Good evening, welcome to kqed newsroom, im scott schafer, thuy vu is off tonight. As colorado and washington surge ahead, polls show a growing number of americans support legalizing pot. Four years ago, california voters rejected a statewide ballot measure to legalize Recreational Marijuana use, but plans are under way to put the question before voters again in 2016. Governor jerry brown opposes the idea, but Lieutenant Governor gavin newsom is chairing a task force to study the issue. Thuy vu spoke to him earlier. Lieutenant governor gavin newsom, welcome to the program. Good to be here, thanks. Well, you did not take a stand in californias prop 19 four years ago, a measure that would have legalized cannabis. Voters rejected it. Why are you supporting legalizing marijuana now . Prop 14 i was a coward, i didnt give it a lot of thought, i tried to get excuses. There were parts i legitimately would not argue for today that could have created a real patchwork that was difficult, but i adm
Hightech planes. Im wolf blitzer, youre in the situation room. With just 27 days to go until all of us are hit with tax increases, takes it across the board a cut of 55 billion. People have it in their power to avoid the socalled fiscal cliff arent negotiating, theyre not debating right now, so many of them simply leaving town. But theres more going on than meets the eye. Lets bring in our senior Congressional Correspondent dana basch, she has the latest. Reporter theres so much political theater around here right now, you could say tickets. One of todays acts was the house leaving. Lawmakers streaming out of the capitol hill, racing to their cars to get to the airport and go home. Its a scene you usually see on a thursday afternoon or friday morning, not wednesday at noon. Good morning. House Republican Leaders told members theyre free to leave, because they have nothing to vote on. I understand that you are saying legislation has been put on the floor. When it comes to just pure opti
Thank you very much. Im very disappointed that sallie mae did not come today, and i think its important that we take a closer look at how all of our servicers are performing. But we need accurate data to be able to do that, so thank you. Want to ask a second question, thats about the Student Loan Program. You know, Student Loan Program just from 2007 to 2012 are now on target to make 66 billion in profits for the United States government. Just that small cohort. And lets keep in mind these are the best data we have available. These are government data, these are not data anybody else made up. The gao, the cbo to, the fed are all looking in the same direction at whats happening to students that are loading up on Student Loan Debt. And right now best estimate we have is that the Interest Rate were going to charge next year to our students is double, nearly double, the rate that undergraduates would have to pay in order to have the program break even. And as much as triple for graduate st
20,200 per year. He would earn enough to bring that family out of poverty. Not only would it put more hardearned money into the pockets of 28 million americans, many millions of them would be pulled out of poverty, it is also good for business. Let me tell you why. There is clear data that shows had the benefit of their of least turnover and more productivity. The minimum wage would generate an additional 19 billion in additional income for people who need it the most. The big difference between giving a raise and the minimum wage is instead of a tax break to the wealthy, they are living on the edge. Needed to pay their electric bill, put gas in the automobile, to find accessories. This generates Economic Growth in the communities. Companies big and small recognize these benefits. In atlantatly georgia and met the owner of a small advertising company. He independently raised the wages of his workers to 10. 10 per hour. Choosing the gap are to give their a ploy ease higher wages. Their
Morning, folks. Welcome. Have a seat, please. We are here today to talk about how to not make a hash out of Marijuana Legalization. I promise you that is the last pun you will hear from me on this subject. It is very important subject. I am just going to say a few words to set this up. We probably have a great diversity of poins in this room about the future of marijuana in the state. It is no longer a question of whether marijuana is going to be legal in many parts of the United States it is a question of how it is going to be regulated, taxed, and controlled, if at all. So today we have a great panel of folks who have come from literally all pants of the co y continent on ways to go forward in regulating marijuana. And i think without further ado, i will introduce paul glastris, editor of Washington Monthly who will introduce the west of the panel. So thank you very much. Rest thank you joinning me. I am grateful to phillip longman. And i want to thank the new America Foundation for