Make Me Smart

Yes, it’s the predictable sequel to yesterday’s discussion about corporate America and Georgia lawmakers. This time, we’re talking about Major League Baseball’s decision to move the All-Star Game, the reaction from politicians on both sides of the aisle and MLB’s carveouts from federal law. Plus, we play another round of “Half Full/Half Empty,” with more sports talk and more blockbuster showdowns.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Thanks to everyone who joined us live on YouTube today! We go live each Friday at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time/6:30 p.m. Eastern for our happy hour episode! Subscribe to our channel and sign up for notifications so you don’t miss it.

The PR flap over Georgia’s new voting law gives us an interesting look at something we talk about a lot: The promise and peril of corporations acting as a check on the government. Or at least, it’s an object lesson in why companies are not your friend and — news flash — some politicians are hypocrites. Also on the docket today: Is Miami really all that great?

Here’s everything we talked about today:

Join us on YouTube Friday at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time/6:30 p.m. Eastern for our live happy hour episode! Subscribe to our channel and sign up for notifications so you don’t miss it.

Investment firms managing private wealth don’t have to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are responsible for some $6 trillion. The collapse of Archegos Capital has one of our listeners worried about the economic ripple effects. We’ll talk about it. Plus, more listener questions about Modern Monetary Theory and the Suez Canal fallout.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

It’s been 40 years since President Ronald Reagan said, “Government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem.” Now we’re in a new crisis, with plenty of data on the “trickle-up” consequences of trickle-down economics and a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill. Reagan had “Morning in America,” Joe Biden has “Infrastructure Week.” On today’s show, we’ll talk with political economist Mark Blyth about how Reaganomics was supposed to work, its ripple effects on Democrats and whether the era of “the era of big government is over” is … over.

Here are links to everything we talked about on the show today:

With the end of the pandemic maybe (maybe!) in sight, Kai and Molly are contemplating what their work lives have gained and lost in the past year. If COVID-19 had been brought under control in three to six months, would a return to, say, commuting feel as scary? Plus: Now that the Ever Given has been dislodged from the Suez Canal, it’s time to talk about the economic conditions that landed us here.

Here are links to everything we talked about today:

Big Tech is. Facebook, Google and other companies armed with the data to look ahead on this pandemic are slowly but surely bringing employees back in. On today’s show, Molly and Kai contemplate sitting in traffic once again. Plus, we go “Half Full/Half Empty” on inflation, movie theaters, “Peepsi” and much more on this Friday grab-bag episode.

Here are links to everything we talked about today:

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our live happy hour on YouTube today! We go live every Friday at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time/6:30 p.m. Eastern! Subscribe to our channel and sign up for notifications so you don’t miss it.

What can we say? Like many people, we simply can’t look away from the big honkin’ ship that’s stuck in the Suez Canal. Today, we’ll talk about the scale of that traffic jam, the many container ships that are resorting to taking the long way around Africa and Defector’s children’s book treatment of the story. Plus: Alan Turing on currency, the continued erosion of cash bail in California and some great news about our kids podcast “Million Bazillion.”

Here’s everything we talked about today:

We already know the “what” of nonfungible tokens: They’re blockchain-backed digital media, bought and sold for a shocking amount of money while pumping an even more shocking amount of carbon into the atmosphere. What one of our listeners wants to know is the “why.” We’ll talk about it. Plus, listener questions about hot chicken, the national debt and the mess at the Suez Canal.

Here’s everything we talked about on the show today:

New research shows that the top 1% of Americans underreport their income by more than 20%, and the government could raise trillions more over time by collecting on it. No hikes — just enforcing the tax code as it stands. On today’s show, we’re diving into the tax gap. Samantha Jacoby of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities walks us through how the wealthiest Americans hide their money, the incentive structures that got us to this point and why 2021 is a great year to start addressing the problem.

Here are links to everything we talked about on the show today:

With 127 million “jabs” administered in America so far, and more manufacturers on their way to FDA approval, the market for vaccines is about to change very quickly. What happens to the holdouts? We’ll talk about it. But first, a bit of news on Facebook and online privacy. Plus a new tool to get out of your Zoom meetings.

Here’s everything we talked about today: