Democratic Presidential Debates
This week, CNN hosted the second round of Democratic presidential primary debates at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. This time, the stakes were higher and the attacks fiercer between progressives and moderates. On Tuesday, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders came under fire by former congressman John Delaney for their support of a Medicare for All plan that would replace privately held insurance with a government-sponsored health plan. The next night, Democratic primary front-runner Joe Biden found himself defending his decades-long record on criminal justice, immigration, health care and women’s rights from progressives like Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris. But unlike his first debate appearance in June, Biden appeared steadier and was ready to hit back when he took aim at Booker’s record on crime when he was mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and at Harris for her proposal to expand health care coverage.
Guests:
- Tyrone Beason, staff reporter, L.A. Times
- Aimee Allison, founder, She the People
SF Homeless Project
For the fourth consecutive year, the San Francisco Chronicle is leading a group of media organizations, including KQED, to cover homelessness. From videos to print and audio stories, the SF Homeless Project shares the personal stories and struggles of the men, women and families who lack stable housing in San Francisco. It also seeks to answer questions about this crisis unfolding on San Francisco streets and why it’s getting worse, even though the city spends $300 million a year to help a population of roughly 8,000 homeless people through navigation centers, outreach visits and other city services.
Guest:
- Kevin Fagan, reporter, San Francisco Chronicle
The Hidden Costs of Child Care
A new report by the Economic Policy Institute and UC Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment reveals that not only is the cost of high-quality child care out of reach for many California families, but also that the people providing the care are perhaps paying the steepest price for it. The study found that early educators are paid a median salary of just $13 per hour and are six times more likely than K-12 teachers to live in poverty. In turn, the low pay and poor working conditions also affect the quality of care children receive. But families in California also face financial pressures around paying for day care, which typically consumes a quarter of their annual income.