View this email online

Hey, Planet Money newsletter subscribers. This week we’re sending out a newsletter from our friends at NPR's Consider This. Monday through Friday, this newsletter helps make sense of a major news story and what it means for you. We’ll be back with regularly scheduled Planet Money newsletter programming next week. For now, if you like this Consider This newsletter, you can subscribe here.

How voters from different economic sectors
see the 2024 election

by Manuela López Restrepo

All Things Considered has been speaking with four "American Indicators" since 2021. They’re four people in different parts of the country reflecting on different parts of the economy. Now that it's an election year, they spoke with NPR again — this time, to talk about how the economy is shaping their own politics.

Travel.

Bhavesh Patel is a franchise hotel owner. He owns several chain hotels like Comfort Inn in the Northeast United States.

When he first spoke with NPR in 2021, the country was beginning to emerge from the pandemic recession. At the time, he owned seven hotels in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Illinois. In the years since, he has had to downsize.

"We sold off three properties, so we're down to four now."

Patel says his line of hotels has continued to struggle in the wake of the pandemic, and that right now, high end hotels are doing much better as the wealth gap has continued to grow in the U.S. He’s frustrated by the increase in regulation for his business, and considers himself a moderate Republican. For now, he isn’t sure who he’ll be voting for.

Courtesy of Arch City Defenders, Winton Machine Company, Bhavesh Patel and the Just One Project

Cost of living.

Lee Camp is a housing attorney in St. Louis. In his city, he says, rents keep increasing and the availability of housing is decreasing. After witnessing a wave of clients facing eviction during the pandemic, Camp says that economic pressures have gotten worse across the board.

“I love my career. I love that I get to serve people and work alongside so many inspiring and amazing individuals. But the loan payments are back, and that has certainly changed our financial picture in our household.”

When Brooke Neubauer, founder of the Just One Project, the largest distributor of groceries to at-risk individuals in Nevada, looks at the economy today, she says there are plenty of jobs, "what I'm hearing from my clients is that the wages have not caught up with the cost of living."

Neubauer says that her program’s spending has gone up tremendously as the price of food has gone up. And for her, a candidate that values social services is a priority.

Manufacturing.

In Georgia, Lisa Winton, co-founder of Winton Machine Company, sees herself as a pocketbook voter – not just for herself, but for the 40 people her company employs.

Winton says last year, the economy looked good — her company had their best year by 20%, a banner year. As a result, she says her company had looked into opening a second factory, but her lease on her current space nearly doubled, and they had to put those plans on hold.

And while her business might be doing better with the help of some Trump-era tax policies, Winton expressed that the Republican party’s shift to the right on some social issues is causing her concern.

Listen to the full episode to hear more about the American Indicators, and what they value most in the upcoming election.

Not subscribed? Subscribe to this newsletter.

Want to send this to others? Share the web-version of this newsletter on social media.

Want more Planet Money? Listen to our podcasts.

Newsletter continues after sponsor message

Get Bonus Content

Subscribe to Planet Money+ for bonus episodes with behind the scenes takes, extended interviews, and extra facts we couldn’t fit into the main show. Plus, it’s ad free. You’ll get The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School too - all while supporting our nerdy, ambitious journalism. Learn more at Plus.npr.org/PlanetMoney.

On Our Podcasts

Lay-offs can leave you with big questions. An HR expert has answers. — By one estimate, 40 percent of American workers get laid off at least once in their careers. And when that happens, companies will often say, "It's not personal. It has nothing to do with you or your performance. We're just changing priorities, making a strategic shift." Listen here

The hack that almost broke the internet — Last month, the world narrowly avoided a cyberattack of stunning ambition. The targets were some of the most important computers on the planet. Computers that power the internet. Computers used by banks and airlines and even the military. Listen here

How Fortnite brought Google to its knees — In August 2020, Epic Games launched a legal assault against both Google and Apple, alleging that their mobile app stores are illegal monopolies. Almost four years later, Epic could be close to forcing Google to make major changes to its Play Store. The Indicator has the story. Listen here

Also on The Indicator: AI Tupac and the murky legality of digital necromancy; Building generational wealth in rural America; and Trade wars and talent shortages

Stream your local NPR station.

Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream.

Subscribe to Planet Money+. Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free episodes.

What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: planetmoney@npr.org

Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here.

Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more!

You received this message because you're subscribed to Planet Money emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002

Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy

How voters from different economic sectors see the 2024 election

How voters from different economic sectors
see the 2024 election

Get Bonus Content

On Our Podcasts

Older messages

Zombie 2nd mortgages are coming to life, threatening thousands of Americans' homes

It was a classic rap beef. Then Drake revived Tupac with AI and Congress got involved

Neoliberal Economics: The Road to Freedom or Authoritarianism?

How do you counter misinformation? Critical thinking is step one

Sleep Training: "A Symptom Of Capitalism"?

You Might Also Like

⭕️ A tech play with a nice ring to it

Imagine finally becoming a homeowner

Check, Please

The Market Rally Indicator Just Turned Green

⚔️ Google's AI competition

John's Take 12-19-24 The Impending Crash

☕ A Decade of Women and Money

The Bank Underground Christmas Quiz 2024

Elon Musk’s New Prediction: “This Will Transform Everything”

Can you protect your pet and your budget?