Economics For the People

In our March episode, Sirisha and Taki dissect the 2026 Missouri Budget. It is necessary to understand that any state budget is a document that reflects our values as a society. On the revenue side, the budget proposes to slash the progressive income tax and increase regressive sales tax. On the spending side, there would be across the board cuts except for public safety. In our Dollars and Sense debrief, Chris Sturr interviews Professor Sasha Breger Bush about U.S. foreign policy under the Trump Administration. In a key insight, Professor Bush highlights that power and access to trade routes are just as important as raw materials like oil or critical minerals. And finally, we have an extra this month: Sirisha speaks with local organizer Zachary Mueller about how to fight fascism and cultivate democracy.

#mobudget #greenland #foreignpolicy

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Segment with Zach Mueller - 1:40 minutes

Taki and Sirisha discuss the 2026 Missouri Budget - 19:15 minutes

Dollars and Sense Debrief with Chris Sturr and Sasha Breger Bush - 38:20 minutes

In our February episode, we discuss the mushrooming of data centers in the Midwest. The growth of artificial intelligence is driving demand for computational power and the construction of data centers across the United States. Yet these data centers require massive amounts of water and electricity, which has led to concerns among impacted communities. We speak with Professor Madhumita Dutta of the Ohio State University, along with local activists Katie Currid, and Rachel Gonzalez, to better understand their growth. In our Dollars and Sense Debrief, Chris Sturr interviews Stephen Barton about all things rent control, which will be on the ballot in Massachusetts in November 2026. Tune in.

#rentcontrol #ai #datacenters

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Dollars and Sense Debrief with Chris Sturr and Stephen Barton - 1:50 minutes

Feature interview with Professor Madhumita Dutta, along with local activists Katie Currid, and Rachel Gonzalez - 21:47 minutes

In our January episode, we engage in a dialogue with Professor Pavlina Tcherneva about formulating a winning policy agenda. What is the role of vision in elections and the policy process? Our Dollars & Sense Debrief this month focuses on the impact of climate change on insurance markets. Chris Sturr talks to Kenny Stancil, a senior researcher at the Revolving Door Project, about how insurance companies are "mitigating risk."

#elections #voting #insurance #climate

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Feature interview with Professor Pavlina Tcherneva - 2:15 minutes

Dollars and Sense Debrief with Chris Sturr and Kenny Stancil - 35:55 minutes

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In our December episode, we converse with Professor Neni Panourgia about the Greek military dictatorship of 1967-1974, known in Greece simply as the Junta. Professor Panourgia grew up during the Junta years and she shares with us her experiences of life under a military dictatorship. Does it hold any lessons for those of us living in the United States today? In our Dollars & Sense debrief, Chris Sturr interviews journalist Kalena Thomhave about the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and what changes are on the way for SNAP after the passage of the Trump administration's "Big, Beautiful Bill."

#fascism #junta #greece #snap #foodstamps

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Feature interview with Professor Neni Panourgia - 3:20 minutes

Dollars and Sense Debrief with Chris Sturr and Kalena Thomhave - 34:20 minutes

‘Tis the season to advertise! In our Special Feature this month, we replay Prof. Zoe Sherman's segment from November 2023. Zoe helps us peel back the glittering layers of advertising and the holiday season where capitalism meets celebration. Our Dollars & Sense Debrief features an interview of Rob Larson about the consumer credit industry. This is especially important as credit scores are utilized increasingly across the economy and not only in loan applications (e.g., by landlords and employers).

#blackfriday #consumerism #advertising #creditscores

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Feature interview with Zoe Sherman - 3:15 minutes

Dollars and Sense Debrief with Chris Sturr and Rob Larson - 35:37 minutes