BPR Full Show 2/3/21: Coming Up Short

Today on Boston Public Radio:

Rep. Richard Neal discusses the latest updates on the next COVID-19 stimulus bill, and former President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. He also weighs in on the epidemic of conspiracy theories affecting politics, and speaks about his experience during the Jan. 6 Capitol siege.

MIT economist Jonathan Gruber breaks down how Redditors influenced the stock market by buying up GameStop stocks, and explains similarities between buying stocks and gambling.

We open phone lines to listeners to speak with Gruber about the stock market, and last week’s GameStop short squeeze.

Medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about the ethics of who should be prioritized in vaccine distribution, the lack of vaccination sites located in communities of color, and highlights the need for government to do a better job of building trust among vaccine skeptics.

Environmentalist and 350.org founder Bill McKibben discusses how President Biden is emphasizing climate action in his executive actions, and the ways some major car manufacturers like GM are following suit. He also speaks about the fossil fuel industry’s decades-long practice of suppressing research on the impact of fossil fuel emissions.

Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary explains how government-funded “baby bonds” could be a way to achieve racial and financial equity. She also talks about the health disparities facing communities of color, the need for prison reform, and the upcoming tax season.

We close out the show by talking with listeners about your experiences with the Mass. vaccine rollout.