How Do We Fix It?

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 m

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 pan

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

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 q

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 tel

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 G

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 reco

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, tho

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 ma

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 incom

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 p

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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".  

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 healthc

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 reach

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 bo

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

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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&

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 a