Idris Kaloun, U.S. policy correspondent for The Economist, and Charlotte Howard, energy and commodities editor, dive deep into America’s economic stimulus debates. They discuss partisan divides in Congress over COVID-19 aid and how it stacks up against European strategies. The impact of low oil prices on the energy industry is explored, highlighting shifting regulations and the push for cleaner energy. They also examine the intriguing link between wealth and happiness, questioning if financial growth truly translates to well-being.
As Congress reconvenes and covid-19 rages largely unabated, the biggest question is how much to prop up the economy—and how to get past partisan rancour about it. With slumping oil prices and a pile of long-term worries, the oil-and-gas industry is looking to offload its dirtiest, most difficult assets. And international polling data suggest that money really can buy happiness.