Episode 12: Tragedy & Taxes

They say presidents are made by the unexpected challenges and disasters they face. George W. Bush had 9/11 with almost 3,000 deaths and the subsequent wars in the Middle East. Barack Obama started his presidency with the American economy on the brink of financial ruin. President Donald Trump is facing both natural and manmade disasters of his own— the first disaster being the brutal hurricane season that affects two states and several territories; and the second being the worst mass shooting in American history.

The Las Vegas tragedy occurred after all the Sunday political shows aired. So this week’s Polilogue doesn’t include any of the current news coverage. But more broadly, we vehemently believe that robust dialogue isn’t just about what topics we talk about; it’s how we talk about it. We believe that ethical journalism and smart media consumption are vital components to a healthy national political dialogue. As the coverage of Las Vegas expands, and we demand solutions for America’s gun violence— Polilogue will demand even more from journalists and politicians alike. 

With that framing, we dove into the important topics that the Sunday talk shows did talk about: Puerto Rico’s recovery efforts and tax reform. If you would like to see a specific segment from today’s episode, you can jump straight to that chapter: 

• Introduction
• Highlight/Lowlight
• Puerto Rico
• Tax Reform
• Rankings
• Closing

Email us at polilogue.podcast@gmail.com or you can send us your feedback on Twitter: @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com 
Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org