At just 11.45 percent, the March 7 Los Angeles election turnout was historically low – what happened?; we look at how the House GOP’s plan to replace the Affordable Care Act could impact enrollees in California; how does using voice assistants like Siri and Alexa in the home impact child development?; and more.
Tuesday's LA voter turnout was probably the lowest ever. What happened?
Mayor Eric Garcetti won re-election. Measure H is closing in on passage, and Measure S is heading for certain defeat.
But the big story coming out of Tuesday’s Los Angeles’ elections might be the poor turnout. At under 12 percent, it’s possibly the lowest in the city’s recent history.
There’s been a lot of talk about how President Trump’s unexpected win would galvanize people’s sense of civic duty, as well as voter turnout all across the country. So what happened in LA?
Guest:
Fernando J. Guerra, professor of political science and director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University; he is a member of the Southern California Public Radio Board of Trustees
Highlights from House Republicans’ all-nighter on ACA replacement, plus gauging the impact and consequences for covered Californians
Bleary-eyed members of two separate House committees fought to stay awake into the early hours of the morning on the east coast as work progressed on the GOP bill to replace Obamacare.
The House Ways and Means Committee called it quits at 4:30a Eastern on Thursday morning after approving its portion of the law. Meanwhile, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the bill after a 27 hour marathon session.
Here in the Golden State, we’re starting to get a look at potential local and statewide impacts of the law on Californians if it were implemented. Nearly a third of California’s population is covered by Medi-Cal, which could be phased out if the Republican’s bill to replace Obamacare passes. The L.A. Times’ Melanie Mason also reports that most plans in California could be ineligible for tax credits under the new law.
Today on AirTalk, California health policy experts share what came out of the all-night session, take a closer look at what the impact could be here, and share their takes on how the House GOP’s plan to replace the Affordable Care Act could impact enrollees in the Golden State, the state exchanges, and MediCal.
Guests:
Mary Agnes Carey, Partnerships Editor and senior correspondent for Kaiser Health News; she tweets
Lanhee Chen, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, former policy director for the Romney-Ryan 2012 presidential campaign, and a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the 2nd Bush Administration; he tweets
Shana Alex Charles, assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences at California State University, Fullerton
President Trump's expected roll back of fuel-economy requirements could pit California against the EPA
Another change is coming from the Trump Administration. And this time, it’s impacting two issues near and dear to Californians - the environment and our cars.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the Trump Administration is planning to roll back federal fuel-economy requirements implemented under Obama.
A requirement enacted in January puts a 36 mile per gallon average on new cars. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was asked by automakers to throw that standard out. But California has a waiver which allows it to enforce fuel efficiency standards, and the roll back could spark a legal battle for the state to keep its requirements. So what chance does the EPA have of moving forward?
Guests:
Emily Guerin, KPCC environment reporter; she’s been following the story
Oren Cass, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where his focus includes energy and environmental policy
Ann Carlson, co-director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment; she is also a Shirley Shapiro Professor of Environmental Law at UCLA
Decisions, decisions: Analyzing who could fill an open seat in California’s Supreme Court
California Supreme Court Justice Kathryn Werdegar announced Wednesday that she will retire this summer.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Werdegar is the longest-serving member of the state Supreme Court. She began her tenure in 1994 under then Gov. Pete Wilson’s appointment, and has decided cases such as a 1996 ruling that prevents landlords from renting to unmarried couples. In 2008, she also voted to outlaw same-sex marriage bans, the case that let to Proposition 8. Werdegar will turn 81 in April.
So who will fill Werdegar’s seat? That’s up to Gov. Jerry Brown. But the question looms: Who is the best justice to step in, as California’s pushback with the Trump Administration moves forward?
Guest:
David Siders, senior reporter for POLITICO, and co-author of POLITICO’S California Playbook; he’s been following the story
How do voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri and Cortana shape children?
Kids might love having Alexa around to help with homework, set the alarm clock or tell them the weather – but what are the effects of these “smart” voice assistants on child development?
It’s likely that voice assistants such as Microsoft’s Cortana, Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa will soon become a staple of family life, but their impact on the way children are socialized is still unclear.
According to the Washington Post, some children who often use voice assistants become more rude, because they get acclimated to removing social niceties such as “please” and “thank you” from their speech.
That’s something toy maker Mattel is looking to address with Aristotle, a home baby monitor similar to the Echo that can play games with kids, read aloud from children’s books, and, yes, require that kids say “please” when asking questions to help instill manners.
If you’re a parent who owns a voice assistant, how does it affect your children? What are the negatives? The positives? What child-friendly functionality would you want to see in a smart voice assistant?
Guest:
Sandra Calvert, professor of psychology at Georgetown University and director of the Children’s Digital Media Center