Make Me Smart

Trump’s contradictory economic agenda

Dec 11, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson, a historian from Boston College and author of "Letters from an American," dives into the implications of a potential second Trump term. She discusses how misinformation shaped voter perceptions during the recent election and the historical context of economic narratives in American politics. Topics include the flawed myths around tax cuts for low-income earners and the political consequences that affect vulnerable populations. The conversation also touches on the contrasting effectiveness of local public financing in elections versus federal governance.

39:30

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Episode guests

Heather Cox Richardson

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The podcast emphasizes the critical role of factual media in bridging the divide between voters influenced by misinformation and those consuming accurate political news.

It highlights the discrepancy between public perception and economic data, revealing that despite perceived decline, the economy is actually experiencing significant employment growth and wage increases for lower-income groups.

Deep dives

The Age of Disinformation

The podcast emphasizes that the current era may be referred to as the 'age of disinformation.' It highlights a significant divide in voting patterns between those who consume accurate political news and those who rely on right-wing media. Voters who were uninformed or not consuming political news tended to support Donald Trump overwhelmingly. This underscores the urgent need to re-establish a fact-based information network in America to bridge the gap in political discourse.

Intro

3min

Misinformation and Economic Perception

21min

Tax Cuts and Economic Myths

8min

Consequences of Political Decisions on Vulnerable Populations

4min

Public Financing and Local Government Successes

2min

Unveiling the Hidden Spiritual Allegory in 'The Wizard of Oz'

2min

Before this year’s election, Heather Cox Richardson, a historian at Boston College, joined “Make Me Smart” live in Boston to explain the high stakes for our economy and democracy.

Now that the election is over and the transition to a second Donald Trump administration is underway, we’re following up.

“The thing about Trump coming in again is that he’s made a number of promises to a number of people that are completely contradictory,” said Richardson. “You can’t both lower prices and put on tariffs. I mean, that’s like saying you can be dry and wet at the same time.”

On the show today, Richardson weighs in on the election aftermath. She explains how the current media environment in the United States played into the election, how economic narratives have influenced American politics throughout history, and what the past can tell us about how President-elect Trump might brand his economic agenda while in office.

Then, we’ll get into the bipartisan effort to add federal judges that’s suddenly falling apart. Plus, why Pete Hegseth might be confirmed to lead the Pentagon after all.

Later, a listener weighs in on “brain rot” as the word of the year. And, author Evan Schwartz was wrong about the inspiration behind L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

Here’s everything we talked about today: