How Do We Fix It?

How can America recover from  hatred , distrust and resentment that have lead to  deep divisions , the fraying of our civic institutions and even violence, such as the recent  Pittsburgh synagogue shooting ? This episode, recorded at  ReCity  in Durham, North Carolina, is the third in our renewing democracy podcasts, where we report on collaborative efforts to promote resp...

Polarization is tearing us apart. Bullying and bluster are two of the most common ingredients in American democracy. How can we renew democracy and restore the sort of trust that is essential for governance? This episode looks at the constructive and energetic responses of two local and national groups in Minnesota. We visit a  Living Room Conversation  discussion on race at  M...

American democracy is in crisis and politics have become weaponized with name calling and personal attacks. Trust in national institutions and the media is at an  all-time low.   Congress and  The Supreme Court  are much more likely than in the past to cast predictable party-line votes. As a nation we are failing to make creative solutions, based on compromise. This episode is...

Never before in living memory has America been so deeply divided, and this paralysis threatens to weaken and corrode democracy. Ideological silos have become much more common among both conservatives and liberals. One opinion poll says 7 in 10 Americans believe that our politics have reached a dangerous low point. And most say the climate is a new normal— not temporary. This is the first of four “...

At a time of fractured politics and failed leadership, what lessons can be learned from Ronald Reagan-- one of the most significant presidents in our history? Considered a dangerous outsider by critics when he was elected in 1980, he appeared to be enthralled with happy endings and disinterested in many of the finer details of economic and social policy. And yet America's fortieth president presid...

A  recent poll  finds that two-thirds of Americans often or occasionally get news from social media. But many consumers are highly skeptical of the information they see on Facebook and other sites, expecting it to be "largely inaccurate." Now a new company,  Newsguard,  uses journalism to fight the epidemic of false stories, misinformation and outright propaganda, helping reade...

Are identity politics ruining democracy? National and global institutions are in a state of decay, and identity fuels much of today's debates in America and across the world.  On the right, Donald Trump seized on the grievances and resentment of white working class voters and others who felt let down by the impact of globalism and technology. On the left, social and political movements b...

In recent decades, business strategy has been built on the idea that we must compete to win. But what if the competitive model of business is now broken? In today’s interconnected, digital world, strategies to create competitive advantage may be holding us back— with a negative impact on the workplace and the economy. In his new book “ Collaborative Advantage: How Col...

At the recent funeral for Republican Senator John McCain, former Presidents and leaders of both parties paid tribute to his belief that America "is a nation of ideals, not blood and soil." In the farewell statement  to the country he loved, Senator McCain described our democracy as “325 million opinionated, vociferous individuals.”  The funeral was a rare, and perhaps passing moment...

Tyson talks about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets, tackles science deniers on the right and left, and explains why we should invest more in pure science. Tyson also discusses his book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.” "What's curious to me is you have the liberal community claiming the (moral) high road ...against the science deniers of the right with regard to global war...

Neil deGrasse Tyson , America’s most prominent spokesman for science and Director of New York City’s  Hayden Planetarium , talks about the benefits of a cosmic perspective, the case for manned space flight and much more in this first part of our wide-ranging conversation. We also discussed Tyson's book, " Astrophysics for People in a Hurry ." Richard and Jim met Tyson at his offices at The&nb...

The national suicide rate rose 28% from 1999 to 2016, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2016, alone, 45,000 people took their own lives. This year's suicides of celebrity chef  Anthony Bourdain  and fashion designer,  Kate Spade , focused new attention on the crisis. Why is the U.S. suicide rate as high as it was one hundred years ago? What are proven w...

Was Donald Trump's election a one-off event, or did it represent a fundamental realignment of American politics? Washington-based political experts wrongly called the 2016 election, and our guest,  Salena Zito , author of  "The Great Revolt" , argues that they keep blowing it today. Democrats who ignore the concerns of those who went for Obama in 2012, but then backed Trum...

From ancient times to the present day, women and men have brought meaning to their lives through storytelling. Before the invention of the printing press, ancient societies passed on the knowledge and wisdom of one generation to the next through oral history.  Today, no other medium is as intimate and personal as podcasting. We are the town criers of our time. In this "Quick Fix" episode, Ric...

Free speech on campus is under assault at many colleges and universities. From  disinviting commencement speakers  to shouting down professors and others they disagree with, some students demand "safe spaces" from controversial remarks and what they call micro-aggressions. So far, 1800 professors from the right, left, center and other political leanings have joined the effort to bridge t...

President Trump has withdrawn from international agreements, criticized NATO, The European Union, and attacked the policies of Canada, Mexico, Britain, France and Germany-- all traditional allies. He praised President Putin, and continues to sow chaos in the international trading system, reportedly threatening to pull the U.S. out of the World Trade Organization-- W.T.O. This last step, above all,...

America's landscape of towns and cities is ever-changing. Countless Main Streets and small downtowns were eviscerated by big box stores, globalization, online commerce and poor planning. But today, many resilient communities are fighting back. Called "one of America's  very best singer-songwriters " by The New Yorker, our guest,  Dar Williams , tells us how towns and cities can turn them...

We discuss the American Revolution and the meaning of freedom with acclaimed historian and journalist,  Russell Shorto , author of the 2018 book, " Revolution Song : A Story of American Freedom."Russell Shorto is also the writer of a fine new podcast series, " American History Tellers ." As the nation struggles with a political crisis and national discord, this episode-- released during the w...

Do a Google search of drones, and scary headlines pop up instantly. " Dangerous Drones  Invade Protected Airspace Daily," says one. While others talk about "spooky, scary" drones that  invade privacy ; get in the way of  firefighters , or lead to new types of  warfare. These concerns are real, but there are also many constructive use for drones that  save lives ,  mak...

A trade war with China has dangerous implications for the global economy. What began more than a year ago with President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs has become an unpleasant  economic reality  for many businesses.  Recently, the U.S. labeled China a “ currency manipulator. ” But an even larger long-term threat comes from China’s aggressive espionage  offensive  that...

Despite bitter partisanship and political paralysis in Washington, local democracy is alive in well in many towns and cities across the country. That's the surprising finding in "Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America," by journalist  James Fallows  of The Atlantic magazine and his wife, writer and linguist  Deborah Fallows.   In this episode, part two...

Congress sank to a dismal 10% approval rating in a  new poll . Most Americans believe the nation is heading in the  wrong direction . But ask people about their own lives and local communities, and you are likely to get a very different answer. According to a  Gallup poll , well over 80% of Americans are satisfied in general with the way their personal lives are going. Despite...

"The debt will be as large as our entire economy by the end of the decade", says  Maya MacGuineas , President of the bipartisan  Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget . "Every indicator that you could look for in terms of the numbers is on flashing red alert." The U.S. federal government debt is nearly $20 trillion and rising each year. Interest payments are the single fastest growi...

Far too often, politics and policy are portrayed as a battle between liberals and conservatives, or socialists vs. capitalists.  But one of the most profound divides of modern times is between optimists and pessimists-- especially over how they view the environment. This episode looks at the debate between environmental optimists (wizards), who believe we can invent our way to a better, healt...

From the streets of Chicago and Los Angeles, to indictments this month targeting criminal networks in  Savannah, Georgia  and  white supremacists  in Grand Prairie, Texas, tens of thousands of gangs are responsible for drug crimes, brutal killings and other forms of violence.  According to one  recent estimate , nearly one-and-a-half million people are members of gang...