Transcripts For WMPT PBS NewsHour 20130926

Exchanges to the uninsured next tuesday. It said Small Businesses and a latino Enrollment Service will not be able to enroll online for several weeks. Well have more on the spending fight and on obamacare later, but first, the other news of the day. The u. S. And russia reached agreement late today on the wording of a u. N. Resolution on disposing of syrias chemical arsenal. The u. S. Ambassador to the united nations, samantha power, said the measure would be legally obligating on damascus to surrender all chemical weapons. The full u. N. Security council is meeting tonight on the resolution. Also at the u. N. , the u. S. And the other permanent members of the Security Council resumed Nuclear Talks with iran. The session is aimed at setting up a new round of fullscale negotiations, probably next month. More on this, later in the program. The death toll from tuesdays massive earthquake in southwestern pakistan kept rising today to 355. People were still digging through the rubble of flattened villages, looking for belongings. Survivors pleaded for aid and medical attention, and many complained help is not getting to remote areas. translated 48 hours have passed. The people here have nothing to eat. They dont have clean drinking water. No government teams have reached us so far. Woodruff the pakistani interior minister said today Security Problems are making it hard for rescuers. Hours later, a government helicopter surveying the quake damage narrowly missed being hit by two rockets. They were fired on by militants seeking independence for baluchistan. In iraq, a new round of bombings killed nearly two dozen people and wounded scores more. The attacks continued a wave of violence thats claimed nearly 6,000 lives this year. Most of todays victims died at a marketplace in a shiite Village North of baghdad. The somali Extremist Group that attacked a Shopping Mall in nairobi, kenya, has struck again. Alshabaab fighters assaulted two kenyan towns near the border with somalia today, killing three people. Meanwhile, kenyans have begun burying the 67 confirmed dead in the mall siege. We have a report from Lindsey Hilsum of independent television news. Reporter a hindu funeral for the marketing the director for one of kenyas biggest companies. International attention has turned to the investigation, but many here are still deep in mourning. Mr. Shah had the chance to escape from the top floor of west gate but he stayed to try and protect children there. This is just one of 67 funerals and we dont know how many more there will be because an unknown number of bodies are still lying in the rubble at west gate. People in kenya are going through grief, but also fear and uncertainty because the government still hasnt answered so many of their questions. The m. P. For the area paralyzed in a carjacking incident a few years back is angry about the intelligence failure that led to a terror attack in his constituency. They are not up to the job then we must get them out and get people who can work. Because if you are there, you are there to protect their lives and property and youre not doing it. Reporter the Kenyan Defense force released these pictures showing wrecked car which is tumbled down from the roof car park when it collapsed. We still dont know why. Today foreign forensic teams were seen on the sight. Others, including americans and germans arrived at the mortuary to examine bodies for clues, a painstaking process that would take some time. Woodruff alshabaab is known to have recruited among somalis living in the u. S. But in washington today, attorney general eric holder played down the potential for a domestic attack. I would not say that we have any specific, credible evidence that alshabaab is planning to do anything in the United States. Im not sure if they have the capacity to do anything in the United States. It doesnt mean, however, that were not taking the threat that they pose as we are taking that as a serious one. Woodruff holder also said there is no evidence that americans were involved in planning the nairobi attack. There will be no freedom for former liberian president charles taylor. The onetime leader looked on today as the International Criminal court upheld his convictions for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Hed been found guilty of aiding rebels in sierra leone during a bloody civil war. Prosecutor Brenda Hollis welcomed the courts announcement, in the netherlands. This final decision affirms taylors responsibility for grave crimes which caused untold suffering to many thousands, if not tens of thousands of victims in sierra leone. Todays judgment brings some measure of justice to those victims who suffered so horribly because of charles taylor. Woodruff taylors conviction carries a 50year prison sentence. A former Montana High School teacher was released from prison today, after serving just 30 days for raping a student. Stacey rambold was convicted of assaulting a 14yearold girl, who later committed suicide. A state judge sentenced him in august, and appeared to suggest the girl was partly to blame for the rape. Prosecutors are appealing for a longer sentence. In economic news, firsttime jobless claims fell last week, coming close to their lowest levels in six years. That gave a boost to wall street. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained 55 points to close at 15,328. The nasdaq rose 26 points to close at 3,787. Woodruff still to come on the newshour how deals actually get done on capital hill; reading the new push for diplomacy between the u. S. And iran; the legal battles over the value of interns; what Health Care Reform means for medicare; an execution in china thats sparked outrage online and wild tales from graham nashs life in rock n roll. Ifill as kwame reported, high noon appears to be approaching in congress. But whats the fight really about . Health care . Funding government . Paying our debts . And who has the upper hand . For a look at whats playing out behind the scenes, we turn to two capitol veterans whove spent their fair share of time in the backrooms where the deals are made. Ron bonjean, who worked as Communications Director for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and chief of staff for the Senate Republican conference. And jim manley, who was a top advisor to Senate Majority leader harry reid and press secretary for the late senator ted kennedy. You guys have been in the battles before, youre happily on the sidelines now but as you watch the two debateds, ron bonjean, approaching, the government, the debt limit next month, funding the government, which is potentially more damaging for which party . Right now i think shutting down the government would be much more damaging for the republican party. But let me say this republicans want to negotiate with the president over avoiding all of this. They want to talk about reducing spending, they want to talk about delaying obamacare and the president is saying he wont negotiate and to republicans that is very surprising consider that the president is the saying he will negotiate with syria, will negotiate wpl Vladimir Putin and his secretary of state will be talking to iran. And why isnt he picking up the phone and calling john boehner. Ifill let me ask jim manley that question. We heard the president saying hes not going to negotiate about the full faith and credit of the u. S. Government and john boehner said it doesnt work that way. Well, hes about to find out that things have changed. The president learned a valuable lesson after his negotiations in 2011 with Speaker Boehner over the socalled debt limit then. He learned that you cant negotiate with hostage takers and that probably more importantly that Speaker Boehner doesnt have the ability to move his caucus. What they are trying to do right now is attach everything to the kitchen sink and see what sticks. To your question earlier, i think that the debt limit is clearly the most cataclysmic for the republican party. Again, calling into question the full faith and credit of the United States government, raising the specter of the economy tanking, 401 k s going down as well. Very, very dangerous game for the republicans. Ifill part of what weve seen play out on the capitol hill is trying to priorities those two fights. What is the current strategy for the republicans . Theyre developing the courant strategy. As of right now the c. R. Is primary. Ifill the c. R. . Continuing resolution, funding the government is coming first likely because we believe that the senate will vote on this and send it over to the house where theyll have to consider what to do next. The debt ceiling fight will come after that because treasury secretary jack lew said that the government treasury will default on october 17. So at this point we the two are delinked. Well see what happens. They could be joined together if the continuing resolution is put forward closer to the debt ceiling. Ifill one of the things that ties these two issues togethering is this fight over health care. Is this the fight has been so far in the house and the senate about whether to link defunding the Affordable Health care act from these two issues. Is there really a connection . I respectfully suggest not. And i say that in part because i spent a lot of time working to put togethering that bill when i worked in the senate. The fact of the matter is is that the only reason they are trying to do this is theyre trying to hurt go right at one of the key accomplishments of this president s agenda. They refuse to accept the results of the 2008 and 2012 elections where president obama won and they are doing everything they can to muddy the waters as they move toward the october 1 deadline. Ifill whose hot potato is this really, ron . This is going to be president obamas hot potato pretty soon because the republicans are likely going to have a delay of obamacare either on the continuing resolution or as part of this debt ceiling package and you know, the obamacare the obamacare law itself is already becoming delayed. We may not have to delay it at all. I mean, today we had Small Business exchanges, it was announced theyre going to be delayed. Yesterday it was the d. C. Exchanges that are going to be delayed. So i really think that this is going to be in president obamas court soon. You cant say you wont negotiate with the republican house. You can until a deal needs to be reached. Were on precipice of defaulting on our debt and the republicans are willing to negotiate. The president is in charge of the country. Americans will be very upset if we went over that cliff. Ifill jim . The president doesnt have anyone to negotiate with right now. Speaker boehner is incapable of controlling his cause of action and senator mcconnell, the republican leader of the senate, is so afraid of facing a tea Party Challenge that hes all but m. I. A. From the senate right now. And, again, the president has said both privately and publicly that hes not going to negotiate with hostagetakers so the sooner the House Republicans figure that out and get their act together, the better country going to be. Ifill is this fight among republicans we saw a minor spectacle on the Senate Floor Today between two republicans fighting about when this vote should happen doesnt seem like the democrats are part of this fight at all sometimes. Thats right. Right now you see a side fight going on about how they should proceed and behind the scenes but the fight is over obamacare. Its over now most likely delaying it. And republicans are on the side of the american people. The majority of americans dont like obamacare. Theyre very confused by it and its scaring a lot of people. Ifill what do you say to that . Well, again, the fact of the matter is that what weve seen in the last week is nothing but a waste of time. Nothing they can do legislatively can undermine obamacare. Its going to go into effect on october 1 and any threat to cause the government to default on the debt in midoctober is destined to fail and theyre going to play a terrible political price. Ifill is the government going to shut down . I dont think so. I think both parties will find consensus on