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We're about eight months into Donald Trump's second term, a victory driven in large part due to voter frustration with the economy and their belief that he would help get inflation down. So what does the economic picture look like today? That's not as easy a question to answer as you would think.Stock market set record highs, but consumers remain pessimistic about inflation. The tariffs implemented by the Trump administration haven't caused the kinds of economic damage many economists predicted they would, yet it's also clear that tariffs are impacting economic decision making in ways that aren't altogether obvious. And then there's AI. If you work for or invested in a company making AI, you're doing great.But what about those folks, especially new graduates entering the workforce who are being displaced by the new technology?Thankfully, we found someone to help us better understand this moment. Heather Long is chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union and a contributing columnist for The Washington Post. She's not only super smart, but she can make very confusing and complicated subject like this one understandable and approachable.We recorded this conversation on Wednesday, September 24th. Check out our CPR 2025-2026 Redistricting Tracker: https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/redistricting/2025-2026-redistricting-tracker-how-many-seats-could-flip-0You can watch part of the conversation our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thecookpoliticalreportSign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upInterested in subscribing to CPR? Go to: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribe.Listeners can use the discount code"ODD10" to save 10% on any subscription. This offer is available only to new subscribers.
Heather Long, Chief Economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, joins the Inside Economics team to discuss what she dubbed the K-Shaped Economy. She describes the reasons why the well-to-do are thriving and the bottom 80% of the income distribution is struggling to make ends meet. The team discusses the origins of this skewing in the income distribution and why we should care about it. Explore the risks and realities shaping the economy in our new webinar, now streaming for free.U.S. Economic Outlook: Under Unprecedented UncertaintyWatch here: https://events.moodys.com/mc68453-wbn-2025-mau25777-us-macro-outlook-precipice-recession?mkt_tok=OT…Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody's Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody's Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody's AnalyticsFollow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn Questions or Comments, please email us at helpeconomy@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you. To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Ralph interviews New York Times reporter, David Gelles, about his new book, “Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.” Then, we welcome back former IRS commissioner, John Koskinen, to update us on how the Trump Administration is dismantling the IRS and stealing your personal information.David Gelles is a reporter on the New York Times climate team and he leads the Times's “Climate Forward” newsletter and events series. He is the author of The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America—and How to Undo His Legacy, and his new book is Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.He [Yvon Chouinard] saw Patagonia as a role model for other corporations and believed that by running Patagonia in a different way, he could show that capitalism just didn't have to suck so much.David GellesThere's a paradox that runs through the pages of Dirtbag Billionaire and it's never fully resolved…It's the fact that Chouinard is an environmentalist who wants to reduce the impact of mankind on planet earth, and yet he runs a big, complicated clothing company that is taking a toll on the environment that he's trying to protect. He runs a company that in theory, he says, and in practice is largely doing, the work of funding grassroots activists and environmental conservation. But he's doing it by participating in the very capitalist system that is responsible for so much of the damage to our natural world. And the list goes on. These contradictions are what really has animated Chouinard and his executive team for all these years. They understand their own perfections. But unlike most, they are willing to really examine their own failings, to look it square in the eye, straight in the mirror, and try to figure out how to make things better.David GellesChouinard being a “dirtbag” is something he always identified as and he still does at a certain level. The great insult in his mind is being called a “billionaire.”David GellesJohn Koskinen served as the IRS Commissioner from 2013 to 2017.Lobbyists and corporations are very good at making sure that [tax advantages] always stayed. You never hear too often of tax advantages taken out of the code, what everybody argues about as new ones being put into the code.John KoskinenThese (IRS workers) are very skilled people who in fact have given up the opportunity to make two or three times more money in the private sector because they believe in public service.John KoskinenNews 9/19/25* Just weeks after David Ellison's Skydance Media completed their $8 billion takeover of Paramount Global, Ellison is setting his sights even higher – a proposed $70 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Variety reports. If this deal proceeds, it would mean that Ellison would control CNN in addition to CBS news, the latter of which he seemingly plans to place under the supervision of “anti-woke” arch-zionist media personality Bari Weiss. While true that cable news does not possess nearly as much clout as it did just a few years ago, this would represent a nearly unprecedented consolidation in that sector. Ellison and his lieutenants would wield a tremendous amount of influence in the media, which would translate to real impacts on the political process. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration media regulators will take any action to block this deal. Based on their actions so far, it seems unlikely.* In more media news, ABC has indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which the comedian has hosted since 2003, after he criticized Trump and his allies for “capitaliz[ing]” on the murder of Charlie Kirk to score political points, CNN reports. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr threatened action up to and including revoking the broadcast license for ABC, which airs the program, or possibly blocking their merger with Nexstar. While Rolling Stone reports multiple executives at ABC and its parent company Disney, felt that Kimmel “had not actually said anything over the line,” they folded immediately under the threat of retaliation by the administration. This move represents a major contradiction of Carr's previously stated belief that “[the FCC] must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans.” Democrats are incensed at this attack on free speech, Congressman Ro Khanna is seeking to subpoena Carr to testify to the House Oversight Committee. Trump, feeling confident after claiming the scalp of both Kimmel and Colbert – two outspoken critics – is now calling for NBC to remove Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, via Truth Social. Variety reports conservative media conglomerate Sinclair will “replace the Friday timeslot of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!' with a Charlie Kirk tribute special on its ABC affiliate stations — and is offering the special to all other ABC stations across the country.”* Regarding social media, the Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. and China are nearing a deal on control of TikTok, under a framework in which “an investor consortium including Oracle... Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz” would acquire an 80% stake. Oracle is of course run by David Ellison's father, Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the world, while Andreessen Horowitz is the venture capital firm of Trump ally Marc Andreessen. Silver Lake is another Silicon Valley private equity firm. This deal would finally put an end to the nebulous legal limbo created by Congress passing the TikTok ban and Trump refusing to enforce it. According to this report, the new company that would be created to run TikTok in America, “would also have an American-dominated board with one member designated by the U.S. government.”* The administration is seeking to shore up support in corporate America in other ways too. Trump has renewed his 2018 push to eliminate the reports businesses are mandated to issue on a quarterly basis, moving to a biannual reporting system. Trump argues that this shift would “cut costs and discourage shortsightedness on the part of publicly traded companies.” Others however believe that this change could be harmful to the economy, making companies less transparent and therefore increasing potential investor risk. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it is “making Trump's proposal a priority.” This from Reuters.* More troubling signs are emerging in the U.S economy. Per Bloomberg, “Consumers in the top 10% of the income distribution accounted for 49.2% of total spending,” in the second quarter of 2025. This is the highest percentage of consumer spending accounted for by that demographic going back to 1989, according to an analysis of the Federal Reserve's Financial Accounts and Survey of Consumer Finance data conducted by Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's. Chandan Economics reports a spike in late rent payments in August, suggesting stress in the “financial health of renter households,” while for homeowners, Polymarket reports that even more people are searching "help with mortgage" on Google than during the 2008 housing crisis. This comes as only 1.3 million home building permits were issued in August, the lowest level since the Spring of 2020, according to economist and Washington Post columnist Heather Long. Taken together, this data paints a picture of an economy flailing, and kept afloat only by the very rich.* Speaking of the very rich, the first American Pope, Leo the XIV, condemned the precipitous rise in CEO pay compared to their employees. Leo remarked that CEOs now make “600 times more than what average workers are receiving," adding "What does that mean…If [money] is the only thing that has value anymore, then we're in big trouble." Specifically, Leo was referring to the proposed new compensation package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which could turn the billionaire into a trillionaire. This from Yahoo! Finance. Senator Bernie Sanders echoed this sentiment, writing “The Pope is exactly right. No society can survive when one man becomes a trillionaire while the vast majority struggle to just survive — trying to put food on the table, pay rent and afford health care. We can and must do better.”* Turning to Israel and Gaza, AP reports Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's is resigning from the company after 47 years. In a letter, Jerry explains that he could not “in good conscience” remain at Ben & Jerry's because their parent company – the British conglomerate Unilever – has been constraining his ability to advocate against the genocide in Gaza. Jerry writes “For more than 20 years under their ownership, Ben & Jerry's stood up and spoke out in support of peace, justice and human rights, not as abstract concepts, but in relation to real events happening in our world…It's profoundly disappointing to come to the conclusion that that independence, the very basis of our sale to Unilever, is gone.” This is the largest, but by no means only, rupture between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever; this report notes “In March Ben & Jerry's said that its CEO was unlawfully removed by Unilever in retaliation for the ice cream maker's social and political activism.” However, as Greenfield's departure illustrates, the founders have little recourse besides their public platform and resignation.* In a sign of Israel's waning influence in the Democratic Party, POLITICO reports Democratic public affairs “megafirm” SKDK has ended their $600,000 contract with the state of Israel which was supposed to run from April 2025 through March 2026. The firm's recent focus had been “pitching guests for news shows to hear Israel's side of the war in Gaza.” The firm has been tight-lipped on this decision, saying only the work “had run its course.” Yet, this decision comes directly on the heels of reporting that Stagwell, the parent company of SKDK, was involved in “setting up a bot program ‘to amplify pro-Israel narratives on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other platforms,'” as revealed in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing.* On Wednesday, Senator Bernie Sanders crossed a major rhetorical rubicon, labeling Israel's actions in Gaza a “genocide.” In an op-ed appropriate titled “It Is Genocide,” Sanders cites the casualty totals – noting that “The full toll is likely much higher, with many thousands of bodies buried under the rubble” – along with the Israeli blockade on the enclave and their systematic destruction of Gaza's infrastructure, including hospitals, water and sanitation facilities and schools. Sanders also cites the genocidal intent expressed by Israeli leaders, through quotes like “the Gaza Strip should be flattened, and there should be one sentence for everyone there — death. We have to wipe the Gaza Strip off the map. There are no innocents there.” Sanders concludes this piece by warning that if the world fails to act, as during the Holocaust, Netanyahu and other “demagogues” will feel emboldened. History, Sanders writes “demands that the world act with one voice to say: enough is enough. No more genocide.” After Sanders' announcement, Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint came out with her own statement accepting the genocide label. Zeteo reports a total of 20 members of Congress now say Israel is committing genocide.* Finally, to end on a positive note, on Monday the House passed the bipartisan Mental Health in Aviation Act, which seeks to “break down…barriers and support the mental health of our aviation workforce by changing the current rules which prevent aviation professionals from seeking mental health care by imposing unfair penalties on those who do,” according to a press release by the bill's Republican sponsor Pete Stauber. A press release from the Democratic sponsor, Sean Casten, reads “Aviators should not be unfairly penalized for seeking mental health care…The current system perpetuates a culture of silence, and it's past time that changes.” Some observers have attributed some credit for the passage of this bill to the comedian Nathan Fielder's series The Rehearsal, the latest season of which dealt extensively with the issue of aviators' mental health. While congressional staff have downplayed the show's influence, it seems hard to deny that at the very least it raised the profile of this pressing issue. Either way, hopefully this bill will make it safer to fly by removing the stigma from pilots seeking mental healthcare. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
In this episode of The Penta Podcast Channel, host Ylan Mui dives deep into the evolving role of the Federal Reserve and its implications for the U.S. economy under President Trump. Joined by Heather Long, Chief Economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, they discuss the historically apolitical nature of the Fed and how it has come under unprecedented scrutiny from the White House. Heather shares insights on the Fed's independence, the potential impact of interest rate changes, and the broader economic landscape, including the challenges facing middle-class Americans. Tune in for an engaging exploration of how political dynamics are reshaping monetary policy and economic stability in the United States.
Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Michele Cobb discuss three audiobooks that have two or more narrators in the cast. Together they'll speak about: Taylor Jenkins Reid's queer love story set in the 1980s space race, ATMOSPHERE read by Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio. A thriller complete with kidnappings and a mysterious house in THE OTHER PEOPLE by C.B. Everett, read by Heather Long and Kaffe Keating. Finally, FAR AND AWAY a Dallas-to-Berlin house-swap family drama written by Amy Poeppel, and read by Patti Murin, Lisa Flanagan, Jennifer Jill Araya, Kevin R. Free, and Pete Simonelli. Read our reviews of the audiobooks at our website: ATMOSPHERE: Published by Random House THE OTHER PEOPLE: Published by Simon & Schuster Audio FAR AND AWAY: Published by Simon & Schuster Audio Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at Audiofile Magazine Today's episode is brought to you by Hachette Audio and the audiobook Kiss Her Goodbye, the newest Lisa Gardner thriller, read by Hillary Huber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tonight on The Last Word: Texas Republicans' attempt to remove Democrats goes to the state Supreme Court. Also, the Justice Department requests for the unsealing of the grand jury exhibits and transcripts in the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases. Plus, nearly two million Americans are receiving unemployment benefits. And the Supreme Court is poised to come for the Voting Rights Act. Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Heather Long, Conor Lamb, and Melissa Murray join Jonathan Capehart.
Tonight on The Last Word: Democrats eye an obscure law to force the release of the Epstein files. Also, Donald Trump pushes Texas gerrymandering to help House Republicans. Plus, the 60th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid is marked by deep Trump-GOP cuts. And a former Navajo president launches a campaign to unseat Arizona GOP Rep. Eli Crane. Harry Litman, Heather Long, Rep. Julie Johnson, Rep. Glenn Ivey, Norm Ornstein, and Jonathan Nez join Jonathan Capehart.
Reporting on economics often focuses on the 24-hour news cycle and the ups and downs of financial markets. But the stock market is not the economy, and Heather Long, in her career as an economic journalist, endeavored to explain how economic issues affected people's everyday lives. Heather reflects on her career as an economic journalist, highlighting her efforts to look beyond broad statistics to interview workers, small business owners, and job seekers to get a more nuanced and deeper insight into the state of the economy and the wellbeing of people in different parts of the economy and at different levels of income. Heather is Chief Economist at the Navy Federal Credit Union. She served on the Washington Post's editorial board from 2021 to 2025, and was the U.S. Economics Correspondent at the Post from 2017 to 2021. Prior to that, she was a Senior Economics reporter at CNN.
We are continuing our pride month and well..this was definitely unhinged.
Heather Long on X: "American parents are NOT okay. -Latest Federal Reserve data shows how parents w/kids at home are struggling more financially than childless households. Only 65% of parents w/kids are ok financially versus 76% of childless households. -New medical study shoes only 25.8% of moms https://t.co/9U6UUTJYXL" / X Turkey will fine airline passengers who unbuckle before the plane stops | AP News Garrett Kell ن on X: "God’s love does not always protect us from trials, but it does protect us through them. God does not promise us a pain-free life, but does promise “I am with you always.” His nearness is worth whatever it costs." / X Greg Laurie on X: "To be content is to recognize the goodness and generosity of God that put you where you are. To be content is to continuously take an inventory of the amazing things He’s done for you and given you... Read today's devotion at https://t.co/2eaQJw74al https://t.co/h2KpFe7reV" / X Navy Seal Admiral Shares Reasons to Make Bed Everyday Sola Media on X: "“Father is the Christian name for God. Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.” — J. I. Packer For Theo Global, Dr. Vijai Tagore provides a biblical theological reflection and analysis of how the fatherhood of God unfolds in Scripture. https://t.co/vtzRWJAztT" / X See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With tuition costs rising and student debt weighing many Americans down, how valuable is higher education in this day and age? The answer is complicated. On average, people with a college degree earn much more, and there's social benefits, too. But it doesn't pay off for everybody, and with AI encroaching on white-collar work, the decision becomes even trickier. Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Heather Long talk about college's true value and which alternatives deserve more investment.Additional reading:Heather Long: How can more young people live the American dream? There's a simple answer.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
On Tuesday, largely due to President Trump's tariffs, the International Monetary Fund downgraded its projections for economic growth in a big way. Meanwhile, we're already starting to see layoffs. All that comes as newpolls show Trump cratering on the economy. Trump is now shifting blame to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for the tariff fallout. But those attacks are only rattling markets and investors more, backfiring on Trump. We talked to one of the best economic commentators out there, Washington Post columnist Heather Long, author of a new piece on how Trump's “tariff madness” is likely to drive us into a recession. She explains why the prognosis is so grim—and why Trump is in a bind with no easy way out. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On Tuesday, largely due to President Trump's tariffs, the International Monetary Fund downgraded its projections for economic growth in a big way. Meanwhile, we're already starting to see layoffs. All that comes as new polls show Trump cratering on the economy. Trump is now shifting blame to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for the tariff fallout. But those attacks are only rattling markets and investors more, backfiring on Trump. We talked to one of the best economic commentators out there, Washington Post columnist Heather Long, author of a new piece on how Trump's “tariff madness” is likely to drive us into a recession. She explains why the prognosis is so grim—and why Trump is in a bind with no easy way out. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On Tuesday, largely due to President Trump's tariffs, the International Monetary Fund downgraded its projections for economic growth in a big way. Meanwhile, we're already starting to see layoffs. All that comes as newpolls show Trump cratering on the economy. Trump is now shifting blame to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for the tariff fallout. But those attacks are only rattling markets and investors more, backfiring on Trump. We talked to one of the best economic commentators out there, Washington Post columnist Heather Long, author of a new piece on how Trump's “tariff madness” is likely to drive us into a recession. She explains why the prognosis is so grim—and why Trump is in a bind with no easy way out. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week's episode of 'The Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart': Where's the fire? The growing calls for stronger opposition to President Trump's extreme agenda, after Senate Democrats help pass the Republicans' continuing resolution. I'll discuss the real cost of capitulating to Republicans to keep the government open with Andrew Desiderio, of Punchbowl News, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Nancy Pelosi, Drew Hamill, and economic columnist Heather Long of the Washington Post. Vengeance is his: Trump brings his revenge tour to the Department of Justice, calling out his critics by name and even suggesting they should be jailed. I'll ask Rep. Jamie Raskin why he called Trump's speech a "desecration" of the department's values. And a run for the history books: Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist will talk to me about his bid to be the next governor of Michigan and the first Black person to hold the position, plus how he plans to flip a state that Donald Trump narrowly won. All that and more on “The Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart.”
As President Trump stays bullish on tariffs, sending markets spiraling and personal anxieties soaring, the Republican-led Congress is trying to pass a budget. Do Democrats have any levers to pull, or should they just let Republicans own whatever happens next? Dana Milbank, Heather Long and James Hohmann talk through the negotiations in Washington this week and how Trump's unclear messaging could hurt business.Additional reading:Heather Long: A Trump recession has become a real possibilitySubscribe to The Washington Post here.
Guests: Jared Bernstein, Heather Long, Josh Marshall, Dr. Peter Hotez, David ShulkinTonight: the flashing warning signs that Donald Trump is botching another inheritance. Then, new reporting on an "explosive" confrontation between Trump's cabinet and Elon Musk. Plus, Trump former Veterans Affairs Secretary on the DOGE damage to the VA. And a stunning update to the president's farcical fix for California fires. Want more of Chris? Download and subscribe to his podcast, “Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes podcast” wherever you get your podcasts.
To kick off a new season of You Might Be Right, Heather Long, opinion columnist for The Washington Post, and James Lake, associate professor of economics at the University of Tennessee, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss trade policy and the impact of tariffs.
In Season 3, Episode 2 we sit down with Heather Long, Director of Family Support Services (FSS) of The Arc of San Antonio and discuss The Arc & everything you need to know about waiver lists. The Arc of San Antonio serves as a social service home in Bexar and surrounding counties to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and assists their families through their direct care and comprehensive case management programs. Take a listen to this month's episode to hear about The Arc and waiver lists, and also how we work alongside each other to help provide more opportunities to all those in our community. We thank our guest, Heather, for coming out to talk with us! We also hope the Texas Down Syndrome Chat supports, educates, and inspires our listeners, whether you have Down syndrome, or know someone who does.Please follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok @DSASTX or visit our website at dsastx.org to send us questions, comments, or suggestions regarding our podcast, and even what you would like for us to talk about next!
Day 22 in the second Trump administration and the Justice Dept. has ordered the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York to dismiss all charges against Eric Adams. Plus, the White House seems headed for showdown with federal courts over the effort to overhaul government. Also, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is being dismantled - how that will impact Americans everywhere. And, the lawmaker speaking out against his state's move to pass a school choice bill. He calls school vouchers "welfare for the wealthy". Dan Diamond, David Drucker, Alex Isenstadt, Mark McKinnon, Heather Long, Dan Nathan, Rohit Chopra, and James Talarico join The 11th Hour this Monday.
Many U.S. office workers have gotten used to hybrid or remote work in the past few years. These arrangements changed where people live and added flexibility to their schedules. But now, the trend seems to be reversing – some companies are wanting people back in the office five days a week, and President Trump said federal employees need to end remote work, too. Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Heather Long discuss how the balance of power between employers and their workers is shifting, and whether our cities and our lives can really go back to the way they were. Additional reading by Post columnists: Heather Long: Who will follow Amazon back into the office?Catherine Rampell: Return-to-work mandates are an invisible pay cut Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
One thing we can control is how we spend our money. So should the places where we shop align with our values, or is the politicization of corporate America just one more way the country is fracturing? Post Opinions's Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Heather Long discuss boycotts on both sides of the aisle, from Chick-fil-A to Budweiser, and whether voting with your dollars can change anything.Additional Reading:Target's DEI cuts have Black entrepreneurs saying ‘clear the shelves'Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
There's a housing crisis in America: high interest rates, not enough homes, and regulations that seem to favor building massive “McMansions” instead of more diverse housing stock. How did we get here, and can we find our way out? Post columnist Heather Long talks to the Atlantic's Jerusalem Demsas, who's written a book on the housing crisis, and Bryan DeHenau, a Michigan roofer who sees the struggles in the building industry on the ground every day.Additional Reading:Heather Long and Amanda Shendruk: “The new American Dream should be a townhouse”Heather Long talks with Bryan DeHenau about his ideas for how to build more homes in America: “A Michigan roofer's smart plan to end the housing crisis”Jerusalem Demsas: “An American-Style Housing Crisis in New Zealand”
President-elect Trump's campaign promises included imposing broad tariffs to bolster U.S. manufacturing jobs, pursuing mass deportations to free jobs for U.S. citizens and ease the housing crunch, and assuming a greater role in setting monetary policy. How likely is it that these policies will be enacted and, if so, what would be their possible consequences? Binyamin Appelbaum of The New York Times, Scott Horsley of NPR, Greg Ip of The Wall Street Journal, and Heather Long of The Washington Post join EconoFact Chats to discuss the feasibility and probable outcomes of the President-elect's stated economic plans.
