Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest on the factors driving a political change in Orange County; We also check in on the state of recycling and reusables in California after the closure of RePlanet; examine Google's alleged discrimination against pregnant woman; and more.
It’s Official: There Are More Democrats Than Republicans In OC
If we’re going by the numbers, the so-called “blue wave” has officially crested in Orange County.
Once a place that seemingly could not be discussed in the context of politics without the words “conservative bastion” attached to it, the OC is now home to more registered Democrats than Republicans, according to new numbers released on Wednesday from the county Registrar of Voters.
It’s a slim margin, but Democrats outnumber Republicans in the OC now by 89 registered voters (547,458 registered Democrats compared to 547,369 Republicans). There’s also a surge in the number of voters who have no political party preference. That group now makes up more than a quarter of registered voters in Orange County.
The OC has been trending in this direction for at least a few years, which the Los Angeles Times reports is partially influenced by more college educated voters as well as ethnic minorities and immigrants moving to the county. Hillary Clinton was the first Democrat in 80 years to win OC when she took it in 2016. And in the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats flipped four seats in the county on their way to regaining control of the House of Representatives.
What are the factors driving this political change in Orange County? How can Democrats retain control of this traditionally conservative region? What do Republicans need to do at the ground level to turn the OC red again? If you’re an independent or no party preference voter in Orange County, do you find yourself leaning towards a particular party? Join the conversation at 866-893-5722
With guest host Libby Denkmann
Guests:
Brooke Staggs, reporter for the Orange County Register where she covers state and federal politics through the OC lens; she tweets
Reed Galen, independent political strategist; he was deputy campaign manager for John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and deputy campaign manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2006 gubernatorial re-election campaign; he tweets
As RePlanet Closes, We Check In On The State Of Recycling And Reusables In California
California’s largest operator of recycling redemption centers has shut down and laid off 750 employees.
The Mercury News reported Monday that the company, Ontario-based RePlanet, has closed all 284 of its centers.
RePlanet President David Lawrence said the company stopped operating because of increased business costs and falling prices of recycled aluminum and PET plastic.
This leaves fewer options for people to redeem their recyclables, which is especially concerning for those who live in poverty or experience homelessness and rely on recycling for income.
The closures also mean more bottles made of aluminum and polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, will end up in landfills. People will either throw their recyclables directly into the garbage or place them in curbside recycling bins, which are often filled with contaminated material that must be discarded. This comes against the backdrop of China, which has bought much of the U.S.’s recyclable material, becoming stricter about what kinds of material it will accept.
Meanwhile, cities like San Francisco and Berkeley have been pushing reusables, and earlier this year, California lawmakers proposed legislation that would require plastic and other single-use materials sold in the state to be either reusable, fully recyclable or compostable by 2030. The bill, AB 1080, passed the state Assembly and is under consideration in the Senate.
We get the 101 on why RePlanet closed its doors and what it means for recycling in California. And what efforts are being made to push recyclables and how are restaurants are faring under new constraints? If you are a restaurant owner, what do you think of the push for reusables? As a consumer, would you be willing to bring your own cup to a restaurant or cafe?
With files from the Associated Press
With guest host Libby Denkmann
Guests:
Pete Keller, vice president of recycling and sustainability at Republic Services, which is one of the country’s largest waste and recycling companies; they are headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona and they have operations in Northern and Southern California
Martin Bourque, executive director of the Ecology Center in the city of Berkeley, a non-profit that advocates for various issues related to health and environmental impact of urban residents
Considering Impacts On The Muslim Community, Are CVE Programs Really The Best Way To Fight Domestic Terrorism?
In the aftermath of two mass shootings this past weekend, one in Texas and another in Ohio, national security experts have called for ramping up resources against domestic terrorism.
The U.S. has spent a couple decades employing resources against Islamic terrorists, following the terrorist attacks on 9/11. But some of those efforts had severe consequences for a specific group of people: Muslims. As experts call for aggressive action against homegrown terrorism, we discuss the implications of Countering Violent Terrorism (CVE) programs.
The city of Los Angeles came under fire last year when it considered accepting a federal grant aimed at countering terrorism through the CVE program. We also look at what factors determine the launch of a domestic terrorism investigation, which federal authorities have now done in regards to the shooting at a garlic festival in Gilroy a couple weeks ago.
With guest host Libby Denkmann
Guests:
Mary McCord, visiting professor of law at Georgetown University; she was the acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2016-2017 and served as its Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division from 2014-2016
Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, a national nonprofit that focuses on American Muslims issues; he tweets
Laboni Hoq, litigation director with Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Los Angeles; she leads the organization's civil rights impact litigation
Another Google Employee Memo Has Gone Viral, This Time Alleging Discrimination Against Pregnant Women
Last week, a Google employee posted an internal memo on a company forum for new and expectant mothers titled, “I’m Not Returning to Google After Maternity Leave, and Here is Why.”
The employee, who was also a manager at the company, alleged that she faced discrimination and retaliation for being pregnant, especially after requesting an early maternity leave due to potentially life-threatening complications with her pregnancy.
Her memo was read by more than 10,000 Google employees before it was leaked to Motherboard, where the nearly 2,300 word-long post was published, but with personal information redacted including the employee’s name.
Motherboard coincidentally broke the story on the two year anniversary of another Google employee’s memo that went viral, arguing that men were better engineers than women and the company should steer clear from diversifying.
If you’re pregnant or a mother who has faced workplace discrimination, how did you handle the situation? If you reported the incident to upper management, how was it received?
Call us to share your experiences and questions at 866-893-5722, or comment below.
With guest host Libby Denkmann
A spokesperson for Google sent the following statement to Motherboard TV:
“We prohibit retaliation in the workplace and publicly share our very clear policy. To make sure that no complaint raised goes unheard at Google, we give employees multiple channels to report concerns, including anonymously, and investigate all allegations of retaliation.”
Guests:
Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of VICE's Motherboard where he has been following the story; he tweets
Ramit Mizrahi, employment lawyer with Mizrahi Law in Pasadena and chair of the California Lawyers Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section where she represents employees exclusively; she tweets