Today on AirTalk, we break down the Supreme Court hearings for the Affordable Care Act and what the future holds for it now that the court holds a 6-3 conservative majority. Also on the show, we talk about likely candidates to fill vice president-elect Kamala Harris's senate seat; discuss Orange County's audit of all its ballots; and more.
What’s At Stake As The Supreme Court Hears Arguments On The Affordable Care Act
Until six weeks ago, defenders of the Affordable Care Act could take comfort in some simple math. Five Supreme Court justices who had twice preserved the Obama-era health care law remained on the bench and seemed unlikely votes to dismantle it.
But Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death in mid-September and her replacement by Amy Coney Barrett barely a month later have altered the equation as the court prepares to hear arguments today in the third major legal challenge in the law’s 10-year existence.
Republican attorneys general in 18 states, backed by the Trump administration, are arguing that the whole law should be struck down because of a change made by the Republican-controlled Congress in 2017 that reduced the penalty for not having health insurance to zero.
A court ruling invalidating the entire law would threaten coverage for more than 23 million people. It would wipe away protections for people with preexisting medical conditions, subsidized insurance premiums that make coverage affordable for millions of Americans and an expansion of the Medicaid program that is available to low-income people in most states.
Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about the Supreme Court’s deliberation over the Affordable Care Act, and what’s at stake. Questions? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Leah Litman, assistant professor of constitutional law at University of Michigan Law School; she tweets
Josh Blackman, professor of law at the South Texas College of Law Houston, where he specializes in constitutional law and the Supreme Court; he tweets
Who Will Replace Kamala Harris As California Senator And What Does The Process Look Like?
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are headed to the White House after the former vice president and senator of California defeated President Donald Trump in his second-term run. With the transition of power into the White House (which could get ugly) comes another transition right here in the Golden State.
Gov. Gavin Newsom now must consider who will take over Harris’ senate seat. According to the Los Angeles Times, Newsom could also call for a special election or select a temporary placeholder to sit in the seat until the election in 2022. Although it’s unclear, Newsom faces mounting pressure regarding who should be considered for the role. Today on AirTalk, Larry talks with political reporters about the upcoming process of filling Harris’s seat and who’s being considered. Do you have questions? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Libby Denkmann, KPCC politics reporter; she tweets
Ben Christopher, reporter covering California politics and elections at CalMatters; he tweets
Orange County To Conduct Audit Of 2020 Ballots. How Will They Balance Privacy Concerns?
Orange County has volunteered to do an audit of its 2020 ballots to make sure that the results were valid.
We’ll check in with the OC Registrar about why he’s taking this step and how he’ll go about it.
Guests:
Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters for Orange County, California
LAPD Union Survey Findings Reveal Internal Discontent With Chief Michel Moore
Released in its Thin Blue Line newsletter, a summer study conducted by the Los Angeles Police Protective League found that nearly 9 out of 10 LAPD officers did not feel supported by Chief Michel Moore and did not believe he or other commanders provided strong leadership during recent protests and unrest.
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, more than 2,700 of the department’s 10,000-plus sworn members participated in the survey. Many denounced LAPD Chief Michel Moore’s lack of organization during protests and said he should resign in the study’s comments.
We check in with the president of the Protective League, Lieutenant Craig Lally, on the survey’s findings and what this indicates about the future of the department. Questions or comments? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Chief Michel Moore was asked to join the segment but was in a police commission meeting while the show aired.
Guests:
Lieutenant Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League; he tweets
Richard Winton, investigative crime writer for the L.A. Times; he tweets
Potential For More California Representation In The White House, Which Local Politicians Are In The Running For President-Elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
Following his presidential election win on Saturday, president-elect Joe Biden has a lot of work to do prior to his return to the White House.
The largest task before his inauguration will be to fill 15 cabinet positions with individuals he believes are best fit to execute his political agenda. With the former vice president prioritizing ideological diversity, it opens up the potential for conservatives and progressives to join his ranks. With Kamala Harris already serving as his vice president-elect, there may be potential for more California-based politicians to join her. Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti and former Republican candidate for California governor Meg Whitman have already been rumored to be in consideration for cabinet positions, while folks like billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer are trying to insert themselves into the conversation as well.
Today on AirTalk, we break down the likeliest candidates for Biden’s cabinet and see how those from the golden state stack up with the rest. Do you have questions? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guest:
David Siders, national political correspondent for POLITICO; tweets
Parler, Gab, MeWe: Why Some Conservatives Are Shifting From Facebook To Alternative Social Media Platforms
An alternative social media platform known as Parler topped the free app charts in the days after President Donald Trump’s loss of the presidency to former VP Joe Biden. The Twitter-like site, which was created a couple years ago, has attracted conservative users who have been critical of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, which are trying to reign in misinformation.
After Facebook began dismantling a “Stop the Steal” group it claimed was inciting violence and spreading false information on its site during the aftermath of the election, according to the Washington Post. That’s when users started encouraging others to move to Parler. And Parler is not the only alternative social network. There’s Gab and MeWe. So how could these shifts transform social media networking as we know it? And what could be the long term impacts? Today on AirTalk, Larry talks with a tech reporter to learn more. Do you have thoughts or questions? Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Sheera Frenkel, reporter for the New York Times who’s been following this, she’s based in San Francisco; she tweets