ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE RISE, WILL I-81 EVER COME DOWN, AND A SUPREME COURT CASE ABOUT MORALITY, ETHICS, AND PIGS.

STAY TUNED, IVORY TOWER IS NEXT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

I'M JOINED THIS WEEK BY NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, BEN BAUGHMAN FROM GANNON UNIVERSITY, TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND RICK FENNER FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

ANTI-SEMITISM HAS BEEN ON THE RISE IN RECENT YEARS, BUT IT STILL SEEMED TO BE ON THE FRINGE.

NOT ANYMORE.

IT WAS SHOCKING WHEN IN 2017 MARCHERS IN CHARLOTTESVILLE CHANTED 'JEWS WILL NOT REPLACE US."

BUT OVER THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SAT DOWN TO DINNER WITH TWO NOTORIOUS ANTI-SEMITES.

NEO-NAZIS ARE BACK ON TWITTER.

THE FBI SAYS WHITE SUPREMACISTS ARE THE BIGGEST DOMESTIC TERROR THREAT.

HOW DID AMERICA GET TO THIS POINT?

SO BEN, THIS IS JUST ABOUT A RISE IN ANTI-SEMITISM OR SOMETHING MORE DANGEROUS?

>> IT'S MORE DANGEROUS AND THAT'S WHAT THE FBI IS SPEAKING TO, THAT THE RISK ASSESSMENT THAT THEY DID, THE RISK ASSESSMENT THAT THEY DID, WARNS THAT THE EXTREMISTS HOPE TO PRECIPITATE A RACE WAR WITHIN THESE ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE CASES THAT THEY LOOKED AT, WHICH ARE 17 CASES THAT LED TO 77 DEATHS, IS ONE OF THE MORE RECENT EXAMPLES IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK, WHERE IT WAS A SUPERMARKET, LOST 10 LIVES THERE, THREE OTHERS WERE SHOT.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY REAL.

IT'S NOT JUST WHITE SUPREMACISTS BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID WAS THE PRIMARY THREAT.

ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSITY AND FOCUS AND CULTIVATE COMMON GROUND.

>> ARE THOSE THREATS, HAVE THEY BEEN IDENTIFIED AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MORE BROADER THREATS?

YOU MENTIONED RACE WAR AT THE BEGINNING.

>> YES, SO THERE IS THE BLACK HEBREW ISRAELITE IDEOLOGY THAT WAS WELL IN THE NEWS WITH NBA STAR IRVING, AND WITH THIS, THE TARGETS ARE THE YUSH COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT-- ARE THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THAT'S ANOTHER EXTREMIST GROUP THAT IS BEING WATCHED BY THE FBI AND IDENTIFIED BY THE FBI.

>> HOW DO WE GET TO THIS POINT, NINA?

>> WELL, WE DIDN'T GET TO THIS POINT NOW.

WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AT THIS POINT.

AMERICA HAS HAD A VERY VOCAL AND VIOLENT SEGMENT OF WHITE SUPREMACISTS SINCE 1492 WHEN COLUMBUS SAILED THE OCEAN BLUE TO THE CIVIL WAR TO JIM CROW, TO AS RECENT AS 2020 WHEN AHMAUD AUBRY WAS CHASED DOWN BY THREE WHITE MEN WHO EFFECTIVELY LYNCHED HIM GOING BACK TO 1998 WHEN JAMES BYRD WAS TAKEN OUT IN THE WOODS BY WHITE MEN, BEATEN, URINATED ON AND THEN TIED TO THE BACK OF A TRUCK AND DRAGGED THROUGH THE STREETS.

SO THIS ISN'T NEW.

AND THE QUESTION OF WHETHER IT'S MORE DANGEROUS, I'D SAY NO.

WE ARE ACTUALLY MOVING INTO A LESS DANGEROUS PHASE WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BLACKS WERE LYNCHED AND AGAIN, IT CONTINUES UNTIL NOW.

TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER IT'S AMPLIFIED MORE?

MAYBE I WOULD SAY YES, THERE IS MORE OF A PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, BUT WHITE SUPREMACY HAS ALWAYS FOUND VOICE IN HIGH LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, BUT NOT IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

AND SO THAT'S NEW.

WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IS WILLING TO BASICALLY PLAY TO THE MOST BASE INSTINCTS OF THE TRUMP BASE.

AND YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE HE IS ASSUMING THAT THEY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR THIS; THAT THEY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR BLAMING IMMIGRANTS, FOR BLAMING BLACKS, AND ALSO FOR BLAMING JEWS.

SO THIS HAS VERY DEEP ROOTS.

AND IT'S NOT NEW.

>> JUST ONE SECOND BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT IS MORE SERIOUS NOW BECAUSE THESE VIEWS ARE BEING MAINSTREAMED.

THEY USED TO BE IN THE SHADOWS BUT NOW THEY'RE BEING BROUGHT TO LIGHT.

AND IF THEY WERE BEING BROUGHT TO LIGHT AND BEING CONDEMNED, BOTH ANTI-SEMITISM AND RACISM, THAT WOULD BE FINE.

BUT THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE BEING NORMALIZED.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHEN YOU HAVE PROMINENT ATHLETES, WHEN YOU HAVE TALK SHOW HOSTS ON MAJOR NETWORKS.

WHEN YOU HAVE ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, ELON MUSK, THEY'RE LEGITIMIZING THESE VIEWS AND I THINK THAT'S-- AND THEN YOU SEE WHERE LEADERSHIP IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS VERY HESITANT TO COME OUT AND ATTACK PEOPLE FOR THESE VIEWS.

I THINK BRINGING THIS OUT OF THE SHADOW AND MAKING IT, AGAIN, ALMOST NORMAL, IS A REAL WARNING SIGN TO ME.

>> WELL, THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT THE EXTREMISTS ARE REACHING OUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER FINDING THAT THE FBI REPORTED IN THEIR FINDINGS WAS THAT IT IS STARTING TO BECOME MORE INTERNATIONAL THREATS.

>> WELL, I ALSO THINK THERE IS A COMPONENT HERE AND SO THIS IS NOT A DISAGREEMENT.

BUT THERE ALSO IS A COMPONENT, YOU TOUCHED UPON NINA, WHEN YOU HAVE THE FORMER PRESIDENT SPEAKING, RATHER INVITING CLEARLY TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE ANTI-SEMITIC TO HIS HOME AND THEN TRYING TO PRETEND THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE ANTI-SEMITIC.

FIRST OF ALL, HE DOES THAT BECAUSE IT KEEPS HIM IN THE MEDIA.

LET'S FACE IT.

THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THAT.

IT KEEPS HIM IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE NEWS AT A POINT WHERE MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY ARE DOWNPLAYING HIS DECISION TO RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY AGAIN.

IT ALSO SPEAKS TO A CERTAIN COMPONENT OF CERTAINLY HIS BASE.

BUT IT ALSO SPEAKS TO A CERTAIN COMPONENT OF THE REPUBLICAN BASE.

AND IT SPEAKS TO WORLDWIDE, A COMPONENT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING HIM, AT LEAST FROM ABROAD.

IT SPEAKS TO THEM AS WELL.

THE OTHER THING THAT IT DOES IS, IT-- I AGREE, IT NORMALIZES THIS.

IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.

AND PART OF THE NORMALIZATION IS ALSO PART OF REPUBLICAN PARTY IDEOLOGY, AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT.

THE FACT THAT HE, IN A SENSE, IS INVITING TO INDIVIDUALS RIGHT NOW HE IS OFFICIALLY A PRIVATE CITIZEN EVEN THOUGH HE HAS ANNOUNCED HE IS RUNNING FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

THAT NOTION OF I'M AN INDIVIDUAL.

I HAVE THE RIGHT TO INVITE WHOMEVER I WANT TO HAVE DINNER WITH SPEAKS TO A PART OF REPUBLICAN IDEOLOGY.

AND SO IN A SENSE, WHEN HE IS CHALLENGED ABOUT INVITING THEM, PART OF WHAT IT GIVES HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IS TO SAY WAIT A MINUTE.

I'M AN INDIVIDUAL.

I HAVE THE RIGHT TO INVITE WHOMEVER I WANT TO TO QUOTE UNQUOTE MY HOME TO HAVE DINNER.

THAT, IN TURN, SPEAKS TO OTHERS CONCERNS ABOUT THE NOTION THAT LIBERAL CANCEL CULTURE, YOU ARE TAKING AWAY MY RIGHTS.

IT ALSO SPEAKS TO THAT.

>> DO YOU THINK HE IS REALLY THINKING IT THROUGH TO THAT EXTENT; THAT THIS IS A WAY TO GET AT CANCEL CULTURE AND LIBERALS?

