Laura Knoy

When the recession began, Americans started pinching their pennies and repaying debt, causing some to speculate that consumers might permanently abandon their free-spending ways.  But now, Americans are again loosening their purse-strings. We’ll  look at how and why our saving habits change and how these variations affect the larger economy. 

Guests

A new book by liberal commentator Chris Hayes examines the widespread institutional failures over the last ten years…from government to Wall Street to the Catholic Church to major league baseball.  Hayes says this “lost decade” has led the public to distrust anyone in authority…and he points blame at a fundamental cherished  American ideal:  the meritocracy.

Recruitment from other countries is a rising trend in Higher Education as a way to diversify campuses and bring in money to financially strapped institutions.  It’s also become a big business, raising questions about the way in which students are brought in.  We take a look at this practice and how it’s evolving here in the Granite State.

Guests

Renting property can be tricky business.  Landlords hand their apartments and houses –at least for a time – over to virtual strangers.  And tenants have no real control over such matters as broken fixtures and dilapidated buildings.  At times, these two groups can be at odds, leading to disputes that end up in court proceedings.

Since the Claremont decision of the mid 90s, New Hampshire has debated the locus of authority and responsibility in funding our K-12 public schools. Over 80 proposed amendments have seen their way to a vote in state legislative chambers over the past several years. Last year marked the first time any such amendment passed the house and the senate passed a version of its own. The two chambers failed to reconcile their differences, however, and the issue was tabled.

This most ubiquitous and irresistible of foods has also been called addictive and toxic and has been linked with obesity, diabetes, and, recently, memory loss. Some are calling for regulating sugar  as if it were tobacco. But others say it is intrinsic to our very survival as a species, found even in breast milk and that demonizing or shunning sugar is the wrong course. 

Guests

June’s longer days also signal the end of the legislative session, but critical votes remain before the summer break.   The House and Senate have been trying to work out their differences on some difficult policy issues and on top of that, the House had a sudden change in its leadership team, with the resignation of Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt.  We'll get the latest on what's going on at the Statehouse as lawmakers wrap up their final month of law making.  

Guests

Next week on the Exchange, we begin with a statehouse update, as lawmakers come down to the wire in their final month of work.  Then we look at why some experts are souring on sugar. New research shows it could be even worse for you than we thought, including contributing to memory loss and addictive qualities.  We return to a long debate in New Hampshire – over the state’s role in funding our public schools. Finally, this economic downturn has been nicknamed the 'man-cession' due to the number of middle-aged men left unemployed from it, but now some are suggesting that we're entering a 'ma

A recent article in the Atlantic magazine caused a firestorm of debate over the social network’s ability to connect humankind, suggesting that it is contributing to loneliness of epic proportions. But not everyone “likes” this theory; some argue that Facebook with its almost one billion users is connecting us in new and powerful ways, even spurring for social change. 

Guests

With looming debate over the  federal debt and deficits, a recent government report warns the U.S. could fall over a “fiscal cliff", and quite possibly slip back into recession.  On top of that, job growth has been uninspiring and across the pond, European economies remain shaky.  We’ll look at these new fiscal rumblings…and how we may feel them in New Hampshire.

Guests

New Hampshire is one of just eighteen states where the government controls the sale of alcohol; an arrangement from the Prohibition era.  Now, several of these states are re-assessing this set-up, wondering whether it’s outdated.  But others have argued for sticking with the control system, saying it’s better for public safety and for state finances.

During this country's early years, military service was considered the price of citizenship in a free society. Over time, veterans gained in prestige, especially after World War II. Our wars since – some unpopular -- have brought about new attitudes. In his new book, Those Who Have Borne the Battle: A History of America's Wars and Those Who Fought Them, former Dartmouth College President James Wright describes the complicated relationship between this country and its military. 

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We conclude our series on New Hampshire’s Immigration Story.  Over the past year, we’ve examined our immigrant past -- from that first encounter between Native Americans and Europeans to how newcomers shape our communities today… their contributions, their struggles, and the conflicts that come up.  We’ll look at what we’ve learned…and how our immigration story is still being written.

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Every group that has arrived here has experienced some conflict – whether between newcomers and long-time residents…or, within new immigrant groups themselves.  As part of our series on New Hampshire’s Immigration Story, we’ll look at what difficulties tend to come up, again and again – also, how different people draw the lines between assimilation and maintaining their culture. 

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