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John, Emily and David discuss Biden’s approval numbers, authoritarianism on the rise, and they are joined by author Jay Caspian Kang to talk about his new book, The Loneliest Americans.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:FiveThirtyEight, Latest Polls Isaac Chotiner for the New Yorker: “Can Biden’s Agenda Survive Inflation?”Jason Furman for the Wall Street Journal: “​​Biden Can Whip Inflation and Build Back Better”The Loneliest Americans, by Jay Caspian KangPew Research Center: “Where Do You Fit In The Political Typology?”Christopher Borrelli for the Chicago Tribune: “What We’re Reading: 4 Korean American Memoirs, From Personal Stories To An Unsettling Confrontation on Identity and Assimilation”Anne Appelbaum for the Atlantic: “The Bad Guys Are Winning”Freedom House: “Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy Under Siege”The Dictator's Learning Curve: Inside the Global Battle for Democracy, by William J. DobsonTwitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest, by Zeynep Tufekci Zeynep Tufekci for the Atlantic: “How the Coronavirus Revealed Authoritarianism’s Fatal Flaw”Here’s this week’s chatter:Emily: Ashley Southall and Jonah E. Bromwich for the New York Times: “2 Men Convicted of Killing Malcolm X Will Be Exonerated After Decades”John: The Faber Book of Reportage, by John Carey; The Way We Live Now, by Anthony Trollope audiobook David: Geoffrey Leavenworth for the New York Times: “One Chaste Marriage, Four Kids, and the Catholic Church”; Spencer Buell for Boston magazine: “New England Hidden Gems You’ll Find on the New Atlas Obscura App”; City Cast HoustonListener chatter from Melissa Ocepek: A fox listens to the banjoFor this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, and David discuss the most useful friend to have.Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beto O’Rourke is running to replace Greg Abbott as governor of Texas. Though it’s his first time in this particular race, you’d be forgiven for thinking, “again?” Where does this habitually-losing smooth-talking Irish-guy-with-a-bordertown-nickname fit into a state with changing demographics and an incumbent governor under assault from both the right and left? Is Beto building a coalition, or heading for a third and final defeat?Guest: Patrick Svitek, political correspondent for the Texas Tribune.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.

After dragging its feet on reopening schools this winter, the San Francisco Unified School District school board is under fire. Their every decision is being scrutinized by angry parents and three of its members are facing recall elections. What happens when the school board debate comes to the Bay? Guest: Jill Tucker, education writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. 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.

Members of an Orange County mosque noticed a new convert was asking some strange questions. He turned out to be an FBI informant. Will the Supreme Court allow the bureau to be held accountable? Guest: Rowaida Abdelaziz, national reporter covering Islamophobia & immigration for HuffPost.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.

You’ve likely heard about the great resignation -- this moment when millions of workers across the country have handed in their notice. Sometimes, people left because they were overworked. Sometimes, it’s because they wanted to change paths, or make more money elsewhere. But for every employee quitting, there’s an employer being quit on. These are stories from the great resignation: Who’s quitting, who’s hiring, and how long this moment is likely to last. Guests:Betsey Stevenson, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan.Rachel, a recently resigned employee from Massachusetts.Julia James, co-owner of Radish and Rye Food Hub in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 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.

Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 5, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by Edmund Lee, longtime media industry reporter for The New York Times to talk about the real-life influences behind Sandy and Sandy, the big board meeting, and invisible cats.  Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael talk about the deconglomeration of Johnson & Johnson and General Electric, the impact worker revenge has on inflation, and Elon Musk’s big Twitter poll costing him ten percent of his stocks.In the Plus segment: Talking on background. Mentioned in the show: “’It’s a walkout!’ Inside the fast-food workers’ season of rebellion” by Greg Jaffe“Updating The Verge’s background policy” by Nilay PatelEmail: slatemoney@slate.comPodcast production by Cheyna Roth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A recent poll showed that about a third of parents of younger children would get their kids vaccinated, a third would not, and the final third said they wanted to wait and see how the vaccines worked.Public health officials are asking: what will it take to convince that third group that now is the time to vaccinate? Guests:Julie HamillDr. Aaron Carroll, pediatrician and professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of MedicineHost: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John and David are joined by guest host Ruth Marcus to discuss Biden’s infrastructure win, Trump’s January 6 obstruction, and the Rittenhouse trial.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Adie Tomer, Joseph W. Kane, Caroline George, and Andrew Bourne, for The Brookings Institution: “America Has An Infrastructure Bill. What Happens Next?”Ruth Marcus for the Washington Post: “At Yale Law School, a Party Invitation Ignites a Firestorm”Josh Dawsey, Isaac Stanley-Becker, and Michael Scherer for The Washington Post: “Donors Threatened to Shun the Gop After Jan. 6. Now, Republicans Are Outraising Democrats.”Sandy West for Kaiser Health News: “‘Drinking Through a Lead Straw’ — $15B Approved to Fix Dangerous Water Pipes”The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, by Jonathan Rauch Here’s this week’s chatter:Ruth: Julian Mark for The Washington Post: “A Fertility Center Mixed Up Two Couples’ Embryos, Lawsuit Says. When They Found Out, They Had To Trade Babies.”David: David is leading an “Exploring a Secret Fort” tour of Fort DeRussy in Washington, D.C. for Atlas Obscura and Airbnb; Jonathan D. Karl for The Atlantic: “The Man Who Made January 6th Possible”John: Pew Research Center: “Where Do You Fit In The Political Typology?”Listener chatter from Tsur Somerville: Reuters: “Wandering Dog is Istanbul Commuters' Best Friend”For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Ruth, John, and David discuss the controversy over the founding of the University of Austin.Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Friday, a surging crowd killed at least eight people and left hundreds injured at Travis Scott’s music festival Astroworld in Houston. Public uproar over the needless deaths has placed responsibility at the rapper’s feet - and at those of police officers who failed to intervene and shut the show down.How did Scott’s signature “raging” spill over into a mass casualty event? And how do we tease out blame between Scott himself, and the way music festivals are run? Guest: Tom Breihan, senior editor at Stereogum. 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.