Rounding up the weekend's political events with Bernie Sanders' victories and the continuing feud between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz; weighing the pros and cons of California's minimum wage increase and discussing a book that explores good ways to die.
AirTalk election 2016: Bernie’s big weekend, plus Cruz and Trump continue sniping each other’s wives
It’s a question of math vs. momentum at this point for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
The Vermont Senator snatched up victories in Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington State over the weekend, giving him and his supporters more momentum, but ultimately didn't make much of a dent in Hillary Clinton's lead.
Also, a new poll from the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Times shows that while Donald Trump leads among California Republicans, at least a quarter of them wouldn't support Trump if he were to win the Republican nomination. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders.
Today on AirTalk, we'll go over the new poll and hear from political experts on what to expect from the week to come in politics.
Guests:
Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC and adjunct faculty at USC Annenberg School
Lynn Vavreck, professor of political science at UCLA; she tweets from
Zack Courser, research director of the Dreier Roundtable and visiting assistant professor of government at Claremont McKenna College; he tweets from
Stakeholders weigh in on impact of proposed minimum wage hike
(AP) California legislators and labor unions have reached a tentative agreement that will take the state's minimum wage from $10 to $15 an hour, a state senator said, a move that would make for the largest statewide minimum in the nation by far.
The Los Angeles Times, which first reported the deal, said the wage would rise to $10.50 in 2017, to $11 an hour in 2018, and one dollar per year to take it to $15 by 2022. Businesses with fewer than 25 employees would have an extra year to comply.
Read the full story here.
Guests:
Dave Regan, President of SEIU United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), a union that represents more than 150,000 healthcare workers in California; vice president national Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Jake Mangas, president/CEO of Redding Chamber of Commerce
Bill DuBois, member of the governmental affairs committee for the El Centro Chamber of Commerce and a former president of the El Centro Chamber
Glendale considers building a park over the 134 freeway
This week Glendale City Council requested a $300,000 study to look into the cost and impact of building a so-called “cap park” over a portion of the Ventura Freeway.
The park would serve as a connector between the north and south sides of the city and is seen by supporters as both a public safety improvement and an increase in vibrant green space with plans to include walking trains, a concert space, and a children’s play area.
City staffers have suggested that the first phase of construction may span over the 134 Freeway between Central Avenue and Brand Boulevard and then extend to Geneva Street. Though a final design may be years away, the first phase of the project would bring the total area of the park to about 4 or 5 acres.
Residents polled were found to have broad support for the project, which has been modeled after similar parks constructed above recessed roadways in Phoenix, Dallas, Sacramento and Seattle. Some residents, however, have expressed concerns about how money would be generated to fund the project. In Los Angeles, a similar proposal for a park over the 101 Freeway from Hollywood Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard is currently under environmental review.
Guests:
Laura Friedman, Glendale City Councilmember and former Mayor of Glendale from 2011-2012
Eric Jay Toll, reporter covering the economy, infrastructure and transportation for the Phoenix Business Journal who's been following the project over the years
Exploring the meaning of a ‘good death’
Death is a certainty, but as author Ann Neumann finds, medical technologies have changed what dying means.
In her new book, “The Good Death,” Neumann sets out to understand what dying looks like, and what a “good death” means today. Her journey was sparked by a personal tragedy. Neumann’s father was diagnosed with lymphoma, and she left her job to care for him full-time.
After his passing, she volunteered as a hospice volunteer, talked to advocates working to legalize assisted suicide in the country, and attended meetings with those who are opposed to the idea.
Ann Neumann will be talking about her new book, "The Good Death” tomorrow, March 29, at 12:00 p.m. at an event at the University of Southern California. For more information and to RSVP, click here.
Guest:
Ann Neumann, author of “The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America” (Beacon Press, 2016) and a visiting scholar at the Center for Religion and Media at New York University, where she is a contributing editor to the Revealer; Ann tweets from
‘James Beard’s All-American Eats’ recipes and lore
The great James Beard once said, “I don’t like gourmet cooking or ‘this’ cooking or ‘that’ cooking. I like good cooking.”
To celebrate better-than-good American cuisine, the James Beard Foundation brings together recipes and stories from their best-loved local restaurants across the country in “James Beard’s All-American Eats” (Rizzoli; 2016).
Naturally that includes crabcakes with remoulade from Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami. If you can’t drive to Langer’s Deli for cabbage soup, this compendium has the recipe. What are your beloved meals from great American locals?
Guest:
Alison Tozzi Liu, Editorial Director of the James Beard Foundation