this. President ifill how can there be consensus if theres no negotiationing . I think thats right for now. But as they get closer and closer to the shutdown i think we are not going to shut down. I have a lot of confidence were not going to shut down. I dont feel a crystal ball and can tell you that but Speaker Boehner said no, absolutely not. He does not want to shut this down. He wants to negotiate with the democrats. He wants to negotiate with the president. But the president keeps drawing a red line. Ifill jim, what is your gut . My gut tells me somehow i have no idea how theyll find a a way to avoid a government shutdown. Having said that, there are published reports that the House Republicans dont jet the votes to pass the debt limit plan they wanted to pass in the next couple days. The fact of the matter is its going to take some time for them to sort it all out. Well maybe have a one week c. R. While republicans try to get their act together internally. Ifill buy some time . Buy some time. The. Ifill ron bonjean, jim manley. Thank you both. Thank you. Woodruff for the first time in more than 30 years, the most senior diplomats of the United States and iran are talking face to face. Secretary of state john kerry and foreign minister Mohammad Javad zarif, plus other Foreign Ministers Irans Nuclear program and International Sanctions against the country. Irans president Hassan Rouhani says he wants to reach an agreement in three to six months. And this morning at the u. N. , he called on israel to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty and on all nations to abandon nuclear arms. translated a peaceful and secure world remains a shared ideal for us all. The horrors of hiroshima and nagasaki deepened our resolve to prevent the occurrence of such unspeakable death and destruction. No nation should possess Nuclear Weapons. Since there are no right hands for these wrong weapons, the only absolute guarantee is their total elimination. Woodruff given the outreach, how should the u. S. Proceed . We get three views. Suzanne maloney studies iran and the middle east at the brookings institution. Flynt leverett is a professor of International Affairs at penn state university. And Reuel Marc Gerecht is a senior fellow with the foundation for defense of democracies. Welcome to the newshour all three. You know, were here to talk about iran, but let me first begin the news that there may be a deal thats been reached between the United States and russia over getting syria to give up control of its chemical weapons. Reuel garecht, if thats happened, does that have an effect on the iran talks . No, i dont think so. I mean, i dont think its likely that any deal is real in syria unless there is an enforcement mechanism that, by definition, doesnt exist. The russians wouldnt allow it. So i think the ongoing theater in syria will have relatively little affect on the nuclear question in iran. Woodruff suzanne maloney, how do you see that . I think its appropriate to be skeptical about the shortterm prospects of any break through on syria but i think were seeing a better cooperation between the United States and russia which can carry over in a constructive fashion to the iran talks. Woodruff flynt leverett, what about you . I think the reason we have this deal dts we could have had it two weeks ago but the United States kept insisting in a very unrealistic way that the resolution include reference to chapter 7 and the point of automatic authorization for the use of force if at some point the United States feels like syria isnt complying. Russia wasnt going to agree that, china wasnt going agree to that and, you know, it was really the United States in the position where you had an offer on the table for syria to get rid of its chemical weapons and the United States, because of this very hegemonic position that it took demanding authorization for the u. S. Of force was in a position basically of putting that deal at risk. Ifill so youre saying once that was removed the deal was at hand. Woodruff so thats happening as a backdrop. We know u. N. Security council is meeting on that this evening but were also here primarily to talk about iran because you had, suzanne maloney, this unprecedented meeting at the u. N. Today between john kerry, the secretary of state, the Iranian Foreign minister. How serious do you believe the iranians are about wanting a deal on nuclear their Nuclear Arsenal . I think, in fact, they are quite serious. Perhaps more serious than theyve ever been at any point in their history. Not simply about trying to get to more progress on the Nuclear Issue but, in fact, potentially exploring a broader breakthrough with the United States. We are seeing, really, what has come to fruition through the election of Hassan Rouhani someone whos a moderate intended to unite the government but really to fix a problem. Fix this standoff with the International Community that has resulted in tremendously severe sanctions and widespread difficulties for the iranian economy. Woodruff reuel garecht, how do you look upon this in terms of the iranian point of view . Well, i think the Iranian Regime is certainly dedicated to reducing sanctions pressure. I dont think that hassan rue manny who was there from the beginning on the Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program has any intention what is over of seeing that program, which has been at the core of the Iranian Military strategy for 20 years to give it up. I dont think kammny has any intention to give it up and i dont think the revolutionary guard corps that overseas the program has an intention to give it up. Woodruff so this is a pretense . I dont think its a pretense. I think they want to explore the possibilities for making limited concessions and see what type of Economic Relief they can get. I think its going to be difficult for the iranians to make substantial reductions in their Nuclear Program. I think theyre probably, contrary to what president rouhani said, he wants to settle this in three to six months. I can see this dragging on for quite some time and i can see the iranians