AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the major headlines you might’ve missed in politics news over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come. We also give an update on what's happening in Hong Kong and Iran; talk about how political beliefs can influence shopping choices; and more.
Week In Politics: Impeachment Hearing Wednesday, More Tariffs, What Happened To The Anxiety About White Working Class Men And More
AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the major headlines you might’ve missed in politics news over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come. Here are the headlines what we’re following this week:
Impeachment watch:
House Judiciary sets Wednesday for first hearing
The White House said it will not take part in the hearing this week, although it’s not clear if this is a bellwether for future WH involvement in impeachment proceedings
Judge ruled that White House counsel Don McGahn must testify in the House impeachment probe; how the ruling could impact other witnesses
For voters in Wisconsin, at least, the impeachment hearings have not changed the way they intend to vote in 2020
2020:
Elizabeth Warren takes huge nosedive in latest Quinnipiac poll
Establishment Dems think Medicare-4-All is a political liability
California voters on Michael Bloomberg’s candidacy: Meh
Can new citizens swing 2020 – a study from a progressive organization says yes
Kamala Harris aide resigns, says she’s going to Bloomberg. Was the Harris campaign especially brutal or is this the reality of campaign life?
Trump is resetting tariffs on Brazil and Argentina
The economy is doing pretty well, which should be a boon for Trump in 2020 - if he doesn’t distract away from it
After the 2016 election, there was a lot of talk about the political activation of the white working class women. Are they still an important voting bloc?
Guests:
Mike Madrid, Republican political strategist for the Sacramento-based public affairs firm GrassrootsLab; he was the political director of the California Republican Party (1996-98); one of his areas of expertise is Latino voters and politics; he tweets
Matt Barreto, professor of political science and Chicano/a Studies at UCLA and co-founder of the research and polling firm Latino Decisions; he tweets
Should Toll Lanes On The 405 Freeway Become A Reality?
Lone drivers could eventually be able to use the 405’s carpool lanes as a result of toll lanes. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is in the early stages of plans for toll lanes between the 101 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley and the 10 in West L.A., according to the L.A. Times.
Other programs similar include portions of the 110 and 10 freeways, where drivers are charged a per-mile toll that depends on traffic. The Sepulveda Pass toll lanes, if approved, would be open to commuters in 2027. The Metro board is set to consider a $27.5 million contract on Thursday. Metro officials and urban planning experts have previously said that programs like these could significantly help with traffic congestion. But what do the drivers think? We want to hear from you? Do you think the additional toll lanes are a good idea? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Laura J. Nelson, covers transportation and mobility issues for the Los Angeles Times
Mark Linsenmayer, deputy executive officer for the Los Angeles Metro Transit Authority’s Congestion Reduction Program, which oversees express lanes and program expansion
NYC Case Tests SCOTUS’s Appetite To Expand Gun Rights
The Supreme Court is turning to gun rights for the first time in nearly a decade, even though those who brought the case, New York City gun owners, already have won changes to the regulation they challenged.
The justices’ persistence in hearing arguments Monday despite the city’s action has made gun control advocates fearful that the court’s conservative majority could use the case to call into question gun restrictions across the country.
The lawsuit in New York began as a challenge to the city's prohibition on carrying a licensed, locked and unloaded handgun outside the city limits, either to a shooting range or a second home.
Lower courts upheld the regulation, but the Supreme Court’s decision in January to step into the case signaled a revived interest in gun rights from a court with two new justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, both appointees of President Donald Trump.
Officials at both the city and state level scrambled to find a way to remove the case from the justices’ grasp. Not only did the city change its regulation to allow licensed gun owners to transport their weapons to locations outside New York’s five boroughs, but the state enacted a law barring cities from imposing the challenged restrictions.
But those moves failed to get the court to dismiss the case, although the justices are likely to ask at arguments about whether there’s anything left for them to decide.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Greg Stohr, Supreme Court reporter, Bloomberg News, and author of “A Black and White Case: How Affirmative Action Survived Its Greatest Legal Challenge” (Bloomberg Press, 2006); he tweets
Darrell Miller, professor of law and 2nd Amendment expert at Duke University; faculty co-director of Duke Center for Firearms Law; co-author of the book, "The Positive Second Amendment" (Cambridge University Press, 2018)
Unrest Abroad: We Check In On Hong Kong and Iran
China reacted furiously Thursday to President Donald Trump’s signing two bills aimed at supporting human rights in Hong Kong, summoning the U.S. ambassador to protest and warning the move would undermine cooperation with Washington.
Thousands of pro-democracy activists crowded a public square in downtown Hong Kong on Thursday night for a “Thanksgiving Day” rally to thank the United States for passing the laws and vowed to “march on” in their fight.
Meanwhile, last week in Iran, protesters angry over spikes in government-set gasoline prices attacked hundreds of banks, police outposts and gas stations in the demonstrations. Tehran’s supreme leader alleged without evidence that a “conspiracy” involving the U.S. caused the unrest. The crackdown has been brutal, with security forces reportedly opening fire on protesters. At least 180 people have been killed.
We check in on the latest from Hong Kong and Iran.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Vivian Salama, White House reporter for the Wall Street Journal; she tweets
Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times reporter covering Iran; she tweets
Your Choice of Jeans Could Reveal Your Politics
A recent piece in the Wall Street Journal looked at 15 years of consumer surveys by the research firm MRI Simmons and found what many farm and ranch hands already knew: Levi’s are preferred by liberal-skewing urbanites, and Wranglers are the jeans of choice for rural conservatives.
The Journal article detailed how Levi’s and other brands like Gillette and Nike’s backing of progressive causes has both energized their customer base while turning off some buyers, and companies like Chick-Fil-A (or locally in California, In-N-Out) have done the same with their support for conservative values. Wrangler, the piece notes, avoids overt political messages, opting instead to align itself with rodeo and ranch lifestyle. Which companies do you choose to shop with based on their apparent political, ethical, or social values? Which ones do you avoid?
Guest:
Americus Reed II, professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business; his research focuses on the role of identity in consumer decision making