Flip Side of the Coin

This week we are taking a break from our normal routine and are trying something a little different. I am getting a bit personal this week and talking about the importance of human connection and community. This is something I have been delving into the last few years and I wanted to take this week and share a bit about what I am finding.  We take a look at the book "Bowling Alone: America’s...

We continue our conversation around isolationism, this week we look at some of the arguments that critics of isolationism raise when arguing against it.  We look at economic and geopolitical advantages to staying involved in the global village, and look at some of the consequences of what can occur when a country steps away from it, or reduces it engagement with international trade partners. 

We begin looking at the topic of isolationism. Isolationism is when a country minimizes its international activity in favor of focusing almost exclusively on domestic issues, and it has been a topic of debate within the United States, more or less, since the nation began.  Today we look at a couple of the reasons that supporters of isolationism tend to bring up when trying to plead their case. We...

We continue our conversation around using screens as a means of occupying children. Today we look at the position that some parents take in arguing against using screens with children in public.  We look at some research around the topic, specifically research that points out the risks around becoming too dependent on screens, and the developmental and social implications that dependence can carry...

Something just about everyone agrees on is that parenting is hard. There is a debate, however, around the rising trend of parents using screens as a means of occupying their children when in public. Today we look at some of the reasons why some parents see smart devices as a valuable tool when a child becomes agitated or bored in public places.  We look at some studies around the trend and some re...

We continue our conversation around executive orders and begin exploring some of the arguments that critics of executive orders raise, specifically that executive orders can open the door for executive overreach and can allow the president to make unilateral governmental decisions without congressional approval. We look at two examples in history of executive orders that were deemed unconstitution...

This week we begin exploring executive orders and their affect within the federal government. Executive orders are directives issued by the President of the United States and carry the weight of law.  We look at some of the contexts in which executive orders can be applied and look at some historical examples of executive orders and how they impacted the federal government as well as the nation as...

We continue our conversation around Puerto Rico's future with the United States. This week we look at some reasons why some residents of Puerto Rico argue against statehood.  We look at how statehood would increase residents' tax burden in addition to looking at cultural reasons why some Puerto Ricans may see a future as an independent nation as a better path for Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. The US took control of Puerto Rico in 1898 at the end of the Spanish-American War. Since then, there has been a debate around the island and its future with the United States. Some feel that Puerto Rico should be granted statehood, while others look to other paths, such as independence or continue as a territory.  Today we look at so...

We continue our discussion around subscription business models, or the "subscription economy". We look a brief history of subscriptions and how they have risen to become prevalent in media and entertainment as well as becoming adopted by other industries. We look at some of the reasons why critics of the subscription economy argue that ownership is preferable for customers, especially in...

Welcome back to a new year of Flip Side of the Coin! This year we start off by looking at the conversation around subscriptions. Some industries have been moving to a subscription model over a traditional purchase/ownership model. In a subscription business model, customers pay a regular monthly or annual subscription for access to a service, whether it is a library of movies or music, a software...

We continue our discussion around the Department of Education and explore some of the reasons why critics support dismantling or significantly reducing it.  We explore the 10th Amendment, which provides protection for state and local autonomy by reserving rights to them that are not specifically designated to the federal government. We also look at the No Child Left Behind Act as an example of how...

The Department of Education, as we know it today, was founded by Jimmy Carter in 1980, and has been a topic of debate ever since. Critics argue that it is federal overreach and adds to government bureaucracy, while supporters argue that the Department of Education provides important support necessary to help schools in need.  We look at some of the reasons supporters argue in favor of the Departme...

We continue our conversation around tariffs, exploring why some people argue against imposing them on imported goods.  We look at some historical examples of how tariffs can have negative impacts on working families as well as domestic and global economies. We look at the Smoot Hawley Tariff and its effect on the trade wars of the 1930's as well as some examples of how the global economy reli...

Today we begin exploring the complex topic of tariffs. Tariffs are a tax that a government imposes on imported goods. This tax is paid for by the importer and is paid to the government into which the goods are being imported into. Tariffs often come up in conversations around economy and international relations as they can play a major role in setting the stage with international trade partners. ...

We continue our conversation around Homeowners Associations (HOAs). We take a brief look at the history around HOAs and then explore some of the reasons that some homeowners like living within them.  We look at how HOAs can protect property values by helping ensure property upkeep and maintenance in a neighborhood. We also look at how HOAs can enhance the neighborhood experience by paying for and...

Home Owners Associations (HOA's) are governing bodies that govern residential communities. They are created with the goal of maintaining property values and creating a sense of congruency and community, and they do this by setting and enforcing regulations on properties within their community.  Today we look at some of the arguments that critics of HOAs hold, specifically that the additional...

We continue our conversation around compulsory voting. Compulsory voting is when citizens are legally required to vote in elections, and can face a fine or other penalty if they fail to cast their ballot.  Today we look at the argument against compulsory voting. We look at the concern around voter apathy and the behaviors that voters can exhibit when they are required to vote, but have no interest...

Compulsory voting is when voting is mandatory for voters. Currently, the US makes voting completely voluntary. One result of this is low voter turnout. Average voter turnout for presidential elections is around 50-60%. This low average engagement has caused some to ask if making voting required would resolve this issue.  We look into the argument in favor of compulsory voting and look at some of t...

We continue our conversation around the Electoral College. This week we look at the position that supporters of the Electoral college take and look at some of the reasons why they support as well as some of the reasons why it was adopted in 1787.  We look at the effect and need for finding balance in representing smaller states vs large states. We look at some of the history of the Electoral colle...

The Electoral College is the system the US uses to elect its presidents, and has been in use since 1787. Since its adoption it has been a source of debate. Some feel that it ensures equity between large and small states, while others argue that it unnecessarily disrupts the democratic process and empowers the minority of voters at the expense of the majority. Today we look into the argument agains...

We continue our exploration of the discussion around going cashless. Today we look at the argument in support of going cashless.  We begin by looking at the history of currency and some of the changes money has taken as technology and society has changed.  We look at a real life example of how going cashless or prioritizing cashless payments can help streamline customer experience and can offer mo...

Today we begin exploring the topic of going cashless. Going cashless is when a business opts to no longer deal in cash and only accept payment by other methods, like credit or debit cards or mobile pay. Today we begin by looking at the argument against going cashless and look at some of the reasons why some people argue against it. We look at how going cashless can affect certain demographics and...

We continue our conversation around gun control, specifically around the question as to whether or not gun control would be effective in solving mass shootings.  Today, we explore the position that gun control would not solve mass shootings, and we do so by looking at historical gun ownership development and availability tied with mass shootings. We look at the logic around the historical availabi...

Today we begin a conversation around two incredibly complex and divisive topics: gun control and mass shootings. We begin by exploring the position that gun control has the potential to reduce mass shootings. For our episode today we take most of our information from the book  The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic .  We look at two studies mentioned in the book, one from Switz...