being content with that if they can figure out some means to split the americans from the europeans and get sanctions removed. Woodruff leverett, how do you read the iranians . I think the iranians are very serious about doing a nuclear deal along the lines that president rouhani has been outlining. Western u. S. Especially acceptance of irans right to enrich uranium under International Safeguards in exchange for Greater Transparency on Irans Nuclear activity. But iran has been serious about doing a deal on that basis for years. Ayatollah khamenei, the supreme leader, has talked about this being the essential formula for a deal well before dr. Rouhani was elected president. The issue is whether the United States, whether the Obama Administration, is prepared to do a deal on the basis of the nonproliferation treaty, recognize irans right to enrich and then talk about the conditions under which that happened. Woodruff susan maloney, hes saying the question is really more with the americans than the iranians. I think thats an unfair characterization of the Obama Administrations policy. This was an administration that was prepared to do a small confidencebuilding move with the iranians in 2009 shortly after the brutal repression of the iranian people in the contested reelection of mahmoud ahmadinejad. The Obama Administration has sought persistently to get a deal with the iranians. The difficulty and if they accepted that deal in 2010 they accepted nothing of the kind. They accepted terms very different than what the administration had proposed. It was the amount of they were going to do exactly what obama had spelled out in his letters to the brazilian and turkish leaders before they went to tehran. Iran took that deal and then the Obama Administration couldnt take yes for an answer. Woodruff finish your point. I think the distinction now that we have the most serious set of negotiators from the iranian side and that we have real pressure, real incentive, from their side to do a deal. I tend to be more optimistic than reuel here in terms of the timeline. The iranians want a deal and they want something very quickly. Theyve made that very clear. Woodruff mainly because of the sanctions . And because president rouhani was elected on the promise of improving the economy and irans status in the world. He needs to deliver. Woodruff rule garecht, reuel garecht, why isnt that something thats plausible . I think because the Nuclear Program, the Nuclear Weapons program has been at the very center of the revolutionary mission since the late 1980s. That everyone in the Iranian Elite has agreed to the need for that program. I think you have broad consensus on that issue. Woodruff and the sanctions have not had an effect . I think sanctions have had an effect, but i just mention something about recognizing this supposed right to enrichment that the iranians keep talking about. If you recognize 3. 5 enrichment which is what were talking about here if there is not a drastic curtailment of the production of centrifuges, math will work against you. Eventually this iranians will have the capacity to do a very rapid breakout capacity to weaponsgrade enrichment and there will be nothing you can do about it. Woodruff let me come back to you, flynt leverett, on the point reuel garecht has made in several answers, that this is just part and parcel of what this Iranian Regime is all about and that is that they will have a Nuclear Program. A Nuclear Program is part and parcel of what theyre about but its not a Nuclear Program that is designed to give them a fabbri fated weapon. Theyve made very, very clear at the highest levels that they do not want this. This is a political order born out of the revolution, one of whose fundamental goals was to give iran an independent position visavis western powers, especially United States after iran had been ruled by essentially an american puppet for decades. The promise of this revolution was we will not be puppets again. Having a Nuclear Program that constrain particularly sensitive dimensions of the program such as iraq heavy water plant do to come online next year. Woodruff we know the talks are supposed to continue in govern. Susan maloney, reuel garecht, flynt leverett, we thank you all three. Ifill now, the value of work, unpaid internships are more common than ever, but are they legal . Newshour economics correspondent paul solman has the story, part of his ongoing reporting making sense of financial news. Reporter imagine youre a College Student who wants to be in entertainment, and you land an internship at saturday night live. It seemed like a dream come true, i was really excited. Reporter or you grew up in a pbsloving house, and you get to intern for the charlie rose ow. It was a really exciting time. I got to meet all of the president ial candidates. Reporter or youve been working a humdrum job in financial services, are looking to change careers, and youre offered an internship on a major hollywood feature. I thought, well, this is one of those kind of breaks that may lead to other big things. Reporter actually, in all three cases, it led to other things, all right other unpaid internships. Monet eliastam worked 25 hours a week her whole junior year at barnard for saturday night lives film unit. Reporter what was the favorite commercial parody that you worked on, or your favorite . Probably disney housewives. Reporter a takeoff on bravos real housewives franchise. Id actually worked before as a paid p. A. On commercial shoots and so i knew that the work i was doing was exactly the same work that i had previously done, except that now i was doing it for free. Reporter legally, unpaid interns cant displace regular paid workers, doing real work for no pay. Theyre supposed to be learning. And the employer cant derive immediate benefit from the interns activities. The Financial Stress was really difficult. Reporter working on the charlie rose show, the summer before senior year at wesleyan, was lucy bickertons third unpaid internship. In some ways i was sort of the best Case Scenario of an unpaid internship i actually got a paid