Tricks of the TradeTrade War 2.0I've Always Wondered ...

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National Debt

There's a "mysterious and important" debate in Congress on how to measure tax cuts

by Stacey Vanek Smith
Mar 21, 2025
The fight is over how to frame the numbers, one tax law expert says, because that changes the rhetoric. A Senate adviser will decide.
Photos by J. David Ake/Getty Images | Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images | Illustration by Jordan Mangi/Marketplace
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Immigrants play vital role in caregiving industry with meager reward

by Elizabeth Trovall
Mar 21, 2025
Experts worry that restrictions on immigration could lead to a shortage of caregivers as the U.S. population grows older and more infirm.
“America is going to be Florida,” said MIT economist Jonathan Gruber. “We have no plan for credibly meeting that massive change in the long-term care needs of our population.”
shapecharge/Getty Images
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The Leading Economic Index has declined for 3 months straight. Should we worry?

by Mitchell Hartman
Mar 21, 2025
The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index was down by 0.3% in February — the third consecutive monthly decline.
Three straight months of declines in the LEI signal the economy is facing headwinds. But it's not all doom and gloom yet.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Each federal layoff could lead to at least 1 other job loss in the private sector

by Janet Nguyen
Mar 21, 2025
Spending by federal workers stimulates local economies. Once they’re laid off, that could affect nearby businesses, like restaurants.
“It’s not pain that's going to be contained to the federal workforce,” said Emily Gee, senior vice president for Inclusive Growth at the Center for American Progress.
George Frey/Getty Images
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National Debt

Here’s what the impact of layoffs and site closures at Social Security could look like

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer and Dylan Miettinen
Mar 21, 2025
The Social Security Administration could lose at least 7,000 workers under recommended staff cuts by DOGE. That could lead to serious delays in benefits processing.
The Social Security Administration has a workforce of roughly 57,000 people. It's facing up to 7,000 layoffs.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
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Trade War 2.0

Copper prices are typically a leading economic indicator. But maybe not this time.

by Henry Epp
Mar 21, 2025
Copper prices have surged to their highest level in nearly 10 months. What does this tell us about the overall economy?
Tariff threats are driving up copper prices right now.
Ezquiel Becerra/AFP via Getty Images
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Tricks of the Trade

Career coaching from rodeo clowns

by David Brancaccio and Alex Schroeder
Mar 21, 2025
The official title is "barrelman." And it's a job that's equal parts entertainment and safety.
Leon Coffee was Rodeo Houston's barrelman for 31 years. He's still entertaining crowds in Houston, but now he's doing it from the stadium seats instead of down on the dirt.
Courtesy Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
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Tricks of the Trade

Rodeo Houston's livestock auctions aren't your typical auctions

by David Brancaccio and Alex Schroeder
Mar 21, 2025
The auctions at Rodeo Houston are no normal auctions. They serve the dual functions of selling off livestock and raising money for Texas youth.
The livestock auctioned off at Rodeo Houston fetch massive sums of money, with much of it going to Texas youth and education.
Courtesy Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
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Trade War 2.0

With tariffs looming, businesses prepare for higher prices

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Mar 20, 2025
Some goods, like produce from Mexico and home appliances from China, could get more expensive soon.
Builders may feel the effect of the Trump administration's tariffs through higher costs for steel, lumber and other materials.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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Kids feel "trapped" and confused by social media’s microtrend machine

by Kai Ryssdal and Nicholas Guiang
Mar 20, 2025
Teens know social media and fast fashion work together to feed them trends, but find it hard to step away, says NYT writer Callie Holtermann.
"I think the consumption aspect of trends is really heavy on the minds of a lot of young people right now," says Callie Holtermann of The New York Times.
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
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