Make Me Smart

Latest Episodes:

The economic ripple effects of the Baltimore bridge collapse Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

Today, we’re picking guest host Amy Scott’s brain about two major news stories: the Baltimore bridge collapse and the recent Realtors settlement. We have lots of questions for the Baltimore resident and senior Marketplace correspondent covering all things housing! Plus, we’ll celebrate an American teen who made figure skating history.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. “Key Bridge disaster slows or stops Baltimore port jobs” from Marketplace

“Maryland legislators hope to help port workers and others affected by the bridge collapse” from Marketplace

“Lina Khan – FTC Chair on Amazon Antitrust Lawsuit & AI Oversight” from “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”

“Jon Stewart claims Apple wouldn’t let him interview FTC chair on his podcast” from Axios

“The U.S. sues Apple, saying it abuses its power to monopolize the smartphone market” from NPR

“The Realtors settlement could change how agents work with homebuyers” from Marketplace

“Teenager Ilia Malinin lands a record SIX quads to capture world figure skating title” from NBC Sports

“Ilia Malinin wins first world figure skating title with historic six quadruple jumps” from NBC Sports

Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

It’s the end of an era for giant GE Apr 03, 2024

Show notes

General Electric is breaking up! The megacorporation is splintering off into three separate companies. We’ll get into what that means for one of America’s biggest industrial conglomerates. Also, guest host Amy Scott joins us to discuss the dangers of humanitarian work in times of war. And dynamic pricing is coming for checked luggage. We’ll get smart (and angry!) about airline baggage fees.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. “José Andrés: Let People Eat” from The New York Times

“Israel-Hamas war: Aid group halts delivery in Gaza after Israeli strike” from The Associated Press

“How José Andrés and World Central Kitchen Became Leaders in Disaster Aid” from The New York Times

“We Feed People” documentary from National Geographic

“With GE’s split, the last chapter of the Jack Welch era is over” from Axios

“JetBlue’s new checked bag fees now depend on the day” from CNN

“Why do airlines charge so much for checked bags? This obscure rule helps explain why” from The Conversation

“For families that need the most help, child care costs are about to drop” from The 19th

“Column: Disneyland is ditching gas cars at Autopia. It’s a great first step for Tomorrowland” from the Los Angeles Times

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The water technology our future might depend on Apr 02, 2024

Show notes

It’s spring break for a lot of you. So, today we’re taking you on a little road trip (sort of) to the Southwest. Water is running really low there. As part of the latest season of “How We Survive,” Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast, host Amy Scott traveled across the region to dig into the water tech solutions that are helping communities adapt. So buckle up and get ready to get smart about the water crisis in the West.

How much does the stuff we buy actually cost? Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

Starting today, many fast-food workers in California will be paid $20 an hour under a new minimum-wage law. It’s time for a Kimberly rant! We’ll get into the subsidization of low-wage work, the reals costs behind all the stuff we buy — from burgers to clothes — and who’s picking up the tab. Plus, guest host Reema Khrais reminisces about the early years of Google as the company celebrates 20 years of Gmail.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. “Fast fashion retailer Shein doubles profits as it awaits IPO approval” from The Guardian

“California’s Fast-Food Workers Just Got a Pay Bump” from The New York Times

“California’s Crazy ‘Fast Food’ Minimum Wage Takes Effect” from The Wall Street Journal

“Your hair looks gorgeous. It cost … what?!” from The Washington Post

“Hey, Gen X, Z and millennials: the great wealth transfer could go to health care, not you” from USA Today

“Ancient giant dolphin discovered in the Amazon” from CNN

“Gmail revolutionized email 20 years ago. People thought it was Google’s April Fools’ Day joke” from The Associated Press

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

A steel industry tug of war Mar 30, 2024

Show notes

Carmakers are keeping a close eye on the steel industry. A bidding war over U.S. Steel, an iconic American manufacturer, is brewing, and car companies are concerned about antitrust issues and what that could mean for the auto business. We’ll get into it and explain our new theory about why the economy feels so precarious at the moment. Plus, we’ll weigh in on side hustles, raising the retirement age and Beyonce’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” in a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. “Automakers urge White House to oppose US Steel sale to Cleveland-Cliffs” from Reuters

“Powell says Fed wants to see ‘more good inflation readings’ before it can cut rates” from AP News

“Fed chair: Focusing solely on inflation is “no longer appropriate'” from Marketplace

“Biology is not as hierarchical as most textbooks paint it” from Aeon

“Dolly Loves Beyoncé: The Country Legend Is Wowed By The Fiercely Revised ‘Jolene'” from Deadline

“LinkedIn moves in on TikTok’s turf with video option” from Axios

“Owning a vending machine is an emerging side hustle” from Marketplace

“Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to McDonald’s” from The Washington Post

“Should the U.S. raise the retirement age?” from Marketplace

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

How our feelings about the economy are shaping the election Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

Even though the economy is going strong, many Americans are still pessimistic about it. We’ll get into how feelings and beliefs about the economy are playing into the 2024 presidential election. Plus, guest host Matt Levin joins us to discuss the latest AI news, including a new state law — known as the ELVIS Act — focused on protecting artists’ voices. And he’ll explain why he has the song “Barbie Girl” (Johnny Cash’s version) stuck in his head.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. “Bush Campaign Rally” from C-SPAN

“The Media’s Role in Forming Voters’ National Economic Evaluations in 1992” from the American Journal of Political Science

“Should politicians know the price of a pint of milk?” from BBC News

“The Primary Problem” from Unite America

“Johnny Cash Covers Aqua Girl’s ‘Barbie Girl’ Using AI” from Business Insider

“New Tennessee law aims to protect musicians from generative AI” from Marketplace

“An early look our AI Music experiment” from YouTube Blog

“First stop on the road to regulating AI? Finding humans to do the job.” from Marketplace

“Every US federal agency must hire a chief AI officer” from The Verge

Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a game and more.

Boeing and the “glass cliff” Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

In corporate America, struggling companies often pull a classic move: They promote women to lead them through a crisis. Boeing did just that. We’ll talk about the new boss at Boeing and how the “glass cliff” phenomenon impacts women and people of color moving up the corporate ladder. Also in this episode, a Kai rant about Truth Social and the greater fool theory, why dogs might be even smarter than we think, and is “bazoodaful” a new Kai word?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. Trump’s Truth Social stock from CNN

The greater fool theory from Investopedia

“Boeing just pulled a classic corporate America move and promoted a woman to clean up its mess” from Business Insider

“Dogs can understand the meaning of nouns, new research finds” from The Guardian

“Dogs can understand words for specific objects” from BBC

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The political and economic power of white evangelicals Mar 26, 2024

Show notes

Today we’re talking about a key voting bloc in this year’s elections: white evangelical Christian voters. In 2016 and 2020, they helped Donald Trump rise to power. NPR’s Sarah McCammon, author of “Exvangelicals,” discusses why evangelicals continue to back Trump, her personal journey leaving evangelicalism and the economic systems built around the evangelical movement.

We’ll also talk about the Maryland bridge collapse and the state of U.S. infrastructure. Plus, Neil King Jr., author of the memoir “American Ramble,” answers the Make Me Smart question.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. “‘You gotta be tough’: White evangelicals remain enthusiastic about Donald Trump” from NPR

“How younger voters will impact elections: What is happening to the white evangelical vote?” from Brookings

“Why White Evangelicals Stuck with Trump” from the University of Chicago Divinity School

“Latinos Will Determine the Future of American Evangelicalism” from The Atlantic

“Bridge Collapse in Baltimore Puts an Election Year Spotlight on Infrastructure” from The New York Times

“Elon Musk’s Starlink Terminals Are Falling Into the Wrong Hands” from Bloomberg

We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The trickle-down effects of the Dobbs abortion decision Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

This week, the Supreme Court will hear its first major abortion case since the Dobbs decision. We’ll get into how the use of abortion pills has changed post-Roe and the possible revival of a 150-year-old anti-obscenity law. Plus, an update on the efforts to limit judge shopping. And, the story of a woman who completed an extreme running race.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

1. “Biden’s Trustbuster Draws Unlikely Fans: ‘Khanservative’ Republicans” from The Wall Street Journal

“Showdown in Cowtown” from Politico’s Morning Money

“Where a Suit Can Proceed: Court Selection and Forum Shopping” from the Congressional Research Service

“Use of Abortion Pills Has Risen Significantly Post Roe, Research Shows” from The New York Times

“What is the Comstock Act?” from The 19th

“Optimist Pollster Finds Americans Are Far More Alike Than Different, With Shared Values Bridging Political Divides” from Good News Network

“Jasmin Paris Is First Woman to Finish Barkley Marathons” from The New York Times

We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Immigration and U.S. economic growth Mar 23, 2024

Show notes

Since the Congressional Budget Office last released its long-term outlook for the federal deficit and strength of the U.S. economy, things have become a teeny bit better. Why? The CBO points to increased immigration and last year’s spending deal struck between Congress and President Joe Biden. And, we’ll get into the looming commercial real-estate reckoning. Plus, we’ll weigh in on tote bags, Free Blockbuster libraries and more in a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today: