The Brian Lehrer Show

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Planet Money: The Book Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Alex Mayyasi, longtime contributor to NPR's Planet Money, and now author of the book, Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life (W. W. Norton & Company, 2026), and Mary Childs, a Planet Money co-host, share insights into making decisions on getting and spending money and why markets work the way they do.

EVENT: You can see Alex and Mary, plus their colleagues at Planet Money, Darian Woods and Amanda Aronczyk, in conversation with Emily Oster, tonight at 92nd Street Y at 7. Ticket info for in-person or streaming

(cover image courtesy of the publisher)

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Albany Update: Budget Status, Buffer Zones and Teachers' Pensions Apr 06, 2026

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Nick Reisman, POLITICO Albany bureau chief covering New York state government and politics and co-author of the New York Playbook, discusses the latest in state budget negotiations and the major sticking points, including early pension access for public school teachers and the buffer zones for protestors around religious institutions.

Photo: State Senators Liz Krueger, left, and Thomas O'Mara, right, debate a bill (S9631) that would extend various expiring laws that allow the Department of Motor vehicles to collect certain fees and pay operating costs on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in the Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Tuesday was the last day of the state's fiscal budget year. (Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)

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Finding Meaning and Community Without Religion Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Listeners call in on the question, "where do you find meaning, ritual, and the sense that you are part of something larger than yourself outside of a religious context?"

Photo: a book club meeting. Credit: Alex Dos Santos via Pexels.

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How Hegseth is Reshaping the Department of War Apr 06, 2026

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Sarah Fitzpatrick, staff writer at The Atlantic covering national security and the Department of Justice, discusses the latest news from the U.S. military, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recent firing of the Army’s top officer and more.

photo: The US department of Defense building is known under the metonym "The Pentagon" due to its shape. (Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

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Brian Lehrer Weekend: Passover; Easter Apr 04, 2026

Show notes

Two of our favorite segments for this week, in case you missed them.

How Gaza and Zionism Are Dividing Synagogues (First) | A Christian Perspective on the Politics of Immigration (Starts at :41)

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photo: Jerusalem, old city, historical religious sights (Ahed izhiman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

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Is There a Youth Christian Revival? Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Some politicians have been claiming that a Christian revival is occurring among young Americans. Luis Parrales, staff writer at The Atlantic, breaks down what the data says and listeners call in to share their experiences.

Photo: A large crowd sings and prays together at Together 2016, a Christian revival on the National Mall on Saturday, July 16, 2016, in Washington, DC (by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images).

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A Year in ICE Detention Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more than a year after participating in protests near Columbia University, discusses what she endured in an ICE detention facility in Texas and speaks about the conditions that she describes as "horrific," joined by her attorney Sarah Sherman-Stokes, a clinical associate professor at Boston University School of Law.

Photo: Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student Leqaa Kordia greets family, friends and supporters at a welcome home rally on March 22, 2026, in Paterson, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

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A Night Out in NYC for Less Than Twenty Bucks Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Hannah Frishberg, culture reporter at Gothamist/WNYC, shares her hacks for having a night on the town for less than $20, as listeners share tips of their own.

photo: Pizza slices at Paulie Gee's Slice Shop - a "Freddy Prinze" on the left, and plain on the right. (Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

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March's Jobs Report and What it Means for NYC Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Greg David, contributor on fiscal and economic issues for THE CITY and director of the business and economics reporting program and Ravitch Fiscal Reporting Program at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, talks about the jobs report for March and some related news about the jobs picture for New York City in 2025.

Photo by Josh Marty on Unsplash.

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Call Your Senator: Sen. Andy Kim Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Andy Kim, U.S. Senator (D NJ), talks about his work in the Senate and the issues in New Jersey.
Photo: Senator Andy Kim. Credit: Senate Photographic Studio.

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