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FiveThirtyEight
Lead writer for news at the data-driven site FiveThirtyEight
PROFILE
Carl Bialik
Guest
FROM Carl Bialik
To the Point
Will a Reported Crime Wave Kill Criminal Justice Reform? Law-and-order Republicans and liberal Democrats agree: federal prisons are overcrowded because tough sentencing laws in the 1990's went too far. Bipartisan criminal-justice reforms have emerged in the House and the Senate, but the pace is slow. Politicians can't survive the charge of being "soft on crime." Now, after decades of declining crime rates, there's a reported increase — especially in homicides. Is it real? Will it put a stop to one of the few measures lawmakers agree on — in a presidential year?
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To the Point
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.