Red View Blue View Podcast

Is saying "go back to where you came from" racist?

Trump's recent tweet suggesting that "progressive Democrat Congresswomen" (which many believe is referring to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Omar, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Tlaib, aka The Squad) go back to where they came from has caused an uproar from the Left who believe it is more evidence of his racism.  But is his tweet actually racist?  Is the word 'racism' overused?  What is the difference between explicit and implicit racism or other biases?  And ultimately what does this latest political controversy mean for the 2020 election?  

References (links may only work on www.redmombluemom.com):

• Axios poll (July 2019)

 

• Rasmussen poll (July 2019)

 

• Trump's comments on Charlottesville - transcript (LA Times, Aug 2017)

 

• Trump is leading a hate movement (Washington Post, July 2019) *behind paywall*

 

• 16 examples of Trump being racist (HuffPost, Feb 2017)

 

• The President strikes back (Power Line Blog, July 2019)

 

• Dissent can be patriotic, hating your country isn't (The Federalist, July 2019)

Lightning Round! (July 2019)

it's time for another lightning round episode! Join us for a fast paced conversation about a variety of topics that have been in the news recently that we find interesting (and we think you will too), including:  

- Should the College Board provide socioeconomic & demographic data about college applicants in addition to SAT scores?

- Is the US women's national soccer team a national treasure or a national disgrace?

- Should we tear down Columbine High School to prevent it from being used as a macabre tourist site?

- Did Phoenix Police overreact to a family whose daughter stole a doll from the Dollar Store?

- Did Nike 'do the right thing' by pulling back distribution of a shoe featuring the Betsy Ross flag because Colin Kaepernick asked them to?

- Is the Dalai Lama sexist because he thinks his successor, if female, should be attractive?

LGBT Issues

June is International Pride month.  Join us as we discuss a variety of LGBT issues, including the proposed "Equality Act" that recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives, civil rights v. religious freedom, Trump's policy on transgenders in the military, allowing transgenders to compete in women's sports and the idea of a "Straight Pride" parade.

References:

• Text of Equality Act

 

• House Passes LGBTQ Bill (Vox, May 2019)

 

• Equality Act will crush religious freedom (USA Today, May 2019)

 

• LGBT rights are under attack (Daily Beast April 2019)

 

• General Mattis memo on transgenders serving in the military (February 2018)

 

• LGBT Discrimination is Bad for Society and Bad for Business (B the Change, January 2017)

 

• When Religion Becomes an Excuse to Discriminate (Advocate Opinion, February 2018)

 

• Masterpiece Cakeshop fighting for 1st Amendment, not against gay marriage (RCP, June 2017) 

 

• Brief History of LGBT Military Policy (USC)

 

• Transgender Military Ban Defies Our Values (Washington Post Opinion, March 2019)

 

 

Abortion Updates

Abortion continues to be a hot topic in our national conversation, particularly among 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls.  We discuss recent abortion news, including new controversial laws in states like Alabama and Georgia, the role of men - especially male state legislators - in the abortion debate, the language of abortion, and Hollywood's response.

References:

• Guidance Reminder on Abortion (NPR, May 2019)

 

• Alabama's male legislature: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/05/17/deep-red-alabama-would-more-women-legislature-have-made-difference-heated-abortion-debate/?utm_term=.61aedd284196

 

• Abortion laws in 2019 (NYT): www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/us/abortion-laws-states.html

 

• Biden and the Hyde Amendment:  https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/06/politics/biden-no-longer-supports-hyde-amendment/index.html

 

• St. Louis PP clinic: https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/judge-temporarily-protects-access-abortion-planned-parenthoods-st-louis-clinic#stream/0

 

• Alyssa Milano's #sexstrike: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2019/05/11/alyssa-milano-calls-sex-strike-protest-anti-abortion-laws/1174983001/

 

• Disney and Netflix respond to GA abortion law: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-08/trouble-in-y-allywood-no-1-film-state-rattled-by-abortion-law

 

Lightning Round! (May 2019)

Introducing the Red Mom Blue Mom Podcast lightning round!! Join us for a fast paced conversation about a variety of topics that have been in the news recently that we find interesting (and we think you will too), including:  

- Is Trump serious about sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities?

- Should we allow incarcerated felons to vote?

- Why doesn't Amazon pay taxes?

- Should we forgive student debts and offer free college like 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is promoting?

- Is Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a credible spokesperson on climate change?

Red Flag Laws with guest Laura Carno

"Red Flag" gun laws are growing in popularity across the U.S., including most recently in Colorado where a new law was signed in April 2019.  We are joined by Laura Carno to discuss the pros and cons of Red Flag legislation, the impact of these laws on suicides and mental health, the influence of the NRA/gun lobby and a deep dive into understanding the due process provided for in the Colorado law compared to other states that have similar laws on the books.  

References:

• Text of new CO law - HB19 1177

 

• The Folly of Red Flag Laws (Washington Times, April 2019)

 

• Dave Kopel testimony at US Senate (March 2019)

 

• Colorado Red Flag Bill is now law (Colorado Sun, April 2019)

 

• Red Flag laws may kill more than they save (Complete Colorado, April 2019)  

 

• Impact of gun bills in Australia on suicides and homicides (American Journal of Public Health, Nov 2018)

 

• Red Flag Laws Save Lives (Moms Demand Action, March 26, 2019)

 

• Red Flag Laws (Everytown for Gun Safety, March 25, 2019)

 

• 2018 Was By Far the Worst Year on Record for Gun Violence in Schools (Vox, December 10, 2018)

 

• How the Gun Industry Funnels Tens of Millions of Dollars to the NRA (Business Insider, January 16, 2013)

 

• How does US Gun Control Compare to the Rest of the World (Newsweek, June 19, 2017)

 

• The Myth Behind Defensive Gun Ownership (Politico, January 14, 2015)

Paid Family Leave

Paid family leave is currently a hot topic among many politicians on both the right and the left.  The US is one of very few countries in the world that don't have government mandated paid leave.  Currently there are several proposals in Congress (as well as some at the state level here in Colorado) which would mandate private businesses offer paid family leave to their employees.  Is this a good thing for those business owners?  More importantly, is this a good thing for women/mothers?  Join us as we discuss the social and economic impacts of government mandated paid family leave. 

References:

• Text of proposed national law - FAMILY Act 2019

• Text of proposed CO law - FAMLI Family Medical Leave Insurance Program (SB19-188)

• The Shocking Number of New Moms Who Return to Work Two Weeks after Childbirth (Washington Post, August 2015)

• Impact of paid family leave in CA (IBD, October 2015)

• Paid Family and Medical Leave: Good For Business (Fact Sheet, National Partnership, Sept. 2018)                                               

• Here’s what maternity leave looks like around the world (Business Insider, May 2018)

• The Economics of Paid Leave (AIER, April 2019)

• Do Americans support federal paid leave programs? (CATO, December 2018)

• Paid family leave:  balancing benefits and costs (Brookings Institute, January 2017)

 

White Supremacy and Nationalism

The recent mosque shootings in Christchurch New Zealand have put white supremacy and nationalism back in the news.  Join us as we discuss what role President Trump has, if any, in the rise of white supremacists groups and is "nationalism" a bad thing?  Also, what is the connection between nationalism and racism?  Caitlin and Shelley have very different perspectives.

References (links may only work on www.redmombluemom.com):

• New Zealand attacks offer evidence of web of supremacist extremism (Washington Post, 3/15/19)
• Does anyone doubt that Donald Trump inspired the New Zealand massacre? (Salon, 3/15/19)
• Europe and Nationalism - A Country by County Guide (BBC 9/10/2018)
• Nationwide Anti-Mosque Activity (ACLU, March 2019)
• Hate Groups Reach Record High (SPLC, 2/19/2019)
• List of Killings by White Supremacists (Slate 2017)

• Hate groups hit 20 year high (USA Today)
• Comments from Australian senator (The Hill)
• Transcript of Trump's remarks on Charlottesville (Politico, August 2017)
• Understanding the SPLC's definition of 'hate' (Current Affairs, March 2019)

The most wonderful time of year! Just kidding - it's tax time.

Tax time in the US is quickly approaching.  Is anyone in Congress - Republican or Democrat - really serious about reducing taxes?  Is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that Trump signed into law in December 2017 making a positive impact on the middle class or is it ultimately a scam?  Join us as we discuss tax policy, Trump's proposed budget and if government should be taking more or less of our money.

References (hyperlinks may only work on www.redmombluemom.com):

• A Year After the Middle Class Tax Cut, the Rich are Winning (Bloomberg 12/18/18)
• Failing Tax Refunds Highlight the Republican Tax Scam (Wash Post Opinion 2/21/19)
• Changes to the Alternative Minimum Tax (Tax Policy Center)
• The Disturbing Ways We Waste Money on Our Military Budget (CheatSheet 6/22/18)
• Here’s How Much Bernie Sanders’ Free College For All Plan Would Cost (USA Today 4/17/17)
• Separating fact from fiction on the Trump tax cuts (Heritage Foundation)
• Impact of Trump tax cuts (WSJ)
• 5 tax misconceptions (CNN)
• Pass-Through Deduction Will Fuel Wealth Inequality (Forbes 12/27/18)
• Impact of tax bill and deficit spending (Investors Business Daily)

Is there a gender pay gap?

The gender pay gap has been in the news recently with the announcement of a lawsuit filed by the US Women's National Soccer team for gender discrimination by the US Soccer Federation.  Also, sometime in April is typically when we see various organizations promoting "Equal Pay Day", a symbolic date on which some claim that women finally catch up to what men earned during the previous year.  But is there really a gender-based pay gap? And should the US Women's National Soccer team earn as much as the men's team?  

 

References (hyperlinks may only work on www.redmombluemom.com):

• 2019 Paycheck Fairness Act (text of proposed bill)
• Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (text of proposed bill)
• Women Deserve Equal Pay (National Organization of Women)
• The pay gap myth - video (PragerU)
• Don't buy into the gender pay gap myth (Forbes)
• Harvard study of the reasons for a gender pay gap (Foundation for Economic Education)
• US Women's Soccer - details of lawsuit (NY Times)
• US soccer players: “We’re on the right side of this” (ABC 3/12/19)
• US Women's Soccer team sues for equal pay (Powerline Blog)
• The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team is Better than the Men’s.  That’ll Help Its Case. (Washington Post 3/12/19)
• BLS report suggests gender earnings differential can be explained (AEI)
• Department of Labor's Women's Bureau (US Department of Labor)
• Frequently Asked Questions about the Gender Pay Gap (AAUW)