logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
23m 52s

Why Spending Too Little Could Backfire o...

The New York Times
About this episode

When Democrats first set out to expand the social safety net, they envisioned a piece of legislation as transformational as what the party has achieved in the 1960s. In the process, they hoped that they’d win back the working-class voters the party had since lost.

But now that they’re on the brink of reaching a deal, the question is whether the enormous cuts and compromises they’ve made will make it impossible to fulfill either ambition.

Guest: Jonathan Weisman, a congressional correspondent for The Times.

Love listening to New York Times podcasts? Help us test a new audio product in beta and give us your thoughts to shape what it becomes. Visit nytimes.com/audio to join the beta.

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter

Background reading: 

  • As Democrats ponder cutting a $3.5 trillion social safety net bill down to perhaps $2 trillion, a proposal to limit programs to the poor has rekindled a debate on the meaning of government itself.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Up next
Yesterday
A Consequential Supreme Court Term Begins With a Conversion Therapy Case
Warning: this episode contains mentions of suicide.In one of the first cases of the Supreme Court’s new term, the justices considered whether to strike down a ban on conversion therapy, the contentious practice that aims to change a young person’s sexual orientation.Ann E. Marimo ... Show More
30m 29s
Oct 8
Trump Claims ‘Rebellion’ in American Cities
Over the past week, ICE and border patrol agents have clashed with Chicago residents, and federal guard troops arriving in the city might inflame tensions further.Julie Bosman, Chicago bureau chief for The Times, and Mattathias Schwartz describe the situation on the ground and ex ... Show More
34m 31s
Oct 7
Marriage and Sex in the Age of Ozempic
In the last few years, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound have been radically reshaping the people’s lives, changing appetites and health.But the drugs also have the power to affect other parts of consumers’ lives, including their romantic relationships.Lisa Miller ... Show More
37m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
With Big Plans And Small Margins, Can Democrats Pull Off Their Agenda?
Progressives feel as though their job compromising on the $3.5 trillion dollar budget bill is done, while Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema say the package is still too big. Looming over it all, a chance the federal government defaults on its debt as Republicans signal they wo ... Show More
14m 32s
Jul 2022
Checks and Balance: Peak progressive
The Democratic party is in the throes of a rude awakening. Despite Donald Trump remaining at its head, the Republican Party is widely expected to make significant gains in the upcoming mid-term elections. Working class and Hispanic voters seem to be turning away from the Democrat ... Show More
46m 20s
Sep 2021
Democrats Are Running Out Of Time To Negotiate On Major Priorities
Congressional Democrats are trying to wrap up negotiations on their reconciliation package, fund the government, and deal with the debt ceiling. But with looming deadlines with big consequences, someone is going to have to compromise. The big question: who's it going to be? Plus, ... Show More
26m 4s
Sep 2022
Checks and Balance: The elephant in the boardroom
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, a ... Show More
42m 53s
May 2023
Ron’s Boulevard of Broken Streams
The DeSantis campaign launch explodes on takeoff. Political Strategist Tim Miller stops by to break down what’s next for Tiny D and the rest of the GOP field. House Republicans are feeling so confident about the debt ceiling negotiations that they’re bragging about holding the ec ... Show More
1h 10m
Aug 2023
Why Some State Republican Parties Are Struggling to Raise Money
Some state Republican parties are struggling. In Colorado, Michigan and Minnesota, the parties' organizations have suffered heavy election losses and are experiencing deep disagreements about the future of the GOP. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, political corresp ... Show More
15m 14s
Sep 2022
Après un été de succès, Joe Biden en force pour les prochaines élections
Aux États-Unis, le premier lundi de septembre est un jour férié: c'est le Labor Day, la fête du travail. Le Labor Day, c'est aussi la rentrée politique américaine. L'occasion de faire le bilan des forces en présence à deux mois des élections de mi-mandat. Nous allons procéder en ... Show More
13m 33s
Nov 2021
Weekly Roundup: November 24th
Though it has grown more popular with time, the Affordable Care Act was widely disliked by the public in 2010 and cost Democrats dearly in the midterms. Democrats failed to successfully explain the legislation's benefits in the face of Republican attacks. Could Biden's infrastruc ... Show More
25m 49s