Make Me Smart
Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with our supersmart listeners, we break down happenings in tech, the economy and culture. Every Tuesday we bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.
Mon, April 28, 2025
The Canadian Dispatch
On the show today, Kimberly joins us from an Ontario polling station on Canada’s election day. We’ll get into how President Trump’s trade war has shaped the federal election and may boost voter turnout. Plus, what Canadians are saying about boycotting American products and canceling their U.S. vacations. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Canadians vote today after fierce campaign shaped by Trump" from CBC News "Canada votes in an election upended by Trump. Here’s what to know." from The Washington Post "Canada’s Political Landscape Upended by Trump, Trudeau and Tariffs" from The New York Times Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, April 25, 2025
Inflation's self-fulfilling prophecy
Americans expect inflation to rise to 6.5% this year according to the University of Michigan’s latest consumer sentiment survey. That’s the highest outlook since 1981. We’ll explain why those high inflation expectations could be keeping Federal Reserve Chair Powell up at night. And, the deal filmmaker Ryan Coogler made with Warner Bros. to make his latest horror movie “Sinners” is anything but ordinary. Could it shake up the Hollywood studio system? "Trump administration reverses abrupt terminations of foreign students’ US visa registrations" from Politico "Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' isn't just scaring audiences. It's scaring Hollywood." from MSNBC "Inflation expectations remain at highest level since 1981 even after Trump's 90-day tariff pause" "Pickle, a Fashion App, Lets Strangers Borrow Your Clothes" from The Cut "Subtitling Your Life" from The New Yorker "Is community fact-checking the future of social media moderation?" from Marketplace "The $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen" from The Verge Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, April 24, 2025
Congress' tug-of-war for tariff authority
Today, we’re answering questions from our listeners about everything going on in this economy (we know, it’s a lot). Like, whatever happened to that bipartisan bill that would pass authority over tariffs back to Congress? We’ll get into the status of the legislation and how states are jumping into the fight. Plus, we’ll discuss the legality of the Trump administration’s funding freezes and how foreign trade zones are helping some companies avoid sky-high tariffs. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Congress gave presidents power over tariffs. They could aways take it back” from CNN Politics “12 States Sue Trump Over His Tariffs” by The New York Times “Trump says he has 'no intention' of firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell” from AP News “If Trump wants rate cuts, he would likely need to replace the Fed's full board along with Powell” by CNBC “How Congress — and not the president — controls how taxpayer money is spent” from Marketplace “Trump tariffs lead to surge of companies parking imports in tax-free 'foreign trade zones’” from CNBC “How Foreign Trade Zones In The U.S. Came Into Existence” by NPR Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, April 23, 2025
Introducing ... The Ryssdal Window
The Overton Window is a concept that helps explain how the range of policies considered politically acceptable shifts over time. But have you heard of the “Ryssdal Window"? We’ll explain how it relates to what’s happening in the markets right now as president Trump hints at a possible change of heart on China tariffs. Plus, the FDA suspended a milk quality testing program. With less federal oversight, can private industries regulate themselves? And, the physics behind a great cup of coffee. Here’s everything we talked about today: "White House Considers Slashing China Tariffs to De-Escalate Trade War" from The Wall Street Journal "FDA milk quality testing program suspended after job cuts" from The Hill "‘Crazy’: Forest Service cuts ignite fear, fury over wildfire risks" from Politico "The Physics of Perfect Pour-Over Coffee" from The New York Times "Hegseth orders makeup studio installed at Pentagon" from CBS News Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, April 22, 2025
The religious roots of ESG investing
Hey Smarties! Today we’re sharing an episode from our friends over at “How We Survive,” Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast. This season, host Amy Scott and the team dig into the rise of environmental, social and governance-based investing, or ESG, and the right wing backlash that followed. In this episode, the story of ESG’s start revolves around some unexpected players: rabbis, nuns and other faith-based investors.
Mon, April 21, 2025
Could the Supreme Court gut preventative care under Obamacare?
Yes — Obamacare is before the Supreme Court, again. This time, the case centers on the legality of an advisory task force. Experts worry it could spell the end of an ACA mandate requiring insurers to cover certain preventative care services at no cost. But first: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is caught up in another Signal group chat scandal. Plus, Paul Revere wasn’t the only midnight rider to warn that the British were coming. Here’s everything we talked about today: "‘An amateur person’: GOP Rep. Bacon says Hegseth should go" from Politico "Obamacare returns to SCOTUS, with preventive care on the line" from Politico "Court to hear challenge to ACA preventative-care coverage" from Scotus Blog "Kristi Noem’s Purse, With Security Badge and $3,000, Is Stolen" from The New York Times "Paul Revere Wasn't the Only Midnight Rider Who Dashed Through the Darkness to Warn the Patriots That the British Were Coming" from Smithsonian Magazine "April 18, 2025" from Heather Cox Richardson Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sun, April 20, 2025
Selling America: Special Coverage From Marketplace
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: We’re in an unprecedented economic moment. But this time really is different. America’s place in the global economy is shifting. And what happens next is going to matter for businesses, consumers and you. Today, Kai Ryssdal’s popping into your feed with special coverage and reporting from Marketplace to help you make sense of the scale and scope of the economic change in real time. We count on you, our listeners, to help cover the cost of the reporting that you rely on. If you can, please donate to help keep Marketplace programming free and accessible for all .
Fri, April 18, 2025
Trump's immigration crackdown is coming for legal workers
Undocumented workers aren’t the only immigrants being targeted by the Donald Trump administration. Green card holders are facing deportation threats as well. We’ll discuss the far-reaching implications of Trump’s immigration crackdown, from the labor market to higher education in the United States. Plus, what Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation case could mean for due process. And, we’ll weigh in on crunchy foods and living underwater during a round of Half Full/Half Empty. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Expands to Green Card Holders" from The New York Times Tweet from the White House "Colleges Fear Decline in International Student Enrollment" from Inside Higher Ed "A Young Generation Goes to Work for Mom and Dad Inc." from The Wall Street Journal "How crunch took over our taste buds" from Fast Company "The Techno-Utopian Seasteaders Who Want to Colonize the Ocean" from The New York Times "Fox Nation Plans Game Show About Isolated People Guessing What Trump Did In His First 90 Days" from The Hollywood Reporter Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, April 17, 2025
Trump vs. Powell
In over a hundred years, no president has ever fired the chair of the Federal Reserve … yet! President Donald Trump says he could show Jerome Powell the door, even though Powell says he’s not going anywhere. We’ll explain why it might all come down to the Supreme Court. Plus: the economic conditions that led to the American Revolution. And, a smile-worthy photo reminds us it's never too late to try new things! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump: If I ask Powell to leave, ‘he’ll be out of there’” by The Hill Humphrey's Executor v. United States from Oyez “Recreating Paul Revere's ride from Boston 250 years later, 2 men prepare for landmark journey” from CBS News Boston “A Hall of Fame baseball player picked up photography in retirement. He captured one of the defining shots of the Masters.” by Business Insider Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, April 16, 2025
Let's talk about Zeno's paradox
Since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has ignored court rulings on a range of issues from press access to deportations . Now, a federal judge might hold him in criminal contempt of court. We’ll unpack the Zeno’s paradox of constitutional crises. Plus, where luxury goods actually come from and why you may want to think twice before buying one. And if you’re looking to zone out, turn on the “Great Moose Migration.” Here’s everything we talked about today: @kyledcheney.bsky.social on Bluesky “What happens if a president and the federal government fail to follow a judge's orders?” by NBC News J.G.G., et al., v. Donald J. Trump, et al. from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia “What to do in case of a constitutional crisis” by CNN “How is civil society responding to the US constitutional crisis?” from the Brookings Institution “Trump’s China tariffs spark viral TikTok work-arounds” from Fast Company “'Chinese Warehouse' TikTok Videos Urge Americans to Buy Directly From Them” from Newsweek “Ignore advice to buy direct from Chinese factories with DHGate, others” from The Washington Post “The ‘Great Moose Migration’ Livestream Captivates Sweden” from The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, April 15, 2025
Will Congress deliver Trump's tax cuts?
Happy Tax Day, folks. While you’re hitting “Submit” on your returns, lawmakers in Washington are negotiating over what next year’s Tax Day could look like. Congress is aiming to pack President Donald Trump’s promised tax cuts into one behemoth reconciliation bill. But Caitlin Reilly, tax and economics reporter at CQ Roll Call, said there’s a long way to go before making these promises a reality. On the show today, Reilly explains why Congress is pursuing “reconciliation,” the accounting magic lawmakers are using to make certain tax cuts look free, and how the House and Senate will square two drastically different mandates for spending cuts. Then, we’ll look into how Boeing is getting caught up in the U.S.-China trade war. And, a tax professor answers the “Make Me Smart” question. Here’s everything we talked about today: "House Republicans Passed a New Budget. Here's What's in It." from The New York Times "Senate GOP passes budget plan, setting up a critical next phase for Trump agenda" from NPR "House GOP adopts budget framework, paving the way for Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’" from Politico "'Current policy' debate dogs budget reconciliation efforts" from Roll Call "Your cheat sheet to Congress’ budget fight" from PBS Newshour "China Goes After Boeing, Tells Airlines Not to Order New Aircraft From U.S. Jet Maker" from The Wall Street Journal We want to hear your answer to the “Make Me Smart” question. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Mon, April 14, 2025
Brexit ... but make it American
Nearly a decade after Brexit, the British economy is still feeling the fallout. Now, President Donald Trump seems to be pulling from a similar playbook — with tariffs that could reshape the U.S. economy in eerily familiar ways. (Shocker, we know!) But first: Trump threatens to send Americans to prisons in El Salvador. The constitutional crisis alarm bells are ringing. Plus, poop in space is a bigger problem than you might think. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Trump again threatens to send Americans to prisons in El Salvador" from Axios "Fox Nation Plans Game Show About Isolated People Guessing What Trump Did In His First 90 Days" from The Hollywood Reporter "Trump admin shrinks federal Medicaid funding available to states" from Axios "HHS Lays Off All Full-Time Cruise Ship Health Inspectors Amid Illness Outbreaks: Report" from The Huffington Post "NASA offers $3M in competition to recycle human poop in space" from UPI "How Brexit, a Startling Act of Economic Self-Harm, Foreshadowed Trump’s Tariffs" from The New York Times "Meet the Comedian Putting Trump Voter Regret to Music" from Rolling Stone Got a question for our hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, April 11, 2025
Selling America
Amid this week’s tariff turmoil, U.S. stocks tumbled, U.S. Treasurys sold off, and the U.S. dollar weakened. Kai explains what this triple sell-off could mean for the future of the American economy. And, is the era of cheap stuff in America over? Donald Trump administration officials are arguing it’s a good thing. We’ll get into it. Plus, we’ll weigh in on penguin memes and using public phones during a round of Half Full/Half Empty. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Treasury Secretary Bessent says the American dream is not about 'access to cheap goods'" from CNBC "Cheap Consumer Goods Are the American Dream, Actually" from Bloomberg "The Trump administration says cheap goods aren’t part of the American dream. They’re wrong." from Vox "The bond market is acting weird. It spooked Trump" from CNN Business "After Trump’s Tariffs, Stocks Plunged but Penguin Memes Ticked Up" from The New York Times "More students opt for certificates as undergraduate degree earners decline" from Marketplace "A Frenzy at Trader Joe’s: ‘Everyone’s Here for the Tote Bags’" from The New York Times "The Masters offers public phones as alternatives to cellphones. Here's what attendees think" from Fast Company Got a question for our hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, April 10, 2025
Your hot takes on this week's tariff insanity
Today, it’s all YOU! We’re diving into the mailbag to play your voicemails, read your comments, and answer your questions after a wild week of tariff insanity. We’ll hear from YOU on how you’ve been riding the economic uncertainty. Plus, is Trump’s tariff pause, really a pause? And a listener shares what it’s been like teaching elementary students about tariffs. Here’s everything we talked about today: “US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart” from the Peterson Institute for International Economics “The Fiscal and Economic Effects of the Revised April 9 Tariffs” from The Budget Lab at Yale Million Bazillion by Marketplace Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, April 09, 2025
Another day, another tariff switch-up
The world woke up to a very different economy today. Then, President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on some of his tariffs. The news was announced as the official in charge of U.S. trade policy was testifying on Capitol Hill. We’ll break down the trade official’s tense exchange with lawmakers and the real consequences of this week’s market madness. Plus, we’ll laugh so we don’t cry about the economy. Here’s everything we talked about today: "U.S. Trade Rep. Testifies on Pres. Trump's Trade & Tariff Agenda" from CSPAN "Live updates: Trump orders 90-day pause on new tariffs except for China" from CNN Bluesky post from Jeva Lange How are you coping with the tariff whiplash? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, April 08, 2025
Move over taco Tuesday! Tariff Tuesday is here
You may be wondering whether the prices of your go-to products, from avocados to smartphones, will be raised by tariffs in the coming weeks. We hear you! On the show today, Martha Gimbel, executive director of the Budget Lab at Yale, gives us a broad view of the tariff landscape, how the prices of certain consumer goods could change, and how Trump’s trade agenda could impact the American economy in the long run. Plus, why a trade deficit isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Then, we’ll smile about the joy of listening to kids learn to talk. And, Carrie Lane, author of “More Than Pretty Boxes: How the Rise of Professional Organizing Shows Us the Way We Work Isn’t Working,” answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Tariffs on China set to rise to at least 104% on Wednesday, White House says" from CNN Business "Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 Swing Wildly; Trump Threatens More China Tariffs" from The Wall Street Journal "What is the status of the Trump administration's tariffs?" from Marketplace "Where We Stand: The Fiscal, Economic, and Distributional Effects of All U.S. Tariffs Enacted in 2025 Through April 2" from The Budget Lab at Yale "Trump Tariff Tracker" from the Atlantic Council Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Mon, April 07, 2025
Is the tide turning against Trump’s tariffs?
Global markets are reeling after President Trump’s latest tariff announcement last week, prompting business executives like JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to speak out against Trump’s trade agenda. This comes just a few months after Dimon previously said to “get over” Trump’s tariff threats. Kai has thoughts. Plus, we’ll get into how long it could take for global trade to rebalance and what some conservative think tanks are saying about all the tariff upheaval. Here’s everything we talked about today: “JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon Warns Tariffs Will Raise Prices, Slow Growth” from The Wall Street Journal “Jamie Dimon says Trump's tariff policy is positive for national security so people should 'get over it'“ from CNBC “New tariffs could spell major trouble for global economy” from the Competitive Enterprise Institute “Trump’s Tariffs Are an Economic Emergency for Americans” from the American Enterprise Institute “Brace for Impact, America. Trump’s Tariffs Will Soon Hit Your Bank Accounts” from the Cato Institute Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, April 05, 2025
Can you tariff-proof a cocktail?
On this edition of “Economics on Tap,” Kimberly and Sabri discuss how it’s nearly impossible to tariff-proof your shopping list (or cocktail) because of the way our global economy works. They also get into why reshoring might be easier said than done. Plus, could Congress claw back some of the authority on tariffs? And the hosts weigh in on this season of “White Lotus” in a round of Half-Full/Half-Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “These cocktails and wines could get pricier if Trump imposes tariffs” from The Washington Post “US Senate Republican pushes to require congressional approval for new tariffs” by Reuters “House Republican moves to rein in tariff powers” by Politico “Powell Warns Trump’s Tariffs Risk Stoking Even Higher Inflation and Slower Growth” from The New York Times “ The Revolving Restaurant Is Back Again (and Again)” from The New York Times “Americans Rush to Buy TVs, Soy Sauce, Lululemon Workout Gear” from The Wall Street Journal “This Financial Firm Can Give Investment Advice in Gen Z Slang, No Cap” from The Wall Street Journal ‘The White Lotus” Season 3 finale: How to watch, plus what we know about Season 4 from Yahoo Entertainment Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, April 03, 2025
Our post-tariff takeaways
President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on American imports, with the levies coming in higher than expected. Do we need to be stockpiling our carts to get in front of rising costs? We asked economists how they’re personally preparing for higher prices. Plus, Reema and Kimberly unpack international responses as countries buckle up to negotiate — or take retaliatory measures. Also, why are we putting tariffs on uninhabited islands near Antarctica? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tariffs Will Hit All U.S. Imports. Price Hikes for These Items May Surprise You” from The Wall Street Journal “Tariff-related layoffs hit five US auto plants that supply factories in Canada and Mexico” from CNN Business “Sweeping Trump tariffs shock global economy, draw calls for talks” by AP News Watch: “In Full: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responds to new US tariffs” by ABC News Australia on YouTube “‘Nowhere on Earth is safe’: Trump imposes tariffs on uninhabited islands near Antarctica” by The Guardian “The Blunt Force Trauma of the Trump Tariffs” from Wired “Support Grows for President Trump’s America First Reciprocal Trade Plan” from The White House Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, April 02, 2025
Trump’s tariff test. Will it work?
Keyed to President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement today, Kimberly and Sabri unpack some of the messaging about the impact tariffs had during the president’s first term and explain why many of those claims are overblown. Plus, why we’re smiling about Sen. Cory Booker’s historic speech and how Sabri fell victim to April Fools’ Day shenanigans! (Note: This episode was recorded prior to Trump’s speech.) Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump’s Tariffs Make the Fed’s Interest Rate Decisions Tougher” from The New York Times “Tariffs Work — and President Trump’s First Term Proves It” from The White House “Economic View: Tariffs Have Strengthened the U.S. Economy” from the Coalition for a Prosperous America “Economic Impact of Section 232 and 301 Tariffs on U.S. Industries” from the United States International Trade Commission “ITC Study Proves Effectiveness of China Tariffs on Boosting Domestic Production, Reducing Dependence on Imports” from the Coalition for a Prosperous America “Home Depot to Charge For Parking to Combat Inflation” by Pro Tool Reviews “Booker sets new record for longest Senate floor speech” from Roll Call @kimberlyadams.bsky.social via Bluesky Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, April 01, 2025
The problem with running the government like a business
The idea that the government should be run more like a business isn’t new. But with two businessmen, Donald Trump and Elon Musk, now taking a proverbial chainsaw to the federal bureaucracy all in the name “efficiency,” this theory is being put to the test. While it’s an appealing idea, Philip Joyce, professor of public policy at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy, said governments can’t afford to take risks the way businesses can. On the show today, Joyce explains the origins of the idea that the government should be run like a business, how we define “success” differently for the two entities, and how the way Trump and Musk do business is showing up in the White House. Then, we’ll break down the high stakes of today’s special elections in Wisconsin and Florida. Plus, reflections on serendipitous moments in walkable communities and what we gain by admitting we were wrong. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why Running the Government Like a Business Would Be a Disaster” from The New York Times “The US Government Is Not a Startup” from Wired “The US Postal Service has been struggling for years. Now Trump’s talking about privatizing it” from AP News “DOGE wants businesses to run government services ‘as much as possible’” from The Washington Post “UPDATE: RECOVER Long COVID pathobiology grants restored” from The Sick Times “NIH restores some long COVID grants” from C&EN “What to Watch in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court Election and Florida’s Special Elections” from The New York Times “What to watch for Tuesday in Wisconsin’s high-stakes Supreme Court race and special elections in Florida” from CNN Politics “Control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is at stake in race that’s drawn powerful political interests” from AP News <a href="https://americanethnologist.or
Tue, April 01, 2025
The tariff countdown
President Donald Trump has promised that a fresh wave of tariffs on April 2 will usher in an era of growth in American manufacturing. But does history bear that out? We’ll explain how steel tariffs under President George W. Bush did more harm than good. And, in response to Trump’s trade agenda, the “buy Canadian” movement is gaining steam. American exporters are already feeling it. Plus, we’ll smile about flowers, parties and the unspoken rules of texting. Here’s everything we talked about today: “As ‘Buy Canadian’ grows, more US companies say retailers shunning their products” from Reuters “Republicans scramble to shield their states from Trump’s next wave of tariffs” from Politico “Why steel tariffs failed when Bush was president” from Politico “Are You a Hostile Punctuator???” from Time “‘God’s way of smiling at us’: Iconic DC cherry blossoms create lasting joy, new beginnings” from USA Today Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, March 29, 2025
CoreWeave’s IPO tests money magic of AI
The artificial intelligence cloud computing provider CoreWeave sold shares to the public today with so-so results. Because it’s the first major IPO of the current generative AI era, some argue that CoreWeave could be a barometer of the AI boom. We’ll get into it. And, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of President Donald Trump’s firings of independent agency heads. The case will likely make its way to the Supreme Court. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Appeals court clears way for Trump to fire leaders of ‘independent’ federal agencies” from Politico “CoreWeave stock seesaws after IPO in first big test of AI trade” from Yahoo Finance “CoreWeave Is A Time Bomb” from Ed Zitron’s Where’s Your Ed At “OpenAI Unveils New Image Generator for ChatGPT” from The New York Times “DoorDash and Klarna partner to offer buy now, pay later for takeout” from Marketplace “Crocs hits record revenue as popularity with younger consumers soars” from Marketplace “When should we pay rent with a credit card? from Marketplace “Facebook’s New Friends Tab Brings App Back to Its Roots” from The New York Times Marketplace’s March fundraiser ends today! Chip in now and pick up a classic public media thank-you gift: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Fri, March 28, 2025
The chilling effect of ICE arrests
On today’s episode, Kai and Reema discuss the disturbing arrest of a Turkish national with a valid student visa at Tufts University and the effects these immigration detentions are having on political speech. Plus, WNBA team New York Liberty got a shiny, new training facility. (No, it’s not a spa!) And, another big oops for National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. You just can’t make this stuff up. Here’s everything we talked about today: “New York Liberty Unveil Practice Facility Amid WNBA’s Race to Attract Talent” from The New York Times “DoJ lawyers say detained Tufts student was sent to Louisiana before court order” by The Guardian Video: Marco Rubio’s comments on Ozturk’s arrest posted by Aaron Rupar on Bluesky “Mike Waltz Left His Venmo Friends List Public” by Wired Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, March 27, 2025
Beyond the “Signalgate” headlines
In all the talk about senior White House officials discussing military attack plans over the messaging app Signal (and accidentally invited a journalist to the chat), one detail is being overlooked: the impact of the attacks on Yemen. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack the chilling effect the Trump administration is having on U.S. tourism. Plus, nobody remembers that embarrassing time you misspoke in a Zoom meeting, right? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Foreign Travelers Are Rethinking Travel to the U.S.” from The New York Times “Beyond the Signal fiasco, Trump’s Yemen strategy needs more scrutiny” from The Washington Post “Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal” (gift link) from The Atlantic “Living Car-Free in Arizona, on Purpose and Happily” from The New York Times “The Ford Executive Who Kept Score of Colleagues’ Verbal Flubs” from The Wall Street Journal “As Republicans Denounce NPR and PBS, Democrats Mock Hearing” from The New York Times Help Marketplace and Make Me Smart plan for an uncertain future. Donate now during our March fundraiser .
Wed, March 26, 2025
Trump’s race for the world’s rare earth minerals
The United States and Ukraine are weighing a deal that would give the U.S. a cut of revenues from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals. But Gracelin Baskaran, mining economist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said rare earths aren’t all that rare. So why is the Trump administration scrambling to get its hands on these minerals from other countries? On the show today, Baskaran explains what rare earths are, why mining them isn’t always economically attractive, and what the U.S. is doing to try to catch up with China’s rare earth production. Plus, why recycling is only part of the solution. Then, we’ll get into why Canadians are boycotting American vacations. And, how easy is it to get someone to dream about a tree or supply chain economics? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Opinion | How Trump Can Turn the Ukraine Mineral Deal Into Real Security” from The New York Times “US seeks to reopen terms of Ukraine minerals deal” from Financial Times “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Takes Immediate Action to Increase American Mineral Production” from the White House “Ukraine mineral deal could bolster U.S. supply of key materials” from Marketplace “Why does DRC want a Ukraine-like minerals deal with Trump, amid conflict?” from Al Jazeera “The Space Station Is Too Clean, and It’s Making Astronauts Sick” from The Wall Street Journal “Canadians Are Boycotting American Vacations” from The Wall Street Journal Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Mon, March 24, 2025
The Trump administration’s big group chat fail
Most of us can only wonder what goes on in U.S. national security leaders’ group chats, but The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg doesn’t have to. Last week, Goldberg was accidentally included in a Signal group chat with high-ranking members of the Donald Trump administration, in which they discussed imminent war operations. Yes, this actually happened. Plus, the whopping $2.1 billion verdict you might’ve missed over Roundup weed killer. And, we smile over what’s happened since congestion pricing went into effect in Manhattan — all while dropping some Latin vocab. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans” by The Atlantic “Bayer Drops After $2 Billion Verdict in Latest Roundup Trial” from Bloomberg “Third Circuit Rules Failure to Warn Claims Preempted by FIFRA” from the National Agricultural Law Center “Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal break Broadway box office records with ‘Othello’” by CNN “Congestion Pricing is a Policy Miracle” by Better Cities via Substack Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, March 21, 2025
Our tribute to cherry blossom season
It’s almost peak bloom in Washington, D.C., which means it’s time for our annual cherry blossom celebration! But first, some federal funding news: Columbia University will give in to far-reaching demands by President Donald Trump to restore threatened federal funding. We’ll get into what kind of precedent the move sets for higher education. And, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will cancel $500 million in food deliveries. Rural food banks could be impacted most. Plus, we’ll play a blossom-themed round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump weighs in on report King Charles will offer U.S. Commonwealth membership” from The Independent “Columbia Yields to Trump in Battle Over Federal Funding” from The Wall Street Journal “USDA cancels $500M in food deliveries, leaving food banks scrambling” from The Washington Post “Ohio among best places to see cherry blossoms blooming. Here’s where” from The Columbus Dispatch “Cherry Blossom predictions are in! Will AI bloom or bust?” from George Mason University “Beyond the bud: How the nation’s pink trees became an indicator of changing climate” from WBAL “2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival set to boost DC tourism” from ABC7 News Donate to our March fundraiser to get classic public media thank-you gifts! https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Thu, March 20, 2025
We answer more of your questions about tariffs
Not totally sure how tariffs work, who pays for them and how they’re collected? Look no further. In today’s episode, Kai and Nova answer these questions and more. We’ll explain how tariffs are applied and what they’re based on, as well as what happens when a good crosses a border multiple times. Plus, what’s the point of a country retaliating with tariffs if its citizens have to pay for them? We’ll get into it. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who Pays for Tariffs? Here’s What You Need to Know.” by The New York Times “China’s retaliatory tariffs on agricultural goods will squeeze farmers” from Marketplace Listen: Audio snippet on deals exporters and importers make to determine who will pay in the event of unexpected tariffs via OtterAi “How Tariffs Work” from The New York Times “Automakers warn that Trump tariffs will hike vehicle prices as much as 25%” from Reuters “Buying a Car? Trump’s Tariffs Could Make It More Expensive.” by The New York Times “Europe Delays Tariffs on U.S. Whiskey to Make Time to Negotiate” by The New York Times “Trump’s 200% tariff threat would be ‘a real disaster’ for Europe’s wine industry” by AP News Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, March 20, 2025
U.S. trade tensions with the EU just got tenser
President Donald Trump’s tariff fight with the European Union just got a little more heated after the EU accused U.S. tech giants Google and Apple of breaching antitrust rules. Could this escalate the EU-U.S. trade war? We’ll also talk about the erasure of Black history and why Elon Musk is about to be back in the money. Finally, Nova makes us smile with some of the funniest and nerdiest bumper stickers seen around the streets of Los Angeles. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Jackie Robinson’s Army career wiped from military website in DEI purge” by NBC News @danlamothe.bsky.social on Bluesky “Elon Musk’s X Raises Almost $1 Billion in New Equity Funding” by Bloomberg “EU accuses Google and Apple of breaking its rules, risking Trump clash” from The Guardian “The funniest, weirdest and most niche bumper stickers seen around L.A.” by The Los Angeles Times Watch: “Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” performed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on YouTube Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, March 18, 2025
What we can learn from a past tariff tiff (rerun)
Hey Smarties! Today we’re revisiting an episode from earlier this year that might help you make sense of all the tit for tat tariff fight from the past few weeks. It unpacks some tariff history and the potential economic consequences of President Trump’s ongoing trade war. If President Donald Trump goes through with his plan to levy sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, it wouldn’t be the first time the U.S. has done such a thing. Ever heard of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930? Anyone? Those tariffs are widely credited with sinking the United States deeper into the Great Depression. And although global trade looks different nowadays, they can teach us a lot about how Trump’s protectionist approach to global trade could play out. On the show today, Inu Manak, a fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, explains how the Smoot-Hawley tariff debacle can shed light on the current moment, why the president has the power to wield tariffs in the first place, and how punishing trading partners could leave the U.S. economy at a disadvantage. Plus, what this fight has to do with the 1980s film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and Roomba vacuum cleaners! Later, one listener’s call to visit your local butcher. And, dating coach Damona Hoffman, host of the “Dates and Mates” podcast, answers the “Make Me Smart” question just in time for Valentine’s Day. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tariffs on Trading Partners: Can the President Actually Do That?” from Council on Foreign Relations “One Response to Trump’s Tariffs: Trade That Excludes the U.S.” from The New York Times “The United States has been disengaging from the global economy” from the Peterson Institute for International Economics “Protectionism 100 years ago helped ignite a world war. Could it happen again?” from The Washington Post “The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today’s globalized system” from The Conversation Double your impact when you donate to Marketplace today, thanks to a $30,000 mat
Tue, March 18, 2025
We have a constitutional crisis. Now what?
On today’s episode, Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams discuss the Donald Trump administration’s disregard for the courts. The White House has ignored a judge’s order to turn around a pair of deportation flights and failed to rehire federal workers. A constitutional crisis has arrived. Plus, get ready for a three-bleep Kai rant. And how anime helps explain the GOP’s attempt to get around the real cost of its $4 trillion tax cut. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Black War Hero’s Medal of Honor Page Deleted by Pentagon” from Newsweek “Donald Trump Is Itching for a Legal Showdown Over Deportations” by Vanity Fair “What court orders? Trump’s moving full steam ahead to slash more federal workers” from Politico “Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge’s order to turn back deportation flights” from Axios “Trump admin live updates: Border czar says ‘I don’t care what the judges think’” by ABC News “Crematory horrors spur Maryland lawmakers to push for reform” by The Washington Post “A Congresswoman with Dementia Stopped Coming to Work. The DC Press Corps Never Noticed.” by Politico “The Budget Trick the G.O.P. Might Use to Make a $4 Trillion Tax Cut Look Free” by The New York Times @bbkogan.bsky.social on Bluesky “Republicans press for change in how CBO tallies cost of legislation” from Marketplace Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, March 15, 2025
Shutdown averted. How it all went down.
A Republican-written spending bill is being backed by some Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to avoid a government shutdown. Other Democrats — and much of the voter base — aren’t happy. We’ll get into it. Then, we’ll close out the week with a round of Half Full/Half Empty, weighing in on Southwest Airlines’ new checked bag policy and $19 strawberries. Plus, in the wake of a certain duchess’ foray into television, what are your thoughts on celeb cooking shows? Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Siberian Bone Hunters Diving for Ice Age Mammoth Fossils” from The New York Times “Dr. Oz, with a TV host’s flair, promises simple solutions for America’s health care ills” by Politico “ Schumer Under Fire as Pelosi and Other Democrats Criticize Shutdown Retreat” from The New York Times “Half-Past Four is the New Five O’Clock in More Efficient Workday” from Bloomberg “ 5 Takeaways From Meghan Markle’s Netflix Show ‘With Love, Meghan’” from The New York Times “ Why does the viral Erewhon strawberry cost $19?” from Marketplace “ Southwest Airlines is charging for checked bags. Will loyal flyers stick around? ” from USA Today Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, March 13, 2025
“Tariff on the brain”
In this episode, Kai and Kimberly divide into the back and forth over tariffs. The on-again, off-again levies are making it tough for industries to plan and trade. With all the uncertainty, are markets — from stocks to agriculture — on the verge of becoming untradable? Plus, we’ll wryly smile at a biting, century-old song about farmers who were ticked off about tariffs. (Thanks to our listener, Robert, for sharing his rendition!) Here’s everything we talked about today: “China’s retaliatory tariffs on agricultural goods will squeeze farmers” from Marketplace “Chinese tariffs on U.S. farm products take effect as trade tensions mount” by The Washington Post “An ‘Untradable’ Market: Trump Sows Profound Uncertainty for Stocks” from The New York Times “Nebraska folklore pamphlet: Farmers’ Alliance songs of the 1890’s” from Nebraska Memories, a digitized archival project from the Nebraska Library Commission Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, March 12, 2025
Let’s talk about Newsom the Govcaster
A new contender has entered the podcast landscape: wait, is that California Governor Gavin Newsom? His show features a surprisingly conservative guest list, including MAGA stars Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk. Kai and Kimberly break down the fourth wall and discuss whether there’s value in platforming guests who hold a different set of values. Plus, more federal layoffs took place this past week, this time in the U.S. Department of Education and its civil rights division. Then, the hosts get smiley about rescue dogs in a sled dog race (thanks, Abigail!) and the birds in Kai’s neighborhood. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Gavin Newsom Finds Some Surprising Common Ground With Steve Bannon” from The New York Times “Massive Layoffs at the Department of Education Erode Its Civil Rights Division” by ProPublica “U.S. Department of Education Launches “End DEI” Portal” from the U.S. Department of Education “This Iditarod musher is racing with mostly rescue dogs from Alaska shelters” from Alaska Public Media Kai’s been using Merlin Bird ID from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to identify birds in his neighborhood Meanwhile, Kimberly’s uses the Seek app to help her tell the difference between weeds and plants in her garden Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, March 12, 2025
Unpacking our collective COVID-19 trauma, five years on
Five years ago, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Since then, there have been lockdowns, a recession, two presidential elections and more than a million American lives lost from the disease. In many ways, life feels like it’s back to normal, but David Wallace-Wells, a writer for The New York Times, argues that the pandemic still has a grip on American life, from our faith in public health institutions to the way consumers feel about the economy. On the show today, Wallace-Wells walks us through how Americans neglected to process the seismic impact of the pandemic in the rush to recover from it, and how it’s left us more self-interested and less empathetic. Plus, how this can help explain disgruntled consumers and a growing appetite for risk-taking in the economy. Then, we’ll get into how responses to public health emergencies have shifted to the realm of the private sector. And, we’ll hear listeners’ reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic, five years on. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Opinion | How Covid Remade Our America, Five Years Later” from The New York Times “30 Charts That Show How Covid Changed Everything in March 2020” from The New York Times “Gyms, pets and takeout: How the pandemic has shifted daily life” from The Washington Post “It’s Not the Economy. It’s the Pandemic.” from The Atlantic “Opinion | Covid’s Deadliest Effect Took Five Years to Appear” from The New York Times “More Universities Are Choosing to Stay Neutral on the Biggest Issues” from The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, March 11, 2025
Will climate tax credits stay or go?
On today’s episode, Kai and Kimberly discuss the future of Biden-era clean energy tax credits under Trump 2.0. A group of GOP lawmakers want them to stay. Meanwhile, the administration is rescinding memos that pushed for climate change-resilient infrastructure. Plus, the hosts weigh in on the arrest of a Palestinian activist and Columbia University student by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Is this the first arrest of “many to come?” Finally, we’ll smile as the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., get closer to full bloom. Here’s everything we talked about today: “ Trump Says Columbia Student Arrest Is First of Many to Come ” from The Wall Street Journal “House Republican support grows for keeping clean energy tax breaks” from Politico “Transportation secretary rescinds Biden memos prioritizing infrastructure resilience to climate change” from The Hill “2025 Cherry Blossom Peak Bloom Forecasts” from DC Cherry Blossom Watch Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, March 08, 2025
Oh, the irony!
President Donald Trump’s family business is suing Capital One for closing its bank accounts in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, arguing the bank violated consumer protection laws. Where’s the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau when ya need ’em? Then, Kimberly breaks down two moves by the White House that could have sweeping consequences for law firms who work on cases against the Trump administration. Plus, we’ll weigh in on Trump’s strategic bitcoin reserve and tariff whiplash during a game of Half Full/Half Empty! Oh, and should there be a half-time show at the 2026 World Cup final? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Organization Sues Capital One for Closing Its Accounts” from The New York Times “War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon’s DEI purge” from AP News “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ensures the Enforcement of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(c)” from the White House “Trump directs DOJ to seek security bonds for injunctions” from Law and Crime “Trump targets prominent Democratic-linked law firm” from Politico “Your tariff questions, answered.” from the Marketplace newsletter “Why coffee shops like Dunkin’ are dropping nondairy milk fees” from Marketplace “Fed chair signals patience amid Trump’s tariff whiplash” from The Washington Post “In a first, the 2026 World Cup final will include a halftime show” from NPR “Can an A.I. Travel Bot Plan Your Trip to NYC?” from The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, March 06, 2025
Your questions about government economic data answered
Donald Trump administration officials disbanded two expert committees on economic data this week and suggested altering the way the U.S. calculates gross domestic product. It’s not the first time the administration has hinted at fiddling with important numbers, and a listener wrote in to ask how all this might impact businesses and the market. We’ll break it down. Plus, why is nobody talking about the debt limit? And, congrats to Bill in Ohio on scoring a hat trick! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump administration disbands two expert panels on economic data” from Reuters “Can the U.S. delete government spending from GDP?” from Marketplace “Key House Republican Warns May Debt-Ceiling Breach Possible” from Bloomberg “Explainer: Why would the US government shut down?” from Reuters “A campus sign said ‘Tell us something good.’ Students delivered.” from The Washington Post Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, March 06, 2025
What is even happening with the politics of this economy?!
On today’s episode, we’re discussing a pair of recent rulings about the Trump administration’s efforts to cut foreign aid and fire federal workers, leaving us with a “Through the Looking-Glass” moment, where the nonsensical is reality. Plus, we’ll explain some ways to catch a breath in the midst of uncertain economic times. And, we’ll smile at a math problem solved through the power of anime fans. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Bid to Freeze Foreign Aid” from The New York Times “How to handle the stress of tariff escalation and stock market jitters” from The Washington Post “‘He Finally Shot the Hostage’: Trump’s Trade War Is a Brutal Reality Check” from Politico “OPM retroactively edits probationary firing guidance to note it did not order probationary firings” from Government Executive “How Anime Fans Stumbled upon a Mathematical Proof” from Scientific American “ Steve Carell tells students affected by wildfires that prom tickets are paid for ” from The Washington Post Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, March 05, 2025
Angel City FC and the rise of women’s pro soccer
The National Women’s Soccer League’s regular season kicks off next week. And thanks in part to a record-breaking media rights agreement and the growth of women’s professional sports across the board, the league is gaining more attention — and investment — than ever. Angel City Football Club became the highest-valued women’s sports team in the world last year when Willow Bay and Bob Iger acquired a controlling stake in the franchise for $250 million. Julie Uhrman, the team’s CEO and co-founder, says Angel City is just the beginning. On the show today, Uhrman explains how she and her co-founders got investors to see their vision, why a game day experience that leaves you with FOMO is key to Angel City’s growth, and how to watch the NWSL’s season. Later, how proposed funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health could leave a generational impact on the United States’ reputation as a science leader. And Adam Grant, host of the “Re:Thinking” podcast, answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How Angel City became ‘the most valuable women’s sports team in the world’ with new owners” from The Athletic “Ranking new 2025 NWSL team jerseys: Which kits hit?” from ESPN “Without the Draft, NWSL Clubs Are Navigating a Changing Landscape in College Recruitment” from Sports Illustrated “NWSL announces landmark media partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports” from NWSL “National Women’s Soccer League Playoffs Docuseries Gets Premiere Date At Prime Video” from Deadline Listen: Adam Grant’s interview with Sabri Ben-Achour on Marketplace Morning Report Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, March 04, 2025
What is an economy of caution?
Today, we’re talking about one of Kai’s favorite topics: bonds! The yield on the 10-year Treasury note (the benchmark for mortgages and car loans) is down sharply, which is great for consumers. But it’s happening for not necessarily great reasons. We’ll explain. Plus, why Kimberly is keeping a close eye on one of her go-to government websites. And, she’ll share tales from her trip to Venice’s famed carnival. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Key Interest Rate Falls as Worries About the Economy Rise” from The New York Times “RFK Jr. moves to eliminate public comment on HHS decisions” by STAT “RFK Jr. move to kill public comment roils providers” from Axios “AP PHOTOS: Venice Carnival opens with biodegradable streamers and an ode to Casanova” by AP News Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, March 01, 2025
What the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting says about the world economic order
A meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump today dissolved into a heated argument in the Oval Office, flipping the switch of the global economic order. Kai Ryssdal and guest host Nova Safo discuss what they took away from the contentious meeting and what it might mean for American-style capitalism. Plus, we’ll shift gears and play a lively round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump, Vance castigate Zelensky in tense Oval Office meeting” from CNN Politics “Microsoft Will Shut Down Skype in Favor of a Free Version of Teams” from The New York Times “‘Jeopardy!’ and ‘Wheel of Fortune’ to Leap to Streaming” from The New York Times “Why are tech companies investing in quantum computing?” from Marketplace “Why some authors and publishers are nixing book blurbs” from Marketplace “Lately, the scoop on the bond market is like ice cream roulette” from Marketplace “How much impact could a 24-hour “economic blackout” have?” from Marketplace Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, February 28, 2025
Whaddya wanna know about federal layoffs and this economy?
On today’s episode, we make you smarter by answering your pressing questions about this economy: Will cuts to the federal workforce make any difference to the unemployment rate? Also, have we all been totally oblivious to a private sector recession? (Spoiler: No!) We’ll explain. Plus, listeners sound off on smile-worthy moments from their week! Here’s everything we talked about today: “How Will Shrinking the Federal Workforce Impact the Labor Market?” from Wells Fargo “How DOGE cuts might show up in the data” by Axios “Unemployment is still low, but are private sector layoffs accelerating?” from Marketplace “Many laid-off government workers aren’t eligible for unemployment” from Marketplace “US Treasury’s Bessent vows to re-privatize an economy that is ‘brittle underneath’” by Reuters “ADP® National Employment Report” from ADP Research “Employment by industry, monthly changes” from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics “Governments at all levels are hiring, and that’s boosting the job market” by Marketplace “The Federal Reserve’s favorite recession indicator is flashing a danger sign again” from CNBC Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, February 27, 2025
An asteroid miss and the WaPo opinion shift
Kai has been tracking news about a giant asteroid heading toward Earth. NASA says we’re safe, for now! But first, the hosts discuss troubling trends in the news business and a shift in who gets to exert control over media narratives. And, we’re keeping a close eye on growing fears over possible layoffs. Here’s everything we talked about today: “US Workers Cite Growing Layoff Fear in Philadelphia Fed Survey” from Bloomberg “White House takes control of press pool that covers Trump” by BBC “Washington Post opinion editor departs as Bezos pushes to promote ‘personal liberties and free markets’” by The Guardian “Costa Rica Is Saving Forest Ecosystems by Listening to Them” from Wired “NASA Gives ‘All Clear’ for Asteroid That Seemed to Threaten Earth” by The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, February 25, 2025
“Unlocking the Gates” on housing and economic opportunity
Today, we’re sharing the first episode of “Unlocking the Gates,” a series from Marketplace and APM Studios hosted by special correspondent Lee Hawkins. He tells the story of how the Minnesota suburb he grew up in went from being a place where the housing market was inaccessible to Black families to one where many Black families found economic opportunity. And it all started with a nighttime business deal.
Tue, February 25, 2025
Is Apple actually going “America First”?
A week after Apple CEO Tim Cook met with President Donald Trump, the company said today that it plans to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. Is Apple aligning with Trump’s America First agenda? We’ll explain why Apple’s domestic investment isn’t what you may think it is. Plus, how would you respond to an email from your boss with the subject line: “ What did you do last week? ” And, a big thank you to Tammy from Oregon for today’s Make Me Smile moment. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Apple’s $500 Billion U.S. Investment Is Mostly Already in the Books” from The Wall Street Journal “Elon Musk Tells Federal Workers to Detail Work in an Email or Lose Their Jobs” by The New York Times “Are federal workers lazy? Let’s look at the data.” from The Washington Post “The Long Flight to Teach an Endangered Ibis Species to Migrate” from The New Yorker “The Trump administration tells agencies they could ignore Musk order on email reply” from The Washington Post (latest developments after we recorded today’s episode) Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, February 22, 2025
A brewing legal battle and the future of the Fed
The Supreme Court on Friday chose not to intervene in a case involving President Donald Trump’s firing of an independent agency head. As the case is passed back to the lower courts, it tees up a legal battle that will test the president’s power to dismiss officials. We’ll get into what this could all mean for the Federal Reserve. And, U.S. national parks are being hit by the administration’s purge of the federal workforce. Plus, we’ll weigh in on Birkenstocks, prebiotic sodas and the “White Lotus effect” during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme Court Declines for Now to Let Trump Fire Agency Head” from Bloomberg Post on Bluesky about national park closures “Trump administration backtracks on eliminating thousands of national parks employees” from The L.A. Times “Firings Squeeze National Parks: ‘You Won’t Have the Full Experience’” from The New York Times “Can sandals be art? Birkenstock says yes, but a German court says no” from AP News “‘Gut Pop’ Is Injecting New Fizz Into the Beverage Aisle” from The Wall Street Journal “Politics are changing how and where consumers spend” from Marketplace “The ‘White Lotus effect’ on tourism” from Marketplace “Amazon Gains Creative Control Over the James Bond Franchise” from The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, February 21, 2025
DOGE’s next target: IRS
Things are getting tense at the Internal Revenue Service. Layoffs are looming smack in the middle of tax season as part of DOGE’s mission to cut the federal workforce. Meanwhile, the commerce secretary says President Donald Trump wants to abolish the agency altogether. Get ready for a Kai rant! Plus, Trump wants to know if there’s still gold at Ft. Knox. No, really! And, finally, we’ll smile about all the good things that have happened to you lately. Here’s everything we talked about: “Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown on list to be possibly removed by Hegseth” by ABC News “Commerce Secretary Lutnick: Trump’s goal is to abolish the IRS” from Axios “I.R.S. to Begin Laying Off Roughly 6,000 Employees on Thursday” from The New York Times Watch: “Trump wants to know if there’s gold in Fort Knox” by AP News Watch: “Fmr. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox” from CNBC Television “What to know about Fort Knox’s gold depository that Musk wants audited” from Axios “A campus sign said, ‘Tell us something good.’ Students delivered.” by The Washington Post Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, February 20, 2025
Is recession risk rising?
A growing number of young American consumers say they’re opting out of the economy entirely or pulling back from spending at certain stores over their political views. We’ll explain how this trend could collide with other economic shifts, creating the perfect recipe for a recession. Plus, by popular demand, we unpack a recent feat of nature: beavers successfully taking on civil engineering! Here’s everything we talked about: “Kremlin Message to Trump: There’s Money to Be Made in Russia” from The New York Times “A quarter of US shoppers have dumped favorite stores over political stances” by The Guardian “NAACP calls for consumers to leverage their purchasing power as some companies pull back from DEI policies” from Marketplace “Black faith leaders call for Target boycott over DEI rollback” from The Hill “Czech Dam Project Was Stalled by Bureaucracy. Beavers Built Their Own.” from The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, February 18, 2025
Should we be worried about bird flu?
Today we’re talking about bird flu. It’s infecting flocks of chickens, causing egg prices to rise across the country, plus herds of dairy cattle and people are getting sick too. And all of this is happening amid sweeping changes at U.S. federal health agencies. The Trump administration has ordered mass firings and limits on public communications at agencies including the Centers for Disease Control, hindering its ability to keep the public informed. “There are a lot of emerging and ongoing infectious disease events that require a very active, highly communicative public health agency like the CDC, and we’re just not getting that,” said Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist and science communicator. On the show today, Malaty Rivera explains the scale of the current bird flu outbreak, how the response in the United States has been disrupted by chaos in the federal government, and why state health systems may struggle to fill the gaps after years of underfunding. Plus, for one listener, doing something is better than nothing. And, another listener shares how they changed their mind about the value of government work. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Urgent CDC Data and Analyses on Influenza and Bird Flu Go Missing as Outbreaks Escalate” from KFF Health News “Mass firings at HHS: Thousands impacted across federal health agencies including CMS, FDA” from Fierce Healthcare “RFK Jr. confirmed, elevating anti-vaccine activist to nation’s top health post” from The Washington Post “How Trump’s Medical Research Cuts Would Hit Colleges and Hospitals in Every State” from The New York Times “The U.S. and the WHO: An Imperfect but Essential Relationship” from Johns Hopkins What’s something you thought you knew but later found out you were wrong about? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, February 15, 2025
A gulf between the White House and the press
Associated Press journalists have been blocked from accessing spaces like the Oval Office after the organization opted not to use the term “Gulf of America.” We’ll unpack the conundrum this creates for other news outlets covering the White House. And, while the GOP eyes spending cuts to key social safety net programs, some Republican representatives are feeling pressure from their constituents. We’ll get into it. Plus, a penny for your thoughts on getting rid of the penny. We’ll weigh in during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Hagan Scotten, Adams’s Lead Prosecutor, Quits Defiantly” from The New York Times “Republicans rush to soften Trump’s cuts” from Politico “Vulnerable Republican fires warning shot on House budget” from Politico “Seeking a Mar-a-Lago Vibe, Trump Considers Paving Over Grass in Rose Garden” from The New York Times “White House Will Continue to Bar Associated Press in Gulf of Mexico Fight” from The New York Times “Opinion | ‘Gulf of America’ leads to AP removal from Trump White House events” from The Washington Post “This Is How Much the Average Couple Spends on Valentine’s Day” from U.S. News “Apple and Google Restore TikTok to App Stores in the U.S.” from The New York Times “Americans are turning to social media for financial advice” from Marketplace “So, This 2000s Denim Trend Is About to Blow Up for Spring 2025” from InStyle “What Trump’s Plan to Stop Minting Pennies Means for Consumers” from The Wall Street Journal Got a questi
Fri, February 14, 2025
How to actually tackle government waste
Elon Musk and his DOGE team have been inside the pipes of the federal government on a mission to cut government spending and root out waste. We know government waste exists. But today, we’ll explain the problem with the way DOGE is going about it. Plus, blue state Republicans and their newfound power! And, stick around for your daily dose of positive news: We’ll hear about some of the good things that have been happening to “Make Me Smart” listeners. (Keep ‘em coming!) Here’s everything we talked about: Watch: Watch Live: House DOGE subcommittee holds first hearing on federal spending on YouTube “DOGE fight: New subcommittee holds its first House hearing” by Roll Call “The Government Waste DOGE Should Be Cutting” from The Atlantic Improper Payments and Fraud: How They Are Related but Different from the Government Accountability Office Watch: Happening Now: Powell Testifies Before Senate Banking Committee on YouTube “What does having the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on hold mean for consumers?” from AP News “How blue state Republicans could shape Congressional legislation this year” by Marketplace Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, February 13, 2025
Is there a better way to measure the economy?
Throughout the 2024 election campaign, voters kept saying the economy felt bad, even though it looked good on paper. A new report blames that disconnect on the way the government measures the economy — sending economic circles abuzz! We’ll explain what the tizzy is all about. Plus, is the Senate confirmation process for federal officials still useful? And, we’ll smile about the adorableness that is the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Voters Were Right About the Economy. The Data Was Wrong.” from Politico Article 2 Section 2 Clause 2 | Constitution Annotated from the Library of Congress “Tulsi Gabbard confirmed by Senate as director of national intelligence” from The Washington Post “Best of 2025 Masters Agility Championships from Westminster Kennel Club” from Fox Sports “In pictures: The 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show” from CNN “A Spa Day for Louis Before the Westminster Dog Show” from The New York Times “ Westminster 2025 Preview: Why Can’t Golden Retrievers Win Best in Show?” from The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, February 12, 2025
What we can learn from a past tariff tiff
If President Donald Trump goes through with his plan to levy sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, it wouldn’t be the first time the U.S. has done such a thing. Ever heard of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930? Anyone? Those tariffs are widely credited with sinking the United States deeper into the Great Depression. And although global trade looks different nowadays, they can teach us a lot about how Trump’s protectionist approach to global trade could play out. “With the retreat of U.S. leadership and the increasing use of economic coercion, we not only find ourselves in this uncertain world, but one where fears of a U.S. decline vis-a-vis China may become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy,” said Inu Manak, a fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. On the show today, Manak explains how the Smoot-Hawley tariff debacle can shed light on the current moment, why the president has the power to wield tariffs in the first place, and how punishing trading partners could leave the U.S. economy at a disadvantage. Plus, what this fight has to do with the 1980s film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and Roomba vacuum cleaners! Later, one listener’s call to visit your local butcher. And, dating coach Damona Hoffman, host of the “Dates and Mates” podcast, answers the “Make Me Smart” question just in time for Valentine’s Day. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tariffs on Trading Partners: Can the President Actually Do That?” from Council on Foreign Relations “One Response to Trump’s Tariffs: Trade That Excludes the U.S.” from The New York Times “The United States has been disengaging from the global economy” from the Peterson Institute for International Economics “Protectionism 100 years ago helped ignite a world war. Could it happen again?” from The Washington Post “The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today’s globalized system” from The Conversation Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 5
Tue, February 11, 2025
Trump’s purge of federal workers and its historical parallels
President Donald Trump’s recent steps to remove federal employees is drawing comparisons to government purges during the Red Scare of the 1950s. What’s at stake when government workers are pushed out? We’ll break it down. Plus, we’ll explain why a ruling in one of the lawsuits over Trump’s funding freeze is a biggie. Finally, tell us something good that happened to you lately! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Judge Rules That Trump Administration Defied Order to Unfreeze Billions in Federal Grants” from The New York Times “Trump Eases Enforcement of Law Banning Overseas Bribes” by Bloomberg “What Happened the Last Time a President Purged the Bureaucracy” from Politico “CBS News poll — Trump has positive approval amid ‘energetic’ opening weeks; seen as doing what he promised” by CBS News “Second pig kidney transplant successfully completed at Massachusetts General Hospital” from WCVB Channel 5 “Experimental transplants with organs from gene-edited pigs see major steps forward” from CNN “A campus sign said ‘Tell us something good.’ Students delivered.” by The Washington Post Tell us something good that happened to you recently! Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, February 08, 2025
Are Trump’s firings legal?
President Donald Trump has fired dozens of government officials since he took office. The latest is the chair of the Federal Election Commission. But is any of this legal? We’ll get into it. Plus: A “Make Me Smart” alum shares the trauma of losing his home in the Los Angeles fires. Finally, we’ll wrap with a dose of uplifting news (thanks to you!) and a round of our favorite game, Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Democratic FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub says Trump fired her. She says it’s not legal.” from CBS News “Trump Illegally Attempts to Fire Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub” from Campaign Legal Center “How to Watch All the 2025 Oscar Nominated Short Films” by Town & Country magazine “2025 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!” by Erin in the Morning “The Trauma of Losing Your Home in the Eaton Fire” from The New York Times “A Los Angeles-area developer gives advice on rebuilding after the fires” from Marketplace Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, February 06, 2025
Chaos is not an economic strategy
Elon Musk and the rest of the DOGE gang have been inside the guts of the federal government attempting to shut down agencies and gain access to the Treasury Department’s main payment system. We’ll discuss the constitutionality of it all and why some members of Congress may be reluctant to say it like it is. Plus, the toy business is paying attention to prices as Trump threatens trade war. And, AI is making a splash at the 2025 Super Bowl. Here’s everything we talked about today: Watch: “Rep. Khanna: If Elon Musk finds fraud or wasteful spending, come to Congress and force a vote on it” by CNBC Television “Is the way Trump and Musk are running the economy even legal?” by Marketplace “Trump admin agrees to limit DOGE access to Treasury payments system” from Axios “Musk DOGE agents access sensitive personnel data, alarming officials” by The Washington Post “U.S. nonprofits still reeling from federal funding freeze” from Marketplace 2024 Q4 Earnings Call from Alphabet Investor Relations “Mattel may hike prices for Barbie, Hot Wheels and other toys after Trump tariffs” by CBS News “Fast fashion, laptops and toys are likely to cost more due to US tariffs on Chinese imports” from AP News Watch: Act Like You Know :60 | GoDaddy
Thu, February 06, 2025
Chaos is not an economic strategy
Elon Musk and the rest of the DOGE gang have been inside the guts of the federal government attempting to shut down agencies and gain access to the Treasury Department’s main payment system. We’ll discuss the constitutionality of it all and why some members of Congress may be reluctant to say it like it is. Plus, the toy business is paying attention to prices as Trump threatens trade war. And, AI is making a splash at the 2025 Super Bowl. Here’s everything we talked about today: Watch: “Rep. Khanna: If Elon Musk finds fraud or wasteful spending, come to Congress and force a vote on it” by CNBC Television “Is the way Trump and Musk are running the economy even legal?” by Marketplace “Trump admin agrees to limit DOGE access to Treasury payments system” from Axios “Musk DOGE agents access sensitive personnel data, alarming officials” by The Washington Post “U.S. nonprofits still reeling from federal funding freeze” from Marketplace 2024 Q4 Earnings Call from Alphabet Investor Relations “Mattel may hike prices for Barbie, Hot Wheels and other toys after Trump tariffs” by CBS News “Fast fashion, laptops and toys are likely to cost more due to US tariffs on Chinese imports” from AP News Watch: Act Like You Know :60 | GoDaddy Super Bowl Commercial 2025 on YouTube “Super Bowl to feature AI product ads from Big Tech” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, February 06, 2025
Is this a coup?
Is Elon Musk’s control of government offices as an unelected official a coup? Lots of people seem to think so. We’ll explain why. Plus, another potential government shutdown is looming and it may work in Democrats’ favor. And, one surprisingly effective (and protein-rich) way food insecurity in Pennsylvania is being addressed. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What the Black Hawk Pilots Could See, Just Before the Crash” by The New York Times “Shutdown fears grow as Trump battles multiply” by The Hill “‘We would call it a coup’: Watchdogs and Dems attack Elon Musk Treasury Department takeover” from USA Today “The ‘Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly’ of the United States Government” by The Atlantic “Elon Musk’s Power Grab Is Lawless, Dangerous, and—Yes—a Coup” from Slate “The Guardian view on Donald Trump’s power grab: a coup veiled by chaos” by The Guardian “Processing Deer to Eliminate Food Insecurity” by the Daily Yonder Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, February 06, 2025
Is this a coup?
Is Elon Musk’s control of government offices as an unelected official a coup? Lots of people seeem to think so. We’ll explain why. Plus, another potential government shutdown is looming and it may work in Democrats’ favor. And, one surprisingly effective (and protein-rich) way food insecurity in Pennsylvania is being addressed. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What the Black Hawk Pilots Could See, Just Before the Crash” by The New York Times “Shutdown fears grow as Trump battles multiply” by The Hill “‘We would call it a coup’: Watchdogs and Dems attack Elon Musk Treasury Department takeover” from USA Today “The ‘Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly’ of the United States Government” by The Atlantic “Elon Musk’s Power Grab Is Lawless, Dangerous, and—Yes—a Coup” from Slate “The Guardian view on Donald Trump’s power grab: a coup veiled by chaos” by The Guardian “Processing Deer to Eliminate Food Insecurity” by the Daily Yonder Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, February 05, 2025
The migrant workforce under Trump
It’s hard to overstate the role immigrant workers play in the U.S. economy. Key industries rely on them — nearly half of meat-processing jobs, for instance, are held by immigrants. And many work in low-wage jobs that are vulnerable to exploitation. Ted Genoways, a reporter with the Food and Environment Reporting Network, said Trump’s promises of mass deportations is creating fear and uncertainty for immigrant workers, both authorized and unauthorized, as well as for the massive food companies that employ them. “If history is any guide, this will probably mean increased food prices, if only for companies trying to hedge against the possibility of something disastrous happening,” said Genoways. On today’s show, Genoways gives us a snapshot of the low-wage immigrant workforce’s role in our economy and unpacks how Trump’s deportation plans could disrupt America’s food supply. Plus, why aren’t food companies held accountable for exploiting their employees? And, we’ll get into what restrictions on the U.S. Agency for International Development could mean for Cuba. Plus, would you trust Kai with the aux? Here’s everything we talked about today: “This Week’s Episode of Reveal: Immigrants on the Line” from Mother Jones Opinion | “How Trump’s Deportation Plans Could Blow Up the Food System and Increase Migrant Labor” from Politico “Brooke Rollins, Trump’s Agriculture Pick, Addresses Tariff and Immigration Impact on Farmers” from The New York Times “How Trump’s plan to deport undocumented immigrants threatens the workforce for U.S. farm workforce” from CBS News “Trump’s Pause of U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America: An ‘America Last’ Policy” from WOLA <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/03/us-cuban-twitter-zunzuneo-stir-unrest" target="_blank" rel="n
Wed, February 05, 2025
The migrant workforce under Trump
It’s hard to overstate the role immigrant workers play in the U.S. economy. Key industries rely on them — nearly half of meat-processing jobs, for instance, are held by immigrants. And many work in low-wage jobs that are vulnerable to exploitation. Ted Genoways, a reporter with the Food and Environment Reporting Network, said President Donald Trump’s promises of mass deportations is creating fear and uncertainty for immigrant workers, both authorized and unauthorized, as well as for the massive food companies that employ them. “If history is any guide, this will probably mean increased food prices, if only for companies trying to hedge against the possibility of something disastrous happening,” said Genoways. On today’s show, Genoways gives us a snapshot of the low-wage immigrant workforce’s role in our economy and unpacks how Trump’s deportation plans could disrupt America’s food supply. Plus, why aren’t food companies held accountable for exploiting their employees? And, we’ll get into what restrictions on the U.S. Agency for International Development could mean for Cuba. Plus, would you trust Kai with the aux? Here’s everything we talked about today: “This Week’s Episode of Reveal: Immigrants on the Line” from Mother Jones Opinion | “How Trump’s Deportation Plans Could Blow Up the Food System and Increase Migrant Labor” from Politico “Brooke Rollins, Trump’s Agriculture Pick, Addresses Tariff and Immigration Impact on Farmers” from The New York Times “How Trump’s plan to deport undocumented immigrants threatens the workforce for U.S. farm workforce” from CBS News “Trump’s Pause of U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America: An ‘America Last’ Policy” from WOLA “US secretly created ‘Cuban Twitter’ to stir unrest and undermine government” from The Guardian “Chappell Roan wins best new artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards” from AP News Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 50
Mon, February 03, 2025
The strategy behind Trump’s executive orders
Kimberly’s back from Cuba just in time to discuss the onslaught of President Donald Trump’s executive actions, from tariffs to his federal funding freeze. Lawsuits are being filed left and right against the administration’s moves, but will the Supreme Court still serve as a check on the executive branch? Plus, Kimberly unpacks lasting reflections on Cuba’s contradictions as a country with strong social services like universal education yet acute wage disparities. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump’s Driving Legal Principle This Time: ‘What Are You Gonna Do About It?’” by Rolling Stone “Trump is using a nearly 50-year-old law to justify new tariffs. It may not be legal.” from Politico “Will the Supreme Court rule that any laws still apply to Donald Trump?” from Vox “Egypt to Cover Tuition Costs for 1,077 Students After Suspension of USAID Scholarship Programs” by Egyptian Streets Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Mon, February 03, 2025
The strategy behind Trump’s executive orders
Kimberly’s back from Cuba just in time to discuss the onslaught of President Donald Trump’s executive actions, from tariffs to his federal funding freeze. Lawsuits are being filed left and right against the administration’s moves, but will the Supreme Court still serve as a check on the executive branch? Plus, Kimberly unpacks lasting reflections on Cuba’s contradictions as a country with strong social services like universal education yet acute wage disparities. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump’s Driving Legal Principle This Time: ‘What Are You Gonna Do About It?’” by Rolling Stone “Trump is using a nearly 50-year-old law to justify new tariffs. It may not be legal.” from Politico “Will the Supreme Court rule that any laws still apply to Donald Trump?” from Vox “Egypt to Cover Tuition Costs for 1,077 Students After Suspension of USAID Scholarship Programs” by Egyptian Streets Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Sat, February 01, 2025
Silicon Valley’s quiet rebellion
This week, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta sent out a memo warning employees against leaking confidential company information … only for that memo to be leaked! Guest host Meghan McCarty Carino explains how it’s connected to the culture wars playing out between tech leaders and rank-and-file workers in Silicon Valley. And, we’ll get into how President Donald Trump is testing the legal limits of his office by firing certain federal officials. Plus, we’ll weigh in on cozy video games and Punxsutawney Phil during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump’s Firings Could Bring Court Cases That Expand His Power” from The New York Times “Meta warns that it will fire leakers in leaked memo” from The Verge “Mark Zuckerberg whined about leaks at Meta as company promised firings. It took minutes for the threat to leak out” from The Independent “Silicon Valley Tech Workers Quietly Protest Their Bosses’ Embrace of Trump” from The New York Times “New research backs up what gamers have thought for years: cozy video games can be an antidote to stress and anxiety.” from Reuters “What is Groundhog Day?” from The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club “Starbucks reverses its open-door policy, requiring people to make a purchase if they want to stay” from CBS News “Like Any Millennial, Yahoo Wants to Be Seen As Cool Again” from Business Insider “Try ‘Phone Free February’ to reduce screen time, improve your health” from The Washington Post We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, February 01, 2025
Silicon Valley’s quiet rebellion
This week, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta sent out a memo warning employees against leaking confidential company information … only for that memo to be leaked! Guest host Meghan McCarty Carino explains how it’s connected to the culture wars playing out between tech leaders and rank-and-file workers in Silicon Valley. And, we’ll get into how President Donald Trump is testing the legal limits of his office by firing certain federal officials. Plus, we’ll weigh in on cozy video games and Punxsutawney Phil during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump’s Firings Could Bring Court Cases That Expand His Power” from The New York Times “Meta warns that it will fire leakers in leaked memo” from The Verge “Mark Zuckerberg whined about leaks at Meta as company promised firings. It took minutes for the threat to leak out” from The Independent “Silicon Valley Tech Workers Quietly Protest Their Bosses’ Embrace of Trump” from The New York Times “New research backs up what gamers have thought for years: cozy video games can be an antidote to stress and anxiety.” from Reuters “What is Groundhog Day?” from The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club “Starbucks reverses its open-door policy, requiring people to make a purchase if they want to stay” from CBS News “Like Any Millennial, Yahoo Wants to Be Seen As Cool Again” from Business Insider “Try ‘Phone Free February’ to reduce screen time, improve your health” from The Washington Post We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, January 31, 2025
The Cuban dispatch II
On the show today, we check in with Kimberly to hear more about her adventures in Cuba, a country that’s back in the news thanks to President Donald Trump’s commitment to establish a massive migrant detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. We’ll explain how Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration could affect the Cuban economy. Plus, more on how Cubans have managed to make do under a strict U.S. trade embargo, from dealing with medicine shortages to navigating a pandemic without Zoom. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Says U.S. Will Hold Migrants at Guantánamo Bay” from The New York Times “Timeline: U.S.-Cuba Relations” from the Council on Foreign Relations “Trump moves to end refugee resettlement and parole for Cubans, Haitians and Venezuelans” from The Miami Herald Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Fri, January 31, 2025
The Cuban dispatch II
On the show today, we check in with Kimberly to hear more about her adventures in Cuba, a country that’s back in the news thanks to President Donald Trump’s commitment to establish a massive migrant detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. We’ll explain how Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration could affect the Cuban economy. Plus, more on how Cubans have managed to make do under a strict U.S. trade embargo, from dealing with medicine shortages to navigating a pandemic without Zoom. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Says U.S. Will Hold Migrants at Guantánamo Bay” from The New York Times “Timeline: U.S.-Cuba Relations” from the Council on Foreign Relations “Trump moves to end refugee resettlement and parole for Cubans, Haitians and Venezuelans” from The Miami Herald Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, January 30, 2025
What you need to know about DeepSeek and the AI race
Today, we’re diving into a listener’s question about the new artificial intelligence chatbot on the scene. Chinese start-up DeepSeek’s AI model is said to be more cost-effective, less complex, and in some ways, just plain better than OpenAI’s ChatGPT. We’ll explain why the stock market’s freaking out and what it means for the U.S.-China AI race. Plus, we’ll share a story about a historic test flight that’ll have aviation nerds smiling. And the iconic “When Harry Met Sally” diner scene is recreated 35 years later. IYKYK. Here’s everything we talked about today: “ How DeepSeek Went From Stock Trader to A.I. Star” from The New York Times “Chevron Wants to Tap Into A.I. Boom by Selling Electricity to Data Centers” from The New York Times “DeepSeek’s AI Model Just Upended the White-Hot US Power Market” from Bloomberg “DOE Releases New Report Evaluating Increase in Electricity Demand from Data Centers” from the Department of Energy “China’s DeepSeek Ends the Party for U.S. Energy Stocks” from Heatmap News “ Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan Return as Harry and Sally in Hellmann’s Super Bowl Spot ” from The Hollywood Reporter Video: “Boom Supersonic XB-1 jet breaks sound barrier on historic test flight” from Space Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, January 30, 2025
What you need to know about DeepSeek and the AI race
Today, we’re diving into a listener’s question about the new artificial intelligence chatbot on the scene. Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI model is said to be more cost-effective, less complex, and in some ways, just plain better than OpenAI’s ChatGPT. We’ll explain why the stock market’s freaking out and what it means for the U.S.-China AI race. Plus, we’ll share a story about a historic test flight that’ll have aviation nerds smiling. And the iconic “When Harry Met Sally” diner scene is recreated 35 years later. IYKYK. Here’s everything we talked about today: “ How DeepSeek Went From Stock Trader to A.I. Star” from The New York Times “Chevron Wants to Tap Into A.I. Boom by Selling Electricity to Data Centers” from The New York Times “DeepSeek’s AI Model Just Upended the White-Hot US Power Market” from Bloomberg “DOE Releases New Report Evaluating Increase in Electricity Demand from Data Centers” from the Department of Energy “China’s DeepSeek Ends the Party for U.S. Energy Stocks” from Heatmap News “ Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan Return as Harry and Sally in Hellmann’s Super Bowl Spot ” from The Hollywood Reporter Video: “Boom Supersonic XB-1 jet breaks sound barrier on historic test flight” from Space Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, January 28, 2025
From Burning Questions: Is the future insurable?
Today we’re handing the mic over to the team behind “Burning Questions” from Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast “How We Survive” as they survey the devastation on the ground in the Pacific Palisades, and dig into the homeowners insurance crisis. Since the Los Angeles fires broke out, thousands have lost their homes and current estimates say insured losses may exceed $30 billion . The disaster has raised existential questions about the future of the insurance industry and its potential impact on the housing market. Host Amy Scott talks with Carolyn Kousky from the Environmental Defense Fund to find answers.
Tue, January 28, 2025
The Cuban dispatch
On today’s episode, Kimberly takes us along her trip to Cuba, a country that remains under strict U.S. economic sanctions. She’ll explains some unique aspects of the Cuban economy, from how the currency works to the island’s complicated complicated past as a colonial outpost for sugar plantations. Plus, what makes the Cuban mojito special. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Cuba predicts 1% growth in 2025 after dismal year, economy minister says” from Reuters “How U.S. sanctions and a Communist government caused Cuba’s power crisis” from NPR “Biden’s move to remove Cuba from terror list continues ‘yo-yo’ policy likely to be reversed by Trump” from The Conversation “How Cuba’s sugar industry has been ground into dust” from Al Jazeera Got a question or comment for us? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, January 25, 2025
Finally, a resolution to the Purdue Pharma case?
Purdue Pharma’s owners in the Sackler family have agreed to a new $6.5 billion settlement to lawsuits over their role in the U.S. opioid crisis. This comes after a previous deal was rejected by the Supreme Court last year. We’ll break down the details of the settlement and what could come next. And, the U.S. housing market is the slowest it’s been in 30 years, but prices aren’t coming down. What gives? Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Existing-Home Sales in 2024 Were Slowest in Decades Amid High Mortgage Rates” from The New York Times “United States Housing Market & Prices” from Redfin “Purdue Pharma’s Sacklers Agree to New $6.5 Billion Deal for Opioid Lawsuits” from The Wall Street “Supreme Court Jeopardizes Opioid Deal, Rejecting Protections for Sacklers” from The New York Times “Is there a market for luxury EVs? GM thinks so.” from Marketplace “This 24-hour diner helps New Yorkers make it through the night” from Marketplace “The American workweek is shrinking” from Marketplace “‘Lost’ Tina Turner track to be released 2 years after queen of rock ‘n’ roll’s death” from USA Today “UK’s 20mph speed limits ‘are cutting car insurance costs’” from The Guardian We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, January 24, 2025
How Trump’s executive orders are impacting migrant workers
During his first week back in office, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders targeting immigrant communities. We’ll hear how migrant workers are responding. Then, Kimberly explains the fiasco over Trump’s plan to “drill, baby, drill.” Plus, an economics professor shares a 1940s movie pick that’s on point for today’s debate on tariffs. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Central Valley farmworkers scared to show up to work over deportation fear ” from NBC “Farmer ties immigration to food security, strong exports ” from Marketplace “Rush for preterm babies to beat birthright citizenship deadline” from the Times of India “ICE Watch Programs Can Protect Immigrants in Your Neighborhood — Here’s What to Know” from Teen Vogue “Trump clarifies executive order restricting IRA-related funding” from Marketplace “White House says order pausing IRA disbursements only applies to some programs” from Reuters “As LA blazes rage, even firefighters turn to Watch Duty” from Marketplace from YouTube WATCH: “Life With Father” | Elizabeth Taylor, William Powell, Irene Dunne | Classic Drama Comedy from YouTube Join Amy and Nova tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, January 23, 2025
The mainstreaming of meme coins
President Donald Trump drew scrutiny after he and First Lady Melania Trump launched namesake meme coins ahead of his inauguration, triggering a speculative boom and bust. But one exchange-traded fund firm wants to take the meme coins mainstream. We’ll get into the potential risks of incorporating volatile crypto tokens like these into traditional financial markets. And, a public service announcement: It’s OK to take a break from the news. Plus, guest host Matt Levin tells us about a new potential water source for the thirsty American West. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Memecoin Frenzy Spawns ETF Bid in Test of SEC Boundaries” from Bloomberg “Sign up for The Logoff newsletter” from Vox “Scientists just found 21 trillion gallons of water north of the Calif. border” from SF Gate “Musk undercuts Trump on Stargate AI investment announcement” from CNBC We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, January 22, 2025
The American diet under Trump
In his inaugural address, President Donald Trump said he wanted to end chronic illnesses. The promise is part of the Make America Healthy Again campaign pushed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump picked to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. It’s a powerful slogan. But experts warn that some of RFK Jr.’s proposals are based on conspiracy theories and false information instead of actions that could actually improve Americans’ health, like backing targeted reforms in the food industry. On the show today, Jessica Knurick, a registered dietitian who decodes nutrition and public health misinformation, joins the show to discuss the business of food, what processed foods actually are, how our food supply became full of them, and why chronic disease disproportionately impacts low-income communities. Plus, the policy solutions she would propose to improve Americans’ health. Later, as the LA fires continue to burn, listeners share how they’re thinking about climate risk in their neck of the woods. Plus, a sober health journalist changes her mind about Dry January. Here’s everything we talked about today: “RFK Jr. faces battles in quest to change America’s food” from The Washington Post “What Is MAHA?” from New York magazine “How RFK Jr.’s Pledge To Make America Eat Healthier Clashes With Trump” from Forbes “A Dietitian’s Guide to the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Movement” from Public Health Dad “Junk food turns public villain as power shifts in Washington” from CBS News We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Sat, January 18, 2025
The tax cut zealots vs. the budget hawks
Republicans in Congress want to extend several provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term, that are set to expire at the end of this year. But they’re expected to be costly — very costly. We’ll unpack the spending cuts the House GOP is eyeing to offset the impact on federal deficits. And, we’ll get into why Paramount is considering settling Trump’s lawsuit over CBS’ interview with Kamala Harris. Plus, we’ll weigh in on the business trends that are in and out for 2025. Here’s everything we talked about today: “CBS Owner Discusses Settling Trump Suit, With Merger Review on Tap” from The Wall Street Journal “House Budget Republicans eye more than 200 spending cuts, tax changes for major bill” from The Hill Ways and Means memo from the House Budget Committee Bluesky thread from Sen. Ron Wyden “Will 2025 Be the Watershed Year for Return-to-Office Mandates? That Depends.” from The Wall Street Journal “TikTok Influencers React to a Potential Ban” from The New York Times “Every Movie Sequel Releasing In 2024” from Screen Rant “Beyoncé’s Whisky, Kylie Jenner’s Canned Vodka Soda, Plus More Stars in the Alcohol Business” from People “Tesla stock jumps amid speculation Musk could buy TikTok” from Yahoo Finance We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, January 16, 2025
TikTok’s eleventh hour
Many TikTok users are joining apps such as RedNote and Lemon8 in anticipation of a TikTok ban in the United States. The problem? They’re also Chinese-owned. We’ll get into how this could turn into a headache for Congress. Then, we’ll unpack Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s climate change comments at his confirmation hearing and how people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles are being impacted by the current fires in a unique way. Plus, a farewell hallucinogenic mushroom story from outgoing Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Some of the possible alternatives to TikTok have their own problems” from Marketplace “Trump considers executive order hoping to ‘save TikTok’ from ban or sale in U.S. law” from The Washington Post “With TikTok ban looming, ByteDance has a backup plan” from Marketplace “Where Gaetz and Hegseth stand on climate change” from Politico “The Changing Threat” from Marketplace’s “How We Survive” “As thousands flee LA fires, disaster poses unique challenges for the unhoused” from Marketplace “How the LA fires could exacerbate California’s homelessness crisis” from CalMatters “‘It Was Ok” – Sec. Janet Yellen On Trying Marijuana For The First Time” from “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, January 15, 2025
What Biden is leaving Trump
President Biden today announced a hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending the war in Gaza. This comes as Biden is making a string of policy decisions to make it harder for the incoming administration to undo his legacy. We’ll explain. And, when the world feels like too much, how do we cope? Plus, a touching photo essay that zooms in on the work of hospice nurses makes us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Israel and Hamas agree to Gaza ceasefire deal, senior U.S. official says: Live updates” from The Washington Post “Biden Races to Cement His Legacy Through a Series of Actions” from The New York Times “Introduction: ‘Those Who Have Made Death Their Life'” from The Daily Yonder “Justice Alito Asks If You Can Read Pornhub for the Articles” from The Cut “We Asked the Math Tutor Who Posts His Lessons on Pornhub: Why?” from Vice We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, January 15, 2025
How to live with wildfires
The Los Angeles fires are a warning to all of us. Over the past week, lives, homes, businesses and entire communities have been lost in what’s expected to be among the nation’s costliest disasters ever. But with more than one-third of the U.S. population living in counties with high wildfire risk, this begs the question: Should lots of people relocate? Crystal Kolden, director of the Fire Resilience Center at the University of California at Merced and a former wildland firefighter, said abandoning these places isn’t the only option. On the show today, Kolden explains why the L.A. fires have been so tough to put out, why wildfires are different from other natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, and how devastated communities can rebuild in a way that makes them more resilient to future fires. Later, a listener shares a teamwork approach to cleaning up after a house party. And, Brad Stulberg, author of “Master of Change,” was wrong about how to find motivation. Here’s everything we talked about today: “L.A. Fires Show Limits of America’s Efforts to Cope With Climate Change” from The New York Times “Column: Recovery will be tempered by hard decisions and, if we aren’t careful, inequality” from The L.A. Times “Palisades and other Southern California fires could be most expensive in US history” from LAist “More People Are Living in the Riskiest Wildfire Zones” from Bloomberg “‘Zone Zero’ Mandates Near Completion for High Wildfire Risk Areas” from the Sierra
Tue, January 14, 2025
The rise of private firefighting
As wildfires continue to burn in Los Angeles, some wealthy residents are shelling out thousands each day to hire private firefighters to protect their homes and businesses. But some argue that the market for these private crews diminishes public firefighting resources. We’ll get into it. And, renowned science fiction author Octavia Butler predicted many of our modern problems, including catastrophic wildfires. We’ll explain how looking to the past helped her write about the future. Plus, Kimberly gives us some advice for throwing better parties in 2025. Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘Will Pay Any Amount’: Private Firefighters Are in Demand in L.A.” from The New York Times “I Will Pay Any Amount to Not Pay My Taxes” from McSweeney’s Internet Tendency “N.K. Jemisin on the prescience and brilliance of Parable of the Sower” from New Scientist “A Few Rules For Predicting The Future by Octavia E. Butler” from Common Good Collective “The LA Fires Aren’t a Surprise If You Study History and Climate Change. So Now What?” from Teen Vogue “Americans Need to Party More” from The Atlantic “Here’s how single women are successfully navigating an otherwise brutal market for first-time homebuyers” from Business Insider We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, January 14, 2025
The rise of private firefighting
As wildfires continue to burn in Los Angeles, some wealthy residents are shelling out thousands each day to hire private firefighters to protect their homes and businesses. But some argue that the market for these private crews diminishes public firefighting resources. We’ll get into it. And, renowned science fiction author Octavia Butler predicted many of our modern problems, including catastrophic wildfires. We’ll explain how looking to the past helped her write about the future. Plus, Kimberly gives us some advice for throwing better parties in 2025. Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘Will Pay Any Amount’: Private Firefighters Are in Demand in L.A.” from The New York Times “I Will Pay Any Amount to Not Pay My Taxes” from McSweeney’s Internet Tendency “N.K. Jemisin on the prescience and brilliance of Parable of the Sower” from New Scientist “A Few Rules For Predicting The Future by Octavia E. Butler” from Common Good Collective “The LA Fires Aren’t a Surprise If You Study History and Climate Change. So Now What?” from Teen Vogue “Americans Need to Party More” from The Atlantic “Here’s how single women are successfully navigating an otherwise brutal market for first-time homebuyers” from Business Insider We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, January 07, 2025
Why anime is everywhere all at once (rerun)
Hey smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year. Anime seems to be just about everywhere these days: film, music videos, the NFL and big streaming services like Netflix and Hulu . “Anime is colossal. In terms of raw revenue, anime and the NLF are tied at about $20 billion in [annual global] revenue,” said Chris Plante, editor in chief and co-founder of Polygon at Vox Media. “When you think of anime, it can be seen as niche, but the reality is that couldn’t be further from the truth.” On the show today, Plante explains anime economics, what’s behind the rise of anime in the United States and some of the problematic aspects of the medium. Later, we’ll discuss how climate change is impacting cherry blossom season and why the commercial real estate crisis could be a big problem for regional banks. Later, one listener calls in on a landline about landlines. And, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from a digital illustrator based in Long Beach, California. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who watches anime? Polygon surveyed more than 4,000 people to find out” from Polygon “Anime Market to Reach USD 62.7 Billion by 2032” from Yahoo Finance <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/bu
Tue, January 07, 2025
Why anime is everywhere all at once (rerun)
Hey smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year. Anime seems to be just about everywhere these days: film, music videos, the NFL and big streaming services like Netflix and Hulu . “Anime is colossal. In terms of raw revenue, anime and the NLF are tied at about $20 billion in [annual global] revenue,” said Chris Plante, editor in chief and co-founder of Polygon at Vox Media. “When you think of anime, it can be seen as niche, but the reality is that couldn’t be further from the truth.” On the show today, Plante explains anime economics, what’s behind the rise of anime in the United States and some of the problematic aspects of the medium. Later, we’ll discuss how climate change is impacting cherry blossom season and why the commercial real estate crisis could be a big problem for regional banks. Later, one listener calls in on a landline about landlines. And, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from a digital illustrator based in Long Beach, California. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who watches anime? Polygon surveyed more than 4,000 people to find out” from Polygon “Anime Market to Reach USD 62.7 Billion by 2032” from Yahoo Finance “Anime Is Booming. So Why Are Animators Living in Poverty?” from The New York Times “Sony Jacks Up Prices for Crunchyroll and Kills Funimation” from Gizmodo “From Niche To Mainstream: The Uns
Tue, December 31, 2024
Wheelchair rugby’s Chuck Aoki makes us smart about the Paralympics (rerun)
Hey smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year. In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics aren’t over! This year’s Paralympics kick off in Paris on Aug. 28. It’s the first time all 22 Paralympic events will be aired live, and total broadcast revenues are up by more than 20% from the delayed 2020 Paralympics. Chuck Aoki, an American Paralympic wheelchair rugby player, said content creators like himself are also bringing eyes to the event. On the show today, Aoki breaks down the basics of wheelchair rugby (aka “murderball”), the system that classifies para athletes based on their disability, and why this year’s Paralympics are getting more buzz than ever. Then, we’ll get into how pharmaceutical companies’ new direct-to-consumer programs could impact drug prices. And, listeners tell us about the trafficless 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a lesson in credit cards learned the hard, heartbreaking way. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Passion And Guts: Chuck Aoki’s World of Wheelchair Rugby” from Team USA “Paralympic Games in Paris set to reach largest audience after broadcast deals” from The Guardian “What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?” from AP News “How to Watch the 2024 Summer Paralympics: Streaming Schedule, Free Options” from Wired <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-27/pfizer-fo
Tue, December 31, 2024
Wheelchair rugby’s Chuck Aoki makes us smart about the Paralympics (rerun)
Hey smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year. In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics aren’t over! This year’s Paralympics kick off in Paris on Aug. 28. It’s the first time all 22 Paralympic events will be aired live, and total broadcast revenues are up by more than 20% from the delayed 2020 Paralympics. Chuck Aoki, an American Paralympic wheelchair rugby player, said content creators like himself are also bringing eyes to the event. “If we haven’t always been featured by mainstream media, the reality is now we can take that into our own hands, build our own audiences and take our message directly to people,” Aoki said. On the show today, Aoki breaks down the basics of wheelchair rugby (aka “murderball”), the system that classifies para athletes based on their disability, and why this year’s Paralympics are getting more buzz than ever. Then, we’ll get into how pharmaceutical companies’ new direct-to-consumer programs could impact drug prices. And, an easing drought in the Panama Canal is once again showing us how fragile global shipping supply chains really are. Later, listeners tell us about the trafficless 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a lesson in credit cards learned the hard, heartbreaking way. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Passion And Guts: Chuck Aoki’s World of Wheelchair Rugby” from Team USA “Paralympic Games in Paris set to reach largest audience after broadcast deals” from The Guardian “What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?” from AP News “How to Watch the 2024 Summer Paralympics: Streaming Schedule, Free Options” from Wired “Pfizer Follows Lilly With Website Selling Directly to Patients” from Bloomberg <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4849762-eli
Tue, December 24, 2024
How Big Food changed the way we eat (rerun)
Hey smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year. You’ve heard about Big Tech. What about Big Food? Walmart, Driscoll’s and Fair Oaks Farms are just some of the companies that dominate our food industry, says Austin Frerick, agricultural and antitrust policy fellow at Yale. He’s the author of the new book “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry,” in which he argues the food system is the most consolidated sector in the United States today. “There’s also this illusion of choice. Like, you can look at the peanut butter area in the grocery store, and you see all these different brands, but it’s really one company that does like 50-60% of it,” Frerick said. On the show today, Frerick explains how the American food system became so concentrated, how that’s inflated prices and eroded quality, and what we should do about it. Plus, Walmart’s role as king of grocery kings. Then, we’ll get into how American consumers are buckling, resisting and adapting to higher prices. And, why Boeing can’t keep up with SpaceX. Later, a listener shares their take on why positive economic indicators aren’t ringing true for many folks lately. And, an expert on youth mental health (and former guest on “Make Me Smart”) was wrong about how teens curate their social media feeds. Here’s everything else we talked about today: “Lax Antitrust Enforcement Imperils The Nation’s Supply Chains” from Forbes “What Is “Big Ag,” and Why Should You Be Worried About Them?” from Union of Concerned Scientists “The problem with growing corporate concentration and power in the global food system” from Nature Food “Major retailers are offering summer deals to entice inflation-weary shoppers” from AP News <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-28/us-consumer-confidence-unexpectedly-rises-to
Tue, December 17, 2024
Want to protect our democracy? Start here! (rerun)
Hey Smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year. If you’ve been feeling hopeless about the news, the election, the economy, the climate crisis and everything else that’s going on, today’s episode is for you. Emily Amick, lawyer and co-author of “Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives,” argues we can all become better participants in our democracy. And we don’t need to have a gazillion dollars to do it. “There’s incredible potential for all of us to build the strength of democracy and fight against these massive moneyed forces,” Amick said. On the show today, Amick explains why we should treat civic engagement as self-care, how to find your civic personality and ways to cultivate a news diet that doesn’t put you in a doom loop. Plus, the moment she realized our democracy was headed in the wrong direction. Then, we’ll get into how voters in Utah fought to protect the power of citizen-led ballot initiatives. And, are you hiding purchases from your romantic partner? You may be guilty of financial infidelity. Later, a teacher shares what made her feel appreciated. And, an anime cosplayer was wrong about the cost of creating her costume. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Despite Recent Setbacks, There Is Still Hope For Democracy” from Forbes “In Democracy in Retrograde , Emily Amick Talks About Political Engagement and Her Cancer Diagnosis” from Teen Vogue “What does Utah’s redistricting ruling do to voters’ ability to change laws?” from The Salt Lake Tribune “Utah Supreme Court: Lawmakers must heed voter-passed gerrymandering reforms “ from Axios Salt Lake City “Amazon’s Prime Day a ‘major’ cause of worker inj
Sat, December 14, 2024
“Make Me Smart’s” annual holiday episode
For our final episode of 2024, we’re throwing a holiday party with music, festive hats, drinks and a game. But we can’t forget about the news. The incoming Donald Trump administration is looking into the feasibility of eliminating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack the public rage over the U.S. health care system that dominated the news this week. Plus, how much do our hosts remember about the biggest business headlines of the year? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Advisers Seek to Shrink or Eliminate Bank Regulators” from The Wall Street Journal Opinion | “UnitedHealth Group C.E.O.: Brian Thompson Was Never Content With the Status Quo” from The New York Times “UnitedHealth Limits Access to Key Treatment for Kids With Autism” from ProPublica “Boeing’s year of turbulence in five charts” from Reuters “Why TikTok Faces a U.S. Ban, and What’s Next?” from The New York Times “CrowdStrike outage: We finally know what caused it – and how much it cost” from CNN Business “SpaceX Polaris Dawn astronauts perform historic 1st private spacewalk in orbit” from Space “US ties China in Paris Olympics gold medal count after Americans’ women’s hoops win” from AP News We’ll be back with new episodes in 2025! In the meantime, you can email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, December 13, 2024
The drug price blame game
A group of lawmakers have introduced legislation that would break up health care conglomerates, aiming to rein in the power of pharmacy benefit managers. We’ll explain what PBMs do and why all sides of the health care industry are pointing fingers at one another over high costs. We’ll also get into how the future of the Trump-era tax cuts could impact the federal deficit and why General Motors is ditching its robotaxi business. Plus, now’s your chance to talk with an AI Santa Claus. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Yellen Talks Russia Sanctions, Tariffs and Deficit” from Bloomberg via YouTube “Yellen says Trump’s tariffs could derail US inflation progress, raise costs” from Reuters “Senators Warren and Hawley introduce a bipartisan bill to break up pharmacy-benefit managers” from CNBC via YouTube “Elizabeth Warren, Josh Hawley Co-Sponsor Bill to Break Up Giant Health Care Conglomerates” from The New York Times “What is a pharmacy benefit manager, anyway?” from Marketplace “GM to stop funding troubled Cruise autonomous vehicle unit, abandoning robotaxis” from CBS San Francisco “GM to Shut Down Its Cruise Robotaxi Project” from The New York Times “OpenAI introduces ‘Santa Mode’ to ChatGPT for ho-ho-ho voice chats” from Ars Technica Tomorrow is our last episode of the year! Join us for our annual holiday party on “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, December 12, 2024
The great HQ migration
Some states are trying to lure companies seeking to move their headquarters by offering a slew of financial perks. We’ll explain how these big relocations can impact local economies and the businesses themselves. And, the House of Representatives passed a defense bill that would restrict transgender medical care for children covered by the military’s health program. We’ll unpack how federal funding for health care can be used as a powerful political tool. Plus, do you dread winter? We’ll get into tips for embracing the season. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Transgender Provision Injects Tension Into Defense Vote” from The Wall Street Journal “Will Democrats Let the GOP Gut Trans Health Care?” from Rolling Stone “Brace for a Nationwide Shuffle of Corporate Headquarters” from Bloomberg “9 Ways to Embrace Winter — Even if You Think You Hate It” from Time “New Jersey Politician Fakes Spotify Wrapped to Show All Springsteen Songs” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, December 11, 2024
Trump’s contradictory economic agenda
Before this year’s election, Heather Cox Richardson, a historian at Boston College, joined “Make Me Smart” live in Boston to explain the high stakes for our economy and democracy. Now that the election is over and the transition to a second Donald Trump administration is underway, we’re following up. “The thing about Trump coming in again is that he’s made a number of promises to a number of people that are completely contradictory,” said Richardson. “You can’t both lower prices and put on tariffs. I mean, that’s like saying you can be dry and wet at the same time.” On the show today, Richardson weighs in on the election aftermath. She explains how the current media environment in the United States played into the election, how economic narratives have influenced American politics throughout history, and what the past can tell us about how President-elect Trump might brand his economic agenda while in office. Then, we’ll get into the bipartisan effort to add federal judges that’s suddenly falling apart. Plus, why Pete Hegseth might be confirmed to lead the Pentagon after all. Later, a listener weighs in on “brain rot” as the word of the year. And, author Evan Schwartz was wrong about the inspiration behind L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “December 9, 2024” from “Letters from an American” “What Donald Trump’s Win Means for the Economy” from Time Opinion “Voters prefer Harris’s agenda to Trump’s — they just don’t realize it. Take our quiz.” from The Washington Post “On Issue After Issue, Trump Promises the Moon. No Word on the Rocket.” from The New York Times “Biden special envoy for hostages is in Beirut in search of Austin Tice” from The Washington Post “House sets up vote on bill to add dozens of new federal judgeships” from Roll Call “Ernst, Under MAGA Pressure, Signals Backing for Hegseth’s Pentagon Bid” from The New York Times Power the show with a donation today and don’t forget to pick up one o
Tue, December 10, 2024
CEO killing and our for-profit health care system
A person of interest in the killing of UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson was arrested today. We’ll get into the public’s reaction to the killing and what it says about our for-profit health system. Plus, we discuss the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in U.S. history, which is projected to take place over the next 25 years. And, Dick Van Dyke has us smiling as he waltzes into his 99th birthday. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Live Updates: Police Identify ‘Strong Person of Interest’ in C.E.O.’s Killing” from The New York Times “Suspect in fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ID’d as Luigi Mangione, an ex-Ivy League student” from New York Post “Manhunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO Killer Meets Unexpected Obstacle: Sympathy for the Gunman” from The Wall Street Journal “A $105 Trillion Inheritance Windfall Is On the Way for US Heirs” from Bloomberg “Dick Van Dyke, Approaching 99, Dances in Coldplay’s Latest Video” from The New York Times “Biden says U.S. government believes Austin Tice is alive in Syria” from Axios We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, December 07, 2024
For NASA, the moon just got farther away
NASA is pushing back its highly anticipated Artemis 2 mission from September 2025 to April 2026. It will be the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972. We’ll unpack NASA’s setbacks. Plus, momentum is building for a TikTok ban. And the hosts share their thoughts on the word of the year in a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “NASA delays Artemis 2 moon mission to 2026, Artemis 3 astronaut landing to mid-2027” from Space “Trump Defends His Imperiled Pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth” from The New York Times “Appeals court upholds nationwide TikTok ban-or-sale law” from The Washington Post “TikTok advertisers stay put after US appeals court upholds law forcing sale” from Reuters “Bitcoin mining surge strains energy grids as miners make a fortune” from Marketplace “OpenAI is charging $200 a month for an exclusive version of its o1 ‘reasoning’ model” from The Verge “50% off! Cyber Monday deal today only! (Kidding!)” from Marketplace “Dolly Parton launches search for actors to play her in a new Broadway musical” from USA Today “‘Brain rot’ is the Oxford University Press word of the year” from AP News We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, December 05, 2024
The AI in your Spotify Wrapped
This year, Spotify’s popular Wrapped feature includes a podcast generated by artificial intelligence that tells users all about their individual listening habits from 2024. But it’s not perfect — at least not yet. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll explain how Amazon is getting into the AI chip game and what Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell anticipates from a second Trump administration. Plus, why talks for a global treaty to manage plastic pollution were a bust. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Nvidia Rules A.I. Chips, but Amazon and AMD Emerge as Contenders” from The New York Times “Amazon Announces Supercomputer, New Server Powered by Homegrown AI Chips” from The Wall Street Journal “Powell: Fed’s independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions” from AP News “In a 2nd Trump term, Fed independence would go “out the window,” economist says” from Marketplace “Climate activist calls for plastic treaty after UN summit failure” from Reuters “Nations Fail to Reach an Agreement on Plastic Pollution” from The New York Times “Spotify Wrapped 2024 adds an AI podcast powered by Google’s NotebookLM” from TechCrunch Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, December 04, 2024
A developing relationship with Africa
President Joe Biden today announced an additional $600 million investment in a rail project that will connect multiple African countries. It will expand U.S. access to important minerals like cobalt and copper. But will it be enough to counter China’s dominance over the critical minerals supply chain? We’ll get into it. Plus, why President-elect Donald Trump’s trade adviser pick is giving us serious deja vu. And, Dylan Bachelet, the “Jack Sparrow” of “The Great British Baking Show,” is making us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden in Africa pledges millions more for a rail project the US hopes will boost its influence there” from AP News “Biden Hopes Train Project in Angola Defines Africa Legacy” from The New York Times “Trump picks Peter Navarro as top trade advisor” from CNBC “Q&A With Dylan Bachelet of ‘Great British Baking Show’” from The New York Times If you haven’t made your gift to “Make Me Smart” yet, there’s still time! Make your donation here.
