Mortality rates fell sharply for college-educated Americans in recent decades but not for other Americans. Mortality trends also differ sharply between rural and urban areas of the United States and across US counties. Steve asks Jonathan Skinner about these puzzling and troubling trends, and how to explain them. According to Jonathan’s recent research, “Deaths of despair,” “the China shock," obesity, and income inequality don’t explain the trends. Instead, the explanation turns on differences in smoking trends and the consequences for mortality.
Recorded on March 19, 2026.
Videos
Hoover Institution fellow Tom Church talks with Charlie Katebi of the America First Policy Institute about site neutral policy in Medicare.
September 25, 2026
Would you give the politician you trust least the same powers you want government to have?
September 28, 2026
Articles
Interest-paying electronic money, completely safe without deposit insurance, would be a great thing. For example, Silicon Valley Bank would never have had huge uninsured deposits that ran if there had been an easy safe place for large depositors to put their money.
September 22, 2026
