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

Episodes

Rethinking education reform 24.05.2019 56:52

Libby Nelson and Dylan Scott join Matt to talk about 2020 Democrats' K-12 policy Bernie's charter school plan - link Harris' teacher pay plan - link Elizabeth Warren's case against the neighborhood school - link Online charter schools are bad - link Join The Weeds' Facebook community here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The loneliness of Justin Amash 21.05.2019 57:44

Jane, Dara, and Matt analyze the Michigan Republican's call to consider impeaching Trump. White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America's two housing crises 17.05.2019 1:03:31

Brookings's Jenny Schuetz joins Matt to discuss subsidies, zoning reform, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Make America 2015 Again 14.05.2019 57:37

Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss Joe Biden's claim that Trump is an aberration, plus some fresh research on the macroeconomics of bankruptcy. Related reading: Biden/aberration explainer Biden/bankruptcy explainer MOVE bombing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Green New Weeds 10.05.2019 1:24:11

David Roberts joins Ezra and Jane to explain the policy and politics of the Green New Deal. Plus: Which candidate has the better climate plan, Beto O’Rourke or Jay Inslee? Related reading: The Green New Deal, explained David Roberts on what’s in the Green New Deal The Green New Deal critics The case against incremental climate policy Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate policy Learn more about your ad choice...

Sarah's Last Stand 07.05.2019 1:02:06

Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to talk about single-payer's big day on Capitol Hill and some hot administrative data from Rhode Island. Related reading: CBO report Dylan’s article on a Medicare-for-all hearing Dylan’s other article on the Medicare-for-all hearing Sarah and Dylan on the different Democratic health care plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mexico: America's waiting room 03.05.2019 59:01

Dara, Jane, and Matt discuss Dara's fresh reporting on asylum officers' complaints about Trump's "wait in Mexico" policy initiative. Related reading: Dara’s piece on asylum officers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Incels and bullshitters 30.04.2019 53:52

Senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp joins Jane and Matt to share his reporting on the origins and evolution of a troubling new internet community. Related reading: “Our incel problem” by Zack Beauchamp Research paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Was The Weeds on the wrong side of history? 26.04.2019 35:22

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt celebrate Vox's fifth anniversary with a look at the changing nature of the policy dialogue in Washington. This special episode of The Weeds was taped in front of a live audience at The LINE DC to celebrate Vox’s fifth anniversary. If you enjoyed it, we think you’ll also enjoy this live taping of Recode Decode with Kara Swisher featuring Julia Angwin, and this special episode...

What to obstruct when you’re obstructing 23.04.2019 1:10:24

Matt, Jane, and Andrew Prokop talk about the Mueller report — which one of them has actually read to the end. Related reading: Quinta Jurecic’s color-coded analysis of Mueller’s obstruction language Rick Hasen’s article on Mueller not prosecuting Donald Trump Jr. Full Mueller report White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe collusion, probably obstruction [Special Crossover Edition] 18.04.2019 37:31

Ezra Klein joins Zack, Jenn, and Alex in a crossover episode with Worldly on Robert Mueller’s just-released report. They explain the special counsel's main findings on collusion with Russian election interference and on obstruction of justice and why they aren’t good for Trump. Then they zoom out and talk about what this whole episode reveals about the health of American democracy and how this giv...

Trump Family (Tax) Values 16.04.2019 57:41

Dara, Sarah, and Matt talk about the suspiciously timed retirement of Trump's sister, IRS enforcement, and new research on how police stops can actually cause crime. Related reading: ProPublica study on the EITC audits White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How Canada got Medicare-for-all done 12.04.2019 56:21

Ezra returns to discuss filibuster reform and the legacy of Tommy Douglas with Sarah and Matt. Recommended reading: Tommy Douglas named greatest Canadian Filibuster reform explainer Sanders and reconciliation explainer Doctor strike explainer White paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Purge: DHS 09.04.2019 55:21

Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss Trump's personnel shake-up at the Department of Homeland Security and what's next for immigration policy. Recommended reading: Jake Tapper on Trump telling border patrol agents to ignore the law The White House’s wish list for DHS actions Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s resignation, explained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adc...

Attack of the clone bills 05.04.2019 52:26

Matt, Sarah, and Dara copied this discussion of model legislation from an asbestos lobbyist. Recommended reading: USA Today article Article on 'ALEC' Research on model legislation 1 Research on model legislation 2 Research on model legislation 3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learning from Norway's lesbian mothers 02.04.2019 49:51

Dara, Jane, and Matt on President Donald Trump’s latest border moves and a new wrinkle in the story of the gender pay gap. Recommended reading: Explainer on Trump cutting off aid Explainer on border closure CNN report on Trump’s border briefings The US policy of returning Central American asylum seekers to wait in Mexico An optimistic take on aid and El Salvador A pessimistic take on aid and El Sa...

Infrastructure Week (and Farm Week and Teacher Week) 29.03.2019 42:04

Dara, Jane, and Matt analyze three new policy proposals from Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris. Recommended reading: Amy Klobuchar's infrastructure plan Elizabeth Warren's agriculture plan Kamala Harris's teacher-pay plan HuffPost feature on Harris's truancy policy We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out...

Mueller's investigation is over. Obamacare repeal isn't. 26.03.2019 55:18

Sarah, Dara, and Jane discuss the Hill's response to Mueller, the DOJ's siege of Obamacare, and the benefits of IUDs. National Review article Zack Beauchamp's article on the reaction to William Barr's Mueller letter New York Times article on Mueller report White paper We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Ple...

Should presidential candidates get into the weeds? 22.03.2019 51:41

Sarah, Jane, and Matt debate the value of policy details in the primary. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The reparations primary 19.03.2019 55:46

Dara, Jane, and Matt on the unexpected issue of the moment, plus Swedish administrative data on what makes a CEO. Suggested reading: White Paper Original Ta-Nehisi Coates essay on reparations We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more a...

Live Weeds with Julián Castro 15.03.2019 1:04:10

Dara, Jane, and Matt sit down with the former US secretary of housing and urban development and 2020 presidential candidate, live from South by Southwest. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastch...

Introducing Switched on Pop 13.03.2019 13:31

Vox takes culture seriously. Our coverage seeks to understand how our cultural touchstones work — and what they reveal about who we are. That's why we’re excited to introduce you to Switched on Pop. It's a podcast that digs into the cultural context and musical theory of pop music, and it's now part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. In this episode, you'll meet hosts Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding...

Live Weeds with Pete Buttigieg 12.03.2019 1:02:33

Dara, Jane, and Matt sit down with the South Bend, Indiana, mayor and presidential candidate, live from South by Southwest. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The long con 08.03.2019 45:10

Jane and Matt discuss Jacob Wohl and the intermingling of grift and conservative politics. Jane's article on Jacob Wohl Iraqi dinar on YouTube Casey Newton's newsletter - The Interface We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really helps out the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about yo...

But seriously, how are you going to pay for it? 05.03.2019 55:46

Sarah, Dylan, and Matt discuss Pramila Jayapal’s Medicare-for-all bill, its lack of pay-fors, and an interesting white paper on income transparency. Sarah on private insurance in other countries Dylan's interview with Matt Bruenig Sarah's interview with Rep. Jayapal on her bill White paper We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes no more than five minutes, and it really h...