Exercise your ears: the 36 podcasts shown below present the best ideas, information and stories from a larger group of 551 for the week, to hear while your hands and eyes are busy. Get all the files as a group here, or double (ctrl-click) individual titles to get single podcasts and explore the source. A collection of 27,030 podcasts, listed alphabetically and grouped by topic, can be downloaded piecemeal, with files A-E at this link, and the remainder here. You’ll be limited to a 4GB maximum per download at the last place, so multiple group downloads will be needed to get all files, totaling over 170GB and may take a few hours. The first entry in the collection is a text file with just titles for quicker reference. A collection of abstracts for all the podcasts is available at this link and updated quarterly. Get the discarded material, too, using a podcast aggregator loaded with this opml file of the 503 sources. And try PodcastRE from the University of Wisconsin with over 150,000 titles. Exercise your ears and relax the rest.
African Economic Transparency 210 mins – “With the goal of improving the management of oil, gas, and mineral revenues, curbing corruption, and fighting inequality, African countries—like Ghana, Kenya, Guinea, and Liberia—are stepping up their efforts to support good governance in resource-dependent countries. Long-fought-for gains in transparency—including from initiatives like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)—have helped civil society and other accountability actors assess how individual oil, gas, and mining revenues are delivered or lost, and how revenues spending decisions are made. Yet the transparency revolution remains far from complete. Ongoing dependence on extractive industry revenues in many countries continues to limit the policy space for economic diversification and overall growth. At the same time, the use of national and subnational revenue distribution by elites to maintain their control over the democratic process continues to erode trust in government, constraining the political space for human rights and other accountability activists to monitor duty bearers and speak out against violations. Confidence in the quality and reliability of public data further creates challenges. In the end, greater transparency and accountability will make domestic resource mobilization more effective, leading to better economic and social outcomes for all. On October 24, the Brookings Africa Growth Initiative, alongside Oxfam, the Natural Resource Governance Institute, and Publish What You Pay, co-hosted a two-panel public event to showcase victories and lessons learned in utilizing extractive industry transparency disclosures for the wider sustainable development and economic growth agenda. The first panel featured case studies of how data has been put to use to contribute to broader policy change efforts. After a short break, a diverse set of issue experts reacted to the case studies, discussed emerging lessons, and commented on future directions for the transparency, accountability, and natural resource governance fields.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” to get the podcasts.
African Jihadism 66 mins – “Islamist-inspired radical groups in Africa have had an enduring presence on the continent despite decades of international efforts to contain and eliminate them. From the 1998 attacks against the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, to more recent insurgencies aimed at destabilizing national governments, organizations like al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, Harakat al-Shabab, Boko Haram, and others have demonstrated remarkable staying power and show few signs of abating. However, the West has not paid sufficient attention to these groups and the potential they have to disrupt the continent’s development and export violence beyond. On November 5, the Africa Security Initiative at the Brookings Institution hosted an event to discuss these issues and their importance for contemporary discussions about security on the African continent.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Algeria Protests 90 mins– “In April 2019, Algerians ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, becoming the fifth Arab country to topple a president since 2011. Though successfully deposing the head of state, the protests continue today, with citizens taking to the streets to call for systemic regime change. The military begrudgingly endorsed the protesters’ demands to oust Bouteflika, but has since attempted to manage the transition, seemingly to preserve its interests. What are the military’s interests? And what are the demands of the protesters? On July 17, the Foreign Policy program at Brookings hosted a panel discussion on the results of a survey conducted in Algeria of over 9,000 protesters and military personnel. Brookings visiting fellow and co-author of the paper, Sharan Grewal, presented the findings of the survey. Following his remarks, he was joined by former U.S. Ambassador to Algeria Robert Ford and Alexis Arieff of the Congressional Research Service in a discussion moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow Tamara Cofman Wittes. Following the discussion, the panelists answered questions from the audience.” At the link right-click “audio only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Algorithm Bias Control 75 mins – “The private and public sectors are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence systems and machine learning algorithms to automate decisionmaking processes. As a result, algorithms are becoming more sophisticated and pervasive tools in society. But what happens when algorithmic decisionmaking falls short of our expectations? Given that public policies may not be sufficient to identify, mitigate, and remedy these harms, a credible framework is needed to reduce unequal treatment and avoid disparate impacts on certain protected groups. On May 22, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a discussion on algorithmic bias featuring expert speakers. The event started with remarks from former hedge-fund quant, mathematician, and author Cathy O’Neil, whose acclaimed book, “Weapons of Math Destruction,” outlines the consequences of opaque, black-box algorithms. Following her remarks, a panel discussed a newly released Brookings paper around algorithmic bias detection and mitigation. The paper offers government, technology, and industry leaders a set of public policy recommendations, self-regulatory best practices, and consumer-focused strategies—all of which promote the fair and ethical deployment of these technologies.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Autonomous Cars 246 mins tot.- “Hardly a day passes without some news about autonomous transportation. Apple, Uber, Waymo, Tesla, Ford, GM, Toyota – it seems as if every automotive and tech company has its horse in the race to bring driverless cars to the United States. And for good reason: driver error is a major cause of automotive deaths in America. But, safety is only one potential upside to autonomous vehicles. Traffic efficiencies, environmental benefits, and the potential for shorter commute times have all been touted as benefits. On July 25 at the Brookings Institution hosted a full-day conference on how connecting vehicles to smart infrastructure will transform the future of transportation. Panelists at “Autonomous cars: Science, technology, and policy” discussed a specific type of autonomy: infrastructure-enabled autonomous vehicles. Engineers, researchers, economists, and government officials provided a realistic outlook on the current state of driverless cars.” At the link right-click “audio only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Child Welfare 100 mins – “On Wednesday, May 29, Princeton University and the Brookings Institution released the latest volume of “The Future of Children”—a journal that promotes effective, evidence-based policies and programs for children, along with a policy brief titled “Achieving Broad-Scale Impacts for Social Programs.” This volume, titled “Universal Approaches to Promoting Healthy Development,” explores universal social programs designed to serve entire communities as they move toward achieving population impact in reducing child maltreatment, strengthening parental capacity, and improving infant health and development. Following an overview of the latest journal volume and the accompanying policy brief, Cynthia Osborne, Associate Dean for Academic Strategies at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, gave keynote remarks and examine the home visiting landscape. Presentations then highlighted the Family Connects program and give an overview of the First 5 LA program in Los Angeles County. The event concluded with an expert panel discussion moderated by Ron Haskins, a Senior Editor of the volume and the Co-Director of the Center on Children and Families at the Brookings Institution.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Childhood Poverty 123 mins – “As of 2015, 9.6 million American children lived in households with incomes below the poverty line. A multitude of evidence suggests that a lack of adequate economic resources within families compromises children’s abilities to develop, adversely affecting future outcomes for children and society as a whole. Recognizing this challenge to America’s future, the U.S. Congress recently asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct a comprehensive study of child poverty in the United States and to identify evidence-based programs and policies for halving the number of children living in poverty within 10 years. NASEM appointed a committee with expertise in economics, psychology, cognitive science, public policy, education, sociology, and pediatrics to conduct the study and issue a report. On May 9, the Brookings Institution hosted an event to discuss the subsequent report, “A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty.” The event featured comments from Greg Duncan, who served as Chair of the Committee on Building an Agenda to Reduce the Number of Children in Poverty by Half in 10 Years, as well as a panel discussion on the report, its recommendations, and barriers to implementation. A second panel highlighted national and state policy perspectives of the consensus study report.” At the link right-click “audio only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
China and Russia Adversaries 93 mins – ““Great power competition” has returned to the terminology of U.S. strategists, but its implications for defense policy are still not fully understood. While America’s technological edge and willingness to use force in defense of allies deter conflict in Eastern Europe and the Western Pacific, Russia and China seek to erode U.S. advantages, particularly close to their territory, making the prospect of employing force against great powers an increasingly risky proposition. How could a conflict with either Russia or China play out in this evolving security environment—and crucially, will the United States be ready for such a scenario? On June 3, Brookings hosted a panel discussion exploring possible conflict scenarios with Russia and China, what tools the United States will need to offset Russian and Chinese strategy and capabilities, and how worried policymakers should be about America’s ability to stand by its vital alliance commitments.