The Gist - Trickle Down Now

On The Gist, it seems that congressional investigators have nabbed a big fish: Jill Stein.

Plus, New York Times columnist David Leonhardt explains why the Republicans absolutely had to pass the tax bill, even if polls suggest it could be an albatross around their necks during the midterms. Leonhardt authors the Times’ absolutely essential Opinion Today newsletter.

In the Spiel: Income inequality may not be the perfect descriptor for what ails us, but it’s the best term we’ve got. And the Republican tax bill makes our inequality problem worse. 

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Song Exploder - R.E.M – Try Not to Breathe

R.E.M. was formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, bassist Mike Mills, guitarist Peter Buck, and drummer Bill Berry. They’ve won three Grammys, and have sold over 85 million records. In 1992, the band released their eighth album, Automatic for the People. In honor of the 25th anniversary of its release, in this episode, Michael Stipe and Mike Mills take apart the song, “Try Not to Breathe.”

songexploder.net/rem

Uncivil - The Assets

Rachel Swarns of the New York Times joins us to discuss what she discovered when she followed the money trail of one of the nation's top financial institutions all the back to the 19th century.

Further reading:

You can read more of Rachel Swarns's reporting here, and check out her book, American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama. For further reading on slave insurance we recommend Investing in Life: Insurance in Antebellum America by Sharon Ann Murphy.

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The NewsWorthy - Tax Bill, Trump Robot & Lady Gaga – Wednesday, December 20th, 2017

All the news you need to know for Wednesday, December 20th, 2017! 

  Today we're talking about the tax bill moving forward + the hiccup causing the House to vote again today.

Plus: President Trump's robot, Lady Gaga goes to Vegas and how you can order a burger with your face.

All that and much more - in less than 10 minutes!

Award-winning broadcast journalist and former TV news reporter Erica Mandy breaks it all down for you. 

For links to all the stories referenced in today's episode, visit https://www.theNewsWorthy.com and click Episodes.

The Gist - Behind the Scenes at The Daily

On The Gist, Mike talks about the consequences of fast-tracking a major tax overhaul.

In the interview, how did the team behind The Daily manage to create a show that’s unlike anything we’ve heard before and also oddly perfect for this moment in news? Host Michael Barbaro and managing producer Theo Balcomb say they talked extensively about what they didn’t want to sound like. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I never want to do a jobs report,’ ” says Balcomb. “ ‘Can we promise we’re never going to do a jobs report?’ ”

In the Spiel, Republicans aren’t necessarily committing political suicide with their $1.5 trillion tax plan.

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Money Girl - 524 – 10 Best Ways to Lower Your Bills Now

Whether you need quick ways to cut expenses ahead of the holidays or just want to save more for retirement (or other financial goals), there are plenty of ways to put money back in your bank account. Laura covers 10 of the best ways to cut your bills and save more money now. Get the Money Girl book at http://www.MoneyGirlBook.com. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/money-finance/saving-spending/best-ways-to-lower-your-bills-now Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW MONEY GIRL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoneyGirlQDT Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraAdams

Crimetown - Bonus Episode: Courtney

Courtney Calenda is a star high school student—until a powerful defense attorney more than three times her age pulls her into a downward spiral of sex and drugs. As her life falls apart, she decides to fight back.

For more information about this episode, and a full list of credits, visit our website at crimetownshow.com.

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