MPR News Presents

Special programming from MPR News.

Changing rural narratives: A Ground Level conversation in Grand Rapids
The great outdoors, as we heard at a community conversation at the Blandin Foundation, is a key reason why people choose to live in Grand Rapids. The discussion revolved around why people choose Grand Rapids, what they worry about and celebrate in daily life, and what issues they believe leaders should focus on.
Thread Book Hour: U.S. poet laureate Tracy K. Smith
Since getting the job in 2017, Smith has been on a mission to take her poetry on the road, visiting rural areas where most writers aren't expected to go.
Climate One: Net Zero Living
Ways to reduce trash generation and energy use at home.
Tyler Cowen and Amitabh Chandra on economics of health care
Two prominent economists share their views on the politics, economics and ethics of America's health care system, at the St. Olaf College Institute on Freedom and Community.
Avik Roy: We can have universal health care without Obamacare
Avik Roy is a prominent national conservative who has a proposal to replace Obamacare with a system that provides universal coverage and is fiscally sustainable over the long haul.
America Abroad: Iraq's Next Steps
In May, Iraqis went to the polls to elect a new national parliament. It was the first election since the defeat of ISIS in Iraq.
BBC documentary: 'The Day Hope Died: Remembering Robert Kennedy'
Robert F. Kennedy often said, in 1968 campaign speeches, that too much — and for too long — we have sacrificed something about our country, and personal excellence, in an unending search for more wealth.
Jonah Goldberg with a plea for gratitude in politics
A discussion about politics and democracy in America, from the perspective of a conservative who believes too many Americans view politics as a form of entertainment.