In this Money Talks: The federal student loan program was meant to help students seeking a route to a better life – so why is it putting so many of them into crippling debt instead? Journalist Jillian Berman, author of Sunk Cost: Who’s to Blame for the Nation’s Broken Student Loan System and How to Fix, joins Emily Peck to unpack the fraught history of the national student debt system and discuss where it stands now. 

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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This week: Trump’s erratic tariff policies are creating a lot of volatility in the markets. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by investments expert Barry Ritholtz to unpack the week’s wild tariff news and this uniquely unpredictable situation where one person’s decisions are having a huge effect on the markets. Then, Barry helps the hosts understand investing in this environment with lessons from his new book ‘How Not To Invest’.

In the Slate Plus episode: The trouble with leaf blowers. 

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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This week: Trump unveiled his extensive list of tariffs. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the questionable math that went into calculating these hefty tariffs and the stock market’s extremely negative reaction to the announcement. Then, Trump has picked a fight with the country's biggest law firms, threatening the integrity of the US legal system. Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern joins to break down the situation. And finally, the US dollar is down after Trump’s tariff announcement which was a big surprise. (Listen to our episode with Paul Krugman to understand why.) The hosts examine the factors that led to its weakening. 

In the Slate Plus episode: Broadway plays have gone Hollywood. 

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In this Money Talks: Amidst the Trump administration’s continued attacks on the press, David Enrich’s new book, Murder the Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign to Protect the Powerful, feels incredibly timely. He joins Elizabeth Spiers to discuss his reporting on increasing efforts to exploit the legal system to protect the rich and powerful from being held accountable, creating an incredibly fraught landscape for journalists and news outlets.

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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This week: A leaked Signal message revealed illegal use of the commercial app by the Defense Department. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers explain how this is a common issue in finance, where employees often defy SEC regulations on secure communication in favor of more convenient ways of communicating. Then, a recent study shows that people are leaving states with anti-abortion laws and other evidence suggests political migration in the US is on the rise. Finally, Dollar Tree is selling Family Dollar to private equity for $1 billion, 10 years after buying it for $8 billion. The hosts discuss what might have led to the end of the disastrous merger. 

In the Slate Plus episode: Felix joins What Next host Mary Harris to talk about the godfather of crypto, Satoshi Nakamoto. 

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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This week: DOGE is taking its chainsaw to the Social Security Administration. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers examine the real reasons behind the Elon Musk led crusade against the SSA. And then, DOGE used extreme tactics against the US Institute of Peace including a physical takeover of the building by force. Meanwhile, the founder of Pirate’s Booty tried a similar tactic to try to gain power over his small Long Island town. The hosts discuss how these stories and recent actions by Trump call into question what authority really means when it comes to our government. And finally, Dan Primak of Axios joins to explain how a private equity firm just made the Boston Celtics the highest valued team (in dollars) in US sports history.

In the Slate Plus episode: Why are US winemakers upset about a potential wine tariff? 

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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In this Money Talks: How does America assert its power globally? The short answer is money. For the long answer, Felix Salmon calls in authors Edward Fishman (Chokepoints) and Saleha Mohsin (Paper Soldiers) who both recently published books on the subject. They’ll discuss how the US dollar managed to become the world’s reserve asset, the ways it’s been weaponized in the past, and what that global status means under an “America First” president. 

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock weekly bonus episodes of Slate Money—you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. 

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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This week: The US Stock Market is plummeting during Trump’s second term. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers explain why headlines very rarely affect the movements of the Stock Market–and discuss whether we're currently living one of those exceptions. Then, the Wall Street Journal has reported that the Trump family is in talks to invest in the US arm of crypto giant Binance. If true, the move would almost certainly be an attempt to buy a pardon for billionaire founder CZ, who pled guilty to violating U.S. anti-money-laundering requirements under Biden. And finally, Youtube megastar MrBeast, made popular among the Gen Alpha set for giving away fabulous prizes, is turning his fame into fortune via his candybars. Are they any good? Elizabeth will decide!

In the Slate Plus episode: How many days a year should we all really spend at work?

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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This week: Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China went into effect – only for him to turn around and suspend many of them. Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers discuss Trump’s love of tariffs and the political effects of his trade war. Then, Egg Watch gets a whole segment this week as Chenya Roth joins to discuss the economics of egg demand and the question of if eggs even should be super cheap. And finally, an elaborate scheme to buy every lottery ticket and guarantee a jackpot went down in Texas. The hosts debate whether there is actually anything wrong with that. 

In the Slate Plus episode: The Trump bump has become quite a slump

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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In this Money Talks: Emily Peck is joined by journalist and author Adam Chandler to discuss what he discovered about how Americans think about work while writing his book 99% Perspiration. They’ll get into America's often misguided and misinformed obsession with rugged individualism, the long-term effects of de-emphasizing community, and of course, Emily in Paris. 

Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth.

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