KCRW - Santa Monica

July is not over, but it's already the deadliest month for US troops in Afghanistan since the war began eight years ago. The US has begun a major offensive against the Taliban, but two out of three allied casualties are caused not by direct combat but improvised explosive devises, crude roadside bombs. Defense Secretary Gates says there must be "progress" before next summer or the war will lose the support of the American people. How will "progress" be measured? … more

With only a day left until the State of California starts issuing IOU's, Governor Schwarzenegger is accusing Democrats in the Assembly and Senate of wasting their time. Both houses passed bills avoiding some of the cuts Schwarzenegger has proposed by raising the tobacco tax, imposing a severance tax on oil drilled in California and raising the vehicle license fee to keep state parks open. They acted even though the Governor promised to veto the bills.

Guests:

Last week both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s warned California that it’s in store for downgrades of its credit ratings, already the lowest of any state and approaching the junk-bond status. That’s led to a lot of California bashing. On top of that, Republicans and Democrats in Washington are condescending to the Golden State, and the Obama Administration refuses to guarantee state bonds. Joe Mathews, Irvine Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, is a contributor to the Washington… more

Yesterday, while voters were trashing his ballot measures, the Governor was at the Obama White House for a photo-op on the federal adoption of California’s mileage standards. This morning, he was still in Washington. But Schwarzenegger's favorability rating has plunged into the low 30’s and, after yesterday’s election, all he can do is pick up the pieces. Five ballot measures suffered resounding defeat, leaving the state with a deficit of $21 billion -- larger than the entire budgets of most… more

On Thursday, Governor Schwarzenegger will issue two revised budget proposals: one based on the passage of Measures 1-A through E in next week’s election and one based on their failure. In the meantime, the State Treasurer and Assembly Speaker have gone to Washington in search of bailout money. Joe Mathews is Irvine Scholar for the New America Foundation. Link to audio

 

Ten thousand state workers and 275 construction projects are the latest casualties of the budget crisis in Sacramento. Lay-off notices and orders to shut down went out today. Meantime, one Republican Senator is still needed to pass a budget with $14 billion in new taxes, $15 billion in spending cuts and $10 billion in borrowing. Link to audio

By the time you hear this, the state legislature may or may not have corralled one, final Republican vote for a new budget full of tax increases and program cuts. But either way, the cash crisis won't be over. That's according to Joe Mathews, Irvine Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation and contributor to the Washington Post and the LA Times.Link to audio