AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable looks back at 2019’s biggest political headlines, as well as the ones you may have missed that will have the greatest impact down the line. Also on the show, we break down the AB5 law that is set to go into affect on Wednesday.
Year In Politics: Mueller Report, Rising Populism Abroad 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. But today, we’re looking back at the year’s biggest headlines, as well as the ones you may have missed that will have the greatest impact down the line.
Here are some of the big political domestic news headlines in 2019:
Impeachment
Nancy Pelosi elected House Speaker/Dems take control of the House
Mueller report and testimony
Strong economy / skyrocketing national debt
Huge tax cuts
Appointments of more conservative judges
Border Wall/Trump declares national emergency
Was 2019 the death of the Tea Party?
Here are some of the biggest US-international news in politics 2019:
Boris Johnson’s victory and anti-elitist sentiment internationally
U.S.-Iran tensions
Leader of ISIS killed/U.S. troops withdraw from Syria
Trade deals: U.S.-China reach limited trade deal / USMCA trade deal
Asylum policy reform
U.S.-North Korea Summit in Vietnam/Nuclear talks fall apart
With guest host Kyle Stokes
Guests:
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies. He is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets
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
A Landmark Labor Law Is Going Into Effect In CA -- But Most People Are Still Confused About AB-5
The controversy around Assembly Bill 5 continues to swirl, but the law becomes a reality on Jan. 1. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law back in September. It rewrites the state’s employment law, changing what it means to be an independent contractor and impacting gig workers and several industries.
Many companies using independent contractors or freelancers will be required to reclassify those workers as employees. Those in favor of the law say it will increase worker protections and lead to fair wages. Uber and Lyft, which have argued the law will lead to price hikes and a decrease in flexibility for drivers, are part of a more than $100 million ballot initiative that would exempt the companies from AB-5. The law reaches well beyond the ridesharing industry from therapists and truck drivers to freelance journalists and entertainers. According to the Los Angeles Times, Vox Media moved to end contracts with hundreds of freelance writers in order to comply with AB-5.Many say they’re still confused about how the new law will impact them.
Today on AirTalk, we take a look back at how AB-5 came to fruition and what the impact is moving forward. Are you confused by AB-5? Do you have questions about the law? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
With guest host Kyle Stokes
Guests:
Carolyn Said, San Francisco Chronicle reporter covering business, tech and the on-demand economy; she tweets
Angela Reddock-Wright, an employment attorney, investigator and mediator. She is Managing Attorney of Los Angeles-based Reddock Law Group