>> I THINK THAT TRUMP KNOWS THE MOST BASIC INSTINCT OF AMERICANS.

I THINK HE KNOWS THAT THE HIGH MINDEDNESS THAT WE LIKE TO ASSUME HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE HAS, IN FACT, NEVER BEEN THERE.

I THINK HE KNOWS THAT THERE IS A TENDENCY ON THE PART OF CERTAIN PERCENTAGE, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ALL WHITE WORKING CLASS AMERICANS, WHO HAVE, SINCE THIS CIVIL WAR, BEEN SORT OF YOU KNOW, GROOMED TO BELIEVE, BLAME EVERYBODY ELSE, BLAME MINORITIES, BLAME JEWS, BLAME IMMIGRANTS.

THIS IS A TRIED AND TRUE STRATEGY SINCE THE CIVIL WAR, SINCE THE 1960s WITH GEORGE WALLACE, TO THE PRESENT.

TRUMP HAS SIMPLY FIGURED OUT A WAY TO LEVERAGE THAT TO HIS ADVANTAGE.

AND NO, RICK, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I DON'T THINK THIS IS NEW.

I THINK WHAT THE ONLY THING THAT'S DIFFERENT IS THE PLATFORMS BECAUSE I LOOK AT REGULAR MEDIA OUTLETS ON A DAILY BASIS AND I SEE SUBTLE DEPICTIONS OF STEREOTYPES REINFORCING STEREOTYPES, ESPECIALLY OF BLACK MEN.

SO I WILL TELL YOU THIS AND STOP ME WHEN YOU GET READY, DAVE, I MUCH RATHER THE PERSON WHO WEARS THE KU KLUX KLAN SHEET THAT WAVES A CONFEDERATE FLAG BECAUSE AT LEAST I KNOW WHERE YOU STAND, VERSUS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS IN MUCH MORE SUBTLE WAYS.

AND THERE IS TONS OF RESEARCH THAT SHOWS.

>> IT'S NOT SUBTLE ANYMORE.

IT HAS BEEN NORMALIZED.

>> IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE.

IT'S A QUESTION OF IF WE RECOGNIZED IT AS THAT.

AND WHEN YOU NEED SOMEONE TO COME OUT AND SAY I'M A RACIST IN ORDER FOR YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT'S WHAT IT IS, THAT'S THE PROBLEM IS OUR INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SUBTLETY IS THE SAME THING.

>> ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA IS REINFORCING THIS US VERSUS THEM FOUNDATION OF HUMAN BEINGS.

AND THE MORE WE FOCUS ON DIVISION, THE MORE ISSUES WE ARE GOING TO SEE LIKE THIS.

>> I THINK THE MORE WE DON'T RECOGNIZE WE ARE DIVIDED, THE LESS EABL WE ARE TO DEAL WITH IT.

>> WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR RIGHT NOW.

MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS ONE NEAR AND DEAR TO SYRACUSE.

I-81, THE INTERSTATE VIADUCT THROUGH SYRACUSE, APPEARS TO BE A SORT OF "ZOMBIE HIGHWAY"-YOU CAN'T KILL IT.

JUST WHEN IT APPEARED ALL THE REVIEWS, HEARINGS AND LAWSUITS WERE DONE, AND THE FUNDING LINED UP, A NEW GROUP IS GOING TO COURT TO STOP THE HIGHWAY TEARDOWN AND COMMUNITY GRID PROJECT.

THE GROUP IS LED BY FORMER SYRACUSE POLICE COMMISSIONER FRANK FOWLER.

IT CLAIMS THE CONSTRUCTION WOULD CAUSE TRAFFIC DELAYS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.

IT WANTS A REVIEW OF OTHER, ALREADY REJECTED, ALTERNATIVES.

DOES THIS NEW LAWSUIT HAVE MERIT?

>> THERE IS A SMALL, SMALL, SMALL COMPONENT OF MERIT THERE AND THAT IS SIMPLY THAT, BASED ON THE GREEN ACT, OKAY, THAT WAS PASSED BY NEARKT NEW YORK STATE, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE HEALTH EMPACT OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE IMPACT OF THAT ON THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.

THEY HAVE NO CHOICE.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT WASN'T LOOKED AT, BECAUSE I VBILITY RESEARCHED IT-- BECAUSE I HAVEN'T RESEARCHED IT DEEPLY.

