AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the headlines you might’ve missed over the weekend and looks ahead to what you should be watching for in political news in the week to come. We also discuss the Dodgers and their return to the World Series; interview a candidate for L.A. County Sheriff; and more.
Week in politics: Migrant caravan several thousand strong, heads toward US border, Trump admin eyes redefining ‘transgender’ under Title IX and more
AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the headlines you might’ve missed over the weekend and looks ahead to what you should be watching for in political news in the week to come. Here are a few of the stories we’re following:
Migrant caravan latest
Latest on details emerging disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi
Trump administration wants to redefine ‘transgender’ out of existence
CA Republicans using #MeToo as a campaign strategy
Midterm update:
In bid for House speaker, Pelosi plays to women as McCarthy seeks Trump’s nod
Dem’s midterm advantage narrows among registered voters as Trump’s approval rating rises, WSJ/NBC poll finds
First election meddling charges of 2018 filed against Russia
Trump jumps into Western water wars ahead of midterms
HRC is still hanging around — is that a good thing for Dems heading into midterms?
U.S. to tell Russia it is leaving landmark I.N.F. treaty
Kids’ lawsuit against Trump administration over climate change
Guests:
Kate Linthicum, L.A. Times correspondent covering Latin America who has been traveling with and reporting on the caravan; she tweets
Matt Rodriguez, Democratic strategist and founder and chief executive officer of Rodriguez Strategies. He is also a former senior Obama advisor in 2008; he tweets
Carson Bruno, assistant dean and adjunct lecturer at the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University and former research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; he tweets
Triple Play: the Dodgers are in the World Series, baby!
Angelenos watched the games with bated breath and finally, we have our answer: the Dodgers won and are in the World Series.
And that means, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be facing off against the Boston Red Sox, in what will surely be a ratings bonanza.
This will be the fourth time in the last fifteen years that the Red Sox are in the World Series, and some are saying that this time around they have their strongest lineup yet. A Martinez and Nick Roman join Larry Mantle in studio, to recap, emote and discuss their hopes for the upcoming games.
How did you watch the games over the weekend? How are you rejoicing? And what are you looking forward to in the World Series?
Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guests:
A Martínez, host of Take Two on KPCC; he tweets
Nick Roman, host of All Things Considered on KPCC; he tweets
Trump administration considers reversing Obama-era policy by defining gender as fixed biologically
The Trump administration is considering narrowing the definition of gender as a biological condition determined by the genitalia a person is born with.
The move will reverse an Obama-era policy that gave federal recognition to transgender individuals. The Obama administration recognized gender as an individual’s choice, where it expanded the legal concept of gender in programs that included education and health care. Now, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says that government agencies need to adopt a uniform definition. According to The New York Times, the HHS wants to establish a definition of sex under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in education programs that receive federal financial assistance. Some conservative groups are praising the move by the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, other civil rights organizations are condemning it arguing that the administration's effort will undermine the rights and welfare of LGBTQ people. The proposed policy will reignite debates over bathrooms, dormitories and other arenas. What do you think of the Trump administration’s move to reverse the Obama-era policy and define gender as fixed by genitalia at birth? Call us at 866- 893-5722 and weigh in.
Guests:
Erica L. Green, education correspondent for The New York Times, who has been reporting on the changes to Title IX
Sasha Buchert, staff attorney at Lambda Legal, in the D.C. office; she tweets
Brad Dacus, president and founder of Pacific Justice Institute, a Sacramento-based legal defense organization defending civil liberties
AirTalk midterm elections interview: Alex Villanueva for Los Angeles County Sheriff
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is the largest sheriff's department in the world, servicing approximately 4,084 square miles worth of land and 10 million citizens.
Needless to say, the leader of the agency has a lot on their plate, and deciding who should hold the position can be a tough decision for voters. Sheriff Jim McDonnell currently holds the seat, but retired sheriff's lieutenant Alex Villanueva is looking to challenge McDonnell in the upcoming election.
Both McDonnell and Villanueva are running on platforms advocating for reform within the department. The scandals and legal battles surrounding ex-sheriff Lee Baca diminished public trust in the agency, and Villanueva argues that not only has McDonnell failed to adequately clean it up, but that policies regarding department accountability have virtually remained status quo.
Villanueva joins AirTalk to talk about his thirty year experience in law enforcement, and why he thinks he's suited to lead L.A.'s Sheriff's Department. Call us at 866-893-5722 with your questions or comment below.
Tune in tomorrow, October 23, to hear our interview with incumbent Sheriff Jim McDonnell.
Ready for Election Day? Get up to speed on what you need to know with our Voter Game Plan at elections.laist.com. Read up on the candidates and ballot measures, find out about registration deadlines or ask us your questions.
Guest:
Alex Villanueva, candidate for L.A. County Sheriff; he is a former lieutenant with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, where he has served for 32 years
Ethnicity, identity and family ancestry: Elizabeth Warren’s DNA test and its fraught implications
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has long been mocked by President Trump over her claims to Native American ancestry.
So last week, Warren released a DNA test to back her claims — a move that potentially misfired for the Senator, plunging her into a debate around who gets to identify as Native American, for what purposes and why.
The test Warren took showed that she had a Native American ancestor 6-10 generations ago. Trump dismissed the move. Meanwhile, there was backlash from the Cherokee Nation and other tribes who felt that Warren’s ancestral claims were disrespectful to indigenous people, and that scant ancestral ties aren’t enough to claim Native American identity.
What do you think of Senator Warren’s DNA test? Who gets to claim Native American identity, on what grounds and for what reasons? If you are Native American, what are your reactions to Warren’s claims?