On Point | Podcast

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty looks into why President Biden’s initiatives to boost the economy, with legislation such as the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, are not recognized by many voters.

A lot is at stake in Arizona’s senate race. It could determine control of the Senate -- and the outcome of the presidential election.

The U.S. is building new nuclear weapons, including a massive missile called the Sentinel. They're up to 20 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Rebroadcast: What happens in the brain when you pray or meditate? Neurotheology explores the connection between our synapses and spiritual revelations.

The NCAA’s all-time scoring leader Caitlin Clark begins her WNBA career on Tuesday. Caitlin Clark helped elevate the game of basketball to new heights at the college level. What impact will she have in the pros?

'Buy now, pay later' loans for just about everything are growing. But there’s barely any data or regulation on this emerging market. Are consumers being helped or hurt by this new lending option?

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the rise of illiberalism in the U.S. today and its historic entwinement with liberalism in America.

Some Palestinians have been able to flee Gaza. But millions are still there as the Israeli military moves on Rafah, and there’s still no agreement to pause the war.

A groundbreaking review out of the UK finds “poor” or “low quality” evidence for using puberty blockers and hormones to help gender-distressed young people. Dr. Hilary Cass, who led that review, gives her first U.S. broadcast interview to On Point.

Dyslexia affects one in every 5 Americans. But only 2 million are diagnosed and receive the help they need. Why?

The Russia-Ukraine war has lasted over two years. But just weeks after Russia's 2022 invasion, both sides came close to a settlement that could have ended the war and saved thousands of lives. What happened?

For decades some conservative scholars and politicians have asserted the United States is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. So which one is it?

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the power of the MAGA red hat to forge an identity and spread a political message around the world.

Rebroadcast: In 1956, a federal judge ordered the town of Clinton, Tennessee to desegregate its high school. The unrest that followed tore the town apart.

Celebrated author Amy Tan doesn’t just write best-selling novels. She’s a passionate birder, too. Her new book on birding describes the wonder she sees looking out her window.

Nearly three-quarters of Americans believe there should be a mandatory retirement age for elected officials. In many state judiciaries, there already is. Do mandatory retirement ages work in state courts?

The Affordable Care Act says you don't have to pay for preventative health care. But a federal judge in Texas recently struck that down. And it could change the way 160 million Americans get their care. Nicholas Bagley joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Cyber warfare is the future of war. And in many ways, that future is already here. So, is the United States ready? Patrick Tucker, Jaspreet Gill and Admiral Mike Rogers join Meghna Chakrabarti.

People the world over are feeling economically and culturally insecure. Economist Pranab Bardhan says liberal leaders aren’t paying enough attention to that, and that’s led to a growing disenchantment with democracy.

As maternal deaths rose in the U.S. during the pandemic, Black women bore the brunt. In fact, they are almost three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Helena Grant, Kimberly Seals Allers and Congresswoman Alma Adams join Tiziana Dearing.

Joan Biskupic has been a supreme court analyst for 25 years. Her new book tells the inside story of the court’s conservative transformation -- the personalities and the politics behind the court we have now, and will have for years to come.

Major League Baseball has new rules designed to speed up the game and attract new fans. We learn what fans and players think of the sport’s big changes in the first few weeks of the new season. Jeff Passan and C.J. Stewart join Anthony Brooks.

President Biden’s new emissions standards are designed to accelerate the push towards electric vehicles. Among the challenges – batteries, and China’s stranglehold on the supply chain. We hear how to reach an electric future.

By limiting access to abortion, Republicans have achieved a long sought-after goal. But it has cost them dearly in recent elections and many are looking to 2024 with trepidation. Jess Bidgood, Ramesh Ponnuru, Dante Scala and Eleanor Klibanoff join Anthony Brooks.

It's episode five of our series 'The power of populism.' Populism can have an authoritarian trajectory, but can it also bring about better democracies? Thomas Frank, Jean Louise Cohen and Jack Beatty join Meghna Chakrabarti.

It’s easy to think of American populism as disempowered rural residents versus the urban elite. When it comes to America’s electoral system and influencing national policy, who has the real power? Jonathan Rodden and Danielle Allen join Meghna Chakrabarti.

On Point continues to explore “The power of populism” this week. Today, Wisconsin and the politics of resentment. How has populism flourished in the Badger state? Charlie Sykes and Shawn Johnson join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Populism is on the rise across the globe, from Turkey to Hungary to Brazil. The second episode of our series “The power of populism” looks at the appeal of populism in India, and what it means for the future of the world’s largest democracy.

Populism has been on the rise in recent years. But why? And what exactly is populism? It’s the first episode of our series "The power of populism."

For the first time in our nation’s history, a president was indicted on criminal charges. What’s next for Donald Trump?

Student discipline problems rose sharply in the pandemic. Schools say disruptive behavior has been on the rise for years, but they're not allowed to do much about it. Now, lawmakers want to change that. Ben Court, Patrick Wall and Elizabeth Errico join Meghna Chakrabarti.

T-Mobile had a major cell phone outage in February. Last year, AT&T customers in Minnesota lost service for four days. What would it take to make America's wireless networks more reliable? Harold Feld joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Health care professionals across the country say they're being forced to compromise the quality of care they give their patients in the name of profits. Dr. Jamie Wooldridge is a pediatric pulmonologist. She says the stresses of the health care industry are driving many doctors and nurses to leave the profession.

In our nation’s for-profit health system, more and more health care professionals say they're being forced to make choices that are bad for patients. Much like soldiers at war, clinicians now report suffering from “moral injury.”

Gun violence recently surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death for American children. For Black children – that’s been the case since 2006. Dr. Victor Garcia and Joseph Richardson join Meghna Chakrabarti.

The COVID pandemic paved the way for widespread use of telehealth doctor’s appointments. They worked. But some states are rolling back access to virtual visits.

20 years after the U.S. invaded Iraq, congress is quietly repealing its authorization of the war. We look back at the past two decades in Iraq, through an Iraqi's eyes. Ghaith Abdul-Ahad joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Mass protest in Israel have delayed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to transform Israel’s judiciary. But there are signs of deeper troubles for Israeli democracy.

Sitting members of Congress are aiding January 6th defendants. Visiting them in jail, releasing raw Capitol footage to Fox news. We hear what it means when members of Congress back the people who tried to tear Congress down.

The U.S. is considering banning the hugely popular video-sharing app TikTok, over concerns that its Chinese ownership poses a threat to national security. What’s to fear about TikTok?

Why did Jacob Wideman murder Eric Kane? In 1986, the two 16-year-olds were rooming together on a summer camp trip to the Grand Canyon when Jacob fatally — and inexplicably — stabbed Eric. That night, Jacob went on the run, absconding with the camp’s rented Oldsmobile and thousands of dollars in traveler’s checks. Before long, he turned himself in and eventually confessed to the killing — although he couldn’t explain what drove him to do it. It would take years of therapy and medical treatment behind bars before Jacob could begin to understand what was going through his mind that night. It would take even longer to try to explain it to his family, to his victim’s family and to parole board members, who would decide whether he deserved to be free ever again. This debut episode of “Violation,” a podcast from WBUR and The Marshall Project, introduces the story of the crime that has bound two families together for decades. Jacob’s father, John Edgar Wideman, is an acclaimed author of many books on race, violence and criminal justice. He spoke with Violation host Beth Schwartzapfel in a rare, in-depth interview about his son’s case that listeners will hear throughout the series, including this premiere.

For the first time in U.S. history, a former president may be charged with a serious crime. We discuss the legal and political fallout of the possible indictment of Donald Trump.

In America we have the wealth and the know-how to end poverty, so why don’t we? Sociologist Matthew Desmond seeks answers in his new book “Poverty, By America.”

Just three weeks after the catastrophic earthquake in Turkey, reconstruction was already underway. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has promised to rebuild in one year. But is racing to rebuild the right answer? Evren Aydoğan, Divya Chandrasekhar and Jared Maslin join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Teen mental health is declining, particularly among girls. The pressure of social media is often cited as a leading cause. But that’s not the full story behind the mental health of teenage girls in the U.S.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank marks the second largest bank failure in America’s history. Some say a 2018 rollback on bank regulations helped cause it. What happens when so-called mid-sized banks also get too big to fail?

Computer brain interfaces used to be the stuff of science fiction. Now, headphones and earbuds with sensors that can read your brain waves – and sell your data – are hitting the market. Experts say it’s the time to establish rules of the road.

A Texas lawsuit attempting to ban the abortion pill could undermine how the FDA approves drugs. If the plaintiffs succeed, experts say the pharmaceutical industry could be thrown into chaos -- leaving past and new drugs also on the chopping block. Glenn Cohen and Eva Temkin join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Emily Fobert is a research fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia. In the lab, Emily studies how light pollution affects marine life.

