Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Rick Wilson is a seasoned Republican political strategist and self-proclaimed infamous negative ad maker. His regular column with The Daily Beast is a must-read in the political community, and he’s widely published in The Washington Post, Politico and The Hill. In Everything Trump Touches Dies, Wilson brings his dark humor and biting analysis to what he calls the “absurdity of American politics in the Age of Trump.” Come hear this lifelong conservative’s views of a Republican Party that he says “has abandoned its principles” and what that bodes for the future of the country. *This program contains some explicit language*

How many times a day do you check your phone? In 2015, Manoush Zomorodi led tens of thousands of her WNYC podcast listeners through a life-changing experiment to help unplug them from their devices, encourage boredom and jump-start their creativity. Zomorodi explores how to rethink our daily gadget use to live better and smarter in this new digital ecosystem. She shares practical steps to unplug and enhance our ability to dream, wonder, and gain clarity in work and life.

A rising India wants a seat at the table of global powers and is ready to set its own terms on everything from defense, climate and trade. Alyssa Ayres considers the role this ascendant democracy will play internationally, the obstacles it continues to face and the implications of its rise for the United States and other nations.

This program is generously supported by Blue Shield of California Foundation. 1992 was triumphantly declared the Year of the Woman. But, in the 26 years since, how much have policies and perceptions changed in the pursuit of gender equality? Women and men are speaking out about the harassment, injustice and violence, which remains pervasive in our society. In order to generate long-term solutions with real change, many experts believe we must address the systemic causes of abuse. Join Representative Jackie Speier and Suzy Loftus, former San Francisco police commission president, as they discuss the cycle of abuse and how the women’s movement can help end domestic violence.

Soon, the nation's voters will go to the polls in one of the most-watched midterms in decades. We will discuss the biggest, most controversial and sometimes the surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, are civil and have a good sense of humor. Our panelists will provide informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, and we'll have audience discussion of the week’s events and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our members social (open to all attendees).

Now more than ever, it seems that the turmoil of American political and economic life leaves many Americans questioning the intentions of our most powerful leaders. Millions have been lifted out of poverty, and productivity has never been greater, but in the United States most of the economic growth has fallen into the hands of the richest 10 percent. As seen with his latest book, Can American Capitalism Survive?, Steven Pearlstein’s critique of capitalism falls in line with this trend. A Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, Pearlstein describes his problems with current economic methodology and offers his solutions to save capitalism. His conviction challenges the status quo of today’s leading business ideas. Pearlstein argues that qualities such as trust, fairness and integrity are necessary in correcting these problems with American capitalism. Join us for an intriguing discussion on current American economics and learn more about Pearlstein’s solution for better capitalism.

This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. In times of crisis, how have America’s commanders in chief guided the country through conflict to victory? In his new book, Presidents of War, presidential historian Michael Beschloss takes us behind the scenes and into the room with American presidents. Beschloss illustrates scenes in striking detail, portraying how presidents have had to make difficult decisions, sometimes sending hundreds of thousands of men and women to their deaths. From James Madison and the War of 1812 to the recent times, Beschloss describes how presidents struggled with Congress, the courts, the press, their own advisors and antiwar protesters. Come learn and understand how these presidents were able to withstand the pressures of war—both physically and emotionally—or were broken by them. Beschloss will discuss how far we have traveled from the time of our founders, who tried to restrain presidential power, to the modern day, when a single leader has the potential to launch nuclear weapons that could destroy much of the human race.

What is it about Italy that draws us in? Cultural superpower yet simply a mountainous Mediterranean peninsula, Italy has exerted an outsized force on the world, Western civilization and the popular imagination over the course of millennia. Explore the special alchemy of Italy and the “cultural DNA” that has made it not only influential but also beloved. Even the most sophisticated Italophile will discover fascinating new facts and insights. MLF ORGANIZER NAME George Hammond MLF: Humanities

Meet and hear from two attorneys involved in representing immigrant families separated and in border detention centers. Kristina McKibben is an immigration attorney in Sacramento who specializes in removal defense, humanitarian relief, and detention work. As a Central Valley native, Kristina has always had a passion for the underdog. After attending the University of California at Davis and Boston University School of Law, McKibben returned to Northern California and focused her time on freeing immigrants from detention, securing relief for unaccompanied minors, and connecting clients with humanitarian relief in a range of contexts. Jason Sias is a Los Angeles native and attorney with expertise in civil rights cases and post-conviction relief. His work includes safeguarding clients from immigration consequences and seeking justice for victims of police misconduct. Jason earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, and is a member of the California and Louisiana state bars. Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready.

Chinese factories churn out parts and products that end up in our cars, our kitchens and our cell phones. And all that productivity has improved the lives of its citizens, many of whom can now afford cars and cell phones of their own. It’s also made China the global leader in carbon emissions. But in her new book, “Will China Save the Planet,” Barbara Finamore says that China may well take the lead in saving the world from environmental catastrophe. How? By phasing out coal and investing in green energy to power its factories and keep its cities moving. With the US government cutting efforts to curb carbon pollution, is it possible that China is our best hope for saving the planet?