Contemplating Empathy and Lighthearted Moments

Many TikTok users are joining apps such as RedNote and Lemon8 in anticipation of a TikTok ban in the United States. The problem? They’re also Chinese-owned. We’ll get into how this could turn into a headache for Congress. Then, we’ll unpack Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s climate change comments at his confirmation hearing and how people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles are being impacted by the current fires in a unique way. Plus, a farewell hallucinogenic mushroom story from outgoing Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• “Some of the possible alternatives to TikTok have their own problems” from Marketplace
• “Trump considers executive order hoping to ‘save TikTok’ from ban or sale in U.S. law” from The Washington Post
• “With TikTok ban looming, ByteDance has a backup plan” from Marketplace
• “Where Gaetz and Hegseth stand on climate change” from Politico
• “The Changing Threat” from Marketplace’s “How We Survive”
• “As thousands flee LA fires, disaster poses unique challenges for the unhoused” from Marketplace
• “How the LA fires could exacerbate California’s homelessness crisis” from CalMatters
• “‘It Was Ok” – Sec. Janet Yellen On Trying Marijuana For The First Time” from “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”

Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.