'China, Inc'
Veteran journalist who writes for the New York Times, USA Today and Harpers; author of China, Inc: How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World and Shock of Gray: The Aging of the World's Population and How it Pits Young against Old, Child against Parent, Worker against Boss, Company against Rival, and Nation against Nation; former floor trader at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Barbie Packs Her Bags in Shanghai Two years ago, Mattel opened a six-story, 36,000 square foot store on the fiftieth anniversary of its iconic Barbie doll. Now, Mattel is shutting down the Shanghai Barbie store and eight others around the country. Mattel says its Shanghai store "successfully accomplished its mission" and that a new Barbie brand strategy will be rolled out to reach even more Chinese consumers. But Mattel isn't the only genius retailer to have trouble in the world's fastest growing economy. Veteran journalist Ted Fishman is author of China, Inc : How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World.
An Age of Austerity: Can It Happen Here? In France, pension reform has led to street demonstrations and occasional violence. In Britain, a new coalition government is prepared for massive cuts in government spending. In the US, calls for "smaller government" are the major theme of this year's political season. What would that really mean?
An Age of Austerity: Can It Happen Here? The French senate today passed pension reform despite weeks of angry street demonstrations and occasional violence. In Britain, a new coalition government is prepared to dismantle much of the welfare state . In the midst of the economic crisis, calls for "smaller government" have been deafening in America's election campaigns. But what might that really mean? Will Democrats stand for shredded safety nets? Will Republicans approve cuts in Social Security and Medicare? Are new taxes out of the question? Does either political party have the moral authority to face new realities, or will the fear of bold action lead to paralysis and partisanship intensified?
Are Chinese Workers Paying the Price for Cheap Goods? Some 21 million toys made in China and imported by the United States have been recalled because of lead paint or other dangerous defects. With the holidays approaching, that has Americans worried and angry about possible health affects on their children. Yet while trying to improve its 21 st Century standing by sending men to the moon, China's workers are living and dying in 19th Century conditions. That's according to journalistic investigations and testimony to Congress , which is looking at a proposal to ban imports from overseas "sweatshops," where Chinese workers are exposed all day, every day to Benzene, Lead, Cadmium, Toluene, Nickel and Mercury. We hear about workers exposed to a witches' brew of cancer-causing chemicals 84 hours a week for 53¢ an hour. Already worried about product safety, will US consumers pay more for the safety of human beings 5000 miles away?
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?