The State of Us
TrueChat
Go beyond mainstream cable news and party lines, with a Millennial and a Boomer, as they work to push past the noise and bring attention to all the issues that matter. Justin T. Weller and Lance Jackson examine the topics that are often overlooked by most major media outlets, but are critical for Americans to be educated about. There’s a world beyond the noise and it begins with Justin & Lance on The State of Us.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 17, 2019 • 40min
Should Schools Arm Teachers?
With nearly 50 million kids in American public schools and more than 3 million teachers, school saftey affects a large percentage of the population. Some states have passed legislation allowing districts to arm teachers. Justin, Lance, and Caleb discuss the scenario.tags: education, school, news, population, politics, government, gun, safety, debate, security, kids, children, shootings, mass, tsou, truechat
Oct 15, 2019 • 45min
Is Assisted Living a Lie?
By 2060 nearly one in four Americans will be 65 or older. Originally designed for people who were mostly independent, assisted living facilities have nearly tripled in number in the past 20 years to about 30,000 today. Justin and Lance discuss if the notion of assisted living is a lie.tags: health, politics, society, debate, discussion, old age, seniors, government, japan, united states, family, tsou, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
Oct 10, 2019 • 44min
Russia's Secret Effort to Destabilize the West
The group known as Unit 29155 is one of many components that make up President Vladimir Putin's hybrid warfare efforts to undermine Western democracies. Justin and Lance take you inside the story and explain its importance.tags: politics, news, current events, russia, united states, america, putin, trump, president, foreign, war, relations, tsou, peace, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
Oct 9, 2019 • 39min
Is Youth Vaping a Serious Problem?
According to a survey conducted by the Food and Drug Administration, there was a 78% increase in e-cigarette use by high school students and a 48% increase in use by middle school students. Dr. Soumya Neravetla, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Mercy Health, joins Justin and Lance to breakdown the problem.tags: politics, laws, government, issues, news, vaping, vape, e-cigarettes, youth, school, education, parents, tsou, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
Oct 1, 2019 • 41min
Are Small Donors for Presidential Campaigns Worth the Effort?
Numerous presidential campaigns are spending heavily on Facebook to spread their message. Some are spending hundreds of dollars to secure small donations due to the DNC's requirements to make the debates. What's the purpose of these requirements and do they work?tags: politics, news, dnc, rnc, democrat, republican, facebook, social media, spending, fundraising, president, trump, tsou, race, 2020, election, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
Sep 26, 2019 • 43min
Why Are More Workers Content With Their Pay?
According to a recent survey by The Conference Board, 54% of U.S. employees feel satisfied with their jobs. Justin and Lance are joined by two of the researchers who worked on the survey to explain why this is a significant increase.tags: economy, news, politics, government, work, workplace, survey, poll, staisfaction, career, advice, business, tsou, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson, the conference board, calvin rong, robin, erickson
Sep 24, 2019 • 45min
Fix up Health Care or Tear It Down?
Nearly 7 in 10 registered voters in the United States support the general idea of allowing anyone to buy into Medicare. Despite that, there is a lack of consensus amongst current Democratic candidates on what to do. Justin and Lance share a house metaphor to explain the various plans.tags: politics, democrat, republican, president, election, medicare, health care, insurance, government, tsou, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
Sep 19, 2019 • 42min
China's Tech - to Trust or Not?
The U.S. may block a new undersea cable that is supported by Facebook, Google, and their partners in China due to 'security concerns.' This issue goes beyond this cable and includes things like subway cars and cellular networks. tags: politics, news, privacy, technology, security, national, untied states, government, president, donald trump, tsou, truechat, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
Sep 17, 2019 • 42min
The Old Way: Nationalism & Socialism
Are nationalism and socialism new ideas and where do they come from? With President Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders discussing these topics, it is critical to understand the history of these issues.tags: politics, economy, history, donald trump, bernie sanders, president, senator, congress, policy, socialism, nationalism, tsou, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
Sep 12, 2019 • 44min
Student Debt or Financial Aid? The Answer is Elusive
Student debt is increasing at an exponential rate. Recent findings indicate that those who borrow more default less, contrary to typical thinking. Should we be pushing for more financial aid or student debt? Justin and Lance breakdown the issue.tags: politics, education, college, tuition, spending, business, economy, university, scholarship, financial aid, future, trend, study, tsou, truechat, justin weller, lance jackson
