The Takeaway

One year after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, the island is still feeling the effects of the devastating storm. In this special episode, "After the Storm," Tanzina Vega explores questions of status, economic resilience and activism at the ground level. What does it mean to be Puerto Rican post Maria? And is Maria the event that could fundamentally change the trajectory of the island? The Takeaway finds out.

Take a look at our coverage from this week in Puerto Rico.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Can There Be Redemption for the Accused in the #MeToo Movement?

On Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, one rabbi explains what the Jewish faith can teach men trying to redeem themselves following allegations of sexual misconduct.

Trump's Trade War with China Hits a Fever Pitch 

President Trump's escalating trade war with China ratcheted up another notch this week.

Community Health Workers and Churches Band Together After Florence

We talk to a director at a community health center in North Carolina, about how elderly residents and those with limited resources, have been coping after Hurricane Florence.

"I Will Fight Colonialism Until My Last Breath": Longtime Political Prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera Speaks Out, One Year After Maria

Oscar Lopez Rivera, long-time Puerto Rican independence activist, talks about the effects of U.S. colonialism.

Guests:

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

Amber McKinney

Anna Kinsey 

Oscar Lopez Rivera

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

As Detroit Schools Shut Down Water Over Lead Concerns, Contamination Points to a National Crisis

Days before Detroit's public schools opened for the school year, drinking water was shut off district-wide when test results showed elevated lead and copper levels.

Sexual Assault Allegation Against Brett Kavanaugh Could Derail Confirmation Process

We get the latest on how a sexual assault allegation could impact the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh and hear from listeners on how they feel about the accusation.

Democratic Districts Under Scrutiny for Lucrative ICE Contracts

Left-leaning counties in New Jersey rely on millions of dollars from ICE to maintain the county's jails. 

Young Puerto Rican Journalists Work to Tell Their Own Story

Almost one year since Hurricane Maria made landfall, we talk to a journalism student, at the University of the Sacred Heart, about the role of the media after the storm.

Guests:

Jennifer Chambers 

Terrence Martin 

Alfredo Gómez

Elana Schor

Matt Katz 

Sofia Bozzo Gutierrez

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

"All The Bodies Started Stacking Up": A Funeral Director Remembers the Dead from Hurricane Maria

We talk to a general manager of a funeral home who knew the death toll exceeded what was officially being reported.

Emergency Response Efforts Remain Critical as Florence Continues to Damage Carolinas

Although it was downgraded from a hurricane over the weekend, Florence is still inflicting heavy rainfalls on the Carolinas. At least fifteen people have been reported dead. 

Dozens Dead After Typhoon Mangkhut Tears Through Philippines and Hong Kong

Over the weekend, as Hurricane Florence was making its way through the Carolinas, Typhoon Mangkhut killed dozens in the Philippines before pummeling Hong Kong. 

Poll: Majority of Americans Support Diversity in Higher Education, Oppose Affirmative Action

A new survey finds that the majority of Americans disagree with the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold affirmative action. But most still say that they value diversity on college campuses.

Thousands of Prisoners Left Out of Obama's Effort to Soften Unfair Drug Laws

While some eventually did have their sentences commuted or reduced others were denied. We take a look at the clemency initiative and who was left behind. 

Guests:

Rachel Barkow

Lauren Cesal

Colonel Wes Morrison

Will Michaels

Lynzy Billing

Kirk Carapezza

Natasha Warikoo

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Over the last 20 years, American politics have reached apparent historic levels of polarization and partisanship, at least for the modern era. Today, this polarization feels more personal and intractable than in recent memory. Insults abound with blame and scorn for those perceived to have contributed to this environment. The Republican Party has received its share of denigration from, what has come as a surprise to many within their own party, Republican officials criticizing the direction their party is headed under President Trump. Former R.N.C. Chairman Michael Steele has described the G.O.P. as "virtually unidentifiable" from the organization that he led less than a decade ago.

The Pew Research Center has been studying American’s public political values since 1994, and the gap between Democrats and Republicans is now wider than it has ever been before. Carroll Doherty, the director of political research at Pew, explains how we arrived at the current acrimony in national politics.

Former Tennessee Congressman John Tanner helped found the Blue Dog Democrats in 1995 after his party's major loss to Republicans that swept the G.O.P. to power in the House of Representatives for the first time since 1952. Does the Democratic Party of today have room for "Blue Dogs" anymore? Tanner offers his perspective.

As the midterm elections approach, former political actors of all stripes are lamenting the loss of bipartisan cooperation they endured in the politics of yore. Bruce Reed, former chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, Helen Milby, founder and board chair of the progressive organization The New Deal, and John Murray, who served as deputy chief of staff to former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, consider whether the aisle can still be cross in 2018.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

As Hurricane Florence Approaches, What About the People Forced to Stay?

As millions leave their homes to avoid Hurricane Florence, many more will be forced to shelter in place, whether because of illness or disability that leaves them unable to evacuate.

DHS Uses FEMA Money to Pay for ICE's Migrant Crackdown

Senator Jeff Merkley's release of documents showing the transfer of funds raises questions about FEMA's disaster preparedness as Hurricane Florence bears down on the East Coast.

"It's About Damn Time": Venture Capitalist Looks to Help Other Black, Queer Businesspeople

Arlan Hamilton is a rare black and queer venture capitalist, and she’s made it her mission to grant funding to startups with founders who are women, people of color, or LGBTQ.

In Afghanistan, After 17 Years of War, Violence is an Everyday Threat

In Afghanistan, the U.S. response to the September 11th attacks is still ongoing, and the threat of violence has become a daily part of life.

1985 Heist At Mexico's National Museum Subject of New Film

"Museo," a new film about an unbelievable museum burglary in Mexico's capital city, stars Gael García Bernal.

Guests:

Sheri Fink

Marc Burdiss

Ron Nixon

Arlan Hamilton

Ali Latifi

Alonso Ruizpalacios

Gael García Bernal

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Do Cops in Schools Make Students Safer?

A new HuffPost investigation highlights violence perpetrated by police officers stationed in schools, with over 120 students being tasered by school police in recent years.

Off-Duty Police Violence in Focus After Shooting Death of 26-year-old Botham Shem Jean

26-year-old Botham Shem Jean was shot and killed inside his Dallas apartment by an off-duty police officer who said that she mistook Jean for an intruder in her own residence.

How Smart 'Social Infrastructure' Can Mend Our Fractured Society

While neighborhoods across the country have lost critical social institutions, there are still many physical spaces that serve as anchors for American communities.

Guests:

Rebecca Klein

Phil Stinson

Jeremiah Moss

Eric Klinenberg

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

For American Muslims, 9/11 Shaped Careers, Politics, and Identity

The attacks on the Twin Towers forced American Muslims to confront from within their relationships to the broader American community.

How Ankle Monitors May Not Be an Alternative to Incarceration

Electronic monitoring devices are a worrying trend for America's already broken criminal justice system.

We listen to the story of a poet and educator based in Chicago named Valeria Vargas and Insha Rahman, a Program Director with the Vera Institute of Justice, who is concerned about the growing use of these devices.

Feds Demand Voting Records, and North Carolina Officials Fight Back

Federal Prosecutors and ICE demanded voting logs for North Carolina voters in 44 districts. The State Board of Elections is pushing for the subpoenas to be quashed. 

Central America's Drought Might Get Worse, Humanitarians Sound Alarm

Poor harvests caused by drought in parts of Central America could result in more than 2 million people going hungry in the region.

New Book Puts Spotlight on Dino Fossil Black Market 

Dinosaur fossils are a hot commodity on the private market, but some of the best specimens are illegal to sell — and people turn to the black market anyway. 

Guests:

Shadi Hamid

Zainab Chaudry

Melissa Boughton 

Democratic Congressman David Price 

Paige Williams

Dr. Rebecca Keller

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Serena Williams' Emotional U.S. Open Loss Points to Broader Bias in Sport

Retired tennis player Rennae Stubbs and ESPN culture critic Soraya McDonald discusses Serena Williams' emotional loss at the 2018 U.S. Open Championship Tennis final. They also take a look at how race and archaic tennis rules shaped the backdrop for the explosive final. 

Trump Administration Proposes Regulation to Detain Migrant Children Indefinitely

In a bid to extend its zero-tolerance immigration policy, the Trump administration is seeking to lift court-imposed limits on how long it can hold migrant children in detention.

Yeganeh Torbati, covers immigration for Reuters, joins The Takeaway to explain what the Flores settlement is and why the Trump administration wants to bypass it. 

The Trump Administration Discussed Plans for a Coup in Venezuela

These discussions bring Latin America grim reminders of the U.S. intervention in the region.

Dramatic Increase in Social Media Use by Teens

The percentage of teenagers who use social media frequently has almost doubled in the last six years, a new study finds.

Colby Zintl, Vice President of External Affairs at Common Sense Media, discusses the findings of her organization’s new survey with The Takeaway.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Today we're talking about the economy. The two big questions: 1.) Everyone says the economy is doing great. Objectively, is that true? And 2.) If it is true, why aren’t the Republicans and President better positioned going into the midterms?

Guests:

Lynn Vavreck, Hoffenberg Chair of American Politics at UCLA and a contributor to The Upshot at The New York Times

Jim Tankersley, reporter covering economic and tax policy for the New York Times

Colin Gordon, senior research consultant at the Iowa Policy Project

Erika Franklin Fowler, Associate Professor of Government at Wesleyan University 

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.