Welcome to the first episode of our new podcast, The Green Room. We’d originally planned a May launch for this show, but when news happens and you work at a news organization… you gotta adapt. So, consider this Episode 0 with more coming soon.
This go around, I’m joined by Dr. Steve Gardner, a respected economist and professor emeritus at Baylor University. I asked Steve for this conversation in order to unpack the latest on the Trump administration tariffs and to explore the broader economic theories behind tariff policies. Dr. Gardner brings decades of experience as an educator, researcher, and advisor, with deep expertise in international economics, trade policy, and market dynamics. He served as a professor of economics at Baylor from 1978 to 2023 in a variety of roles, including as Director of the McBride Center for International Business and the chair of the economics department. A longtime favorite among students, Steve retired in 2023. He is currently an active board member of the World Affairs Council of DFW. Over the course of his career, Steve has published and presently widely through leading economic journals, conferences, and associations. He is known for making complex economic issues accessible and actionable, and I think that’s the perfect guide to help understand not just the headlines, but the economic reasoning and real-world implications of tariff decisions. Whether you’re an economist, a policy enthusiast, or simply curious about how tariffs impact your daily life, this conversation with Steve offers insights that are as timely as they are illuminating.
We’ll have more new episodes of The Green Room for you in a few weeks. I’m really excited about the guests we’ve already lined up. If you know someone I should chat with, shoot us a note to support@baylorline.com.
Oh, and to make sure you get each episode, make sure to subscribe to The Latest, The Weekly, or The Monthly newsletter from The Baylor Line. You can also follow our feed wherever you listen to podcasts — such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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Credits:
Our theme music is “Short Circuit” by Ryan James Carr, with a special guest appearance by – yes – Abner McCall.
Our episodes are made possible by a grant from the Eula Mae & John Baugh Foundation.
And Hope Daughtry is our managing producer – couldn’t do it without her.
