Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/27/822944544/episode-986-america-unemployed
Within the past week, over 3 million people have filed for unemployment, a record number in the United States. Unemployment insurance was intended to help people, while also providing motivation to seek work. Seeking work, however, is close to impossible when you cannot leave your home.
Original Air Date: March 28, 2020
Length: 22 minutes 58 seconds
Discussion Prompt: What are the incentives inherent in the unemployment insurance policy? Do you believe the pandemic will change who qualifies for unemployment/how accessible unemployment benefits in either the short- or the long-run?
Link: https://www.stlouisfed.org/education/economic-lowdown-podcast-series/episode-17-public-goods
What constitutes a good ‘public’? Public goods are non-rival and non-excludable. This podcast discusses how economists define public goods and what makes them different from private goods.
Original Air Date: March 25, 2015
Length: 10 minutes
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817995238/chinas-new-normal
China has been in lock down for over a month and a half. China has finally started to get things under control through travel restrictions and mandatory quarantining. Life is slowly beginning to go back to normal, indicating that things will get better.
Original Air Date: March 18, 2020
Length: 8 minutes 38 seconds
Discussion Prompt: What can other countries take away from China’s response to Covid-19? What should other countries do differently?
We’re adding the latest economic podcasts relating to the current Coronavirus Crisis here. Many also have discussion board / written assignment prompts.
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.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace/what-a-coronavirus-recession-would-look-like/
In the U.S. economy, we experience business cycles so after a large economic boom, there is always a recession. Economists believe it is possible we are heading into a “V” recession due to corporate defaults, bankruptcies, and layoffs. This podcasts also addresses issues such as the discrepancies in internet access, stockpiling groceries, and the current state of the stock market.
Original Air Date: March 17, 2020
Length: 25 minutes 43 seconds
Discussion Prompt: What are the differences between L, V, U, and W shaped recessions? What are the other indicators of each “shape” recession?
Discussion Prompt: With schools taking up remote learning, what can be done to bridge the gap to allow equal access to the internet?
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/2020/02/05/803201941/triple-a-ratings-are-so-yesterday
In the United States bond market, only two companies currently hold a triple-A rating: Microsoft and Johnson & Johnson. Most companies are falling into triple-B and double-B bond ratings. Once companies fall below a triple-B rating, their bonds are considered to be “junk bonds”. Due to the current low interest rates, even if a company has a low rating, they still can receive a loan at a low price which means there is little incentive to achieve a high bond rating. With the record high level of corporate debt in the U.S., there will be little financial flexibility for these companies if a recession hits.
Original Air Date: February 5, 2020
Length: 9 minutes
Discussion prompt 1: Should the government incentivize companies to cut back on their debt and improve their bond ratings? If so, how should the government do this?
Discussion prompt 2: What are the long term economic implications of the extensive amount of corporate debt in the United States?
Link: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Podcasts/All-Podcasts/2017/11/11/the-long-life-of-keynesian-economics
Keynesian economics was particularly popular after the Great Depression. Keynes revolutionized how government involvement in the economy was seen. Keynesian theories are still applied in financial crises today.
Original Air Date: October 16, 2014
Length: 7 minutes
Link:https://www.npr.org/2019/08/21/753185863/episode-934-two-yield-curve-indicators
In March, the yield curve for United States treasury bonds inverted. For the past six decades, the yield curve has been an extremely accurate indicator of a coming recession. Will this indicator hold true in the coming months?
Original Air Date: August 21, 2019
Length: 18 minutes 54 seconds
Discussion Prompt: What could cause long term treasury bond rates to drop below short term rates?
Discussion Prompt: What steps should the Federal Reserve take in the coming months to prevent a crash similar to the 2008 recession?
audioecon 