Explain It to Me

Dara and Matt explain the situation at the border now that the caravan has finally arrived. References and further reading: Li Zhou explains the liberal blowback against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Vox’s piece on the shutdown negotiations The weird outlet mall at the border Dara’s article on the asylum bottleneck A New York Times piece on the current conditions in Tijuana The Washington P...

Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to break down eight different plans circulating to expand government health insurance programs. References and further reading: Sarah breaks down five competing health care plans from Democrats Dylan lays out the Urban Institute’s proposed health care plan   A white paper finds ICE partnerships with local police led to a decline in elementary-school enrollment of H...

Our Thanksgiving special is an episode of The Impact -- a show about how policy shapes our lives hosted by Sarah Kliff. This season, Sarah and her team are focusing on the most exciting, innovative ideas at the state and local level. This episode, they're in Vermont, looking at a radical law to equalize education funding. Like what you’re hearing? Find The Impact on Apple Podcasts|Google Podcasts|...

Jane, Ezra, and Matt explain a new brand of right-wing politics rising under conditions of permanent opposition. References and further reading: Jane’s piece on the driving force that is California-style conservatism A white paper examining which voters supported Medicaid in Maine’s 2017 referendum John Sides, Michael Tesler, and Lynn Vavreck explain the 2016 presidential election through identity...

Dara, Jane, and Matt analyze the social network that America loves to hate and can't escape. References and further reading: New York Times exposé on Facebook’s reaction to Russian interference on their site Michelle Goldberg tells Democrats to leave Facebook in a Times opinion piece An article from the New York Times on advertisers’ reactions to the Facebook report An interview with Sheryl Sandbe...

Dara, Jane, and Matt talk about the endgame for the attorney general Trump loved to hate. References and further reading: Dara reports on Trump’s asylum ban Dara defines Jeff Sessions’s legacy through immigration crackdowns and deportation Heather Mac Donald’s “The War on Cops” The Trump administration enters its Leeroy Jenkins phase A piece from Politico on the magical powers of Trump Jane’s essa...

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt break down seven key takeaways from Tuesday's election. References and further reading: Ezra’s piece on Trump’s failing political strategy Ezra’s essay on William Kristol’s 1993 health memo  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt offer midterm predictions, look at democracy vouchers, and analyze the real impact of Daylight Savings Time. References and further reading: Sarah explores the effects of Seattle’s democracy vouchers on The Impact Nicholas Carnes’s piece on the representation of the working class in government A working paper presents evidence that Daylight Savings Time results in an increase...

Jane, Dara, and Matt dissect the rising currents of anti-Semitism in the Trump era. References and further reading: Adam Serwer’s piece on the Pittsburgh shooter Dara joins Today, Explained to discuss the migrant caravan Time analyzes Ted Nugent’s anti-Semitic Facebook post about gun control The Atlantic’s profile of a neo-Nazi who took Trump’s speech as an endorsement of anti-Semitism Michael Bre...

Defense correspondent Alex Ward joins Dara and Matt to analyze Trump’s dispatch of thousands of US soldiers to the border. References and further reading: Alex’s piece on the role of troops at the US-Mexico border An article from Reuters on the clashes at the Mexico-Guatemala border Dara explains the migrant caravan Dara’s piece on the shrinking caravan Dara reports on a new “travel ban” that the...

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt break down rhetoric and reality on preexisting conditions. References and further reading: Sarah outlines the position of Republicans on preexisting conditions Sarah’s piece from 2016 on the future of Obamacare Robert Draper’s article on Priorities USA and its campaign against Mitt Romney Ezra makes the case that Trump is a moderate  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po...

In this episode, Ezra and Jane dig into the dismal state of election security, as well as the many, many ways that people’s votes are obstructed, distorted, and prevented. Isn’t democracy grand? References and further reading: Benjamin Wofford’s piece on our hacked election system Jamelle Bouie in the Daily Beast breaks down the motive behind voter ID laws Issie Lapowsky of Wired clarifies that yo...

Ella Nilsen and Dylan Scott join Matt Yglesias to talk about Democrats' midterm message and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's future. References and further reading: Ella’s piece on the priorities of House Democrats if they take the House in November. Ella breaks down the fight for leadership over House Democrats Dylan outlines the 2018 midterms using an ad from Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) Dylan...

