Note: A version of this episode first ran in 2023.
Every year, the U.S. government spends more money than it takes in. In order to fund all that spending, the country takes on debt. Congress has the power to limit how much debt the U.S. takes on. Once we reach that limit, Congress has a few options so that the government keeps paying its bills: Raise the debt limit, suspend it, or eliminate it entirely.
Which is daunting, because if lawmakers don't figure something out in time, the ramifications for the global economy could be huge.
Shai Akabas, of the Bipartisan Policy Center, has become something of the go-to expert in calculating the exact date America would hit the wall and not be able to pay all its debts. This day is so terrifying it has a special name, the X-Date.
Today's episode is about how Akabas and Jay Powell — long before he became chair of the Federal Reserve — worked to create a system to determine the X-Date with the hope of helping us all never reach it.
We also have an update on this year's looming X-Date, which could arrive as soon as this summer.
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Lost Debate - Iran War, Tucker v. Cruz, Apple in China
Are Israel and Iran on the brink of war? Ravi takes a closer look at the rapidly escalating conflict and the unsettling possibility that the U.S. is more deeply involved than most Americans realize. He also explores the growing battle within MAGA over America’s role on the global stage, the political opportunism accompanying the recent wave of political violence, and how the Trump administration’s threats to ramp up deportation efforts could upend key industries that rely on undocumented workers.
Patrick McGee then joins Ravi to discuss his new book Apple in China, a sweeping investigation into Apple’s entanglement with the Chinese state. They discuss how one of the world’s most powerful companies may have supercharged America’s biggest geopolitical rival and what that means for the future of geopolitics, tech, and our iPhones.
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1A - Behind The Dramatic Drop In Overdose Deaths
Drug overdose deaths have been increasing steadily for over two decades in large part due to opioids. That's until recently. Now, new data from the Centers for Disease Control found that 2024 saw the largest one year decline ever recorded. And that 24% decline was felt across the country. Every state except two saw a drop in overdose deaths.
The drop comes after an aggressive public health response from both the Biden Administration and local efforts, including making the overdose reversing drug Naloxone available over the counter and in communities. But the crisis is far from over. Drug overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people aged 18 to 44.
We discuss what we can we learn from looking at the recent decline in drug deaths and what federal cuts could mean for that progress.
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The drop comes after an aggressive public health response from both the Biden Administration and local efforts, including making the overdose reversing drug Naloxone available over the counter and in communities. But the crisis is far from over. Drug overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people aged 18 to 44.
We discuss what we can we learn from looking at the recent decline in drug deaths and what federal cuts could mean for that progress.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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The Source - What we owe to the 1963 protesters for civil rights
On Juneteenth we look back at the fight for civil rights in America. Historian Peniel E. Joseph discusses his new book Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America’s Civil Rights Revolution." He reflects on the power of protest and community organizing and how segregationists and other bigots in power were pushed out of the way. And what this means today.
CBS News Roundup - 06/18/2025 | World News Roundup Late Edition
President Trump weighs whether to involve U.S. in military action between Israel and Iran. Karen Read found not guilty of second degree murder for the death of her Boston cop boyfriend. Supreme Court upholds Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. CBS News Correspondent Christopher Cruise with tonight's World News Roundup.
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Global News Podcast - Trump keeps world guessing on Iran strikes
US president meets national security team again to discuss next steps on Iran. Also: once called the Russian Davos, the St Petersburg International Economic Forum fails to attract western business leaders.
PBS News Hour - World - Iran rejects Trump’s calls for surrender amid Israel’s ongoing bombardment
In cryptic remarks Wednesday, President Trump wouldn't say whether he's willing to join Israel in its attempt to destroy Iran's nuclear program. The prospect of direct American involvement adds fears of a wider Middle East war while angering some of the president’s Republican allies for violating a campaign promise. Geoff Bennett reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
PBS News Hour - World - How Israel’s attack on Iran puts the U.S. in a difficult situation
For perspective on the current state of affairs between Iran and Israel, Geoff Bennett speaks with Ernest Moniz, secretary of energy during the Obama administration and a key negotiator and architect of the Iran nuclear agreement that was signed in 2015 before President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
PBS News Hour - World - News Wrap: Fed leaves interest rates unchanged while signaling future cuts
In our news wrap Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged for the fourth-straight time while officials indicated they expect to cut rates twice by the end of the year, the Supreme Court is reviving plans to store nuclear waste at sites in Texas and New Mexico and the FDA has approved the world's only twice-a-year injection for HIV prevention. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
The Gist - Unsympathetic Empathy
Veteran diplomat Stuart Eizenstat joins The Gist to discuss The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements That Changed the World, drawing on his work from Camp David to Holocaust reparations. He shares what it means to practice “unsympathetic empathy,” how German officials came to see moral obligation in restitution, and why negotiations fail when mutual interest is absent. Eizenstat contrasts the courage of leaders like Sadat and the UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed with Arafat’s refusal to compromise—even amid opportunity. Plus, the Sackler immunity case is a prime example of a major real-world development that resulted from a Supreme Court acting far outside its supposed 6–3 rigidity.
Produced by Corey Wara
Production Coordinator Ashley Khan
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