Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to the recent ICE shooting in Maine.
Then, David is joined by Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, to discuss the future of Social Security, the mounting national debt, and the political dysfunction preventing Washington from confronting America’s fiscal challenges.
Finally, in honor of Bastille Day, David ends the episode with a discussion of Hilary Mantel’s novel “A Place of Greater Safety” and the lessons one can learn from the terror of the French Revolution.
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#davidfrum #thedavidfrumshow #theatlantic #economics #socialsecurity #economy
00:00 Cold Open
00:41 Introduction
01:30 Another ICE Shooting
03:36 Immigration Enforcement Gone Wrong
06:58 Maya MacGuineas
08:06 Why Debt Matters
13:00 Interest Costs Explained
27:39 Debt Crisis Scenarios
34:10 Scapegoats: Immigration and Billionaires
38:03 Social Security Cap Reform
44:05 AI Wont Save Us
49:06 “A Place of Greater Safety” by Hilary Mantel
On this week’s episode of “The David Frum Show,” The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with his reaction to the recent ICE shooting in Maine.
Then, David is joined by Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, to discuss the future of Social Security, the mounting national debt, and the political dysfunction preventing Washington from confronting America’s fiscal challenges.
Finally, in honor of Bastille Day, David ends the episode with a discussion of Hilary Mantel’s novel “A Place of Greater Safety” and the lessons one can learn from the terror of the French Revolution.
Sign up for David Frum’s newsletter alert to find out when a new story is published: theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/?follow=true&utm_campaign=frum-yt
Subscribe to “The David Frum Show” on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-david-frum-show/id1305908387
Subscribe to “The David Frum Show” on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/79CBHEDdEbdykveVgbpWs7
Follow The Atlantic on Instagram: instagram.com/theatlantic/?hl=en
Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple podcasts.
Subscribe today at accounts.theatlantic.com/products/?utm_medium=cr&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=apple_podcasts
Subscribe to The Atlantic on YouTube: bit.ly/subAtlanticYT
#davidfrum #thedavidfrumshow #theatlantic #economics #socialsecurity #economy
00:00 Cold Open
00:41 Introduction
01:30 Another ICE Shooting
03:36 Immigration Enforcement Gone Wrong
06:58 Maya MacGuineas
08:06 Why Debt Matters
13:00 Interest Costs Explained
27:39 Debt Crisis Scenarios
34:10 Scapegoats: Immigration and Billionaires
38:03 Social Security Cap Reform
44:05 AI Wont Save Us
49:06 “A Place of Greater Safety” by Hilary Mantel
