What Next | Daily News and Analysis

The Iowa caucuses on Monday were a mess. Only 71 percent of precincts were reporting by late Tuesday night. Rick Hasen says, we’re just lucky this disaster happened early on. That means that election officials in other states have time to get it right. Guest: Rick Hasen, author of “Election Meltdown” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode originally aired in October 2019.Growing up in D.C. during the civil rights era made the fight for D.C. statehood deeply personal for civil rights advocate Wade Henderson. He’s said that being unable to secure a voting representative in Congress is one of his greatest disappointments. Christina Cauterucci speaks with Henderson about the fight for statehood and why he still has hope for the movement.This episode is a part of Slate’s Who Counts initiative. In the run-up to the 2020 election, Slate will be investigating who counts in the voting booth, who counts as an American, whose money counts in the democratic process, and whose doesn’t. And we need your help. Your support will let us assign more stories, travel to overlooked places, commission special podcast projects, and pay for reporting we otherwise would not be able to do. To learn more about this project and how to support our work, please go to slate.com/whocounts.Guest: Wade Henderson, former head of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human RightsSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Friday, Senate Republicans blocked efforts to hear new witnesses and evidence in the impeachment trial of President Trump. The decision signals an unwillingness to challenge the executive branch, despite several Republican lawmakers conceding that Trump was wrong to launch a pressure campaign against Ukraine. And even though the Senate trial is drawing to a close, we may be headed for unending impeachment-related investigations.Guest: Dahlia Lithwick writes about law and the courts for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently a special delegation of senior Trump administration officials arrived in the U.K. Their mission? To convince prime minister Boris Johnson to bar Huawei from their new 5G network.Why is the U.S. so keen to influence Britain’s decision on 5G? And now that the U.K is officially withdrawing from the European Union, how will they manage competing pressures from the U.S. and China?Guest: Dan Sabbagh, defense and security editor at the Guardian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently a special delegation of senior Trump administration officials arrived in the U.K. Their mission? To convince prime minister Boris Johnson to bar Huawei from their new 5G network.Why is the U.S. so keen to influence Britain’s decision on 5G? And now that the U.K is officially withdrawing from the European Union, how will they manage competing pressures from the U.S. and China?Guest: Dan Sabbagh, defense and security editor at the Guardian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign is making two arguments in the last few days before the Iowa caucuses. One is all about the heart—you know Joe, you love Joe. The other argument is all in the head—Democrats need to vote for a candidate who can beat Trump. But how does that argument fare when you look up close at voters in Iowa? Guests: Slate’s senior politics writer Jim Newell and What Next producer Mary Wilson.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republican lawmakers in Montana came up with a plan to help taxpayers fund scholarships for private schools, including religious ones. But Montana’s constitution makes it clear that public funding for parochial schools is not allowed. Now, religious school parents have appealed their case to the Supreme Court. The resulting decision could undermine the separation of church and state.Guest: Mark Joseph Stern covers courts and the law for Slate. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in July, President Trump addressed the nation from the Rose Garden. The Supreme Court had just ruled that the 2020 census could not ask the citizenship question and the president was there to acknowledge that fact. However, he was also there to issue an executive order. One that would try to count the number of citizens in the country by other means. “Trump Dropping Citizenship Question” was the headline that came out of the press conference, but Ari Berman saw a completely different story. One that could change political representation in America.Guest: Ari Berman, a senior reporter at Mother Jones, covering voting rights.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The House impeachment managers have wrapped up their oral arguments. The president's legal team is getting started. The only question now, will key witnesses be able to testify?Guests: Dahlia Lithwick, covers the law and Washington for Slate. Jeremy Stahl, senior legal editor at Slate.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Slate published The Evil List, an expansive attempt to document the most concerning tech companies around the world, according to the experts. Some you’ve heard of, some you probably haven’t, and some you almost certainly use every day. Which of these deserve our attention? And why?Guests:Mutale Nkonde, public interest technologist and fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & SocietyFelix Salmon, chief financial correspondent at Axios and host of Slate MoneyLindsey Barrett, staff attorney and teaching fellow at the Institute for Public Representation Communications & Technology Clinic. HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Slate published The Evil List, an expansive attempt to document the most concerning tech companies around the world, according to the experts. Some you’ve heard of, some you probably haven’t, and some you almost certainly use every day. Which of these deserve our attention? And why?Guests:Mutale Nkonde, public interest technologist and fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & SocietyFelix Salmon, chief financial correspondent at Axios and host of Slate MoneyLindsey Barrett, staff attorney and teaching fellow at the Institute for Public Representation Communications & Technology Clinic. HostLizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week, gun rights activists arrived outside the capitol building in Richmond, Virginia to rally against proposed gun control laws. Some people worried the event would turn into another Charlottesville. But even though thousands of people hoisted their guns and made threats against the government, there was no violence. What happened to bring tensions down? Guest: Lois Beckett, senior reporter for the Guardian. Read her coverage of gun politics and gun violence. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump began in earnest in the Senate. The debate over the rules of engagement lasted into the early hours of Wednesday morning and gave a first look at how both sides are going to approach the trial. Guests: Dahlia Lithwick and Jim Newell.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new executive order from the Trump administration was meant to curb refugee resettlement and further polarize the country. But most Republican governors have snubbed the policy. How did this particular anti-immigrant scheme backfire?Guest: Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer for The New Yorker. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2013, Anna Wiener moved from New York to San Francisco to join the city’s booming tech scene. Over the course of four years, she worked at three companies: an e-book startup, a data analytics company, and an open-source software platform. Then, her infatuation with the tech industry took a turn.On this week’s show, an insider’s perspective on the intoxicating promise and disappointment of Silicon Valley during the mid-decade boom.Guest: Anna Wiener: author of Uncanny Valley and contributing writer for the New Yorker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2013, Anna Wiener moved from New York to San Francisco to join the city’s booming tech scene. Over the course of four years, she worked at three companies: an e-book startup, a data analytics company, and an open-source software platform. Then, her infatuation with the tech industry took a turn.On this week’s show, an insider’s perspective on the intoxicating promise and disappointment of Silicon Valley during the mid-decade boom.Guest: Anna Wiener: author of Uncanny Valley and contributing writer for the New Yorker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Tuesday’s Democratic debate, the beef between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders spilled over onto national television. Derecka Purnell has been following the primary — she says the way this fight ends depends on how we think about identity politics. Guest: Derecka Purnell, lawyer and writer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia and the United States have a lot in common: politicians who still deny climate change, a supremely powerful energy industry, and a growing sense of dread about climate catastrophes. Guest: Journalist Emily Atkin. Check out her newsletter, HEATED. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has had some serious staying power in the Trump administration. Now with the impeachment trial on the horizon, he’s become even closer to the president. How has he managed to keep his position in President Donald Trump’s inner circle for so long? Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before President Donald Trump took office, Lindsey Graham was willing to reach across the aisle to work on big issues like immigration reform and climate change. Now, his total loyalty to the Trump administration is baffling close friends and political observers alike. Look a little deeper, and you'll see that this is just one more step in Graham's fight for relevance.Guest: Mark Binelli writes for Rolling Stone and New York Times Magazine. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2019, for the first time, more advertising money went toward targeted digital ads in the U.S. than on radio, television, cable, magazine, and newspaper ads combined. The moment was the culmination of a decadeslong journey that has completely transformed media, politics, and privacy.How did the targeted ad come to hold so much power? And what did we lose along the way?Guest: Siva Vaidhyanathan, professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2019, for the first time, more advertising money went toward targeted digital ads in the U.S. than on radio, television, cable, magazine, and newspaper ads combined. The moment was the culmination of a decadeslong journey that has completely transformed media, politics, and privacy.How did the targeted ad come to hold so much power? And what did we lose along the way?Guest: Siva Vaidhyanathan, professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over a year ago, Florida residents approved the restoration of voting rights for approximately 1.4 million ex-felons in the state. But in the months since, lawmakers have tried to implement new hurdles for former convicts trying to access the ballot box. Now, advocates in some counties are trying to find a solution to register voters anyway. Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Justice reporter for SlateSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt, and Mara Silvers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Presidents have always skirted the rules when it comes to gaining authorization from Congress to use military force. President Donald Trump’s direction to kill Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani takes it to a whole new level and exposes just how weak the War Powers Act has become.Guest: Oona Hathaway, Author of The Internationalists: How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War Remade the World.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt, and Mara Silvers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Right now, when it comes to fundraising, it certainly looks like Bernie Sanders is winning. In the last three months, his campaign has raised more money than any other Democrat in the field. And with just a few weeks left before the Iowa caucuses, Sanders is in a three-way tie for the lead alongside Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg. How is he pulling this off?Guest: Ryan Grim, D.C. bureau chief at the Intercept. Read his latest story is about the Sanders campaign.