International

Israeli Freeze on West Bank Construction Ends

Justin Velez

Sunday, September 26, 2010 Israeli’s freeze on Jewish Settlements ended today with no sign of renewal. Israel had previously instituted a 10-month moratorium on further settler construction in the West Bank. This did not provide for a halt on construction in East Jerusalem, where settlement is still taking place. The partial ban came into place amidst peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, had previously warned that the peace talks would be a “waste of time” if the freeze was not extended. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile has urged the talks to go on to “continue on the road towards peace.” Yet it is estimated that 2,000 housing units have already received approval and that construction would recommence as soon as possible. If the settlement does go forward, it could prove disastrous for Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, since Palestinian officials have stated they would walk away from peace talks if the settlement continued.

• Settlements: Debated land areas where Israeli settlers are claiming with government approval
• Moratorium: A temporary suspension of activity; an authorized period of delay or waiting.
• Settler: A person that has received Israeli government approval to reside in a defined territory
• Annexation: The act of adding or joining a new territory

Different Perspectives:

• Israel: Both the Israeli government and people are divided on settlements in the West Bank, with some calling for resuming construction while others say to wait until after the peace talks have ended.
• Palestine: Ideally want all settlements abandoned but may settle for a minimum number of settlements and a land swap for any additional settlements if the peace talks go through.
• United States: The United States does not recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem by Israel or the legitimacy of the Israeli West Bank settlements. It is likely, however, they may reach a compromise pending the results of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Additional Reading:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/29/netanyahu-pledges-commitment-to-peace/?iref=allsearch

United States

Decline in American Manufacturing and National Security

Julia Newman

There has been an overall national decline in manufacturing in the past five years. On September 22nd the National Security Oversight Committee looked at this decline and its effects on national security. This committee-meeting pane will discuss these trends and how to make American manufacturing more competitive in this market. With a decline in American manufacturing, the American Army has had to rely on foreign made products. In most cases, these products come from China at a cheaper cost, but with dubious workers rights behind them. In fact China’s manufacturing industry is on the brink of surpassing the United States’, due to the high demand for its cheap goods worldwide. Its is believed by some U.S. defense experts that many of these foreign made military products are not as well produced and are more prone to malfunction than their domestic counterparts, which may put Americans soldiers lives.

• Argument for: Foreign-made products are financially more competitive, which means the military can spend less.
• Argument against: The military is giving money oversees, and not into the struggling American economy. Some argue about the quality of the foreign manufacturing

Additional Reading:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/21/manufacturing.security/index.html?npt=NP1

The Hill

Congress continues to debate tax cuts

Tess Wafflebaker

In 2003, then president George W. Bush implemented a $550 billion tax cut program. The program was designed to stimulate the economy and was intended to give money to taxpayers, which they could in turn put back into the economy through spending. Some of the components of this program include relief from the marriage penalty for working couples and incentives for small businesses through an increase in the amount that they can write off for new equipment, among others. The cuts are set to expire at the end of this year, and whether or not to allow them to expire has been the source of a heated debate in Congress. The extension is expected to cost upwards of $3.5 billion, and while the initial expenditure of $3 billion has been settled, the remaining cost, which would go back to high-income taxpayers, serves as the major source of disagreement. Democrats have decided to postpone the vote on whether or not to keep the cuts until after the upcoming congressional elections. Obama has said that he is in favor of extending the cuts for a majority of Americans, but wants to raise taxes for high-income taxpayers. The issue of cost is one of the most controversial aspects of this debate. After the elections conclude, Congress will decide whether or not the cuts will be extended, but either way, the American people can expect to see a change in the overall tax code.

• Marriage penalty: The difference between what you pay in taxes as a married couple and what you would pay as two single persons is often referred to as the marriage tax penalty.
• CBO: The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government. It is a government agency that provides economic data to Congress

• Argument for: The director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Douglas Elmendorf, said that extending the cuts would be good in the short-term, but possibly negative in the long run. Elmendorf said that letting the tax cuts expire could be hard on the economy in the next two years. However, he said in the long run, extending the cuts could be detrimental insofar as added federal deficits could crowd out private investments and extending the program potentially has less benefits than other possible government action, such as the extension of unemployment benefits.
• Arguments against: Those who oppose an extension of the program argue that the program is designed to accommodate the wealthiest Americans who ought to be paying higher taxes.

Additional Reading:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/28/full-tax-cut-extension-good-short-term-worse-long-/

http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/taxes/a/bushtaxcuts.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/09/20/AR2010092005699.html

California

California’s IOUs

Mckenzee McCammack

California lawmakers are spending money without having a concrete budget to divvy out who gets what. There is a $19 billion deficit and it seems that no one knows exactly what to do about it. Prior to this stalemate, there was a 78-day record held by the current Legislature in 2008 in which there was a late passage of the budget. Now, in 2010, California faces the same problem. While many people try to point fingers, there is another legal problem with passing the budget: the 2/3rds rule. This rule was set up by the California framers in an attempt to prevent tyranny of the majority. This marks only the second time since the Great Depression that California has had to issue IOUs to find an alternative way to save money. However, since the fiscal year, beginning July 2010, Governor Schwarzenegger met with the Legislature for a three hour meeting, the longest budget meeting this summer, to try to come to a bi-partisan agreement.

• Stalemate: Inability to come to an agreement.
• Legislature: The body of elected, California representatives who come together to vote on issues relating to their district and the state as a whole.
• Tyranny of the Majority: The majority’s interests bypassing the interests of the minority because of size. This idea began in America with James Madison who feared the return of a kingship.
• Bi-partisan: The idea of two political parties putting aside political differences to come to an agreement or meet on a common platform.

Additional Reading:

http://www.wikio.com/article/72184610

http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-09-17/news/24008547_1_budget-deficit-late-budget-california-budget-stalemate

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-23/california-budget-deal-has-been-reached-schwarzenegger-s-spokesman-says.html

Los Angeles

Los Angeles and Beijing Share Ideas on Solving Traffic Problems

Claire Goldberg

Los Angeles and Beijing have recently exchanged technical expertise and joint research projects regarding traffic congestion in their respective cities. Beijing has been a car-oriented city for the past decade and a half and is eager to know how Los Angeles deals with its traffic. At the same time, Los Angeles wants to know more about the high-tech rail transit systems of Beijing. Los Angeles has recently been concentrating on high-capacity transit systems to aid its 10 million residents. In late 2012, the city’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) will implement a concept called Congestion Pricing, where drivers can pay a higher toll for a less congested commute home on new toll roads. On the other hand, Beijing reduces traffic by staggering work hours and monitoring traffic speed. China is about to start a 5-year transportation plan and is looking to learn from America’s transportation and development planning process, which entails an environmental review and public contribution before the approval of any project.

• High-capacity transit systems: Systems such as light rail, interurban heavy rail, dedicated bus ways

Additional readings:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/09/25/la-beijing-to-exchange-ideas-on-solving-traffic-tie-ups/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/09/stretch-of-interstate-5-singled-out-for-worsening-gridlock-.html

Local Cultural Events

Oktoberfest in Los Angeles

Tina Pixler

The Oktoberfest celebration in Alpine Village is Southern California’s oldest celebration of its kind going on its 43rd year. If you can’t travel to Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest this year, Alpine Village in Torrance, CA is you best, easiest, and quickest alternative. The festivities will be held Friday thru Sunday between September 10th and October 23rd. Fridays and Saturdays are geared for adults and Sundays are meant for families. Festivities are authentic and all held in a 32,000 square foot tent. http://www.alpinevillagecenter.com

Times:

• Friday: 6pm – 1am
• Saturday: 6pm – 1am
• Sunday: 1pm – 6pm

Alpine Village – 833 W. Torrance Blvd. – Torrance, CA 90502

Directions: From LMU

• Turn let onto Lincoln from LMU’s main entrance
• Lincoln becomes Sepulveda and passes under LAX
• After the tunnel take the on ramp to the 105 E
• Next take the ramp for the 405
• Continue for 8 miles and then take the ramp for the 110 S
• Exit Torrance Blvd. (the ramp actually lets you off at Hamilton Ave. which will lead Torrance Blvd
• Turn left onto Hamilton Ave
• Turn right at Torrance Blvd and arrive at Alpine Village