Economic decisions aren’t only driven by hard data. A compelling story can change economic behavior and outcomes. In today’s episode, we explore real-world examples of “narrative economics” like how the Suez Canal ended up getting built. And we ask: why do narratives sometimes matter more than truth or data?
"America, above all countries, was born in an explicitly libertarian revolution, a revolution against empire; against taxation, trade monopoly, and regulation; and against militarism and executive power."
The Trump Justice Department has subpoenaed the Federal Reserve for information related to its multibillion-dollar renovation of the Fed's headquarters in Washington.
The move comes on the heels of months of President Donald Trump trying to influence Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to lower interest rates.
And while he told NBC News he doesn’t know anything about the Department of Justice investigations, members of Congress, including some Republicans, say they’re concerned the independence of the Federal Reserve is now at risk.
The Federal Reserve decides monetary policy across the United States. Its decisions help shape the global economy. What happens if that independence is threatened?
President Trump has been trying to influence Federal Reserve policy, since his first term.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Henry Larson. Audio engineering by Ted Mebane.
It was edited by Courtney Dorning and John Ketchum.
Eli Lake joins us to go through the history of the resistance to the Iranian regime, what makes this moment so different, and what the United States has to do to ensure the kind of outcome that will make the world a better place.
Over the weekend, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Department of Justice served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas. Powell says it’s all a sham. But the stakes are unprecedented: A potential criminal indictment. Central bank independence. Today on the show, the administration’s case against the Fed. How did we get here? And what comes next?
State Representative James Talarico of Texas might have been our most requested guest last year. And he seemed to come out of nowhere.
Talarico started breaking through with viral videos on TikTok and Instagram. And in those videos, he didn’t sound like your typical Democrat. He’s forthrightly Christian, quoting Scripture to defend progressive positions and challenging Christian nationalism on Christian grounds. And he is now running for Senate in Texas — in a primary field that includes U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett — in what will be one of the most important Senate races this year.
So I wanted to have Talarico on the show to talk about his faith, his politics and the way those two have come together in this attentional moment. Because he’s clearly saying things that people are hungry to hear.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Marie Cascione. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Emma Kehlbeck, Michelle Harris, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
As protests break out around the country over the killing of Renee Good, the administration sends even more agents to commit even more violence in Minnesota. The Justice Department launches an unprecedented criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell because he won't do what Trump wants on interest rates, a move so brazen that even congressional Republicans are denouncing it. And Trump again threatens to take over Greenland "whether they like it or not.” Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss all the latest, including Trump's suggestion that he's the "acting president" of Venezuela, and his musings about striking Iran as the anti-government protests there heat up. Then, former Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard stops by to talk to Tommy about the investigation into Powell, and why an independent Fed is so crucial to America's economy.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
As protests break out around the country over the killing of Renee Good, the administration sends even more agents to commit even more violence in Minnesota. The Justice Department launches an unprecedented criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell because he won't do what Trump wants on interest rates, a move so brazen that even congressional Republicans are denouncing it. And Trump again threatens to take over Greenland "whether they like it or not.” Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss all the latest, including Trump's suggestion that he's the "acting president" of Venezuela, and his musings about striking Iran as the anti-government protests there heat up. Then, former Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard stops by to talk to Tommy about the investigation into Powell, and why an independent Fed is so crucial to America's economy.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
Minnesotan community member Maryam Mohamad joins us to talk about the killing of Renee Nicole Good and the siege of Minneapolis by ICE and the DHS. We talk about the events and prosecutions that put the Somali community in the crosshairs, the regime’s attempt to spin this execution as self-defense, Border Patrol and ICE’s recent history of excessive force, and the predictably weak response from Democratic electeds. Maryam also talks about the Minneapolis and Somali community’s reactions to these horrors and their unwillingness to take this lying down.
Follow Maryam on twitter @messyventura
Just a few more days to buy the 2nd printing of ¡No Pasarán!: Matt Christman's Spanish Civil War over at chapotraphouse.store
Year Zero: A Chapo Trap House Comics Anthology is also 15% off at badegg.co. Through end of year purchases of the book also include a free digital version of the comic. The digital version is also available through GlobalComix.
Follow the new Chapo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chapotraphousereal/
And Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chapotraphousereal.bsky.social
The country has been rocked by days of large antigovernment protests. First, sparked by the crippling economy, now anger at the theocratic regime.
More than 500 people have been killed, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. NPR is unable to independently confirm that figure.
And now President Trump is considering whether to weigh in – and how.
Sanctions. Cyber attacks. Military strikes.
President Trump keeps suggesting the United States may get involved. If so, when and how?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts
