The Economic Policy Institute released a report called “The China Toll Deepens” saying that California has lost more jobs to China than any other state. We also discuss Proposition 7 and Proposition C; interview retired judge Steven Bailey for CA attorney general; and more.
Suspicious packages sent to Clintons, Obamas, Time Warner Center and other high profile figures
A day after a suspected explosive device arrived at the home of left wing billionaire George Soros, suspicious packages were found addressed to the homes of the Clintons and Obamas, and at CNN’s New York newsroom in Time Warner Center.
New York authorities are planning a news briefing shortly.
Guests:
Cleve Wootson, reporter for the Washington Post who is covering the story; he tweets
William Braniff, director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland. He previously served as the Director of Practitioner Education and an Instructor at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center (CTC)
AirTalk debates 2018 ballot initiatives: Prop 7 — daylight-saving time
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks by one hour every spring and back by an hour every fall. California Proposition 7, the Permanent Daylight-Saving Time Measure, is on the ballot in California as a legislatively referred state statute on November 6, 2018.
A “yes” vote would allow the California State Legislature to change the dates and times of the daylight saving time (DST) period and establish permanent, year-round DST in California by a two-thirds vote if federal law is changed to allow for permanent DST. Prop 7 was first introduced by Assemblyman Kansen Chu (D-San Jose) in 2016 with AB807. It was passed in legislation and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last June to appear on the ballot this November.
Supporters say that axing daylight saving could reduce physical health strains, including the increased amount of heart attacks and workplace injuries during daylight saving shifts, according to a 2009 study by Michigan State University. But opponents aren’t convinced there’s enough evidence that people are better off without the time changes, and worry that altering statewide protocols could cause major disruptions. Florida is also considering a similar daylight-saving time reform bill. What do you think? Weigh in with your comments and questions by calling 866-893-5722 or posting below.
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 question
Guests:
Sion Roy, president-elect of the Los Angeles County Medical Association (LACMA); cardiologist and director of Inpatient Cardiac CT at Harbor UCLA
Severin Borenstein, director of the Energy Institute at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, who has written a blog post against Proposition 7; he tweets
AirTalk debates 2018 ballot initiatives: Prop C — business tax to fund homeless services
This November, San Francisco voters will be deciding whether or not to pass a tax measure that would fund homeless services.
If Proposition C passes, the measure would authorize the city and county to raise gross receipt taxes by an average of 0.5 percent on businesses with more than $50 million in annual revenue. Companies with more than $1 billion in gross annual receipts would see a 1.5 percent tax increase.
Proponents argue that the initiative could help fix the chronic homelessness that affects San Francisco. Also known as the “Our City, Our Home” initiative, the proposition could potentially raise around up to $300 million annually to finance housing, shelter beds, mental health treatment and homeless-preventative services.
Opponents say that the measure will not solve the homeless crisis, arguing that it lacks accountability and will result in job loss and hurt. According to city economist Ted Egan, the measure could result in a 0.1 percent decline in employment growth as larger companies might decide to transfer jobs elsewhere. Alternatively, the proposition could stimulate the local economy with “increased spending on housing and related services.”
We debate the proposition.
Guests:
Kevin Fagan, reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle who writes about homeless issues for the paper
Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the San Francisco advocacy group Coalition on Homelessness; she tweets
Jess Montejano, spokesman for the No on C campaign; former communications director for San Francisco Interim Mayor Mark Farrell; he tweets
Dueling economists analyze new report saying over half a million jobs in CA have been lost to China
The Economic Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, released a report Tuesday that says that 3.4 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. were lost to China since 2001, when China entered the World Trade Organization.
The report, called “The China Toll Deepens,” says California has lost more jobs to China than any other state. Some 562,500 jobs were displaced in the Golden State, according to the EPI report.
The study attributes this loss to Silicon Valley outsourcing tech jobs and a weakening apparel industry in Southern California. But some skeptics say these numbers are overstated. Critics argue that the study is based on the assumption that products imported from China would have been made in the U.S. But in reality, what these Chinese import merely replaces goods the U.S. would have imported from other countries -- like Japan or Korea.
Guests:
Robert Scott, senior economist and lead author of the U.S. jobs report; director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Research at the Economic Policy Institute, a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C. that analyzes the economic impact of policies on workers
Chris Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, a California-based independent research and consulting firm; his focus includes economic forecasting, employment and labor markets
AirTalk Midterm Elections Interview: retired judge Steven Bailey for CA attorney general
Retired Judge Steven Bailey is challenging incumbent Democrat Xavier Becerra in the general election for the state attorney general seat.
Becerra, who was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to fill the seat vacated when Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate, has led the state’s opposition on all things Donald Trump. Under his leadership, California has filed lawsuits over policies involving immigration, the environment, birth control and health care. Bailey, a Republican, is a retired El Dorado County Superior Court judge, who started his career as a legislative assistant and later became deputy legislative director for the state’s Department of Social Services. The two candidates disagree on a wide array of issues. Most notably, the retired judge has criticized Becerra for seeking to end the state's existing money bail system, which the attorney general said hits the poor harder.
Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association that has endorsed Bailey sued Becerra four times. Bailey has numerously said that while Becerra was busy fighting Washington, “crime has increased, homelessness has reached record levels, and drug abuse has taken more lives.” Today, Larry sits down with Bailey to discuss his campaign ahead of election day. Call us at 866-893-5722 with your questions or comment below.
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:
Steven Bailey, Republican candidate for California Attorney General; he is a retired El Dorado County Superior Court judge; he tweets
‘Safety Work’: the daily labor of taking safety precautions as a woman
As a woman existing in a public space, you might walk to your car with your keys between your fingers, or choose to take a longer, more well-lit route home at night.
These might be ingrained habits or conscious choices, but either way they take extra time out of a woman’s day and headspace.
In a UK government report on sexual harassment released earlier this week, these type of precautions are referred to as “safety work.” Jackie Bischof’s recent piece for Quartz examines the different types of “safety work” women do to not be sexually assaulted: what they choose to wear, what times they choose to jog outside, traveling in groups, carrying pepper spray, not renting first floor apartments, etc. As a woman, what are the daily safety precautions you take to not be harassed or assaulted?
How do you negotiate paranoia with the true danger of a situation? Do you feel as though you’re expected to take these precautions and are you resentful of the extra work they present? Are the men in your lives surprised to learn about the precautions you take and the reasons you take them?
Call us at 866-893-5722.
Guest:
Jackie Bischof, deputy news editor for Quartz; her most recent article is “If you’re a woman, “safety work” is a part of your daily existence;” she tweets