>> IT'S TIME FOR IVORY TOWER'S YEAR-IN-REVIEW.

STICK AROUND TO HEAR WHAT THE PROFESSORS PICKED AS SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER'S YEAR-IN-REVIEW.

I'M BARBARA FOUGHT, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

OUR PANEL OF PROFESSORS TONIGHT INCLUDES NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY AND HER COLLEAGUE AT COLGATE, CHAD SPARBER.

BEN BAUGHMAN IS FROM GANNON UNIVERSITY.

AND FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TARA ROSS.

PANEL AS I REVIEWED THE PAST YEAR, I REALIZED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST FULL YEAR WE'VE BEEN OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

IT WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED OVER IN LATE 2022, ALTHOUGH THE VIRUS IS STILL AROUND TO A LESSER DEGREE, I FOUND MYSELF MANY TIMES THIS PAST YEAR TALKING ABOUT SOCIETAL OR LIFESTYLE CHANGES AND ATTRIBUTING IT TO THE PANDEMIC.

SOME GOOD, SOME NOT SO GOOD.

SO, NINA, HOW IS OUR POST PANDEMIC WORLD DIFFERENT?

>> IT'S DIFFERENT PRIMARILY IN TERMS OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR CONNECTIONS BY WAY OF USING VIRTUAL PLATFORMS, WHICH CERTAINLY HAVE THEIR PROs AND CONS.

THEY PROVIDE FOR LOWER COSTS, REDUCE COSTS IN TERMS OF TRAVEL AND IN-PERSON GATHERINGS AND THEY REACH ACROSS A VARIETY OF PLACES, EVERYTHING FROM WORK AND PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS TO EVEN MEDICAL AND THERAPY APPOINTMENTS AND ALSO BIBLE CLASS AS WELL EVEN BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS.

THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATED MY OLDEST SISTER'S 75th BIRTHDAY ON ZOOM; HOWEVER, THERE IS ALSO A DOWNSIDE BECAUSE THIS INCREASED RELIANCE ON VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS HAS COME AT A TIME WHEN THE CDC AND ALSO THE INSTITUTES FOR HEALTH HAVE DOCUMENTED A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN SOCIAL ISOLATION AND THERE IS SOMETHING VERY VALUABLE ABOUT HUMAN INTERACTION AND CONNECTIONS.

AND WHILE WE HAVE THE EXPEDIENCY OF VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS, WE SHOULD FIND A WAY TO REDISCOVER AND REDEFINE OUR HUMAN CONNECTIONS.

>> MEAN THEY NINA TOLD MY ANGLE.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, ALL GREAT MINDS... >> I WAS GOING CITE THE AMERICA'S LONELINESS EPIDEMIC WHICH WAS ON THE RISE BEFORE COVID AND COVID ACCELERATED IT AND IT HAS ALL THESE MASSIVE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS IN TERMS OF RISKS FOR HEART DISEASE STROKE AND DEMENTIA.

WHERE DO ADULTS MAKE FRIENDS?

IT'S HARD FOR ADULTS TO MAKE FRIENDS.

THERE IS A WHOLE BIT OF ADULT MEN DON'T MAKE FRIENDS, THEY HAVE THE HUSBANDS OF THEIR WIVES FRIENDS.

AND WE NEED A PLAY DATE MADE FOR US.

BUT WORK IS A BIG PART OF THAT, RIGHT?

AND SO YOU ARE NOT MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS AT HOME.

IF YOU ARE DOING WORK FROM HOME, THE ATLANTIC ARGUED IT IS SIMPLY UNDENIABLE THAT REMOTE WORK LEADS TO LONELINESS SO WHEN I RAIL AGAINST REMOTE WORK KINDS OF POLICIES, IT'S NOT JUST THE LOSS OF PRODUCTIVITY, WHICH IS HUGE.

BUT ALSO THE LOSS IN SOCIAL CONNECTIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT AND LONELINESS IS TERRIBLE.

>> I MEAN WE ARE SOCIAL BEINGS BY NATURE SO THAT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS WERE GREATLY DIMINISHED OVER THE FOUR YEARS OF JUST CONSTANT ISOLATION AND BEING SEPARATED BY LOVED ONES.

