."

>> Barbara Fought: PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN STEPS UP ON THE WORLD STAGE.

CERTAIN PEOPLE'S NAMES GET DROPPED OUT OF THE NEWS.

THOSE ARE TWO OF OUR TOPICS, NEXT ON "IVORY TOWER."

♪ ♪ WELCOME TO "IVORY TOWER."

I'M BARBARA FOUGHT FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

JOINING ME IN THE WCNY STUDIOS ARE: KRISTI ANDERSEN, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

CHAD SPARBER, FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY TARA ROSS, FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND LUKE PERRY, FROM UTICA COLLEGE.

PRESIDENT BIDEN DEBUTED ON THE WORLD STAGE THIS WEEK IN A THEATER HE KNEW TOO WELL.

BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME HE WAS IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

FIRST, A MEETING WITH THE G-7 LEADERS, THEN NATO, AND THEN A ONE-ON-ONE WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN.

HE SAID "AMERICA IS BACK," A VERY DIFFERENT MANTRA THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

CHAD, IS AMERICA BACK?

>> I THINK THAT I'VE APPROACHING THIS QUESTION DIFFERENTLY AND THINKING ABOUT IF WE HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION HOW DID PRESIDENT BIDEN AND IF G-7 ALL TOGETHER DO, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE UP AGAINST AND FOR THAT INENCOURAGE OUT VIEWERS TO READ UP ON CHINA'S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE, A BASICALLY A $4 BILLION GLOBAL TRAFFIC INFORMATION PROJECT TO CORRECT CHINA TO ABOUT 160 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD COVERING THREE FIFTH OF THE WORLD POPULATION THAT WILL GENERATE MASTIFF ECONOMIC GROWTH NOT JUST FOR CHINA BUT FOR MUCH OF THE DEVELOPING WORLDS.

AND THAT KIND MOCH IS GOING TO BUY INFLUENCE AND THAT'S WHAT THE U.S. AND THE G-7 HAVE TO SORT OUT.

YOU CONTRAST THAT WITH WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE G-7 AND THAT'S A STORY OF WANING POWER.

WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED IT REPRESENTED SOMETHING LIKE 0% OF GLOBAL OUTPUT AND NOW DOWN TO 40%.

HOW IS THE G-COMPETING FOR THIS GLOBAL INFLUENCE?

WELL, SEEMS THAT ONE OF SIGNATURE MOVES IN THE G-7 MEETING WAS, APPROVING A BILLION VACCINES FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT BUT TURNS OUT TO BE LIKE A QUARTER OF WHAT THE DEVELOPING WORLD NEEDS.

SO IF YOU THINK, WELL, THE G-7 IS TRYING TO COMPETE WITH CHINA FOR GLOBAL POWER, THAT'S NOT SUCH A GOOD SHOWING.

>> >> KRISTI, HOW DID BIDEN DO?

>> I THINK HE DID FINE.

HE DID WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO, WHICH IS KIND OF RESET RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE G-7.

STAND UP TO PUTIN IN A SENSE AND SAY, HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE, TICK THROUGH ALL OF THE THINGS HE DID NOT LIKE PUTTEN DOING.

AND THE THINGS THEY HAD TO EVENTUALLY SOLVE, WHICH PRESUME MY WERE SOME OF THE SMALLER THINGS WILL BE DONE BY MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION.

THE WHOLE ISSUES OF THE CLOSED CONSULATES AND THE AMBASSADORS WHO LEFT AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYTHING CHANGED.

I THINK THAT'S NEEDED TO PRESENT HIMSELF AS BEING NOT PUTIN'S PALACE DONALD TRUMP WAS PRESENTING HIMSELF TO BE.

AND, SHOWING THE WORLD THAT, AS HE SAYS, AMERICA IS BACK, YOU KNOW, AMERICA IS BE ABLE AS A LEADER -- BACK AS A LEADER ALONG WITH OUR ALLIES, WHO SHARE OUR VALUES.

IT WAS A CLEAR STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT HE PLANNED TO DO, HOW SHAW WAS FITTING INTO THIS -- HOW RUSSIA IS FITTING INTO THIS AND CHINA.

HE DID NOT DO ANYTHING UNEXPECTED.

HE DID WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF HIM.

>> I THINK THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS AS EXPERIENCED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE IN FOREIGN POLICY AS ANY PRESIDENT IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.

SO, I THINK THAT HE'S GOING TO BRING THOSE SKILLS TO BEAR.

BUILDING ON CHAD'S POINT THOUGH, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS CENTURY, AND, THE RHETORIC THAT BIDEN USED, THIS DEMOCRACY VERSUS AUTO YOUA -- AUTOCRACY FRAMEWORK,.

THE CLASH OF POLITICAL VALUES IS THE QUAY TO UNIFY THE WEST I DON'T THINK WILL WORK.

IN SOME WAYS THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE'LL AVOID A WORLD WAR YOU BE,, WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER?

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO STAND ON IN TERMS OF GLOBAL LEADERSHIP WHEN I THINK THERE IS LESS APPETITE FORTIVE OF POLITICAL VALUES.

>> I THINK THAT IT WAS REALLY A MIXED BAG.

IN TERMS OF THE POLITICAL VALUES BEING PRESENTED, IT SOUNDED VERY ALMOST COLD WAR.

SOMETHING THAT CERTAINLY, YOUNGER CITIZENS AROUND THE WORLD ARE NOT AS INVESTED IN.

EVEN AS PRESIDENT BIDEN AND BORIS JOHNSON WERE TRYING TO PRESENT THIS SORT OF UNIFIED FRONT AGAINST CHINA, YOU HAD OTHERS GOING THERE WITH THEM BUT MAKING IT VERY CLEAR THAT, WE DON'T SEE CHINA AS THIS MASSIVE THREAT IN SAME WAY THAT AMERICA DOES.

BUT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO THINK IS A CONCERN FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, IS THE ISSUE OF THE GAS.

-- GAFFE.

EVERYONE CAN MAKE A MISTAKE AND CERTAINLY YOU UNDERSTAND A CERTAIN LEVEL OF NERVOUSNESS BUT EVEN NEWSPAPER IN NIGERIA BROUGHT UP THE GAFFES THAT HE MADE.

>> WHAT DEMAKE?

>> THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES WHEN HE MEANT TO SAY, SYRIA, AND INSTEAD HE REFERENCED LIBYA.

YOU KNOW, SORT OF A VERY, I THINK, OVERBLOWN ISSUE OF WEARING SUNGLASSES WHEN HE MET THE QUEEN INSTEAD OF TAKING HIS SUNGLASSES OFF.

SO, THEY WERE BASICALLY -- HE INTERRUPTED BORIS JOHNSON AND SAID THAT BORIS JOHNSON HAD NOT INTRODUCED THE PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS OF SOUTH AFRICA WHEN I BELIEVE THAT HE HAD OR HAD SAID HIS NAME.

SO THEY WERE VERY MINOR THINGS.

BUT, THE REALITY OF OUR WORLD IS THAT, WHEN YOU'RE BIDEN'S AGE, AND WHEN THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WITH YOU RAISED DURING THE CAMPAIGN, IT IS VERY EASY FOR NEWSPAPERS THAT SORT OF QUESTION AMERICA'S ROLE AND ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN SORT OF HANG THEIR NEWSPAPER HAT ON IN TERMS OF GET SOMETHING ATTENTION, TO POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE MAJOR GAFFES, AND, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS EVEN MENTIONED, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE HAS DEMENTIA.

SO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, AS LONG AS IT IS SORT OF A ONE-TIME THING, OR, DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT OFTEN, IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL.

BUT, IF YOU HAVE THESE SORT OF GAFFES ESPECIALLY ON THE WORLD STAGE, MORE AND MORE OFTEN, THEN IT WILL BECOME A PROBLEM FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, AND WILL BECOME A PROBLEM FOR THE SENSE OF AMERICA AS BEING BACK AND AMERICA BEING THE WORLD LEADER AGAIN.

>> THINK THE PHRASE WE USED IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION WAS COGNITIVE DECLINE AND I THINK WAS TRUMP SUFFERING FROM COGNITIVE DECLINE.

AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE RIGHT TO ASK, THE SYRIA LIBYA CONFUSION, THAT'S A PROBLEM.

>> CHAD, YOU MENTIONED CHINA AND DO YOU THINK THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ARE MORE TOGETHER IN HOW TO DEAL WITH CHINA, OR WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST SHOULD BE DONE?

>> YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE, RIGHT.

I MEAN, AGAIN, I WAS KIND OF STUCK ON THE WANING INFLUENCE IDEA, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BRITISH SETTING OF THAT REALLY KIND OF EMPHASIZED THAT.

BECAUSE WITH BREXIT AND ALL OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT THE U.K. IS FACING, THAT ITS INFLUENCE DECLINED.

SO IT INVITED, WHAT WAS IT, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH KOREA, INDIA, I BELIEVE, TO JOIN PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS, TO TRY TO MAKE THIS CASE THAT, LOOK, WE HAVE A GREATER INFLUENCE IN ASIA, AND, THE PACIFIC.

AND, MAY BE CALLING IT A DEMOCRATIC 10 AS OPPOSED TO THE G-7.

SO I THINK THAT THERE WERE EFFORTS THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WITH WHAT TO MAKE OF IT.

BUT I WAS THINKING IN LUKE'S RESPONSE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION ISSUE, AND, NOT CHINA BUT RUSSIA AND THIS KIND OF FUNNY THING THAT BIDEN DID ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHERE, HE HAD TO RELEASE -- WAIVE SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA TO BUILD A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE FROM RUSSIA TO GERMANY.

BECAUSE GERMANY WANTED AND IT WE WANT GERM ENTRY TO BE OUR FRIENDS AGAIN.

AND TO PROVIDE A UNIFIED FRONT AGAINST RUSSIA SO WE'LL DO THAT BY HELPING THEM TO STRENGTHEN THEIR ECONOMIC TIES TO RUSSIA AND THEN A UNITARIAN FRONT AGAINST, WITH TOTALITARIAN REGIME.

THE PREVIOUS THIS WEEK WE SAW A MAJOR POLICY CHANGE BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

IT'S BOTH A NEWS ORGANIZATION AND A DISTRIBUTOR OF NEWS STORIES FROM OTHER NEWS OUTLETS AROUND THE WORLD.

>> SO IT IS AN IMPORTANT GROUP.

THE AP SAYS IT WILL NO LONGER RUN THE NAMES OR PHOTOS OF PEOPLE CHARGED FOR MINOR CRIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WON'T BE FOLLOWING THE CASE.

THE REASONING IS BECAUSE, THOSE INTERNET FILES LIVE TOGETHER, AND EASILY DISCOVERABLE.

SO THOSE NAMED PERSONS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES, FIND GOOD CAREERS OR RUN FOR POLITICAL OFFICE.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE NEED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC BUT ALSO THE POTENTIAL FUTURE HARM FOR THE ACCUSED PERSON.

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS USED ARCHIVES AND LOOKED AT HISTORICAL RECORDS, IT IS A LITTLE DISTURBING TO THINK THAT, THE AP WHICH IS OFTEN THE -- PART OF THE RECORD, PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD, AN IMPORTANT PART, IS GOING TO STOP INCLUDING SOME OF THESE THINGS.

BUT, ON REFLECTION, I THINK THAT IT IS THE RIGHT DECISION.

AS YOU POINT OUT, IF ONE OF THESE THINGS GETS ON TO THE INTERNET AND ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE STORY WAS THAT, THAT WAS USED AS AN EXAMPLE IS A MINOR CRIME THAT WAS SORT OF, INTERESTING AT A LOCAL LEVEL.

SO SOMEBODY STRIPS OFF THEIR CLOTHES AND DANCES NAKED ON THE BAR, AND THEY ARE ARRESTED FOR INDECENT EXPOSURE OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IS THAT REALLY IMPORTANT?

BUT THAT'S -- BUT IT WOULD GET TRACTION ONLINE AND GET TRACTION IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND THAT PERSON'S NAME, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CRIME, WOULD BE SPREAD ALL OVER.

>> THOSE ARE CLICK BAIT STORIES.

JUST THERE TO -- >> SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CRITERIA THAT THE AP IS TALKING ABOUT.

IT SAYS, THEY ARE NO LONGER GOING TO USE THE NAMES OF PEOPLE IN -- IF THESE PEOPLE WERE IN A BRIEF STORY, THERE WAS A MINOR CRIME, THERE IS "LITTLE CHANCE THAT THE AP WOULD COVER THIS STORY BEYOND THE INITIAL ARREST."

AND, OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE WAS VIOLENCE OR ABUSE OF PUBLIC TRUST, IT COT BE A STORY.

SO, I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND I THOUGHT, THAT'S STILL GOING TO BE IN THE RECORD.

I MEAN, IT IS PUBLIC RECORD THAT THE PERSON WAS ARRESTED, AND, THAT WILL BE -- THAT MIGHT BE IN THE LOCAL PAPER.

IF YOU WANTED TO FIND IT, IF YOU WERE WRITING A BIOGRAPHY OF THAT PERSON OR A HISTORY OF THAT TOWN OR, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PERIOD OF HISTORY, YOU COULD FIND IT.

BUT, IT WOULD HAVE MUCH LESS PROBABILITY OF JUMPING ON TO THE INTERNET AND RUINING THAT PERSON'S REPUTATION FOREVER.

>> ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THESE REPUTATIONS?

>> I AM.

I THINK ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

MY WIFE WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT PULLING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY.

SHE WAS HIT BY A TRUCK.

AND SHE GOT CITED FOR FAILURE TO YIELD, WHICH IS A VIOLATION, IT IS NOT EVEN A CRIME.

AND THAT WAS REPORTED IN THE LOCAL NEWS BY NAME WHEN I REQUESTED THAT OUR BIGGEST TELEVISION STATION NOT DO THAT BECAUSE IT WAS AN HORRIFIC ACCIDENT AND SHE ALMOST DIED.

AND, THEN WE LATER WENT TO COURT AND THAT WAS EX-INTEREST TRIACTED BUT THE STORY -- EXTRICATED BUT THE STORY STILL STANDS.

BEING A MEMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I'M AWARE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR CRIMES THAT I THINK THE MEDIA SHOULD REPORT ON, BECAUSE THERE IS A PUBLIC INTEREST THERE, BUT, I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO DISCUSS THOSE.

SO THERE IS THAT ELEMENT TOO.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MINOR CRIMES, MISDEMEANORS ARE STILL SERIOUS CRIMES, THEY ARE NOT JUST LEGAL VIOLATIONS WHICH IS A BIT LESS.

IT JUST MEANS THAT THE POTENTIAL JAIL TIME IS 15 DAYS TO A YEAR.

SO IT ALSO INCLUDES ASSAULT, MENACING, STALKING, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WHICH IS INTERCOURSE WITHOUT CONSENT.

SO, I DO THINK THAT THERE CAN BE A VERY SERIOUS PUBLIC INTEREST IN REPORTING ON THESE THINGS.

BUT OF COURSE ON A CLICK BAIT SORT OF WAY.

>> BUT THE LOCAL PAPERS, LOCAL NEWS MEDIA WOULD PRESUMABLY STILL REPORT AS USUAL.

THIS IS THE AP SAYING, WE ARE NOT GROWING TO DO IT BECAUSE THAT AUTOMATICALLY TAKES IT TO A HIGHER LEVEL OR DISTRIBUTES IT AROUND THE COUNTRY.

M. >> AND INEVITABLY INTERESTING BECAUSE AP IS KIND OF A ROLE MODEL.

AND IT WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA FOR LOCAL.

THE THE STATIONS AND NEWSPAPERS TO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

>> AND AS KRISTI ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THE POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO SERIOUS CRIMES SUCH AS THOSE INVOLVING VIOLENCE OR ABUSE OF THE PUBLIC TRUST.

