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
1876
A Rare Look Inside a Private Prison
Reporters found weapons, drugs, and rampant violence.
15 min
1877
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
1878
The “Busing” Skeleton in the Democrats’ Closet
Racist school policies persisted in the north because some Democrats ensured they would.
20 min
1879
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
1880
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
1881
Oregon Republicans Walked Out, Democrats Caved
Will we see more minority party walkouts as a way to prevent supermajorities from legislating?
19 min
1882
Mayor Pete’s Policing Problem
In South Bend, Indiana constituents are up in arms about Pete Buttigieg’s response to a police shooting of a black man.
22 min
1883
A Polluted Town Fights for Its Right to Breathe
St John the Baptist, Louisiana has by far the highest risk of cancer from air pollution in the nation. Why isn't anyone doing anything about it?
23 min
1884
An Iran Deal Architect Watches It Get Nuked
When it comes to Iran, everyone's a hard-liner.
16 min
1885
The Smugglers Getting Rich Off Trump’s Policies
Business is booming.
14 min
1886
He Got a Pardon. Now He’s Administering Them.
After getting his second chance, Brandon Flood is the face of clemency in Pennsylvania.
15 min
1887
How Pelosi Holds the Line on Impeachment
Understanding the House Speaker’s immense power.
22 min
1888
Strange Alliances on the Supreme Court
The justices defied partisan expectations this week.
21 min
1889
For Women’s Soccer, An Elusive Goal
U.S. women’s national soccer team wants to win -- on the field and in the courts.
21 min
1890
What Bernie Gets Wrong About Socialism
As it turns out, his big speech about democratic socialism focused on something that’s incorrect.
20 min
1891
How Facebook Made an Enemy of Nancy Pelosi
Facebook’s stance on the doctored Nancy Pelosi video says a lot about how the social media giant is approaching the 2020 elections.
18 min
1892
It’s Mitch McConnell’s Swamp. We Just Live in It.
How did the Senate Majority Leader and Elaine Chao pave a path for $78 million dollars worth of grants to find their way back to Kentucky?
18 min
1893
Elizabeth Warren Is Not Here to Charm You
She’s here to educate and empower you. Will it work?
22 min
1894
Why Gun Bills in Virginia Always Die
A delegate whose life was changed by gun violence talks about all the forces at work to stop new gun laws from going into effect.
23 min
1895
Who Wants to Tax a Millionaire?
America’s one-percenters weigh their options: Higher taxes, or mobs with pitchforks?
17 min
1896
A Health Care Tale of Two States
Washington and Connecticut attempted their own health care reforms – what does it tell us about the future of Medicare for All?
16 min
1897
The Crowd-Funded Border Wall Is Not a Joke
Don’t underestimate a few hundred thousand MAGA voters and a GoFundMe campaign.
14 min
1898
The GOP Operative Haunting Republicans From the...
How Tom Hofeller’s archives could upend gerrymandering and the U.S. census.
20 min
1899
The Basketball Coach Who Won’t Hire Men
Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw wants to see a revolution in sports -- and beyond.
18 min
1900
Why Can’t California Fix Its Housing Crisis?
Lawmaking isn’t just broken in Washington.
21 min