Podcasts about make me smart

Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast “Make Me Smart,” talks about the latest news on tariffs, including the end of the de minimis exemption, which may lead to higher prices for consumers. Plus, Arthur Dong, teaching professor of strategy and economics at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, offers analysis of the US-China relationship as Beijing is considering whether it should begin to negotiate with President Trump on trade.

With the impacts of President Trump's trade wars beginning to be felt in the US, we discuss the macro- and micro-economics of the administration's trade policy.On Today's Show:Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast “Make Me Smart,” talks about the latest news on tariffs, including the end of the de minimis exemption, which may lead to higher prices for consumers. Plus, Arthur Dong, professor of strategy and economics at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, offers analysis of the US-China relationship as Beijing is considering whether it should begin to negotiate with President Trump on trade.

After declaring victory in yesterday's Canadian election, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the “old relationship” with the United States is over. Over the past few months, President Donald Trump's on-and-off tariffs and repeated annexation threats have caused Canadians to reconsider the United States as its leading trading partner and ally. But Patricia Goff, professor of political science at Wilfrid Laurier University, said the idea of disentangling the two economies is unrealistic. On the show today, Goff explains how Trump's tariffs and annexation threats influenced the Canadian election, how Canadian industries are navigating the trade war, and what this all could mean for the future of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.Plus, we'll hear a pitch for a new “Make Me Smart”-themed rear window sticker. And, what one psychologist got wrong about burnout. Here's everything we talked about today:"Trump knows exactly what he just triggered in Canada" from CBC News"Liberal Bruce Fanjoy topples Pierre Poilievre in Carleton" from CBC News"Canada-U.S. Relations Continue to Reach Lows Over Tariffs and Annexation Threats" from The New York Times"Mike Myers Is Ready to Defend Canada" from The New York Times"Canada says its friendship with the US is ‘over.' Now what?" From Politico "The future of the USMCA" from the Peterson Institute for International EconomicsWe want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

After declaring victory in yesterday's Canadian election, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the “old relationship” with the United States is over. Over the past few months, President Donald Trump's on-and-off tariffs and repeated annexation threats have caused Canadians to reconsider the United States as its leading trading partner and ally. But Patricia Goff, professor of political science at Wilfrid Laurier University, said the idea of disentangling the two economies is unrealistic. On the show today, Goff explains how Trump's tariffs and annexation threats influenced the Canadian election, how Canadian industries are navigating the trade war, and what this all could mean for the future of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.Plus, we'll hear a pitch for a new “Make Me Smart”-themed rear window sticker. And, what one psychologist got wrong about burnout. Here's everything we talked about today:"Trump knows exactly what he just triggered in Canada" from CBC News"Liberal Bruce Fanjoy topples Pierre Poilievre in Carleton" from CBC News"Canada-U.S. Relations Continue to Reach Lows Over Tariffs and Annexation Threats" from The New York Times"Mike Myers Is Ready to Defend Canada" from The New York Times"Canada says its friendship with the US is ‘over.' Now what?" From Politico "The future of the USMCA" from the Peterson Institute for International EconomicsWe want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Happy Tax Day, folks. While you're hitting “Submit” on your returns, lawmakers in Washington are negotiating over what next year's Tax Day could look like. Congress is aiming to pack President Donald Trump's promised tax cuts into one behemoth reconciliation bill. But Caitlin Reilly, tax and economics reporter at CQ Roll Call, said there's a long way to go before making these promises a reality. On the show today, Reilly explains why Congress is pursuing “reconciliation,” the accounting magic lawmakers are using to make certain tax cuts look free, and how the House and Senate will square two drastically different mandates for spending cuts. Then, we'll look into how Boeing is getting caught up in the U.S.-China trade war. And, a tax professor answers the “Make Me Smart” question.Here's everything we talked about today:"House Republicans Passed a New Budget. Here's What's in It." from The New York Times"Senate GOP passes budget plan, setting up a critical next phase for Trump agenda" from NPR"House GOP adopts budget framework, paving the way for Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill'" from Politico "'Current policy' debate dogs budget reconciliation efforts" from Roll Call"Your cheat sheet to Congress' budget fight" from PBS Newshour"China Goes After Boeing, Tells Airlines Not to Order New Aircraft From U.S. Jet Maker" from The Wall Street Journal We want to hear your answer to the “Make Me Smart” question. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Happy Tax Day, folks. While you're hitting “Submit” on your returns, lawmakers in Washington are negotiating over what next year's Tax Day could look like. Congress is aiming to pack President Donald Trump's promised tax cuts into one behemoth reconciliation bill. But Caitlin Reilly, tax and economics reporter at CQ Roll Call, said there's a long way to go before making these promises a reality. On the show today, Reilly explains why Congress is pursuing “reconciliation,” the accounting magic lawmakers are using to make certain tax cuts look free, and how the House and Senate will square two drastically different mandates for spending cuts. Then, we'll look into how Boeing is getting caught up in the U.S.-China trade war. And, a tax professor answers the “Make Me Smart” question.Here's everything we talked about today:"House Republicans Passed a New Budget. Here's What's in It." from The New York Times"Senate GOP passes budget plan, setting up a critical next phase for Trump agenda" from NPR"House GOP adopts budget framework, paving the way for Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill'" from Politico "'Current policy' debate dogs budget reconciliation efforts" from Roll Call"Your cheat sheet to Congress' budget fight" from PBS Newshour"China Goes After Boeing, Tells Airlines Not to Order New Aircraft From U.S. Jet Maker" from The Wall Street Journal We want to hear your answer to the “Make Me Smart” question. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

You may be wondering whether the prices of your go-to products, from avocados to smartphones, will be raised by tariffs in the coming weeks. We hear you! On the show today, Martha Gimbel, executive director of the Budget Lab at Yale, gives us a broad view of the tariff landscape, how the prices of certain consumer goods could change, and how Trump's trade agenda could impact the American economy in the long run. Plus, why a trade deficit isn't necessarily a bad thing.Then, we'll smile about the joy of listening to kids learn to talk. And, Carrie Lane, author of “More Than Pretty Boxes: How the Rise of Professional Organizing Shows Us the Way We Work Isn't Working,” answers the Make Me Smart question.Here's everything we talked about today:"Tariffs on China set to rise to at least 104% on Wednesday, White House says" from CNN Business"Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 Swing Wildly; Trump Threatens More China Tariffs" from The Wall Street Journal"What is the status of the Trump administration's tariffs?" from Marketplace"Where We Stand: The Fiscal, Economic, and Distributional Effects of All U.S. Tariffs Enacted in 2025 Through April 2" from The Budget Lab at Yale"Trump Tariff Tracker" from the Atlantic CouncilGot a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

