Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is less reserved than the average banker. He explains why vibes are overrated, why the Fed’s independence is non-negotiable, and why tariffs could bring the economy back to the Covid era.
Feb 27
665. Werner Herzog Isn’t Afraid ...
... of bad reviews, meager financing, or artificial intelligence. But he is worried that the world is full of sloppy thinkers who mistake facts for the truth. SOURCES: Werner Herzog, writer, filmmaker, and actor. RESOURCES: The Future of Truth, by Werner Herzog (2025). Every Man ... Show More
49m 8s
Feb 18
All You Need Is Nudge (Update)
When Richard Thaler first published Nudge, the world was just starting to believe in his brand of behavioral economics. In this 2021 episode, we ask: How has nudge theory held up in the face of a global financial meltdown, a pandemic, and other existential crises? SOURCES:Richard ... Show More
57m 23s
Oct 2025
What’s up with the US economy? With Austan Goolsbee
Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and a voter on the Fed’s interest rate-setting committee, speaks to the FT’s economics commentator Chris Giles about the outlook for the US economy amid a boom in AI investment, sluggish hiring, President Donald Tr ... Show More
24m 57s
Jun 2025
The Fed cuts US economic outlook
The Federal Reserve cut its outlook for the US economy on Wednesday, and in the UK, inflation remains higher than ideal. Plus, Big Tech companies are lobbying for a decade-long ban on AI regulations, and the Israel-Iran conflict has hit the global supply chain. Mentioned in this ... Show More
10m 36s
Sep 2025
The Fed cuts rates, America's FICO dips, and forever ends for sweepstakes winners
It’s … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today’s show: A rate cut and drama at the Federal Reserve, the average American gets a little less creditworthy, and those giant check sweepstakes winners? Well, they ... Show More
9m 12s