Mark and Carrie

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Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:2024 election update: Biden struggles to get his message to Americans, while Trump’s hush-money trial might be playing into his strengthsWhat to think of US presidential polling 6 months out from November’s electionSCOTUS term wraps upThe muddled political impact of campus protests over Israel’s invasion of GazaCan the dollar be too strong? Tariffs, foreign competition, reviving national industry – is it the 1930s or 1800s? The TikTok "ban” in Congress - national security priority, or tech extortion play?Mark and Carrie are very nice to dogsLearn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:What Truth Social going public means for Donald Trump’s financesHow Trump is navigating the complex politics of abortion within the Republican PartyLooking ahead to congressional special elections, and how they could affect Washington going into the 2024 electionCongress is back from recess…but will they do anything? Why Democrats’ much-hoped-for ‘Biden bump’ has yet to materializeInflation, wages, price-setting, and the pleasantly informative world of econo-Tik TokThe Israel-Hamas War six months in, and what’s next for Israel, Gaza, and the Biden AdministrationRussia blames Ukraine for a devastating attack in the suburbs of MoscowIs this the year women’s college basketball entered the mainstream?The Kate Middleton, AI, and epistemic nihilism Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Democrats' and pundits' concern over the growing realization that President Biden is oldWhy, despite Biden’s weaknesses and the tough map for Democrats in 2024, control of Congress will likely still be up for grabs in NovemberThe Alabama Supreme Court rules that frozen embryos are people, and the Republican Party's toxic politics of reproductive rightsWhy Trump’s legal troubles might not be as financially damaging as they seem…The continued tragedy and impossible politics of the War in GazaSanctions, military expenditures, global isolationism, and the forces shaping the Ukraine War two years inThe UK’S dysfunctional economic agenda, part 78Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Trump’s domination of the GOP primary, and what the MAGA-ficaiton of the GOP means for 2024The politics of Trump's legal troublesMaking sense of America’s “vibe-cession” and disinflationClaudine Gay’s resignation as Harvard’s president, and the Right’s strange relationship to the Ivy LeagueWhere does China’s economy go next?Unpacking the calls to ban Germany’s right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) partyWhy is the UK trying to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda?The Super Bowl meets the Taylor Swift-Industrial ComplexLearn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Trump potentially gets removed from the GOP primary ballot in Colorado, and the risks of involving the courts in a presidential electionHow the politics of immigration will affect the 2024 race in the USElise Stefanik grills University presidents on Capitol Hill, highlighting the thorny politics of Israel, Gaza, and free speech on college campusesThe political economy of Argentina’s new president Javier MileiThe Fed decides to hold interest rates steady, and the market reacts with…enthusiasmChina’s economic slowdown, and the limits of growth in authoritarian societiesWhere the Israeli-Gaza conflict goes from here, and how it might affect US politics going forwardGoogle’s loss in court to Epic Games, and American’s very mixed record regulating monopolies. Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:The state of the Israel-Hamas War, and its geopolitical and economic implicationsDiscouraging polls for Biden, promising victories of Democrats in November’s special elections – what does it mean for 2024? The new Speaker of the US House does the same thing his predecessor got kicked out for doingMark and Carrie push their Bible knowledge to the limitXi warms up to the United States…a littleDon’t worry about the UK – David Cameron is back! David Beckham – more interesting than his looks would suggest?Mark doesn't think much about the Roman Empire Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Grading Mark and Carrie’s Supreme Court predictionsA disturbingly warm summer for all, and the financial repercussions of it being too hot to go outside. Gender equality, austerity, and the financial time-bombs in English municipalitiesThe Trump trial/campaign continuumLife under a gerontocracyTesting