BUT ALSO NOT ONLY THAT, DIRECTLY TO BOTH POINTS: NOT INTERACTING WITH THE FRIENDS WE ALREADY HAD, LET ALONE IF WE HAD TO RELOCATE FOR A JOB OR FIGURE LIKE THAT AND TRYING TO MAKE CONNECTIONS.

THERE IS DEFINITELY A LEARNING CURVE OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, HOW DO YOU MEET SOMEBODY NEW AGAIN?

BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THAT FOR FOUR YEARS IN PERSON AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

AND IT REALLY STRUCK ME.

WE HAD A CLUB HOLIDAY EVENT AND HAD SOME FRESHMEN IN THERE AND THEIR ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE WAS IN ISOLATION.

>> SO SURELY AN IMPACT ON EDUCATION.

TARA, I'M THINKING THAT THERE ARE SOME POSITIVES, TOO, THE ADVANCES IN HEALTHCARE AND OTHER THINGS.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

>> ABSOLUTELY THERE WERE SOME POSITIVES AND I WANT TO CONNECT TO FIRST THE INTERNET BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DID HAPPEN AND IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS, IS THAT WE BEGAN TO SEE THE ABILITY TO CONNECT VIA THE INTERNET AS NO LONGER SOMETHING THAT WAS, OKAY, IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL ISSUE, YOU PAY FOR IT.

THAT SORT OF THING, TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS NOW REALLY A PUBLIC UTILITY IN THE SAME WAY THAT GAS, LIGHTS, ET CETERA.

AND CITIES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HAD TO STEP UP AND PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THOSE.

CITIES HAVE, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF SAYING OKAY, YOU PAY FOR YOUR INTERNET, CITIES HAVE SAID OKAY WE WANT TO MAKE IT THAT EVERYONE CAN CONNECT BECAUSE CHILDREN EVERYWHERE NEEDED TO CONNECT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE POSITIVE THINGS.

WE NEEDED TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION TO SEEING THE ABILITY TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET AS SOMETHING THAT IS JUST NOW ANOTHER PUBLIC UTILITY.

IT NEEDS MORE REGULATION AND MORE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, BUT WE DO NOW HAVE THAT STEP.

ANOTHER POSITIVE THING IS WE ALSO SAW A PARTNERSHIP DEVELOP IN AN EMERGENCY BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES AND INSURANCE COMPANIES.

AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THEY SEE THAT THERE ARE TIMES-- AND DARE SAY THERE WILL BE AN ONGOING NEED-- FOR THAT TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP.

IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN QUICKER, WITH LESS SORT OF RESTRAINTED INVOLVES AND A LITTLE LESS, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE SCENES HAND WRINGING ABOUT, OKAY, I'LL GIVE YOU THIS IF YOU DO THIS.

BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP READY TO GO AT ALL TIMES.

>> I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.

>> AND THE OTHER THING THAT I SAW AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT GETS HIGHLIGHTED ENOUGH IS WE SAW OUR SCIENTISTS, FOR THE MOST PART, PUT DOWN THEIR INDIVIDUAL CONCERNS, THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, AND SAY THIS IS A NATIONAL HEALTH CRISIS.

WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY DID.

AND I DON'T THINK THEY GET ENOUGH CREDIT FOR THAT.

>> AND A BIT OF A SHIFT FROM WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR, I THINK ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED, DEPENDING ON THE PERSPECTIVE FROM WHICH YOU ARE VIEWING THIS, IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT IN THE BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS, AND CERTAINLY COMBINED WITH THE WORKER SHORTAGE, BUT ALSO THE QUIET QUITTING, SO THAT MANY OF MY FRIENDS WHO EMPLOY LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY HAVE TO NEGOTIATE IN ORDER TO GET WORKERS BACK IN THE OFFICE AND TO MAKE OTHER SORTS OF CONCESSIONS, TO ENSURE THAT THINGS GO SMOOTHLY.

BUT I'D SAY ON THE BAD SIDE, THERE IS THE IMPACT, THE LONG-TERM IMPACT-- AND NOT JUST ON TEST SCORES FOR YOUNGER FOLKS, BUT AS YOU ARE ALLUDING TO, TARA, THERE IS A LONG-TERM IMPACT ON THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW WITNESSING THE RESULTS OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE HAD VERY LIMITED INTERACTION.

WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT IN THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM.

AND AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS OR ADDRESS THAT IN SOME SORT OF WAY.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE POSITIVES, I'M SO NOT THERE.

TO ME IT'S LIKE SAYING YOU KNOW, STALLIN WAS TERRIBLE BUT THE ONE GOOD THING-- NO, THAT'S NOT A SENTENCE I'M GOING TO FINISH.

PEOPLE WERE DIEING, SUFFERING.

AND I REMAIN SUPER ANGRY ABOUT HOW KIDS WERE AFFECTED ABOUT THIS.

LIKE TOO MUCH OF THE SACRIFICE IS FALLING ON THEM AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE GENERATIONAL IMPACT.

>> IT WILL HAVE A LONG-TERM IMPACT.

LET ME MOVE US TO OUR SECOND TOPIC.

IN THE 30 YEARS I'VE LIVED HERE, I DON'T REMEMBER A YEAR WITH SO MUCH PROMISE FOR DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THIS REGION MICRON IS MOVING ALONG TOWARD BUILDING ITS $100 BILLION CHIP MANUFACTURING COMPLEX IN CLAY.

MICRON WILL BE USING THE CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH COMING FROM AN EXPANSION OF THE NANOTECH CENTER IN ALBANY.

SYRACUSE WON A NATIONAL COMPETITION TO BE DESIGNATED ALONG WITH ROCHESTER AND BUFFALO AS A NATIONAL TECH HUB.

RE-ROUTING OF I-81.

PLUS, THE ARMY ADDING 1500 NEW PERSONNEL AT FORT DRUM.

SO, BEN, ARE YOU AS HYPED UP AND OPTIMISTIC AS THE POLITICAL LEADERS ARE TOUTING?

>> I AM OPTIMISTIC.

I GREW UP IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

MY FAMILY MOVED THERE FROM OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA WHEN I WAS SEVEN AND I SAW THE BOOM AND THE GROWTH IN THAT AREA DUE TO THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK OF RALEIGH, DURHAM AND CHAPEL HILL, CARRY AND SASS BEING LOCATED THERE.

IT IS AN AFLUTED, WELL EDUCATED AREA AND VERY PROUD TO HAVE LIVED THERE AND SAW THAT IN ACTION.

>> SO SOME HOPE FROM YOU.

CHAD.

>> I THINK MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF THE BOTTOM LINE ESTIMATES, THAT THE STATE HAS PUT FORTH THAT MICRON, FOR EVERY JOB CREATED AT MICRON, THERE WILL BE 5.5 JOBS ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE.

I WOULD CALL THAT NUMBER OVERLY OPTIMISTIC.

THERE IS EXCELLENT PUBLISHED RESEARCH BY ENRICK OWE MORETTI WOULD PUT THE MULTIPLIER BETWEEN THREE OR FOUR JOBS.

A FRIEND HAS DONE WORK ON IMMIGRATION RELATED STUFF AND WOULD PUT THAT FIGURE BETWEEN 0.4-1.8 JOBS.

I'VE WORKED WITH HER ON SOME STUFF THAT WOULD PUT IT NEAR 1.3.

BUT ALL THOSE CRITICISMS ASIDE, I FELT LIKE THAT SYRACUSE.COM PIECE, THAT ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT CRITICIZING SOME OF THE NUMBERS, ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHAMEFUL HIT PIECE BECAUSE WHEN I THINK ABOUT MICRON, I THINK IT'S THE BEST BIT OF ECONOMIC NEWS THAT HAS HIT OUR AREA IN THE 20 YEARS I'VE LIVED HERE.

AND IF YOU WANT TO TEMPER THAT ENTHUSIASM, FINE.

BUT THAT ARTICLE SEEMED TO LAMENT THAT MANY OF THE JOBS WOULD BE GOING TO THE SERVICE SECTOR OR THEY WOULD BE GOING TO OUTSIDERS LIKE IMMIGRANTS, TO WHICH I SAY, YEAH, OF COURSE.

SO WHAT, BOO HOO.

LIKE THIS IS STILL GOOD NEWS.

LET'S IN THE TURN MICRON AWAY.