Earth needs darkness just as much as it needs light. Human light pollution is pushing back the dark, which is changing the natural world, and could be hurting us, too. Johan Eklöf joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

The State of Missouri controlled the St. Louis police force from the Civil War until a decade ago. Now Republican state politicians want that power back. We explore the struggle for control of the police between the city and state.

Professor Nico Smit specializes in aquatic parasitology at Northwestern University in South Africa. Many years ago, while working on his Ph.D., Smit ran across something special in the coastal waters off South Africa: a tongue-replacing parasite.

Parasites. Cause of human disease. Big on the yuck-factor. It's easy to think of them as doing no good -- but researchers say that's the wrong way to think of these essential creatures.

Barbara Brandon-Croft is the first Black female cartoonist to be nationally syndicated. Her comic strip, “Where I’m Coming From,” ran from 1991 to 2005 and featured nine Black women who talk about everything from racism, politics, friendship to love.

Following a scathing independent report last year, Britain is shutting down its leading gender identity clinic. We talk about what lead to the closure, and how the debate over “gender affirming care” is unfolding in the United Kingdom. Hannah Barnes joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

More studies are finding that natural immunity from COVID can be as protective as vaccination. U.S. health leaders knew this in 2021 — but most didn’t publicly acknowledge it. Why? Dr. Chris Murray and Dr. Paul Offit joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Injustice in America’s for-profit justice system. When profit becomes the point, families become targets of the very justice system that is meant to protect everyone.

When dozens of companies in the U.K. experimented with a four-day work week, employers and employees loved it. Could a four-day work week work in the United States? Juliet Schor, Matthew Bidwell and Shawn Noratel join Meghna Chakrabarti.

In July 2022, Florida Governor DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 1467. It requires all schoolbooks to be reviewed by a district employee holding an educational media specialist certificate, to ensure the books are grade level appropriate and free of pornography. Shortly after the bill went into effect, videos started popping up on social media of empty school bookshelves. Brian Covey, who posted a video of those empty bookshelves, joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis is making changes to public K-12 education. How are his policies and politics impacting Florida classrooms? Jeff Solochek joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

The international community responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine with harsh sanctions. But a year later, Russia is still fighting in Ukraine. Have sanctions failed? Adam Smith, Frank Vogl and Sergey Aleksashenko join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Thirty years ago, a secret dinner at the Pentagon led to a flurry of consolidation in the defense industry. We hear the story of that so-called "last supper" and what it means for the Pentagon's $800 billion budget today. Norman Augustine and Rep. John Garamendi join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Millions of Americans sell their blood plasma every year. It’s part of a global, multibillion dollar business. But what is plasma really used for? Kathleen McLaughlin and Dr. Morey Blinder join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Since the 1950s, the number of occupations requiring a state license has ballooned. Who benefits, who loses when one in four workers in America need a license to do their job?

100 years ago, average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47. Today, it's closer to 80 -- and lots of people are using those extra 30 years to reinvent themselves. Tom Andrew, Chip Conley and Sara-Lawrence-Lightfoot join Anthony Brooks.

When a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, residents were forced to evacuate. Industry critics say lax safety regulations and industry lobbyists set the stage for this disaster.

Contemporary political battles have put school classrooms at the center of a debate about race and our country’s history. How should American educators be teaching the history of slavery? Danielle Allen and David Blight join Kimberly Atkins Stohr.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine one year ago this week – nearly 8,000 civilians have been killed, 11,000 injured and millions displaced. We hear from Ukrainians about their year of living through war.

It’s been nearly a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Both sides are preparing for new offensives. Can NATO keep its promise to stand with Kyiv for as long as it takes?

Amazon is no longer content with being your go-to retailer, streaming service, or smart speaker. The trillion-dollar company now wants to be your doctor’s office and your pharmacy.

There is more child sexual abuse content online than ever before. And not just on the dark web, but on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. What can the major tech companies do to stop it?

A deal with the Netherlands and Japan marks America’s latest effort to curb China’s semiconductor production. National security, meets economic rivalry, meets trade war geo-politics.

Before the shooting down of more unidentified aerial objects over the past few days, there was the China spy balloon. That gave us a rare glimpse into spycraft between the U.S. and China. What have we learned?

The federal government asked the seven Colorado River Basin states for a plan to cut water. All came to an agreement – except California. Now the federal government may have to step in. How will the West adapt as the Colorado River runs dry? Jennifer Pitt, Bart Fisher and Kathryn Sorensen join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Congress recently, and quietly, gave the FDA the power to prohibit off-label uses of medical devices. What’s behind that change and what it could mean for prescription medication? Zachary Brennan, Randall Stafford and Brad Thompson join Meghna Chakrabarti.

In the 1980s, a lawyer devised a tax dodge that would save the ultra-rich millions. In the 1990s, Congress stepped in to make the maneuver even more lucrative. We hear how the ultra-rich avoid paying taxes.

Populism, border politics and primaries. In this podcast special, On Point news analyst Jack Beatty highlights key moments from President Biden's second State of the Union address.

American English has many forms. It’s evolved over 400 years to match this country’s dynamic history. Humanities professor Ilan Stavans says that because it’s so adaptable, American English can unify our fractured nation. Ilan Stavans joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

The Taliban promised they would honor Afghan women's rights. Instead, they have banned women from universities, even required covering the faces of female mannequins. Mina, Najia Naseem and Rangina Hamidi join Meghna Chakrabarti.

One in five Americans now live with their parents, grandparents, or adult children -- all under one roof. It's a remarkable change from a few generations ago. Ammylou Daludado, Michelle Singletary and Hope Harvey join Meghna Chakrabarti.

John Reynolds has lived in Yosemite National Park his entire life. In this 'First person' diary, he shares how living in nature helps him maintain a sense of awe.

How do you find deep happiness? Researcher Dacher Keltner says the answer is to find everyday wonder.

The banality of evil. That was Hannah Arendt's famous observation during the trial of Adolf Eichmann, the ‘architect of the Holocaust.’ Now, there's evidence that Eichmann's evil was anything but banal. Yariv Mozer and Bettina Stangneth join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Special police units like the now-disbanded SCORPION team in Memphis are common around the country. Police chiefs say they’re essential for fighting crime. Critics say their elite status and lack of accountability is a recipe for abuse.

A recent edition of On Point explored the role of patriarchal power in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the consequences of that for Mormon women in abusive relationships. Currently, only men in the Mormon Church get to ascend the religious hierarchy. Kate Kelly founded the group Ordain Women roughly a decade ago to try to change that.

This month, a Utah man murdered his wife, and their five children, and his mother-in-law, before killing himself. That’s sparked a conversation among Mormon women about power and safety in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

In the 1980s, the world came together to ban CFCs, commonly used chemicals that were destroying the atmosphere’s ozone layer. Are there lessons we can apply to tackling climate change? Paul Newman and David Victor join Meghna Chakrabarti.

House Republicans are getting down to business, drafting legislation to spend more money on border control, less on the IRS. Hardliners are calling for radical changes to social security and Medicare. How will the GOP advance its agenda in the House? Rep. Gary Palmer, Scott MacFarlane and Philip Wallach join Kimberly Atkins Stohr.

Over 40 million adults in America suffer from an anxiety disorder. But anxiety, the emotion, has an evolutionary purpose: It helps us prepare for an uncertain future. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary and Marc Brackett join Kimberly Atkins Stohr.

Until recently Bruno Lozano was the mayor of Del Rio, Texas. Once seen as a rising star in the Democratic party, he’s now a fierce critic of President Biden’s handling of the southern border.

Almost every major company in the U.S. requires their employees to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion training. But is DEI training achieving what it aims to do? Frank Dobbin, Robert Livingston and Chloé Valdary join Anthony Brooks.

So far, the presidency of Joe Biden has seen some big legislative successes, but a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. With a new Republican House majority determined to block his agenda, what’s next for the Biden presidency?

College enrollment is down across the nation. Demographic changes are largely driving that. What does the decline mean for the future of small colleges?

In Europe there are ‘dementia villages’ where residents can live freely despite their memory loss. Could that work here in the United States? Iris Van Slooten and Dr. Tia Powell join Meghna Chakrabarti.

Representative George Santos has lied about almost every aspect of his life. How do uncontrolled fabulists get that way -- going way beyond the little fibs we all tell -- to cutting all ties with the truth?

The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new guidelines to tackle the obesity epidemic. They’re calling for family counseling, early treatment with drugs and even surgery. Can pediatricians turn the epidemic around?

In 2012, horrified by the Sandy Hook school shooting, stay-at-home mom Shannon Watts founded Moms Demand Action. It’s now one of the largest anti-gun violence groups in the nation. Shannon Watts joins Meghna Chakrabarti.

The nation’s first gun insurance mandate took effect this year in San Jose, California. Gunowners in the city are required to have liability insurance, or they'll be fined a minimum of $250. But can insurance actually curb gun violence?