Mar 31, 2021

The Biden administration’s expansive view of “infrastructure”

Baby boomers are retiring at a rate of 10,000 people per day, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Daniel Leal-Olivas-Pool/Getty Images

The American Jobs Plan calls for investment in roads, green energy — and home health care. Also, how the pandemic made high-frequency data a go-to economic indicator.

Segments From this episode

The Weak Link: The state of infrastructure

What counts as "infrastructure"? Home health care, Biden administration says

by Kimberly Adams

Mar 31, 2021

Along with money for bridges and highways, the proposal calls for higher wages for home health aides.

Baby boomers are retiring at a rate of 10,000 people per day, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Daniel Leal-Olivas-Pool/Getty Images

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Infrastructure plan would invest in U.S. ports

by Justin Ho

Mar 31, 2021

The modernization plan could expand port capacity and create jobs along the supply chain.

Container ships outside the Port of Long Beach in California.

David McNew/Getty Images

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Microbusinesses and the pandemic

Why this small business said goodbye to the office for good

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst

Mar 31, 2021

“We’re gonna save about $60,000 a year,” said Carolyn Walker, CEO and managing partner of Response Marketing in Connecticut.

The pandemic shrunk Response Marketing's revenue and forced the firm to go virtual. “I feel like if I made it through this, we can make it through anything,” says CEO Carolyn Walker.

Courtesy of Response

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COVID-19

How COVID-19 made high-frequency data a go-to economic indicator

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst

Mar 31, 2021

More than ever, economists are turning to alternative forms of data to help them understand the economy in real time.

Geolocation data collected from mobile devices has become a useful pandemic indicator for the CDC, the Federal Reserve and Wall Street analysts.

Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

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Music from the episode

Cissy Strut The Meters

Blow Beyoncé

Show Me The Way Penguin Prison

Eyes To The Wind The War On Drugs

Slide (feat. Frank Ocean & Migos) Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, Migos

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

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