Who got 'what people wanted' – Harris or Trump?

+ making fuel from plastic US Edition - Today's top story: Starting with a handshake, presidential debate between Harris and Trump then turns fierce, and pointed [View in browser]( US Edition | 11 September 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [What makes a storm dangerous? People and property]( - [‘Difficult’ children still form secure parental attachments]( - [U.S. poverty went down, but economic hardship went up]( Lead story From her confident stride across the stage to shake former President Donald Trump’s hand to her closing statement, Vice President Kamala Harris dominated last night’s prime-time debate. She challenged Trump on his facts, needled him on his record and altogether demonstrated a mastery and skill that had been open to question until last night. Two scholars provide their [analysis of the debate in today’s lead story](. Rodney Coates, a sociologist at Miami University who studies race, writes that, in fact, “noticeably absent from Trump’s first face-to-face meeting with Harris” were the attacks on her race that he has made in the past. “For most of the debate, Trump avoided this line of attack,” writes Coates. Lee Banville, who directs the School of Journalism at the University of Montana, also wrote a book on presidential debates. He reflects on how “often these spectacles of American politics come down to some memorable moment – a rhetorical jab that bloodies an opponent, an unforced error that dogs a campaign for weeks.” What will be the moment, he asks, that “will merit more than a couple of TikToks making fun of politicians?” Banville says we should know in a day or two, but if you want to know what he thinks it might be, read the story. [ [The latest on philanthropy and nonprofits. Sign up for our weekly Giving Today newsletter](. ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy Former President Donald Trump, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris debate on Sept. 10, 2024. AP Photo/Alex Brandon [Starting with a handshake, presidential debate between Harris and Trump then turns fierce, and pointed]( Rodney Coates, Miami University; Lee Banville, University of Montana From inflation to abortion, foreign policy and democracy, the two presidential candidates went at it fiercely during their prime-time debate. Two scholars – of race and of journalism – weigh in. Politics + Society - [Kamala Harris’ message to women on ‘freedom’ helps explain why Black and white Christians are deeply divided over support for Donald Trump]( Youssef Chouhoud, Christopher Newport University; Dara Delgado, Allegheny College; Flavio Rogerio Hickel Jr., Washington College; Leah Payne, George Fox University The history of Black religious life in the US includes people of all faiths using their beliefs to fight for social justice. Environment + Energy - [Making fuels from plastics in Newaygo, Michigan, would be controversial – here’s why]( Anne McNeil, University of Michigan; Aleksandr V. Zhukhovitskiy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Yutan Getzler, Kenyon College A proposed chemical recycling plant in western Michigan may provide a handful of jobs but little environmental benefit. - [Coastal cities’ growing hurricane vulnerability is fed by both climate change and unbridled population growth]( Wanyun Shao, University of Alabama Fast population growth has left more people in flood-prone areas of Gulf Coast communities, including Houston and New Orleans. Often, those residents at most risk are the most socially vulnerable. International - [With China seeking AI dominance, Taiwan’s efforts to slow neighbor’s access to advanced chips needs support from the West]( Min-Yen Chiang, Georgia State University; Robert Muggah, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) On Sept. 6, 2024, the US announced fresh export controls on quantum and microchip goods. Taiwan has long worked to slow China’s AI progress, while not damaging its own lucrative market. Education - [Fewer college students indicate they are nonbinary amid backlash]( Genny Beemyn, UMass Amherst; Steve Friess, University of Michigan Students are less likely to identify as nonbinary in states with anti-trans policies. Economy + Business - [Trump’s tax cuts led to a $20B reduction in charitable giving within a year]( Daniel Hungerman, University of Notre Dame The charitable deduction vanished for the 30 million taxpayers who stopped itemizing in 2018, the year the tax changes took effect. - [Official US poverty rate declined in 2023, but more people faced economic hardship]( Mark Robert Rank, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis About 1 in 9 Americans are facing poverty today. But more than half of the people residing in the US will experience poverty at some point in their adult lives. - [Funny reviews help engage consumers, fueling impulse buys − to a point, study shows]( Sunil Wattal, Temple University There has been quite a bit of research on online product reviews that try to sway consumer sentiment, but new research looks at reviews that are instead a form of entertainment. Science + Technology - [‘Difficult’ children are only slightly more likely to have insecure attachments with parents]( Or Dagan, Long Island University Post; Carlo Schuengel, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The quality of a child’s attachments to caregivers influences healthy development. And most kids with difficult temperaments do form secure attachments with their parents. Trending on site - [Elon Musk’s feud with Brazilian judge is much more than a personal spat − it’s about national sovereignty, freedom of speech and the rule of law]( - [Is weight loss as simple as calories in, calories out? In the end, it’s your gut microbes and leftovers that make your calories count]( - [Breast density and mammograms: New FDA rule will ensure all women have more information after cancer screenings]( Today's graphic 📈 [The food insecurity rate declined to 10.2% in 2021 from nearly 15% in 2011, as the government ramped up safety net spending to cushion economic blows from the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate increased in 2022 and again 2023, when it rose to 13.5% after a rollback in benefit spending.]( From the story, [US food insecurity rate rose to 13.5% in 2023 as government benefits declined and food prices soared]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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