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Make Me Smart

Make Me Smart

By: Marketplace
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Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams makes today make sense along with her Marketplace colleagues, breaking down happenings in tech, the economy, and culture. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.Copyright 2025 Minnesota Public Radio Economics Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Higher education is a major U.S. export. And it’s under threat.
    May 22 2025

    It’s Kai’s last day as a regular co-host of “Make Me Smart” and he’s got a solid rant (and two bleeps). We’ll get into the Trump administration’s push to block international students at Harvard, thretening one of American’s biggest exports: higher education. Plus, we’ll unpack the Supreme Court’s 4-4 split over a separation of church and state case. And, could penguin poop be a tool against global warming?


    Here’s everything we talked about today:


    • “Supreme Court deadlocks, blocking creation of first religious public school” from The Washington Post
    • “Trump Administration Halts Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students” from The New York Times
    • “Harvard University Loses Student and Exchange Visitor Program Certification for Pro-Terrorist Conduct” from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
    • “Stop making cents: US Mint moves forward with plans to kill the penny” from AP News
    • “Penguin Poop Could Limit Global Warming’s Impact on Antarctica” from Bloomberg


    “Make Me Smart” is going on a break! Kimberly and Reema will be back with new episodes June 9. We’d love to hear from you while we’re away. Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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    9 mins
  • No tax on tips? Here's what that could mean.
    May 21 2025

    The Senate unexpectedly passed the No Tax on Tips Act, one of President Trump’s many campaign promises. We’ll explain what’s actually in the bill and where it goes from here. Plus, the Trump administration has officially accepted a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar for use as Air Force One. We’ll get into the grift of it all. Plus, one man’s search for younger looking skin and a manga story to smile about.


    Here’s everything we talked about today:


    • "The Senate passed Trump’s No Tax on Tips Act. Here’s what it could mean." from The Washington Post
    • "No Tax on Tips Act: What to know about the bill and what comes next" from The Hill
    • "Republicans Think They Have a Way to Blow Up the Filibuster Without Anyone Noticing" from Slate
    • "A Terrible Idea" from Just Security
    • "A 70-Year-Old Man’s Search for Younger-Looking Skin" from The Wall Street Journal
    • "Defense Department accepts Qatari luxury jet for Air Force One use" from The Washington Post
    • "Trump Lectures South African President in Televised Oval Office Ambush" from The New York Times
    • "How Manga Megastar Junji Ito Makes Terrifying Series Like ‘Uzumaki’" from The New York Times
    • "Shark fisherman uses drone to save teenage girl from rip current at Pensacola Beach" from CBS News


    We need your help to reach our fundraiser goal in a moment when public media is threatened like never before. Give now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

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    16 mins
  • Watch the dollar!
    May 20 2025

    Things aren’t looking so good for the U.S. dollar. Though it’s spent decades as the world’s reigning reserve currency, it’s been weakening lately thanks to tariffs and uncertainty in the U.S. economy.


    But its declining value, has been in the making for a while, according to Harvard economist and author of the new book, “Our Dollar, Your Problem,” Kenneth Rogoff.


    “The problem we’re facing is that, independent of this dollar phenomenon, interest rates are going up,” said Rogoff. “And if you’re the world’s biggest debtor, that’s tough.”


    Rogoff joins Kai and Kimberly to unpack how the greenback became the world’s go-to currency, what a reserve currency actually is, why it’s been losing some of its value lately and what might take its place. Plus, how does military power tie into all this?


    We’ll also get into some potential cryptocurrency regulation coming down the pipeline and discuss the troubling parallel between Trumpism and Brexit.


    Then, you tell us what books help you reset – from classic literary romances to an apocalyptic sci-fi tale. And, our intern, Zoha Malik (hi!) shares her answer to the Make Me Smart question.


    Here’s everything we talked about today:


    • “Our Dollar, Your Problem,” by Kenneth Rogoff from Yale University Press
    • “How Trump Could Dethrone the Dollar” from Foreign Affairs
    • “Why Is The US Dollar Weakening? Trump’s Tariffs Push Dollar Index To 3-Year Low.” from Forbes
    • “Senate advances landmark crypto bill with Democrats divided” from Politico
    • “Senate Advances Crypto Regulation Bill With Bipartisan Support” from The New York Times
    • “Senate advances a major crypto regulation bill on a bipartisan vote” from NBC News
    • “Brexit’s Failures Could Foreshadow Trump’s. Just Not in the Way You Might Think.” from The New York Times


    Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

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    29 mins
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All stars
Most relevant  
A good podcast with knowledgeable people. Would be better if left-wing biases were reduced or removed.

Good podcast focusing on up to date events

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