Making Sen$e Jan 24 A career truck driver on why his is no longer ‘a middle-class job’ Jobs in the trucking industry are increasingly threatened by technology and the rise of driverless trucks. But what explains the contradictory dynamic between fears of job elimination and a current shortage of truck drivers in the U.S.? The NewsHour returns…
Making Sen$e Jan 17 Why tech industry monopolies could be a ‘curse’ for society In the early 20th century, Standard Oil was broken up because of its vast power. Today, many think Facebook, Google or Amazon present similar threats, but they proceed unchallenged. In "The Curse of Bigness," law professor Tim Wu argues that…
Economy Jan 10 Evaluating Trump’s economic policies, 2 years in How have Trump’s economic policies fared during the first two years of his term? Paul Solman sits down with the president’s top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, to discuss recent stock market volatility, the Federal Reserve, tariffs, trade and whether the…
Making Sen$e Jan 09 Column: What the Ocasio-Cortez/Scalise debate teaches us about the marginal tax rate Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has proposed hiking the top marginal tax rate to fund green energy investment.
Making Sen$e Jan 03 Could socialist policies give American women better lives? Socialism is becoming increasingly appealing among young Americans who value universal health care, free public college and living wages. In her new book, “Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism,” Kristen Ghodsee argues that implementing socialist concepts would make women’s…
Making Sen$e Dec 24 What history teaches us about the latest stock market plunge How are today’s stock investors going to react if the market continues to plummet?…
Making Sen$e Dec 20 Comedy duo the Lucas Brothers on ‘survivor’s guilt’ and Bernie Sanders The Lucas Brothers are an identical twin comedy duo raised in the inner city of Newark, New Jersey. Keith and Kenny both graduated from college and began law school before deciding to pursue comedy. Now in their 30s, the brothers…
Making Sen$e Dec 13 Can a high school dropout turned top economist give a new perspective to the Fed? Mary Daly dropped out of high school and ended up as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. As a part of our weekly series Making Sense, Paul Solman travels with Daly to Boise, Idaho, where through a…
Making Sen$e Dec 06 Could driverless vehicles spell the end of the road for truck drivers? The trucking industry has long faced a driver shortage, in part because of high risk, low pay and long hours. The rise of autonomous vehicles could alleviate that problem--but it could also eliminate jobs for a population of older men…
Making Sen$e Nov 29 How technological innovation could amplify income inequality Technological advancement often brings the promise of increased efficiency in the workplace. But it also means apprehension about humans potentially being replaced by automation and artificial intelligence. In a new series, "The Future of Work," Paul Solman explores the concept…