On K Street, a few blocks from the White House, you’ll find the offices of some of the most powerful people in Washington. In the 1970s, the city’s center of gravity began to shift away from elected officials in big marble buildings to a handful of savvy, handsomely paid operators who didn’t answer to any fixed constituency.The cigar-chomping son of a powerful Congressman, an illustrious political fixer with a weakness for modern art, a Watergate-era dirty trickster, the city’s favorite cocktail party host—these were the sorts of people who now ran Washington. Investigative journalist Brody Mullins, working with Luke Mullins, says that over four decades, these lobbyists would chart new ways to turn their clients’ cash into political leverage, abandoning favor-trading in smoke-filled rooms for increasingly sophisticated tactics like “shadow lobbying,” where underground campaigns sparked seemingly organic public outcries to pressure lawmakers into taking actions that would ultimately benefit corporate interests rather than the common good. With billions of dollars at play, these lobbying dynasties enshrined in Washington a pro-business consensus that would guide the country’s political leaders—Democrats and Republicans alike—allowing companies to flourish even as ordinary Americans faced stagnant wages, astronomical drug prices, unsafe home loans and digital monopolies. A good lobbyist could kill even a piece of legislation supported by the president, both houses of Congress, and a majority of Americans.Yet, nothing lasts forever. Amidst a populist backlash to the soaring inequality these lobbyists helped usher in, this Washington alliance suddenly began to unravel. The Mullins say that while new ways for corporations to control the federal government would emerge, the men who’d once built K Street found themselves under legal scrutiny and on the verge of financial collapse. One had his namesake firm ripped away by his own colleagues. Another watched his business shut down altogether. One went to prison. And one was found dead behind the 18th green of an exclusive golf club, with a bottle of $1,500 wine at his feet and a bullet in his head.Join us to hear Brody Mullins sketch a dazzling portrait of 50 years of corporate influence in Washington, as laid out in the Mullins’ new book The Wolves of K Street. They trace the rise of the modern lobbying industry through the three dynasties—one Republican, two Democratic—that they say have enabled corporate interests to infiltrate American politics and undermine our democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us in downtown San Francisco for the second annual summit on some of the hottest topics facing the LGBTQIA+ communities. Robyn Adams, Remembering Nex BenedictModerated by: Oliver Elias Tinoco, a queer, undocumented, community youth advocate hailing from South San Francisco by way of Guanajuato, Mexico,  Ewan Barker Plummer, chair of the San Francisco Youth Commission, which advises the Mayor and Board of Supervisors on all issues impacting young San Franciscans.  Daniel Trujillo is 16 years old and loves drawing, playing guitar, bass, and drums, building Lego, and playing in the Tucson Jazz Institute. Daniel recently helped plan a national action in Washington, D.C., called Trans Prom, a creative action by and for trans youth. Connie Murphy is a trans psychology student and community organizer. She works in youth advocacy and creates environments where queer youths can thrive, most recently organizing LYRIC’s Lavender Ball.  Nano Luksanacom, upcoming senior, Lowell High School Dr. April Silas, LGBTQIA+ AC Bia Vieira, CEO, Women’s Foundation California Roger Doughty, Horizons Foundation Schuyler Bailar, first openly transgender athlete to compete on an NCAA Division 1 men's team Suzanne Ford Michelle Meow  This program is supported by SF Pride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us in downtown San Francisco for the second annual summit on some of the hottest topics facing the LGBTQIA+ communities.  Welcome by San Francisco Human Rights Commission Director Sheryl Davis Suzanne Ford and Nguyen Pham of SF Pride California vs Hate, Chhaya Malik, deputy director for dispute resolution, California Civil Rights Department  Morning Keynote: Honey Mahogany, performer, small business owner and activist Moderator: Michelle Meow Lenny Emson (Kyiv Pride)  Charlene Liu (Shanghai Pride)  Nicolas Rodriguez (PRIDE SV - Marcha Por la Diversidad en El Salvador)  Natalie Thompson (Interpride co-president, World Pride DC 2025)  This program is supported by SF Pride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are climate heroes everywhere among us, but few get the public attention they deserve. Matt Scott, director of storytelling and engagement at Project Drawdown, has been shining a light on the work of such people in cities across the country in his documentary short series “Drawdown’s Neighborhood.” In Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area and more, Scott lifts up underrepresented voices of those working directly in their communities on climate issues. This week, we feature some of those voices.Guests:Matt Scott, Director of Storytelling & Engagement, Project DrawdownGrace Anderson, Founder, The Lupine CollaborativeAshia Ajani, Storyteller, Climate Justice Educator, Mycelium Youth Network📞 Do you work outside, in a kitchen, in a warehouse, or at other place where you’re feeling the heat? How have rising temperatures impacted the way you work? We want to hear your story. Leave us a voicemail at ‪(650) 382-3869‬ and let us know how climate change is affecting you on the job, and we may use it in an upcoming episode. Thanks for sharing!Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We, and all living things, are more than inhabitants of Earth—we are Earth! Life and its environment have coevolved for billions of years, transforming a lump of orbiting rock into a cosmic oasis that supports and is shaped by life.. . .Join acclaimed science writer Ferris Jabr as he reveals a radical new vision of Earth where lush forests spew water, pollen and bacteria to summon rain; giant animals engineer the very landscapes they roam; microscopic plankton, some as glittering as carved jewels, remake the air and sea; and humans alter more layers of the planet in less time than any other species, pushing Earth into a crisis.Jabr will draw on the work in his new book Becoming Earth, which delves into the hidden workings of our planet and its many lifeforms and invites us to reexamine our place in it. What we do next will determine what kind of Earth our descendants inherit for millennia to come . . .  