Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

UC Berkeley Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky’s 2024 book No Democracy Lasts Forever examined how democracies collapse and give way to authoritarian regimes.  Trump’s second term, Chemerinsky says, is following the playbook.  ”If one were to design a path to authoritarian rule, it would be what we have seen in the first weeks of the Trump administration,” he wrote earlier this year. One of the country’s most prominent legal scholars, Chemerinsky has been speaking out on the need to protect due process and the rule of law and to defend against attacks on academia and the media.  Don't miss him as he returns to Commonwealth Club Word Affairs to talk about the most pressing threats to democracy—and the possible solutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world in which artificial intelligence will change everything, we need a leader to illuminate the impact of “the automation of thought” on our way of life. How is the widespread use of AI impacting our world, our minds, and our future—not just as a technical innovation but as a mode of culture? Should we be afraid? De Kai has been a trailblazer in the world of AI. He invented and built the world’s first global-scale online language translator that spawned Google Translate, Yahoo Translate, and Microsoft Bing Translator. He brings decades of his paradigm-shifting work at the nexus of artificial intelligence and society to help people make sense of their interactions with AI at both personal and collective levels—ethically and responsibly. While Hollywood narratives of AI destroying humanity might be overblown, the age of AI is reshaping the future of civilization.  What should each of us do as the responsible adults in the room? De Kai asks critical, overlooked questions requiring urgent attention. Dr.

In a previous Climate One episode, we discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly impacts of artificial intelligence. But AI isn’t going away. Humans rarely give up a nifty new tool unless something better comes along. AI’s share of energy consumption is enormous, and the Department of Energy estimates that data center energy demands will double or even triple in just the next three years. Demand on fresh water is at least as big and isn’t talked about nearly enough. So, what can we do to reduce AI’s impact?  Plenty of researchers have ideas — from site selection to energy efficiency to using zero-carbon sources of energy. But what will incentivize the AI corporations to take any of those actions? This episode was supported by Climate One Steward Noel Perry and Next 10. This episode was recorded in March and originally aired April 4, 2025. Episode Guests: KeShaun Pearson, Executive Director, Memphis Community Against Pollution Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer, Google Irina Raicu, Director of the

Taylor Swift is world-famous as a singer and cultural icon, even as a political influencer. But as a business leader? Absolutely, says Crystal Haryanto, a Bay Area economic consultant who has created the UC Berkeley course “Artistry, Policy, & Entrepreneurship: Taylor’s Version” and explores these ideas in depth in her new book The Glory of Giving Everything: The Taylor Swift Business Model. In 2023, Swift became the first billionaire to make her fortune primarily from music. She has revolutionized the music industry and is deeply in touch with her fan base. Haryanto says we can look at Swift’s methods to learn how to adapt personal branding to different markets, treat customers as stakeholders in a business, and maximize viral marketing and merchandising. Entrepreneurs, creatives, and fans are all welcome to hear Haryanto share her insights from one of the leading icons in the modern entertainment world.  Read more at thegloryofgivingeverything.com.   Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a n

The Bay Area is typically known as an incubator of left-of-center ideas. But in recent years, it has become known as the source of an ideology influencing the Trump administration, a belief system journalist Gil Duran describes as “tech fascism.” In his newsletter “The Nerd Reich,” Duran looks at how controversial writers such as Curtis Yarvin—who has argued that the United States should be a “monarchy” run by a “CEO”—have shaped the views of some of Trump’s top advisors, like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, as well as vice-president J.D. Vance.  Duran, who formerly served as spokesman and political strategist for Jerry Brown, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, joins us to talk about his reporting on this distinctive strain of Silicon Valley conservatism and its influence on local and national politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are no midsummer doldrums in politics, so get ready for a lively and timely look at the people, topics and trends driving the political conversation in 2025.  Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our online programming. See other upcoming ⁠Week to Week political roundtables⁠, as well as audio and video of past Week to Week programs. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three years ago, Congress passed President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in U.S. history. The IRA set in motion a sweeping set of investments in nearly every aspect of energy and climate, mostly in the form of subsidies and tax credits, to boost domestic production of electric vehicles, batteries and carbon-free energy. Those investments have flowed to every state, but the majority have landed in Republican-held districts.  In spite of that, Congressional Republicans nearly unanimously passed President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” which the president signed on July 4. The megabill guts nearly all the program funds allocated under the IRA and slashes incentives and credits for solar, wind, energy efficiency and electric vehicles — precisely at a time when we need to dramatically scale up those sectors to address climate change. Why did Republicans let this bill move ahead? And how much will it exacerbate the climate crisis in the coming decades? Guests: Katherine

Research funded by the federal government has been crucial in many of the defining technologies of our time: the internet, A.I., crispr, Ozempic, and the mRNA vaccines first used widely in the COVID pandemic. Between 2010 and 2019, more than 350 drugs were approved in the United States, and virtually all of them could trace their roots to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Now this administration is endangering our health by cutting funds to academic medical centers. Moreover, there are threats to Medicaid, as well as ongoing cuts to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Many universities have paused hiring due to the uncertainty at the NIH and are curtailing graduate programs. Biotech investors are warning of a contraction in medical innovation. NIH grants have been terminated on ideological grounds, which have resulted in clinical trials shutting down. Global health programs worldwide have been cut. A discussion on these destructive policies on medicine in our country is needed. About the Speaker M

Fresh off its award-winning run in Europe, Democracy Noir arrives in the United States as a very timely documentary film about how Viktor Orbán politically reshaped Hungary. It paints an incisive portrait of how Orbán used a free and democratic election to install authoritarian rule, enjoying widespread approval from Hungarian nationalists as well as from conservatives around the world inclined to his illiberal views. He changed the constitution, took over the courts and the media, and dismantled the rule of law. Admired by Donald Trump and the Heritage Foundation, Orban’s influence helped shape Project 2025 and the current policies of the Republican Party. Democracy Noir tells this story through the activism of its three subjects: opposition politician Timea Szabo, journalist Babett Oroszi, and nurse Nikoletta (Niko) Antal. It details how unchecked power can quickly remove rights that once were taken for granted, and it shows how three women come to terms with their country’s unravelling social and cultural

Nature can feel distant from our everyday lives. Maybe it’s a place we visit on the weekends, a getaway from the hustle and bustle, something “out there,” just beyond the edges of our neighborhoods. But we are part of it, and as more and more people consider their impact on the Earth, sustainable practices are extending even to death, where green and natural burials are gaining popularity.  Within the field of biomimicry, a design practice informed by what already exists in nature, innovators are exploring ways to sustain the ecosystems we’re surrounded by, rather than depleting them. Scientists have looked to butterfly wings to improve the efficiency of solar panels, and wetland plants to purify water in buildings.  How can we build in a way that addresses climate concerns and has a softer impact on the environment in which it exists?  Guests:  Janine Benyus, Co-Founder, Biomimicry Institute Emily Miller, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer; Founder, Colorado Burial Preserve This episode also feature

In America, body weight has become a pain point shrouded in self-recrimination and shame, not to mention bias from the medical community. For many, this battle not only takes a mental toll but also becomes a physical threat: three-quarters of American adults struggle with weight-related health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. We know that diets don’t work, and yet we also know that excess weight starves us of years and quality of life. Where do we go from here? This evening, Dr. David Kessler will discuss some key points from his new book, Diet, Drugs and Dopamine, which unpacks the mystery of weight in the most comprehensive work to date on this topic, giving readers the power to dramatically improve their health. About the Speakers Dr. David Kessler is a prominent figure in public health, medicine and academia. He served as the commissioner of the FDA from 1990 to 1997, making significant contributions to drug approval, food safety and consumer protection. He is also

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  SF Community Health Center PanelModerator: Human Rights Commission Board President Leah Pimentel Speakers: Lance Toma, Jahnell Butler See more  ⁠Michelle Meow Show⁠ programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT LANGUAGE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Breakout:LGBTQIA Elder SSID & MEDICAIDModerator: Sandra Riva, Openhouse + On Lok Community Day ServicesSpeakers: Paul Aguilar, Vince Cristostomo, Ms. Billie Cooper, Dr. Jessica Eng (On Lok PACE) See more  ⁠Michelle Meow Show⁠ programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Segment. 5 At the Intersection of Immigrants, Trans, and People with DisabilitiesAddressing the mounting attacks on immigrants, trans people, and people with disabilities. The intersections of these communities—and the compounding impacts of policy and budget decisions—are at the heart of what we hope to address. Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), MIJENTE, SF Pride, Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) Moderator: Maceo Persson, Vice President of the Board of SF Pride Speakers: Devon Ojeda (Advocates for Trans Equality, A4TE), Claudia Center (Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund), Aldita Amaru Gallardo (Action for Transformation Fund), Dr. Alexis Petra (Transclinique) See more  ⁠Michelle Meow Show⁠ programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices.

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Segment. 7 Closing PlenaryHarper Steele and Suzanne Ford See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT language.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Segment. 6 “I Feel That Way Too” live podcast taping with activist Michelle Mijung Kim Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Breakout session 2:Our Family Coalition & LGBTQIA+ FamiliesMimi Demissew and Robin Lowey See more  ⁠Michelle Meow Show⁠ programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Segment. 4 KeynoteCity Attorney David Chiu Plenary: LGBTQIA in Politics Moderator: Evan Low of Victory FundSpeakers: Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Melissa Hernandez (Harvey Milk Democratic Club), Khilynn Fowler See more  ⁠Michelle Meow Show⁠ programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Segment. 3: LGBTQIA & Tech Luncheon + ProgramDonna Sachet, Emcee Addressing AI and Tech for the LGBTQIA+ MovementModerator: Celso DulaySpeakers: Sister Roma, Susan Gonzalez, Amp Somers See more  ⁠Michelle Meow Show⁠ programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 26, join us for the third annual Human Rights Summit from San Francisco Pride and The Michelle Meow Show at Commonwealth Club World Affairs.  Segment. 2: Global Pride Organizers Rise in Right wing extremists and anti-LGBT rights advocates Moderator: Michelle Meow, Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show"Speakers: Carmen Prins (South Africa), Julia Maciocha (Budapest), Koko Tiamsai (Thailand), Melissa Gonzalez (Guadalajara), Jessica Yamamoto (Cambodia) See more  ⁠Michelle Meow Show⁠ programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices