How Do We Fix It?

America’s opioid epidemic is an addiction crisis like no other the country has ever faced. Deaths outnumber car crash fatalities.  Since 1999, 200,000 people have died from overdoses related to Oxycontin and other prescription painkillers.  The scourge is the result of a terrible double whammy: The relentless marketing of pain pills and the ruthless efficiency of drug pushers from one sm...

One year after the election of Donald Trump, American democracy is under threat. Our civic life is in a shambles. Our guest, Reed Galen, says America is a “dual-civilization society,” with each side viewing the other with suspicion, disgust and disdain. The guardrails of democracy are banged up. Some dents were made years ago — the result of dysfunction In Washington D.C. Others are the result of...

Can data be used to prevent mass shootings, dramatically reduce opioid addiction and tell elderly people that they about to fall? Our guest, Rebecca Costa, says it can.
In this episode we look at why predictive analytics may be the most profound technological change in the past 15 years-- even more important than smartphones.
In her new book, “On The Verge,” and on this podcast, Rebecca says we no...

The public downfall of film boss, Harvey Weinstein raises deep questions about the culture of Hollywood and its longstanding tolerance of sexual misbehavior by powerful men. Rumors about Weinstein's outrageous behavior had been an open secret in Hollywood for years. But Weinstein, a king of independent film, was able to cow the media, and had the power to break the careers of any women who da...

How should the U.S. and other Western nations deal with Vladimir Putin and well-documented threats to democracy from the Russian government? What are the most effective ways to push back against hacking and other attacks? Ever since Vladimir Putin came to power, his critics have turned up dead on a regular basis. According to our guest, Amy Knight, this is no coincidence. In her book "Orders to Ki...

Are free speech rights threatened at universities? Is Attorney General Jeff Sessions correct when he says political correctness has run amok on college campuses? Conservatives point to the angry scenes at Middlebury College, where Charles Murray was shouted down, and demonstrations at University of California, Berkeley, which led to the cancelation of Free Speech Week, as alarming examples of into...

Days ago, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos scrapped Obama-era Title IX rules on campus sexual assault, plunging herself into a furious controversy. This episode goes beyond name-calling and looks at how colleges and universities could improve their policies. "This harmful step in the wrong direction may cause survivors of sexual assault to go back into the shadows, Democratic Senator Patty Murray s...

Love him or loathe him, Donald Trump told a more compelling story about himself than his opponents. The 2016 election was, for his critics, a jarring reminder of the limits of limiting political rhetoric to detailed policies and programs. In this episode of "How Do We Fix It?", we explore the power of myths and legends: Why they are essential in making sense of life. Harvard Humanities professor S...

So many of us are furious at President Trump, Congress, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, The Democrats or the news media-- name your poison. Two thirds of Americans say they are dissatisfied with how things are going in this country today, compared with fewer than three-in-ten who are satisfied. This is a dramatic change from the 1990's, when most people had a positive view of national conditions....

Climate scientists warn that Hurricanes Irma and Harvey are examples of extreme weather that will become much more common in the years to come. But Trump Administration officials ridicule any link between this month's devastating storms and global warming. Without a change of heart, most conservatives will continue to resist an overwhelming body of scientific evidence on climate change. Congress w...

Is climate change to blame for Hurricane Harvey and the devastating floods around Houston? Even though we can't be certain about the cause of a single storm, Harvey's epic rainfall and surprisingly long duration remind us of the need for urgent action. In this edition of our solutions podcast, economist Gernot Wagner, executive director of Harvard University's Solar Geoengineeering Research Progra...

Can vets walk off the devastating impacts of PTSD? Do long-distance hiking, biking and river paddling journeys offer far better treatment for the emotional and psychological damage of war than pills or therapy offered by the VA?  Sean Gobin is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served 12 years as an Infantry Rifleman and Armor Officer. He tells us his own personal story.  After ret...

