On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

Carmen Balber, the Executive Director of Consumer Watchdog, and Dave Jones, former California Insurance Commissioner and Climate Risk Initiative director at UC Berkeley, delve into California's home insurance crisis. They discuss shocking trends, such as homeowners being dropped before catastrophic fires, and the challenges posed by climate change. The conversation highlights rising costs and coverage denials, emphasizing the urgent need for collaborative solutions to create a more sustainable insurance market that better protects consumers in disaster-prone areas.

Robert Jimmison, a Congressional reporter for The New York Times, teams up with Michael Ricci, a seasoned Republican strategist. They dive into the Republican Congress's ambitious 2025 agenda, targeting tax cuts and increased border security. The duo discusses the intricate challenges Speaker Johnson faces while leading a divided Congress and the implications of a strong Trump faction on legislative processes. They also navigate through the complexities of immigration policy and the need for urgent Congressional action to achieve GOP goals.

Fred Reichelt, a Bain Fellow and inventor of the Net Promoter Score, teams up with Brad Anderson, President at Qualtrics, to discuss the oversaturation of customer surveys. They delve into the frustrations consumers face and the faltering effectiveness of current feedback methods. Highlighting the need for personalized engagement, they advocate for innovative strategies like generative AI to enhance surveys. Ethical challenges of performance rankings in service jobs also emerge as a critical topic, calling for a reevaluation of employee evaluation methods.

Jack Beatty, an On Point news analyst, expertly connects history, literature, and politics. He discusses Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on Donald Trump's election interference, emphasizing Trump's deceptive behavior. Beatty unpacks the lingering consequences of misinformation in the post-election landscape and scrutinizes the ethical dilemmas faced by Trump’s legal team. He also critiques the normalization of political misconduct and explores the ramifications for American foreign policy, advocating for a shift towards prioritizing human rights in military interventions.

Jack Beatty, an insightful On-Point news analyst, dives deep into the causes of the U.S. war with ISIS and its effects on democracy. He discusses the long-term repercussions of military interventions, especially the unintended rise of groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Beatty also highlights how public sentiment around casualties influenced the political landscape. The conversation later shifts to exploring solutions for minimizing domestic fallout from foreign engagements, encouraging a dialogue on America’s role in global conflicts.

Judith Boivin, a retired registered nurse and psychotherapist, shares her harrowing experience of losing her life savings to a sophisticated scam disguised as a government investigation. Joined by Michelle Singletary, a personal finance columnist known for her insights on financial fraud, they delve into the emotional toll of scams. Judith’s story illustrates the psychological manipulation that perpetrators employ and the vulnerability of well-meaning individuals. They discuss the urgent need for awareness and preventative measures to protect those at risk.

Jonas Olofsson, a psychology professor and author of 'The Forgotten Sense', explores the incredible power of smell in our lives. He discusses how scent can trigger memories and influence emotions, revealing its significance in detecting Alzheimer’s disease. The conversation dives into the intriguing connection between smell and music, shedding light on synesthesia. Olofsson also examines cultural variations in olfactory preferences and discusses the emotional effects of losing smell, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michelle Singletary, a personal finance columnist at The Washington Post, and Rana Foroohar, CNN's global economic analyst, join forces to address financial anxieties as 2025 begins. They dive into market volatility and the significance of keeping cash reserves. The duo highlights the disconnect between stock trends and everyday financial struggles while promoting multigenerational living. They also discuss Social Security's future amid reform talks and share strategies for navigating economic uncertainties and retirement savings in challenging times.

Adam Nimoy's father, Leonard Nimoy, played Star Trek's Mr. Spock, the most famous alien in television history. In reality, he was a tough, uncompromising father. In a conversation live from CitySpace, Nimoy discusses his book “The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy."

Maya Solovitz, a science and public policy reporter and author of "Undoing Drugs," teams up with Ziva Cooper, UCLA’s cannabis expert, to discuss the surge in cannabis use, now surpassing alcohol. They explore the implications of this trend, including health impacts and changing social acceptance. The duo tackles the complexities of cannabis research, facing regulatory hurdles, and debates the ethics and effects of growing potency. Lastly, they call for a reevaluation of cannabis classifications, arguing for evidence-based regulations.