>> THE FOOLS ON THE HILL-- JUST WHEN YOU THINK IT CAN'T GET WORSE...

IT DOES.

NEW YORK'S MAYOR WANTS TO SEND SOME HOMELESS, HERE.

AND DOES A COLLEGE DEGREE MEAN A LONGER LIFE?

STAY TUNED, IVORY TOWER IS NEXT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

I'M JOINED TONIGHT BY NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND BEN BAUGHMAN FROM GANNON UNIVERSITY.

THIS HAS BEEN QUITE THE TUMULTUOUS WEEK, AS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FINDS ITSELF WITHOUT A SPEAKER.

IT SEEMS NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.

THE FINAL STRAW FOR THE RIGHT WING WAS THAT KEVIN MCCARTHY MADE A BI-PARTISAN DEAL WITH DEMOCRATS TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY A SPEAKER THE HOUSE VOTED TO REMOVE ITS LEADER.

SO, TARA, WHY HAS IT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE?

WHY IS IT HAPPENING NOW AND WHY IS KEVIN McCARTHY THE GUY TO BE FIRST?

>> FIRST OF ALL, AS YOU POINTED OUT, THERE HAS BEEN ONE OTHER TIME WHEN THIS HAS BEEN TRIED AND THAT WAS AGAINST SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE JOSEPH CANNON IN 1910.

IT SEEMS HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE G.O.P.

CAUCUS AT ALL.

HE PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT VOTES WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, CHOSE WHEN HE WOULD WORK WITH THE OTHER SIDE AND WHEN HE DIDN'T.

SO THEY ACTUALLY TOOK A VOTE TO OUT OF THE HIM FROM THE SPEAKERSHIP AND HE-- IT WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.

IT WAS LACKING 40 VOTES THAT THEY NEEDED TO OUT OF THE HIM.

AND IT DID WEAKEN HIM A BIT BUT IT DIDN'T ELIMINATE HIS POWER.

>> AND HE STILL GOT A BUILDING NAMED AFTER HIM.

>> EXACTLY.

BUT I ALSO THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH KEVIN McCARTHY IS THAT, IN A SENSE, AND I TAKE THIS FROM A MOLLY IVANS NOVEL.

HAVE YOU TO DANCE WITH THOSE WHO BRUNG YOU.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH KEVIN McCARTHY.

HE MADE ALL THESE PROMISES TO THE G.O.P.

CAUCUS IN GENERAL, TO THE FREEDOM CAUCUS IN PARTICULAR, ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD DO AS SPEAKER UNDERSTAND IN FAIRNESS, SOME OF THEM HE DID BUT FOR THEM, THE FINAL STRAW IS THAT HE REACHED ACROSS THE AISLE, CAME UP WITH A LAST DITCH SAVE THE GOVERNMENT PACKAGE, WHICH, QUITE FRANKLY, ANGERED THE DEMOCRATS, BUT FOR MEMBERS OF THE FREEDOM CAUCUS, THOSE EIGHT, IT WAS THE FINAL STRAW AND THEY HAD HAD ENOUGH WITH HIM.

AND I THINK WHAT MAKES THIS MOMENT DIFFERENT IS THE FACT THAT HE MADE SO MANY PROMISES TO GET THE SPEAKERSHIP THAT IT WAS MUCH EASIER FOR THEM TO OUT OF THE HIM AS SPEAKER.

>> I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, TARA EXCEPT I WOULD EXPAND THE LENS OUTWARD FARTHER TO SAY THAT THIS IS AN INSTANCE OF, YEAH, THE BICKERING WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT ALSO OF HOW EXTREMIST POLITICS HAVE SEEPED INTO EVERY ASPECT OF AMERICAN POLITICS AND NOW INTO THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS; AND SPECIFICALLY THESE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PLAYS, WHICH IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON WELFARE, TO APPROPRIATE BILLS.

WE HAVE, WITHIN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY, CERTAIN GUARD RAILS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE, DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, DIVIDED CHAMBERS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.

AND WHEN HE PERMITTED, BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BE SPEAKER, AND HE AGREED TO PERMITTING ONE PERSON TO CALL INTO QUESTION THE SPEAKERSHIP OF THE HOUSE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION, HE BASICALLY TOOK THE GUARD RAILS OFORLEA OUR CONSTITUTION-- OFF OF OUR CONSTITUTION AND THE DEMANDS OF THE FREEDOM CAUCUS, GATES, THE EXTREME CONSERVATIVES ARE IN AND OF THEMSELVES INCREDIBLY PROBLEMATIC BUT WHAT THEY WANTED WAS FOR HIM TO NOT COMPROMISE ON THE DEBT CEILING, TO NOT COMPROMISE, TO DEMAND WHAT THIS SMALL GROUP WANTED FOR THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.

AND WHEN IT CAME TO THE STOP GAP MEASURE, WHAT THEY WANTED WAS FOR 12 SEPARATE APPROPRIATION BILLS TO COME TO THE FLOOR WHEN THEY PASSED ZERO.

SO IT SIMPLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE OF A MESS.

>> YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY THEY WANT COMPROMISE, RIGHT, THEY WANT BIPARTISANSHIP, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT PROMOTE THAT GET VOTED INTO OFFICE IN MANY CASES.

>> I WOULD AGREE.

THERE IS RESEARCH ON CONGRESS THAT'S GONE BACK YEARS TALKING ABOUT THE VANISHING MARGINALS, RIGHTS?

AND THIS BEGAN BACK IN THE EARLY 60s WHEN THE MODERATES WERE VOTED OUT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND OUT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

HOWEVER, DAVE, I WOULD PUSH BACK AND SAY THIS, THAT OUT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, YOU SOME 210 VOTE FOR McCARTHY.

THAT'S 210 OUT OF 222 REPUBLICANS.

SO, AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE RULES BECAUSE 210 SHOULD EQUAL MORE THAN EIGHT EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK AND TWICE ON SUNDAY.

>> SO, BEN, IF McCARTHY CAN'T GET HIS CAUCUS TO AGREE, I MEAN WHY IS ANYBODY ELSE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT?

>> THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY NOT.

YOU BROUGHT UP THEY WANT COMMON GROUND, THEY WANT TO FIND COMMON GROUND BUT THEY WANT YOU TO COME TO THEIR COMMON GROUND AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT.

THEY ARE NO LONGER DOING WORK AT LEGISLATING.

THEY'RE FOCUS ON GETTING LIKES AND FOLLOWERS AND HAVING BUZZ SPEECHES TO FUNDRAISE FOR THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, RE-ELECTION AND THE HARD WORK, WHY THEY'RE THERE, HAS SLOWLY DWINDLED TO ALMOST NOTHING WHERE YOU HAD TO-- YOU WERE FORCED TO REACH ACROSS AN AISLE.

AND NOW WE MIGHT AS WELL PUT THE WALLS IN THE HOUSE ACTUALLY SEPARATING THE TWO PARTIES BUT THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE MAYBE CURTAINS IN BETWEEN WITHIN THE PARTIES, TOO.

IT IS JUST GETTING TOO SILOED AND WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY FINDING COMMON GROUND.

WE ARE JUST SAYING WE WANT TO FIND COMMON GROUND.

>> I THINK THERE IS-- I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU AGAIN, BUT I THINK WE ARE SEEING THE GUTTER OF AMERICAN POLITICS TO THE POINT THAT I WOULD EVEN DESCRIBE SOME OF THEIR BEHAVIOR AS CHILDIN'.

THE-- CHILDISH.

THE NEW PRO TEMPORE WAS TO DEMAND THAT NANCY PELOSI ABON DONE OR MOVE IMMEDIATELY OUT OF HER OFFICE.

EXACTLY HOW DOES THAT ADVANCE THE INTEREST OF AMERICAN CITIZENS?

HOW IS THAT DEALING WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE LIMITED HEALTHCARE, THAT WE'VE GOT A BORDER CRISIS, ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS?

AND ONE OTHER THING I'LL SAY, BEN, A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE BASHING WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE, NOT BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATIVE REPERCUSSIONS BUT THEY'RE SAYING THIS IS GOING TO HURT THOSE THAT ARE IN DIVIDED DISTRICTS.

THIS IS GOING TO HURT OUR CHANCES OF REELECTION.

REELECTION TO DO WHAT?

>> TARA, WHERE DOES THIS GO?

