Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest political news in Washington D.C. while also breaking down the importance of budget reconciliation and the filibuster during a 50-50 senate split. Also on the show, we answer your COVID-19 questions; discuss the issues with California's vaccine rollout; and more.
Power-Sharing, Reconciliation, Filibuster: Here’s The 101 On The Political Terms Of The Week
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell backed off his demand that Senate Democrats preserve the procedural tool known as the filibuster, easing a standoff with new Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as the two negotiated a power-sharing agreement in the closely divided chamber.
McConnell said late Monday he had essentially accomplished his goal after two Democratic senators said they would not agree to changing the rules to end the filibuster, which would require a 60-vote threshold to advance most legislation. Without the support of all Democratic senators, a rules change would fail.
“With these assurances, I look forward to moving ahead with a power-sharing agreement modeled on that precedent,” McConnell said in a statement. He did not name the Democrats, but West Virginia’s Joe Manchin and Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema had expressed reservations to doing away with the tool.
Schumer’s office said the Republican leader had no choice but to set aside his demands.
“We’re glad Sen. McConnell threw in the towel and gave up on his ridiculous demand,” said Justin Goodman, a spokesman for the Democratic leader. “We look forward to organizing the Senate under Democratic control and start getting big, bold things done for the American people.”
The standoff between the two leaders all but ground the Senate to a halt in the early days of the new Democratic majority as the two sides could not organize the chamber’s routine operations for committee assignments and resources. The stalemate threatened President Joe Biden’s ability to deliver on his legislative agenda.
Today on AirTalk, we’re getting the latest political news. We’re also diving into the filibuster and budget reconciliation, as well as what sharing power looks like in the Senate with the vice president as the deciding vote. Questions? Leave them below or give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Christian Grose, associate professor of political science and public policy at the University of Southern California; he is the academic director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy
Andy Duehren, reporter covering Congress and U.S. politics for the Wall Street Journal; he tweets
Doc AMA: Next Round Of CA Vaccine Prioritizations, Biden Sets Goal Of 1.5 Million Vaccinations A Day, And More.
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with UCLA’s Dr. Timothy Brewer.
Today’s topics include:
CA to prioritize vaccine by age next round
Inflammatory syndrome rising in kids, particularly Latinos
Biden’s new goal: 1.5 million vaccinations a day
Israel’s aggressive vaccination campaign
Does UK variant increase risk for younger people?
What do we know about animals and COVID-19?
Guest:
Timothy Brewer, M.D., epidemiologist and professor of medicine at UCLA’s school of public health; has served on the advisory boards of the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Why Is CA’s Vaccine And EDD Rollout Such A Mess?
More than five weeks into its vaccination program, California doesn’t have nearly the supply to meet demand and there’s growing angst among residents over the difficulty to even get in line for a shot. Social media is awash with people seeking or giving tips on how to maneuver the system.
State officials are frustrated the federal government hasn’t provided more doses. Local officials are upset that Gov. Gavin Newsom last week suddenly added the 4 million residents between ages 65 and 74 to what was supposed to be a shorter list of people first in line for shots, including health care workers and those in nursing care facilities.
Adding to the confusion is a hodgepodge of systems and differing requirements in the state’s 58 counties. For example, Los Angeles and Orange counties authorized mass vaccination sites like Dodger Stadium and Disneyland to give shots to those over 65, while San Francisco is relying largely on hospital systems to vaccinate only patients 75 and up.
Meanwhile, California says unemployment fraud is now north of 11 billion dollars. And on the flip side, there are many folks with legitimate claims who have had trouble getting through to the system.
We dive into the unique challenges facing the Golden State when it comes to rolling out these major programs.
We reached out to the California Department of Public Health, but did not immediately hear back about our interview request.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Dan Walters, long-time California politics observer with CALmatters, a nonprofit public interest publication; he tweets
Nick Vyas, executive Director of USC's Center for Global Supply Chain Management; he’s also the academic director for USC’s Masters of Science in Global Supply Chain Management
After Last Summer’s Wave Of Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Trainings, How Are Companies Following Through?
Following the police killing of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide protests against police brutality and racial and social injustice last summer, companies across the country renewed their focus on implementing diversity and antiracism training sessions as part of a larger effort to acknowledge the effects of institutional racism and not only seek to root it out in the workplace, but also to create a more racially and ethnically representative workforce. It’s not new -- many companies have required employees take diversity and antiracism courses, but last summer’s protest brought a renewed focus to these trainings, how companies use them in the workplace, and whether employees are actually internalizing and applying the concepts they’re taught.
Six months later, how is that going? How have companies followed through on their promises to address issues of diversity, equity and inclusion at work? How are employees applying what they learn in the training, and do they feel that the company is fostering an environment where potentially uncomfortable conversations about race can be had and questions can be asked without fear of judgment or retaliation? And what can employers and employees continue to do to ensure that the ideas and concepts that are laid out in these training sessions are applied to the way employees do their jobs, the way employers assess, evaluate and hire new employees, and how workers apply those lessons to their daily interpersonal dynamic? A recent article in The Wall Street Journal looks at how employers are following up on these trainings and where diversity, equity and inclusion consultants say there are still some gaps in the follow-through.
Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from you -- if you’re an employee, what kinds of trainings did your company implement last summer following the protests against racial and social injustice and police brutality? Has your company followed up on those trainings and provided additional resources? If you’re an employer, how have you been following through to ensure that the concepts discussed in the training are applied in the workplace? We’re taking your calls at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Stephanie Creary, assistant professor of management at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and a founding faculty member of the Wharton IDEAS Lab (Identity, Diversity, Engagement, Affect, and Social Relationships); her research interests include identity, diversity and inclusion and relationships across difference