Ruben in The Center

Episode 42 | How the Tortilla Became a Symbol of Racism, Hatred, and Ignorance

Host Ruben Navarrette looks at the so-called “tortilla toss” near San Diego, where White fans and high school basketball players tossed tortillas at the players of an opposing team who just happened to be Latino. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence.

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Episode 41 | Can Republicans Retake the California Governor’s Office? Like Ever? | Kevin Faulconer, GOP Candidate for CA Governor 

Host Ruben Navarrette visits with Kevin Faulconer about the former San Diego mayor’s bid to become the first Republican governor of California in 15 years, and only the second one in the last 23 years.

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Episode 40 | The Prospects for Police Reform: One Year After George Floyd’s Murder

Host Ruben Navarrette examines whether police reform could be in the cards as more cities and communities begin to “reimagine” what policing in America could look like if it had a much-needed overhaul.

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Episode 39 | Texas — Which Was Built by Immigrants — Builds a Wall to Keep Out Immigrants

Host Ruben Navarrette roasts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for creating his own immigration policy and build a border wall, in violation of both the Constitution and Republican rhetoric about how states can’t go rogue and sidestep the federal government.

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Episode 38 | “Biden & European Union Call Truce in Trade War — To Focus on China” | John Manzella

Host Ruben Navarrette interviews his friend John Manzella, a Buffalo NY-based columnist, author, and expert on U.S. trade policy about this week’s NATO meeting in Brussel’s and the decision to end a trade war in the West — to focus on the East.

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Episode 37 | The Great Worker Shortage: It’s Not Just The Money. Employers Need To Treat Employees Better.

Host Ruben Navarrette returns to the timely and controversial subject of the current worker shortage and explores the reasons for it beyond low wages and higher-than-usual unemployment benefits.

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Episode 36 | The War on Mexicans: Why A North Carolina H.S. Student Was Denied A Diploma for Wearing Mexican Flag

Host Ruben Navarrette examines the bizarre case of a North Carolina high school student who decided to celebrate his ethnic heritage by wearing the Mexican flag on his high school graduation gown and was denied his diploma because of it.

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Episode 35 | Kamala Harris Heads to Guatemala and Mexico — And Takes a Wrong Turn | Jean Guerrero

Host Ruben Navarrette interviews San Diego-based journalist Jean Guerrero about her recent piece in the LA Times about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ill-fated trip south of the border, and the turmoil it caused.

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Episode 34 | The Current War — Over Democracy

Host Ruben Navarrette looks at the so-called “Democracy Reform” movement, which has been taken up by both Republicans who want to stop their ideological enemies from voting, and Democrats who are hell-bent on stopping Republicans.

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Episode 33 | Journalists Can’t Handle The Truth — About A Broken Media

Host Ruben Navarrette takes a critical look at his own profession in light of the scandal/non-scandal involving CNN’s Chris Cuomo advising his brother, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, about how to get out of a scape of his own. But that’s just the beginning.

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