On this episode of “Impromptu,” Opinions columnists Shadi Hamid and Heather Long talk with Style columnist Monica Hesse about what's really behind the baby bust and whether we just need to prepare for a lower fertility future. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
President-Elect Trump picks WWE mogul Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education and ex-TV host Dr. Oz to run Medicare & Medicaid. Also, Trump works the phones for Matt Gaetz, his choice for Attorney General. Meanwhile, a hacker has gained access to files with damaging testimony about Gaetz. Plus, the race to be Trump's Treasury secretary heats up. Phillip Rucker, Jeff Mason, Ankush Khardori, David Gura, Heather Long, Jon Allen, Stuart Stevens, Richard Reeves join The 11th Hour this Tuesday.
In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Andrew Ganahl, managing partner of a real estate development company that specializes in urban infill housing. They discuss a Washington Post article about townhouses, exploring the benefits of this style of development and Ganahl's own experiences with building townhouses in Kansas City. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES “The new American Dream should be a townhouse” by Amanda Shendruk and Heather Long, The Washington Post (October 2024). Andrew Ganahl (AND Real Estate site). Abby Newsham (X/Twitter). Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.
President Biden’s hallmark Inflation Reduction Act set aside nearly $150 billion for various climate projects. But not all of that money has been spent, and President-elect Trump has vowed to take it back. The question, is how much money is leftover? Kimberly explains why it’s taken years to get the money out the door. Plus, we’ll unpack some gains in women’s sports and wage growth. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Carbon emissions from fossil fuels hit record highs in 2024: report” from Axios “Dreaming of snow this winter? Look up the forecast in your area.” from The Washington Post “Fossil fuel CO2 emissions increase again in 2024” from the Global Carbon Project “The mystery number that's key to whether Biden's spending survives” from Politico “Women’s baseball players could soon have a league of their own again” from AP News Tweet from The Washington Post’s Heather Long about wage growth Got a question for the hosts about the election, Trump's next presidency and the U.S. economy? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
President Biden’s hallmark Inflation Reduction Act set aside nearly $150 billion for various climate projects. But not all of that money has been spent, and President-elect Trump has vowed to take it back. The question, is how much money is leftover? Kimberly explains why it’s taken years to get the money out the door. Plus, we’ll unpack some gains in women’s sports and wage growth. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Carbon emissions from fossil fuels hit record highs in 2024: report” from Axios “Dreaming of snow this winter? Look up the forecast in your area.” from The Washington Post “Fossil fuel CO2 emissions increase again in 2024” from the Global Carbon Project “The mystery number that's key to whether Biden's spending survives” from Politico “Women’s baseball players could soon have a league of their own again” from AP News Tweet from The Washington Post’s Heather Long about wage growth Got a question for the hosts about the election, Trump's next presidency and the U.S. economy? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
President Biden’s hallmark Inflation Reduction Act set aside nearly $150 billion for various climate projects. But not all of that money has been spent, and President-elect Trump has vowed to take it back. The question, is how much money is leftover? Kimberly explains why it’s taken years to get the money out the door. Plus, we’ll unpack some gains in women’s sports and wage growth. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Carbon emissions from fossil fuels hit record highs in 2024: report” from Axios “Dreaming of snow this winter? Look up the forecast in your area.” from The Washington Post “Fossil fuel CO2 emissions increase again in 2024” from the Global Carbon Project “The mystery number that's key to whether Biden's spending survives” from Politico “Women’s baseball players could soon have a league of their own again” from AP News Tweet from The Washington Post’s Heather Long about wage growth Got a question for the hosts about the election, Trump's next presidency and the U.S. economy? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.
Despite persistent inflation concerns, the economic data reveals a story of resilience: record job creation, rising wages, and unprecedented wealth gains for middle-class Americans. While many voters remain focused on higher prices at the grocery store, a deeper analysis shows that the economy has not only recovered from the pandemic but is actually outperforming pre-pandemic projections. Heather Long from the Washington Post digs into how this disconnect between economic data and public sentiment has influenced how we measure progress and prosperity in modern America.
Start your week of news with Boyd Matheson! Boyd breaks down the political election cycle with less than 48 hours until we find out who our next president is. Heather Long shares the data about America’s economy. See how we can all reach out in kindness after the election with Curtis Bennett. Adam Cancryn reflects on Joe Biden’s political career and what its legacy will look like and More!
[This blog will always be free to read, but it's also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com.]Yesterday, just before noon, The Washington Post, through CEO William Lewis, announced it would not endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election, the first time the nation's third-largest daily newspaper by circulation hasn't done so in nearly four decades.The announcement was shocking for two immediate reasons.The most grave—and, frankly, terrifying—reason is that the United States is obviously at threat of sliding into a horrific dictatorship from which it's difficult to see how we'd ever recover. Donald Trump and J.D. Vance have made it abundantly clear that they aspire to devolve our nation into the world's most powerful authoritarian regime. One need look no further than the chilling plans outlined in Project 2025.But there are many other warning signs, too. A small sampling:There's Trump openly praising Hitler's generals, according to his former chief-of-staff John Kelly (himself a retired four-star Marine Corps general), just the latest marker of fascist narcissism in Trump's very long and documented history of being obsessed with dictators.There's Trump repeatedly pledging to carry out the largest deportation of undocumented migrants in American history, a sweat-lipped plan made in blustering tones that somehow manages to exceed its inherent cruelty with an inexplicable failure to understand basic economics.(Not only is it logistically impossible to deport our nation's 11 million undocumented migrants, not only would it cost taxpayers an estimated quarter trillion to do so, but the American economy would completely collapse from the loss in labor force.)There's Trump's flagrant disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law: an indictment that resulted in a guilty verdict on 34 felony counts (his sentencing for that is on Nov. 26th), three other pending indictments on 52 more felony counts, two impeachments, being found liable for defamation of a woman he raped, etc.Oh, and, of course, there's Trump's frequent statements to serve past the constitutional limit of two terms as president (I'm sure he's just kidding), and the extremist conservative majority of the Supreme Court ruling last year that Trump is essentially a king beyond accountability for official acts in office.That's all an abbreviated version of why Donald Trump is obviously unfit.The second reason is The Washington Post's abdication of journalistic integrity under the ownership of Jeff Bezos, a development that is especially chilling for a publication that has long prided itself on being the vanguard for American democracy and free speech.The storied newspaper has won 76 Pulitzer Prizes over its history—second only to The New York Times—one of which was for the investigative reporting by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein that eventually led to the resignation of Richard Nixon. Another was for the reporting on the Jan. 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.The Washington Post has long been synonymous with the essential role of the free press in a healthy, functioning democracy in the same manner we associate Babe Ruth with baseball or July Fourth with fireworks or Dolly Parton with a clean soul.And so, it was with great confusion and incredulity that I read Mr. Lewis' painfully shameless attempt to justify the decision. He sure did try to put on a powdered wig and insist that the bowl of s**t he wanted to feed to the American public was actually chicken soup for the American soul.Most curiously, in writing about The Washington Post's history of largely declining to endorse presidential candidates prior to 1976, he stated that year's endorsement for then-Gov. Jimmy Carter was made “for understandable reasons at the time…”Did you catch that? He's obliquely referencing Watergate, the scandal that brought down Nixon with reporting by the paper — Nixon, who, by any measurable standard, comes across like Lincoln when compared to Trump.Mr. Lewis, for some odd reason, thought it persuasive to essentially say: “Look, we don't regret endorsing Carter because Nixon was terrible, but also: Trump is not nearly terrible enough to justify continuing this dangerous practice of presidential endorsements.”Furthermore, aside from the dollar store cheap imitation of logic, he failed to mention in his desperate, sorry excuse for rationalizing that The Washington Post, for the past several weeks, had been drafting an approved endorsement for Vice President Harris.He failed to mention that the endorsement was still on track a week ago, and there was no indication that it would be halted for any reason, let alone on the rather cringe-inducing reasoning he put forward in his announcement.He failed to mention that Trump met today with corporate leaders of aerospace company Blue Origin—also owned by Bezos—which is, at best, godawful timing or a pretty clear signal of Bezos' reasoning in killing the endorsement. Maybe both.Probably both.If none of this makes sense, you're far from alone. It completely failed to persuade the staff and alums of The Washington Post. Conservative columnist and editor-at-large Robert Kagan immediately resigned in protest. Sixteen other Washington Post columnists—Perry Bacon Jr., Matt Bai, Max Boot, E.J. Dionne Jr., Lee Hockstader, David Ignatius, Heather Long, Ruth Marcus, Dana Milbank, Alexandra Petri, Catherine Rampell, Eugene Robinson, Jennifer Rubin, Karen Tumulty, and Erik Wemple—published this statement on the paper's website:The Washington Post's decision not to make an endorsement in the presidential campaign is a terrible mistake. It represents an abandonment of the fundamental editorial convictions of the newspaper that we love. This is a moment for the institution to be making clear its commitment to democratic values, the rule of law and international alliances, and the threat that Donald Trump poses to them — the precise points The Post made in endorsing Trump's opponents in 2016 and 2020. There is no contradiction between The Post's important role as an independent newspaper and its practice of making political endorsements, both as a matter of guidance to readers and as a statement of core beliefs. That has never been more true than in the current campaign. An independent newspaper might someday choose to back away from making presidential endorsements. But this isn't the right moment, when one candidate is advocating positions that directly threaten freedom of the press and the values of the Constitution.Mr. Woodward and Mr. Bernstein issued this statement:We respect the traditional independence of the editorial page, but this decision 12 days out from the 2024 presidential election ignores the Washington Post's own overwhelming reportorial evidence on the threat Donald Trump poses to democracy. Under Jeff Bezos's ownership, the Washington Post's news operation has used its abundant resources to rigorously investigate the danger and damage a second Trump presidency could cause to the future of American democracy and that makes this decision even more surprising and disappointing, especially this late in the electoral process.Retired WaPo executive editor Martin Baron, who led the paper from 2012 thru 2021, including the tumultuous years of Trump's