Make Me Smart

Are Trump's tariffs starting to impact prices?

Jul 16, 2025 · 15 min · Episode 1427 · 15.3 MB
0:00-15:45

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According to the latest consumer price index, the reported prices of several items, including apparel and household furnishings, increased in June, suggesting some preliminary effects of the Trump administration’s tariff policies. We discuss President Donald Trump’s response calling for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, and why it’s so crucial to preserve an independent central bank. Then, we take a look at Missouri, where the state’s legislature and the governor overturned the outcome of a ballot initiative. What does that say about the state of public participation in the democratic process? And, we celebrate some wins from listeners about a rekindled drive to write poetry and what it means to be a good friend.


Here’s everything we talked about today:




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