Patt Morrison for Thursday, June 23, 2011

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Thursday, June 23, 2011

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

 

 

1:41:30 – 1:58:30
Make the U.S. competitive or protect jobs for Americans? Bill to increase visas to foreign workers in U.S.
The first “brain drain” we heard about was the most intelligent, skilled individuals of other countries leaving and coming to the United States. Foreign students would come to the U.S. for higher education and then stay (or try to) and use their degree to get a job here. This left developing countries, in particular, struggling to further develop and become competitive without their best and brightest. Now, we’re seeing a brain drain out of the U.S., leaving the U.S. in the same predicament, particularly in science and engineering. Foreign students—many from China and India—come to the U.S. for higher education and, now, take the degree to work back at home. U.S. policy has been: “get an education here and then leave.” So, because they don’t have visas and because China and India now have just as many—if not more—science and engineering jobs, the graduates take their talent to our competitors.

To prevent this, CA Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has introduced a bill to keep foreign-born workers in the country by increasing the number of H1B visas granted. Lofgren argues that the measure will bring money into the U.S. and make the country more competitive. Lofgren is responding to American companies, like Intel, Google, and Oracle, who say they face a serious shortage of talent and need to hire the very best to be competitive. The bill has been met by large resistance from Republicans and others who point to statistics that the U.S. is producing more than enough American science and engineering grads, and we should be protecting jobs for American. In response, Lofgren and proponents say that even if we don’t increase the number of visas granted, American jobs will not be protected because the U.S. companies are following the U.S.-educated best and the brightest back to their home countries to set up shop. Should we increase the number of visas allowing foreigners to work here? Will such a measure make U.S. companies and/or the U.S. more competitive? Or, during this post-recession period of high unemployment, should we be protecting jobs for Americans?

Guests:
Vivek Wadhwa, director of research, Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization, & exec in residence, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University; senior research associate, Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School; visiting scholar, School of Information, UC Berkeley
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Paul Kostek, independent consultant in engineering; past president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers USA; past chair of the American Association of Engineering Societies

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2:06 – 2:30

Here’s why your DWP bill is about to go up

Everybody loves renewable energy, who wouldn’t unless you’re an oil or coal executive?  But green power comes with a price tag, and as had been promised for the past few years, customers of the Department of Water & Power are about to pay it.  DWP’s new general manager is proposing annual rate increases of 5% for water and power services over the next three years, money they claim is needed to comply with new environmental regulations and protect its credit rating.  While the additional revenue will cover mandates to move L.A.’s municipal power provider away from coal and deliver 33% clean energy by 2020, there is yet more money that needs to be spent in the next few years to upgrade aging utility infrastructure.  More green—green in terms of the environment and in terms of the great expense—programs will also be implemented in the near future, such as moving away from the use of ocean water to cool power plants (resulting in big “dead zones” off the Southern California coast).

 

All of which means that the 5% annual rate hike might just be the beginning.  Debates over rate increases have proved contentious and this round might not be any different, with the unfilled job of ratepayer advocate looming over both the DWP and the L.A. City Council.  Councilwoman Jan Perry said she would not approve rate hikes until the city hires the voter-mandated position of ratepayer advocate.  DWP claims that its customers have had it good over the past 10 years, averaging much smaller rate increases as compared to other California utilities.  We bring the general manager of the DWP to talk about the future of water and power in Los Angeles, and the future of your bill.

 

Guest:

Ron Nichols, general manager of the Department of Water & Power

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2:30 – 2:39

OPEN

 

 

 

2:41:30 – 2:58:30

Govan’s LACMA will rock you…this November

Michael Govan has been called a visionary, an advocate for artists and is credited with transforming the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).  LA County supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky says Govan is to LACMA what Dudamel is to the Philharmonic. He has boosted attendance by 40%, expanded the museum’s collection and completed two new exhibition halls.  But to Govan, it’s not just about art hanging on a wall.  He considers LACMA to be “multidisciplinary” and “multicultural” and capable of “encompass[ing] almost everything cultural.  He is building bridges and has recruited dozens of new trustees including some of Hollywood’s biggest heavy weights.  He has started a new weekly film series with Film Independent and is currently featuring an exhibition by Tim Burton (next year there are plans for a Stanley Kubrick exhibition). LACMA is helping to restore the Watts Towers and is working with the J. Paul Getty Trust to acquire the estate of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.  What’s next?  There is a whole lot of noise about “The Rock”, but you’ll have to listen to Patt to hear more about Govan’s rock art. 

 

Guest:

Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

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Jonathan Serviss
Senior Producer, Patt Morrison
Southern California Public Radio
NPR Affiliate for Los Angeles
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626.583.5171, office
415.497.2131, mobile
jserviss@kpcc.org / jserviss@scpr.org
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