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Chinese Technology Trends 62 mins – “Recent years have witnessed an expansion of China’s influence, both within the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. On Thursday, May 9, Foreign Policy at Brookings hosted Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) for a discussion on the implications of China’s growing global role for American foreign policy and national security. The event launched a new Foreign Policy at Brookings initiative, “Global China: Assessing China’s Growing Role in the World.” The project utilizes original and in-depth research to provide the public and policymakers with a new baseline for evaluating the implications of China’s actions on the world stage. Senator Warner, a leading voice in the policy space, who has sponsored bipartisan legislation to counter technology-based threats from foreign powers and to protect American technological competitiveness, delivered remarks on several key issues that he sees as defining the future of U.S. policy toward China.” At the link right-click “Download the audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Economic Issues 117 mins – “Alan Krueger, a Princeton University labor economist and a former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, had a significant impact on American economic policy and economic research on issues ranging from the effect of higher minimum wages to the determinants of happiness to the origins of terrorism to the market for music. Krueger died in March 2019 at age 58. On June 26, the Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy at Brookings and the Economic Policy Institute celebrated Krueger’s work and its implications for current issues in economic policy.”At the link right-click “audio only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Employee Training 4 hrs 18 mins total – “Unfilled jobs, low labor force participation, and declining economic mobility suggest education systems are struggling to equip workers with the skills employers demand. In a time of rapid technological change, how can private and public sector leaders join together with the education community to build more resilient people and places? On May 21, 2019, the Center for Universal Education and the Future of the Middle Class Initiative at Brookings co-hosted a symposium titled “Building the workforce of the future: Resilient people and places.” Policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and thought leaders from the government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors convened to discuss education and economic development strategies that can provide locally relevant solutions to enhance economic and social mobility.” At the link are five sessions that can be downloaded. Right-click “audio only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Family Planning 231 mins – “Nearly half of the 6.1 million yearly pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. These unplanned pregnancies, whether unwanted or mistimed, can create negative outcomes for children and families. In recent years, greater access to birth control, particularly the more effective types of birth control known as long-acting, reversible contraception (LARCs), have empowered women to only have children if, when, and with whom they want. Several states and organizations have been trailblazers in increasing the availability of family planning information and access to the full range of contraceptive methods, so that women can make the best decisions for themselves and their families. Such access will be more important than ever should restrictions on abortion become more prevalent in the future. On June 24, the Future of the Middle Class Initiative hosted an event marking the release of a new report by Brookings Senior Fellow Isabel Sawhill and Senior Research Assistant Katherine Guyot. The event featured former Governor Jack Markell, who led the path-breaking efforts in Delaware to reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancies. The panels that followed focus on state experiences and efforts, new approaches to reducing unplanned pregnancies, and what the research says about their success.” At the link right-click “audio only” to get the podcast.
Heart Research 54 mins – “Conventional wisdom about heart disease was upended twice within a few short months this year. First, the longstanding recommendation urging just about everyone over 50 to take a daily low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks was tossed out. Then, we discovered that many people who need to have a heart valve replaced can avoid the rigors of open-heart surgery in favor of a much less invasive technique called transcatheter aortic valve replacement. With the emerging role of artificial intelligence, precision medicine, tissue engineering, and new technologies being implemented in cardiology, it’s hard to keep up. What else is shifting in our approach to preventing heart disease, or treating it when it occurs?” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Hospital Trends 135 mins – “The Affordable Care Act called for CMS to reduce payment updates for inpatient hospital care on the basis of anticipated productivity gains. But since 2014, Medicare margins have been declining and are now in negative territory. However, overall hospital margins have been healthy and stable as the gap between private insurer payment rates and Medicare rates has grown. On June 25, 2019, the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy hosted a conference on hospital productivity trends and their implications for Medicare policy on hospital payment rate updates. The event consisted of a presentation on the established literature on hospital productivity, followed by two expert reactions, and a panel to discuss the policy implications of these trends and possible changes in policy.” At the link right-click “audio only” to get the podcast.
