
The Weeds Year-End Spectacular
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt share what they learned in 2018, predictions for 2019, and their favorite research of the year. Links: Matt's white paper pick Sarah's white paper pick Ezra's white paper pick Sarah’s ER opus Ezra on white threat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
28 Dec 201856min

Congress actually did something important
Jane, Dara, and Matt analyze the substance and political context of the big bipartisan criminal justice reform bill. References and further reading: German Lopez explains the First Step Act Jane’s piece on Kanye West’s meeting with President Trump James Forman Jr. examines why many African American leaders supported the war on crime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
21 Dec 20181h 1min

Bernie and Biden and Beto, oh my!
Sarah, Ezra, and Matt decide it’s not too soon to start talking about the 2020 election. Plus — Obamacare litigation forever! References and further reading: Matt’s explainer on the Democratic field for 2020 Matt’s piece on Joe Biden’s policy ideas A previous episode of The Weeds on the Obamacare lawsuit Ezra’s piece on the Texas ruling against Obamacare Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
18 Dec 201849min

A big, beautiful podcast about the border wall
Matt, Dara, and Jane discuss what happens when engineering crushes dreams. Links: For an in-depth read on the border wall, here's a great explainer. The GAO report Dara cited can be found here. And here's the Atlantic article that Matt mentioned about the ICE crackdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
14 Dec 201857min

A Weeds farewell to Paul Ryan
Jane, Ezra, and Matt consider Paul Ryan’s legacy and new research on crime and the minimum wage. References and further reading: Ezra’s piece on House Speaker Paul Ryan’s legacy Matt’s essay following the announcement of Paul Ryan’s retirement Ted Cruz’s confusing tweet of Beto O’Rourke speaking on the shooting of Botham Jean A white paper examines the effects on criminal recidivism when states increase minimum wages Annie Lowrey’s piece in the Atlantic on a jobs guarantee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
11 Dec 201855min

Pod Save the US-Saudi alliance?
Special guest Tommy Vietor of Crooked Media’s Pod Save the World joins Dara and Matt to break down the anti-Saudi backlash sweeping Washington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
7 Dec 201846min

Midwest Republicans lost in 2018 — but they’re not giving up power
Jane, Ezra, and Matt talk about state-level GOP power grabs and the curious case of Trump’s disappearing populism. References and further reading: Tara Golshan’s piece on the recent legislation proposed by GOP lawmakers David Frum’s book and Yascha Mounk’s book on populism and the threat to democracy Ezra’s conversation with Nate Silver Matt’s explainer on the Indiana Carrier factory Michael Brendan Dougherty’s essay on the support Trump needs after the 2018 elections A research paper on Americans’ misconceptions of the major political parties Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
4 Dec 201852min

Mexico was the wall all along
Dara and Matt explain the situation at the border now that the caravan has finally arrived. References and further reading: Li Zhou explains the liberal blowback against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Vox’s piece on the shutdown negotiations The weird outlet mall at the border Dara’s article on the asylum bottleneck A New York Times piece on the current conditions in Tijuana The Washington Post breaks down the “Remain in Mexico” policy Dara outlines what we still don't know about “Remain in Mexico” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
30 Nov 201858min