This week, we examine the economic problems on both sides of the Atlantic. New economic realities are becoming increasingly apparent to voters, and growth strategies are thin on the ground.
On the panel: the Guardian columnist Julian Glover, our economics editor Larry Elliott and the IPPR thinktank's director Nick Pearce.
The Office for National Statistics released this quarter's growth figure of 0.2% and explained it by pointing to an extra bank holiday enjoyed by Britons for the Royal Wedding. This was one of several faintly desperate-sounding excuses.
Meanwhile, after a deal to prop up Greece's economy was announced in Brussels, Aditya Chakrabortty, in Athens, tells us this is by no means a permanent solution.
And in Washington, a highly partisan debate over raising the country's borrowing limit is threatening to topple the economy into a technical default.
Richard Adams, in Washington, explains what is behind the deadlock and tells us that while Barack Obama's personal ratings are taking a hit, the Republican party is also taking substantial public blame for the fiasco.
Leave your thoughts below.
We want to hear what you think about our podcasts - to take part in our survey please email politics.podcast@gmail.com
* This is a joint version of the Politics Weekly and The Business podcasts.
