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John, Emily and David discuss SCOTUS letting the Texas abortion ban go into effect; the Afghanistan exit; and Dr. Atul Gawande joins the show to explain how Costa Rica has surpassed US life expectancy by getting serious about public health. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Atul Gawande for the New Yorker: “Costa Ricans Live Longer Than Us. What’s the Secret?”Here’s this week’s chatter:John: Erin Donaghue for CBS News: “Officers and Paramedics Charged in Death of Elijah McClain” Emily: Jed Kolko for The New York Times: “The Downtown Decade: U.S. Population Density Rose in the 2010s”David: The Very Nice Box, by Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett; Nile Cappello for The Atavist: “The Girl In The Picture”Listener chatter from Karl Richter: A compilation of Nanci Griffith’s performances on LettermanFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment John, David, and Emily share their advice for people starting college.If you enjoy the 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 Danny Lavery's show Big Mood, Little Mood and you’ll be supporting the Political Gabfest. Sign up now at slate.com/gabfestplus to help support our work.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.

Joseph Bernstein of Buzzfeed News joins to talk about his Harper’s cover story on antidisinformation, the big OnlyFans porn debacle, and the rise of shoplifted items being sold on Amazon. In the Plus segment: Renaissance Technologies.Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A medicine meant to treat parasites is the latest unproven COVID treatment craze. With warnings from the FDA, and prescribers clamping down, some are going to extreme lengths to get their hands on the drug. What’s behind Ivermectin’s sudden rise?Guest: Brandy Zadrozny, senior reporter for NBC News Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Urgent times call for urgent conversations as Professor Michele Goodwin and Rebecca Traister join Dahlia Lithwick for an emergency Amicus to discusswhat’s new and what’s very old about SB 8, the law that allowed Texas to functionally overturn Roe v Wade. They also unpack what it really means when five justices on the Supreme Court hold up their hands as if to say “nothing we can do.” Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A medicine meant to treat parasites is the latest unproven COVID treatment craze. With warnings from the FDA, and prescribers clamping down, some are going to extreme lengths to get their hands on the drug. What’s behind Ivermectin’s sudden rise?Guest: Brandy Zadrozny, senior reporter for NBC News Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U.S. officials announced the end of the American military presence in Afghanistan this week, but thousands of people desperate to leave — American citizens and Afghans alike — remain in the country. A loose collection of volunteers is working to get them out. Guest: Matt Pelak, soldier in the Army National Guard and veteran of the war in Iraq. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States is the only rich industrialized nation without a universal paid family leave policy. But as child and home care costs balloon, and the pandemic continues to leave families in precarious work situations, many caretakers have hit a wall. Congress might finally be ready to do something about it.Guest: Chabeli Carrazana, economy reporter for the 19th.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.

Flying has been a drag for years now. But there’s an extra level of stress on commercial flights this summer. Why is flying so terrible at this moment? And what’s a traveler to do? Guest: Scott McCartney, the Middle Seat columnist for the Wall Street Journal. 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.

On Friday, in the midst of the effort to evacuate thousands of people from Kabul, two suicide bombers attacked the Kabul airport, killing about 160 people. A jihadi group ISIS Khorasan, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility. Who are these extremists? And how do they impact the Taliban’s plans to govern after the U.S. completely pulls out of Afghanistan? Guest: Colin Clarke, a Senior Research Fellow at the Soufan Center and the author of After the Caliphate: The Islamic State & the Future Terrorist Diaspora.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 My Name Is Pauli Murray directors, Betsy West and Julie Cohen, and by Professor Patricia Bell-Scott, a consulting producer on the film and professor emerita of women’s studies and human development and family science at the University of Georgia. Professor Bell-Scott’s biography, The Firebrand and the First Lady: Portrait of a Friendship: Pauli Murray, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the Struggle for Social Justice,won the Lillian Smith Book Award.In our Slate Plus segment, Mark Joseph Stern joins Dahlia to discuss this week’s terrible shadow docket decisions.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.

Eliot Brown of the Wall Street Journal joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Stacy-Marie Ishmael to talk about his book The Cult of We about the wild rise of WeWork under its eccentric founder Adam Neumann, attempting to answer their many questions such as, “Why?”. They talk blitzscaling, founder control, and why we keep giving white men with good hair so much money. In the Plus segment: Unpublished tidbits from Eliot’s book. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @s_m_i, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Holmes convinced countless people that her company would change the world. Can she convince 12 jurors that she didn’t intend to deceive her company’s patients and investors?Guest: Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Holmes convinced countless people that her company would change the world. Can she convince 12 jurors that she didn’t intend to deceive her company’s patients and investors?Guest: Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jamelle, Emily and David discuss the Afghanistan evacuation, starting school during delta, and the path forward for infrastructure.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Jamelle Bouie for the New York Times: “$1 Trillion Isn’t as Much as It Sounds” Here’s this week’s chatter:Jamelle: Godzilla: The AlbumEmily: Jessica Stoya for Slate: “What We Can Really Learn From the OnlyFans Debacle”David: Atul Gawande for the New Yorker: “Costa Ricans Live Longer Than Us. What’s the Secret?”Listener chatter from Nilo Garza: The Daily: “Why Mexico is Suing U.S. Gun Manufacturers”; James Fredrick for NPR: “Mexico's Suit Against U.S. Gun Companies May Seek More Than A Court Win” If you enjoy the 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 Danny Lavery's show Big Mood, Little Mood and you’ll be supporting the Political Gabfest. Sign up now at slate.com/gabfestplus to help support our work.For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Jamelle, Emily, and David talk about electric bikes and scooters.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.

OnlyFans, a website famous for empowering sex workers, decided to ban -- and then unban-- sexual content. According to Charlotte Shane, sex workers find this story all too familiar. Guest: Charlotte Shane, co-founder of the TigerBee Press. Author of the memoir, Prostitute Laundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs. Guest: Jonathan M. Katz, author of the forthcoming book, Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire. Check out his Substack newsletter, The Long Version. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Celebrated R&B star R. Kelly is accused of using his music empire to sexually exploit women and minors for decades. Currently on trial in New York, the singer also faces federal charges in Illinois, and state charges in both Illinois and Minnesota. But will Kelly finally be brought to justice? And if he is, what took so long?Guest: Jim DeRogatis, co-host of Sound Opinions and the author of Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly. 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.

With just a month left, the California recall election is looking a little too close for comfort for Democrats. Governor Gavin Newsom’s approval rating is doing alright at the moment, but because of the way California conducts its recalls, if more than 50% of voters vote to oust Newsom, he loses his office, and whichever candidate garners even a small plurality of votes becomes his replacement.How likely is it that California swears in a new executive next month? And how would the state fare under potential new leadership?Guest: Guy Marzorati, politics and government reporter for KQED. 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, cryptocurrency expert Maya Zehavi joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Stacy-Marie Ishmael to answer all their questions about the world of crypto. (And they have a lot.) In the Plus segment: CBDCs.Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @s_m_i, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden administration says a third dose of vaccines for all American adults will end the pandemic faster. And experts say there is evidence of waning vaccine effectiveness against mild-to-moderate disease. But globally, what’s the best use of the next available dose? Guest: Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. Host: Lizzie O’LearyThis episode was produced by Alyssa Edes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden administration says a third dose of vaccines for all American adults will end the pandemic faster. And experts say there is evidence of waning vaccine effectiveness against mild-to-moderate disease. But globally, what’s the best use of the next available dose? Guest: Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. Host: Lizzie O’LearyThis episode was produced by Alyssa Edes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, David and Alexandra Petri discuss the Afghanistan withdrawal, with guest Annie Pforzheimer; California’s recall election; and personal pandemic ethics.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Annie Pforzheimer for the Washington Post, “Leaving Afghanistan Will Lead to Yet Another Civil War There”Annie Pforzheimer for the Washington Post, “In Afghanistan, a Summer of Pain Awaits”Annie Pforzheimer for the New York Times, “The Long Road Out of Afghanistan”Rachel Feintzeig for the Wall Street Journal: “These People Who Work From Home Have a Secret: They Have Two Jobs”Daniel Lavery’s Substack newsletter: The Chatner Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why, by Alexandra PetriA Field Guide to Awkward Silences, by Alexandra PetriThe Best of Wodehouse: An AnthologyClouds, by Aristophanes Raymond Chandler: Collected StoriesThree Men In A Boat: (To Say Nothing of the Dog), by Jerome K. JeromeSolutions and Other Problems, by Allie BroshHyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened, by Allie BroshNew Teeth, by Simon RichAnt Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, by Simon RichSimon Rich for the New Yorker: “Sell Out”Simon Rich for the New Yorker: “The Big Nap”Simon Rich for the New Yorker: “Raised by Wolves”Pride and Prejudice, by Jane AustenMy Life and Hard Times, by James ThurberTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules VerneThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas AdamsHere’s this week’s chatter:Emily: Meira Levinson, Alan C. Geller, and Joseph G. Allen for The Lancet: “Health Equity, Schooling Hesitancy, and the Social Determinants of Learning”Alexandra: Never a Dull Moment: The Memoirs of Countess Marguerite CassiniDavid: Dahlia Lithwick for Slate: “The Fierce Legal Battle at the Heart of the Fight Over Reclining Airline Seats”Listener chatter from Lesley Gild: Bored Panda: “People Are Sharing ‘Alternate Angles’ of Iconic Events and Places in History, Here Are 30 of the Best”If you enjoy the 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 Danny Lavery's show Big Mood, Little Mood and you’ll be supporting the Political Gabfest. Sign up now at slate.com/gabfestplus to help support our work.For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Alexandra, Emily, and David discuss their favorite funny books.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 and Shayna Elliot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rapid collapse of the Afghan government has left tens of thousands of people struggling to leave their country. Afghans who helped U.S. forces were promised a life in the states, but many of them have been mired in paperwork as they try to obtain their visas. What hope do they have now that they’ll be able to leave before an expected Taliban crackdown?Guest: Ahmadullah Sediqi of No One Left Behind, a group trying to secure visas for Afghan and Iraqi interpreters who worked for the U.S. 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.

The Texas state legislature is at a standstill. A month ago, House Democrats fled to DC to prevent the passage of a restrictive voting law but as time ticks by it’s becoming clear that they might have to go back to the drawing board -- and back to Texas. Guest: Ashley Lopez, Senior Reporter at KUT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American forces are leaving Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting the country’s longest war. Following a hasty withdrawal of U.S. forces, the Taliban now controls most of the country, including the capital of Kabul. The U.S.-backed government has fled, leaving many civilians desperate to find a way out. How did things get so bad so quickly?Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories columnist. Kaplan is the 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.

Masks were uncontroversial for many state leaders at the onset of the pandemic last year. But now, masks have become politicized, and in Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves has reversed his previous stance, refusing to order a mask mandate and leaving local school districts to fend for themselves during a massive surge in COVID cases.Guest: Nick Judin, reporter for the Mississippi Free Press. 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 Professor Michael Heller, one of the authors of Mine! How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control Our Lives, for the latest installment of Amicus’ summer season of episodes exploring books and films about the law. Podcast production by Sara Burningham.Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael discuss the effects of the Delta variant, rising gas prices, and the rise of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ fintech. In the Plus segment: Mr. White Hat.Mentioned in the Show:“How the Pandemic Now Ends’,” by Ed Yong for the Atlantic “Biden’s OPEC Plea Is Really Directed at Anxious Drivers,” by Liam Denning for Bloomberg“How Sweden Became the Silicon Valley of Europe,” by Colm Fulton and Supantha Mukherjee for Reuters Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experts say that a “fully approved” designation for the vaccines could have sweeping effects. Broader vaccination mandates, inclusion for new age groups, and reassurance for those hesitant to take a vaccine without the designation. As calls for approval grow louder and more urgent, the Food and Drug Administration is yet to give its blessing. What’s happening inside the FDA as they work toward this milestone?Guest: Sarah Owermohle, health care reporter at Politico Host:Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experts say that a “fully approved” designation for the vaccines could have sweeping effects. Broader vaccination mandates, inclusion for new age groups, and reassurance for those hesitant to take a vaccine without the designation. As calls for approval grow louder and more urgent, the Food and Drug Administration is yet to give its blessing. What’s happening inside the FDA as they work toward this milestone?Guest: Sarah Owermohle, health care reporter at Politico Host:Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng Public Citizens: The Attack on Big Government and the Remaking of American Liberalism, by Paul SabinPaul Sabin for the New York Times: “How Liberals Can Attack From the Left—and Win”Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration, by Emily BazelonThe Genius Factory: Unravelling the Mystery of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank, by David PlotzThe Most Dangerous Writing AppHere’s this week’s chatter:Josie: How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, by Clint Smith; Maya and the Robot, by Eve L. EwingEmily: Ally Mutnick and Zach Montellaro for Politico: “Redistricting Sprint Begins With Major Census Data Drop”David: Jen Senior for the Atlantic: “What Bobby McIlvaine Left Behind”Listener chatter from Matt Gousman: “Starbase Tour With Elon Musk” For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Josie, David, and Emily share their experiences and advice about trying to write a book.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 Jess Miller.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap and Grace Woodruff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, the northern California mountain town of Greenville was wiped out by the Dixie Fire, which has lasted for nearly a month and is now the largest wildfire in California history. Greenville residents have just begun to assess the damage to their homes and businesses. Is it safe to rebuild? Is it even ethical, when wildfires are only expected to get worse? Guest: Margaret Garcia, also known as Meg Upton, reporter at Plumas News. 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.

