COVID-19 Recession, Socialism in America, Cigarettes

Will the Coronavirus Pandemic Spark a Global Recession? (0:31) Guest: Josh Bivens, Director of Research, Economic Policy Institute The economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic are expanding hourly, as more countries restrict travel, businesses and universities close or urge people to work from home and large gatherings get cancelled – the NBA, NHL have even suspended their seasons. A week ago, economist Josh Bivens warned that if COVID-19 prompts a recession, it’ll happen fast. Are we there now? RecycleHealth Sends Unused Health Devices to Underserved Communities for Free (21:00) Guest: Lisa Gualtieri, PhD, Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Founder Of RecycleHealth Fitness trackers are so common, you probably have one on your wrist right now, or else it’s gathering dust in a drawer somewhere because you lost interest after a few months. That happens so often that a Tufts University public health researcher created a nonprofit to gather abandoned Fitbits and smart watches and give them new homes. Why Is Socialism No Longer Such a Bad Word in American Society? (32:42) Guest: Professor Richard D. Wolff, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Author of "Understanding Socialism" The most famous socialist in America is staying in the presidential race for now – even though Bernie Sanders is trailing Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. Technically, Bernie Sanders says he’s a “Democratic Socialist.” What does that actually mean, and why do his policies seem to resonate so well with young voters, when “socialism” has been a bad word in America for so long? How Grassroots Activists Turned America Against Smoking (50:45) Guest: Sarah Milov, PhD, Assistant Professor of History, University of Virginia, Author of “The Cigarette: A Political History” If you look at smoking trends in America starting in the 1960s, the line goes steadily downward. In 1964, nearly half of Americans smoked. Today only 14 percent of adults do. What changed? Now it’d be easy to assume that after a historic declaration by the US Surgeon General, the whole US government got busy discouraging smoking. But actually, the opposite is true. For the next 40 years, the federal government continued to subsidize tobacco production and offer little help at all to the non-smoking movement. As historian Sarah Milov argues in her new book, “The Cigarette,” the only reason smoking today is banned in public places and considered socially unacceptable is because grassroots activists organized for it – against the most powerful political forces in the nation. Consumer Group Warns CBD Products Are Largely Unregulated (1:26:28) Guest: Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumer League A component of marijuana called cannabidiol – or CBD – can be legally sold in nearly every state, but the Food and Drug Administration has admitted it’s a little behind here in terms of deciding how it should be regulate CBD – is it a drug or a supplement? In a recent report to Congress, the FDA expressed concerns about the potential safety risks posed by all of the creams, soaps, supplements and foods containing CBD that are currently for sale. The National Consumer League is urging the FDA to get more involved with the testing, labeling and researching CBD products.