Air Date: 05-06-2026 

Today we examine how the U.S. war on Iran is producing an economic crisis with echoes of the 1970s stagflation era which explains why Trump is now less popular on inflation than Jimmy Carter. We'll also be exploring various element of the structure of our economy, including how GDP became a deeply misleading measure of welfare, why consumer spending increasingly goes toward things people don't want to buy, and how gambling and junk fees are literally counted as economic growth.

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: Simply Wrong GOP Lawmakers Caught LYING About Gas Prices Part 1 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-30-26

KP 2: Economic Implications of the U.S. War on Iran Part 1 - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 4-14-26

KP 3: These Georgia Swing Voters Do Not Like the Iran War - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 4-16-26

KP 4: Monday Morning Economy Politics Inflation Soars Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-13-26

KP 5: Fiasco for Trump as Leaked GOP Memo Warns of Epic Midterm Bloodbath - The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent - Air Date 5-1-26

KP 6: From Safety Net to Power Base Reclaiming Economic Power for Working People (with Jamie Keene) Part 1 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 4-21-26

KP 7: Simply Wrong GOP Lawmakers Caught LYING About Gas Prices Part 2 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-30-26

(00:56:48) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Trump's Iran War Is Crashing the Economy And It's Time To Get Ready

DEEPER DIVES

(01:05:14) SECTION A: THE PUMP AND THE WAR

A1: The Toll the War in Iran Has on the U.S. Economy Part 1 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 3-11-26

A2: Economic Implications of the U.S. War on Iran Part 2 - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 4-14-26

A3: The Toll the War in Iran Has on the U.S. Economy Part 2 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 3-11-26

(01:28:41) SECTION B: LIES, SPIN, AND THE ROARING ECONOMY

B1: WATCH Sen. Smith Asks Warsh if He Thinks the Economy Is 'roaring' and if Rising Inflation Is 'fake' - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-21-26

B2: Fiasco for Trump as Leaked GOP Memo Warns of Epic Midterm Bloodbath Part 2 - THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent - Air Date 5-1-26

B3: Monday Morning Economy Politics Inflation Soars Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-13-26

B4: From Safety Net to Power Base Reclaiming Economic Power for Working People (with Jamie Keene) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 4-21-26

(02:00:33) SECTION C: THE BOOMCESSION

C1: The Boomcession Booming on Paper. Brutal in Real Life. (with Matt Stoller) Part 1 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 3-31-26

C2: Sarah Anderson on Poverty Wages, Lia Holland on the Wayback Machine - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-17-26

C3: Big Techs War Against Tech Workers - The Socialist Program W Brian Becker - Air Date 4-29-26

C4: The Boomcession Booming on Paper. Brutal in Real Life. (with Matt Stoller) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 3-31-26

(02:39:10) SECTION D: WHAT THIS COSTS REAL PEOPLE

D1: Its On You Part 1 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 4-25-26

D2: Inflation, Iran, Israel and the Midterm Elections - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 4-20-26

D3: Born Sick in the USA Improving The Health of a Nation - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 4-21-26

D4: Its On You Part 2 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 4-25-26

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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