Wed, December 04, 2024
How billionaires took over U.S. elections
Billionaire families contributed roughly 18% of all money raised during the 2024 election cycle. And many of those mega donors are being tapped for high-level positions in the incoming Donald Trump administration. This begs the question: Is the U.S. government controlled by the ultra rich? David Sirota, founder and editor in chief of The Lever, said he believes the U.S. resembles an oligarchy. On the show today, Sirota explains how the erosion of campaign finance regulations has created a culture in which big money in politics is normalized. Then, we’ll get into China’s latest move in the ongoing chip trade war with the United States. Plus, what’s the correct way to pronounce “pecan”? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Election 2024: How Billionaire Avengers Destroyed Democracy” from The Lever “What’s different about billionaire donor Elon Musk’s relationship with Trump” from Vox “How billionaires are influencing the 2024 U.S. election” from Axios “Battle of the billionaires: the mega rich spending to swing the US election” from Financial Times “Remember that study saying America is an oligarchy? 3 rebuttals say it’s wrong.” from Vox “China bans export of critical minerals to US as trade tensions escalate” from Reuters “SpaceX Weighs Tender Offer Raising Valuation to $350 Billion” from Bloomberg “Yes We Pecan, with Martha Stewart” from NPR It’s Giving Tuesday! Your donation will be matched today when you support Marketplace . <br/
Mon, December 02, 2024
Should the Fed open more regional reserve banks?
Nine of the Federal Reserve’s 12 reserve banks are on the Mississippi River or east of it. One former Fed official says it’s caused the central bank to disproportionately reflect the interests of the eastern United States. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack how some businesses are pushing consumers to shop now in anticipation of potential tariffs under the incoming Donald Trump administration. Plus, we’ll smile about one runner’s 700-mile quest to create art on the GPS-tracking app Strava. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Fed tilts toward the eastern U.S. It’s time to change that.” [gift link] from The Washington Post “Now is the time to prepare for tariffs” from The Hill “Tariffs and you: What products will cost more, when prices will rise, and what to buy now” from USA Today “Buy Now Before Tariffs Hit, Retailers Are Telling Shoppers” from The Wall Street Journal “Man ran 700 miles to make ‘insanely impressive’ art on GPS fitness app” [gift link] from The Washington Post “Why not enlist an army of volunteer retirees?” from The Washington Post “Do Your Passwords Meet the Proposed New Federal Guidelines?” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, November 27, 2024
How small acts can create global change
As many Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with their friends and families, gratitude is top of mind. We’ll break down research that shows how individual acts of kindness and connection can have large-scale impact. And, we’ll discuss a poignant firsthand account of an award-winning journalist experiencing homelessness. Plus, we’ll get into why the Justice Department isn’t satisfied with the National Association of Realtors commission lawsuit settlement, and why parking lots will be the new hot spot for solar energy in France. Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘The DOJ is coming for NAR’: What’s next after the $418M settlement?” from HousingWire “The Invisible Man” from Esquire “An upward spiral – how small acts of kindness and connection really can change the world, according to psychology research” from The Conversation “Solar installations are now mandatory for large parking lots in France” from The Progress Playbook Let us know what you’re thankful for. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, November 26, 2024
The history behind Black Friday
This week, Black Friday kicks off the traditional holiday shopping season. But have you ever wondered about the origins of the shopping frenzy on the day after Thanksgiving? The little ones in your life may be wondering about that too. Today, we’re bringing you a special crossover episode from the latest season of Marketplace kids podcast “Million Bazillion.” Bridget and Ryan team up with the hosts of “Forever Ago” to explain Black Friday and what it has to do with a football game in Philadelphia. Plus, they share tips on how to shop smarter during the holiday season. We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Mon, November 25, 2024
COP29’s contentious climate change deal
Negotiators at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP29, agreed on wealthy nations providing up to $300 billion a year to help poorer countries deal with the effects of climate change. We discuss the deal falling short of the $1.3 trillion poorer countries asked for. Then, we talk about how Tesla’s pollution violations could weaken the company’s eco-friendly image. And, we look at the costly Arizona program heralded by school choice advocates as a taxpayer-supported way to opt out of public schools. Plus, U.S. farm groups are preparing for possible mass deportations under the incoming Trump administration. Finally, we’ll smile at an A.I.-generated granny as an unlikely hero to combat phone scams. Here’s everything we talked about today: “As Musk Assumes Deregulation Role, Tesla Racks Up Pollution Violations” from The Wall Street Journal “Developing nations blast $300 billion COP29 climate deal as insufficient” from Reuters “No-Limit Vouchers Are Blowing Up Arizona’s Budget. This Woman Is Leading the Way” from Politico “US farm groups want Trump to spare their workers from deportation” from Reuters “An A.I. Granny Is Phone Scammers’ Worst Nightmare” from The New York Times “Giving thanks may make your brain more altruistic” from Vox “The Case for Being Ungrateful” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, November 23, 2024
The growing empire of women’s sports
The National Women’s Soccer League is in the final stages of adding its 16th team. We’ll explain what it can tell us about the rise of the women’s sports industry. And, the Supreme Court will review the funding model of a federal program that subsidizes internet and phone services in low-income areas of the country. Plus, we’ll weigh in on condiments and pie during a Thanksgiving-themed game of This or That! Here’s everything we talked about today: “NWSL expansion: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver final options” from ESPN “Denver named finalist for National Women’s Soccer League expansion team alongside Cincinnati, Cleveland” from The Denver Post “Homes With Low Natural Disaster Risk Are Rising in Value Faster Than Homes With High Risk for the First Time in Over a Decade” from Redfin “Supreme Court steps into fight over FCC’s $8 billion subsidies for internet and phone services” from AP News “Supreme Court takes up dispute over FCC fund that subsidizes telecom services in rural areas” from CBS News We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, November 21, 2024
The new face of Trump’s tariffs plan
President-elect Donald Trump tapped Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as his choice for Secretary of Commerce this week. We’ll get into why the role could be critical to the incoming Trump administration, which has vowed to enact sweeping tariffs. Then, we’ll explain why earnings at big-box retailers like Target and Walmart have been mixed ahead of the holiday season, and how the Justice Department wants to shakeup Google’s monopoly over the online search market. Plus, why is Bitcoin on a record-breaking streak? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump picks Lutnick to be Commerce secretary” from CNN “Who will lead the Commerce Department?” from Marketplace “Target’s Stock Plunges 21% on Weak Sales Ahead of Holiday Season” from The New York Times “A tale of two retailers: Target reports sluggish spending while Walmart has a stellar quarter” from The Associated Press “DOJ says Google must sell Chrome to crack open its search monopoly” from The Verge “Bitcoin hits fresh record, marches toward $100,000 as rally continues” from CNBC Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, November 20, 2024
A harbinger of change in Medialand
Comcast said it plans to turn its cable networks, including CNBC and MSNBC, into a new, separate company. We’ll get into why it could be a sign of what’s to come in the media industry. And, the Joe Biden administration is shifting into overdrive trying to spend money intended to boost microchip manufacturing before President-elect Donald Trump returns to office. Plus, we’ll smile about breakthroughs in automatic braking technology and a new version of chess that’s pushing the game forward. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Comcast to Spin Off MSNBC, CNBC and Other Cable Networks” from The New York Times “It’s Official! Comcast To Spin Off Cable Networks, Sees New Standalone Company A ‘Partner And Acquirer’ Of Media Assets” from Deadline “Raimondo’s new mission: Leave no cash for Trump” from Politico “Automatic Braking Systems Save Lives. Now They’ll Need to Work at 62 MPH” from Wired “The Greatest Chess Player of All Time Is Bored With Chess” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, November 20, 2024
The myth America exported to the world
Today we’re talking about American exceptionalism: the idea that the United States is a uniquely virtuous nation and a “shining city on a hill.” It’s a belief that’s long shaped how the U.S. acts on the global stage and how Americans see themselves, the economy and democracy. In the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election, many Americans are questioning the idea of exceptionalism. Journalist Suzy Hansen challenges the notion of American exceptionalism in her book “Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World.” On the show today, she explains where the idea of American exceptionalism comes from, how it has shaped today’s world, and why many Americans are disillusioned with it. Plus, is a new version of national pride the answer to the pitfalls of American exceptionalism? Then, we’ll get into the creative ways the European Union is preparing for President-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs. Plus, perspectives from an American abroad and thoughts on mandatory national service. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Unlearning the myth of American innocence” from The Guardian “Opinion | Is America a City on a Hill or a Nation on the Precipice?” from The New York Times “The End of American Exceptionalism: Trump’s Reelection Will Redefine U.S. Power” from Foreign Affairs “American Exceptionalism Is a Dangerous Myth” from Intelligencer “The US is leaving millions behind: American exceptionalism needs to change by 2030” from The Brookings Institution “Democrats look at late-night, weekend votes to confirm last Biden judicial nominees” from The Hill “Locked and loaded? The EU weapons to fight Trump’s trade war.” from Politico <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-19/oil-glut-set-to-thwart-trump-s-call-to-frack-frack-frack?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTczMjAzODk1NywiZXhwIjoxNzMyNjQzNzU3LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTTVNaTE9EV0xVNjgwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOi
Mon, November 18, 2024
Trump’s revenge agenda
Some critics of President-elect Donald Trump are preparing for the possibility of being prosecuted when he takes office. We’ll discuss Trump’s “retribution” agenda. Then, we’ll get into his pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Plus, what a meeting between “Morning Joe” hosts and Trump represents about access to information during the next administration. And, we’ll smile at the woman behind the curtain who inspired the “Wicked” lore. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Morning Joe’ Hosts Reveal Meeting With Trump at Mar-a-Lago” from The New York Times “Brendan Carr wrote the FCC chapter in ‘Project 2025.’ Now he’s Trump’s pick for the agency” from CNN Business “DoJ and FBI officials consult lawyers amid threats of Trump legal retribution | Trump administration” from The Guardian “Go bags, passports, foreign assets: Preparing to be a target of Trump’s revenge” from The Washington Post “The Feminist Who Inspired the Witches of Oz” from Smithsonian Magazine We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, November 15, 2024
How Intel missed the AI boat
The United States is on a mission to revitalize its chip manufacturing industry by giving billions in grants and loans to companies including Intel. But mistakes have cost Intel the opportunity to lead in artificial intelligence. Guest host Sabri Ben-Achour explains how the company fell behind. And, President-elect Donald Trump tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for more than you might think. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “What to know about HHS and how RFK Jr. could lead it” from Axios “The Anti-Fluoride Movement Vaults Into the Mainstream” from The New York Times “The Great American Microchip Mobilization” from Wired “Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with Sandy Hook families’ backing” from AP News “The Great Migration to Bluesky Gives Me Hope for the Future of the Internet” from 404 Media “Want to Network in Silicon Valley? Bring a Bathing Suit” from The Wall Street Journal “Good-bye to the Broker Fee” from Curbed “Americans Are Hoarding Their Friends” from The Atlantic We love to hear from you. Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, November 14, 2024
Whaddya wanna know about a second Trump term?
Over the course of his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump made a lot of promises. What does that mean for the years ahead? Today we’re answering your questions about Trump’s second term. We’ll explain whether the Trump administration could actually eliminate the Department of Education, how income tax cuts for tips and overtime pay could impact the economy, and where the Biden administration’s student debt relief plans go from here. Plus, if not tariffs, then what? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Could Trump actually get rid of the Department of Education?” from Vox “Is It Possible for Trump to Shut the Department of Education?” from The New York Times “Donald Trump Tax Plan Ideas: Details and Analysis” from the Tax Foundation “Both Harris and Trump want to eliminate federal taxes on tips” from Marketplace “As the election nears, Biden’s student debt agenda is in tatters. Will it hurt Harris?” from USA Today “What a Trump presidency might mean for student loan forgiveness” from NPR “As Trump Threatens a Wider Trade War, the U.S. Confronts a Changed China” from The New York Times “Why Alternatives To Tariffs Can Be More Effective” from NPR “Nontariff Barrier: Definition, How It Works, Types, and Examples” from Investopedia Heads up: Tomorrow’s “Economics on Tap” episode won’t be livestreamed on our YouTube channel . But you can still listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Wed, November 13, 2024
Can Trump claw back climate money?
President Biden’s hallmark Inflation Reduction Act set aside nearly $150 billion for various climate projects. But not all of that money has been spent, and President-elect Trump has vowed to take it back. The question, is how much money is leftover? Kimberly explains why it’s taken years to get the money out the door. Plus, we’ll unpack some gains in women’s sports and wage growth. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Carbon emissions from fossil fuels hit record highs in 2024: report” from Axios “Dreaming of snow this winter? Look up the forecast in your area.” from The Washington Post “Fossil fuel CO2 emissions increase again in 2024” from the Global Carbon Project “The mystery number that’s key to whether Biden’s spending survives” from Politico “Women’s baseball players could soon have a league of their own again” from AP News Tweet from The Washington Post’s Heather Long about wage growth Got a question for the hosts about the election, Trump’s next presidency and the U.S. economy? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, November 12, 2024
Trump, COP29 and the future of climate finance
COP29, the United Nations’ annual climate summit, is underway in Azerbaijan. This year’s conference is all about how the world will pay to deal with climate change. But Donald Trump’s election victory looms large over the talks. President-elect Trump could roll back United States climate policy like he did during his first term. On the show today, Gautam Jain, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, explains why climate investment won’t come to a complete halt under the next Trump administration. Plus, he weighs in on who might fill the void in global energy transition talks. Plus, the message ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods is sending Trump about the nation’s energy policy. And, how early is too early for Christmas lights? Here’s everything we talked about today: “What Trump can do to reverse US climate policy − and what he probably can’t change” from The Conversation “COP29: What are the key issues at the UN climate summit in Baku?” from Reuters “Trump Victory Leaves China Calling the Shots at COP29 Climate Negotiations” from The Wall Street Journal “Burning Questions: What are the climate wins and setbacks from the election?” from Marketplace “Exxon chief urges stability in US climate policy, knocks carbon border tariffs” from Politico We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Tue, November 12, 2024
A crisis without a solution
A new report estimates global damages from extreme weather events between 2014 and 2023 at about $2 trillion, roughly in line with the 2008 financial crisis. It comes as world leaders meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or Cop29, under the shadow of President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to roll back environmental standards. We’ll get into what it all might mean for climate policy here at home. Plus, is economic growth abroad in Trump’s hands? Then, we’ll smile at Mattel’s mea culpa for a misprint on its new “Wicked” toys. Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘Science is still science’: US still committed to climate fight despite Trump’s win, Podesta says at COP29” from Politico “A shadow ‘financial crisis’ has cost the world $2 trillion” from CNN “Rest of World’s Growth Is at Trump’s Mercy” from The Wall Street Journal “FDA to Finally Ban Controversial Ingredient in Popular Decongestants” from ScienceAlert “Mattel Apologizes for Porn Site Misprint on ‘Wicked’ Toy Packaging” from The Wall Street Journal Got a question for the hosts about the election, Trump’s next presidency and the U.S. economy? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, November 09, 2024
Elon Musk is now in the room where it happens
The richest man in the world just became even more influential after pouring millions into former President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. Tesla shares soared after Trump’s win and CEO Elon Musk was already invited to join a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We’ll get into what the cozy relationship between Trump and Musk could mean for the U.S. economy and national security. And, we’ll talk about the many Americans who are looking to move abroad in the face of the U.S. election results. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Scoop: Elon Musk joined Trump’s call with Zelensky” from Axios “Tesla hits $1 trillion market cap as stock rallies after Trump win” from CNBC “Exhausted by the Election, Some Americans Are Catching Flights Abroad” from The New York Times “American interest in Canadian citizenship is spiking again after Trump’s victory” from Politico “Nvidia, Sherwin-Williams to replace Intel, Dow on Dow Jones” from Marketplace “Steven Madden C.E.O. Says It Is Moving Production Out of China” from The New York Times “Painting by A.I.-Powered Robot Sells for $1.1 Million” from The New York Times “Pad Thai, Spring Rolls and a Side of Peacock? Why Streamers Are Teaming Up With Delivery Apps” from The Hollywood Reporter “Should cars still have AM radios? Congress might require them.” from Marketplace Got a question for the hosts about the election, Trump’s next presidency and the U.S. economy? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, November 07, 2024
Your post-election thoughts and feelings
Today we’re handing the microphone over to our listeners to tell us how they’re reacting to the outcome of this week’s presidential election. We’ll hear their concerns about the future of transgender health care, the long-term economic impact of a second Trump presidency and why — even though it can be daunting — we can all make change if we start in our local communities. Plus, is this our Brexit moment? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Want to protect our democracy? Start here!” from our episode with lawyer and author Emily Amick “For trans people reliant on federal programs, this election could change everything” from 19th News “How to get your elected officials to listen to you” from Vox “5 ways Trump’s next presidency could affect the U.S. economy — and your money” from CBS News Got a question for the hosts about the election, Trump’s next presidency and the U.S. economy? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, November 06, 2024
How Trump won working class voters
The Democratic Party has traditionally been pro-union and relied on the support of the working class. But the results of yesterday’s election show the tide may be turning. We’ll get into how President-elect Trump enamored these voters to win another term in the White House and how we can expect a new Trump administration to shake up the economy and defy democratic norms. Plus, we’ll talk about some of the trailblazers elected to Congress and state offices. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who is Bernie Moreno, Ohio’s new GOP senator-elect and crypto champion?” from The Washington Post “Sarah McBride becomes the first out transgender person elected to Congress” from NBC News “How markets are responding to the prospect of another Trump presidency” from Marketplace “Black women notch historic Senate wins in an election year defined by potential firsts” from AP News “Meet the history-makers of the 2024 elections” from CNN Politics “How could the return of Trump-era ‘Schedule F’ job appointments reshape the federal workforce?” from Marketplace “Donald Trump Has Tools to Fire Powerful Financial Regulator in Term Two” from Bloomberg Send us all your thoughts, feelings and questions about the election. You can email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, November 06, 2024
The rise of election betting
Today we’re talking about a breakout story of this election cycle: the rise of prediction markets and betting on elections. For the first time in a century, Americans can legally place bets on election outcomes using a platform called Kalshi. But the Commodity Futures Trading Commission warns that these markets could warp the public’s understanding of our elections if they’re treated like polls. On this Election Day episode, Cantrell Dumas of Better Markets, a financial reform advocacy group, explains how Americans are dabbling in election betting, the legal questions surrounding these prediction markets, and why he believes manipulation of these markets has the potential to sway elections. Then, we’ll dig into the history of the “I Voted” sticker and hear a perfect poem for Election Day. Plus, a listener shares what moving abroad taught them about the U.S. voting system. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Election betting is newly legal — and risks getting confused with polls” from NBC News “Exclusive: Election betting site Polymarket gives Trump a 67% chance of winning but is rife with fake ‘wash’ trading, researchers say” from Fortune Crypto “Cryptoverse: U.S. election speculators play the prediction markets” from Reuters “Wall Street regulator moves to ban election betting, escalating fight over new market” from Politico “The Case for Legalizing Political Betting” from the Cato Institute “How ‘I Voted’ Stickers Became an Election Day Staple” from Business Insider We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Tue, November 05, 2024
The blue vs. red economy
Live near a yoga studio? What about a golf course? Americans may experience the economy differently based on the politics of the neighborhoods they live in. We’ll dig into new data on the relationship between political affiliation and the businesses around us. Then, we’ll talk about a new revelation in the lawsuit against Elon Musk over his controversial $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes. Plus, on this Election Day eve, we’re smiling about early turnout. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Musk PAC tells Philadelphia judge the $1 million sweepstakes winners are not chosen by chance” from The Associated Press “How Red and Blue America Shop, Eat and Live” from The New York Times “4 charts show how early voting is going in the US” from CNN We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, November 02, 2024
Election Day and costly courtroom showdowns
Campaigns for both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are trying to get ahead of the curve on election legal battles. According to The Hill, there are already over 200 voting and election cases pending across the country. We’ll get into it. Then, we’ll explain how Trump’s recent battles with CBS and ABC could signal his intention to punish broadcasters if reelected. And, how do you feel about rolling back our clocks as daylight saving time ends? That and more in a round of Half Full/Half Empty. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How Trump could weaponize the FCC against the media in a second term” from The Washington Post “Trump, Harris camps prepare to ‘go to the mattress’ in election legal battles” from The Hill “You Call That An Ad Blackout? Consultants Shrug Off Alphabet’s Post-Election Restrictions” from Campaigns & Elections We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, October 31, 2024
Some not-so-scary news for the Fed
This Halloween, we’re looking at some new inflation data that’s got the Federal Reserve in good spirits. Its preferred inflation measure shows inflation fell to 2.1% last month, moving ever-so-closer to the Fed’s 2% target. We’ll get into why core inflation complicates the Fed’s good news. And, we’ll unpack why some Meta investors were spooked when CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company will amp up its artificial intelligence spending. Plus, Starbucks is getting a brand makeover, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off a World Series win. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Meta posts Q3 earnings beat, but stock falls on heavy spending plans” from Yahoo Finance “What Today’s Inflation Data Will Mean for Next Week’s Fed Meeting” from CNBC “Inflation Cooled Further in September, PCE Index Shows” from The New York Times “7 ways Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol plans to change the coffee chain” from NBC Chicago “Los Angeles Dodgers defeat New York Yankees in five games to win World Series” from NBC News Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, October 30, 2024
Is Big Tech’s investment in AI paying off?
Tech companies like Google and Meta have been pouring billions into artificial intelligence. But investors have been waiting for those investments to pay off. We’ll get into what the latest earnings report from Google’s parent company signals about AI’s money-making potential. And, American companies are responding to former President Trump’s tariff promises by preparing to raise prices. Plus, guest host Matt Levin makes us smile about the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series run. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Companies ready price hikes to offset Trump’s global tariff plans” from The New York Times “More than a quarter of new code at Google is generated by AI” from The Verge “Google’s Cloud Business Powers Accelerating Revenue Growth” from The Wall Street Journal “World Series: Ice Cube performs ‘It Was a Good Day’ ahead of Yankees vs. Dodgers Game 2” from Fox Sports We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, October 29, 2024
Live from Boston, Part 2: Heather Cox Richardson
Today we’re sharing an excerpt from our live show at WBUR CitySpace in Boston featuring our special guest, historian Heather Cox Richardson. (Check out the first part of our live show here .) Richardson, a professor at Boston College, talked with us about the high stakes of this year’s election, how the economy is woven into political narratives, and what we can do to protect the health of our democracy. Plus, she shares what she had wrong about hummingbirds. Where should “Make Me Smart” go next? Let us know at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Mon, October 28, 2024
Keeping calm in the eye of the election storm
News outlets aren’t mincing words about the offensive and racist remarks featured at former President Donald Trump’s rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday. We’ll talk about the media backlash to the event, which was intended to be a part of Trump’s closing argument against Vice President Kamala Harris. Then, we discuss reports of ballot drop boxes on fire and give tips on how to ride out the last few days before Election Day. Plus, a story that has us waltzing through our emotions. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Hundreds of Ballots Damaged in Drop-Box Fire in Washington State” from Bloomberg “No More Euphemisms: Media Gets Real on Trump’s MSG Hate Rally” from Parker Molloy on Substack Post about the 2024 U.S. presidential election’s impact on Europe from Benjamin Haddad on X “Hear a Chopin Waltz Unearthed After Nearly 200 Years” from The New York Times We can’t do this show without you. Send us your questions, comments or wild suggestions at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART!
Sat, October 26, 2024
Make Me Smart: Live in Boston
Kai and Kimberly host our weekly happy hour episode, “Economics on Tap,” live from the stage of WBUR CitySpace in Boston. We’ll dive into the biggest headlines making waves this week while sipping on our favorite drinks. Plus, Drew joins the stage to host a round of our favorite game, Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “‘Washington Post’ won’t endorse in White House race for first time since 1980s” from NPR “Exclusive: Europe seeks to underpin Russia sanctions, fearing Trump overhaul” from Reuters “German finance minister warns of retaliation if U.S. kicks off trade war” from CNBC “American Airlines Cracks Down on ‘Gate Lice’ With New Boarding System” from The New York Times “Axiom Space, Prada Unveil Spacesuit Design for Moon Return” from Axiom Space “Every Yankees vs. Dodgers World Series matchup in two charts” from CNN “Salem Mayor predicts another record-breaking year of Halloween tourism” from WBUR News Tweet from Tyler Perry at a Harris campaign rally “Last-minute Boston-themed Halloween costumes” from WBUR We can’t do this show without you. Send us your questions, comments or wild suggestions at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART!
Thu, October 24, 2024
How We Survive: The Last Frontier
Hey Smarties! We’re on the road to Boston for a live taping of “Make Me Smart” with special guest, historian Heather Cox Richardson. So today we’re bringing you an episode from the latest season of “How We Survive,” Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast. In this episode, Kai Ryssdal and the “How We Survive” team head to the very, very top of Alaska to understand how climate change and national security are converging in the Arctic. Want to join Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams for our live taping of “Make Me Smart” in Boston on Oct. 25? In-person tickets are sold out, but you can still join us virtually. Get your tickets here.
Wed, October 23, 2024
Texts, emails and the deception of elderly political donors
As Election Day looms closer, the emails and texts from campaigns pleading for money continue to flood voters’ inboxes. A CNN investigation found that some of these tactics have misled elderly Americans into giving away millions of dollars. We’ll get into the financial consequences of aggressive campaign fundraising strategies. Then, we’ll discuss how Republican pundits are responding to former President Donald Trump’s shocking statements about military affairs. And, we’ll talk about a payment owed from a defamation case: a luxury New York apartment. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump: ‘I Need the Kind of Generals That Hitler Had’” from The Atlantic “How elderly dementia patients are unwittingly fueling political campaigns” from CNN “Brains and Losses: Aging and Financial Vulnerability to Scams” from Marketplace “Do presidential candidates really need your money at this point in the race?” from Marketplace “Giuliani ordered to surrender apartment, valuables to Georgia election workers” from Reuters Join Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams for a live taping of “Make Me Smart” on Oct. 25 in Boston. In-person tickets are sold out, but you can still join us virtually. Get your tickets here.
Tue, October 22, 2024
Things are changing fast in the home insurance market
In the weeks after Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit the Southeast, the price to rebuild has become a topic of contention in the home insurance market. For years, home insurers have identified climate change as a threat, cut coverage and increased premiums for properties in disaster-prone areas. But now, home insurers are also using new technologies such as drone footage and artificial intelligence to identify other high-risk areas in urban and suburban neighborhoods. Then, we’ll get into what headline inflation measures leave out of the cost of housing. And, how do we prepare for the upcoming Election Day in the shadow of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol? Later, we’ll hear from listeners on voting from overseas and the origins of trick-or-treating. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Home Insurance is a Really Big Problem” from Kyla Scanlon on Substack “Rising insurance costs are making homeownership even more expensive” from Marketplace “How Higher Property Insurance Premiums Mirror Climate Risk” from Knowledge at Wharton “How the Home Insurance Market Became So Distorted” from The New York Times “The Home Insurance Crunch: See What’s Happening in Your State” from The New York Times “Can lawmakers save the collapsing Florida home insurance market?” from Bankrate “The Very Real Scenario Where Trump Loses and Takes Power Anyway” from Politico “America’s Most Famous Inflation Gauge Is Easing — But Some of Your Biggest Expenses Are Left Out” from Bloomberg <br
Mon, October 21, 2024
The rise of pharmacy deserts
Across the country, pharmacies big and small are closing. The closures have disproportionately affected rural and low-income communities, leaving residents with limited access to prescription drugs and creating so-called “pharmacy deserts.” We’ll discuss a New York Times investigation about the middlemen driving pharmacies out of business. Plus, should the American Dream be a townhouse? And, introducing the real “househusbands” of Wall Street. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Housing costs are rising everywhere — but especially in swing states” from The Washington Post “The new American Dream should be a townhouse” from The Washington Post “The Powerful Companies Driving Local Drugstores Out of Business” from The New York Times “The real reason Walgreens and other pharmacies are failing” from MSNBC “Behind Many Powerful Women on Wall Street: A Doting ‘Househusband’” from The Wall Street Journal Join Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams for a live taping of “Make Me Smart” on Oct. 25 in Boston. In-person tickets are sold out, but you can still join us virtually. Get your tickets here.
Sat, October 19, 2024
Birkin bag buyers and the consumer-driven economy
New research from the Federal Reserve shows that wealthier Americans are driving retail spending while lower-income Americans have been squeezed by higher prices. We’ll discuss how this disparity could help explain the United States’ often unexpectedly strong consumer economy, and what the Birkin bag side of TikTok can tell us about this divide. And, Cuba is enduring a nationwide power outage. We’ll explain how a grid failure today has left millions in the dark. Plus, we’ll play a spooky season edition of This or That! Here’s everything we talked about today: “How to Watch the Bright and Speedy Orionid Meteor Shower” from Smithsonian “Cuban electrical collapse causes island-wide blackout, paralyzes economy” from The Washington Post “Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economy” from AP News “Chocolate is on its way out. Why Halloween is about gummy candy now.” from The Washington Post Join Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams for a live taping of “Make Me Smart” on Oct. 25 in Boston. In-person tickets are sold out, but you can still join us virtually. Get your tickets here .
Thu, October 17, 2024
The risky business of corporate political spending
Companies in the United States spend billions in political donations each election cycle with the aim of gaining more influence in government. But all that spending comes with risks. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll explain why many Americans impacted by recent hurricanes will have to wait for disaster assistance from the Small Business Administration and how former President Trump’s plans for mass deportations could send shockwaves through our nation’s food supply chain. Plus, why are tech companies like Amazon and Google investing in nuclear energy? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why companies spend all that campaign donation money” from Marketplace “SBA disaster loan program out of money after hurricanes, Biden says” from Axios “Trump’s proposed mass deportations could ‘decimate’ the US food supply” from Grist “Trump Faces Tough Questions From Hispanic Voters, but Largely Defends or Dodges” from The New York Times “Big Tech has cozied up to nuclear energy” from The Verge “Amazon goes nuclear, to invest more than $500 million to develop small modular reactors” from CNBC Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, October 16, 2024
The rise of the podcaster’s political capital
Vice President Kamala Harris has been sitting down with popular podcasts like the “The Breakfast Club,” Call Her Daddy,” and The Howard Stern Show. We’ll get into what the campaign strategy can tell us about voters, our fragmented media environment and the future of news. Plus, lower interest rates mean the end of a golden period for savers. And, the return of panda diplomacy and a new life for a beloved maple tree. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Harris Slams Trump in Interview With Charlamagne Tha God: 5 Takeaways” from The New York Times “Former President Barack Obama’s Team Clarifies His Recent Comments Made Toward Black Men” from The Shade Room “Savers Bid a Sad Farewell to Higher Yields” from The Wall Street Journal “Georgia voters motivated by Harris-Trump contest flock to polls in record numbers on first day” from GPB News “D.C.’s new giant pandas arrived at National Zoo: Meet Qing Bao and Bao Li” from The Washington Post “A Beloved Maple Tree Had to Come Down, But It Lives On” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, October 15, 2024
Mining and the clean energy paradox
Today we’re talking about a key piece of the global transition to renewable energy: metals. Specifically, metals like copper, lithium and cobalt that we need to build wind turbines, electric vehicles and to improve our energy grid. Vince Beiser, author of the forthcoming book “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future,” said we’ll need hundreds of millions more tons of these metals. But mining them comes at a cost. On the show today, Beiser explains the environmental and social consequences of mining for these metals, China’s dominance over the supply chain, and ways to make the transition to renewables more fair. Plus, why mining in space is a pipe dream, at least for now. Then, we’ll get into how the U.S. dairy industry could be upended if former President Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations took place. And, how one listener makes voting a party. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Green Economy Is Hungry for Copper—and People Are Stealing, Fighting, and Dying to Feed It” from Wired “Mining Critical to Renewable Energy Tied to Hundreds of Alleged Human Rights Abuses” from Inside Climate News “How does the environmental impact of mining for clean energy metals compare to mining for coal, oil and gas?” from MIT Climate Portal “The Indispensable Industry: Mining’s Role in the Energy Transition and the Americas” from the Center for Strategic and International Studies “What a Crackdown on Immigration Could Mean for Cheap Milk” from The New York Times “Trump’s economic plans would worsen inflation, experts say” from AP News “Boeing to Sell at Least $10 Billion in Shares to Plug Cash Drain” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, October 15, 2024
FEMA’s job is getting even harder
Federal Emergency Management Agency crews working hurricane recovery efforts paused aid in parts of North Carolina over the weekend after threats were made against workers and an armed suspect was arrested. We talk about the rise of misinformation around FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, including falsehoods pushed by former President Donald Trump. And, we discuss an atmosphere of political violence as Trump urges using the military on Election Day. Plus, are we one step closer to commercial space travel? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump urges using military to handle ‘radical left lunatics’ on Election Day” from The Washington Post “North Carolina authorities arrest armed man after threats against FEMA workers” from The Washington Post “Federal personnel are facing threats during hurricane response, DHS chief warns” from Government Executive Hurricane Rumor Response from FEMA “SpaceX catches giant Starship booster in fifth flight test” from Reuters “Why yesterday’s SpaceX launch was such a huge deal for space travel” from Business Insider “SpaceX catches Starship rocket booster in historic test launch” from NBC News We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, October 12, 2024
What TikTok knew of the app’s toll on teens
This week, more than a dozen states came together to sue TikTok over the social media app’s effects on young users. Now, a report by NPR and Kentucky Public Radio shows executives at the company were well aware of the harms to teens. We’ll get into it. Plus, is the cost of rebuilding after a natural disaster becoming a luxury few can afford? And, would you wear pajama pants to school or work? That and more in a round of Half Full/Half Empty. Here’s everything we talked about today: “TikTok executives know about app’s effect on teens, lawsuit documents allege” from NPR “No Hurricane Will Make Rich People Leave Florida” from Slate “The CIA runs a nonprofit venture capital firm. What’s it investing in?” from Marketplace “Trump biopic ‘The Apprentice’ hits theaters amid fury from his campaign” from NBC News “Black Friday in October: Here come early holiday deals” from Axios “Tim Walz Rally Is Livestreamed on Twitch in Pitch to Young Voters” from The New York Times “Get Comfortable With It: Pajama Pants Are for Everywhere” from The Wall Street Journal Join Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams for a live taping of “Make Me Smart” on Oct. 25 in Boston. In-person tickets are sold out, but you can still join us virtually. Get your tickets here .
Thu, October 10, 2024
The future of FEMA funding
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already burned through almost half of its $20 billion Disaster Relief Fund that’s meant to last for another year. We’ll get into why the agency’s current budget shortfall is a sign of future problems as extreme weather events like Hurricane Milton become more common. Then, we’ll get into Vice President Kamala Harris’ new plan for funding at-home health care, some in the weeds inflation vocab, and why the identity of the creator of Bitcoin matters. Here’s everything we talked about today: “FEMA spent nearly half its disaster budget in just 8 days” from Politico “As Helene barrels into the Gulf Coast, FEMA faces shortfall for longer-term recovery” from Marketplace “Chicago Fed’s Goolsbee: Inflation has come down and job market is around full employment level” from CNBC “Inflation slowed again, new CPI report shows: Will the Fed keep cutting rates?” from USA Today “Kamala Harris proposes Medicare pay for more in-home health care during appearance on “The View'” from CBS News “Harris proposes expanding Medicare to cover home health care” from Marketplace “The quest to discover the creator of bitcoin” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, October 09, 2024
Who will pay for Helene’s damage?
Total damages from Hurricane Helene in the United States could cost $250 billion. But only a small fraction of homeowners have flood insurance. As another major hurricane looms, we’ll unpack why coverage is becoming so expensive that many Americans choose to go without. Plus, some news you can use about communicating during an emergency, and how zoo workers and animals ride out big storms. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Kamala Harris Has Raised $1 Billion Since Entering 2024 Presidential Race” from The New York Times “CBS ’60 Minutes’ airs two different answers from VP Harris to the same question” from Fox News “Most U.S. homeowners hit by Hurricane Helene don’t have flood insurance” from CBS News “Hurricane Milton could cost insurers up to $100 billion, analysts say” from Reuters “The flood insurance crisis facing Americans” from Axios “‘We’ve used hallways, we’ve used bathrooms’: How zoos protect animals when hurricanes hit” from BBC News “Tampa zoo and aquarium staff to ride out Milton with the animals” from The Washington Post “When Cell Service Is Down, You Can Send iPhone Texts via Satellite” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, October 08, 2024
Live from Denver: The Economics of Being Single
Almost half of adults in the U.S. are single. But so many of our economic policies and financial systems, from homeownership to retirement planning, cater to couples. Today’s episode is an excerpt from a Marketplace live show in Denver, hosted by “Make Me Smart” co-host Kimberly Adams, on the economics of being single. Kimberly is joined by a panel of experts who break down the financial challenges (and perks) of living the single life, and the power of pushing back against the societal pressures to pair up.
Mon, October 07, 2024
The cost of the Israel-Hamas war
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war a year ago, the U.S. has spent at record $17.9 billion on military aid to Israel — more than any other year since this aid started. This adds to the already heavy human toll of the conflict. We’ll discuss the mounting costs of war. Plus, Anthony Fauci’s new warning about a mosquito-borne illness. And, is the pumpkin spice tax real? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Anthony Fauci: A Mosquito in My Backyard Made Me the Sickest I’ve Ever Been” from The New York Times “US spends a record $17.9 billion on military aid to Israel since last Oct. 7” from The Associated Press “United States Spending on Israel’s Military Operations and Related U.S. Operations in the Region, October 7, 2023-September 30, 2024” from the Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs at Brown University “Consumers Pay Up to 92% More for Pumpkin Items, but ‘Pumpkin Spice Tax’ Is Narrowing” from Lending Tree “Retail Investor Had Too Much Tesla” from Bloomberg Help us catch up to our Fall Fundraiser goal today: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Sat, October 05, 2024
The political attacks on economic data
The jobs report released today blew past economists’ forecasts, estimating that employers added about 250,000 jobs to the U.S. economy in September. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio is falsely claiming the jobs report is “fake.” We’ll get into how big economic data is being politicized. And, what happens when October surprises aren’t so surprising anymore? Plus, we’ll weigh in on “white labeling” and flying taxis during a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “October surprises are piling up, but a toss-up race seems impervious to shocks” from CNN Politics “Jack Smith’s latest filing in the Trump election case is no ‘Comey letter'” from MSNBC “‘Trump Bible’ one of few that meet Walters’ criteria for Oklahoma classrooms” from The Oklahoman Tweet from Sen. Marco Rubio about today’s jobs report “Not hearing back on job applications? Some career consultants suggest a bold new tactic.” from Business Insider “Denver is funding sidewalk maintenance with a property owner tax” from Marketplace “Why do retailers white label certain products?” from Marketplace “Costco adds platinum bars to its precious metals lineup” from CNBC “Toyota puts another $500 million in an air taxi startup” from The Verge Don’t let us fall short. We need your help to reach our Fall Fundraiser goal today!: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Thu, October 03, 2024
Whaddya wanna know about the Fed’s move to cut interest rates?
After the Federal Reserve’s recent move to cut interest rates, you had questions. Lots of them! Today, we’re answering your questions about why the Fed doesn’t hold more meetings, why it tends to adjust interest rates in quarter-percentage-point increments, and why it’s target inflation rate is 2%. Plus, Kai Ryssdal unpacks the wonky relationship between the federal funds rate and the Treasury bond market. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Introduction to the FOMC” from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis “A brief history of the Federal Reserve’s emergency rate shifts” from The Los Angeles Times “Why does the Federal Reserve raise rates in quarter percentages?” from Marketplace “Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement of longer-run goals and policy strategy” from the Federal Reserve “Why the Fed Targets a 2 Percent Inflation Rate” from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis “The Fed cut rates, but the yield on the 10-year T-note is up” from Marketplace “How Might Increases in the Fed Funds Rate Impact Other Interest Rates?” from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, October 02, 2024
The connection between fast fashion and drug trafficking
A 2016 trade law has made it easier for fast-fashion companies like Temu and Shein to ship massive volumes of cheap clothes to customers in the United States. Now drug traffickers are exploiting that same law to import fentanyl ingredients. We’ll get into it. And, Kai watched last night’s vice presidential debate after all. The hosts share their takeaways. Plus, a story about repurposing old newspaper boxes takes us to nostalgia central. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How fentanyl traffickers are exploiting a U.S. trade law” from Reuters “Takeaways from the VP debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz” from AP News “People fill old newspaper boxes with movies, call it ‘Free Blockbuster’” from The Washington Post We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, October 02, 2024
Why immigration numbers are a headache for economists
All sorts of statistics related to immigration are being thrown around in debates, speeches and campaign ads ahead of this year’s election. Immigration estimates are painstakingly calculated by various government agencies. But lately, economists have been wrangling with wide gaps between some of these numbers. On the show today, Jed Kolko, former under secretary for economic affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce, explains how government agencies actually crunch immigration numbers, why two agencies’ estimates aren’t matching up right now and why accurate immigration data is crucial to how we understand the economy and setting economic policy. Then, we’ll get into why the ongoing dockworkers’ strike is about more than just higher wages. And, we’ll get smarter about a common cooking herb. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Can new data solve an immigration puzzle?” from Slow Boring “What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S.” from Pew Research Center “Unprecedented U.S. immigration surge boosts job growth, output” from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas “Key findings about U.S. immigrants” from Pew Research Center “New immigration estimates help make sense of the pace of employment” from Brookings “Opinion | The real reason 47,000 dock workers are on strike: Automation” from The Washington Post “Robots, automation a big factor in U.S. port strike” from Quartz “Tim Walz and JD Vance’s 2024 VP debate is tonight. Here’s what to know.” from CBS News Help us reach our Fall Fundraiser goal to hear from 2,500 Marketplace Investors. Give right now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Mon, September 30, 2024
The heavy price of living in disaster-prone areas
Recovery efforts are continuing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida last Thursday and caused widespread devastation across several southeastern states. We talk about the cost of moving to areas prone to natural disasters. Plus, why Americans now, more than ever, are reliant on state and federal support to supplement their incomes. Then, Kai has a Jon Stewart moment. And, the backstory of an iconic photo from the 1970s of a group of friends enjoying an extravagant breakfast at the National Mall has us smiling! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Where Americans Have Been Moving Into Disaster-Prone Areas” from The New York Times “Welcome Home, Hostages, and Pay Up” from The Wall Street Journal “Americans Are More Reliant Than Ever on Government Aid” from The Wall Street Journal “How this first-time voter is helping other students get registered” from The Washington Post “The real story behind the iconic 1974 breakfast photo at the National Mall” [gift link] from The Washington Post We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, September 28, 2024
How some politicians are trying to sell their image
Branding is big in contemporary political campaigns. But some candidates are going to odd lengths to appeal to women in 2024. We’ll explain. Plus, the wave of new state voting laws since 2020 has the potential to dramatically reshape ballot access in the 2024 election. And we’ll weigh in on the doomsday prepping economy and “fridgescaping” during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “G.O.P. Candidates, Looking to Soften Their Image, Turn to Their Wives” from The New York Times “In the tightest states, new voting laws could tip the outcome in November” from Stateline “Battleground State Removes Nearly 10 Percent of Voters for Being Ineligible” from Newsweek “VoteFlare’s mission to upgrade voter communication” from Marketplace “In uncertain times, the prepper supply business is booming” from Marketplace “Spurned by Social Media, Publishers Chase Readers on WhatsApp” from The New York Times “Southwest may need to change the perks that made customers loyal” from Marketplace “Earth will capture ‘second moon’ this weekend, scientists say” from Space “The pros and cons of fridgescaping your refrigerator” from The Washington Post New artist-designed Marketplace sweatshirts are half off this weekend! Invest in Marketplace and get yours: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Thu, September 26, 2024
Should jobs require a college degree?
In a speech outlining her economic vision this week, Vice President Kamala Harris said she’d boost manufacturing in the United States by supporting trade school programs and getting rid of unnecessary college-degree requirements for federal jobs. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll explain why the DOJ is suing Visa. Plus, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde’s wild search for butter prices. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Harris pledges ‘pragmatic’ approach to the economy in Pittsburgh speech” from Politico “Kamala Harris says she will cut degree requirements for certain federal jobs” from Reuters “Justice Department Sues Visa for Monopolizing Debit Markets” from the Department of Justice “Justice Department accuses Visa of stifling competition in the debit card business” from NPR “Cruz gets heated after Booker blocks deepfake revenge porn bill” from The Hill “Christine Lagarde – Stabilizing Inflation & Regulating AI for the Global Economy” from the Daily Show Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, September 25, 2024
The little short-term spending bill that could
Congress has agreed on a temporary spending bill to fund the federal government through Dec. 20. The House GOP’s hotly debated SAVE Act didn’t make the final cut. We’ll get into what did make it into the bill beyond bare-bones funding measures. And, a wave of homeowners are looking to refinance their mortgages as borrowing costs ease. Plus, we’ll cry happy tears over a “Homeward Bound” story come to life. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Kushner’s Fund Has Reaped Millions in Fees, but So Far Returned No Profits” from The New York Times “US Mortgage Rates Fall Again, Triggering Big Wave of Refinancing” from Bloomberg “The final countdown” from Punchbowl News “Shippers scramble for workarounds ahead of looming US East Coast port strike” from Reuters “Cat Missing in Yellowstone Returns Home to California After an 800-Mile Trek” from The New York Times Tweet from Jacqui Heinrich about President Biden’s hot mic moment on “The View” Got any questions about inflation or interest rates? Send ’em to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, September 24, 2024
Kai on the military and climate change
Kai Ryssdal takes over the mic today as he digs into the U.S. military’s climate change paradox. While the military is fueling the climate crisis, it’s also on the frontlines of the fallout. It’s an issue that hits home for Kai, a Navy veteran. And it’s all part of the latest season of Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast, “How We Survive.” Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Sat, September 21, 2024
The return of Three Mile Island
The 1979 disaster at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant helped define the energy conversation in the United States. Now it’s being reopened to help power artificial intelligence. We’ll get into the deal between the owner of the plant and Microsoft. Plus, the hosts weigh in on how some schools are warming up to AI and whether companies should take a political stand in a game of Half-Full/Half-Empty. Here’s everything we talked about: “ How Sparing the Parkland Shooter’s Life Changed Florida’s Death Penalty ” from The Marshall Project “ Microsoft AI Needs So Much Power It’s Tapping Site of US Nuclear Meltdown ” from Bloomberg “ Three Mile Island’s Nuclear Plant to Reopen, Help Power Microsoft’s AI Centers ” from WSJ If you’re in the Denver area, join Kimberly Adams for a live panel discussion on the economics of being single on Sept. 23. Make Me Smart listeners get a discount with the promo code SMART. And if you can’t make it in person, join the livestream on Monday at 6:30 p.m. Mountain time .
Thu, September 19, 2024
The lurking threat of political deepfakes
This year, fake content generated by artificial intelligence hasn’t created the massive election mess that many assumed it would in the United States … at least not yet. At a Senate hearing, tech executives pointed to recent efforts by Russia, China, and Iran to interfere with the upcoming election. And, no, the Teamsters union did not endorse former President Trump. We’ll explain. Plus, we’ll get into the ongoing strike at Boeing and Vice President Kamala Harris’ plan for a cap on childcare costs. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Censorship accusations loom over Big Tech hearing on election threats” from The Verge “Teamsters union declines to endorse Trump or Harris in presidential race” from NPR “Harris wants to limit child care costs to 7% of family income” from CNN Politics “Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on the economy, potential U.S. port strike and Boeing strike” from CNBC “Boeing Workers Go on Strike: What to Know” from The New York Times “Boeing Furloughs White-Collar Workers as Strike Worsens Cash Crunch” from The Wall Street Journal Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, September 18, 2024
The Fed says go big or go home
The Federal Reserve today said it’s lowering its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point. The rate cut is bigger than we’d predicted, and bigger than what the Fed normally does, but its effects will take some time to ripple through the economy. We’ll also get into former President Donald Trump’s switch-up on the state and local tax deduction cap and why Sen. Rand Paul wants Congress to reclaim power over tariffs. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Federal Reserve lowers interest rates by 0.50 percentage points in first cut since 2020” from CBS News “Dr. Rand Paul Celebrates Constitution Day with the No Taxation Without Representation Act” from Sen. Rand Paul Tweet from Burgess Everett about Rand Paul’s tariff proposal “Trump signals SALT deduction cap reversal” from Axios “Schumer calls out Trump for ‘selective amnesia’ on SALT” from The Hill “NPR Exclusive: U.S. overdose deaths plummet, saving thousands of lives” from NPR We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, September 18, 2024
Interest rates, inflation and the American consumer
The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates this week for the first time in four years. It would be a major milestone in the central bank’s long fight to get inflation under control. The Fed changes interest rates to keep inflation in check. But inflation is a complex phenomenon, and people have different ideas about what drives it. On the show today, Harvard economics professor Stefanie Stantcheva explains what Americans believe about the root causes of inflation and how the government should manage it, how views differ along party lines and the role media play. Then, the narrative around retail theft is changing. And, comedian Rola Z who hosts the “Funny Arabs” show in Washington, D.C., answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “People’s Understanding of Inflation” from the Social Economics Lab at Harvard “The Fed And Public Opinion” from Forbes “What actually happens when the Fed cuts interest rates?” from Marketplace “No, Americans Are Not Completely Stupid About Inflation” from The New York Times “The Growing Use of Voting Before Election Day” from the Center for Election Innovation and Research “America’s stores are winning the war on shoplifting” from CNN Business “Federal Debt Is Soaring. Here’s Why Trump and Harris Aren’t Talking About It.” from The Wall Street Journal “How would Project 2025 impact troops and veterans?” from Military Times We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Mon, September 16, 2024
How big will the Fed go?
It’s decision week for the Federal Reserve! Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues are expected to reduce interest rates for the first time since 2020. Investors are predicting a half-percentage-point cut, but we’re on Team 25. We’ll explain why. Plus, the origin of the false rumors about Haitian immigrants that reached the presidential debate stage. And why the cost of your Temu and Shein orders may go up. Here’s everything we talked about today: “ Stock Market Today: Investors Bet on Bigger Fed Cut ” from The Wall Street Journal “ Elon Musk Writes, Then Deletes, a Post Musing About Threats to Biden and Harris ” from The New York Times “ Biden Takes Aim at China’s Temu and Shein With Trade Crackdown ” from The Wall Street Journal “‘ It just exploded’: Springfield woman claims she never meant to spark false rumors about Haitians ” from NBC News “ In celebration of being a terrible gardener ” from The Washington Post We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, September 14, 2024
Trump’s no-tax agenda is growing
Former President Donald Trump has said he wants to get rid of federal taxes on tips and Social Security benefits. Now he’s adding overtime pay to the list. We’ll get into it. And, could online dating be making income inequality worse? Plus, we’ll weigh in on foldable phones and Friday the 13th superstitions in a game of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Next Up in Trump’s No-Tax Zone: Overtime Pay” from The Wall Street Journal “Donald Trump Prepares to Unveil World Liberty Financial, a Cryptocurrency Business” from The New York Times “From Dating to Marriage: Has Online Dating Made a Difference?” from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis “Tech companies commit to fighting harmful AI sexual imagery by curbing nudity from datasets” from AP News “How Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris could change the election end game” from ABC News “United Airlines to offer free Wi-Fi using Starlink from Elon Musk’s SpaceX” from CNBC “Walmart is leaning into fashion. Will the move work?” from Marketplace “Huawei’s new trifold phone costs more than a 16-inch MacBook Pro” from The Verge “What is Friday the 13th and why is it considered unlucky? Here’s why some are superstitious” from USA Today Kimberly Adams is headed to the Mile High City. Join us for a live panel discussion on the singles economy Sept. 23 in Denver. Use promo code “SMART” for a special discount on your ticket. We hope to see you there.
Fri, September 13, 2024
One giant leap for private SpaceX-ploration
Today, SpaceX’s crew of billionaire Jared Isaacman and three other private astronauts completed the world’s first-ever commercial spacewalk. We’ll get into it. And, Congress is quickly approaching yet another deadline to avoid a government shutdown. What’s holding up lawmakers from voting on a temporary spending bill? Plus, we’ll break down what’s been going on with oil prices this week and the latest in Apple’s foray into the world of artificial intelligence. Here’s everything we talked about today: “SpaceX Polaris Dawn astronauts complete 1st private spacewalk (video)” from Space “Speaker Johnson pulls Wednesday vote on government funding plan amid GOP divisions” from CNN Politics “House Speaker Johnson pulls government funding bill” from CNBC “Oil prices close at lowest level since December 2021 as OPEC cuts forecast” from CNBC “Apple Intelligence comes to iPhone, iPad, and Mac starting next month” from Apple Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, September 11, 2024
Is the economy really the top issue this election?
Last night’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump kicked off with a question about the economy — often cited as the top issue for voters. But the discussion that followed was notably light on economic policy. So, can the state of the economy swing this election? And, we’ll get into more takeaways from the big debate. Plus, are run clubs and grocery stores the new dating apps for singles? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Harris-Trump debate takeaways: Clashes on race, abortion, economy” from AP News “Fact-checking Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s 1st presidential debate” from ABC News “Trump “less inclined” to do another debate with Harris” from Axios “First it was childless cat ladies. Now it’s eating cats. How the topic led to ‘ALF’ memes” from Yahoo News “Love on Aisle 9? A TikTok Fad Fills Grocery Stores With Singles.” from The New York Times “Run clubs in NYC have just become another oversaturated dating market, singles say” from NBC News Kimberly Adams is headed to the Mile High City. Join us for a live panel discussion on the singles economy Sept. 23. in Denver. Use promo code “SMART” for a special discount on your ticket. We hope to see you there.
Tue, September 10, 2024
Project 2025 and the fate of the federal workforce
Today we’re talking about Project 2025, the 922-page set of conservative policy proposals written as a blueprint for a second Donald Trump administration by the Heritage Foundation think tank. E.J. Fagan, political science professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and author of “The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics,” said Project 2025 is not your run-of-the-mill policy guide like the ones the Heritage Foundation has written for decades. “When you read this document, Project 2025, it’s a much different document than previous ones. It is not just conservative policy recommendations, but options that conservatives and a new Trump administration could use to bypass American constitutional government,” said Fagan. On the show today, Fagan explains how the Heritage Foundation became closely allied with former President Trump, how their Schedule F plan could drastically transform the vast federal workforce and what it could mean for the economy. Then, we’ll get into what the Chase “ATM glitch” fiasco tells us about the state of financial literacy. And, some good news from the Census Bureau about household incomes. Plus, a call for a revolt against the penny from one listener and a vocab lesson from another. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Project 2025: The myths and the facts” from Vox “Trump’s second-term agenda takes aim at federal workforce, union leaders warn” from The Washington Post “House Republican Agendas and Project 2025 Would Increase Poverty and Hardship, Drive Up the Uninsured Rate, and Disinvest From People, Communities, and the Economy” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities “What is Project 2025? Wish list for a Trump presidency, explained” from BBC News “David Sedaris Reads George Saunders” from The New Yorker “JPMorgan Plans to Report Customers Who Exploited TikTok ‘Glitch’ to Authorities” from The Wall Street Journal “The real problem with the Chase ‘ATM glitch'” from Axios
Mon, September 09, 2024
Closing the mental health parity gap
The Joe Biden administration announced a final rule aimed at making sure insurance coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders is on par with traditional medical benefits. We’ll explain why the Supreme Court’s Chevron decision poses a threat to the rule. Plus, the Supreme Court’s emergency docket is filling up with challenges to Environmental Protection Agency standards. And, we’ll talk about a Paralympic marathoner who opted to help out her stumbling guide, even if it cost her a medal. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme Court Is Swamped With Emergency Appeals, Led by Challenges to EPA” from The Wall Street Journal “Biden administration finalizes rule to strengthen mental health parity law” from Reuters “Supreme Court’s Chevron Decision Threatens Decades of Progress in Access to Mental Health Care” from MedCity News “New Mental Health Rule Introduces Employer Benefit Parity Test” from Bloomberg Law “Paralympic Marathoner Loses Medal After Helping Her Guide Yards From Finish” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, September 07, 2024
Tax dodgers meet their match
The IRS and U.S. Treasury Department announced today the recovery of $1.3 billion from high-income tax dodgers since last fall, citing funding from President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act as the catalyst for increased collection enforcement efforts. And we hear about the a new investigation into airline rewards programs. Plus, we discuss the value of musical-turned-movie remakes during a game of Half Full/Half Empty! And, a little PSA about 401(k)s. Here’s everything we talked about today: “ Treasury recovers $1.3 billion in unpaid taxes from high-wealth tax dodgers” from The Associated Press “ Saturn’s majestic rings will vanish in just six months from now” from Earth.com “The impending private equity blitz on NFL teams” from “Make Me Smart” newsletter “ Airlines such as American, United, Delta, face DOT investigation over rewards programs” from Fox Business “ Dancing With the Stars reveals cast for season 33: ’90s icons, reality stars, Olympians, and a fake heiress” from Entertainment Weekly “Say Goodbye to Daily Hotel Room Cleaning” from The New York Times “Adults are cashing in on lemonade stands” from Marketplace “Movie musicals — yes, including the ‘Joker’ sequel — you could fall for” from The Washington Post Kick off your weekend with our “Tunes on Tap” Spotify playlist featuring some of our favorite summer jams! Get the playlist here .
Thu, September 05, 2024
Harris throws a bone to the business folks
The Harris campaign is proposing a bump in the capital gains tax that’s well below the rate President Biden had put forward. We’ll get into why remixing Biden’s tax plan scored her some points with corporate supporters. And, we’ll explain the fight between Disney and DirecTV that’s causing channel outages for subscribers. Plus, why Medicaid patients are struggling to access GLP-1 weight loss drugs and what the vibes are in the restaurant industry right now. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Harris Tells the Business Community: I’m Friendlier Than Biden” from The New York Times “DirecTV chief content officer on ESPN blackout: Disney is still mandating minimum penetration” from CNBC “TV viewers get screwed again as Disney channels are blacked out on DirecTV” from Ars Technica “Disney networks go dark on DirecTV amid carriage dispute” from Axios “DirecTV is compensating customers affected by the Disney outage. But they have to take action to get it” from CNN “Who’s able to get weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy?” from Marketplace “Restaurant industry still struggles with staffing, consultant says” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, September 04, 2024
Where’s the real money in AI?
The artificial intelligence company Anthropic is launching a new product targeted at businesses. It’s a step above the company’s consumer-facing products, like its popular chatbot Claude. We’ll explain what it could mean for human jobs. And, we’ll get into the White House efforts to combat Russian-backed attempts to influence the November presidential election. Plus, we’ll smile about 385 million-year-old fish fossils and an unsung hero who’s made coal mining a safer job. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Amazon-backed Anthropic rolls out Claude AI for big business” from CNBC “Biden administration announces major actions to tackle Russian efforts to influence 2024 election” from CNN Politics “Opinion | The Canary” (gift link) from The Washington Post “Fossils of 385 million-year-old fish found in pavement” from BBC News We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, September 04, 2024
The crypto election
This year alone, cryptocurrency companies have spent over $119 million on pro-crypto candidates in federal races across the country. That’s almost half of all corporate money spent on this year’s election. But can all this crypto money really sway elections? Lee Reiners, crypto policy expert at the Duke Financial Economics Center, explains what the crypto industry is hoping to accomplish with its election spending, the myth behind the “crypto-vote” and why former President Donald Trump is vying to become the “crypto-president.” Then, we’ll get into the U.S. government’s big penny problem. And, Boeing’s history in the spaceflight sector, and more to celebrate as the Paralympics continue. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Crypto firms have spent more than $119 million on 2024 elections” from Marketplace “Crypto’s ‘huge moment’ scrambling US politics” from Politico “Why Republicans are embracing bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies” from Marketplace “How Crypto Money Is Poised to Influence the Election” from The New York Times “Harris triggers crypto tug-of-war between Democrats” from Politico “America Must Free Itself from the Tyranny of the Penny” from The New York Times “This Once Hot Real-Estate Type Is Now Being Offered as Office Space” from The Wall Street Journal We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Sat, August 31, 2024
Biden’s student debt relief legacy in limbo
President Joe Biden has forgiven $167.3 billion in student loan debt since taking office. But his administration’s wins are often overshadowed by obstacles to its most ambitious debt relief programs. We’ll get into what this could mean for Biden’s economic legacy. And, we’ll explain why the 30-year mortgage rate can tell us what the markets think about the Federal Reserve’s next move. Plus, we’ll play a very demure, very mindful round of This or That! Here’s everything we talked about today: “30-Year Mortgage Rate Falls Again, Now at 6.35%” from The New York Times “$167.3 billion in student loan forgiveness” from The Washington Post “Very demure, mindful and viral: the TikTok trend explained” from Axios Kick off your Labor Day holiday weekend with our “Tunes on Tap” Spotify playlist featuring some of our favorite summer jams! Get the playlist here: marketplace.org/playlist .
Fri, August 30, 2024
Klarna’s plan to swap workers with AI
The CEO of Klarna, the by now, pay later service, said the company plans to cut its workforce dramatically by opting not to replace workers when they quit and instead use artificial intelligence to fill in the gaps. We’ll get into it. And, Nvidia’s earnings that beat analysts’ expectations didn’t impress everybody. Plus, we’ll unpack the Justice Department’s new lawsuit against a rent-setting software company, and celebrate a win for the American wheelchair rugby team. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Klarna: AI lets us cut thousands of jobs – but pay more” from BBC News “Nvidia reports 122% revenue growth on surging demand for data center chips” from CNBC “How one company transformed the apartment rental market” from Axios “Chuck Aoki dominates, Sarah Adam makes history as USA Wheelchair Rugby holds off Canada | NBC Sports” from NBC Sports “Paralympic wheelchair rugby or ‘murderball’ isn’t for the faint of heart” from The Washington Post Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, August 28, 2024
What happened to corporate DEI efforts?
Home improvement retailer Lowe’s is the latest in a string of American companies to publicly abandon diversity, equity and inclusion efforts after facing pushback from conservative groups. We’ll get into it. Then, two signs that the global economy may be in trouble. Plus, we’re hype about the Paris Paralympics opening ceremony! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Lowe’s becomes latest company to dial back DEI efforts aimed at LGBTQ groups” from NBC News “Lowe’s followed Tractor Supply, Harley Davidson and John Deere in backing off DEI initiatives” from Fortune “Africa’s Debt Crisis Has ‘Catastrophic Implications’ for the World” from The New York Times “A Time Bomb Is Threatening Economies Across Asia” from The Wall Street Journal “How to watch the 2024 Paris Paralympics: TV and stream info, schedule, start time, top athletes, preview, team news” from NBC Olympics Join Kimberly Adams for a live Marketplace event on Sept. 23 in Denver about living single in today’s economy. You can find details about it here. Hope to see you there!
Wed, August 28, 2024
Wheelchair rugby’s Chuck Aoki makes us smart about the Paralympics
In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics aren’t over! This year’s Paralympics kick off in Paris on Aug. 28. It’s the first time all 22 Paralympic events will be aired live, and total broadcast revenues are up by more than 20% from the delayed 2020 Paralympics. Chuck Aoki, an American Paralympic wheelchair rugby player, said content creators like himself are also bringing eyes to the event. On the show today, Aoki breaks down the basics of wheelchair rugby (aka “murderball”), the system that classifies para athletes based on their disability, and why this year’s Paralympics are getting more buzz than ever. Then, we’ll get into how pharmaceutical companies’ new direct-to-consumer programs could impact drug prices. And, listeners tell us about the trafficless 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a lesson in credit cards learned the hard, heartbreaking way. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Passion And Guts: Chuck Aoki’s World of Wheelchair Rugby” from Team USA “Paralympic Games in Paris set to reach largest audience after broadcast deals” from The Guardian “What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?” from AP News “How to Watch the 2024 Summer Paralympics: Streaming Schedule, Free Options” from Wired “Pfizer Follows Lilly With Website Selling Directly to Patients” from Bloomberg “Eli Lilly lowering weight loss drug prices” from The Hill “Health Insurance Costs Will Rise Steeply if Premium Tax Credit Improvements Expire” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities “How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2025” from KFF “Pfizer launches new website for migraine,
Mon, August 26, 2024
The supermarket supermerger heads to court
The trial weighing the merger of Kroger and Albertsons, two grocery titans, begins today. We’ll explain what the biggest supermarket merger in U.S. history could mean for everyday shoppers and why the federal government wants to put a stop to it. Plus, we’ll get into the latest of Boeing’s woes: its Starliner spacecraft. Can the company’s failures teach us something about the business of spaceflight? And, SpaceX is ready to launch a mission for the first-ever commercial spacewalk. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What Kroger-Albertsons merger trial with FTC means for your grocery store” from The Washington Post “New Boeing CEO Faces Hard Choices After NASA Snubs Starliner for SpaceX” from Bloomberg “Flight attendants speak out about low pay, debt and homelessness” from The Washington Post “IUD insertion pain is complicated. Doctors say the new CDC guidelines are only a start.” from NBC News “Here’s What the CDC’s New IUD Pain Management Recommendations Mean in Practice” from Self “SpaceX to Launch Billionaire on First-Ever Private Spacewalk” from Bloomberg We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, August 24, 2024
The Democratic Party’s billionaire whiplash
The Democratic National Convention this week featured a wide range of speakers, from those who railed against the billionaire class to billionaires themselves. We’ll unpack the Democratic Party’s mixed messaging on the ultrawealthy. On the other hand, the world’s central banks seem to be on the same page when it comes to interest rates. We’ll get into it. Plus, how much would you pay for a full row of economy seats on an airplane? We’ll find out during a game of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Major Central Banks Now Aligned as Powell Signals Fed Cuts Ahead” from Bloomberg “At the DNC, Kamala Harris has a billionaire problem on her hands” from Fortune “On the Convention Stage, Democrats Courted the Middle Class. After Hours, They Partied Like the 1%.” from The Wall Street Journal “Hanif Abdurraqib on what it means to “make it'” from Marketplace’s “This Is Uncomfortable” “What it’s like to be a content creator at the DNC” from Marketplace Tech “No Joke: The Onion Thinks Print Is the Future of Media” from The New York Times “Does lipstick still have economic staying power?” from Marketplace “All the Airlines Offering ‘Couch’ Seats for More Space to Spread Out” from Thrillist “Starbucks fall drinks 2024: Pumpkin Spice Latte, fall menu launch Thursday” from Axios Kick off your weekend with our our “Tunes on Tap” Spotify playlist featuring some of our favorite summer jams! Get the playlist here: marketplace.org/playlist.
