Today on AirTalk, we break down the fourth day of the Amy Coney Barrett hearings. Also on the show, we discuss the city of Glendale's former designation as a "sundown city" and what it's doing to rectify this; check in on the film industry's handling of COVD-19; and more.
Day 4: Amy Coney Barrett Confirmation Hearing, Vote Next Week
With a vote date set, the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday debated the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, Democrats objecting to Republicans’ rush to confirm President Donald Trump’s pick before the Nov. 3 election.
The committee set an Oct. 22 vote to recommend Barrett’s nomination and send it to the full Senate for a vote by month’s end. Democrats tried, and failed, as the minority party to halt the process.
The session is without Barrett after two long days of public testimony in which she stressed that she would be her own judge and sought to create distance between herself and past positions critical of abortion, the Affordable Care Act and other issues.
Her confirmation to take the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg seems inevitable, as even some Senate Democrats acknowledged.
Guests:
Anna Edgerton, politics editor for Bloomberg; 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
Pratheepan Gulasekaram, professor of law at Santa Clara Law, where he specializes in constitutional and immigration law; he tweets
Glendale Has Long Been Known As A ‘Sundown Town’ For Black Residents. What Is The City Doing To Change That?
Glendale is one of around a hundred cities in California that was historically known as a “sundown town,” with formal or informal laws barring Black Americans from the city after sunset.
To address its history of racist exclusion, which has wide repercussions today, Glendale’s City Council released a resolution last month apologizing for its racism. While Glendale did not find any formal sundown laws in its review, the city did find evidence in other forms, including records of police escorting Black people and other people of color outside the city limits. While Glendale is the first city to draft a resolution of this kind, it is far from the only California city with a history of racist sundown practices. Arcadia, Bel Air, South Pasadena, Whittier and Cerritos are just a handful of the many sundown towns designated in California.
Today on AirTalk, we’re discussing Glendale’s resolution as well as the legacy of sundown towns in California. We want to hear about your experiences. Comment below or give us a call at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
Daniel Brotman, councilmember for the City of Glendale
Tanita Harris-Ligons, founder of Black in Glendale and member of the Coalition for an Anti-Racist Glendale
James W. Loewen, professor emeritus of sociologiy at the University of Vermont and author of “Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism” (Touchstone, 2006); he tweets
LA Film Production Check In: Reality TV, Advertising Pick Up Speed
Reality TV and advertising, which includes commercials and still photography, picked up speed during the summer filming season, according to a new report released by FilmLA. But scripted TV and features fared worse.
The report is tracking film production in Los Angeles, which looks at film permit activity and shoot days in different neighborhoods. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the report’s findings. We also want to hear from listeners who work in either TV or film production. Are you back to work? What has your experience been? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Anousha Sakoui, entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times who’s been following this report; she tweets
Cleanup Faces Uncertainty As Exide Attempts To Liquidate, Desert Toxic Battery Recycling Plant In Vernon
The company that operated a lead-acid battery recycling plant just east of Los Angeles for decades has proposed a bankruptcy plan that’s drawing fierce criticism and adds uncertainty to clean up plans after pollution has plagued surrounding neighborhoods. A court considered the proposal during a Thursday hearing.
Exide Technologies, which operated the Vernon smelter site up until 2015, presented the plan to California leaders asking the state to release the company from all liability in exchange for $2.5 million. According to the Los Angeles Times, the state refused to agree, but the company moved forward. That means taxpayers could face the financial burden, which already sits at $270 million. State officials have said an estimated $70-$100 million is still needed for full remediation.
Exide has tried to pass off blame for lead contamination although in the past it has admitted to wrongdoing and promised to demolish and clean up the plant. That hasn’t happened. Eastside community members have long voiced their concerns and frustration and continue to do so by demanding Exide be held responsible.
Today on AirTalk, we talk to a reporter who’s been covering the latest developments. We also want to hear from listeners. Do you live in a neighborhood that’s been impacted? What has been your experience? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
We reached out to Exide Technologies, but didn’t hear back before the broadcast.
Guests:
Tony Barboza, environment reporter for the LA Times who’s been following this story; he tweets
Idalmis Vaquero, Boyle Heights resident and a member of Communities for a Better Environment and East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, two environmental justice organizations that have been advocating for clean up efforts for the last decade; she tweets
Streaming, Binging, Rewatching: TV Serves As A Cornerstone Of Pandemic Survival
Television has become a common method of escapism since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as government officials are encouraging citizens to stay indoors. Streaming on digital platforms drastically increased in March when lockdown began. Market research firm OnePoll found in an April survey that the average person was streaming eight hours of content each day, double the number of hours before the pandemic began.
Viewers use streaming services for a multitude of reasons. Some may prefer watching shows set in fictional universes to experience a sense of escapism, while shows based in reality may provide time to reflect and absorb new information for others. Call in and tell us what show has been your guilty pleasure during the pandemic and why at 866-893-5722.