Baker Institute

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Business News

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Politics

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Politics

Politics

Updated Weekly
Politics

Politics

Updated Weekly
Politics

Politics

Updated Bimonthly

6d ago

15: Is America Saving the Yen — or the US Treasury Market?

Japan made financial headlines last week after spending over $50 billion to defend its currency. Even more noteworthy was the U.S. response: For the first time since 1998, the U.S. Treasury intervened to help strengthen the yen, selling euros in the process. In the latest episode of “The Two Handed Economist,” John Diamond dives into these currency moves and explains why the U.S. is intrinsically tied to the stability of the Japanese yen. This episode explores the yen carry trade, Japan’s enormous holdings of U.S. treasuries, the Foreign and International Monetary Authorities (FIMA) Repo Facility and its potential expansion, and why Washington may have a powerful incentive to prevent Japan — and other foreign holders — from selling American government debt. Diamond also examines the Treasury’s recent decision to dramatically expand long-term bond buybacks and asks whether these moves point to a broader effort to stabilize America’s increasingly vulnerable bond market. This conversation was recorded on Aug. 19, 2026. Mentioned in this episode: Economist Mohamed El-Erian, https://x.com/elerianm/status/2090058533005836374. “Economists Warn That Treasury’s Bond Markets Fix Is Short Term,” (NOTUS), featuring RSM’s Chief Economist Joe Brusuelas. “Treasury doubles debt buybacks as Bessent moves to steady bond market,” (CNBC), featuring Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at One Point BFG Wealth Partners. Follow John Diamond on X (@jw_diamond) and LinkedIn. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Aug 18

34: Thinking Big With Small Reactors

Small modular reactors, or SMRs, are attracting growing interest as a potential source of reliable, lower-carbon electricity for industries, data centers, and countries that may not need, or be able to finance, a large conventional nuclear plant. Turning that potential into real-world projects, however, requires more than innovative reactor designs—it depends on financing, manufacturing, regulation, workforce training, and public confidence. A new agreement between the United States, South Korea, and Japan aims to strengthen cooperation on deploying SMRs internationally. The partnership could offer countries another option alongside emerging Chinese and Russian nuclear-export models. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Gabriel Collins and Henry Haggard discuss what it would take for SMRs to become a practical, competitive option for countries seeking reliable power and long-term energy security. Featured: Gabriel Collins, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/gabriel-collins Henry Haggard, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/henry-haggard This episode was recorded on Aug. 11, 2026. Follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Episode 3

Balancing Healthcare Innovation and Accountability in Medicaid Managed Care Programs

Medicaid managed care offers states new opportunities to improve health outcomes by addressing non-medical drivers of health, such as food insecurity, housing instability, and limited access to community services. At the same time, the program also raises questions about cost, accountability, and the appropriate scope of coverage. Fellow Charles Mathias sits down with Chief Medical Officer of Mercy Care Dr. Charlton Wilson,, who oversees a nonprofit health plan serving Medicaid recipients in Arizona. Together, they examine how states can use managed care, federal waivers, value-added benefits, and community reinvestment strategies to encourage healthcare innovation while maintaining public trust. Featured: Charles Mathias, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/charles-w-mathias. Dr. Charlton Wilson, https://healthpolicyfellows.org/fellows/charlton-wilson/. This episode was recorded on Feb. 5, 2026. You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jul 14

42: A New Iranian Era Emerges, Cloaked in Red

The funeral procession of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, wound through major holy cities across the region last week. The mourners, traditionally clad in black, carried red banners conveying a clear message: The regime is seeking vengeance. The apparent collapse of a fledgling ceasefire and renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran chart a troubling course for the region. Iranian leaders are seeking to reassert leverage, and that strategy may depend less on uranium enrichment and centrifuges than on control of the narrow strip of water that has become one of the conflict’s most consequential flashpoints. Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Baker Institute Fellow for the Middle East, joins Ambassador David M. Satterfield to discuss how one critical week could mark a turning point for Iran and the broader region. Mentioned in this episode: Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, “Iran Embraces a Forever War,” by Mohammad Tabaar in Foreign Affairs, June 2, 2026. This conversation was recorded on July 10, 2026. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jun 29

40: What Can We Expect From the 2026 USMCA Review?

On July 1, negotiators will begin the formal review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade pact affecting billions of dollars in commerce and tens of millions of workers across North America. What priorities will each country bring to the table, and how likely is a consensus to extend the agreement for another 16 years? Ahead of the 2026 USMCA review, center experts David A. Gantz and Simon Lester joined the “Baker Briefing” podcast to discuss the negotiating landscape — one shaped by trade tensions, tariff policy, and evolving political dynamics across North America. This conversation was recorded on June 22, 2026. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jul 2

14: The Future of Social Security

The annual Social Security Trust Fund report, published June 9, 2026, presents a troubling outlook for the future. If no action is taken, the trust fund will be depleted, requiring a 22% reduction in scheduled retirement benefits beginning in 2032. In this episode of “The Two-Handed Economist,” John W. Diamond discusses the history of Social Security, previous reforms to the system, and the need for Congress to act before those reductions take effect. Looking back at the last major reform during the Reagan administration, Diamond outlines possible solutions and compares them with the measures that helped address the program’s financial challenges at that time. Special guest Bill King joins Diamond to discuss the long-term need for reform in light of a shrinking workforce and a growing retirement-age population. They examine a demographic challenge that is reshaping the program’s finances and discuss potential policy approaches to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security. This conversation was recorded on June 18, 2026. Featured guest: Bill King, Fellow in Public Finance Mentioned in this episode: The 2026 OASDI Trustees Report Follow John Diamond on X (@jw_diamond) and LinkedIn. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
04/01/2025

82: How Risky Is Gain-of-Function Research, Really?

Debates around gain-of-function research, which genetically alters an organism to give it new functions, became highly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public figures began to speculate that the virus responsible was created through gain-of-function experiments in Wuhan, China. But many scientists maintain that this kind of research helps us to understand and respond to emerging viral threats, like the H5N1 virus, or bird flu. So just how important is gain-of-function research, and what oversight mechanisms are in place to reduce the hazards that yet other scientists say make these experiments too risky? The Baker Institute Science and Technology Policy Program’s Kirstin R.W. Matthews and Alicia L. Johnson and Rice University biosciences professor Yousif Shamoo joined the “Baker Briefing” podcast to discuss the risks, benefits, and guardrails surrounding gain-of-function research — and why federal budget cuts and layoffs will make the endeavor less secure. This episode was recorded on March 20, 2025. Follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jun 29

From 'Baker Briefing:' What Can We Expect From the 2026 USMCA Review?

On July 1, negotiators will begin the formal review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade pact affecting billions of dollars in commerce and tens of millions of workers across North America. What priorities will each country bring to the table, and how likely is a consensus to extend the agreement for another 16 years? Ahead of the 2026 USMCA review, center experts David A. Gantz and Simon Lester joined the “Baker Briefing” podcast to discuss the negotiating landscape — one shaped by trade tensions, tariff policy, and evolving political dynamics across North America. This conversation was recorded on June 22, 2026. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jun 11

37: One Year In, How Trump and RFK Jr. Reshaped Federal Health Policy

How is the Trump administration reshaping American healthcare? Ambassador David M. Satterfield sits down with Heidi Russell, director of the Baker Institute Center for Health Policy, to discuss a new report examining major health policy changes during the administration’s first year — from Medicaid cuts and federal agency restructuring to vaccine policy and public health priorities. What do these changes mean for patients, providers, states, and the future of public health in the United States? This conversation was recorded on May 28 2026. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
May 28

96: Can Somos México Revitalize Mexican Democracy?

Can the emerging Somos México movement unite Mexico’s political opposition? Since coming to power in 2018, the Morena party has maintained broad popular support. But under its rule, Mexico’s democratic institutions have faced growing strain. Judicial and electoral reforms, the dismantling of regulatory and oversight agencies, and the militarization of public security have increasingly concentrated power within the executive branch, while the country continues to face high levels of political violence. To date, Mexico’s opposition has struggled to effectively mobilize around these challenges. Enter Somos México, a new movement that aims to promote governance grounded in rights and the rule of law, according to one of its leaders, former Mexican Sen. Emilio Álvarez Icaza. Álvarez Icaza joined host Tony Payan to discuss democratic backsliding under Morena, the coalition behind Somos México, and the challenges of establishing a viable political party ahead of the 2027 midterm elections. Their conversation was recorded on May 15, 2026. Featured: Former Sen. Emilio Álvarez Icaza, Ph.D.: https://emilioalvarezicaza.com. More about our host, Tony Payan, Ph.D.: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/tony-payan. You can follow @Baker_CUSMX and @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

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