Kai was joined onstage by economics author, educator, and content creator Kyla Scanlon to talk about AI, prediction markets, Federal Reserve independence, and the war in Iran. Later, former “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio joined Kai to discuss his experience rebuilding after the LA fire and his new job as Marketplace senior correspondent covering future effects.

Note: This show was recorded on March 29, and the situation in Iran has changed since then. Follow our latest coverage here.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Solarpunk: A Container for More Fertile Futures" from Solarpunk Magazine
• "Tired of Dystopian Sci-Fi? You Might Like Solarpunk." from Mother Jones
• "Sunshine and Seedlings" from Hydroponic Trash
• "Underground" from Tractor Beam
• Chobani ad on YouTube

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "With Ring, American Consumers Built a Surveillance Dragnet" from 404 Media
• "Surveillance company Flock generates controversy, and L.A. customers" from The L.A. Times
• "Ring Ends Deal to Link Neighborhood Cameras After Backlash to Super Bowl Ad" from The New York Times
• "All the Ways Big Tech Fuels ICE and CBP" from Wired
• "Inside a Powerful Database ICE Uses to Identify and Deport People" from 404 Media

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Artemis II is unlikely to be the cultural touchstone Apollo 8 was, and that's OK" from Ars Technica
• "Isaacman aims to reinvigorate NASA’s image, starting with the moon" from Politico
• "Trump FY2027 NASA Budget Supports Moon Missions, But Cuts Everything Else" from SpacePolicyOnline.com
• "Big Banks Seeking a Piece of SpaceX’s I.P.O. Must Subscribe to Elon Musk’s Grok" from The New York Times
• "SpaceX quietly files for big bang IPO" from SpaceNews
• "Artemis II: What's on the Menu?" from NASA
• "Astronaut Reid Wiseman was wrong about how rockets get to space" from Marketplace

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "At "Super Bowl of the energy industry," war in the Middle East is the hot topic" from Marketplace
• "Gas prices eclipse $4 a gallon in the US, the highest since 2022" from AP News
• "How Blocking Oil and Gas From Leaving the Strait of Hormuz Ripples Around the World" from The New York Times
• "Venezuela oil production has reached 1.1 mln bpd in March" from Reuters
• "Energy demand from AI " from the International Energy Agency

Got a question about the Iran war and its impact on the global economy? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about:

• "Hanami - Cherry Blossom Festival" from the U.S. National Park Service
• "Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales" from BBC News
• "American Sake Is Having a Major Moment" from Bloomberg

• "How to Drink Sake, According to Pros" from Wine Enthusiast

  
  

  https://www.instagram.com/p/DI0C02mRKbB/

If you count on this show to bring a little clarity to the chaos, consider pitching in. Donate now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Iran War’s Hidden Front: Food, Water, and Fertilizer" from the Council on Foreign Relations
• "The Iran War’s Other Energy Shortage—Food" from The Wall Street Journal
• "Energy shock talk grabs headlines but the Iran war is also driving the world towards a food crisis" from The Guardian
• "Russia reaps fertiliser windfall from Iran war" from The Financial Times

If “Make Me Smart” adds something meaningful to your week, we’d love your help keeping it going. Donate now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "MAGA Inc.’s $300 Million War Chest Waits for Go-Ahead From Trump" from Bloomberg
• "Super PAC spending passes $200M, with some groups hiding their cause" from The Washington Post
• "Big-spending Democratic PACs see mixed results in Illinois" from Semafor
• "This Supreme Court decision could upend millions in political spending ahead of the midterms. Here’s how the parties are preparing." from Politico
• "Pivotal U.S. Supreme Court Case Could Further Reshape Federal Campaign Finance Law" from Bernstein Shur

Got a question about the Iran war and its impact on the global economy? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Leads the Wave Back to Korea from Foreign Policy
• BTS Is Back With ‘Arirang,’ but the K-Pop Landscape Has Changed from The New York Times
• K-everything: the rise and rise of Korean culture from The Guardian 
• "Americans Are Learning Korean Because of ‘KPop Demon Hunters’" from The New York Times
• "What’s So Special About Korean Sunscreens?" from Vogue
• "How K-pop Stars Are Leading Mental Health Conversations for AAPI People and Beyond" from Teen Vogue

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• A look at how the Oscar best picture nominees have fared at the box office from AP News
• "Disney’s Surprise Box-Office Champion is ‘Zootopia 2,’ Thanks to China" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "The Movie Theater Comeback That Wasn’t: Why 2025 Was Such a Dud for Struggling Cinemas" from Variety 
• "Teamsters Call on DOJ to Stop Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: “We’ve Seen What Happens When Corporations Consolidate Power'" from The Hollywood Reporter
• "Paramount Wins, Everybody Loses" from Vulture 
• "Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing" from “The Journal” 
• Amy’s documentary film: ”Saving Etting Street”

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Winners, losers and runoffs: How Texans’ November ballot is shaping up after the primaries" from KUT News 
• "Across Texas, early voters share what’s pushing them to the polls for the 2026 party primaries" from KUT News
• "Big money moved the needle and down-ballot chaos reigned in Texas' action-packed primaries" from The Texas Tribune
• "Bo French, Jim Wright head to runoff for seat on Texas Railroad Commission" from The Texas Tribune
• "Big Red Is Texas Barbecue’s Unofficial Signature Soda" from Texas Highways
• "Why Topo Chico Is The Fizzy Water With A Loyal Fan Base" from Southern Living

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Iran strike marks first time U.S. used new one-way attack drones in combat" from Task and Purpose 
• "Iran Fires Cheap Drones Into Arab Countries, Wreaking Havoc" from The New York Times
• "How are Drones Changing War? The Future of the Battlefield" from the Center for European Policy Analysis 
• "America’s Eroding Airpower" from the Center for New American Security 
• Obama’s Final Drone Strike Data from the Council on Foreign Relations  

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Vermont Housing Needs Assessment" from the State of Vermont
• "Vermont is overhauling Act 250. Here’s what the development maps look like so far" from Vermont Public
• "Vermont develops catalog of prevetted home designs for faster building" from VTDigger
• "Green Mountain Grub: The Best Things to Eat in Vermont" from Food Network

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Milan Cortina Paralympics guide: Winter Games celebrate 50 years and Russian flag returns" from AP News 
• "Para Ice Hockey - About the Sport" from the International Paralympic Committee
• "Record 15.4 Million Total Viewers Watch Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Across NBCUniversal" from NBCUniversal
• "It Shouldn’t Be This Expensive to Be a Paralympic Athlete" from Self Magazine

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Oklahoma fire crews battling several wildfires" from KOSU
• "Oklahoma-based federal ag workforce lost nearly 1 in 5 of its employees last year" KOSU
• "Hunger rose slightly in the U.S., a new report shows. The USDA says it will stop tracking the data" from Harvest Public Media 
• "Oklahoma had a bumper wheat crop, but it's not alone. Here's what that means for producers" from KOSU
• "Beef prices keep rising. What will it take to bring them down?" from Marketplace
• "Gen Z Doesn’t Go to the Club. They Party at Coffee Shops Instead." from Texas Monthly
• "Job hunters turn to "reverse" recruiters to get an edge" from Marketplace
• "Americans drank more milk in 2024, reversing a decade-long decline" from Harvest Public Media 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Author and journalist Aymann Ismail wants his kids to grow up with a real connection to their Egyptian roots, including speaking Arabic. For his family, that means committing to a private Islamic school — and figuring out how to afford tuition.

“This Is Uncomfortable” host Reema Khrais sits down with Aymann as he walks through his family budget and the financial trade-offs that decision requires. They talk about what’s at stake for him, financially and culturally, and why holding onto Arabic feels especially urgent right now.

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And if you want to tell us what you thought about the episode or about a tricky financial decision you’ve made, email us at uncomfortable@marketplace.org or call 347-RING-TIU. And follow our new social accounts on Instagram and Tiktok @ThisIsUncomfortablePod

“Work Drama” is the “This Is Uncomfortable” advice column, answering your questions about sticky work situations. This week, Reema tackles your questions about workplace tension, co-worker cliques, bosses behaving badly, and some bizarre office policies. And she’s joined by one of our favorite culture writers and podcasters, Sarah Hagi, who hosts “Scamfluencers.”

If you have any work drama going on, we want to hear about it! You can send it to us at uncomfortable@marketplace.org, leave a message at 347-RING-TIU, or fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• VIDEO: "Reality Check: What's Really Going On With Families" from the Aspen Institute
• "Voters See a Middle-Class Lifestyle as Drifting Out of Reach, Poll Finds" from The New York Times
• "The good, the bad and the ugly of election polling" from “Make Me Smart” 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

President Trump has shown no signs of easing his pressure campaign on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. But this could spell trouble for Trump’s pick for Powell’s successor, Kevin Warsh. Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall-Genzer joins Kimberly to explain. Plus, we’ll get into what you should know about Warsh’s history at the Fed and more of the latest news from the central bank.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump’s Political Drama With Powell Overshadows Fed Rate Decision" from The New York Times 
• "What would Kevin Warsh bring to the Federal Reserve?" from Marketplace
• "Fed keeps interest rates unchanged, despite pressure from Trump" from Marketplace
• "Trump Needs an Off-Ramp for Powell Feud to Speed Warsh Into Fed" from Bloomberg
• "The economic headache that's coming for Kevin Warsh" from Politico

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Winter Olympics 2026 guide: All you need to know about the Milan Cortina Games" from AP News
• "Milan Cortina Olympics: Figure skating could have multiple American golds" from Yahoo Sports
• "What Should I Watch at the 2026 Winter Olympics?" from The Cut
• "Around 5 billion people - 84 per cent of the potential global audience - followed the Olympic Games Paris 2024" from the International Olympic Committee 
• "To Go for the Gold, These Olympians Went Into the Red" from The Wall Street Journal

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Inside the relentless race for AI capacity" Financial Times
• "Redwood Materials built record grid storage project using old EV batteries" Canary Media
• "Just how big is the AI investment wave?" from Reuters
• "YouTube says battling ‘AI slop’ is a top priority" from The L.A. Times
• "TikTok-like microdramas are going to make billions this year, even though they kind of suck" from Tech Crunch
• "Apple to Revamp Siri as a Built-In iPhone, Mac Chatbot to Fend Off OpenAI" from Bloomberg 
• "Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT. Here’s How They’ll Work" from Wired

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump World Is Picking Sides in the Battle for Warner Bros." from The Wall Street Journal
• "Is the US Media Captured?" From Columbia Journalism Review
• "Trump's Year of Media Capture" from Rolling Stone
• "Inside Bari Weiss’s Hostile Takeover of CBS News" from The New Yorker
• "Rodney Benson on the Value of Publicly Backed Journalism" from Columbia Journalism Review

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Minnesota business owners feeling the effects of ICE enforcement actions" from MPR News
• "As immigration raids roil Minnesota, corporate leaders stay silent" from Marketplace 
• "Tim Walz drops out of Minnesota governor’s race, Klobuchar considers jumping in" from Politico
• "With limited political power, Minnesota Democrats navigate resistance to Trump" from MPR News
• "Walz's exit from Minnesota governor's race will pose challenges for both parties" from MPR News
• "What to Nosh in the North Star State: Minnesota's Most-Iconic Dishes" from Food Network 
• "Photos: The Minneapolis music scene, from the 1980s to now" from MPR News

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Check out new episodes from “This Is Uncomfortable:”

• "We're back: How much money is ‘enough’?" from “This Is Uncomfortable”
• "Surviving job hunting hell" from “This Is Uncomfortable”
• "The number of long-term unemployed is growing. What does that tell us about the economy?" 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.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Jan. 6 — five years later" from Politico 
• "Trump's push to politicize the Fed could cause further market "volatility'" from Marketplace 
• Post by @kyledcheney.bsky.social 
• "‘The courts are helpless’: Inside the Trump administration’s steady erosion of judicial power" from CNN Politics 
• "Trump’s ‘Superstar’ Appellate Judges Have Voted 133 to 12 in His Favor" from The New York Times
• "Supreme Court blocks Trump effort to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois" from Politico 
• "Supreme Court appears skeptical of Trump admin's tariff arguments" from Marketplace 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Gov. Hochul, Mayor Mamdani announce push for free child care for NYC 2-year-olds" from Gothamist 
• "NYC to provide expansion of free child care in "high-need" areas" from Marketplace
• "MAMDANI’S FIRST 100 DAYS: Mayor signs executive orders targeting junk fees and subscription traps" from amNY
• "The Mamdani vs. big business era begins as mayor pledges 'economic justice'" from Gothamist
• "Politics Trump administration freezes $10 billion in child, family aid to 5 states over fraud concerns" from CNBC  
• "The new go-to for Napa Valley wine lovers? Costco" from Marketplace 
• "Google adds proofreading, AI summaries to Gmail with new update" from Marketplace 
• "Why you should put down your phone and daydream instead" from The Washington Post
• "At grocery stores, shopping with a side of biometric surveillance" from Marketplace

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Experts react: The US just captured Maduro. What’s next for Venezuela and the region?" from the Atlantic Council
• "Donald Trump asserts control over Venezuela—and all the Americas" from The Economist
• "For Big Oil, Venezuela's reserves show long-term promise" from Marketplace  
• "What Is the Monroe Doctrine, and How Is Trump Reasserting It?" from Time
• "Dispatches from Venezuela: Red roofs and the new ogling" 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.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How my Altadena neighbors are rebuilding, one year since the Eaton Fire" from Marketplace 
• "L.A. wildfires broke record for costliest in the history of the planet" from the San Francisco Chronicle 
• "These numbers tell the story of the Los Angeles wildfires, one year later" from AP News
• "Marketplace’s David Brancaccio on community, loss and rebuilding in Altadena" from Marketplace
• "To rebuild homes cheaper, faster and safer, some want new rules" from Marketplace

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Nikki Massie never had a reason to question her salary. After more than a decade with the same company, she’d earned awards, promotions and the trust of co-workers who felt like family. But then one day, she discovered she might have missed out on tens of thousands of dollars over the years. Nikki began to wonder: What do you do when you suspect you’ve been underpaid? And at what point do you consider walking away? 

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. And to get even more Uncomfortable, subscribe to our newsletter!

When newlyweds Chantal and Travis Lisback started searching for their dream home in Seattle, they weren’t entirely on the same page. Chantal was eager to settle down as soon as possible, while Travis was more comfortable waiting a few years. As the search dragged on, what began as a shared dream started to feel more like a standoff. 

This week, a story about how a big life decision can bring to light the money and communication issues you didn’t know were there. Plus, later in the episode, Chantal and Travis sit down with financial therapist Aja Evans to unpack what’s happening beneath the surface, and how to approach money fights with more care and intention. 

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend!

The holidays are just around the corner. And for many, it might mean being a guest at, or hosting, a friendsgiving get-together or other holiday party. Regardless of which side of the gathering you’re on, it can be stressful. But fret not! Casey Elsass, author of the book “What Can I Bring? Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life,” joins Kimberly from New York City to share tips on how to host and attend a great holiday party without breaking your bank account. Plus, we’ll play a round of This or That!

Anime had a big year in 2025. The animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” broke Netflix’s record for most-watched movie on the streaming platform. And “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" became the top-grossing international film ever at the North American box office. When “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” debuted in theaters earlier this year, Kimberly spoke with Crunchyroll’s executive vice president of global commerce Mitchel Berger about the strategy behind the film’s release and the future of anime content.

Today we’re diving into the business of music. Trapital founder Dan Runcie joins Kimberly to explain what Anthropic’s recent copyright settlement with authors could mean for record labels who’ve sued AI companies, the “fair use” debates dominating the music industry, and why even the biggest stars are struggling to create chart-toppers these days. Plus, we’ll celebrate a win from one of our listeners.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump shook up global trade this year; some uncertainty may persist in 2026" from Reuters
• "Trump tests his 'affordability' message in a midterm battleground district" from NBC News 
• "This K-shaped economy is reliant on high-income spenders" from Marketplace
• "Jerome Powell’s era of consensus at the Fed is over" from CNN Business
• "Missouri House advances proposal that could curtail ballot initiatives passing" from STLPR 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

For many people gathering around the table this holiday season, things feel a little different. Maybe it’s the cost of ingredients that’s on your mind, or cuts to USDA funding that have left your food bank running low. Or maybe it’s the simple reality of a packed schedule — there’s a lot to cook, and so little time. 

In this special from Marketplace, we bring listeners a collection of stories on the business and economics of food. Our reporters take us across the country to farms, home kitchens, and restaurants. We visit a refugee farmer in Houston, a chocolate-making lab in California, and stop for a bite at an award-winning restaurant in Portland. 

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "New Report Reveals Crisis Point for America’s 63 million Family Caregivers" from AARP 
• "How To Prepare To Be A Caregiver And Manage The Costs" from Today 
• "5 Powerful Tips to kick off “the Talk” with Your Loved Ones" from Happy Healthy Caregiver
• "How to Make a Caregiving Plan (So It’s Ready When You Need It)" from The New York Times

If our reporting has been valuable to you in 2025, consider becoming a Marketplace Investor. Give now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "What Role Do Immigrants Play in The Direct Long-Term Care Workforce?" from KFF
• "Trump’s deportation plans threaten 400,000 direct care jobs: Older adults and people with disabilities could lose vital in-home support" from Economic Policy Institute 
• "A brief history of Medicaid and America’s long struggle to establish a health care safety net" from The Conversation 
• "The age-old problem of long-term care" from MIT News 
• "Solving the Home Care Quandary" from The New York Times

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Caregiving in the US 2025" from AARP
• "The number of “sandwich generation” caregivers is growing" from Marketplace 
• "If Americans Were Paid For Their Caregiving, They Would Make More Than $1.1 Trillion" from the National Partnership for Women and Families
• "Returning to the Workforce After Being a Caregiver" from Harvard Business Review
• "Invisible crisis: America’s caregivers and the $600 billion unpaid cost of their labor" from ABC News
• "Caregiving in the US 2025: Caring Across States" from AARP

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s what we talked about on the show today:

• “Florida and the U.S. were spared of hurricanes in 2025, but storms are still rapidly intensifying” from WUSF
• “Hurricane Helene Response” from US Army Corps of Engineers
• “Assessment of Agricultural Losses Resulting from Hurricane Milton” from University of Florida IFAS
• “Disaster and insurance costs are rising. The middle class is struggling to hang on” from NPR
• “Sorting trash can be dirty and dangerous. Sounds like a job for AI” from Marketplace
• “Disney comes to Sora: What you can and can't do with the characters” from Axios
• “How fruitcake became a Christmas classic (even if it’s unpopular)” from MSN
• “City life is reshaping raccoons – and may be nudging them toward domestication” from The Guardian

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Fed lowers interest rates again amid debate over inflation, jobs” from The Washington Post
• “Trump to start final Fed chair interviews beginning with Kevin Warsh” from CNBC
• “What a Fed rate cut means for your home, car and credit card loans” from The Washington Post
• “Watch out for these refinancing red flags” from Marketplace Morning Report

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Companies are betting on deep sea mining for critical minerals” from Marketplace Tech
• “New policies may part the waters for ocean mining” from Marketplace Morning Report
• “In the depths of the ocean, a new contest between the US and China emerges” from The Guardian
• “Trump’s New Executive Order Promotes Deep Sea Mining in US and International Waters While Bypassing International Law” from Inside Climate News

Here’s what we talked about on the show today:

• ”September retail sales fail to impress” from Marketplace
• ”Black Friday, Cyber Monday spending expected to top records” from Marketplace
• ”Black Friday Sales Spike Despite Economic Uncertainty, Study Shows—Here’s Why” from Forbes
• “‘Tis the season for credit card debt” from Marketplace
• ”How are retailers benefiting from the "buy now, pay later" boom?” from Marketplace
• ”What is your Spotify listening age?” from Marketplace
• ”More than 8 in 10 Americans are more likely to purchase secondhand gifts this year” from Retail Brew
• ”Target Launches New AI-Powered Features to Make Holiday Shopping Easier, Smarter and More Fun” from PR Newswire

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Here’s everything we talked about today:

• ”It’s My Party and I’ll Leave When I Want To” from Intelligencer
• ”Gerontocracy is everywhere” from Slow Boring
• ”How baby boomers got so rich, and why their kids are unlikely to catch up” from The Washington Post
• ”The Age Divide: How America’s Electoral System Reinforces the Gerontocracy” from New America
• ”The Everywhere Millionaire” by Owen Zidar

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s the article we talked about today:

• "How Forbes Sent E-mails to the Future—And What Happened 20 Years Later" from Scientific American 

Become a Marketplace Investor today, and your impact will be  doubled. Give now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Why are sports betting companies getting into the prediction market?" from Marketplace
• "FanDuel, DraftKings Leaving American Gaming Association" from The Closing Line
• "From Kalshi to Polymarket to FanDuel, America Is One Giant Casino" from Business Insider
• "What is Kalshi, the predictions market that’s attracted the NCAA’s attention?" from The Athletic
• "The Sports-Betting Disaster" from The New Yorker
• How to contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “What Can I Bring? Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life” from Hachette Book Group
• “Potluck problems solved: Recipes that travel well and always impress” from MPR News
• “Americans Need to Party More” from The Atlantic
• “2024 Is the Year of the Dinner Party” from Eater
• “Song of the Shirt” from Thomas Hood

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Cop30 live: current climate pathway ‘a death sentence for many’, says UN secretary-general" from The Guardian 
• "Debatable: How to fight climate change" from Semafor
• "With Trump absent from COP30 talks, the world moves on without U.S." from The Washington Post 
• "Brazil Officials Are Divided Over Fossil Fuel Plan at COP30" from Bloomberg
• "India wants COP30 to focus on climate adaptation, but dries up own fund" from Al Jazeera  

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The State of the Affordable Care Act" from KFF Health News
• "Oz: Trump administration weighing ACA subsidies extension" from The Hill 
• "8 Things to Watch for the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period" from KFF 
• "Obamacare sticker shock is more shocking in some states than others" from Politico
• "GOP plans to replace Obamacare have failed. Here’s what lawmakers propose now." from Washington Post  

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Latinx Files: Recapping the Latin Grammys" from The Los Angeles Times
• "Immigration crackdown, visa issues spark issues for Latin music festivals" from Marketplace 
• "New Statistics Underscore Las Vegas' Prolonged Tourism Slump" from Travel Pulse
• "Healthcare costs continue to be at the heart of the government shut down as costs will still increase" from KNPR
• "He has a soulful voice, a No. 1 hit and he's not real. Meet AI star Breaking Rust" from USA Today
• "The death of the penny is leaving businesses stuck in the middle" from Marketplace
• "The growing business of disconnecting" Marketplace
• "Holiday catalogs are making a comeback" Marketplace
• Test your news knowledge with Marketplace’s new weekly quiz

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Court appears dubious of Trump’s tariffs" from SCOTUSblog
• "Trump floats $2,000 tariff rebate checks: Here's what you need to know" from CNBC
• "Trump claims tariff loss would force $3 trillion ‘unwind'" from Axios
• "If SCOTUS strikes down President Trump's current tariffs, he has plenty of other options" from Marketplace
• "How Congress Gave Up Its Own Power" from Time
• "Senate sinks measure to block military action against Venezuela" from Politico

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Singles’ Day is a $150B holiday in China. Here’s why I think ‘11/11’ will catch on in the US" from The Conversation 
• "The rise of singlehood is reshaping the world" from The Economist
• "The rise of the ‘solo economy’ is driving new consumption patterns" from Futures Platform 
• "The ‘singles tax’ means you often pay more for going it alone. Here’s how it works" from The Conversation 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How do data centers figure into Virginia's 2025 elections?" from VPM News
• "Virginia’s Rural Voters Shift 12 Points Toward Democrats" from The Daily Yonder
• "Soaring energy prices gave Democrats a winning message" from Semafor
• "Pumpkinscaping could be coming to a porch near you" from Marketplace
• "iRobot Is in Trouble, but Roomba Is Already Dead" from Wirecutter
• "How is this novelty team outselling over half the MLB?" from Marketplace 
• "What Travelers Need to Know About the Shutdown, Flight Reductions and Delays" from The New York Times 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "This Year’s Nobel Physics Prize Showed Quantum Mechanics Is a Big Deal—Literally" from Scientific American  
• "The Next Big Quantum Computer Has Arrived" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "Google Measures ‘Quantum Echoes’ on Willow Quantum Computer Chip" from Scientific American 
• "Futuristic quantum computing stocks take speculators on roller-coaster ride" from Reuters
• "Here’s How Quantum Computing Could Change the World" 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.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Global Story, The Supreme Court battle over Trump’s tariffs" from the BBC World Service
• "Geopolitics of Trump Tariffs: How U.S. Trade Policy Has Shaken Allies" from Council on Foreign Relations
• "The president who cried tariffs: will the US supreme court challenge Trump’s trade war?" from The Guardian  
• "China and India pledge to be 'partners not rivals'" from BBC News 
• "The rise and fall of globalisation: the battle to be top dog" from The Conversation

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Financial Anxiety Is Rising. Here’s What You Can Do About It" from Bloomberg
• "Your Professional Decline Is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think" from The Atlantic
• "8 Things to Watch for the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period" from KFF
• "People insured through their employers likely to see higher premiums in 2026" from Marketplace
• "Government shutdown resources for federal employees" from Partnership for Public Service
• VIDEO: ”Inkwo for When the Starving Return Official Trailer” from the National Film Board of Canada
• "Halloween candy's getting lighter on the chocolate" from Marketplace

We want to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Layoffs are piling up, raising worker anxiety. Here are some companies that have cut jobs recently" from AP News
• "Tens of Thousands of White-Collar Jobs Are Disappearing as AI Starts to Bite" from The Wall Street Journal
• VIDEO: "Beyond Lip Service: Building a Resilient Labor Market" from Aspen Ideas: Economy

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• ”6 ways the shutdown is about to get worse” from Politico
• ”Largest federal workers union calls for an end to the shutdown, putting pressure on Democrats” from NBC
• ”Government shutdown continues to add to stress on air traffic controllers and disrupt flights” from AP News
• ”As Shutdown Drags and Trump Flexes, Congress Cedes Its Relevance” from the New York Times

We want to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "ICE Is Cracking Down on Chicago. Some Chicagoans Are Fighting Back." from The New York Times
• "Local leaders react to ‘brutal escalation’ of immigration arrests in Little Village, Cicero" from WBEZ
• "Judge’s order blocking National Guard deployment will remain in effect for now, but all eyes on Supreme Court" from WBEZ
• "Coca-Cola taps mini cans and new flavors to spark a fizzling soda market" from Marketplace
• "‘It’s PR, not the ER’: Gen Z is resisting the workplace emergency" The Washington Post
• "Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ Series Finale Officially Coming to Theaters, Despite Previous Statements" from The Hollywood Reporter
• "Amazon Plans to Replace More Than Half a Million Jobs With Robots" from The New York Times 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How We Survive" from Marketplace
• "State of Climate Action 2025" from Systems Change Lab
• "I paid $65 for a giant collection of vintage dishes at a thrift store. Then I found out it's worth almost $1,000." from 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.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Democratic National Committee will contribute to blocking Missouri congressional map" from STLPR
• "Missouri voters and lawmakers clash over ballot initiative powers" from AP News
• "Missouri Gov. Kehoe activates National Guard to assist ICE agents" from STLPR
• "FEMA approves additional funding and assistance for St. Louis tornado debris cleanup" from STLPR
• "Should you postpone your flight during the government shutdown?" from Marketplace
• "Thune dangles Obamacare vote after shutdown ends" from Politico 

• "Thin-Crust Fans, Meet St. Louis Pizza: Crunchy, Cheesy, and Totally Underrated" from Serious Eats

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Job scam texts have become more frequent and more believable" from Marketplace
• "Who experiences scams? A story for all ages" from the Federal Trade Commission
• "Job Scam Texts Are Duping Gen Z, Millennials Amid Unemployment Fears" from 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.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How the government shutdown is playing out in Indian Country" from Marketplace 
• "Tribal governments fend off the worst of the impacts of the shutdown" from High Country News 
• "The shutdown isn’t big for Utah’s tribes yet. If it drags on, that’s the problem" from KUER 
• "In Indian Country, federal budget dysfunction takes a toll" from Marketplace

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “In credit card debt? There’s a path out” from Life Kit
• “Medical bills can cause a financial crisis. Here’s how to negotiate them” from Life Kit
• “A big misconception about debt — and how to tackle it” from Life Kit

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Why journalists are reluctant to call Trump an authoritarian – and why that matters for democracy" from The Conversation
• "What do we call the Trump administration's economic interventions?" from Marketplace
• "The U.S. Marches Toward State Capitalism With American Characteristics" from The Wall Street Journal
• "Trump's Latest Trade Deals Raise More Questions Than Answers and Harm America’s Future" from the Center for American Progress
• "Supreme Court Agrees to Review Trump’s Sprawling Tariffs" from The New York Times
• "What Is Stagflation, What Causes It, and Why Is It Bad?" from Investopedia
• "Are Donald Trump's tariffs the new sanctions?" from Stanford University

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The President’s List of Subversive Organizations" from the Cato Institute
• "Trump’s use of Guard may have lasting impact on cities and troops" from The Washington Post
• "Trump's use of the National Guard sets up a legal clash testing presidential power" from AP News
• "Troops and marines deeply troubled by LA deployment: ‘Morale is not great’" from The Guardian
• "What We Lose by Distorting the Mission of the National Guard" from The Atlantic

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “For years, craft beer was booming. Now, it’s ‘maturing’” from Marketplace
• “Trump charts path to total control amid government shutdown” from Axios
• “AOL’s dial up internet takes its last bow, marking the end of an era” from the Associated Press
• “Colleges turn to video essays to counter AI-written submissions” from Marketplace Tech
• “Robots are learning to make human babies. Twenty have already been born.” from The Washington Post
• “Buy it in ChatGPT: Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol” from OpenAI
• “The future of loyalty” from Business Insider

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time" from Pew Research Center
• "Government shutdown continues as Senate Democrats hold firm on health care demands" from AP News
• "How John Thune sees the shutdown ending" from Politico

• "What are Democrats' demands in the government shutdown fight?" from Marketplace

  
  

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Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Sin City tourism slump signals wider economic slowdown" from Axios
• "An Empty Strip And Fewer Tips: Is Las Vegas In Trouble?" from Time

• "Las Vegas is hurting as tourism drops. Are Canadians behind the Sin City slump?" from CBC News

  
  

  The way forward is together! Step up and be one of 2,000 Marketplace Investors before our fundraiser ends Friday. Give now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

And, we get a peek into Kolbert’s forthcoming book, ”Life on a Little-Known Planet: Dispatches from a Changing World.” In this collection of her most influential essays, Kolbert takes readers around the globe, telling stories about caterpillars, whale conversations and the people trying to preserve our planet.

This conversation was recorded live, over Zoom, in front of an audience. You can watch the webinar here. The event is presented by Odoo with additional underwriting support from The Economist. 

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Meet the superfans going wild for Alaska’s fattest bears" from Alaska Public Media
• "Alaska ignored warning signs of a budget crisis. Now it doesn’t have money to fix crumbling schools" from KYUK
• ”The 2025 Alaska Permanent Fund dividend will be $1,000” from Alaska Public Media
• "North Slope leaders applaud tax breaks for whalers in the GOP megabill” from KNBA
• "Why are restaurant chains opening beverage-focused spinoffs?" from Marketplace
• "AI is taking on live translations. But jobs and meaning are getting lost." from The Washington Post
• "Touchscreens in cars are finally on their way out. Good riddance" from Fast Company
• "Hamburger Helper Sales Rise as Americans Try to Stretch Their Food Dollars" from The New York Times

It’s Half-Priced Hoodie Weekend! Give $10 a month to support our journalism today, and we’ll thank you with a cozy Marketplace zip-up hoodie: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Generative AI Music Sweepstakes" from Trapital 
• "Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement" from Wired
• "Labels Claim Suno Pirated Songs From YouTube in Bulked-Up AI Copyright Lawsuit" from Billboard
• "YouTube copyright fight: Rick Beato warns UMG claims over short music clips could end his channel" from TechSpot 
• TikTok from Lizzo

• "Kneecap, Faye Webster & 400 Other Artists Remove Their Catalogs From Israel: ‘No Music for Genocide’" from Billboard 

  
  

  Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump tells UN in speech that it is 'not even coming close to living up' to its potential" from AP News
• "Geopolitics of Trump Tariffs: How U.S. Trade Policy Has Shaken Allies" from Council on Foreign Relations
• "How China Stands to Gain as the U.S. Steps Away From the U.N." from The New York Times

• "The Global South Won't Give Up on China" from Foreign Relations

  
  

  It's Marketplace's Fall Fundraiser! Give now and be one of 2,000 donors in 10 days: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Immigration raid at Georgia Hyundai factory tests state’s longstanding relationship with South Korea" from WABE
• "Hyundai says it will spend $2.7 billion expanding part of the Georgia complex raided by ICE" from AP News
• "Atlanta develops human rights action plan for 2026 FIFA World Cup" from WABE
• "After another subpar summer of going to the movies, what's next?" from Marketplace
• "Finally, the era of free in-flight WiFi is near" from The Washington Post
• "Costco's New Shopping Hours Are a Sign of Tierification of US Economy" from Business Insider 

• "People are boycotting Disney, Hulu, and ESPN after ABC yanked Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Will it work?" from Fast Company

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Pressley urges Fed chair to address Black women's unemployment as the figure rises" from NBC News
• "There are worrying signs buried in the August jobs report" from Marketplace 
• "Rising Unemployment Among Black Women Is a Bad Economic Sign" from Time

• "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle slays the U.S. box office with record-breaking debut" from Polygon

  
  

  Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Retail sales up 0.6% in August from July even as tariffs hurt jobs and lead to price hikes" from AP News
• "Top 10% of Earners Drive a Growing Share of US Consumer Spending" from Bloomberg 
• "For some consumers, luxury is not a treat — it's a lifestyle" from Marketplace 
• "Why are millennial brands trying to ride the Y2K trend?" from Marketplace

• "Why Gap’s ‘Better In Denim’ Ad Struck The Right Chord" from Forbes

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "What is a pawpaw, and will I ever be able to buy it at the grocery store?" from Marketplace
• "‘Don't even bother dealing with them,’ Trump says of Democrats’ shutdown demands" from Politico
• "What to know about Trump’s ‘pocket rescission’" from The Hill 
• "Paris Hilton mini-fridges recalled due to fire, burn hazards" from The Hill  
• "Musk got DOGE's mission "backward," Lutnick says" from Axios  

• "Trump announces crackdown on pharmaceutical advertising" from Politico 

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "A new dark normal of political violence still shocks the nation" Politico 
• "Tracking Attitudes About Elections and Political Violence Over Time" from States United Democracy Center
• "How Americans Justify Political Violence" from The New York Times Magazine 
• "Special Report: Key Political Violence and Resilience Trends From 2024" from the Bridging Divides Initiative 
• Check out Beth’s digitized diary project

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Episode 14: The Cuts" from “Sold a Story”
• "$900 Million in Institute of Education Sciences Contracts Axed" from Inside Higher Ed
• "How legislation on reading instruction is changing across the country" from APM Reports
• "What to Know About the Science of Reading" from The New York Times

• Learn some Kimberly Adams trivia on Marketplace’s Instagram

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "10 anime series that will teach you about economics" from Marketplace
• "Here's the corporate strategy behind switching from merit increases to flat raises" from Marketplace
• "The era of the public apology is ending" from Axios
• "Amazon now sells used Hertz rental cars" from The Verge
• "How spicy became the hottest flavor in town" from Marketplace

• "Money and Relationships" e-book from Marketplace

  
  

  “Make Me Smart” will be back Sept. 9. Until then, leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Why Washington Residents Aren’t Flooding the Streets to Protest Trump" from Politico  
• "Top White House officials turn to public appearances with troops as a tense Washington watches" from AP News
• "JD Vance booed during hamburger handout to national guard troops in DC" from The Guardian 
• "Trump's police takeover of DC has a surprising casualty: restaurant reservations" from Fortune
• "Will I Be Able to Get the New 2025 COVID Vaccine This Fall?" from The Cut 
• "For some, fall Covid shots may come with copays — or no coverage at all" from NBC News
• "The Onion Brought Back Its Print Edition. The Gamble Is Paying Off." from The Wall Street Journal

Don’t miss Kimberly’s anime recommendations in this week’s Marketplace newsletter. Sign up at marketplace.org/subscribe.

• "Appeals court says NLRB structure unconstitutional, in a win for SpaceX" from Tech Crunch
• "The Government Just Made it Harder for The Public to Comment on Regulations" from 404 Media
• "Trump Says Smithsonian Focuses Too Much on ‘How Bad Slavery Was’" from The New York Times
• "Trump Considers Firing Fed Official After Accusation of Mortgage Fraud" from The Wall Street Journal
• "There’s a path to a good life beyond happiness and meaning" from The Washington Post 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Later, we’ll get some advice on making a career change from a listener. And chess player-turned-economist Kenneth Rogoff answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Anime Is Booming. So Why Are Animators Living in Poverty?" from The New York Times
• "From Piracy Problems to Labor Shortages, the Anime Industry Is Facing a Reckoning" from Screen Rant
• "Thousands of Anime Titles Will Soon Be Streamable on Delta Flights" from Timeout
• "Sony’s Crunchyroll Makes Layoffs as It Restructures to Lean Into International Growth Markets" from Variety
• "The Biggest Movie You Haven't Seen Is Finally Coming To US Theaters" from Inverse  

• "How Korean webtoons are changing the comic industry—and the careers of creators" from Fast Company

  
  

  Don’t miss Kimberly’s anime recommendations in this week’s Marketplace newsletter. Sign up at marketplace.org/subscribe.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Republicans look to make a U-turn on federal commitment to electric vehicles for the Postal Service" from AP News
• "Senate Republicans cannot force US Postal Service to scrap EVs, parliamentarian says" from Reuters 
• "What It’s Really Like to Support a Big Family on a Modest Income in America" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "MSNBC to change name to MS NOW amid spinoff from NBCUniversal" from NBC News

• "A mysterious comet is shooting through our solar system. Why are scientists so excited about 3I/Atlas?" from The Guardian 

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "ICE documents reveal plan to double immigrant detention space this year" from The Washington Post
• "ICE Has Tons of Cash, But Is Struggling to Hire Enough Agents" from Time
• "Secretary Noem Unveils No Age Limit for Patriotic Americans to Join ICE Law Enforcement to Help Remove Worst of the Worst from U.S." from the Department of Homeland Security 
• "Spike in Corruption Followed Last Hiring Surge at CBP and ICE" from American Immigration Council
• "Adjustable-rate mortgages make a comeback" from Marketplace
• "The White House makes a play for Intel" from Marketplace
• "Work weeks are getting more intense for AI startups" from Marketplace
• "LA 2028 Olympics to sell venue naming rights" from Axios

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(K) Investors" from The White House
• "Should You Include Cryptocurrency in 401(k) Investments?" from AARP
• "Trump wants your 401(k) to access crypto and private equity. Here's what to know." from CBS News
• "Would you add crypto to your retirement portfolio?" from Marketplace
• "How do hiring sites deal with a slowing job market?" from Marketplace

• "Long-term unemployment is rising as uncertain businesses hold off on hiring" from Marketplace

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "12 million students in China will graduate this year into a shaky job market" from Marketplace
• "China says its unemployment rate is “stable,” but job seekers remain gloomy" from Marketplace 
• "Is GDP still a useful gauge of China’s economy?" from Marketplace
• "How Bad Is China’s Economy? The Data Needed to Answer Is Vanishing" from The Wall Street Journal  
• "How to deal with untrustworthy government economic data? Look to China" from Marketplace

• "Trump taps Heritage economist to lead BLS" from Politico

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Then, we’ll hear how one listener got involved in local government. Plus, Paralympic sled hockey gold medalist Declan Farmer answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How college athletes will be paid after House v. NCAA settlement: NIL changes, enforcement, contracts and more" from CBS Sports
• "Trump signs executive order to 'protect' college sports" from Politico 
• "Down to Business: Valuations are wild, returns are rocky. But women’s sports teams are in demand" from The Athletic 
• "The WNBA Has a Good Problem on Its Hands" from The Atlantic 
• "Private equity tees up to invest in youth sports" from Marketplace  

• "Travelers aren't big fans of TSA's facial recognition program, report finds" from Marketplace  

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump says he's placing Washington police under federal control and deploying the National Guard" from AP News
• "Trump says crime in D.C. is out of control. Here’s what the data shows." from The Washington Post 
• "What Trump can — and can’t — do in his bid to take over law enforcement in DC" from Politico  
• "Small Businesses Brace for the Punishing Side Effects of Trump’s Tariffs" from The New York Times
• "July Inflation Data: What to Watch in Tuesday’s CPI Report" from The Wall Street Journal 

• "How to Watch the Perseids, the Strongest Meteor Shower of the Summer" from The New York Times

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump Is Removing Billy Long as the I.R.S. Head 2 Months After He Was Confirmed" from The New York Times
• "The Comply To Fly?" from The Algorithmic Justice League
• "This wedding season, some couples are using their registries to give back" from Marketplace
• "Should buy now, pay later factor into credit scores?" from Marketplace
• "The New York Post is launching a California edition. Why?" from The Washington Post 

• "Instagram Map lets your friends, and possibly exes, track your every move'" from The Washington Post

  
  

  Tell us about your experience with TSA’s facial recognition system. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Tracking Trump’s New Tariffs on Every Country" from The New York Times
• "Trump vows 100% tariff on chips, unless companies are building in the U.S." from CNBC
• "Employers Pull Back on Hiring as Uncertainty Weighs on Plans" from The New York Times
• "How much say do workers have over the tech employers make them use?" from Marketplace
• "Providing ChatGPT to the entire U.S. federal workforce" from OpenAI
• "What workers really want from AI" from Stanford Report 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Federal Aviation Administration looks to expand drone package delivery" from ABC News
• "Video Shows Drone Rescuing Man During Flood in China" from The New York Times 
• "Trump, Apple to Announce Fresh $100 Billion US Investment" from Bloomberg
• ”Trump to Double India’s Tariff to 50% Over Russian Oil Purchases” from The New York Times
• "'It's a reminder of childhood': How Pac-Man changed gaming - and the world" from BBC News

• "Claude Fans Threw a Funeral for Anthropic’s Retired AI Model" from Wired

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Later, listeners share some love for public libraries. And, Steve Pierson, co-host of “The Practivist Pod,” answers the Make Me Smart question. 

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "States Ramping Up Regulations Amid Federal Pullback" from Forbes 
• "Trump administration moves to repeal climate ‘holy grail’" from Politico
• "Texas House issues arrest warrants for Democrats who left state to block congressional redistricting" from The Texas Tribune
• "Donald Trump wants states and cities to do as they are told" from The Economist
• "The Documenters Network" from City Bureau 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Every Scientific Empire Comes to an End" from The Atlantic 
• "Trump to Name New Fed Governor, Jobs Data Head in Coming Days" from Bloomberg
• "Trump Fired America’s Economic Data Collector. History Shows the Perils." from The New York Times

• Thread on X from Lulu Garcia Navarro

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The full list of Trump’s tariffs – from India to Taiwan" from The Guardian 
• "‘There’s no work now, just debt’: Cambodian garment workers face precarious future as US tariffs loom" from The Guardian 
• "Tariffs Bring Disaster In Lesotho, the Country That Trump Says Nobody’s Heard Of" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "85 percent of parents worry about tariffs affecting back-to-school cost: Survey" from The Hill 
• "Trump fires commissioner of labor statistics after weaker-than-expected jobs figures slam markets" from CNBC
• "Big Downward Jobs Revisions Could Be a Warning Sign for the Economy" The New York Times
• "Private equity tees up to invest in youth sports" from Marketplace
• "NYC’s Luxury Dessert Scene Is Booming and Higher Priced Than Ever" from Eater
• "Subscription-based children's magazines are revitalizing the genre" from Marketplace
• "GOP senators reject Trump’s pitch to use tariff revenue for ‘rebates’" from The Washington Post

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged" from Marketplace 
• "Fed's Powell sticks with patient approach to rate cuts, brushing off Trump's demands" from AP News
• "Could Trump use Fed HQ renovations as a pretext to fire Powell?" from Marketplace 

• "What’s Holding Trump Back From Firing Powell" from The Atlantic

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "In Gaza, mounting evidence of famine and widespread starvation" from UN News
• "How Food Supplies in Gaza Have Dwindled Under the New Israeli Aid Plan" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Can Feed Starving Gazans" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "What’s Happening in Gaza? FAQ: Hunger and Humanitarian Aid" from World Food Program USA
• "A famine hasn't been declared in Gaza, but that may not matter, experts say" from ABC News

• "A conversation with Baba" from “This Is Uncomfortable”

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Later, listeners share their thoughts on the new No Tax on Tips and Overtime laws. Plus, a librarian answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Trump Administration Is Threatening Libraries, Museums, and Other Nonprofits That Support the Arts, Humanities, and Learning" from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 
• "Libraries are cutting back on staff and services after Trump's order to dismantle small agency" from AP News
• "1 big thing: Libraries' e-book battle" from Axios

• “No Tax on Tips” Is an Industry Plant" from The New Yorker 

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "EU-US tariffs: five key takeaways from the trade deal" from The Guardian
• "US and EU reach tariff agreement" from “Marketplace Morning Report” 
• "EU's pledge for $250 billion of US energy imports is delusional" from Reuters 
• "Japan Expects Only 1-2% of $550 Billion US Fund to Be Investment" from Bloomberg
• "Trump's economy faces historic week on interest rates, trade, jobs and more" from Axios
• "Trump's trade deals and tariffs are on the chopping block in court. What happens next" from CNBC
• "Texas buys land for new state parks that will be developed using $1 billion voter-approved fund" from The Texas Tribune 

• "A 100-year-old on a bike? Yes. ‘The right to wind in your hair’" from The Washington Post 

  
  

  
  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Cracks widen in Japan and US’s interpretation of tariff trade deal" from The Financial Times 
• "Trump’s Tariffs Are Being Picked Up by Corporate America" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "Rich liberals do not want their big Trump tax cut" from The Washington Post
• "AI has come for the fragrance industry" from Marketplace 
• "Want to pay down the national debt? The US government will take Venmo" from The Verge 
• "Meme stocks have staged a surprising return" from Marketplace 
• "Restaurants Are Trying to Tariff-Proof The Menu" from Eater

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "How the new "No Tax on Tips" and overtime laws work" from Marketplace 
• "No Tax On Tips And Overtime: What Workers Should Know" from Bankrate
• "Here’s A Tip: ‘No Taxes on Tips’ May Be Good Politics But Is Bad Policy" from the Tax Policy Center

• “An Illustrated Guide to Who Really Benefits From ‘No Tax on Tips’” from The New York Times

  
  

  Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap. The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 Pacific/6:30 Eastern. See you then!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump's Labor Department proposes more than 60 rule changes in a push to deregulate workplaces" from AP News
• "Trump Strikes Deal With Ally Japan Setting Tariff Rate at 15%" from Bloomberg

• Listener Jen’s quilting Instagram

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Later, reflections on Medicaid cuts and the power of journaling. And, a listener makes us smarter about “100-year floods.”

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Their Water Taps Ran Dry When Meta Built Next Door" from The New York Times
• "Coreweave stock pops after company announces $6 billion AI data center in Pennsylvania" from CNBC
• "Meta's Zuckerberg pledges hundreds of billions for AI data centers in superintelligence push" from Reuters 
• "How A.I. Is Changing the Way the World Builds Computers" from The New York Times
• "China Is Putting Data Centers in the Ocean to Keep Them Cool" from Scientific American 

• ”The 100-Year Flood” from the U.S. Geological Survey

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.
  

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "ICE head says agency to crack down on American companies hiring unauthorized workers" from The Hill
• "Transcript: Acting ICE director Todd Lyons on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," July 20, 2025" from CBS News
• "The U.S. Economy Is Regaining Its Swagger Despite Trump’s Tariffs" from The Wall Street Journal  
• "Teens Learn the Lost Arts of Sewing and Ironing at New Summer Camp Taught By Local Grandmas Staving off Loneliness" from Good News Network
• "A Year’s Worth of Mascara? Fans of Korean Beauty Stock Up as Tariffs Loom." from The New York Times 

• "After Pledging to Keep Prices Low, Amazon Hiked Them on Hundreds of Essentials" from The Wall Street Journal   

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump administration hands over Medicaid recipients’ personal data, including addresses, to ICE” from The Associated Press
• “White House Prepares Executive Order Targeting ‘Woke AI’” from The Wall Street Journal
• “A UK-based company hopes to use “robot dogs” to address labor shortages in health care” from Marketplace
• “Social media algorithms create “algospeak,” a kind of internet slang” from Marketplace
• “Roblox will scan users’ video selfies to assess their ages” from WIRED
• “TSA to add a lane for families with children and members of the military” from Fast Company

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Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Russ Vought: Appropriations process ‘has to be less bipartisan’” from POLITICO
• “The Appropriations Process Was Already Broken. The Rescission Bill May Have Just Shattered It.” from NOTUS
• “Meta investors, Zuckerberg reach settlement to end $8 billion trial over Facebook privacy litigation” from Reuters
• “This ‘Iron Dome’ for mosquitoes shoots down bugs with lasers” from Fast Company
• “Angels, witches, crystals and black cats: How supernatural beliefs vary across different groups in the US” from The Conversation

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Missouri governor repeals paid sick leave law approved last year by voters" from The Associated Press
• "Missouri Rolls Back Paid Sick Leave Entitlement; $15 Minimum Wage Remains" from National Law Review
• “Missouri’s voters restored abortion rights. Their leaders are trying to overrule them” from the newsletter The 19th News
• "D.C. budget update: Tipped minimum wage compromise fails, ranked choice voting funded as budget advances" from WAMU
• "Inflation picks up again in June, rising at 2.7% annual rate" from CNBC

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Then, we’ll celebrate a listener’s win about her chocolate lab puppy. And, an astrobiologist’s quest to find life on Mars.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “How Medicaid Cuts Could Force Millions Into Nursing Homes” from The Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania
• “Advocates warn that Medicaid cuts in the big budget law put home-based health care at risk” from Marketplace
• “New AARP Report: Majority of Adults 50-plus Want to Age in Place, But Policies and Communities Must Catch Up” from AARP
• “A Closer Look at the Medicaid Work Requirement Provisions in the “Big Beautiful Bill” from KFF
• “Medicaid cuts: The how and why” from the newsletter Your Local Epidemiologist
• “As the need for nursing homes grows, nurses are in short supply” from Marketplace

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “GOP leader faces showdown with Republicans on Trump-backed funding cuts” from The Hill
• “Schumer warns package to claw back funding would ‘poison’ annual spending talks” from The Hill
• “A Senate vote this week will test the popularity of DOGE spending cuts” from The Associated Press
• “Bitcoin Soars Past $120,000 as House Takes Up Crypto Bills” from The New York Times
• “‘Crypto Week’ on Capitol Hill” from Marketplace
• “Trump Rescission Proposal Builds on Illegal Impoundments, Would Undermine Future Funding Deals” from Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "What the Media Gets Wrong About Medicaid ‘Cuts'" from DC Journal
• "Taxpayer-Funded Benefits Are for American Citizens — Not Illegals" from The White House 
• "Trump to cut off Head Start for immigrants in US illegally" from AP News  
• "State Department fires more than 1,300 employees in downsizing plan" from The Washington Post 
• "Federal workers fearful after Supreme Court backs Trump’s mass firings plan" from The Washington Post
• "How Trump’s immigration policies could threaten Social Security" from Marketplace 
• "Tariffs push companies to rethink traditional forecasts" from Marketplace
• "In new food fad, protein products are no longer just for gym-goers" from Marketplace
• "Microsoft Pledges $4 Billion Toward A.I. Education" from The New York Times
• "A 70-hour work week? Some job listings are foregoing work-life balance" from Marketplace

• ”The disturbing parallels between modern accounting and the business of slavery” from Marketplace

  
  

  We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Burning Questions: How do cuts to NOAA impact all of us?" from “How We Survive” 
• "FEMA cuts put more pressure on local disaster relief" from Marketplace 
• "Debate erupts over role job cuts played in weather forecasts ahead of deadly Texas floods" from AP News
• "Flood predictions could worsen when Trump’s cuts take hold" from Politico
• "As Floods Hit, Key Roles Were Vacant at Weather Service Offices in Texas" from The New York Times
• "Republicans want to privatize weather forecasts. Do Trump appointees stand to benefit?" from Fast Company 

We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Why the federal government will shut down. And why it won’t" from Punchbowl News
• "Trump combats TACO reputation as White House extends tariff deadline" from The Washington Post
• "Too Many Goods Are About To Face Historically High Tariffs" from Tax Policy Center

• "Flint finally replaced its lead pipes" from The Washington Post

  
  

  Got a question for the hosts? Call 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Plus, we’ll celebrate a listener’s cross-country move. And, a reminder to try being a local tourist.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump got $170 billion for immigration. Now he has to enact it." from Politico 
• "We Asked Trump’s Former Prisons Chief How $45 Billion Will Reshape Immigrant Detention" from Mother Jones
• "Budget Bill Massively Increases Funding for Immigration Detention" from the Brennan Center for Justice
• "Trump administration seeks to turn mass deportations into an efficient business ‘like Amazon’" from PBS News
• "Unchecked Growth: Private Prison Corporations and Immigration Detention, Three Years Into the Biden Administration" from the ACLU

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Burning Questions: How do cuts to NOAA impact all of us?" from Marketplace
• "Congress Passes National Private School Voucher Program as Part of Policy Bill" from The New York Times
• "The new wave of private school vouchers" from Make Me Smart  
• "Rural hospitals will be hit hard by Trump’s signature spending package" from The Conversation
• "Trump bill's health effects won't be felt until after midterms" from Axios 
• "Netflix Says 50 Percent of Global Users Now Watch Anime, Reveals Expanded Slate" from The Hollywood Reporter 
• "A new start after 60: I quit my job, bought a camera – and became a successful wildlife photographer" from The Guardian
• "At 40, She Discovered She Was One of America’s Best Free Divers" from Texas Monthly  

Got a question for the hosts? Call 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "ADP report June 2025: Private sector lost 33,000 jobs, missing expectations" from CNBC
• "Republican Budget Bill Signals New Era in Federal Surveillance" from Tech Policy Press
• "Steady Hiring Added 147,000 Jobs to U.S. Economy in June" from The Wall Street Journal
• "Can We Trust a Jobs Report From the Trump Administration? Yes, With Caveats." from The New York Times

Got a question for the hosts? Call 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Bush, Obama and Bono Commend USAID Staff Members on Their Last Day” from The New York Times
• “The US says 'little to show‘ for six-decade aid agency. Supporters point to millions of lives saved” from The Associated Press
• “USAID cuts could lead to 14 million deaths over the next five years, researchers say” from NBC News
• “Education Department freezes cash for school districts, teacher training, migrant students” from POLITICO
• “Watch the first trailer for ‘Project Hail Mary’” from Popular Science
• “WNBA adds three more franchises as league’s popularity continues to grow” from The Washington Post
• “‘Friendship’ Review: Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd Hit Maximum Cringe” from The New York Times

If you have a question, give us a call: 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org

On today’s episode, we dig into the phenonmenon of over tourism, the growing tensions between locals and visitors and the global economic forces at play. Plus, is it possible to be a responsible tourist or have we pushed some destinations too far?

Later, listeners sound off on the power of labor unions and food allergies. Finally, are you team check-in bag or carry-on? This week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question might make you rethink everything!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Destination dupes" offer glam vacation vibes at a fraction of the price from Marketplace
• “Surging travel in Europe spikes concerns over tourism's drawbacks” from AP News
• “Overtourism was the buzzword of 2024. This summer looks to be just as crowded and chaotic” from CNN
• “Affordable travel is to blame for Europe’s overtourism problem, spoiling its most sought-after cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam and Athens” from Fortune
• “Hawaii will tax vacation stays and use money to help counter climate crisis” from The Guardian
• “The Goal: Tourism That Regenerates Hawai‘i, Not Degrades It” from Hawaii Business

We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question: What’s something you thought you knew, but you later found out you were wrong about? Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART!

Here’s everything we talked about:

• “What is a vote-a-rama? Senate vote marathon ahead of Trump legislative package” from USA Today

• “Senate Republicans reject Democrats' accounting baseline challenge” from POLITICO

  
  

  “A List of Nearly Everything in the Senate G.O.P. Bill, and How Much It Would Cost or Save” from The New York Times

• “Gen Z, It Turns Out, Is Great at Saving for Retirement” from The New York Times
• “They sing to remember: The power of memory choirs” from National Geographic
• “Child reportedly fell overboard on Disney cruise. Her dad jumped in after her.” from USA Today 
• “Heroic Dad Jumps Off Disney Dream to Rescue Overboard Daughter” from Cruisehive

Questions? Thoughts? Suggestions? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART and we just might feature it on the show!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Supreme Court sides with Trump administration on nationwide injunctions in birthright citizenship case" from SCOTUSblog
• "America’s Top Consumer-Sentiment Economist Is Worried" from Bloomberg
• "Opinion | How the N.B.A. and M.L.B. Shattered America’s Sports Culture" from The New York Times
• "Bumble stumbles as dating apps struggle" from Marketplace
• "Latest time use survey shows Americans are spending more time at home" from Marketplace
• "The colleges using ultimate frisbee to boost enrollment" from Marketplace
• "After a tough decade, American malls are reinventing themselves" from Marketplace

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Bank hacks, internet shutdowns and crypto heists: Here’s how the war between Israel and Iran is playing out in cyberspace" from Politico
• "Combat drones: We are in a new era of warfare - here's why" from BBC News
• "FPV drones in Ukraine are changing modern warfare" from Atlantic Council
• "Cyber Operations during the Russo-Ukrainian War" from the Center for Strategic and International Studies 
• “‘Will Trump give up the store?’ Edward Fishman on how US economic warfare works – and doesn’t" from The Guardian

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings Rulemaking" from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
• "As U.S. Sizzles, Business Groups Push Back on OSHA's Heat Safety Law" from Inc.
• "Heat Safety Experts behind OSHA Rules Were Laid Off, which Could Make It Easier to Scrap Regulations" from Scientific American
• "Trump’s OSHA Nominee Has a History With Heat and UPS Drivers" from The New York Times
• "U.S. New Home Sales Slump as High Mortgage Rates Persist" from The Wall Street Journal
• '"You'll never be ready to buy a home"' from “This Is Uncomfortable”
• "New York City is using ranked choice voting in its Democratic mayoral primary. Here's how it works" from AP News 
• "What you need to know about ranked choice voting" from “Make Me Smart” 

• "The Perilous Business of Importing Indian Mangoes to the U.S." 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.

Later, one listener’s take on the Trump administration’s threats to the Pell Grant program. And, a gardening blogger was wrong about DIY plant food hacks.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Strike Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Report Says" from The New York Times
• "Trump tries to maintain fragile ceasefire hours after he announced it" from Politico 
• "Iran’s Nuclear Dreams May Survive Even a Devastating American Blow" from The New York Times 
• "History of US-Iran relations: From the 1953 regime change to Trump strikes" from Al Jazeera 
• "Why Israel will resist any US-Iran nuclear deal" from Atlantic Council 

• "Satellites show damage to Iran's nuclear program, but experts say it's not destroyed" from NPR  

  
  

  Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Capitol agenda: How Johnson may block an Iran rebuke" from Politico 
• "11 days until July 4: Byrd Bath and policy fights on deck" from Punchbowl News
• "Senate parliamentarian rejects GOP attempt to authorize states to conduct immigration enforcement" from The Hill
• "G.O.P. Can’t Include Limits on Trump Lawsuits in Megabill, Senate Parliamentarian Rules" from The New York Times  
• "Iran Has an Oil Card to Play. So Does the U.S." from The Wall Street Journal  
• "The largest digital camera ever built has released its first shots of the universe" from AP News  
• "Vera C Rubin Observatory first images" from BBC Sky at Night Magazine  
• "Killer whales seen grooming each other with kelp in first for marine tool use" from The Guardian 

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “AI moratorium sparks GOP battle over states’ rights” from The Hill
• “Introduction to Budget “Reconciliation” from The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• “One, Big, Beautiful Bill: Impact on Philanthropy” from Council on Foundations
• “Senate Judiciary Unveils Its Own Plan To Curtail Court Orders” from CATO Institute
• “Parliamentarian rulings would kill key climate provisions in GOP megabill” from Politico

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Senate Bill Would Make Deep Cuts to Medicaid, Setting Up Fight With House” from The New York Times
• “Hundreds of rural hospitals at risk if Medicaid cuts pass, Democrats say” from Healthcare Dive
• “2025 Budget Impacts: House Bill Would Cut Assistance and Raise Costs for Seniors” from The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• “GOP bill would have states picking up more of the tab for programs like Medicaid and SNAP” from Marketplace
• “How Would Potential Federal Budget Cuts Impact State Budgets?” from Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
• “What are the Implications of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill for Hospitals?” from KFF

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Here’s what’s in the Senate GOP’s version of Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’" from The Hill
• “Senate Republicans seek tougher Medicaid cuts and lower SALT deduction in Trump’s big bill” from The Associated Press
• “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: A comparison for businesses” from the Internal Revenue Service
• “The Farm Safety Net: A Closer Look at ARC and PLC” from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Senate sidesteps parliamentarian, widens reach of CRA” from Roll Call
• “Republicans face critical week on Trump megabill” from The Hill
• “The Senate is assessing the "Big Beautiful Bill" line by line to eliminate non-budgetary measures” from Marketplace
• “Senate Republican education plan may trigger ‘avalanche of student loan defaults,’ expert says” from CNBC

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "GOP tax bill would cost poor Americans, boost highest earners, CBO says" from AP News 
• "Megabill would cost poorest households $1,600 a year, boost richest by $12K, CBO predicts" from Politico 
• "Baby Boomers’ Luck Is Running Out" from The Atlantic
• "Why is everyone so crazy for Labubu toys?" from Marketplace
• "Booming sales of the latest Nintendo Switch bode well for the gaming industry" from Marketplace
• "You’ve Heard of Fine Wine. Now Meet Fine Water" from The New York Times

• "A federal judge ruled AI chatbots don't have free speech protections — for now" from Marketplace 

  
  

  Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Tulsa Race Massacre destroyed Black lives and wealth. What's owed to survivors' descendants?" from Marketplace
• "Black Tulsans still feel effects of Greenwood neighborhood's "second destruction'" from Marketplace 
• "$105 Million Reparations Package for Tulsa Race Massacre Unveiled by Mayor" from The New York Times
• "$105 million trust to be built for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre reparations, city says" from Public Radio Tulsa

We want to hear from you. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Trump Hails Progress With China, but Details Are Sketchy"  from The New York Times
• "RFK Jr. just fired the government’s vaccine experts. What do you do now?" from Vox
• "Former CDC director reacts to RFK Jr.’s firing of entire vaccine advisory panel" from PBS News
• "If you move a moose through the Senate" from Roll Call

• "An 84-Year-Old Woman on a Pony Inspires Awe—and Concern—in the U.K." from The Wall Street Journal

  
  

  We want to hear from you. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Then, Kimberly breaks down the difference between the reconciliation bill and government spending bills in Congress. And, Casey Johnston, author of “A Physical Education,” answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Report: 51% of Gen Z Views Their College Degree as a Waste of Money" from Indeed  
• "Against college for all: the AFT president" from Bryan Alexander 
• "Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That?" from The New York Times
• "Good Jobs Project" from Georgetown University
• "House considers Trump cuts as Senate Republicans work on reconciliation bill" from Roll Call
• "Deal or no deal? Inside reconciliation and gov’t funding" from Punchbowl News
• "A muted backlash to Trump’s new travel ban" from Politico 
• "Have Americans grown numb? Trump’s new travel ban met with muted reaction" from MSNBC

• "Finding Strength in a Bigger Body" from The Cut 

  
  

  
  Got a question about the GOP’s reconciliation bill? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “The Beautiful Danger of Normal Life During an Autocratic Rise” from The New York Times
• “The 78th Annual Tony Awards® | Hamilton 10 Year Anniversary Performance” from CBS
• “The original cast of ‘Hamilton’ reunites on the Tonys stage with rousing performance” from CNN
• “When to see June’s full strawberry moon on Tuesday night” 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.

“What We Spend” is available wherever you get your podcasts!

In the meantime, we’re bringing you an episode from “Financially Inclined” a podcast from Marketplace that helps families learn more about money. It turns out where you park your money can actually make a difference in the fight agains climate change. Today, host Yanely Espinal speaks with author and financial educator Kara Perez about how you can spend, save and invest your money in a way that aligns with your values, without sacrificing your financial goals. Plus, they share practical tips for how to use your money to make a real impact.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Supreme Court deadlocks, blocking creation of first religious public school” from The Washington Post
• “Trump Administration Halts Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students” from The New York Times
• “Harvard University Loses Student and Exchange Visitor Program Certification for Pro-Terrorist Conduct” from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• “Stop making cents: US Mint moves forward with plans to kill the penny” from AP News
• “Penguin Poop Could Limit Global Warming’s Impact on Antarctica” from Bloomberg

“Make Me Smart” is going on a break! Kimberly and Reema will be back with new episodes June 9. We’d love to hear from you while we’re away. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Senate passed Trump’s No Tax on Tips Act. Here’s what it could mean." from The Washington Post
• "No Tax on Tips Act: What to know about the bill and what comes next" from The Hill  
• "Republicans Think They Have a Way to Blow Up the Filibuster Without Anyone Noticing" from Slate
• "A Terrible Idea" from Just Security  
• "A 70-Year-Old Man’s Search for Younger-Looking Skin"  from The Wall Street Journal
• "Defense Department accepts Qatari luxury jet for Air Force One use" from The Washington Post
• "Trump Lectures South African President in Televised Oval Office Ambush" from The New York Times
• "How Manga Megastar Junji Ito Makes Terrifying Series Like ‘Uzumaki’" from The New York Times
• "Shark fisherman uses drone to save teenage girl from rip current at Pensacola Beach" from CBS News 

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But its declining value, has been in the making for a while, according to Harvard economist and author of the new book, “Our Dollar, Your Problem,” Kenneth Rogoff.

“The problem we’re facing is that, independent of this dollar phenomenon, interest rates are going up,” said Rogoff. “And if you’re the world’s biggest debtor, that’s tough.”

Rogoff joins Kai and Kimberly to unpack how the greenback became the world’s go-to currency, what a reserve currency actually is, why it’s been losing some of its value lately and what might take its place. Plus, how does military power tie into all this? 

We’ll also get into some potential cryptocurrency regulation coming down the pipeline and discuss the troubling parallel between Trumpism and Brexit. 

Then, you tell us what books help you reset – from classic literary romances to an apocalyptic sci-fi tale. And, our intern, Zoha Malik (hi!) shares her answer to the Make Me Smart question. 

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Our Dollar, Your Problem,” by Kenneth Rogoff from Yale University Press
• “How Trump Could Dethrone the Dollar” from Foreign Affairs
• “Why Is The US Dollar Weakening? Trump’s Tariffs Push Dollar Index To 3-Year Low.” from Forbes
• “Senate advances landmark crypto bill with Democrats divided” from Politico
• “Senate Advances Crypto Regulation Bill With Bipartisan Support” from The New York Times
• “Senate advances a major crypto regulation bill on a bipartisan vote” from NBC News
• “Brexit’s Failures Could Foreshadow Trump’s. Just Not in the Way You Might Think.” 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.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Bessent says Walmart will absorb 'some tariffs' after speaking with retailer's CEO" from Fox Business
• "FEMA will shift more disaster recovery responsibilities to the states, acting chief says" from PBS News
• "Here’s the latest information on Friday’s tornado in St. Louis" from STLRP
• "Trump's bill advances in rare weekend vote as House conservatives negotiate changes" from NPR

It’s the final matching opportunity of our May Fundraiser! Double your impact when you give right now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "House budget panel rejects GOP megabill amid conservative opposition" from Politico 
• "Army to place large metal plates on DC streets to protect them from tanks during June parade" from WTOP News 
• "U.S. Loses Last Triple-A Credit Rating" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "Airbnb Is in Midlife Crisis Mode" from Wired
• "Why banks still have branches — and why some are motivated to add more" from Marketplace
• "Gen Z's 'conscious unbossing' should be a wake-up call for businesses" from Business Insider
• ​​"Is the Next Great American Novel Being Published on Substack?" from The New Yorker 
• "Warner’s Streaming Service Has New Name: Its Old One. Meet ‘HBO Max.’" from The Wall Street Journal  

Got a message for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “State of U.S. Tariffs: May 12, 2025” from The Budget Lab at Yale
• “States, Cities Face Funding Collapse Threat With Trump Cuts” by Bloomberg
• “Higher prices or higher unemployment? The economy could face a no-win dilemma” by 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.

Donate during our May Fundraiser and get a classic public radio thank-you gift: tote bags, mugs, t-shirts, hats, and more! Give now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn 

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "House panel advances tax portion of Trump agenda bill after marathon meeting" from The Hill
• "State AI laws would be banned under clause buried in House budget bill" from Stat News
• "G.O.P. Targets a Medicaid Loophole Used by 49 States to Grab Federal Money" from The New York Times
• "US Is Not Negotiating for Weaker Dollar as Part of Tariff Talks" from Bloomberg

• "Republicans push for a decadelong ban on states regulating AI" from The Verge 

  
  

  With looming threats to federal funding for public media, we need support from listeners more than ever. Donate now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn 

Then, why a healthy reading diet contains both “broccoli” and “chocolate pie” books. And, Jessamine Chan, author of “The School for Good Mothers,” answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Astronomers Detect a Possible Signature of Life on a Distant Planet" from The New York Times
• "Does exoplanet K2-18b host alien life or not? Here's why the debate continues" from Space 
• "Experts alarmed as White House proposes 'largest single-year cut to NASA in American history'" from Space 
• "NASA’s Don Pettit Shot 220 Days of Amazing Photos From the I.S.S." from The New York Times 
• "What’s in Trump and Republicans’ giant tax and immigration bill?" from The Washington Post

• "Republican Tax Plan Boosts SALT Deduction, Ends Green-Energy Breaks" 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.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "Exclusive | Apple Considers Raising iPhone Prices, Without Blaming Tariffs" from The Wall Street Journal 
• "With China tariffs on hold, will Americans stop stockpiling goods?" from Marketplace 
• "House GOP unleashes sweeping tax legislation" from Politico 
• "House tax writers eye SALT deduction cap rejected by key lawmakers last week" from The Hill
• "Why Tolkien thought "sub-creation" was the secret to great fantasy and science fiction" from Big Think 

• "Pope Leo asks fan 'Sox or Cubs?' as he signs a baseball" from The Chicago Sun-Times 

  
  

  Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "DOJ, FTC open inquiry into the concert industry" from The L.A. Times 
• "Fortnite applies to launch on Apple's App Store after Epic Games court win" from CNBC 
• "How Apple Created a Legal Mess When It Skirted Judge’s Ruling" from The New York Times 
• "Ahead of China-US talks, Trump says 80% tariff 'seems right'" from Reuters
• "Revenge RTO: Workers are coming in late, leaving early and stealing snacks as they find small ways to get back at their bosses" from Fortune
• "Trump Revives Push for Higher Taxes on the Rich" from The New York Times
• "How the Exotic Orchid Became a Mass-Market Commodity" from The Wall Street Journal 

• "The drawbacks of an increasingly cashless society" from Marketplace

  
  

  Stand up for Marketplace and public media during this critical time. Donate today: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Trump unveils United Kingdom trade deal, first since 'reciprocal' tariff pause” by CNBC
• “U.S., Britain strike first major trade deal of Trump tariff era” by Axios
• “Sending 2 Kids to Daycare Costs More Than Rent in Most Major U.S. Metros” from Redfin
• “Head Start avoids Trump’s cuts, but advocates are ready to defend it: ‘There’s too much good in this’” by The Guardian
• LISTEN: “Will you be my nanny?” from “This Is Uncomfortable” 
• “Life of the Mother” by ProPublica
• “Finding Strength in a Bigger Body” from The Cut
• “How one writer quit dieting and discovered her strength through weightlifting” by NPR

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Proposed cuts to housing programs could affect millions, experts warn” from The Washington Post
• “Where starter homes cost at least $1 million” by Axios
• This Is Uncomfortable Season 11 from Marketplace
• “You Have a Message From Taiwan” by The Wall Street Journal
• “Why the Asian currency blowup matters” from Axios
• “Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Other—and the Birds Loved It” from Smithsonian Magazine
• “Okra and fenugreek extracts remove most microplastics from water, finds research” on Phys.org 

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

And thanks to President Trump’s attempts to claw back control over IRA funds, as well as his recent budget proposal which drastically cuts climate spending, the future of America’s fast-growing clean energy economy looks uncertain. 

“The world is switching to electric vehicles, the world is switching to solar and wind,” said Christopher Knittel, economics professor and associate dean for climate and sustainability at the MIT Sloan School of Management. “And the less we do domestically, the less capability we build domestically to provide those clean energy resources, the worse off our industries will be in the future.”

Knittel explains President Trump’s efforts to phase out Biden-era climate initiatives, why some Republicans are reluctant to get rid of the IRA entirely, and why the U.S. getting left behind in a world committed to decarbonization poses a threat. 

Plus, the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told President Trump that Canada is “not for sale” in a meeting earlier today. And, the REAL ID deadline is coming in hot, though not all states seem equally prepared. 

Then, we’ll hear about how Seattle businesses are showing love for Canadian visitors and a listener share’s her daughter’s frustrations with “shrinkflation.”

Here’s everything we talked about today:

- Trump administration cancels clean energy grants as it prioritizes fossil fuels by AP News

- What Trump's budget cuts could mean for the environment by AP News

- The Race to the Top in Six Charts and Not Too Many Numbers from RMI

- Republicans haggle over green tax credits as battle lines deepen from Politico

- How We Survive from Marketplace

- Trump’s trade war with Canada has backfired on America. Now he has a crucial meeting with Mark Carney from CNN Business

- Trump knocks Canada ahead of Carney meeting by The Hill

- @carlquintanilla.bsky.social‬ on Bluesky

- What you need to know about the REAL ID requirements for air travel from NBC News

- Real ID deadline is weeks away and most states aren't fully compliant yet from CBS News

- Seattle Restaurants Are Offering Canadian Tourists a Discount, and an Apology by Eater Seattle

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

-Post on Bluesky from Carl Quintanilla

-"Tariff Politics; Rent-Stabilized Tenants May See a Rent Hike; Surviving Wall Street; Celebrating NYC's Mexican Communities" from The Brian Lehrer Show 

-"DHS Announces Historic Travel Assistance and Stipend for Voluntary Self-Deportation" from Department of Homeland Security 

-"US offers $1,000 stipend to encourage migrants to self-deport" from Reuters

-"Mass Deportation: Devastating Costs to America, Its Budget and Economy" from American Immigration Council

-"Trump Seems to Have Decided to Reopen Alcatraz Because of a Movie" from The New Republic

-"Trump Says He Wants to Reopen Alcatraz as a Functioning Prison" from The New York Times

-"Met Gala 2025: Highlights from exhibit of Black style and designers" from AP News  

-​"'Tailoring Black Style': Dandyism shines at the 2025 Met Gala" from NPR

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

-"Trump's tariffs come for fast fashion, and the blowback could be fierce."  from Politico 

-"Harvard President Says Any Move to Revoke Tax-Exempt Status Would Be ‘Highly Illegal’" from The Wall Street Journal 

-"Trump aims to cut $6 billion from NASA budget, shifting $1 billion to Mars-focused missions" from CNBC

-"Visit this store for a free iris scan to ‘prove’ you’re human, not AI" from The Washington Post

-"MoviePass’ Next Big Bet: A Fantasy Box Office App" from The Hollywood Reporter

-"A little retirement, as a treat" from Marketplace

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

- Recession defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

- “Trump says US kids may get '2 dolls instead of 30,' but China will suffer more in a trade war” from the Associated Press

- WATCH: “Trump says kids may get '2 dolls instead of 30' because of trade war with China” from the Associated Press

- “Trump, on Tariffs, Says ‘Maybe the Children Will Have 2 Dolls Instead of 30’” from The New York Times

- “Spending by American companies on computers in Q1 grew at the fastest pace since 1983” by Marketplace

- Check out the Canadian cheese shop Kimberly mentions in this episode

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

-"Trump blames Biden after GDP shrinks in first quarter, says growth will 'take a while'" from CNBC 

-"Businesses weigh how much to tell customers about tariffs' impact on price" from Marketplace

-"Trump-Bezos call sets stage for tense earnings report from Amazon" from CNBC

-"Trump vs. Amazon’s Brilliant Tariff Idea" from The Wall Street Journal 

-"The Americans Fled Vietnam 50 Years Ago. I Visited the Buildings They Left Behind."  from The New York Times

"Anxious about the world? Cow cuddling or bee buzzing might help ease your stress" from The Denver Post

Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Plus, we’ll hear a pitch for a new “Make Me Smart”-themed rear window sticker. And, what one psychologist got wrong about burnout.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

"Trump knows exactly what he just triggered in Canada" from CBC News

"Liberal Bruce Fanjoy topples Pierre Poilievre in Carleton" from CBC News

"Canada-U.S. Relations Continue to Reach Lows Over Tariffs and Annexation Threats" from The New York Times

"Mike Myers Is Ready to Defend Canada" from The New York Times

"Canada says its friendship with the US is ‘over.’ Now what?" From Politico 

"The future of the USMCA" from the Peterson Institute for International Economics

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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
• “Volume 52 | Issue 1 | February 2025” from the American Ethnological Society

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 match from the Investors Challenge Fund: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

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.

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.

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.

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:

• 
  
  
  

  1. “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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. On the show today,  Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist and science communicator 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.

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 question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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.

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.

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

Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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
• “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 508-U-B-SMART.

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.

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.

Here’s everything we talked about today: