The Ivory Tower Half Hour: Detroit’s Bankruptcy and Syracuse’s Murder Rate

 

Hosted by David Rubin, Dean of the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, this powerhouse panel of Bob Spitzer (SUNY Cortland), Tim Byrnes (Colgate University), Bob Greene (Cazenovia College), Tara Ross (Onondaga County Community College), and Kristi Andersen (Syracuse University) discuss the new face of the Detroit’s bankruptcy and Syracuse’s murder rate (although unfortunately the panel does not discuss Syracuse Truce).

Here is a description of the program:

 The panelists examine the challenge of bankruptcy facing Detroit—and perhaps Syracuse at some point down the road. They debate who was responsible for the fiscal problems and how best to dig out. Then the panelists offer advice to the Syracuse Chief of Police and the Mayor on how to combat the murder rate in the city, which is the highest for any city in the state.

 

This video runs approximately 27 minutes.

 

NPR’s Planet Money team tells the story of Suboxone, an anti-addiction drug that the government subsidized then regulated to the point that it is almost impossible for addicts to access.  To attain the anti-drug, addicts are left turning to… their drug dealers. 

Here is a description of the story: 

There’s a pill called Suboxone that treats addiction to heroin and pain pills like oxycontin. Doctors and addicts say it’s amazing.

“It was the best thing that ever happened,” one heroin addict told us. “I was like OH. MY. LORD. This is a miracle pill.”

The government spent tens of millions of dollars developing Suboxone. Doctors can prescribe it in their offices. But a lot of people who want it can’t get it from a doctor, so they have to buy it on the street.

Today on the show: Why people have to turn to drug dealers to get a pill that fights addiction.

Even More on Taxes: Donald Duck and Disney Propaganda

Planet Money recently re-aired an episode chronicling “The Surprisingly Entertaining History Of The Income Tax.” This history includes Donald Duck (above) and a dying Supreme Court Justice. To understand the Donald Duck propaganda (“Taxes to beat the Axis!”), I recommend listening the the Planet Money story first.

More on Taxes

Tax Day has come and gone, but the “celebration” continues.  NPR Planet Money team discusses those people who actually celebrate Tax Day, the recipients of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Income Tax Turns 100

With tax day coming up tomorrow, CBS Sunday Morning “celebrates” the income tax’s 100th birthday.