It’s that time of year when the Supreme Court issues a bunch of important decisions on high-profile cases before its summer recess. But it turns out there’s a whole other docket of decisions that usually fly under the radar. It’s called the emergency docket, or “shadow docket.” And the use of this lesser-known docket is changing the way the Supreme Court engages with wide-reaching, often divisive issues, and shaping law on the ground. “We’re seeing every big fight in contemporary American public policy getting to the Supreme Court faster through these emergency applications, and provoking the ..read more

Hiring data shows that Republican-leaning states have been consistently hiring faster than Democratic-leaning states, and it’s been that way since before the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll unpack the trend and get into the relationship between hiring and job growth. Plus, an inclusive running club is making us smile. And, are we handing out five star reviews too freely? Here’s everything we talked about today: “Why are red states hiring so much faster than blue states?” from The Washington Post “Oklahoma Approves First Religious Charter School in the U.S.” from The New York Times “A $1.5 Trillion B ..read more

After the 2020 election, YouTube started removing election denialism content. Now, the platform is having a change of heart, saying it will leave up misinformation related to previous U.S. presidential elections. We get into the changes to YouTube’s misinformation policy and what they might mean for the 2024 campaign. Plus, Kimberly and Kai do a little show and tell. Prepare for smoke and fire! Here’s everything we talked about today: “YouTube reverses misinformation policy to allow U.S. election denialism” from Axios “Inside the Meltdown at CNN” from The Atlantic “Pride absent for man ..read more

The debt limit deal making its way through Congress comes with changes to work requirements for food stamps. We’ll get into why these changes may not be the cost-cutting solutions they’re cracked up to be. And Congress has blocked President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program. We’ll discuss what’s next in the battle over loan forgiveness. Plus, the heartwarming story of a bumblebee rescue. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Senate votes to overturn Biden’s student loan relief program” from NBC News “The new work requirements for food stamps in the debt ceiling deal” from The Washin ..read more

Since the U.S. brushed up against its debt limit in January, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been stretching the government’s money as far as possible using “extraordinary measures” to buy time for Congress. One listener thought to ask: How, exactly, does that work? And how long could they last? We’ll get into it and answer more of your questions about where the funds for military assistance to Ukraine come from and why the Federal Reserve’s strategy to bring down inflation may come with unwanted side effects. Plus, a little self-care talk. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How ‘E ..read more

Growing beef or chicken in a lab out of a few tiny animal cells may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, but with nearly $3 billion invested in the lab-grown meat industry, that future may already be near. On the show today, we talk with food tech journalist Larissa Zimberoff about how meat is grown in a lab, why companies are banking on it as a potential climate change solution, and the challenges that lie ahead for the industry. Plus, is lab-grown food here to stay? In the News Fix: We have a deal on the debt ceiling. We’ll get into what it all means and why the negotiating might not ..read more

The debt limit is the big economic news story of the day, but yes, you *still need to keep an eye on inflation. The personal consumption expenditures price index, a measure of consumer spending, ticked up last month. That’s bad news if you were hoping interest rates, the tool the Federal Reserve uses to fight inflation, might come down soon. And, some musing on the nature of consequences: Three members of the far-right militia known as the Oath Keepers were recently sentenced to prison for their part in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s ..read more

Everyone has bills to pay, and the Treasury Department is no exception. As we get closer to the debt ceiling “X date,” the Treasury finds itself with less and less money to pay for its existing obligations. We talk about how much cash Secretary Janet Yellen has to work with, and the government’s plan to prevent a potential default. And, Tina Turner’s legacy goes beyond rousing music. Plus, in the Make Me Smile department, a discussion on cruises, family vacations and space travel! Here’s everything we talked about today: “Orders surge for trans designer after Target pulls products” from Reute ..read more

It seems like people are using chatbots like ChatGPT for everything these days: writing cover letters, coming up with meal plans, you name it. One listener wondered: Are investors using AI to make stock market picks? We’ll get into it and answer more of your questions about why other countries use the U.S. dollar instead of their own currency and the origins of the phrase “knock-on effect.” Here’s everything we talked about today: “How people are using AI for stock market picks” from Marketplace “Battle of the Bots: Which AI is Better at Picking Stocks?” from Investopedia “Dollarization Defin ..read more

The federal government has lifted the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, and many Americans are eager to move on from the pandemic entirely. But, COVID-19 is unfortunately still here — and so is the threat of a future pandemic. Ed Yong, a science journalist at The Atlantic who wrote about the risk of a deadly pandemic in 2018 and later won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on COVID-19, warns that neglecting the pandemic only leaves us unable to address the problems that led to its devastating impacts in the first place. On the show today, Yong explains how the panic-neglect cycle keeps us vuln ..read more