Bearly Political

BPR's Zak Willoughby takes you on a deep dive explaining all there is to know about the LA County version of the 2024 March 5th California Primary.

A conversation between Kyle Simerly (CAHSR Sacramento Information Officer), Van Tieu (CAHSR Northern California Information Officer), and BPR's Zak Willoughby about the future of transportation in California.

In this episode Rithika interviews a Berkeley Law professor on the problems with modern policing, namely the police's animosity towards protest.

In this episode, Leon interviews a fellow Berkeley student on the ongoing, devastating Moroccan earthquake situation. Together, they unpack the personal, economic, political, and local impacts of the tragic natural disaster.

In this episode, Cloe and Aanya explore the legal, moral, and social implications of self driving cars.

What happens when car companies decide that self driving cars can drive away from owners who are late on payments?

Who is responsible if a self driving car kills someone?

Could AI ever reach a point where the car itself is guilty of committing a crime?

America is full of paradoxes. The US has flown to the moon, mapped the human genome, and built the largest economy in the world. However, the US also grapples with lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, and greater poverty than most developed countries. Our esteemed guest, Patricia A. McCoy, Professor of Law at Boston College and author of the upcoming And Economic Wellbeing For All, sheds light on these issues and proposes specific policy steps forward to address a range of milestones including economic insecurity, healthcare costs, university affordability, retirement, and homeownership. Tune in for a compelling discussion on shaping a more inclusive and prosperous United States.

Episode song credits: "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line" by Buck Owens and The Buckaroos

⚡️ In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Europe's energy sector is facing a crisis with the lack of Russian oil and natural gas. Nuclear energy may be Europe's next best solution. But is it the right option for everyone?

☢️ BPR's James Freeman with the Berkeley Science Review's Elizabeth Lineberry discuss the various facets of nuclear energy. How it works, who uses it, and how Russia's invasion has made it relevant again. Maybe it is time once more to revisit the atomic era.

Since Putin invaded Ukraine just over a year ago, he has held that Ukraine has no sovereign statehood of its own — that it politically, ethnically, and culturally belongs to Russia. But the musical front of this war tells an entirely different story.

In conversation with Ukrainian ethnomusicologist and former UC Berkeley Professor Maria Sonyvytsky, I delve into Ukraine’s history of wartime music and the modern musical motifs of today. From rap and EDM to traditional folk and indigenous music, musicians are going about their anti-war projects in a way that is inherently Ukrainian. 🎶

In doing so, they are conveying a powerful message to the world: Russia might invade their country, but they cannot erase their identity.

Episode song credits:

“Dostochka” by DakhaBrakha

In this Episode, Aanya Schoetz interviews Dr. Christi Smith, a former law enforcement officer turned PhD Professor and Marijuana Legalization advocate, and Ms. Shanita Penny, a successful legal cannabis business owner. They unpack personal stories about why someone would go from recommending incarceration for possession to advocating for the drug’s legalization. They dive into the nuances of legalization, answering how even someone who is opposed to the drug itself has much to gain from its legalization. They tackle various visions of a legalization policy that equitably takes into account the communities that have suffered the most from unfair and unequal law enforcement. By the end, hopefully, you will better understand the need to legalize weed.

 Along with the rise of “Trumpism” in the Republican Party, and its dwindling nativist white male primary voter base, comes many questions surrounding the party’s future, and what its current behavior is doing to the stability of American democracy at large. In this episode Aanya Schoetz interviews experienced Republican Political Consultant and Latino voting trends expert Mike Madrid. They  unpack questions like: Why are democrats failing to appeal to latino voters? What could the diversification of the Republican party mean for “Trumpism”? And Is the American experiment’s aspirational idealism its greatest strength or cause for its downfall?