The Conversation

The US owes $23.5 trillion – but can still afford a big coronavirus stimulus package

Written by William D. Lastrapes, Professor of Economics, University of Georgia

America's credit card has no spending limit. photo168/Shutterstock.comCC BY-ND

The U.S. government now owes over US$23.5 trillion in debt, or about $71,000 for every man, women and child living within its borders. It has risen $3 trillion since President Trump took office in 2017 and is almost double what it was just 10 years ago.

U.S. government...

Trump's right: Congress should give Americans US$1,000 a month right now to fight the coronavirus recession

Written by Steven Pressman, Professor of Economics, Colorado State University

People need cash in hand.Patrick Foto/Getty Images

Much of the U.S. economy has effectively shut down as America increasingly takes the coroanvirus pandemic seriously. Retail stores and restaurants across the country are vacant. The entertainment and hospitality industries are on hiatus.

While necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, this will have...

Trump's right: Congress should give Americans $1,000 right now to fight the coronavirus recession

Written by Steven Pressman, Professor of Economics, Colorado State University

People need cash in hand.Patrick Foto/Getty Images

Much of the U.S. economy has effectively shut down as America increasingly takes the coronavirus pandemic seriously. Retail stores and restaurants across the country are vacant. The entertainment and hospitality industries are on hiatus.

While necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, this will have...

Coronavirus quarantines and your legal rights: 4 questions answered

Written by Latisha Nixon-Jones, Visiting Legal Research and Writing Professor, University of Oregon

A woman at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago gives the thumbs-up upon arrival from an overseas flight. Getty Images / Scott Olson

The unknown is frightening. And with the spread of a deadly and communicable disease – the coronavirus is both – individual liberties may be temporarily sidelined to protect the larger community.

Indeed,...

Migrants at US-Mexico border must get past cartels before their long journey ends

Written by Paola Díaz, Investigadora en la Escuela de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Sociales CEMS- EHESS- Francia y en COES- Chile (Centre for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies), Diego Portales University

Undocumented migrants climb on a train known as 'La Bestia' in Las Patronas town, Veracruz state, Mexico, Aug. 9, 2018, to travel through Mexico and reach the U.S. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Every train car in “La Bestia” – The Beast – is a world unto itself, with all the good and evil that entails. Ariel saw the...

Coronavirus reminds Americans that pursuit of happiness is tied to the collective good

Written by Christopher Beem, Managing Director of the McCourtney Institute of Democracy, Co-host of Democracy Works Podcast, Pennsylvania State University

People practice social distancing by standing apart during a news conference in Washington D.C.AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

At its core, the United States Declaration of Independence argues that all human beings have “unalienable rights.” These include right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These rights apply to...

How hope can keep you healthier and happier

Written by Everett Worthington, Emeritus Commonwealth Professor of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University

Hope springs eternal -- if you nurture it.Getty Images / ipopba

Hope can erode when we perceive threats to our way of life, and these days, plenty are out there. As we age, we may struggle with a tragic loss or chronic disease. As we watch the news, we see our political system polarized, hopelessly locked in chaos. The coronavirus spreads wider...

How Chinese people came together when separated by quarantine, creating hope, humor and art

Written by Belinda Kong, Professor of Asian Studies, Bowdoin College

Zuo Ansheng, a flour figurine master, makes flour works related to the coronavirus in Yinan county in Shandong province, Feb. 7, 2020.Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Fear and blame appear to be fast becoming Americans’ defining emotions around COVID-19. Headlines seem to offer either worst-case estimates or government...

The digital divide leaves millions at a disadvantage during the coronavirus pandemic

Written by Gregory Porumbescu, Assistant Professor at the School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers University Newark

Slow or unreliable internet access is a reality for millions of Americans.ben dalton/Flickr, CC BY-SACC BY-ND

Amidst the flurry of social media updates about the COVID-19 pandemic, a chart illustrating the importance of flattening the curve has gone viral. The idea is that taking measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 lowers the chances of overwhel...

The coronavirus could be Generation Z's 9/11

Written by Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology, San Diego State University

A pedestrian wearing a protective face mask walks past a nearly empty restaurant in New York City.John Minchillo/AP Photo

Less than two weeks ago, everything still seemed pretty normal.

On March 6, I was returning home from a short business trip; my flight was full, and the airport was full. My phone’s newsfeed, however, was far from normal:...