BUT YOU DO GET THE SENSE THAT HEALTH IMPACT WAS SORT OF-- I'M JUST GOING TO SAY GLOSSED OVER.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY TALKED ABOUT IT BUT IT WAS IN VERY GENERAL GENERIC TERMS AND PART OF THE LAWSUIT IS THEY TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT THE IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE IN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AROUND WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE.

>> WITH THE IDEA THAT THE HEALTH IMPACT WOULD BE WORSE WITH THE HIGHWAY DOWN AT STREET LEVEL-- IT WOULDN'T BE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD BE THE TRAFFIC AT STREET LEVEL.

>> PART OF THE ARGUMENT IS THE CONSTRUCTION TAKING IT DOWN, BUILDING THE STREET GRID, THAT IS WHAT PART OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS THE HEALTH IMPACT OF THAT.

IT'S NOT THE COMMUNITY GRID ONCE IT'S UP.

IT'S THE CONSTRUCTION TO TEAR 81 DOWN AND REPAIR IT.

>> EVEN IF WE KEEP THE HIGHWAY, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER SAFE OR IT WON'T BE SAFE IN A FEW YEARS.

>> IT APPEARS THAT THIS LAWSUIT IS THROWING EVERYTHING IN THE KITCHEN SINK AT THE PLAN.

THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JUST ANNOUNCED THE RECORD DECISION IN JUNE.

SO THIS IS REALLY THE END OF THE 150-DAY PERIOD FOR MAKING LEGAL CHALLENGES AND SO THAT IS NOT UNUSUAL.

BUT I THINK YOU SEE THIS IS A HAIL MARY.

THEY'RE GOING BACK AND REVISITING, AS YOU SAID, DAVE, A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN REJECTED.

THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE WHETHER THE LAWSUIT IS ALLOWED TO GO FORWARD AND IF SO, HOW LONG THAT WILL DELAY THE PROJECT.

>> THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND DECADES REALLY.

IS IT JUST TOO HARD TO GET BIG THINGS DONE ANYMORE?

>> IT IS A BIG THING.

$2.2 BILLION TO TEAR IT DOWN.

HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO REPAIR IT?

THAT'S MY QUESTION.

>> THEY DID STUDY THAT AND I'M GUESSTIMATING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE, LIKE I SAY, SINCE I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS BUT SOMETHING LIKE $13 BILLION.

>> I THINK ANOTHER-- AND I AGREE WITH YOU, BEN, WHAT IS THE COST OF TEARING IT DOWN.

I ALSO THINK OF WHAT IS THE COST OF LEAVING IT THERE AND WHAT IS THE COST OF NOT REPAIRING THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE TO COMMUNITIES HISTORICALLY.

BUT I WILL SAY THIS ABOUT THE GROUP OF FOLKS WHO ARE BRINGING THIS LAWSUIT.

IT TAKES A WHOLE LOT OF CHUTZPAH TO DO THIS.

IN THE WAKE OF ALL THAT WAS DONE TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE, TO VET IT, TO BRING IN THE PUBLIC, AS YOU SAID, REALLY STARTING 10 YEARS AGO, THIS GROUP SAVE 81-POINT ORG FIRST PUT THEIR WEBSITE TOGETHER.

THERE WAS A 80-DAY COMMENT PERIOD IN 2021.

THERE WERE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT EVERYONE WAS INVITED TO.

THERE WAS A JOINT REVIEW BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND FEDERAL PARTNERS AND ON TOP OF THAT, THERE WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT THAT WAS VERY WIDELY PUBLICIZED SO TO COME BEHIND ALL OF THAT, A GROUP OF FOLKS, MOST OF WHOM ARE SUBURBANITES AND NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTED AND SAY WE ARE GOING TO DISCOUNT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND GO TO COURT AND THE ISSUE THERE IS, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A JUDICIAL ISSUE.

I DON'T SEE THIS AS A CASE IN WHICH IT IS OKAY FOR A JUDGE OR A COURT TO SUBSTITUTE ITS JUDGMENT FOR WHAT THE POLITICAL PROCESS HAS DECIDED.

BESIDE WHICH, WHAT STANDING DO THESE LITIGANTS HAVE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE STANDING.

SKIN IN THE GAME, BEING DIRECTLY IMPACTED.

I DON'T SEE THAT HERE.

>> SO-- I GUESS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHETHER THEY, IN FACT, DO HAVE STANDING.

