Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

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Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg Oct 08, 2020

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In an America that seems increasingly divided, how can we regain trust in our government and in each other? Pete Buttigieg gained a comprehensive view of American democracy during his time as a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Now, in his new book Trust: America’s Best Chance, Buttigieg argues that re-building trust as an American ideal is the key to tackling our country’s biggest challenges. Buttigieg returns to INFORUM to share a vision that urges us to reject our divided present in favor of a future that is more inclusive, conciliatory and trusting. Through this path, he states, American democracy can truly live up to its guiding tenets.

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Student Summit on Civics Oct 08, 2020

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In these increasingly divisive and unstable times, it is more apparent than ever that the health of our democracy depends on educating and empowering young people to participate. But the barriers to their involvement can seem insurmountable: from the lack of civics in schools, indifferent local legislators, and partisan efforts to suppress voting and spark social unrest. Combined, these numerous factors conspire to deny youth the tools and information they need to become involved. Yet young people have a powerful voice, and they are increasingly using it to challenge all of us to step up, pay attention, and solve pressing social and political issues. In this program, we bring together four youth leaders from across the United States, whose diverse perspectives will provide insights into the experiences of young Americans today. Join us to hear first-hand what it means to grow up during this unique historic moment, to learn about the actions young people are taking to effect meaningful change in their schools and communities, and to consider together what we all must do to empower citizens of all ages, now and for generations to come.

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Rebecca Lissner and Mira Rapp-Hooper: Re-Imagining U.S. Foreign Policy Oct 07, 2020

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Foreign policy experts Rebecca Lissner and Mira Rapp-Hooper paint a provocative picture of the United States’ future. As the country prepares for a presidential election of historic significance and charts its course in a post-pandemic world, they say the United States must reject the temptation to embrace nationalistic calls for closure, global disengagement or self-sufficiency, and instead redouble its commitment to international leadership, economic interdependence and alliances in an “open world.” They say that despite considerable foreign threats, the greatest dangers to the United States come from within: decades of underinvestment in the American people, economy and democracy; misalignment of the tech sector with the nation’s vital interests; and acute partisan polarization. Come for an engaging discussion on how the future of American power in a post-COVID world must build on the foundation of 21st century competitiveness.

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John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge: COVID’s Wake-Up Call Oct 07, 2020

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COVID-19 has been a startling wake-up call and exposed the medical and economic challenges of dealing with a pandemic. As the death toll continues to rise, what can be done to keep people safe? And why are some countries handling the crisis better than others? Economic journalists Micklethwait and Wooldridge identify the problems that global leaders face and outline a detailed plan to ensure we are better prepared and responsive to any disruptive events in the future.

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A Conversation with Peter Baker and Susan Glasser Oct 06, 2020

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The early 1970s were a tumultuous time for the Republican Party—not unlike today. The party was battling national security risks, wrestling with the expansion of civil rights, and dealing with the political fallout of an embattled president. In order to survive, the Republican Party needed someone to guide them. That someone was James A. Baker III. Baker was the right-hand man of presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and a major player in constructing modern conservatism, yet his story has gone largely untold until now. Revered political journalists (and husband and wife) Peter Baker of The New York Times and Susan Glasser of The New Yorker have teamed up to tell the story of the man behind the curtain. In their book The Man Who Ran Washington, they describe that man who pieced the Republican Party back together, leading with vision and a loyalty to the party, but also in service to all Americans. Join us as Baker and Glasser discuss the story of a power broker who influenced America’s future for generations, the current state of politics, and more! NOTES Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by The Bernard Osher Foundation This program contains EXPLICIT language

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JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century Oct 06, 2020

