Talk Policy To Me

Professor Robert B. Reich was voted by the graduating students of UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy to be their faculty speaker. Always a beloved teacher, this occasion was especially meaningful because it marked Professor Reich's retirement from teaching. Robert Reich was introduced by Master of Public Policy student speaker Abraham Eli Bedoy. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/professor-robert-reich-speaks-at-goldman-school-commencement

Tennessee Representative Justin Jones addressed the graduates at the Goldman School of Public Policy's commencement on May 14, 2023. Representative Jones came into the national spotlight when he was expelled from the Tennessee legislature for taking to the assembly floor to protest gun violence and the refusal of the legislature to take up this issue. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/bonus-episode-tennessee-representative-justin-jones-speaks-at-gspp-commencement

This year, researchers found that the last 22 years were the driest consecutive years in the North American southwest in over a millennium. The pace and scale of climate change is forcing states and counties to adapt rapidly. In California, one of the industries at the forefront of the adaptation predicament is agriculture. In today’s episode, reporter Elena Neale-Sacks speaks with resilience researcher Amélie Gaudin, Sacramento Valley farmer Scott Park, and water policy research fellow Caity Peterson to understand how farmers and growers are, and aren’t, building resilience to drought. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-512-talking-agriculture-drought-and-resilience

The annual number of anti-LGBTQ bills filed has skyrocketed over the past several years, from 41 in 2018 to 240 and counting in the first three months of this year. Half of these bills are targeting transgender people specifically. At the same time, surveys of the general public show over 70% say they support same-sex marriage and laws preventing discrimination across the LGBTQ community. And Gen Z are proudly and loudly identifying with both gender and sexual fluidity. How do we square these two realities? In this episode, Talk Policy to Me reporter Amy Benziger dives into how the rise in representation of people from across the gender and sexual spectrum in media, business, and government has caused a policy backlash by the old guard to solidify their conservative base. Our guests include Fran Dunway, Founder of TomboyX; Corey Rose, a student at UC Berkeley Journalism School and former reporter for South Florida Gay News; and Pau Crego, Executive Director of the SF Office of Transgender Initiatives. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-511-talking-the-rise-of-anti-lgbtq-legislation

Show Notes In 2016, California voters legalized recreational cannabis through Prop 64. Now, five years after legalization, city’s are grappling with the difficulty of prioritizing social equity in the cannabis licensing process for Black, brown, and formerly incarcerated small business owners who were negatively impacted by the war on drugs. In this episode, Talk Policy to Me Reporter Noah Cole talks with Amber Senter, a cannabis advocate and Executive Director of Supernova Women and Chaney Turner, Chair of the Oakland Cannabis Regulatory Commission. This episode was supported by research from Nabil Aziz and Victor Vasquez of the Cal in Sac Diversity and Entrepreneurship Summer 2021 fellowship program. References https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/15/business/cannabis-dispensaries-oakland.html?smid=url-share https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-01-27/california-pot-industry-social-equity-broken-promises https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/01/in-billion-dollar-cannabis-market-racial-inequity-persists-despite-legalization.html https://escholarship.org/content/qt7pb360bg/qt7pb360bg.pdf https://escholarship.org/content/qt1wx6w6w2/qt1wx6w6w2.pdf?t=qzvyay https://amberesenter.com/ https://www.beyondequity.online/ See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-510-talking-social-equity-cannabis

The Republican Party and the Democratic Party take different approaches to talking about race and racism. While politicians in the Republican Party have used coded language or “dog whistles” to stoke racial division, politicians in the Democratic Party either avoid talking about race in favor of talking about class issues or talk about race as a matter of white over nonwhite conflict. Each of these approaches have had difficulty resonating with a broad multiracial coalition of voters needed for electoral success. Berkeley Law Professor Ian Haney López has an alternative approach to messaging around race that could resonate with most Americans: Race-class fusion politics. In this episode, Talk Policy to Me Reporter Noah Cole speaks with Ian Haney López (Author of 2019’s “Merge Left: Fusing Race and Class, Winning Elections, and Saving America”) about the race-class fusion approach to building a multiracial coalition for elections. Noah and Professor Lopez discuss the historical precedent for the approach, the focus groups that demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach, and criticisms of the approach. References Can Democracy (and the Democratic Party) Survive Racism as a Strategy?- - Ian Haney Lopez Medium Article Merge Left- Ian Haney López Dog Whistle Politics - Ian Haney López https://projectjuntos.us/ - Fusion politics messaging focus group findings https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/ - Poor people's campaign https://peoplesaction.org/ People’s action https://race-class-academy.com/ Race-Class Academy resources for learning about race-class fusion politics Audio credits AOC Demolishes Lauren Boebert's Welfare Hypocrisy- The Young Turks (Youtube) Ron DeSantis slams critical race theory as 'poison'- Fox News (YouTube) The First Presidential Debate: Hillary Clinton And Donald Trump (Full Debate) | NBC News NBC News (Youtube) Poor People's Campaign asks America to face the injustices keeping millions in poverty PBS Newshour (Youtube) George Goehl: If Dems Don't Embrace Populism They Will Be Destroyed People’s Action (Youtube) See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-509-talking-race-class-fusion

