Make Me Smart

Make Me Smart

Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with our supersmart listeners, we break down happenings in tech, the economy and culture. Every Tuesday we bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.

Episodes

April 28, 2025 6 mins

On the show today, Kimberly joins us from an Ontario polling station on Canada’s election day. We’ll get into how President Trump’s trade war has shaped the federal election and may boost voter turnout. Plus, what Canadians are saying about boycotting American products and canceling their U.S. vacations.


Here’s everything we talked about today:


"Canadians vote today after fierce campaign shaped by Trump" ...

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Americans expect inflation to rise to 6.5% this year according to the University of Michigan’s latest consumer sentiment survey. That’s the highest outlook since 1981. We’ll explain why those high inflation expectations could be keeping Federal Reserve Chair Powell up at night. And, the deal filmmaker Ryan Coogler made with Warner Bros. to make his latest horror movie “Sinners” is anything but ordinary. Could it shake up t...

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Today, we’re answering questions from our listeners about everything going on in this economy (we know, it’s a lot). Like, whatever happened to that bipartisan bill that would pass authority over tariffs back to Congress? We’ll get into the status of the legislation and how states are jumping into the fight. Plus, we’ll discuss the legality of the Trump administration’s funding freezes and how foreign trade zones are helpi...

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April 23, 2025 7 mins

The Overton Window is a concept that helps explain how the range of policies considered politically acceptable shifts over time. But have you heard of the “Ryssdal Window"? We’ll explain how it relates to what’s happening in the markets right now as president Trump hints at a possible change of heart on China tariffs. Plus, the FDA suspended a milk quality testing program. With less federal oversight, can private indu...

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April 22, 2025 26 mins

Hey Smarties! Today we’re sharing an episode from our friends over at “How We Survive,” Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast. This season, host Amy Scott and the team dig into the rise of environmental, social and governance-based investing, or ESG, and the right wing backlash that followed. In this episode, the story of ESG’s start revolves around some unexpected players: rabbis, nuns and other faith-based investors.

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Yes — Obamacare is before the Supreme Court, again. This time, the case centers on the legality of an advisory task force. Experts worry it could spell the end of an ACA mandate requiring insurers to cover certain preventative care services at no cost. But first: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is caught up in another Signal group chat scandal. Plus, Paul Revere wasn’t the only midnight rider to warn that the British wer...

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Stop us if you’ve heard this before: We’re in an unprecedented economic moment. But this time really is different. America’s place in the global economy is shifting. And what happens next is going to matter for businesses, consumers and you. Today, Kai Ryssdal’s popping into your feed with special coverage and reporting from Marketplace to help you make sense of the scale and scope of the economic change in real time.


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Undocumented workers aren’t the only immigrants being targeted by the Donald Trump administration. Green card holders are facing deportation threats as well. We’ll discuss the far-reaching implications of Trump’s immigration crackdown, from the labor market to higher education in the United States. Plus, what Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation case could mean for due process. And, we’ll weigh in on crunchy foods and living...

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April 17, 2025 10 mins

In over a hundred years, no president has ever fired the chair of the Federal Reserve … yet! President Donald Trump says he could show Jerome Powell the door, even though Powell says he’s not going anywhere. We’ll explain why it might all come down to the Supreme Court. Plus: the economic conditions that led to the American Revolution. And, a smile-worthy photo reminds us it's never too late to try new things!


Here...

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April 16, 2025 13 mins

Since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has ignored court rulings on a range of issues from press access to deportations. Now, a federal judge might hold him in criminal contempt of court. We’ll unpack the Zeno’s paradox of constitutional crises. Plus, where luxury goods actually come from and why you may want to think twice before buying one. And if you’re looking to zone out, turn on the “Great Moose...

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April 15, 2025 27 mins

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 e...

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April 14, 2025 15 mins

Nearly a decade after Brexit, the British economy is still feeling the fallout. Now, President Donald Trump seems to be pulling from a similar playbook — with tariffs that could reshape the U.S. economy in eerily familiar ways. (Shocker, we know!) But first: Trump threatens to send Americans to prisons in El Salvador. The constitutional crisis alarm bells are ringing. Plus, poop in space is a bigger problem than you might ...

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April 11, 2025 34 mins

Amid this week’s tariff turmoil, U.S. stocks tumbled, U.S. Treasurys sold off, and the U.S. dollar weakened. Kai explains what this triple sell-off could mean for the future of the American economy. And, is the era of cheap stuff in America over? Donald Trump administration officials are arguing it’s a good thing. We’ll get into it. Plus, we’ll weigh in on penguin memes and using public phones during a round of Half Full/H...

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Today, it’s all YOU! We’re diving into the mailbag to play your voicemails, read your comments, and answer your questions after a wild week of tariff insanity. We’ll hear from YOU on how you’ve been riding the economic uncertainty. Plus, is Trump’s tariff pause, really a pause? And a listener shares what it’s been like teaching elementary students about tariffs.


Here’s everything we talked about today:


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April 9, 2025 11 mins

The world woke up to a very different economy today. Then, President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on some of his tariffs. The news was announced as the official in charge of U.S. trade policy was testifying on Capitol Hill. We’ll break down the trade official’s tense exchange with lawmakers and the real consequences of this week’s market madness. Plus, we’ll laugh so we don’t cry about the economy.


Here’s ever...

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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 ...

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Global markets are reeling after President Trump’s latest tariff announcement last week, prompting business executives like JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to speak out against Trump’s trade agenda. This comes just a few months after Dimon previously said to “get over” Trump’s tariff threats. Kai has thoughts. Plus, we’ll get into how long it could take for global trade to rebalance and what some conservative think tanks are say...

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April 4, 2025 29 mins


On this edition of “Economics on Tap,” Kimberly and Sabri discuss how it’s nearly impossible to tariff-proof your shopping list (or cocktail) because of the way our global economy works. They also get into why reshoring might be easier said than done. Plus, could Congress claw back some of the authority on tariffs? And the hosts weigh in on this season of “White Lotus” in a round of Half-Full/Half-Empty!


Here’s ev...

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April 3, 2025 18 mins


President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on American imports, with the levies coming in higher than expected. Do we need to be stockpiling our carts to get in front of rising costs? We asked economists how they’re personally preparing for higher prices. Plus, Reema and Kimberly unpack international responses as countries buckle up to negotiate — or take retaliatory measures. Also, why are we putting tariffs on...

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April 2, 2025 15 mins


Keyed to President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement today, Kimberly and Sabri unpack some of the messaging about the impact tariffs had during the president’s first term and explain why many of those claims are overblown. Plus, why we’re smiling about Sen. Cory Booker’s historic speech and how Sabri fell victim to April Fools’ Day shenanigans! (Note: This episode was recorded prior to Trump’s speech.) 



Her...

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