Thu, August 22, 2024
Harris’ hazy plan to ban price gouging
Since Vice President Harris proposed a federal ban on price gouging in the food and grocery industries, her campaign has offered up few details about what the policy would actually look like. That’s left room for wild speculation. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll debunk former President Trump’s claims that the Biden administration manipulated job data to influence the election. Plus, the future of V2X technology on our roadways and the National Women’s Soccer League’s historic move to do away with drafts. Here’s everything we talked about today: “And today Trump and his allies are being dishonest about jobs data” from The Washington Post “US job totals will likely be revised down by 818,000 as Trump cries fraud” from Politico “Commerce Sec. Raimondo on VP Harris: She’s pro-business, pro-worker, and opposed to price-fixing” from CNBC “FTC to investigate high grocery prices” from Marketplace “Harris’s Price-Gouging Ban: Price Controls or No Quick Effect?” from The New York Times “DOT plans to implement V2X technology raise privacy concerns” from Marketplace “The U.S. Sports League That Just Scrapped the Draft—and Made Everyone a Free Agent” from The Wall Street Journal “National Women’s Soccer League and its players agree to a new contract deal” from NPR Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, August 22, 2024
Let’s decode Fed speak
We read the minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting so you don’t have to! Kai Ryssdal explains why an interest rate cut in September is looking more and more likely. Plus, how the Ozempic boom is changing the cost of workplace insurance plans. And, Chicago’s hottest dance club is at the … Democratic National Convention?! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee” from the Federal Reserve “Workplace insurance could soon be stripped down” from Axios “The FTC’s noncompete agreements ban is blocked” from The Verge “The DNC roll call featured a musical salute to each state. Here’s what your state chose” from NPR “‘Crowd’ size 📏 “ from Politico Kimberly Adams is headed to Denver on Sept. 23 for a live Marketplace event all about the economics of being single! You can find details about it here.
Wed, August 21, 2024
The new wave of private school vouchers
For decades, private school vouchers, often referred to as school choice programs, were limited to low-income students. But recently, several states have passed universal voucher programs that any family, regardless of income, can use to pay their kids’ private school tuition. On the show today, Huriya Jabbar, professor of education policy at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, explains the history of private school vouchers, what makes the latest wave of these programs different from traditional school vouchers, and why some believe private school vouchers undermine the purpose of public education in the U.S. Plus, what does Milton Friedman have to do with all of this? Then, Kai Ryssdal explains the ins and outs of how the Bureau of Labor Statistics revises its job data. And, we’ll hear from listeners about free garden seeds and American soccer in the ’70s. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Millions of campaign dollars aimed at tilting school voucher battle are flowing into state races” from AP News “Arizona School Voucher Program Causes Budget Meltdown” from ProPublica “Public Funding, Private Education” from The New York Times “The new and radical school voucher push is quietly unwinding two centuries of U.S. education tradition” from the Brookings Institution “Which States Have Private School Choice?” from Education Week “Georgia election board approves another rule that could disrupt certification” from WABE “Election Deniers Secretly Pus
Tue, August 20, 2024
An increasingly anxious U.S. labor market
New survey data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that the percentage of Americans who expect to get laid off in the next four months has gone up. On the other hand, the share of Americans who expect to get a job offer in the next four months is also up. So what gives? We’ll get into the labor market unease and why the Federal Reserve will be paying close attention. Then, we’ll smile about a new tool that could help prevent death from life threatening injuries. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Expectation of Losing One’s Job at Record High in NY Fed Survey” from Bloomberg “More and more Americans are worried they will lose their job” from CNN Business “US FDA clears use of Cresilon’s gel to stop severe bleeding in seconds” from Reuters Tweet from Jesse Byrnes about errors in the Democratic Party’s 2024 platform We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, August 17, 2024
The complicated and costly challenge of rebuilding Gaza
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, 70% of Gaza’s housing has been damaged, crucial infrastructure like schools and hospitals have been destroyed, and millions of Palestinians have been displaced. We’ll get into the logistical and economic challenge of reconstructing the Gaza Strip. And, we’ll explain why certain proposals coming out of the Harris campaign may be popular with voters but not so popular with economists. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Economically Dumb, Politically Smart” from The Atlantic “First-name basis: Harris is leaning into ‘Kamala'” from Politico “Gaza Reduced to 42 Million Tonnes of Rubble. What Will It Take to Rebuild?” from Bloomberg “Los Angeles wants a ‘no-car’ Olympics in 2028. Is it possible?” from The Guardian “Both Harris and Trump want to eliminate federal taxes on tips” from Marketplace “Indonesia prepares to change its capital city and challenges await” from Marketplace “On the train from LA to Portland, Amtrak’s ride-or-dies make the case for passenger rail” from Marketplace “Increasing use of AI in job resumes is a mixed blessing” from Marketplace Our Oct. 25 live show in Boston is sold out, but livestream tickets are now available! Grab your ticket here.
Thu, August 15, 2024
Trump’s pipe dream: slashing energy prices by half
At a campaign rally, former President Trump said he’s committed to slashing energy prices by at least half in a year (or at the latest 18 months). We’ll explain why it’s a pipe dream. And, Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to propose the first-ever federal ban on corporate price-gouging in the food industry. But where’s the line between price-gouging and setting prices at market value? We’ll get into it. Plus, the latest data breach making headlines and a potential fix for the hassle of canceling unwanted subscriptions. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump wants to bring down energy prices — why that’s not easy” from Yahoo Finance “FTC to investigate high grocery prices” from Marketplace Margins by Sector (US) from the Stern School of Business at New York University “Harris to propose federal ban on ‘corporate price-gouging’ in food and groceries” from CNBC “Biden admin wants to make canceling subscriptions easier” from Axios Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Launches New Effort to Crack Down on Everyday Headaches and Hassles That Waste Americans’ Time and Money from The White House Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Wed, August 14, 2024
The new rules of the road for real estate agents
A quick housing market announcement: the structure for real estate commissions is set to change this week following a legal settlement with the National Association of Realtors from earlier this year. We’ll get into what it could mean for homebuyers, sellers and real estate agents. And, to publish or not to publish internal Trump campaign documents allegedly leaked by Iranian hackers? That is the question several newsrooms are facing. We’ll explain the conundrum. Plus, Kai Ryssdal gets wistful about his daughter’s first day of school. Here’s everything we talked about today: “So Much About Real-Estate Commissions Just Changed. Here’s What to Know.” from The Wall Street Journal “Why newsrooms haven’t published leaked Trump campaign documents” from The Washington Post “Biden admin to spend billions to blunt spike in Medicare drug premiums” from Politico “Seeds are gifts from nature, says a major organic producer. So now it’s going to give them away” from AP News “Rare display of northern lights and Perseid meteor shower delights skywatchers worldwide” from Space We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, August 13, 2024
From Burning Questions: How can I eat for the planet (without getting stressed out)?
Hey Smarties! If you’ve ever wondered how you make your diet more climate friendly, this episode of “Burning Questions” has you covered. From our friends over at “How We Survive,” the series answers your questions about climate change. In this episode, host Amy Scott chats with Melissa Nelson, professor of Indigenous sustainability at Arizona State University, about how our day-to-day food choices affect the planet and steps you can take to make your diet a little greener, without getting overwhelmed.
Mon, August 12, 2024
The growing threat of GPS attacks on airlines
On the show today: a story from the “this is terrifying” file. Cybersecurity researchers are bringing attention to a recent surge in GPS “spoofing” on commercial airlines. We’ll explain how these digital attacks work and why they pose a danger. And, former President Donald Trump made his return to the social media site X to promote an upcoming conversation with Elon Musk. We’ll get into it. Plus, Kai Ryssdal tells us all about his adventures in France to see the Paris Olympics. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Returns to X With Several Posts Ahead of Musk Interview” from Bloomberg “GPS spoofers ‘hack time’ on commercial airlines, researchers say” from Reuters “Meta beats censorship lawsuit by RFK Jr’s anti-vaccine group” from Reuters We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, August 10, 2024
Peacock sticks the landing at Paris Olympics
Compared to the Games in Tokyo and Beijing, NBC’s Paris Olympics coverage has been pulling in significantly higher viewership and ad revenue. Guest host Meghan McCarty Carino explains why the company may have finally hit its stride with its streamer Peacock. And, candidate Donald Trump said the president should have more influence over the Federal Reserve. Guest host Nova Safo gets into how that scenario played out in the Richard Nixon era. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “NBC’s Olympics Broadcast Isn’t Just Addictive. It’s a New Era of Streaming” from Wired “NBC enjoys Paris Olympics success as Americans neglect work to watch the Games” from Reuters “The Snoop Olympics: Paris proving a boon to NBC after interest waned in Tokyo and Beijing Games” from AP News “Trump Calls for Three Debates Against Harris, More Influence Over the Fed” from The Wall Street Journal “Trump would face constraints in remaking the Federal Reserve if elected” from Axios “Do athletes who earn an Olympic gold medal get a cash prize?” from Marketplace “Costco is cracking down on membership moochers” from CNN “Amazon Deals Let Shoppers Buy Products on TikTok, Pinterest” from Bloomberg “Americans Are Skipping Theme Parks This Summer” from The Wall Street Journal “Celebrity book clubs are ‘extremely influential’ in the publishing world” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, August 08, 2024
What betting markets can and can’t tell us about the election
Former {resident Trump and Vice President Harris are apparently neck and neck in the presidential race. That’s according to the … betting markets? Yes! We’ll get into the ways prediction markets are being used like polls in the 2024 race. Then, why lobbying dollars may pour in at state houses following the end of the Chevron doctrine. Plus, guest host Meghan McCarty Carino joins us to discuss the steady drip, drip, drip of layoffs in the tech industry. And, U.S. sprinter Noah Lyles wants his Air Jordan moment. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Yes, you can place bets on the election (for now)” from Marketplace “Trump and Harris in Dead Heat for Presidency, Polymarket Betting Shows” from The Wall Street Journal “When the feds don’t regulate … will the states?” from Marketplace “Dell Layoffs Hit Sales Team With New Unit Focused on AI” from Bloomberg “Intel is laying off over 15,000 employees and will stop ‘non-essential work’” from The Verge “The World’s Fastest Man Wants His Own Signature Adidas Shoe” from Bloomberg Join us tomorrow for a Make Me Smart guest host take over edition of Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
Thu, August 08, 2024
Google’s ruling and Biden’s antitrust legacy
A federal judge on Monday ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly over online search. It’s the biggest antitrust ruling in decades. Could it be the cherry on top for President Joe Biden’s economic legacy? We’ll get into it. Plus, climate change and the future of the home insurance industry. And, gymnastics girl power and meteor showers make us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Google Loses Antitrust Case Over Search-Engine Dominance” from The Wall Street Journal “All the spiciest parts of the Google antitrust ruling” from The Verge “How Does Harris View Big Business? Her Time as California’s Top Lawyer Offers Clues” from The New York Times “Your Next Home Insurance Nightmare: AI, Drones, and Surveillance” from Business Insider “Trump vs. Biden: Who Got More Done on Antitrust?” from Washington Monthly “For the VP also-rans’ political futures, Walz’s elevation ‘complicates it a lot’” from Politico “Michelle Obama Weighs In On Simone Biles’ Bowing Gesture After NFL Star Trashes It” from HuffPost Sports “Perseid meteor shower 2024 peaks this weekend. Here’s how to see summer’s best ‘shooting stars'” from Space “Mountain Bikers Are Rewilding Land by Paying the Government to Do It” from Wired Make Me Smart is headed to Boston! You can find details about the live event and how to get early bird tickets here.
Wed, August 07, 2024
So you’ve been part of a data breach. Now what?
Another day, another data breach, am I right? Companies including AT&T, Ticketmaster, and UnitedHealth have all made headlines recently after hackers left millions of customers’ data vulnerable. Lily Hay Newman, a writer covering information security, digital privacy and hacking for Wired, says data breaches like these have been a growing issue for more than a decade. On the show today, Newman explains steps you can take after you’ve been impacted by a breach (beyond signing up for free credit monitoring) and what you can do proactively to protect your data. Plus, what cybercriminals actually do with your data and how cyberattacks have evolved. Then, we’ll get into how a PAC funded by Elon Musk is collecting information on would-be voters. Plus, we’ll workshop a name for Vice President Kamala Harris’ economic platform and hear about Olympic speed climbing. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Sweeping Danger of the AT&T Phone Records Breach” from Wired “Ticketmaster Confirms Data Breach. Here’s What to Know.” from The New York Times “AT&T says criminals stole phone records of ‘nearly all’ customers in new data breach” from TechCrunch “What’s Behind the Increase in Data Breaches?” from The Wall Street Journal “Here’s how much your personal information is worth to cybercriminals – and what they do with it” from The Conversation “How an Elon Musk PAC is using voter data to help Trump beat Harris in 2024 election” from CNBC “Forget Apple, the biggest loser in the Google search ruling could be Mozilla and its Firefox web browser” from Fortune “U.S. climber Sam Watson smashes men’s speed world record with 4.75
Mon, August 05, 2024
The stock market temper tantrum, explained
It’s been a tumultuous Monday for global markets as investors worry about the strength of the American economy. We’ll explain the data points behind the stock market slide and what it could mean for the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decisions on interest rates. And, we’ll get into what the fallout of former President Donald Trump’s appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists says about microaggressions in the workplace. Plus, women’s rugby, Flavor Flav and all things Olympics. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump attacks Harris’s Black identity at NABJ conference. Harris says Americans ‘deserve better.’” from The Washington Post “Traders Bet on Fed Emergency Rate Cuts, but Officials Need More to React” from The New York Times “U.S. women’s rugby team’s recent $4M gift is momentous for the sport: ‘We’ve always wanted to be included'” from CNBC “Flavor Flav’s new reality: Tackling gender pay inequality in sports, one Olympic polo match at a time” from The Oregonian “An Olympian couldn’t pay her rent. Flavor Flav and Alexis Ohanian stepped in to help” from CNN Sports “Flavor Flav Signs Five-Year Sponsorship Deal as Official Hype Man for USA Water Polo Women’s and Men’s National Teams” from USA Water Polo “Google pulls Gemini AI ad from Olympics after backlash” from The Verge We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, July 30, 2024
The global rise of right-wing populism (rerun)
It’s been a few months since our deep dive on populism, but following the annoucement of JD Vance as Trump’s VP pick, the term is back in the headlines. Today, we’re revisiting that episode because it’s important to know what populism is and isn’t, and why a specific brand of populism is on the rise. We will be back next week with new episodes after a short summer break. Until then, keep sending us your thoughts, questions and comments at makemesmart@marketplace.org. Here’s everything we talked about today: “It’s a major global election year, and populism is on the ballot” from Ipsos “Trump, Brexit, and the Rise of Populism: Economic Have-Nots and Cultural Backlash” from Harvard Kennedy School “Revealed: the rise and rise of populist rhetoric” from The Guardian “Populism is morphing in insidious ways” from The Atlantic “US 2.0: Not at the Dinner Table” from Hidden Brain Media “How a health-care cyberattack may affect your prescription drug access” from The Washington Post “Calls Mount for Government Help as Change Healthcare Hack Freezes Medical Payments” from The Wall Street Journal “China’s New Economic Agenda, a Lot Like the Old One: Takeaways” from The New York Times Subscribe to the “Make Me Smart” newsletter
Sat, July 27, 2024
Make Me Smart: 2024 Olympics edition
On today’s edition of Economics on Tap, we’ll get into some news while toasting the start of the 2024 Paris Olympics. First, Kimberly teaches us how to make an Olympic torch cocktail (complete with a real flame)! And, we’ll play a Paris Games-themed round of This or That. But first, a discussion of the history of women’s sportswear at the Olympic Games and Boeing’s Starliner crew (still) stuck in space. Here’s everything we talked about today: “50 days after launch to ISS, Boeing Starliner astronauts still have no landing date” from Space “Olympic athletes are approaching the limits of human performance” from The Washington Post “From Corsets to Singlets, the Olympics Have Driven the Evolution of Women’s Sportswear” from Smithsonian magazine “How Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky does what no one else does. Every day.” from The Washington Post “The Double Kick” from 99% Invisible “Today, Explained podcast” from Vox Keep sending us your Olympic-themed cocktail ideas. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, July 25, 2024
Biden’s economic legacy
When President Biden leaves office in 2025, he’ll leave behind a series of industrial policies like the CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act that have turned United States economic policy on its head. We’ll get into why it may take decades to see these initiatives fully play out. And, we’ll get into Vice President Kamala Harris’s budding economic agenda. Plus, why Tesla and other tech companies were a drag on the stock market this week. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What happens to Biden’s industrial policy initiatives now?” from Marketplace “The Momala Economy: The candidate caregivers have been waiting for” from 19th News “Tesla earnings: Automotive revenue falls 7% in Q2, robotaxi timing unclear” from Axios “What goes up must come back down” from Marketplace VIDEO: “Paris” by The Brevet Join us tomorrow for our 2024 Olympics Edition of Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. And watch the hosts square off in a round of This/That!
Wed, July 24, 2024
Campaign trail myths about immigration and the economy
Ahead of this year’s election, politicians are spinning out all kinds of narratives about how immigration hurts the U.S. economy. But an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office projects that a surge in immigration over the next decade will ultimately lower the federal deficit. We’ll do the numbers. Then, we’ll get into why former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers compared the Republican Party’s economic agenda to former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss’ infamous mini-budget disaster. And, Kai tells us about his cool dad moment. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Summers Says GOP Fiscal Plans Set US Up for ‘Liz Truss Moment’” from Bloomberg “Undocumented immigrants will boost economy, lower deficit, CBO says” from The Hill “Effects of the Immigration Surge on the Federal Budget and the Economy” from the Congressional Budget Office “Why Hydrangeas Are Blooming Spectacularly in the Northeast This Summer” from The New York Times “Chappell Roan Booked a Tour. Then She Blew Up.” from The New York Times Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, July 24, 2024
The growing U.S. soccer economy
Today, we’re talking about one of Kai Ryssdal’s favorite topics: soccer! The sport’s U.S. audience is only expected grow, especially as the country gets ready to host the World Cup in 2026. Paul Tenorio, soccer writer for The Athletic, said access to the sport has changed dramatically for Americans over the last decade. On the show today, Tenorio explains why soccer is gaining a new audience, what lessons American stadiums can learn from mistakes at the recent Copa América tournament, and how legendary player Lionel Messi is bringing eyes and money to the game in the United States. Then, we’ll get into how companies are using troves of data to target different consumers, and why this “surveillance pricing” has caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission. And, what a travel editor got wrong about repeat travel. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Messi Effect – How One Single Player Will Impact Soccer In America” from Forbes “‘It was inhuman’: Why the Copa America final was delayed and dangerously close to disaster” from The Athletic “U.S. Soccer Fans Are Younger, More Diverse Than Fans of Other Sports” from Morning Consult “What Messi’s MLS, Apple, Adidas deal means for everyone else” from ESPN “You’re not going crazy — you may actually be paying higher prices than other people” from CNN Business “FTC Issues Orders to Eight Companies Seeking Information on Surveillance Pricing” from the Federal Trade Commission “Why Is the US Deficit So Big? Depends on Who You Ask” from Bloomberg “What the bond market’s telling us, or not, about Biden’s withdrawal” from Marketplace Send us your suggestions for Paris Games-themed cocktails or let us know what Olympic events you’re looking forward to watching. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or le
Tue, July 23, 2024
Kamala Harris and the glass cliff
It’s official, folks. Over the weekend, President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and Vice President Kamala Harris stepped in. Some are pointing out similarities between VP Harris’ eleventh-hour candidacy and the “glass cliff effect,” when a woman is put in a position of leadership to fix a company in crisis. We’ll get into it and fill you in on how the Harris campaign is leaning into memes to attract the Gen Z vote. Plus, gaps in China’s newly released economic plans leave questions about the country’s ability to turn things around. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Heat pumps, EV chargers and more: U.S. unveils $4.3 billion in local climate funds” from The Washington Post “When That Job Promotion Is Really a ‘Glass Cliff'” from The New York Times “China’s Long Blueprint for Economy Falls Short on Details, Raising Concerns” from The Wall Street Journal “What coconut trees and Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’ have to do with Kamala Harris” from The Washington Post “What is Kamala Harris’ ‘brat’ rebrand all about?” from BBC News “Brat campaign: Harris team swiftly embraces Gen Z memes about VP” from Axios Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, July 20, 2024
What happens to Biden’s campaign money if he quits the race?
In May, President Joe Biden’s campaign said it had a hefty $91 million stashed in the bank. If Biden were to end his candidacy, what would happen to all that cash? We’ll get into it. And, we’ll explain why the federal government’s plan to phase out its purchases of single-use plastics could have a sizable impact on the country’s use of plastic overall. Plus, we’ll get nostalgic for DVDs and paper checks during a game of Half Full/Half Empty! And, would you talk politics in the office? Here’s everything we talked about today: “It’s time to stop arguing over the population slowdown and start adapting to it” from Vox “What happens to Joe Biden’s campaign money?” from Reuters “The White House Has a Plan to Slash Plastic Use in the U.S.” from The New York Times “FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Releases New Strategy to Tackle Plastic Pollution, Takes Action to Reduce Single-Use Plastics in Federal Operations” from The White House “What is Microsoft’s “blue screen of death?” Here’s what it means and how to fix it.” from CBS News “RIP Redbox, a Bad Idea at the Worst Time” from Wired “Hello Kitty Is Not a Cat and We’re Not OK” from E! News “Target will stop accepting this old-school form of payment” from CNN Business “How can we talk about politics in the workplace?” from Marketplace Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, July 18, 2024
The elephant in the room at the RNC
This week Sean O’Brien became the first ever president of the Teamsters union to speak at the Republican National Convention. We’ll explain why this ruffled some feathers and what it could mean for the relationship between unions and the Democratic Party. And, we’ll get into how the lock-in effect is shaping today’s housing market and why the Federal Reserve won’t wait for inflation to fall to 2% before lowering interest rates. Plus, when it comes to avoiding online misinformation while a crisis unfolds, patience is a virtue. “Sean O’Brien: Why a union president crossed partisan lines for a starring role at Trump’s RNC” from CNN “A Teamsters Boss Delivers Rare Speech to R.N.C.” from The New York Times “First-time homebuyers are a growing share of the market” from Marketplace “We fact-checked some of the rumors spreading online about the Trump assassination attempt” from Reuters “How to Avoid Online Misinformation After Political Violence” from Marketplace Tech “CPI inflation report June 2024” from CNBC “Interest rates may work like a ‘Jedi mind trick’ to drive price trends” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!
Wed, July 17, 2024
The populist threat to climate action
The transition to our clean energy economy is already underway. But progress on climate change may slow down as climate populism on the far right is taking root in developed economies. We’ll explain why cheaper, green technologies might be the antidote. Meanwhile, in Arizona, ballooning costs for a school voucher program triggered a state budget crisis. Plus, NASA blasted a Missy Elliot song all the way to Venus at the speed of light! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Populist opposition is threatening progress on climate change” from the Peterson Institute for International Economics “School Vouchers Were Supposed to Save Taxpayer Money. Instead They Blew a Massive Hole in Arizona’s Budget.” from ProPublica “A Missy Elliott Song Travels to Venus at the Speed of Light” from The New York Times “Paris mayor swims in Seine ahead of Olympic Games opening” from Axios “Pressed about jumping into Baltimore Harbor, Mayor Scott and others admit it’s still unsafe and illegal outside of organized events” from Baltimore Brew Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, July 16, 2024
Want to protect our democracy? Start here!
If you’ve been feeling hopeless about the news, the election, the economy, the climate crisis and everything else that’s going on, today’s episode is for you. Emily Amick, lawyer and co-author of “Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives,” argues we can all become better participants in our democracy. And we don’t need to have a gazillion dollars to do it. On the show today, Amick explains why we should treat civic engagement as self-care, how to find your civic personality and ways to cultivate a news diet that doesn’t put you in a doom loop. Plus, the moment she realized our democracy was headed in the wrong direction. Then, we’ll get into how voters in Utah fought to protect the power of citizen-led ballot initiatives and why shoppers hide purchases from their romantic partners. Plus, an anime cosplayer was wrong about what it would take to create her own costume. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Despite Recent Setbacks, There Is Still Hope For Democracy” from Forbes “In ‘Democracy in Retrograde,’ Emily Amick Talks About Political Engagement and Her Cancer Diagnosis” from Teen Vogue “What does Utah’s redistricting ruling do to voters’ ability to change laws?” from The Salt Lake Tribune “Utah Supreme Court: Lawmakers must heed voter-passed gerrymandering reforms “ from Axios Salt Lake City “Amazon’s Prime Day a ‘major’ cause of worker injuries, Senate probe finds” from CNBC “US Retail Sales Excluding Autos Rise by Most in Three Months” from Bloomberg “Gym Bags, Trunks, Back Doors: How Stealth Shoppers Hide Purchases” from The Wall Street Journal “Financial Infidelity Report 2023: Why People Hide Purchases From Partners” from Circuit “Inside a UPS warehouse that prioritizes super-fast shipping” from Marketplace <
Mon, July 15, 2024
The deluge of Trump news
We’re still processing the news of the shooting at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend. On top of that, a federal judge dismissed the classified documents case against the former president. We’ll get into the news and why it matters how we talk about it. Then, we’ll explain why eviction rates remain above pre-pandemic levels in many parts of the country. Plus, some good news from the world of science about a malaria vaccine rollout in Ivory Coast and a $14 million investment in battery recycling. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Evictions Surge in Major Cities in the American Sunbelt” from The Wall Street Journal “Judge dismisses Trump’s classified documents case” from The Washington Post “Malaria Vaccines: Which Countries in Africa Are Using Serum’s New Shots?” from Bloomberg “It Will Soon Be Easier for Americans to Recycle Batteries” from Wired Biden-Harris Administration Announces $14 Million to Increase Domestic Battery Recycling from the U.S. Department of Energy “How can we talk about politics in the workplace?” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, July 13, 2024
A funding freeze for Biden
In the aftermath of the debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, money’s been talking. Major donors to a key pro-Biden super PAC are reportedly putting donations worth $90 million on ice if Biden stays in the race. We’ll get into what the funding freeze means for the future of Biden’s campaign. Plus, guest host Sabri Ben-Achour makes us smart about cricket protein powder. And we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Donors to Pro-Biden Super PAC Are Said to Withhold Roughly $90 Million” from The New York Times “Inside the glitzy Biden fundraiser that lost the president George Clooney” from The Washington Post “Silkworm satay? Singapore approves insects as food” from CNN “Dynamic pricing tech may brighten retail bottom lines and put consumers in the dark” from Marketplace “Kids want $70 wrinkle creams. Parents and lawmakers are “fighting a losing battle”’ from Marketplace “A Fancy Card Is Becoming the Only Way to Get a Restaurant Reservation” from The Atlantic “Influencer Style Case Risks More Stolen Vibe Suits From Creators” from Bloomberg Law “Amazon launched an AI shopping assistant — just in time for Prime Day” from Quartz Before you get your weekend started, send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, July 11, 2024
A new normal for interest rates?
If you’re waiting for interest rates to fall back to the near-zero levels of the 2010s, don’t hold your breath. On Capitol Hill this week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told senators that era is probably over. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack why more NATO members are spending more on defense and what’s causing widespread financial strain for hospitals and health systems. Plus, how things could change for federal agencies and lawmakers in a post-Chevron doctrine world. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Era of near-zero interest rates likely over: Powell” from The Hill “Fed steers interest rates on path toward ‘neutral'” from Marketplace “NATO’s place in the global economy” from Marketplace “NATO on the Edge: Biden Praises and Trump Denigrates a 75-Year Alliance” from The New York Times “Health care openings still hot amid cooling job market” from Marketplace “New AHA Report: Hospitals and Health Systems Continue to Face Rising Costs, Economic Pressures” from the American Hospital Association “With end of ‘Chevron deference,’ Supreme Court changes how agencies, lawmakers work” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, July 10, 2024
Who’s ready for retirement?
For the oldest members of Gen X, retirement is right around the corner. But a new report from BlackRock found only 60% of Gen X feels on track to retire, the lowest of any generation. We’ll do the numbers on which Americans feel confident in their retirement savings and what could explain generational and gender gaps. And, we’ll get into a social media horror story playing out at a Pennsylvania middle school. Plus, Team USA gymnasts will bring the sparkle factor to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Reality bites for Gen X retirement” from Axios “Read on Retirement” from BlackRock “Rules for 401(k) Withdrawals” from The Motley Fool “Students Target Teachers in Group TikTok Attack, Shaking Their School” from The New York Times “Team USA’s Olympic Gymnasts Will Wear Leotards With a Record Number of Crystals” from The New York Times “See the U.S. Olympic gymnastic team’s new leotards encrusted in crystals” from The Washington Post “SNL’s Teacher Sketch Gets Real About the Most Important Job: “Y’all Won”‘ from NBC Insider “‘Shrek 5’ Set for 2026 with Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz Returning” from The Hollywood Reporter We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, July 09, 2024
The problem with the American 30-year mortgage
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is as American as apple pie. But it wasn’t always this way, and it’s putting the housing market in a tough spot lately. A substantial amount of homeowners with low-rate mortgages are choosing to stay put in their homes rather than selling and buying a new one at higher rates. It’s created what’s known as a lock-in effect. On the show today, Andra Ghent, professor of finance at the University of Utah, explains how a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage became the norm in the United States, why it’s now putting the housing market in a bind, and how our mortgage system perpetuates inequality. Plus, could the Danish mortgage model work here? Then, we’ll get into why the Federal Trade Commission is eyeing pharmacy benefit managers, the third-party companies that negotiate drug prices between health insurance providers and drugmakers. And, an editor at The Points Guy shares the story of a travel lesson learned. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why do we have a 30-year mortgage, anyway?” from Marketplace “A Huge Number of Homeowners Have Mortgage Rates Too Good to Give Up” from The New York Times “A 30-Year Trap: The Problem With America’s Weird Mortgages” from The New York Times “Denmark’s genius housing fix” from Business Insider “Homeowners Don’t Want to Sell, So the Market for Brand-New Homes Is Booming” from The Wall Street Journal “FTC Releases Interim Staff Report on Prescription Drug Middlemen” from the Federal Trade Commision “F.T.C. Slams Middlemen for High Drug Prices, Reversing Hands-Off Approach” from The New York Times “State Pharmacy Benefit Manager Legislation” from the National Academy for State Health Policy “Prescription Drugs: Selected States’ Regulation of Pharmacy Benefit Managers” from the U.S. Government Accountability Office <br/
Tue, July 09, 2024
Let’s get smart about the 1.5 degree global warming limit
In June, global temperatures had surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for 12 months straight, encroaching on the goal set in the Paris climate accord. We’ll explain why scientists use 1.5 degrees as a key benchmark and why it’s important to have hard conversations about climate change. Then, we’ll get into an investigation revealing how insurers profited from false diagnoses of Medicare patients. And, a billion-dollar donation to a medical school and new developments in textile recycling make us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “In a troubling milestone, Earth surpasses 1.5 degrees C of warming for 12 consecutive months” from LA Times “June 2024 marks 12th month of global temperature reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial” from Copernicus “Burning Questions: What’s the deal with 1.5 degrees?” from Marketplace “‘We’re Not Dead Yet.’ Baby Boomers’ Good Times Drive the Economy.” from The Wall Street Journal “Insurers Pocketed $50 Billion From Medicare for Diseases No Doctor Treated” from The Wall Street Journal “How the Journal Analyzed Medicare Advantage Data” from The Wall Street Journal “Why scientists think they may finally have found a way to recycle clothes” from The Washington Post “Johns Hopkins to offer free medical school tuition from $1 billion Bloomberg Philanthropies grant” from The Baltimore Banner “$1 Billion Donation Will Provide Free Tuition at a Bronx Medical School” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, July 05, 2024
From “This Is Uncomfortable”: The high price of cheap clothes
Hey Smarties! We’re on a little break for the Fourth of July holiday. So today we’re bringing you an episode from our friends at “This Is Uncomfortable.” It’s all about the fashion industry and the workers who make the clothes we buy (and often throw away). In this episode, producer Alice Wilder introduces us to one garment worker’s personal fight for fair pay and the broader push to improve conditions for garment workers like her.
