Explain It to Me
Is my dentist scamming me? Why do political campaigns cost so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement?
Explain It To Me is the hotline for all your unanswered questions. Sometimes explanations are hard to find, misinformation is rampant, and those internet searches and AI asks can come up empty. Call 1-800-618-8545 with what’s on your mind, and host Jonquilyn Hill will be your friendly guide to the answers you're looking for — and maybe even the ones you don’t expect. New episodes every Wednesday starting September 18.
Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
301
The global class war
Barron's economics commentary Matt Klein explains what's really behind international trade conflicts
69 min
302
Tweeting through it
Ezra and Matt on Trump's war on social media, plus Joe Biden's policy agenda.
54 min
303
Joe Biden ain't black
Jane, Dara, and Matt on gaffes and the racial politics of 2020
55 min
304
The stimulus failure
Ezra and Matt on Trump's pseudo-federalism and Pelosi's strange aversion to automatic stabilizers.
48 min
305
Actual enumeration
Dara, Jane, and Matt take a look at America's first pandemic Census.
48 min
306
The psychology of opening up
Ezra and Matt on the deep roots (or not) of the lockdown debate.
52 min
307
Will the economy bounce back?
Dara, Jane, and Matt on the road ahead for the worst labor market since the Great Depression.
61 min
308
Reopening without a plan
Ezra and Matt on America's lost month and what happens next.
48 min
309
How to win elections
Dara, Jane, and Matt break down the great mobilization vs persuasion debate.
63 min
310
Are Democrats getting rolled?
Ezra and Matt on congressional bargaining strategy and the China blame game
49 min
311
A faster Covid-19 vaccine
Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss the possibility of "human challenge trials" to speed vaccine development.
48 min
312
Who models the modelers?
Ezra and Matt on the failures of some popular epidemiological forecasts and a viral Silicon Valley essay urging America to build again
59 min
313
Opening up
Dara, Jane, and Matt on conservatives’ desire for a rapid reopening of American businesses.
53 min
314
Help is on the way (sort of)
Ezra and Matt break down the implementation problems that have bedeviled the CARES Act.
42 min
315
The corporate bailout watchdog
Congressional oversight committee member Bharat Ramamurti joins Matt to explain his new job and what's wrong with shareholder capitalism.
52 min
316
How does this end?
Ezra and Matt review four major plans for after social distancing; plus the Democratic primary finally ends.
61 min
317
Covid-19 and the border
Dara, Jane, and Matt on the intersection between the pandemic and Trump's border crackdown.
56 min
318
Coronavirus meets health reform
Ezra and Matt discuss Covid-19's impact on insurance premiums, the case for single-payer, and more.
56 min
319
The mask fiasco
Jane, Dara, and Matt on the evidence for mask wearing, and a totally non-coronavirus white paper
55 min
320
When $2 trillion isn’t enough
Ezra and Matt analyze the huge but inadequate stimulus bill
52 min
321
Fighting coronavirus with corporate conscription
Jane, Dara, and Matt on the Defense Production Act, wartime mobilization, and pandemic-induced autarky
51 min
322
The story of Trump's swamp
Jane talks to Asawin Suebsaeng and Lachlan Markay about their new book on chaos at the White House and how President Trump differs (and doesn't) from prior administrations
55 min
323
Devaluing black assets
Brookings’ Andre Perry explains his research on how racism cripples black entrepreneurs and homeowners
45 min
324
Rescuing the economy from coronavirus
Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss President Trump’s new more serious tone and competing economic stimulus proposals.
48 min
325
Weeds 2020: The coronavirus election
Ezra and Matt on dueling pandemic response plans from Sanders and Biden, and Trump's disastrous speech
51 min