What Next Plus

The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.

News
1776
Clemency for Cyntoia Brown
She was serving a notably harsh sentence. But what does it mean that she was freed after a publicity blitz and a celebrity assist?
16 min
1777
Red State Democrats Walk the Tightrope
A special election in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District will provide a rare 2020 preview.
18 min
1778
A Big Sign of a Slowing Economy
The Fed will cut interest rates Wednesday for the first time in a decade.
16 min
1779
How YouTube's Left is Converting the Far Right
Natalie Wynn, otherwise known as ContraPoints, lures in fans of the far right and changes minds.
20 min
1780
The Godfather of the Anti-Immigration Movement
How a small-town eye doctor shaped our most hard-line immigration policies.
17 min
1781
Meet the EPA’s Ghost-Writer
For years, one scientist has been saying the U.S. should loosen rules around toxins. Now, he’s writing a new government standard.
19 min
1782
Mueller Speaks
He told you he didn’t want to be here.
22 min
1783
Puerto Ricans Are Fed Up
Governor Ricardo Rosselló is the least of their problems, but right now, he’s the first of their problems.
20 min
1784
How to Stop a Racist Politician
What can we learn from David Duke’s political defeat in the 1990s?
24 min
1785
The Border Patrol's Secretive Culture
A secret Facebook group exposed racist, sexist officers in the Border Patrol. Will it help bring transparency to an otherwise opaque agency?
23 min
1786
Deutsche Bank Is Trying to Wash Its Hands of Trump
Congressional investigations might give it a chance.
19 min
1787
How Trump Is Trying to Outsource His Border Crisis
The evidence is clear. President Trump doesn’t only want to deter asylum seekers from entering the United States, he wants to stop them from coming all together.
19 min
1788
The Plan to Take Down Mitch McConnell
How long can the Senate Majority Leader laugh off democrats who want to take his seat?
15 min
1789
Trump's Racist Tweets Have a Backstory
Here’s how the conflict between House Democrats made its way to the President Trump’s timeline.
21 min
1790
Should Everyone Quit Using Gendered Pronouns?
The case for trading “he” and “she” for “they.”
19 min
1791
This Bad Legal Argument Could Finally End the ACA
An appellate court in New Orleans appears ready to strike down Obamacare.
18 min
1792
The Ambassador Who Was Too Honest About Trump
How a diplomatic dust-up explains the current world order.
18 min
1793
The Cloud Over Joe Biden's Son
Addiction issues and bad business sense are pretty banal problems -- unless you’re the son of a man running for president.
22 min
1794
The Long, Ugly Road to Jeffrey Epstein’s Arrest
Vicky Ward had the scoop on him years ago. Why was it so hard to publish?
20 min
1795
A Rare Look Inside a Private Prison
Reporters found weapons, drugs, and rampant violence.
15 min
1796
Can New York Desegregate Its Schools?
New York City’s Public Advocate is a proud product of the City’s public education system. That’s not the case for many young black students today.
16 min
1797
The “Busing” Skeleton in the Democrats’ Closet
Racist school policies persisted in the north because some Democrats ensured they would.
20 min
1798
Can Nipsey Hussle’s Death Bring Peace to L.A.’s...
The late rapper’s murder inspired a summit in Compton where rival gangs discussed a path to peace.
15 min
1799
Supreme Court Hands Democrats Small Win and Big...
What do the two major rulings on gerrymandering and the census tell us about how this more conservative court intends to rule?
22 min
1800
Oregon Republicans Walked Out, Democrats Caved
Will we see more minority party walkouts as a way to prevent supermajorities from legislating?
19 min