Eduardo Porter

Catherine Rampell and Eduardo Porter on why living standards have remained stagnant since the end of the Cold War. 

The presidential election and the middle class.

Eduardo Porter, the "Economic Scene" columnist for "The New York Times," calls Donald Trump’s proposal to end illegal immigration “a fake solution." 

Many voters have lost faith in politicians' ability to reform the immigration system. 

In parts of California, the water shortage is so bad that restaurants won't offer any to customers and people can't bathe. Here's how the cheap cost of water is threatening our supply.

There was once a time when the bank was a respected institution. But in 2007, only two in five Americans trusted in banks. Now, just five years later, the number has dipped even lower. 

Markets had severe case of the Monday's yesterday as stocks plunged. The Dow Jones industrials saw a drop of 634.76 points and not one stock in the Standard & Poor's 500 index saw an increase. In a word, investors were in a panic, desperately trying to find anything with value to put their money in.

Radiohead is famous for for pushing the envelope in music, even as the band sells millions of records. But in recent years the group has also taken a hard look at the music industry itself, and made some very public bids for new ways for major bands to interact with fans in the music marketplace. The latest of these moves comes today, as the band releases its seventh proper studio album "The King of Limbs" directly to the masses. Fans can choose from four options, from a $10 digital download to a $53 custom package, including clear vinyl records and over 600 pieces of artwork. Are their efforts revolutionary, or run-of-the-mill?

Everyday, all of us spend money on things — things we need, and things we don’t. And in turn prices are put on those things. But where do those prices come from? How much has to do with supply and demand? And how much has to do with bigger forces at play? Finance writer Eduardo Porter has been researching these questions for years. His new book is called “The Price of Everything: Solving the Mystery of Why We Pay What We Do.” Porter joins us to talk about the nature of value in modern society, some of its mysteries and explanations.

Eduardo Porter uncovers the true story behind the prices we pay and why things cost what they do. The Price of Everything: Solving the Mystery of Why We Pay What We Do looks at global economics and the constant—and often unconscious—cost and value assessments we all make every day.

New York Times editorial board member Eduardo Porter explains why Radiohead is dumbfounding the economists.