
How John Quincy Adams went from president to maverick
John Quincy Adams was a one term president. He then entered Congress where he presented so many anti-slavery petitions that Southern Congressmen wanted him out. What that says about how...

How New Mexico's governor got big things done
New Mexico’s Democratic governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has a robust list of progressive achievements – including making her state the first in the U.S. to offer free universal childcare. The...

The Jackpod: Slamming the golden door
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the impossibility of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller’s vision for the U.S. as a nation without immigrants.

A road trip through American history
Historian Beverly Gage hit the road to learn about our country's history. She visited more than 300 historic sites -- from museums and battlefields to roadside attractions. What she learned...

China's take on the Trump summit
President Trump heaped praise on China’s President Xi after their recent summit. While the Chinese leader’s rhetoric was much more restrained. A review of the U.S.-China summit from China's perspective.
Support WBUR

Why you've been misreading the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is the founders' vision of America's values – equality, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How that vision still lives on today.

The Jackpod: Catastrophe-proofing AI
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on the perils and promise of AI as outlined in the papal encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” and a forthcoming law review paper, “AI and Existential...

Does Trump's 'anti-weaponization' fund go too far?
Donald Trump plans to use a $1.776 billion fund to compensate anyone he chooses, including people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Some Congressional Republicans are furious. Other...

The Jackpod: Bearing his pain silently
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty memorializes the courage and sacrifice of the Black men and women who served in the U.S. military in World War II.

Is an energy crisis coming for the global economy?
Europe and Asia are facing fuel shortages. The U.S. is in a fuel deficit. Some experts say the Iran War has caused the largest energy security threat in history. And...

The small Utah county fighting a massive data center
A rural county at the edge of the Great Salt Lake. A multimillionaire celebrity businessman. A shadowy state agency. What Box Elder County, Utah’s fight over a 40,000-acre data center...

What Yale saw when it looked in the mirror
Conservative critics say America's elite colleges don't encourage political diversity and have biased admissions. A Yale University commission recently concluded that those critics may be right.

The Jackpod: The times they are a-changin’
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on how the growth of inequality in the U.S. is creating a new political order willing to embrace raising tax rates.

Inside Trump's self-dealing presidency
Since taking office, President Trump’s wealth has grown by at least $1.4 billion. There have been overseas real estate projects, a Trump phone that doesn’t exist and a Trump-branded cryptocurrency....

A Holocaust scholar asks: 'Israel, what went wrong?'
Omer Bartov was born on an Israeli kibbutz, grew up committed to Zionist ideals, and is now professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University. But in his new...

The hidden chemistry at the heart of the Milky Way
Scientists have taken the largest ever image of the Milky Way. The image shows spectacular detail of our home in the universe, and offers scientists a color-coded guide to some...

What Democrats could learn from the GOP
The Republican Party has a highly sophisticated online and social media operation. Meanwhile Democrats focus on their traditional political talking points. Could the Dems take a page out of the...

The Jackpod: Blue money blues
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has questions about how money is being raised for the Democratic National Committee and Democratic candidates and how that money is being spent.

When thinking ‘inside the box’ is better
You’ve heard the phrase "think outside the box." But what if constraints and limitations actually make us happier and more creative?

Why authoritarians put their faces on everything
Dictators and authoritarian leaders often plaster their faces across the country they control. Is this happening in the United States?