KQED's Forum

Inflation has driven up the cost of living for most Americans making them feel squeezed every time they go shopping. And while many voters cited inflation and the economy and top concerns during the recent presidential election, economists note that Donald Trump’s plans are perhaps more likely to bring higher prices than lower ones. We talk with The Atlantic writer Annie Lowrey about how we are experiencing inflation now and what could happen during the next presidential administration.

Guests:

Annie Lowrey, staff writer, The Atlantic

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Broken” is how the Legislative Analyst’s Office describes California’s unemployment insurance financing system in a new report. California is already $20 billion in debt to the federal government for unemployment claims paid during the pandemic, and losses continue to mount. But businesses and labor groups are at odds over whether companies should pay more in taxes to fix it. Meanwhile, the Employment Development Department continues to grapple with problems of fraud and delay in processing benefits. CalMatters investigative reporter Lauren Hepler joins us to break down the challenges the EDD is facing.

Guests:

Lauren Hepler, investigative reporter, CalMatters

Kim Tanner, Carlsbad resident with firsthand experience with California EDD and Money Network

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember that tsunami on Thursday…that didn’t happen? After a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck 45 miles southwest of Eureka, a tsunami warning went into effect along the Northern California and Southern Oregon coastline. But why did it take so long for us to find out we weren’t at risk? Why did some places, like Berkeley, order evacuations, and other cities were silent? We’ll look at the region’s emergency communication systems and what needs to be improved to better prepare for tsunamis and other natural disasters.

Guests:

Dan Brekke, editor and reporter, KQED News

Lori Dengler, professor emeritus, Cal Poly Humboldt - department of geology

Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator, National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Brian Garcia , Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service SF Bay Area/Monterey

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The past year, more than any other, “demonstrated how podcasts as a whole bleed into the real world and play a huge role in American culture, for better or worse,” Vulture podcast critic Nicholas Quah recently wrote. It used to be, if a presidential nominee wanted to make news, they would go on TV. In 2024, it was all about podcasts…shows like Joe Rogan and Call Her Daddy. The industry is still reeling from the widespread cutbacks and cancellations in recent years. But the art and innovation of podcasts is alive and well, making it hard sometimes to pick your next listen. We’ll talk with Quah and other critics about the best podcasts of the year and hear your picks.

Guests:

Wil Williams, CEO, Hughouse Productions

Nicholas Quah, critic, Vulture - where he covers podcasts, television, and pop culture

Ronald Young Jr., senior producer and owner, ohitsBigRon studios; host of the podcasts "Weight for It" (which was named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by the New York Times) and Pop Culture Debate Club from Lemonada and the BBC.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Growing up in an Indian family, Sahaj Kaur Kohli felt pressured to meet her parents’ high expectations for a “good Sikh girl”. Despite being a top student in high school, she battled depression, struggled to keep up in college and dropped out. She eventually went on to become a therapist, mental health advice columnist for the Washington Post, and founder of Brown Girl Therapy, an online community. Through her work, she saw how her experiences mirrored those of many other children of immigrants who feel obligated to succeed, maintain cultural norms, and repay their parents’ sacrifices. Kohli joins us to talk about her new book, “But What Will People Say?” that chronicles her journey and provides practical advice for navigating mental health.

Guests:

Sahaj Kohli, therapist; writer; speaker; and founder, Brown Girl Therapy; author of the book, "But What Will People Say? Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures."

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cars, lumber and avocados are just a few items that could see their prices increase if president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs take effect. Throughout Trump’s campaign, he promised to impose tariffs on “day one,” but his targets — China, Canada and Mexico — are California’s biggest trading partners. Forty percent of the state’s imports come from China and Mexico. We look at which industries would be hit hardest, how businesses are preparing and whether consumers would have to pick up the check.

Guests:

Ana Swanson, trade and economics reporter, The New York Times

Don Lee, economics reporter, Los Angeles Times

Edward Alden, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Avian flu has killed 1.5 million chickens and turkeys in California and 100 million birds nationwide since the outbreak began in 2022. And earlier this year, scientists discovered that the virus had jumped to mammals, specifically cattle, raising questions about the virus’ mutation. In California, the largest dairy producing state in the country, 475 dairies have reported incidences of avian flu in their herds, and the state recently recalled raw milk from shelves after the virus was detected in milk samples. The virus has also been detected in the wastewater of several Bay Area cities, and 29 dairy workers, and a child in Alameda County with no known contact with animals, have been diagnosed with the flu. We’ll talk to experts about whether avian flu has the makings of a new pandemic and what is being done to contain its spread.

Guests:

Susanne Rust, investigative reporter specializing in environmental issues, Los Angeles Times

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong M.D., infectious disease specialist, UCSF Medical Center

Dr. Michael Payne DVM, large animal vet researcher, Western Institute of Food Safety and Security, University of California School of Veterinary Medicine

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Californians are the most confrontational drivers in the country according to a recent survey from Forbes Advisor. Nearly half of California drivers surveyed said another driver cut them off on purpose, more than half say they’ve been tailgated and almost a third have been threatened or yelled at. Across the country, the number of people injured or killed in road rage incidents involving a gun has more than doubled since 2018, according to data from the research group Gun Violence Archive. We’ll talk about what triggers road rage — and how tech and social divisions may be playing a role. And we’ll get tips on how to calm down and drive safely, even when you feel you’ve been wronged.

Guests:

Robert (Bob) Nemerovski, Clinical Psychologist practicing in the Bay Area as well as throughout California through teletherapy, (theangerdoc.com)

Andrew Barclay, Sergeant, California Highway Patrol

John Treanor, public relations specialist, AAA Northern California

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA, has given more than half a million immigrants protection from deportation since 2012. The program has allowed people brought to the United States as children to work, buy property, start businesses and raise families. The program has weathered plenty of challenges in its 12-year history, and now many recipients are worried that president-elect Donald Trump will try to end the program like he did during his first term. We talk with DACA recipients about how they are preparing for the future and what could happen next.

Guests:

Dulce Garcia, director for U.S.-Mexico border programs, Kids in Need of Defense - An organization that advocates unaccompanied refugee and migrant children. She is a lawyer and DACA recipient.

Sarah Souza, DACA recipient and immigrant rights activist, Serves on the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission and works as a legislative aide for San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin.

Krsna Avila , staff attorney, Path2Papers - a project of Cornell Law School that helps DACA recipients pursue work visas and other pathways to legal permanent residency.

Leo Rodriguez, student, Univeristy of California, Berkeley - DACA recipient.

Raha Wala, human rights lawyer, lobbyist, and advocacy strategist, National Immigration Law Center

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. will send an additional $725 million in military aid to Ukraine, the State Department announced on Monday. That’s on top of more than $7 billion in weaponry the Biden Administration has already pledged to the country as it battles to stave off more territorial gains by Russia. The increase in aid comes amid fears among U.S. and NATO officials that president-elect Donald Trump will withhold support and force Ukraine to capitulate. We talk about the latest developments in a war that’s left hundreds of thousands dead and how a Trump Administration might handle it.

Guests:

Steven Pifer , affiliate, Center for International Security and Cooperation - Stanford University; former ambassador to Ukraine and a senior director at the National Security Council in the Clinton administration.

Greg Myre, national security correspondent, NPR

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices