Money and Politics: The National ...

Money and Politics: The National Bank, the Federal Reserve, and America’s Finances

The American Idea by Ashbrook Center
S7 · E9
Oct 7, 2026
34:56

Episode notes

We hear a lot about “The Fed,” interest rates, and America’s staggering national debt. But what do they each mean, how are they related, and how do they impact each of us today and in the future?

Jeff discusses these seemingly complicated issues in clear terms with John Popeo of the Gallatin Group, unpacking how America created a national bank, how federal borrowing works, and the connection between taxing, spending, and borrowing shape our country’s economy and our individual possibilities and plans.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Keywords

economics
federal reserve