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Associated Press
Michael Biesecker is an environmental and energy reporter for Associated Press.
PROFILE
Michael Biesecker
Guest
FROM Michael Biesecker
To the Point
Will coal miners get jobs back without the Paris Accord? After President Trump's controversial decision yesterday to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt took the podium today at the White House briefing room. He called the President's decision "courageous" and was combative with the press. When one reporter said researchers claim Trump misunderstands studies on rising temperatures, Pruitt responded, "The environmental left was very critical of Paris. In fact, James Hansen is an individual who said it was a fake and a fraud, and the head of the Sierra Club said the same thing." Michael Biesecker, energy and environment reporter for the Associated Press , has more on the response to President Trump's decision.
To the Point
Dow asks EPA to stop effort to protect endangered species Research by the Obama Administration showed that a pesticide made by Dow Chemical was linked to brain damage, but the EPA's new director, Scott Pruitt, has refused to ban it. Now Dow wants to delay restrictions on use of the same substance planned by the Obama Administration, which also found that chlorpyrifos is harmful to 1800 endangered species. Michael Biesecker, who covers the environment and energy for the Associated Press , says Dow wants to kill the rick study and begin anew, which would delay implementation of regulations by several years.
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To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
Left, Right & Center
The week that wouldn't quit Will next week get even weirder? (Special one-hour episode)
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?