OR CASES OF A FUGITIVE ON THE RUN.

I ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ISSUE A LITTLE BIT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A CONSERVATIVE AND HOW IT TIES IN TO TWO THINGS THAT CONSERVATIVES HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT IN RECENT YEARS.

AND, THE FIRST IS CANCEL CULTURE.

THE IDEA THAT, WE LIVE IN A COMPLETELY UNFORGIVING SOCIETY THAT IS WILLING TO DESTROY A PERSON'S CAREER AND THEIR LIFE FOR SOME SIN THAT'S BEEN COMMITTED WHETHER REAL OR PERCEIVED.

AND THEN THE SECOND IS, KIND OF A LACK OF DUE PROCESS ISSUE WHERE, WE'RE READY TO COMMENCE THE CANCELING IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT I LOUING THE ACCUSED TO -- -- WITHOUT ALLOWING THE ACCUSED TO MOUNT THE DEFENSE.

IN THAT SENSE I THINK THIS AP SHIFT IS WELCOME BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH WHEN THE AP IS DOING,, WHAT THE AP IS DOING AND SOMETHING, IF YOU GO BACK TO AUSTIN, EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE MASS SHOOTING, 14 VICTIMS.

AND, AT THE TIME, THAT THE SHOOTER WAS AT LARGE, THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER REFUSED TO PRINT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DESCRIPTION OF THE AT-LARGE SHOOTER'S RACE BELIEVING IT WAS TOO VAGUE AT THIS TIME TO BE USEFUL IN IDENTIFYING THE SHOOTER AND SUCH PUBLICATION COULD BE HARMFUL IN PERPETRATING STEREOTYPES.

SO I'VE GOT TO ADMIT.

I GOT THAT INFORMATION FROM A SOMEWHAT BIASED SOURCE SO LET'S TAKE WITH IT A GRAIN OF SALT.

BUT IF THAT'S TRUE THAT BECOME AS PROBLEM THAT SAY CONSERVATIVES AND MODERATES ARE WORRIED ABOUT.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS AS A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE, THE AP POLICY, THAT MAKES SENSE.

WHY DESTROY A PERSON'S LIFE OVER SOMETHING MINOR.

WHEREAS, WHAT AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN NEWSPAPER DID, THAT IS FAR MORE ALARMING I THINK FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

>> TAR REMARK LET ME GET YOU IN HERE ON THIS.

>> IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK MORE ABOUT BECAUSE INCREASINGLY, HAVING BEEN CHARGED AND EVEN CONVICTED OF A MINOR CRIME, KEEPS PEOPLE FROM JOBS, KEEPS THEM OUT OF SCHOOL.

MOST SCHOOLS NOW DO CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS.

AND SO, I THINK THAT IT HAS A GREATER AND GREATER IMPACT SO IT IS A POLICY THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT CAREFULLY.

>> GREAT.

WELL, LET'S MOVE TO THE THIRD TOPIC.

THE FIREWORKS WENT OFF AROUND THE STATE THIS WEEK, BECAUSE NOW ANYBODY VACCINATED DOESN'T HAVE TO WEAR A MASK, AND WE'RE GET BACK TO NORMAL AND THAT'S A RELIEF.

TARA, HOW DO YOU SEE THAT WE'LL BE DIFFERENT NOW THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS SUBSIDED?

>> WELL, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE WILL BE DIFFERENT, BECAUSE, SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT RETURNING TO NORMAL.

AND, REALLY, THE QUESTION THAT I THINK IS DO WE WANT TO COMPLETELY RETURN TO NORMAL.

WHETHER IT IS PARENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, HAVEN'T HAD FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING THE PANDEMIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET TO LEARN SOME THINGS ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN THAT PERHAPS THEY DID NOT BELIEVE WHEN TEACHERS HAD BEEN TRYING TO TELL THEM.

OR, WHETHER WE HAD SUPPLIERS REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, YES, CERTAIN JOBS CAN BE DONE FROM HOME, OR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AT YOUR JOB EVERY DAY TO DO YOUR JOB EFFECTIVELY.

AND, SO, I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS WHAT DOES RETURN TO NORMAL MEAN.

IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE OP-ED THAT PEOPLE WILL BECOME HYPER APPRECIATORS AND THEY WILL APPRECIATE MANY THINGS FROM THEIR LIVES BEFORE.

ESPECIALLY THE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS BUT MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY LARGE SOCIAL CONNECTIONSER, MORE SMALLER MORE INTIMATE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS.

AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE WILL VALUE THOSE MORE.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HOME AND WORK IN MANY WAYS HAS BEEN BREACHED BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE SO MUCH FROM HOME.

AND, I THINK THAT MANY SUPPLIERS WILL APPRECIATE THAT AND WILL WANT MORE OF THAT.

AND IN SOME WAYS, I THINK INDIVIDUALS WILL TOO.

BUT, IN OTHER WAYS, I ALSO THINK THAT THERE HAS BEEN TOO MUCH BREACH.

SO, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE.

>> KRISTI, WILL THIS BE SHORT TERM OR DO YOU THINK THERE IS LASTING?

>> I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WILL PERSIST.

AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE ARE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IT.

ONE THING THAT IS KIND OF ZOOM, OR THE VARIOUS WAYS THAT WE HAVE COME TOGETHER IN MEETINGS, SEMINARS, TEACHING, YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF STUFF DURING THE PANDEMIC.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT, I HOPE THAT BUSINESSES ARE THINKING, DO WE REALLY HAVE TO FLY PEOPLE HERE, YOU KNOW, TAKING HOURS AND HOURS FOR ONE HOUR MEETING?

DO THEY HAVE TO BE TOGETHER OR CAN THEY NOT BE TOGETHER WHAT WORKS?

YOU KNOW, I MEAN I WENT TO A NUMBER OF WEBINARS, PANELS, DISCUSSION SECTIONS, DISCUSSION SESSIONS, VIA SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, WHO HAD -- WHICH HAD PEOPLE FROM EUROPE AND PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES, AND, THEY WERE TERRIFIC.

THEY WERE NOT THAT DIFFERENT THAN BEING THERE IN PERSON, AND, HAD SOME ADVANTAGES IN THE SENSE THAT THESE PEOPLE FROM ELSEWHERE COULD PARTICIPATE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I AM ON LOCAL TOWN BOARD AND OTHER GROUPS WHERE ONCE WE GOT BACK TOGETHER, UNMASKED MEETINGS, THEY WERE JUST SO MUCH BETTER.

SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE, I THINK, AND MORE EASY TO WORK THINGS OUT.

SO, I THINK THAT, THINKING THROUGH THESE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES THAT WE HAVE UNDERGONE, WHICH ONES ARE PERMANENT AND WHICH ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE STILL HAVE GOOD PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS AND MAYBE HELP TO SAVE THE CLIMATE.

YOU KNOW, I HOPE THOSE THINGS ARE DISCUSSED.

>> I WANT TO PICK UP ON THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE BOTH OF YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO EMPLOYMENT-RELATED THINGS.

SO, HOW IS LIFE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT?

I'M AN UNFEELING ECONOMIST SO I THINK ABOUT HOW EMPLOYMENT WILL BE DIFFERENT.

AND IN SOME WAYS, I THINK WE SORT OF HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE.

YOU IF YOU GO BACK TO THE LATE 1990s AND EARLY 2000s, WITH THE INTERNET REVOLUTION THAT WAS HAPPENING, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS ABOUT LIKE, OH, GREAT, WE'VE BROKEN THIS LINK BETWEEN WHERE WE LIVE AND WHERE WE WORK.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE INCOMES GROWING IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY, CATCHING UP TO WHERE THE INCOMES OF PEOPLE IN BIG CITY LIVE AND NOT HAVE TO DRIVE IN TO WORK AND CONGESTION IS A THING OF THE PAST.

AND OF COURSE NONE OF THIS REALLY HAPPENED, RIGHT.

AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WE LIVE IN AN IDEA-BASED ECONOMY WHERE, COMPLICATED IDEAS REQUIRE FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION, RIGHT.

AND SO WE NEED THAT.

AND THAT CONTEXT IS ANYTHING ALL THAT MUCH DIFFERENT, NOW AND I WOULD SAY, LARGELY NOT, RIGHT.

THERE WAS A CASE STUDY OF AN I.T.

FIRM THAT A FEW ECONOMISTS JUST DID.

AND IT HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED AND FOUND THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, WORK HOURS INCREASED BY 30%, WHEREAS, OUTPUT PER WORKER DECREASED BY 20%.

WHY DID THAT PRODUCTIVITY DROP HAPPEN?

WELL, SOME OF IT IS AT-HOME DISTRACTION WHICH IS A EUPHEMISM FOR CHILDREN.

I LOVE YOU GIRLS.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT TURN OUT THAT A LOT OF THE TIME WAS EATEN UP BY THESE NON-PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS.

AND SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS PEOPLE WERE TRADING IN THEIR COMMUTES FOR MEETINGS AND I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD TRADE.

AND SO LIKE I THINK THIS ARGUMENT THAT, YEAH, WORK FROM HOME IS GREAT AND I'M REALLY EFFECTIVE AT WORKING FROM HOME, DATA SUGGESTS OTHERWISE MAYBE.

>> LUKE, LET ME PULL YOU IN HERE QUICKLY.

>> I'M INTRIGUED BY THE WAY IN WHICH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY HAS DISPLACED THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BY THE PANELISTS.

AND I'M INTERESTING IN WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ZOOM AND INTERACTING ON FLAT SCREENS.

WHAT HAPPENS TEN YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THAT'S HOLOGRAMS.

WE'VE ALREADY SEEN CANDIDATES USE THIS IN INDIA TO HAVE RALLIES IN MULTIPLE PLACES AND I THINK WE'LL LOOK BACK AT THIS MOMENT AS ACCELERATING THAT CHANGE.

AND I WONDER IF WE'LL THINK ABOUT WHAT IS GAINED AND WHAT IS LOST.

>> REALLY INTERESTING.

AND I WOULD REMIND PEOPLE, THAT IN OUR FIVE COUNTY AREA HERE AROUND SYRACUSE, THE VACCINATION RATE FOR PEOPLE FULLY VACCINED IS ONLY 53%.

SO, PLEASE, DON'T GET TOO, PLEASE BE CONCERN ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.

AND LET ME GO TO As AND Fs BECAUSE IT IS TIME TO DO THAT.

KRISTI, YOUR F, PLEASE.

>> WHEN YOU GOT YOUR COVID VACCINE YOU PROBABLY RECEIVED DIRECTIONS ABOUT REPORTING REACTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD TO THE VACCINE ADVERSE EVENT REPORTING SYSTEM.

I'M GIVING AN F TO THE ANTI-VACCINE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE USING THIS SCIENTIFICALLY VALUABLE AND PUBLICLY-AVAILABLE DATA TO CHERRY PICK STORIES OF BAD REACTIONS AND THEN FALSELY CLAIM THAT COVID VACCINES ARE DANGEROUS.

>> CHAD.

>> >> SO MY F GOES TO EXPLAIN.

THE ANDREO -- BUT HE'S A CO-AUTHOR OF A MICROTHEORY TEXTBOOK THAT EVERY PH.D. GRAD STUDENT HAS TO READ THE FIRST YEAR.

IS HE IN THE NEWS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE A NON-JUDICIAL SPANISH TRIBUNAL IS FINING HIM MILLIONS OF EUROS PRINCIPALLY BECAUSE HE WAS ONCE THE LEADER OF THE CATALONIA'S BUDGET AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

RETIRING A FULL TWO YEARS BEFORE CATALONIA'S VOTE ON INDEPENDENCE.

SO THIS FINE STRIKES ME AS AN AFFRONT TO DUE PROCESS AND REALLY A WORRYING ATTACK ON ACADEMICS WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

>> TARA.

>> I'M GIVING MY F TO A MAN CALLING HIMSELF ETHAN SMITH, A MEMBER OF A GROWING NUMBER OF ANTI-MASK CLUBS.

