Category Archives: Uncategorized

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for a few posts a month on American politics and foreign policy *** Democrats had one of the best midterm showings of the postwar era. In this episode, Andy explains how Joe Biden’s strategy of reaching out to independent and even right-wing voters has been vindicated. HeContinue reading “Interpreting the midterms”

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for a few posts a month on American politics and foreign policy *** In this episode, Andy and Catherine discuss next week’s midterms. We talk about the current polls and why they seem to have got worse for the Democrats in the last few weeks, then highlightContinue reading “Midterms: What to expect (bonus episode)”

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for a few posts a month on American politics and foreign policy *** In August, President Biden announced substantial student debt forgiveness. This step has been so long coming – and proven so controversial – because the value and role of education have become deeply contested issuesContinue reading “The politics of student debt relief”

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for a few posts a month on American politics and foreign policy *** The war in Ukraine has entered a new phase as Kiev’s counteroffensive throws Russia off-balance and raises fears that Moscow might escalate the war to a new level. If the West previously feared thatContinue reading “How will the Ukraine war end?”

It always seems to be election season in America, and one reason is the system of primary elections, in which each party picks its candidate before the general election. But why do primaries exist, and are they a good idea? In this episode Andy explores the history of primaries and what impact they have onContinue reading “Primaries: what’s the deal?”

What a week. Joe Biden passed the most significant piece of federal climate legislation ever, topping off a streak of recent wins including the lowering of drug prices for working Americans and efforts to revive American manufacturing. Donald Trump, meanwhile, is back where he usually is – mired in scandal and in trouble with theContinue reading “Biden up, Trump down”

Nancy Pelosi has touched down in Taiwan for a visit which has generated huge pushback from Beijing and divisions in Washington, where Republicans are supportive but the Biden White House wishes she would have just flown home instead. How did we get here? Why is the visit so controversial? And is it a good idea?Continue reading “Pelosi in Taiwan”

Joe Biden just wrapped up a four-day week to the Middle East in which he delivered the fist-bump heard around the world to Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi dictator who Biden previously swore he would never so much as speak to. Why has Biden gone back on the principles that he said would guide hisContinue reading “Biden’s Middle East quagmire”

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for occasional written posts on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam *** Late last month, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, destroying the right to an abortion. In this episode Andy talks about the conservative legal theory behindContinue reading “Roe is dead. Long live America?”

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for occasional written posts on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam *** How might artificial intelligence change the nature of warfare, and what political and ethical dilemmas does it pose in civilian society? Nowadays popular culture is full of speculationContinue reading “AI and the future of warfare”