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Oct 2, 2017

10/02/2017: How is this economy doing, really?

As the police and FBI in Las Vegas try to figure out the “whys” of last night — not that there can really ever be an answer to that question — we’re going to stay in our lane today and just note that President Trump will make a trip to the city Wednesday. Before that he’ll travel to Puerto Rico, bringing with him news of a $13 billion request to Congress for emergency assistance. FEMA director Brock Long pointedly defended the federal response amid mounting criticism, adding that Washington’s trying to get the private sector more involved. Then, onto tax reform: There’s a disconnect between Republicans, who are pushing tax cuts to spur growth, and the Federal Reserve, which says things are doing just fine. Plus, what you need to know about the unrest in Spain.

Interest rates aren't the only thing Fed Chair Janet Yellen is concerned about on daily basis.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images

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Segments From This Episode

DC and Marvel duke it out in "Slugfest"
by Kai Ryssdal
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a multibillion-dollar industry getting even bigger!
Catalans voted to separate from Spain. Now what?
by Kai Ryssdal
Pau Barrena/Getty Images
Ninety percent of the nearly 2.5 million votes were in favor of independence.
FEMA chief said helping Puerto Rico must be a public and private effort
by Amy Scott
The Trump Administration plans to ask Congress for around $13 billion in new aid for Puerto Rico, according to news reports. The president is expected to visit tomorrow. Large parts of the island are still without electricity and clean drinking water after Hurricane Maria made landfall nearly two weeks ago. Yesterday, FEMA’s administrator pointedly defended […]
Are we about to see a showdown between Congress and the Fed?
by Tracey Samuelson
The Federal Reserve Bank’s message for a while now has been, broadly speaking, “the economy’s doing pretty well.” The central bank has also said it’s time to phase out the extraordinary support that it put in place during the financial crisis, like ultra-low interest rates. As the unemployment rate has dropped, there are real worries […]
Coal and nuclear power stand to gain from new Department of Energy moves
by Scott Tong
The Trump administration is asking for new regulations in the name of grid reliability. Specifically, it wants to support coal and nuclear power to make sure the U.S. always has a supply on-hand for possible times of need. But skeptics wonder if this is all a back-door bailout for power plants that simply can’t compete […]
Uber is trafficking in a lot of drama these days
by Kimberly Adams
Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick has been stripped of his position as CEO, but he still retains enough power at the ride-sharing company to make things difficult for the new CEO. It’s a common problem at tech companies, where voting shares are often concentrated in the hands of founders and early investors. Click the audio player […]
Why so much of the U.S. tax code is social policy
by Adriene Hill
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Our tax code supports a whole lot of social programs. No wonder it's complicated.

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10/02/2017: How is this economy doing, really?

Subscribe:

Segments From This Episode

DC and Marvel duke it out in "Slugfest"

Catalans voted to separate from Spain. Now what?

FEMA chief said helping Puerto Rico must be a public and private effort

Are we about to see a showdown between Congress and the Fed?

Coal and nuclear power stand to gain from new Department of Energy moves

Uber is trafficking in a lot of drama these days

Why so much of the U.S. tax code is social policy

Music from the episode