opportunity out of it, you know, a year later, after i graduated. But then going on to get paid for that same work, i realized, why wasnt i getting paid for this before . Reporter how many hours a day were you working . Oh, normal fulltime job. Eight, ten hours, depending on the day, 12. Reporter eric glatt was 40 years old, had an m. B. A. And years of experience, when unable to find any paying jobs in film, he took an internship on fox searchlights black swan. The 2010 film went on to earn 300 million. Glatt earned nothing for hundreds of hours of work as an accounting clerk. Help manage the workflow and the paperwork, and personnel files and receipts and petty cash, and purchase orders. Internships have become pervasive in our society. Reporter ross perlin is the author of intern nation, an expose of a system thats come a long way since the word intern was first applied to newly minted m. D. S. What started out as a good idea the idea that we need to somehow bridge the gap between school and work that good idea has kind of gone sour in a lot of ways and interns have been used as a sort of cheap labor force. And its become exacerbated; really, since 2008, where internships have been coupled with rising tuition, record levels of student debt, high levels of youth unemployment and theyve become a straw that kind of breaks the camels back for many people. Reporter for eric glatt the epiphany was a New York Times article the unpaid intern legal or not . I think i may actually have been sitting at my desk at work and i saw this and it was one of those thing where i was like, i knew it i knew there was something illegitimate about this. And its not just an ethical question, its a legal question. Reporter glatt found a lawyer and took action. Bickerton heard about it and followed suit. I had no qualms about it. Reporter but these people gave you an opportunity. You were thrilled at the time. Didnt you feel like you were kind of stabbing them in the back . I felt like it was illegal, no matter what. Reporter eliastam read about both cases and, live, from new york, filed her own suit in july. It just clicked. Its not right and you can do something about it if you want to. Reporter and then earlier this summer, glatt won his case, paving the way for a class action against fox. The charlie rose show settled with bickerton and about 40 other interns for back pay. It also abolished its internship program. Since they werent performing work, said attorney lyle zuckerman, these lawsuits will do nothing but deprive students of real educational opportunities. Eliastams case is in its early stages. But the news is that Nbc Universal has begun paying all of its interns. Rachel bien, lawyer for all three clients, says their cases promise not just to help interns, but workers in general. If interns are able to get the minimum wage, thats going to help people who are farther up the totem pole as well. Reporter and give students who cant afford to work for free a shot at opportunities otherwise out of reach. But at least one former unpaid intern thinks the lawsuits, and their success, is a setback for his generation. A lot of these disgruntled interns are really just trying to make a splash in the media. Reporter Michael Moroney works at the franklin center, a conservative group in alexandria, v. A. , which has lots of interns, though all of them paid at least minimum wage. Still, he says unpaid internships like one he had with a d. C. Lobbyist are winwin. Because you get tons of new experience and on top of that, you get to make new connections and really build your resume. Unfortunately, i think were moving towards a system where its not going to be a minimum wage job versus an unpaid internship, its going to be a system of an unpaid internship or your parents couch. Reporter this, of course, is the standard economic argument against raising the minimum wage those at the bottom would no longer have any work at all. How does black swan accountant glatt respond . This is a form of generational exploitation that i think a lot of people fail to appreciate. The millennial generation now is already subject to a social experiment weve never even come close to before, which is the Student Loan Debt burden. At the same time, weve created this other structural practice of giving away your labor for free. Reporter moreover, says glatt, colleges are not only expensive, theyre unintentionally enabling the postgraduation jobs crisis. Theyre basically destroying the job market that their students are going to graduate into. I was required to pay for an academic credit in order to do this internship. Reporter New York University student Christina Isnardi is trying to do something about the college problem. She also interned on a feature film set, without pay but for one n. Y. U. Credit, which costs about 1,200. They had me sit in the basement of a church, half a mile away from set, watching equipment. Another day, they had me press elevator buttons. I was deriving no educational benefit from this. Reporter none whatsoever . I dont know. I did learn what the bottom rung to the film set is, but i knew that was an actual position that should be filled by an employee who was getting paid. Reporter while she contemplates her own lawsuit against the film company, isnard is leading an effort to get n. Y. U. To stop letting employers post illegal unpaid internships on its job boards. We said, look, youre promoting this practice of allowing these companies to violate labor laws and use students for free. So we were hoping that you could possibly take down these internships and replace them with paid opportunities. We would love if every internship opportunity is possibly paid. But thats not reality. Reporter Trudy Steinfeld is director of n. Y. U. s Career Development center. She says the University Already vets unpaid internships for compliance with federal guidelines, and strongly urges students to immediately report any that are out of bounds. But she also says that while n. Y. U. Is taking isnardis petition seriously, there are too many students who want unpaid internships to do away with them altogether. They feel, particularly if they are first or second year students, that if they dont have an opportunity to sort of learn and get something on their resume early on that it might be harder for them to obtain those really competitive internships at really Large Organizations or very highly touted organizations later on in their academic career. Reporter and thats true, says Christina Isnardi. Theres a high student demand for these internships, especially in certain fields such as journalism, or film, or music. Reporter sean stanton works in another hot industry these days organic farming. Reporter you have an intern . I have several, yeah. Reporter do you pay them . I pay them a stipend, i feed them and i house them. Reporter you could get unpaid interns, couldnt you . You might not get the same caliber, the same quality of people. Reporter and you might be breaking the wage and hour laws, says attorney bien, which have evolved over the past century to protect workers and define work in america. What the value of work is; that there is a value; that a minimum has been set by the law and understanding how important it is to maintain that, in order for our economy to work. Reporter to work down on the organic farm or even perhaps in uptown new york. Woodruff now, another in our ongoing series where we try to answer questions about the Affordable Care act. Ray suarez is in charge. Suarez tonight, a look at medicare and what private sector retirees might face under the law. For that, we welcome back Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health news. Kaiser health news is an editorially independent news service focusing on health policy. A lot of people still have very basic questions as to what the Affordable Care act is going to mean for them. How is it going to change the way they acquire health care . I headed out into the streets of washington, found freedom all over the country still had questions, like this woman from california. My name is janet neil son from california, live outside of san francisco. As a Senior Citizen im concerned how the medicare rates are going to be affected. Right now i have medicare with keiser as a supplement and ive been satisfied but im concerned as to medicare and my Insurance Company how rates will be affected and how our care will be affected as well. Suarez let me add again her insurer, kaiser permanente, is not related to Kaiser Health news. There must be a lot of people in this boat who are medicare recipients and also acquire some private insurance. They do and first i want to add to her concern about benefits. There will be no benefit cuts in the Affordable Care act for medicare beneficiaries. Theres actually additional benefits. For screenings without copays or deductibles, additional help for your Medicare Prescription Drug costs but i think what shes talking about is some concern about payment reductions to medicare providers the law does cut payments to hospitals and Home Health Agencies and other providers over the next decade. But the thought is those sectors can sustain the payments and sustain the medicare program. But theres some concern if the medicare cuts are too deep over time would these providers decide to leave the program . Theres no evidence of that yet but that had been some concern. Suarez will her medigap costs go up because its private insurance like that that so many other people buy . Theres no changes to medigap as part of the Affordable Care act. Those are private insurers as you note so its hard to know what would happen to medigap. Suarez we have questions that have been coming in over the internet and via email. Will there be age limits on services to patients under the Affordable Care act . Ive heard the for people over 65 they wont be able to get a hip replacement or cancer treatment. Is this true . Its not true. Theres no age restrictions on anyone to get a medical service. Perhaps this person is a little concerned about a new Advisory Board thats created as part of the health through that if medicare spending be on a certain level this board would provide recommendations to congress on how to control spending. If congress didnt adopt those recommendations they would have to come up with recommendations of their own but its important to know several things here. No one has been nominated to this panel. They face Senate Confirmation which will be pretty difficult in this environment and medicare isnt expected to hit these targets until 2022 or beyond so its not even a factor yet in any part of the medicare discussion. Suarez there problems for people making the transition from the health care theyve had for a long time into medicare . Is there or do the two mesh up easily when you move from one the to the other . Many people in their working lives are part of managed care. Theyre already receiving perhaps they have a Health Maintenance organization or a preferred provider organization. They may be comfortable going into Medicare Advantage which are the private plans in medicare that provide care to beneficiaries or they may choose to be in medicares tradition alphieforservice program. Suarez our next person writes i have a few recommendations here. One thought is could her husband stay on her Health Insurance plan through a program called cobra . Its fairly expensive and instead of paying a part of the premium you pay the full rate and administrative fee. Thats one option. They might also be able to get coverage for her husband on the Health Insurance exchanges, these Online Marketplaces created in the health law. And they might qualify for a subsidy based on their income. So they should look into the exchanges for coverage for him. Well, this is a really interesting question thats caused a lot of confusion. Whats happening for the i. B. M. Retirees is the medicare eligible retirees are being placed in a private exchange. This has nothing to do with the exchanges created in the health law. I. B. M. And other employers have decided to give their retirees a set amount of money, let them go into an exchange that sometimes offers more coverage choices