Month: March 2021

Briefings

Background Briefing: March 31, 2021

On By gram

 

Biden’s $2.25 Trillion Infrastructure Program Will Require Massive Amounts of Electricity From Wind and Solar

We begin with President Biden’s announcement today of his $2.25 trillion infrastructure and jobs program which addresses challenges posed by climate change with well-paying union jobs. Constantine Samaras, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and affiliated Faculty in the Energy, Science, Technology and Policy Program at Carnegie Mellon University joins us to discuss how Biden’s plan to electrify the government fleets, the USPS, school busses and public transport along with 500,000 charging stations plus heating for buildings and homes and getting rid of gas stoves will require massive amounts of electricity that has to come from wind and solar. We also examine Biden’s plan to boost wind power with offshore wind farms deployed between Long Island and the Jersey coast to supply 30 gigawatts of power to millions of homes in the North East by 2030.

 

The Trumpiest Congressman Embroiled in a Burgeoning Child Sex Scandal

Then we try to understand what is behind the emerging scandal involving Trump’s favorite and the Trumpiest of congressmen, Matt Gaetz, who according to reports in The New York Times, is being investigated by the DOJ for sex crimes involving an underaged girl trafficked across state lines in a probe which the previous AG Bill Barr signed off on. Aaron Rupar, a journalist and Associate Editor for politics and policy at Vox where his latest article is “Matt Gaetz’s disastrous Tucker Carlson interview, explained,” joins us.

 

Biden’s First Presidential Proclamation in Support of Trans People Who 80 Republican Bills Are Targeting

Then finally, with over 80 anti-trans bills introduced by Republicans in 28 states, we speak with Dr. Kevin Kumashiro, an internationally-recognized expert on educational policy who is the former dean at the University of San Francisco’s School of Education about his open letter to President Biden in support of trans youth on March the 31st’s annual international Trans Day of Visibility which President Biden recognized today in his first presidential proclamation.