We take an offbeat tack today, jumping off from a landmark achievement in the world of AI to ask just how close we are to the "singularity," and what that means for the future of humanity. Give a listen.
Between the Trump administration wanting to change how GDP is calculated and DOGE accessing sensitive government information, statistical agencies are under the microscope. Can we still trust official numbers like the monthly jobs report? A former Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner shares her worries about the future integrity of government data.
The DOGE wrecking ball keeps swinging, but the Supreme Court, and even Donald Trump himself, might finally be slowing Elon down. Trump backs off his trade war with Canada and Mexico—without extracting a single concession—as economic indicators begin their predictable slide. Jon and Dan break down the latest on government cuts, why Social Security is in danger, and the Democratic infighting over censuring Rep. Al Green for heckling Trump. Then, The Bulwark's Sarah Longwell joins Jon to discuss how voters are reacting to Trump's big speech—and why the economy remains their top concern.
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.
Like a lot of economists, Mark Zandi, with Moody's Analytics, thinks President Trump's across-the-board tariffs are a bad idea. Saying, "Tariffs, broad-based tariffs, are a real problem for the economy."
But Zandi says – it's not just the tariffs themselves that are the problem, it's the uncertainty created by Trump's rollout.
Trump threatened 25% Tariffs on Canada and Mexico would start in February. They were paused at the 11th hour, only to eventually go into effect this week.
On Thursday Trump announced the new tariffs would be paused for most products, but potentially only until April 2.
Meanwhile tariffs on China snapped into place in February, and then doubled, to 20%.What happens next is anyone's guess.
Businesses have been optimistic about the economy under Trump. His chaotic tariff rollout threatens that.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Like a lot of economists, Mark Zandi, with Moody's Analytics, thinks President Trump's across-the-board tariffs are a bad idea. Saying, "Tariffs, broad-based tariffs, are a real problem for the economy."
But Zandi says – it's not just the tariffs themselves that are the problem, it's the uncertainty created by Trump's rollout.
Trump threatened 25% Tariffs on Canada and Mexico would start in February. They were paused at the 11th hour, only to eventually go into effect this week.
On Thursday Trump announced the new tariffs would be paused for most products, but potentially only until April 2.
Meanwhile tariffs on China snapped into place in February, and then doubled, to 20%.What happens next is anyone's guess.
Businesses have been optimistic about the economy under Trump. His chaotic tariff rollout threatens that.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Like a lot of economists, Mark Zandi, with Moody's Analytics, thinks President Trump's across-the-board tariffs are a bad idea. Saying, "Tariffs, broad-based tariffs, are a real problem for the economy."
But Zandi says – it's not just the tariffs themselves that are the problem, it's the uncertainty created by Trump's rollout.
Trump threatened 25% Tariffs on Canada and Mexico would start in February. They were paused at the 11th hour, only to eventually go into effect this week.
On Thursday Trump announced the new tariffs would be paused for most products, but potentially only until April 2.
Meanwhile tariffs on China snapped into place in February, and then doubled, to 20%.What happens next is anyone's guess.
Businesses have been optimistic about the economy under Trump. His chaotic tariff rollout threatens that.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
War and peace: as Europe braces for an unprecedented rearmament drive, in Turkey, the PKK prepares to lay down its weapons. We’ll also be finding out why Serbian politicians got literal egg on their faces this week, as well as meeting a Spanish photo journalist determined to bring dignity and recognition to the marginalised and forgotten.
What does Donald Trump's new threat against Hamas mean for the next phase of the hostage deal? And what options does the administration have for cracking down on campus anti-Semitism? Also, where do things stand between Trump and Zelenskyy at the moment? Give a listen.
Israeli-American author and activist Miko Peled returns to Bad Faithto discuss the Palestinian documentary No OtherLand's Oscar win, to break down Bill Maher’s mind-numbing analysis of the Israeli occupation on Pod Save America, and to provide updates on the ongoing genocide.
Even after Monday's pause on military aid to Ukraine following the Oval Office blow-up, it looks like a minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine is back on the table. We dive into what this potential deal would actually look like and whether Ukraine's minerals really live up to the hype.
Related episodes: An end to China's rare earth monopoly? (Apple / Spotify) The cost of a dollar in Ukraine (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.