Best EconoFact Podcasts (2025)

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Covering What Matters in Economic Journalism 30:23

Play Pause

22h ago30:23

30:23

Reporting on economics often focuses on the 24-hour news cycle and the ups and downs of financial markets. But the stock market is not the economy, and Heather Long, in her career as an economic journalist, endeavored to explain how economic issues affected people’s everyday lives. Heather reflects on her career as an economic journalist, highlight…

1
Understanding the Rise and Risks of Stablecoins 35:31

7d ago35:31

35:31

Stablecoins -- crypto-tokens whose value is pegged to fiat currencies -- aim to blend the stability of traditional government-issued money with the speed, decentralized nature, and reach of cryptocurrencies. They were created as an alternative to cryptocurrencies whose volatile prices make them impractical for purchases or for holding wealth. Stabl…

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Dissecting the Budget Bill 27:59

14d ago27:59

27:59

This week, EconoFact Chats features an abridged version of the EconoFact Ask Me Anything Webinar held on May 27th with Bill Gale, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Co-Director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. Gale discusses the 'Big Beautiful Budget Bill,' noting that it will provide high-income households with large tax cuts…

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Throttling Back: The Long and Short-run Economic Effects of Continued Uncertainty 33:20

21d ago33:20

33:20

The first half of 2025 has been marked by broadening macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. How is this uncertainty likely to affect the U.S. economy over the coming months? And over the longer term? Mark Zandi joins EconoFact Chats to point out that while an immediate recession is unlikely, policies on tariffs, university and research funding…

1
Child Well-being in the United States 22:46

28d ago22:46

22:46

The poverty rate among children is a crucial indicator of child well-being. Yet, the overall well-being of a child depends on more than just economic security. Education, health, and family and community, all play an important role. Leslie Boissiere of the Annie E. Casey Foundation joins EconoFact Chats to discuss the 2025 Kids Count Data Book repo…

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Foreign Students and U.S. Higher Education 27:16

1M ago27:16

27:16

United States colleges and universities currently enrol about 900,000 international students, representing 5% of all students – although the percentage of foreign students varies widely across institutions. Many colleges and universities would be hurt by policies that limit the number of foreign students. The detrimental effects of these policies e…

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The Role of America's Top Financial Diplomat 29:48

1M ago29:48

29:48

The Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs plays a key role in shaping how the United States engages with the world financial system. Jay Shambaugh, Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs in the Biden administration joins EconoFact Chats to discuss his time in office, focusing on negotiations with China over indu…

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Unpacking Tariff Uncertainty, the Budget Bill, and a Debt Downgrade 40:42

2M ago40:42

40:42

EconoFact Chats regularly hosts a panel discussion with top economic journalists. Since the panel last met in March, the House passed the 'big, beautiful budget bill,' Moody’s has downgraded U.S. debt, universities face stiff funding challenges, and tariff policy continues to be volatile. Binyamin Appelbaum (The New York Times), Scott Horsley (NPR)…

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The Consequences of Tighter Work Requirements for SNAP 29:03

2M ago29:03

29:03

Since the mid-1990s, the U.S. social safety net has been geared towards policies that encourage and reward work. While steady jobs and decent wages are the surest routes out of poverty, evidence shows that safety-net work requirements rarely translate into higher employment among beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP–…

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Trade, Tariffs, the Dollar and the World Economy 31:50

2M ago31:50

31:50

This week, EconoFact Chats features an abridged version of the EconoFact Ask Me Anything Webinar held on April 22nd, featuring Maurice Obstfeld, former Chief Economist at the IMF, and a member of the Council of Economic Advisors. Maury answers questions on the role of international trade in the US economy, tariffs and their consequences, dollar wea…

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Can Manufacturing Still Provide Inclusive Growth? 28:16

2M ago28:16

28:16

Manufacturing employment has been declining as a share of total employment in the U.S. What's driving this decline? Does the reduction in manufacturing employment represent a natural progression as economies evolve? Can manufacturing jobs today offer a stable, well-paying means of employment for those without a college education? If not, what polic…

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The Significance and Solvency of Social Security 24:55

3M ago24:55

24:55

About one in five Americans receive retirement, survivor, disability, or supplemental income Social Security benefits. These payments represent a vital financial safety net, especially for retirees who have had modest lifetime earnings. This importance of Social Security makes reducing its benefits the “third rail” of American politics. But its pay…

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Is Dollar Dominance Durable? 30:23

