Explain It to Me
Episodes
The Weeds fixes racism
01 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt excavate the most contentious moment in the Cohen hearing in a hunt for "racist bones." Recommended reading:Dara on the Meadows/T...
Amy Klobuchar and the Jill Robinson effect
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah and Matt discuss the recent spate of stories about the Minnesota senator — and an announcement from Ezra! Relevant articles: Paper on the Jill...
Day care for all!
22 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara, and Matt discuss Elizabeth Warren's universal child care plan — and the other options on the table. Relevant articles: Alvin Chang weal...
Collusion and the Mueller endgame
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Prokop joins Dara and Matt to explain what we've learned from the latest developments in the Russia investigation. Andrew's article on Jerome C...
Emergency Weeds
15 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Sarah, and Matt explain the border security deal and Trump’s plan to bypass Congress. Dara's article Matt's article on non-legislative priorit...
What’s the best way to help the poor?
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dylan Matthews joins Sarah, Ezra, and Matt to discuss five new plans on poverty from leading Democrats. Dylan's Article Sarah's Article on Childhood W...
WTF, VA?
08 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Virginia is embroiled in multiple blackface scandals — and Jane Coaston, Sarah Kliff, and Dylan Scott are here to talk about it. Video about Slavery...
Do we need private insurance?
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt break down the latest twist in the Medicare-for-all debate — plus rigorous new research on Facebook. White Paper Learn more ab...
House Democrats’ plan to save democracy
01 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt break down HR 1 — the first bill from the new Democratic majority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/a...
Elizabeth Warren and the Two-Income Trap
29 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt analyze the presidential candidate’s first popular book and review new evidence on the dangers of opioid marketing. Ezra's Art...
The end of the shutdown
25 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Ezra, and Matt have a slightly ill-timed discussion about the Pelosi-Trump showdown and the politics of the wall. Learn more about your ad choic...
Investigating ER bills and SNAP fraud
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara, and Matt discuss Trump's latest proposal, suspicious ER billing practices, and SNAP investigations Sarah's articles about hospital ER fee...
You can't eat your principles for dinner
18 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara, and Matt analyze the prolonged shutdown's impact on the future of the federal workforce Reference Articles: The shutdown threatens the pr...
Taxing the rich
15 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Ezra, and Matt consider the ethics and economics of a 70 percent top marginal rate Americans misperceive racial economic equality Learn more abo...
Tucker Carlson vs the free market
11 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt explain the argument over economic populism that’s roiling the conservative world Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca...
Ask Weeds Anything
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt, Sarah, and Dara take questions from our audience Book Recommendations: The Field of Blood by Joanne B. Freeman Theodore Roosevelt: A Stren...
New year, no government
04 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Jane, and Matt explain why a shutdown is not The Purge and delve into the all-important difference between slats, bollards, and walls Learn mo...
Classic Weeds: The great white panic
01 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Coaston joins Dara, Ezra, and Matt to talk about the racial panic tearing America apart and also salt. References and further reading: Ezra's pie...
The Weeds Year-End Spectacular
28 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt share what they learned in 2018, predictions for 2019, and their favorite research of the year. Links: Matt's white paper pick...
Congress actually did something important
21 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt analyze the substance and political context of the big bipartisan criminal justice reform bill. References and further reading: G...
Bernie and Biden and Beto, oh my!
18 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt decide it’s not too soon to start talking about the 2020 election. Plus — Obamacare litigation forever! References and furth...
A big, beautiful podcast about the border wall
14 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Matt, Dara, and Jane discuss what happens when engineering crushes dreams. Links: For an in-depth read on the border wall, here's a great explainer. T...
A Weeds farewell to Paul Ryan
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Ezra, and Matt consider Paul Ryan’s legacy and new research on crime and the minimum wage. References and further reading: Ezra’s piece on H...
Pod Save the US-Saudi alliance?
07 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Special guest Tommy Vietor of Crooked Media’s Pod Save the World joins Dara and Matt to break down the anti-Saudi backlash sweeping Washington. Le...
Midwest Republicans lost in 2018 — but they’re not giving up power
04 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Ezra, and Matt talk about state-level GOP power grabs and the curious case of Trump’s disappearing populism. References and further reading: T...
Mexico was the wall all along
30 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara and Matt explain the situation at the border now that the caravan has finally arrived. References and further reading: Li Zhou explains the liber...
The many flavors of Medicare-for-all
27 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to break down eight different plans circulating to expand government health insurance programs. References and furthe...
The Impact: How do you make education funding fair?
23 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 tea...
The future of conservatism is being forged in California
20 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Ezra, and Matt explain a new brand of right-wing politics rising under conditions of permanent opposition. References and further reading: Jane’...
Facebook is bad, please join our Facebook group
16 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Jeff Sessions is gone but not forgotten
09 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 as...
About last night
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt break down seven key takeaways from Tuesday's election. References and further reading: Ezra’s piece on Trump’s failing poli...
Seattle’s plan to save democracy
06 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt offer midterm predictions, look at democracy vouchers, and analyze the real impact of Daylight Savings Time. References and furt...
Bad for the Jews
02 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 Pitts...
Operation Win the Midterms
31 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Defense correspondent Alex Ward joins Dara and Matt to analyze Trump’s dispatch of thousands of US soldiers to the border. References and further re...
Republicans’ health care message: Lie a lot
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt break down rhetoric and reality on preexisting conditions. References and further reading: Sarah outlines the position of Republ...
Our elections are being hacked
26 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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, di...
What's next for House Democrats?
24 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ella Nilsen and Dylan Scott join Matt Yglesias to talk about Democrats' midterm message and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's future. References an...
Cory Booker’s plan to close the racial wealth gap
23 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Sarah, and Matt talk about a new "baby bonds" proposal and new research that explores perceptions of illegal immigrants. References and further ...
Trump versus the Caravan
19 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt explain the reality behind the migrant caravan fueling the latest MAGA conspiracy theories. References and further reading: Trump...
Republicans run everything, and they’re mad as hell
17 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 run...
America’s moral failure on climate
16 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt debate the new IPCC report, William Nordhaus's Nobel Prize, and a hot new working paper about Medicaid contraction. References a...
I’mma let you finish
12 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt talk about Kanye West, Taylor Swift, the black conservative political tradition, and the shifting politics of the Trump era. Refe...
As tough as Texas
10 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The craziest Obamacare lawsuit yet
09 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about Obamacare (again!), waning democratic legitimacy, and why retaking the SAT drives class and racial gaps in college en...
Alexa, raise the minimum wage
05 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 r...
When women run
03 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Congressional reporter Ella Nilsen joins Sarah and Matt to explain the unprecedented surge in women running for Congress this year. References and fur...
Death to NAFTA! Long live USMCA!
02 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Do Republicans even care if Kavanaugh is guilty?
28 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Jane, and Matt break down an excruciating day in American politics. References and further reading: Laura McGann’s piece on sexual harassment...
What Sarah learned on parental leave
25 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What could stop the next Botham Jean?
21 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss a tragic death in Dallas and the difficult politics of police reform. References and further reading: Adam Serwer’s pie...
#MeToo goes to the Supreme Court
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Ezra, and Matt discuss the allegations that could derail Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation References and further reading: Christine Blasey Ford ...
Can Elon Musk save Tesla from himself?
14 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt talk about the potential meltdown of one of America’s most important entrepreneurs. References and further reading: Emily Stewa...
I am the Resistance inside The Weeds podcast
11 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Ezra, and Matt talk about Bob Woodward’s book, that op-ed, and the two-track Trump presidency. References and further reading: The infamous NY...
Colin Kaepernick, the most important election issue in the world
07 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt get ready for some football. References and further reading: Jane's explainer of the NFL protests Jane's piece on Nike's new "Jus...
What’s at stake in the midterms
04 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt kick off the unofficial beginning of campaign season by asking what happens if Democrats win in November and what if they lose? R...
America picked a lousy time to turn its back on refugees
31 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In an unexpectedly globe-hopping episode of The Weeds, Dara and Worldly co-host Zack Beauchamp examine the ripple effects of Trump’s America First a...
John McCain vs. the idea of John McCain
28 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Vox politics editor Laura McGann joins Dara and Matt to talk about John McCain's legacy and Donald Trump's response to his death, then Dara and Matt t...
The art of the squeal
24 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane, Dara, and Matt talk about Paul Manafort’s guilty verdict, Michael Cohen’s guilty plea, and what comes next for Donald Trump. References and ...
Elizabeth Warren’s plan to save/destroy capitalism
21 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Ezra, and Matt discuss a big idea to make the economy great again. References and further reading: Matt's piece on Elizabeth Warren's corporate ...
We’re not gonna pay rent
17 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Coaston joins Matt and Dara to talk about exploding housing costs in America’s coastal cities and what we can do about them. References and fur...
Lordy, Omarosa has tapes
14 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Emily Stewart joins Dara and Matt to talk about the perhaps-unbelievable book everyone’s talking about, and the dysfunctional White House that spawn...
#FakeScience
10 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Senior health correspondent Julia Belluz and science reporter Brian Resnick join Dara and Matt to discuss the replication crisis in scientific studies...
The Great Twitter Wars of 2018
07 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Coaston and Dylan Matthews join Ezra to discuss the Sarah Jeong fracas, the Ben Shapiro-Mark Duplass meltdown, the problems with Twitter, the way...
Paul Manafort, alleged ostrich-collar criminal
03 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Prokop joins Dara and Matt to talk about Paul Manafort’s trial and what it means for the larger Russia investigation. References and further ...
The great white panic
31 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Coaston joins Dara, Ezra, and Matt to talk about the racial panic tearing America apart and also salt. References and further reading: Ezra's pie...
“Mission Accomplished,” trade war edition
27 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Congressional reporter Tara Golshan joins Dara and Matt to break down Trump’s kinda sorta trade deal with the EU and ongoing trade tensions with Chi...
What Republicans can do on Trump and Russia
24 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Matt, Dara and Ezra talk about Republicans, Trump and Russia. Plus: A research paper reveals how Dara lost on College Jeopardy. References and furthe...
It’s surprisingly easy to get away with murder in America
20 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Senior criminal justice reporter German Lopez joins Dara and Matt to talk about the high number of unsolved homicides in America. References and furt...
There’s collusion, and then there’s collusion
17 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Ezra, and Matt discuss President Trump's remarkable performance in Helsinki and new research on employers colluding to hold down pay. Links: D...
Republicans' plan for health care: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
13 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dylan Scott joins Dara and Matt to talk about the Trump administration’s latest moves to destabilize health insurance markets. Dylan's piece on ris...
Brett Kavanaugh and the future of the Supreme Court
10 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Ezra, and Matt break down what we know about Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court References and further reading: Paper about Norwegian immigr...
1,2,3,4 Trump declares a trade war
06 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Staff writer Zeeshan Aleem joins Dara and Matt to break down what's really happening with Trump and trade, and how much it matters. References and fu...
Family detention is the new family separation
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Matt, Dara and Ezra talk about the Trump administration's use of family detention as an alternative to family separation. Then they turn to a white pa...
America’s Next Top Supreme Court Justice
29 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Vox senior politics reporter Jane Coaston joins Matt and Dara to talk about the future of the Supreme Court without Justice Kennedy. References and f...
With borders wide open
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ezra returns from the wilds of book leave to talk about open borders with Dara and Matt. References and further reading: Dara's piece on the 1996 i...
The messy drama queens of the Supreme Court
22 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
While Sarah, Matt and Ezra are away Dara is joined by Dylan Matthews and Andrew Prokop to talk about the friction between how the Supreme Court says i...
Which children matter?
19 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Senior politics reporter Jane Coaston joins Dara and Matt to talk about the ideological roots of Donald Trump's family separation policy. References ...
Ask Weeds Anything...Again!
15 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara and Matt answer your questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why 12-step programs work — and family separation doesn’t
12 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
While Sarah and Matt are away Dara is joined by Vox.com congressional reporters Tara Golshan and Ella Nilsen to talk about immigration and family sepa...
Can we get tough on rapists without being “tough on crime”?
08 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara and Matt talk about the recent recall of Judge Aaron Persky, the California judge who sentenced former Stanford University swimmer Brock T...
Cake Wars, Supreme Court edition
05 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dara, Sarah and Matt trace the Supreme Court Masterpiece Cakeshop ruling back to peyote and then discuss a Swedish study about lottery winners. Refer...
Trump isn’t losing immigrant kids, but he is taking them from their parents
01 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah and Matt are joined by Vox.com Congress reporter Tara Golshan to talk about missing children, separated families, and the latest immigration act...
The debate over “no excuses” charter schools, explained
29 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Libby Nelson, Vox.com news editor and former education reporter, joins Matt and Sarah to talk about the discipline practices and educational outcomes ...
Nobody has babies anymore (except Sarah)
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah and Matt talk about America’s rapidly falling birthrate, and a study on the long-term benefit of the 1980s Medicaid expansion. References and...
Caught in the Intellectual Dark Web
18 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Senior politics reporter Jane Coaston joins Dara and Matt to debate the “identity politics” backlash and the prospects for pluralism. References ...
Drugs! (But not the fun kind)
15 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara and Matt discuss the the exorbitant cost of prescription drugs and a white paper that looks at the correlation between counties that vote ...
The many scandals of Michael Cohen
11 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Vox.com senior political reporter Andrew Prokop joins Dara and Matt to explain the strange tale of Donald Trump’s lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, w...
Did you read the memo about the TPS reports?
08 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara, and Matt analyze Trump’s drastic rollback of Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Honduras, El Salvador, and Haiti and discus...
Should psychiatrists diagnose Trump? Should journalists?
04 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Vox's science reporter Brian Resnick joins Dara and Sarah to talk about psychiatry's Goldwater Rule, which has never met a test like Donald Trump. Re...
What if the government guaranteed everyone a job?
01 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Vox's Dylan Matthews joins Sarah and Matt to break down the jobs guarantee debate and discuss research on a promising school desegregation initiative ...
Ambien for all, Ronny Jackson and the VA, explained
27 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Congressional reporter Ella Nilsen makes her Weeds debut joining Sarah and Matt to break down the botched nomination at the Veterans’ Administration...
Speaker Ryan had a farm bill (E-I-E-I-O)
24 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara and Matt discuss a Republican farm bill that would impose work requirements on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) beneficia...
Boiling the frogs of war
20 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Zack Beauchamp joins Dara and Matt to explain the ever-expanding 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force and Trump's even more expansive lega...
Honor cults in the FBI and Norwegian military
17 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Matt, Sarah and Dara work backward from James Comey through FBI history and discover an 18th-century demon hidden in the Constitution. No, really. Re...
All 👏 payer 👏 rate 👏 setting 👏
13 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to talk about Paul Ryan's retirement, his legacy, and the Weedsiest health reform of all. References: Sarah's all-p...
The imprudent Scott Pruitt
10 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sirens galore, as the team races through Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt's many, many scandals and a white paper about unne...
Sinclair’s alarming takeover of local TV news
06 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dylan Matthews joins Sarah and Matt to break down the history of Sinclair Broadcast Group, its politics, and the regulatory favors that fueled its gro...
Is Donald Trump ruining the Census?
03 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah, Dara, and Matt talk about the citizenship question, funding, and the potential consequences of a botched enumeration. Plus a weedsy dive into p...
The optimistic take is things have always been bad (Worldly crossover)
30 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Weeds/Worldly crossover event continues: Jennifer Williams tries to persuade Dara and Matt they're wrong about an Islamophobic shift in Trump's ne...