Red Mom Blue Mom Podcast

We're Back! Guest Ryan Schuling surprises Shelley with his support of the New York Times position on defamation and Sarah Palin, smartly differentiates between the Canadian trucker protest and the local teachers' protest, and agrees with Shelley on the disturbing state of our financial crisis.  

Special Guest Jessica recounts the trauma of her mother's COVID19 experience.  Shelley and Jessica discuss whether fear and politics are driving current viewpoints on COVID19, and whether schools and the economy should open up.  What do you think?  

Join Shelley and Guest Scott Romano, a Senior at University of Denver studying International Business and Economics, as they discuss the differing perspective of Generation Z and Millennials on political institutions, social issues, and the 2020 election.  

Join Shelley with special guest, Matt Dunn of Backbone Radio, while they discuss the impeachment proceedings, their favorite Dems in the race, Spygate, climate change, and Prince Harry's and Meghan Markle's decision to give up their royal titles.

It's time for another lightning round episode! Join us for a fast paced conversation about a variety of topics that have been in the news recently that we find interesting (and we think you will too), including:  Does President Trump really think Colorado is a border state? Why are Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg running sweepstakes to fly supporters across the country if civil aviation pollution is a key contributor to climate change? Abortion rates are down in Colorado - is free birth control for teens the reason why? The TX custody case for 7-year old James Younger:  is he in fact transgender as his mother claims? Did Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduce taxes only for the 'ultra-wealthy' but not the middle class? Have Seattle's public schools declared math is racist as part of their newly expanded ethnic studies program?  2 resources that we promised to share from this episode:   NYT op-ed from David Leonhardt (linking to Salt Lake Tribune reprint to avoid NYT paywall restrictions): https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2019/10/07/david-leonhardt-rich/    Forbes' rebuttal: https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2019/10/11/are-us-billionaires-really-paying-a-lower-tax-rate-than-working-people-probably-not/

Join us with special guest Alan Zibel of Public Citizen (www.citizen.org) as we discuss Alan's recent report titled "Detained for Profit: Spending Surges under U.S. Immigration Crackdown". For-profit prisons play a key role in U.S. immigration detentions and receive billions each year of our taxpayer dollars.  Are for-profit prisons a good or bad idea?  How do immigration policies like the Flores Agreement impact the number of immigrant detainees arriving at our southern border?  What are potential solutions to ensure immigrant children and families aren't waiting months for their immigration cases to be heard?  Read Alan's report for yourself here: https://www.citizen.org/article/detained-for-profit-spending-surges-under-u-s-immigration-crackdown/

it's time for another lightning round episode! Join us for a fast paced conversation about a variety of topics that have been in the news recently that we find interesting (and we think you will too), including:   - Do we have a right to not be offended by someone else's choice of language? - Is the transcript of the call between Trump and the Ukrainian President going to be enough to finally take down Trump via impeachment? (*NOTE*: we recorded this episode on 9/25, the day the transcript was released.  Subsequently the whistleblower report was released which includes facts not discussed in the episode e.g. the timeline for the U.S. decision to withhold foreign aid and when Ukraine was made aware of that decision.) - Do you think teenagers should be featured on a global stage to advocate on issues like climate change? - Why is the federal reserve pumping so much money into the economy? - Do you agree with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that the NRA is a domestic terrorist organization? - Do you agree that an event hall in Mississippi refusing to perform a wedding for a biracial couple is racist?  

Join us as we talk with Andrew Romanoff, Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate representing Colorado.  We cover a number of issues important to all voters, in Colorado as well as across the U.S., including economic policy, gun violence, healthcare, immigration and more.  You can learn more about Andrew at www.andrewromanoff.com. 

We are joined by Casper Stockham, Republican candidate for Colorado's 6th Congressional District.  We cover a lot of topics that we believe are of interest to our listeners on both sides of the aisle (and even outside of Colorado) and have provided audio bookmarks in case you're interested to hear only part of our conversation (of course, we hope you'll listen to the entire thing).  Also, we've provided quite a few reference links for this episode that provide additional data, opinion and analysis on each topic we discuss. Federal spending/budget/taxes ~6:34 Voting rights ~16:55 Illegal immigration ~26:15 Education ~ 39:15 Gun violence ~52:23 Gay rights v. religious freedom ~1:17:49   References (links may only work on www.redmombluemom.com) Federal spending/budget/taxes: CBO - 2018 federal budget infographic (Jan 2019) Face it - you probably got a tax cut (NYT, April 2019) Pass-Through Deduction Will Fuel Wealth Inequality (Forbes Dec 2018) A Year After the Middle Class Tax Cut, the Rich are Winning (Bloomberg Dec 2018)   Voting rights: Voter Suppression is Warping Democracy (Atlantic, July 2018) Voter Suppression During the 2018 Midterm Election (Center for American Progress, November 2018) Election resources (National Conference of State Legislatures) YouTube - Are voter ID laws racist? (Ami Horowitz, November 2016)   Illegal immigration: Family separation by the numbers (ACLU, August 2019) The real border crisis is foreigners gaming American's asylum laws (The Federalist, December 2018) Why don't they just get in line (American Immigration Council, 2016) If you want less illegal immigration, go after employers (Mother Jones Commentary, November 2016)   Education: Why do Republicans Suddenly Hate College So Much (Atlantic, July 2017) New Data Shows Some Colleges are Definitely Unaffordable for Many (Hechinger Report, October 2018) The immorality of student loan forgiveness and free college (Reason, August 2019) The world might be better off without college for everyone (Atlantic, January 2018)   Gun violence: 7 gun control myths that just won't die (The Federalist, October 2015) US Mass Shootings - data from 1982 - 2019 (Mother Jones, August 2019) Gun-Rights Advocates Claim Criminals Don't Follow Gun Laws. Here's the Research That Shows They're Wrong. (The Trace, 2015) 2018 was by far the worst year on record for gun violence in schools (Vox, December 2018)   Gay rights v. religious freedom When Religion Becomes an Excuse to Discriminate (Advocate Opinion, February 2018) LGBT rights are under attack (Daily Beast April, 2019) Can a religious school fire a gay teacher? It's complicated. (NBC, August 2019)

it's time for another lightning round episode! Join us for a fast paced conversation about a variety of topics that have been in the news recently that we find interesting (and we think you will too), including:   - Is Trump un-American and un-patriotic for selling arms to Saudi Arabia? - Is Rep. Steve King's recent comment about comparing cultures, the Founding Fathers and American exceptionalism racist? - Did taking down the American flag and replacing it with a Mexico flag at a Colorado ICE detention facility help or hurt the cause of immigration activists? - Are pharmaceutical manufacturers complicit in the opioid crisis? - Did Macy's make the right decision when they stopped selling a set of dinnerware because some criticized the product as promoting body-shaming? Plus, a quick chat on a topic we've discussed before:  the recent shooting in Gilroy, CA and gun control.  We'll discuss this in more detail in an upcoming episode. Although we don't typically share our resources for Lightning Round episodes, here are a few things that we thought might be helpful for listeners as we specifically reference them in the episode (links may only work on www.redmombluemom.com): - Obama's Saudi arms deal: https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/critics-slam-obama-administration-hiding-massive-saudi-arms/story?id=12192558 - Opioid manufacturers flood market with pills (**behind paywall**): https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/76-billion-opioid-pills-newly-released-federal-data-unmasks-the-epidemic/2019/07/16/5f29fd62-a73e-11e9-86dd-d7f0e60391e9_story.html?fbclid=IwAR1ayOgSIBHksORxlW95OGLVj1gTdOjusAnVVLCx425yTgb6bZXVUmAGysc&utm_term=.1a375ae291e5

Trump's recent tweet suggesting that "progressive Democrat Congresswomen" (which many believe is referring to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Omar, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Tlaib, aka The Squad) go back to where they came from has caused an uproar from the Left who believe it is more evidence of his racism.  But is his tweet actually racist?  Is the word 'racism' overused?  What is the difference between explicit and implicit racism or other biases?  And ultimately what does this latest political controversy mean for the 2020 election?   References (links may only work on www.redmombluemom.com): Axios poll (July 2019)   Rasmussen poll (July 2019)   Trump's comments on Charlottesville - transcript (LA Times, Aug 2017)   Trump is leading a hate movement (Washington Post, July 2019) *behind paywall*   16 examples of Trump being racist (HuffPost, Feb 2017)   The President strikes back (Power Line Blog, July 2019)   Dissent can be patriotic, hating your country isn't (The Federalist, July 2019)

it's time for another lightning round episode! Join us for a fast paced conversation about a variety of topics that have been in the news recently that we find interesting (and we think you will too), including:   - Should the College Board provide socioeconomic & demographic data about college applicants in addition to SAT scores? - Is the US women's national soccer team a national treasure or a national disgrace? - Should we tear down Columbine High School to prevent it from being used as a macabre tourist site? - Did Phoenix Police overreact to a family whose daughter stole a doll from the Dollar Store? - Did Nike 'do the right thing' by pulling back distribution of a shoe featuring the Betsy Ross flag because Colin Kaepernick asked them to? - Is the Dalai Lama sexist because he thinks his successor, if female, should be attractive?

June is International Pride month.  Join us as we discuss a variety of LGBT issues, including the proposed "Equality Act" that recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives, civil rights v. religious freedom, Trump's policy on transgenders in the military, allowing transgenders to compete in women's sports and the idea of a "Straight Pride" parade. References: Text of Equality Act   House Passes LGBTQ Bill (Vox, May 2019)   Equality Act will crush religious freedom (USA Today, May 2019)   LGBT rights are under attack (Daily Beast April 2019)   General Mattis memo on transgenders serving in the military (February 2018)   LGBT Discrimination is Bad for Society and Bad for Business (B the Change, January 2017)   When Religion Becomes an Excuse to Discriminate (Advocate Opinion, February 2018)   Masterpiece Cakeshop fighting for 1st Amendment, not against gay marriage (RCP, June 2017)    Brief History of LGBT Military Policy (USC)   Transgender Military Ban Defies Our Values (Washington Post Opinion, March 2019)    

Abortion continues to be a hot topic in our national conversation, particularly among 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls.  We discuss recent abortion news, including new controversial laws in states like Alabama and Georgia, the role of men - especially male state legislators - in the abortion debate, the language of abortion, and Hollywood's response. References: Guidance Reminder on Abortion (NPR, May 2019)   Alabama's male legislature: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/05/17/deep-red-alabama-would-more-women-legislature-have-made-difference-heated-abortion-debate/?utm_term=.61aedd284196   Abortion laws in 2019 (NYT): www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/us/abortion-laws-states.html   Biden and the Hyde Amendment:  https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/06/politics/biden-no-longer-supports-hyde-amendment/index.html   St. Louis PP clinic: https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/judge-temporarily-protects-access-abortion-planned-parenthoods-st-louis-clinic#stream/0   Alyssa Milano's #sexstrike: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2019/05/11/alyssa-milano-calls-sex-strike-protest-anti-abortion-laws/1174983001/   Disney and Netflix respond to GA abortion law: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-08/trouble-in-y-allywood-no-1-film-state-rattled-by-abortion-law  

Introducing the Red Mom Blue Mom Podcast lightning round!! Join us for a fast paced conversation about a variety of topics that have been in the news recently that we find interesting (and we think you will too), including:   - Is Trump serious about sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities? - Should we allow incarcerated felons to vote? - Why doesn't Amazon pay taxes? - Should we forgive student debts and offer free college like 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is promoting? - Is Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a credible spokesperson on climate change?

"Red Flag" gun laws are growing in popularity across the U.S., including most recently in Colorado where a new law was signed in April 2019.  We are joined by Laura Carno to discuss the pros and cons of Red Flag legislation, the impact of these laws on suicides and mental health, the influence of the NRA/gun lobby and a deep dive into understanding the due process provided for in the Colorado law compared to other states that have similar laws on the books.   References: Text of new CO law - HB19 1177   The Folly of Red Flag Laws (Washington Times, April 2019)   Dave Kopel testimony at US Senate (March 2019)   Colorado Red Flag Bill is now law (Colorado Sun, April 2019)   Red Flag laws may kill more than they save (Complete Colorado, April 2019)     Impact of gun bills in Australia on suicides and homicides (American Journal of Public Health, Nov 2018)   Red Flag Laws Save Lives (Moms Demand Action, March 26, 2019)   Red Flag Laws (Everytown for Gun Safety, March 25, 2019)   2018 Was By Far the Worst Year on Record for Gun Violence in Schools (Vox, December 10, 2018)   How the Gun Industry Funnels Tens of Millions of Dollars to the NRA (Business Insider, January 16, 2013)   How does US Gun Control Compare to the Rest of the World (Newsweek, June 19, 2017)   The Myth Behind Defensive Gun Ownership (Politico, January 14, 2015)

