Why The Shelves Aren't Empty (Yet)

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Slate

News, Daily News, News Commentary, Politics

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 28 July 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In May, after Trump announced a thorough regime of tariffs, supply chain experts warned that Americans would be looking at empty shelves by the end of June. But here we are in late July and the stores still seem fully stocked. So what happened? Guest: Justin Wolfers, professor of economics at the University of Michigan Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Ethan Oberman, Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I've ruled out uni because I want to live at home.
0:02.0	I've ruled out uni because I want to earn money.
0:05.0	I've ruled out uni because of my grades.
0:10.0	Study with the Open University and there's no need to rule out anything.
0:13.0	With our respected degrees, you can learn from home and work alongside study.
0:17.0	We're open to all. Plus, you'll have the support of expert tutors. So rethink your
0:23.6	future with the degree you didn't think was possible. The Open University. The future is open.
0:30.6	The weather. Tomorrow, expect a biting cold front. Hmm, how naughty. I wonder what I'll be wearing or taking off.
0:39.1	The night will be wild and untamed.
0:41.3	Expect heavy, lashing rain that'll soak you to the skin.
0:45.1	By Monday, temperatures will rise slowly but surely reaching their peak in the afternoon.
0:51.3	Not in the mood for miserable weather?
0:53.5	Fly cheaply to Turkey with Sun Express.
0:56.4	Sun Express, nonstop sunshine.
1:02.2	This show is going to be a little bit of a Mia Culpa.
1:11.0	But first, I'm going to rewind the clock.
1:14.1	In terms of flashing red indicators, nothing beats what is happening at America's largest port right now.
1:21.5	This tape is from back in May.
1:23.6	At the time, the head of the Los Angeles port had started making the rounds on cable news.
1:29.6	This is MSNBC.
1:31.5	Just give me a snapshot in time, a today story of what is happening at the port of L.A.
1:39.6	Fewer vessels coming across the Pacific with less cargo.
	...

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