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.

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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So far this year officials at the southern border have encountered over two million people trying to enter America. The actual number crossing is likely to be much higher. Two thousand miles north, New York’s mayor has declared a state of emergency. 20,000 migrants have arrived in the city, bused there by politicians further south. Is there a solution to this intractable problem? And will immigration lose Democrats votes in the midterms?

The Economist’s Alexandra Suich Bass assesses the problems at the border.  We go back to a surprisingly pro-immigration president. And The Economist’s Jon Fasman speaks to asylum-seekers in New York.

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

On Thursday October 27th subscribers can join the Checks and Balance team for a live Q&A discussion about the midterms. We’ll be exploring the most heated races, considering what their outcomes might mean for America and answering your questions. Sign up now at economist.com/checkswebinar.  

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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A celebrity doctor who recently lived out of state.  An ex-football player beset by controversy.  When Mitch McConnell said that “candidate quality”  might handicap Republicans’ chances of taking the Senate, it’s likely he was referring to Mehmet Oz and Herschel Walker.  Democrats have some flawed candidates too, but the Republican bad batch is getting more attention. Why is that?   

Georgia journalist Stephen Fowler explains how voters in the state are reacting to the accusations against Walker.  We rank some of the all-time worst Senate candidates. And we revisit the Pennsylvania Senate race, where both candidates have some pretty striking weaknesses.  

John Prideaux hosts with Idrees Kahloon and Jon Fasman.

Join the Checks and Balance team for a live Q&A discussion about the upcoming midterm elections. We will explore the most heated races and what their outcome means for America. That's all in a one-off live webinar for subscribers at 9pm UK time, 4pm on America's East Coast, on Thursday October 27th. You can sign up now at economist.com/checkswebinar 

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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The most important issue for Americans is the economy. When asked, in a poll by YouGov for The Economist, to pick from a list of a dozen problems facing the nation, over a third of people said that the state of the economy or inflation is their top concern. Republicans have a clear lead on the issue and so they ought to do well in the midterms. Except it's more complicated than that: most people don't have an accurate picture of how the economy is doing, and partisanship fills the gap.

The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch takes the temperature of the US economy. We go back to a time when a state bucked the national economic trend. And The Economist’s Elliott Morris explains how politics influences Americans’ assessment of their financial health. 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. 

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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House Republicans have launched their legislative agenda for the next Congress. The “Commitment to America” is fairly brief, pretty unspecific, and filled with standard Republican platitudes around tax cuts and curbing wasteful spending. Kevin McCarthy, who will probably be Speaker if his party wins, calls it “a new direction” for America.  What would Republicans do with control of the House? 

We dissect what’s in the “Commitment to America”, and look at its famous predecessor.  Representative James Comer, who will likely chair the House Oversight Committee if Republicans win, explains what he plans to do in the role.

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.  

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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“The world should see the outrageous acts for what they are," Joe Biden told the United Nations General Assembly this week, condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So far, America has led efforts to support Ukraine’s fight back against the aggressor next door. But with food and energy prices high, Vladimir Putin announcing a partial mobilisation (whatever that is) and once again threatening to use nuclear weapons, how long-lasting will support from the West be? 

Jeremy Shapiro of the European Council on Foreign Relations explains how America’s approach to Ukraine has been a success so far—and the risks it now faces. We go back to another time the United States supported an ally without putting boots on the ground. And the American Enterprise Institute’s Danielle Pletka discusses how Republicans might respond to the war in Ukraine in the future. 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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The most significant moment in the midterms campaigns may have come in June. That was when the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v Wade, taking away the federal right to an abortion and sending the decision back to the states. This fired up Democratic candidates and voters. The party has been doing well in special elections and referendums, and making gains in the polls. How much is this to do with the fight for abortion rights? 

The Economist’s Stevie Hertz travels to Michigan to hear how abortion is influencing voters in that state. We go back to a milestone election for female voters. And US representative Abigail Spanberger explains how the issue is shaping her race for reelection.  

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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The close relationship between the Republican Party and the corporate world has shaped American capitalism for decades. Businesses are used to disdain from Democrats, but vitriol from the right is newer. This has been on display in public brawls between lawmakers and companies, and shifting orthodoxies in the Republicans’ economic philosophy. What will be the impact of the party’s growing suspicion of America Inc?  

West Virginia State Treasurer Riley Moore tells us why he’s targeting firms that won’t invest in fossil fuels. We go back to a high point in the party’s love-in with big business. And political adviser Oren Cass explains the theory behind the Republicans’ new approach. 

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Alexandra Suich Bass. 

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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Red and blue states have always been different. Each state’s ability to experiment, iterate and differentiate has been a source of strength. But as federal politics has become more partisan, so have the states. On everything from abortion to climate, American policy is now dividing into two distinct blocs. How is this new, fractious federalism changing the union?

We hear from the governors of America’s most conservative state, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, and its most progressive, Gavin Newsom of California, whose visions of America’s future are almost polar opposites. We go back to the unlikely origin of the idea that states should be the “laboratories of democracy”. And Chris Warshaw, a political scientist at George Washington University, explores how far apart states can drift and at what cost. John Prideaux hosts with Alexandra Suich Bass and Idrees Kahloon. 

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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After the FBI raided Donald Trump’s Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, threats against law enforcement surged and an armed man tried to break into the agency’s office in Cincinnati. Election, health-care and school officials are feeling increasingly unsafe doing their jobs. Is America entering a new era of political violence?

Security expert Rachel Kleinfeld assesses the state of political violence today. We take a trip to Idaho to meet a militia leader running for elected office. And political science professor Robert Pape considers how to counter violent actors.

Charlotte Howard hosts with Aryn Braun and James Bennet.

You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. 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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