Guns, Gluten, and the GOP

Guns and Laws (1:03) Guest: Robert Spitzer, Ph. D., distinguished service Professor and chair of the Political Science Department at SUNY Cortland  Gun laws are Top of Mind today. Funerals were held this week for the victims of two separate mass shootings that took place within the span of 7 days – one at a military recruiting center in Chattanooga, the other in a movie theater in Louisiana. That last one happened just hours after President Barack Obama said this in an interview with the BBC:   “The one area where I feel that I've been most frustrated and most stymied it is the fact that the United States of America is the one advanced nation on earth in which we do not have sufficient common-sense, gun-safety laws.”  Louisiana, Chattanooga, Charleston, Newtown, Aurora  - each time someone with a gun kills multiple people and captures national attention, the debate over gun laws in America flares up. One side argues we need stricter gun laws to be safe. The other side argues that safety lies in allowing more Americans to arm themselves in self-defense.  Political scientist Robert Spitzer says the one thing you can count on in this debate is that nothing’s likely to change.   Gluten Myths (21:03) Guest: Bana Jabri, M.D., Ph. D., Director of Research at the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center  Seems like every restaurant menu I see these days has a few “gluten free options.” Grocery store aisles have entire shelves dedicated to people steering clear of the protein found in wheat, barley and rye. I’ve noticed the gluten-free products often appear in the health food category of the store.  That subtlety may explain why as many as one in three Americans tries to avoid gluten. The number of people for whom gluten is actually a medical problem – Celiac Disease is what it’s called – is also four times more common than it was just 50 years ago. What’s going on with gluten?  Political Polarization (33:52) Guest: Carroll Doherty, Director of Political Research at the Pew Research Center  The Pew Research Center recently uncovered a new wrinkle in the story of America’s polarized political climate: while Republicans and Democrats are farther apart than they’ve been in decades, Republicans have lately been a little less bullish on their own party.  American Heritage: Our Republic (51:43) Guest: Grant Madsen, Ph. D., BYU History Professor  Grant Madsen returns for our recurring segment with Marcus Smith, “American Heritage.” This time, they discuss the nature of the American Republic.  Correct Diagnoses (1:15:05) Guest: Danielle Ofri, M.D., Ph. D., Doctor at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and author of “What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine”  When you’re at the doctor, it’s all about how you feel right? That’s what you’re there to convey: “I hurt here.” “I feel weak.” “I’m worried this might be serious.” As you sit in that small exam room across from the doctor, has it ever crossed your mind to be concerned how he or she feels? I doubt it. But maybe it should.  Revising No Child Left Behind (1:29:12) Guest: Vern Henshaw, Ph. D., Superintendent of the Alpine School District in Utah  The much-maligned federal education act called “No Child Left Behind” is as close as it’s ever been to official retirement. Both the US House and Senate have passed bills to revise – or effectively replace  - No Child Left Behind. They’re now in the arduous process of reconciling differences in the two versions of the bill. What they share in common is a move to scale back the federal government’s role in public education.  In the 14 years since No Child Left Behind became law during the George W. Bush administration, it has been criticized for creating a legacy of “test, blame and punish.” But it has also made it more difficult for schools to mask gaps in achievement between high and low-income students, whites and minorities.