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some San Francisco nonprofits with city contracts have recently come under fire for their business practices and outcomes. With the city's $1.7 billion portfolio of nonprofit services, a lot is at stake in efforts to maximize return on investment, and produce durable outcomes. Come listen to an informed dialog between Laura Marshall, citywide nonprofit policy manager at the independent San Francisco Controller’s Office, and Kevin Fagan, seasoned reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle, as we seek to better understand how nonprofit oversight in San Francisco actually works. About the SpeakersLaura Marshall is the citywide nonprofit policy manager at the San Francisco Controller’s Office, After early work in San Francisco’s nonprofit sector and gaining a Masters in social work at San Francisco State University, Laura quickly identified local government as her preferred venue for helping to improve the lives of the city’s most vulnerable residents. She has worked for the City and County of San Francisco since 2007. Laura’s current role with the San Francisco Controller’s Office allows her to manage a portfolio of projects and initiatives designed to increase the effectiveness of government with a focus on social service programs and the City’s $1.7 billion portfolio of nonprofit services. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Smith College.Kevin Fagan is a longtime, award-winning reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle, specializing in homelessness, enterprise news-feature writing, breaking news and crime. He has ridden the rails with modern-day hobos, witnessed seven prison executions, and covered disasters ranging from the Sept. 11 terror attacks at Ground Zero to California’s devastating wildfires. Homelessness remains a core focus of his, close to his heart as a journalist who cares passionately about the human condition.MLF ORGANIZERIan McCuaig A Social Impact Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. This program contains explicit language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most common questions people ask about climate is: what can I do? Since time is one of our most valuable resources — and we spend so much of our time at work — changing jobs may be the most effective individual climate action a person can take. Those changes could be big or small: Leaving the oil and gas industry for geothermal, or helping to bring down the emissions where you already work. The truth is, almost any job can be a climate job. But how do people actually make the transition from dirty jobs to clean? What do climate positive job transitions really entail? Guests:Caroline Dennett, Director, CLOUT LtdArvind Ravikumar, Co-Director, Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab, University of Texas, AustinJennifer Anderson, Carbon Removal Geologist, Charm IndustrialEmma McConville, Development Geoscience Lead at Fervo EnergyNathanael Johnson, Electrician📞 Do you work outside, or in a kitchen, a warehouse, or other place where you’re feeling the heat? How have rising temperatures impacted the way you work? We want to hear your story. Please leave us a voicemail at ‪(650) 382-3869‬ and let us know how climate change is affecting you on the job. We may use it in an upcoming episode. Thanks for sharing! Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month.For complete show notes, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us ahead of the San José Earthquakes' epic alumni player-attended California Classico game at Stanford University for an in-depth discussion with Gary Singh, a lifelong fan of the team, as he celebrates the legendary history of the Quakes in his new book, The Unforgettable San Jose Earthquakes: Momentous Stories On & Off the Field.When the San José Earthquakes first started playing soccer in 1974, no one imagined how their efforts would reverberate 50 years later. The Quakes and their fans have overcome a multitude of issues in the last five decades, including leagues collapsing, attempted rebrandings, local apathy, political indifference and even a franchise relocation, yet they never gave up. While players like Johnny Moore, Chris Wondolowski and Landon Donovan have come and gone—along with coaches, general managers and owners—the multigenerational family this San José team created over the last half century stands as strong as ever. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary C. Daly leads the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and will deliver remarks on monetary policy and the economy followed by Q&A. In 2024, Dr. Daly became a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System.Dr. Daly assumed leadership of the San Francisco Fed in October 2018, building on a distinguished career at the Bank that began in 1996. Starting as an economist specializing in labor market dynamics and economic inequality, she has since served as research advisor, vice president and head of macroeconomics, senior vice president and assistant director of research, and executive vice president and director of research.In Partnership with The San Francisco Press Club.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eighty has been the new 60 for about 20 years now. In fact, there have always been late-in-life achievers, those who declined to go into decline just because they were eligible for Social Security. Journalist, humorist, and history buff Mo Rocca teamed up with Jonathan Greenberg to introduce us to the people past and present who peaked when they could have been puttering—breaking out as writers, selling out concert halls, attempting to set land-speed records—and in the case of one 90-year-old tortoise, becoming a first-time father. (Take that, Al Pacino!)Popular “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent and frequent “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” panelist Rocca, author of the bestselling Mobituaries, comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs in San Francisco to share inspiring stories that celebrate the triumphs of people who made their biggest marks late in life.His new book, Roctogenarians, is a collection of entertaining and unexpected profiles of these unretired titans—some long gone (a cancer-stricken Henri Matisse, who began work on his celebrated cut-outs when he could no longer paint), some very much still living (Rita Moreno, the EGOT who’s still got it). The amazing cast of characters also includes Mary Church Terrell, who at 86 helped lead sit-ins at segregated Washington, D.C., lunch counters in the 1950s, and Carol Channing, who married the love of her life at 82. Then there’s Peter Mark Roget, who began working on his thesaurus in his twenties and completed it at 73 (because sometimes finding the right word takes time.)With all due respect to the Golden Girls, some people will never be content sitting out on the lanai. (P.S., actor Estelle Getty was 62 when she got her big break. And yes, she’s in the book.)Don’t miss this inspiring and entertaining evening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices