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Checks and Balance from The Economist
Checks and Balance: Donkey years
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For two years Democrats have held the Holy Grail – control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress. The midterms will, most likely, put an end to that. Divided government is going to make Joe Biden’s agenda much harder to pass: what will the legacy of his first two years in power be?
The Economist’s Henry Curr takes us through “Bidenomics”. We go back to the last time Democrats had a government trifecta. And The Economist’s Stevie Hertz speaks to voters who have been helped by the Biden administration, but may not realise it.
Charlotte Howard hosts with Idrees Kahloon and Jon Fasman.
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Dictator-proofing: How fragile is America’s democracy?
50:50Donald Trump and Joe Biden are campaigning against a global backdrop of rising authoritarianism. Each candidate has accused the other of trying to destroy American democracy. But what are the constraints on the presidency, whoever holds the office? This week we consider whether the checks and balances the founding fathers put in place are still fit for purpose. Could a president tilt the country toward dictatorship?Charlotte Howard hosts with James Bennet and Idrees Kahloon. Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice and The Economist’s John Prideaux also contribute. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsGet a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
High hopes: A decade of legal cannabis
48:36Just over half of Americans live in a state with legal recreational weed. Now, the Department of Justice is recommending the drug be reclassified on a federal level. Legalisation amounts to a massive experiment for public policy, entrepreneurs and consumers. Is it a rolling success? Or will it leave states and investors high and dry?Charlotte Howard hosts with James Bennet and Idrees Kahloon. Daniel Sumner of the University of California, Davis, legal weed entrepreneur Beau Allulli and The Economist’s Daniel Knowles also contribute. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsGet a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Checks and Balance: Bill comes due
46:17America's national debt now exceeds $34 trillion. The budget deficit–inflated by having to pay interest on all that debt–has averaged 9% of GDP over the past five years. Does that spending threaten America’s economy? And why do so few politicians seem to care?Charlotte Howard hosts with Adam O’Neal and Idrees Kahloon. Doug Elmendorf, the Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, and The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch also contribute.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Checks and Balance: Chaos on campus
49:17Student protests and encampments have mushroomed across America. Some students fear for their safety and more than 2,000 people have been arrested, as police in riot gear clear campuses. What do these protests mean for free speech, and what impact will they have on November’s election? Charlotte Howard hosts with James Bennet and Idrees Kahloon. The Economist’s Daniella Raz and John Prideaux also contribute.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Checks and Balance: Aid, and a bet
48:25For months, a big foreign-aid deal looked like it was going nowhere in the House of Representatives. Now $95bn of support is heading out the door. How did the bill get through? What does it mean for Ukraine and for American leadership in the world?Charlotte Howard hosts with James Bennet and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Adam O’Neal and Anton La Guardia. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Checks and Balance: Stormy weather
49:10A jury has been selected in Donald Trump's criminal trial in Manhattan. The case has been criticised as flawed and partisan, but of the four indictments against Mr Trump, it may be the only one to produce a verdict before the election. Now the trial is underway, what should one make of it? And what difference could a guilty verdict make?John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. Jed Shugerman of Boston University and The Economist’s James Bennet and Kennett Werner also contribute.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Checks and Balance: Six months in
51:43Six months after the October 7th attacks, the once solid alliance between America and Israel is beginning to fray. Joe Biden has called Binyamin Netanyahu’s approach in Gaza “a mistake”. But what does the Biden administration want right now? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by Aaron David Miller of The Carnegie Endowment and The Economist’s Anshel Pfeffer.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Checks and Balance: Capitol gains
48:34While America’s focus has been on the presidential election, the race for Congress is even more volatile. With razor-thin majorities in the House and the Senate, both chambers might flip in November. What does that mean for governing? And how will the outcomes of these elections shape the next presidency?John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Aryn Braun and Jessica Taylor from The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
Checks and Balance: Questions and answers
42:03This week: something a little different. The team answers a selection of questions sent in by our listeners, on topics ranging from climate policy to the Supreme Court and their dream jobs in the federal government. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.