Pints & Policy
Episodes
-
As the nation's largest food program SNAP provides food assistance to more than 40 million Americans each month. The program is up for reauthorization this year in the 2018 Farm Bill which provides the opportunity to change SNAP. Jordan LaPier unpacks newly released BPC recommendations that aim to leverage SNAP for better health with senior policy analyst Hannah Martin.
-
In recent months both North Carolina and Pennsylvania have been ordered to redraw congressional maps due to the issue of gerrymandering. The Supreme Court of the United States is also set to make decisions on cases of gerrymandering in Wisconsin and Maryland this year. But what exactly constitutes gerrymandering? And is this as big of a problem as we think it is? Jordan LaPier discusses all of this and more with BPC Associate Director Matt Weil.
-
The nation’s infrastructure is in dire need of updates and repairs. A draft version of the Trump administration's infrastructure plan was leaked this week. BPC senior policy analyst Andy Winkler sits down with Jordan LaPier to unravel what’s in the president’s plan to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and discusses other important issues related to this topic.
-
The next federal funding deadline is a week away. Are we headed for a government shutdown? What exactly happens in a government shutdown? Jordan Lapier discusses all this and more with BPC Action’s Senior Manager, Laura Hall.
-
This year has been a rollercoaster ride in policy – we've had ongoing investigations around the 2016 election, failed health care debates, the retraction of protections for thousands of DREAMers, we've had budget deals and tax reform talks, and we've seen the debt limit come back into play. Ashley Swearingen and Rachael Gresson sit down with BPC's VP of Communications, Robert Traynham to unpack all that happened in 2017 and look ahead to what bipartisan moments are feasible in 2018.
-
The case of Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian businessman charged in the Southern District of New York with evading international financial sanctions on Iran has become one of the most important stories in US-Turkish relations. Ashley Swearingen sits down with BPC policy analyst Jessica Michek to breakdown the Zarrab case and discuss what lies ahead for the U.S. and Turkey.
-
One of the Trump administration's goals has been to decrease immigration in the U.S. yet the immigrant population adds value to the U.S. economy. With 62 percent of foreign-born individuals employed in the U.S., is it really possible to limit immigration and have a healthy economy? BPC's Ashley Swearingen and Rachael Gresson sit down with Senior Policy Analyst Kenny Megan to discuss how immigration impacts the economy and the American workforce. You can learn more about how immigrants are affecting the economy in a country with changing demographics by reading our report, America’s Demographic Challenge and our report on immigration's effect on employment and wage: Immigration’s Effect on Employment and Wages.
-
Congressional Republicans introduced their much anticipated tax reform legislation on Thursday. Ashley Swearingen sits down with BPC senior policy analyst Tim Shaw to discuss the issues with the current tax code and break down some of the key provisions in the latest legislation.
-
Thus far this year, Congress has not reauthorized the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP offers health care coverage to 9 million children across the country annually. Jordan LaPier and BPC Senior Policy Analyst Marisa Salemme discuss what CHIP does and the uncertain future of the program.
-
Puerto Rico will be rebuilding for decades to come from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The destruction and aftermath demonstrate that, as a country, we must develop a better way to prepare for, respond to, and pay for natural disasters. Jordan LaPier and BPC Policy Analyst Jake Varn discuss how America can build better, smarter, and a more resilient infrastructure to save lives and reduce damages in future disasters.