>> WELL YOU CAN JOKE ABOUT THE BOO HOO IF YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO IS BOO HOOING AND I THINK IN THE CASE OF THE SYRACUSE POST STANDARD ARTICLE, WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ALERT US TO WERE THE LESSONS THAT ARE TO BE DRAWN FROM THE PAST BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE HYPE ABOUT DESTINY USA THAT DID NOT REALLY HAPPEN.

AND SO MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THIS GROWTH, ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, DON'T BECOME A CASE OF THE TAIL WAG THE DOG; THAT IN FACT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD GET OUT FRONT AND ENSURE THAT WHILE THEY ARE WELCOMING, TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGES, BUT THAT THEY DON'T NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND THERE IS ONE WAY TO MEASURE THEIR IMPACT IN FINANCIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS.

BUT THERE IS ALSO THE VERY VIBRANT VALUE OF THE VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE WESCOTT NEIGHBORHOOD, TIPPERARY HILL, SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY AND OTHERS THAT MUST BE PRESERVED.

AND I'LL SAY THIS OTHER THING.

I WANT TO, YOU KNOW THERE IS AN ADAGE THAT WE'VE ALL HEARD IT, THAT A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS.

WELL, THAT ALL DEPENDS.

AND SO I WORRY ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THOSE WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS, THOSE WHO ARE UNDER EDUCATED HAVE LOW SKILL AND ARE EXTREMELY IMPOVERISHED WILL, IN FACT, BENEFIT.

AND HOPEFULLY BENEFIT BEFORE IMMIGRANTS WHO COME IN-- AND I'M NOT ANTI-IMMIGRANT, BUT CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.

AND LONG-TERM SYRACUSE RESIDENTS, WHO HAVE INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY, SHOULD BENEFIT FIRST AND FOREMOST.

>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS-- AND I DO HOPE I'M WRONG BECAUSE I KNOW I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE DEBBIE DOWNER, IS THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MICRON IS GOING TO AFFECT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SYRACUSE CHILD POVERTY RATE IS 45.8%.

AND YES, MICRON IS GOING TO BRING NEW JOBS AND NEW HIRES, ET CETERA.

BUT IS THAT-- IS MICRON AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE COMMUNITY, AND REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS, IS IT GOING TO AFFECT THAT CHILD POVERTY RATE?

IS IT GOING TO IMPACT HOUSING COSTS, WHICH ARE 40% LOWER THAN STATE AVERAGE BUT ARE 7% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

MOST PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO EITHER RENT NEW APARTMENTS OR THEY CAN'T FIND OR CAN'T AFFORD, YOU KNOW, TO BUY THEIR OWN HOME.

AND, AGAIN, MICRON, ET CETERA, IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THIS BUT THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD.

WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW?

AND THAT'S MY CONCERN.

WE ARE PUTTING ALL OUR EGGS IN THE BASKET OF MICRON.

MICRON WILL YES HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT EVENTUALLY BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO IMPACT WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

>> I LAUGH AT THE MENTION OF DESTINY.

MY MEMORY SERVES AND IT MIGHT NOT.

I WAS READING AN ECONOMIST ARTICLE ABOUT DESTINY USA ON MY FLIGHT FOR MY JOB INTERVIEW HERE.

AND I SAID WHAT?

THAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

MICRON IS MUCH MORE PROMISING.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

>> BUT THAT IS-- >> THAT WAS PROMISING.

EVERYBODY BOUGHT INTO IT.

WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING YET.

BUT... >> ON THE PLANE?

>> BECAUSE MALLS HAVE BEEN ON THE DECLINE FOR YEARS.

WE HAVE LOST SEARS, WE'VE LOST ALL THESE ANCHOR STORES BECAUSE IT'S SO EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO THE AMAZONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

THIS IS A DIFFERENT CONCEPT.

THIS IS THE CUTTING EDGE.

THIS IS THE FUTURE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE INVEST IN.

>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SCENE THIS YEAR.

REPUBLICANS KEPT MOVING TO THE RIGHT.

AND THE MOST CONSERVATIVE FACTION HAS SEEMINGLY GUMMED UP CONGRESS AND IT OUSTED THE SPEAKER.

I'M QUOTING FORMER CONGRESS MEMBER ADAM KINZINGER WHO RECENTLY SAID THAT FOR REPUBLICANS "TRIBE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE TRUTH."