Mr. SCHMIDT RECENTLY WALKED INTO A MESA, ARIZONA WIG SHOP AND BASICALLY DEMANDED THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE WIG SHOP UNMASKED AND WHEN THOSE EMPLOYEES TOLD HIM THAT NO, THAT WAS AGAINST THEIR POLICY, AND EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS TO PROTECT THEIR CUSTOMERS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH CANCER TREATMENT, HE BASICALLY REFUSED TO LEAVE.

AND SO MY F GOES TO Mr. SCHMIDT AND HIS ANTI-MASK CLUB MEMBERS.

>> AND LUKE.

>> MY F GOES TO U.S.

JOURNALISTS FOR BEING EJECTED FROM THE BIDEN PUTIN SUMMIT BY RUSSIAN SECURITY AGENTS.

THIS CAN'T HAPPEN, PARTICULARLY ON NEUTRAL SOIL.

>> AND I COULD AGREE WITH THAT ONE.

KRISTI, HOW ABOUT AN A.

>> AN A TO CHUCK SCHUMER BEN WALSH AND ALL OF THE OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY YEARS FINALLY MANAGED TO GET SOUTHWEST AIRLINES TO FLY OUT OF HANCOCK AIRPORT THIS WILL INCLUDE NON-STOP FLIGHTS TO, BALTIMORE, WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL, AND ORLANDO AND WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE SYRACUSE RESIDENTS NOT NEED TO TRAVEL TO ALBANY OR ROCHESTER TO GET TO SOUTHWEST DESTINATIONS ON SOUTHWEST'S LOW FARES.

>> SOUNDS GOOD.

CHAD, HOW ABOUT YOUR A.

>> SO, MY A GOES TO SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS FOR CALLING ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVERS FREE RIDERS LAST WEEK.

LOOK, I OWN TWO MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS AND IT PAINS ME TO ADMIT THE CARS THAT I ENJOY DRIVING ARE A THING OF THE PAST AND THAT ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE A THING OF THE FUTURE.

BUT, ALL CARS REGARDLESS OF THEIR POWER UNIT AND TRANSMISSION, THEY CAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, ROAD DETERIORATION, CONGESTION THAT SORT OF THING.

AND THEY NEED TO BE CHARGED FOR USING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

NOW, SENATOR COLLINS STOPPED SHORT OF USING THE PHRASE ODOMETER TAX.

BUT, I THINK THAT POLICY MAKERS NEED TO AT LEAST START THINKING ABOUT MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION SO THAT, EV DRIVERS START PAYING THEIR SHARE.

>> TARA.

>> MY A GOES TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

IT HAS BEGUN THE PROCESS OF RETURNING THE REMAINS OF NATIVE CHILDREN WHO WERE BURIED IN THE CARLISLE, INDIAN SCHOOL BURIAL GROUNDS.

THESE CHILDREN OBVIOUSLY WERE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES, AND FROM THEIR CULTURES, AND SO THIS BEGINS THE PROCESS OF RETURNING THEM TO BOTH.

>> AND LUKE.

>> MY A GOES TO ALL STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS, FOR ENDURING A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT SCHOOL YEAR.

ENJOY YOUR SEARCH.

>> WE DO NEED TO ENJOY OUR SUMMER BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN TOUGH PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE PARENTS.

I HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION FOR WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH.

WELL, IT IS TILE TO CLOSE FOR TONIGHT.

WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

YOU CAN WRITE US AT THE ADDRESSES ON YOUR SCREEN AND IF YOU MISSED THE SHOW, ANY FRIDAY NIGHT, IT DOES REPEAT ON SATURDAY.

THAT'S IN THE AFTERNOON AT 5:30 YOU CAN FIND THE SHOW ONLINE ANY TIME, AT ANYTIME AT WCNY.ORG.

HAPPY JUNETEENTH!

AND IF YOU'RE REGISTERED FOR A PARTY THAT HAS A PRIMARY ON TUESDAY, BE SURE TO VOTE.

GOOD NIGHT!

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