Housing in DC Area 86 mins – “Across the Capital Region, housing affordability is a growing concern. Between 2010 and 2017, the region added almost twice as many people as housing units. This dwindling housing supply relative to population is a substantial concern for the economic vitality of the region. Where will the Capital Region’s growing population live? How can policy yield housing that is affordable to people of all incomes? On May 20, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and George Washington University’s Center for Washington Area Studies (CWAS) co-hosted an event to discuss housing growth and affordability in the Capital Region. The event started with the presentation of a new report by CWAS Director Leah Brooks. An expert panel discussed what local governments, developers, and affordable housing advocates can do to make sure the region meets the housing needs of all its residents.” At the link right-click “audio only” then right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Indian Politics 92 mins – “With nearly 900 million eligible voters, this year’s general elections in India represent the largest democratic exercise in history. On May 23, after a complex, six-week long election process, Indians will learn the outcome of their votes. Will incumbent Narendra Modi be reelected as prime minister? Will there be a drastic shift in the makeup of Parliament? Whatever the results, given India’s sheer size, its influence in the global economy, and its growing role in the regional and world order, the impact of these elections will be felt well beyond India’s borders. On May 24, The India Project at Brookings hosted a panel of experts to discuss in depth the general election results. They assessed the results and what the seat and vote shares tell us about voter preferences. The panel also explored the likely contours of the new government and its policy priorities. Finally, they discussed the potential impact of the election results on Indian economic and foreign policy, including U.S.-India relations.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Information Sharing 150 mins – “Events like the Edward Snowden leaks, massive data breaches, and the Cambridge Analytica scandal have increased awareness of the data we generate from our devices and our daily lives. We have visibility into some of this data use; social media is very much in the spotlight, and users often wonder what personal information accounts for the advertisements that they are served online. But much less is known about other ways that personal information is collected and shared to support e-commerce, cloud services, business planning, and research of all kinds. On June 27, as part of its ongoing focus on the privacy debate, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a public discussion on these information-sharing systems, exploring the ways they operate as well as the individual, societal, and business interests at stake. Following opening remarks, two panels of experts took up different aspects of these systems, and how the interests involved should be addressed as Congress considers federal privacy legislation.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Innovation 30 mins – “We’re in a time of discovery when it comes to teaching. There’s a budding field called the science of teaching and learning, where scholars are figuring out what works when it comes to educating students. But there’s a challenge in getting those findings to folks at the front of the classroom. A new book, “Learning Innovation and the Future of Higher Education,” looks at how to create systems that apply the science of learning into actual teaching. It focuses on colleges, but it has something to say to educators at all grade levels. The authors are Joshua Kim, Dartmouth College’s director of online programs and strategy, and Eddie Maloney, executive director of Georgetown University’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship. We connected with the pair recently to talk about their vision of how higher ed can change in a way that they say works with, rather than against, educators.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Khashoggi Murder Investigation 74 mins – “Perhaps the most shocking episode of repression in Saudi Arabia’s recent history is the brutal and bizarre murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and columnist for the Washington Post, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. Two weeks ago, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, issued a report on Khashoggi’s murder based on a six-month investigation, including access to recordings of events inside the consulate provided by the Turkish government. Her detailed report offers both findings and recommendations to the international community to enable accountability for this murder and the violations of international law and norms it presents. On July 2, Callamard discussed her report in detail in an event hosted by the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings. Joining Callamard were Tamara Cofman Wittes, senior fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy and Ted Piccone, nonresident senior fellow in Security and Strategy. Following the discussion, the panelists answered questions from the audience.