How Do We Fix It?

We’ve made it to our 300th weekly episode! While it’s easy to congratulate ourselves for being among the few podcasts to produce this many shows, Jim and Richard are most proud of our extraordinary range of guests.During our first six years together, we've often highlighted out-of-the-box thinkers, who share ideas that are too rarely discussed: People who speak about solutions through an independent lens— neither firmly left nor right. For this episode, we revisit interviews with six guests— or roughly 2% of all the people we've spoken with for "How Do We Fix It?" We begin with the public intellectual and problem solver Philip K. Howard, who was our very first guest. Others featured here are Claire Cain Miller of The Upshot at The New York Times, Mike Rowe, who became famous with the TV show "Dirty Jobs", science evangelist, Ainissa Ramirez, Jerry Taylor, President and Founder of The Niskanen Center, and R&B musician Daryl Davis, who has personally persuaded more than 200 men and women to quit white supremacist groups.As Jim says, it's been a great privilege to spend time with so many remarkable people and listen to their remarkable personal stories and ideas. We have used the intimate, informal medium of podcasting to pull the curtain back and dive into a rich pool of ideas at the deep end. We are also grateful to the Democracy Group podcast network (we are founding members), Solutions Journalism Network for grants and advice, and Heterodox Academy for introducing this show and our listeners to a remarkable range of creative intellectuals. Thank you, all!This week's Recommendation: What else, but listening to our catalog of shows at How Do We Fix It? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent mass shootings and the explosion of rage outside the U.S. Capitol on January 6 are reminders of threats posed to us all by anger, fear and loathing. On social media and in the hyper-partisan ways political issues are debated, many of us objectify others. Those who belong to the wrong tribe are often targets of personal scorn.In a Twitter post, our guest, writer and entrepreneur, Chloé Valdary, says: "if you do not possess the power to love, and especially love your enemies, then you don't really have the power."In this episode, first released in 2020, Chloé talks about her antiracism program, Theory of Enchantment, which uses the music and messaging of Beyoncé, Disney movies and pop culture as educational tools, teaching social and emotional learning in schools, and diversity and inclusion in companies and government agencies. The three key principles involve:1. We are human beings, not political abstractions.2. Use criticism to uplift, not tear down.3. Lead with love and compassion.Recommendation: Jim and Richard have the 2020 book, "Utopia Avenue" by British novelist, David Mitchell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stifle that yawn. Infrastructure just got exciting again.President Biden announced a $2 trillion plan to rebuild roads and rails, repair bridges, modernize airports and seaports, create hundreds of thousands of union jobs in the solar and wind power industries, boost housing, expand broadband access to regions that are poorly served, and speed-up the transition to a climate-friendly economy. Total spending on his proposals could be as much as $4 trillion over the next decade. We explain the President's ambitious plan, which amounts to the biggest spending initiatives in decades, and look at how to pay for it with one of the nation's top experts on the budget and taxes— Maya MacGuineas, President of the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.Maya MacGuineas praises recent efforts to spend big on COVID relief, and also discusses ways to restore fiscal balance through reducing unproductive tax breaks, and reforming the tax code. "The bad news is that we had a mountain of debt before the crisis and we have a much larger mountain now."In their conversation in the second half of this episode, Jim takes a deeply skeptical look at the Biden infrastructure proposals, while Richard applauds the President for going big and tackling a huge piece of public policy that was usually neglected by prior administrations.Recommendations: Richard calls "Minari" and "The Father" two remarkable new films that are well-worth watching. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our lives depend on it and most of us don't give it a moment's thought. But when the electricity goes off we feel frustrated— powerless.America's grid was an engineering triumph of the twentieth century, but as the recent sudden freeze and severe power outages in Texas have shown, our electricity infrastructure is fragile and in need of basic repair, especially as the world faces the growing reality of extreme weather events and climate change. On their own solar and wind power are not enough to meet rapidly growing electricity demand. What are other viable, carbon-free alternatives?We discuss strengthening the grid, re-imaging it according to modern values, and our relationship with electricity with cultural anthropologist, Gretchen Bakke, author of "The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future.""It's not just that electricity is a modern marvel," Gretchen tells us in this episode. "It almost starts to feel like a natural right. With the pandemic, we really feel how important electricity is to being connected with the world. Everything is plugged in."Recommendation: Jim is watching the hilarious French TV series, "Call My Agent" on Netflix. Richard suggests that we watch more movies and TV shows with subtitles from all parts of the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our obsession with what is normal and acceptable is at the heart of how we view mental health. It is also the source of stigma around many forms of mental illness. In this podcast with anthropology professor, Richard Grinker, we ask how do we fix it? What are successful ways to challenge stigmas, as we help millions of people reach their full potential? Richard discusses the findings in his uplifting new book, "Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness."Social distancing, remote learning, and disruption of social supports during the COVID pandemic are likely to lead to an even greater crisis of mental illness. But Richard sees hope in this moment. "The pandemic provides us with an opportunity to make progress in destigmatizing mental illness," he tells us.Though the legacies of shame and secrecy are still with us today, Richard says that we are at the cusp of ending the marginalization of the mentally ill. In the twenty-first century, mental illnesses are fast becoming a more accepted and visible part of human diversity. We discuss his groundbreaking reserch.Recommendation: Richard has just and much enjoyed "The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War — a Tragedy in Three Acts", by Scott Anderson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When social media burst on the scene, many of us were in awe of its great potential. For the first ten years of Facebook, public reaction to this new form of communication was overwhelmingly positive, but now that we have a better understanding of how social media is shaping our world, there are growing calls for fundamental reform. Should tech monopolies be cut down to size and broken apart? Or is a much more careful, nuanced approach needed from Congress? MIT Management Professor Sinan Aral has spent two decades studying how social media changed American politics, the economy, and even our personal health. He is the author of the recent book, "The Hype Machine". As an entrepreneur and investor, he has a deep understanding of the perils and promise of social media. We publish extracts from his interview with the podcast, "Democracy Works". "We absolutely must get past this question of is social media good or evil," says Sinan Aral. "The answer is 'yes'. The question is how are we going to harness the promise of social media and avoid the peril."This episode was made with the help and support of the Democracy Group podcast network. Special thanks to Jenna Spinelle, Communications Specialist at the McCourtney Institute for Democracy. Recommendation: Richard recommends