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Elections Forum: Week Two

September 21-25, 2020 Events

What is the government's role in ensuring the health of its citizens?

Melissa Boyle Tsitsi MasvawureMonday, September 21, 2020
In this forum, Holy Cross Professors Melissa Boyle and Tsitsi Masvawure show how the U.S. spends more on healthcare for poorer outcomes than other developed nations. They explain differences in the parties' platforms and actions to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to Americans and suggest why we should care about improving healthcare equity and access. Professor Boyle is an economist who teaches courses on public economics, public policy, and health economics. Her research has studied the effects of large social insurance programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the VA. Professor Masvawure is a Professor of Practice in Health Studies in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. She teaches courses in global health, HIV/AIDS and health research methods.
Watch the video of this forum»

Presidential Elections Seminar: Key Congressional Races

Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Professors Bishop and Flaherty discuss key House and Senate races, how they may drive turnout in key states, and how a new Congress will affect the President's agenda. The guest speaker is Steve Israel, former Democratic Congressman from New York and head of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Recommended Reading

Members of our team recommend resources each week to inform the conversations we are having in our HC Election Forums and in our social circles.

McFarland Center Director Tom Landy shares two articles on healthcare: "A Deal on Drug Prices Undone by White House Insistence on ‘Trump Cards’" in the New York Times and "Fewer Americans Had Health Insurance Last Year Before Pandemic Struck, Census Bureau Report Shows," in the Washington Post.

Maria RodriguesProfessor Maria Rodrigues recommends this article, "The Starving State: Why Capitalism’s Salvation Depends on Taxation," in Foreign Affairs, to give context to the taxation discussion that underlies the debate on healthcare.

Daniel KlinghardProfessor Daniel Klinghard follows up on Constitution Day with "What is Our Constitution?" an analysis by Yuval Levin in the National Review. 

In response to the vacancy on the Supreme Court due to the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marisa George '21 recommends "Amy Coney Barrett Is Again a Top Contender for Supreme Court Nomination," in the Wall Street Journal.

The McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture has hosted events at Holy Cross over the last decade to help us think about our vote, complex issues in the race, and how to find common ground. We've put together a playlist of videos and audio podcasts of our lectures, from Bishop Robert McElroy who spoke on "What Does it Mean to Be a Faith-filled Voter in Our Polarized Society?" to Professor of Social Ethics Julie Hanlon Rubio on "Hope for Common Ground," and policy approaches for healthcare, climate change, racial justice and more.
View the Elections Playlist»