Explain It to Me

Jane, Dara, and Matt on convalescent plasma, FDA reform, and the politics of science. Resources: "Trump used a rare disease survivor to take a shot at the FDA" by Julia Belluz, Vox "Making American Great Again–The FDA" by Alex Tabarrok, Marginal Revolution "Reopening schools safely is going to take much more federal leadership" by Matthew Yglesias, Vox "Straight talk on the FDA’s tumultuous weekend — and new questions about its independence" by Adam Feuerstein & Matthew Herper, Stat News One Billion Americans by Matthew Yglesias White paper Hosts: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior Correspondent, Vox Jane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, Vox Dara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublica Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25 Aug 202049min

Ezra and Matt stay up late to review Joe Biden's big speech and the Democrats' big week. Resources: "Obama’s Convention Speech Is the First Time I Have Seen Him Scared" by Jonathan Chait, NY Mag "The tragedy of Hillary Clinton" by Ezra Klein, Vox Hosts: Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, Vox Ezra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, Vox Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Aug 20201h 4min

Jane, Dara, and Matt on the health and history of the postal service, the political games being played, and what it means for November's election.  Resources: "The Post Office Mess Is Meant to Exhaust You. Don’t Let It." by Charlie Warzel, New York Times "On the Post Office 'sabotage'" by Jay Caruso, The Monday Notice "Why We Should Love The Post Office" by Addison Del Mastro, The American Conservative "USPS badly needs an overhaul, but not smack in the middle of the Trump-Biden campaign" by Paul Brandus, USA Today "State officials rush to shore up confidence in Nov. 3 election as voters express new fears about mail voting" by Amy Gardner and Seung Min Kim, WaPo Postmaster General Louis DeJoy Statement White paper Hosts: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior Correspondent, Vox Jane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, Vox Dara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublica Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Aug 202052min

Ezra and Matt on Republican policy nihilism and the Kamala Harris pick. Resources: "Kamala Harris Is Biden’s Choice for Vice President" by Alexander Burns and Katie Glueck, NYT "How inequality and white identity politics feed each other" with Paul Pierson and Jacob Hacker, Ezra Klein Show podcast Hosts: Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, Vox Ezra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, Vox Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 Aug 202057min

Vox's Emily Stewart joins Dara and Jane to discuss the relationship between "the market" and the "real economy." Resources: "The Stock Market Is an Engine of Civic Destruction" by Libby Watson, New Republic "Who gets to be reckless on Wall Street?" by Emily Stewart, Vox Hosts: Dara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublica Jane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, Vox Emily Stewart (@EmilyStewartM), Reporter, Vox Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11 Aug 202041min

Ezra and Matt on Susan Rice, Kamala Harris, and Trump’s increasingly chaotic authoritarianism. Resources: "What we know about Joe Biden’s possible vice presidential picks" by Ella Nilsen, Vox "Harris allies granted call with Biden campaign after Dodd blowup" by Christopher Cadelago & Natasha Korecki, Politico "Think the world is on fire? Obama’s national security adviser says things are better than ever." by Zack Beauchamp, Vox "How inequality is changing the Republican Party — and breaking American politics" by Ezra Klein, Vox Hosts: Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, Vox Ezra Klein (@ezraklein), Editor-at-large, Vox Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

7 Aug 202050min

Jane, Dara, and Matt on the congressional deadlock over economic aid. Resources: "“The jobs aren’t there”: Why cutting off enhanced unemployment benefits would leave workers in the lurch" by Li Zhou, Vox "Senate GOP Coronavirus Bill Has Some Good Provisions but Needs Serious Work" by Adam Michel, Rachel Greszler, Lindsey M. Burke, & Brian Finch, Heritage Foundation "The Zombie Reaganism Trap" by Peter Spiliakos, National Review White paper Hosts: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior Correspondent, Vox Jane Coaston (@cjane87), Senior politics correspondent, Vox Dara Lind (@DLind), Immigration reporter, ProPublica Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4 Aug 202057min

John McWhorter joins Matt to discuss the changing way we talk about racism in America. Resources: "“Latinx” is growing in popularity. I made a comic to help you understand why." by Terry Blas, Vox "Racist Police Violence Reconsidered" by John McWhorter, Quillette "The Virtue Signalers Won’t Change the World" by John McWhorter, The Atlantic "The Dehumanizing Condescension of White Fragility" by John McWhorter, The Atlantic "‘This Is How We Lost to the White Man’" by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic "The Case for Reparations" by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic Ibram X. Kendi wants to redefine racism, The Ezra Klein Show, VMPN Guest: John McWhorter (@JohnHMcWhorter), Professor at Columbia University / Host of the Lexicon Valley podcast, Slate Hosts: Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Senior correspondent, Vox Credits: Jeff Geld, (@jeff_geld), Editor and Producer The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts About Vox Vox 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.com Facebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

31 Jul 20201h 10min