Explain It to Me

Is Facebook bad?

27 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Sarah and Ezra on a new, blockbuster study on racial mobility — and whether Mark Zuckerberg should shut down Facebook. References: Race and ...

Cambridge Analytica: Scandal, hype, or both?

23 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Prokop, senior politics reporter for Vox.com, joins Dara and Matt to break down the scandal that’s rocking the worlds of technology and polit...

The opioid debate: could reversing overdoses worsen the epidemic?

20 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

An economics working paper finds that access to Naloxone, a drug to reverse opioid overdoses, may increase opioid abuse. Sarah and Ezra explain the pa...

Abolish ICE

16 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dara and Matt break down the history of Immigration & Customs Enforcement: how it got this way, and why some on the left want it to go away. Le...

Trigger warning: Discussion of White House chaos and political correctness

13 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Vox senior politics reporter Jane Coaston joins Ezra and Matt to talk about Trump turmoil, political correctness and the latest research on the state ...

Nickname fights and wildcat strikes

09 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Vox Politics & Policy reporter Alexia Fernandez-Campbell joins Dara and Matt to talk about the West Virginia teachers strike. References: Alexia’...

Relief at last for America’s long-suffering banks

06 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about a bipartisan bank deregulation bill, Medicaid work requirements, and constitutional hardball. References: Mark Tush...

Guns, Weeds, and Steel

02 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Vox senior politics reporter Jane Coaston joins Dara and Matt to talk about a week of extremely erratic policymaking from an increasingly chaotic Trum...

Medicare for Many More

27 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to talk about a new universal health care plan — plus some exciting administrative data from the good-old USA! ...

The stupidest fucking idea I’ve ever heard

23 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

There are also some good ideas discussed. All of them are about guns. German Lopez joins Dara and Matt to talk about gun control in the wake of the Pa...

It's finally infrastructure week

20 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about what’s really wrong with American infrastructure, the massacre in Parkland, FL, and new research on legislators’ ...

DACApocalypse in the Senate

16 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Dara, and Andrew Prokop talk about the Senate's failed immigration push, and they parse through the many-layered Rob Porter scandal. DACA/Immig...

The gender pay gap is mostly about children

13 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Ezra, Sarah, and Dylan Matthews try to explain Trump’s budget and Disability Insurance. For today's white paper: Move over Swedish administrat...

The six-hour shutdown, explained

09 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Dara, and Tara Golshan, all weary from lack of sleep, try to make sense of the few hours on Thursday night/Friday morning when the government wa...

What's up with Amazon's health venture — and the stock market

06 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Ezra, and Sarah talk about the Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan announcement about their joint healthcare venture, as well as the recen...

MS-13, explained

02 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dara, Matt, and Zack Beauchamp talk about the policy failures that created the gang haunting Donald Trump's dreams. Referenced Works Are there more ...

The state of our podcast is strong

31 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt parse through Trump's State of the Union address and the response delivered by Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Referenced Works: Matt's ...

The white genocide episode you’ve been waiting for

26 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A DACA ransom note from the White House prompts Matt, Dara and Jane Coaston to muse on whose nation this is, anyway. Referenced Works The American C...

Shutdown deal special

22 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dara, Sarah, and Ezra dig into the details of the new shutdown deal — and what it means for the future of shutdown politics. Learn more about...

The Shutdown Special

19 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A few hours before a looming shutdown, DC is a very postmodern place. Referenced works: Dara on the DACA situation Dylan Matthew on past shutdowns...

No one wants to take responsibility for sick kids or fake news

16 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Ezra, and Sarah talk about Mark Zuckerberg's recent announcement regarding what Facebook will focus on in 2018, and the state of the Children's ...

Shithole special

12 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The mask slipped with Trump's "shithole" comments, and Matt and Dara take a hard look at what lies beneath it. Content warning: explicit policy discus...

Lie back, light up, and enjoy some executive time

09 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

German Lopez joins Matt and Sarah to talk about Attorney General Jeff Sessions' most recent move on marijuana, how Trump spends his time, and child mo...

Winter, explained

05 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Brian Resnick joins Dara and Matt to talk about the 'bomb cyclone' and how it relates to the climate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

Why is US life expectancy falling?

02 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's only the second day of 2018, and Matt, Ezra, and Sarah are already talking about alarming statistics--this time, to do with average American life...

