KQED's Forum

Scott Shafer, a senior editor at KQED, and Guy Marzorati, a California politics correspondent, dive into the recent upheavals in California's governor race. With both Kamala Harris and Eleni Kounalakis bowing out, they explore the implications for potential candidates and funding strategies. The duo discusses the public's appetite for new leadership amidst a crowded Democratic field, the influence of cryptocurrency in campaign strategies, and the importance of engaging younger voters to shape a pragmatic future for California.

Shawn Hubler is a California correspondent for The New York Times, while Jenny Jarvie covers social trends for the Los Angeles Times, and Laura Dickinson is a law professor at The George Washington University. They discuss Donald Trump’s unprecedented use of the National Guard for domestic issues, raising concerns about the implications for democracy and presidential power. The conversation addresses the legal challenges of militarizing law enforcement, the tension between crime narratives and reality, and the potential normalization of such tactics in American governance.

Sam Bloch, an environmental journalist and author of 'Shade: The Promise of a Forgotten Natural Resource,' discusses the alarming lack of shade in urban areas like Los Angeles, where just 20% of space is shaded at noon. He argues that shade should be viewed as a basic human right, comparable to clean air. The conversation dives into the historical significance of shaded spaces, public health impacts of extreme heat, and innovative urban design solutions to create cooler environments. Bloch's insights urge communities to prioritize shade to combat climate challenges.

Shoshana Walter, an investigative reporter with The Marshall Project, uncovers the dark side of America's drug treatment industry in her book 'Rehab: An American Scandal'. She discusses how many rehab programs exploit patients for profit, often keeping them trapped in addiction. Walter shares harrowing personal stories revealing systemic corruption and the barriers that hinder recovery—especially for marginalized communities. She also contrasts the U.S. approach with more effective practices in countries like France, highlighting critical pathways for recovery.

Gen Z is having less sex, and journalist Carter Sherman has spent the last several years interviewing more than 100 teens and 20-somethings about why. Sherman found it’s not because they’re uninterested or don’t have progressive views about sex. Instead, anxieties about the overturning of Roe v. Wade among other attacks on reproductive freedom, coming of age during an isolating pandemic and poor sex education have led many to abstain. Sherman’s new book is “The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation’s Fight Over Its Future.” Guests: Carter Sherman, reproductive health and justice reporter, Guardian US; author, “The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation’s Fight Over Its Future" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dating is going old school. More than a decade after apps like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble transformed dating, many singles are signing off and asking their friends, families and colleagues to set them up. It’s the kind of news that will make grandmothers everywhere rejoice. Being set up might seem quaint, but for most of modern dating, people met their spouses through friends and family. And with the popularity of shows like Netflix’s “Indian Matchmaking,” there is a rising interest in relying on personal interventions to find your person. We talk about getting set up and how to play matchmaker, and we hear from you: Did you find true love on a blind date or set up? Guests: Allie Volpe, correspondent, Vox. Volpe's most recent piece on dating is titled "Most Couples Used to Meet This Way. What Happened?" Frankie Bashan, clinical psychologist; founder, Little Gay Book, a matchmaking and relationship service based in Oakland Lauren Magboo, founder, The Used Date Party Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent for The Independent, reports on the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, CEO of Mercy Corps, sheds light on the challenges of delivering much-needed aid such as clean water and food. Youmna ElSayed, a Palestinian journalist, shares firsthand experiences of desperation from Gaza's residents. The discussion delves into the emotional toll on aid workers, the inadequacies of current aid systems, and the urgent calls for international intervention to alleviate suffering.

California has long gone head-to-head with big oil, leading many of the efforts to curb climate damage caused at the hands of the fossil fuel industry – including spearheading lawsuits against oil companies and pushing fracking bans.  But faced with the closure of two state refineries, and rising gas prices, Governor Gavin Newsom has made some major concessions on oil to not only keep the refineries open, but to draft a bill for more drilling in Kern county. We’ll talk about California’s changing relationship with the oil industry, the state’s efforts to phase out fossil fuels, and what’s going to happen to gas prices in the meantime. Guests: Severin Borenstein, professor at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business; faculty director of The Energy Institute at Haas; member, Board of Governors of the California Independent System Operator Lori Wilson, California State Assemblywoman, District 11 Alex Nieves, California transportation reporter, POLITICO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is legacy media self-censoring under the Trump Administration? The canceling of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and the multi-million dollar payouts from the parent companies of CBS and ABC to settle defamation lawsuits are all causes for concern, according to media analyst and Guardian US columnist Margaret Sullivan, who worries hard news reporting could become a thing of the past. We talk with Sullivan about how major media outlets are responding to Trump’s intensifying attacks and how it could hasten a march to autocracy. Guests: Margaret Sullivan, columnist writing about media, politics and culture, Guardian US Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Yorker staff writer Burkhard Bilger doesn’t have great teeth. According to Bilger, his “gaptoothed grin” makes him look like he came from a bar fight or a remake of “Deliverance.” Given his lousy dental insurance, a friend recommended that Bilger head to Mexico’s “Molar City,” Los Algodones, a place that has the highest per capita concentration of dentists in the world, to get his teeth fixed. Medical tourism is nothing new, but few think of going abroad for their teeth. Yet most Americans have inadequate dental insurance and the system is geared to abandon you just when you need it the most. We talk to Bilger and dental professionals about why dental care does not get the respect, or coverage, that it deserves. Guests: Burkhard Bilger, journalist and staff writer, New Yorker Magazine; Bilger is the author of "Fatherland" and "Noodling Flatheads" - his most recent piece for the New Yorker was titled "Word of Mouth: A Pilgrimage to Mexico's Molar City" Dr. Lisa Simon, physician, dentist and health researcher; Dr. Simon is also an assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices