Topic: Change Org

A petition on Change.org titled "Save Semiconductors" highlights opposition to vaccine mandates within the semiconductor industry. Workers argue that the industry is already facing a critical labor shortage and that mandates could further destabilize the U.S. economy. The hosts discuss the difficulty of starting a new semiconductor company due to the massive capital and intellectual property requirements.

A five-year-old clip of climate activist Bill McKibben features predictions about irreversible ice sheet melt and rising ocean acidity. McKibben argued that 2014 was the hottest year on record and that environmental damage was outpacing scientific forecasts. The hosts use the clip to contrast past climate alarmism with current "Build Back Better" economic policies.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that global CO2 levels averaged 400 parts per million for an entire month. This milestone challenges the branding of environmental groups like 350.org, which identified 350 ppm as the safe limit for the planet. A local producer noted that indoor CO2 levels in his home reached 750 ppm without adverse health effects.

A Change.org petition calling for the Electoral College to ignore state results and vote for Hillary Clinton on December 19 is discussed. The hosts explain the concept of "faithless electors" but argue that the Republican control of state governments makes this strategy impossible to execute.

The media coverage of Hurricane Matthew is criticized for focusing on climate change and global warming rather than meteorological facts. The hosts play clips from "Democracy Now!" and discuss how activists like Bill McKibben use extreme weather events to push the Paris Agreement. They argue that the computer models used to predict the storm's path were largely inaccurate.

The online petition site Change.org announces the layoff of 17% of its staff as it shifts from a sponsored-petition revenue model to a crowdfunding model. The company, a B Corporation that has raised $42 million from investors like Bill Gates and Ashton Kutcher, will now take a 5% fee on user donations. The hosts predict the site will struggle under a "value for value" model because the service it provides lacks inherent tangible value.

Change.org, led by CEO Ben Rattray, is hosting a petition to fully fund NPR and PBS, arguing that public media is essential for "truth-telling journalism." The hosts criticize this effort, stating that government-funded media is inherently compromised. They also investigate the corporate structure of Change.org, noting its Silicon Valley ties and its aggressive hiring of editors for various social justice causes.