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Learning Innovation 30 mins – “We’re in a time of discovery when it comes to teaching. There’s a budding field called the science of teaching and learning, where scholars are figuring out what works when it comes to educating students. But there’s a challenge in getting those findings to folks at the front of the classroom. A new book, “Learning Innovation and the Future of Higher Education,” looks at how to create systems that apply the science of learning into actual teaching. It focuses on colleges, but it has something to say to educators at all grade levels. The authors are Joshua Kim, Dartmouth College’s director of online programs and strategy, and Eddie Maloney, executive director of Georgetown University’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship. We connected with the pair recently to talk about their vision of how higher ed can change in a way that they say works with, rather than against, educators.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Middle Class Housing 2 hrs 12 mins total – “Over the past decade, housing costs in the United States have risen faster than incomes. While housing affordability has long been a problem for low-income families, middle-income families are increasingly facing affordability challenges, especially in urban areas with strong labor markets. How do current housing policies help – or harm – the well-being of middle-class families? On May 8, Brookings’s Future of the Middle Class Initiative and the Center on Regulation and Markets hosted an event to explore how policy can help reduce housing stress on the middle class. The event started with the presentation of a new report by Brookings Fellow Jenny Schuetz. California State Senator Scott Wiener, sponsor of Senate Bill 50, also known as the “More Homes Act,” gave the keynote address. Expert panels then discussed zoning reforms and tax policies related to housing.” At the link right-click “audio only” for Part 1 and part 2 to get both podcasts.
Militia Impact 89 mins – “Militia groups have become an increasing feature of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Often sponsored by rival outside powers, they have profound impact on local stability, internal politics, humanitarian access, and economic development, as well as on regional security and geopolitics. In Iraq, such paramilitary groups have mobilized and, in some cases, remobilized to counter the Islamic State (IS). Yet, even after territorial control was wrestled away from IS, the political and economic power of Al Hashd al-Shaabi, as the paramilitary groups are known in Arabic, has continued to grow. During the spring of 2019 tension between the United States and Iran, Iraq’s paramilitary groups became a key flashpoint. In Lebanon, Hezbollah, too, has been at the epicenter of regional rivalries and counterterrorism. And in Libya, infighting among the country’s militias has plunged the country into another phase of civil war. On June 28, the Brookings Institution hosted a panel conversation on the impact of militias in MENA and ways to address the paramilitary groups with Brookings Senior Fellows Shadi Hamid and Vanda Felbab-Brown; Richard E. Behrman Professor of Child Health and Society at Stanford University Paul Wise; Brookings John C. Whitehead Visiting Fellow in International Diplomacy Jeffrey Feltman; and Senior Fellow Suzanne Maloney, who moderated the event.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Organ Donation 12 mins – “With a clear understanding of his terminal prognosis, W.B. wanted to donate his organs before he died — but the legal and ethical hurdles proved insurmountable. In Canada, where medical assistance in dying is now legal, some patients are able to fulfill this last wish.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pensions 4 mins – “The Municipal Finance Conference aims to bring together academics, practitioners, issuers, and regulators to discuss recent research on municipal capital markets and state and local fiscal issues. This year’s conference is a joint venture of The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at Brookings, the Rosenberg Institute of Global Finance at the Brandeis International Business School, the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, and the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. The 2019 conference took place on July 15-16, 2019. Brookings hosted the bulk of the program, but the cocktail hour and dinner keynote on the evening of July 15 took place at the nearby Capital Hilton.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Policing 88 mins – “Policing in America has been criticized greatly over the past several years by the general public, politicians, and the media. Most of these criticisms have centered on the increase in officer-involved shootings, particularly involving Black Americans. Policy solutions to improve police-civilian relations, increase trust in policing, and reduce officer-involved shootings have centered on implicit bias trainings, virtual reality technology to improve decision-making, the advent of data science, extra equipment such as body-worn cameras, more transparency, and harsher officer sanctions. With increased scrutiny, however, there has been little direct attention on the experience of police officers as policy changes are being implemented. On October 25, Governance Studies, the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative, and the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted an event that focused more acutely on police officers and their daily experiences. Expert panelists addressed the strengths and weaknesses of data science and technological enhancements for the policing profession, the mental health of police officers, and policies to advance community policing, improve officer well-being, and reduce officer-involved shootings.” At the link right-click “download the audio” to get the podcast.
Racial Stereotypes 87 mins – “Narratives of race and poverty often interact in a toxic way for young people of color in the United States. Stereotyped as lazy or dangerous, young people of color frequently encounter economic, social, educational, and personal security challenges that diminish their opportunities and are barriers to their success. On October 23, the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative at Brookings hosted a discussion with two 2019 Teachers of the Year on how they have been working to upend the pernicious impact of these toxic narratives and empower their students to thrive.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” to get the podcast.
Retirement 118 mins – “The U.S. Department of Labor is proposing to change the legal standards for those providing investment advice to retirement accounts. The department has proposed to limit the conflicts of interests that some advisors face when they receive differential compensation for recommending certain investment products over others. Notably, DOL has proposed making such advisors legally liable (fiduciaries) for the advice they provide, which would limit the conflicts of interest they would face. As more and more American households are being expected to provide for their own retirement, rather than being able to rely on traditional pension plans, these issues are increasingly important. Supporters of the proposed “best interest” standard argue that conflicts of interest have been shown to undermine savers’ retirement assets and must be addressed, and that low-balance investors may be better served by signing up for low-cost, model-based advice that is not conflicted. Many in the investment industry, however, believe that the Labor Department’s proposed rules are unworkable, that conflicts of interest do not present challenges for savers, and that the proposed changes could make it harder and more expensive for low-balance savers to be able to afford the professional guidance they need. On Friday, October 16, the Brookings Initiative on Business and Public Policy hosted an event exploring these issues. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez gave the keynote address, and was joined by two panels of experts from industry, think tanks, and consumer advocates.” At the link you can listen to two panels, but not download them; however, a copy of the first panel is included in this blog archive.
Russia Investigation 84 mins – “Since being removed from his position as the general counsel of the FBI, Jim Baker has maintained a public silence about the Russia investigation, the president’s tweets about him, and the president’s behavior both toward Russia and toward the FBI. Baker, who spent six months as a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and Lawfare and is now the director of national security and cybersecurity at the R Street Institute, kept quiet out of deference to the Mueller investigation and the desire not to discuss pending investigative matters with national security implications. Now, however, the Mueller investigation is finished, Mueller’s report is out, and the House of Representatives has released transcripts of hours of interview that Baker did with congressional oversight committees. Baker is now ready to tell his story. On May 10, the Brookings Institution hosted a public conversation between Baker and Brookings Senior Fellow Benjamin Wittes. The conversation, which served as a live recording of the Lawfare Podcast, covered how the FBI thought about the Russia investigation in those fateful months both before and after the president fired FBI Director James Comey. How did the president’s conduct toward the bureau impact the institution? How did it affect career public servants like Baker? And how does Baker feel now about the president and his conduct after reading the Mueller report?” At the link right-click “Download the audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Wealth Gap 90 mins – “White college graduates have over seven times more wealth than black college graduates and nearly four times more wealth than Latino college graduates. White single parents have roughly two times more wealth than two-parent black and Latino households. Rather than education, family structure, or conspicuous consumption, scholars point to historic policies (e.g., Homestead Act, GI Bill, Social Security) that have excluded minorities from having similar wealth-building opportunities as white individuals. Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests that discrimination and structural racism are among contemporary drivers that prevent minority communities from obtaining equitable housing loans, adequate neighborhood resources (such as grocery stores and healthcare services), and access to jobs and education. A series of policy solutions including student loan forgiveness, universal basic income, federal job guarantee, baby bonds, and reparations have been presented as potential solutions. On June 3, Governance Studies at Brookings cohosted an event with Contexts Magazine, featuring an expert panel that discussed the causes, consequences, and policy solutions to the racial wealth gap.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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