THAT WILL BE UP TO THE JUDGE TO DETERMINE I SUPPOSE, WHETHER IT IS JUDICIABLE.

SPEAKING OF COURTS, THE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY HEARD A FASCINATING CASE INVOLVING TRADE EMBARGOS, MORALITY AND PIGS.

CALIFORNIA BANS THE SALE OF PORK IF THE PREGNANT PIGS ARE KEPT IN PENS TOO SMALL TO STAND UP IN AND TURN AROUND.

THEY EAT A LOT OF PORK IN CALIFORNIA, ALMOST ALL OF IT IS PRODUCED ELSEWHERE.

SINCE CALIFORNIA IS SO BIG, PRODUCERS SAY IT WOULD FORCE THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY TO FOLLOW ITS RULES.

SHOULD STATES BE ALLOWED TO ESSENTIALLY MANDATE POLICY IN OTHER STATES?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THIS CENTERS AROUND THE DORMANT COMMERCE CLAUSE, WHICH RESTRICTS STATE'S AUTHORITY TO REGULATE COMMERCE BEYOND THEIR BORDERS.

AND THIS RULE WAS USED TO INVALIDATE MICHIGAN AND NEW YORK LAWS A WHILE AGO WHEN THEY ALLOWED LOCAL WINERIES TO SHIP WINE DIRECT TO CONSUMERS IN THAT STATE, BUT THEY PUT UP IMPEDIMENTS TO OUT OF STATE COMPANIES.

SO IT WAS USE BECAUSE THEY WERE SHOWING A PREFERENCE TO LOCAL WINERIES.

THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE THESE RULES COVER PORK PRODUCERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

AND THEY'RE ALREADY A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES.

THERE ARE STATES THAT REGULATE THE SALE OF COSMETICS SO THAT ONLY THOSE THAT WERE TRIED OUT, NOT USING ANIMALS, ARE ALLOWED TO BE SOLD.

THERE ARE CAR EMISSION STANDARDS IN CALIFORNIA.

THIS HAS BEEN USED A NUMBER OF TIMES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS ARGUMENT THAT CALIFORNIA HAS ALL THIS MARKET POWER, WELL, SMITHFIELD IS THE LARGEST PORK PRODUCER AND THEY HAVE OVER 18 MILLION PIGS, SO TO SAY THAT THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE ONE STATE IS HOLDING A LOT OF POWER OVER ALL THESE SMALL PORK PRODUCERS, I THINK, IS A LITTLE BIT INCORRECT.

>> SO YOU'RE BASICALLY ON THE SIDE OF CALIFORNIA, IT SOUNDS LUKE.

THEY CAN DO THIS.

WHAT ABOUT-- >> CERTAINLY PRECEDENT FOR THAT.

>> IF THEY CAN DO THIS, WHAT IF TEXAS DECIDES IF YOU MAKE SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES UNDOCUMENTED LABOR, YOU CAN'T SELL IT IN TEXAS, YOU KNOW.

>> THEY DID.

AND IT'S BEEN UPHELD SO FAR.

SO IN THIS, WITH THE CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 12 THAT THE VOTERS VOTED ON, THEY VOTED ON THIS.

AND NOW THE COURT IS ASKING, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE VOTERS DECIDED BECAUSE OF MORALITY AND TRYING TO BE ETHICAL AND AS MORAL AS YOU CAN WITH CREATURES THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SLAUGHTER AND EAT?

OR IS THIS BASED ON SCIENCE, THAT THEM BEING SO CONFINED, THEN LEADS TO DISEASES THAT GOES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

SO I MEAN IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY MESSY WHEN YOU GET IN THERE AND NO PUN INTENDED BUT WHEN YOU GET IN THERE AND START REALLY LOOKING AT IT, THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF ISSUES THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED.

>> CERTAINLY IF THE SOW IS KEPT IN A PEN SO SMALL THEY CAN'T TURN AROUND AND THEY DELIVER A NUMBER OF LITTERS OF PIGS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CALL IT A LITTER, THAT IT IS NOT MUCH OF A LIFE.

RIGHT?

THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF ANIMAL CRUELTY HERE.

>> AND THAT WAS UNPRECEDENTED IN THIS CASE, WHERE THEY DID HAVE AN ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING ANIMALS AND THEM BEING TREATED AS BEST AS THEY CAN BEFORE THEY'RE BEING SLAUGHTERED.

>> I THINK ABOUT CALIFORNIA NOT BEING MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE PRISONERS IN CELLS THAT ARE KEPT THERE 23 HOURS A DAY AND LET OUT ONCE.

SO THEIR CONCERN IS FOR PIGS, OKAY, CALIFORNIA HAS THE RIGHT TO PRIORITIZE THE WELL-BEING OF PIGS.

BUT ONE OF THE, I THINK POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT AMERICAN FEDERALISM, IS NOT JUST ABOUT EXPERIMENTATION AND BEING ABLE TO TRY OUT DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT ALSO THE REPRESENTATIONAL COMPONENT OF THAT.

SO THAT CALIFORNIA HAS THE RIGHT, UNDER FEDERALISM, TO REPRESENT CALIFORNIANS, THEIR BEST INTERESTS, HOW THEY WANT TO APPROACH THESE ISSUES, LIKEWISE TEXAS DOES AS WELL.

BUT WHEN YOU HOLD AN INDUSTRY HOSTAGE LIKE THIS, CALIFORNIA VOTERS ARE IMPOSING THEIR WILL NATIONALLY.

BUT I DO THINK, RICK, THAT PART OF THE RESPONSE COULD BE INVOCATION OF CONGRESS' COMMERCE POWERS, WHICH ARE RELATIVELY EXPANSIVE.

THE NEW COURT IS STARTING TO RETRACT THOSE A BIT.

I THINK THE OTHER IS A MARKET.

PERHAPS AUTOMAKERS, WHEN IT COMES TO EMISSION STANDARDS AND THE PORK INDUSTRY, WHEN IT COMES TO HOW LARGE THE PENS NEED TO BE, MAYBE THEY NEED TO DECIDE TO WRITE OFF CALIFORNIA SO THAT CALIFORNIA HAS TO SUFFER ITS OWN CONSEQUENCES.

>> WE ARE GOING TO WRITE OFF CALIFORNIA.

I MENTION ANIMAL CRUELTY BEFORE AND YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN ETHICAL OR MORAL ISSUE HERE, BUT OF COURSE THERE IS A MORAL-- IT WOULD BE MORAL TO HAVE-- TO PROVIDE LOW COST PROTEIN.

I THINK JOHN ROBERTS SAID THAT IN THE COURT CASE.

ISN'T IT MORAL TO PROVIDE LOW COST PROTEIN TO PEOPLE THAT NEED IT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES HERE THAT JUSTICE ROBERTS TALKED ABOUT, THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, ESPECIALLY AS WE TRY TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM EATING BEEF AND, YOU KNOW, EAT HEALTHIER.

BUT ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES ALSO IS AND JUSTICE BROWN MENTIONED THIS, WAS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS SORT OF REGULATION?

WAS IT TOO BROAD?

DID THEY LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES?

THAT'S ALSO PART OF WHAT THE COURT IS LOOKING AT.

YOU KNOW, AND ONE OF THE OTHER THUNKS THAT I FOUND REALLY INTERESTING IS THAT YOU ALSO HAVE AN INTERESTING SITUATION HERE FOR THE JUSTICES BECAUSE YOU HAVE JUSTICES WHO TYPICALLY ARE PRO-BUSINESS AND WHO AREN'T VERY HAPPY WITH EXCESSIVE GOVERNMENT REGULATION.

ALSO HAVING TO LOOK AT THIS AND SAY OKAY, WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT?

THE RIGHT OF CALIFORNIANS TO VOTE AND DECIDE ON AN ISSUE FOR THEIR STATE VERSUS THE RIGHT OF BUSINESS PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO BUSINESS WITHOUT THERE BEING EXCESSIVE COSTS VERSUS THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC FOR LOW COST PROTEIN.

>> SO IT'S ALWAYS NICE WHEN THE JUSTICES DON'T BREAK DOWN INTO ABSOLUTELY IDEOLOGICAL CAMPS.

WE HAVE TO MOVE TO OUR As AND Fs.

RICK, I'LL HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF AND NINA YORKS F. >> FIRST IT WAS GAS, THEN BABY FOOD AND NOW MEDICINES ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY.

THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION NOW LISTS AS MANY AS 200 DRUGS FOR WHICH DEMAND IS GREATER THAN SUPPLY.

ONE HAS TO ASK EXACTLY WHAT ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS SO BUSY DOING THAT THEY CAN'T HELP TO ENSURE BARE NECESSITIES INCLUDING ANTIBIOTICS THAT ARE MISSING SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLU SEASON THAT WE ALL SEE COMING EVERY YEAR.

>> BEN.

>> MY F GOES TO ELON MUSK AND HIS TREATMENT OF HIS EMPLOYEES AND THE PLATFORM OF TWITTER.

ALTHOUGH HE DECIDED TO SUSPEND THE ACCOUNT AGAIN DUE TO THE VIOLATIONS OF TWITTER, THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN NECESSARY HAD HE FOLLOWED THE GUARD RAILS THAT WERE IN PLACE WITHOUT SPEAKING SEEKING OUT WAYS TO ADDRESS IT.

>> TARA?

>> TO THE NEWSPAPER THE 10AN TENNESSEAN AND OTHER OUTLETS THAT REQUESTED VIDEOS AND AUTOPSY RECORDS OF NAOMI JUDD.

THEIR DESIRE FOR THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE UNDERSTANDABLE IF THE JUDDS WERE SECRETIVE ABOUT THEIR MOTHER'S MENTAL ILLNESS OR HOW SHE DIED.

BUT THEY HAVE BEEN VERY OPEN.

SO THE ONLY REASON FOR THIS INFORMATION IS PURE YENT INTEREST AND THIS IS PART OF WHAT LEADS TO THE PUBLIC DISTRUSTING THE MEDIA.

>> MY F TO THE SUPREME COURT THAT THE ALLEGATIONS THAT JUSTICE ALITO LEAKED THE RESULTS OF THE 2014 HOBBY LOBBY CASE TO ANTIABORTION ACTIVISTS.

THE LEGAL COUNSEL SAID THAT ALITO DENIES THE ALLEGATION.

THAT'S APPARENTLY ENOUGH.

BUT WHEN THE DRAFT OF THE DOBBS CASE WAS LEAKED, SUPPOSEDLY BY THE LIBERAL SIDE OF THE COURT, INVESTIGATION WAS STARTED.

WHY NOT IN THIS CASE.

>> MY A GOES TO THE PLAYERS ON THE IRAN SOCCER TEAM WHO REFUSED TO SING IRAN'S NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THEIR FIRST WORLD CUP GAME.

THEY STOOD IN SILENCE TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH DEMONSTRATORS WHO ARE NOW IN WEEK 10 OF PROTESTS OVER THE DEATH OF A WOMAN UNDER ARREST FOR INCORRECTLY WEARING HER HIJAB.

THEY STOOD FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT.

THEY DID IT UNDER THE THREAT OF IMPRISONMENT AND TORTURE AND, IN MY BOOK, THAT MAKES THEM REAL SHEROES.

>> MY A IS GOING TO MAYOR ADAMS OF NEW YORK.

HE PUT FORWARD A PLAN THAT PROVIDES CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS ONE TREATED SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS.

THIS INCLUDES ANOTHER PATHWAY FORWARD TO ADDRESS THIS ONGOING CRISIS.

PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS, A LOT OF THEM BEING VETERANS, AND IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> TARA, YOUR A.

>> MY A GOES TO THE DOLLAR TREE STORE CHAIN FOR THE INCREASING DIVERSITY SCENE IN THEIR HOLIDAY DECORATIONS.

THEY NOW REFLECT HANUKKAH AND RACIAL DIVERSITY.

>> RICK.

>> MY A GOES TO THE WORLD CUP TAG LINE SOCCER UNITES THE WORLD.

TENSIONS WERE HIGH BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE WINNER WOULD GO ON AND THE LOSER WOULD GO HOME BUT BECAUSE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE STRAINED.

U.S. HUNG ON TO WIN 1-0 BUT IN THE MIDST OF THEIR CELEBRATION, A NUMBER OF U.S. PLAYERS NOTICED ONE OF THE IRANIAN PLAYERS STILL ON THE TURF BEING DESPONDENT.

THEY WENT OVER AND IN A SHOW OF GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP AND COMPASSION, ATTEMPTED TO CONSOLE THEM.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE IRANIAN TEAM NOT SINGING THEIR ANTHEM.

THEY MAY HAVE TO FACE THE MUSIC WHEN THEY GET BACK.

>> THEIR FAMILIES ALREADY ARE, UNFORTUNATELY.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR COMMENTS YOU CAN WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE SHOW AGAIN, YOU CAN DO SO ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY.

FOR ALL OF US AT "IVORY TOWER," HAVE AWE GOOD NIGHT.