The Supreme Court today ruled for a lower court in Texas to revisit its case on Affirmative Action. Also, can the Clippers make a deal for coach Doc Rivers, is sleeping apart actually better for couples, and how do incomes of LGB couples compare to homosexual couples? Then, where in the world is Edward Snowden? Later on AirTalk, Lowell Bergman discusses his new documentary, "Rape in the Fields" and Neal Baer previews his new CBS series, "Under the Dome."
Supreme Court steps into major political fight and out of affirmative action case
This morning, the high court decided it will hear a case soon that pits Republicans against President Obama. It centers on whether executive powers allow high-level appointments to be made while Congress is in recess -- thereby side-stepping Senate confirmation. Last year, President Obama made three appointments to the National Labor Relations Board. If those appointments get invalidated, it could have implications for hundreds of recent NLRB decisions.
One of the bigger rulings anticipated this term arrived with a whimper this morning. The court was asked to review the constitutionality of race-based admissions used by the University of Texas. Instead, the justices are sending the case back to the lower court to apply greater judicial scrutiny in reviewing how the school uses race to achieve diversity. The decision was nearly consensus with only Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissenting.
What were her arguments? Why did the lower court seemingly fail to do the work in its first ruling? What standards should that lower court use in its second look?
Guests:
Lisa McElroy, Assoc. Prof. of Law, Earle Mack School of Law, Drexel University
Ilya Shapiro, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute (think tank advocating Libertarian principles) and editor-in-chief of the “Cato Supreme Court Review”
Jody Armour, Roy P. Crocker Professor of Law at the University of Southern California
If Rivers' deal goes through; new Clippers coach would have to live up to great expectations
There are unconfirmed reports that the Clippers have made a deal with Boston Celtics to release Doc Rivers from the three years left on his contract in Boston and have him sign with L.A.’s hottest basketball team. (KPCC is trying to confirm the various reports and will follow up if they pan out.)
According to these reports, in return the Clippers will send Boston their 2015 first-round draft pick. The Celtics are looking to rebuild their team and seem willing to part with some of their star pieces, including coach Rivers and players Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
The Clippers, meanwhile, believe this new deal with coax star point guard Chris Paul into staying with the team and signing a five-year contract. If the deal goes through — and it will be under scrutiny from the league as the two teams just recently tried to make a deal that violated the league’s bargaining agreement — it could mean a huge next step for the Clippers franchise, who already appear to be on the doorstep to being title contenders.
Guest:
Kevin Arnovitz, writes about the NBA for ESPN and hosts the Clippers Podcast for ESPN-LA
Is sleeping apart good for couples? (Poll)
Whether it's because of differing sleeping schedules, uncomfortable beds, or the classic snoring problem, more couples are asking for their own sleeping space.
National Sleep Foundation surveys have found that the number of couples who sleep in separate bedrooms is increasing. In fact, it's estimated that 25 percent of U.S. couples don't sleep together.
We’ve asked our AirTalk listeners to chime in and share their experiences about whether sleeping apart from a significant other has its perks or downsides.
Christopher from Northridge explained to AirTalk that he’s on the other side of the spectrum when it comes to couples sleeping in separate beds for a more restful sleep. He says he is able to get a much better, deeper sleep when he is with his significant other, possibly because of the sense of security or body warmth.
“I guess the reason for that would be is I like the body heat and the warmth – just the connection of someone else. I guess deep REM, it puts me in a much deeper sleep state.”
But there are also couples who have resorted to sleeping in separate beds for the purposes of avoiding loud snores and sensitivity to noise. Marney in Studio City shared her own experiences about sleeping in separate beds:
“My husband and I have slept apart for over 10 years now. It initially started because he was just so temperature-wise very warm. […] Then he was a snorer, so then he got a CPAP.”
To get a better night’s sleep, Marney decided to sleep downstairs, causing the couple to not have sex for the past 10 years.
“We don't have sex. Haven't had sex for 10 years. A very lonely [existence], but that's just the way it goes. I think there's a lot of other good things we have and that's one of the collateral damage from it all.”
John in Ontario said he has been sleeping alone for the past three weeks, since his wife was out of the country. He said he has struggled to sleep alone.
“My wife was out of the country, and she came back yesterday, and I finally got some sleep. This morning I woke up two hours late for work, because I finally slept. It's just not the same when she's not there. In the beginning, we had different sleeping patterns. We developed and became the same. When she came back, it made a big difference to have someone next to you.”
Debbie from Hollywood explained that she and her husband will start off sleeping in the same bed, but they’ll gradually move to another room if they have difficulty sleeping.
“My husband and I will often start in the same bed, and he'll wake up and decide he can't fall asleep and go into another bedroom. So we'll wake up in different rooms, but I don't have any problems with it. I think people do sleep better when they are alone."
What's your experience of sleeping apart from your spouse or significant other? Is it better for your relationship or does it create distance? Do couples sleep better apart?
With contributions from Monica Luhar
Do queer folks have more disposable income? Apparently, only in California.
The perception that two incomes and no kids give queer couples an economic edge over straight couples has been proven to be just that: a perception. The Williams Institute at UCLA has recently released a new study looking at poverty rates among lesbian, gay and bisexual people in America and finds that this group is more likely to be poor than their heterosexual counterparts. What’s more, children of same-sex couples are especially vulnerable economically.
What are the reasons behind this trend? How does gender, race, location and education play into the poverty rates of lesbian, gay, bisexual Americans? What does the LGBT population look like today in America?
Guests:
M.V. Lee Badgett, research director at the Williams Institute and one of the authors of the study looking at the poverty rates among lesbian, gay and bisexual population.
Gary J. Gates, a demographer and Williams Distinguished Scholar at the Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law
Where in the world is Edward Snowden?
Journalists aboard a flight from Moscow to Havana were disappointed to find that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden was not aboard, despite reports that he had checked in on the flight, ostensibly en route to Ecuador or Venezuela. In fact no one has even confirmed seeing Snowden in Moscow, where he should be confined because he lacks a Russian Visa. We know thus far that Snowden has requested asylum in both Venezuela and Ecuador, and the Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño has publicly indicated that the country might honor the request. We know that on Sunday Snowden left Hong Kong headed for Moscow.
At this point Russian officials are resisting White House pressure to arrest Snowden and help the U.S. bring him home to face charges of espionage. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is livid over Russia’s lack of cooperation, as well as how Hong Kong allowed Snowden to leave freely rather than cooperating with the White House’s formal extradition request.
So where is Snowden headed, and does the U.S. have any power to stop him?
Guest:
Ken Dilanian, Intelligence and national security reporter for Los Angeles Times in Washington
Lowell Bergman on Frontline documentary 'Rape in the Fields'
FRONTLINE and Univision News partnered together to investigate the raping of migrant workers. After a year of reporting, the organizations along with journalist Lowell Bergman will air their documentary, "Rape in the Fields," on FRONTLINE on Tuesday.
The documentary looks at migrant women who work in American fields. As they're packing plants, how vulnerable are they to their bosses and other co-workers? Many who are abused are afraid to speak out, fearing that they may lose their jobs, their means to support their families, and be deported.
"Rape in the Fields" was a collaborative project between FRONTLINE, Univision, The Center for Investigative Reporting, and the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley.
Guest:
Lowell Bergman, producer/correspondent for FRONTLINE, professor of Investigative Reporting at the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley and director of the Investigative Reporting Program
"Rape in the Fields" will air FRONTLINE on Tuesday, June 25, at 10 p.m. PST and on the Univision Network as Violación de un Sueño on Saturday, June 29.
Neal Baer on his new series 'Under The Dome'
Neal Baer’s highly anticipated series “Under the Dome” follows the story of Chester’s Mill, a small town that is mysteriously cut off from the rest of the world when a huge transparent dome covers it. People are cut off from family and friends and must cope with the reality of living in a Petri dish of sorts. The series is based off of Stephen King’s novel by the same name. King is an executive producer of the show, alongside Steven Spielberg.
Guest:
Neal Baer, Executive Producer, CBS Television's new primetime series, "Under the Dome" -- a serialized drama from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television based on the Stephen King novel of the same name; previously, Baer was an EP and writer on the hit shows "ER" And "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit;" Baer is also a medical doctor.
"Under the Dome" premieres tonight at 10 p.m. PST on CBS Television.