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, fearin...
Oct 26, 2024•34 min•Ep. 1271
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 tapin...
Oct 24, 2024•32 min•Ep. 1270
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 o...
Oct 23, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1269
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 he...
Oct 22, 2024•31 min•Ep. 1268
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 co...
Oct 21, 2024•20 min•Ep. 1267
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 ...
Oct 19, 2024•24 min•Ep. 1266
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 compani...
Oct 17, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1265
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 C...
Oct 16, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1264
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...
Oct 15, 2024•30 min•Ep. 1263
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...
Oct 15, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1262
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 execu...
Oct 12, 2024•22 min•Ep. 1261
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...
Oct 10, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1260
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 President...
Oct 09, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1259
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 pressure...
Oct 08, 2024•42 min•Ep. 1258
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 Th...
Oct 07, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1257
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: “Octo...
Oct 05, 2024•26 min•Ep. 1256
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 Reser...
Oct 03, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1255
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 tra...
Oct 02, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1254
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 ...
Oct 02, 2024•24 min•Ep. 1253
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...
Sep 30, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1252
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 ...
Sep 28, 2024•21 min•Ep. 1251
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 Pit...
Sep 26, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1250
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 S...
Sep 25, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1249
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....
Sep 24, 2024•31 min•Ep. 1248
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 Florid...
Sep 21, 2024•23 min•Ep. 1247
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 cos...
Sep 19, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1246
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 interes...
Sep 18, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1245
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 governmen...
Sep 18, 2024•29 min•Ep. 1244
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 Fe...
Sep 16, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1243
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 ...
Sep 14, 2024•22 min•Ep. 1242
