Make Me Smart With Kai And Molly

After a three-week vacancy, House Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana speaker. We’ll give you the rundown on who Johnson is and what his far-right associations could mean for the challenging weeks ahead in Congress. And, on the other side of the Capitol rotunda, senators are working on new ways to end Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s military promotion blockade. Plus, a 14-year-old scientist’s cancer-fighting bar of soap. Here’s everything we talked about: “5 things to know about Speaker Mike Johnson” from The Hill “McCarthy’s fundraising guru will back newly anointed Speaker Mike Johnson” from Politico “Mike Johnson is the least experienced House speaker in 140 years” from Axios “Virginia teen named top young scientist for cancer-fighting soap” from The Washington Post “Senators prep proposal to go around Tuberville’s holds” from Politico Got a question for the hosts?

Hey Smarties! Today we’re bringing you a special episode of “Marketplace Morning Report” that dives into what the video game industry can teach us about the economy, from the socioeconomic hurdles that keep many young people from breaking into the field to the economics at work in many games. It’s part of the “Skin in the Game” series from David Brancaccio and the “Marketplace Morning Report” team, which explores how the massive industry can help us understand economics, business, money and careers. Do you have a question or comment about the video game industry? Call us at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

Without a speaker in the House of Representatives, Congress isn’t getting much work done. That includes progress on the farm bill, which is up for renewal this year. We’ll get into what potential cuts to the farm bill could mean and some of the bill’s past shortcomings. Plus, a new study found that the West Antarctic ice sheet will continue to melt faster despite serious action on climate change. Also, we say goodbye to a record holder who was a very good boy. Here’s everything we talked about: “House Ag Dems fight farm bill cuts” from Politico “Introducing “How We Survive: The Worth of Water”’ from Marketplace “Crop insurance costs soar over time, reaching a record high in 2022″ from Environmental Working Group “Faster Melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet Is ‘Unavoidable’” from Bloomberg “Jump scares are declining in horror movies — but the scariest remain” from The Washington Post

It’s been a disheartening time in the Middle East lately. Today’s guest host, Reema Khrais, shares how the recent conflict has affected her family in Gaza. We’ll also discuss how the ever-increasing U.S. deficit reached new heights in the past year. Plus, what have you splurged on lately? Here’s everything we talked about: “Gaza aid stalled at Egypt border amid wrangling at Rafah” from The Washington Post “US Budget Gap Widened 23% During Year on Rate Rise, Revenue Drop” from Bloomberg “U.S. Deficit, Pegged at $1.7 Trillion, Effectively Doubled in 2023” from The New York Times “Why Doesn’t Artificial Banana Flavor Taste Like Bananas?” from Food and Wine Defend Your Splurge and sign up for the This Is Uncomfortable newsletter If you’ve got a question about today’s economy, send it our way. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

New York Mayor Eric Adams doesn’t speak Mandarin. But with AI he can. Some New Yorkers may have received a robocall of the mayor speaking in their native tongue. Is this a golden opportunity or ethical dilemma? Plus, we’ll hear the latest on the Federal Reserve’s fight against inflation, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen answers questions on financially supporting Israel and Ukraine. Here’s everything we talked about: “Powell Says Strong Economic Data ‘Could Warrant’ Higher Rates” from The New York Times Climate protesters disrupt Jay Powell’s speech from Elisabeth Buchwald on X “Heating costs should be down this winter for natural gas users” from Marketplace “Janet Yellen: America can ‘certainly’ afford to support Israel and Ukraine, US Treasury secretary says” from Sky News “How much aid does the US give to Israel?” from USA Facts “Can New York’s mayor speak Ma

COVID-19 drug Paxlovid will soon hit the commercial market, and it won’t be cheap. We’ll talk about what the change means for patients and the drug’s accessibility. Plus, drone drug delivery is coming to certain rural communities. Also, in one woman’s case, a new pet is just what the doctor ordered. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Introducing “How We Survive: The Worth of Water”‘ from Marketplace “Pfizer Prices Covid Drug Paxlovid at $1,400 for a Five-Day Course” from The Wall Street Journal “Price of lifesaving Covid-19 antiviral Paxlovid expected to rise next year, raising concerns about access” from CNN “Rite Aid’s bankruptcy reflects how much drugstores have changed” from Marketplace “Biden administration announces ‘largest ever’ investment in US electric grid” from The Verge “Amazon begins delivering medications by drone in Texas”

Despite a long period of relative stagnation, nuclear power has remained the quiet backbone of the United States’ clean energy supply for decades. Now, the Joe Biden administration wants more from the sector as the country hustles to meet ambitious emissions goals. Jigar Shah, the director of the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office, said nuclear energy will only become more critical as demand for electricity surges over the next 20 years. On the show today, Shah makes us smart about how much the country relies on nuclear energy. We’ll also discuss lessons learned from building the first nuclear reactor from scratch in decades, and how the industry plans to win over Americans who are concerned about safety and toxic waste. Then, we’ll get into the high stakes of today’s vote for speaker of the House of Representatives. And Elon Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink is part of geopolitical conversation yet again, this time in Israel. Later, we’ll hear from a t

A class-action lawsuit is looking to end questionable practices by the National Association of Realtors. While antitrust concerns have surrounded Realtors’ operations in the past, the association’s heavy lobbying may have prevented further investigation. We’ll talk about why this lawsuit might be different. Plus, we’ll do the numbers on the federal government’s ballooning interest bill. And, a lesson on laughter during trying times. Here’s everything we talked about: “Realtors Face an Antitrust Reckoning” from The Wall Street Journal “Explain How REALTORS®, Local Broker Marketplaces Work” from the National Association of Realtors “National Association of Realtors” from the National Association of Realtors “National Assn of Realtors Profile: Summary” from OpenSecrets “What long-term bond yields mean for U.S. fiscal outlook” from Axios  “Pete Davidson offered the

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed a ban on chemicals in hair-relaxing products. We’ll explain how the passing of the rule could be a big win for Black women’s health. And the battle for the speaker of the House continues with a new nominee. Plus, we’ll play a special spooky edition of This or That, in recognition of Friday the 13th. Here’s everything we talked about: “Exclusive: The F.D.A Is Taking Major Action To Protect Against Harmful Chemicals In Hair Products” from The Root “After Pressley, Brown Inquiry, FDA Proposes Ban on Harmful Chemicals in Hair Relaxers” from pressley.house.gov Rule regarding formaldehyde-releasing products from Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs “Trump Loyalist Jim Jordan Is Nominated by GOP for House Speaker” from BNN Bloomberg If you’ve got a question about today’s economy, send it our way. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org.

After a swarm of misinformation and gruesome images took over X following Hamas’ attack on Israel, Elon Musk is now under scrutiny by the European Commission to clean up the mess. We’ll also hear how climate change may be affecting our sense of fashion. And we hear this year’s Nobel Prize-winning economist on gender disparities in the workforce. Here’s everything we talked about: “X’s misinformation woes get worse during the Israel-Hamas conflict” from Marketplace “Elon Musk’s X faces EU probe over handling of Israel-Gaza war” from The Washington Post “Musk given 24 hours to address graphic images of Hamas attacks” from Politico “How a hotter climate is changing consumers’ wants and needs” from Marketplace “Can I be fashionable without hurting the planet?” from Marketplace “Nobel Prize in economics goes to Harvard’s Claudia Goldin for her work on women in th

When Elon Musk turned Twitter, now X, on it’s head, some media outlets decided to call it quits. Six months later, an internal memo at NPR says traffic has dipped only modestly. We’ll get into why Twitter may not have been the bedrock of online engagement that many had believed. And Caroline Ellison, Sam Bankman-Fried’s former adviser and girlfriend, has been testifying at his fraud trial this week. It has us thinking about how choosing a romantic partner can come with consequences. Plus, an initiative pushing back against the “tampon tax.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “Six Months Ago NPR Left Twitter. The Effects Have Been Negligible” from Nieman Reports “Elon Musk told X users to follow accounts known for lies for Israel updates” from The Washington Post “Caroline Ellison Says She and Sam Bankman-Fried Lied for Years” from The New York Times The Tampon Tax Back Coalition “NASA Un

Today we’re checking in on what happened after almost 200 high profile CEOs signed a statement in 2019 promising to serve stakeholders like employees and consumers along with their shareholders. Have those companies made any progress toward fulfilling those nonbinding pledges? That’s the question Molly Kinder, a fellow at the Metropolitan Policy program at The Brookings Institution, and her co-authors wanted to answer by analyzing the decisions some of those companies made during the first two years of the pandemic. On the show today, Kinder explains why the Business Roundtable statement made such a splash in 2019, why workers haven’t seen substantial gains since then, and how it’s connected to the latest wave of strikes. Then, we’ll get into what schools run by the Defense Department can teach us about improving public education across the country. And some Federal Reserve officials think it’s time to cool it with the rate hikes. Later, we look at the part of the crypt

The Biden administration sending aid to Israel after a surprise attack from Hamas. We’ll unpack how financial assistance for Israel can make or break aid for Ukraine, and how dysfunction in the House of Representatives might throw a wrench into all of it. And Tesla’s latest price cut brings fierce rivalry with gasoline cars. Plus, a real-life reenactment of “The Neverending Story” (with a happy ending this time). Here’s everything we talked about: “Biden Says Military Assistance Is on Its Way to Israel” from The New York Times “Democrats’ Sympathies in Middle East Shift to Palestinians” from Gallup “Tesla Prices Now Rival Average US Cars After Billions in Cuts” from Bloomberg “McCarthy says he would return as House speaker” from CNBC “Watch: Sinking horse rescued from Colorado bog” from UPI “We Need To Talk About Artax In ‘The Neverending Story'” from

