#7 Fix It Shorts: Why Trump Won. What Should Happen Next?

We recorded this the day after the stunning U.S. Presidential election. This show is our attempt to explain the reasons for Donald Trump's win.

Despite his deeply divisive rhetoric and attacks on Muslims and undocumented Mexican immigrants that deeply offended many voters, Trump emerged victorious.

We examine why Trump won the election but also solutions and takeaways from his surprise victory.

Solutions:

  • Infrastructure: Large parts of America feel overlooked. One solution is investing in infrastructure, which would increase productivity and create more jobs.

  • Reform business regulation: “It’s a lot harder to enter a new occupation than it should be,” said Michael Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute. How can we fix that? We can reform occupational licensing laws which have increased five-times in the past sixty years. These laws make it especially hard for people without a college degree to change careers.

  • Congress should meet before the new Administration takes office and discuss bipartisan reform, including taxes, trade, infrastructure and justice reform.

  • Americans who are deeply distressed by the election can commit themselves to constructive change where they live, volunteering and rebuilding the public square.

  • We need a civility revolution: stop vilifying people you disagree with. Let's heal our divided nation one conversation at a time.

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#69 Migrants and Refugees: Our Response to a Global Crisis. Leonard Doyle

Too often, migrants and refugees are viewed as "other" - not like us. In recent days Donald Trump Jr. compared the Syrian refugee problem to a bowl of Skittles

In this episode, Leonard Doyle of the International Organization for Migration walks us through the worldwide crisis of tens of millions of displaced people, from families fleeing from war and terrorism to young men and women who overstay their visas in search of a better life. We look at the definitions of these terms - so often glossed over in our discussions of the crisis.

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#67 How Gratitude Can Transform Your Life - Janice Kaplan

On New Year's Eve, journalist and former Parade Editor-in-Chief Janice Kaplan made a promise to herself to be grateful during the coming year and look on the bright side of whatever happens.

As we find out in this episode, it made a big difference to her life. Janice discovered that how she feels has less to do with events than with her own attitude and perspective on life.

Her recent book "The Gratitude Diaries" began after a survey she had done found that 94% of Americans thought people who are grateful live richer lives. But less than half those surveyed say they practiced gratitude on any regular basis.

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#65 Moms Clean Air Force: Gretchen Dahlkemper

From "nap-time activists" and mommy bloggers to a "stroller march" on Washington, Moms Clean Air Force is using creative and highly effective ways to advance their cause to get dangerous pollutants out of the air.

In this "How Do We Fix It?" episode we speak about solutions with the group's National Field Director, Gretchen Dahlkemper, a Pennsylvania mom who became an activist - fired up about the threat to her children's health. Her daughter has asthma. So for her, this campaign is personal.

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