Today on Boston Public Radio:
Rep. Richard Neal discussed the latest updates on the next COVID-19 stimulus bill and former President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. He also weighed in on the epidemic of conspiracy theories affecting politics and spoke about his experience during the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol. Neal, a Democrat, chairs the House Ways and Means Committee and represents Massachusetts' 1st Congressional District.
Jonathan Gruber broke down how Redditors influenced the stock market by buying up GameStop stocks and explained the similarities between buying stocks and gambling. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. He was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health-care reform and the Affordable Care Act. His latest book is " Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream."
Next, we opened the phone lines to listeners to speak with Gruber about the stock market and last week’s GameStop squeeze.
Art Caplan talked about the ethics of who should be prioritized in vaccine distribution, the lack of vaccination sites in communities of color and the need to build trust with people who might hesitate to get vaccinated. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine.
Bill McKibben discussed how Biden is emphasizing climate in his executive actions and the ways some major car manufacturers like GM are following suit by increasing their production of electric cars. He also spoke about the fossil fuel industry’s decades-long practice of hiding its early research into global warming. McKibben is a contributing writer at The New Yorker, a founder of the advocacy group 350.org and the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in environmental studies at Middlebury College. He also writes The Climate Crisis, The New Yorker’s environmental newsletter. His latest book is “ Falter: Has The Human Game Begun To Play Itself Out?”
Michelle Singletary explained how government-funded “baby bonds” could be a way to achieve racial and financial equity. She also talked about the health disparities facing communities of color, the need for prison reform and the upcoming tax season. Singletary is a nationally syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, whose award-winning column, "The Color of Money," provides insight into the world of personal finance. Her recent 10-part series, “Sincerely Michelle,” breaks down enduring misconceptions involving race. She’s also the author of " The 21 Day Financial Fast."
We closed out the show by talking with listeners about their experiences with the Massachusetts vaccine rollout.