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt, and Mara Silvers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a little over a week, tensions in the Middle East have gone from high to fever pitch. What started with one American civilian contractor in Iraq being killed escalated to airstrikes on militia-controlled sites in Iraq and Syria, killing 24 people and wounding dozens more. Then, a siege at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad by pro-Iranian militia and a response by the Trump administration that killed Iran’s top military commander.What went into the decision to assassinate Gen. Qassem Soleimani? And is the United States prepared for what comes next?Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories correspondent and author of The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War, out later this month.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt, and Mara Silvers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump was impeached in the House of Representatives just over two weeks ago. There’s just one hitch: The articles of impeachment that were passed haven’t made it to the Senate … yet. It’s part of a tactical hold by the Democrats seeking to ensure that the majority-Republican Senate holds a fair trial. What does that mean? And is Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ready to do that?Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer for Slate.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Around the country, states are employing algorithms to help reduce prison populations and predict recidivism. This week, we hear from a Wisconsin judge with serious reservations about the algorithm used in his state. Also: a deep dive into Virginia's risk-assessment algorithm and the surprising results of its implementation.Guests: Nicholas McNamara, judge on the circuit court of Dane County, Wisconsin.Jennifer Doleac, associate professor of economics at Texas A&M and director of the Justice Tech Lab. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Around the country, states are employing algorithms to help reduce prison populations and predict recidivism. This week, we hear from a Wisconsin judge with serious reservations about the algorithm used in his state. Also: a deep dive into Virginia's risk-assessment algorithm and the surprising results of its implementation.Guests: Nicholas McNamara, judge on the circuit court of Dane County, Wisconsin.Jennifer Doleac, associate professor of economics at Texas A&M and director of the Justice Tech Lab. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When President Trump passed his tax overhaul in 2017, Democrats and Republicans were excited about the prospect of one specific provision. ‘Opportunity zones’ were meant to spur investment in low-income communities. Two years later, it’s unclear if that has actually happened. Billionaires, on the other hand, are benefitting from the program left and right.Guest: Justin Elliott, reporter at ProPublica. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt, and Mara Silvers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As 2019 comes to a close, What Next is checking back in on three stories we did this year. From a power struggle in Venezuela to a border wall dispute in Arizona and back to Washington for an impeachment update. Here’s what happened…next!Guests: Ana Vanessa Herrero, reporter for the New York Times, Mayor of Nogales Arturo Garino, and Noah Feldman Harvard Law School professor and host of Deep Background, available on Luminary.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt, and Mara Silvers.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On January 1st, a new law will grant Californians the right to see, delete, and stop the sale of personal information collected by tech companies. But the impact of the bill may reach far beyond California. How does this landmark law affect the rest of the country? And will it set the stage for national privacy legislation? Guest: Hayley Tsukayama, Legislative Activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On January 1st, a new law will grant Californians the right to see, delete, and stop the sale of personal information collected by tech companies. But the impact of the bill may reach far beyond California. How does this landmark law affect the rest of the country? And will it set the stage for national privacy legislation? Guest: Hayley Tsukayama, Legislative Activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in 2013, an entrepreneur named Jamie Siminoff appeared on Shark Tank. He was seeking an investment in a new product he was calling Doorbot, a smart doorbell that would make answering the door more convenient and users’ lives “more connected.”Six years later, Doorbot is now Ring, an Amazon-owned home-security system that partners with more than 600 police departments around the country. How did Doorbot become Ring? And what are the consequences of placing surveillance cameras on front doors around the country?Guest: Caroline Haskins, technology reporter at Buzzfeed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in 2013, an entrepreneur named Jamie Siminoff appeared on Shark Tank. He was seeking an investment in a new product he was calling Doorbot, a smart doorbell that would make answering the door more convenient and users’ lives “more connected.”Six years later, Doorbot is now Ring, an Amazon-owned home-security system that partners with more than 600 police departments around the country. How did Doorbot become Ring? And what are the consequences of placing surveillance cameras on front doors around the country?Guest: Caroline Haskins, technology reporter at Buzzfeed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The “Remain in Mexico” policy was sold as a humane way to throttle the flow of migrant families seeking asylum in the U.S. But the immigration courts remain overwhelmed, and migrants who do make the trip to the southern border have been left to wait for months -- sometimes upwards of a year -- in squalid, makeshift refugee camps in Mexico. Guest: Adolfo Flores, immigration reporter for BuzzFeed. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Preparing for an active shooter is becoming a disturbingly normal part of the school experience. And while companies are developing new methods for how to keep students and teachers safe, it’s unclear if they’re becoming more effective. Guest: Tali Woodward, deputy editor at The Trace. Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt and Mara Silvers.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s hard to keep track of all the things that have happened in Georgia to tweak voter rights and poll access over the past several years. But a new investigation highlighted two overarching themes to recent changes: diminishing federal oversight and structural racism. Guest: Mark Niesse, reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Read his story, co-reported with Nick Thieme. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public sector consulting is under a new kind of scrutiny. Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign has thrust his former employer, McKinsey, into the spotlight. What’s been brought to the surface has challenged their stated values of “doing the most good”. Guest: Ian McDougall, Reporter for ProPublicaSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past decade, the world of influencers has grown from a fringe marketing movement to a multibillion-dollar industry. Now, tactics and strategies originally developed by influencers can be found across industries, from health care to politics to higher ed. What’s behind this meteoric rise? And why do we misunderstand a movement that Taylor Lorenz calls “a fundamental shift in society”? Guest: Taylor Lorenz, internet culture reporter for the New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past decade, the world of influencers has grown from a fringe marketing movement to a multibillion-dollar industry. Now, tactics and strategies originally developed by influencers can be found across industries, from health care to politics to higher ed. What’s behind this meteoric rise? And why do we misunderstand a movement that Taylor Lorenz calls “a fundamental shift in society”? Guest: Taylor Lorenz, internet culture reporter for the New York Times Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Monday, the Washington Post published a damning account of America’s war in Afghanistan. Titled “The Afghanistan Papers,” the report features dozens of interviews with people directly involved in the war, detailing the lies, deception, and misleading of the public that kept the war going. At once shocking and completely unsurprising, the papers are a secret history of America’s longest war.Guest: Fred Kaplan writes for Slate and is the author of the forthcoming book The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War, due out in January 2020.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two maps can help tell the story of a looming public health problem in rural America. One, published by the CDC, shows 220 of the most vulnerable counties in America either experiencing or at risk of an HIV outbreak. The other, published by the Washington Post, shows where pharmaceutical companies sent most of their pain pills at the height of the opioid crisis. These maps almost perfectly matchup. And in Cabell County, West Virginia, a place acutely affected by the opioid crisis, 80 new cases of HIV have been diagnosed since last year. Today on the show, what’s going on in West Virginia and what can be done to help?Guests: A. Toni Young, AIDS activist and founder of the Community Education Group. Dr. Steven W. Thrasher, professor of journalism and LGBTQ health at Northwestern University. He recently wrote an op-ed in the New York Times.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Underneath the Oval Office there’s this room. It’s a windowless place with terrible cell phone reception but, right now, it’s home to a team crafting President Donald Trump’s impeachment defense strategy. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Treasury aide Tony Sayegh started the effort to protect the president only in the past few weeks, but they’re already seeing results. How has this team circled the wagons for the president? And why is one senator in particular pleased to see the White House mount a proper defense?Guest: Sarah Ellison, reporter covering media and politics for the Washington Post.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former U.S. Senator Harry Reid thinks the expected impeachment trial in the Senate will fail to convict. And Reid should know -- he was in the Senate during the last impeachment trial.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page announced that they are stepping down from their respective roles as president and CEO of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. The move will leave Sundar Pichai in charge of both Google and Alphabet. With pressure mounting from unhappy employees, antitrust regulators in Europe, and the Trump administration, Pichai takes the helm at a crucial moment in the company’s history. Will he be up to the task? Guest: Mark Bergen, technology reporter at Bloomberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page announced that they are stepping down from their respective roles as president and CEO of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. The move will leave Sundar Pichai in charge of both Google and Alphabet. With pressure mounting from unhappy employees, antitrust regulators in Europe, and the Trump administration, Pichai takes the helm at a crucial moment in the company’s history. Will he be up to the task? Guest: Mark Bergen, technology reporter at Bloomberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Residents of Opportunity, Montana have a problem: their town is infected with a century’s worth of toxins from copper mining. The responsible company, Arco, and the E.P.A. have come up with a plan to fix that, but the community members say it’s woefully inadequate and doesn’t guarantee “a clean and healthful environment.” Now, the case has escalated all the way to the Supreme Court.Guest: Kathleen McLaughlin, reporter based in MontanaSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt and Mara Silvers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The next impeachment hearing will be in the House Judiciary Committee, where Corey Lewandowski made a mockery of Democrats in September. So perhaps it’s by design that the testimony planned for Wednesday seems rather low-stakes: Four professors will speak about the constitutional grounds for presidential impeachment. Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senator Cory Booker still hasn’t made the cut for the next Democratic debate, despite having all the moderate bona fides that a suburban voter could want. Why has Booker failed to pop up in the polls? Guest: Slate’s Jordan Weissmann. Read his piece, “Dear Moderates: Please Give Cory Booker a Chance.”Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.