for their retirees and let them pick that. Again, i want to stress, it has nothing to do with the exchanges in the health care law. Suarez so in effect they havent been thrown into the marketplace that the state of new york will be putting into . No, they have not been. These are separate exchanges for this particular medicare eligibility medicare eligible population. Suarez cobra. Is anything going to change about cobra now that the Affordable Care act is coming fully into force . You may have fewer people sign up for it because it is so expensive for the beneficiary and they might get a better deal on the Health Insurance exchange. Suarez Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health news. Thanks for joining us. Sure. Thanks for having me. Ifill next, a story of two murders, a conviction, an execution and then an outpouring of sympathy and calls for social justice across social media in china. Hari sreenivasan tells the tale. Reporter xia junfeng was an unknown and unlicensed food vendor in northeastern china in 2009. But following his execution yesterday by the chinese government, in the last 24 hours, his name became one of the most searched for terms across chinese social media. Thats because on her micro blogging weibo account, his wife, zhang jing, chronicled her emotions at seeing her husband just before he died. Im going to see xia jungfeng xia met his wife and mother for a halfhour through a chainlink fence before his execution. When he begged his jailors if he could take a family photo to leave behind as a memory for his son, the request was denied. A photo posted by his wifes family showed a distraught mother. His wife typed this message, like so many in the campaign, was shared tens of thousands of times. The troubles began in 2009, when xia and his wife were selling kabobs on the street. They say a gang of chengguang government sanctioned urban enforcers began beating xia for not having a license. Witnesses say they took xia back to their offices, where they continued beating him. Thats where xia took out his sausage knife and stabbed three men. Two of them died. Xia was convicted of murder and his appeals were denied. Witnesses were ready to testify that these murders were an act of self defense but were not allowed to take the stand. There have been numerous documented cases of excessive violence and death at the hands of the chengguang. The Supreme Court in china, which must approve death sentences, stood by the ruling yesterday. More than two dozen human rights lawyers issued a joint statement objecting to the court handing out the most severe punishment, in a case, they say, left much to doubt. This is not sentiment on behalf of a pop idol or a well known business person who is the symbol of the new china or Something Like that. Its on behalf of a street vendor, not someone who garners a lot of respect in general in chinese society. Reporter Ken Lieberthal is a china watcher at the brookings institution. I think it simply highlights demand from below for more accountable, and a more fair political system. Reporter last year gu kailiai, the wife of a once powerful chinese politician, confessed to the premeditated murder of a british businessman, yet she will only serve life in prison. That case is being compared to xias as an example of unequal treatment before the law for the wealthy and wellconnected. This has become so big in part because it fits so perfectly into a larger narrative. The larger narrative is people increasingly becoming very, very unhappy with the way the system is functioning. Feeling it is grossly unfair. And feeling that they deserve better. Reporter on social media chinese citizens have felt emboldened to criticize what they see as a double standard for the underclass. Also popular across the chinese internet were images of paintings said to be created by xia junfengs 13yearold son, this one of the boy climbing on his fathers back. A compilation of these paintings made into a book to help raise funds for the family sold out its 5,000 copies. Today xia junfengs widow, zhang jing, collected his ashes and prepared for a family farewell. Woodruff finally tonight, famed musician graham nash has just come out with a new memoir of his life in rock n roll, titled wild tales. In the mid1960s, nash had numerous number one pop hits with the british band the hollies. He later became part of the supergroup crosby, stills, nash and young. Jeffrey brown talked with him recently while on a new solo tour at the birchmere in alexandria, virginia. Heres an excerpt of their conversation, where nash talked about some of his famous musical and life partners. Brown let me say names at you and give me your impression. Stephen stills. Certainly one of the finest guitar players in the world. Certainly tor a certain i think hes a very underrated guitar player. You know, i read the top 50 guitar players in this Rolling Stone and hes somewhere around the bottom and thats just not right. Hes an incredible guitar player brown david crosby. Crosby is one of the most unique musicians i know. When i was doing his box set and i did stephens and i did mine, of course i began to realize how unique crosby was. His sense of jazz which is one of his first loves is pervades all his music. And is very different than graham nash music. Somehow it shouldnt works but it really works like a ban did. Brown neil young. Neil young is probably one of the strangest of my friends. Hes adamant about following his heart. Hi hes serious as a heart attack about his music. He brings a darker edge. I dont mean darkener a negative sense, but more of an intensity to our music. The music of crosby stills and nash born in the summer of love was lighter, sunnier. Neils the sun turns down a little when neil comes into the band. Brown and joni mitchell. Joni is in my opinion a genius. She is an outstanding woman obviously very beautiful but incredibly talented when it comes to song writing. Shes really painting with words. Brown what about graham nash. What did you bring to all of this . Wow. What did graham nash bring to this madness . Maybe a little stability. Id