Where did people get the money to boost incomes last month?
Oct 30, 2020

Where did people get the money to boost incomes last month?

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Plus, selling bonds to invest in global health and increase vaccine access in developing countries. And, the history of voting technology, and the importance of the paper ballot.

Segments From this episode

Americans spent 1.4% more in September than August, driven in part by incomes that went up slightly

It’s striking that incomes went up with more than 20 million people unemployed. Christopher Low, chief economist at FHN Financial, says President Trump’s unilateral move to provide $300-a-week payments through FEMA to those who lost wages due to the pandemic “was enough to carry income growth in September” in combination with some rebound in the economy. However, Low said, “it won’t last forever. There was a limited amount of funds.” Low is worried about the rest of the fall, as Congress and the White House still do not have a deal to extend additional unemployment aid. “I expect the economy is going to slow down quite hard in the fourth quarter.”

The complicated history of voting technology

Oct 30, 2020
MIT professor Charles Stewart III reflects on how technology both improved voting security and created new election fears.
Punch card ballots and their "hanging chads" caused a headache in the 2000 election.
Robert King/Newsmakers via Getty Images

Music from the episode

Where Is My Mind Maxence Cyrin

The team

Victoria Craig Host, BBC
Stephen Ryan Senior Producer, BBC
Jonathan Frewin Producer, BBC
Daniel Shin Producer
Jay Siebold Technical Director
Brian Allison Engineer
Meredith Garretson Morbey Senior Producer
Erika Soderstrom Producer
Rose Conlon Producer
Alex Schroeder Producer