In mid-October, Congress raised the national debt limit to prevent defaulting. This episode discusses how the United States got into this mess, where all this debt comes from, who came up with the idea of a debt ceiling, and what happened when it was paid off.
Date Posted: September 29, 2021
Length: 21 Minutes 12 Seconds
Link:https://www.npr.org/2020/10/29/929127255/what-is-bidenomics
Biden has proposed an economic plan to contain the coronavirus while opening the economy again when it is safe to do so. His plan primarily focuses on affordable child care, creating more jobs in the green energy sector, and closing the racial wealth gap. This podcast discusses his plans to raise taxes on the wealthy, remove certain deductibles for these individuals, and increase taxes on corporations in order to fund some of these programs.
Original Air Date: October 29, 2020
Length: 9 minutes 42 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/26/821787090/episode-985-where-do-we-get-2-000-000-000-000
In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, the U.S. government is pushing out a $2 trillion stimulus package. The Fed is also purchasing large quantities of U.S. Treasury bonds in order to stimulate the economy. This podcast discusses where this stimulus is coming from, and how it will effect the economy.
Original Air Date: March 26, 2020
Length: 20 minutes 29 seconds
Discussion Prompt: Why is demand for U.S. Treasury bonds so high right now? Will the stimulus package be enough to keep the economy safe from a recession?
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/19/818583204/episode-982-how-to-save-the-economy-now
Neel Kashkari from the Federal Reserve bank discusses his optimism about the future of the economy. He believes the Federal Reserve has learned from its mistakes during the 2008 crisis, and is now better equipped to react. The Fed is emergency lending in order to combat the effects of this economic uncertainty.
Original Air Date: March 20, 2020
Length: 13 minutes 43 seconds
Discussion Prompt: How is the current situation similar to the 2008 financial crisis? Should the Federal Reserve bail out banks and businesses during times like these?
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/16/816684372/episode-980-the-fed-fights-the-virus
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve has lowered its interest rates to 0%. The Fed has been practicing quantitative easing in order to ensure individuals can sell Treasury bonds whenever they need to. Planet Money discusses whether this will be enough to prevent a recession from occurring.
Original Air Date: March 16, 2020
Length: 18 minutes 17 seconds
Written Assignment Prompt: Pretend you are the chair of the Federal Reserve. How would you deal with the Covid-19 pandemic to help prevent a coming recession? How would you adjust interest rates or the money supply during this time?
Unemployment benefit registrations have increased dramatically in the past days. The U.S. government is trying to ensure that the current health crisis does not cause a long-term economic crisis. The government is also putting a hold on evictions and foreclosures in certain instances as well in order to prevent an increase in homelessness.
Original Air Date: March 19, 2020
Length: 7 minutes 21 seconds
Discussion Prompt: What are the economic ideas behind the strategies being implemented so far? What other ways could the government support those who lose their jobs during this health crisis? How can the government fund activities such as putting holds on evictions? What are the costs and benefits to be considered here?
Link: https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/02/14/585844313/stimulus-response
Summary: What would a liberal economist say about the state of America’s economy today? THE INDICATOR discusses how the country’s economy may need some form of stimulus to boost further economic growth. However, would the benefits of the short run stimulus for the economy that we say we need, outweigh the cost of the long-term tax cuts?
Original Air Date: February 14, 2018
Length: 6 minutes 30 seconds
Link: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/07/07/535987825/episode-782-budget-time
Summary: The Planet Money team uses a ten minute block of time to demonstrate the allocation of the U.S. federal budget. Each program gets the same percent of ten minutes as the percentage it makes up of the total budget.
Original Air Date:July 7, 2017
Length: 15:49
Link: http://www.marketplace.org/2016/04/14/life/fewer-smokers-means-looming-defaults-state-bonds
Summary: In 2016 states collected over $25 billion from tobacco settlements. Marketplace looks at the criticisms of how that money is allocated and what states will do when that money runs out.
Original Air Date: April 15, 2016
Length: 6 minutes 59 seconds
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