Checks and Balance: Supreme authority

07/01/22 • 45 min

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As gridlock plagues the Capitol, across First Street the Supreme Court is transforming America. In this term alone, it has overturned the right to an abortion, loosened gun laws, eroded the separation of church and state and limited the federal government’s ability to combat climate change. Public confidence in the institution is at a record low. How is the Supreme Court changing America and, as it does so, is it undermining itself?

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and our Supreme Court correspondent, Steven Mazie. They talk to Leah Litman, a professor at the University of Michigan and cohost of the Strict Scrutiny podcast, about how the justices have radically tipped the scales this term. We revisit another era in which the court tested the limits of its powers and transformed America. And Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas and author of “The Shadow Docket”, explains how the court’s under-the-radar decision-making is damaging its authority.

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Previous Episode

Checks and Balance: Insurrection retrospection

After conducting more than 1,000 interviews and reviewing over 140,000 documents, the House of Representatives’ January 6th committee is now presenting its findings. Yet much of what it is investigating happened publicly: the violence in the Capitol was live-streamed and the conspiracy to overturn the election happened in the open. Even so, most Americans have either moved on or misinterpreted the riot. What is the purpose of the committee? What new information has it revealed—and can it make a difference?

Former federal and state prosecutor Danya Perry examines the possible criminal consequences for top-ranking officials. And strategist Sarah Longwell shares how Republican voters are receiving the committee. John Prideaux hosts with Idrees Kahloon and James Astill.

Since recording this episode, the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade, its landmark ruling which protected the right to an abortion. Last month, we examined what America would look like if Roe was struck down.

For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Subscribers can also sign up to our “Checks and Balance” newsletter at economist.com/newsletters.

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Next Episode

Checks and Balance: Price control

Despite a remarkably strong labour market, predictions of an imminent downturn are everywhere. The disagreement now is not over whether the Federal Reserve should fight inflation, but how painful the consequences of doing so will be. In trying to fix one problem, will the Federal Reserve create another? How much should Americans blame President Biden for the increasingly gloomy outlook? And what can the administration do to protect both the economy and its own electoral future?

We ask Dr Cecilia Rouse, chair of the president’s Council of Economic Advisors, whether America is heading for recession and why the post-pandemic economic paradigm is different. We go back to the 1970s to find out why inflation is so politically toxic for the Democrats. And our US economics editor Simon Rabinovitch looks beyond the midterms to see whether President Biden has a way out.

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon

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