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
Apr 18, 2019 • 38min
Maybe collusion, probably obstruction [Special Crossover Edition]
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 gives a green light for Russia and other authoritarian powers to intervene in future US elections. Given how important this report is, and how early they got up to cover it, your intrepid hosts were too tired for jokes this week — sorry.The full text of the report, compiled by Alex for your reading pleasureA refresher on who's who in the Trump-Russia universeHere's a look at the collusion section of the report from ZackHere's another take from Zack on Attorney General William Barr's worrying role in all of thisTen examples of potential obstruction in Mueller's report How 11 legal experts evaluate the claims of obstructionZack and Future Perfect's Dylan Matthews break down the big winners and losers from the reportThe Big Vox Explainer on the Mueller report If you liked this episode, we think you’ll like Worldly and The Ezra Klein Show. Tap to learn more and subscribe for free to get new episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 16, 2019 • 58min
Trump Family (Tax) Values
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 auditsWhite paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 12, 2019 • 56min
How Canada got Medicare-for-all done
Ezra returns to discuss filibuster reform and the legacy of Tommy Douglas with Sarah and Matt.Recommended reading:Tommy Douglas named greatest CanadianFilibuster reform explainerSanders and reconciliation explainerDoctor strike explainerWhite paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 9, 2019 • 55min
The Purge: DHS
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 lawThe White House’s wish list for DHS actionsHomeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s resignation, explained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 5, 2019 • 52min
Attack of the clone bills
Matt, Sarah, and Dara copied this discussion of model legislation from an asbestos lobbyist.Recommended reading:USA Today articleArticle on 'ALEC'Research on model legislation 1Research on model legislation 2Research on model legislation 3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 2, 2019 • 50min
Learning from Norway's lesbian mothers
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 aidExplainer on border closureCNN report on Trump’s border briefingsThe US policy of returning Central American asylum seekers to wait in MexicoAn optimistic take on aid and El SalvadorA pessimistic take on aid and El SalvadorWhite paper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 29, 2019 • 42min
Infrastructure Week (and Farm Week and Teacher Week)
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 planKamala Harris's teacher-pay planHuffPost 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 the show. Please take our survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3X6WMNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 26, 2019 • 55min
Mueller's investigation is over. Obamacare repeal isn't.
Sarah, Dara, and Jane discuss the Hill's response to Mueller, the DOJ's siege of Obamacare, and the benefits of IUDs.National Review articleZack Beauchamp's article on the reaction to William Barr's Mueller letterNew York Times article on Mueller reportWhite paperWe 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
Mar 22, 2019 • 52min
Should presidential candidates get into the weeds?
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
Mar 19, 2019 • 56min
The reparations primary
Dara, Jane, and Matt on the unexpected issue of the moment, plus Swedish administrative data on what makes a CEO.Suggested reading:White PaperOriginal Ta-Nehisi Coates essay on reparationsWe 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
