Today on AirTalk, we discuss the House's move forward with a formal vote on the impeachment inquiry. Also on the show, we get the latest on local fires; Twitter's ban on political ads; and more.
Update On Fires Raging Across Southern California
With large swaths of Los Angeles County under an "extreme red flag warning" — a triple whammy of wild winds, low humidity and dry brush — fire danger is at an all-time high.
Larry checks in with KPCC reporters on the fires burning in the Southland.
Go to LAist.com for a list of most of the bigger brush fires in our region.
Guests:
Christopher Prater, public information officer, San Bernardino County Fire Department
Libby Denkmann, KPCC reporter
Ryan Cattell, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, serving the Los Angeles and Ventura counties
House Moves Forward With Formal Vote On Impeachment Inquiry, So What’s Next
House Democrats are calling a formal vote on an impeachment inquiry a “natural next step” in the process. It’s unclear what exactly the voting process will look like or how long it will go, but Democrats hope to set the stage for public hearings and how they will work.
Republicans have been critical of the Democrats’ impeachment resolution process, calling it illegitimate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the resolution would deny the "most basic rights of due process" to Trump such as having his lawyer participate in closed-door depositions by the committee.Democrats say their plan follows how impeachment efforts against Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton were run. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the vote will take place in order to alleviate any doubts in the process.
The investigation is focused on Trump's efforts to push Ukraine to investigate his Democratic political opponents by withholding military aid and an Oval Office meeting craved by the country's new president. Both parties' leaders have been rounding up votes as Thursday's roll call approaches, with each side eager to come as close to unanimity as possible. If the House impeaches Trump, the Senate would decide whether to remove him from office.
Today on AirTalk, we discuss the latest on the impeachment resolution and take a look back at impeachment proceedings from the past.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Ron Elving, senior editor and correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News; he tweets
John Yoo, professor of law at UC Berkeley; author of many books, including "Crisis and Command: A History of Executive Power from George Washington to George W. Bush" (Kaplan Publishing, 2010)
Craig Shirley, Reagan biographer and presidential historian, his new book, “Mary Ball Washington: The Untold Story of George Washington's Mother,” will be published at the end of the year (Harper, 2019)
‘OK Boomer’: Intergenerational Shots Fired By Gen Z
Reverend Enos Hitchcock once wrote that “the free access which many young people have to romances, novels, and plays has poisoned the mind and corrupted the morals of many a promising youth.”
While these words were penned in the late 18th century, the sentiment is alive as ever in the vibrant tradition of older generations deriding the ones that follow them. (And of course, “the youths” squarely ignoring criticisms.)
Think of countless articles blaming millennials for killing everything from marriage to cereal. Think of the now infamous advice that millennials lay off avocado toast if they want to afford a mortgage.
Well, Gen Z has coined its clapback: “OK boomer.”
As written about in the New York Times, the term has become a go-to for teenagers to use both online and in-person to shut down criticisms or outdated ideas (voiced by someone from the boomer generation or otherwise).
We dive into the meaning, usage and cultural context of the phrase, as well as what it says about intergenerational perceptions and tensions.
Guest:
Amanda Montell, linguist, writer and author of “Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language;” she tweets
In Contrast With Facebook, Twitter Is Banning All Political Ads
Twitter, reacting to growing concern about misinformation spread on social media, is banning all political advertising from its service. Its move strikes a sharp contrast with Facebook, which continues to defend running paid political ads, even false ones, as a free speech priority.
“While internet advertising is incredibly powerful and very effective for commercial advertisers, that power brings significant risks to politics, where it can be used to influence votes to affect the lives of millions,” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said Wednesday in a series of tweets announcing the new policy.
Facebook has taken fire since it reiterated in September that it will not fact-check ads by politicians or their campaigns, which could allow them to lie freely. CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Congress in October that politicians have the right to free speech on Facebook.
Zuckerberg wasted no time responding to Twitter’s move. During Facebook’s conference call for earnings, which began less than an hour after Dorsey’s tweet, the Facebook chief offered an impassioned monologue about what he called his company’s deep belief “that political speech is important.”
We dive into the contrasting approaches taken by these social media companies, as well as their larger effects on political communication.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Emily Glazer, reporter covering the intersection of tech, money and politics for the Wall Street Journal; she tweets
Young Mie Kim, professor of journalism, mass communication and political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Controversy Over Horse Deaths Looms As Breeders’ Cup Arrives At Santa Anita Park
A tragic, wild and unusual year in horse racing culminates with the Breeders’ Cup world championships this weekend at Santa Anita, where a string of horse deaths have prompted investigations, outrage from the public -- including Gov. Gavin Newsom -- and animal rights activists demanding the end of racing in California.
The track is hosting the world championships for a record 10th time Friday and Saturday. A total of 36 horses have died at Santa Anita since December, including two since last Friday.
McKinzie, with a new jockey replacing Hall of Famer Mike Smith, is the 3-1 favorite for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic this weekend at troubled Santa Anita.
With files from the Associated Press
Guest:
John Cherwa, special contributor to the Los Angeles Times who’s been covering the story; he tweets
AirTalk Listeners Share SoCal Spookiest Halloween Haunts, Houses And Hayrides
Whether you’re looking for family-friendly fun or you want to have your pants literally scared off of you, Halloween-lovers need look no further than Southern California, which boasts a wide variety of haunted houses, decorated yards, mazes and more that cater to both younger audiences and the adrenaline junkies looking to get their heart rate up with a good scare.
There are, of course, the big productions you already know about, like Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Hollywood, Knott’s Scary Farm in Buena Park and Fright Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain, but there are plenty of yard displays, walkthroughs and haunted shows that people set up in their front yards or houses that aren’t as heavily advertised, but still open to the public.
What’s the scariest haunted house, hayride or scare zone you’ve ever been to? What made it stand out?
For more information on the haunts that Parks and Cons have visited this year, click here.
For a complete list of Southern California haunts, you can check out the SoCal Haunt List here.
Guests:
Carmelle Marshall, owner and editor-in-charge of “Parks and Cons,” an online publication, podcast and YouTube channel which covers pop culture conventions, haunted attractions and themed entertainment in Southern California; she tweets