The most undercovered policy stories of 2017

29 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah returns from New Zealand in time to reflect with Matt on the year in policy. White paper: Uniform Pricing in US Retail Chains Learn more...

Ask Weeds Anything!

22 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Ezra, and Sarah answer your questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tax reforms and garbage factories

19 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Ezra talk about what the tax bill actually does, whether the deficit matters, and a white paper about rugged individualism. White paper: Fro...

The Great Awokening comes to Congress

15 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Dara, and Tara Golshan talk about how Congress does and doesn’t handle sexual harassment allegations. Learn more about your ad choices....

Alabama senate special

13 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Ezra talk about the result of the Alabama senate race and the state of the GOP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoice...

Is the FBI good now?

08 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Dara, and German Lopez discuss the (shallow, according to some) politics of pro-FBI liberals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod...

Net neutrality, explained (Also! Why CVS is buying Aetna)

05 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Ezra, and Sarah talk through the argument around net neutrality, the possible CVS-Aetna merger, and a white paper about who becomes an inventor ...

How the GOP is weaponizing the tax code

01 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Dara Lind, and Vox contributor Mike Konczal talk tax reform and Democrats' sexual harassment problem. Learn more about your ad choices. ...

Five big problems with the GOP tax plan

28 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Ezra parse through the many flaws of the tax bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A very Weeds Thanksgiving

21 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about what they're thankful for this year — plus disturbing new research about gender bias in surgical referrals. White ...

Tax reform special

17 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Tara Golshan and Dylan Scott join Matt to break down the two different GOP tax bills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co...

Republicans’ Roy Moore problem

14 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Sarah discuss allegations against Roy Moore, Trump's new pick for Health and Human Services secretary, and a slightly better work week. Whi...

Virginia is for Democrats

10 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dara Lind and Andrew Prokop join Matt to talk about this week’s election results and the implications for 2018. Learn more about your ad choi...

The vaunted, versatile VAT

07 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Ezra, and Sarah talk about the possibility of a Value-Added Tax, midterm elections, and acid rain. Mentioned works: A Fine Mess: A Global Que...

The tax bill's winners and many, many losers

03 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Scott and Dylan Matthews join Matt to talk about House Republicans’ tax plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co...

Indictment special! Plus: is Paul Ryan cowardly or courageous?

31 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The gang talks about recent developments in the Russia investigation, and Sarah tells us what she learned visiting Canada with Bernie Sanders. ...

Purge 3: The Bannoning

27 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Prokop joins Matt to talk about Steve Bannon’s war on the GOP establishment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co...

Republicans: "Math" means you have to cut taxes on the rich. Weeds: Nope.

24 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk more tax reform, John Kelly's failure to fix the Trump administration, and new research on dental scams. White paper: Heal...

How immigration took over Virginia’s governor race

20 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dara Lind and Andrew Prokop join Matt to talk about the surprisingly interesting governor’s election in Virginia. Learn more about your ad ch...

The Impact: The curious case of the $629 Band Aid

18 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Introducing The Impact, a new show from Vox hosted by Sarah Kliff.  The Impact explores how policy affects real lives. This season, we’re focusing...

How do you solve a problem like Harvey Weinstein?

17 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt dig into the Harvey Weinstein story, talk a bit about tax reform, and cover new research on Medicaid expansion and savings. Whi...

Trump couldn't repeal Obamacare, so he's making it worse

13 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to dive into the newest forms of Obamacare sabotage, and to talk about heroin. Learn more about your ad choice...

CHIPping away at gerrymandering

10 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about CHIP reauthorization, the Supreme Court's big gerrymandering case, and a seminal Richard Thaler paper (Mental Account...

Republicans have big dreams and big problems on tax reform

06 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Matthews and Andrew Prokop join Matt to talk about Republicans hopes, dreams, and nightmares on tax reform. Learn more about your ad choi...

Australia solved its gun problem. Could America?

03 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about gun control in the wake of Las Vegas, the GOP tax reform blueprint, and job-sharing in Germany. White paper: The Emp...

The Puerto Rico disaster and Trump's inadequate response

29 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Eliza Barclay and Alexia Fernández Campbell join Matt to talk about Hurricane Maria and its aftermath. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

What's budget reconciliation, and how did it eat the Senate?

26 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt delve into Senate procedure arcana, break down the latest GOP repeal bill, and talk about a surprisingly easy way to reduce thef...

Weeds Live: Canadian immigration and a health insurance experiment

22 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dara Lind joins Matt and Sarah at the Now Hear This Festival to discuss the Canadian immigration system, and the audience chooses a white paper (https...

The worst GOP healthcare bill yet

20 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ezra and Sarah parse through Graham-Cassidy, the latest Republican repeal bill. White paper: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3025...

White House Chinese food summit leads to congressional chaos

15 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Congressional reporters Jeff Stein and Tara Golshan join Matt to talk about congressional Democrats' hopes and Republicans' fears. Learn more a...

BernieCare and Hillary's abandoned UBI

13 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt discuss Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All bill and Hillary Clinton's musings on creating a national version of the Alaska Permane...

Weeds Live: Atul Gawande on opioids, end of life care, and rock and roll

08 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Atul Gawande is a surgeon and the author of Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Sarah interviewed him live, asking about the opioid ep...

Trump's art of the sabotage

06 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah and Matt discuss DACA, ACA implementation, and some game-changing new research on the real history of all-payer rate setting. White paper: Un...

Deferred action podcasting

01 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dara Lind joins Matt to talk about the past, present, and future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Learn more about...

The policy origins of America's most expensive natural disaster

30 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah and Matt talk about the policy errors behind Hurricane Harvey's devastation, the single-payer wonk gap, and new research on kindergarten red shi...

Donald Trump vs the congressional GOP

25 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Tara Golshan and Andrew Prokop join Matt to talk about the bad blood between Trump and Mitch McConnell. Links! Andrew's interview with Dave Hopkins ...

How the rich ate all the growth

23 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ezra and Matt discuss two big papers that help explain America's economic malaise: Income and Wealth Inequality: Evidence and Policy Implications Th...

Statue limitations

18 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Libby Nelson and German Lopez join Matt to discuss the politics and history of Confederate monuments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

A very meritorious podcast

16 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt break down Trump's plan to slash legal immigration, a new way to sabotage Obamacare, and research on ER scams. Got a bill fr...

Can John Kelly fix the Trump administration? Can anyone?

11 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dara Lind and Andrew Prokop join Matt to talk about Kelly's record as DHS Secretary and Trump's bizarre Twitter feud with Mitch McConnell. Lea...

Is Google in an "ideological echo chamber"?

09 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt, Ezra, and Sarah talk about the now-infamous Google memo, the Democrats' plan for prescription drug pricing, and a study on opioid prescriptions ...

The bacon fat theory of school segregation, and some White House chaos

02 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ezra, Sarah and Alvin Chang talk about the quiet return of segregation in schools, chaos in the Trump White House, and taxing marijuana. Links!The Wa...

ACA repeal is finally dead (maybe)

28 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Matt, and Dylan Scott analyze the night Trumpcare died and what's next for health care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc...

Skinny repeal and Trump's management by tweet

26 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about yet another Obamacare repeal plan, Trump's feud with Jeff Sessions, and new research on retail health clinics. ...

A deep dive on basic income

21 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Matthews joins Matt to discuss the three different version of universal basic income, and why only one of them is good. Learn more about ...

At last, a Weeds about weed (also Obamacare)

19 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about Democrats' plans to improve Obamacare and new evidence that smoking pot makes you bad at math. Links! White paper: ...

McConnellCare II: Cruz Control

14 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Sarah sit down with Dylan Scott to talk through all the nitty gritty details of the Senate's latest health care plan. Links! Ezra de...

Minimum wage research showdown (also Russia)

12 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt wonk out on the latest minimum wage research and Ted Cruz's new health plan — plus some Russia stuff, too. White Paper: Mi...

Understanding the opioid epidemic

07 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Drug policy reporter German Lopez joins Matt for a close look at the biggest drug overdose crisis in American history. Learn more about your ad...

Trumpism and travel bans

05 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dara Lind and Dylan Matthews join Ezra to talk about the updated travel ban, how Trumpism has translated into policy, and the impact that increasingly...

Meanwhile, House Republicans are trying to write a budget

30 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Tankersley and Tara Golshan join Matt to talk about House Republicans' struggles to write a budget resolution and get their tax reform agenda on t...

CB--Oh no this health care bill is terrible too

28 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

A new CBO score on the latest Obamacare repeal bill pushes Sarah to the breaking point!Links:Follow along as Matt, Ezra, and Sarah read through the CB...

Senate Republicans' health care idea: Make the poor pay more for less

23 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Senate health care bill is out — and Sarah, Ezra, and Matt are back in the studio to dive into the details of what it means for the marketplaces...

Georgia (and Obamacare repeal) on our minds

21 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about Tuesday's special elections and the soon-to-be-released Senate health care bill. Learn more about your ad choi...

Trump’s “buck stops somewhere else” foreign policy

16 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Foreign editors Yochi Dreazen and Jennifer Williams join Matt to talk about the diplomatic crisis in Qatar and the never-ending war in Afghanistan. ...

Legends of the secret health care bill

14 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt take the deepest look they can at Senate Republicans' secret health care bill, plus a quick look at Jeff Sessions’s non-answer...

Infrastructure week (jk it's about Comey)

09 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dara Lind and Yochi Dreazen join Matt to talk about Comey's testimony and the larger consequences of the Russia investigation. Learn more about...

Meet Sprinklecare

08 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about competing single-payer bills in Nevada and California, plus research on the value of access to the Obama White House....

Jared Kushner: International man of mystery

02 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Matthews and politics reporter Andrew Prokop join Matt to talk about the Paris Accords and the mysterious role of the First Son-in-Law. L...

A platinum get out of jail free card

31 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about the real causes of mass incarceration, Trump's move to roll back contraceptive coverage, and the mysterious world of ...

Weeds in the Wild: Tennessee's Healthcare Bald Spot

29 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Kliff travels to Tennessee to see what it looks like when Obamacare explodes.Links!Sarah's piece about her trip to Tennessee More details about ...

CB--Oh, this bill stinks

26 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about the new CBO score of Trumpcare and the results of this week's special election in Montana. Learn more about yo...

Trump's budget has landed, and it's terrible

24 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

A tanned and rested Ezra joins Matt and Sarah to talk budget, auto-enrollment in health care, and some eye-popping research on zoning.Links:Sarah's pi...

All the Trump scandal drama you've been craving

19 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Yochi Dreazen and Jennifer Williams join Matt to talk about the new Trump/Russia special counsel and the latest scandal swirling around Michael Flynn....

Trump chaos, UBI, and the fracking baby boom

17 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Matthews joins Sarah and Matt to talk about Trump's latest problems, his reporting on basic income in Kenya, and new research on fracking's impa...

Weeds in the Wild: Free Money... For Everyone!

12 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

One of the world’s first universal basic income experiments is happening right now in a small Kenyan village. Dylan Matthews went there to investiga...

The wall in our hearts

10 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Vox's Dara Lind joins Sarah and Matt to talk about James Comey's firing, the border wall, and whether incomes have really been as stagnant as they see...

AHCApocalypse III

05 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to discuss the surprisingly swift passage of a revised and reanimated version of Paul Ryan's repeal bill. Lear...

High-Risk Podcasting

03 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about Congress's big spending deal, Republicans' newest Obamacare repeal idea, and research on what happens when abortion p...

AHCApocalypse II

28 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Live at Vox Conversations, Sarah, Ezra, and Matt discuss the GOP's doomed effort to reboot Obamacare repeal and the White House's "new" tax reform "pl...

French elections, national service, and Queens at war

26 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Libby Nelson and Dylan Matthews join Matt to talk about the global nationalist tide, forcing integration across class and ethnic lines, and research o...

Weeds Live!

19 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In front of their first-ever live audience, Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about Trump surprises, Singapore's health care system, and the impact of longev...

Weeds in the Wild: Meet Joan, the Robotic Pelvis

14 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah and Byrd take a look at some policy experiments working to drive down teen pregnancy and abortion rates. They're showing promising results — b...

The World's Worst Club

12 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah and Matt are joined by Dara Lind for a discussion of the United fiasco, Trump-era immigration enforcement, and pre-K's surprising health benefit...

Nuclear Winter

05 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Tankersley joins Sarah and Matt to talk tax reform, senate procedure, and the most exciting Swedish administrative data yet. Learn more abo...