This is the second episode in a two-part series about changing how we vote in the United States. In today’s episode, Talk Policy To Me reporter Elena Neale-Sacks talks with voting systems researchers Sara Wolk and Clay Shentrup about what they think the order of operations should be to get to a place where everyone can vote their conscience and votes accurately translate into who ends up in power. GSPP researcher and policy analyst Charlotte Hill will be back with her thoughts too. To learn more about STAR voting, which Sara discusses in the episode, go to starvoting.us. For more information on ranked-choice voting, go to fairvote.org/prcv. And check out a brand-new initiative to bring proportional representation to the House of Representatives at fixourhouse.org. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-508-talking-a-voting-overhaul-part-2

In recent months and years, legislation meant to make it more difficult to vote, especially for Black and brown people, has proliferated in some state legislatures. But problems with the way we vote in the United States go deeper than these laws. In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Talk Policy To Me reporter Elena Neale-Sacks talks to GSPP researcher Charlotte Hill about what it would look like to fundamentally change how we vote in this country. Look out for Part 2 next week. To learn more about proportional representation and what it could look like in the U.S., go to fixourhouse.org. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-507-talking-a-voting-overhaul-part-1

As of 2021, there were 30 million online dating users in the US and 321 million users worldwide. Despite this massive number of users, there's very little policy that regulates how users behave on these platforms. Studies show that a majority of women have experienced sexual harassment online and that rarely is any action taken by law enforcement in situations where technology is being used to commit acts of gender-based violence. Talk Policy to Me host Amy Benziger joins Ziyang Fan, the head of digital trade at the World Economic Forum, to interview Nima Elmi, head of public policy at Bumble. Most people know Bumble as the dating app that challenges outdated gender norms by only giving women the ability to send the first message when they connect with a match on the app. What you might not know is that Bumble has a female-led policy team doing amazing work to keep women safe, both online and offline. We'll explore how their team is challenging legislators in both the U.S. and the U.K. to protect women and how she views the future of dating in today's current digital landscape, the metaverse, and beyond. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-506-talking-dating-in-a-digital-world

In February 2020, the Oakland City Council passed Oakland's Fair Chance Housing ordinance. The legislation was the first in California — joining cities nationwide like Seattle and Portland — to ensure that people returning home from the criminal justice system can legally live with family members and access, on their own, nearly all other forms of previously off-limits rental housing. In this episode, Talk Policy to Me host Amy Benziger talks to housing activists Margaretta Lin and Lee “Taqwaa” Bonner about the fight to bring this legislation nationwide. To support fair chance housing, visit fairchance4all.org. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-505-talking-fair-chance-housing

With 59% of the US population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the increased availability of booster shots, and the rise of a new variant, having a highly vaccinated public is incredibly important to the fight against COVID in the months ahead. In this episode, Talk Policy to Me reporter Noah Cole talks to psychologist and behavioral scientist Philipp Schmid and public health expert and data scientist Crystal Son about the do's and don'ts of effective vaccine communication. Referenced in the Podcast The COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Handbook- A practical guide for improving vaccine communication and fighting misinformation World Health Organization Best Practices- How to Respond to Vocal Vaccine Deniers in Public The remaining mile: How do you persuade uncertain Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19? (Civis Analytics Report) See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-504-talking-vaccine-deniers-a-workshop-in-persuasive-communication

The A’s proposal for a new waterfront baseball stadium at Oakland’s Howard Terminal is a multi-use development site that would include shops, parks, and housing. As the City of Oakland and Alameda County negotiate with the A’s over how these benefits are paid for, much has been made about the impact that sports stadiums have on communities. In this episode, reporter Noah Cole speaks with Dr. Richard Noll of the Stanford Economics Department and Veronica Cummings of the Oakland’s City Administrator’s Office about the economic impact of sports stadiums on cities and the equity-focused community benefits process for engaging the community in the proposal. Additional Reading Oakland City Council approved a Howard Terminal ballpark roadmap, but not on the terms the A’s want- https://oaklandside.org/2021/07/21/oakland-city-council-vote-athletics-howard-terminal-ballpark-term-sheet/ Sports stadiums do not generate significant local economic growth, Stanford expert says-https://news.stanford.edu/2015/07/30/stadium-economics-noll-073015/ Oakland Waterfront Ballpark District at Howard Terminal Community Benefits- https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/community-benefits-agreement-cba-for-the-oakland-as-waterfront-ballpark-district-at-howard-terminal Community Benefits Agreements -​​ https://www.forworkingfamilies.org/cblc/cba Alameda County votes Yes to help fund Oakland A’s Howard terminal ballpark project- https://www.athleticsnation.com/2021/10/27/22748993/oakland-as-howard-terminal-ballpark-alameda-county-vote-tax See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-503-talking-oakland-as

As Congress struggles to pass a spending bill that includes some of the biggest climate legislation the U.S. has seen, there’s another big hurdle the country needs to clear to make big moves on climate change —the electric grid. In this episode, reporter Elena Neale-Sacks talks to energy policy expert Steve Weissman, environmental scientist Grace Wu, and energy equity researcher Daniel Raimi, to better understand how the grid needs to change to better adapt to the effects of climate change and mitigate future effects. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-502-talking-trade-offs-and-the-electric-grid

Today's episode explores the new wave of "rights suppressing laws" with New York Times Op-Ed writers and legal scholars Jon Michaels and David Noll. Reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/04/opinion/texas-abortion-law.html See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-501-talking-your-neighbor-the-bounty-hunter

Season 5 of Talk Policy To Me is dropping soon, with new hosts Noah Cole and Amy Benziger. Listen and subscribe! See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/season-5-trailer

In this final episode of TPTM Season 4, we say goodbye to hosts Reem and Colleen and hello to the incoming Dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy, Dr. David C. Wilson. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-415-talking-with-david-c-wilson

Cash transfers discourage work, price ceilings and floors (like the minimum wage) are economically inefficient, and trade makes everyone better off. If you’ve ever taken a basic economics course in high school or even in college, these were probably the major takeaways. But these are myths --dire oversimplifications at best, and outright inaccuracies at worst --that often represent the most basic building blocks of conservative arguments against critical safety net policies. In this episode of Talk Policy To Me, GSPP economist Hilary Hoynes and TPTM reporter Reem Rayef unpacked the most nefarious myths to surface the truth about the impacts of economic policies, and imagine a better way to teach and learn economics. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-414-talking-lies-your-high-school-econ-teacher

CONTENT WARNING: This episode involves mention of police violence against people of color. Since the 1970s, Black police officers have formed informal unions in response to racism within their departments and in the greater community. In this episode, reporter Elena Neale-Sacks talks to an economist, a law professor, and a former president of a Black police union to better understand the purpose these organizations serve, their limits, and the ways in which they differ from police unions with bargaining power, like the Police Benevolent Association and Fraternal Order of Police. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-413-talking-black-police-unions

As vaccine rates rise and health experts give more public activities the stamp of approval, people have begun shifting from private spaces to public ones. Today, we’re talking about what public spaces are and the policies that govern them. We’ll also talk about the unhoused folks for whom the distinction between public and private space is less clear. Archival audio from YouTube user Saul Rouda. See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-412-talking-public-spaces

On this episode of TPTM, we’re talking philanthropy yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Since the Gilded Age, philanthropists have positioned themselves as gracious, charitable forces in society who are experts in identifying and solving our social ails. But the institution of philanthropy has had its critics from day one. What are the origins of modern philanthropy in the US, and how did they lead us to where we are today? What role (if any) does philanthropy have in a democratic society? And if there are real problems with philanthropy, how should we address them? Should we focus our efforts on implementing regulations and reforms of modern philanthropic institutions? Is our goal to tear down the institution of philanthropy writ large, and put in place a (potentially erosive) wealth tax? Or should we rely on rich people to voluntarily spend down their wealth? Colleen and Reem will dig in to explore the past, present, and possible futures of modern philanthropy in the US. Want to learn more? Check out these follow-up resources: Resource Generation’s Class Privilege Quiz,Giving Pledge, and Class Definitions and Income BracketsResource Generation’s National Partners,Movement for Black LivesandCenter for Popular Democracy The Revolution Will Not Be Fundedby INCITE! Women of Color Against ViolenceDecolonizing Wealthby Edgar VillanuevaReadLaila’s op-ed on the Goldman websiteFindSophie Dover on Twitter Philanthropy and Social Movements podcast series by Harvard Kennedy School students See show notes and full transcript here: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/news/podcast/episode-411-talking-philanthropy-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow