Make Me Smart

Latest Episodes:

The tariff countdown Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump has promised that a fresh wave of tariffs on April 2 will usher in an era of growth in American manufacturing. But does history bear that out? We’ll explain how steel tariffs under President George W. Bush did more harm than good. And, in response to Trump’s trade agenda, the “buy Canadian” movement is gaining steam. American exporters are already feeling it. Plus, we’ll smile about flowers, parties and the unspoken rules of texting.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“As ‘Buy Canadian’ grows, more US companies say retailers shunning their products” from Reuters

“Republicans scramble to shield their states from Trump’s next wave of tariffs” from Politico

“Why steel tariffs failed when Bush was president” from Politico

“Are You a Hostile Punctuator???” from Time

“‘God’s way of smiling at us’: Iconic DC cherry blossoms create lasting joy, new beginnings” from USA Today

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

CoreWeave’s IPO tests money magic of AI Mar 29, 2025

Show notes

The artificial intelligence cloud computing provider CoreWeave sold shares to the public today with so-so results. Because it’s the first major IPO of the current generative AI era, some argue that CoreWeave could be a barometer of the AI boom. We’ll get into it. And, a federal appeals court ruled in favor of President Donald Trump’s firings of independent agency heads. The case will likely make its way to the Supreme Court. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Appeals court clears way for Trump to fire leaders of ‘independent’ federal agencies” from Politico

“CoreWeave stock seesaws after IPO in first big test of AI trade” from Yahoo Finance

“CoreWeave Is A Time Bomb” from Ed Zitron’s Where’s Your Ed At

“OpenAI Unveils New Image Generator for ChatGPT” from The New York Times

“DoorDash and Klarna partner to offer buy now, pay later for takeout” from Marketplace

“Crocs hits record revenue as popularity with younger consumers soars” from Marketplace

“When should we pay rent with a credit card? from Marketplace

“Facebook’s New Friends Tab Brings App Back to Its Roots” from The New York Times

Marketplace’s March fundraiser ends today! Chip in now and pick up a classic public media thank-you gift: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

The chilling effect of ICE arrests Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

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.

Beyond the “Signalgate” headlines Mar 27, 2025

Show notes

In all the talk about senior White House officials discussing military attack plans over the messaging app Signal (and accidentally invited a journalist to the chat), one detail is being overlooked: the impact of the attacks on Yemen. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack the chilling effect the Trump administration is having on U.S. tourism. Plus, nobody remembers that embarrassing time you misspoke in a Zoom meeting, right?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Foreign Travelers Are Rethinking Travel to the U.S.” from The New York Times

“Beyond the Signal fiasco, Trump’s Yemen strategy needs more scrutiny” from The Washington Post

“Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal” (gift link) from The Atlantic

“Living Car-Free in Arizona, on Purpose and Happily” from The New York Times

“The Ford Executive Who Kept Score of Colleagues’ Verbal Flubs” from The Wall Street Journal

“As Republicans Denounce NPR and PBS, Democrats Mock Hearing” from The New York Times

Help Marketplace and Make Me Smart plan for an uncertain future. Donate now during our March fundraiser.

Trump’s race for the world’s rare earth minerals Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

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.

The Trump administration’s big group chat fail Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

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.

Our tribute to cherry blossom season Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

It’s almost peak bloom in Washington, D.C., which means it’s time for our annual cherry blossom celebration! But first, some federal funding news: Columbia University will give in to far-reaching demands by President Donald Trump to restore threatened federal funding. We’ll get into what kind of precedent the move sets for higher education. And, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will cancel $500 million in food deliveries. Rural food banks could be impacted most. Plus, we’ll play a blossom-themed round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“Trump weighs in on report King Charles will offer U.S. Commonwealth membership” from The Independent

“Columbia Yields to Trump in Battle Over Federal Funding” from The Wall Street Journal

“USDA cancels $500M in food deliveries, leaving food banks scrambling” from The Washington Post

“Ohio among best places to see cherry blossoms blooming. Here’s where” from The Columbus Dispatch

“Cherry Blossom predictions are in! Will AI bloom or bust?” from George Mason University

“Beyond the bud: How the nation’s pink trees became an indicator of changing climate” from WBAL

“2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival set to boost DC tourism” from ABC7 News

Donate to our March fundraiser to get classic public media thank-you gifts! https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

We answer more of your questions about tariffs Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

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.

U.S. trade tensions with the EU just got tenser Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

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.

What we can learn from a past tariff tiff (rerun) Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

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

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