Midday with Dan Rodricks

“I don’t think a fire truck should look like a NASCAR vehicle,” said Michael Campbell, president of the Baltimore Fire Officers Local 964 of the prospect of the city selling advertising space on its fire trucks. According to Michael Sandel, the Harvard political philosopher, the proposal marks a trend in American culture, in which almost every facet of life seems to be about markets and marketing. Is there something wrong with a world in which everything is for sale? If so, how can we prevent market values from reaching into spheres of life where they don’t belong?

Dan talks with Nassir Ghaemi, professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine, about the surprisingly deep correlation between mental illness and successful leadership, as seen through some of history's greatest politicians, generals, and business leaders. Ghaemi, a specialist in bipolar disorder, is the author of "A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness." This show was originally broadcast December 19, 2011.

Secret Service training: Johns Hopkins' Christopher Dreisbach on how he teaches ethics and the ethical quandaries specific to the Secret Service. Following the prostitution scandal in Colombia, the Secret Service sent 100 agents to a two-day ethics training conducted by JHU and led by Prof. Dreisbach.

Much-heralded Clinton-era welfare reforms slashed cash benefits to women and children, yet the use of food stamps is soaring today, with one in six Americans, about 50 million of us, now depending on food assistance -- more than ever. Critics of the Obama administration point to it as the new welfare. What happened? Our guests: New York Times reporter Jason DeParle, who covers poverty, and Michael Reisch, one of the nation's leading experts in social welfare systems and the Daniel Thursz Distinguished Professor of Social Justice at the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

In heavily democratic Baltimore, the city's top positions, such as mayor and city council president will be determined by Tuesday's primary. Dan analyzes the results this hour with reporters and commentators.

In an emergency, the first step is to call 911. But the actions you take while professional help is on the way can mean the difference between life and death. From how to save someone from a burning car or a collapsed building to how to rescue someone (including yourself) from broken ice, our guest, Kalee Thompson, tells us how to take action. Kalee Thompson is the author of "From Bystander to Hero: How to be the First Responder to 10 Disasters," published in a recent edition of Popular Mechanics.