Today on AirTalk, we give you the latest updates on Trump's health following his contraction of COVID-19. Also on the show, we preview the supreme court and its new term; the potential problems of 'ghost kitchens'; and more.
Latest On President Trump’s Health, Plus His Flippant Messaging On COVID-19
President Donald Trump staged a dramatic return to the White House after leaving the military hospital where he was receiving an unprecedented level of care for COVID-19. He immediately ignited a new controversy by declaring that despite his illness the nation should not fear the virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans — and then he entered the White House without a protective mask.
Trump’s message alarmed infectious disease experts and suggested the president’s own illness had not caused him to rethink his often-cavalier attitude toward the disease, which has also infected the first lady and several White House aides, including new cases revealed Monday.
Landing Monday night at the White House on Marine One, Trump gingerly climbed the South Portico steps, removed his mask and declared, “I feel good.” He gave a double thumbs-up to the departing helicopter from the portico terrace, where aides had arranged American flags for the sunset occasion. He entered the White House, where aides were visible milling about the Blue Room, without wearing a face covering.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Ron Elving, senior editor and correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News; he tweets
Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena
SCOTUS Preview: Conservatives On The Cusp Of Solid Majority, The Future Of The Affordable Care Act & More
The Supreme Court opened a new term Monday with Republicans on the cusp of realizing a dream 50 years in the making: a solid conservative majority that might roll back abortion rights, expand gun rights and shrink the power of government.
Eight justices are getting back to work at a most unusual, politically fraught moment in American history. They’re still mourning the death of their colleague Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the leader of the court’s liberal wing. They’re working in the midst of a pandemic that has forced the court to drastically change the way it conducts business. And the presidential election is less than a month away.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Ginsburg’s seat, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, could be on the bench in time for one of the term’s biggest cases, post-Election Day arguments in the latest Republican bid to strike down the Affordable Care Act, which provides more than 20 million people with health insurance.
Barrett’s confirmation would cement a 6-3 conservative majority and diminish Chief Justice John Roberts’ ability to moderate the court’s decisions. That’s because conservatives would have five votes even in cases where Roberts might side with the remaining three liberal justices.
The term is so far short on high-profile cases, but that could change quickly because of the prospect of court involvement in lawsuits related to the election. Trump has said he wants Barrett in place soon so that she could be among nine justices, including his other appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who weigh in on any voting cases. Four years ago, Republicans were content to leave a Supreme Court seat open through the election, even if it meant having an eight-justice court decide any election challenges.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Amy Howe, reporter for SCOTUSBlog and author of the blog Howe on the Courts; she tweets
Jordan Rubin, reporter for Bloomberg Law and co-host of Bloomberg Law’s podcast “Cases and Controversies”; he tweets
With Virtual ‘Ghost’ Kitchens On The Rise, What’s The Potential For Abuse?
Virtual kitchens, also known as ghost kitchens, have become a booming economy across Los Angeles and other parts of the country. The coronavirus pandemic has played a major role because of an increased demand for food delivery services.
Here’s the ghost kitchen concept: The kitchen, often located in an empty warehouse of sorts, operates without a dining room and usually relies solely on the delivery model. Established restaurants have jumped at the chance to salvage what’s left of their business thanks to pandemic closures, turning to the ghost kitchen model. But there are several different ways a ghost kitchen can operate, and that’s what concerns some restaurant worker advocates. Some worry that those running the kitchens can gloss over the rules and regulations since it’s difficult to know how the kitchens are operating. And some say the model gives consumers the illusion of choice, when in reality it’s doing the opposite. Consumers often don’t know that they’re even ordering their food from a ghost kitchen.
According to the LA Times, projections in 2018 (pre-pandemic) saw the food delivery market growing by more than 13 percent annually. So the evolution of ghost kitchens has the potential to make a long-lasting mark on the way people eat. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the concept of virtual kitchens and what it means for consumers and workers. Do you have thoughts or questions? Do you work with a ghost kitchen? We want to hear from you. Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Atul Sood, chief business officer of Kitchen United, a virtual kitchen business with operations in several states including one in Pasadena
Sekou Siby, president and CEO of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, a national not-for-profit organization with offices in Los Angeles and the Bay area that focuses on improving wages and working conditions for restaurant workers; he tweets
Matt Newberg, founder of HNGRY, a media platform that examines the impact technology has on the way we eat, he’s been following the ghost kitchen economy and produced a documentary last year looking at the model; he tweets
Federal Tax Policy Experts Dissect Joe Biden’s Tax Plan
The president has called Biden a "Trojan horse for socialism", but actually the former senator and vice president backs an active federal government that he says should support but not constrict private enterprise, and he believes the highest federal tax burden should fall on the wealthiest.
Biden says no individual with taxable income of $400,000 or less would see a federal tax increase under his plans, at least directly. Less than than 2% of U.S. households report that level of income. There are several policy provisions tied up in Biden’s promise, but income tax rates often get the most attention.
Biden’s tax policy also encompasses social security, investment and business taxes and more. We dive into the plan.
With files from the Associated Press.
Guests:
Richard Rubin, U.S. tax policy reporter for The Wall Street Journal; his latest piece is “Why Biden Would Start Tax Increases at $400,000 a Year”;
Seth Hanlon, senior fellow focusing on federal tax and budget policy at the left-leaning think tank, Center for American Progress; former special assistant on economic policy to President Barack Obama from 2015 to 2017; he tweets at
Kyle Pomerleau, resident fellow at the right-leaning think tank American Enterprise Institute where he studies federal tax policy; he authored AEI’s analysis of Joe Biden’s tax proposals; he tweets
What’s The Best Book You Were Told To Read And Why?
What’s the best book you were told to read and why? Who recommended you read it? Historian Jill Lepore shared that the best book she ever got as a gift was a book she doesn’t even like. It was a copy of “Little Women,” and what she loved about it had nothing to do with the story itself.
Today on AirTalk, we want to hear about the best recommendations you’ve ever received and why? Maybe it’s the story, maybe it’s not. Tell us about it by calling 866-893-5722.