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Checks and Balance from The Economist

Checks and Balance from The Economist

Written by: The Economist
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Unlock American politics with The Economist’s John Prideaux, Charlotte Howard and James Bennet. Taking one big theme every week, they dig into the data, the ideas and the history behind it. Politicians, pollsters and political scientists join them to discuss where the great experiment of American democracy is headed. Published every Friday.


If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.


For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page here https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts.

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Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2023. All rights reserved.
Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • The battle for blue America
    Jun 19 2026

    Anger at Donald Trump and Israel, frustration with the status quo, impatience for generational change: these sentiments have been boiling over in Democratic primaries across the country. It looks like the left has the momentum; do centrist Democrats still have a path to victory?


    Guests and hosts:

    • John Prideaux, executive editor and host of “Checks and Balance”
    • Charlotte Howard, US editor
    • James Bennet, Lexington columnist
    • Owen Winter, data journalist
    • Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City


    Topics covered:

    • Primaries in New York
    • Past divides within the Democratic party
    • Differences between Democrat voters


    Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+


    For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.



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    50 mins
  • Alexis de Tocqueville and America today
    Jun 12 2026

    Alexis de Tocqueville was an unlikely prophet. The young French aristocrat only made one visit to America, in the 1830s. But he filled a pile of notebooks and letters with his observations, and produced one of the best books ever written about the country: “Democracy in America”. We go behind the scenes of The Economist’s new podcast series about this seminal work.


    Listen to “Tocqueville Road Trip”


    Guests and hosts:

    • John Prideaux, US editor and host of “Checks and Balance”
    • Charlotte Howard, executive editor
    • James Bennet, Lexington columnist


    Topics covered:

    • Alexis de Tocqueville
    • Why “Democracy in America” is relevant today


    Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+


    For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.



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    46 mins
  • America’s plans for Cuba
    Jun 5 2026

    The Trump administration wants wholesale change in Cuba. Since America cut off oil supplies to the island earlier this year life there has become increasingly difficult. How much longer can Cuba’s regime stagger on?


    Guests and hosts:

    • John Prideaux, US editor and host of “Checks and Balance”
    • Charlotte Howard, executive editor
    • James Bennet, Lexington columnist
    • Sarah Birke, bureau chief for Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean
    • Hugo Cancio, Cuban-American businessman


    Topics covered:

    • Conditions within Cuba
    • The history of US-Cuba relations
    • What might happen next on the island


    Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+


    For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
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