Editor's note

In his first speech before the U.N. General Assembly yesterday, President Donald Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea and withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal – all while asserting that America remains a model for the rest of the world to emulate, writes Simon Reich of Rutgers University, Newark. Was this speech better suited to 1917 than 2017?

Lots of people are hoping autonomous cars will make driving safer, but even after seven decades of research, fully self-driving vehicles are still many years away. Looking at the past, technology historian Lee Vinsel and professor of engineering Costa Samaras warn that focusing too much on that long-term goal could cause people to miss key safety innovations that are already here.

And religion scholar Jeffery D. Long explains what’s so wrong with an advertisement from the meat industry in Australia that shows the Hindu God Ganesha and deities from other religions seated around a table where lamb is being served.

Finally, with health care reform back in the news, Simon Haeder from West Virginia University examines how the latest Republican proposal differs – and doesn’t – from previous bills and Gerald Friedman from UMass Amherst describes a simpler, and maybe even politically possible, way to get comprehensive health care.

Emily Costello

Senior Editor, Politics + Society

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Trump talks tough at the U.N. General Assembly. Reuters/Lucas Jackson

Trump speaks at the UN: 5 takeaways

Simon Reich, Rutgers University Newark

The president threatened North Korea and decried the decimation of the American middle class – but didn’t have much praise for the work of the United Nations.

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Today’s quote

Simply strike the words 'who are age 65 or over' from the 1965 amendments to the Social Security Act that created Medicare and, voila, everyone (who wants) would be covered by the existing Medicare program.

 

'Medicare for all' could be cheaper than you think

Gerald Friedman

University of Massachusetts Amherst