Thu, July 04, 2024
From “Million Bazillion”: Why is there so much gold at Fort Knox?
Hey Smarties! We’re off for the Fourth of July holiday. So today we’re bringing you a super fun episode of “Million Bazillion” that’ll teach you and your kiddos about a bit of our nation’s history and a highly secretive landmark. It’s all about Fort Knox, known as one of the most secure places in the world, and why it holds so much of the country’s gold. Plus, its role in stabilizing the U.S. economy in a time of crisis.
Wed, July 03, 2024
Our GPS system is wearing down
Much in our modern lives depends on GPS. But the United States’ GPS system is getting old and hasn’t kept up with international competition. We’ll get into how this leaves the U.S. vulnerable to national security threats. And, new data shows that as abortion protections have eroded across the country, more young women have been getting sterilized. Plus, one nonprofit’s work to give kids who’ve aged out of foster care a bona fide college move-in experience, and a women’s soccer stadium’s surprise success story. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why GPS Is Under Attack” from The New York Times “Rate of Young Women Getting Sterilized Doubled After Roe Was Overturned” from MedPage Today “Move-In Day Mafia Helps Kids From Foster Care Settle In College” from Black Enterprise “No One Wanted to Finance Their Stadium. Now Every Game Is a Sellout.” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, July 02, 2024
The evolution of the American office
It’s been about four years since the great remote work experiment took off for many employees who work computer-bound jobs. After plenty of back and forth between return-to-office mandates and work-from-home advocates, neither side really won. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the share of Americans doing some or all of their work from home has leveled off at about 35%. “We’re not saying this is the end of the office,” said Emma Goldberg, a reporter covering the future of work for The New York Times. “We’re saying this is certainly an evolution of how people have defined their expectations of when they’re supposed to be sitting at their desk.” On the show today, Goldberg explains who’s working from home these days and how it’s impacting both employees and their bosses. Plus, the commercial real estate question looming large over the remote work debate. Then, we’ll get into why the Joe Biden administration’s new protections for workers in extreme heat could be threatened by recent Supreme Court rulings and a potential second Trump presidency. Plus, some news on the Tesla downturn. Later, we’ll hear from listeners on their frustrations with wealth inequality and money’s role in politics. And, the CEO of GS1, the company administering retail barcodes, didn’t see the QR code takeover coming. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Work From Home Data Shows Who’s Fully Remote, Hybrid and in Person” from The New York Times “Research: How Remote Work Impacts Women at Different Stages of Their Careers” from Harvard Business Review “More Americans now prefer hybrid over fully remote work, survey finds” from Axios “Remote Workers Are Losing Out on Promotions, New Data Shows” from The Wall Street Journal “Dell said return to the office or else—nearly half of workers chose “or else'” from Ars Technica “Tesla delivered fewer vehicles to customers for the second quarter in a row” from The Verge “Biden to announce heat rules as climate-related deaths rise” from Politico
Mon, July 01, 2024
A one-two punch for the power of federal agencies
A Supreme Court ruling today gives companies a dramatically wider window to challenge federal regulations with lawsuits. We’ll get into why this is particularly important in light of a separate decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine, and how it could impact other federal regulations like the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on noncompete clauses. Then, we’ll discuss the Supreme Court’s decision on former President Donald Trump’s immunity case and where the heck we go from here. Plus, what you can do to protect the health of our democracy. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme Court rules Trump has some immunity in D.C. election interference case” from NBC News “Supreme Court Extends Time Frame for Challenges to Regulations” from The New York Times “Biden to extend overtime protections for 1 million workers” from The Hill Post on Bluesky from Squire Boone “American democracy is cracking. These ideas could help repair it.” from The Washington Post “Five Strategies to Support U.S. Democracy” from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace “How to Protect Democracy” from Protect Democracy “Opinion | John Lewis: Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, June 29, 2024
Our take on the debate (and drone light shows)
There were no fireworks for the Democratic Party during last night’s debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. While Trump made false claims throughout the night, Biden did little to assuage fears that he’s not up to the job. We’ll get into how the Biden campaign’s fundraising strategy is already shifting and what it might mean for downballot races. Then, we’ll weigh in on Fourth of July travel and drone light shows during a game of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Debate takeaways: Trump confident, even when wrong, Biden halting, even with facts on his side” from AP News “US Presidential Debate Viewership Analysis” from MiQ “Biden-Trump presidential debate draws 48 million TV viewers” from Axios “Politics and ‘a tale of different economies'” from Marketplace “Why taxpayers keep footing much of the bill for new sports stadiums” from Marketplace “Google puts an end to continuous scroll” from Marketplace “MTV News Website Goes Dark, Archives Pulled Offline” from Variety “Fourth of July travel is set to break records. Here’s how to plan.” from The Washington Post “Why drones are replacing fireworks shows” from National Geographic “We RICK ROLLED The City of Austin, TX With 600 Drones” on YouTube We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, June 27, 2024
SCOTUS shakes up SEC
The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a huge blow to the Securities and Exchange Commission today when it ruled against its use of in-house judges to enforce securities fraud laws. We’ll get into why the decision will make the SEC’s job harder and what it could mean for other federal agencies. Plus, we’ll bust a common myth about Social Security and explain why homeownership is key factor in how Americans are faring in this economy. Here’s everything we talked about today: “US Supreme Court faults SEC’s use of in-house judges in latest curbs on agency powers” from Reuters “The Supreme Court’s chaotic SEC v. Jarkesy decision endangers ‘hundreds of statutes'” from Vox “Social Security cuts are inevitable by 2035 unless lawmakers act” from Marketplace “How the Inflation Reduction Act could change the future of one Native American reservation” from Marketplace “Credit card delinquencies are climbing” from Marketplace “Are we living in a K-shaped economy?” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, June 26, 2024
Keeping up with the Supreme Court
This year’s Supreme Court decision season has been a busy one, and it’s not over yet. We’ll get into the court’s leaked opinion on emergency abortions and two other expected decisions that have the business world watching. Plus, another round of Cybertruck recalls and why it’s fine to keep referring to X as Twitter (per one Supreme Court justice). Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme Court Poised to Allow Idaho Emergency Abortions: Exclusive” from Bloomberg “Trump’s immunity, Jan. 6, abortion: The Supreme Court’s most controversial decisions are about to drop” from Politico “What would Congress do without Chevron deference?” from Roll Call “Tesla recalls every Cybertruck again” from Mashable “Tesla is recalling the Cybertruck again, this time because a piece can fly off” from CNN Tweet from John Shelton about the Supreme Court and the X/Twitter name debacle Your donation powers the journalism you rely on. Give today to support “Make Me Smart. “ We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, June 26, 2024
Are we living in a K-shaped economy?
In the wake of the COVID-19 recession, many economists were describing the United States’ economic recovery as K-shaped. Basically, high-income Americans bounced back quicker than those at the lower end of the income scale. So, did we ever ditch that K shape? The person who coined the phrase “K-shaped recovery” back then, says no. On the show today, Peter Atwater, president of Financial Insyghts and adjunct professor at the College of William & Mary, explains why he believes economic inequality has grown since the pandemic recovery, why considerable wage gains for low-wage workers tell only part of the story and the risks of letting a K-shaped economy run wild. Then, we’ll get into how the fragility of global shipping supply chains could be playing into Federal Reserve decisions on interest rates. And, happy wedding anniversary, Susanna! Here’s everything we talked about today: “The ‘K’ Is Not OK” from LinkedIn “Inflation Is Bringing Back the K-Shaped Economy” from Bloomberg “Behind America’s divided economy: Booming luxury travel and a jump in ‘relief’ loans” from CNBC “A tight labor market and state minimum wage increases boosted low-end wage growth between 2019 and 2023” from the Economic Policy Institute “U.S. Wealth Inequality: Gaps Remain Despite Widespread Wealth Gains” from the St. Louis Federal Reserve “First publicly funded religious charter school in US ruled unconstitutional” from The Hill “Fed’s Bowman Warns of Upside Risks to Inflation, Not Time to Cut” from Bloomberg <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/24/business/global-shipping-rates.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopen
Wed, June 26, 2024
Are we living in a K-shaped economy?
In the wake of the COVID-19 recession, many economists were describing the United States’ economic recovery as K-shaped. Basically, high-income Americans bounced back quicker than those at the lower end of the income scale. So, did we ever ditch that K shape? The person who coined the phrase “K-shaped recovery” back then, says no. “I think we’ve just gotten worse,” said Peter Atwater, president of Financial Insyghts and adjunct professor at the College of William & Mary. “Those at the top of the economic pyramid and those at the bottom have become even more divided.” On the show today, Atwater explains why he believes economic inequality has grown since the pandemic recovery, why considerable wage gains for low-wage workers tell only part of the story and the risks of letting a K-shaped economy run wild. Plus, which letter of the alphabet would best represent a healthy economy? Then, we’ll unpack an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision on a publicly funded religious charter school. And, we’ll get into how the fragility of global shipping supply chains could be playing into Federal Reserve decisions on interest rates. Later, a listener shares what led them to begin adapting their home to suit living with friends. And, happy wedding anniversary, Susanna! Here’s everything we talked about today: “The ‘K’ Is Not OK” from LinkedIn “Inflation Is Bringing Back the K-Shaped Economy” from Bloomberg “Behind America’s divided economy: Booming luxury travel and a jump in ‘relief’ loans” from CNBC “A tight labor market and state minimum wage increases boosted low-end wage growth between 2019 and 2023” from the Economic Policy Institute “U.S. Wealth Inequality: Gaps Remain Despite Widespread Wealth Gains” from the St. Louis Federal Reserve “First publicly funded religious charter school in US ruled unconstitutional” from The Hill “Fed’s Bowman Warns of Upside Risks to Inflation, Not Time to Cut” from Bloomberg </li
Mon, June 24, 2024
The conservative push to weed out anti-Trump federal workers
Groups aligned with former President Trump are hunting through information to come up with a list of federal employees who might be resistant to a second Trump administration. We’ll discuss the push to reshape government. Plus, is the urban/rural divide a myth? And, a viral voicemail pep talk from a testing center worker makes us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “In This Debate, CNN Is the Decider” from The New York Times “Growing rural-urban divide exists only among white Americans” from Cornell Chronicle “The Number of People Primarily Working From Home Tripled Between 2019 and 2021” from the U.S. Census Bureau “Conservative-backed group is creating a list of federal workers it suspects could resist Trump plans” from AP News “A 3-year-old voicemail goes viral, leads to emotional reunion” from The Washington Post “Why Men Are ‘Rawdogging’ Flights” from GQ We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, June 22, 2024
The IRS battles a fraud-plagued tax credit
Four years after the Internal Revenue Service created a tax credit to help struggling businesses get through the pandemic, the agency ultimately plans to reject the majority of claims filed under the program. We’ll explain how it became swamped with fraud. And, Major League Baseball legend Reggie Jackson opened up about the racism he and other Black players faced in the ’60s. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “IRS says it will deny most claims of pandemic tax credit for employers” from The Washington Post “With pardons in Maryland, 2.5 million Americans will have marijuana convictions cleared or forgiven” from The Associated Press MLB Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson recalls racism in baseball from Gary Parrish on X “It’s Time to Stop Inviting Plus-Ones to Weddings” from The Atlantic “First Came ‘Spam.’ Now, With A.I., We’ve Got ‘Slop’” from The New York Times “Netflix House Will Let You Experience Your Favorite Shows, Movies in Real Life” from Netflix Tudum “What’s to become of summer Fridays in the age of hybrid work?” from CNN “Surgeon General: Why I’m Calling for a Warning Label on Social Media Platforms” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Fri, June 21, 2024
Turbulent times at Boeing
This week, senators grilled Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun about the aviation company’s safety culture and its retaliation against whistleblowers. But these problems are just the tip of the iceberg for Boeing. We’ll explain. Plus, why President Joe Biden’s new immigration plan is a big deal. And, who knew there were this many cricket fans in the U.S.? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun testifies before Senate committee on safety issues” from CNBC “‘Why haven’t you resigned?’ Senators torch Boeing CEO as he apologizes for deadly failures” from Politico “Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun Apologizes for Quality and Safety Issues at Senate Hearing” from The New York Times “Boeing’s CEO Search Hits Some Snags” from The Wall Street Journal “President Biden Announces Plan for Undocumented Spouses on DACA Anniversary” from C-SPAN “Biden immigration program offers legal status to 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens. Here’s how it works.” from CBS News “The economy is roaring. Immigration is a key reason.” from The Washington Post “Supreme Court rejects challenge to tax on foreign corporate investments” from CNBC “The Supreme Court upholds a tax on foreign income over a challenge backed by business interests” from The Associated Press “The Supreme Court leaves a Trump-era offshore tax in place on investors” from NPR “Supreme Court Upholds Trump-Era Tax Provision” from The New York Times “ Rising Popularity of Cricket in US” from Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-14/uber-drivers-techies-score-wins-for-team-usa-at-icc-t20-world-cup-
Wed, June 19, 2024
From “What Happened in Alabama?”: The history of Black land loss
In honor of Juneteenth, we’re bringing you an episode of a new podcast from APM Studios that’s especially relevant on this holiday. In the podcast, “What Happened in Alabama?” host Lee Hawkins unpacks his family history, confronts cycles of trauma and grapples with an issue many Black families face: how to keep land in the family. This episode is about Black land loss. In 1910, Black farmers collectively owned over 16 million acres of farmland. A century later, over 90% of that land is no longer owned by Black farmers. Lee explores that tumultuous history and what Black families can do to hold on to their property. If you’d like to hear more episodes from the series, you can find “What Happened in Alabama?” wherever you get podcasts.
Wed, June 19, 2024
The economics of building a life around friends
A recent survey found that almost 15% of Americans have co-bought a home with someone other than a romantic partner, and almost half said they’d consider it. This is part of a larger trend — many Americans are choosing to structure their lives around friends as opposed to a spouse or romantic partner. On the show today, Rhaina Cohen, author of “The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center,” explains what it really means to build your life around friends and the financial costs and benefits that come with it. Plus, how the LGBTQ+ community has shaped the conversation around the issue. Then, we’ll unpack what baby boomers’ retirement readiness says about the wealth gap in the United States. And, the endless possibilities for crab emojis and why our intern, Thalia, was wrong about her curly hair. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why more people are buying houses with their friends” from Axios “What If Friendship, Not Marriage, Was at the Center of Life?” from The Atlantic “Inflation Widens Married Couples’ Money Lead Over Their Single Friends” from The Wall Street Journal “Want financial security in America? Better get married.” from Vox “Two Women Redefine What it Means to Marry Your Best Friend” from The New York Times “If you can’t stay indoors during this US heat wave, here are a few ideas” from AP News “Northeast Heat Wave 2024: This Is a Disaster. Treat It That Way” from Bloomberg “US Retirement Accounts Are Flush for Millions of Older Americans” from Bloomberg We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, June 18, 2024
The false economic narratives continue
With the elections for president, the Senate and the House just 4½ months away, misinformation is on the rise. We’ll get into the kind of false narratives to look for on the campaign trail. Plus, how loopholes in medical billing underscore the importance of change at the state and local levels. And, the story of a remote-controlled robot that rescues swimmers in distress. Here’s everything we talked about today: Post about the Republican National Committee from Jay Nordlinger on X “Even Doctors Like Me Are Falling Into This Medical Bill Trap” from The New York Times “Watch a robot race over Lake Michigan waves to help a swimmer” from MLive “Which sentence do you think is grammatically correct?” from YouGov We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, June 15, 2024
The problem with Trump’s idea to replace income taxes with tariffs
A new pitch from former President Donald Trump calls for replacing income tax with tariffs. We’ll get into why the math doesn’t add up. Plus, chemical hair relaxers are making Black women sick, so why are they still being sold? And, we’ll weigh in on Apple entering the AI race, Hollywood studios buying movie theaters, and using speakerphone in public during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: Post about Donald Trump’s “all tariffs policy” from Emily Wilkins on X “The Disturbing Truth About Hair Relaxers” from The New York Times “Alex Jones’ personal assets to be sold to pay $1.5B Sandy Hook debt. Company bankruptcy is dismissed” from The Associated Press “Why decaf coffee is growing in popularity” from Marketplace “Apple announces AI features” from Marketplace “Games Are Proving Their Pull on News and Tech Sites” from The New York Times “Sony Pictures Acquires Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Landmark Deal That Puts Studios Back in Theater Game” from The Hollywood Reporter “Living Out Loud, Headphones Nowhere to Be Found” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, June 13, 2024
The push to wipe medical debt from credit reports
About 15 million Americans collectively have $49 million in medical debt on their credit reports, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But a new proposed rule might remove these bills from their credit scores. We’ll explain. Plus, the domino effect of local elections being funded by national players. And, how Apple’s new AI features could change the language of emoji. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Vice President Kamala Harris On Sherri” from “Sherri” “CFPB Proposes to Ban Medical Bills from Credit Reports” from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau “CFPB Finds 15 Million Americans Have Medical Bills on Their Credit Reports” from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau “Biden Proposes Dropping Medical Debt From Credit Reports” from The New York Times “More parents are cosigning their kids’ mortgages” from Marketplace “Co-Borrowing Is on the Rise for First-Time Homebuyers” from Freddie Mac “Campaign donors hope money makes the difference in hotly contested states” from Marketplace “Apple Intelligence in 5 minutes” from Apple “Apple announces AI features” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.
Wed, June 12, 2024
The early bird dance club business is booming
It’s a New York edition of “Make Me Smart”! Marketplace’s Kristin Schwab joins Kimberly in the NYC bureau to discuss a growing trend in the city that never sleeps: Nightlife is winding down a lot earlier these days, and that might be good for businesses. But first, why Tornado Alley may be migrating east, and a deeper look into the legal loopholes of campaign finance. Plus, the rescue of an orphaned baby elephant is making us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tornadoes shifting east in the U.S., study finds, putting more people at risk” from The Washington Post “Everything You Need to Know About the New ‘Twisters’ Movie” from Parade “$800K transfer from billionaire donor to US Chamber raises curtain on dark money” from The Hill “Reservations at 5 p.m.? Why the early bird dinner is cool again” from The Globe and Mail “Forget Partying Till the Wee Hours. Newlyweds Want to End Early.” from The New York Times “This dance party made for elder Millennials ends at 10pm” from Time Out “6 p.m. dinner reservations are losing their stigma” from Marketplace “The Rescue of Toto” from Sheldrick Wildlife Trust “African elephants address one another with individually specific name-like calls” from Nature Ecology & Evolution “Scientists used AI to figure out elephants have names for themselves” from Business Insider We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, June 12, 2024
How the rise of judicial originalism has shaped our economy
It’s decision season for the U.S. Supreme Court, meaning the court is weighing in on a slew of cases dealing with a wide range of issues, including abortion medication restrictions and the power of federal agencies. One legal doctrine has become more and more influential in that decision-making: originalism. But Madiba Dennie, author of the new book “The Originalism Trap: How Extremists Stole the Constitution and How We the People Can Take It Back,” calls that a relatively recent phenomenon. On the show today, Dennie explains what originalism is, how it gained a foothold in American legal thought and why she believes its rise has eroded Americans’ rights and threatened economic stability. Plus, her idea for how we move forward. Then, we’ll get into the movie-worthy story of an African American man who escaped slavery and became a fierce critic of the Constitution. Plus, Patrick Schumacker, an executive producer of the TV series “Abbott Elementary,” answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Throw Originalism Out. It’s Time for Inclusive Constitutionalism.” from Slate “Originalism, Amy Coney Barrett’s approach to the Constitution, explained” from Vox “Even the Founders Didn’t Believe in Originalism” from The Atlantic “What is originalism? Did it underpin the Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion and guns? Debunking the myths” from The Conversation “The biggest 2024 Supreme Court rulings so far, and what’s still to come” from The Washington Post “A Furious, Forgotten Slave Narrative Resurfaces After Nearly 170 Years” from The New York Times “Facebook owner Meta seeks to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns” from AP News</
Mon, June 10, 2024
The long road to restore the Port of Baltimore
The main channel into the Port of Baltimore is expected to reopen soon, but the city is still dealing with the aftermath of the collapse of Francis Scott Key Bridge in late March. Guest host Amy Scott explains how the port’s closure has affected global supply chains, shipping container costs and life in Baltimore. Plus, a shake-up at the Federal Election Commission is making certain gray areas of campaign finance even grayer. Then, we’ll celebrate the first transgender and Asian American woman to be crowned Miss Maryland USA. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Full channel into Port of Baltimore expected to open ‘in the next few days,’ officials say” from The Baltimore Sun “With widened channel, port seeks to recover traffic lost after Key Bridge collapse” from The Baltimore Sun “Sudden container crunch sends ocean freight rates soaring, setting off global trade alarm bells” from CNBC “How the Federal Election Commission Went From Deadlock to Deregulation” from The New York Times “Bailey Anne Kennedy: Trans woman wins Miss Maryland USA, makes pageant history” from The Baltimore Banner “Gen Z Plumbers and Construction Workers Are Making #BlueCollar Cool” from The Wall Street Journal “A labor shortage stands in the way of the clean energy transition” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, June 08, 2024
Less is not always more in economic data
It’s Friday, folks! Today we’re talking about some news coming from former President Donald Trump, who has vowed to take away key spending powers from Congress if reelected. We’ll get into what that would mean in practice. Plus, we’ll talk through the latest from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which just announced it’ll be decreasing the number of households surveyed for important reports like the monthly jobs report. It’s a move that will make decoding what’s going on in our economy more a little more challenging. Plus, we’ll get into Bazooka gum, the rise of Uncrustables and Forever Stamps getting more expensive during a round of Half Full/Half Empty. Here’s everything we talked about today: “US Jobs Household Survey Size to Be Cut Due to Budget Constraints” from Bloomberg “Trump plans to claim sweeping powers to cancel federal spending” from The Washington Post “Does Texas need its own stock exchange?” from Marketplace “From school cafeterias to professional athletes, Uncrustables sandwiches are everywhere” from Marketplace “Bazooka Candy’s CEO on the brand’s sweet athlete investment deal” from Marketplace “Some New Yorkers are pushing for open streets to be permanent” from Marketplace “Forever stamps are about to get more expensive — again” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, June 06, 2024
Why the Fed won’t hop on the rate-cutting bandwagon just yet
The European Central Bank is joining Canada in cutting interest rates after months and months of holding them steady. But the U.S. Federal Reserve isn’t likely to follow suit, at least not yet. We’ll explain why. Then, we’ll dig deeper into the political and financial motivations for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s abrupt decision to block congestion pricing in New York City. Plus, what antitrust investigations into Nvidia, Microsoft and OpenAI could mean for AI mania. Here’s everything we talked about today: “European Central Bank Cuts Interest Rates for the First Time Since 2019” from The New York Times “ECB: Interest rates are coming down in Europe. The Fed won’t follow yet” from CNN “Canada becomes first G7 nation to cut interest rates” from Reuters “Advocates for congestion pricing want Governor Hochul to think about long-term benefits” from ABC7 New York “Big Auto And The Death Of Traffic Congestion Reform” from The Lever “Banerji: Seeing a true mania in Nvidia and meme stock trading” from CNBC “Angel Reese: People watch WNBA for me too, not just one person!” from ESPN “The ugly discourse surrounding Caitlin Clark” from The Washington Post Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!
Wed, June 05, 2024
What summer heat waves mean for prisons
Triple-digit heat waves are spreading across the Southwest, and many incarcerated people have to endure the extreme weather without air conditioning. We’ll get into why state legislatures have been slow to address the problem and why it’ll only get worse as temperatures rise. Plus, we’ll get into New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s last minute switch-up on congestion pricing. And, the story of a TikTok influencer treating day laborers to days off at Disneyland is making us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Hochul Halts Congestion Pricing in a Stunning 11th-Hour Shift” from The New York Times “A year of record global heat has pushed Earth closer to dangerous threshold” from The Washington Post “‘Cooking someone to death’: Southern states resist calls to add air conditioning to prisons” from Politico “This 27-year-old keeps taking day laborers to Disneyland. One thing always catches his attention” from CNN “Boeing Starliner launches 2 NASA astronauts into space in first piloted test flight” from Fox Business We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, June 05, 2024
The good, the bad and the ugly of election polling
With the 2024 election only five months away, polls abound. But since 2016, polls have had somewhat of a bad rap, and many Americans have become skeptical of their reliability. David Dutwin, senior vice president of strategic initiatives at NORC at the University of Chicago, said we’re thinking about polls all wrong. On the show today, Dutwin explains what polls can and can’t tell us, how to spot a high-quality poll and what kind of role polling should play in our understanding of elections. Plus, what’s keeping pollsters up at night. Then, we’ll talk about how the Joe Biden administration is addressing an issue that’s top of mind, according to a new Gallup survey: immigration. And, a Half Full/Half Empty update on the job market. Later, one listener’s small-scale solution to the Big Food problem, and a divisive grammar debate. Plus, a listener was wrong about the meaning of “vibecession.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “What Can Election 2024 Polls Really Tell Us?” from Scientific American “Polling in 2024” from Reuters View the latest national polls from FiveThirtyEight “Public Opinion Polling Basics” from Pew Research Center “We still don’t know much about this election — except that the media and pollsters blew it again” from The Washington Post “US Job Openings Fall to Lowest Since 2021 in Broad Cooldown” from Bloomberg “Immigration Named Top U.S. Problem for Third Straight Month” from Gallup “Biden issues new executive action: Much of southern border to close at midnight” from Politico <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-executive-order-asylum-b
Mon, June 03, 2024
A shadow looms over the Fed
The results of a new Bloomberg poll indicate that the markets suspect a second Trump presidency would put the Federal Reserve’s independence in jeopardy. We’ll get into what the former president’s advisors have said about his plans for the central bank. And, Republicans are gearing up to challenge upcoming election results while Democrats prepare to counter those lawsuits. Plus, why we want to be Simone Biles when we grow up. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Launch of NASA Astronauts in Boeing’s Starliner Is Scrubbed” from The New York Times “A Trump Win Would Threaten Fed Independence, Move Bonds: Poll” from Bloomberg “Washington Journal: Stephen Moore on Economic Issues and Campaign 2024” from C-SPAN “The legal fight over the 2024 election has begun” from Axios “Congress Just Made It Basically Impossible to Track Taylor Swift’s Private Jet” from Gizmodo “Clarence Thomas Secretly Accepted Luxury Trips From GOP Donor” from ProPublica “Simone Biles cruises to 9th national title and gives Olympic champ Sunisa Lee a boost along the way” from The Associated Press We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, June 01, 2024
The long game of high interest rates
The latest data from the Federal Reserve’s favorite inflation measure hinted that inflation is cooling. But the Fed is still on guard, meaning higher interest rates for longer than many had expected. We’ll get into how that will likely be felt differently by Americans at opposite ends of the income spectrum. Then, we’ll get into the risky return of zero-down mortgages. Plus, we’ll weigh in on Chevy Malibus and merch during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Inflation Remains Steady, With Signs of Further Cooling” from The New York Times “Zero-down mortgages are making a comeback” from CNN “CFPB Launches Inquiry into Junk Fees in Mortgage Closing Costs” from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau “GM to discontinue the Chevy Malibu later this year” from Marketplace “Zoom cashiers may signal a new era of digital offshoring and remote work” from Marketplace “Venice’s new admission fee cannot curb overtourism” from The Economist “Chobani Yogurt Founder Buys Anchor Brewing Company” from The New York Times “The End of Merch” from GQ We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, May 30, 2024
The growing troubles at OpenAI
A former OpenAI board member dropped a bombshell allegation about CEO Sam Altman and the company’s ethics. But this isn’t the first time employees have expressed safety concerns about the company. We’ll explain. Plus, a new rule aims to protect buy now, pay later users. And, how college sports might finally get recognized as a multibillion-dollar business. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Golden Triangle: How the CHIPS Act is changing one Arizona neighborhood” from Marketplace “What really went down at OpenAI and the future of regulation w/ Helen Toner” from The TED AI Show “Former OpenAI board member explains why they fired Sam Altman” from The Verge “Commissioner Sankey: ‘There’s no better time to be a student-athlete’” from SEC Sports “What to know about House v. NCAA settlement and a historic day for college sports” from The New York Times “Klarna CEO on CFPB declaration: Wise to put regulations around this” from CNBC “CFPB Takes Action to Ensure Consumers Can Dispute Charges and Obtain Refunds on Buy Now, Pay Later Loans” from Consumer Financial Protection Bureau “Buy now, pay later debt grows but is hidden from credit bureaus” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.
Wed, May 29, 2024
A Trump-Musk bromance
After years of having a frosty relationship, Elon Musk and Donald Trump are warming up to each other. We’ll discuss what a potential political marriage might mean for a second Trump administration. Plus, who actually donates to political campaigns? Later, we’ll smile about two giant pandas returning to D.C.’s National Zoo! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Fewer Americans to Make Political Donations in 2024” from LendingTree “Fewer Americans plan to donate to political campaigns: Survey” from The Hill “Inside Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Growing Alliance” from The Wall Street Journal “Two New Giant Pandas Coming to Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute From China by End of the Year” from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute “The Pandas Are Coming!” from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute “Latest North Korean Offensive: Dumping Trash on South Korea From the Sky” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, May 29, 2024
How Big Food changed the way we eat
Today we’re talking about food. Specifically, Big Food. In his book, “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry,” Austin Frerick, agricultural and antitrust policy fellow at Yale, argues the food system is the most consolidated sector in the United States. On the show today, Frerick explains how the American food system became so concentrated, how that’s inflated prices and eroded quality, and what we should do about it. Plus, Walmart’s role as king of grocery kings. Then, we’ll get into why Boeing can’t keep up with SpaceX. And, an expert on youth mental health (and former guest on “Make Me Smart”) was wrong about how teens curate their social media feeds. Here’s everything else we talked about today: “Lax Antitrust Enforcement Imperils The Nation’s Supply Chains” from Forbes “What Is “Big Ag,” and Why Should You Be Worried About Them?” from Union of Concerned Scientists “The problem with growing corporate concentration and power in the global food system” from Nature Food “Major retailers are offering summer deals to entice inflation-weary shoppers” from AP News “US Consumer Confidence Rises for First Time in Four Months” from Bloomberg “Inflation now means high prices, not just rising costs” from Axios “What do Americans think about inflation?” from The Brookings Institution “Bo
Sat, May 25, 2024
Biden doubling down on tariffs
More tariffs from the Joe Biden administration on Chinese goods are on the way, and he gave his blessing to some Trump-era tariffs. We’ll break it down. Plus, why a story about a local public library becoming an adults-only space may be a warning of things to come. Later, we’ll weigh in on Chuck E. Cheese’s animatronic band, whales sinking yachts and “quiet vacationing” during a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden Extends Tariff Exemptions on Some Imports From China” from Bloomberg “Donnelly Public Library announces it will become adults-only library, cites Idaho Legislature’s library bill” from KTVB “Employers can offer a new benefit: Matching student loan payments with 401(k) contributions” from Marketplace “After Outcry, Chuck E. Cheese Says It Will Keep More Animatronic Bands” from The New York Times “The Mad Scientist and the Killer Whales” from Rolling Stone “The restaurant reservation resale game is on the rise in New York City” from Marketplace “Some younger workers are ‘quiet vacationing’ rather than using PTO” from Marketplace Time is running out! Donate today to help us reach our fundraising goal and support public service journalism for all: support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Thu, May 23, 2024
How the Palestinian financial system is tied up in Israel
After Israel threatened to cut ties between Israeli and Palestinian banks, Treasury Secretary Yellen warned it could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and create economic instability in the West Bank. We’ll also explain one reason why U.S. military spending is so high, get updates on the AI economy’s hot shot, Nvidia, and the U.S. government’s battle against Big Ticket. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Yellen Warns Israel Against Cutting off Palestinian Banks” from The New York Times “Yellen concerned about Israel’s threats to cut off Palestinian banks” from Reuters VIDEO: “VIRAL MOMENT: Michael Waltz Confronts Air Force Officials With Staggeringly Expensive Components” from Forbes Breaking News “Pentagon falling victim to price gouging by military contractors” from CBS News “New Bipartisan Bill Allows Military Contractors To Fleece Taxpayers” from The Lever “Nvidia dominates in AI, but others are trying to chip away” from Marketplace “US sues to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation in a groundbreaking monopoly lawsuit” from CNN Business Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks and play a round of Half Full/Ha
Wed, May 22, 2024
Private equity, endless shrimp and Red Lobster’s decline
Red Lobster, the popular seafood chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week after closing dozens of locations. We’ll get into the company’s yearslong troubles and why its unlimited shrimp deal isn’t entirely responsible for the chain’s downfall. Then, we’ll discuss the challenges of battling misinformation in today’s fractured media landscape. Plus, WNBA players are slaying designer looks and defying stereotypes of women in sports. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tales From the Trenches of Red Lobster’s Endless Shrimp.” from Slate “Why Red Lobster Filed for Bankruptcy: It Wasn’t the Endless Shrimp” from Eater “As Red Lobster files for bankruptcy, changing tastes take a toll on its casual-dining competitors” from Marketplace “Majority of Americans wrongly believe US is in recession – and most blame Biden” from The Guardian “How Arizona is preparing for AI-powered election misinformation” from Marketplace “The WNBA Has Teamed Up With High Fashion. It’s a Slam Dunk” from The Daily Beast “General election latest: Rishi Sunak announces 4 July vote in Downing Street statement” from BBC Video of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announcing general election from Oz Katerji on X We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, May 22, 2024
Neoliberalism’s sleight of hand
Over the last 50 years, an ideology known as neoliberalism has transformed the American economy — for better or worse. The concept is often associated with Ronald Reagan, free markets and deregulation. But legal scholar Mehrsa Baradaran says there’s a lot we get wrong about the origins of neoliberalism and its true impact on society. On the show today, Baradaran, author of the new book “The Quiet Coup: Neoliberalism and the Looting of America,” explains what neoliberal ideology promised to do for the American economy, what it actually did and why she believes that looking to the free market might, ironically, be the only way forward. Then, why actress Scarlett Johansson isn’t cool with OpenAI’s new chatbot. And we’ll hear the sounds of cicadas! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Opinion | The Neoliberal Looting of America” from The New York Times “What is neoliberalism? A political scientist explains the use and evolution of the term” from The Conversation “Opinion | Time is up for neoliberals” from The Washington Post “Learning how to use AI could boost your pay by 25%, study finds” from CNN Business “Scarlett Johansson says OpenAI chatbot voice ‘eerily similar’ to hers” from Reuters We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Mon, May 20, 2024
Getting deep about deepfakes
Today, we’re talking about the different efforts to invest in artificial intelligence. First up, guest host Lily Jamali breaks down Argentina’s endeavor to turn the country into an AI hub. Then, we’ll discuss the use of AI and deepfakes in India’s election in an attempt to reach voters. Later, we’ll smile about America’s first Black astronaut candidate finally taking a trip to space. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Argentina’s Milei Plans to Meet With Zuckerberg at End of May” from Bloomberg “Indian Voters Are Being Bombarded With Millions of Deepfakes. Political Candidates Approve” from Wired Marketplace’s Decoding Democracy election series “Dirty Dancing, Back to the Future and E.T. Voted Best 80s Films: Poll Reveals Top 40 Movies From Big-Hair Days” from Good News Network “Ed Dwight Goes to Space 63 Years After Training as 1st Black Astronaut” from The New York Times “Can life exist on Europa, Jupiter’s moon?” from Marketplace We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, May 18, 2024
The price tag on friendship
Prices have been rising for pretty much everything these days. And for some, it’s raising the cost of making friends as more folks turn to paid activities like art classes and happy hours to socialize. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll explain the latest scandal that’s left the Supreme Court in a bind. Plus, we’ll weigh in on Chuck E. Cheese animatronics and bridesmaid debt during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Supreme Court Justice Alito’s House Displayed a ‘Stop the Steal’ Flag After Jan. 6” from The New York Times “Want to Make a New Friend? How Much Money Have You Got?” from The Wall Street Journal “Watching the NFL This Season? You’ll Need at Least 5 Streaming Services” from How-To Geek “Chuck E. Cheese saying goodbye to animatronic band” from CBS News “The Bridesmaids Going Into Debt for Their Friends’ Weddings” from The Cut “Mindy Kaling Shares Her Simple but Important Advice for The Office Spinoff’s New Cast: ‘I Was Not Professional'” from People “The days of free refills may be over” from Marketplace “It was a classic rap beef. Then Drake revived Tupac with AI and Congress got involved” from NPR Donate $10 or more to get a Shrinkflation mini tote bag and do your part to keep our public service journalism going strong. <b
Fri, May 17, 2024
Whaddya wanna know about key inflation measures?
