Feb 16, 2023

The federal budget is not the same as a household budget

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has compared the federal budget to a household's credit limit, but economists don't buy that analogy. We'll unpack the differences.

Segments From this episode

Raising the Debt Ceiling

Why comparing government and household spending doesn't quite work

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban

Feb 16, 2023

It's like comparing apples and oranges, professor Golnaz Motie says, because the government has many more tools and huge immediate obligations.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has compared the federal debt ceiling to a household's credit limit.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

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Big layoffs grab our attention, but plenty of hiring is happening too

by Kristin Schwab

Feb 16, 2023

The hospitality industry, for example, is on a hiring binge.

Leisure and hospitality was the leading sector for jobs growth in January, and employment in those industries is still below what it was pre-pandemic.

Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

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The producer price index hints at where consumer prices are headed

by Lily Jamali

Feb 16, 2023

Wholesale prices rose 0.7% in January, showing that inflation is sticking around.

Food prices for suppliers dropped 1% month over month, according to the producer price index.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

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This Dallas dancer looks to challenge the idea of the "starving artist"

by Richard Cunningham

Feb 16, 2023

Alexandra Light is looking to transition from a full-time dancer to a full-time choreographer.

"If you have two dancers in a family trying to support kids, it's like nearly impossible," said Dallas dancer Alexandra Light.

Courtesy Oliver Endahl

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For the 2023 Farm Bill, expect a political showdown over SNAP benefits

by Savannah Maher

Feb 16, 2023

Congress will be debating food aid programs covered by the bill, just as pandemic-era funding increases for food aid expire while grocery costs remain high.

As grocery costs remain high, a shrinking budget for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could be a strain for recipients.

Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

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For small online retailers, digital advertising has become more expensive

by Justin Ho

Feb 16, 2023

Several factors have pushed up the cost of ads during the pandemic. Even so, many small businesses don’t have much of a choice but to keep advertising.

When Apple’s do-not-track option launched in 2021, it had an outsized impact on smaller businesses trying to advertise digitally.

Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

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Music from the episode

As It Was Harry Styles

Circles Taro Umebayashi

She Is Whimsical Arthur Benson

Snowchild The Weeknd

Told You So Paramore

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Andie Corban Producer I

Sarah Leeson Producer I

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer I

Dylan Miettinen Associate Digital Producer

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