ABSTRACT
In recent months, we have watched COVID-19 spread across the planet like an out-of-control tsunami. As the deaths mount, evidence suggests that minority communities have been hit harder by the virus in every respect. However, influenza type viruses are not new in the United States or other parts of the world. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that influenza caused 34, 000 deaths in the U. S. during the 2018-2019 season. While much of the literature examines the incidence of death from influenza from a medical perspective, this research takes a social science perspective with the goal of influencing public policy. The analysis addresses two important questions. Are certain states and regions of the U. S. more prone to deaths from influenza? Are nonwhites more likely to die from influenza than whites? Our analysis demonstrates that certain U. S. states, regions, and racial groups are more likely to die from influenza than other groups. © 2021 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
ABSTRACT
In The Great Reset, Richard Florida defines Great Resets as “broad and fundamental transformations of the economic and social order that involve much more than economic or financial events.” In this chapter, we expand Florida’s model to give a much greater emphasis to politics and power and then argue that, while the Trump administration can be viewed as a response to America’s ongoing Great Reset in the 21st century, its efficacy appears to be highly problematic, in large part because it represents a “Back to the Future” vision of where America should go. In particular, the Great Reset that has transformed the political economy of the United States after World War II is composed of a complex set of interacting economic, political, and social phenomena. Economic resets include: 1) the transformation of the economy from an industrial to an information-age one;2) the communications and transportation revolutions that spurred globalization;3) the laissez-faire international order after World War II;4) the transformation of the impact of globalization from positive to negative on many aspects of the economy;5) deindustrialization;6) the changing nature of employment;7) changing business philosophy;8) the marginalization of labor;9) slower economic growth;and 10) the Covid-19 crisis. Political and social resets include: 1) the replacement of Keynesianism by neoliberalism as the nation’s public philosophy;2) the rise of cultural issues in domestic politics;3) the abjuring of large-scale government interventions in the economy, such as the GI Bill and Great Society Programs;4) the “Great Risk Shift” in social insurance;5) decline of educational system;6) financialization of economy;7) limited reduction in barriers facing marginalized members of society;8) the escalating polarization of domestic politics;9) escalating inequality;and 10) the creation and then decline of broad middle class. The Trump administration has had a mixed response to the threats and opportunities that these resets create for continuing and expanding the “American Dream.” It has clearly tried to reverse: 1) globalization’s changing impact on the American economy;2) the changing nature of employment;3) deindustrialization;4) slower growth;5) the changing fortunes of the middle class;6) macroeconomic neoliberalism;7) the role of public education;and 8) the negative impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the economy. In addition, it has accelerated: 1) the rise of cultural issues;2) the polarization of American politics;3) the barriers facing marginalized members of society;4) the financialization of the U.S. economy;and 5) the marginalization of labor. In contrast, it has generally ignored: 1) the transformation from an industrial to an information-age economy;2) the postwar communications and transportations revolutions;3) the change in business philosophy;4) direct government interventions, like the Great Society and G.I. Bill;5) the Great Risk Shift;and 6) rapidly rising inequality. © 2021 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.