Politics is about how we as a society come together to hash out what's important to us. Instead of politics, we talk about a 50-year old piece of music that does the same. On today's show, Sean Ono Lennon, musician and son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, discusses how John Lennon's 1971 song "Imagine" was shaped by its time and has influenced music for generations to come.

The past year or so of the COVID pandemic has reshaped the global economy. An international update on that, plus, a preview of the upcoming UN Climate Summit in Glasgow. On today's show, Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post columnist and author of Today's WorldView and the Post's international affairs newsletter joins to talk about the latest in world news, including a preview of the global COP26 summit on climate change.

Trump is suing a Congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, as well as the National Archive, over whether he can exert executive privilege after leaving office. On today's show, Claudia Grisales, congressional reporter at NPR, brings the latest national political news, including Trump's lawsuit against the Jan. 6 Select Committee and the National Archives, and Biden's efforts to convince Congress to move on his legislative priorities.

Today, a conversation about protecting democratic norms like voting rights in the face of attempts by Trump and his allies to rewrite them. On today's show, U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D, CA-28), who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, talks about his new book Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could (Random House, 2021), in which he looks back at his experience as chief prosecutor in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. Plus, the latest news on Capitol Hill as negotiations continue over the Build Back Better agenda.

How does Joe Biden's Catholicism square with his agenda? We talk about that, and other ways the President's beliefs intersect with his political "brand." On today's show, Ayesha Rascoe, White House correspondent for NPR, brings the latest national political news, including a preview of President Joe Biden's trip to the Vatican and updates on the infrastructure deal.

The economy isn't in good shape right now, but this Nobel laureate in economics thinks a post-pandemic upturn is just on the way. On today's show, Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist, distinguished professor at the City University of New York Graduate Center, and the author of (now in paperback) Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020) talks about the debt ceiling, the long-term economic picture and more.

Last night was the second debate in the race for New Jersey governor, but the issues at play aren't unique to the Garden State. On today's show, Michael Hill, WNYC Morning Edition host and Nancy Solomon, reporter and editor in the WNYC newsroom talk about the second gubernatorial debate in New Jersey (which Michael moderated), between incumbent Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, and former Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican.

Much ado has been made about the motivations of Senators Manchin and Sinema. What are they hoping to get out of the game of hardball they're playing with their party's agenda. On today's show, Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post's Washington bureau chief, talks about the latest national political news including continuing negotiations in Congress over the debt limit and crucial legislation related to physical and social infrastructure.

As Congress negotiates the childcare provisions of a multi-faceted spending bill, we look at how US policy compares to the rest of the world. On today's show, Bryce Covert, an independent journalist who covers the economy and a contributing writer at the Nation, discusses the lack of public spending for early child care and the how the reconciliation package would affect it.

The winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have been announced, and this year the honor goes to two journalists "for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression." On today's show, Robert Mahoney, deputy executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, discusses the obstacles the journalists faced and this moment in journalism.