Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Californians at Work: Advancing Dignity, Respect and Opportunity Aug 16, 2019

Show notes

This program is generously supported by The James Irvine Foundation. The private, San Francisco-based foundation has $2.3 billion in assets and makes annual grantmaking of nearly $100 million. The Irvine Foundation’s singular goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. Key industries in California, from restaurant to technology to hospitality, touch our lives each day and are central to the state’s economy. Yet hundreds of thousands of workers fueling these industries face daily challenges in making ends meet. Whether working the night shift or behind the kitchen door, many have limited voice or influence on the economic conditions that affect their lives and families. A 2018 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute, found that nearly half of all California workers struggle with poverty, with more than one-third facing a host of difficult financial choices regularly, such as putting off seeing a doctor or purchasing medications, paying the rent or a mortgage, or paying a monthly bill. And one in 10 struggling workers report wages being withheld by an employer without cause. Join us for an opportunity to hear from three extraordinary leaders who will share their perspectives on the challenges facing working Californians today and their efforts to ensure every worker in California is afforded dignity, respect and the opportunity to advance economically.

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Destination Health: Solving Homelessness Aug 15, 2019

Show notes

This event is the first in The Commonwealth Club's Thought Leadership series on the future of health, featuring in-depth conversations on the challenges driving physical, mental and social health. Homelessness is one of the most critical health issues of our time. Even the best care isn’t enough to keep people healthy if they do not have a roof over their head. A safe, stable home is necessary to thrive. Yet much of America is grappling with some of the highest costs of housing and highest rates of homelessness of our time. What can we do to reverse the trend? What haven’t we thought of? Given the bright minds and wealth of the 21st century, we cannot accept that homelessness is unsolvable. Join a diverse panel of experts and advocates as they discuss this growing public health crisis. Together we will explore new ways to solve homelessness.

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How Public Policy Became War Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

FDR's New Deal is widely recognized as a turning point in American history, but David Davenport and Gordon Lloyd go even further, calling it “America’s French Revolution.” Refashioning American government and public policy in ways that have grown to epic proportions today, Roosevelt’s decisions reset the balance of power away from Congress and the states toward a strong executive branch. They also shifted the federal government away from the founders’ vision of deliberation and moderation toward war and action. Having learned that a sense of crisis is helpful in moving forward a domestic agenda, post New Deal presidents have seized on the language of war to extend their power dramatically. They have declared war on everything from poverty and drugs to crime and terror. Exploring the consequences of these ill-defined (and never-ending) wars, Davenport calls for a reexamination of this destructive approach to governance and a return to more deliberative and moderate methods. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities

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Motecuzoma Sanchez: How Much Progress Has Stockton's Youngest-Ever Mayor Made? Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs has received a lot of attention for his announcement of innovative approaches to dealing with the California city's problems—such as a universal basic income or the Stockton Scholars program. Has he delivered on his promises? Motecuzoma P. Sanchez (pictured) is an activist and journalist who says he works to hold accountable the leaders in Stockton, where he was born and raised. As the founder of the 209 Times media company, Sanchez has been a persistent critic of Mayor Tubbs. And Sanchez is not without critics of his own, who say he is obsessed with attacking Tubbs and other Stockton political leaders. Come hear a discussion about Sanchez's take on Tubbs's performance in office since he won a landslide victory over an incumbent mayor in 2017.

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CLIMATE ONE: The Land of Dreams and Drought Aug 09, 2019

Show notes

In his new book The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California, author Mark Arax reveals the tumultuous history behind the myth of abundance in the Golden State. LA Times reporter Diana Marcum and water expert Faith Kearns explore the complex intersections between drought, climate change, and life in rural California. Can a decades-old distribution system meet the water needs of the future? How will climate change affect the California Dream?

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Gov. Terry McAuliffe: Beyond Hate and Charlottesville Aug 09, 2019

Show notes

In August of 2017, white nationalists marched through the University of Virginia in Charlottesville to protest the removal of Confederate Army leader Robert E. Lee’s statue through a series of racist and anti-Semitic chants. The Unite the Right rally turned deadly when confronted by counter-protesters, in which a self-identified white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of people opposing the nationalists and killed a 32-year-old woman while leaving 19 others in critical care. Former Democratic Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe recounts his experience and perspectives during Charlottesville in his new book, Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism. From declaring a state of emergency to condemning President Trump for claiming there were “very fine people on both sides” of the protest, McAuliffe takes a hard look at Virginia’s history of racism and the factors that led to the tragedy in Charlottesville. He lays out the work done afterwards to prevent future Unite the Right rallies and discusses what still needs to be done as America continues to grapple with its racialized history and its long struggle to fight racism, extremism and hate.

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Pod Save America's Dan Pfeiffer Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

Dan Pfeiffer was one of President Obama’s longest-serving advisers and closest confidantes, working on his historic campaign and spending six years in the White House as communications director and senior adviser to the president. As a co-host of the wildly popular podcast “Pod Save America,” Pfeiffer is one of the most visible progressive voices today. In his best-selling book Yes We (Still) Can, Pfeiffer recounts how Obama navigated the political forces that created Trump and explains why everyone got 2016 wrong. With the start of another marathon election cycle, he’ll talk about what Democrats should and should not be focusing on in 2020. Join us for a fun conversation with a man who has spent the last decade on the frontlines of American politics. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language **

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San Francisco's Shocking Seventies Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

A prize-winning writer for the San Francisco Chronicle in the tumultuous 1970s, Duffy Jennings covered the Patty Hearst kidnapping, the Zodiac and Zebra serial murders, and the City Hall assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Jennings also covered major fires, gangland crime, labor union strife, city government news and more. In Reporter’s Note Book, Jennings weaves the political, criminal, public and personal events of the 1970s into a masterful reflection on the heart of a turbulent Bay Area, all bolstered by his uncanny memory and tender wit. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language **

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The Rights of Asylum Seekers: East Bay Sanctuary Covenant Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. While the conditions in Central America produce caravans and others seeking safety, the rights of asylum seekers are continuously under attack. Come learn about the roots of the problem—why people are fleeing, the mental health consequences and the difficult yet lifesaving process of seeking asylum. This presentation will highlight the role the U.S. government has played over the past decades in creating the so-called border crisis and will debunk the Trump administration’s attacks on asylum law. Founded in 1982 in response to civil wars and genocide in Central America, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant has been a leader in the sanctuary movement, providing yearly legal protection, advocacy, support and family reunification to thousands of refugees and undocumented immigrants. MLF Organizer: Patrick O'Reilly MLF: Psychology

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Qi Gong: More Energy and Less Stress Aug 05, 2019

Show notes

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Lee Holden is a renowned instructor in Qi Gong, meditation and Tai Chi. He Has worked to bring the ancient Taoist teachings to the West. Lee offers simple techniques to enhance well-being. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Robert Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine

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