SO, TARA,THIS TRUTH THING HASN'T MADE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

WHERE DO YOU SEE IT GOING?

>> IN TERMS OF THE ISSUE OF TRUTH, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE REPUBLICANS, A GOOD PORTION OF THEM, NOT ALL, HAVE CONVINCED THEMSELVES THAT THERE IS NO TRUTH.

AND I'M VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS A PART OF THE PROBLEM, IS THAT THERE IS A GOOD PORTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT SEEMS TO THINK THAT TRUTH IS VERY FLUID AND THAT THERE IS THIS, YOU KNOW, MASSIVE BODY OUT THERE THAT'S PURPOSELY SORT OF TWEAKING AND ALTERING THE TRUTH BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE DONALD TRUMP.

AND IT HAS BECOME, THE TERM THAT WAS USED BY CINSINGER WAS A CULT AND IT HAS BECOME FOR A MAJORITY OF THE REPUBLICANS, THE CULT OF DONALD TRUMP WHETHER YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN HIM OR ARE JUST AFRAID OF HIM AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT HIM, THAT YOU JUST GO ALONG.

THE OTHER PROBLEM FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS I THINK IN MANY WAYS THEY HAVE LOST SIGHT OF WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS ABOUT.

THEY SAY THEY'RE THE PARTY OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT, BUT YET THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY DO WHEN THE REPUBLICANS HAVE THE MAJORITY.

THEY BECOME VERY HEAVILY FOCUSED ON BEING ANTI-DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

THEIR BIG FOCUS HAS BECOME ABORTION.

AND SO THEY'VE SORT OF MOVED AWAY FROM WHAT THEIR CENTRAL CORE IDEAS.

>> WELL, THERE IS TRUMP AND THEN THERE ARE THE POLITICAL ELITES AND LEADERS WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT THE REAL DRIVING FORCE BEHIND REPUBLICAN PARTY POLITICS ARE THE 74 MILLION FOLKS WHO VOTED FOR TRUMP IN 2020 AND THE ROUGHLY 60 TO 80% OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HIM EVEN NOW, AFTER WHAT, A THOUSAND CRIMINAL INDICTMENTS?

AND SO THE 10 MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION TO ME THAT NO ONE HAS ANSWERED IN A DEFINITIVE SYSTEMATIC OBJECTIVE WAY IS WHY.

WHY?

AND CERTAINLY GOVERNOR RON DeSANTIS THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE OF HATRED.

I'M JUST NOT INCLINED TO PAINT 74 MILLION AMERICANS WITH SUCH A BROAD BRUSH AND SAY IT'S ABOUT HATRED OR THAT THEY'RE STUPID OR THAT THEY'RE A BASKET OF DEPLORABLES.

SOMEONE SHOULD ASK THEM WHY.

AND MY GUESS IS THAT THE WHY HAS A LOT TO DO WITH SOME OF THE EARTH SHIFTING CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY AND THAT NO ONE, AS YOU SAID, WANTS TO TALK ABOUT HONESTLY.

I DON'T PLACE THE PROBLEM WITH TRUTH SOLELY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AISLE.

BUT YOU WILL WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR MY F TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.

(ALL TALKING AT ONCE).

>> STAY TUNED, CHAD.

>> I'M SO WITH YOU, I I HAD!

-- I THINK!

YEAH, I SEE A BROADER PROBLEM WITH POPULISM AND WHERE IS POPULISM COMING FROM?

I THINK THERE IS A TWO-STEP PLAN FOR MODERATES LEFT OR RIGHT, AND THE FIRST IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AS WONDERFUL AS TECHNOLOGY, TRADE AND IMMIGRATION CAN BE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON, THEY'RE ALSO HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE AND CAN BE REALLY PAINFUL AND CAUSE SUFFERING FOR PEOPLE.

AND SO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THEN PART 2 IS TO OFFER REAL SOLUTIONS LIKE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE, TAX CREDITS FOR THE WORKING POOR, MAYBE EVEN UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME FOR CHILDREN.

AND IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL AT MEETING THOSE PEOPLE'S FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS, IT KIND OF TEMPERS SOME OF THE-- OR IT MIGHT TEMPER SOME OF THE UGLIER ASPECTS OF POPULISM INCLUDING THE REJECTION OF EXPERTISE, RACISM, AUTHORITARIANISM AND AGAIN, THAT'S-- THE RIGHT DOES NOT HAVE A 3407B OPENLY ON SOME OF THOSE-- MONOPOLY ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

>> I WOULD SAY THIS IS A SPIN ON STEROIDS.

SO WE HAD OBAMA REALLY LEVERAGE THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT AND TAP INTO EMOTIONS, UTILIZING SOCIAL MEDIA GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT.

AND THEN OVER TIME, THESE SILOED AREAS HAVE BECOME MORE SILOED WHERE YOU HAVE ALGORITHMS THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT ON THIS SHOW MULTIPLE TIMES, THAT START TO PUT PEOPLE IN CAMPS WHERE THEY SEE WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE AND THEY DISCOUNT ANYTHING THAT IS NOT IN LINE WITH THAT.

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY KEEP CLICKING ON.

AND IT DOES BECOME TRUTH TO THEM.

>> HANG ON A SECOND.

I GOT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT OBAMA BECAUSE WHERE I COME FROM, HE WALKS ON WATER, OKAY.

SO IN HIS DEFENSE, I WILL SAY THIS, THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD A MEASURE OF INTEGRITY THAT HE BROUGHT TO THE WHITE HOUSE THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN SINCE THE TRUMP YEARS AND IT'S PROBABLY DWINDLING DURING THE BIDEN YEARS AS WELL.

WE NEVER SAW PRESIDENT OBAMA INDIVIDUALLY SINGLE OUT EVEN HIS OWN PARTY'S CANDIDATES TO BLAST THEM AND ULTIMATELY DEFEAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE 10 WHO VOTED FOR IMPEACHMENT, THE 10 REPUBLICANS, IN THE WAY THAT HE DID.

AND SO THIS IS DIFFERENT.

IT'S NOT TRUMP'S PARTY ENTIRELY IN THAT SENSE BECAUSE TRUMP HAS A 74 MILLION PERSON FORCE IS WHAT HE HAS BEHIND HIM.

>> OBAMA'S WAY OF GOING FORWARD WAS ALWAYS TO TAKE THE HIGH GROUND, AND THAT CAME ACROSS IN HIS LEADERSHIP AND THAT LED HIS PARTY THROUGH THE YEARS IN HIS PRESIDENCY.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY.

>> AMEN.

>> QUICKLY TARA.

ARE MODERATE REPUBLICANS STAYING QUIET?

ARE THEY GOING INDEPENDENT?

WHERE ARE THOSE?

>> BOTH OF THOSE.

MODERATE REPUBLICANS, BECAUSE OF THAT 74 MILLION BASE THAT SUPPORTS DONALD TRUMP, ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT YOU KNOW, TAKING A STRONG STAND.

AND PART OF THE REASONS THEY FEAR THAT THEY WILL GET VOTED OUT, WHICH DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN FAIRLY EFFECTIVE IN ACHIEVING.

OR THEY FEAR THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE THREATENED OR THERE I FAMILIES ARE GOING TO BE THREATENED AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.

>> THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE EITHER THOUGH.

>> WHAT MODERATE REPUBLICANS?

WHERE ARE THEY?

>> I'M RIGHT HERE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

>> NIKKI HALEY IS COMING!

>> AT 16%, I DON'T THINK SO.

>> IT'S TIME TO MOVE TO MOST PEOPLE'S FAVORITE SEGMENT BUT SINCE IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR, I'M GOING TO MOVER THE Fs AND AS INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WHO OR WHAT DISAPPOINTED YOU THIS YEAR.

NINA WE'LL START WITH YOU.

>> THIS IS A SERMON THAT I REALIZE I CONTINUE TO BE DISAPPOINTED ON A DAILY BASIS AT THE DEMISE OF TRUTH, FACTS AND OBJECTIST-- OBJECTIVITY IN OUR POLITICS AND NATIONAL DISCOURSE.

ON THE POLITICAL LEFT, THIS MANIFESTS ITSELF IN TERMS OF EVERYONE BEING ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN TRUTH.

ON THE POLITICAL RIGHT, IT IS EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF HAVING A RIGHT TO ONE'S ALTERNATIVE FACTS.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED IS A DIFFERENCE WITHOUT A DISTINCTION.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN, AS A COUNTRY, WE BELIEVED THAT WE COULD FIGURE OUT THE TRUTH EVEN IF WE DIDN'T KNOW IT AND WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE TRUTH WOULD MAKE US FREE.