3M ago30:23

30:23

The U.S. dollar is the most widely used currency in global commerce. Many commodities are priced in dollars. Much of world trade in goods and services, as well as in financial instruments, is denominated in dollars, even when U.S. residents are not party to either side of the transaction. U.S. Treasury bonds have been the world’s safe-haven asset.H…

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The Stock Market, The Economy, and Your Finances 41:29

3M ago41:29

41:29

This EconoFact Chats episode is an abridged version of the EconoFact Ask Me Anything Webinar held on March 26th that featured John Campbell (Harvard), one of the leading authorities on finance and financial markets. John addressed questions on stock market performance, the links between financial markets and the broader economy, the need for consum…

1
Treasury Bonds, Safe Havens, and Financial Stress 28:09

3M ago28:09

28:09

United States Treasury bonds have long been viewed as a highly liquid investment with very little risk of default. They have served as a safe haven for investors and also provided a benchmark interest rate for mortgages, car loans, corporate debt, and other bonds. Typically, Treasury bond yields fall at times of financial stress as demand for Treas…

1
Long Run Fiscal Solvency and Its Consequences 31:52

4M ago31:52

31:52

US federal debt is currently almost as large as annual national income, something not seen before the pandemic. Expenditures like interest payments on the debt, military spending, and Social Security cannot be easily trimmed, and the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs act are likely to be extended, adding an estimated $5 trillion to the debt over …

1
Looking Ahead to the 2025 Economy 41:29

4M ago41:29

41:29

President Trump inherited an economy that was, at least in the aggregate, performing exceptionally well. Since taking office, however, the stock market has fallen, and there are heightened expectations of a slowdown due to the policies, and uncertainty from the shifts in policies, of the new Administration. Are these concerns well-founded? Or will …

1
Tariffs: Jobs, Prices, and Retaliation (Re-broadcast) 25:57

4M ago25:57

25:57

Tariffs are taxes. But unlike most taxes, politicians on both sides of the aisle are calling for maintaining or raising tariffs. The goal is to save jobs and raise revenue. But do tariffs help achieve these objectives? Kim Clausing joins EconoFact Chats to discuss her research on how tariffs negatively impact consumers, shift tax burdens away from …

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Tariffs, Immigration, and DOGE: Assessing the Policies of Trump 2.0 37:51

4M ago37:51

37:51

Labeled by The Economist as 'the envy of the world' in October 2024, the US economy today is marked by growing fears of a recession amid aggressive tariffs, threats of tariffs, deregulation, and drastic employment cuts across the federal government. Despite the short-term pain, could the Trump administration's policies make the US economy stronger …

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The Vital Importance of Good Economic Statistics 32:14

4M ago32:14

32:14

Erica Groshen, former Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the acronym AORTA to characterize good data; Accurate, Objective, Relevant, Trustworthy, and Accessible. This is apt since good data are the lifeblood of economic decision-making. But what happens if statistics are compromised by reduced staffing and resources, or …

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Costs of Corruption 32:21

5M ago32:21

32:21

In his 2012 book, 'A Capitalism for the People,' Luigi Zingales notes the deep economic problems that arise when people are rewarded for who you know, or even, who you pay off, rather than what you know, or your ability to produce and sell better goods and services. What are the broader consequences of this type of corruption that distorts outcomes…

1
The State of Health Insurance in America 35:05

5M ago35:05

35:05

The United States is an outlier in health insurance coverage. Almost all other high-income countries have near-universal coverage, while almost 10% of the non-elderly US population is uninsured. How did this come to be? And what can policymakers do to improve access to health insurance? Mark Shepard joins EconoFact Chats to discuss these questions.…

1
On the Economics, Geopolitics and Technological Challenges of AI 26:49

5M ago26:49

26:49

Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, improvements in large language models have continued at an impressive clip, driving a surge of investment in new models, developing new products based on them, and in constructing data centres and other infrastructure needed to run AI models. What will the economic landscape look like as artificial int…

1
The Economics of College Sports (Re-broadcast) 20:31

5M ago20:31

20:31

Football and basketball teams at Division I universities generate billions in revenue. But the student-athletes themselves do not receive salaries. Should they? Most have scholarships for their tuitions, but to what degree are they students, as well as athletes? And how does the money raised through these big-ticket sports support other, less high-…

1
Can We Mitigate Climate Disasters? 26:09

6M ago26:09

26:09

High intensity flooding events, storms, wildfires, and droughts are becoming more frequent in many parts of the world. Are there measures that can help mitigate the number and severity of these events? What adaptations could make fires, storms, and floods less destructive? And is there a greater role for the government and the private sector when i…

1
Rethinking Global Governance 28:59

6M ago28:59

28:59

Much like national economies, countries that economically interact with each other need rules to help ensure markets work well, and that economic outcomes accord with some understanding of fairness and equity. While such rules can constrain what a country does, for much of the post-war era, nations have recognized the benefits of international coop…

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Principles of Economics: Insights for Better Policy 37:50

6M ago37:50

37:50

The basic principles of economics are not only worthwhile reading for students, but for the wider public, and perhaps especially, for those involved in policy. Greg Mankiw, the author of best-selling textbooks for Macroeconomics and Principles of Economics joins EconoFact Chats to highlight how a wider understanding of economic principles such as t…

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Abraham Lincoln and the Role of Government in the Economy (Re-broadcast) 21:28

6M ago21:28

21:28

In 1860, the United States had no national currency, no national bank, and no income tax. Lincoln had a vision of advancing the economic fortunes of the country and fostering greater economic equality through, for example, incentivizing railroads and creating land-grant universities. He and his Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase also faced the challen…

1
Immigration and the Economy (Re-broadcast) 23:27

7M ago23:27

23:27

Immigration promises to be a key issue in the U.S. Presidential elections. Candidates from both parties favor limits but differ on the extent of restrictions. Immigration is important for a vibrant economy in a country with a low rate of native population growth. What role has immigration played in U.S. economic and demographic growth in recent dec…

1
What Populists Don't Understand About Tariffs (but economists do) (Re-broadcast) 24:40

7M ago24:40

24:40

Both presidential candidates have supported tariffs, albeit at very different levels. Can tariffs bring back manufacturing jobs, reduce the trade deficit, and provide substantial revenues? Responding to a recent article in The Atlantic, Maurice Obstfeld and Kim Clausing highlight that steep, across the board tariffs, like those candidate Trump prop…

1
Moving Away from the Economics of Grievance (Re-broadcast) 30:24

7M ago30:24

30:24

A center-right economic policy agenda has traditionally meant a focus on lower marginal tax rates, fiscal prudence, an openness to immigration, free trade and globalization. In recent years however, there has been significant change in the Republican Party's stance on some of these issues -- especially trade and immigration. Michael Strain of the A…

1
The Challenges of Trump's Economic Plans 38:15

7M ago38:15

38:15

President-elect Trump's campaign promises included imposing broad tariffs to bolster U.S. manufacturing jobs, pursuing mass deportations to free jobs for U.S. citizens and ease the housing crunch, and assuming a greater role in setting monetary policy. How likely is it that these policies will be enacted and, if so, what would be their possible con…

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Home Insurance in an Era of Climate Change 23:19

7M ago23:19

23:19

Home insurance has traditionally protected people from catastrophic losses of what is, for many, their most valuable asset. But climate change has contributed to the increasing frequency and severity of destructive weather events and wildfires. Widespread losses stress the solvency of insurance markets while higher premiums contribute to lower rate…

1
Has Working from Home Given Way to Return to Office? 28:04

8M ago28:04

28:04

The share of Americans working a full day from home rose from 7% in 2019 to 60% in the immediate wake of COVID in 2020. This share has now fallen to 25%, still well above its pre-COVID rate. What have the last four years revealed about the effects of working from home on productivity? Are employers right in worrying about shirking? What do employee…

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Analyzing the 2024 Presidential Election 23:37

8M ago23:37

23:37

Does the outcome of the 2024 election suggest a realignment of traditional voting patterns? Early data points to continuity along some dimensions, such as an expected anti-incumbency vote against Democrats. But there were also notable shifts among certain groups. For example, young people, who had largely tilted towards Democrats in recent election…

1
Winners and Losers from Technological Change 25:20

8M ago25:20

25:20

New technologies often result in significant change. Perhaps the most salient effect of automation has been labor displacement. At the beginning of the 20th century, agricultural employment gave way to more productive, and higher paying, manufacturing jobs. The growing middle class generated demand for new products and new industries. But more rece…

1
The Japanese Economy: Robust to Anemic, but Now Recovering? 28:00

8M ago28:00

28:00

Japan's economy was seen as something of a juggernaut in the post World War II era, with growth averaging about 10% during the 1950s and 60s. Yet, in subsequent decades, with a stock market crash, and the bursting of a real estate bubble, Japan entered a period of stagnation and deflation, from which it is only now emerging. What drove Japan's rapi…

