War on Employment Data?

MONDAY, AUGUST 11
PROGRAM #10861 12:00 PM PT

War on Employment Data? 

U.S. job numbers dropped, and shortly after the data was released, President Trump abruptly fired the head of the agency responsible for labor statistics, accusing her of distorting the figures. What do the employment numbers reveal? What’s behind this attack on a historically independent agency? And what are the dangers of this kind of presidential interference?

Guests: Rafael Olavaría, Politics and Migration Fact-Checker, Factchequeado, Atlanta, GA.

Political Battle Escalates in Texas. The clash between Republicans and Democrats in Texas is heating up after Democratic lawmakers left the state to block the passage of a bill aimed at redrawing electoral maps to create Republican-majority districts. Under pressure from Trump, the Texas governor is threatening to punish the Democrats opposing the plan. Can Democrats stop the sudden redistricting effort? Do Republicans have the power to sanction their opponents? Which communities are being targeted in the new map? And how are major Democratic states responding?

Guest: Lydia Camarillo, President and Director, Southwest Voter Registration and William C. Velásquez Institute, San Antonio, TX.

Back to School Amid Fear. As the school year begins, teachers in Los Angeles are demanding stronger protections for students and families in the face of potential ICE actions. In a political climate increasingly hostile toward immigrant communities, the teachers’ union is calling for measures to ease families’ fears of immigration raids. Can a school truly be a safe space? What responsibility do education authorities have when fear permeates the classroom?

Guest: TBA.

Photo: ILO Asia-Pacific/Flickr

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