learning something new before we emerge from our constricted lockdown lives during the pandemic. In recent months, he has taken a course on Dante's Divine Comedy, learned how to build a fire, and operate a small powerboat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elon Musk is an entrepreneur and out-of-this-world thinker, who has shaken up two vital industries that were dominated by giant multinational corporations with companies that began life as startups. Tesla's breakthrough with electric cars is well-known, but many of Musk's most stunning innovations have come with SpaceX, which pioneered reusable rockets— slashing the cost of space launches— flew astronauts into space, and landed rockets on boats. Next is the development of Starship. Musk also wants to send hundreds if not thousands of humans to Mars. Our guest, Eric Berger, is a senior editor at space and technology news website, Ars Technica, and author of the new book, "Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days that Launched Space X." He takes us on a fascinating journey, as we look at the remarkable changes in the space race, and what may be coming in the next few years."This is the most exciting time to write and think about space in my lifetime," Eric tells us on "How Do We Fix It?" "There is so much activity at NASA as well as in the private sector, as well as internationally with China, Europe, Russia, and Japan. All are doing pretty interesting things in space, and in the United States, the commercial sector has been extraordinarily active.Recommendation: Jim watched "My Octopus Teacher" on Netflix. Filmmaker Craig Foster forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The January assault on the U.S. Capitol and the depth of toxic partisanship lead us to question our past assumptions about the American electorate and its relationship with the government.This episode features two experts who have spent many years trying to understand us. Frank Luntz is one of the best-known pollsters and political communications experts in America today. We hear edited extracts from a recent interview he recorded with Harvard Law School Professor and attorney, Lawrence Lessig, on the podcast, "Another Way by Lawrence Lessig".Ethan Porter is an assistant professor of media and public affairs at George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, and the author of the new book "The Consumer Citizen" He investigates how voters' everyday experiences as shoppers and consumers influence their political behavior. We hear extracts from his interview on the podcast, "Politics in Question"."How Do We Fix It?" and both of the podcasts featured in this episode are members of The Democracy Group podcast network."The single best decision that was made since the election was Twitter kicking Donald Trump off because he can't add to that ugliness anymore", says Luntz, who is a committed Republican."Government provides people with a lot of benefits that they just don't know about", says Porter. "Because they have a consumer mentality, they become frustrated with government and they want to punish it."Recommendation: "News of the World" with Tom Hanks is based on a popular novel by Texas writer, Paulette Jiles. Her latest book is "Simon The Fiddler" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even before the alarming and violent January 6 assault on the Capitol, American politics was in danger of spinning out of control— bumping up against the guardrails of our democratic institutions.On social media and in the civic square, many have separated into two camps that seem to hate the other side. We have become estranged from family and friends over politics.More than ever, we need nuance. In this episode, our guest is a liberal writer and feminist, Meghan Daum, who is increasingly critical of her own side: the left. Meghan wrote the book, “The Problem With Everything. My Journey Through The New Culture Wars.” She’s also the host of “The Unspeakable”, a podcast that celebrates disagreement and encourages guests to speak uncomfortable truths. “We are not allowing ourselves to sort through our confusions. You have to be on one side or the other,” says Meghan. “If you’re not conflicted, you are either lying to yourself, or you’re not very smart.”Recommendation: Jim recommends “Post Corona”, a podcast series hosted by Dan Senor that predicts how COVID19 will transform our world— indefinitely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 10% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, but injection rates are lower in black and brown communities, and many people express doubts about the shots made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Vaccine hesitancy presents a barrier in the fight against coronavirus. A recent poll by Pew Research Center found that "Black Americans continue to stand out as less inclined to get vaccinated than other racial and ethnic groups: 42% would do so, compared with 63% of Hispanic and 61% of White adults."Our guest, Dr. Wrenetha Julion, professor and department chair at Rush University College of Nursing, discusses causes of vaccine hesitancy and how to encourage more people to take a high-effective vaccine against the virus.  Vaccine hesitancy "is a significant problem," says Wrenetha. "It stems from a long history of mistrust and mistreatment of African-Americans and other groups in healthcare systems and research. Unfortunately, those things stick in people's minds." We examine the impact of the Tuskegee experiment and look at Wrenetha's suggestions for building vaccine trust in marginalized communities. Recommendation: Richard is reading The Divine Comedy, a 700-year old epic poem about heaven, hell, and purgatory by Dante Alighieri. Jim recommends "Stuck: How Vaccine Rumors Start and Why They Don't Go Away", by Heidi Larson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the recent storming of the US Capitol and the loss of both the White House and U.S. Senate, it's tempting to believe that civil war will break out among Republicans— a party deeply split between traditional conservatives and Trump-supporting populists.We decided to find out what two young Republicans say about the future of their party, and the need to confront those who believe in conspiracy theories and are nostalgic for a return to a mythical past.  Our guests are Danielle Butcher and John Olds. Danielle, who was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 List, co-founded the American Conservation Coalition, a non-profit group that backs free-market solutions for environmental problems. John Olds, Executive Director of Gen Z GOP, is a Republican activist and senior at George Washington University.Both Butcher and Olds are outspoken critics of Donald Trump. They believe that Republicans must develop constructive policies on climate change, racial inequities and student debt. Both support market incentives to solve a range of problems.Recommendation: Jim Meigs is reading The Federalist Papers, 85 essays written in the 1780's by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even before coronavirus led to social distancing, widespread working from home, and lockdown restrictions, loneliness was becoming a defining condition of the twenty-first century. Today, this pandemic of pain and isolation is far worse. One of many recent polls found that more than three in five Americans say they are lonely, with more and more people reporting feeling like they are left out, poorly understood, and lacking companionship. Other surveys overseas have similar findings.Our guest, the British economist, Noreena Hertz, is the author of "The Lonely Century: How to Restore Human Connection in a World Pulling Apart." Her new book, published February 2, is a personal and deeply-researched investigation into the roots of the loneliness epidemic, how the pandemic and the 2020 election exacerbated the problem, and what we can do to come together. "Loneliness levels have significantly and not surprisingly increased during the pandemic, particularly among the young, women, and people of low income", Noreena tells us. In our interview, we discuss the importance of the workplace in enhancing community, the need to reinvigorate our neighborhoods, and how governments and private enterprise can react to the increase in loneliness and alienation. We also learn more about the link between loneliness and the rise of right-wing populism.Recommendation: Richard and Jim frequently use Wikipedia, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Wiki co-founder, Jimmy Wales, is the guest on a recent episode of "the Economist Asks" podcast, hosted by Anne McElvoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are in a stunning moment for our country. A hoard of rioters invaded our nation’s seat of government to try to overturn an election. Many of them appear to have been motivated by false and inflammatory statements by President Trump, and under the sway of wild online conspiracy theories. In response, our leading tech platforms have tried to silence Trump and shut down many of the channels where his most extreme supporters communicate. Is this the correct approach? Should Congress and the Biden Administration impose new regulations on big tech companies? How should free speech be protected?We discuss these questions and more with Nadine Strossen, who has written, taught, and advocated extensively in areas of constitutional law and civil liberties. From 1991 to 2008, she was President of the ACLU— the nation's largest and oldest civil liberties organization."The First Amendment is only a constraint on the government's censorial power," Nadine tells How Do We Fix It? "Facebook and Twitter are themselves protected by the First Amendment in making editorial decisions."Recommendation: Jim is reading "Hamilton", the biography of Alexander Hamilton by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow.How Do We Fix It? is a proud member of the Democracy Group podcast network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just before the 2020 election, pundits predicted that Latino Americans would overwhelmingly vote for Joe Biden. And it’s true—Latino voters do tilt Democratic. But Donald Trump won a greater share of Latino votes in some states and large cities than he did in 2016. Because of decades of investment and political courtship, as well as a nuanced and varied cultural identity, the Republican party has had a much longer and stronger bond with Hispanics than many political commentators realize. In this episode, we speak with historian and Latino and Latina studies professor Geraldo Cadava about the findings of his recent book, "The Hispanic Republican".In the wake of the recent assault on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, we also look at the hazards of putting large groups of voters in a box or describing their political behavior in simple terms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The storming of the U.S. Capitol building by an angry mob of Trump supporters was a dark day in American history and a shock to people around the world. Images of looting and anarchy in the proud place where Congress has met for over 200 years, provoked profound despair and led many to question the stability of American democracy. The insurrection brought shame to President Trump, who incited a crowd to march on the legislative branch of government.In this special episode recorded the day after the chaos at The Capitol, we speak with political scientist Lee Drutman of New America, about the political causes of this violent outburst, and what reforms are needed to heal our democracy. "This has been a tremendous wake-up call for a lot of people," Lee told us. "We are really in a fight for the continuation of American democracy."Lee is the author of the book, "Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America", and co-host of the podcast, "Politics in Question". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the start of 2020, the world first became aware of COVID-19. This show looks at what we have learned about the global pandemic since then. In early February, Richard spoke face-to-face with epidemiologist Kylie Carlville of the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, during a visit to Melbourne, Australia. This recording was made just as scientists were beginning to understand the nature of the outbreak and before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.In the spring, we interviewed Samson Ellis of Bloomberg News about Taiwan's remarkable success in fighting the spread of the virus. In late December, the number of deaths in Taiwan from COVID was 7, with only 766 recorded cases. Total US cases were more than 18 million.In June, oncologist, bioethicist, and healthcare expert, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, explained the global lessons to be learned from the crisis. He wrote the recently published book, “Which Country Has the World’s Best Healthcare?”This episode also includes practical lessons about public healthcare from physician and CEO Doctor Vivian Lee. And we went in pursuit of wisdom and discovery with journalist  Eric Weiner, author of the new book, “The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons From Dead Philosophers". We discuss what ancient philosophy can teach us about living in a time of hardship.Recommendations: Richard's favorite book of 2020 was "Apeirogon", a novel by Irish writer, Colum McCann and the Netflix comedy series "Call My Agent." Jim recommends the subscription site substack.com, a site for independent thinkers who write newsletters on a wide range of topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his ambitious climate plan, President-elect Biden promises that by 2050 the United States will reach net-zero carbon emissions.A groundbreaking new study from energy experts at Princeton University outlines five different pathways for how to reach net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases, using existing technology, and at costs aligned with historical average spending on energy. The research is the first to quantify and map in specific detail the infrastructure that would be needed to achieve this goal.Our guests are Jesse Jenkins and Eric Larson, two principal investigators on the study. Jesse is an engineering professor, and Eric is a senior research engineer. Both work at Princeton's Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment and have conducted extensive research on ways to produce clean energy."We wanted to paint several different pictures that are quite different from each other to illustrate there are many different ways to get to net-zero," Eric tells us. The study makes it clear that while reaching this goal is challenging, it also would bring many environmental, public health and economic benefits, including millions of new jobs and less pollution. Recommendation: Jim has enjoyed watching "Fantastic Fungi", an entertaining and highly inventive documentary on Amazon Prime about a world that lives beneath our feet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite the tragedy, suffering and economic losses of COVID, there are silver linings for many families in the current crisis. Recent lockdowns have a bright side for teens. A new survey says they're spending more time with their parents, getting extra sleep, and suffering from lower levels of clinical depression.Our guest, New York psychoanalyst, parent coach, and author Erica Komisar, wrote in The Wall Street Journal "it has taken a pandemic to prove that it's possible to integrate work into our personal lives, as many millions of parents are now working from home. "Everyone wins— maternity-leave advocates who have been fighting for this arrangement for years, employers, mothers and children most of all." In lockdowns, Erica tells us, "children are getting a great deal more of their parents' time and attention and energy than they have previously.' In this episode, we also discuss why the findings of her book, "Being There: Why Prioritizing Motherhood in the First Three Years Matters" challenge both liberals and conservatives. We look at the case for extended paid maternity leave, and the potential emotional costs of daycare for infants and toddlers.Recommendation: Jim is listening to "Missing in Alaska", a podcast by journalist Jon Walczak about a 50-year-old mystery of a plane disappearance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We live in a remarkable time for science. Vaccines to fight COVID-19 have been developed with surprising speed and are reported to be more than 90% effective against the virus.  Dramatic progress has also been made in the quest to overhaul and improve America's space program. Recent innovations and reusable rockets have dramatically cut the cost of space launches. Vaccine research and space innovation are examples of public-private partnerships between government and businesses. Neil deGrasse Tyson, America’s most prominent spokesman for science and the Director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium, talks about the benefits to us all of having a cosmic perspective, the case for human space flight, and lessons learned from his best-selling book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry." We also discuss "We're Living in a New Space Age," in the new issue of Commentary Magazine, written by our co-host, Jim Meigs. A public-private partnership, with Elon Musk of Space X in a key role, is producing results, as "successive presidential administrations have backed NASA'S market-oriented innovators," writes Jim. Recommendation: Richard is watching "Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than ever, we need to fight fake news and misinformation by getting out of our filter bubbles. A bitterly contested election at a time of political paralysis and partisan bickering makes the case for change even more urgent.In this episode, we look at the groundbreaking work of AllSides.com, which shines a light on media bias by offering readers a selection of daily news stories from publications that tilt left, right or center.Our guests are AllSides founder and CEO John Gable, and the site’s director of product, Samantha Shireman.AllSides is an increasingly popular media destination with many millions of page views that aims to strengthen democracy with balanced news and diverse perspectives. Today's recommendation: Richard is reading "Apeirogon", a novel by the Irish writer, Colum McCann. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the days since the 2020 election, political distrust and anxiety have only deepened. But divided government and very narrow majorities for both parties in Congress might present an opportunity for bipartisan solutions on several major issues. President-elect Biden has talked about his vision of an America that is "unified, strengthened, and healed." In this episode we discuss the case for compromise with two Members of Congress, one Republican and one Democrat. Both are members of Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of 25 members of each party who work together across rigid partisan divides. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th Congressional District, won a second term in an area narrowly won by Donald Trump. Two days after the election she spoke out against messaging used by progressives, telling fellow House Democrats that talk of socialism and defunding the police nearly led to her defeat.  Brian Fitzpatrick is a Republican Member of Congress, representing Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District. A moderate who distanced himself from Donald Trump, Fitzpatrick won re-election by a wide margin.Recommendation: Jim is reading the forthcoming book, "Inferno, The True Story of a B-17 Gunner's Heroism and the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History" by Joe Pappalardo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Days after the historic 2020 election, final results are still coming in. But some lessons of the vote are becoming clear. On this episode, our hosts, Richard and Jim, discuss the five lessons they learned. 1. The system is working - so far. Despite the slow pace of counting, election day was met with massive enthusiasm by voters from all sides.2. Reform opinion polls - They were wrong again. Polls in Florida, Texas and Wisconsin are among the worst examples. Many polls under-counted Trump voters.3. Stop Generalizing! The Latino vote is much more complex than many assume. Faulty generalizations are also made about the influence of money in campaigns. 4. The Woke Counter Rebellion Has Begun.Despite Trump’s unpopularity with moderates, he did better than expected. Many voters may be put off by violence in Portland, progressive calls to defund the police, and higher taxes. 5. Character Counts.  Joe Biden made this an election about character and decency. He understood the electorate better than most politicians.Jim and Richard have some lively disagreements, but they find common ground on some big election controversies.Recommendation: Richard is listening to "Uncivil War", the new album by blues singer, Shemekia Copeland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2020 election may turn out to be turnout. Traditionally, a smaller percentage of American voters participate in elections than in many other democracies around the world. But this year, early voting hit a record high, with tens of millions of mail-in ballots, and very long lines at many polling places.In this episode, we look at a highly innovative, successful initiative to use the internet to boost the number of voters in elections. "Our mission" says the non-profit group Democracy Works "is to make voting a simple, seamless experience for all Americans, so that no one misses an election." Democracy Works CEO and co-founder. Seth Flaxman is our guest. "At the end of the day, we think every American is going to want a sort of service, like a concierge, helping them to vote in the election," he says. "Even people who say they never miss elections sign up to get the reminders."This episode is funded with a grant from Solutions Journalism Network as part of "Renewing Democracy", to encourage reporting about how people and institutions are trying to reinvigorate democracy in communities across the country.Democracy Works is affiliated with Bridge Alliance, a coalition of over 100 organizations dedicated to U.S. revitalization. With each organization focusing on a different sector of the movement, its members represent a combined three million supporters in the burgeoning field of civic reform and civil discourse.Recommendation: Jim is listening to Commentary podcast, a daily discussion of conservative opinion by editors of the well-known magazine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the Covid pandemic has taught us anything, it is that the government's response to a global health emergency can mean the difference between living and dying.America's woeful performance in recent months has exposed how far we have fallen behind public health systems in much of Asia. While China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore combined have recorded fewer than 1,000 cases per day since September, the U.S. is reporting over 60,000 daily cases.Our guest is Adrian Wooldridge of The Economist, and co-author of "The Wake Up Call: Why the Pandemic Has Exposed the Weakness of the West and How to Fix It.""We need to have a much more efficient government that is collectively valued by society," says Adrian. He argues that it's time to make government great again. In this episode, we discuss steps to improve government's use of technology and delivery of services while protecting individual liberty.Recommendation: Jim is listening to the podcast "50 Years of Music With 50 Year-Old White Guys"note: Here's a link to new developments in music podcasts, mentioned during this episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than half of American voters expect to see a rise in violence after election day, according to a recent poll. Only 49% said Americans will largely accept the results.These findings and others suggest that American democracy is facing intense stress. President Trump has repeatedly refused to say whether he would accept the official results. "Trump and Biden supporters have deep disagreements over several aspects of the election and voting process – including whether it will be clear which candidate won even after all the votes are counted," says Pew Research Center.This episode examines how our current problems compare to past outbreaks of political turmoil. Professor Suzanne Mettler, co-author of the new book, "Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy" is our guest.The four threats are: polarization, racism and nativism, economic inequality, and excessive presidential power. "Today, for the first time ever, all four of these threats to democracy have come together," Suzanne tells us.Richard and Jim, who calls himself "the pushback guy" in this episode, also have a lively discussion about the book's findings.Recommendation: Richard is reading “All the King’s Men” - first published in 1946 and written by Robert Penn Warren. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel portrays the dramatic rise of Governor Willie Stark, a cynical left-wing autocratic populist in the South. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you get supporters of Donald Trump and Joe Biden in the same room at the same time working together on something political? It sounds almost impossible, but even at a time of hyper-partisan division, progress and trust can be achieved on a local level. In this episode, we look at the groundbreaking work of CivicLex, a non-profit civic education and solutions journalism group based in Lexington, a Kentucky city of nearly 400,000 people. Civic Lex has three main goals: Improve access to information, Change the processes that govern how the city interacts with residents, and Democratize political power. Our CivicLex guests are: Executive Director, Richard Young, who has worked on civic engagement and community development projects for almost a decade, and Director of Programs, Megan Gulla, who has worked and volunteered in a variety of fields, including creative, local journalism. CivicLex has won funding from The National Endowment for the Arts, Knight Foundation, Facebook Journalism Project and other major donors. "There's something brilliant" in the mission of CivicLex, says Danielle Allen, Director of the Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. "They're foregrounding the importance of relationships." This show and several other recent episodes on local initiatives are funded with a grant from Solutions Journalism Network. We thank them for their support and encouragement. Recommendation: Richard (our-co host!) is listening to the new podcast series, hosted by author and historian Jon Meacham, "Hope Through History." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does your career stay on track at a time of very high unemployment, great technological change and enormous uncertainty? We explore these questions and much more with one of the advertising industry's most successful commercial directors. When he was 23, Bruce Van Dusen was desperate for a job. For the next 40 years, he thought that every commercial that he made would be his last. With a mix of audacity, determination, and hard work, plus a dash of deep personal insecurity, Bruce developed a remarkable knack for crafting stories that could be told in 30 seconds. His wise and highly entertaining new book is "60 Stories About 30 Seconds: How I Got Away With Being a Pretty Big Commercial Director Without Losing My Soul (Or Maybe Just Part of It)."We discuss some lessons Bruce learned along the way-- lessons that he wished he had known when he started out in his crazy, fast-changing industry. Such as: Go to a meeting any time anywhere; Treat all famous people like they're not; Nothing lasts forever unless you tinker with it all the time.Listen to Crazy Eddie "I Know He's Crazy, But Is He Alive?", one of the many hilarious stories from Bruce's book here.Recommendation: Jim is reading "Made Men. The Story of Goodfellas", by Glenn Kenny. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anger, fear and loathing cut across our deeply divided, hyper-partisan political divide. From The White House and the streets of cities, to furious posts on social media, many of us objectify others. Those belong to the wrong tribe are often the objects of personal scorn.In a recent Twitter post, our guest, Chloé Valdary, says: "if you do not possess the power to love, and especially love your enemies, then you don't really have the power."In this episode, Chloé talks about her antiracism program, Theory of Enchantment, which uses pop culture as an educational tool, teaching social and emotional learning in schools, and diversity and inclusion in companies and government agencies. The three key principles involve:1. We are human beings, not political abstractions.2. Use criticism to uplift, not tear down.3. Lead with love and compassion.Recommendation: Jim is reading the new book, "Utopia Avenue" by British novelist, David Mitchell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Massive wildfires in the west have burned through more than five million acres, forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, and spread smoke and air pollution across many states. This year's historic wildfire season prompted calls for reforms of the nation's fire management policies, and are a clear sign that the impacts of climate change are now being felt. Changes in the weather leading to temperature extremes and drought are no longer a theory.We discuss the causes of raging wildfires, including forestry management, climate, and the movement of people, as well as practical steps can be taken now to reduce the destruction to property and people's lives. Our guests are Guardian journalists Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano, authors of the new book, “Fire In Paradise: An American Tragedy", a harrowing account of the most destructive wildfire in a century. Both Dani and Alastair reported extensively on the Camp Fire in 2018, and this year's megafires in California, Oregon and Washington. Jim writes about The West's fires in City Journal: "Wildfire Hype and Hope".Recommendation: Jim is feeding his recent passion for birdwatching, reading "A Season On The Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration" by Ken Kaufman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Tech For The Public Good” is supported by a grant from Solutions Journalism Network. Technology is a double-edged sword, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite well-publicized threats from bots, hackers, government spooks and huge online firms, tech is often a force for public good. In this special episode on civic tech, we report on a local effort to promote better healthcare for those who need it most: the residents of America's poorest Congressional District: New York's 15th CD in The Bronx. Ivelyse Andino is our guest. She's the founder and CEO of Radical Health, a minority-owned, Bronx-based health-equity social enterprise that uses technology, an app powered by artificial intelligence; and community conversations to help (among others) pregnant women and new mothers understand their health care rights.  According to U.S. government statistics, black women are up to six times more likely to die from complications of pregnancy than white women. "The U.S. is ranked as one of the most dangerous countries in the world to give birth if you are a black or brown woman," says Ivelyse.  She compares the healthcare system to a McDonalds. "You're in. You're out."  Ivelyse was born and raised in the Bronx. She began her career in health tech, and trained oncologists on new drugs. Her life took a dramatic turn when her mother was diagnosed with cancer, which forced her to personally confront systematic disparities and failings of the healthcare system. Our producer, Miranda Shafer, spoke with several local activists including Kaniya Samm who is a community organizer; and Alexis Del Rio, the co-founder of Bronx Móvil, a bilingual mobile harm reduction program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fears about COVID-19 can take an emotional toll, leading to a growing sense of worry and panic. We ask: How can philosophy help us cope with adversity in a pandemic?We go in pursuit of wisdom and discovery with journalist and author Eric Weiner, author of the new book, "The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons From Dead Philosophers". This episode is a rollicking ride, as we follow in the footsteps of history’s greatest thinkers—from Epicurus to Nietzsche, Thoreau to Gandhi— who show us practical and spiritual lessons for today’s unsettled times.Philosophy helps us as we struggle with disturbing questions raised by coronavirus. How to find a level of calm and certainty in an uncertain age? How do we endure tough times? There are no easy answers, but as with religious texts, philosophy helps us ask better questions. "We often confuse knowledge and wisdom, and we think that what we need to get out of this mess is more information," Erik tells us. "More information, we think, is always better. And that's clearly not the case."The age-old lesson from philosophy, says Erik, is that you can "put down your iPhone and close your laptop and stop acquiring more bits of data"Recommendation: Richard enjoys "Tiny Vampires," a podcast series about about disease, science and blood sucking insects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The American worker is in crisis and faces a very uncertain future. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a deep recession and millions of layoffs. Even before coronavirus— despite a decade of continuous economic growth— the percentage of Americans with jobs was well below normal levels. Many people had dropped out of the labor force, and gave up looking for work. For the first time in modern memory, life expectancy started to fall as substance abuse and obesity rates rose. Our guest, conservative author Oren Cass, argues that we've abandoned the American worker, and pushed four-college at the expense of more effective solutions.In his widely-praised book, "The Once and Future Worker",  Oren argues that government policy should emphasize production, not consumption. His arguments were summarized  in The Atlantic."We've become obsessed with consumerism-- measuring everything in terms of consumers and living standards... In the process, we've forgotten that producing stuff is important too.”Oren Cass is Executive Director of the new conservative think tank, American Compass. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people reject facts that cause them discomfort or don't line up with their view of the world. All too often emotion, not reason, informs our beliefs. Despite social media claims that #factsmatter, it's surprisingly difficult to use rational arguments to change minds."It's surprising how much we still put faith in rational argument," says our guest, Australian writer and philosopher, Eleanor Gordon-Smith. In this summer re-run episode from November, 2019, we take a fun, fascinating journey to the limits of human reason. Eleanor's book "Stop Being Reasonable. How We Really Change Our Minds," includes personal stories of successful persuasion that illustrate what most of us get wrong about rationality she says. Her latest book is, Illogical Stories: how to change minds in an unreasonable world."Hearing the story of how somebody changes their mind is hearing the story of how they change their life," Eleanor tells us. "Why, when we know that changing our minds is as tangled and difficult and messy as we are, do we stay so wedded to the thought that rational debate is the way to go about it?"The book and our podcast begin with Eleanor interviewing men who catcalled her in the street and made obscene gestures. Did she convince these guys to change their behavior? Find out what happened... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden's selection of Kamala Harris to be his vice-presidential running mate is a reminder that the fall election season is about to start in earnest.In this episode, we discuss solutions for America's voting crisis. People of all political persuasions have expressed concerns about holding an election in the COVID pandemic. President Trump made unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud. Many have protested the barriers faced by voters who find it difficult or nearly impossible to have their say in elections. In Georgia this summer, some voters waited in line for 5 hours to make their voices heard, while New York election officials took many weeks to count absentee ballots and get the results from congressional primary elections.This podcast is produced with assistance from the Democracy Group podcast network. We feature groundbreaking interviews from "Democracy Works" podcast with elections expert, MIT political science professor, Charles Stewart, and former Obama speechwriter David Litt, who appeared recently on "Democracy Matters" podcast.David Litt is the author of the new book, “Democracy in One Book Or Less: How It Works, Why It Doesn’t, and Why Fixing It Is Easier Than You Think.”Charles Stewart has spoken with election officials across the country about election security, and how to successfully implement voting-by-mail, while ensuring that in-person voting during COVID is safe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At a time of social distancing, limited travel and other restrictions to protect public health, we get a nostalgic reminder of the joy of journeys, and infinite variety of America's small cities and towns.This episode was first published in 2018. Our guest, Dar Williams, has been called "one of America's very best singer-songwriters" by The New Yorker. A remarkably well-traveled musician, she tells us how towns and cities can turn themselves around. "What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician's Guide to Rebuilding America's Communities" is an impassioned account of the fall and rise of small American towns she cherishes. Dar chronicles practical success stories and challenges, delivering her message with hope and love."The opposite of division is not unity. It is collaboration," says Dar.We discuss the power of positive proximity and how working on local projects together can bring different parts of a community together. Dar speaks of the strength of weak ties and why they help build networks of people who act as stewards for the places that they love. From improving police-community relations in Gainesville, Florida, to the revival of Beacon, New York, we learn of many examples of how communities can succeed and thrive.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate change is real, but it's not the end of the world, says our guest, science writer, Michael Shellenberger.He argues in the controversial new book, "Apocalypse Never", that activists use alarmism to describe threats posed by rising levels of carbon in the atmosphere, and are harming the cause of environmentalism. His proposed solutions include support for carbon-free nuclear power, agricultural industrialization, urbanization, and technological innovation. This episode provoked a lively debate. Richard disagrees with the tone and some of the arguments made here. Jim is more supportive. But both of our hosts agree that discussing tough issues with plenty of room for conflicting opinions is an important part of what we do. A self-described eco-modernist, Michael Shellenberger is an author, environmental policy writer, co-founder of Breakthrough Institute, and founder of Environmental Progress.  Recommendation: Richard is reading "In This Together" by Bill Shireman and Tramell Crow, and is following the work of EarthX, a series of conferences that bring together environmental activists, corporate leaders and researchers interested in a more sustainable future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the many impacts of COVID-19 is a sharp decline in travel. In many parts of the world, the virus led to a temporary hold on one of the greatest trends of the modern age: the mass movement of people— from tourists to migrants, expats, asylum seekers, refugees, and IDP’s, internally displaced people. An estimated 244 million people, or about 3.3% of the world’s population, were born in one country and now live in another.Even before COVID hit, The Trump Administration reversed decades of US policy on immigration and refugees, imposing sweeping restrictions on admitting foreign workers, refugees, and students. Business groups sued the Administration over new limits on work visas. Universities and colleges objected to restrictions on foreign students. House Democrats passed a bill to reverse the restrictions.Many see migration as a threat. But for others it’s an opportunity. On this show we re-visit interviews with advocate Tolu Olubunmi, Leonard Doyle the UN migration agency, IOM, and podcaster Ahmed Badr.Tolu Olubunmi, hosted the podcast series, "A Way Home Together: Stories of the Human Journey". She is a global advocate for migrants, refugees, and displaced people. She is a Dreamer, born in Nigeria, who now lives in The United States.Leonard Doyle is a former journalist, and head of media and communications at the UN migration agency IOM. He spoke with Richard about global migration trends, and the need for a better understanding of immigrants and refugees.Ahmed Badr is a 21-year-old author, social entrepreneur and former Iraqi refugee. He is the host of the new podcast series, "Resettled", and founder of Narratio, a digital platform that highlights the creative work of young people across the world.Recommendation: Jim is watching the TV series, Never Have I Ever, airing on Netflix. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all canceled something. Whether it’s a subscription, a vacation, or a date, cancelling or erasing a person? It seems so brutal. So unforgiving and final.It’s no surprise that cancel culture began on social media. Supporters say they are targeting people, companies and institutions for endorsing systems of racism, inequality, and bigotry. Opponents of cancel culture argue that this form of shaming causes personal injury, stifles debate and is a chilling threat to free speech.In this episode, we speak with opinion columnist Megan McArdle of The Washington Post, who wrote the recent article, "The Real Problem With Cancel Culture." She is also the author of "The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success.” We also discuss the Harper's Letter on open debate, signed by more than 150 academics, journalists and intellectuals, and the resignation of opinion journalist Bari Weiss from The New York Times."One of the arguments you get into is that cancel culture isn't real because there've always been things you couldn't say," Megan tells us. "But now the things you couldn't say are in a much wider range of topics, and a much broader range of things about those topics that you can't say."Recommendation: Richard recommends the news website allsides.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gerrymandering, the partisan process of redrawing political maps to favor one political party over the opposition, is often used unfairly to take power away from many voters. Voters Not Politicians is a highly successful grassroots campaign against gerrymandering in Michigan that began with a simple Facebook post by its young founder, Katie Fahey. The group took on party bosses, won a ballot initiative, and changed state law. This episode discusses how this campaign could be a model for others.  In 2018, Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved a citizen-led ballot initiative to create an independent commission to draw up the state’s congressional and legislative maps. This week, a federal court threw out a second attempt by the state Republican Party to over-turn the result. Months from now a new state redistricting commission will be given the job of fairly drawing a legislative map.This episode of "How Do We Fix It?" received funding from Solutions Journalism Network, a non-profit group that trains and connects journalists to cover what's missing in today's news: solutions, and how people are responding to problems.  Recommendation: Jim is reading "Midnight In Chernobyl" by Adam Higginbotham.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America's four most powerful political leaders--President Trump, former Vice President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell-- are all in their mid-to-late seventies. In this episode, we hear from four 16 to 18 year-olds about the future of American democracy, and why they're committed to working for positive change. Zoë Jenkins, Emmy Cho, Thanasi Dilos, and Noor Mryan are among the 200 inaugural fellows of the new non-partisan, youth-led movement, Civics Unplugged. On July 4th, 2020, they are signing the Civics 2030 Declaration, part of a decade-long campaign to create a better world.  The movement's first annual summit began with Commence 2030, a launch platform and celebration of Gen Z "civic superheroes" who are working on a decade-long set of projects and initiatives aimed at bringing a brighter future for our country's democracy. Senator Cory Booker, Andrew Yang, Steve Balmer, Audrey Tang, the digital minister of Taiwan, and The Rock, retired pro-wrestler Dwayne Johnson, all spoke at the online event. Recommendation: Richard is reading "Why We're Polarized", by Ezra Klein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. spends far more money on healthcare than any other nation, but has the most confirmed COVID-19 cases. The lax response to the coronavirus crisis exposed many weaknesses in the system, which was less prepared for a pandemic than other nations.  In this episode, we look at what can be learned from other systems around the world. Our guest is the well-known oncologist, bioethicist, and healthcare expert, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, author of the new book, "Which Country Has the World's Best Healthcare?""Every country feels that their healthcare costs are high. Ours are stratospheric," Dr. Emanuel tells us. "Our drug costs are way higher than any other country, but every country is feeling pressure from drug costs."In his book, Dr. Emanuel profiles 11 healthcare systems around the world. From Taiwan to Germany, Australia to Switzerland, healthcare providers tackle a global set of challenges, in pursuit of better healthcare solutions.  Recommendation: Our producer, Miranda Shafer, is reading the novel, Writers and Lovers, by Lily King. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The Covid-19 pandemic reveals that far from living in an age of incessant technological change, we have been neglecting innovation in exactly the areas where we most need it." So writes our podcast guest, best-selling author Matt Ridley.We discuss the urgent concept raised in his latest book, "How Innovation Works, And Why It Flourishes in Freedom."As Viscount Ridley, Matt was elected to the UK House of Lords in 2013. His TED Talk, "When Ideas Have Sex" has been viewed more than two million times. His books, including, "The Rational Optimist", have sold more than one million copies.Matt Ridley argues that we need to change the way we think about innovation, to see it as a bottom-up, incremental process, rather than a top-down event that develops according to plan. He also explains the fundamental difference between innovation and invention."Trial and error is the secret sauce of innovation," Matt tells us. "Again and again and again if you talk to great innovators they stress the importance of trial and error." We also look at how to improve public policy to allow innovation to flourish. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The massive wave of protests in hundreds of towns and cities across America and in many other countries were sparked by outrage, pain and grief over the killing of George Floyd, and countless incidents of racism against African-Americans.We've all been surprised by the events of the past few weeks. They've forced many of us to question our core beliefs about the political system, public morality, and the distribution of power. For this episode, we looked for someone who could talk about race from a personal, practical, and original viewpoint Our guest is writer and podcaster, Coleman Hughes, a recent graduate of Columbia University, who has testified before Congress, and written articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Quillette, and other outlets. Coleman was recently named as a Manhattan Institute fellow."If we are just going to live in what's comfortable you might as well not think at all", says Coleman, in response to chants, demands and slogans at Black Lives Matter demonstrations."When your pride becomes tied up in identity the temptation becomes irresistible to lie about any fact that doesn't paint your group in a positive light, and then we lose touch with enormous issues."In this episode, we discuss police corruption, crime and punishment, and racist attacks in communities of color.Recommendation: Richard is following The Fulcrum, a digital news organization, focused on efforts to reverse dysfunctions in American democracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The nation is again facing the deep pain of racial injustice. The recent killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor reverberated across the country, sparking widespread protests in many cities. These cases were only the latest on a very long list of attacks and murders of African-American men and women. They resulted in public outrage, some violent incidents, and many calls for police reforms.In this special episode, we share the latest podcast of "Let's Find Common Ground," a new series of episodes with public leaders that explore points of agreement in this divided time.  To gain some insight on what can be done to address discrimination and tensions between races, we speak with R&B and blues musician Daryl Davis, a black man who has spent the past 35 years on a remarkable quest of speaking with, and at times befriending, members of white supremacist groups. He has helped more than 200 KKK members to renounce their racist ideology."We have to ask ourselves the question: do I want to sit back and see what my country becomes, or do I want to stand up and make my country become what I want to see," Daryl tells us. "I've chosen the latter. And so you have to get into the thick of it."As a race conciliator and lecturer, Davis has received numerous awards and is often sought by CNN, MSNBC, NPR and other media outlets as a consultant on race relations and white supremacy. For more information, visit www.DarylDavis.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus crisis has reminded everyone that major reforms are needed to fix the flaws of the U.S. healthcare system. Beyond the huge expense and vast amount of waste, the quality of care varies wildly, and millions of Americans can't get care when they need it.  Physician and health care CEO Dr. Vivian Lee draws on her deep experience of the public and private sector to call for a pragmatic and sweeping set of reforms. They include ending the current fee-for-service model and improving price transparency.We discuss the findings of her new book, "The Long Fix: Solving America's Health Care Crisis with Strategies that Work for Everyone.""The silver lining of the COVID 19 is that we've seen a rapid shift to alternative ways of caring for people," says Dr. Lee. Tele-medicine and technology can help lead to better access and healthcare for everyone.Recommendations: Richard gives his thumbs up toTV series: "State of Happiness" and "Halt and Catch Fire" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We look at scientists who learned to manipulate common materials such as steel, glass and silicon, and how their inventions shaped the human experience. Our guest is scientist, storyteller and science writer, Ainissa Ramirez, author of the new book, "The Alchemy of Us, How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another."We discuss the wonder of science, especially material science: What it is and why it’s a crucial part of all that is in us and around us.Ainissa shares her love of science and tells us stories of the woman who sold time, why the brevity of the telegram influenced newspapers and the writing of Ernest Hemingway, and how a woman chemist exposed the use of Polaroid cameras to track black citizens in apartheid South Africa. We also discuss the teaching of science and technology. "STEM education right now is in the business of making people who can code, says Ainissa. "I think we should be in the business of making good people."Recommendation: "The Alchemy of Us", by Ainissa Ramirez is a warm and engaging book about the innovations that have a profound influence on our everyday lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Coronavirus pandemic is the 21st century's biggest crisis to date: Worse than either 9/11 or the great recession. Jim and Richard discuss seven surprising things that we didn't know when the lockdowns began in March:1. Early assessments about coronavirus turned out to be wrong. We now have a much better idea of how COVID-19 is spread and who's at greatest risk.2. Re-opening the economy is going to be much more difficult than expected.3. Cars and suburbs are here to stay: how the pandemic may change the way we live and work.4. Get ready for sweeping changes in higher education.5. The need for efficient government is much greater than we imagined.6. The military will play a vital role in recovery and prevention of future pandemics.7. Our notion of citizenship and sacrifice will fundamentally change.From the economy, politics and education to the deeply uneven impacts on people in different jobs and regions, we discuss the rapidly changing nature of the pandemic and its vast disruption to our world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will the COVID-19 pandemic change our democracy? Will we become more less divided? We discuss the challenges and opportunities of the current crisis with four podcasters who are all our colleagues in The Democracy Group podcast network.Juleyka Lantigua-Williams, Cara Ong Whaley, Mila Atmos and Lee Drutman join Richard to talk about barriers to voting, civic engagement and equal access to the democratic system. They look at what the current crisis means for advocates of democracy reform.Juleyka is the creator and executive producer of the Peabody-nominated 70 Million, a documentary podcast about criminal justice reform.Cara is Associate Director of James Madison University's Center for Civic Engagement and co-host of "Democracy Matters".Mila is executive producer and host of the civic engagement podcast, "Future Hindsight".Lee is co-host of "Politics In Question", a podcast about how our institutions are failing us and ideas for fixing them. A senior fellow at New America, Lee is an author, researcher and political commentator.Jim and Richard also discuss findings of this bonus episode produced for the Democracy Works network that deals with the response to the pandemic.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tens of millions of Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus outbreak began. Well over one-in-four people have suffered a moderate or severe financial setback in recent weeks. Consumer confidence is plunging. In this episode we look at the best ways to cope with a sudden drop in income. Beverly Harzog, the personal finance and credit card expert at US News and World Report, is our guest. She's the author of five bestselling personal finance books. From keeping your credit score intact to claiming all the benefits you're entitled to; we look at urgent ways to weather the storm at a time of unprecedented economic crisis.  "The safest thing to do with a stimulus check is to put it in your emergency fund just in case you need it for groceries or monthly essentials," says Beverly. We also discuss debt consolidation, controlling impulse buying, and negotiating with credit card companies. Recommendation: Jim has been watching the new remote episodes of Saturday Night Live. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much of what we took for granted, including daily routines, have been upended during the coronavirus pandemic. At a time when many have new questions about our personal values, traditions and lifestyles, this could be a teachable moment.Social media may have been helpful in convincing people about the need for social distancing, wearing masks and other recent changes. "It really did allow norms to be transmitted very very quickly," says our guest, Amherst College psychology professor Catherine Sanderson.In this episode we also discuss Catherine's research into the psychology of inaction and the themes of her new book, "Why We Act. Turning Bystanders Into Moral Rebels." Why is bad behavior, from sexual harassment to political corruption frequently tolerated? Why do many of us fail to intervene when we're needed? "Moral rebels seem to be comfortable with standing up and calling out bad behavior, even if they're in a group setting in which other people are staying silent. And even when it may be terribly hard to do so for the rest of us," Catherine tells us.Fix It recommendation: Richard is watching "Firing Line With Margaret Hoover" on PBS TV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.