Economy

WNYC News /

On Coney Island, sword swallower and kitsch square off against casino developer

Longtime sword swallower and strongman Adam Rinn recently presided over a mock funeral for Coney Island, which he says is threatened by a casino proposal. Mar 28, 2025

China Tries to Reboot Its Economy as Competitors Circle

China has long been the world's factory, but it's economy is starting to face serious headwinds. Demand for Chinese goods has slumped, China is saddled with too much industrial capacity and heavy debt. And now a tariff war with the United States further darkens China's economic outlook. We have two reports on reactions to China's economic state. We hear how the Chinese government is encouraging business investment, but it's a hard pitch to sell in a communist state that hasn't always been kind to entrepreneurs. And how Vietnam, another communist country, seeks to capitalize on China's uncertain future and is experiencing a manufacturing boom. Mar 27, 2025

On Point /

America's gold fever

Conspiracy theorists believe more than $400 billion of gold is missing from Fort Knox. President Trump says he will visit Kentucky with Elon Musk to see if the gold is there. Some ec... Mar 27, 2025

On Point /

How Trump plans to get government out of the mortgage business

Mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been under government conservatorship since 2008. President Trump wants to privatize them. But what could that mean for America... Mar 26, 2025

On Point /

A daughter, a father and a family's struggle with 'American Bulk'

In the U.S., shopping is almost a religion. For Emily Mester’s family, Costco was their Sunday ritual. In her new book, 'American Bulk,' Mester tells the story of how her family strug... Mar 18, 2025

The Brian Lehrer Show /

Friday Morning Economic Politics; Mayoral Candidate Whitney Tilson; 'Are Men OK?'; How COVID Changed Your Life

Friday morning economic politics; Mayoral candidate Whitney Tilson; 'Are Men OK?'; How COVID changed your life Mar 14, 2025

The last time we shrank the federal workforce

If you cut every single federal job President Donald Trump wants to cut, how much money would that save?

A president has tried to massively shrink the size of the federal government before. It was in the 90s, under a Democrat.

Today on the show: Where they found waste the last time we really looked. (Hint: it wasn't jobs.) And why the pace of firings under Trump might start to slow down.

For more:
- Lessons for the Future of Government Reform
- Is government too big? Reflections on the size and composition of today's federal government
- Creating a Government That Works Better and Costs Less

This episode of Planet Money was produced by Willa Rubin. It was edited by Jess Jiang and engineered by Jimmy Keeley. We had fact-checking help from Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. Special thanks to Ben Zipperer.

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Music: Audio Network - "West Green Road," "Raise Up," and "Blue and Green." Mar 12, 2025

The Brian Lehrer Show /

Pres. Trump's Trade War: A Debate; Reporters Ask the Mayor; Analysis of the Khalil Arrest; Can We Change Our Personalities?

Pres. Trump's trade war: A debate; Reporters ask the mayor; Legal analysis of Mahmoud Khalil's arrest; Can we change our personalities? Mar 12, 2025

Brian Lehrer Show Segments / The Brian Lehrer Show /

Trump's Trade War: A Debate

As President Trump's trade war heats up, two experts discuss the pros and cons of tariffs and whether or not the president's policy could achieve his stated goals. Mar 12, 2025

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On the Media Episodes / On the Media /

Trump’s On-and-Off-Again Tariffs, and Decoding ‘Make America Healthy Again’

What to make of the economy under Trump. Mar 7, 2025

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Trump’s On-and-Off-Again Tariffs, and Decoding ‘Make America Healthy Again’

Pagination