Make Me Smart

Make Me Smart

Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with our supersmart listeners, we break down happenings in tech, the economy and culture. Every Tuesday we bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.

  1. 5D AGO

    Is the clean energy economy doomed?

    So far, President Trump’s “drill, baby, drill,” agenda has proven to be a sharp turn from Biden-era climate initiatives, including the landmark spending bill the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  And thanks to President Trump’s attempts to claw back control over IRA funds, as well as his recent budget proposal which drastically cuts climate spending, the future of America’s fast-growing clean energy economy looks uncertain.  “The world is switching to electric vehicles, the world is switching to solar and wind,” said Christopher Knittel, economics professor and associate dean for climate and sustainability at the MIT Sloan School of Management. “And the less we do domestically, the less capability we build domestically to provide those clean energy resources, the worse off our industries will be in the future.” Knittel explains President Trump’s efforts to phase out Biden-era climate initiatives, why some Republicans are reluctant to get rid of the IRA entirely, and why the U.S. getting left behind in a world committed to decarbonization poses a threat.  Plus, the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told President Trump that Canada is “not for sale” in a meeting earlier today. And, the REAL ID deadline is coming in hot, though not all states seem equally prepared.  Then, we’ll hear about how Seattle businesses are showing love for Canadian visitors and a listener share’s her daughter’s frustrations with “shrinkflation.” Here’s everything we talked about today: - Trump administration cancels clean energy grants as it prioritizes fossil fuels by AP News - What Trump's budget cuts could mean for the environment by AP News - The Race to the Top in Six Charts and Not Too Many Numbers from RMI - Republicans haggle over green tax credits as battle lines deepen from Politico - How We Survive from Marketplace - Trump’s trade war with Canada has backfired on America. Now he has a crucial meeting with Mark Carney from CNN Business - Trump knocks Canada ahead of Carney meeting by The Hill - @carlquintanilla.bsky.social‬ on Bluesky - What you need to know about the REAL ID requirements for air travel from NBC News - Real ID deadline is weeks away and most states aren't fully compliant yet from CBS News - Seattle Restaurants Are Offering Canadian Tourists a Discount, and an Apology by Eater Seattle Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

    24 min
  2. How are companies handling tariffs? Exactly like we predicted

    6D AGO

    How are companies handling tariffs? Exactly like we predicted

    The Trump administration is hoping tariffs will spur companies to bring manufacturing back to the United States. But a new survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found that most companies are planning to deal with tariffs another way. (Spoiler alert: we totally saw this coming!) We’ll also discuss how the Department of Homeland Security is hoping to cut the cost of mass deportations. Plus, did Trump get the idea to reopen Alcatraz from a movie? Here’s everything we talked about today: -Post on Bluesky from Carl Quintanilla -"Tariff Politics; Rent-Stabilized Tenants May See a Rent Hike; Surviving Wall Street; Celebrating NYC's Mexican Communities" from The Brian Lehrer Show  -"DHS Announces Historic Travel Assistance and Stipend for Voluntary Self-Deportation" from Department of Homeland Security  -"US offers $1,000 stipend to encourage migrants to self-deport" from Reuters -"Mass Deportation: Devastating Costs to America, Its Budget and Economy" from American Immigration Council -"Trump Seems to Have Decided to Reopen Alcatraz Because of a Movie" from The New Republic -"Trump Says He Wants to Reopen Alcatraz as a Functioning Prison" from The New York Times -"Met Gala 2025: Highlights from exhibit of Black style and designers" from AP News   -​"'Tailoring Black Style': Dandyism shines at the 2025 Met Gala" from NPR Got a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

    11 min
4.6
out of 5
5,372 Ratings

About

Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams make today make sense. Along with our supersmart listeners, we break down happenings in tech, the economy and culture. Every Tuesday we bring on a guest to dive deeper into one important topic. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.

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