Paid family leave is currently a hot topic among many politicians on both the right and the left.  The US is one of very few countries in the world that don't have government mandated paid leave.  Currently there are several proposals in Congress (as well as some at the state level here in Colorado) which would mandate private businesses offer paid family leave to their employees.  Is this a good thing for those business owners?  More importantly, is this a good thing for women/mothers?  Join us as we discuss the social and economic impacts of government mandated paid family leave.  References: Text of proposed national law - FAMILY Act 2019 Text of proposed CO law - FAMLI Family Medical Leave Insurance Program (SB19-188) The Shocking Number of New Moms Who Return to Work Two Weeks after Childbirth (Washington Post, August 2015) Impact of paid family leave in CA (IBD, October 2015) Paid Family and Medical Leave: Good For Business (Fact Sheet, National Partnership, Sept. 2018)                                                Here's what maternity leave looks like around the world (Business Insider, May 2018) The Economics of Paid Leave (AIER, April 2019) Do Americans support federal paid leave programs? (CATO, December 2018) Paid family leave:  balancing benefits and costs (Brookings Institute, January 2017)  

The recent mosque shootings in Christchurch New Zealand have put white supremacy and nationalism back in the news.  Join us as we discuss what role President Trump has, if any, in the rise of white supremacists groups and is "nationalism" a bad thing?  Also, what is the connection between nationalism and racism?  Caitlin and Shelley have very different perspectives. References (links may only work on www.redmombluemom.com): New Zealand attacks offer evidence of web of supremacist extremism (Washington Post, 3/15/19) Does anyone doubt that Donald Trump inspired the New Zealand massacre? (Salon, 3/15/19) Europe and Nationalism - A Country by County Guide (BBC 9/10/2018) Nationwide Anti-Mosque Activity (ACLU, March 2019) Hate Groups Reach Record High (SPLC, 2/19/2019) List of Killings by White Supremacists (Slate 2017) Hate groups hit 20 year high (USA Today) Comments from Australian senator (The Hill) Transcript of Trump's remarks on Charlottesville (Politico, August 2017) Understanding the SPLC's definition of 'hate' (Current Affairs, March 2019)

Tax time in the US is quickly approaching.  Is anyone in Congress - Republican or Democrat - really serious about reducing taxes?  Is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that Trump signed into law in December 2017 making a positive impact on the middle class or is it ultimately a scam?  Join us as we discuss tax policy, Trump's proposed budget and if government should be taking more or less of our money. References (hyperlinks may only work on www.redmombluemom.com): A Year After the Middle Class Tax Cut, the Rich are Winning (Bloomberg 12/18/18) Failing Tax Refunds Highlight the Republican Tax Scam (Wash Post Opinion 2/21/19) Changes to the Alternative Minimum Tax (Tax Policy Center) The Disturbing Ways We Waste Money on Our Military Budget (CheatSheet 6/22/18) Here's How Much Bernie Sanders' Free College For All Plan Would Cost (USA Today 4/17/17) Separating fact from fiction on the Trump tax cuts (Heritage Foundation) Impact of Trump tax cuts (WSJ) 5 tax misconceptions (CNN) Pass-Through Deduction Will Fuel Wealth Inequality (Forbes 12/27/18) Impact of tax bill and deficit spending (Investors Business Daily)

The gender pay gap has been in the news recently with the announcement of a lawsuit filed by the US Women's National Soccer team for gender discrimination by the US Soccer Federation.  Also, sometime in April is typically when we see various organizations promoting "Equal Pay Day", a symbolic date on which some claim that women finally catch up to what men earned during the previous year.  But is there really a gender-based pay gap? And should the US Women's National Soccer team earn as much as the men's team?     References (hyperlinks may only work on www.redmombluemom.com): 2019 Paycheck Fairness Act (text of proposed bill) Colorado's Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (text of proposed bill) Women Deserve Equal Pay (National Organization of Women) The pay gap myth - video (PragerU) Don't buy into the gender pay gap myth (Forbes) Harvard study of the reasons for a gender pay gap (Foundation for Economic Education) US Women's Soccer - details of lawsuit (NY Times) US soccer players: “We're on the right side of this” (ABC 3/12/19) US Women's Soccer team sues for equal pay (Powerline Blog) The U.S. Women's Soccer Team is Better than the Men's.  That'll Help Its Case. (Washington Post 3/12/19) BLS report suggests gender earnings differential can be explained (AEI) Department of Labor's Women's Bureau (US Department of Labor) Frequently Asked Questions about the Gender Pay Gap (AAUW)