presidency, responded with a scathing statement: “This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty. Donald Trump will see this as invitation to further intimidate owner Jeff Bezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage.”The Washington Post Guild—the paper's employee union—had this to say:We are deeply concerned that The Washington Post—an American news institution in the nation's capital—would make the decision to no longer endorse presidential candidates, especially a mere 11 days ahead of an immensely consequential election. The role of an Editorial Board is to do just this: to share opinion on the news impacting our society and culture and endorse candidates to help guide readers.The message from our chief executive, Will Lewis—not from the Editorial Board itself—makes us concerned that management interfered with the work of our members in Editorial. According to our own reporters and Guild members, an endorsement for Harris was already drafted, and the decision to not publish was made by The Post's owner, Jeff Bezos. We are already seeing cancellations from once loyal readers. This decision undercuts the work of our members at a time when we should be building our readers' trust, not losing it.Washington Post editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes published this jarring work on the paper's website, titling it “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” referencing WaPo's official slogan that was introduced in 2017, just a month after Trump took office.As of 7:30pm yesterday, Semafor's Max Tani reported that at least 2,000 subscriptions to the paper had been canceled in the previous 24 hours, the overwhelming bulk of those likely being in the seven-and-a-half hours following the announcement from Mr. Lewis. Numerous public figures—including Stephen King, Mark Hamill, Jon Cryer, and former Congresswoman Marie Newman—publicly announced they were cancelling their own subscriptions.Last night, I made the same decision. I had heard rumblings early in the morning from friends in media that WaPo was about to announce a non-endorsement, credible enough that I mentioned it during a 10am meeting with colleagues and they were understandably shocked.I spent most of yesterday morning and afternoon, in the midst of a very busy schedule, privately agonizing over what I would do as a subscriber.Over the years, I've published a number of op-eds in The Washington Post, pieces of which I'm quite proud in a paper I've put on a pedestal since I was a kid, and I've worked with numerous editors and reporters at the outlet whom I admire for their professionalism and public service.It is not lost on me that cancelling a newspaper subscription will not hurt Jeff Bezos but will hurt those employed at the paper.And yet, as much as my heart breaks for the staff of The Washington Post, who haven't done anything to deserve this, I am still left with the simple truth that if Bezos is willing to kill an endorsement 11 days out, whether out of fear or ambition, what else is he willing to do with the paper?There are numerous journalists at the outlet doing critical work, but how we do know anymore when Jeff Bezos is putting his thumb on the scale, backed up by a complicit CEO who blatantly lies about the paper's direction?There have to be consequences for an action this brazen and irresponsible and dangerous for our democracy. Something's gotta give. I respect the decisions of other subscribers, but I simply cannot stomach giving another dime in reward to a publication with such great influence that can be used to do such great harm moving forward.It is my hope that there will be a time, after Vice President Harris is elected, after Trump is held accountable, after the craven capitalists of media have learned there's not much to be made in the long run from these corrupt and shameless tactics, that The Washington Post will be restored to its former glory.In the meantime, I will pay for my news elsewhere.Charlotte's Web Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
WNYC's election series “America, Are We Ready?” looks at the presidential candidates' different approaches to caregiving. Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast, “Make Me Smart", and Heather Long, Washington Post opinion columnist, discuss the policies proposed by Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and listeners share their stories.
Americans don't seem to have a shared understanding of when or how much to tip. Yet, millions of people rely on what we give to make a decent wage. Columnists Theodore Johnson, Heather Long and Molly Roberts talk about why things have become so confusing and get into the real issues beneath the campaign proposals to end taxes on tips.Read more from The Washington Post:“Tipping is more confusing than ever. Here's how to handle it.”Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
The economy often figures as a major topic of debate in the lead-up to elections. This election cycle is no exception. While both Presidential candidates have frequently discussed recent economic developments including inflation, trade, tariffs, infrastructure spending, and industrial policy, what economic policies are they likely to try implement if elected? And what impact could those policies have? Binyamin Applebaum of the New York Times, Scott Horsley of NPR, Greg Ip of the Wall Street Journal, and Heather Long of the Washington Post join EconoFact Chats to discuss.
Kamala Harris laid out her economic pitch to voters this week. Heather Long, Washington Post opinion columnist, discusses the plan, and whether she thinks it will attract enough of the voters she needs to win.
Many economists and politicians are alarmed that Americans, like others around the world, are having fewer kids. But, apart from wanting a growing labor force, is this really a problem? Opinions columnists Shadi Hamid and Heather Long talk with Style columnist Monica Hesse about what's really behind the baby bust and whether we just need to prepare for a lower fertility future. Read more from our columnists about this topic in the Washington Post:Editorial board: A reader quiz on world birthrate -- and what it means for the futureMonica Hesse: The birth rate is still sluggish. Don't blame the birth givers.
In a nation grappling with the challenge of creating pathways to the middle class without the burden of large amounts of debt, apprenticeships are lauded as a promising solution. The United States is now witnessing a resurgence of interest in apprenticeship programs across various industries. But we are also facing a large shortage of apprentices to fill positions. Heather Long from the Washington Post joins the show to break down her great reporting on this issue.
Join Boyd Matheson on Inside Sources today for the best perspective on the latest news! Protests have broken out in Israel in the aftermath of 6 hostages being killed by Hamas. American communities here are also feeling pain as one of the hostages was an Israeli-American citizen. Boyd focuses on an under the headline story about America's need to ramp up our apprenticeship programs. And after a study was carried out regarding UBI, or Universal Basic Income, the results showed that we need to think again about how to address poverty in America.
As Trump releases footage taken at Arlington National Cemetery in a campaign ad, some families are crying foul. On CNN, Maggie Haberman reported that she spoke to one family upset that their son, who committed suicide after serving several tours in the Middle East, had the front and back of his gravestone visible in the Trump ad. There is a federal law prohibiting filming in this section of Arlington and so far, there is no evidence that Trump received clearance from military officials allowing him to violate the privacy of the families of America's war dead. We'll find out more about the violation of the law when we welcome former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney David Katz to the show. The economy is weighing heavily in this presidential election. From prices at the grocery store to disputed jobless numbers, it's an issue voters have listed as a priority. Heather Long is a former economics reporter at CNN and the Washington Post, and now works for the latter as an opinion columnist. We get her take on the pulse of the U.S. economy. Are voters getting the real story?
On this week's episode of 'The Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart': Behold the MAGA Meltdown. An angry Donald Trump can't stop lobbing personal attacks at Vice President Kamala Harris as new polls show her popularity on the rise in key battleground states. Sen. Laphonza Butler, a long-time Harris confidant, joins me to discuss the wave of enthusiasm the Vice President is riding into next week's Democratic National Convention. The Kamala Economy. Harris unveils her ambitious plans to lower the cost of living for Americans. I'll break down what's good policy, and what's good politics with Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Heather Long of the Washington Post. And Trump is laying the groundwork to reject the election results nationwide, especially in states like Georgia. Marc Elias will address how we can safeguard our right to vote and have it counted. All that and more on “The Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart.”
One of the most reliable recession indicators, the “Sahm Rule,” just issued a “yellow flag” for the economy. Even now, with low unemployment, high spending, and overall economic growth, we aren't protected from a recession or economic downturn. Will the US economy be able to dodge this recession, and will the Fed be fast enough to save us from falling into a state of high unemployment and meager economic growth? The Washington Post's Heather Long joins us to share the latest data on the labor market, unemployment rate, Fed rate cuts, and why this particular recession indicator is going off now. First, we talk about why there is so much positivity in the job market and why most people won't notice the cracks starting to form. With tech jobs getting slashed and government jobs growing, are we moving in the right direction? Heather also explains a strong recession indicator, the “Sahm Rule,” and why it's throwing up a “yellow flag” warning even with the hot job market. Finally, we'll touch on interest rates, whether the Fed will actually come through with a rate cut this year, and how fast future rate cuts could come after the first. In This Episode We Cover The unemployment-based recession indicator that's throwing up “yellow flags” Which industries are hiring and which are firing in 2024 What the “unemployment rate” really means, and why most people get this wrong Immigration's HUGE effect on unemployment and how it may be skewing the numbers The Fed's tricky decision to make and whether rate cuts could help this situation And So Much More! Links from the Show Join the Future of Real Estate Investing with Fundrise Join BiggerPockets for FREE Find Investor-Friendly Lenders See Dave at BPCON2024 in Cancun! Dave's BiggerPockets Profile On The Market 168 - How to Prepare for a Recession in 2024 Real-time Sahm Rule Recession Indicator Read More from Heather Grab the Book, “Recession-Proof Real Estate Investing” Jump to topic: (00:00) Intro (01:06) Good Time to Get a Job? (04:50) Unemployment Rate Explained (07:59) Who's Losing Their Job? (10:21) Recession "Yellow Flags" Emerge (16:56) Immigration's Huge Effect (21:05) Spending Still Going Strong? (24:16) The Fed's Rate Cut Plans Check out more resources from this show on BiggerPockets.com and https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/on-the-market-238 Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email advertise@biggerpockets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is an abbreviated version of The Michael Medved Show. To get the full program, plus premium content, become a subscriber at MichaelMedved.com
In the latest installment from their trip to Phoenix, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and Washington Post columnist Heather Long visit Native Resources — a plant relocation, nursery and landscape company — that sits at the intersection of conservation and development amid a semiconductor boom. Plus, takeaways from the Federal Reserve’s policy-setting meeting, a check-in with business owners about wages and an update on a Mississippi barge business.
In the latest installment from their trip to Phoenix, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and Washington Post columnist Heather Long visit Native Resources — a plant relocation, nursery and landscape company — that sits at the intersection of conservation and development amid a semiconductor boom. Plus, takeaways from the Federal Reserve’s policy-setting meeting, a check-in with business owners about wages and an update on a Mississippi barge business.
Phoenix has been in the semiconductor business for a while now, but the Biden administration is taking it to another level by sending a major infusion of cash to tech companies in the desert city to expand chip-making capabilities. In this episode, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal visits Phoenix with Washington Post columnist Heather Long. They dig into the challenges of rebuilding the country’s semiconductor industry.
Phoenix has been in the semiconductor business for a while now, but the Biden administration is taking it to another level by sending a major infusion of cash to tech companies in the desert city to expand chip-making capabilities. In this episode, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal visits Phoenix with Washington Post columnist Heather Long. They dig into the challenges of rebuilding the country’s semiconductor industry.
As president, Donald Trump presided over a good — sometimes great — economy. But his proposals are unnerving business leaders this time around. The Washington Post's Heather Long and Economist columnist Henry Tricks on the Tariff Man's Tariff Plans. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, Melissa Hersch, and Hady Mawajdeh, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Tonight on The Last Word: President Biden says Donald Trump threatens the “sacred cause” of democracy. Also, Team Biden starts 2024 with a strong economy. Plus, Rep. Andy Kim is running in the primary against Sen. Bob Menendez. And Democrats look to defeat Lauren Boebert in Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Rep. Jamie Raskin, Barbara McQuade, Paul Butler, Heather Long, Rep. Andy Kim, and John Padora join Jonathan Capehart.