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We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in June 2021.The Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive end, Carl Nassib, came out in an Instagram post back in June, making him the first openly gay active player in NFL histroy. The league immediately posted in celebration of Nassib’s announcement. But given the NFL’s sorry history of standing by players on the vanguard, will the league really put its money where its mouth is this time? Guest: LZ Granderson, LA Times opinion columnist and host of ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson.”If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in October 2021.Colin Powell, known as a “trailblazer” and “pathbreaker” in his military career, leaves behind a complicated legacy. The four-star general became a household name during the first Gulf War as the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later the first Black secretary of state. Thirty years after his rise to national prominence, Powell’s death has prompted reflections on the Iraq War and his role in using false intelligence to justify the U.S. invasion.Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories columnist. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in September 2021.Who are the people seeking a religious exemption to the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate? What are their religious claims? And how do workplaces decide who has a real claim to belief versus a convenient letter from a pastor-for-hire? Guest: Ruth Graham, reporter for The New York Times. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael talk all about retirement with Teresa Ghilarducci, retirement expert and professor at the New School for Social Research. They dig into what’s wrong with the retirement system and who is currently benefiting from its brokenness, how people can get the most out of retirement investments and the role gender plays in retirement planning. In the Plus segment: Succession’s Logan Roy’s retirement plan. Email: [email protected] production by Cheyna Roth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode originally aired in September.In the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the disease—than the rapid antigen test. What if that isn’t quite true? Guest: Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode originally aired in September.In the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the disease—than the rapid antigen test. What if that isn’t quite true? Guest: Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in July 2021.Brittany Hogan worked in diversity and inclusion for the Rockwood School District for eight years. As public debate intensified over the way race is discussed in schools and threats were made against her, Hogan eventually was pushed to resign.Guest: Brittany Hogan, former director of educational equity and diversity for the Rockwood School District in St. Louis County.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss the future of the Democratic party's agenda, Omicron's spread across the United States and they're joined by investigative journalist Azmat Khan to talk about the deaths of civilians overseas and the lack of accuracy from the U.S. military.Give the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Matthew Yglesias for Slow Boring: “$1.75 Trillion Is Plenty of Money to Write a Good Build Back Better Bill Here Are Some Solid Options”Simon Bazelon and David Shor for Slow Boring: “A Permanent CTC Expansion With a Sharper Means-Test Would Protect Poor Kids Better And Be More Popular”Jonathan Chait for New York Magazine: “Biden Should Take Manchin's Deal Right Now”David Wallace-Wells for New York Magazine: “Gauteng’s Omicron Wave Is Already Peaking. Why?”Derek Thompson for the Atlantic:”Is Omicron Milder?”Azmat Khan for The New York Times: “Hidden Pentagon Records Reveal Patterns of Failure in Deadly Airstrikes”Azmat Khan for The New York Times Magazine: “The Human Toll of America’s Air Wars”Azmat Khan for The New York Times Magazine: “The Uncounted”Heart of Darkness, by Joseph ConradHere’s this week’s chatter:Emily: Katie Benner, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Charlie Savage for the New York Times: “Some Inmates Can Stay Confined at Home After Covid Emergency, Justice Dept. Says”John: The Power of Meaning, by Emily Esfahani Smith, Mozhan Marno, and On the Meaning of Life, by Will DurantDavid: Hard Knocks In Season: The Indianapolis ColtsListener chatter from Mo Trent: stuffin.spaceFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss their most and least useful years of formal education. Special thanks to listener Sean McPherson for the suggestion. Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in May 2021.A year after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, residents near the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue—now dubbed George Floyd Square—continue to keep the area closed off. The city wants to reopen the intersection, but activists say they aren’t giving in until the community’s demands for justice are met.Guest: Marcia Howard, security volunteer and organizer in George Floyd Square.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Danielle Hewitt, Elena Schwartz, Davis Land, and Carmel Delshad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last few years, New York City’s delivery workers have become a key part of the food industry’s infrastructure, allowing restaurants to do business with customers who are too stressed to leave their desks, or too cautious to leave their homes. But a spate of violent attacks and bike thefts has shown that the people delivering your Grubhub and Seamless orders are deeply vulnerable. Why are these essential workers being exploited by apps and abandoned by the police, forced to band together just to get by?Guest: Josh Dzieza, an investigations editor and feature writer at The Verge covering technology, business, and climate change.We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in September of 2021.