Tag Archives: Poverty and Wealth

Scholars’ Circle – Election issues of Tariff on imports and Childcare affecting Economy and Workforce – October 20, 2024

“the most beautiful word in the English language is tariff.” That is a direct quote from former President and current Republican candidate for President Donald Trump. On most issues that involve funding, when the former President is asked how he intends to pay for a proposal, his response is to increase tariffs. In 2018 the US initiated a round a tariffs and a trade war with China. And after his election in 2020, President Biden has left most of the tariffs in place and increased tariffs in other areas. So what are tariffs and what are their impact on the US economy? Who pays them? What is their effect on the one issue that most Americans use to define economic health—inflation. And what do the two candidates propose as the future of US tariff policy following the 2024 elections. [ dur: 38mins. ]

For many Americans, the cost of child care is a significant challenge to parents returning to the job market. And this has a particular importance to working women, who are traditionally expected to be the children’s primary care giver. According to the US Census Bureau child care prices for a single child ranged from $4,810 a year for school-age home-based care in small counties to $15,417 for infant center-based care in very large counties. When adjusted for inflation, this equals between $5,357 and $17,171 in 2022 dollars. These price ranges were equivalent to between 8% and 19.3% of median family income per child in paid care. And while the number is increasingly, only 13% of American corporations offer onsite child care. What can be done to control the cost of child care? What does this increased cost mean for women’s ability to work? And what should the US government do to increase access to child care across the nation? [ dur: 20mins. ]

This program is produced by Ankine Aghassian, Doug Becker and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Global Arms Trade -/- Poverty, Inequality and Social Mobility – February 11, 2018

First, a look into the murky world of the global arms trade and its cost to society, democracy and security. Andrew Feinstein ( link to his wiki page ) is author of The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade and Corruption Watch [ dur: 28 mins. ]

Then on the Scholars’ Circle, we look at poverty, inequality, and social mobility – both here in the U.S. and worldwide. [ dur: 30 mins. ]

  • Lane Kenworthy ( wiki page ) is a Professor of Sociology & Political Science at University of Arizona. He is the author of Progress For the Poor.
  • David A. Smith is a Professor of Sociology at UC Irvine. He is the author of Third World City.
  • Gregory Clark is Professor & Chair, Department of Economics, UC Davis. He is the author of Farewell To Alms.

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.

Scholars’ Circle – Genes, Culture and Prospect of humanity -/- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. remembered – January 15, 2017

Is humanity outgrowing planet? We get insight from Bing professor of population studies at Stanford University, Paul R. Ehrlich.[ dur: 28 mins. ]

While much of the country remembers Martin Luther King, Jr. as primarily a leader of civil rights and desegregation and a great orator, our next guests say he stood for so much more. Many aspects of his life, legacy & philosophy remain either unknown or conveniently forgotten. This interview from January, 2014. [ dur: 30 mins.]

Find books authored by our guest scholars on this Book Shelf .

This program is produced with generous contribution from Ankine Aghassian, Melissa Chiprin, Tim Page, Mike Hurst and Sudd Dongre.