

Explain It to Me
Vox
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 5, 2020 • 53min
Defund the police?
Ezra and Matt on reformism vs radicalism and reimagining law enforcementHosts:Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, VoxEzra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, VoxCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), ProducerJackson Bierfeldt, Editor Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 2, 2020 • 1h 13min
The global class war
Barron's economics commentary Matt Klein explains what's really behind international trade conflictsGuest: Matthew C. Klein (@M_C_Klein) Senior Writer, Barrons and author of Trade Wars Are Class Wars Host:Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, VoxMore to explore:Subscribe to Impeachment, Explained on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, or your favorite podcast app to get stay updated on this story every week.About VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 29, 2020 • 58min
Tweeting through it
Ezra and Matt on Trump's war on social media, plus Joe Biden's policy agenda.*This episode was recorded on Thursday, May 28th, 2020.Resources:"Twitter Must Cleanse the Trump Stain" by Kara Swisher, NYT"Joe Biden has a plan for that" by Matthew Yglesias, VoxHosts:Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, VoxEzra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, VoxCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerThe Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network productionWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26, 2020 • 59min
Joe Biden ain't black
Jane, Dara, and Matt on gaffes and the racial politics of 2020Resources:"Do Joe Biden’s “you ain’t black” comments ultimately matter?" by Fabiola Cineas, VoxWhite paper
Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior Correspondent, VoxJane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, VoxDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublicaCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerThe Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network productionWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 22, 2020 • 52min
The stimulus failure
Ezra and Matt on Trump's pseudo-federalism and Pelosi's strange aversion to automatic stabilizers.Resources:"Nancy Pelosi says Democrats opted against putting federal aid on autopilot in their $3 trillion coronavirus spending package to avoid amplifying sticker shock" by Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Business Insider"Trump Rewrites the Book on Emergencies" by Christopher DeMuth, WSJ "Federalism Is an Asset" by Danielle Allen, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Josh Simons, & Carmel Shachar, HarvardReferences:Recession Ready: Fiscal Policies to Stabilize the American Economy, The Hamilton ProjectFix recessions by giving people money - The Weeds, featuring Claudia SahmThe case for subsidized jobs - The Weeds, featuring Indi Dutta-GuptaHosts:Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, VoxEzra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, VoxCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerThe Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network productionWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 19, 2020 • 52min
Actual enumeration
Dara, Jane, and Matt take a look at America's first pandemic Census.Resources:"The pandemic may leave communities of color undercounted in the census — and cost them billions" by Donna M. Owens, Vox"Trump is still trying to collect citizenship data for redistricting" by Nicole Narea, Vox"A once-in-a-century pandemic collides with a once-in-a-decade census" by Andrew Whitby, Brookings"Over a million Hispanics turned white between the 2000 and 2010 Census" by Matthew Yglesias, VoxWhite paper
Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior Correspondent, VoxJane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, VoxDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublicaCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerThe Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network productionWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 15, 2020 • 55min
The psychology of opening up
Ezra and Matt on the deep roots (or not) of the lockdown debate.Resources:"Experts’ 7 best ideas on how to beat Covid-19 and save the economy" by Matthew Yglesias, Vox"This drawing explains a surprising amount about your political views" by Matthew Yglesias, Vox"America’s coronavirus testing numbers are really improving — finally" by German Lopez"The Density Divide" by Will Wilkinson, Niskanen Center"Trump Rewrites the Book on Emergencies" by Christopher DeMuth, WSJ"Without More Tests, America Can’t Reopen" by Ezekiel J. Emanuel &Paul M. RomerBooks referenced:Prius or Pickup? by Jonathan Weiler & Marc HetheringtonOpen versus Closed by Christopher M. Federico, Howard G. Lavine, & Christopher D. JohnstonHosts:Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, VoxEzra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, VoxCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerThe Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network productionWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 12, 2020 • 1h 5min
Will the economy bounce back?
Dara, Jane, and Matt on the road ahead for the worst labor market since the Great Depression.Resources:"As deaths mount, Trump tries to convince Americans it’s safe to inch back to normal" by Josh Dawsey, Ashley Parker, Philip Rucker and Yasmeen Abutaleb, Washington Post"Get ready for a second wave of economic pain" by Matthew Yglesias, Vox"The economy is in free fall. So why isn’t the stock market?" by Emily Stewart, VoxWhite paper
Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior Correspondent, VoxJane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, VoxDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublicaCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerThe Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network productionWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 8, 2020 • 51min
Reopening without a plan
Ezra and Matt on America's lost month and what happens next.Resources:"April was another lost month for Trump’s coronavirus response" by German Lopez, Vox"Flattening the curve isn’t good enough" by Matthew Yglesias, Vox"COVID-19: The CIDRAP Viewpoint" by Peter M. Sandman & Jody Lanard, Cidrap"Canada succeeded on coronavirus where America failed. Why?" by Zack Beauchamp, Vox"US coronavirus data is at odds with Trump’s push to get the economy back up and running" by Aaron Rupar, VoxHosts:Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, VoxEzra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, VoxCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerThe Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network productionWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 5, 2020 • 1h 7min
How to win elections
Dara, Jane, and Matt break down the great mobilization vs persuasion debate.Resources:"What Happened in the Georgia Gubernatorial Election?" Catalist Analytics, Medium"The case for taking Trump’s black outreach seriously" by Matthew Yglesias, Vox"Michelle Obama Is Mad at ‘Our Folks,’ Not Trump Voters: ‘That’s My Trauma’" by Kevin Fallon, Daily BeastWhite paperHosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior Correspondent, VoxJane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, VoxDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublicaCredits:Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and ProducerWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


