"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg

How the Macro, Tariffs and DOGE will Impact your Bank Account | Noah Smith on How To Money

"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg

Show Notes

This week, we’re bringing you an episode from the How to Money podcast, hosted by Joel Larsgaard and Matt Altmix, with special guest Noah Smith. Together, they dive into a range of topics, including the impact of tariffs, Substack’s revolutionary media model, and Noah’s unique economic philosophy. Tune in for insights on the escalating national debt, the baby bust, and the rising costs of U.S. healthcare. Noah also offers solutions, with a focus on boosting productivity and strategic immigration. Plus, don’t miss their take on Argentina’s dramatic economic decisions!

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-- Highlights from the Episode: (for more head to https://www.howtomoney.com/tariffs-doge-and-your-money-w-noahpinion/)

Trump's approach to tariffs appears to be influenced by stock market reactions.

The main spending pressures come from healthcare programs (Medicare and Medicaid).

Declining birth rates (around 1.5-1.6 children per woman in developed countries) pose significant economic challenges.

Healthcare costs are primarily driven by providers such as hospitals, doctors, equipment, and pharma, while insurance companies, operating on low profit margins, mainly serve as cost pass-throughs, with recent slowdowns in cost growth potentially easing budget pressures.

Technological advances in AI, solar, and batteries could drive future growth.

President Milei's economic reforms, though initially painful, are showing positive results.

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-- RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODE: Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/ How To Money: https://www.howtomoney.com/ Tariffs, DOGE, and Your Money w/ Noahpinion – Episode 944: https://www.howtomoney.com/tariffs-doge-and-your-money-w-noahpinion/

More from "Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg

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Noah Smith joins Erik Torenberg at the 2026 American Dynamism Summit in Washington, D.C. to discuss Anthropic's relationship with Washington, bioterrorism risks stemming from AI, why Noah isn't worried about AI causing job loss, and more.

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In this episode of Econ 102, Noah and Erik are joined by Flock Safety CEO to cover America's crime crisis and how to solve it with technology. They explore international comparisons, why America's crime problem is unique, how cameras can deter crime, tradeoffs in crime reduction, and more. - Sponsors: Notion AI meeting notes lives right in Notion, everything you capture, whether that's meetings, podcasts, interviews, conversations, live exactly where you plan, build, and get things done. Here's an exclusive offer for our listeners. Try one month for free at ⁠https://www.notion.com/lp/econ102

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In this episode of Econ 102, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg cover Europe's economic future, how internet discourse has changed politics, the rise of identitarian populism on both the right and left in America, and more.

Dec 5, 2025

In this episode of Econ 102 originally aired on the Sphere Podcast, Noah Smith and Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry sit down for a debate on immigration. They cover the philosophical underpinnings of their arguments, where they find common ground, border enforcement, deportation, public opinion, and more.

Nov 11, 2025

In this episode of Econ 102, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg explore AI's effects on productivity, how AI business models will shake out, the US and China's rare earth minerals industries, and China's economic challenges, including demographics, real estate, and involution.

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