KQED's Forum

California has a massive economy, the power of Hollywood and Silicon Valley, and we grow much of the nation’s food. As the Trump administration targets the state with federal cuts, ICE raids, and the deployment of the National Guard, some are asking: How could California—and other blue states—use their considerable power? Could there be a kind of “soft secession” from the federal government? We’ll talk about the possible paths for blue-state resistance.

Guests:

Clara Jeffery, editor in chief, Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting

Jon Michaels, law professor, UCLA

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California City in Kern county is now home to the state’s largest ICE detention facility after private prison giant CoreCivic formally contracted to run it last month. But immigrant rights advocates say it lacks proper permits, and detainees have staged hunger strikes to protest filthy conditions and lack of access to medical care. Meanwhile, California City officials say they have no authority to challenge prison operations. We talk about how it’s dividing the community.

Guests:

Tyche Hendricks, senior editor covering immigration, KQED

Sam Levin, senior criminal justice reporter, the Guardian US

Marquette Hawkins, mayor, California City

Vikram Amar, professor of law, UC Davis School of Law

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The government has shut down and President Trump is withholding dedicated funds to blue states, demanding  universities sign a pact to get federal funding and cracking down on free speech. We bring together a panel of reporters to sort through what is happening in Washington and discuss the ways the Trump administration is throwing out the playbook and creating new, and sometimes unlawful, norms.

Guests:

Philip Bump, former national columnist, Washington Post - Bump is the author of "The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America"

Domenico Montanaro, senior political editor and correspondent, NPR

Molly Ball, former senior political correspondent, Wall Street Journal

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As the federal government shutdown extended through a second day, President Trump on Thursday redoubled his threats to carry out mass layoffs, posting on his social media platform that Democrats had given him an “unprecedented opportunity.” We talk to California Senator Adam Schiff about the Democrats’ long game on the shutdown and get his response to Trump’s call this week to use U.S. cities as a “training ground” for the military and his administration’s decision to cancel billions of dollars for energy projects in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Guests:

Adam Schiff, U.S. Senator representing California; former U.S. Congressman representing Los Angeles; his books include "Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could"

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This fall brings Bay Area residents plenty of options for enjoying the arts from the Castro Theatre reopening with a Sam Smith residency after a two year closure to an exhibit of Witchcraft, Magic, and Occult Knowledge at Stanford. And of course, there are the perennial events like LitQuake, the region’s premier literary festival, and celebrations of Oktoberfest, Día de los Muertos, and Halloween. KQED’s Arts team joins us to provide recommendations. And, we’ll hear from you, what’s the fall event or activity you are most looking forward to?

Guests:

Gabe Meline, senior editor, KQED Arts & Culture

Sarah Hotchkiss, associate editor, KQED Arts & Culture

Nastia Voynovskaya, editor and reporter, KQED Arts & Culture

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The United States has for generations been a magnet for students and scholars from around the world seeking higher education and research positions. In fields such as engineering and the life sciences, at least half of workers here with doctorates are born outside the country. But crackdowns on universities, federal funding cuts and a precarious climate for immigrants is turning a brain gain into a brain drain. We talk about why fewer international students and researchers are choosing to come to the U.S and why American scholars are choosing other countries to pursue their work. Are you considering leaving the country for school or work?

Guests:

Sarah Willcox, deputy director, Scholars at Risk

James Glanz, international and investigative reporter, The New York Times

Sonya Pfeiffer, civil rights and criminal defense attorney, BT Legal and Pfeiffer Rudolf

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Even after the tremendous success of her cookbook, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” and the Netflix series it inspired, Samin Nosrat found that, she was lonely and depressed. What grounded her, and helped her claw back the joy in her life, was regularly cooking and eating with friends and committing to community – one “lazy sugo” at a time .  We talk to Nosrat about her journey and her new book, “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love.”

Guests:

Samin Nosrat, chef and author of "Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love: A Cookbook"; her previous book is the bestseller "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat"

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Jane Goodall, one of the world’s most beloved primatologists, has died. She was 91. Goodall was a hero of the conservation movement known for her decades long study of chimpanzees — how they use tools, care for their young, and care for each other. Her discoveries led her to devote her life to animal conservation and fighting deforestation, balanced with the needs of local people. We listen back to our conversation with Goodall from September 2023. She joined us along with two international conservation champions inspired by Goodall’s work to talk about the evolution of her activism and the future of the conservation movement.

Guests:

Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist; co-founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, which is devoted to the protection of great apes and their habitats; her books include "The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times" and "The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior"

Jean-Gael "JG" Collomb, chief executive officer, Wildlife Conservation Network, which connects philanthropists with a global network of field-based conservation leaders

Jeneria Lekilelei, Samburu warrior; director of community conservation, Ewaso Lions

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The federal government shut down at midnight on Tuesday after lawmakers failed to reach a deal to continue funding its operations. We hear from Bay Area congressman Mark DeSaulnier as Democrats and Republicans fight a messaging war over who to blame for what could be a long and painful period of no pay and potential job losses for federal employees.

Guests:

Mark DeSaulnier, United States Congressman, representing 10th district of California (the East Bay)

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The politicalization of the Department of Justice took a new turn last week when US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced an indictment against Trump nemesis and former FBI head James Comey. Donald Trump has made clear that this term, he intends to go after his personal enemies, but the capitulation of DOJ to his demands has raised troubling questions. With career prosecutors and FBI agents being fired or leaving in droves, we talk about what is happening to the Justice Department.

Guests:

Ismail Ramsey, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California

Quinta Jurecic, staff writer, Atlantic Magazine - Jurecic's most recent piece for the Atlantic is titled "The Comey Indictment Is an Embarrassment"

Glenn Thrush, reporter covering the Justice Department, New York Times

Ejaz Baluch, attorney, Baluch resigned from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice earlier this year

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