In Colorado there is a new sex ed curriculum bill for public schools currently working its way through the legislature and likely to be signed into law in the near future.  The bill is controversial with claims from some Republicans that it is too progressive for various reasons, including how LGBT issues will be taught as part of the new curriculum standards.  Join us as we discuss the bill with our first ever guest:  Alison Macklin, fellow mom and a Vice President at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.  We discuss the specifics of the bill - including LGBT issues, consent, parental rights and more - and what is the context behind some of the controversial language.  We also discuss how to talk about sex with your kids without making it awkward and embarrassing for everyone involved - Alison wrote a book about it in 2018 called "Making Sense of 'It':  A Guide to Sex for Teens (and Their Parents Too!)".   Reference hyperlinks (links may only be accessible on www.redmombluemom.com): Buy Alison's book here! Text of 2013 Colorado sex ed curriculum bill Text of 2019 proposed Colorado sex ed curriculum bill (approved by House 2/19/19) Are conservatives making things up about the new bill? (Westword) Fact v. Fiction (Denver Post) Is the new bill misleading? (Complete Colorado) Concerns about impact on parental rights (Complete Colorado)   House testimony (Colorado Public Radio) Talking to your preschooler about sex (Planned Parenthood) Bill passes the Colorado House (Durango Herald)

The Jussie Smollett story has captured the nation...and not in a good way.  What a schmuck.  Join us as we talk about hate crimes and FBI hate crime data, hoaxes, media bias and the only silver lining in the Smollett story as defined by Trevor Noah from The Daily Show. References: This is why Jussie did it: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/were-told-to-expect-hate-crimes-by-trump-supporters-thats-why-jussie-smollett-would-fake-one Hate crime hoaxes don't mean hate crimes aren't a problem: https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2019/0228/A-tale-of-two-hate-crimes-a-hoax-unraveled-and-a-plot-foiled Real hate crimes on the rise: https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/11/16/fbi-hate-crime-numbers-soar-7106-2017-third-worst-year-start-data-collection Are hate crimes related to Trump? https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/11/13/18091646/fbi-hate-crimes-2017 Why is the Right so furious with the Smollett case: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/02/why-the-right-wing-media-is-so-furious-about-the-jussie-smollett-affair CPD Superintendent remarks: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jussie-smollett-case-chicago-police-superintendent-s-full-remarks-n974026 The perils of “wokeness”: https://thebulwark.com/jussie-smollett-and-the-perils-of-greater-wokeness/ Hate crimes as part of a culture war: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/02/23/an-orchestrated-attack-against-truth-how-clash-over-hate-crimes-has-become-one-more-culture-war/?utm_term=.852318548133 Boston hate crimes:  https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2019/01/04/hate-crimes-racism-laurel-sampson-ivan-espinoza-madrigal Examples of hatred expressed by Trump supporters: https://americasvoice.org/trumphatemap/ Trump's era of hate: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/11/14/trumps-era-of-hate/?utm_term=.8593da3879ca Hate crime hoaxes: https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/18/hoax-hate-crimes-list/ History of the fake noose: https://triblive.com/opinion/michelle-malkin-handy-history-of-fake-noose/

AOC and her Green New Deal have been all over the news lately and have been applauded by some on the left while being mocked by many on the right.  Join us as we talk about AOC and her impact on politics, climate change and if it's in fact an emergency as Blue Mom Shelley believes (spoiler alert:  Red Mom Caitlin is not so sure), and some of the specific ideas presented in the Green New Deal. References: IPCC and other reports: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/; https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-other-greenhouse-gas-emissions; https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ Global warming is real: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-real/ GND resolution: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/109/text What is the GND?: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/07/691997301/rep-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-releases-green-new-deal-outline Disputing the "97%" claim: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexepstein/2015/01/06/97-of-climate-scientists-agree-is-100-wrong/#10fc8f5e3f9f Problems with the author of “Disputing the 97%”: https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/review-the-moral-case-for-fossil-fuels-really Economic feasibility: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/02/22/opinions/green-new-deal-sachs/index.html Is 100% renewable energy even realistic?: https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/renewable-energy-possible-good-environment/; https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-09-13/scientists-say-25-years-left-fight-climate-change Global warming causes severe weather: https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/01/30/this-is-why-global-warming-is-responsible-for-freezing-temperatures-across-the-usa/?fbclid=IwAR2A07pdVsWrCIKTaHnGP6PZBbXIz47MS1yKHR7bGngoXx4plbAFkfO3HHQ#7c83a242d8cf Global contributions to CO2 emissions: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2018/07/01/china-emits-more-carbon-dioxide-than-the-u-s-and-eu-combined/#69f73497628c AOC hypocrisy?: https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2019/02/13/report-ocasiocortez-is-living-the-high-life-in-luxury-dc-apartments-n2541463 Private jets in Davos:https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/davos-2019-private-jets-climate-change-world-economic-forum-summit-attenborough-a8742681.html Paris Climate Accord: https://www.nationalreview.com/2015/12/paris-climate-agreement-just-say-no/