the West’s stamina for the War in UkraineUnpacking the ‘immaculate disinflation’Google v US, and the “franchise-ization” of the American EconomyTogether, Mark and Carrie ‘Barbenheimered’ Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:The US debt ceiling deal: nobody won, and it was all based on a deep ignorance of how the economy actually worksDeSantis goes peak geek and launches his presidential candidacy with on a glitchy Twitter Spaces™ Will Trump’s future criminal charges help or hurt him at the polls?Predictions on the Supreme Court’s final cases of the term, including decisions on environmental protection, affirmative action, and student loansWhere does the US-China relationship go from here?Mark and Carrie wonder what AI is thinkingThe next demoralizing phase in the War in Ukraine. A surprise twist: good news! Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Biden, Trump, and the upcoming “remaquel” to the 2020 electionFox settles with Dominion, fires Tucker Carlson, and will be just fineThe debt ceiling crisis: America’s ‘Brexit’?Clarence Thomas is very corrupt, but will face no consequencesDiane Feinst—wait, have we talked about anyone under 80-years-old on this episode?!King Charles III is crowned, and no one seems to careMark and Carrie try to end on a positive note. They fail.Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:What Trump’s indictment says about the state of American politics DeSantis’ cruel (and also a slightly boring) strategy for countering TrumpVladimir Putin and Xi Jinping’s recent bro-out in Russia, and how it fits into China’s larger geopolitical machinationsCongress's poorly informed and slightly xenophobic attempt to grill the CEO of Tik TokThe underlying forces behind the protests in France, and why politicians can’t bear to tax the rich. The real story behind Scotland’s recent change of leadership. Gwyneth Paltrow, and the redemption of America’s judicial systemLearn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Dominion Voting Machine’s lawsuit against Fox shows off the network’s underside, which we all knew was there anyway. Ron DeSantis continues to fight “woke” values like freedom of speechMark and Carrie come up with a terrible political science dissertation topic. Brexit is solved! Or maybe it was repealed?The future of the war in Ukraine. Pharma giant Eli Lilly generously ‘caps’ the price of insulin; Mark and Carrie are not impressed. Carrie actually read Spare, and Mark is upset. Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Is there any way to reduce mass shootings in the US?‘Atmospheric rivers’ and California’s weather woesThe debt ceiling showdown in Congress, Kevin McCarthy’s shameful job hunt: life with a divided Congress is back. Mark’s invite to Davos was clearly lost in the mail. Can the UK’s political leadership go a week without a bone-headed scandal? (No.) Understanding Germany’s reluctance to send tanks to Ukraine. New currencies: the ‘bike lanes’ of international economic policy. The Royal Family is weird. Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Unpacking the World Cup Finals on and off the field Elon’s rough few weeks at the helm of TwitterSBF gets arrested in the Bahamas, and we all learn too much about his crimes and lifestyle. Can Trump stay in the spotlight much longer?China, Russia, Iran -- a tough year for authoritarians!The effects of raising interest rates on the global economyMark and Carrie make their predictions for the world in 2023 Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:The geopolitics of the World Cup, and why we’re all implicated in the spectacle's dark underbelly Midterm elections come and go, yet paralysis and polarization remains in Washington Trump is back, eating dinner with a Nazi, hoping the Murdochs don’t care. Biden contemplates a second term in office, and the US contemplates a Biden/Trump rematchFTX’s collapse in the context of history’s great fraudsProtests in Beijing and the limits of ‘Zero Covid’Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Elon Musk buys Twitter. Will anything on the platform change?Musical chairs in UK politics; will Rishi Sunak’s term as MP outlast a head of lettuce?Xi Jinping further consolidates power in China. Can the US and China afford to lose each other?The most fabulously terrible races in the US midterm elections.Fighting in Ukraine continues on with no end in sight, and the US doesn’t know what to do about it. Artist and media mogul Ye is banned from participating in…the media.  Prince Harry – the ‘Spare’ – tells all. 

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Queen Elizabeth is dead, and the UK press can’t stop mourningBritain’s economic dumpster fireBiden and the Democrats doing surprisingly well (but not well enough to keep Congress)Elections in Italy and upcoming in Brazil don’t portend well for democracyUkraine’s tripwire strategy, and Putin’s increasing desperationFloods in FloridaWhere is Trump?Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Unpacking the Inflation Reduction ActWhat this summer's good news for Democrats means for the midtermsLiz Cheney's political future, and what it could mean for Democrats and RepublicansTrump's Mar-a-Lago drama. What matters, what doesn't, and why it feels like we've been here before...Multiple US Congresspeople head to Taiwan. Grand strategy, or ego-trip?Mega droughts in Europe and CaliforniaListen and subscribe to Trending Globally, another podcast from the Watson Institute.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:Finding nuance in the inflation/recession panicCould climate legislation actually be passed in the US Congress?!Heat waves in…well, everywhereA long goodbye for Boris JohnsonRussia, Germany, the US, and the politics of natural gasJanuary 6 hearings: rave reviews, renewed for a second season Transcript coming soon. Listen and subscribe to Trending Globally, another podcast from the Watson Institute.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:The mass shooting in Uvalde, TX, and America’s mourning rituals around gun violenceWhat the potential end of Roe v. Wade means for the US, and what it says about the Supreme CourtTransitioning from an old inflation myth to our current inflation reality100 Days of grinding war in UkraineHarry and Megan attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and Mark doesn’t careJohnny Depp and Amber Heard: where toxic social media meets toxic masculinityAn ode to the summer blockbusters of yoreLearn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:The political implications of the Supreme Court’s leaked decision overturning Roe v. WadeBipartisan support in Congress for arming Ukraine, and what the next phase of this war might look likeMaking sense of the Republican Senate Primary in Ohio, and the extent of Trump’s continued influence on the GOPChina’s struggle with news Covid waves, and the limits of top-down China’s governing modelElon Musk’s purchase of Twitter. Is he trying to own ‘the public square’ and change the world, or is he just trying to make some money?Inflation, recessions, and the limits of the Fed’s ability to fix either. Tucker Carlson’s concerns about male fertilityWatching the world burn and the Met Gala at the same time. Learn more about and subscribe to Trending Globally here. Learn about other podcasts from the Watson Institute.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode:The economic and political ramifications of the war in UkraineWhy presidents shouldn’t ad lib foreign policyWhat the 1970s can and can’t teach us about handling inflation todayThe sighs and shrugs of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination hearingsState legislation restricting LGBTQ and abortion rights, and the Republican ramp-up to the 2022 midterms.Are “the movies” over?Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode: Making sense of Ukraine and questioning Putin’s motives (and height)Joe Rogan and the 'platform conundrum'Since when is Canada angry and weird?Carrie’s boycotting the Olympics – but NOT for the reasons you’re thinking! Will Boris Johnson get a sweet Spotify deal?The politics of Biden’s Supreme Court nomination processNostalgia at the Super BowlLuke Skywalker lives on in Boba Fett

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode: how to think about Covid in the age of omicron; Biden's stalled legislative agenda; is The January 6 commission the new Mueller Report?; finding hope for American democracy in...Alaska; the charged politics behind how we explain inflation; Russia, Ukraine, the US, and NATO; Boris Johnson's Teflon-like qualities, parties and all; continued misadventures with the Royal family; Djokovic's vaccination drama in Australia. You can learn about the Watson Institute's full podcast network here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode: living through another pandemic wave; Joe Manchin reveals who he's been all along; union movies at Starbucks, a strike at Kellogg's, and the state of organized labor in the US; making sense of Russia's aggression towards Ukraine; Boris Johnson has seen better days; reflecting on the two biggest stories of the year (one good, one bad). You can learn about the Watson Institute's full podcast network here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Brown University, share their take on the news.On this episode: what we know about the Omnicron variant; the politics behind the Supreme Court's current abortion rights case; Peng Shuai, and the problem of celebrities in authoritarian countries; why we feel bad about our pretty OK economy; the Not-So-Great Resignation; New Dune vs Old Dune. You can learn about the Watson Institute's full podcast network here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Annenberg Institute, share their take on the news.On this episode: the illusion that is Infrastructure Week; Biden's agenda and early-onset midterm anxiety for Democrats; debunking the great inflation panic; G20, COP26, and the promises that countries won't keep; crisis at the Belarus/Poland border, and the weaponization of immigrants; Squid