The big AT&T/Discovery deal is creating a behemoth (CNN, HBO, TLC, Food Network, TNT, TBS, etc.) streaming service. But will it work? And why don't these combinations work more often?
There's a perception that Congress is totally gridlocked, and that the parties do nothing but bicker. But our expert guest says that maybe we're all being a little too negative, because actually, Congress gets more done while you're not looking than you'd think. And despite the historic problems we've seen recently (think insurrection), the system is kind of holding together. Frances Lee is a Professor of Politics and Public Affairs, and the Associate Chair of the Department of Politics at Princ...
Matt was a guest on West Virginia radio legend Howard Monroe's morning show, talking about how we got into such a divided place in American politics and what some solutions would look like
Last week's news that the economy added just 266,000 jobs when many economists were expecting closer to 1 million made for a lot of head-scratching. Republicans say that excessive Covid relief benefits are creating a disincentive for people to come back to work. Democrats say that recovery is a long road and that if anything, the anemic jobs numbers show that the economy needs an additional boost. So, what’s really going on? To find out, you have to look at who has gone back to work, who hasn’t,...
In 2020, one thing was clear: as goes African American voters, so goes the Democratic Party. And as goes the Democratic Party, so goes the balance of power in America. Understanding the evolving views and priorities of Black Americans -- and what drives their enthusiasm to vote -- will be critical if Democrats are to have any chance in the 2022 midterms (and beyond). The authors of a new report on African American voter priorities in 2021 -- Promises Made Must Be Promises Kept -- join the show t...
We’ve got something a little different for you: a conversation between Beyond Politics host Matt Robison and PoliticusUSA Editor-in-Chief Sarah Jones, available as a podcast, a video, and an excerpt on PoliticusUSA. Matt and Sarah are both fascinated by the same question: how did we get to this pretty awful place in American politics and society…and how do we get out of it? In other words, what is way back from Trump’s America?
Apple's decision this week to clamp down on how apps to track your behavior and movements online has reignited a debate about privacy and the information we share, both willingly and unwittingly, in the digital age. What is often overlooked is just how much we make decisions, sometimes without even realizing it, about how much information we share about our kids. This is a deep, fraught, and complicated topic that too many of us have not really thought about. One of the world leading experts on ...
What does Apple's big privacy release mean for Facebook's business and the broader "free" economy? Also, the hottest investment opportunity is...house paint?
Sean Carberry, the former Kabul correspondent for NPR and the lead on Department of Defense Inspector General reports on Afghanistan, walks through what has happened in Afghanistan, whether the US could have done anything differently, and ultimately whether President Biden made the right decision to withdraw US troops once and for all.
The Senate is a mess. All legislative roads lead there, and usually it’s a dead end. When Presidents take executive action, it’s usually to work around the Senate. It’s the site of national catharsis over judges. And when something actually does get passed, it’s major news. But now, things might...just might... be changing. Democrats have used special senate "reconciliation" rules to pass the massive American Rescue Plan. More bills like that may be on the way. And there's a possibility of strik...
As more signs emerge of an impending surge in the economy, Chris and Matt explore how we can think about what those signs are telling us about investing and business in the near term, and also how to think beyond them to what the longer term future looks like. Photo by Tomasz Frankowski on Unsplash...
The big news on Covid last week was the decision by the CDC and FDA to call for a nationwide halt to delivering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while they investigate a rare blood-clotting disorder. Our guest, Dr. Angela Rasmussen, is a virologist and one of the most well-known and oft-quoted scientists on Covid vaccines. She has written for Forbes, Foreign Affairs, Slate, the Guardian, and Leapsmag, and appeared many times in media outlets including the New York Times (including an op-ed last...
Matt joins legendary West Virginia radio host Howard Monroe on his morning show to discuss the arguments around statehood for Washington D.C., why the arguments against should remind you of "My Cousin Vinny," and what the real holdup is. Also, what the government should actually do to keep people from migrating out of rural states.
And other tantalizing bread crumbs for investors from Chris Hill of Motley Fool Money. Photo by Georgia Vagim on Unsplash
Pia Carusone is the managing director at SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), a top national communications and political consulting firm. She was Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Gabby Giffords during 2011 shooting that left six dead and injured Congresswoman Giffords and 12 others. Carusone helped to start Giffords’ organization that advocates for solutions to prevent gun violence, and later served as the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. She talks about how Am...
Today, we've got a wild story for you. It’s definitely Beyond Politics...but trust us on this one, it'll make you think. Our guest Dr. Brandy Schillace is the Editor-in-Chief for BMJ’s Medical Humanities Journal and the author of MR. HUMBLE AND DR. BUTCHER: A Monkey’s Head, the Pope’s Neuroscientist, and the Quest to Transplant the Soul , which the New York Times called “delightfully macabre.” A fascinating look at what makes us...us...and whether we could ever move ourselves to another body. Ph...
Matt joins legendary West Virginia radio host Howard Monroe on his morning show to discuss the Georgia voting law jockeying, why the Dems' legislative strategy shifted this week, why Joe Manchin is even more in the catbird seat, and what Mary Poppins has to do with passing laws in Congress.
Chris Hill, the host of Motley Fool Money, the #1 stock investing radio show in America, discusses the Atlantic article arguing that the growth of index funds could be changing everything: the way companies behave, people invest, and the whole market operates. Also, why is good economic news in the Great Reopening a mix bag for many companies? And what can Godzilla teach us about the entertainment industry right now?
2020 was not a great year for pollsters, at least the ones who release their work to the public: in the final three weeks of the election, national surveys of the presidential race were wrong by an average of more than six points, the same as 2016. Is something fundamentally wrong here? And what do we do if there’s problem with one of the major tools we use to understand public opinion and guide election campaigns in our democracy? Recently, the think tank Third Way convened a panel of top exper...
In the 1970s, conservatives began to believe that the places where people in government got their information - their basic facts -- were inherently liberal. They didn’t like the answers they were hearing from universities, scientists, and research groups on what government should do…what policies we should follow. So some of them decided that they needed a whole different regime of knowledge and analysis – a different way of looking at the world – that would justify the policies that they wante...
Building the stuff we rely on in America -- roads, broadband, the electric grid -- is something that both parties say is important. Donald Trump pushed a giant investment in it for years. So why were Republicans dead set against the Biden Administration's infrastructure plan even before it was released? Also, is the media full of it these days, why vaccine passports won't work in America, and what to make of Deborah Birx and other Trump administration health officials sudden finger-pointing camp...
Would the answer "Appalachia" surprise you? Maybe...but consider that the senior-most Republican leader in America is from Kentucky, while the Democrat who wields the most power in the Senate is Joe Manchin of West Virginia. They come from a region that is often misunderstood...and too often looked down on. But Appalachian issues are American issues -- and the priorities of Appalachian leaders echo throughout our country. Today, we welcome the hosts of the outstanding podcast Appodlachia onto th...
Dan Adcock of the National Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare explains what's the Covid Rescue bill for Social Security recipients. Also, why his organization opposes the TRUST act -- a bill that would try to address shortfalls in Social Security funding. For the opposing view on that, check out Bob Bixby of the Concord Coalition in the Great Ideas podcast .
Also, more incidents of shocking gun violence in America, what does a media ratings plunge mean, and is Donald Trump launching his Republican vendetta campaign?
Federal law forces a lot of marijuana-related businesses that are legal int heir home states to operate in piles of cash. The problem: that can lead to a pile of crime. Congressman Ed Perlmutter joins the show to explain how his new bill would help fix that problem. And why does space matter? As a member of the congressional committee that oversees US Space policy, Congressman Perlmutter explains what's in it for all of us.
This episode posted in the Great Ideas Podcast earlier this week, and it's gotten such a reaction that we wanted to make it available in this feed as well for anyone who hasn't subscribed to both (but please do!!). Many experts argue that the modern filibuster has ruined Congress: it allows a small minority to run roughshod over the majority, and stops important things that the American people need and want. Others say that even with its flaws, getting rid of the filibuster could be dangerous an...
A roundtable discussion on what's happening and what can be done next. Also, can we fix the filibuster without breaking the congress, and is democracy reform a big federal takeover or a desperately needed fix to protect people's rights?
In 2010, Republicans rode a midterm wave to gain overwhelming control of drawing districts for state houses and Congress. The result? Just in 2012, 1.4 million more Americans voted for Democrats for Congress, but Republicans still won a 33-seat majority. In fact, the Center for American Progress estimates that an average of 59 politicians -- more than enough to determine the majority -- were elected to Congress each term simply because the lines were drawn in their favor. Former Attorney General...
Joe Biden and the Democrats won the war over the $1.9 trillion Covid rescue bill...but can they win the peace? In 2009, President Obama and the Democrats fumbled the rollout of their stimulus bill. So can Dems avoid making the same mistake twice? Also...is there a filibuster tweak deal on the horizon; convincing people to get vaccines; and what should Congress tackle next?
Young Americans think politics is broken. Now, some former aides to Senator Bernie Sanders have launched a new group aimed at getting young people excited about fixing it. They think they can get millennials and Gen Zers of all political persuasions fired up, including people on the right. Two of these impressive young leaders - Shana Gallagher and Joseline Garcia - join us to explain why this work is so important to their generation and to all of us, and how they're going to pull it off....