1
The Presidential Candidates’ Economic Policies 30:16

9M ago30:16

30:16

Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, points out that the American economy is currently the envy of the world. The outcome of the Presidential election could change the course of the economy since the two candidates have put forward very different policies. One key difference is the size and scope of tariffs. High and broad-based tariff…

1
The Economic Impact of Immigration on the United States

9M ago

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Immigration policy has been called “the third rail” of American politics, with intense feelings on both sides of the issue. In this charged environment, it is important to know the facts about immigration, especially as they relate to economic outcomes. Consultants at Analysis Group, an economic consulting firm headquartered in Boston, published an…

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Turning a Corner on the Opioid Crisis? 21:35

9M ago21:35

21:35

Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. fell by 12.7% between May 2023 and 2024. As the Office of National Drug Control Policy notes, this marks the largest recorded reduction in overdose deaths. It also marks six consecutive months of reported decreases. What has driven the recent declines? Which policies and interventions have proven particularly effect…

1
Immigration and Deportation

10M ago

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Most of the United States’ population growth is now due to immigration. Among these is an estimated 11 to 12 million undocumented immigrants. Undocumented immigrants have been deported both through enforcement at the border and by being removed from within the United States. Recently, former President Trump has called for mass deportation of millio…

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The Next President’s Economic Policies 44:47

10M ago44:47

44:47

The economy often figures as a major topic of debate in the lead-up to elections. This election cycle is no exception. While both Presidential candidates have frequently discussed recent economic developments including inflation, trade, tariffs, infrastructure spending, and industrial policy, what economic policies are they likely to try implement …

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Is a Major Tax Change Coming? 20:40

10M ago20:40

20:40

The 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act was among the most sweeping realignments of the U.S. tax code in over three decades. It lowered tax rates, simplified taxes, raised the government debt, and was regressive, benefitting people who are well off more than the middle-class and the poor. But many of the Act's provisions are set to expire at the end of 2025 …

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Generative AI’s Disruption: Is this Time Really Different?

10M ago

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Economies have been subjected to profound disruptions from technological change in the past -- from the adoption of weaving machines in the 19th century, to the mechanization of agriculture, and the use of robotics in manufacturing. Yet, these disruptions very often led to a broad increase in societal wealth, and the creation of entirely new occupa…

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On Charitable Giving and Effective Altruism 21:55

11M ago21:55

21:55

Charitable giving in the United States as a percentage of national income, about 2%, is significantly higher than the comparable percentage in other rich countries. How do people decide which causes to support? One approach is “effective altruism” which focuses on what’s important (primarily saving lives, no matter where), what’s effective but negl…

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How Much Does Income Change From One Generation to the Next? (Re-broadcast) 30:11

11M ago30:11

30:11

The United States bills itself as a land of opportunity; where economic and social advancement depend on abilities, skills, and drive, rather than the circumstances into which one is born. But is this characterization accurate? How does the U.S. compare to other countries in terms of socio-economic mobility across generations? And does the ability …

1
The Future of Work (Re-broadcast) 27:22

11M ago27:22

27:22

Middle-income jobs have been declining over the past decades, leaving behind a polarized workforce, with one group of people doing high-skilled, well remunerated work, and another growing set, that are in low-wage, relatively economically insecure positions, that don't have much of a career ladder.Automation, globalization, and the shrinking role o…

1
How People Form, and Change Their Opinions on Economics (Re-broadcast) 19:04

11M ago19:04

19:04

How do people come to their views on issues like income inequality, tax policy, and immigration policy? What is the role of personal experience in forming these opinions? Do people’s views change when they are confronted with new information that challenges their existing ideas? This week on EconoFact Chats, Stefanie Stantcheva explains how diverge…

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Moving to Opportunity (Re-broadcast) 21:52

11M ago21:52

21:52

To what extent does where you live determine how you live? In particular, does growing up in a poor neighborhood reduce one's chances for economic and social advancement, greater educational achievement, and better health? Poor people typically live in poor neighborhoods. But would those people do better living in better-off settings? If so, what g…

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Voting, Income, and the Red-state, Blue-state Paradox (Re-broadcast) 22:01

12M ago22:01

22:01

There's evidence that economically better-off voters tilt Republican. But there is a paradox. While richer voters tilt Republican, richer states tend to vote Democrat. To discuss this apparent paradox, as well as issues of poll accuracy, and how much the state of the economy has mattered in recent mid-term elections, EconoFact Chats welcomes Andrew…