This is the Indicator from Planet Money I'm Waylon Wong and joining me today all the way from Denver, Colorado Indicator producer Cooper Gatsby -Gim I've been released from behind the producer curtains and joining me and Waylon Wong our Planet Money pal one Kenny Malone Yes!
Oh, Cooper, you can hear the high altitude, the low oxygen.
It's sounding great.
Yay. And we are gathered here for one reason and one reason only.
Indicators of the week.
That is right. It is our weekly look at interesting numbers from the news.
On today's show, we have...
Danger ahead for Medicaid.
Gold card immigration and...
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just reading the script.
Starbucks did what now?
Coming up after the break.
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It's Indicators of the Week.
Waylon, what do you have?
My indicator comes from Capitol Hill, where a Republican budget resolution has passed the House.
This proposed budget calls for trillions of dollars in tax cuts and spending cuts.
And I wanted to focus on one part of this budget framework, which directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut spending by $880 billion.
Dylan, what do you have?
My indicator comes from Capitol Hill, where a Republican budget resolution has passed these massive cuts could affect Medicaid.
Medicaid is the program that provides health care for low -income Americans.
Yes, it also covers elderly and disabled Americans, and about one in five people in the U .S.
are enrolled in Medicaid.
I mean, this is one of the programs like Social Security that's seen as untouchable, right?
Well, it's important to note that the House budget resolution does not single out Medicaid for cuts.
But this Energy and Commerce Committee oversees Medicaid, and you've got analysts and even some Republican lawmakers saying, yes, it also covers elderly and disabled Americans, and about one in five people in the U .S.
are enrolled in Medicaid.
It's just the math.
So what might these cuts actually look like?
House Speaker Mike Johnson has said we're not going to see huge cuts in benefits for people who, quote, rightly deserve them.
He says the program needs to get rid of waste, fraud and abuse.
The refrain we've been hearing, yes.
Yes, yes. And some Republican lawmakers have talked about imposing work requirements on some Medicaid recipients or limiting how much money the federal government pays to states.
Which I imagine that some GOP reps and senators will not be happy.
for people who, quote, rightly deserve them.
He says the program needs to get rid of waste, fraud, and abuse.
Affiliation basically means that if the House and Senate can agree on a budget, it can get expedited through the Senate.
So this process helps avoid a filibuster in the Senate.
Otherwise, the GOP would need 60 votes, and with their current numbers, that's unlikely to happen.
All right. Well, we don't want you to filibuster indicators of the week, Waylon.
So please. Then I was going to read the dictionary.
No dictionary reading West Wing over there.
Let's move on. Cooper, what is your indicator?
My indicator is $5 million.
This helps avoid a filibuster in the Senate.
Otherwise, the GOP would need 60 votes, and with their current numbers, that's un...
Pokemon? Card? It is, in fact, neither.
President Trump announced the gold...
It's less fun. President Trump announced the gold card program this week, which is basically a new path to U .S.
citizenship for foreigners.
It would replace a similar program called EB -5, where foreign investment would result in a green card for a lot less money.
How much less than $5 million?
So we're typically at $1 million of investment for the EB -5 program, and it comes with conditions.
Like investment must go into a company program this week, which is basically a new path to U .S.
citizenship for foreigners.
It would replace a similar.
The idea is that it would bring in wealthy people paying lots of taxes, spending lots of money, employing lots of people.
Trump threw around some numbers that if, like, a million people bought the cards, it would bring in $5 trillion.
Okay, that is true in terms of back -of -the -napkin calculation, but are there a million people who are going to buy this golden visa?
Immigration experts think no.
There just aren't that many people who can afford the program.
And, I mean, we already have some idea.
the U .S. found some numbers that if like a million people bought the cards, it would bring in five trillion dollars.
Okay, that that is true.
Not a million. Yeah, it's less than a million.
Well, I mean, other countries have a similar program, right?
Like Spain, Canada, Italy.
Is there evidence on how well those programs have worked?
A joint study between Harvard and the London School of Economics in 2021 said these programs had a quote negligible economic impact.
And in fact, the EU is trying to end these programs because they have negative effects on like raising housing costs and open the door for tax evasion and money laundering.
Program, right? Like Spain, Canada, Italy.
Is there evidence on how well those programs have worked?
A joint study between maybe.
Also, is this even legal or would it need congressional approval?
That said, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik said the cards could be available in as soon as two weeks.
He's over at Kinko's with the golden card stock.
I mean, gold is doing pretty well right now.
That is my indicator.
Up next, we have Kenny Malone.
All right. So my indicator this week is 13.
13 is the number of drinks that, according to the Associated Press, will next week vanish.
Cards could be available in as soon as two weeks.
He's over at Kinko's with the golden card stock.
I mean, gold is doing pretty well right now.
This week, they got this new CEO in from Chipotle.
And he has initiated a plan to, quote, get back to Starbucks, which means basically trying to be less like a human drive through for a gazillion drinks and more like the third space they used to be where people would sit and hang out and work.
And have I ever told you, too, that back in the day I saw a customer working from a Starbucks with their own full -sized printer?
Quote, get back to Starbucks, which means basically trying to be less like a human drive -through, which you all have done an awesome episode about, actually.
And, look, part of this new effort to go back is also simplifying the menu back to the basics, which is why these 13 drinks are disappearing next week.
And so, you know, of course, before they disappear, I had to – here I've got a little white hot chocolate.
Also ordered the Royal English Record Rocker.
I also got – this is the chocolate cookie crumble creme frappuccino.
Oh, my gosh. This is more – Back to the basics, which is why these 13 drinks are disappearing next week.
And so, you know, of course, before they disappear, I had to – here I've got a little – That one all in one sip.
Well, I have to say, Kenny, the stakes in my house are very high because I've got a little tween with some very specific Starbucks needs.
So can I ask, is the strawberry acai lemonade refresher on the hit list?
Iced matcha lemonade is going away.
Acai lemonade, no. Not here.
No. OK, how about the mocha cookie crumble frappuccino?
Is that different from the white chocolate mocha frappuccino?
between with some very specific Starbucks needs.
So can I ask, is this strawberry acai lemonade refresher?
As someone who only orders a decaf coffee, have they said why these 13 drinks specifically are going away?
Is the decaf coffee going away?
There's no word on decaf coffee going away.
Starbucks says that these items are not commonly purchased, that they have a close -ish substitute that will still be on the menu.
And I think probably most critically, they are complex to make.
And one of the key talking points has been getting wait times down.
Are they going away?
Is the decaf coffee going away?
There's no word on decaf coffee going away.
Starbucks says that these items.
Oh, wait. I just remembered.
I really like the London Fog Latte.
Is that on the bubble?
No. The LFL. Not on the list.
No LFL. Although yet, Starbucks says 30 % of the menu will be gone by the end of the fiscal year.
So, I don't know. I don't know.
Drink them while you got them.
Pour one out. Whichever makes more sense.
You're supporting them single -handedly.
The National Zoo Woodley Park location is doing gangbusters on indicator recording days.
Not on the list. No LFL.
Although yet, Starbucks says 30 % of the menu will be gone by the end of the fiscal year.
We've done indicators of the week.
Thanks for letting me out behind the producer curtain You talk like they have you in a cage, Cooper Jeez Is that true?
Blink twice I have so much sunlight, it's great Oh, great, great This episode was produced by Angel Carreras With engineering by Gilly Moon It was fact -checked by Sierra Juarez Kate Kincannon is our editor And the indicators of production of NPR Cage, Cooper, jeez Is that true?
Blink twice. I have so much sunlight.
It's great. Oh, great, great.
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