Is America Doomed?
Analysis28 Jun 2011

Is America Doomed?

Justin Webb, the BBC's former North America Editor, regards the United States with affection and respect. But he is worried that America is in denial about the extent of its financial problems and therefore incapable of dealing with the gravest crisis the country has ever faced.

A decade of tax cuts and increased public spending took the United States from an era of budget surpluses to one of growing deficits. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that federal debt could reach 90 per cent of GDP within a decade. The nation's partisan political culture, argue some, means its leaders are incapable of taking the necessary action to avert financial disaster and a loss of international influence.

Justin Webb examines the consequences of failing to deal with the growing debt and looks for any signs that the United States might start to tackle its problems before it is too late.

Interviewees include Diane Coyle, David Frum, Richard Haass, Jeffrey Sachs and Anne Applebaum.

Producer: Bill Law.

Episoder(389)

What's the future of nudge?

What's the future of nudge?

The term nudge has become a byword for the application of behavioural science in public policy, changing how governments the world over create policies designed to encourage, or nudge, people to make ...

20 Nov 202328min

Can reading really improve your life?

Can reading really improve your life?

Most educational research now suggests that reading for pleasure is strongly linked to a child’s future outcome, educational success, and even wellbeing. But the latest studies also show that reading ...

13 Nov 202330min

Can the UK afford a mental health crisis?

Can the UK afford a mental health crisis?

A record 2.6 million people are off work due to long-term sickness, with mental health conditions the biggest single contributor. The problem is particularly acute among younger people, who are dispro...

6 Nov 202328min

France: a constitutional crisis in the making

France: a constitutional crisis in the making

The USA, the UK and France, which have led the democratic world, are all suffering problems with their constitutions. But the problem is most acute in France, where President Macron has lost his parli...

30 Okt 202329min

What on earth is the national interest?

What on earth is the national interest?

Should we be sceptical when politicians claim to act in "the national interest"? The phrase is frequently trotted out to elevate policy and actions as unimpeachably serving us all. But what does it ac...

23 Okt 202328min

What makes a good school?

What makes a good school?

How should we evaluate schools? Is it about delivering a wide range of subjects, or extra activities and pastoral care that make a “good” school? Who gets to decide what is a good school and what doe...

16 Okt 202329min

How can we grow the UK economy?

How can we grow the UK economy?

The cost of living crisis followed a decade in which people’s wages and incomes barely grew. The idea that each generation does at least as well as the one before, has for the moment ended. We’ll only...

9 Okt 202328min

The Democratic Brain

The Democratic Brain

Our brain is a wonderful machine, but it can also short-circuit. What happens to us when emotions and politics intersect, when the democratic, listening brain is cut off, or when we succumb to ‘hate s...

2 Okt 202328min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
i-retten
forklart
popradet
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
stopp-verden
nokon-ma-ga
det-store-bildet
bt-dokumentar-2
hanna-de-heldige
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
chit-chat-med-helle
frokostshowet-pa-p5
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano