Maxwell School News and Commentary

According to Shannon Monnat, associate professor of sociology and Lerner Chair for Public Health Promotion, politicians are looking for quick fixes because of their short terms in office and public health in the U.S. too often treats problems after they appear. "If we were to invest similar money into revitalizing social infrastructure and economic infrastructure and our educational system we would see long term benefits," she says. 

"People who shop at Walmart or Target are going to be hit harder than people who buy their toaster ovens from Williams Sonoma or can afford to get products from a higher-income country," says Mary Lovely, professor of economics.

"My sense is that he's relying on some stock phrases that he pulls out again and again, especially when he's called on to make a statement about an issue that perhaps he hasn't done a lot of research on or doesn't have a lot of information on," says Emily Thorson, assistant professor of political science. 

"The companies that use steel, like aluminum can manufacturers, or companies that make steel vats for pharmaceuticals or the dairy industry, they're going to be hurt by this," says Mary Lovely, professor of economics.

Mary Lovely, professor of economics, says that after two rounds of retaliatory tariffs by China, U.S. ham and various other pork products now face massive tariffs—between 62 and 70 percent. "In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported zero weekly export sales of pork to China," she says. "So our exports to the country have pretty much collapsed."

"We’ve never seen anything like this," Mary Lovely told the Associated Press. Lovely recently spoke with multiple news outlets about the trade war between the U.S. and China.  

If the decision by Dick's to increase gun control measures "can help move us in the direction of recognizing that there is a problem with the current system and that we've got to start getting serious about addressing it, then that's a positive, whatever the motivation Dick's may have," says Dana Radcliffe, adjunct professor of public administration and international affairs.