From WNYC in New York and Marketplace from American Public Media, this is America,

Are We Ready?

Hello, everyone.

I'm Brian Lehrer from WNYC. And I'm Kimberly

Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace. For the next three weeks at this time,

we're teaming up to help answer maybe the number one question on the minds of swing voters this

year. Are we ready for what the outcome of this election will mean for the broader economy

and our own personal finances? That's right, Kimberly. Before we dive into this question,

though, we want to acknowledge a couple of things right at the top. One is that we know we're on

tonight on many stations in Florida, and we're wishing everyone in the path of Hurricane

Milton a safe night. I wish we could do more,

but we at least want to acknowledge that that's happening in areas where you might be listening

tonight and that we're thinking of you. I'm sure your local public radio stations have a lot of

information and advice specific to wherever you are. And we also want to acknowledge that for many

voters in this year's elections,

passions are running high and the stakes are very high on a number of issues, including abortion

rights, immigration, the state of our democracy, and more. It kind of depends which party you're in

for many of these things. Some even call it a post-policy election in which identity or what kind of country we are

is really what it's all about.

And that's all true for lots of folks, of course.

But policy always matters.

And many polls have shown, as Kimberly was saying, that the cost of living is an especially

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