logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
43m 44s

Checks and Balance: Entitled

The Economist
About this episode

While Washington debates the debt ceiling, the entitlements time bomb is ticking. The trust fund that pays for much of Medicare, the health-insurance scheme for the elderly, will run out of money by 2031. The fund that pays old-age benefits for Social Security, the state pension scheme, will be exhausted by 2033. Politicians need to agree to a fix, but it’s not clear that they will. What would happen if these funds reach insolvency? And how could that be avoided? 


John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.


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
Dec 2022
Checks and Balance: Sitting ducks
Politicians have returned to Washington following the Thanksgiving break, for what Democrats hope will be a legislative flurry. Once Republicans take over the House in January, passing bills will get a lot harder. What can, and should, the lame-duck session of the 117th Congress ... Show More
39m 37s
Jun 2023
Checks and Balance: Seal the deal
The deal to raise America’s debt ceiling is finally done. The government will now be able to resume borrowing money to pay its bills, and avoid a default. The last-minute agreement will suspend the debt ceiling and flatten some categories of spending for two years, until after th ... Show More
43m 59s
Oct 2022
Checks and Balance: Donkey years
For two years Democrats have held the Holy Grail – control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress. The midterms will, most likely, put an end to that. Divided government is going to make Joe Biden’s agenda much harder to pass: what will the legacy of his first two years ... Show More
41m 13s
Jan 2023
Checks and Balance: Incoming alerts
Reports of the slow death of American incomes have been exaggerated.  Since the turn of the millennium, hourly earnings have grown steadily in real terms.  While those at the top have taken most of the gains, in the past few years, the poorest have done well too.  Where does that ... Show More
39m 58s
Nov 2023
Checks and Balance: Year all about it
If the election were held tomorrow, Donald Trump would probably be the favourite to win.  How should we be thinking about the race with a year to go? And how can the world outside of America prepare itself for the possibility of a second Trump term? John Prideaux hosts with Charl ... Show More
50m 27s
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
Apr 2024
Age No Bar: Insurance Reforms Reach India’s Elderly
The insurance’s removal of age caps for buying insurance policy can be the start of much needed reforms in this sector. But questions on expense and accessibility remain. In this podcast, we break down the intricacies of these regulatory amendments, especially for senior citizens ... Show More
23m 31s
Jan 2024
Checks and Balance: Biden or bust
Joe Biden’s chances against Donald Trump in November do not look good. He is unpopular and his age puts many Americans off. How did it come to this? And what can the Democrats do about it? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by Congressman ... Show More
47m 15s
Oct 2021
Why Spending Too Little Could Backfire on Democrats
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 the ... Show More
23m 52s
Feb 2024
Checks and Balance: Strike accord
America has launched strikes against Iranian-backed militias in the Middle East, in response to an attack on a base in Jordan where three US troops died. How close are America and Iran to war? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by General ... Show More
51m 46s