You may be wondering whether the prices of your go-to products, from avocados to smartphones, will be raised by tariffs in the coming weeks. We hear you! On the show today, Martha Gimbel, executive director of the Budget Lab at Yale, gives us a broad view of the tariff landscape, how the prices of certain consumer goods could change, and how Trump's trade agenda could impact the American economy in the long run. Plus, why a trade deficit isn't necessarily a bad thing.Then, we'll smile about the joy of listening to kids learn to talk. And, Carrie Lane, author of “More Than Pretty Boxes: How the Rise of Professional Organizing Shows Us the Way We Work Isn't Working,” answers the Make Me Smart question.Here's everything we talked about today:"Tariffs on China set to rise to at least 104% on Wednesday, White House says" from CNN Business"Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 Swing Wildly; Trump Threatens More China Tariffs" from The Wall Street Journal"What is the status of the Trump administration's tariffs?" from Marketplace"Where We Stand: The Fiscal, Economic, and Distributional Effects of All U.S. Tariffs Enacted in 2025 Through April 2" from The Budget Lab at Yale"Trump Tariff Tracker" from the Atlantic CouncilGot a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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.

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.

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

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

The National Women’s Soccer League’s regular season kicks off next week. And thanks in part to a record-breaking media rights agreement and the growth of women’s professional sports across the board, the league is gaining more attention — and investment — than ever. Angel City Football Club became the highest-valued women’s sports team in the world last year when Willow Bay and Bob Iger acquired a controlling stake in the franchise for $250 million. Julie Uhrman, the team’s CEO and co-founder, says Angel City is just the beginning. On the show today, Uhrman explains how she and her co-founders got investors to see their vision, why a game day experience that leaves you with FOMO is key to Angel City’s growth, and how to watch the NWSL’s season. Later, how proposed funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health could leave a generational impact on the United States’ reputation as a science leader. And Adam Grant, host of the “Re:Thinking” podcast, answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How Angel City became ‘the most valuable women's sports team in the world' with new owners” from The Athletic “Ranking new 2025 NWSL team jerseys: Which kits hit?” from ESPN “Without the Draft, NWSL Clubs Are Navigating a Changing Landscape in College Recruitment” from Sports Illustrated “NWSL announces landmark media partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports” from NWSL “National Women's Soccer League Playoffs Docuseries Gets Premiere Date At Prime Video” from Deadline Listen: Adam Grant’s interview with Sabri Ben-Achour on Marketplace Morning Report Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

The National Women’s Soccer League’s regular season kicks off next week. And thanks in part to a record-breaking media rights agreement and the growth of women’s professional sports across the board, the league is gaining more attention — and investment — than ever. Angel City Football Club became the highest-valued women’s sports team in the world last year when Willow Bay and Bob Iger acquired a controlling stake in the franchise for $250 million. Julie Uhrman, the team’s CEO and co-founder, says Angel City is just the beginning. On the show today, Uhrman explains how she and her co-founders got investors to see their vision, why a game day experience that leaves you with FOMO is key to Angel City’s growth, and how to watch the NWSL’s season. Later, how proposed funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health could leave a generational impact on the United States’ reputation as a science leader. And Adam Grant, host of the “Re:Thinking” podcast, answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How Angel City became ‘the most valuable women's sports team in the world' with new owners” from The Athletic “Ranking new 2025 NWSL team jerseys: Which kits hit?” from ESPN “Without the Draft, NWSL Clubs Are Navigating a Changing Landscape in College Recruitment” from Sports Illustrated “NWSL announces landmark media partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports” from NWSL “National Women's Soccer League Playoffs Docuseries Gets Premiere Date At Prime Video” from Deadline Listen: Adam Grant’s interview with Sabri Ben-Achour on Marketplace Morning Report Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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.

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.

If President Donald Trump goes through with his plan to levy sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, it wouldn’t be the first time the U.S. has done such a thing. Ever heard of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930? Anyone? Those tariffs are widely credited with sinking the United States deeper into the Great Depression. And although global trade looks different nowadays, they can teach us a lot about how Trump’s protectionist approach to global trade could play out. On the show today, Inu Manak, a fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, explains how the Smoot-Hawley tariff debacle can shed light on the current moment, why the president has the power to wield tariffs in the first place, and how punishing trading partners could leave the U.S. economy at a disadvantage. Plus, what this fight has to do with the 1980s film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and Roomba vacuum cleaners! Later, one listener’s call to visit your local butcher. And, dating coach Damona Hoffman, host of the “Dates and Mates” podcast, answers the “Make Me Smart” question just in time for Valentine’s Day. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tariffs on Trading Partners: Can the President Actually Do That?” from Council on Foreign Relations “One Response to Trump's Tariffs: Trade That Excludes the U.S.” from The New York Times “The United States has been disengaging from the global economy” from the Peterson Institute for International Economics “Protectionism 100 years ago helped ignite a world war. Could it happen again?” from The Washington Post “The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today's globalized system” from The Conversation Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

If President Donald Trump goes through with his plan to levy sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, it wouldn’t be the first time the U.S. has done such a thing. Ever heard of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930? Anyone? Those tariffs are widely credited with sinking the United States deeper into the Great Depression. And although global trade looks different nowadays, they can teach us a lot about how Trump’s protectionist approach to global trade could play out. On the show today, Inu Manak, a fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, explains how the Smoot-Hawley tariff debacle can shed light on the current moment, why the president has the power to wield tariffs in the first place, and how punishing trading partners could leave the U.S. economy at a disadvantage. Plus, what this fight has to do with the 1980s film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and Roomba vacuum cleaners! Later, one listener’s call to visit your local butcher. And, dating coach Damona Hoffman, host of the “Dates and Mates” podcast, answers the “Make Me Smart” question just in time for Valentine’s Day. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Tariffs on Trading Partners: Can the President Actually Do That?” from Council on Foreign Relations “One Response to Trump's Tariffs: Trade That Excludes the U.S.” from The New York Times “The United States has been disengaging from the global economy” from the Peterson Institute for International Economics “Protectionism 100 years ago helped ignite a world war. Could it happen again?” from The Washington Post “The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today's globalized system” from The Conversation Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

President Donald Trump 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.

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.

In his inaugural address, President Donald Trump said he wanted to end chronic illnesses. The promise is part of the Make America Healthy Again campaign pushed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump picked to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. It's a powerful slogan. But experts warn that some of RFK Jr.’s proposals are based on conspiracy theories and false information instead of actions that could actually improve Americans’ health, like backing targeted reforms in the food industry. On the show today, Jessica Knurick, a registered dietitian who decodes nutrition and public health misinformation, joins the show to discuss the business of food, what processed foods actually are, how our food supply became full of them, and why chronic disease disproportionately impacts low-income communities. Plus, the policy solutions she would propose to improve Americans’ health. Later, as the LA fires continue to burn, listeners share how they're thinking about climate risk in their neck of the woods. Plus, a sober health journalist changes her mind about Dry January. Here’s everything we talked about today: “RFK Jr. faces battles in quest to change America's food” from The Washington Post “What Is MAHA?” from New York magazine “How RFK Jr.'s Pledge To Make America Eat Healthier Clashes With Trump” from Forbes “A Dietitian’s Guide to the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Movement” from Public Health Dad “Junk food turns public villain as power shifts in Washington” from CBS News We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

In his inaugural address, President Donald Trump said he wanted to end chronic illnesses. The promise is part of the Make America Healthy Again campaign pushed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump picked to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. It's a powerful slogan. But experts warn that some of RFK Jr.’s proposals are based on conspiracy theories and false information instead of actions that could actually improve Americans’ health, like backing targeted reforms in the food industry. On the show today, Jessica Knurick, a registered dietitian who decodes nutrition and public health misinformation, joins the show to discuss the business of food, what processed foods actually are, how our food supply became full of them, and why chronic disease disproportionately impacts low-income communities. Plus, the policy solutions she would propose to improve Americans’ health. Later, as the LA fires continue to burn, listeners share how they're thinking about climate risk in their neck of the woods. Plus, a sober health journalist changes her mind about Dry January. Here’s everything we talked about today: “RFK Jr. faces battles in quest to change America's food” from The Washington Post “What Is MAHA?” from New York magazine “How RFK Jr.'s Pledge To Make America Eat Healthier Clashes With Trump” from Forbes “A Dietitian’s Guide to the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Movement” from Public Health Dad “Junk food turns public villain as power shifts in Washington” from CBS News We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The Los Angeles fires are a warning to all of us. Over the past week, lives, homes, businesses and entire communities have been lost in what's expected to be among the nation’s costliest disasters ever. But with more than one-third of the U.S. population living in counties with high wildfire risk, this begs the question: Should lots of people relocate? Crystal Kolden, director of the Fire Resilience Center at the University of California at Merced and a former wildland firefighter, said abandoning these places isn’t the only option. On the show today, Kolden explains why the L.A. fires have been so tough to put out, why wildfires are different from other natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, and how devastated communities can rebuild in a way that makes them more resilient to future fires. Later, a listener shares a teamwork approach to cleaning up after a house party. And, Brad Stulberg, author of “Master of Change,” was wrong about how to find motivation. Here’s everything we talked about today: “L.A. Fires Show Limits of America's Efforts to Cope With Climate Change” from The New York Times “Column: Recovery will be tempered by hard decisions and, if we aren’t careful, inequality” from The L.A. Times “Palisades and other Southern California fires could be most expensive in US history” from LAist “More People Are Living in the Riskiest Wildfire Zones” from Bloomberg “‘Zone Zero’ Mandates Near Completion for High Wildfire Risk Areas” from the Sierra Club “‘Conditions’ should be placed on California wildfire aid: House Speaker Mike Johnson” from USA Today We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