Game; Mark and Carrie politicize Daylight Savings Time. You can learn about the Watson Institute's full podcast network here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Annenberg Institute, share their take on the news.On this episode: the newest Texas abortion law, and how it looks to the rest of the world; Biden's trip to the UN that no one watched; Republicans remember they hate debt in the face of Democrat's infrastructure bill; the multilayered crisis happening at the US-Mexico border; the Fed tries to please both America and the whole world, with mixed results; the Rorschach test that is the Evergrande crash; the US and UK get into a fight with France over submarines that won't be built until after we're all dead; Having trouble sleeping? Follow the German election. You can learn about the Watson Institute's full podcast network here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Annenberg Institute, share their take on the news.On this episode: the morality, strategy, and politics of America's Afghanistan withdrawal; how the 2020 Census is giving Republicans and Democrats something to fret over; humanity's collective shrug after the IPCC's 'Code Red for Humanity'; the fall of the House of Cuomo; mask mandates and mask debates; what makes Jeff Bezos happy. You can listen to Trending Globally, another podcast from the Watson Institute, here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Annenberg Institute, share their take on the week's news.On this episode: the Delta variant spreads the globe; the economy is doing great and has reverted to the mean (or it isn't and it hasn't); Carrie's Olympic fever and Mark's Olympic skepticism; Haiti, South Africa, and fragile states in peril; billionaires in space; waiting for Prince Harry's memoir's Netflix adaptation.You can learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Annenberg Institute, share their take on the week's news.On this episode: the G7's shaky promises on taxing the rich, and shaky relationships with China and Russia; regional variations in the Covid-19 recovery in the US; making sense of the tight US labor market; the Supreme Court talks Snapchat and labor organizing; Justice Stephen Breyer's work/life balance; voting rights, critical race theory, and the 2022 midterm elections; can Jeff Bezos just stay in space?You can listen to Mark on Watson's podcast Trending Globally here. You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: the politics of Facebook's 'Supreme Court'; new voter restriction laws in the US and the Republican Party's continued flirtation with authoritarianism; why suspending vaccine patents won't actually help the world to make more vaccines; America's declining birthrate and other revelations from the US Census; the Covid spike in India; the UK Conservative Party's continued dominance over Labour and what it can teach progressives in the US; is Scottish independence on the horizon?You can listen to Mark Blyth of the Watson Institute's other podcast 'Trending Globally' here. You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: Mark and Carrie feel skeptical about a 'post-Covid' boom; Biden's infrastructure bill, and the inconvenient truths it poses to congressional Republicans; the trial of Derek Chauvin, and how policing in America might (or might not) change in its wake; Amazon's defeat of a union drive; Brexit-infused unrest in Northern Ireland. On the bright side: Prince Phillip lived for a long time.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: the Atlanta spa shootings and anti-Asian violence in America; the crisis at the US-Mexico border and Biden's political dilemma around immigration; the risks and rewards of the US pandemic relief bill; EU vaccine rollouts goes from bad to worse; the rise and teetering fall of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo; the in-retrospect-obviously-doomed relationship of Meghan Markle and the British Royal Family.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: Biden's relief bill, and a rethink on inflation; the EU's dark-horse bid for worst vaccine rollout; a coup in Myanmar; cold winds in the midwest -- and in the hearts of certain Texas Republicans; US explores Mars; the politics of Aleksei Navalny's imprisonment; Megan and Harry find themselves in LA; a new reason to fear for the future of humanity.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown University's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: the Capitol riot and its aftermath; Trump's deplatforming on Twitter and Facebook, and what it reveals about Big Tech; assessing Biden's first 48 hours in office; China's 'pivot' back towards itself; the confusion behind the EU's 'strategic autonomy'; Google threatens to deplatform...Australia?!; envisioning lobsters in the streets of London.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: Mark and Carrie's abiding memories of 2020; what aspects of pandemic life will go away in 2021, and what parts will stick around; the stock market vs. the real economy; presidential power and corporate power in the United States; race, class, electoral politics, and the Democrats confusion over who they want to be when they grow up; Biden's ready to make America great again, and the rest of the world isn't too eager; Britain's Brexit wins, herring and all; movies from the 80s.