Immigration has been a hot issue in recent months, including debate between Congress and President Trump about border security that ultimately led to a government shutdown.  Is a wall immoral as some of the left have claimed?  How do people even immigrate legally to the U.S.?  Do Republicans/conservatives have a racist undertone when talking about immigration?  References: Is the wall immoral? http://thefederalist.com/2019/01/08/why-is-a-border-wall-immoral/; https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/10/get-rid-borders-completely/409501/ Diversity visa program: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/dv-2018-selected-entrants.html Immigration by the numbers: https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/government-shutdown-trump-border-wall-2/ Analysis of Feb 2019 border proposal: https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/border-wall-trump-budget-deal/ Environmental impact: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/01/how-trump-us-mexico-border-wall-could-impact-environment-wildlife-water/ Eminent domain: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/01/donald-trump-eminent-domain-border-wall-emergency/ Visa overstays: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/visa-overstays-outpaced-illegal-border-crossings-in-2017-dhs Employers, E-Verify, and Trump's Hiring of Illegals: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-is-very-weak-on-this-one-popular-way-to-curb-illegal-immigration/2018/05/22/adf5f85e-399b-11e8-acd5-35eac230e514_story.html?utm_term=.0f6c80d5b331; https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/02/08/trump-once-advocated-huge-financial-penalty-those-employing-undocumented-immigrants/ Americans killed by illegal immigrants:https://www.conservativereview.com/news/the-media-never-cares-when-americans-are-killed-by-illegal-immigrants/ Immigrants and crime: https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/01/03/locking-your-house-not-like-locking-border/qH6OTRoIbs0Ord05k8QSlO/story.html; https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/06/19/two-charts-demolish-the-notion-that-immigrants-here-illegally-commit-more-crime/?utm_term=.7018bc5e1fbc Economics of illegal immigration: https://www.cfr.org/report/economic-logic-illegal-immigration; https://immigrationforum.org/article/fact-sheet-immigrants-and-public-benefits/

The recent success of the 2019 Reproductive Health Act in NY and the proposed (although failed) late term abortion legislation in VA have caused celebration on the left and outrage on the right.  We discuss the specifics of the law and our perspectives on abortion, including is abortion ultimately a religious issue? Episode references: Diana Foster study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1363/4521013 Guttmacher Institute: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/overview-abortion-laws Lozier Institute: https://lozierinstitute.org/the-reality-of-late-term-abortion-procedures/ Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2016/10/20/no-late-term-abortions-dont-rip-babies-out-of-wombs-but-they-are-needed/#6dbc29da5cf8 National Review: https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/truth-about-late-term-abortions/  Vox.com: https://www.vox.com/2018/3/22/17143454/trump-ohio-heartbeat-bill-abortion-ban-mississippi The Federalist: http://thefederalist.com/2019/02/05/democrats-cant-talk-honestly-about-abortion

Toxic masculinity is all over the news lately, including the Gillette razors ad and the new guidelines from the American Psychological Association on how therapists can help men/boys.  Is toxic masculinity really a thing?  And if so, how is it impacting how we parent our kids, especially boys? Episode references: Gillette ad:  https://youtu.be/xsYKb3T13Wk APA guidelines summary:  https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/01/ce-corner NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/opinion/apa-guidelines-men-boys.html The Federalist: http://thefederalist.com/2019/01/17/gillettes-toxic-masculinity-ad-accidentally-makes-case-patriarchy/ Vox.com: https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/1/22/18188776/toxic-masculinity-gillette-ad-apa-guidelines Townhall.com: https://townhall.com/columnists/rachelalexander/2019/02/04/toxic-masculinity-is-misnamed-n2540743 The Onion (parody): https://local.theonion.com/woman-didn-t-know-progress-on-toxic-masculinity-would-t-1831869468