
Explain It to Me
808 episodes — Page 11 of 17
Mexico: America's waiting room
Dara, Jane, and Matt discuss Dara's fresh reporting on asylum officers' complaints about Trump's "wait in Mexico" policy initiative. Related reading: Dara’s piece on asylum officers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Incels and bullshitters
ESenior correspondent Zack Beauchamp joins Jane and Matt to share his reporting on the origins and evolution of a troubling new internet community. Related reading: “Our incel problem” by Zack Beauchamp Research paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Was The Weeds on the wrong side of history?
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt celebrate Vox's fifth anniversary with a look at the changing nature of the policy dialogue in Washington. This special episode of The Weeds was taped in front of a live audience at The LINE DC to celebrate Vox’s fifth anniversary. If you enjoyed it, we think you’ll also enjoy this live taping of Recode Decode with Kara Swisher featuring Julia Angwin, and this special episode of The Ezra Klein Show with Vox’s co-founders Ezra Klein, Matt Yglesias, and Vox Media’s Publisher Melissa Bell. The Weeds is a Vox Media Inc. Production Produced by: Jeff Geld Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What to obstruct when you’re obstructing
Matt, Jane, and Andrew Prokop talk about the Mueller report — which one of them has actually read to the end. Related reading: Quinta Jurecic’s color-coded analysis of Mueller’s obstruction language Rick Hasen’s article on Mueller not prosecuting Donald Trump Jr. Full Mueller report White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Maybe collusion, probably obstruction [Special Crossover Edition]
EEzra Klein joins Zack, Jenn, and Alex in a crossover episode with Worldly on Robert Mueller’s just-released report. They explain the special counsel's main findings on collusion with Russian election interference and on obstruction of justice and why they aren’t good for Trump. Then they zoom out and talk about what this whole episode reveals about the health of American democracy and how this gives a green light for Russia and other authoritarian powers to intervene in future US elections. Given how important this report is, and how early they got up to cover it, your intrepid hosts were too tired for jokes this week — sorry. The full text of the report, compiled by Alex for your reading pleasure A refresher on who's who in the Trump-Russia universe Here's a look at the collusion section of the report from Zack Here's another take from Zack on Attorney General William Barr's worrying role in all of this Ten examples of potential obstruction in Mueller's report How 11 legal experts evaluate the claims of obstruction Zack and Future Perfect's Dylan Matthews break down the big winners and losers from the report The Big Vox Explainer on the Mueller report If you liked this episode, we think you’ll like Worldly and The Ezra Klein Show. Tap to learn more and subscribe for free to get new episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trump Family (Tax) Values
Dara, Sarah, and Matt talk about the suspiciously timed retirement of Trump's sister, IRS enforcement, and new research on how police stops can actually cause crime. Related reading: ProPublica study on the EITC audits White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How Canada got Medicare-for-all done
Ezra returns to discuss filibuster reform and the legacy of Tommy Douglas with Sarah and Matt. Recommended reading: Tommy Douglas named greatest Canadian Filibuster reform explainer Sanders and reconciliation explainer Doctor strike explainer White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Purge: DHS
Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss Trump's personnel shake-up at the Department of Homeland Security and what's next for immigration policy. Recommended reading: Jake Tapper on Trump telling border patrol agents to ignore the law The White House’s wish list for DHS actions Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s resignation, explained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Attack of the clone bills
Matt, Sarah, and Dara copied this discussion of model legislation from an asbestos lobbyist. Recommended reading: USA Today article Article on 'ALEC' Research on model legislation 1 Research on model legislation 2 Research on model legislation 3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learning from Norway's lesbian mothers
Dara, Jane, and Matt on President Donald Trump’s latest border moves and a new wrinkle in the story of the gender pay gap. Recommended reading: Explainer on Trump cutting off aid Explainer on border closure CNN report on Trump’s border briefings The US policy of returning Central American asylum seekers to wait in Mexico An optimistic take on aid and El Salvador A pessimistic take on aid and El Salvador White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Infrastructure Week (and Farm Week and Teacher Week)
Dara, Jane, and Matt analyze three new policy proposals from Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris. Recommended reading: Amy Klobuchar's infrastructure plan Elizabeth Warren's agriculture plan Kamala Harris's teacher-pay plan HuffPost feature on Harris's truancy policy We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mueller's investigation is over. Obamacare repeal isn't.
Sarah, Dara, and Jane discuss the Hill's response to Mueller, the DOJ's siege of Obamacare, and the benefits of IUDs. National Review article Zack Beauchamp's article on the reaction to William Barr's Mueller letter New York Times article on Mueller report White paper We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Should presidential candidates get into the weeds?
Sarah, Jane, and Matt debate the value of policy details in the primary. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The reparations primary
Dara, Jane, and Matt on the unexpected issue of the moment, plus Swedish administrative data on what makes a CEO. Suggested reading: White Paper Original Ta-Nehisi Coates essay on reparations We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Live Weeds with Julián Castro
Dara, Jane, and Matt sit down with the former US secretary of housing and urban development and 2020 presidential candidate, live from South by Southwest. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Introducing Switched on Pop
bonusVox takes culture seriously. Our coverage seeks to understand how our cultural touchstones work — and what they reveal about who we are. That's why we’re excited to introduce you to Switched on Pop. It's a podcast that digs into the cultural context and musical theory of pop music, and it's now part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. In this episode, you'll meet hosts Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding. You'll hear some of their favorite interviews, as they pull back the curtain on how pop hits work their magic. You can subscribe to Switched on Pop wherever you get your favorite shows. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Live Weeds with Pete Buttigieg
Dara, Jane, and Matt sit down with the South Bend, Indiana, mayor and presidential candidate, live from South by Southwest. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The long con
Jane and Matt discuss Jacob Wohl and the intermingling of grift and conservative politics. Jane's article on Jacob Wohl Iraqi dinar on YouTube Casey Newton's newsletter - The Interface We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
But seriously, how are you going to pay for it?
Sarah, Dylan, and Matt discuss Pramila Jayapal’s Medicare-for-all bill, its lack of pay-fors, and an interesting white paper on income transparency. Sarah on private insurance in other countries Dylan's interview with Matt Bruenig Sarah's interview with Rep. Jayapal on her bill White paper We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Weeds fixes racism
Jane, Dara, and Matt excavate the most contentious moment in the Cohen hearing in a hunt for "racist bones." Recommended reading:Dara on the Meadows/Tlaib standoff Jane on Steve King Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Amy Klobuchar and the Jill Robinson effect
Sarah and Matt discuss the recent spate of stories about the Minnesota senator — and an announcement from Ezra! Relevant articles: Paper on the Jill Robinson Effect Buzzfeed Klobuchar story Huffington Post Klobuchar story Kelsey Piper story on the fake white paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Day care for all!
Sarah, Dara, and Matt discuss Elizabeth Warren's universal child care plan — and the other options on the table. Relevant articles: Alvin Chang wealth tax explainer Jonathan Cohn day care story Quebec day care study Warren's child care plan The Family Fun Pack Head Start negative evaluation Head Start positive evaluation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Collusion and the Mueller endgame
Andrew Prokop joins Dara and Matt to explain what we've learned from the latest developments in the Russia investigation. Andrew's article on Jerome Corsi's unreliable book Article on the redacted Manafort transcript Marcy Wheeler article Special counsel regulation text Trump Tower Moscow explainer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Emergency Weeds
Dara, Sarah, and Matt explain the border security deal and Trump’s plan to bypass Congress. Dara's article Matt's article on non-legislative priorities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What’s the best way to help the poor?
Dylan Matthews joins Sarah, Ezra, and Matt to discuss five new plans on poverty from leading Democrats. Dylan's Article Sarah's Article on Childhood Wealth Elizabeth Warren's Housing Bill Cory Booker's HOME Act Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
WTF, VA?
Virginia is embroiled in multiple blackface scandals — and Jane Coaston, Sarah Kliff, and Dylan Scott are here to talk about it. Video about Slavery in the US Medical System Jane's Article Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Do we need private insurance?
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt break down the latest twist in the Medicare-for-all debate — plus rigorous new research on Facebook. White Paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
House Democrats’ plan to save democracy
Jane, Dara, and Matt break down HR 1 — the first bill from the new Democratic majority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Elizabeth Warren and the Two-Income Trap
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt analyze the presidential candidate’s first popular book and review new evidence on the dangers of opioid marketing. Ezra's Article Matt's Article White Paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The end of the shutdown
Jane, Ezra, and Matt have a slightly ill-timed discussion about the Pelosi-Trump showdown and the politics of the wall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ep 278Investigating ER bills and SNAP fraud
Sarah, Dara, and Matt discuss Trump's latest proposal, suspicious ER billing practices, and SNAP investigations Sarah's articles about hospital ER fees White Paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ep 277You can't eat your principles for dinner
Sarah, Dara, and Matt analyze the prolonged shutdown's impact on the future of the federal workforce Reference Articles: The shutdown threatens the promise of government jobs — and a way of life FBI, federal agents see cases hampered, lives rattled as shutdown continues The American Action Forum explainer on the Anti-Deficiency Act How the Border Patrol union became Trump’s closest shutdown alliesby Dara Lind Why Don’t Unpaid Federal Workers Walk Off the Job? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ep 276Taxing the rich
Jane, Ezra, and Matt consider the ethics and economics of a 70 percent top marginal rate Americans misperceive racial economic equality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ep 275Tucker Carlson vs the free market
Jane, Dara, and Matt explain the argument over economic populism that’s roiling the conservative world Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 274Ask Weeds Anything
Matt, Sarah, and Dara take questions from our audience Book Recommendations: The Field of Blood by Joanne B. Freeman Theodore Roosevelt: A Strenuous Life by Kathleen Dalton Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou Stories: The 17 saddest moments of Jeb Bush’s very sad campaign by Dara Lind Despite congressional pressure, Amtrak can’t get its story straight on train-boarding rules by Matthew Yglesias Do No Harm by Sarah Kliff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 273New year, no government
Dara, Jane, and Matt explain why a shutdown is not The Purge and delve into the all-important difference between slats, bollards, and walls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 270Classic Weeds: The great white panic
EJane Coaston joins Dara, Ezra, and Matt to talk about the racial panic tearing America apart and also salt. References and further reading: Ezra's piece on the changing demographics in America Identity Crisis book mentioned by Ezra Salt white paper This episode is a rebroadcast from July of 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 271The Weeds Year-End Spectacular
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt share what they learned in 2018, predictions for 2019, and their favorite research of the year. Links: Matt's white paper pick Sarah's white paper pick Ezra's white paper pick Sarah’s ER opus Ezra on white threat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 272Congress actually did something important
EJane, Dara, and Matt analyze the substance and political context of the big bipartisan criminal justice reform bill. References and further reading: German Lopez explains the First Step Act Jane’s piece on Kanye West’s meeting with President Trump James Forman Jr. examines why many African American leaders supported the war on crime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 269Bernie and Biden and Beto, oh my!
ESarah, Ezra, and Matt decide it’s not too soon to start talking about the 2020 election. Plus — Obamacare litigation forever! References and further reading: Matt’s explainer on the Democratic field for 2020 Matt’s piece on Joe Biden’s policy ideas A previous episode of The Weeds on the Obamacare lawsuit Ezra’s piece on the Texas ruling against Obamacare Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 268A big, beautiful podcast about the border wall
Matt, Dara, and Jane discuss what happens when engineering crushes dreams. Links: For an in-depth read on the border wall, here's a great explainer. The GAO report Dara cited can be found here. And here's the Atlantic article that Matt mentioned about the ICE crackdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 267A Weeds farewell to Paul Ryan
EJane, Ezra, and Matt consider Paul Ryan’s legacy and new research on crime and the minimum wage. References and further reading: Ezra’s piece on House Speaker Paul Ryan’s legacy Matt’s essay following the announcement of Paul Ryan’s retirement Ted Cruz’s confusing tweet of Beto O’Rourke speaking on the shooting of Botham Jean A white paper examines the effects on criminal recidivism when states increase minimum wages Annie Lowrey’s piece in the Atlantic on a jobs guarantee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 266Pod Save the US-Saudi alliance?
Special guest Tommy Vietor of Crooked Media’s Pod Save the World joins Dara and Matt to break down the anti-Saudi backlash sweeping Washington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 265Midwest Republicans lost in 2018 — but they’re not giving up power
EJane, Ezra, and Matt talk about state-level GOP power grabs and the curious case of Trump’s disappearing populism. References and further reading: Tara Golshan’s piece on the recent legislation proposed by GOP lawmakers David Frum’s book and Yascha Mounk’s book on populism and the threat to democracy Ezra’s conversation with Nate Silver Matt’s explainer on the Indiana Carrier factory Michael Brendan Dougherty’s essay on the support Trump needs after the 2018 elections A research paper on Americans’ misconceptions of the major political parties Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 264Mexico was the wall all along
EDara and Matt explain the situation at the border now that the caravan has finally arrived. References and further reading: Li Zhou explains the liberal blowback against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Vox’s piece on the shutdown negotiations The weird outlet mall at the border Dara’s article on the asylum bottleneck A New York Times piece on the current conditions in Tijuana The Washington Post breaks down the “Remain in Mexico” policy Dara outlines what we still don't know about “Remain in Mexico” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 263The many flavors of Medicare-for-all
EDylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to break down eight different plans circulating to expand government health insurance programs. References and further reading: Sarah breaks down five competing health care plans from Democrats Dylan lays out the Urban Institute’s proposed health care plan A white paper finds ICE partnerships with local police led to a decline in elementary-school enrollment of Hispanic students Are you interested in more discussions around health care policy? Join our Facebook community for conversation and updates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 262The Impact: How do you make education funding fair?
Our Thanksgiving special is an episode of The Impact -- a show about how policy shapes our lives hosted by Sarah Kliff. This season, Sarah and her team are focusing on the most exciting, innovative ideas at the state and local level. This episode, they're in Vermont, looking at a radical law to equalize education funding. Like what you’re hearing? Find The Impact on Apple Podcasts|Google Podcasts|Spotify|Stitcher|Overcast|ART19 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 261The future of conservatism is being forged in California
EJane, Ezra, and Matt explain a new brand of right-wing politics rising under conditions of permanent opposition. References and further reading: Jane’s piece on the driving force that is California-style conservatism A white paper examining which voters supported Medicaid in Maine’s 2017 referendum John Sides, Michael Tesler, and Lynn Vavreck explain the 2016 presidential election through identity politics in their book Identity Crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 260Facebook is bad, please join our Facebook group
EDara, Jane, and Matt analyze the social network that America loves to hate and can't escape. References and further reading: New York Times exposé on Facebook’s reaction to Russian interference on their site Michelle Goldberg tells Democrats to leave Facebook in a Times opinion piece An article from the New York Times on advertisers’ reactions to the Facebook report An interview with Sheryl Sandberg from CBS News Ask Weeds Anything is back! Sarah Kliff, Dara Lind, and Matt Yglesias will answer your questions about politics and policy on an upcoming episode of The Weeds. Got a question? Ask away in our Facebook group or send along to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 258Jeff Sessions is gone but not forgotten
EDara, Jane, and Matt talk about the endgame for the attorney general Trump loved to hate. References and further reading: Dara reports on Trump’s asylum ban Dara defines Jeff Sessions’s legacy through immigration crackdowns and deportation Heather Mac Donald’s “The War on Cops” The Trump administration enters its Leeroy Jenkins phase A piece from Politico on the magical powers of Trump Jane’s essay from National Review on Trumpism McKay Coppins’s Atlantic article on the GOP’s adoption of Trumpism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices