Explain It to Me

Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement?

Explain It to Me is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Send us your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you. Host Jonquilyn Hill will take you on a journey to find the answers, whether it's to the halls of Congress or the local bar. You’ll get the answers you were looking for, and sometimes ones you didn't expect — and always with a dose of humor. New episodes every Sunday. Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Society & Culture
Politics
Education
351
The psychology of opening up
Ezra and Matt on the deep roots (or not) of the lockdown debate.
52 min
352
Will the economy bounce back?
Dara, Jane, and Matt on the road ahead for the worst labor market since the Great Depression.
61 min
353
Reopening without a plan
Ezra and Matt on America's lost month and what happens next.
48 min
354
How to win elections
Dara, Jane, and Matt break down the great mobilization vs persuasion debate.
63 min
355
Are Democrats getting rolled?
Ezra and Matt on congressional bargaining strategy and the China blame game
49 min
356
A faster Covid-19 vaccine
Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss the possibility of "human challenge trials" to speed vaccine development.
48 min
357
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
358
Opening up
Dara, Jane, and Matt on conservatives’ desire for a rapid reopening of American businesses.
53 min
359
Help is on the way (sort of)
Ezra and Matt break down the implementation problems that have bedeviled the CARES Act.
42 min
360
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
361
How does this end?
Ezra and Matt review four major plans for after social distancing; plus the Democratic primary finally ends.
61 min
362
Covid-19 and the border
Dara, Jane, and Matt on the intersection between the pandemic and Trump's border crackdown.
56 min
363
Coronavirus meets health reform
Ezra and Matt discuss Covid-19's impact on insurance premiums, the case for single-payer, and more.
56 min
364
The mask fiasco
Jane, Dara, and Matt on the evidence for mask wearing, and a totally non-coronavirus white paper
55 min
365
When $2 trillion isn’t enough
Ezra and Matt analyze the huge but inadequate stimulus bill
52 min
366
Fighting coronavirus with corporate conscription
Jane, Dara, and Matt on the Defense Production Act, wartime mobilization, and pandemic-induced autarky
51 min
367
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
368
Devaluing black assets
Brookings’ Andre Perry explains his research on how racism cripples black entrepreneurs and homeowners
45 min
369
Rescuing the economy from coronavirus
Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss President Trump’s new more serious tone and competing economic stimulus proposals.
48 min
370
Weeds 2020: The coronavirus election
Ezra and Matt on dueling pandemic response plans from Sanders and Biden, and Trump's disastrous speech
51 min
371
Meet the YIMBYs
Conor Dougherty on his new book "Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America"
61 min
372
Mayor Pete and the state of LGBTQ politics
Jane, Dara, and Matt on queer politics after marriage equality.
46 min
373
A "titan" of social conservatism on the courts ...
Conservative thinker Robert George joins Jane to talk about abortion, marriage, the Supreme Court, and wielding the power of the federal government.
56 min
374
Behind the Covid-19 curve
The Kaiser Foundation's Josh Michaud explains what the US is — and should be — doing to fight coronavirus.
59 min
375
Coronavirus 101
Jane, Dara and Brian Resnick talk about COVID-19 -- how it started, its potential impact, and where we go from here.
40 min