Vox

Explain It to Me

Society EN ↓ 814 episodes

Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement? Explain It to Me is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Send us your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you. Host Jonquilyn Hill will take you on a journey to find the answers, whether it's to the halls of Congress or the local bar. You’ll get the answers you were looking for, and sometimes ones you didn't expect — and always with a dose of humor. New episodes every Sunday. Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Author

Vox

Category

Society

Podcast website

www.vox.com

Latest episode

Jun 28, 2026

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Episodes

Trump's war on Medicaid 16.08.2019

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' Jessica Schubel explains how Medicaid works, and how the White House is trying to undermine it. Join the Weeds Facebook group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Epstein conspiracy time 13.08.2019

Jane, Dara, and Matt try to offer actual facts about prison suicide and new research on hot weather and crime. Related reading: “Jeffrey Epstein’s Death, in Context”’ by Ken White, the Atlantic "Jeffrey Epstein’s Death Underlines A Nationwide Problem" by Jesselyn Cook, Huffington Post White paper ********************************** National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Join the Weeds...

The case for a Green New Deal 09.08.2019

Julian Brave NoiseCat of Data for Progress joins Matt to discuss the vision of the Green New Deal, the need to link it to social justice, and whether or not it’s politically viable. Recommended reading: “No, climate action can’t be separated from social justice” by Julian Brave NoiseCat Join the Weeds Facebook group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Domestic terrorism after El Paso 06.08.2019

ProPublica’s Dara Lind joins Jane and Matt to talk about the mass shooting in El Paso and what it means to take white nationalist violence seriously. Recommended reading: “The top House Republican is blaming video games for the weekend’s mass shootings” by Jane Coaston, Vox “A question for conservatives: what if the left was right on race?” by Jane Coaston, Vox “Crush This Evil” by The Editors, Na...

The second Democratic debate 02.08.2019

Ezra and Matt dissect the six-hour, two-night July debate marathon. Vox’s guide to where 2020 Democrats stand on policy Join the Weeds Facebook group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The many mysteries of Jeffrey Epstein 30.07.2019

ProPublica’s Dara Lind joins Jane and Matt to discuss the sexual assault case that’s also a political scandal and a financial puzzle. **White paper starts at 45:20** Recommended reading: “Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who is friends with Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, explained” by Jane Coaston, Vox “Who Was Jeffrey Epstein Calling?” by the editors of The Intelligence “Jeffrey Epstei...

Dysfunctional federalism 26.07.2019

Yale law professor David Schleicher joins Matt to talk about why state and local politics don’t work anymore. Join the Weeds Facebook group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Go back to Cincinnati 23.07.2019

ProPublica reporter Dara Lind joins Jane and Matt to discuss President Trump’s rhetoric around the small group of congresswomen known as “the Squad”: Reps. Ayanna Presley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib. They also dive into Trump's crackdown on refugee resettlement and a white paper about the connection between student debt and job satisfaction. Recommended reading: “The T...

Why everyone hates Big Tech, with The Verge's Nilay Patel 19.07.2019

Verge editor-in-chief and Vergecast host Nilay Patel joins Matt in this special crossover episode to explain what Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which allows platforms to circumnavigate liability for user content, really means. They also discuss Elizabeth Warren’s proposal to break up big tech platforms, and how it may or may not fix anything. Recommended reading: Why the internet'...

Space Force all the way! 16.07.2019

Worldly's Alex Ward joins Jane and Matt to explain Trump's more-tedious-than-it-sounds plan for military domination of the final frontier. Recommended reading: “Trump really, really wants troops in space” by Alex Ward “Trump wants a ‘Space Force.’ We have many questions.” by Alex Ward “Trump’s call for a Space Force, explained” by Alex Ward Join the Weeds Facebook group! Learn more about your ad c...

School’s out for summer 12.07.2019

Cristina Novoa from the Center for American Progress joins Matt to talk about child care disruptions and possible solutions. “When Parents Can’t Find Summer Child Care, Their Work Suffers” by Cristina Novoa Join the Weeds Facebook group! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ask Weeds Anything 09.07.2019

ProPublica reporter Dara Lind joins Jane and Matt to answer your questions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A progressive case for globalism 05.07.2019

Reed College economist Kimberly Clausing joins Matt to talk about trade and the middle class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democracy's week in court 02.07.2019

Jane, Dara, and Matt on two big Supreme Court cases on gerrymandering and the census. White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debate Weeds: Ezra and Matt on the long-awaited Democratic presidential debate 28.06.2019

Matt and Ezra weigh in on the first Democratic presidential debate of the 2020 cycle. Read more of Vox's coverage of the debate here: Winners and losers from night one of the debate Winners and losers from night two of the debate Matt on Warren's performance Ezra on Harris' performance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s really going on with child detention? 25.06.2019

Dara, Jane, and Matt on the breakdown of trust that’s driving the latest crisis at the border. Related reading: The horrifying conditions facing kids in border detention, explained White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s really happening in Central America 21.06.2019

Adriana Beltrán of the Washington Office on Latin America joins Matt to explain the deep roots of the migration crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jamestown: Utopia for Whom 19.06.2019

Nice Try! is a new podcast from Curbed and the Vox Media Podcast Network that explores stories of people who have tried to design a better world, and what happens when those designs don't go according to plan. Season one, Utopian, follows Avery Trufelman on her quest to understand the perpetual search for the perfect place. Enjoy this special preview of the first episode, Jamestown: Utopian for Wh...

The “illiberal” right 18.06.2019

Jane and Ezra discuss the ongoing conservative crackup and the case of Parkland teen Kyle Kashuv. Related reading: A New Consensus Kyle Kashuv Becomes a Symbol to Conservatives Who Say the Left Can’t Forgive Against David French-ism Jane’s article about David French vs. Sohrab Ahmari Against the Dead Consensus Kyle Kashuv on his Harvard crisis The Illiberal Right Throws a Tantrum Is the Religious...

5 big ideas to use tax credits to fight poverty 14.06.2019

Meg Wiehe from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy explains the leading progressive tax plans in Congress and how they differ from Trump’s tax cuts. Related reading: Understanding Five Major Federal Tax Credit Proposals American Family Act Working Families Tax Relief Act LIFT Act LIFT+ Act Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Into the weeds with Elizabeth Warren 11.06.2019

The Massachusetts senator joins Ezra Klein to explain her plans, and her plan to make the plans happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A user's guide to antitrust 07.06.2019

Matt sits down with Public Knowledge policy counsel Charlotte Slaiman to explain how US antitrust enforcement works and how it might better wrestle with Big Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump’s tariff triple option 04.06.2019

Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss Trump's efforts to halt unauthorized immigration through Mexico by threatening tariffs, and a white paper on private prisons. Related reading: Dara’s “remain in Mexico” explainer Trump’s plan, explained Mexican president’s response to Trump White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Monetary mysteries revealed 31.05.2019

Bloomberg’s Karl Smith joins Matt to explain how the Federal Reserve’s errors discredited capitalism and how full employment can fix almost everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Building the Trump state 28.05.2019

Jane, Dara, and Matt break down Trump's multi-front resistance to congressional oversight and increasing pressure on the civil service. Related reading: Trump vs. IRS lawyers The shift at USCIS White Paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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