A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Tonight is the first debate between presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. And NPR's Planet Money is paying special attention to the economic policies that are likely to come up. On their show lately, they've been breaking many of them down in great detail. And co-host Nick Fountain is here now. So, Nick, where to start? I mean, what will you be listing for tonight?
NICK FOUNTAIN, BYLINE: Yeah, so one thing that is likely to come up is this no tax on tips proposal that both candidates are fond of. We've been covering that over at Planet Money. And many economists we've talked to are not fond of it. They say it's kind of unfair. Why should the server get this tax break while the dishwasher in the back of the restaurant doesn't? Even more, they say it's going to distort the economy in some weird ways. Like, say, if dentists start gaming the system and try to get more of their compensation in tips, which won't be taxed. So I'll be listening for details on how the candidates want to shape their tax exemption for tips. Other thing we're going to be listening for - trade tariffs. Trump has proposed a whole bunch of them, a 60% tariff on Chinese goods, a 10% tariff on all other goods from all other countries. Harris is trying to brand Trump's tariffs as a national sales tax on American consumers. We'll see if that sticks.
MARTÍNEZ: All right, so those are the bigger policy proposals. What about sleepers?
FOUNTAIN: (Laughter) I personally am really hoping to hear a mention of the earned income tax credit, which Harris has proposed expanding. It's one of the most beloved anti-poverty programs by economists on both the left and the right. It's a way to get people into the workforce by essentially giving them a bonus rather than taxing them at very low levels of income. Actually, there are so many sleeper economic policy ideas that at Planet Money are listening for in this debate - you know, the salt deduction, unrealized capital gains, the inverted yield curve
(Laughter).
FOUNTAIN: We actually compiled them all into a bingo card. We first kind of made that as a joke to play as a team. But now anyone can find and play it at npr.org/bingo. You can print out the cards and play against the person sitting next to you on the couch or you can play online against your friends.
MARTÍNEZ: So I have that card in front of me. And the funny thing is, Nick, is like, I'm seeing these terms, and I can totally picture which one of the candidates would be the one to bring up each particular term.
FOUNTAIN: Oh, absolutely. We pulled from their speeches. So you are likely to win. The question is, are you going to win before the person you are competing against?
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah, that's the thing, right? Because that's how you play bingo. But it's so funny that I'm looking at these words and, like, each person's face shows up depending on what word would it is.
FOUNTAIN: (Laughter).
MARTÍNEZ: So I can't wait to - actually, I can't wait and I can't wait to watch the debate. For the full debate bingo backstory. listen to this latest Planet Money episode with Nick Fountain of our Planet Money team, Nick. Thanks a lot for heads up on the bingo card.
FOUNTAIN: Good luck tonight on getting your bingo.
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