On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti - podcast cover

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Get ready for your aha moment: Every weekday, host Meghna Chakrabarti pierces your news bubble to expose the whole story. Getting answers to the questions that need to be asked, examining our history and the human condition. No topic is too complicated or off the table. It’s all On Point.
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Episodes

The Jackpod: Gimme shelter!

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the role that restrictive zoning laws have played in the shortage of affordable housing in the U.S. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 31, 202638 min

A pattern of denial at the Department of Homeland Security

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti planned to “inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.” But that’s not what eyewitnesses say and videos show. How can Americans trust an agency that disputes what we see with our own eyes? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint...

Jan 30, 202635 min

The promise and reality of the rural health fund

In the 2025 budget bill, Congress created the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program to help struggling hospitals, doctors, and patients in rural America. But rural hospitals are expected to lose three times that through Medicaid cuts in that same budget bill. So, what will it take to keep rural healthcare afloat? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint...

Jan 29, 202634 min

How Minneapolis is standing up to ICE

In Minneapolis, grassroots groups have sprung into action against ICE. They’re protesting, running workshops on constitutional rights, and delivering groceries to people afraid of leaving their homes. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 28, 202634 min

Is American architecture destined to be boring?

Frank Gehry’s legacy can be seen around the world in the curvaceous and dramatic buildings he designed. How Frank Gehry put awe in American architecture and what we lose without him. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 26, 202633 min

The Jackpod: America as a dual state

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the division between the normative state and the prerogative state and the role that could be playing in the U.S. today. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 24, 202634 min

Lauren Southern was an alt-right influencer. Now she's finding her 'way back to reality'

A former right-wing influencer and tradwife tells all in her new memoir, "This is Not Real Life." From meeting with terrorists, neo-Nazis, political crime rings, to arrests, psychotic breaks and addiction, Lauren Southern shares how the life she thought she wanted ended up almost killing her. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint...

Jan 23, 202634 min

Has Trump's erratic behavior gone too far?

President Donald Trump's fixation on Greenland is alienating some Congressional Republicans and American allies. Has Trump's erratic behavior crossed a line? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 22, 202634 min

Trump wants to cap credit card interest. Can he?

President Trump says he wants to cap credit card interest at 10%. What it could mean for Americans' credit card debt. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 21, 202634 min

DOGE didn't save taxpayers $1 trillion, after all

According to recent reporting, DOGE fell short of its goals to save taxpayers $1 trillion and streamline government processes. So what did we get from the agency? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 20, 202634 min

America is polarized. Could this writer's new approach fix it?

Polarization pushes people apart. Writer Chloé Valdary says we can heal deepening divisions by treating each other like human beings, not political abstractions. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 19, 202634 min

Minnesota’s mining fight has global consequences

One of America’s largest deposits of copper, nickel and cobalt is deep underground near the Boundary Waters in northeastern Minnesota. It’s never been mined. Now, the Trump administration is pushing to change that. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 16, 202631 min

The Jackpod: Gouged

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the scourge of price gouging for captive customers at places like airports, concerts and sporting events. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 16, 202647 min

The history and science behind why we're all vulnerable to brainwashing

We tend to associate “brainwashing” with cults and hostages, but author and science historian Rebecca Lemov says it can happen to anyone. Her new book “The Instability of Truth" explores the history and science of brainwashing and what it can teach us with misinformation on the rise. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint...

Jan 15, 202634 min

How the U.S. could 'lose the 21st century' over Greenland

President Trump says he wants to "take" Greenland. If he does, he will be effectively attacking Denmark, a NATO ally. How Trump's imperialism could destroy one of America's oldest and most important alliances. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 14, 202634 min

Following the money on the Biden-era infrastructure bill

The Biden Administration's infrastructure act promised more than $1.2 trillion dollars to build up the country. More than five years later, what was built and what never got started? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 13, 202633 min

If Trump broke international law, so what?

Many legal experts say the Trump administration's attack on Venezuela broke international law. But Trump doesn’t seem to care. What does that say about the strength of international law? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 12, 202633 min

A strange turn in the AI chip race with China

Last month, President Donald Trump approved the sale of one of Nvidia’s most powerful AI chips to China. Why the president may have done that -- and what it could mean for national security. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 09, 202631 min

The Jackpod: We coulda been Denmark

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the opportunity cost of interventionist foreign policy on social betterment programs in the U.S. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 09, 202640 min

Rep. James Clyburn on the Black politicians that shaped America

James Clyburn is one of the most influential Democrats in Congress. His new book “The First Eight" is about the Black South Carolina Congressmen who preceded and inspired him. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 08, 202631 min

Venezuela's leader is out. Now what?

With ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in a New York jail, President Trump says the U.S. will run his country now. The legality, practicality, and morality of regime change in Venezuela. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 07, 202633 min

Your fitness resolution is 200 years old

Humans have been obsessed with fitness for centuries. But how did this fascination start? In the new book “When Fitness Went Global” historian Conor Heffernan examines the rise of physical culture worldwide. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 06, 202634 min

How to prepare financially for 2026

Affordability, inflation, tariffs, jobs -- where does the economy stand now that we’re officially in the new year? On Point’s “money ladies,” Rana Foroohar and Michelle Singletary, are back to help us sort it out. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 05, 202632 min

Why are headlights brighter than they used to be?

If you feel like car headlights have gotten too bright, you’re not alone. The National Highway Traffic Administration receives more consumer complaints about headlight brightness than any other topic. How did this happen? And can we fix it? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 02, 202634 min

Does using AI dumb you down?

A recent study shows that people using AI to write for them experience some negative cognitive effects. Why? Because there's something special about what writing does in your brain. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Jan 01, 202635 min

The transformation of Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas was known as a funky, liberal haven in a deep red state. Now, there’s big tech money pouring in and huge growth. How has life changed there? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Dec 31, 202536 min

How should American colleges measure merit?

The Trump Administration ordered universities to turn over data to prove they're not considering race in admissions. But education expert Richard Kahlenberg argues that for college admissions to look at merit fairly, they need to look at class. *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Dec 30, 202535 min

The ‘Godfather of AI’ says we can’t afford to get it wrong

Geoffrey Hinton is one of the world’s biggest minds in artificial intelligence. He won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. Where does he think AI is headed? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Dec 29, 202531 min

How YouTube transformed our world

YouTube turns 20 this year. The platform now hosts 20 billion videos, and lets basically anyone, anywhere on Earth, create, share and watch. How has YouTube changed us? *** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint

Dec 26, 202536 min
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