Today on AirTalk, we discuss California's rolling blackouts amid the heat wave. Also on the show, we review presidential candidate Joe Biden's tax plan; have a conversation with Rep. Adam Schiff; and more.
Congressman, House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff Talks DNC Day Two, US Postal Service Troubles And More
The impeachment trial of President Trump may be over, but that hasn’t meant things have quieted down for Burbank-area Congressman Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee who was the lead impeachment manager for the House during the trial.
Schiff remains one of the faces of the Democratic Party and will likely remain in public view as he and members of his party make the case for Joe Biden as president to American voters. With the recent discussion about the U.S. Postal Service and its role in the upcoming election that will be conducted almost entirely by mail, Schiff has been among the prominent Democrats
The Postmaster General must resign.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 16, 2020
He’s slowed delivery, banned overtime & decommissioned mail-sorting machines.
Right before the election. During a pandemic.
The House must demand answers. Hearings should start now. It can’t wait.
We won’t let Trump destroy the Post Office.
for Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to resign, saying DeJoy has been helping President Trump to undermine the USPS in an effort to further the political agenda of President Trump, who has made unfounded claims that the November election could be illegitimate if done by mail because there would be widespread voter fraud. On Monday, news broke that DeJoy would testify before a special House committee next week.
Today on AirTalk, Congressman Schiff joins Larry Mantle to talk about day two of the Democratic National Convention, what he hopes to hear from Postmaster DeJoy when he testifies next week and more.
Guest:
Adam Schiff, Democratic Congressman representing California’s 28 Congressional District, which includes Burbank, parts of Pasadena, and Glendale; he tweets
Back To School: How California Colleges, Universities Plan To Reopen Amid Coronavirus
As September rolls around, college students are preparing to start their fall semester against a very different backdrop.
New rules are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which means courses at various campuses will be online and on-campus housing will be limited. While state and county rules differ, here in L.A. County, health officials have outlined stricter rules and say no in-person classes are allowed, with some stringent exceptions. In a statement released last week, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health said colleges and universities must limit campus activities because younger people have recently been driving high community transmission rates.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss reopening plans and what the fall semester will look like for students this year. If you’re a student or a professor, how do you feel about your campus’ reopening plans? Call in and share your thoughts at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Michael Thomas, president of Concordia University Irvine
Lindsay Ellis, senior reporter for the Chronicle of Higher Education; she tweets
COVID-19 AMA: Herd Immunity, Advances In COVID-19 Treatments And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Peter Chin-Hong from UCSF.
Today’s topics include:
What if ‘herd immunity’ is closer than scientists thought?
Strict LA County rules scuttle some college reopening plans
Fearing a ‘twindemic,’ health experts are pushing for flu shots
How COVID-19 patients benefit from prone position, dexamethasone and remdesivir
Rapid testing is now at private parties, concerts and hotels
LA meets five of the state's six coronavirus benchmarks for reopening
The new coronavirus is mutating, but that ‘may be a good thing,’ says top expert
Guest:
Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center; he tweets
CA Heat Wave Results In First Rolling Blackouts In Nearly 2 Decades. Why? And What Are We Likely To See In The Years To Come?
Gov. Gavin Newsom said that this heat wave is bringing the hottest two weeks in the past 70 years, and included a 130-degree global temperature record in Death Valley. Temporary power interruptions due to the heat occurred over the weekend and are likely to continue through Wednesday evening, Newsom said.
There is a significantly greater power demand expected in the next few days, according to Newsom.
The governor signed an emergency declaration, which includes shifts the state is looking to make when it comes to energy consumption. The state is also working with major power consumers to reduce usage, as well as working with companies to encourage the public to reduce usage. He noted that the state is working with LADWP to get more hydro-power online, among other efforts. Those efforts even include having Tesla reach out to Tesla owners when it comes to reducing the electricity use of those vehicles.
The governor said that there will be an investigation into why the state wasn't prepared for this heat wave, as well as looking into the implications for the future. He noted that weather patterns like this one are expected to keep happening in the future as well. The California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO) said that they had warned the state's Public Utilities Commission of this potential problem years ago. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest blackouts, why they’re happening and what residents are likely to see in the years to come as temperatures rise. Have the blackouts impacted you? Do you have questions? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
We reached out to the California ISO and California Public Utilities Commission, but did not immediately hear back to our request for an interview.
With files from LAist. Read more here
Guests:
Sharon McNary, infrastructure correspondent at KPCC; she tweets
Severin Borenstein, professor and faculty director of the Energy Institute at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, member of the California ISO Board of Governors; he tweets
Katherine Blunt, reporter covering renewable energy and utilities for The Wall Street Journal; she tweets
Analyzing Joe Biden’s Tax Plan
Tax plans are likely going to be a big point of tension between Trump and Biden, as we head into an election amid an economic downturn.
Biden’s plan involves raising $4 trillion dollars in the next ten years, which would be contingent on Democratic control of the Senate. The plan involves levies on corporations, raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans and more.
We dive into the specific proposals laid out on Biden’s plan and their potential repercussions.
Guests:
Chris Edwards, economist and director of tax policy at the Cato Institute; he is also editor of DownsizingGovernment.org, a Cato project that focuses on federal spending
Mark Rickling, policy and legislative director at Americans for Tax Fairness, a left-leaning political advocacy group
Kevin Klowden, executive director of the Milken Institute’s Center for Regional Economics and California Center; he tweets