Interest rates are high. Bonds yields are on the rise. And money is getting more expensive. We’ll explain what this means for consumers and fiscal policymaking. Plus, NASA has ambitious plans to send civilians to the moon (and make Kimberly’s dreams come true). Later, we’ll weigh in on self-checkout aisles and magnet less refrigerators during a round of Half Full/Half Empty. Here’s everything we talked about: “Pharmacies begin dispensing abortion pills” from Politico “Maybe in Your Lifetime, People Will Live on the Moon and Then Mars” from The New York Times “Chaos in Washington Feeds Americans’ Dismal View of Politics” from The New York Times “Gil Scott-Heron’s Poem, ‘Whitey on the Moon'” from The Atlantic “Why does furniture fall apart so easily?” from Marketplace “What are YouTube obituary pirates?” from Marketplace “Are Fridge Magnets ‘Lowbrow’? Appliance Manufacturers

Another week, another strike. This time thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers have initiated the largest healthcare strike in the country. And while different sectors of the economy have been walking off the job this summer, the demands all seemingly sound the same. We’ll also hear one CEO’s take on how AI can add more leisure time to all of our lives. And Beyonce at the box office! Here’s everything we talked about: “Kaiser strike: More than 75,000 health care workers walk off the job” from NPR “Surgery and other medical procedures are delayed by the Kaiser strike, patients say” from NBC News “Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour Brings In Half-Billion Dollars—But These Singers Made Even More” froom Forbes “Beyoncé’s Silvery, Shimmering Renaissance” from The New York Times Chip in now to help us reach our goal to hear from 2,000 donors this fall fundraiser: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

Business in the U.S. House of Representatives has come to a standstill after Kevin McCarthy was removed as speaker Tuesday. Fallout has been messy, to say the least. We’ll get into what this historic moment could mean for the health of our democracy. Plus, some jobs are more at risk of being automated by AI than others. And NASA astronauts on the Artemis III mission will head to the moon in style, with a little help from Prada. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Playbook PM: Jordan and Scalise make their moves” from Politico “Vote to oust McCarthy as speaker is a warning sign for democracy, scholars say” from The Washington Post “ChatGPT provided better customer service than his staff. He fired them.” from The Washington Post “Malaria vaccine big advance against major child killer” from BBC News “Prada to Help Design Spacesuits for NASA Moon Mission” from The Wall Street Journal

Hey smarties! We recorded today’s episode before historic news broke that the House of representatives voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker. We’re monitoring the story as it develops and as the House figures out what comes next. IIt’s Day 1 of Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial. Last year, The founder of FTX was charged with counts of fraud and conspiracy after his crypto exchange went under and investigators found that $8 billion in customer funds had gone missing. Before his fall from grace, SBF had become one of the most powerful players in the industry. This has us wondering: Is crypto on trial along with Sam Bankman-Fried? On the show today, Bloomberg’s Zeke Faux, author of “Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall,” explains how the trial could play out, where crypto is today and whether it has a viable future, post-SBF. Then, we’ll hear how companies can be held accountable for the junk they leave floating in space. And automatic

We’re not in a government shutdown. Instead, we’re talking about consumers spending like it’s still hot girl summer. Concerts, travel and shopping sprees seem to remain a priority for many in this economy. We’ll discuss how this might be a sign of shifting attitudes around debt. Plus, there’s a market for everything — even candles for Washington, D.C., wonks! Here’s everything we talked about: “Trump’s understandable surprise at seeing his company in court” from The Washington Post “Americans Are Still Spending Like There’s No Tomorrow” from The Wall Street Journal Norwegian new car sales from @robbie_andrew on X Introducing the Government Shutdown candle If you’ve got a question for the hosts, send them our way. We’re at 508-UB-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

It’s going to be a tense weekend on Capitol Hill. Congress not only has the government shutdown deadline to deal with, it also has deadlines that affect the Federal Aviation Administration and the farm bill. We’ll explain what’s going on. Plus, the hosts weigh in on the Taylor Swift effect and “The Golden Bachelor” in a fresh round of our favorite game: Half Full / Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Airline passengers could feel the bite as Congress nears two missed deadlines” from Politico “Rare Senate spat threatens farm bill push with House in shutdown chaos” from Politico “Biden offers dire warnings about Trump in democracy-focused address” from PBS Newshour “Gen. Mark Milley Warns of Fealty to Dictators, in Exit Speech Aimed at Trump” from The Wall Street Journal “‘The Golden Bachelor’ premiere may put some realness back in reality TV” from M

We’re in the final days before a potential government shutdown, and negotiations aren’t going well. At issue is the federal government’s $6 trillion budget. But with most of that money already spoken for, only a small sliver of spending is actually up for debate. We’ll explain. And have you heard of the paper ceiling? Plus, Kai and a famous Hollywood star share their dislike for pumpkin spice! Here’s everything we talked about: “Biden makes history by joining striking autoworkers on the picket line” from NBC News “UAW threatens to expand strikes again at GM, Ford, Stellantis” from CNBC About STARs from Tear the Paper Ceiling “A few thoughts on Pumpkin Spice Season” from YouTube “How pumpkin spice cemented itself in American culture” from Marketplace Join us tomorrow for Economics on Tap! The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern. We’ll have news, drinks, a