AirTalk debates an upcoming SCOTUS case that will decide whether online retailers have to collect state sales tax, regardless of where the company is based. We also bring you the latest on the Florida high school shooting that took 17 lives yesterday; what memories shaped your view of money?; and more.
Update on Parkland shooting and an analysis on Trump’s speech
Yesterday in Parkland, Flor., 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz allegedly walked into his old high school with an AR-15 and open fired.
17 people were shot and killed, and a multitude of other were injured.
At this point in time, police have reportedly identified all the victims and will be releasing their names later today.
Law enforcement is also investigating the troubled past of Cruz, whose adoptive mother had recently died and was living with friends.
This morning, President Trump gave a speech offering his condolences and support to the Parkland community and those affected by the shooting. The topic of gun control was not addressed, but the president did speak of actions needed in better addressing mental health disorders, and stated that school safety was now a top priority for his administration.
We get the latest from a Florida reporter and discuss Trump’s speech and its implications.
Guests:
Louis Nelson, breaking news reporter for Politico based in Arlington, VA; he tweets
Vic Micolucci, anchor and reporter at WJXT, a TV news station in Jacksonville, FL; he is in Parkland covering the story; he tweets
A history of the rise of the black middle class in LA and nationwide, and what the future may hold
Financially, middle class African-Americans are better off than they have been in decades past.
But when you look at their growth compared to that of other ethnic groups, the progress is comparatively slow. Some even say that progress has plateaued or is dropping off.
In 2017, analysis of census data showed African-Americans were the only racial group in the country earning less money than they were in the year 2000. Two years earlier, in 2015, researchers at Stanford University published a study that pointed to the neighborhood gap as one of the major factors behind racial disparities across the U.S. Using census data, the researchers discovered that even among black and white families who made the same amount of money each year, white families were more likely to live in a “good” neighborhoods with good schools, parks, day-care, etc. What the researchers said was even more striking is that they found typical middle-income black families live in neighborhoods where the average income is lower than a neighborhood where your average low-income white family.
Some might say there’s also an issue of segregation among middle class African-Americans. While education and job opportunities are now more accessible than they have been in the past for middle class blacks, many families have been sequestered into neighborhoods with low home values, which can leads to disparity in opportunities. In this 2016 op-ed from the New York Times, author Henry Louis Gates, Jr. points to the work of Harvard sociologist William Julius Wilson, who argues that there are two groups within Black America: the haves and the have-nots. And the haves, some argue, don’t like being associated with those they believe are ‘have nots.’
Today on AirTalk, Larry Mantle looks back at the history of the rise of the black middle class, and talks with expert historians about what the past can tell us about what the future may hold.
Guests:
Stefan Bradley, Ph.D., chair of the African American Studies department at Loyola Marymount University; his research focuses on post-WWII Black communities in America
Jody Armour, professor of law at USC
After the Florida shooting, a look at whether videos hurt or help investigations
There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the videos taken during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
As CNN reported, a student shot video of classmates who were hiding in their classroom as the gunman opened fire. News outlets advise viewer discretion, but there are questions about whether these videos should be shown at all, and what the rules are in obtaining clips from minors.
On the law enforcement side, it’s unclear whether videos could help improve future tactics in active shooter situations, or reveal game plans that are best kept secret. And what does video use mean for investigations?
Larry speaks to a panel of law, media ethics and security experts to find out more about the growing use of videos taken during shootings.
Guests:
Todd M. Keil, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, from 2009 to 2012); for 23 years, he was a special agent with the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service
Jane Kirtley, professor of media ethics and law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota
Larry Rosenthal, professor in the Fowler School of Law at Chapman University and a former federal prosecutor
Should out-of-state online retailers be required to collect sales tax on in-state purchases?
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed last week to take up a case that would overturn a 1992 decision exempting retailers with no physical presence in a state from collecting state sales tax.
As reported by Reuters, the South Dakota appeal was made following a lower court decision in favor of Wayfair Inc., Overstock.com Inc. and Newegg Inc. Main Street retail supporters like the National Retail Federation are in favor of requiring online businesses to collect state sales tax, regardless of where the company is based. They say the move would even the playing field in the digital age. Since these sales tax requirements were lifted before the online sales boom, trade groups in favor of local retail stores also say the exemption is antiquated.
E-commerce advocates such as NetChoice argue that a change in the law would stifle innovation, putting undue burdens on businesses that don’t have a store, office or warehouse in states where purchases are made.
So how would these state sales tax charges work if the law is overturned? And what would the impact to local brick-and-mortar retailers be if state sales taxes are not required for in-state online retailers?
Guests:
Steve DelBianco, president of NetChoice, an e-commerce trade association group
Rachelle Bernstein, vice president and tax counsel at the National Retail Federation
AirTalk asks: What memories shaped your view of money?
Whether it was your first glimpse of a weekly allowance or watching your friend get a shiny new car, it’s amazing how our memories affect the way we think about money.
Family financial values play a big part in how we handle our investments as adults. But what if your parents never talked about the bills? Or, maybe money was an open subject and you had to pitch-in at an early age. Maybe Mom and Dad had great investments and showed you how to do the same.
Gaby Dunn, host of the “Bad With Money” podcast, remembers how her mom, a lawyer, would barter with people in need who couldn’t pay for legal services. And that shaped how Dunn measured her own financial worth as a freelancer.
AirTalk wants to hear about the memories that formed your views about money. Was there a specific moment when your parents spoke to you about paying the bills? Did money remain a mystery until you earned your first paycheck? Does financial planning feel overwhelming due to past circumstances? And how did the way you handle money evolve over time?
Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Gaby Dunn, writer and host of “Bad With Money” a financial planning podcast; her upcoming book, "Bad With Money" is due out later this year; she tweets
Delia Fernandez, fee-only certified financial planner and investment advisor with Fernandez Financial Advisory, LLC