Ever since the Homestead Act of 1862, the U.S. government has worked to help everyday Americans own a piece of their nation. One important innovation was the 30-year fixed rate mortgage, a uniquely American loan that helped supercharge homeownership in the U.S. after World War II. But not every effort by the government to increase homeownership has paid off. Now as younger homebuyers face an affordability crisis, can the U.S. government keep that American dream alive

This episode is part of The Wall Street Journal’s USA250: The Story of the World’s Greatest Economy, a collection of articles, videos and podcasts aiming to offer a deeper understanding of how America has evolved.

Listen to previous installments of our USA250 podcast:

Nuclear Power’s Reboot

The Struggle To Keep America’s Workers Safe
An Economy Built on Speculation

America’s Road to a DIY Retirement

And check out our special series:

Can Anything Kick-Start the U.S. Housing Market?

With Homeownership Out of Reach, Some Are Choosing to Rent Forever

What’s in the New Bipartisan Housing Bill That Congress Just Passed

The Housing Market Slumped This Spring. Where Does It Go From Here?

The Fight for Affordable Housing

Mamdani Won on Housing. Will Democrats Follow His Lead?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are Micron and Cerebras telling two different AI stories? And why is Oracle one of the worst stocks this week? Plus, who’s behind Wendy’s big rally? Host Jack Pitcher discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 26. Iran’s missiles and drones have inflicted extensive damage on the U.S.’s naval base in Bahrain—destruction that the Pentagon hasn’t publicly acknowledged. The WSJ’s Shelby Holliday walks us through an exclusive analysis of the strikes, and how they’ve pushed the U.S. to recalculate its military’s footprint in the region. Plus, two U.S. senators call for regulators to open an investigation into Polymarket’s deceptive marketing practices following the Journal’s reporting on social-media promotion of fake bets. And Volkswagen is working on a radical overhaul that will likely result in thousands of additional job losses. We hear from Journal European autos reporter Stephen Wilmot about the carmaker’s challenges. Alex Ossola hosts.

Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for June 26. California’s proposed billionaire’s tax heads to November's ballot, teeing up a fight among Democrats over wealth, affordability and the future of their party. Plus, a New York City board approves Mayor Mamdani's rent freeze. And WSJ real estate bureau chief Craig Karmin answers listener questions about the U.S. housing shortage in the final episode of our special series. Luke Vargas hosts.

Listen to all episodes in our series on ideas for fixing the housing crisis.

Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 25. More Americans are trading deeds for leases as homeownership becomes harder to achieve. We hear from WSJ personal finance reporter Veronica Dagher about the rise of the "forever renter" and what it means for the future of housing and the American Dream. And the Supreme Court handed down a number of big decisions today. Supreme Court reporter James Romoser says two of them enable President Trump’s crackdown on immigration. Plus, reporter Kejal Vyas gives us an update on Venezuela, where the death toll is rising after yesterday’s earthquakes. Alex Ossola hosts.

Listen to all episodes in our series on ideas for fixing the housing crisis.

Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for June 25. Two powerful earthquakes rock Venezuela’s capital, rattling other cities and leaving dozens dead. Plus, Anthropic claims Chinese tech-giant Alibaba ran a brazen campaign to access its Claude model. And WSJ economics reporter Justin Lahart explains why the massive AI build-out is becoming a new catalyst for inflation, driving up prices for components and electricity. Luke Vargas hosts.

Listen to all episodes in our series on ideas for fixing the housing crisis.

Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 24. After months of back and forth, Congress has passed new housing legislation aimed at making it easier to build homes and make housing more affordable. As part of our ongoing housing series, we hear from WSJ real estate reporter Rebecca Picciotto about what’s in the bill. Plus, President Trump met with Senate Republicans today after he refused to sign the housing legislation into law until the Senate passes a controversial voter-ID bill. Journal reporter Marianne LeVine joins us from the Capitol to discuss how the face-off went and where lawmakers go from here. And this week’s tech selloff is over, but markets are still keeping AI in focus. Alex Ossola hosts.

Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for June 24. Progressive candidates allied with Zohran Mamdani swept through New York’s primaries, toppling more mainstream Democrats in deep-blue congressional districts. Plus, President Trump threatens big oil with a DOJ probe into why gasoline prices aren’t lower yet. WSJ markets editor Alex Frangos, explains the lag and gives us an update on movements through the Strait of Hormuz. And as the energy crisis stemming from the war on Iran eases, HSBC’s Frederic Neumann says a new one is brewing in Asia, as the onset of El Niño threatens the global economy. Luke Vargas hosts.

Listen to all episodes in our series on ideas for fixing the housing crisis.

Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 23. Mortgage rates dipped below 6% in February, but geopolitical tensions and a hawkish Federal Reserve have sent rates back up. Journal reporter Nicole Friedman discusses what that means for the rest of 2026, and how the housing market could bounce back from a slump this spring. Plus, the Trump administration is pushing for a nuclear power renaissance. The Energy Department is making $17.5 billion in low-interest loans available to help finance the construction of nuclear reactors. We hear from Jennifer Hiller, who covers the power industry for WSJ, about how the program would work. And the tech selloff deepened today, with the Nasdaq dropping 2.2%. WSJ markets reporter David Uberti walks us through what’s driving the dip. Alex Ossola hosts.

Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for June 23. Monday's tech-driven market slide is accelerating, prompted by concerns around Big Tech’s AI spending plans and looming rate hikes. Plus, the Pentagon tries to drum up support on Capitol Hill for $80 billion more to fund the Iran war. And just a year after nine-figure compensation packages seemed to be fading, our annual CEO pay ranking shows the $100-million-plus salary is back with a bang. Luke Vargas hosts.

Listen to all episodes in our series on ideas for fixing the housing crisis.

Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 22. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz appears to have sped up this weekend, but what’s next? WSJ reporter Joe Wallace joins us to discuss what we should expect from the vital shipping route if the ceasefire holds. Plus, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into Tesla after a fatal wreck near Houston, Texas. And remembering two titans: legendary music executive Clive Davis and former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan have died. We hear from WSJ chief economics correspondent Nick Timiraos about Greenspan’s legacy. Alex Ossola hosts.

Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices