What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Republicans who still haven’t accepted that Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in 2020 are recruiting “a volunteer army” of poll watchers and poll workers for upcoming elections. For those who want transparent and fair elections, an influx of enthusiasm is theoretically a good thing. But if new poll workers and poll watchers have an agenda— chasing after fraud that didn’t happen—can they hurt more than they help?  Guest: Alexandra Berzon, investigative reporter for the New York Times. Guest hosted by Mary C. Curtis, columnist at Roll Call and host of its Equal Time podcast.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sixth Amendment is supposed to guarantee the right to a fair trial—including a lawyer, even if the defendant can’t afford one. But Indigent Defense is woefully underfunded and, sometimes, State-appointed lawyers are nowhere near as competent as Federal attorneys. A new Supreme Court ruling makes it more difficult to use exonerating evidence discovered on a federal level to prove innocence, even if state counsel didn’t look for it.Guest: Leah Litman, law professor at University of Michigan, specializing in constitutional law and federal courts, and co-host of the podcast Strict ScrutinyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some call him revolutionary. Others call him a hack. Is his success warranted?Guest: Ashlee VanceHost: Lizzie O'LearyThanks Avast.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Schools have spent millions to detect threats online. It mostly doesn’t work.Guest: Arijit SenHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a mass shooting, gun manufacturers follow a set playbook—they offer “thoughts and prayers,” go quiet, and wait for the bump in sales driven by fear of new gun restrictions. The company Daniel Defense’s products were used in Uvalde and in the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Do they have a responsibility for how they market their rifles—or how their weapons are used?Guest: Todd C. Frankel is an enterprise reporter on the Washington Post's Financial desk, covering people and policy.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you want to understand the way inequality is baked into the systems and structures all around us, examining the pay equity issue in U.S. soccer is a pretty good place to start. But after a six-year battle, the U.S. Women’s National Team struck an agreement with U.S. Soccer, ensuring equal pay for equal work for the men’s and women’s teams — another victory for a team that doesn’t take no for an answer. Guest: Christina Cauterucci, senior writer at Slate and a former middle school soccer star.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the shooting in Uvalde, we talked to a Texas reporter who has covered mass shootings for five years. The Lone Star state remains a GOP strong-hold, which means Texas Republicans tailor their messaging and legislation to avoid being primaried from the right. This impacts how gun laws are written and how mental health is instead elevated, leaving both underserved.Guest: Lauren McGaughy, investigative reporter, the Dallas Morning News.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can current surveillance infrastructure tell us about online privacy after the fall of Roe? Guest: Lily Hay NewmanHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is El Salvador heading for default after going all in on crypto?Guest: Anna-Cat BrigidaHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is El Salvador heading for default after going all in on crypto?Guest: Anna-Cat BrigidaHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.