On Point | Podcast

Hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti, On Point is a unique, curiosity-driven combination of original reporting, newsmaker interviews, first-person stories, and in-depth analysis, making the world more intelligible and humane. When the world is more complicated than ever, we aim to make sense of it together. On Point is produced by WBUR.

The future of cannabis research and regulations

Americans are now more likely to use cannabis than alcohol on a daily basis. But as cannabis use continues to climb, are research and policies keeping up?

12-20
49:33

The Jackpod: The fullness

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty has been finding his own sense of spiritual fullness in poetry, inspired by philosopher Charles Taylor’s recent book, Cosmic Connections: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment.

12-19
40:25

Why Argentina's Javier Milei has the attention of Trump advisors

Argentina's president Javier Milei cut 30,000 government jobs. The country’s inflation rate dropped more than 20%, but poverty is soaring. Trump advisors Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy celebrate Milei as the perfect model to slash government in the U.S. 

12-19
49:50

How insurance companies use AI to deny claims

UnitedHealth is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company misused AI to deny specific insurance claims. The suit raises questions about how health care companies use AI and how it affects the care people receive.

12-18
49:18

How can politicians better serve the American people? Sen. Andy Kim has some ideas

Three term Democratic Representative Andy Kim is now New Jersey's newest Senator. He’s been listening to Americans who supported both himself and President-elect Donald Trump. His lessons from those conversations.

12-17
48:55

The limits of the surveillance state

The New York Police Department says it utilizes the largest networks of cameras, license plate readers and radiological sensors in the world. So, how did the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s alleged killer manage to escape the city before his arrest in Pennsylvania?

12-16
49:02

The Jackpod: Union made

On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer and what that could mean for American workers.

12-13
33:43

What Trump’s crypto embrace means for the U.S.

Trump has said America should have its own Bitcoin stockpile and even created his own cryptocurrency company. Crypto fans are cheering the incoming administration, but others worry this could be a dangerous scam.

12-13
49:09

Inside America's homeless encampment sweeps

Homelessness is on the rise. So are encampment sweeps. What does this mean for our cities and the people living on their streets? It’s our latest collaboration with the investigative newsroom, ProPublica.

12-12
49:14

The conservative case for labor in America

Conservative politics and labor advocacy don't often go hand in hand, unless you are columnist Sohrab Ahmari. Ahmari says conservative politicians have the chance to change material conditions for workers. And labor advocates have the chance to forge a new political path.

12-11
49:34

Why sociologist Musa al-Gharbi says social justice elites value performance over progress

In 'We Have Never Been Woke,' sociologist Musa al-Gharbi argues the so-called “woke elite” pursue two conflicting desires – to be elite and egalitarian. But the desire to be elite always wins, hurting the communities they vow to help.

12-10
48:58

Six hours under martial law in South Korea

South Korea recently declared and then lifted martial law for the first time in more than 40 years. What led to it -- and what it tells us about the state of democracy in a key U.S. ally.

12-09
47:18

Why U.S. overdose deaths are dropping

For the first time in decades, drug overdose deaths are decreasing in the U.S. Federal data show a roughly 15% drop from 2023 to 2024. What's driving the decline?

12-06
48:51

A father's fight to reclaim the truth about Sandy Hook

Robbie Parker lost his daughter Emilie in the Sandy Hook School shooting more than a decade ago. Parker is still battling Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist who claimed the shooting was staged.

12-05
48:15

The Jackpod: Spiderboy hits new heights

Meghna has a family tale to tell about why the Jackpod is extending its Thanksgiving break.

12-05
02:16

'The great dechurching': Why so many Americans are leaving their churches

Rebroadcast: About 40 million Americans have stopped attending a place of worship in the past 25 years. What’s driving it, and what does it tell us about the importance of faith in America?

12-04
48:32

Brendan Carr wrote Project 2025's chapter on the FCC. Here’s what he says he’ll do as the agency’s chairman.

The Republican commissioner says his top priority is to bring down the “censorship cartel." What will his plan mean for the future of the internet?

12-03
48:28

Trump, authoritarianism, and what Americans think makes a good leader

Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat was one of many who warned about Trump and his authoritarian leanings. But this didn’t seem to matter for the nearly 77 million Americans who voted for him. What conversations about authoritarianism should we be having in the U.S.?

12-02
47:09

The big promises — and hidden challenges — of AI

Developers of Artificial Intelligence have made big promises about how transformational AI will be. But what it can really deliver may be something else — and that difference could impact your life.

11-27
49:20

Trump promised tax-free Social Security. Is it too good to be true?

President-elect Donald Trump has promised tax-free Social Security benefits. No taxes mean more money for individuals – but fewer funds going into the Social Security pool. A look inside how Social Security really works to figure out how best to save it.

11-26
49:34

Charles Bird

consider doing a podcast on the world and local population. your show and other media nibble at the edges like your conversations on migration and declining birthrates. what is the goal? how many people? Shall we continue to displace forests and farmland with densely placed people? until they are gone? Population is a causal factor in housing, hunger, global warming and more. I believe we should talk about it.

09-26 Reply

Daniel Reeves

Conservative Christian fundamentalism exhibits a disheartening lack of critical thinking.

09-18 Reply

ID29480982

It's infuriating when folks say we need to increase Social Security payments to "save" it. We could actually lower contributions by removing the cap for rich people. They need to pay their fair share instead of relying on the backs of working-class Americans. While we're at it, let's ditch this greed-driven healthcare system for a nationalized one. Our current setup treats basic needs like luxury items, prioritizing profits over care.

09-16 Reply

Ross

we don't have to work today. that is what makes us human. we can say fuck you. today or another we shall overcome.

08-01 Reply

David Graber

what is up with the description and picture for this episode?

06-24 Reply

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