KERA's Think

For comedian Hari Kondabolu, becoming a father changed how he accesses pure joy. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how becoming a parent has shifted his worldview, how he sees roles for Indian Americans changing in Hollywood and how making a live audience laugh helps him process his new philosophies.

Edward Alden is a columnist at Foreign Policy, the Ross distinguished visiting professor at Western Washington University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He joins guest host John McCaa to discuss this unprecedented effort to expel undocumented immigrants, how Trump might utilize the military, how the economy might be impacted and how this might shape immigration policy going forward.

Wall Street Journal economics reporter Jeanne Whalen joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why Democrats are reeling from being labeled the party of “elites” when they could always count on communities of color for votes in the past, how Republicans have capitalized on economic concerns, and what this means for race relations moving forward.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have promised to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget with their Department of Government Efficiency. Simon Rabinovitch is U.S. economics editor for The Economist, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how it may actually be possible to generate significant cost cutting – but not in the time frame the president-elect is hoping for.

KFF Health News senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we’re failing to close the health gap – especially for rural, low-income African Americans – and why access to quality care is sometimes blocked by the states.