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: The beginning of the coronavirus vaccine rollout; Mitch McConnell, a profile in courage; diversity in Biden's cabinet and the 'Kamala Conundrum'; what the media (and Mark and Carrie) are going to talk about after Trump leaves office; how to break up Facebook and the rest of big tech; Brexit comes to and end, or not; Russian hacking cont'd.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: A lingering pandemic and slow-moving 'coup'; making sense of Trump's electoral loss, and his demographic gains; why Covid cases are rising in the US and Europe but less so in Asia; how the American left and right antagonize their fellow citizens; what Sean Connery meant to Mark; Berlin's airport woes.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: rising Covid cases in the US and Europe; the state of the presidential race amidst America's twisted electoral system; Trump's value and liability to the Republican Party; the US government is kind of, sort of, reigning in big tech (but not really); what would happen if the Catholic Church hired McKinsey; how China's economic dominance spells bad news for the Uyghurs' plight; Trump's dance moves.You can learn more about Watson’s other podcasts here.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: Trump and Melania have coronavirus; the electoral insignificance of Trump's tax returns; a dumpster fire debate; thinking long-term on this month's Supreme Court fight; the rest of the world's plan for climate change; what a coronavirus second/third/pick-your wave might look like.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: a global tour of climate catastrophes; Trump's immovable poll numbers; environmental hypocrisy across the political spectrum; are there anarchist bus lines to midwestern suburbs? (No); why Brexit hurts our brains; the future of commutes; The Crown, The Last Dance, and other TV nostalgia.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.Steven Bannon's lack of imagination; the conundrum of reopening America's schools; following the money in the USPS; the implications of Apple's staggering wealth; Phil Collins forever.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: {Not} containing coronavirus in the US; America's navel gazing and obsession with Hydroxychloroquine; making sense of the GDP numbers; the coronavirus and Trump's chaotic campaign strategy; disparaging women in politics; Biden's VP selection conundrum; and Mark finally watched 'The Crown'.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and political scientist Carrie Nordlund share their take on the news.On this episode: unpacking the biggest SCOTUS cases of the last two weeks; Trump's not-so-good summer so far; questioning if Trump's numbers are really as bad as they seem; 2020 Election as declaration of culture war; the difference between affect (also known as bull***t) and truth; the racial, economic, and generational contours to the debate over 'free speech'.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the news.On this episode: Covid-19 surges in some US states amid reopening and quarantine 'fatigue'; the EU's potential ban on travelers from the US; the Supreme Court's surprising decisions on DACA and LGBTQ rights; the evolution of Black Lives Matter protests and calls to defund the police; workshopping slogans for liberals; the results of this week's Democratic Congressional primaries; calls to tear down statues of racist figures from history; the joy of watching TikTok users mess with Donald Trump.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the news.On this episode: What this podcast can add to the conversation (and what it can't); the economic ramifications of systemic racism; America's uniquely violent, militarized police system; Trump's escalating rhetoric and actions in response to the week's unrest; making sense of the growing corporate support of Black Lives Matter; catching up on Tuesday's primaries; how police violence, civil unrest, and coronavirus intersect.[Recorded June 5, 2020]

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the news.On this episode: different scenarios as US states experiment with ‘opening up’ their economies; pandemic coverage in the US compared to the rest of the world; the Kafkaesque non-scandal that is ‘Obamagate’; whether the potential EU relief fund will be like ‘Hamilton’ the person or ‘Hamilton’ the musical; the ‘Pandemic’ movie, and why Americans love conspiracy theories; fantasizing about Prince Harry’s trip to a California DMV.

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the news.On this episode: thoughts on a future relief bill, in the face of historic unemployment; the profound lack of new ideas in Congress; making sense of Trumps re-election strategy; wondering if we’re a failed state; the Democratic Party's struggle over how to handle sexual assault allegations in 2020; how the the whole economy is like an off-season vacation house (if we're lucky).

Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Master of Public Affairs program, share their take on the news. On this episode: Trump's strategy to let states fend for themselves; Joe Biden's strategy of being neither seen nor heard; how Europe's handling the coronavirus; the US's 'one bit of luck' in this crisis; a eulogy to American exceptionalism; updates on the British Royal family; Mark's recipe of the week. *If you like Mark and Carrie, check out Watson's other politics and policy podcast, Trending Globally. You can find it wherever you listen to podcasts, or on Soundcloud here: [https://soundcloud.com/watsoninstitute/tracks]* You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f_Fc6j1xVZ0hQpQWM2zrnRJTgcM8N2mH/view?usp=sharing]