WE ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE.

>> CHAD.

>> I'M SO WITH NINA TODAY.

MY DISAPPOINTMENT IS IN THE WIDESPREAD FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAMAS AND GAZA.

BY ALL MEANS EXPRESS SYMPATHY FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, CONDEMN ISRAEL AND THEIR POLICIES IF YOU LIKE.

BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA IS A CALL FOR THE END OF ISRAEL'S EXISTENCE AND THAT HAMAS IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO INDISCRIMINATELY KIDNAP AND MURDER JEWS.

>> AMEN.

>> BEN.

>> WE DIDN'T PLAN THIS BUT MY F IS VERY IN LINE WITH CHAD'S THE INHUMANE ACTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE OCTOBER 7, HAMAS' ATTACK ON ISRAEL, LEAVING 1200 ISRAELIS KILLED AND AT LEAST 240 TAKEN HOSTAGE.

THAT EARNS MY F FOR THE YEAR.

>> TARA I.

>> I WAS DISAPPOINTED BY THE RESULTS OF THE PEW RESEARCH CENTERSTATE OF THE NATION'S POLITICS.

ASIDE FROM THE DISMAL STATE OF THOSE ELECTED NATIONALLY SUCH AS GEORGE SANTOS, THIS POLL SHOWED A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DO NOT FEEL OR CAN'T IDENTIFY STRONG POINTS OF THE NATION'S POLITICAL SYSTEM.

FURTHERMORE, WHILE MOST AGREE THAT THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME FIGHTING EACH OTHER, MOST OF US THINK THERE IS VERY LITTLE THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

>> LET'S LOOK AT SOMEBODY THAT BROUGHT YOU HOPE, NINA.

>> WELL, TARA, I AM HOPEFUL ABOUT THE GROWTH AND NON-PROFIT NEWS OUTLETS THAT MAY ADDRESS WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.

REVENUES FOR THESE OUTLETS ARE UP BY 20%.

STAFFING NUMBERS ARE UP BY 15%, MORE AND MORE WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT FOR-PROFIT JOURNALISM DOESN'T SPEAK TO OUR MINDS BUT RATHER OUR EMOTIONS, OUR ANGER, OUR FEAR, OUR DISAGREEMENTS AND IF WE REALLY WANT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, A WELL-INFORMED ELECTORATE IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY.

>> CHAD.

>> THE CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY OF THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS DEMONSTRATED THE HYPOCRISY OF UNIVERSITIES DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OR DEI POLICIES.

MY HOPE IS THAT IT SPURS UNIVERSITY LEADERS TO RECONSIDER WHICH DEI POLICIES DO OR DON'T MAKE SENSE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, JOB ADS ASKING CANDIDATES HOW THEY TEACH TO DIVERSE CANDIDATES, GREAT BUT ADS THAT ASK CANDIDATES HOW THEY PROMOTE DEI THROUGH THEIR RESEARCH, THAT'S A FACE STATEMENT THAT VALUES ADVOCACY OVER OBJECTIVE INQUIRY.

>> QUICKLY BEN.

>> LAST NIGHT I WAS RENEWED IN MY HOPE AND FAITH IN HUMANITY.

FROM A DIVERSITY OF BACKGROUNDS, WITNESSED AT A CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR A DEEP FRIEND OF MINE.

JUST SEEING ALL THE FAITHS AND RELIGIONS AND CULTURES ALL COME TOGETHER AND REMEMBERING ONE PERSON WAS AMAZING.

>> QUICKLY TARA.

>> OUR OZONE IS HEALING FASTER THAN EXPECTED THANKS TO THE BANNING OF CFC GASES.

>> VERY GOOD.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, TONIGHT, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE YEAR.

WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.

WRITE US - TELL US WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND.

THE ADDRESSES ARE ON THE SCREEN.

IF YOU MISS THE SHOW ANY FRIDAY NIGHT, TUNE US IN SATURDAY AFTERNOONS AT 5:30 • OR FIND US ANY TIME AT WCNY,ORG.

WISHING YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR • AND A SAFE ONE.