Checks and Balance from The Economist

Once a decade, American states have the chance to redraw boundaries for electoral districts. The temptation to create biased maps–called “gerrymanders”–has long been irresistible. Those drawn in the wake of the 2020 census are currently being finalised. How could redistricting be made more fair?

Harvard’s Nick Stephanopoulos assesses the latest maps. We explore a redistricting cycle that didn’t go as planned. And Davin Rosborough of the American Civil Liberties Union tells us about a gerrymandering battle in Alabama.

Jon Fasman presents with Charlotte Howard and Elliott Morris. 

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Next term the Supreme Court will hear two cases challenging race-conscious admissions programmes. The court’s conservative supermajority is likely to rule for the plaintiffs. What difference would a ban on affirmative action make to higher education in America?

The Economist’s Tamara Gilkes Borr explains how she switched from opposing to supporting affirmative action. We tell the story of the man who coined the term. And The Economist’s Steve Mazie takes us through the Supreme Court cases, and considers if the process for replacing Justice Stephen Breyer is a form of affirmative action.

John Prideaux presents with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

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The labour market has rebounded from its pandemic-induced slump with gusto. As bosses worry about a shortage of employees, firms are having to get creative in order to fill vacancies. Will the employment boom reshape the relationship between American workers and companies?

Charlotte Howard meets a group of Starbucks employees trying to unionise. We go back to a time of great change for the American workforce. And Professor Daron Acemoglu from MIT explains if robots could make up the shortfall in the labour market.

John Prideaux presents with Jon Fasman.  

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Voters in Oregon have approved a law allowing people to take psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in magic mushrooms. Users will be able to apply to go to a licensed facility and take the drug with the help of a trained supervisor. The evidence suggests that this could successfully treat mental health issues. Should psychedelics be more widely available? 

Veteran Jesse Gould explains how an ayahuasca trip helped to cure his PTSD. We go back to an outlandish covert CIA operation. And Harvard’s Dr Mason Marks tells us if Oregon’s approach could be replicated elsewhere.

John Prideaux presents with Jon Fasman and Charlotte Howard. 

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Joe Biden voters are more likely to have a negative view of the United States than those who voted for Donald Trump, according to new research from The Economist. A year since his inauguration, is this miserablism largely a result of President Biden’s recent woes, or is there something inherently gloomy in the left’s mindset?  

The Economist’s Daniella Raz sifts through the poll findings. We go back to the time when a liberal philosopher imagined a dark future for America. And political psychologist Peter Ditto examines what makes liberal brains tick.  

John Prideaux presents with Jon Fasman and Charlotte Howard. 

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After George Floyd’s murder protestors took to the streets, angry about racially-motivated brutality and discrimination. They urged authorities to “defund the police” and over 20 cities listened. But now, with rising murder rates, many of those same places are increasing investment in law enforcement. Can you “refund” and reform the police at the same time?  

Mayor of Portland, Oregon Ted Wheeler tells us why his city is raising its police budget. We go back to a war on crime that’s been largely forgotten. And criminal justice reformer David Muhammad discusses the best ways to cut crime while also fixing policing.

John Prideaux presents with Charlotte Howard and Jon Fasman.  

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“The former president of the United States has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.” Joe Biden had harsh words for Donald Trump in a speech marking the anniversary of the Capitol attack. What has the House Select Committee set up to investigate January 6th discovered so far? 

The Economist’s James Astill combs through the committee’s findings. We trace the link between the disputed election of 1876 and the insurrection. And anti-Trump Republican Sarah Longwell assesses her party’s response to the events of a year ago.

John Prideaux presents with Jon Fasman and Charlotte Howard. 

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Morgan Wallen became one of the stories of 2021 after he was caught using a racial slur. Banned from radio, the country music star’s sales and streams spiked anyway. The affair reinforced a stereotype of the genre as home to hillbilly bigotry. But country is changing and its politics were always more complex than its popularity in Republican heartlands indicates. What does the story tell us about America’s shifting views of class and identity?

Nadine Hubbs of the University of Michigan unpicks Wallen’s story and tells us how streaming and social media are revolutionising country music. And we find out how embracing country propelled Richard Nixon to the presidency.

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Jon Fasman.

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On this special holiday episode the team highlights the stories we didn’t get a chance to cover on the podcast this year. Plus a couple of mystery quiz masters from The Economist family join, and listeners try to out-fox our trivia champion Jon Fasman with questions of their own.  

John Prideaux presents with Charlotte Howard and Jon Fasman. 

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Nuclear is responsible for nearly 20% of America’s power generation and about half of its clean energy. It’s greener than fossil fuels and more reliable than renewables. Yet safety fears remain and plants are being closed. Will the climate crisis force America to reconsider nuclear power?

The Economist’s Aryn Braun reports from a coal town welcoming a new atomic plant. We go back to America’s worst nuclear accident. And The Economist’s Vijay Vaitheeswaran considers what the energy future might look like. 

John Prideaux presents with Charlotte Howard and Jon Fasman.  

For full access to print, digital and audio editions as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod

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