Inflation isn’t going anywhere, and listeners wanna know what’s up with two of the government’s inflation measures. Today, we’re answering some nerdy econ questions about the consumer price index and personal consumption expenditures price inde

The great Bumble fumble

2 days ago 18m 12s

Today, we’re diving into Bumble’s controversial anti-celibacy ad campaign, what it says about the state of dating apps and why some women are joining the anti-patriarchy movement. It’s time for a Kimberly rant. Plus, more updates on the Baltimo

From “Million Bazillion”: What are labor unions?

3 days ago 31m 7s

With the big push to unionize auto workers in the South, it looks like it might be another hot labor summer. And if you and your little ones have questions, this episode is for you! Today, we’re bringing you a special episode from Marketplace’s

The value of “third places”

4 days ago 19m 6s

A “third place” is where people hang out when they’re not at home or work, and they’re becoming increasingly important for building community and connection. Guest host Reema Khrais explains why we’re hearing a lot more about them these days an

What grocery aisle gossip can tell us about the economy

7 days ago 29m 59s

The latest survey data from the University of Michigan shows consumer sentiment in the U.S. is at a six-month low. We’ll unpack the numbers and get into what they can and can’t tell us about what’s really going on in the economy. And, a plan t

The lowdown on joint fundraising committees

8 days ago 20m 29s

Joint fundraising committees allow aligned political campaigns to raise more money faster. We’ll break down how these operations work and how they’re affecting the cost of elections. Then, guest host Sabri Ben-Achour explains why China’s elect

A phantom debt menace

9 days ago 17m 9s

Increasingly popular buy now, pay later services allow shoppers to split their purchases into smaller, recurring payments. We’ll get into why these loans are blurring economists’ understanding of today’s consumer debt landscape. We’ll also dis

The power of college endowments

10 days ago 30m 4s

College endowment funds are at the center of student protester’s calls for their schools to divest from Israel. Charlie Eaton, a sociology professor at the University of California, Merced, and author of “Bankers in the Ivory Tower,” said the s

Private equity is coming for pet care

11 days ago 16m 54s

Private equity plays a major role in lots of sectors across the U.S. economy, and now it’s getting into the veterinary business. Today, Kimberly discusses the rise of these big outside investors in pet care and the financial and emotional decis

Europe’s new economic engines

14 days ago 20m 27s

Southern European economies, including Greece, are growing faster than some of Europe’s longtime powerhouses, like Germany. We’ll get into how Greece pulled off an economic turnaround after the devastating 2012 financial crisis. And, Halle Ber

No “stag” no “flation”

15 days ago 12m 8s

“Spotting tech-driven disinformation isn’t getting easier” from MarketplaceJoin us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks and play a round of Half

The rising pressure on poll workers

16 days ago 10m 13s

With the presidential election less than six months away, election workers are raising concerns about their safety. We’ll get into the rising threats to election offices and how that might affect staffing ahead of November. Also, how Tesla’s di

The trade-offs of the trade deficit

17 days ago 27m 28s

Today we’re talking about the trade deficit at the request of some of our curious listeners. Since the mid-’70s, the U.S. has persistently been importing more goods than it exports. Is that such a bad thing? We’ll hear from Eswar Prasad, profe

Biden’s regulation rush

18 days ago 15m 39s

Nope. It’s not just your imagination. The Biden administration has been on a roll to finalize several regulations — from changes at nursing homes and updates to Title IX to health care protections for transgender people. Kimberly explains what’

College campus protests and the value of a degree

21 days ago 31m 43s

Protests over Israel’s war in Gaza have erupted at universities across the United States. We’ll discuss what the sweeping protests and other high-profile political battles at colleges could mean for the economics of higher education. And, what

A stock pop and a stock flop

22 days ago 11m 57s

“Boeing failures are a case study of America’s manufacturing “dark age” from Marketplace“How science could disrupt the gin industry” from MarketplaceJoin us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pac

To ban or not to ban

23 days ago 20m 40s

Today, we’re talking about two different kinds of bans. As expected, President Joe Biden signed the TikTok sell-or-ban bill. But first, guest host Meghan McCarty Carino breaks down the Federal Trade Commission’s decision to ban noncompete agree

The dollar store dilemma

24 days ago 28m 19s

Several American dollar store chains have been down bad these days. Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only have all recently announced store closures. On the other hand, Dollar General is poised to expand. This has us wondering: What’s

Big change coming to nursing homes

25 days ago 22m 39s

Today, the Biden administration announced plans to implement strict staffing requirements at nursing homes. Kimberly Adams unpacks what this rule may mean for care and the nursing home business model. Plus, guest host Nova Safo returns to discu

A revamp for Title IX

28 days ago 29m 18s

The Joe Biden administration announced highly anticipated updates to Title IX. The new rule expands protections for LGBTQ+ students and sexual assault survivors. But it stops short of addressing the rights of trans athletes. Then, we’ll get in

What you need to know about tariffs

29 days ago 19m

The Biden administration is aiming to triple tariffs on Chinese steel to protect U.S. manufacturers. Sound familiar? We’ll explain who is actually paying the price and what raising tariffs would mean for U.S. workers. We’ll also get into why ec

A new day for labor organizing in the South?

30 days ago 20m 31s

A union election at Volkswagen is testing the power of the United Auto Workers. As voting gets underway this week, guest host Nova Safo explains what unionization could mean for three big automakers and the labor movement in the South. Plus, ho

What we often get wrong about teens and screen time

Apr 17th, 2024 31m 59s

There’s been a lot of debate lately about the potential effects of smartphones and social media on young people’s mental health. Some states like states like Florida and Utah have even tried to ban kids from using social media apps until they r

The rise of the (tax) resistance

Apr 16th, 2024 14m 11s

It’s Tax Day! Millions of Americans have already filed their 2023 returns, but today we’re talking about tax protesters and the moral and ethical reasons some refuse to file their taxes or pay what they owe. Plus, the “no landing” scenario has

Why owning a car is getting so expensive

Apr 13th, 2024 25m 43s

It’s hard to get around without a car these days. But in the last couple of years, owning one has become very expensive. We’ll explain the deceptive practices happening in the auto lending market. And, we’ll explain how Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-