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does a massing of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border mean? And could this conflict be defused yet by diplomacy?Guest: Slate’s Fred Kaplan, author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael talk about the psychic weight of another COVID wave and what it means for the economy, the environmental and employee problems with fast fashion, and what to expect now that Reddit is going public.In the Plus segment: The Block vs Block fight.Mentioned In the show: “’I Was Wrong’: Omicron Wrecks CEOs’ Plans for Office Return” by Jennifer Surane and Angelica LaVito“The End of a Return-to-Office Date” by Emma Goldberg“How Shein beat Amazon at its own game – and reinvented fast fashion” by Louise Meaghan Tobin and Wency ChenEmail: [email protected] production by Cheyna RothCheck out Work Check here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost a year later, are we seeing signs of some sort of accountability for the Jan. 6 insurrection? And why is that accountability so important and yet so hard to achieve? Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Walter Shaub, former director of the Office of Government Ethics, Shaub currently leads the Project on Government Oversight’s ethics initiative. Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Using experimental technology to pull gigatons of carbon out of the air and bury it deep beneath the Earth sounds like a bad sci-fi plot point. If things don’t change soon, it also might be one of our only options.Guest: Clive Thompson, journalist and author of Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the WorldHost: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, John and David discuss January 6th revelations, Build Back Better and voting rights and they are joined by Slow Burn host Joel Anderson to talk about Season 6: The L.A. Riots.Give the gift of Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:David A. Graham for the Atlantic: “The Paperwork Coup”Barton Gellman for the Atlantic: “Trump’s Next Coup Has Already Begun”Charles Homans for the New York Times: “In Bid for Control of Elections, Trump Loyalists Face Few Obstacles”Slow Burn Season 6: The L.A. RiotsSlow Burn Season 3: Biggie and TupacEmily Bazelon for Slate: “The Nazi Anatomists”Here’s this week’s chatter:Emily: Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism, by bell hooks; We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity, by bell hooksJohn: Sharyn Alfonsi for 60 Minutes: “Negotiating With the Taliban to Save Lives Iin Afghanistan”; The Daily: “Economic Catastrophe in Afghanistan”; Christina Goldbaum for the New York Times: “Facing Economic Collapse, Afghanistan Is Gripped by Starvation”David: Julian Mark for the Washington Post: “Rapper Logic Wrote the Song ‘1-800-273-8255’ To Save Lives. He May Have Saved Hundreds, Study Finds.”Listener chatter from Adrian Monthony: Geraldine DeRuiter for The Everywhereist: “Bros., Lecce: We Eat at The Worst Michelin Starred Restaurant, Ever”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David share their best holiday gift ideas.Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After initially cooperating with the select committee investigating the events of January 6, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows reversed course, deciding instead to assert executive privilege. But Meadows had already handed over documents and text messages relating to that day—painting a picture of how Trump’s inner circle reacted as the Capitol was under siege. What happens to Meadows now that he’s been held in contempt of Congress? And could possible criminal charges for defying the committee spur other witnesses to speak? Guest: Nicholas Wu, congressional reporter for Politico.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maryland Democrats had a shot at an 8-0 gerrymander this redistricting cycle. To the frustration of the national Democratic party, they stopped just shy of that number. Should Maryland Democrats have just taken the total low road on partisan gerrymandering? Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics reporter for Slate. Sign up for his weekly newsletter, The Surge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced his intent to run for reelection, he knew he was facing down a rematch with voting rights activist and former state lawmaker Stacey Abrams. What he likely didn’t expect was a challenge from the right in the form of David Perdue, a local businessman, former senator, and good friend who was encouraged to run against him by Donald Trump. Now, the question is whether Trumpism can be a winning argument in Georgia—or whether Democrats might be able to exploit Republicans’ division to score a win in the deeply purple state. Guest: Greg Bluestein, reporter covering state politics for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 8, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined bySlate’s Lizzie O’Leary to talk about the Jeremy Strong New Yorker profile, the botched coup, and Tom’s big move.Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Banning books in schools is on the rise. Around the country, parents are lobbying to banish from libraries and curriculums any work they deem to be “graphic” or “offensive,” often sweeping up books centered on queer or POC experiences in the process. Some authors say that’s no coincidence - nor is it surprising that this is happening just as the publishing industry is remaking itself to tell more diverse stories. The question is, what’s the best way to respond to the outrage?Guest: Ashley Hope Pérez, author of three YA novels, including Out of Darkness, and professor of literature at Ohio State University.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael talk about Better.com’s CEO firing tons of employees via Zoom, DoorDash’s dark stores and increased hiring, and New York City Council passing a measure to allow non-citizens to vote in local elections.In the Plus segment: What’s going on with inflation now.Mentioned In the show: Better.com CEO Firings“Better CEO ‘Taking Time Off Effective Immediately’: Email” by Maxwell Strachan“The Dark Side of 15-Minute Grocery Delivery” by Lev Kushner and Greg Lindsay “Closed Movie Theaters Leave Void From Small Towns to Big Cities” by Brian Eckhouse and Dave Merrill "Cream Cheese Is the Latest Casualty of Cyberattacks” by Elizabeth Elkin and Deena Shanker“How a Cream Cheese Shortage is Affecting N.Y.C. Bagel Shops” by Ashley WongEmail: [email protected] production by Cheyna Roth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Mark Joseph Stern for an emergency reading of the jurisprudential tea leaves in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decisions regarding Texas’ abortion ban, under SB8. Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. civil court system doesn’t get as much attention as the criminal courts, but it would be hard to overstate its importance. In 2018, for example, 47 percent of respondents to a Pew survey said they had dealt with the system in one way or another; from eviction proceedings, to debt collection, to child-support modifications. What happened when the pandemic upended such an important pillar of the justice system? Did new technologies fix existing problems—or just create new ones?Guest: Qudsiya Naqui, officer at the Pew Charitable TrustHost: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily and David are joined by guest host David Leonhardt to discuss the pandemic economy; a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, and the Ghislaine Maxwell trial.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:John J. Mearsheimer for Foreign Affairs: “The Inevitable Rivalry: America, China, and the Tragedy of Great-Power Politics”Corey Robin for The New York Times: “Why the Biden Presidency Feels Like Such a Disappointment”The Enigma of Clarence Thomas, by Corey RobinMike Baker for The New York Times: “The Sisters Who First Tried to Take Down Jeffrey Epstein”tAndrew Anthony for The Guardian: “Meet Julie K Brown, The Woman Who Brought Down Jeffrey Epstein”Jill Filipvoc’s newsletter Matthew Yglesias’ Slow Boring newsletterJoe Sheehan’s baseball newsletterMatt Levine’s Money Stuff newsletterHeather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American newsletterHere’s this week’s chatter:Emily: Leah Litman for NBC News: “The Death Penalty Cases Before The Supreme Court That Could Keep Innocent People In Prison”: Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: “Conservative Justices Scoff at Maine’s Exclusion of Religious Schools From Tuition-Assistance Program”David Leonhardt: Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker SuiteDavid Plotz:: Work at City Cast; Sex Lives of College GirlsListener chatter from Andrew Lacko: “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, David, and David talk about newsletters and what they do well.Give the gift of Slate Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here's how!Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michigan state Senator Rosemary Bayer has been fighting for years to get safe storage laws on the books in her home state. In the wake of the shooting at Oxford High School, a school that sits in her district, her mission has become that much more urgent. Guest: Rosemary Bayer is a state senator in Michigan. She represents the northern suburbs of Detroit.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai accused a former Chinese Vice Premier of rape, what came next was darkly predictable: the athlete disappeared from public view while the government scrubbed all mentions of her allegations and censored searches for her name. But few expected the Women’s Tennis Association to strike back, suspending all future tournaments in China and Hong Kong.As the WTA stands up to China - leaving millions of dollars on the table - will other sports organizations follow suit and hold the government to account over its human rights abuses?Guest: Ben Rothenberg, senior editor of Racquet Magazine and host of the tennis podcast No Challenges Remaining.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All signs point to rough congressional elections next year. What are House Democrats doing to hold their majority?Guest: Rep. Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 8, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Rachel Syme of The New Yorker to talk about the terrible parents of Succession, the fabulous – and not quite working – fashion choices, and Roman’s…ahem…picture. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After oral arguments last week, the Supreme Court looks ready to overturn Roe v. Wade. How did conservatives get to this moment when the majority of Americans favor legalized abortion? And do liberals have the patience to keep the fight alive?Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, staff writer at Slate covering the Supreme Court.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael talk about the problems facing Buzzfeed as it goes public, understanding the latest jobs report amidst the new COVID-19 variant, and the transition of the company Square to Block. In the Plus segment: Debating whether Twitter should become a paid for subscription service. Mentioned In the show: Block Heads on BLOCK’s new website Email: [email protected] production by Cheyna Roth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Julie Rikelman, senior director of litigation at the Center for Reproductive Rights, who argued for reproductive rights and liberty on behalf of Jackson Women’s Health in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health at the Supreme Court this week. Together, they unpack the arguments and discuss the women missing from the narratives in the courtroom that day. Then, Dahlia’s joined by Professor Katherine Franke, director of the Center for Gender and Sexuality Law at Columbia University and the founder and faculty director of the Law, Rights, and Religion Project at Columbia Law School. Professor Franke helps us examine how the Supreme Court’s conservative majority’s views on religious liberty undergirded Wednesday’s arguments, are set to influence the court’s jurisprudence, and will likely alter your constitutional rights. In our Slate Plus segment, Slate’s own Mark Joseph Stern joins Dahlia for a frank discussion of the liberal justices’ performances in this week’s monumental abortion case, the gaslighting that maybe got us here, and then they look ahead to a big religious-liberty case coming up next week. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show.Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, Jack Dorsey stepped down as CEO of Twitter. It’s not the first time he’s left the job. Is this really the end for the man who guided Twitter through the Trump era? And how will the platform change without him at the helm?Guest: Nick Bilton, special correspondent at Vanity FairHost: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, John and David discuss the Supreme Court's consideration of Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization with guest Ross Douthat. The Political Gabfest hosts also talk about how best to approach the news of the Omicron variant, and why the Cuomo brothers’ scandals matter.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Diana Greene Foster for The New York Times: “What Happens When It’s Too Late to Get an Abortion”University of California, San Francisco, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), The Turnaway StudyRoss Douthat for The New York Times: “The Case Against Abortion”Will Saletan for Slate: “Republicans Will Be Sorry if the Supreme Court Overturns Roe”Here’s this week’s chatter:Emily: On The Media: “A Different Hanukkah Story”John: Garret Keizer for Harper's Magazine: “The Third Force”David: Hannah Towey for Insider: “Check Out Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes' Handwritten 4 A.M. Schedule That Was Submitted as She Testified That Her Ex-Boyfriend Was Abusive” Listener chatter from Chuck Piehl: Mankato Free Press: “Making Havoc Not the Point of Public Records”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David share their best holiday gift ideas. Give the gift of Slate Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more. Here's how!Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo was recently placed on indefinite leave by the network for his involvement in the damage control operations of his brother, former NY governor Andrew Cuomo, over the last year. A trove of documents revealed that Chris had overstepped ethical lines to help protect Andrew while he was under fire for allegations of sexual harassment. Why did the younger Cuomo wade into the political muck, putting his job at risk? And will CNN hold him accountable?Guest: Erik Wemple, media critic for the Washington Post.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November, South Africa alerted the world to Omicron, a new strain of COVID-19. Then, as cases began to pop up worldwide, the World Health Organization labeled it a “variant of concern.” What do we know about Omicron, and just how worried should we be?Guest: Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, assistant professor with the School of Public Health at UTHealth and author of Your Local Epidemiologist on Substack.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Child care has long been a “textbook example of a broken market,” as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said this fall. How have government efforts so thoroughly failed to fix this industry? And does Biden’s infrastructure bill threaten to hamper child care businesses even more?Guest: Claire Suddath, writer for Bloomberg Businessweek. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 7, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined bytheir fellow Slate Money co-host, Stacy-Marie Ishmael to talk about Kendall’s crazy birthday party, asking for receipts for He-Man lunchboxes, and why Roman keeps making deals in bathrooms. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you had to take the SAT for your college admissions process, you largely have the University of California System to thank for that. When the university adopted the test in 1968, hundreds of other colleges followed suit. But now, U.C. has decided not to use standardized tests in admissions anymore. Could the decision spur a retooling of the college admissions process more broadly? Guest: Teresa Watanabe, education reporter for the Los Angeles Times.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael are joined by Gene Park of The Washington Post for a very special all-gaming episode. They get into the massive economy behind video games, the complexities of the multiverse, what games make you a “gamer” and discuss how gaming can actually be really social. In the Plus segment: What makes a great gaming chair. Email: [email protected] production by Cheyna Roth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode originally aired in January 2021The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps to go back to the beginning; almost three years ago, in a subreddit called r/wallstreetbets.Guests:Brandon Kochkodin, reporter at Bloomberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode originally aired in January 2021The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps to go back to the beginning; almost three years ago, in a subreddit called r/wallstreetbets.Guests:Brandon Kochkodin, reporter at Bloomberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court is considering a case that may strike down New York state’s strict restrictions on carrying a gun in public. Some public defenders think that might be a win for criminal justice reform. Guest: Sharone Mitchell Jr., Chief Defender for the Cook County Public Defenders. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, John and David talk about whether President Biden ought to run in 2024, the Rittenhouse verdict and former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joins the Gabfest to talk about international relations with China.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Edward-Isaac Dovere and Jasmine Wright for CNN: “Exasperation and Dysfunction: Inside Kamala Harris' Frustrating Start as Vice President.”Jonathan Chait for New York magazine: “Joe Biden’s Big Squeeze”High Conflict, by Amanda RipleyDavid French for the Atlantic: “Kyle Rittenhouse’s Acquittal Does Not Make Him a Hero”A Bigger Picture, by Malcolm TurnbullHere’s this week’s chatter:Emily: Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony DoerrDavid: Conversation topic generator thanxiety.comJohn: Jonathan Edwards for the Washington Post: “A Michigan Woman Tried to Hire an Assassin Online at RentAHitman.com. Now, She’s Going to Prison.”Listener chatter from Keith Watabayashi @KeithWatabayash: Hieronymus Burps @hieronymus_burps about Long Boom Wired CoverFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, Emily, and David ask Malcolm Turnbull about the mundane details of life as the leader of a nation.Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Shayna Elliot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last August, then-17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse and fatally shot two people and wounded another with a semi-automatic rifle during a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse’s lawyers leaned heavily on the teenager’s right to defend himself. In Wisconsin, that means the prosecution had to disprove self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt. Was it inevitable that Rittenhouse would walk free? And how did the community react when he did?Guest: Stacy St. Clair, reporter for the Chicago Tribune. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 6, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined byjournalist, author and Godmother of Slate Money Succession, Taffy Brodesser-Akner to talk about Soy Boys, the fascists, and Tom’s diner regiment in preparation for prison.Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How many times a day do you hear the word “inflation” now? Many items are getting more expensive, but what’s actually driving those price increases? And are we heading towards a repeat of the 1970s wage-price spiral, or is this a temporary blip? Guest: Jordan Weissmann, senior editor at Slate. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by leading environmental lawyer and Harvard professor Richard Lazarus , author of The Rule of Five: Climate History at the Supreme Court, to discuss cases currently flying under many court-watchers’ radar, which could have a huge impact on our ability to respond to climate change. In our Slate Plus segment, Slate’s senior jurisprudence editor Nicole Lewis joins Dahlia to discuss the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, the criminal trial of Gregory and Travis McMichael and William Bryan in Georgia for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, and the federal civil trial in Charlottesville of white supremacist groups, and what all three cases tell us about whiteness and justice in America.Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show.Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael are joined by author Christopher Mims to talk about his new book, Arriving Today, what’s really going on with the supply chain crisis, the logistics of how Amazon works, and the crazy story of a crypto group trying to get a copy of the U.S. Constitution at auction. In the Plus segment: The people you don’t think about in the supply chain. Email: [email protected] production by Cheyna RothTo learn more about Work Check, visit https://link.chtbl.com/workcheck?sid=podcast.slatemoney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the weekend, Russia tested a new weapon​​—a type of missile that can fly into space and destroy a satellite in orbit. The test created thousands of pieces of debris, which will hurtle around the Earth’s orbit for years to come. What’s the real risk of the rapid increase in space junk? And is there anything to be done about it?Guest:Laura Grego, Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at MITHost: Seth Stevenson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John, Emily and David discuss Biden’s approval numbers, authoritarianism on the rise, and they are joined by author Jay Caspian Kang to talk about his new book, The Loneliest Americans.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:FiveThirtyEight, Latest Polls Isaac Chotiner for the New Yorker: “Can Biden’s Agenda Survive Inflation?”Jason Furman for the Wall Street Journal: “​​Biden Can Whip Inflation and Build Back Better”The Loneliest Americans, by Jay Caspian KangPew Research Center: “Where Do You Fit In The Political Typology?”Christopher Borrelli for the Chicago Tribune: “What We’re Reading: 4 Korean American Memoirs, From Personal Stories To An Unsettling Confrontation on Identity and Assimilation”Anne Appelbaum for the Atlantic: “The Bad Guys Are Winning”Freedom House: “Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy Under Siege”The Dictator's Learning Curve: Inside the Global Battle for Democracy, by William J. DobsonTwitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest, by Zeynep Tufekci Zeynep Tufekci for the Atlantic: “How the Coronavirus Revealed Authoritarianism’s Fatal Flaw”Here’s this week’s chatter:Emily: Ashley Southall and Jonah E. Bromwich for the New York Times: “2 Men Convicted of Killing Malcolm X Will Be Exonerated After Decades”John: The Faber Book of Reportage, by John Carey; The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope audiobook David: Geoffrey Leavenworth for the New York Times: “One Chaste Marriage, Four Kids, and the Catholic Church”; Spencer Buell for Boston magazine: “New England Hidden Gems You’ll Find on the New Atlas Obscura App”; City Cast HoustonListener chatter from Melissa Ocepek: A fox listens to the banjoFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss the most useful friend to have.Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.