been through it all with the hollies. Id been through the screaming girls and the crowds where you couldnt hear yourself play because of the noise they were making. Id been through having my clothes torn. Id been through all that so it was no big deal to me. I went even nervous at woodstock. It was stephen that said he was scared laughter brown but you talk about the girls and people ripping your clothes. Theres a lot of sex, drugs, and rock n roll in this. But its not only that. Its about love and friendship and loyalty and being for your friends when theyre obviously hurting. That was one of my main concerns with this book was how david crosby would react. I was brutally honest about it. Brown chronicling all his problems. Yes, what was going on with him and how it affected me personally. So when i called david and talked to him he said i did all that, i did put you guys through all that. I did spiral down. Every word is true. Dont change a word. And it gave me a great sense of relief. Ifill you can watch jeffs full conversation with graham nash on the art beat page on our website. Woodruff again, the major developments of the day the senate aimed at a final bill voting the government but House Speaker john boehner warned his chamber may reject it unless it strips funding from obamacare. The u. S. And russia agreed on a draft u. N. Resolution for disposing of syrian chemical weapons. And Nuclear Talks with iran resumed. Secretary of state kerry reported a Welcome Change of tone, but he said, there is a lot of work to be done. And thats the newshour for tonight. On friday, Margaret Warner wraps up the week at the u. N. General assembly. Plus, Jeffrey Brown reports on the resurgence of the nations first African American public high school. Im judy woodruff. Ifill and im gwen ifill. Well see you online and again here tomorrow evening with mark shields and ramesh ponnuru. For all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and good night. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by and the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. And. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Captioning sponsored by Macneil Lehrer productions captioned by Media Access Group at wgbh access. Wgbh. Org this is nightly Business Report with Tyler Matheson and suzy. Brought to you by you get close to iconic landmarks, to local life, to cultural treasures. Viking river cruises. Exploring the world in comfort. Small stocks, big gains. Theyve led the market this year and are now signature at historic highs. But which Small Companies are still buys . Facebooks facelift. Shares topping 50 a share as investors on wall street fall in love with the stock. So whats the Company Getting right that others arent . And if you build it, will the uninsured come . One small insurer is betting on it as it makes a big investment in those new health care exchanges. All that and more tonight on nightly Business Report for thursday, september 26th. Good evening, everyone. Big things sometimes come in small packages. That was the talk on wall street today. Stocks finally broke their fiveday losing streak, but it wasnt the Big Companies that lifted the markets. It was small cap stocks. They have quietly and steadily risen in value, and today the russell 2000 index of Smaller Companies closed at a fresh alltime high. So far, the russell index has surged 27 . Thats a lot more, 10 more, than the gains on the dow average this year. Also giving a boost to the markets today, good news about jobs. Initial jobless claims dipped to a nearly sixyear low. Looking at the closing numbers, the dow added 55 points, the nasdaq rose 26. And the s p 500 index up almost five points. Do they still have room to run . Here to answer that question and more is jay kaplan, Portfolio Manager and principal at the reus funds. Mr. Kaplan, welcome. Why are the Small Companies outpacing the big blue chips by so much and can they continue to . Well, you know, its been a very good year, like youve talked about. Because Interest Rates have been zero, and weve had Economic Growth in the u. S. Albeit slow, but Economic Growth. With those two things together, thats been very good for stocks. Been very good for small caps. If you go back to the spring, when the fed started to talk about tapering, the implication there was that the economy would grow even faster, the u. S. Economy in particular. And small cap stocks are very much leveraged to the u. S. Economy so the market took that as a signal to keep the small cap stocks going up, and they performed better than the rest since then. All right, so to follow on that line of thinking, if the fed is now saying that its going to hold off on the tapering plans of the stimulus, that would mean that the economy is slowing down a bit, so small cap stocks shouldnt perform as well. Why are they continuing to go up . Well, as long as the economy is performing at greater than zero and its a couple 3 , thats fine. And still very low. That is also still fine. Now, thats not to say that we couldnt have a correction in here at any point in time. Its been a terrific year. So if the small cap stocks went down 5 or 10 , that would not surprise us. Thats kind of a normal occurrence. But even with that kind of a gift, that would still make the small cap performance for this year an absolutely terrific year. So if theyre up 27 so far this year, that would suggest that some small cap stocks have gone out of the undervalued territory and maybe are fully priced or maybe even a little more. Are you still finding values anywhere, and if so where . We are finding values, and what were focused on now is the quality trade. We think you need to own high quality small cap companies. Those companies that have very strong Balance Sheets and earn high returns on capital. And if you think about the russell 2000 for a second, 30 of the stocks there dont urn a earn any money whatsoever. Those have been the best performers. The companies that earn a lot of money, those have been the ones that have lagged. Give us an example of some stocks if our viewers are interested in dippi