California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced Friday that a bill offering single-payer healthcare to the state will be postponed, angering progressive activists across the country. AirTalk speaks with Rendon about his decision. We also dive into the ethics of artificial intelligence; celebrate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter; and more.
'It's kind of ridiculous': Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon on CA's single-payer health plan
California’s single-payer health care system was sidelined late Friday afternoon.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount), who
, said the proposal was “woefully incomplete.” This dashed hopes for quick passage of the bill, SB 562, which would offer a universal health care plan to the state. Rendon went on to point out that issues of financing, care implementation and cooperation with the Trump Administration were lacking in the legislation. The expense of the $400 billion proposal was one of the main causes of concern for Rendon, who said on Monday the bill was beyond fine-tuning that many measures need to move forward.
Former Assembly Speaker John A. Perez supported Rendon’s decision, saying he had taken the hit of postponing single-payer health care so none of the other members would have to. Perez called Rendon’s action “the job of a leader.” Gov. Jerry Brown had his reservations about the costs of such a revamp of the current system. The California Nurses Assn., which sponsored the bill, criticized the move, accusing Rendon of acting in insurance companies’ interests. And Sens. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who authored SB 562, vowed this isn’t the end of the single-payer health care conversation. But how practical is the measure?
Guest host Libby Denkmann speaks to experts on the single-payer health care issue to speculate on the future of SB 562.
Guests:
Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount), California Assembly Speaker representing the 63rd district; it includes Bell, Lakewood, Paramount and a northern portion of Long Beach
Michael Lighty, director of public policy at the California Nurses Association, which sponsored SB 562
Sally C. Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, a nonprofit think tank focused on free-market solutions to policy problems
What do officers have to disclose to testify as a witness? A ruling today explores that question
A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge is expected to decide this morning whether or not a man convicted of drug charges will get a retrial.
Defendant Emil Alseranai claims his right to fair trial was violated. During his first trial, the defendant googled the testifying Sheriff’s Sergeant who arrested him. He discovered a civil jury had previously found the officer “liable of using false evidence or false testimony” in a different arrest.
So what parts of an officer’s record have to be disclosed before testifying in court? How much of the burden falls on the defense or prosecution teams? How much of an officer’s record is legally private? What are the reasons for an officer to disclose his or her record up front? Why might an officer choose not to mention a previous accusation?
Guest host Libby Denkmann in for Larry Mantle
Guests:
Jerry Coleman, special assistant district attorney for city and county of San Francisco; adjunct professor of law at University of San Francisco, where he teaches ethical prosecution
Ken Yuwiler, partner at Rains Lucia Stern law firm in the Bay Area
Apple Music and Spotify are flourishing, but what about musicians?
The music industry grew six percent last year, thanks partly to the popularity of streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.
Spotify is the undisputed leader in the industry. To play catch up, Apple Music has been offering record labels more money to license their music. But with some 27 million subscribers now, Apple’s streaming service is rumored to be renegotiating its contracts with record labels to reduce how much it pays them.
But where are the musicians – the hitmakers – in all of this?
Music writer Charles R. Cross joins guest host Libby Denkmann to discuss the issue.
Guest:
Charles R. Cross, a Seattle-based music journalist and author of multiple books, including “Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll” (HarperCollins, 2012), and his latest, “Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain” (It Books, 2014)
The boy who lived (and the readers who grew up with him), 20 years later
In 1997, the first “Harry Potter” book was published in the U.K., and twenty years later, kids and adults still dream of receiving their Hogwarts acceptance letters.
In the two decades since its publication, the series has become a worldwide phenomenon, arguably changing the landscape of children’s book publishing, and spawning a wildly successful movie franchise, as well as podcasts, fanfiction, theme parks, wrock bands (that’s wizard rock bands, for you muggles) and a fair share of controversy.
What did Harry Potter mean to you growing up? Do you have any fond memories of going to midnight-release parties or staying up until the wee hours of the morning to binge read the books? How do you keep the magic alive now?
Call in at 866-893-5722.
Guest host Libby Denkmann in for Larry Mantle
Guest:
Maureen Palacios, owner of Once Upon A Time, the oldest children’s bookstore in the country, located in Montrose