August 28 - Economic Patriotism as Shaming Corporate Inversion; "Boomerang Kids" of the Millennial Generation; Elite Education as Temples of Mercenary Mediocrity

Full Program

Part 1

We begin with the notion of economic patriotism and whether corporate America can be shamed into keeping their headquarters in the U.S. rather than resorting to the increasingly popular practice of corporate inversion where they move overseas to avoid paying U.S. taxes. One of the country’s leading expert on taxes, David Cay Johnston, a professor of law at Syracuse University and editor of the new anthology “Divided: The Perils of Our Growing Inequality”, joins us to discuss whether the White House can work around Congress to block the corporate tax flight, and the extent to which falling wages in the U.S. are hurting companies like McDonalds and Wal-Mart that cater to low-income consumers.

Part 2

Then we speak with James Marten, a historian at Marquette University and the editor of the Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth. We look into the phenomenon of “boomerang kids” of the millennial generation who are returning home to live with their parents because they are burdened with student debt and can’t find suitable jobs. We also discuss the relatively recent history of such a thing as childhood, since not long ago, children were primarily seen as economic assets meant to work, not be nurtured and indulged.

Part 3

Then finally we examine how our elite system of higher education is exacerbating inequality, retarding social mobility, perpetuating privilege, and creating an elite that is isolated from the society that it is supposed to lead.William Deresiewicz, a contributing writer for The Nation and contributing editor at The New Republic and The American Scholar, and author of the new book “Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life”, joins us to discuss how institutions of elite education have become temples of mercenary mediocrity.