October 28 – An Analysis of the Restrictive Texas Abortion Laws Struck Down and Upheld; A Single Mother Takes The Fall for Wall Street; Surprising Results When Economics Combine with Anthropology

Full Program

Part 1

We begin with an analysis of the ruling in Texas that struck down parts of a very restrictive abortion law that Texas Senator Wendy Davis challenged with her 13 hour filibuster. Carolyn Jones, who covers women’s reproductive health for the Texas Observer, joins us to discuss what abortion restrictions survived the Federal judge’s ruling that will go into effect Tuesday.

Part 2

Then we speak with Dennis Kelleher, the President and CEO of Better Markets Inc., a Washington D.C. non-profit that promotes the public interest in the U.S. and global financial markets. We discuss the $13 billion settlement JP Morgan has agreed to pay and the apparent scape-goating of a minor official with Countrywide Savings who appears to be taking the fall for the housing market crash that has yet to see any major Wall Street players taking a perp walk or doing time for the massive crimes that led to the 2008 Wall Street crash.

Part 3

Then finally we speak with behavioral economist John List about his new book “The Why Axis: Hidden Motives in the Undiscovered Economics of Everyday Life”. We discuss field work he has done that combines economics with anthropology and comes up with surprising results on why women earn less, why people discriminate, what is behind inner-city violence and the gap between rich and poor students and what can be done to improve public education.