Make Me Smart

Latest Episodes:

A gulf between the White House and the press Feb 15, 2025

Show notes

Associated Press journalists have been blocked from accessing spaces like the Oval Office after the organization opted not to use the term “Gulf of America.” We’ll unpack the conundrum this creates for other news outlets covering the White House. And, while the GOP eyes spending cuts to key social safety net programs, some Republican representatives are feeling pressure from their constituents. We’ll get into it. Plus, a penny for your thoughts on getting rid of the penny. We’ll weigh in during a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

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.

How to actually tackle government waste Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

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.

Is there a better way to measure the economy? Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

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.

What we can learn from a past tariff tiff Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

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.

“With the retreat of U.S. leadership and the increasing use of economic coercion, we not only find ourselves in this uncertain world, but one where fears of a U.S. decline vis-a-vis China may become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy,” said Inu Manak, a fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations.

On the show today, Manak 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.

Trump’s purge of federal workers and its historical parallels Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

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.

Are Trump’s firings legal? Feb 08, 2025

Show notes

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.

Chaos is not an economic strategy Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

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 this a coup? Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

Is Elon Musk’s control of government offices as an unelected official a coup? Lots of people seeem 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.

The migrant workforce under Trump Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

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 President Donald 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.

The strategy behind Trump’s executive orders Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

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: