The Implications Of Trump’s Four-Count January 6th Indictment
Donald Trump was indicted on felony charges Tuesday for working to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the run-up to the violent riot by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol, with the Justice Department acting to hold him accountable for an unprecedented effort to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power and threaten American democracy.
The four-count indictment, the third criminal case against Trump, provided deeper insight into a dark moment that has already been the subject of exhaustive federal investigations and captivating public hearings. It chronicles a months-long campaign of lies about the election results and says that, even when those falsehoods resulted in a chaotic insurrection at the Capitol, Trump sought to exploit the violence by pointing to it as a reason to further delay the counting of votes that sealed his defeat.
Even in a year of rapid-succession legal reckonings for Trump, Tuesday’s indictment, with charges including conspiring to defraud the United States government that he once led, was stunning in its allegations that a former president assaulted the “bedrock function” of democracy. It’s the first time the defeated president, who is the early front-runner for next year’s Republican presidential nomination, is facing legal consequences for his frantic but ultimately failed effort to cling to power. Joining to break down the latest is Zoe Tillman, senior reporter at Bloomberg News covering the intersection of law and politics and Justin Levitt, professor of law at Loyola Law School.
With files from the Associated Press
How Did Starlink Become A Service Provider With Global Influence?
The New York Times recently published an article that dug into the impact of the Elon Musk-owned Starlink, which provides satellite internet across the globe, affecting nations’ military and cybersecurity policies. One anecdote being taken from the war in Ukraine, in which the nation’s military dealt with restricted internet access in Crimea due to the provider’s refusal to expand access to a region held by Russian forces. This follows a track record of statements made by Musk where he proposed a peace proposal between both countries that seemed to favor Russia, and was offering mixed signals to the U.S. government as he tried to get his service to the Ukrainian military subsidized. With an essential service being provided by an owner with sporadic decision making—how did the U.S., Ukraine, and other countries get to this point?
Today on AirTalk, we’re joined by Dmitri Alperovitch, cybersecurity expert and co-founder of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, and Sheera Frenkel. technology reporter for the New York Times.
Why Wait For 65? The Financially Independent Young Folks Who Are Radically Re-Imagining Retirement
The FIRE (financial independence, retire early) movement has caught many an eye by promising a quicker path to that sweet, job-free lifestyle. By saving aggressively, cutting costs, and investing wisely, the goal is to retire young–like, really young, achieving in 10-15 years what can typically take 40. In a world where pensions and job security are scarcer than they used to be, the appeal is certainly clear. Who wouldn’t want to reclaim so much of their time? But what does FIRE actually entail? And is it possible in a city as expensive as Los Angeles? Joining us to break it down are Kristy Shen & Bryce Leung, co-authors of Quit Like a Millionaire and co-creators of millennial-revolution.com.
New Collection Of Research Says Algorithms On Social Media May Not Be As Polarizing As We Thought
A collection of peer-reviewed studies recently published in the journals Science and Nature expand what we know about how algorithms on Facebook and Instagram are impacting users’ political views. The idea that these algorithms, which sort content based on relevancy to a user, fuel political polarization has long been tossed around. One of the four studies published, for example, finds that while reshares amplify the amount of political news a user sees, they don’t “detectably affect beliefs or opinions.” Today on AirTalk, Austin talks with Joshua Tucker, co-chair of the research project, professor of politics and co-founder of the Center for Social Media and Politics at New York University, about the research and what it means for how we approach algorithms moving forward.
Many States Are Changing Child Labor Laws, Loosening Restrictions. Should We Be Concerned?
A number of states have introduced bills that would lower the age requirement for employees serving alcohol at restaurants and bars. Wisconsin among them is pushing to have their alcohol service age lowered to 14. According to the National Restaurant Association, 79 percent of restaurant operators have job openings that are hard for them to fill. This is part of a larger trend in recent years of states passing bills loosening child labor laws in an effort to help a workforce shortage. But critics are concerned that these new law changes may lead to child exploitation. Joining us today to discuss why states are pushing for these changes and what risks they may pose for minors is Rebecca Rainey, senior labor department reporter for Bloomberg and Reid Maki, Director of Child Labor Issues and Coordinator of Child Labor Coalition.
Trees, Birds, Pottery – What’s Something You Unexpectedly Gained Appreciation (Or An Obsession) For Later In Life?
There are so many things we take for granted on this earth for most of our lives. Then one day, seemingly overnight, that one thing you never even thought much about, gets your attention. It can be the most mundane of things, it can be a hobby, it can be an artform. For a lot of people, it’s birds. For AirTalk Host Austin Cross, it’s flowers. For AirTalk producer Lindsey Wright, it’s trees. Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from listeners about their unexpected, later-on-in-life obsessions and what led them to their unique hobby.