Dara, Sarah, and Matt talk about a new "baby bonds" proposal and new research that explores perceptions of illegal immigrants. References and further reading: Sarah’s piece on Sen. Cory Booker’s (D-NJ) plan for baby bonds A report on the racial wealth gap An article on unclaimed cash from baby bonds in the United Kingdom Ira Katznelson on racial inequality in “When Affirmative Action Was White” A...

Jane, Dara, and Matt explain the reality behind the migrant caravan fueling the latest MAGA conspiracy theories. References and further reading: Trump’s first campaign ad Rep. Matt Gaetz’s tweet claiming to share footage relating to the caravan  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tara Golshan joins Jane and Matt to analyze the state of the GOP on the brink of the midterms. References and further reading: Ella Nilsen gives a rundown of the creative political ads from this midterm season. Tara’s piece on Rep. Duncan Hunter’s attacks on his opponent. Jane’s article in the National Review on “Trumpism.” Matt Schlapp’s tweet about Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker.  Learn mor...

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt debate the new IPCC report, William Nordhaus's Nobel Prize, and a hot new working paper about Medicaid contraction. References and further reading: The IPCC report on the impact of global warming David Roberts’s piece on the fight over the carbon tax in Washington state during 2016 Earl Swift tells of the disappearing Tangier Island in his book Chesapeake Requiem A white pape...

Jane, Dara, and Matt talk about Kanye West, Taylor Swift, the black conservative political tradition, and the shifting politics of the Trump era. References and further reading: Jane dissects Trump’s meeting with Kanye West Jemele Hill’s article on black men and Brett Kavanaugh Hoteps, explained Jane’s piece on racism within the Republican Party Vann Newkirk’s piece on black civic engagement in th...

Tara Golshan and Ella Nilsen join Matt to talk about the critical midterm races in the Lone Star State. References and further reading: Ella’s piece on Democrats running in Texas Tara outlines key themes in the race between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke Tara’s piece on a potential blue wave in the state Tara details more on the battle between Cruz and O’Rourke  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about Obamacare (again!), waning democratic legitimacy, and why retaking the SAT drives class and racial gaps in college enrollment. References and further reading: Josh Blackman’s piece on the ACA lawsuit Amicus brief from the pro- and anti-ACA law professors Katie Keith’s article on oral arguments John Harris’s piece on the ruthlessness of the Republican Party David Fa...

Jane, Dara, and Matt talk about Amazon's pay raise, Sen. Bernie Sanders’s Stop BEZOS Act, and the new politics of big tech. References and further reading: Alexia Fernández Campbell’s piece on Vox about Amazon’s pay raises Sarah Butler of the Guardian lays out the pay raise versus bonus situation Matt’s piece in Slate on Jeff Bezos’s relationship with Wall Street Dylan Scott explains Medicare-for-...

Congressional reporter Ella Nilsen joins Sarah and Matt to explain the unprecedented surge in women running for Congress this year. References and further reading: Michele Swers’s paper that highlights how women representatives bring back more funding to their district Sarah’s piece on how electing women changes the way the government functions Jennifer Palmieri’s book that examines the criticisms...

Ezra, Sarah, and Matt dive into the latest on the Kavanaugh nomination — and why USMCA is great for Canadians who drink milk. References and further reading: Alvin Chang charts every question the Senate asked Kavanaugh Ezra’s piece on the Republicans’ strategy to save Kavanaugh Catherine Rampell compares Trump’s new trade deal to the old A white paper on “College Party Culture and Sexual Assault” ...

Sarah, Jane, and Matt break down an excruciating day in American politics. References and further reading: Laura McGann’s piece on sexual harassment claims against Glenn Thrush of the New York Times Constance Grady explains rape culture of the 1980s A poll found evangelicals would support Kavanaugh even if allegations against him were true Eric Erickson argues Trump will escalate matters if Kavana...

Sarah, Matt, and Ezra dive into how other countries design parental leave policies — and what the US could do better. Plus: a white paper on subways, and outer space! References and further reading: RAND review on child care allowance Pew research finds birthrates are down while the desire to have kids is not ProPublica relates mothers to candy wrappers Henrik Levin charts attitudes toward working...