that he was not quite a strong enough leader for the times,” Hayes explains. “He would have been better, perhaps, before this era of polarization really manifested itself during the Obama Administration. He just wasn’t strong enough for the GOP … so I feel that it was better that he went.”
In an interview with CBS’ Face the Nation this weekend, Boehner lambasted ultra conservatives who ‘whip people into a frenzy,’ believing they can accomplish things that ‘they know are never going to happen.’ Hayes says these conservative factions may have been a little overzealous, but for good reason. “I feel like they’re tapping into a feeling of anger that’s really resonating with conservative activists … Even if Boehner may be right pragmatically, he’s not in touch with people’s emotions, and that’s what counts,” he says.
He adds that it remains to be seen just what the Tea Party’s legacy will be in the House. “I think it depends on where the county goes in 2016, and if Republican majorities are expanded, or if they’re still in power in both houses of Congress,” he says.
USC GOP member Mary Perez disagrees, however. She says that most people see Tea Partiers as people who are willing to shut down the government to achieve their aims. “I don’t personally think that those members of congress advocating for a government shutdown is something we should looked at in a positive light,” she says.
When host A. Martinez pointed out this divide in opinion, Hayes says, it’s to be expected. “I feel like it’s just indicative of the split,” he says. “The Republican Party is not quite sure where it wants to go: more conservative or potentially more moderate.”
Press the play button above to hear more.
Use the comment section below to share your thoughts on the future of the GOP.
'San Francisco 2.0' looks at future of counterculture, technology
Silicon Valley's tech boom has had a huge impact on nearby San Francisco, bringing great energy and affluence. But some feel those changes may not all be for the good.
The city has been known as a bohemian counter-culture capital for artists, writers and nonconformists. But how will that continue?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMPHPac8vuw
A new HBO documentary premiering Monday night takes a look at this tricky issue. "San Francisco 2.0" is directed and produced by Alexandra Pelosi. She joined host A Martinez to talk about her hometown, and the film.
On the Lot: 'Hotel Transylvania 2' vs. 'The Intern,' Mark Wahlberg and the pope
In this week's On the Lot:
- "Hotel Transylvania 2" had a record-setting weekend at the box office
- Aaron Sorkin and Apple CEO Tim Cook get into a war of words
- Mark Wahlberg meets the Pope and makes a tongue-in-cheek plea for forgiveness
All this and more from
of the LA Times.
'A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story'
Lizzie Velasquez was born with a rare genetic disorder that prevents her from building or storing fat, which has cause a whole host of physical problems.
Velasquez's condition, named Velasquez's syndrome because of it rarity, has made her body rail thin. She weighs less than 65 pounds, her skin sags and she's blind in one eye.
Despite that, she is a enthusiastic and warm person loved by her friends and family. But while in her teens, she stumbled upon a Youtube video of herself. The title was the "world’s ugliest woman."
But she turned that incident into a calling: fighting against cyber bullying. Speaking before Congress, appearing on television and talking in front of a live audience at a TEDx talk in Austin, Texas.
Her life and struggles against bullying are the subject of a new documentary film titled, "A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story."
She sat down with host Alex Cohen recently to talk about the movie, and her effort to combat cyber-bullying.