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Join us for a virtual conversation with Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Fredrik Logevall, who has written a revealing biography about our iconic, yet still elusive, 35th president. At the time of his assassination in 1963, John F. Kennedy stood at the helm of the greatest power the world had ever seen, a booming American nation that he had steered through some of the most perilous diplomatic standoffs of the Cold War. Born in 1917 to a wealthy Irish American family, JFK developed political ambition at an early age. His meteoric rise to become the youngest elected president helped mythologize him, as did the many hagiographic portrayals of his dazzling charisma. Reports of his extramarital affairs, and disagreements over his political legacy, have also proliferated since his untimely death, but all these accounts fail to capture the full person. Attracted by this gap in our historical knowledge, Logevall spent the last decade searching for the “real” JFK. The result is a two-volume biography that effectively contextualizes JFK amidst the roiling American Century. We will discuss volume one, which covers the first 39 years of his life—from his birth through his decision to run for president—revealing his early relationships, his formative experiences during World War II, his ideas, his writings and his political aspirations. Logevall shows us a more serious, independent-minded Kennedy than we’ve previously known, especially his distinct international sensibility, which developed amid the tumult of mid-century America and the Second World War, preparing JFK for his crucial role in keeping the Cold War cold. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond

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Climate Justice: Radioactive and Toxic Waste, Racism, and Rising Oceans Oct 06, 2020

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At the recent Global Training in July 2020, former Vice President Al Gore and the Climate Reality Project continued their call to prioritize and center the environmental justice work of communities of color and indigenous communities. In this spirit, we invite you to learn about and engage with Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice's "We Can't Breathe" campaign in San Francisco's Bayview and Hunters Point (BVHP) neighborhoods, a low-income community of color (33.7 percent African American, 30.7 percent Asian, and 24.9 percent Latinx per the 2010 Census) where residents suffer from high rates of asthma and cancer and where radioactive waste and toxic contamination at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Superfund site and multiple other contaminated sites are located. As one of the lowest-lying points in San Francisco, BVHP will also be first impacted by rising oceans, which have already risen by almost 8 inches as of 2016 and which threaten to create flooding of hazardous and radioactive waste of neighborhoods, transportation infrastructure, and the entire San Francisco Bay, while several hundred new luxury homes have been built next to and possibly on top of radioactive contamination, and 10,000 more homes are planned at the contaminated Shipyard Superfund Site where critics complain that radioactive and toxic cleanup has been marred by fraud and lax standards. Speakers will also discuss the August 25 Car Caravan Protest to San Francisco City Hall for the Bayview Hunters Point Environmental Justice "We Can't Breathe" Campaign. NOTES Co-presented by The Climate Reality Project Bay Area Chapter

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Novelist Ken Follett with Lee Child Oct 05, 2020

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Ken Follett is one of the world's best-loved authors, selling more than 170 million copies of his 31 books. Follett's first bestseller was Eye of the Needle, a spy story set in the Second World War. In 1989, The Pillars of the Earth was published and has since become Follett's most popular novel. It reached number one on bestseller lists around the world and was an Oprah's Book Club pick. Its sequels, World Without End and A Column of Fire, proved equally popular, and the Kingsbridge series has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Mr. Follett's latest novel, The Evening and the Morning—a prequel to The Pillars of The Earth—takes readers on an epic journey back to the year 997, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns. Join us for a rare and intimate conversation with this renowned author whose work certainly provides historical lessons for today. NOTES Part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation

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A Conversation with John Lithgow Oct 05, 2020

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John Lithgow’s acclaimed acting career has seen him star in shows like "3rd Rock from the Sun" and "The Crown" and films such as Bombshell and The World According to Garp. Now, he’s following up last year’s best-selling book, Dumpty, with a brand-new collection of satirical poems chronicling the age of President Donald Trump. Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown is darker and more hard-hitting than ever. Lithgow writes and draws with wit and fury as he takes readers through another year of shocking events involving Trump and his administration. His uproarious poems and illustrations encompass Trump's impeachment, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests, and much more. Join Lithgow as we laugh and pause to remember some of the most defining moments in recent history—as he skewers the reign of “King Dumpty” one stanza at a time.

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Lives of the Stoics, with Ryan Holiday and Kevin Rose Oct 02, 2020

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Stoicism has found a new audience among those who seek greatness, from athletes to politicians and everyone in between. Its embrace of self-mastery, virtue and indifference to that which we cannot control is as urgent today as it was in the chaos of the Roman Empire. Join Kevin Rose, founder of Digg, for a conversation with number 1 bestselling author Ryan Holiday to learn more about the fascinating lives of the men and women who strove to live by the timeless Stoic virtues of courage, justice, temperance and wisdom.

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