American Morning
What’s on Tap – Friday October 23, 2009
Here are the big stories on the agenda today:
- Investigators are trying to find out whether the crew of Northwest Airlines flight was asleep at the controls. The plane left San Diego last night bound for Minneapolis, but overshot its landing by 150 miles. The explanation is sketchy at best, so far. Why air traffic controllers briefly believed the plane may have been hijacked.
- The “optional” public option? Talk of a health care compromise on Capitol Hill. Sources say Senate Democrats and White House officials may let states "opt out" of a government-run health plan. Senators were at the White House yesterday. We're live in Washington with where we stand right now.
- The secretary of education gave a lecture to the people who teach teachers. He's hoping changes the administration has planned will trickle down to our kids. We’ll ask him why he thinks education programs in college are “mediocre.” He’ll also talk about swine flu and whether schools are ready.
- And – his stand on interracial marriage has earned a Louisiana justice of the peace a place in John Avlon's "hall-of-shame.” Find out who else earned “wingnut of the week” honors.
Hate crimes bill goes to Obama for signature
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Senate passed groundbreaking legislation Thursday that would make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/10/22/hate.crimes/art.1751.shepard.kare.jpg caption="The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay teenager who was beaten to death in 1998."]
The expanded federal hate crimes law now goes to President Obama's desk. Obama has pledged to sign the measure, which was added to a $680 billion defense authorization bill.
President George W. Bush had threatened to veto a similar measure.
The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998, and James Byrd Jr., an African-American man dragged to death in Texas the same year.
"Knowing that the president will sign it, unlike his predecessor, has made all the hard work this year to pass it worthwhile," said Judy Shepard, board president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation named for her son. "Hate crimes continue to affect far too many Americans who are simply trying to live their lives honestly, and they need to know that their government will protect them from violence, and provide appropriate justice for victims and their families."
We Listen – Your comments 10/22/2009
Editor's Note: Thursday’s American Morning feedback was dominated by reaction to the Obama administration’s announcement cutting executive pay for the seven largest companies receiving bailout funds. Most angrily questioned the reasoning behind keeping or rewarding “incompetent” personnel who had created the financial chaos. Others were skeptical that the cuts were “real,” as any decreased compensation would be offset by increased stock, so executives would be simply be swapping forms of financial pay.
- Dan: Your guest this morning was talking about if you cut the salaries of the top personnel in these bailed out companies, then the top folks might leave, therefore, the company would go downhill. Is this guy an idiot or what? If the top personnel would have been doing their job in the first place, then we, as tax-payers, wouldn't have had to bail them out. So, I guess [their leaving] wouldn't hurt the company that much.
- Jerry: If the people getting large bonuses were as good as we're being told they are my question is: how did they lose or invest in products that lost billions of dollars while drawing large paydays? Time for them to suffer some; and since I'm a taxpayer, and I own part of the banks they work for, I don't see where they're earning their money.
- Bill: The worry that cutting exec salaries at the big banks will cause top execs to leave is not a bad thing. All the damage was done to the economy on their watch. They were either complicit or not watching the store. Either way, they were shown as being incompetent. How could getting rid of them be a bad thing?! In fact, they should be prosecuted for malfeasance. What should be regulated is someone else hiring them to possibly do it again somewhere else.
- Valerie: I think all this pay cut for Wall Street execs is mostly political smoke and mirrors. If the execs are going to get their cash portion of their pay cut, but receive additional stock, then their overall compensation is still the same. How is that a pay cut?
What do you think of the Obama administration’s proposed executive compensation pay cut plan?
The Vatican to welcome Anglicans to Catholicism
The Vatican made a historic bid Tuesday to win over dissenting Anglicans, with Pope Benedict XVI's approval of a document called the "Apostolic Constitution" authorizing the creation of "Personal Ordinariates" led by former Anglican priests or bishops.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/22/pope.jpg caption="The Vatican says more Anglicans have expressed an interest in joining the Catholic Church."]
Previously, Anglicans could join the church individually, but this new provision will allow them to join in large groups, as well as let them maintain certain traditions such as liturgy and rites. It also includes a provision that allows married Anglican priests to remain married and still become ordained Catholic priests.
The Anglican Church, known as The Church of England when established by King Henry VIII in a break with the Vatican 475 years ago, has seen its membership decline to 80 million in recent times. The offer from Rome could prompt thousands of Anglicans around the world to switch to Catholicism in protest of their church's liberal stance on openly gay clergy and the consecration of women bishops.
In 1992, the Anglican Church approved women priests, prompting members to leave the church in droves. In 2003, the ordination of Gene Robinson as the first openly gay Anglican bishop led to the defection of conservative Anglicans, some of whom converted to Roman Catholicism. By contrast, the Catholic Church is opposed to same-sex marriage and gay clergy, and all Catholic priests must be male and unmarried.
This is the Vatican’s most open embrace of Anglicans since the schism in 1534 following Pope Clement VII’s refusal to annul Henry VIII’s marriage. Many supporters see this as part of the current Pope's goal to promote Christian unity across the globe as well as addressing multiple requests to the Holy See from groups of Anglicans wishing to enter into communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Others feel that it will harm relations between the two Churches and ultimately have a negative impact.
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