Patt Morrison for Friday, September 3, 2010

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, September 3, 2010

1-3 p.m.

 

CALL-IN @ 866-893-5722, 866-893-KPCC; OR JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE ON THE PATT MORRISON BLOG AT KPCC-DOT-ORG

 

 

1:06 – 1:39

OPEN

 

 

1:41 – 1:58:30

There is Power in a Union:  The Epic Story of Labor in America

Just in time for Labor Day, award-winning historian Philip Dray joins Patt for a look back at the age-old struggle between labor and capital and how it shaped the American experience.  From the textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts to the Haymarket Riots to the United Farm Worker’s Union, Dray examines how the struggle by labor unions who won privileges such as an eight-hour workday, safer working conditions, health benefits—privileges many Americans now take for granted—reflects how American concepts of fairness and economic democracy were shaped and the legacy they have left us with today.

 

Guest:

Philip Dray, award-winning historian and author of At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America and There is Power in a Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America

VIA ISDN

 

 

2:06 – 2:30

Investing 101—what should Americans do with $33 billion of savings?

Have the economic meltdown and the recession shaken your confidence in the U.S. stock market? If you answered yes, you aren’t alone. More than $33 billion have been yanked out of mutual funds by small investors since July of this year. Online investing made easy by such sites as E-Trade has empowered the individual investor to take control of their financial future. But the recession and economic uncertainty seems to be making investors skittish. Money is flowing out domestic equity funds and into safer investments, like bonds. So what constitutes a safe investment in this shaky economy? Patt walks us through investing 101. 

 

Guest:

Mick Swartz, Associate Professor of Clinical Finance at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business

IN STUDIO

 

 

2:30 – 2:58:30

American hypocrites (isn’t that redundant?)

The outcry of Obama opponents has become fairly widespread around the country. Tea Partiers, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck – the list goes on and on of those critics who point the finger and shout “socialist!” without a nod. But what would these Americans say if they lost their mortgage tax relief, their Social Security, or their state’s stimulus funds? Well, they’d probably throw a tantrum to get it back. What about the BP oil spill – a private company’s problem? Well, the White House didn’t respond quickly enough. So which is it? Big government or small government? Or has logic just been lost in the political arena, now seemingly characterized by pointing fingers rather than solving problems? 

 

Guests:

Gary Langer, founder of Langer Research Associates, which conducts research and polling for their clients.  He is also Director of Polling for ABC News

CALL HIM:

 

• The notion that people are generally opposed to government spending isn’t true.  People don’t like government spending when they don’t see evidence of it doing any good. 
• Spending to create jobs, programs for education, sustain social security are supported. 
• When spending is perceived as ineffective, people get upset.
• For instance, right now people aren’t so upset over the amount of stimulus money that has been spent by the government, but because they perceive the spending as not having done much good so far.

 

 

 

Jonathan Serviss

Producer, Patt Morrison Program

Southern California Public Radio

NPR Affiliate for Los Angeles

89.3 KPCC-FM | 89.1 KUOR-FM | 90.3 KPCV-FM

626.583.5171, office

415.497.2131, mobile

jserviss@kpcc.org / jserviss@scpr.org

www.scpr.org