The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Biden’s Big Economic Gamble

Episode Summary

<p><span>Even before his election, </span><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/tag/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a><span><span> </span>described the upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic as </span><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/how-not-to-tax-billionaires">an opportunity to reform</a><span><span> </span>the American economy. Now, after months of negotiations, Biden’s trillion-dollar infrastructure plan will soon come up for a vote in the House, and Democrats expect to pass an enormous social-safety-net package through budget reconciliation. At the same time, the federal government is approaching the debt ceiling, and a government shutdown could occur as soon as next week if a stopgap funding bill isn’t passed. The<span> </span></span><em>New Yorker</em><span><span> </span>staff writer<span> </span></span><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/john-cassidy">John Cassidy</a><span><span> </span>joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss Biden’s attempt to create a more equitable economy amid some strong opposition within his own party.</span></p>

Episode Notes

Even before his election, Joe Biden described the upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to reform the American economy. Now, after months of negotiations, Biden’s trillion-dollar infrastructure plan will soon come up for a vote in the House, and Democrats expect to pass an enormous social-safety-net package through budget reconciliation. At the same time, the federal government is approaching the debt ceiling, and a government shutdown could occur as soon as next week if a stopgap funding bill isn’t passed. The New Yorker staff writer John Cassidy joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss Biden’s attempt to create a more equitable economy amid some strong opposition within his own party.