The Los Angeles fires are a warning to all of us. Over the past week, lives, homes, businesses and entire communities have been lost in what's expected to be among the nation’s costliest disasters ever. But with more than one-third of the U.S. population living in counties with high wildfire risk, this begs the question: Should lots of people relocate? Crystal Kolden, director of the Fire Resilience Center at the University of California at Merced and a former wildland firefighter, said abandoning these places isn’t the only option. On the show today, Kolden explains why the L.A. fires have been so tough to put out, why wildfires are different from other natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, and how devastated communities can rebuild in a way that makes them more resilient to future fires. Later, a listener shares a teamwork approach to cleaning up after a house party. And, Brad Stulberg, author of “Master of Change,” was wrong about how to find motivation. Here’s everything we talked about today: “L.A. Fires Show Limits of America's Efforts to Cope With Climate Change” from The New York Times “Column: Recovery will be tempered by hard decisions and, if we aren’t careful, inequality” from The L.A. Times “Palisades and other Southern California fires could be most expensive in US history” from LAist “More People Are Living in the Riskiest Wildfire Zones” from Bloomberg “‘Zone Zero’ Mandates Near Completion for High Wildfire Risk Areas” from the Sierra Club “‘Conditions’ should be placed on California wildfire aid: House Speaker Mike Johnson” from USA Today We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Anime seems to be just about everywhere these days: film, music videos, the NFL and big streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. “Anime is colossal. In terms of raw revenue, anime and the NLF are tied at about $20 billion in [annual global] revenue,” said Chris Plante, editor in chief and co-founder of Polygon at Vox Media. “When you think of anime, it can be seen as niche, but the reality is that couldn’t be further from the truth.” On the show today, Plante explains anime economics, what's behind the rise of anime in the United States and some of the problematic aspects of the medium. Later, we'll discuss how climate change is impacting cherry blossom season and why the commercial real estate crisis could be a big problem for regional banks. Later, one listener calls in on a landline about landlines. And, this week's answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from a digital illustrator based in Long Beach, California. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who watches anime? Polygon surveyed more than 4,000 people to find out” from Polygon “Anime Market to Reach USD 62.7 Billion by 2032” from Yahoo Finance “Anime Is Booming. So Why Are Animators Living in Poverty?” from The New York Times “Sony Jacks Up Prices for Crunchyroll and Kills Funimation” from Gizmodo “From Niche To Mainstream: The Unstoppable Global Popularity Of Anime And How It Happened” from BuzzFeed “Streaming and covid-19 have entrenched anime's global popularity” from The Economist “Naruto Movie in the Works With Destin Daniel Cretton” from The Hollywood Reporter “Cherry blossom forecast: We predict peak bloom in D.C. around March 21” from The Washington Post “Early jacaranda bloom sparks debate about climate change in Mexico” from Reuters “Commercial Real Estate Market Plunge Has Lenders Facing a Brutal Reality” from Bloomberg “Comic: Tienes economic anxiety? Artist Julio Salgado reflects on changes in creative industries” from the Los Angeles Times Are you a fan of anime? Tell us about your favorite anime series! Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Anime seems to be just about everywhere these days: film, music videos, the NFL and big streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. “Anime is colossal. In terms of raw revenue, anime and the NLF are tied at about $20 billion in [annual global] revenue,” said Chris Plante, editor in chief and co-founder of Polygon at Vox Media. “When you think of anime, it can be seen as niche, but the reality is that couldn’t be further from the truth.” On the show today, Plante explains anime economics, what's behind the rise of anime in the United States and some of the problematic aspects of the medium. Later, we'll discuss how climate change is impacting cherry blossom season and why the commercial real estate crisis could be a big problem for regional banks. Later, one listener calls in on a landline about landlines. And, this week's answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from a digital illustrator based in Long Beach, California. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who watches anime? Polygon surveyed more than 4,000 people to find out” from Polygon “Anime Market to Reach USD 62.7 Billion by 2032” from Yahoo Finance “Anime Is Booming. So Why Are Animators Living in Poverty?” from The New York Times “Sony Jacks Up Prices for Crunchyroll and Kills Funimation” from Gizmodo “From Niche To Mainstream: The Unstoppable Global Popularity Of Anime And How It Happened” from BuzzFeed “Streaming and covid-19 have entrenched anime's global popularity” from The Economist “Naruto Movie in the Works With Destin Daniel Cretton” from The Hollywood Reporter “Cherry blossom forecast: We predict peak bloom in D.C. around March 21” from The Washington Post “Early jacaranda bloom sparks debate about climate change in Mexico” from Reuters “Commercial Real Estate Market Plunge Has Lenders Facing a Brutal Reality” from Bloomberg “Comic: Tienes economic anxiety? Artist Julio Salgado reflects on changes in creative industries” from the Los Angeles Times Are you a fan of anime? Tell us about your favorite anime series! Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Anime seems to be just about everywhere these days: film, music videos, the NFL and big streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. “Anime is colossal. In terms of raw revenue, anime and the NLF are tied at about $20 billion in [annual global] revenue,” said Chris Plante, editor in chief and co-founder of Polygon at Vox Media. “When you think of anime, it can be seen as niche, but the reality is that couldn’t be further from the truth.” On the show today, Plante explains anime economics, what's behind the rise of anime in the United States and some of the problematic aspects of the medium. Later, we'll discuss how climate change is impacting cherry blossom season and why the commercial real estate crisis could be a big problem for regional banks. Later, one listener calls in on a landline about landlines. And, this week's answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from a digital illustrator based in Long Beach, California. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who watches anime? Polygon surveyed more than 4,000 people to find out” from Polygon “Anime Market to Reach USD 62.7 Billion by 2032” from Yahoo Finance “Anime Is Booming. So Why Are Animators Living in Poverty?” from The New York Times “Sony Jacks Up Prices for Crunchyroll and Kills Funimation” from Gizmodo “From Niche To Mainstream: The Unstoppable Global Popularity Of Anime And How It Happened” from BuzzFeed “Streaming and covid-19 have entrenched anime's global popularity” from The Economist “Naruto Movie in the Works With Destin Daniel Cretton” from The Hollywood Reporter “Cherry blossom forecast: We predict peak bloom in D.C. around March 21” from The Washington Post “Early jacaranda bloom sparks debate about climate change in Mexico” from Reuters “Commercial Real Estate Market Plunge Has Lenders Facing a Brutal Reality” from Bloomberg “Comic: Tienes economic anxiety? Artist Julio Salgado reflects on changes in creative industries” from the Los Angeles Times Are you a fan of anime? Tell us about your favorite anime series! Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics aren’t over! This year’s Paralympics kick off in Paris on Aug. 28. It’s the first time all 22 Paralympic events will be aired live, and total broadcast revenues are up by more than 20% from the delayed 2020 Paralympics. Chuck Aoki, an American Paralympic wheelchair rugby player, said content creators like himself are also bringing eyes to the event. On the show today, Aoki breaks down the basics of wheelchair rugby (aka “murderball”), the system that classifies para athletes based on their disability, and why this year's Paralympics are getting more buzz than ever. Then, we’ll get into how pharmaceutical companies’ new direct-to-consumer programs could impact drug prices. And, listeners tell us about the trafficless 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a lesson in credit cards learned the hard, heartbreaking way. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Passion And Guts: Chuck Aoki’s World of Wheelchair Rugby” from Team USA “Paralympic Games in Paris set to reach largest audience after broadcast deals” from The Guardian “What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?” from AP News “How to Watch the 2024 Summer Paralympics: Streaming Schedule, Free Options” from Wired “Pfizer Follows Lilly With Website Selling Directly to Patients” from Bloomberg “Eli Lilly lowering weight loss drug prices” from The Hill “Health Insurance Costs Will Rise Steeply if Premium Tax Credit Improvements Expire” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities “How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2025” from KFF “Pfizer launches new website for migraine, respiratory offerings” from Reuters “Panama Canal Eases Limits That Caused Global Shipping Bottleneck” from Bloomberg We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics aren’t over! This year’s Paralympics kick off in Paris on Aug. 28. It’s the first time all 22 Paralympic events will be aired live, and total broadcast revenues are up by more than 20% from the delayed 2020 Paralympics. Chuck Aoki, an American Paralympic wheelchair rugby player, said content creators like himself are also bringing eyes to the event. On the show today, Aoki breaks down the basics of wheelchair rugby (aka “murderball”), the system that classifies para athletes based on their disability, and why this year's Paralympics are getting more buzz than ever. Then, we’ll get into how pharmaceutical companies’ new direct-to-consumer programs could impact drug prices. And, listeners tell us about the trafficless 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a lesson in credit cards learned the hard, heartbreaking way. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Passion And Guts: Chuck Aoki’s World of Wheelchair Rugby” from Team USA “Paralympic Games in Paris set to reach largest audience after broadcast deals” from The Guardian “What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?” from AP News “How to Watch the 2024 Summer Paralympics: Streaming Schedule, Free Options” from Wired “Pfizer Follows Lilly With Website Selling Directly to Patients” from Bloomberg “Eli Lilly lowering weight loss drug prices” from The Hill “Health Insurance Costs Will Rise Steeply if Premium Tax Credit Improvements Expire” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities “How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2025” from KFF “Pfizer launches new website for migraine, respiratory offerings” from Reuters “Panama Canal Eases Limits That Caused Global Shipping Bottleneck” from Bloomberg We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. In case you haven’t heard, the Summer Olympics aren’t over! This year’s Paralympics kick off in Paris on Aug. 28. It’s the first time all 22 Paralympic events will be aired live, and total broadcast revenues are up by more than 20% from the delayed 2020 Paralympics. Chuck Aoki, an American Paralympic wheelchair rugby player, said content creators like himself are also bringing eyes to the event. On the show today, Aoki breaks down the basics of wheelchair rugby (aka “murderball”), the system that classifies para athletes based on their disability, and why this year's Paralympics are getting more buzz than ever. Then, we’ll get into how pharmaceutical companies’ new direct-to-consumer programs could impact drug prices. And, listeners tell us about the trafficless 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a lesson in credit cards learned the hard, heartbreaking way. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Passion And Guts: Chuck Aoki’s World of Wheelchair Rugby” from Team USA “Paralympic Games in Paris set to reach largest audience after broadcast deals” from The Guardian “What sports are in the Paralympics and how does the classification system work?” from AP News “How to Watch the 2024 Summer Paralympics: Streaming Schedule, Free Options” from Wired “Pfizer Follows Lilly With Website Selling Directly to Patients” from Bloomberg “Eli Lilly lowering weight loss drug prices” from The Hill “Health Insurance Costs Will Rise Steeply if Premium Tax Credit Improvements Expire” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities “How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2025” from KFF “Pfizer launches new website for migraine, respiratory offerings” from Reuters “Panama Canal Eases Limits That Caused Global Shipping Bottleneck” from Bloomberg We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Today we’re talking about food. Specifically, Big Food. In his book, “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry,” Austin Frerick, agricultural and antitrust policy fellow at Yale, argues the food system is the most consolidated sector in the United States. On the show today, Frerick explains how the American food system became so concentrated, how that’s inflated prices and eroded quality, and what we should do about it. Plus, Walmart’s role as king of grocery kings. Then, we’ll get into why Boeing can’t keep up with SpaceX. And, an expert on youth mental health (and former guest on “Make Me Smart”) was wrong about how teens curate their social media feeds. Here’s everything else we talked about today: “Lax Antitrust Enforcement Imperils The Nation's Supply Chains” from Forbes “What Is “Big Ag,” and Why Should You Be Worried About Them?” from Union of Concerned Scientists “The problem with growing corporate concentration and power in the global food system” from Nature Food “Major retailers are offering summer deals to entice inflation-weary shoppers” from AP News “US Consumer Confidence Rises for First Time in Four Months” from Bloomberg “Inflation now means high prices, not just rising costs” from Axios “What do Americans think about inflation?” from The Brookings Institution “Boeing Prepared to Fly Crewed Space Taxi With Helium Leak” from Bloomberg 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.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Today we’re talking about food. Specifically, Big Food. In his book, “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry,” Austin Frerick, agricultural and antitrust policy fellow at Yale, argues the food system is the most consolidated sector in the United States. On the show today, Frerick explains how the American food system became so concentrated, how that’s inflated prices and eroded quality, and what we should do about it. Plus, Walmart’s role as king of grocery kings. Then, we’ll get into why Boeing can’t keep up with SpaceX. And, an expert on youth mental health (and former guest on “Make Me Smart”) was wrong about how teens curate their social media feeds. Here’s everything else we talked about today: “Lax Antitrust Enforcement Imperils The Nation's Supply Chains” from Forbes “What Is “Big Ag,” and Why Should You Be Worried About Them?” from Union of Concerned Scientists “The problem with growing corporate concentration and power in the global food system” from Nature Food “Major retailers are offering summer deals to entice inflation-weary shoppers” from AP News “US Consumer Confidence Rises for First Time in Four Months” from Bloomberg “Inflation now means high prices, not just rising costs” from Axios “What do Americans think about inflation?” from The Brookings Institution “Boeing Prepared to Fly Crewed Space Taxi With Helium Leak” from Bloomberg 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.

Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Today we’re talking about food. Specifically, Big Food. In his book, “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry,” Austin Frerick, agricultural and antitrust policy fellow at Yale, argues the food system is the most consolidated sector in the United States. On the show today, Frerick explains how the American food system became so concentrated, how that’s inflated prices and eroded quality, and what we should do about it. Plus, Walmart’s role as king of grocery kings. Then, we’ll get into why Boeing can’t keep up with SpaceX. And, an expert on youth mental health (and former guest on “Make Me Smart”) was wrong about how teens curate their social media feeds. Here’s everything else we talked about today: “Lax Antitrust Enforcement Imperils The Nation's Supply Chains” from Forbes “What Is “Big Ag,” and Why Should You Be Worried About Them?” from Union of Concerned Scientists “The problem with growing corporate concentration and power in the global food system” from Nature Food “Major retailers are offering summer deals to entice inflation-weary shoppers” from AP News “US Consumer Confidence Rises for First Time in Four Months” from Bloomberg “Inflation now means high prices, not just rising costs” from Axios “What do Americans think about inflation?” from The Brookings Institution “Boeing Prepared to Fly Crewed Space Taxi With Helium Leak” from Bloomberg 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.

Hey Smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. If you’ve been feeling hopeless about the news, the election, the economy, the climate crisis and everything else that’s going on, today’s episode is for you. Emily Amick, lawyer and co-author of “Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives,” argues we can all become better participants in our democracy. And we don’t need to have a gazillion dollars to do it. On the show today, Amick explains why we should treat civic engagement as self-care, how to find your civic personality and ways to cultivate a news diet that doesn’t put you in a doom loop. Plus, the moment she realized our democracy was headed in the wrong direction. Then, we’ll get into how voters in Utah fought to protect the power of citizen-led ballot initiatives and why shoppers hide purchases from their romantic partners. Plus, an anime cosplayer was wrong about what it would take to create her own costume. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Despite Recent Setbacks, There Is Still Hope For Democracy” from Forbes “In ‘Democracy in Retrograde,’ Emily Amick Talks About Political Engagement and Her Cancer Diagnosis” from Teen Vogue “What does Utah's redistricting ruling do to voters' ability to change laws?” from The Salt Lake Tribune “Utah Supreme Court: Lawmakers must heed voter-passed gerrymandering reforms “ from Axios Salt Lake City “Amazon’s Prime Day a ‘major’ cause of worker injuries, Senate probe finds” from CNBC “US Retail Sales Excluding Autos Rise by Most in Three Months” from Bloomberg “Gym Bags, Trunks, Back Doors: How Stealth Shoppers Hide Purchases” from The Wall Street Journal “Financial Infidelity Report 2023: Why People Hide Purchases From Partners” from Circuit “Inside a UPS warehouse that prioritizes super-fast shipping” from Marketplace How are you getting involved in civic life? What helps you fend off feelings of hopelessness? Let us know at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Hey Smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. If you’ve been feeling hopeless about the news, the election, the economy, the climate crisis and everything else that’s going on, today’s episode is for you. Emily Amick, lawyer and co-author of “Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives,” argues we can all become better participants in our democracy. And we don’t need to have a gazillion dollars to do it. On the show today, Amick explains why we should treat civic engagement as self-care, how to find your civic personality and ways to cultivate a news diet that doesn’t put you in a doom loop. Plus, the moment she realized our democracy was headed in the wrong direction. Then, we’ll get into how voters in Utah fought to protect the power of citizen-led ballot initiatives and why shoppers hide purchases from their romantic partners. Plus, an anime cosplayer was wrong about what it would take to create her own costume. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Despite Recent Setbacks, There Is Still Hope For Democracy” from Forbes “In ‘Democracy in Retrograde,’ Emily Amick Talks About Political Engagement and Her Cancer Diagnosis” from Teen Vogue “What does Utah's redistricting ruling do to voters' ability to change laws?” from The Salt Lake Tribune “Utah Supreme Court: Lawmakers must heed voter-passed gerrymandering reforms “ from Axios Salt Lake City “Amazon’s Prime Day a ‘major’ cause of worker injuries, Senate probe finds” from CNBC “US Retail Sales Excluding Autos Rise by Most in Three Months” from Bloomberg “Gym Bags, Trunks, Back Doors: How Stealth Shoppers Hide Purchases” from The Wall Street Journal “Financial Infidelity Report 2023: Why People Hide Purchases From Partners” from Circuit “Inside a UPS warehouse that prioritizes super-fast shipping” from Marketplace How are you getting involved in civic life? What helps you fend off feelings of hopelessness? Let us know at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Hey Smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. If you’ve been feeling hopeless about the news, the election, the economy, the climate crisis and everything else that’s going on, today’s episode is for you. Emily Amick, lawyer and co-author of “Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives,” argues we can all become better participants in our democracy. And we don’t need to have a gazillion dollars to do it. On the show today, Amick explains why we should treat civic engagement as self-care, how to find your civic personality and ways to cultivate a news diet that doesn’t put you in a doom loop. Plus, the moment she realized our democracy was headed in the wrong direction. Then, we’ll get into how voters in Utah fought to protect the power of citizen-led ballot initiatives and why shoppers hide purchases from their romantic partners. Plus, an anime cosplayer was wrong about what it would take to create her own costume. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Despite Recent Setbacks, There Is Still Hope For Democracy” from Forbes “In ‘Democracy in Retrograde,’ Emily Amick Talks About Political Engagement and Her Cancer Diagnosis” from Teen Vogue “What does Utah's redistricting ruling do to voters' ability to change laws?” from The Salt Lake Tribune “Utah Supreme Court: Lawmakers must heed voter-passed gerrymandering reforms “ from Axios Salt Lake City “Amazon’s Prime Day a ‘major’ cause of worker injuries, Senate probe finds” from CNBC “US Retail Sales Excluding Autos Rise by Most in Three Months” from Bloomberg “Gym Bags, Trunks, Back Doors: How Stealth Shoppers Hide Purchases” from The Wall Street Journal “Financial Infidelity Report 2023: Why People Hide Purchases From Partners” from Circuit “Inside a UPS warehouse that prioritizes super-fast shipping” from Marketplace How are you getting involved in civic life? What helps you fend off feelings of hopelessness? Let us know at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

For our final episode of 2024, we're throwing a holiday party with music, festive hats, drinks and a game. But we can't forget about the news. The incoming Donald Trump administration is looking into the feasibility of eliminating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack the public rage over the United States healthcare system that dominated the news this week. Plus, how much do our hosts remember about the biggest business headlines of the year? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Advisers Seek to Shrink or Eliminate Bank Regulators” from The Wall Street Journal Opinion | “UnitedHealth Group C.E.O.: Brian Thompson Was Never Content With the Status Quo” from The New York Times “UnitedHealth Limits Access to Key Treatment for Kids With Autism” from ProPublica “Boeing’s year of turbulence in five charts” from Reuters “Why TikTok Faces a U.S. Ban, and What's Next?” from The New York Times “CrowdStrike outage: We finally know what caused it – and how much it cost” from CNN Business “SpaceX Polaris Dawn astronauts perform historic 1st private spacewalk in orbit” from Space “US ties China in Paris Olympics gold medal count after Americans’ women’s hoops win” from AP News We’ll be back with new episodes in 2025! In the meantime, you can email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

For our final episode of 2024, we're throwing a holiday party with music, festive hats, drinks and a game. But we can't forget about the news. The incoming Donald Trump administration is looking into the feasibility of eliminating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack the public rage over the United States healthcare system that dominated the news this week. Plus, how much do our hosts remember about the biggest business headlines of the year? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Advisers Seek to Shrink or Eliminate Bank Regulators” from The Wall Street Journal Opinion | “UnitedHealth Group C.E.O.: Brian Thompson Was Never Content With the Status Quo” from The New York Times “UnitedHealth Limits Access to Key Treatment for Kids With Autism” from ProPublica “Boeing’s year of turbulence in five charts” from Reuters “Why TikTok Faces a U.S. Ban, and What's Next?” from The New York Times “CrowdStrike outage: We finally know what caused it – and how much it cost” from CNN Business “SpaceX Polaris Dawn astronauts perform historic 1st private spacewalk in orbit” from Space “US ties China in Paris Olympics gold medal count after Americans’ women’s hoops win” from AP News We’ll be back with new episodes in 2025! In the meantime, you can email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

For our final episode of 2024, we're throwing a holiday party with music, festive hats, drinks and a game. But we can't forget about the news. The incoming Donald Trump administration is looking into the feasibility of eliminating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. We’ll get into it. And, we’ll unpack the public rage over the United States healthcare system that dominated the news this week. Plus, how much do our hosts remember about the biggest business headlines of the year? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Trump Advisers Seek to Shrink or Eliminate Bank Regulators” from The Wall Street Journal Opinion | “UnitedHealth Group C.E.O.: Brian Thompson Was Never Content With the Status Quo” from The New York Times “UnitedHealth Limits Access to Key Treatment for Kids With Autism” from ProPublica “Boeing’s year of turbulence in five charts” from Reuters “Why TikTok Faces a U.S. Ban, and What's Next?” from The New York Times “CrowdStrike outage: We finally know what caused it – and how much it cost” from CNN Business “SpaceX Polaris Dawn astronauts perform historic 1st private spacewalk in orbit” from Space “US ties China in Paris Olympics gold medal count after Americans’ women’s hoops win” from AP News We’ll be back with new episodes in 2025! In the meantime, you can email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Before this year’s election, Heather Cox Richardson, a historian at Boston College, joined “Make Me Smart” live in Boston to unpack the high stakes for our economy and democracy. Now that the election is over and the transition to a second Donald Trump administration is underway, we're following up. On the show today, Richardson weighs in on the election aftermath. She explains how the current media environment in the United States played into the election, how economic narratives have influenced American politics throughout history, and what the past can tell us about how President-elect Trump might brand his economic agenda while in office. Then, we’ll get into the bipartisan effort to add federal judges that’s suddenly falling apart. And, author Evan Schwartz was wrong about the inspiration behind L. Frank Baum's “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “December 9, 2024” from “Letters from an American” “What Donald Trump’s Win Means for the Economy” from Time Opinion: “Voters prefer Harris's agenda to Trump's — they just don't realize it. Take our quiz.” from The Washington Post “On Issue After Issue, Trump Promises the Moon. No Word on the Rocket.” from The New York Times “Biden special envoy for hostages is in Beirut in search of Austin Tice” from The Washington Post “House sets up vote on bill to add dozens of new federal judgeships” from Roll Call “Ernst, Under MAGA Pressure, Signals Backing for Hegseth's Pentagon Bid” from The New York Times Power the show with a donation today and don’t forget to pick up one of our thank you gifts at a discount. Head to marketplace.org/givesmart.

Before this year’s election, Heather Cox Richardson, a historian at Boston College, joined “Make Me Smart” live in Boston to unpack the high stakes for our economy and democracy. Now that the election is over and the transition to a second Donald Trump administration is underway, we're following up. On the show today, Richardson weighs in on the election aftermath. She explains how the current media environment in the United States played into the election, how economic narratives have influenced American politics throughout history, and what the past can tell us about how President-elect Trump might brand his economic agenda while in office. Then, we’ll get into the bipartisan effort to add federal judges that’s suddenly falling apart. And, author Evan Schwartz was wrong about the inspiration behind L. Frank Baum's “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “December 9, 2024” from “Letters from an American” “What Donald Trump’s Win Means for the Economy” from Time Opinion: “Voters prefer Harris's agenda to Trump's — they just don't realize it. Take our quiz.” from The Washington Post “On Issue After Issue, Trump Promises the Moon. No Word on the Rocket.” from The New York Times “Biden special envoy for hostages is in Beirut in search of Austin Tice” from The Washington Post “House sets up vote on bill to add dozens of new federal judgeships” from Roll Call “Ernst, Under MAGA Pressure, Signals Backing for Hegseth's Pentagon Bid” from The New York Times Power the show with a donation today and don’t forget to pick up one of our thank you gifts at a discount. Head to marketplace.org/givesmart.

Before this year’s election, Heather Cox Richardson, a historian at Boston College, joined “Make Me Smart” live in Boston to unpack the high stakes for our economy and democracy. Now that the election is over and the transition to a second Donald Trump administration is underway, we're following up. On the show today, Richardson weighs in on the election aftermath. She explains how the current media environment in the United States played into the election, how economic narratives have influenced American politics throughout history, and what the past can tell us about how President-elect Trump might brand his economic agenda while in office. Then, we’ll get into the bipartisan effort to add federal judges that’s suddenly falling apart. And, author Evan Schwartz was wrong about the inspiration behind L. Frank Baum's “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “December 9, 2024” from “Letters from an American” “What Donald Trump’s Win Means for the Economy” from Time Opinion: “Voters prefer Harris's agenda to Trump's — they just don't realize it. Take our quiz.” from The Washington Post “On Issue After Issue, Trump Promises the Moon. No Word on the Rocket.” from The New York Times “Biden special envoy for hostages is in Beirut in search of Austin Tice” from The Washington Post “House sets up vote on bill to add dozens of new federal judgeships” from Roll Call “Ernst, Under MAGA Pressure, Signals Backing for Hegseth's Pentagon Bid” from The New York Times Power the show with a donation today and don’t forget to pick up one of our thank you gifts at a discount. Head to marketplace.org/givesmart.

President Joe Biden today announced an additional $600 million investment in a rail project that will connect multiple African countries. It will expand U.S. access to important minerals like cobalt and copper. But will it be enough to counter China’s dominance over the critical minerals supply chain? We’ll get into it. Plus, why President-elect Donald Trump’s trade adviser pick is giving us serious deja vu. And, Dylan Bachelet, the “Jack Sparrow” of “The Great British Baking Show,” is making us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden in Africa pledges millions more for a rail project the US hopes will boost its influence there” from AP News “Biden Hopes Train Project in Angola Defines Africa Legacy” from The New York Times “Trump picks Peter Navarro as top trade advisor” from CNBC “Q&A With Dylan Bachelet of ‘Great British Baking Show'” from The New York Times If you haven't made your gift to “Make Me Smart” yet, there's still time! Make your donation here.

President Joe Biden today announced an additional $600 million investment in a rail project that will connect multiple African countries. It will expand U.S. access to important minerals like cobalt and copper. But will it be enough to counter China’s dominance over the critical minerals supply chain? We’ll get into it. Plus, why President-elect Donald Trump’s trade adviser pick is giving us serious deja vu. And, Dylan Bachelet, the “Jack Sparrow” of “The Great British Baking Show,” is making us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden in Africa pledges millions more for a rail project the US hopes will boost its influence there” from AP News “Biden Hopes Train Project in Angola Defines Africa Legacy” from The New York Times “Trump picks Peter Navarro as top trade advisor” from CNBC “Q&A With Dylan Bachelet of ‘Great British Baking Show'” from The New York Times If you haven't made your gift to “Make Me Smart” yet, there's still time! Make your donation here.

President Joe Biden today announced an additional $600 million investment in a rail project that will connect multiple African countries. It will expand U.S. access to important minerals like cobalt and copper. But will it be enough to counter China’s dominance over the critical minerals supply chain? We’ll get into it. Plus, why President-elect Donald Trump’s trade adviser pick is giving us serious deja vu. And, Dylan Bachelet, the “Jack Sparrow” of “The Great British Baking Show,” is making us smile. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Biden in Africa pledges millions more for a rail project the US hopes will boost its influence there” from AP News “Biden Hopes Train Project in Angola Defines Africa Legacy” from The New York Times “Trump picks Peter Navarro as top trade advisor” from CNBC “Q&A With Dylan Bachelet of ‘Great British Baking Show'” from The New York Times If you haven't made your gift to “Make Me Smart” yet, there's still time! Make your donation here.

COP29, the United Nations’ annual climate summit, is underway in Azerbaijan. This year's conference is all about how the world will pay to deal with climate change. But Donald Trump’s election victory looms large over the talks. President-elect Trump could roll back United States climate policy like he did during his first term. On the show today, Gautam Jain, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, explains why climate investment won’t come to a complete halt under the next Trump administration. Plus, he weighs in on who might fill the void in global energy transition talks. Plus, the message ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods is sending Trump about the nation’s energy policy. And, how early is too early for Christmas lights? Here’s everything we talked about today: “What Trump can do to reverse US climate policy − and what he probably can't change” from The Conversation “COP29: What are the key issues at the UN climate summit in Baku?” from Reuters “Trump Victory Leaves China Calling the Shots at COP29 Climate Negotiations” from The Wall Street Journal “Burning Questions: What are the climate wins and setbacks from the election?” from Marketplace “Exxon chief urges stability in US climate policy, knocks carbon border tariffs” from Politico We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

COP29, the United Nations’ annual climate summit, is underway in Azerbaijan. This year's conference is all about how the world will pay to deal with climate change. But Donald Trump’s election victory looms large over the talks. President-elect Trump could roll back United States climate policy like he did during his first term. On the show today, Gautam Jain, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, explains why climate investment won’t come to a complete halt under the next Trump administration. Plus, he weighs in on who might fill the void in global energy transition talks. Plus, the message ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods is sending Trump about the nation’s energy policy. And, how early is too early for Christmas lights? Here’s everything we talked about today: “What Trump can do to reverse US climate policy − and what he probably can't change” from The Conversation “COP29: What are the key issues at the UN climate summit in Baku?” from Reuters “Trump Victory Leaves China Calling the Shots at COP29 Climate Negotiations” from The Wall Street Journal “Burning Questions: What are the climate wins and setbacks from the election?” from Marketplace “Exxon chief urges stability in US climate policy, knocks carbon border tariffs” from Politico We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Today we're talking about a breakout story of this election cycle: the rise of prediction markets and betting on elections. For the first time in a century, Americans can legally place bets on election outcomes using a platform called Kalshi. But the Commodity Futures Trading Commission warns that these markets could warp the public’s understanding of our elections if they’re treated like polls. On this Election Day episode, Cantrell Dumas of Better Markets, a financial reform advocacy group, explains how Americans are dabbling in election betting, the legal questions surrounding these prediction markets, and why he believes manipulation of these markets has the potential to sway elections. Then, we’ll dig into the history of the “I Voted” sticker and hear a perfect poem for Election Day. Plus, a listener shares what moving abroad taught them about the U.S. voting system. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Election betting is newly legal — and risks getting confused with polls” from NBC News “Exclusive: Election betting site Polymarket gives Trump a 67% chance of winning but is rife with fake ‘wash' trading, researchers say” from Fortune Crypto “Cryptoverse: U.S. election speculators play the prediction markets” from Reuters “Wall Street regulator moves to ban election betting, escalating fight over new market” from Politico “The Case for Legalizing Political Betting” from the Cato Institute “How ‘I Voted’ Stickers Became an Election Day Staple” from Business Insider We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Today we're talking about a breakout story of this election cycle: the rise of prediction markets and betting on elections. For the first time in a century, Americans can legally place bets on election outcomes using a platform called Kalshi. But the Commodity Futures Trading Commission warns that these markets could warp the public’s understanding of our elections if they’re treated like polls. On this Election Day episode, Cantrell Dumas of Better Markets, a financial reform advocacy group, explains how Americans are dabbling in election betting, the legal questions surrounding these prediction markets, and why he believes manipulation of these markets has the potential to sway elections. Then, we’ll dig into the history of the “I Voted” sticker and hear a perfect poem for Election Day. Plus, a listener shares what moving abroad taught them about the U.S. voting system. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Election betting is newly legal — and risks getting confused with polls” from NBC News “Exclusive: Election betting site Polymarket gives Trump a 67% chance of winning but is rife with fake ‘wash' trading, researchers say” from Fortune Crypto “Cryptoverse: U.S. election speculators play the prediction markets” from Reuters “Wall Street regulator moves to ban election betting, escalating fight over new market” from Politico “The Case for Legalizing Political Betting” from the Cato Institute “How ‘I Voted’ Stickers Became an Election Day Staple” from Business Insider We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Today we're sharing an excerpt from our live show at WBUR CitySpace in Boston featuring our special guest, historian Heather Cox Richardson. (Check out the first part of our live show here.) Richardson, a professor at Boston College, talked with us about the high stakes of this year’s election, how the economy is woven into political narratives, and what we can do to protect the health of our democracy. Plus, she shares what she had wrong about hummingbirds. Where should “Make Me Smart” go next? Let us know at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.