Neil deGrasse Tyson became passionate about astrophysics when he was a teenager. Best-selling science journalist Mary Roach is well-known for her humor and curiosity as she explores the science of keeping human beings intact, sane and awake during the extreme circumstances of war. This "Fix It" episode is about passion and is inspired by our many guests. They bring their wisdom, emotion and enthus...

Far too often refugees are thought of as "the other"-- a mass of people who are victims of war, persecution or natural disasters. President Trump has added to the problem, making negative, harsh comments about immigrants. This episode with 19 year-old Iraqi-American refugee Ahmed Badr, looks at how to fix the way we view refugees and migrants. We look at their personal stories and what they bring...

When do fashion designers make the difference between comfort and misery for active soldiers? Why does the military need a radically different kind of crash test dummy? What role could maggots play in healing open wounds?  These questions and more are answered by best-selling science journalist, Mary Roach, author of "Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War."  In this audio tour of d...

Here's a paradox. While the U.S. unemployment rate is near a 16-year low, the percentage of all American adults in the workforce remains stuck at well below pre-recession levels. Men are much more likely than women to drop out of work. In the 1960's 95% of adult men between 25 and 54 were employed. Today, after 7 years of an improving job market, only 80% are in the workforce. People who don't loo...

"It's back to square one" says the Wall Street Journal after the collapse of Republican proposals to repeal and replace The Affordable Care Act. President Trump says his plan is to "let Obamacare fail." This episode looks at how any reform of America's healthcare system - whether by Republicans or Democrats - is so difficult. Whether it's controlling costs, rationing care or extending coverage to...

Going outdoors and taking on new challenges makes you healthier, happier and smarter. Spending time in nature away from cities and suburbs can also bring spiritual and emotional benefits. Co-host Jim Meigs tells us why he's a big outdoor guy, who loves to hike, bike and head for the hills. In this episode we look at ways to add adventure to your life and embrace the excitement of leaving your comf...

Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids makes the case for carefree summer activities and unstructured play time-- arguing against those who put safety fears ahead of a child's need to explore, be curious and grow."If You're a Kid, the Experts Want You to Have a Fun-Free Summer" is the title of a recent article by Lenore. Summer is a time to "dig in the sand, gulp from the hose, play at the park, and le...

Are you too attached to your stuff? Do you have a big move coming up? Long-haul trucker, Finn Murphy has covered more than a million miles of packing, loading and hauling people's material possessions all across the country. In this episode he shares his insights into the moving business, truckers, his many customers and how American households have changed in recent years. Finn is the author of "...

In our age of big data Liberal Arts smarts are undervalued. Our guest, Scott Hartley, argues that the most valuable jobs skills in the future will belong to people who can think creatively, using emotional intelligence and adaptability. Scott is a venture capitalist and author of "The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World." At Stanford University, where he studied...

Journalism is in crisis. Our trust in the news media has fallen to an all-time low. One recent poll found that two thirds of Americans believe mainstream news organizations often publish fake news. The business model at many newspapers, magazines, radio stations and websites is failing. Declining revenues have forced layoffs and other cutbacks at news organizations across the country. Professor Ar...

Today, about 2.2 million Americans are behind bars. "The incarceration rate is about five times the rate of 1970 and our crime rate is the same as in 1970,"John Pfaff, our guest, tells us. Our guest, John Pfaff of Fordham University is both a law professor and an economist. Author of "Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration—and How to Achieve Real Reform," he says state and local policies...

It isn't just the crime. It's also the cover-up. Volkswagen's multi-year conspiracy to evade pollution rules may be the biggest scandal in auto industry history. The world's second largest car manufacturer misled regulators, consumers, and motorists.
Our guest is New York Times Germany correspondent, Jack Ewing, author of "Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal." The book tells the remark...

Are credit cards evil?  Do you need to restructure debt or were refused a loan?  If so, this episode is for you. If you're a parent looking for smart money advice to pass onto young adults as they enter the workforce, our podcast has a checklist of do's and don'ts. Respected credit card expert and consumer advocate Beverly Harzog is our guest. Beverly hasn't just talked the talk about maxing out o...