Swiping left on dating apps
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Romance apps are having trouble getting dates. I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. First, an update on where the Senate version of the big tax and spending bill stands one week before the Republicans' self-imposed deadline of the 4th of July.

Some significant pieces are getting stripped out. Republicans dropped the so-called revenge tax from the bill. That would have taxed foreign companies doing business in the U.S. There were fears the tax would discourage foreign investment. It would have applied to companies from countries that impose taxes on U.S. firms, such as a digital service tax aimed at American tech giants.

But the revenge tax was dropped at the request of Treasury Secretary Scott Besson. In a post on X, Besson said the revenge tax wasn't necessary because he's worked out a global tax deal that will defend American interests. A provision in the bill on Medicaid was struck down by the Senate parliamentarian, who said it violates Senate rules.

The proposal would have limited the taxes states can charge health care providers. The taxes can boost the amount of money states get for Medicaid from the federal government. I'm Nancy Marshall-Genzer for Marketplace.

The chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Stephen Mirren, is suggesting the Trump administration could extend the July 9th tariff deadline for some countries. You don't blow up a deal, he told the news site Yahoo Finance, that's making good faith, sincere, authentic progress by dropping a tariff bomb on it, unquote.

There are more signs the bloom is off the rose for the dating app business. Bumble says it's laying off nearly a third of its employees since the company's launch of its stock back in 2021. Stock prices have fallen about 90 percent, $75, then $6 and change. Now, Marketplace's Elizabeth Troval has more on what ails the swiping for affection industry. Millennials like BU professor Catherine Cuduto remember when the apps were the shiny new thing in dating.

Now, more than a decade later... You're dating on your phone, but you're also probably working on your phone. You're ordering food and groceries. You're doing all kinds of things. And so I think that also reduces the novelty. Caduto says people are reluctant to pay for revenue-generating dating app subscriptions that give users perks like unlimited swipes, especially when... Paying for that subscription does not guarantee you dating success.

Economic uncertainty felt by younger users may also be affecting subscriptions, says sociologist Jess Carbino, who previously worked for Bumble. It could be contributing potentially to how individuals feel in terms of their desirability, particularly for men. And dating isn't cheap.

Carboneau also says the 18 to 24-year-old demographic, who were key to dating apps a decade ago, aren't as open to relationships these days. There is a significant lack of engagement in romantic partnerships at younger ages. But she says once this demographic matures, she expects they will be using dating apps to find their match. I'm Elizabeth Troval for Marketplace.

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Granger, for the ones who get it done. Greetings, Marketplace listeners. It's Neil Scarborough, Vice President and General Manager of your favorite business shows. I'm coming to you today with an opportunity to help shape the future of economic journalism and philanthropy. Marketplace's parent company, American Public Media, is looking for board members, and we'd like to invite listeners like you to join either the APM Board of Trustees or the Marketplace Philanthropic Council.

If you believe in our mission to raise the economic intelligence of the nation, and if you love building community through public media, we're looking for strategic, innovative leaders to help ensure that Marketplace continues to evolve and expand its reach and impact across the country. Applications are open now through July 6th. Visit marketplace.org slash board to learn more. Thanks for your consideration and thanks for listening.

To the use of rural land, rolling fields of crops and or rolling fields of solar panels. What land use provides a net benefit to society and can the two approaches coexist? Our story is from South Georgia. Emily Jones of WABE and Grist reports. On a vast property in southwest Georgia, Tyler Huber is raising sheep. Come on, girls!

It's morning, but the notorious Georgia sun has already been beating down for hours. It is incredibly hot. The sun is just unavoidable. And the fact that they've got, you know, shade every 15 feet out here, it's just the ideal environment to have shade so close.

Shade from solar panels, using that same relentless sunshine to generate energy. The sheep, in turn, have a job to do. They cut down on mowing costs. Huber is the site manager for Silicon Ranch, the solar developer who bought this land from several farmers. He says the flock loves chowing down on the vegetation here.

If we're able to grow this, which is just a buffet of everything they could ever want, they're going to happily eat that down.

This land used to have row crops, mostly corn and cotton and beehives. Now, you can't grow corn and cotton under solar panels, but this is still farmland for sheep and bees. Lisa Davis with the Lee County Chamber of Commerce says that's different from what many expect when farmland gets sold or leased to solar companies. You know, they envision in their head that you've got these, you know, big excavators and you just move everything out, and that is so not the case.

Solar development faced opposition in Lee County from residents and county commissioners worried about losing farmland they rely on and love. But a study found that the financial benefits to taxpayers outweigh downsides. That's because farmland gets a tax break in Georgia. Farmers pay on just 40 percent of their land value. But the county can collect the full 100 percent on land used for solar.

Davis says that can make a huge difference for rural communities. They're never going to get big manufacturers or a lot of big commercial. So the opportunity for having a solar project can mean a lot. Loss of farmland is still a major concern. The American Farmland Trust estimates that nationwide, 2,000 acres of farmland are lost to non-agricultural uses every day.

But Mallory Osteen, who leads the trust's efforts in the southeast, says solar isn't the main culprit. A lot of what we see in terms of farmland conversion pressure in Georgia is actually due to low-density residential development. For many farmers, solar is a way for them to hedge their bets, a reliable way to profit from their land even when weather or disease hits their crops.

In Lee County, Georgia, I'm Emily Jones for Marketplace. Our executive producer is Nancy Farghali. Our digital team includes Antoinette Brock, Jamila Huxtable, Emily McCune, and Dylan Miettinen. Our engineers are Brian Allison and Rachel Brees. In Los Angeles, I'm David Brancaccio, and we're from APM, American Public Media.

Hey there, it's Ryan, co-host of Million Bazillion, a podcast that answers your kids' big questions about money. This week, we're kicking it old school and taking questions from Million Bazillionaires in this super special show. I was wondering how much people in the government, like the president, make and how do they decide? How do airlines determine the price of a ticket? Where did the penny get its name? Plus, Bridget and I put some old cassette tapes to good use. Listen to Million Bazillion wherever you get your podcasts.