Inflation isn’t going anywhere, and listeners wanna know what’s up with two of the government’s inflation measures. Today, we’re answering some nerdy econ questions about the consumer price index and personal consumption expenditures price index. We’ll also answer questions about how the Supreme Court gets funded and the ins and outs of joint fundraising committees. Got a question you’d like us to answer? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voice mail at 508-U-B-SMART! Here’s everything we talked about today: “How does the government measure inflation?” from Brookings “Why the PCE is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation” from Marketplace “What is the Core PCE price index?” from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis “Courts, Programs, and Other Items Funded by Congressional Appropriations for the Federal Judiciary” from the Congressional Research Service “US judiciary set to receive modest spending boost from Congress” from Reuters “Judicial Compensation” from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts “Inside the Rent Inflation Measure That Economics Nerds Love to Hate” from The New York Times “A guide to political money: campaigns, PACs, super PACs” from Associated Press “Joint fundraising: A campaign strategy to increase contributions” from Marketplace <a href="https://www.fe
Wed, May 15, 2024
The great Bumble fumble
Today, we’re diving into Bumble’s controversial anti-celibacy ad campaign, what it says about the state of dating apps and why some women are joining the anti-patriarchy movement. It’s time for a Kimberly rant. Plus, more updates on the Baltimore bridge collapse. Later, we’ll get queasy about cicadas and smiley about puppies! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Bumble’s billboard ads sneered at celibacy as an alternative to dating — and the company got stung” from The Associated Press “The Controversy Around Bumble’s Anti-Celibacy Billboards” from The Cut “Singles done with dating apps opt for speed-dating, matchmaking” from Marketplace Apology from Bumble on Instagram “What the 4B movement and boycotting men tells American women about where we are” from USA Today Preliminary Report on Baltimore Bridge Collapse from The National Transportation Safety Board “It’s on (for now): Biden and Trump agree to 2 debates” from Politico “Cicadas Are Here in St. Louis, and Here’s What You Need to Know” from The Riverfront Times “We tried to pet all 200 breeds at the Westminster dog show” from The Washington Post We want to hear your cicada stories! Share them with us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, May 14, 2024
From “Million Bazillion”: What are labor unions?
With the big push to unionize auto workers in the South , it looks like it might be another hot labor summer. And if you and your little ones have questions, this episode is for you! Today, we’re bringing you a special episode from Marketplace’s kids podcast, “Million Bazillion,” all about the history of labor unions, collective bargaining and how unions changed the way we work. Plus, how many hours a day should a person work? Kids have thoughts! The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Joe Rush in Florida. Give now and double your impact: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Mon, May 13, 2024
The value of “third places”
A “third place” is where people hang out when they’re not at home or work, and they’re becoming increasingly important for building community and connection. Guest host Reema Khrais explains why we’re hearing a lot more about them these days and shares the story behind her own third place. But first, we’ll discuss the knock-on effects of falling birth rates across the globe, why some cities are lowering speed limits, and why we don’t recommend throwing darts at stock listings. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Suddenly There Aren’t Enough Babies. The Whole World Is Alarmed.” from The Wall Street Journal “Why New York City is lowering its speed limit” from Vox “Why accidents aren’t accidental” from The Gray Area with Sean Illing “The Random Path to Stock-Market Riches” from The Wall Street Journal “If you want to belong, find a third place” from Vox We want to hear about your third place! Tell us about it at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART. The next $50,000 in donations to Marketplace will be matched, thanks to a generous gift from Joe Rush in Florida. Give now and double your impact: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Sat, May 11, 2024
What grocery aisle gossip can tell us about the economy
The latest survey data from the University of Michigan shows consumer sentiment in the U.S. is at a six-month low. We’ll unpack the numbers and get into what they can and can’t tell us about what’s really going on in the economy. And, a plan to split up U.S. Cellular between T-Mobile and Verizon is in the works. It’s part of a larger fiasco brewing at the Federal Communications Commission. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: Consumer Sentiment Index from the University of Michigan “T-Mobile, Verizon in Talks to Carve Up U.S. Cellular” from The Wall Street Journal “A solar storm could produce northern lights in US” from AP News “Apple is revamping Siri with generative AI to catch up with chatbot competitors, report says” from Business Insider “Millions more Americans travel to bird-watch. Texas businesses are cashing in.” from Marketplace “McDonald’s Will Offer a $5 Meal Deal to Lure Customers Back Into Stores” from Yahoo Finance “Bluey Is Back! Disney Announces Collection of New ‘Minisodes’ Are Coming Soon” from People We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART. Plus, support our nonprofit newsroom today and pick up a fun thank-you gift like our new Shrinkflation mini tote bag or the fan favorite KaiPA pint glass!
Thu, May 09, 2024
The lowdown on joint fundraising committees
Joint fundraising committees allow aligned political campaigns to raise more money faster. We’ll break down how these operations work and how they’re affecting the cost of elections. Then, guest host Sabri Ben-Achour explains why China’s electric vehicle industry may not be at “overcapacity,” as U.S. and European officials have argued. Plus, artists’ fears summed up in one controversial iPad Pro commercial. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Joint fundraising: A campaign strategy to increase contributions” from Marketplace “U.S., Europe vexed by China’s ‘overcapacity’ of clean-energy goods” from Marketplace “OpenAI’s Brad Lightcap on new content tool, copyright claims and AI outlook” from CNBC “OpenAI says it’s building a tool to let content creators ‘opt out’ of AI training” from TechCrunch “Watch Apple Trash-Compact Human Culture” from The Atlantic “Apple’s new iPad ad has struck a nerve online. Here’s why” from AP News Shrinkflation tote bags, mini pencils, maybe even some KaiPA glasses — check out our May fundraiser thank-you gifts and make your donation to support our newsroom today: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn
Wed, May 08, 2024
A phantom debt menace
Increasingly popular buy now, pay later services allow shoppers to split their purchases into smaller, recurring payments. We’ll get into why these loans are blurring economists’ understanding of today’s consumer debt landscape. We’ll also discuss President Joe Biden’s climate and infrastructure spending spree, and the knock-on effects of parents dying from drug overdoses. Plus, singer Tyla’s sandy Met Gala look, and forgotten 100-year-old love letters make us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “More than 320000 U.S. children lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011-2021” from Axios “Playbook: Biden’s race to Trump-proof his legacy” from Politico “Biden’s biggest challenge: How do you even spend $1.6 trillion?” from Politico “‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Has Americans Racking Up Phantom Debt” from Bloomberg “Video: See moment Tyla is carried up Met Gala steps” from CNN “Tyla’s sand-covered Met Gala 2024 gown was chopped in half after the red carpet” from Page Six “When to use buy now, pay later services” from Marketplace “Hidden love letters spark historical mystery in Baltimore” from The Baltimore Banner We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, May 08, 2024
The power of college endowments
College endowment funds are at the center of student protester’s calls for their schools to divest from Israel. Charlie Eaton, a sociology professor at the University of California, Merced, and author of “Bankers in the Ivory Tower,” said the size of these funds have created a moral dilemma for the wealthiest universities. On the show today, Eaton explains how college endowments work, why most universities don’t disclose how those funds are invested, and how colleges could manage their endowments to better align with their values. Then, we’ll check-in on the youths. And, Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop, the puppet, answer the Make Me Smart question. Plus, a tribute to Jasper. Here’s everything we talked about today: “University endowments show few signs of direct Israel, defense holdings” from The Washington Post “If the divestment movement succeeds, will it have an economic impact?” from Marketplace “Gaza protests: Divestment from Israel becomes focus of student demands” from The Washington Post “Students protest Gaza war: The history of divestment protests” from Marketplace “Top companies are on students’ divest list. But does it really work?” from NPR “Gen Z Sinks Deeper Into Debt” from The Wall Street Journal “Abortion bans drive away up to half of young talent, new CNBC/Generation Lab youth survey finds” from CNBC “Businesses are speaking out against anti-LGBTQ laws” from Marketplace <
Mon, May 06, 2024
Private equity is coming for pet care
Private equity plays a major role in lots of sectors across the U.S. economy, and now it’s getting into the veterinary business. Today, Kimberly discusses the rise of these big outside investors in pet care and the financial and emotional decisions we make in caring for our beloved pets. Plus, we bid Jasper goodbye. But first, Amy breaks down a pair of cases involving the popular housing site Redfin and what they mean for how homes are bought and sold. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Redfin to pay $9.25M to settle commission lawsuits” from Inman “Redfin settles commission lawsuits for $9.25 million” from HousingWire “When Buying a Home Is Treated as a National Security Threat” from The New York Times “Vets fret as private equity snaps up clinics, pet care companies” from Stateline “Why Your Vet Bill Is So High” from The Atlantic “Workday Has Become the Most-Hated Workplace, Business Software” from Business Insider We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, May 04, 2024
Europe’s new economic engines
Southern European economies, including Greece, are growing faster than some of Europe’s longtime powerhouses, like Germany. We’ll get into how Greece pulled off an economic turnaround after the devastating 2012 financial crisis. And, Halle Berry’s shouts from the steps of the Capitol are calling attention to the need for more menopause research. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Europe’s Economic Laggards Have Become Its Leaders” from The New York Times “Halle Berry shouts from the Capitol, ‘I’m in menopause’ as she seeks to end a stigma and win funding” from AP News “Dave & Buster’s to let adult customers bet on arcade games” from Marketplace “As work communication migrates to mobile devices, desk phones hang up for good” from Marketplace “Pop-up coworking events are uniting lonely workers” from Marketplace “The conspiracy theory behind Florida’s lab-grown meat ban” from The Verge “Unfrosted Review: Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tarts Comedy Is Painfully Stale” from IndieWire Want more “Make Me Smart” in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter .
Thu, May 02, 2024
No “stag” no “flation”
It’s time to rewind and revisit some of the big business stories of the week. First up, stagflation. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell isn’t seeing signs of it, and neither is Kai Ryssdal. We’ll explain why. Plus, what Walmart’s decision to shut down all of its health clinics says about the U.S. health care system. Also, we’ll break down the latest efforts to restructure the American economy through the CHIPS Act. And, a singer’s plea to protect artists from AI-generated deepfakes. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Fed Holds Rates Steady, Noting Lack of Progress on Inflation” from The New York Times “GDP growth slowed to a 1.6% rate in the first quarter, well below expectations ” from CNBC “Walmart to close its 51 health centers and virtual care service” from Associated Press “Walmart shuttering health units, including telehealth and 51 clinics” from Yahoo Finance “Walmart Health Is Closing” from Walmart “Breaking Ground: A visit to the “Silicon Desert” from Marketplace ”Senate Hearing on Digital Replicas and Artificial Intelligence Concerns” from C-SPAN “FKA Twigs Reveals She Developed Her Own Deepfake in Congressional Testimony on AI Regulation With Warner Music CEO” from Variety “Spotting tech-driven disinformation isn’t getting easier” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@marke
Thu, May 02, 2024
The rising pressure on poll workers
With the presidential election less than six months away, election workers are raising concerns about their safety. We’ll get into the rising threats to election offices and how that might affect staffing ahead of November. Also, how Tesla’s disbanding of its Supercharger team could impact the Biden’s administration push to expand electric vehicle use. Plus, how a pest control professional saved a baseball game from a swarm of bees. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Nearly Two-Thirds Of Election Officials Worry Politicians Will Interfere With Their Work: Poll” from HuffPost “Local Election Officials Survey” from the Brennan Center for Justice “They staffed the Jan. 6 committee. Threats still follow them” from Roll Call “Musk Undercuts Tesla Chargers That Biden Lauded as ‘a Big Deal’” from Bloomberg “Pest control ace clears Dodgers-Diamondbacks bee swarm, throws first pitch” from United Press International We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, May 01, 2024
The trade-offs of the trade deficit
Today we’re talking about the trade deficit at the request of some of our curious listeners. Since the mid-’70s, the U.S. has persistently been importing more goods than it exports. Is that such a bad thing? We’ll hear from Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy at Cornell University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, about why the U.S. has a trade deficit, whether it’s a good or bad thing, and why a country’s overall trade deficit matters more than deficits with specific countries. Then, we’ll get into how online political donations are fueling election campaigns this year. Plus, the malleable idea of “old age” and the wonders of happy sheep in a solar field. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trade deficits aren’t good or bad, just weird” from Marketplace “The U.S. Trade Deficit: How Much Does It Matter?” from the Council on Foreign Relations Historical U.S. Trade Deficits from the St. Louis Fed “Chinese Exports Are Threatening Biden’s Industrial Agenda” from The New York Times “Trump promised to rebalance trade in North America. The US trade deficit keeps climbing.” from Politico “How online donations are fueling the election” from Politico <a href="https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-ELECTION/POLLING/gdpzdolqxpw/?gaa_at=g&gaa_n=ARTJ-U94xEaFgKUEWJC0N7UO5q6F6Ha4O1syqZfE1S9nXqjrW5sjXNTABXBVe8NZfs4jtEfqx_RS5WndJ-EZ2vv-sbsoVeD62A%3D%3D&gaa_ts=6630df84&gaa_sig=vfGkZ9KozbKv5QEhHcU8Ltd1rDSpDAXA4_EWrAOMsH94Ujy
Mon, April 29, 2024
Biden’s regulation rush
Nope. It’s not just your imagination. The Biden administration has been on a roll to finalize several regulations — from changes at nursing homes and updates to Title IX to health care protections for transgender people. Kimberly explains what’s really behind the mad dash. Also, Kai is back with a reminder: Don’t sleep on the foreign exchange market, folks! And we’ll smile about the tales of two cats. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden administration strengthens health care protections for LGBTQ+ Americans” from The 19th News “Congressional Review Act Threat Looms Over Biden Administration Rulemakings” from Inside Privacy “A Strong U.S. Dollar Weighs on the World” from The New York Times “Japan Intervenes After Yen Slides Against the Dollar” from The Wall Street Journal “Nebraska’s “Capitol Cat” brings paw-sitivity to politics” from USA Today “Stowaway Cat Gets From Utah to California in Amazon Returns Package” from The New York Times We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, April 27, 2024
College campus protests and the value of a degree
Protests over Israel’s war in Gaza have erupted at universities across the United States. We’ll discuss what the sweeping protests and other high-profile political battles at colleges could mean for the economics of higher education. And, what the Federal Reserve might look like under a second Donald Trump presidency. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Protests Threaten College Graduations, Denying Seniors Second Chance at Normalcy” from The New York Times “What students say about the protests rocking their campuses” from The Washington Post “Americans are falling out of love with the idea of college” from Noahpinion “Americans Are Losing Faith in College Education, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds” from The Wall Street Journal “Trump Allies Draw Up Plans to Blunt Fed’s Independence” from The Wall Street Journal “Job trend ‘resenteeism’ has employees coasting through workdays and hanging on, rather than quitting” from Fox Business “How science could disrupt the gin industry” from Marketplace “Celebs head to DC for correspondents’ dinner: Here’s who’s coming” from The Hill “California lawmakers are tired of Clear’s airport line-cutters — but airlines are not” from Fast
Thu, April 25, 2024
A stock pop and a stock flop
It was a big week for tech earnings calls. Guest host Nova Safo unpacks how they went down for Tesla and Meta, and why the stock market reacted so differently to what their CEOs had to say. Plus, what Boeing’s troubles say about the state of U.S. manufacturing. And, would you try an AI-generated gin cocktail? Here’s everything we talked about today: Tesla, Inc. Q1 2024 Financial Results and Q&A Webcast “Elon Musk Would Like to Talk About AI” from Heatmap News Meta Q1’24 Earnings Presentation “Boeing failures are a case study of America’s manufacturing “dark age” from Marketplace “How science could disrupt the gin industry” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.
Thu, April 25, 2024
To ban or not to ban
Today, we’re talking about two different kinds of bans. As expected, President Joe Biden signed the TikTok sell-or-ban bill. But first, guest host Meghan McCarty Carino breaks down the Federal Trade Commission’s decision to ban noncompete agreements and their impact on workers and innovation. Plus, we’ll smile about Emily Dickinson and her newfound love of exclamation points!!! And how “old” is “old”? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Business Groups Race to Block FTC’s Ban on Noncompete Agreements” from The Wall Street Journal “FTC Bans Noncompete Agreements That Restrict Job Switching” from The Wall Street Journal “Did California’s Noncompete Ban Fuel Silicon Valley Innovation?” from Bloomberg Law “Banning Noncompetes Is Good for Innovation” from Harvard Business Review “TikTok may be banned in the US. Here’s what happened when India did it” from The Associated Press “U.S. Approves Sale of Dating App Whose Owners Were Probed by National Security Officials” from The Wall Street Journal “Grindr sold by Chinese owner after US raised national security concerns” from TechCrunch “People think ‘old age’ starts later than it used to, study finds” from the American Psychological Association “Eternity Only Will Answer” from Poetry Foundation Want more Make Me Smart in your life? Sign up for our newsletter at marketplace.org/smarter .
Tue, April 23, 2024
The dollar store dilemma
Several American dollar store chains have been down bad these days. Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only have all recently announced store closures. On the other hand, Dollar General is poised to expand. This has us wondering: What’s going on with the dollar store business model? Has today’s inflationary economy broken it? On the show today, Sandro Steinbach, professor of agribusiness and applied economics at North Dakota State University, explains the economics behind dollar stores, how they keep prices so low, and the impact they have on different communities. Then, we’ll discuss privacy risks while using popular dating apps. And, what the Australian kids’ show “Bluey” can teach us about the economy. Here’s everything we talked about: Video: “How can dollar stores still sell things for a dollar?” from Marketplace “Why are discounters like 99 Cents Only Stores in dire straits?” from Marketplace “Here’s How Dollar General Keeps Its Prices at Rock-Bottom” from Business Insider “The Dollar-Store Showdown Comes Down to Real Estate” from The Wall Street Journal “Dollar store expansion and independent grocery retailer contraction” from Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy “The American dollar store has fallen on hard times” from CNBC “Dating apps are collecting more of your information than you think” from The Washington Post “Justice Department Reaches Civil Settlement with Hundreds of Victims Abused by Lawrence Nassar”<
Tue, April 23, 2024
Big change coming to nursing homes
Today, the Biden administration announced plans to implement strict staffing requirements at nursing homes. Kimberly Adams unpacks what this rule may mean for care and the nursing home business model. Plus, guest host Nova Safo returns to discuss the United Auto Workers’ historic victory in the South and the latest troubles at Tesla. And, high-speed rail is finally coming to the U.S. Here’s everything we talked about today: “UAW wins big in historic union vote at Volkswagen Tennessee factory” from Reuters “Tesla shares tumble on price cuts in run-up to earnings” from Reuters “Biden administration finalizes controversial minimum staffing mandate at nursing homes” from CNN “Nursing homes must hit minimum staffing levels under new federal rule” from The Hill “Long Term Care Insurance Costs by State and Region” from New York Life “How much does long-term care insurance cost?” from CBS News “I’m 68 and My Long-Term Care Insurance Now Costs $600 Per Month. Is This Too Much?” from Yahoo Finance “Nine practices from Native American culture that could help the environment” from The Washington Post “From Sin City to the City of Angels, building starts on high-speed rail line” from The Associated Press We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, April 20, 2024
A revamp for Title IX
The Joe Biden administration announced highly anticipated updates to Title IX. The new rule expands protections for LGBTQ+ students and sexual assault survivors. But it stops short of addressing the rights of trans athletes. Then, we’ll get into the outrageous hoops rich people jump through to get out of paying state taxes. Plus, we’ll weigh in on swapping seats on airplanes and more in a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “How to Avoid State Taxes? New York Rich Use Private Jets” from Bloomberg “New Title IX rules protect LGBTQ+ students, avoids trans athletes” from AP News “New Title IX rules offer ‘comprehensive coverage’ for LGBTQ+ students and sexual violence survivors” from The 19th “As drive-thrus get bigger, some cities aren’t lovin’ it” from Marketplace “Make robots like Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas hairy” from The Verge “Washington, D.C., is a test case for phasing out the tipped minimum wage” from Marketplace “Pringles Crocs: New shoes, ankle holster and crisp flavor unveiled” from Axios “The Four Most Divisive Words on a Flight: Will You Swap Seats?” from from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Thu, April 18, 2024
What you need to know about tariffs
The Biden administration is aiming to triple tariffs on Chinese steel to protect U.S. manufacturers. Sound familiar? We’ll explain who is actually paying the price and what raising tariffs would mean for U.S. workers. We’ll also get into why economic data doesn’t always translate into how voters view the economy, especially in an election year. And, what the buzz over the popular animated series “Bluey” is all about. Here’s everything we talked about today: “President Biden Gives Remarks on Labor Unions and Manufacturing Jobs in Pittsburgh” from C-SPAN “Biden vows to shield US steel industry by blocking Japanese merger and seeking new Chinese tariffs” from The Associated Press “Once again: Who pays for tariffs on Chinese steel?” from Marketplace “Fed Chair Powell delivers remarks at the Washington Forum on the Canadian economy” from CNBC “Fed Chair Jerome Powell Dials Back Expectations on Interest-Rate Cuts” from The Wall Street Journal “It’s getting harder to predict the economy’s effect on presidential elections” from Marketplace “Caitlin Clark Selected No. 1 Overall by the Indiana Fever” from ESPN “Wait, Caitlin Clark Is Only Getting Paid $76,000?” from The Wall Street Journal “Hall of Fame college coach Dawn Staley Reflects on the state of women’s basketball.” from NPR “Political advertisers worry about reaching sports fans streaming their games” from Marketplace Bluey “The Sign” Official Trailer “The Non-Parents’ Guide to Bluey” from Vulture <a href="https:/
Thu, April 18, 2024
A new day for labor organizing in the South?
A union election at Volkswagen is testing the power of the United Auto Workers. As voting gets underway this week, guest host Nova Safo explains what unionization could mean for three big automakers and the labor movement in the South. Plus, how a unanimous Supreme Court ruling expands the scope of workplace bias suits. And, why Billy Joel came up at a Pentagon press briefing. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The South has few unionized auto plants. Workers say this one could be next.” from The Washington Post “Supreme Court makes it easier to sue for job discrimination over forced transfers” from The Associated Press “Hugh Grant says he took ‘enormous sum’ to settle suit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun tabloid” from The Associated Press “Conservative Broadcaster OAN Settles Defamation Claims by Voting-Machine Company Smartmatic” from The Wall Street Journal Pentagon press conference moment from Travis Akers on X Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (Official HD Video) We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Wed, April 17, 2024
What we often get wrong about teens and screen time
There’s been a lot of debate lately about the potential effects of smartphones and social media on young people’s mental health. Some states like states like Florida and Utah have even tried to ban kids from using social media apps until they reach a certain age. But Mikey Jensen, professor of clinical psychology and director of the Interactions and Relationships Lab at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, said outright bans could do more harm than good. On the show today: How smartphones and social media are reshaping our lives. And why we should focus on the quality of kids’ online time instead of the amount of it. Then, we’ll get into the cost of a major ransomware attack for a health care company and its clients. And, the mini pencil economy and what a history professor got wrong about ancient Rome. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness?” from Nature “The Phone in the Room” from The New York Times “I Asked 65 Teens How They Feel About Being Online” from The Cut “What the evidence really says about social media’s impact on teens’ mental health” from Vox “UnitedHealth to take up to $1.6 billion hit this year from Change hack” from Reuters “Change Healthcare stolen patient data leaked by ransomware gang” from TechCrunch “IMF Steps Up Its Warning to US O
Tue, April 16, 2024
The rise of the (tax) resistance
It’s Tax Day! Millions of Americans have already filed their 2023 returns, but today we’re talking about tax protesters and the moral and ethical reasons some refuse to file their taxes or pay what they owe. Plus, the “no landing” scenario has entered the chat. And, what are we getting wrong about the cosmos? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Taxes are due even if you object to government policies or doubt the validity of the 16th Amendment’s ratification” from The Conversation “Taxes 2024: I stopped paying taxes a decade ago. The results shocked me.” from Slate “‘The 401(k) industry owns Congress’: How lawmakers quietly passed a $300 billion windfall to the wealthy” from Politico “Fed Hiking Rates to 6.5% Is ‘Real Risk’ for UBS Strategists” from Bloomberg “March retail sales data show the American consumer is still pretty strong” from Axios “World’s top cosmologists convene to question conventional view of the universe” from The Guardian We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Sat, April 13, 2024
Why owning a car is getting so expensive
It’s hard to get around without a car these days. But in the last couple of years, owning one has become very expensive. We’ll explain the deceptive practices happening in the auto lending market. And, we’ll explain how Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s power in the Democratic Party was demonstrated by a campaign contribution. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty and weigh in on “dumbphones” and adult gap years. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Ocasio-Cortez Never Steered Money to a Key Arm of Her Party. Until Now.” from The New York Times “The rise of the scammy car loan” from Vox “Decades later, Bonnie Tyler still finds new fans for her hit song every total eclipse” from CBC Radio “Tech is supercharging pre-employment personality tests” from Marketplace “The Dumbphone Boom Is Real” from The New Yorker “Broadband ‘nutrition labels’ help you comparison shop for cable” from Marketplace “Brands in Space: What’s behind the rush to advertise in the final frontier?” from Marketplace “‘Companies are starting to realize burnout is an issue’: Meet the lucky workers taking sabbaticals and ‘adult gap years’ to recharge” from Fortune <
Thu, April 11, 2024
Bonds, Boeing and Beyoncé
Today, we’re discussing the bond market’s big reaction to the latest inflation news and why you shouldn’t worry about it. Plus, a new Boeing whistleblower comes forward, and Beyoncé calls out the home insurance industry. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Bonds are talking to us after inflation gauge comes in above forecasts” from Marketplace “US consumer prices heat up in March; seen delaying Fed rate cut” from Reuters “$6.6 billion TSMC deal in Arizona the latest in the CHIPS Act’s rollout” from Marketplace “TSMC: Biden to give Taiwanese company $6.6 billion to ramp up US chip production” from CNN “Biden administration bets an old plant can make new chips” from Marketplace “‘Benefit of the doubt running thin with Boeing’: Capt. Dennis Tajer on whistleblower claims” from CNBC “Boeing whistleblower says the Dreamliner 787 could ‘break apart’ because of safety flaws, report says” from NBC Beyoncé’s YA YA (Clean Version) Video breaking down Beyoncé’s “YA YA” from Daryl Fairweather on X Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. We’ll have news, drink, and play a round of Half Full/Half Empty.
Wed, April 10, 2024
The last mile of the inflation fight just got bumpy
Inflation is coming in hot! Today’s consumer price index shows prices kept rising in March. Kai Ryssdal explains the one thing everybody should be doing right about now in addition to taking a deep breath! Plus, the rising cost of insurance — from homeowners coverage to life insurance — and what companies are doing to dump customers. Also, hear a whale talk to a scientist. Here’s everything we talk about today: “Hot Inflation Report Derails Case for Fed’s June Rate Cut” from The Wall Street Journal “Insurers Are Spying on Your Home From the Sky” from The Wall Street Journal “The Soaring Cost of Homeowners Insurance” from Comstock’s Magazine “MassMutual is rolling out free genetic testing for members, a dicey area for life insurers” from STAT+ “The scientists learning to speak whale” from BBC Solar Grazing Resources from the American Solar Grazing Association We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Tue, April 09, 2024
The EV market’s growing pains
There’s a lot of buzz about a slowdown in the electric vehicle market. EV sales , while still growing, are not accelerating at the pace of just a few years ago. At the same time, EV makers from Tesla to General Motors and Ford are pushing back EV plans. So, what gives? On the show today, Robinson Meyer of Heatmap explains what’s really happening with the U.S. EV market, what it’s going to take to rev it back up, competition from China and whether moves by the Biden administration will be enough to help domestic EV producers pull ahead. Then, can robots make the meatpacking industry safer? Plus, in celebration of Monday’s solar eclipse, a planetary scientist answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “What happened to EVs?” from Business Insider “Opinion | China’s Electric Vehicles Are Going to Hit Detroit Like a Wrecking Ball” from The New York Times “The key to growing EV adoption is cars with lower sticker prices. They may be on their way.” from Marketplace “Here Comes the Flood of Plug-In Hybrids” from Wired “How Americans view electric vehicles” from Pew Research “Tesla’s Sales Drop, a Sign That Its Grip on the E.V. Market Is Slipping” from The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024
Mon, April 08, 2024
A new round of student debt relief
The Biden administration is in a mad dash to address student debt relief ahead of the presidential election. A new plan could benefit tens of millions of Americans. We’ll explain. Plus, a Kai rant about a CEO who gets too much attention. And, there seems to be a market for everything! We’ll tell you about a new fad involving kids and mini pencils. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden announces new student debt relief plan for millions of borrowers” from The Hill “Biden seeks student debt relief for millions” from NPR “Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Might Face Interest-Rate Spike” from The Wall Street Journal “2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA” from NASA “Hot Market for Pencils Help Kids Turn Lead Into Gold” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
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