Today on AirTalk, we give updates on voting and other news leading up to election day. Also on the show, we talk about the LA city council's controversial proposal that may close homeless encampments; updates on LAUSD's efforts to help students; and more,
Long Lines, An Anxious Electorate, And 24 Hours To Go: Previewing Election Day 2020 On The Local, State, And National Stage
President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden have one last chance to make their case to voters in critical battleground states on Monday, the final full day of a campaign that has laid bare their dramatically different visions for tackling the nation’s pressing problems and for the office of the presidency itself.
The candidates are seeking to lead a nation at a crossroads, gripped by a historic pandemic that is raging anew in nearly every corner of the country and a reckoning over race. More than 93 million people have already voted and it could take longer than usual for elections officials to process the historic surge in early and mail-in ballots. Both campaigns insist they have a pathway to victory, though Biden's options for picking up the required 270 Electoral College votes are more plentiful. Trump is banking on a surge of enthusiasm from his most loyal supporters while also threatening legal action to stop vote counting in some crucial states, including Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, here in Southern California, the Los Angeles Times reports pro-Trump supporters once again turned out in communities like Beverly Hills and Temecula in support of the president. In Temecula, a caravan of supporters drove for 60 miles and ultimately ended at a sports park that included a vote center, which the Times reports frustrated some voters who got caught in the traffic. Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies did respond to the protest and said it was largely peaceful.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll get updates from the national campaign trail on the day before the election as well as recap the major local political headlines from this weekend.
To find your nearest vote center or ballot drop box, click here, and don’t forget to visit KPCC’s Voter Game Plan for more on local races, state ballot propositions, and how to prepare for election day.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Ron Elving, senior editor and correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News; he tweets
Libby Denkmann, KPCC & LAist reporter covering politics; she tweets
How Are You Handling Difficult Election-Related Convos Within Your Household?
It seems like the election divide just continues to widen as we inch closer to knowing who will hold the office of the president come early next year. If you’ve found that politics are battering your relationships more than ever, you’re not alone, according to a recent survey.
Another poll titled “Dueling Realities” from the Public Religion Research Institute found that around 80 percent of Republicans believe the Democratic party has been taken over by socialists and around 78 percent of Democrats think the Republican party has been taken over by racists. These are challenging narratives to work through for families and friends who may not agree on political ideology. So how are you managing this within your household? Today on AirTalk we want to hear from you. Do you have a divided household? What impact have political rifts had on your family? How are you planning to manage throughout election night and beyond? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
LA City Council Weighs Controversial Proposal That Could Ban Homeless Encampments In Certain Areas
The Los Angeles City Council was due to vote last week on whether to amend local laws to effectively ban homeless encampments in certain parts of L.A. But after a long and contentious meeting, it instead decided to push the motion until November 24, with Council President Nury Martinez saying she wants council members to come up with "real solutions" during that time.
Supporters of the controversial motion say it will help get homeless people off the streets and into shelters, while opponents say the changes will criminalize homelessness. Last week, council members Bob Blumenfield, Joe Buscaino and others introduced a motion instructing the City Attorney to amend two city laws, L.A. Municipal Codes 41.18 and 56.11. Those laws prohibit camping and having “bulky” items in public places, but recent court rulings prevent the city from enforcing anti-camping laws without having adequate shelter beds available.
The proposed changes would allow the city to ban sitting, sleeping or lying down within 500 feet of freeways, freeway ramps, tunnels and certain homeless services facilities opened after January 1, 2018. They would also allow a ban on storing personal property in any of those areas. The motion faced harsh public comment from homeless advocates during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the proposed amendment. Do you have thoughts or questions? Call us at 866-893-5722.
With files from LAist. Read the full story here
Guests:
Mike Feuer, city attorney of Los Angeles; he tweets
Mike Bonin, city councilmember representing LA’s 11th district, which includes Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Ladera, and Venice; he tweets
“General” Jeff Page, skid row community activist commonly known as the defacto mayor of skid row, he’s also the chair of the Skid Row Neighborhood Council Formation Committee; he tweets
Va Lecia Adams Kellum, president and CEO of St. Joseph Center, which works with working poor families, and homeless men, women and children; they are based in Venice and service LA County; she tweets
LAUSD Announced Targeted Efforts To Help Students Struggling On Zoom
Struggles with distance learning are leading to more D and F grades among L.A. Unified middle and high school students, but they still won’t be able to get back to in-person classes through at least the end of this calendar year, LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner announced in Monday’s update to the district community.
“How do you best address that? Find a path to reduce COVID so schools can reopen. That’s the answer,” Beutner said in an interview with KPCC/LAist. “It's not expecting a miracle to happen when teachers are working day and night to do the best they can with students.”
In his address, Beutner said the Los Angeles area “is still well above the guidelines state authorities have set for schools to consider reopening” and with COVID-19 cases increasing in the county, LAUSD schools generally will have to remain closed through at least January, if not longer.
In the meantime, Beutner said, LAUSD will expand in-person tutoring, assessments, and services for kids with special needs from one-on-one sessions to now include small groups of up to three students each, starting on November 9.
Read more on LAist.
Guest:
Carla Javier, education reporter for KPCC; she tweets