EP 934 A College President’s Reflections on the Crisis in Higher Education

EP 934 A College President’s Reflections on the Crisis in Higher Education

 A series of threats have landed on the doorstep of leaders in higher education. These include a demographic cliff which jeopardizes the very existence of some institutions, the advent of AI and the uncertainties it presents for faculty and students prospects going forward, attacks on academic freedom from the Trump Administration, along with threats to …

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EP 933 Our National Security Strategy Has Changed: No Longer the World’s Policeman on the Beat

EP 933 Our National Security Strategy Has Changed: No Longer the World’s Policeman on the Beat

 The post-World War II world has seen America defending and trying to export democracy and free markets through its military might and the development of international organizations having the same purpose.  Under the Trump Administration II, and its recently released National Security Strategy the new approach can best be described as an ‘America First’ national …

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EP 932 Once, Plastics was the Future: Now Some Say It Should be a Thing of the Past

EP 932 Once, Plastics was the Future: Now Some Say It Should be a Thing of the Past

There is a growing awareness about the increasing dangers of plastic.  We see it everywhere, yet some of the invisible plastics contamination, called microplastics or nano-plastics, may be as insidious as what can see. It can be found everywhere in our environment–even our bodies–as a persistent, accumulating toxin, with carcinogens and other hazards.  Our guest, …

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EP 931 Is the Supreme Court Going to Gut the Voting Rights Act and Affect the 2026 Mid-Terms?

EP 931 Is the Supreme Court Going to Gut the Voting Rights Act and Affect the 2026 Mid-Terms?

There is a crucially significant case now before the U.S. Supreme Court which may be decided within days or months.  The timing will determine whether its impact is felt in this Congressional cycle (2026) or 2028.  It deals with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark civil rights statute that was re-authorized by …

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EP 930 Primary Care Needs to Be Foundation of Health Care Reform

EP 930 Primary Care Needs to Be Foundation of Health Care Reform

If more Americans regularly saw primary care doctors, many lives–and billions of dollars–could be saved.  The preventative care they provide is crucial as a foundation to the entire health care system.  Yet, the fee-for-service model is an inefficient one and should be replaced by a value-based approach, according to Dr. Troyen Brennan and adjunct professor …

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EP 929 Homelessness Remains A National Problem. Do We Have a Solutions?

EP 929 Homelessness Remains A National Problem. Do We Have a Solutions?

 America has had a federal policy described as housing first when dealing with those persons who have no roof over the head and live on the streets.  It is multifaceted problem which requires a bundle of services to help people get their lives in a better place.  And while affordable housing is a big problem …

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EP 928 What Innovations Can Enhance School Performance?

EP 928 What Innovations Can Enhance School Performance?

Seventy years after Brown vs. Board of Education and the movement to promote educational equality, race and class remain the most reliable predictors of educational achievement in America.  In attempting to address this divide, school reformers have turned to solutions like charter schools, vouchers and other innovations designed to build more choice into the system.  …

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EP 926 Red Tape is Choking America’s Can-Do Spirit

EP 926 Red Tape is Choking America’s Can-Do Spirit

 Frustration with government is widespread, but neither party has a vision for making things work sensibly, according to our guest, Philip K. Howard, the chair of Common Good, a nonpartisan organization aimed at simplifying government procedures and practices and the author of his new book, “Saving Can-Do: How to Revive the Spirit of America.”  Hidebound …

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EP 925 Rare Earth Minerals Become Key Elements in U.S.-China Competition

EP 925 Rare Earth Minerals Become Key Elements in U.S.-China Competition

 Rare earth minerals may be a misnomer.  While they are critical minerals to our modern, digital life, they are not that rare.  The problem is finding them in concentrated places where it is economically and environmentally responsible to mine them.  This group of 17 metallic elements is crucial for modern technologies due to their magnetic …

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