WE STILL HAVE TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT NEXT MONTH AND OF COURSE THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES, TOO, UKRAINE AID BEING A BIG ONE.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SPECTS FOR BEING ABLE TO DO THE MOST BASIC FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT?

>> IT IS VERY SLIM AND THAT'S THE SCARY PART.

THEY'RE SO FOCUSED ON PUNISHING ONE ANOTHER, THEY'RE SO FOCUSED ON THEIR PARTICULAR INTERESTS, THEIR PARTICULAR VIEWPOINT OF HOW THE COUNTRY IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNCTIONING AND WHO HAS A RIGHT TO FUNDS AND WHO SHOULDN'T GET FUNDING FROM GOVERNMENT, THAT THE PROSPECT IS VERY SCARY AND IT'S VERY SLIM THAT THEY WILL ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTRY THIS IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS EVEN A SLIM MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRY.

>> THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK IN RECENT YEARS ABOUT THE DECLINE OF DEMOCRACY HERE IN THE U.S. AND IS THIS ANOTHER PART OF THAT, ANOTHER SYMPTOM THAT WE CAN'T EVEN AGREE TO DO THESE BASIC THINGS?

>> I THINK THE DECLINE IN DEMOCRACY, IF WE MEASURE IT IN TERMS OF VOTER PARTICIPATION, BEGAN AS EARLY AS THE 1960S.

WHEN WE ARE SEEING HERE IS A SHIFT AWAY FROM POLICY MAKERS ACTUALLY GIVING A DAMN ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE PASSING LAWS.

>> ONONDAGA, ONEIDA AND OSWEGO COUNTIES HAVE ALL ISSUED MANDELA ORDERS AIMED AT KEEPING NEW YORK CITY HOMELESS FROM HEADING UPSTATE.

NEW YORK MAYOR ERIC ADAMS HAS SAID HE WILL LET THE CITY'S HOMELESS USE HOUSING VOUCHERS ANYWHERE, INCLUDING UPSTATE NEW YORK.

HE SAID THAT WILL FREE UP SHELTER SPACE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS WHO ARE NOW IN THE CITY.

THESE UPSTATE COUNTIES SAY HOUSING HERE SHOULD GO TO PEOPLE FROM HERE.

SO ARE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES, NINA, DOING THE RIGHT THING, BY REFUSING TO TAKE THESE OR TRYING TO REFUSE TO TAKE HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK?

>> I WOULD SAY BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT HOUSING AVAILABILITY IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, BASED ON THAT, YES.

THE POST STANDARD RAN A STORY BY KEVIN TEMPONE, THAT LAID OUT THE HOUSING CRISIS IN SYRACUSE.

SYRACUSE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HOUSING CRISIS THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT ON BY THE FACT THAT THE NUMBER OF HOMES LISTED FOR SALE IN ONONDAGA COUNTY MORE BROADLY, IS MUCH LOWER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN OVER A DECADE.

INTEREST RATES ARE HIGHER, WHICH MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR NEW HOMEBUYERS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOME.

AND THEN HOME PRICES ARE HIGHER AND HOUSES ARE SELLING QUICKLY.

MANY, WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF BEING LISTED.

SO THERE IS A HOUSING CRISIS FOR THOSE WHO LIVE HERE.

HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU MANAGE TO EXPAND AN ALREADY CONTRACTED HOUSING MARKET TO ACCOMMODATE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD HOUSING.

THE SECOND THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF BLAME TO BE PLACED HERE ON BIDEN AND I VOTED FOR BIDEN.

I SUPPORT BIDEN GENERALLY.

BUT HE HAS BEEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL ON THIS.

AND, OF ALL PEOPLE, FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO CAME OUT AND SAID THAT HE, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE HELD MUCH MORE ACCOUNTABLE THAN HE HAS BEEN.

THE OPTICS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE OPTICS OF THEIR ACTIONS HERE ARE EMBARRASSING.

ON THE ONE HAND THEY'VE DECIDED THEY'RE GOING TO EXPAND THE BORDER WALL, BUT THURSDAY, JUST YESTERDAY, HE SAID I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK.

WELL, Mr. PRESIDENT, WHY ARE YOU EXPANDING IT?

AND THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT THEY'RE LIMITING-- THEY'VE DECIDED THEY'RE GOING TO DEPORT-- THAT IS THE BRIX-- TO DEPORT VENEZUELANS IN THE SAME WAY THEY IMMEDIATELY DEPORTED HAITIANS.

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS HOW ARE YOU DECIDING WHOM TO DEPORT?

>> AND YOUR CRITICISM THERE IS BASICALLY BASED ON THE MIGRANT ISSUE, WHICH IS LEADING IN TURN TO THE HOMELESS ISSUE FOR COVINGTON NEW YORK IN TERMS OF THE HOMELESS COMING HERE, THERE IS A POTENTIAL, THERE IS NOT, THAT THE LOCAL COUNTIES COULD GET STUCK WITH SOME COSTS.

THINGS LIKE MEDICAID, FOR INSTANCE.

I MEAN WE HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME IN THESE CASES.

TARA.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE COULD GET STUCK WITH MEDICAID AND MEDICARE, YOU KNOW, OUR PORTION OF MEDICARE COSTS.

WE COULD CERTAINLY GET STUCK WITH THE COST BECAUSE ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS OFTEN MADE IS WE HAVE MANY EMPTY BUILDINGS AND THAT SORT OF THINGS.

IT COSTS TO RENOVATE THOSE BUILDINGS SO THAT THE HOMELESS AND/OR MIGRANTS CAN LIVE IN THOSE BUILDINGS.

IT TAKES TIME EVEN IF YOU MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET WORK, IT TAKES TIME FOR THEM TO FIND WORK, BEGIN TO ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THE WORK, ET CETERA.

SO ABSOLUTELY AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES ARE LOOKING AT.

IS THE COST TO THE COUNTY WHEN THERE ALREADY IS A HOMELESS PROBLEM, AS YOU ABSOLUTELY POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW, A HOUSING PROBLEM, HOUSING CRISIS.

SO THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM.

AND THIS IS WHERE I WOULD ADD, IN TERMS OF WHO SHOULD WE BLAME.

I WOULD BLAME GOVERNOR HOCHUL.

SHE HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT SHE THINKS THAT MAYOR ADAMS IS MAKING MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING; THAT HE IS, YOU KNOW, EXAGGERATING HOW MUCH THIS IS HURTING NEW YORK CITY.

BUT THE REALITY IS IS THAT NEW YORK CITY IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE STATE AND IF YOU WANT TO PROMOTE THE STATE AS A PLACE WHERE CERTAINLY IMMIGRANTS, MIGRANTS CAN COME, YOU THEN NEED TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF THIS ON THE ENTIRE STATE.

AND ALSO LOOK AT IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THIS A TRULY STATE PROBLEM WHERE THE ENTIRE STATE SHARES THE ISSUE.

>> SO YOU MENTIONED A STATE PROBLEM.

WHAT ABOUT A NATIONAL PROBLEM.

CLEARLY THE MIGRANT ISSUE IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM LEADING TO THIS MOVE BY ADAMS TO SAY, OKAY, YOU DON'T WANT THE MIGRANTS, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE HOMELESS.

BUT WHERE IS THAT LYING BETWEEN A COMMUNITY HELPING OUT ON A NATIONAL ISSUE AND SAYING WAIT A SECOND, WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR INTERESTS FIRST?

>> YEAH, WELL, I MEAN THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON HERE.

IT IS A FEDERAL ISSUE.

BUT IT'S NOT A UNIQUE TO THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL ISSUE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE UNITED KINGDOM, THEY HAVE IMMIGRATION ISSUES.

BUT NEW YORK POLICE-- NEW YORK CITY HAD A HOMELESS ISSUE LEADING UP TO THIS LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE PEOPLE WERE BEING SHIPPED, IN PARTICULAR, THIS LAST YEAR, WHERE PEOPLE WERE BEING BUSSED UP TO NEW YORK.

NEW YORK HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR PEOPLE COMING TO THIS COUNTRY, SO GOOD THAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR THE BUS TO ARRIVE WITH ALL THE INFORMATION WITH THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THE COUNTRY DON'T NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM VERY WELL SO THEY WEREN'T PUTTING THE STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM THAT WAS ALREADY THERE.

YOU HAD HISTORICALLY 10, 20 YEARS AGO PEOPLE COMING TO NEW YORK WHO HAD FAMILY AND FRIENDS THERE, SOMEBODY THEY COULD STAY WITH WHILE THEY FOUND A JOB AND ABLE TO WORK, A LOT OF TIMES UNDOCUMENTED TO WORK.

NOT SAYING IT WAS LEGAL.

IT WAS NOT.

BUT THEY COULDN'T NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM THAT WAS THERE.

THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN THERE AND THEY'RE PUMPING $2 BILLION, PROJECTED $4 BILLION.

THEY'RE ALREADY DIGGING 4% INTO THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET AND THEY'RE PROJECTING IT GOINGS TO BE 12% OF THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET.

>> YEAH, I THINK BEN IS REALLY HITTING ON A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF THIS PROBLEM TO THE EXTENT THAT PART OF THIS IS ABOUT HOW DOES THE SYSTEM PROPERLY ABSORB MIGRANTS WHO ARE COMEING IN.

I AM GOING TO GET MUSHY HERE.

I WAS OUT OVER THE WEEKEND GOING TO THESE DIFFERENT STORES, AND SAW THE DIVERSITY.

PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND I THOUGHT HOW BEAUTIFUL ALL OF THIS IS THAT AMERICA IS MOVING CLOSER TO ITS CLAIM OF BEING A MELTING POT.

THE SHAME OF IT IS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE THERE ARE ENOUGH IMMIGRANT JUDGES OR BORDER JUDGES, WHATEVER YOU CALL THEM, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS SOMETHING TO THE APPLICATION SO THAT IT CAN BE DONE IN A MORE ORDERLY AND CONTROLLED PASSION.

WE NEED-- FASHION.

WE NEED MORE MIGRANTS TO MAKE AMERICA WHAT IT SHOULD GLB TO THE POINT THAT WE DON'T HAVE OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS-- THEY'RE OUT OF DATE AND CONGRESS, BACK TO CONGRESS, CAN'T GET ITS ACT TOGETHER TO DEAL WITH THAT.

NOW, HERE IN THE U.S., LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN FALLING IN RECENT YEARS, A DECLINE THAT STARTED WELL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC CAUSED SO MANY DEATHS.

TWO ECONOMISTS FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY SAY THAT'S DRIVEN BY "DEATHS OF DESPAIR" AMONG PEOPLE WITHOUT A COLLEGE DEGREE.

A YEAR-LONG INVESTIGATION BY THE WASHINGTON POST PUTS THE FINGER ON AN INCREASE IN CHRONIC DISEASE, INCLUDING DIABETES AND LIVER DISEASE.

BEN, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

HOW CAN A NATION AS WEALTHY AS OURS, HAVE THIS KIND OF A PROBLEM?

>> WELL, THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION TODAY SEEMS TO BE ABOUT A LOT OF DYSFUNCTION HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

[LAUGHTER] >> IT IS WHAT IT IS.

>> IT IS WHAT IT IS.

BUT WE CAN'T FORGET COVID.

I KNOW WE WANT TO.

BUT AT LEAST THREE QUARTERS WHAT HAVE WE ARE SEEING WITH THE NUMBERS IS CONTRIBUTED TO COVID ON TOP OF THAT.

THEN WE START DIGGING IN THE QUARTER THAT'S LEFT OVER.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE EITHER GETTING KILLED WITH GUNS, WHICH IS GLEG-- WHICH IS GOING UP AND WHENEVER THAT HAPPENS, JETS JUST SAY IT'S JUST THE GUNS BUT IT'S NOT.

IT'S OPIATES, INEQUALITY AND A LOT OF THINGS WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT.

THAT GAP, IF WE USED TO LIVE UNTIL 78, BUT BEE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING KILLED AT 16, 20, YOU ARE LOSING DECADES THAT GOES AGAINST THAT AVERAGE.

>> I THINK THE STUDIES THAT THEY'VE DONE ARE SAYING IT'S NOT -- IT'S BEYOND, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS.

GUNS.

THERE HAS BEEN A BIG INCREASE OBVIOUSLY IN RECENT YEARS ON THAT, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN THAT.

THIS IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, DISEASE, CHRONIC DISEASE IS A BIG PART OF THAT, TAR AR.

>> ABSOLUTELY AND ONE OF THE STUNNING THINGS ABOUT THE STUDY IS THE FINDING THAT I BELIEVE IT IS CALLED FATTY LIVER DISEASE IS BEING FOUND IN CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, AS EARLY AS LIKE 10 YEARS OLD.

AND IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARILY CHILDREN WHO ARE OVERWEIGHT OR SOMETHING.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT IS, OKAY, WHAT IS IT THAT IS CAUSING THIS?

IN AMERICA, WE HAVE MORE CHILDREN DYING BEFORE THE ABLE OF FIVE THAN PRETTY MUCH ANY OTHER WHAT WE USED TO CALL WESTERNIZED NATIONS.

AND SO CERTAINLY THERE IS MORE TO IT.

AND YOU ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDHOOD POVERTY RATE IN GENERAL.

SO THERE IS A GREAT DEAL THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS.

THE ONE STUDY SEEMED TO WANT TO POINT TO THE FACT OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAD A COLLEGE DEGREE.

OTHER STUDIES HAVE POINTED OUT AND SAID IT'S NOT SO MUCH WHETHER YOU HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE.

IT'S SIMPLY ARE YOU LESS EDUCATED AND THUS SUBJECT TO ALL OF THESE OTHER FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE YOUR LIFE AS WELL.

>> SO ONE OF THE INCENTIVES OR ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED-- IN FACT IS BEING DONE IN SOME PLACES-- I KNOW IN PENNSYLVANIA, A LOT OF POSITIONS, STATE GOVERNMENT POSITIONS THAT REQUIRED A COLLEGE DEGREE THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE.

SO YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE AN DEGREE, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO THOSE MIDDLE-CLASS JOBS.

A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT THE EROSION OF MIDDLE-CLASS JOBS IT SEEMS TO BE.

NINA, IS THAT LEADING TO SOME OF THIS PROBLEM AS WELL?

>> I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS HOW WE NEGLECT THE POOR IN AMERICA.

AND WHAT WE TEND TO DO IS WE THROW IN OUR POVERTY RATES OR POVERTY TRENDS AS SORT OF A FOOTNOTE AND AN ADD ON TO OTHER CONVERSATIONS BUT THE REALITY IS THAT POVERTY INTERSECTS WITH EDUCATION, WITH HOUSING, WITH HEALTHCARE, WITH EMPLOYMENT, WITH CRIME, AND WITH VOTING AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO WHAT IS MY POINT?

THAT LET'S DEAL WITH POVERTY STRAIGHT ON.

I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT AND DEAL WITH IT AS AN EXTENSION OF SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS CAPTURED OUR INTERESTS.

AND IF WE EVER GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE WILLING TO GET AWAY FROM OUR WELFARE POLITICS AND OUR WELFARE QUEEN POLITICS AND ACTUALLY DEAL WITH THE POOR ON THEIR OWN POOR, DEAL WITH POVERTY, THEN I THINK THE REST OF THIS WILL BE LESS SIGNIFICANT FOR THEM.

>> AND SO THIS KIND OF GETS TO THIS IDEA THAT WE REALLY HAVE, THAT POVERTY ASPECT THAT YOU MENTIONED.

WE HAVE TWO AMERICAS.

YOU HEAR THAT TERM.

>> I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FOCUS ON THE GUNS THING.

WE HAVE HAD TWICE AS MANY DEATHS DUE THE OPIATES LAST YEAR 100,000 PEOPLE DIED OF OPIATE DEATHS LAST YEAR.

THAT'S TWICE AS MANY AS WE HAVE WITH GUNS.

WE NEED A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTHCARE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SICK CARE SYSTEM.

WE DON'T HELP PEOPLE, NOT FORCED TO HELP LEGALLY, HOSPITALS AREN'T FORCED TO HELP, UNTIL THEY COME IN SICK.

WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE TO ACTUALLY KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY.

WE HAVE A SICK CARE SYSTEM.

>> AND THAT TENDS TO BE WHERE THE MONEY IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS.

PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS DON'T MAKE AS MUCH AS YOU KNOW, SPECIALISTS.

>> WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PRESCRIPTIONS AS WELL.

>> LET'S BEGIN AS AND FS.

>> A JUST RELEASED PEW RESEARCH STUDY RECENTLY FOUND THAT 63% OF BLACKS SAY THAT THE NEWS ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE IS MORE NEGATIVE THAN NEWS ABOUT OTHER GROUPS IN AMERICA.

SOME SAY NEWS COVERAGE OF BLACKS IS EITHER ABOUT CRIME AND ABOUT BAD THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS OR A LESS INFORMED AND GRAMMATICALLY ORIENTED OR COMPETENT MAN ON THE STREET IS USUALLY ASKED TO OFFER THE BLACK PERSPECTIVE.

FOR ME, THE QUESTION IS WHY?

WHY DO CERTAIN NEWS OUTLETS, WHY DO CERTAIN JMENTS, WHY DO CERTAIN PEOPLE TEND TO PROP UP A BLACK FACE TO TALK ABOUT CRIME WHEN FBI STATISTICS CONSISTENTLY SHOW THAT WHITES COMMIT 70% OF CRIMES IN THE U.S. >> TARA, YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO THE 3.1 BILLION-DOLLAR TECHNICAL SURVEILLANCE INDUSTRY.

A REVIEW OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS AND IMPACTS SHOW THEY USE PARENTAL FEAR OF CYBER BULLYING AND ACTIVE SHOOTERS TO INVEST SCHOOLS TO INVEST IN THEIR SECURITY TECHNOLOGY.

UNFORTUNATELY ACCORDING TO THE A.C.O.U., THOSE SECURITY MEASURES ACTUALLY LEAD STUDENTS TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEING SURVEILLED.

IT MAKES THEM PARANOID, AND IT MAKES THEM TRUST SCHOOL PERSONNEL LESS.

>> BEN, YOUR F. >> SHOCKINGLY MY F GOES TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

IT IS SHOWING AMERICA'S DISARRAY CURRENTLY.

ONE OUT OF THE SIX WEEKS THAT THEY HAVE LEFT TO GET THE BUDGET DONE, THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND VOTING FOR ANOTHER SPEAKER.

>> AND WE'LL GO TO THE As.

NINA.

>> I'M GIVING AN A TO THE MAYOR OF SYRACUSE AND ALSO THE SYRACUSE COMMON COUNCIL.

RECENTLY THEY PUT IN PLACE FREE INTERNET SERVICE TO SYRACUSE'S POOREST NEIGHBORHOODS.

THIS, THANKS TO $3.5 IN FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WILL PROVIDE FREE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SERVICE IN THE CITY'S WORST AREAS.

IT'S PART OF SURGE LINK PROGRAM WHICH IS AN INCOME ELIGIBLE PROGRAM THAT WILL CONNECT THESE COMMUNITIES TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

>> AND TARA YOUR A.

>> MY A GOES TO DWAYNE EDWARDS YOU ARE SEEING ON YOUR SCREEN WHO ESTABLISHED THE FIRST BLACK OWNED ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR FACTORY, THIS WEEK THE FIRST ATHLETIC SHOE FROM THE J.E.M.

STUDIO TOGETHER THE COLLEGE AND THE METS LINGER STUDIO HONORED WHO DEVELOPED THE SHOE LASTING MACHINE WITH THE SHOE AND YOU WILL SEE JAN ERRTSLINGER ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OF THE SHOE.

>> MY A GOES TO NYPD WHO THIS WEEK RESPONDED QUICKLY AND LEVERAGED STAKEHOLDERS THE COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY THE KILLER OF 32-YEAR-OLD RYAN CARSON, AN ACTIVIST.

THEY ARRESTED THE 18-YEAR-OLD THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR STABBING HIM.

THEY HAD NO CONNECTION PRIOR TO THE EVENT.

THE 18-YEAR-OLD WAS DAMAGING SOME PROPERTY THERE AND RYAN JUST TRIED TO GET HIM TO CALM DOWN AND THAT ENDED UP IN A HOMICIDE.

>> SO THE NYPD GETS AN A AND WITH THAT, I'LL SAY THANK YOU FOR JOIN JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR COMMENTS YOU CAN WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN YOU CAN VIEW IT ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY AND FOR ALL OF US AT "IVORY TOWER."

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.