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 ...
Jul 25, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1211
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 tell...
Jul 24, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1210
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 le...
Jul 24, 2024•22 min•Ep. 1209
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 questi...
Jul 23, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1208
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 eve...
Jul 20, 2024•26 min•Ep. 1207
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...
Jul 18, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1206
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...
Jul 17, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1205
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...
Jul 16, 2024•33 min•Ep. 1204
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 inve...
Jul 15, 2024•17 min•Ep. 1203
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...
Jul 13, 2024•21 min•Ep. 1202
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 everythin...
Jul 11, 2024•22 min•Ep. 1201
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’...
Jul 10, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1200
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 th...
Jul 09, 2024•30 min•Ep. 1199
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 text...
Jul 09, 2024•20 min•Ep. 1198
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....
Jul 05, 2024•34 min•Ep. 1197
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....
Jul 04, 2024•27 min•Ep. 1196
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...
Jul 03, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1195
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 ...
Jul 02, 2024•25 min•Ep. 1194
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 c...
Jul 01, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1193
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 everyt...
Jun 29, 2024•31 min•Ep. 1192
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 ...
Jun 27, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1191
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...
Jun 26, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1190
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...
Jun 26, 2024•20 min•Ep. 1189
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 America...
Jun 24, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1188
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 ...
Jun 22, 2024•22 min•Ep. 1187
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 resigne...
Jun 21, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1186
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...
Jun 19, 2024•48 min•Ep. 1185
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 fi...
Jun 19, 2024•27 min•Ep. 1184
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 ...
Jun 18, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1183
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 ...
Jun 15, 2024•22 min•Ep. 1182
