Tomorrow President Trump will give his first official State of the Union address. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Donna R. Hoffman. Donna is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Northern Iowa. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma, where her research focused on partisan changes in the American electorate. Her research focuses on both electoral politics and presidential rhetoric. She is the co-author of Addressing the State of the Union: The Evolution and Impact of the President’s Big Speech (Lynne Rienner Publishers 2006). Media includes: NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Time Magazine, Bloomberg News, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal.
Following news that President Trump has tried to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, two bipartisan bills that would make it more difficult to fire the special counsel have been proposed before the Senate Judiciary Committee. To discuss, we FEATURE Heidi Li Feldman. Heidi is Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, with a courtesy appointment in the Philosophy Department at Georgetown University. She has written major articles on tort law and on legal ethics. Her scholarly expertise includes the U.S. civil justice system more generally with particular familiarity with law, politics, and history of presidential impeachment in the United States. Media includes: CBC News, The New Yorker, Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy.
Senator Mitch McConnell has announced a bill that would make abortion illegal after 20 weeks and could be an important issue in 2018 elections. To discuss, we FEATURE Shivana Jorawar. Shivana is a lawyer and policy advocate and, currently serves as the State Legislative Counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights where she manages their defensive state advocacy initiatives. She identifies and analyzes harmful restrictions, implements strategies to fight back, and delivers advocacy support to the Center’s clients and state partners. Media includes: The Hill, The American Prospect, Colorlines, The Nation, RHReality Check.
Puerto Rican families that were placed in transitional housing by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after their homes were damaged by Hurricane Maria were recently told that were no longer eligible for shelter assistance. To discuss, we FEATURE Ada Alvarez. Ada works in the Senate of Puerto Rico as Director of the Women Commission for her multiple bill proposals and work in public policy. She has worked also as Press Secretary, Multimedia Editor and Content Producer. She has studied and promoted the role of Women in Politics and the Hispanic Vote in the United States. Media includes: CNN, Al Jazeera, Univision, Azteca America.
President Trump is due to pitch a new immigration plan tomorrow, and we FEATURE Christine Neumann-Ortiz. Christine is the founding Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, a low-wage and immigrant workers center with chapters in Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin, including a student chapter called Students United for Immigrant Rights with members from 3 high schools. Voces de la Frontera is increasingly recognized as Wisconsin’s leading voice for immigration reform. Media includes: CNN, NPR, The Nation, Telemundo, Fox News, Milwaukee Journal, ABC.
Over the past nine days, there have been a series of terror attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan that have claimed over a hundred lives. To discuss this ongoing issue, we FEATURE Tara Maller. Tara is the spokesperson and Senior Policy Advisor for the Counter Extremism Project and a Research Fellow in the International Security Program at New America. She is also a former military analyst at the CIA, where she focused on the Iraq insurgency. She publishes and speaks on a variety of topics including sanctions, diplomacy, intelligence, cybersecurity, terrorism, Iraq, women in security & national service. Media includes: Bloomberg, CNN, MSNBC, Fox, Fox Business, Al Jazeera America.
Last week the leading cryptocurrency exchange in Asia, Coincheck, was hacked and it's been estimated that $530 milliion has been stolen from users. To discuss, we FEATURE Dr. Gina C. Pieters. Gina is currently studying the use and impact of cryptos (such as Bitcoin) in international markets, and has published multiple academic papers on the topic. Her research has shown that Bitcoin can be used to detect manipulation of official exchange rates, the consequence of regulations on Bitcoin prices, and examined the distribution of cryptos transactions around the world. Media includes: NPR Marketplace, NPR Tech, TheStreet.com, Experian, TPR The Source.
The Trump administration is considering building a 5G mobile network in an attempt to protect cyber and economic interests. To discuss, we FEATURE Gigi Sohn. Gigi is the Leadership in Government Fellow at Open Society Foundations. Before coming to Open Society Foundations, Gigi was Special Counsel for External Affairs at the Federal Communications Commisssion. Previously, she was President and Co-Founder of Public Knowledge, a nonprofit organization that addresses the public's stake in the convergence of communications policy and intellectual property law. Media includes: The New York Times, The Wallstreet Journal, NBC, CBS, CNN.
January 27th was International Holocaust Remembrance Day but anti-Jewish, as well as anti-Muslim, violence is still an ongoing issue in Germany. To discuss, we FEATURE Dr. Ruth Priscilla Kirstein. Ruth's work focuses on the intersection between science, entertainment and athletics. She holds an MD and a PhD in Medical Ethics from the University of Freiburg. Her PhD dissertation investigates the early days of the controversial German neuropsychiatrist Alfred Erich Hoche (1865-1943), and she is an expert in cultural context of right-wing thought in Germany today. Media incudes: France 24, Aligre FM.
Liz Theran
