Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money , we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org . You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for Planet Money.
This Planet Money episode investigates the history of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a U.S. law prohibiting American companies from bribing foreign officials. The episode traces the origins of the FCPA to the Watergate scandal and Senator Frank Church's investigation into corporate bribery. It details how th...
This Planet Money episode discusses the history and potential future of the U.S. debt ceiling, also known as the X-Date, the point at which the U.S. government risks defaulting on its obligations. The episode revisits the 2011 debt ceiling crisis, highlighting the efforts of Shai Akabas and Jay Powell (current chair of...
This Planet Money episode delves into the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a secretive cost-cutting effort within the Trump administration, through the experiences of Sahil Lavingia, a software engineer who joined the initiative. Sahil, motivated by his experience of slimming down his own tech startup and a ...
This Planet Money episode explores the legal challenges to President Trump's tariffs, focusing on a lawsuit filed by Susan Weber of the Blackfeet Nation. The podcast examines the constitutional basis for tariffs, traditionally a Congressional responsibility, and how Trump has utilized the International Emergency Econom...
This episode of Planet Money explores the complexities of bringing manufacturing back to the United States, using the example of a Chinese-owned battery factory, Goshen, proposed for Green Charter Township, Michigan. The narrative follows Jim Chapman, the town supervisor, who initially saw the factory as an economic bo...
This Planet Money episode explores the intersection of cryptocurrency and politics, specifically focusing on Donald Trump's involvement with meme coins and stablecoins. The hosts discuss the Trump coin, how it works, its potential legal implications, including foreign emoluments clause and election financing laws, and ...
The Planet Money podcast episode analyzes the U.S.-China trade war through the lens of game theory, exploring different game models to understand the strategies of both countries. The hosts, Keith Romer and Amanda Aronczyk, along with insights from trade economist Emily Blanchard and China expert Yun Sun, consider the ...
This Planet Money episode explores the history and potential future of federal funding for American universities, particularly focusing on Washington University in St. Louis. The episode traces the origins of this funding system back to Vannevar Bush's post-World War II vision of government-supported university researc...
This Planet Money episode features a collaboration with the Search Engine podcast, where host P.J. Vogt and investigative reporter Zeke Faux delve into the world of "pig butchering" scams. Faux recounts his experience engaging with a scammer named Vicky Ho, tracing the flow of money to uncover a network of human traffi...
In this episode of Planet Money, co-hosts Kenny Malone and Keith Romer explore recession indicators, contrasting viral social media trends with the data economists use. They discuss alternative indicators like the Men's Underwear Index and the Lipstick Index, then delve into the SOM rule, named after economist Claudia ...
This episode explores the economic impact of the recent trade war between the U.S. and China, specifically focusing on a short-lived 145% tariff and its subsequent reduction to 30%. The discussion begins with the Port of Los Angeles, where a significant drop in ship arrivals and container volume has led to job losses, ...
This episode explores the impact of trade wars on American farmers, particularly focusing on the 2018 trade war between the U.S. and China and its potential implications for the future. Against the backdrop of increasing globalization and trade relations, the episode details how tariffs imposed by both countries led to...
This episode explores the potential end of the U.S. dollar's reign as the world's reserve currency, examining the factors that have historically supported its dominance and the emerging challenges to its status. Against the backdrop of President Trump's tariff announcements and their impact on global markets, the episo...
This episode explores the complexities of determining a product's country of origin in the age of global supply chains, focusing on the U.S.'s "Substantial Transformation Test." Against the backdrop of President Trump's tariffs on imported goods, particularly from China, businesses are increasingly concerned with accur...
This episode explores the history and disappearance of public pay toilets in the United States, intertwining a personal anecdote with broader societal shifts. The narrative begins with Teddy Siegel, a "public toilet influencer," who created a crowdsourced map highlighting accessible restrooms, highlighting the current...
This episode explores the annoyances of modern consumerism, focusing on the perspectives of both consumers and businesses. The hosts and guests initially vent about everyday frustrations, such as excessive marketing emails and the lack of free coffee refills. Against this backdrop, the discussion pivots to the economi...
This episode explores the implications of 23andMe's bankruptcy filing on the privacy of its 15 million customers' genetic data. Against the backdrop of 23andMe's financial struggles, including a data breach and failure to monetize its vast genetic database, the podcast investigates the potential sale of this sensitive...
This episode explores the importance of the Federal Reserve's independence from political influence, particularly concerning President Trump's actions and statements. Against the backdrop of Trump's repeated criticisms of Fed Chair Jerome Powell and threats to remove him, the podcast examines the Fed's dual mandate of ...
This episode explores the problem of fairly allocating a scarce resource—farm-fresh eggs—among a group of colleagues, given a fixed low price set by the egg supplier (a colleague with backyard chickens). Against the backdrop of a nationwide egg shortage, the hosts initially propose auctioning or using a lottery system,...
This episode explores the expansion of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)'s power under President Trump's Executive Order 14215. Against the backdrop of a large and complex federal government, the episode highlights the role of OIRA in reviewing regulations from various agencies, ensuring consiste...
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