logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2022
44m 47s

Checks and Balance: Extreme goes mainstr...

The Economist
About this episode

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.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Migration roots: the broken asylum system
Immigration is a political lightning rod in part because the ageing global asylum pact is no longer fit for purpose. We examine how best to update it. As paycheques for top-notch AI researchers go stratospheric, demand for rank-and-file coders is quickly cooling. And what a gimmi ... Show More
21m 49s
Yesterday
Sprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama
Once again President Donald Trump extended the deadline for spine-stiffening tariffs to go into effect on trading partners. We look at the effects of all the uncertainty. Brazil once dominated the world of football; we ask where it went wrong and assess the route to a comeback. A ... Show More
21m 53s
Jul 8
The French reconnection: Macron in Britain
Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss. Gangs have infiltrated many of Latin America’s mining operati ... Show More
21m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2021
Checks and Balance: Cop out
When Democrats took control of Congress and the presidency, it raised hopes that real change could happen in a criminal justice system tarnished by racism and police brutality. But federal efforts have stalled and progressive local prosecutors are hitting roadblocks. Why is law e ... Show More
42m 26s
Jun 2023
Checks and Balance: Starting places
Chris Christie and Mike Pence have become the latest to enter the Republican primary.  Despite his legal woes Donald Trump commands a huge lead in the early polling and the man thought most likely to challenge him, Ron DeSantis, has been stumbling. Can anyone beat Trump to the no ... Show More
43m 58s
Feb 2023
Checks and Balance: Run of the statehouse
The Capitol in Washington might face gridlock, but politicians in statehouses across the country are getting to work. In most state legislatures, a single party has control–their debates provide a window into each party's broader agenda. For states led by Republicans, dockets are ... Show More
43m 52s
Aug 2023
Checks and Balance: Trump carded
Donald Trump has been charged with the most serious political crime it is possible to commit in a democracy. A special counsel alleges that he plotted to overturn the 2020 election results, knowing that his claims of fraud were false. What do the latest charges mean for Donald Tr ... Show More
44m 51s
Nov 2022
A history of US political violence
President Biden says there is no place for "political violence in America". His warning follows an attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, last week. Within hours of that attack a series of unsubstantiated claims began circulating o ... Show More
44m 40s
Aug 2022
Sound On: Inflation Cools, Trump Legal Woes (Radio)
Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Joe Mathieu delivers insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy.   Guest host Emily Wilkins spoke with Wisconsin C ... Show More
38m 6s
May 2024
Andrew Marr: "The Conservatives have fallen apart"
For the next six weeks we’re bringing you new episodes every weekday, with updates on the party campaigns, reaction from around the UK and the best polling analysis with our experts.  Hannah Barnes, associate editor, is joined by Andrew Marr, political editor, and Freddie Hayward ... Show More
19m 52s
Jul 2022
Trump's insurrection day delinquency on full display
President Trump chose not to act – that's the number one takeaway of the latest congressional hearing into the January 6 insurrection. It demonstrated that Donald Trump not only ignored repeated calls to stop the riot, but he also failed to reach out a single time to law enforcem ... Show More
54m 41s
Jul 2021
Sound On: Vaccines in Trump Country, Infrastructure
Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Joe Mathieu delivers insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy.Guests: Bloomberg White House reporter Josh Wingro ... Show More
37m 31s
Sep 2020
Simping for Trump
Senator Mitt Romney has announced he will support a vote on Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee. U.S. Covid-19 deaths surpass 200,000. The CDC has removed information from its website that confirms Coronavirus spreads through airborne transmission. Florida Governor and Trump devotee Ro ... Show More
1h 13m