We’re still learning the details about how Donald Trump and his supporters tried to get the 2020 presidential election results overturned. One scheme involved attorneys general across several states, and lawyers deep in the Department of Justice. This is the story of one of those lawyers, Jeffrey Bossert Clark, and his desperate attempts to keep Trump in power.Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, staff writer for Slate on the courts and law.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.

For decades, Richard Trumka was the head of the country’s largest labor federation. Widely considered to be the face of the American labor movement while workers faced a surge in union busting campaigns, Trumka presided over an organization that was diverse and fractious. Last week, he passed away.What is the state of the labor movement without its longtime leader? And how can his successor steer workers to safer waters? Guest: Erik Loomis, a labor historian at the University of Rhode Island and the author of A History of America in Ten Strikes.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.

Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies. For the final episode of the season, author and Slate Money favorite, Taffy Brodesser-Akner returns to talk about Sense and Sensibility….and, in a major plot twist, the JLo vehicle Maid in Manhattan! They’ll discuss what these two films could possibly have in common, the villainization of gold diggers, and why Emily felt Sense and Sensibility was a horror film.Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The delta variant is making its way through the country, becoming the leading strain of the coronavirus and increasing case counts as it goes. In few places is the crisis more severe than in Florida, where new daily case counts are hitting all-time highs and vaccination rates have leveled out around 50%. Gov. Ron DeSantis has refused to instate a mask mandate and insists that the spike is just a “seasonal wave” -- even as healthcare workers are pushed to the brink trying to care for ill patients.Guest: Bernard Ashby, a vascular cardiologist in Miami and the Florida director of the Committee to Protect Healthcare.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 and Stacy-Marie Ishmael are joined by their fellow finance-blogging alum, Cardiff Garcia. Cardiff sheds some light on the current situation in Cuba, they discuss skewed incentives in investment banking, and the state of bookselling. In the Plus segment: The Fed chair decision.Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @s_m_i Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America used to be at the vanguard of railroad technology. What went wrong? And can the new infrastructure bill fix our broken system?Guests: Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute at NYU HostHenry Grabar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America used to be at the vanguard of railroad technology. What went wrong? And can the new infrastructure bill fix our broken system?Guests: Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute at NYU HostHenry Grabar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John and David are joined by Andrea Valdez of The Atlantic to discuss New York Mayor Andrew Cuomo refusing to resign, the survival of the eviction moratorium and the arrival of vaccine passports.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Annie Lowery for the Atlantic: “The Time Tax”Here’s this week’s chatter:Andrea: Planet Money: “Three Reasons for the Housing Shortage”; Jerusalem Demsa for Vox: “Homeownership Can Bring Out the Worst in You”John: Jason Kottke for Kottke.org: “This App Identifies Birds by Their Songs”; Merlin Bird ID appDavid: Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America, by Angie Schmitt; The @FrogandToadbot Twitter account Listener chatter from Noah Lieberman: David Gilbert for Vice: “‘I’m a Parkland Shooting Survivor. QAnon Convinced My Dad It Was All a Hoax.’”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 Cheyna Roth.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Election Commission can barely get anything done. With its commissioners stuck in partisan gridlock, one is finding new ways to make sure election law is upheld. Guest: Ellen Weintraub, commissioner at the FEC.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.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is back on his heels again, following the release of the state attorney general’s extensive report on his pattern of sexually harassing women working around him. Now, even former allies of the governor are calling for him to resign or face impeachment. How long can Cuomo hang onto his office?Guest: Brigid Bergin, political reporter for WNYC. 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.

