Project 2025 in the Present Tense

My guest for the full hour is entrepreneur consultant, author, activist, and veteran, Dee Batiste. She breaks down what is Project 2025, a 933-page document of proposed policies, built by a coalition of 110 conservative groups in their words, “advocating for the next conservative president,” or generically put a future Republican administration. Instead of a test at the end, consider this an ongoing teach-in that is taking place in small and large circles across the country, to understand the complete overhaul of the federal government. Some of these measures are already institutionalized. Your KUCI hosts are covering and will continue to cover this into the exhausting slog toward the general election, and for as long as this long game looms over all public institutions. If you’re new to Project 2025, now is a good time to begin understanding its far-reaching facets and impacts.

Note of Correction: my reference to former NIH director Dr. Redstone was intended to refer to Dr. Redfield, former director of the Center for Disease Control.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Charlie Haden-Liberation Music Orchestra, “America the Beautiful,” Not in Our Name – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Batiste7-16-24.mp3

PFAS: Forever and Everywhere Chemicals

Returning to the show for the full hour is Scott Bartell, UCI Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health. He brings us all the way up to speed on the forever chemicals, those PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Good news, more people are finally aware of them – bad news, industry is interfering in their regulation. Well, the bad news got worse last Friday with the SCOTUS rollback of the Chevron doctrine. It is time to rename Project 2025 to Project 2024, with PFAS at the intersection of this overhaul of the administrative state.

Links that advance the coverage include: https://www.propublica.org/article/3m-forever-chemicals-pfas-pfos-inside-story; https://silentspring.org/project/pfas-reach; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-018-0109-y; https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/news/ada-statement-on-study-involving-dental-floss-1003939091/; and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30671781/.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Sham Family, “This Blue Mob,” sinlge.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Bartell7-2-24.mp3