Today on AirTalk, our weekly political roundtable recaps the major headlines you might’ve missed in politics news over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come. We also discuss the impact the Saudi oil facility attack will have on California; examine where money should be spent when fighting climate change; and more.
Geopolitical Implications, Plus Impact On West Coast Consumers Following Weekend Attack On Saudi Oil Facility
Global energy prices spiked Monday by a percentage unseen since the 1991 Gulf War after a weekend attack on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia caused the worst disruption to world supplies on record, further fueling heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S.
American officials released satellite images of the damage at the heart of the kingdom’s crucial Abqaiq oil processing plant and a key oil field, alleging the pattern of destruction suggested Saturday’s attack came from either Iraq or Iran — rather than Yemen, as claimed by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels there. A Saudi military spokesman later made the same accusation, alleging “Iranian weapons” had been used in the assault. Iran rejected the allegations, with a government spokesman saying now there was “absolutely no chance” of a hoped-for meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and President Donald Trump at the U.N. General Assembly next week.
The tensions have led to fears that action on any side could rapidly escalate a confrontation that’s been raging just below the surface in the wider Persian Gulf in recent months. There already have been mysterious attacks on oil tankers that Washington blames on Tehran, at least one suspected Israeli strike on Shiite forces in Iraq, and the downing of a U.S. military surveillance drone by Iran.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll talk about how consumers along the West Coast will see the impact of this attack and what it means for both the geopolitics of the region as well as U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Yemen.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, a company that operates apps and websites which give real-time fuel prices at gas stations across the U.S.; he tweets
Kirsten Fontenrose, director for Middle East regional security at the Atlantic Council, an international affairs think tank based in Washington, D.C.; she has held national security and diplomacy roles in the White House and at the U.S. Departments of Defense and State and is the former senior director of Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council
Week In Politics: Attack On Saudi Oil Facilities, New Kavanaugh Allegation, End To CA Legislative Session And More
AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable recaps the major headlines you might’ve missed in politics news over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come.
What we’re following this week:
A NYT story reported on a new allegation against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The woman involved has said she does not remember the incident. Some of the 2020 Dem candidates have called for impeachment.
Saudi oil facilities were attacked over the weekend. Trump has tweeted that the U.S. is “locked and loaded,” but not everyone is advocating the hawkish approach -- what should be the U.S. response to the attack?
Other 2020 updates:
The California legislative session has come to an end, with various progressive bills being sent to the Governor’s desk. How does this session reflect California’s role as progressive standard bearer?
The White House announced the Osama bin Laden’s son has been killed in a U.S. counterterrorism mission. What does this mean for Trump’s plan to pull out troops?
Are trade tensions calming? China dropped certain tariffs on American goods last week
Congress is investigating Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Alphabet Inc. Plus, 50 state attorneys general have launched an antitrust investigation of Google, but one state’s attorney general is missing: California’s
Guests:
Amanda Renteria, president of Emerge America, a national organization that works to identify and train Democratic women who want to run for political office; she is the former national political director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and has been a staffer for Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); she tweets
Sean T. Walsh, Republican political analyst and partner at Wilson Walsh Consulting in San Francisco; he is a former adviser to California Governors Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger and a former White House staffer for Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush
Lanhee Chen, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; he was an adviser for Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign and served as policy director for the Romney-Ryan 2012 presidential campaign; he tweets
Where Should Money Be Spent On Fighting Climate Change?
Last week, the New Yorker published a controversial article by novelist Jonathan Franzen, who argued that humans cannot adequately address climate change and we should consider future investments through this apocalyptic lens.
The piece got plenty of backlash, from lay people and climate scientists alike. But it did pose a question that we’re taking up today; namely, what solutions are worth the investment, considering what we know about climate change and its imminence?
The Green New Deal? Carbon pricing? Investment into specific green industries, such as solar or wind? What would be the economic trade-offs of these investments and are they worth it?
Guests:
Antonio Bento, professor of public policy and economics and director of the Center for Sustainability Solutions at USC; he tweets
Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank based in Washington, D.C.; he also led President Trump’s E.P.A. transition team
Here Is A List Of Bills Awaiting Governor Newsom’s Signature
With the California state legislative session over, we take a look at what bills made it to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.
High-profile bill, AB 5 still threatens to upend the gig economy by redefining current contract workers as employees. Despite legal threats from the National Collegiate Athletic Association, college athletes may be on their way to making money from endorsements if SB 206 gets the governor’s final approval. Legislators also approved SB 5, which would resuscitate redevelopment agencies in the state with new requirements to build affordable housing.
Check out LAist’s complete list of bills that passed the state legislature and why they matter.
Guests:
Ben Christopher, reporter covering state politics for the nonprofit news publication CalMatters; he tweets
Martin Wisckol, coastal environment reporter, Orange County Register and SoCal News Group; he tweets
A Ventura School District Grapples With Whether To Teach Gender Diversity
Last week, Oak Park Unified School District announced that elementary and kindergarten students would start receiving annual lessons in gender diversity for the first time this October.
The program tailors the curriculum to specific grade levels, and usually draws on children’s books to explain concepts, like the gender spectrum and non-conformity. In the first grade book, for example, a crayon is labelled blue when it’s actually red. Oak Park Superintendent Tony Knight says lessons like these are necessary to support non-binary and transgender children in the district.
But some parents aren’t happy. The Ventura County Star reports that parents want a choice to opt out of the classes. Superintendent Tony Knight says the district has tried to be transparent through the development of the program by releasing the upcoming lesson dates.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland has been requiring similar lessons for years. San Francisco schools have also recently introduced their own LGBT curriculum for grade school students.
Do you think elementary and kindergarten students should learn about gender diversity in school? Share your thoughts on AirTalk.
Guests:
Tony Knight, Ed D, superintendent of Oak Park Unified School District in Ventura County
Wendy Leung, reporter with Ventura County Star newspaper; has been covering Oak Park Unified School District; she tweets
Matthew McReynolds, senior staff attorney at Pacific Justice Institute, a Sacramento-based legal defense organization specializing in religious and civil liberties