After months of negotiation, an infrastructure bill is finally on its way to the Senate floor. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are touting their one big successful bipartisan move, but what’s actually in the legislation? And why are Republicans willing to sign off on a win for Joe Biden? Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent.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.

Welcome to Slate Money Goes to the Movies, a miniseries in which Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and a different guest each week discuss popular business-themed movies. Mary Childs of Planet Money joins Felix and Emily to talk about the 1992 film Glengarry Glen Ross, adapted by David Mamet from his play of the same name. They discuss toxic masculinity in the workplace, short-termism, and why this film kept Mary up all night. Email: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why aren’t people returning to jobs they lost during the pandemic? The answer is more complicated than generous unemployment checks. Guest: Bram Sable-Smith, investigative reporter at Wisconsin Watch. 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.

Continuing Amicus’ summer season of deep dives into books, films, and ideas beyond the confines of the Supreme Court chamber, Dahlia Lithwick is joined by historian and chair of African American studies at Emory University professor Carol Anderson to talk about her book The Second. They discuss the long anti-Black history of gun laws in the United States and how race defines gun rights today. Podcast production by Sara Burningham.Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, are joined by Cezary Podkul of ProPublica to talk about his in-depth article on unemployment insurance fraud, Robinhood’s IPO and ambitions of being a “super app,” and everything that’s going on with private companies in China and the stock market in Hong Kong. In the Plus segment: Payment for order flow. Mentioned in the show:“How Unemployment Insurance Fraud Exploded During the Pandemic” by Cezary Podkul for ProPublica “U.S. SEC says Chinese IPO hopefuls must provide additional risk disclosures” by Echo Wang, Scott Murdoch, and Kane Wu for Reuters“Hong Kong's Status as a Financial Center Seems Safe” by Felix Salmon for Axios“The Time Tax” by Annie Lowrey for The AtlanticEmail: [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.Twitter: @felixsalmon, @EmilyRPeck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether it’s a phone screen or a coffee machine, why is it so hard to fix our own stuff? And what can we do to make it a bit easier?Guest: Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of Motherboard and contributor to the CYBER podcastHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether it’s a phone screen or a coffee machine, why is it so hard to fix our own stuff? And what can we do to make it a bit easier?Guest: Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of Motherboard and contributor to the CYBER podcastHostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily, John and David discuss the January 6th Commission, the return of masks and they are joined by guest Annie Lowrey to talk about the "time tax."Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Annie Lowrey for The Atlantic: “The Time Tax: Why is so much American bureaucracy left to average citizens?”Here’s this week’s chatter: John: Max Fisher for the New York Times: “Disinformation for Hire, a Shadow Industry, Is Quietly Booming”Emily: The Vanishing Half and The Mothers by Brit BennetDavid: Louis Maurice Botet de Monvel’s Joan of Arc series on display at the National Gallery of ArtListener chatter from Ryan Good, @RyanScGood: Gabriel Hoyle’s Twitter thread of modern presidential branding schemesIf you enjoy the 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 Danny Lavery's show Big Mood, Little Mood and you’ll be supporting the Political Gabfest. Sign up now at slate.com/gabfestplus to help support our work.For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, Emily, and John discuss: Have you really read a book if you’ve completely forgotten it?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 Grace Woodruff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.