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The Weeds

The last new episode of The Weeds aired in May, but you can still find old episodes in the feed below. Now in this feed, you can also listen to our exciting new podcast, Explain It to Me — your hotline for all your unanswered questions. Host Jonquilyn Hill is your friendly guide who will find you the answers you’re looking for — and maybe even the ones you don’t expect. New episodes are out every Wednesday. You can always call us at 1-800-618-8545 or fill out this form and tell us what’s on your mind. This show is a production of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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The safety net program trapping people in povertyThe safety net program trapping people in poverty
Audio
Today, Explained newsletter

What if you were legally allowed to only ever have $2,000 in financial assets at one time?

By Jonquilyn Hill
How weathering affects Black people’s healthHow weathering affects Black people’s health
Audio
The Weeds

“There’s nothing inherently wrong with Black people. There is something very, very wrong with the systems that we are forced to live under or within.”

By Jonquilyn Hill
Why the marriage rate is falling faster for some
Audio
Today, Explained newsletter

How America has made it harder for Black people to marry.

By Jonquilyn Hill
Surprise! There’s a reason to be (cautiously) optimistic about the climate.Surprise! There’s a reason to be (cautiously) optimistic about the climate.
Audio
The Weeds

Don’t let climate doom win.

By Jonquilyn Hill
How quickly will Donald Trump go to trial in Georgia?How quickly will Donald Trump go to trial in Georgia?
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The Weeds

Fani Willis wants a trial in six months. That could be an ambitious timeline.

By Jonquilyn Hill
These kids sued over climate change — and wonThese kids sued over climate change — and won
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Climate

The unprecedented ruling in Montana could signal a changing tide.

By Jonquilyn Hill
How book bans threaten democracyHow book bans threaten democracy
Audio
Politics

The restrictions are escalating into threats to defund public libraries.

By Fabiola Cineas
We need to rethink discipline in schools
Audio
Race

How school reinforces inequalities between Black children and their peers.

By Jonquilyn Hill
How Pete Buttigieg wants to make America’s roads saferHow Pete Buttigieg wants to make America’s roads safer
Audio
Podcasts

Our roads are deadly. Here’s how the secretary of transportation says we can fix them.

By Jonquilyn Hill
How the Voting Rights Act ended up back at the Supreme CourtHow the Voting Rights Act ended up back at the Supreme Court
Audio
Podcasts

The past — and future — of the Voting Rights Act.

By Jonquilyn Hill
How do election calls get made? Two people in charge explain.How do election calls get made? Two people in charge explain.
Audio
The 2022 midterm elections, explained

Meet the people who count votes from 4,607 places.

By Jonquilyn Hill
October surprises may not matter in the 2022 midtermsOctober surprises may not matter in the 2022 midterms
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The 2022 midterm elections, explained

An elections expert explains whether they ever mattered at all.

By Jonquilyn Hill
Polls aren’t crystal balls. Why do we expect them to be?Polls aren’t crystal balls. Why do we expect them to be?
Audio
The 2022 midterm elections, explained

The Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter on why news consumers are asking too much of polling.

By Jonquilyn Hill
How the ADA came to beHow the ADA came to be
Audio
Podcasts

Hop into the Time Machine to learn about the history of the disability rights movement.

By Vox Staff
The nerdiest article you’ll read about the baseball lockoutThe nerdiest article you’ll read about the baseball lockout
Audio
Podcasts

Why the fight that could cancel the baseball season is worth following, even if you don’t care about baseball.

By Dara Lind
The hidden lesson in the new free Covid-19 testsThe hidden lesson in the new free Covid-19 tests
Audio
Politics

It is possible to create programs that don’t burden the people who need them most.

By Dara Lind
Wanted: Clear goals to end the pandemicWanted: Clear goals to end the pandemic
Audio
The Weeds

American policymakers still haven’t explained what the goal of pandemic policy truly is.

By German Lopez
Democracy is losingDemocracy is losing
Audio
The Weeds

Around the world, democracy is on the decline — and it’s not clear Biden can reverse the trend.

By German Lopez
Why Biden has disappointed on immigrationWhy Biden has disappointed on immigration
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The Weeds

There’s evidence, from studies and the real world, suggesting Biden should be cautious on immigration.

By German Lopez
The world’s progress on climate changeThe world’s progress on climate change
Audio
The Weeds

Humanity has made some — not enough, but some — progress in fighting global warming.

By German Lopez
The Covid-19 vaccines are still workingThe Covid-19 vaccines are still working
Audio
The Weeds

Despite the delta surge, the vaccines have held up well.

By German Lopez
The recent rise in inflation, explained in 600 wordsThe recent rise in inflation, explained in 600 words
Audio
The Weeds

US prices are up. What’s less clear is if it’s a temporary or a longer-term shift.

By German Lopez
Sign up for the Weeds newsletterSign up for the Weeds newsletter
Audio
Politics

President Joe Biden has promised a lot of policy action in his first 100 days. This is how you can keep up.

By German Lopez
The Next Four Years: A Weeds seriesThe Next Four Years: A Weeds series
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Politics

What’s at stake for Americans as the new Biden administration takes over the White House?

By Lauren Katz
How the Supreme Court revived Jim Crow voter suppression tacticsHow the Supreme Court revived Jim Crow voter suppression tactics
Audio
Whose vote counts?

Carol Anderson explains what happens when our voting rights laws start to crumble.

By Ian Millhiser
Understand the unfolding coronavirus pandemic with these Vox podcast episodes
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Politics

Listen to everything from what it’s like to be quarantined to America’s level preparedness for Covid-19.

By Lauren Katz
The coronavirus electionThe coronavirus election
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Politics

Listen to Ezra Klein and Matt Yglesias discuss Donald Trump’s disastrous coronavirus speech and dueling pandemic response plans from Sanders and Biden.

By Matthew Yglesias and Ezra Klein
An expert explains how America got stuck playing catch-up on coronavirusAn expert explains how America got stuck playing catch-up on coronavirus
Audio
Science

America bought time with border controls, and didn’t use it. Listen to The Weeds to learn more.

By Matthew Yglesias
An expert’s case for nuclear powerAn expert’s case for nuclear power
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Politics

It’s all about the microreactors.

By Matthew Yglesias
An expert’s 7 principles for solving America’s housing crisisAn expert’s 7 principles for solving America’s housing crisis
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Politics

For starters, recognize that it’s two different crises.

By Matthew Yglesias
See The Weeds live at SXSW on March 8 and 10See The Weeds live at SXSW on March 8 and 10
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Podcasts

Special guests Julián Castro and Pete Buttigieg join hosts Matt Yglesias, Dara Lind, and Jane Coaston for two episodes of Vox’s politics and policy podcast.

By Lauren Katz
Listen to the latest episode of The WeedsListen to the latest episode of The Weeds
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Podcasts

The Weeds is Vox’s roundtable podcast about policy and politics.

By Julie Bogen
Sign up for the Weeds newsletterSign up for the Weeds newsletter
Audio
11 podcast episodes to broaden your mind over Labor Day weekend11 podcast episodes to broaden your mind over Labor Day weekend
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Podcasts

What you should be listening to in the car, on a plane, or at home.

By Julie Bogen
6 things to read, listen to, and watch to understand family separation6 things to read, listen to, and watch to understand family separation
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Politics

Keep track of the head-spinning developments since the Trump administration enacted its “zero tolerance” policy.

By Julie Bogen
The policy implications of the Harvey Weinstein scandalThe policy implications of the Harvey Weinstein scandal
Audio
The Weeds

Plus tax reform and a white paper on Medicaid expansion, all on October 17’s episode of The Weeds.

By Kelly Swanson
We need to change the way we think about the opioid crisisWe need to change the way we think about the opioid crisis
Audio
The Weeds

The way Americans are started to get addicted to opioids has changed in the last ten years.

By Kelly Swanson
The Supreme Court really might deal a huge blow to gerrymanderingThe Supreme Court really might deal a huge blow to gerrymandering
Audio
The Weeds

In the past, the Supreme Court has ruled on gerrymandering but never could come up with a solution to the problem. This case seems to be different.

By Kelly Swanson
Australia solved its gun problem. Could America?Australia solved its gun problem. Could America?
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The Weeds

The latest episode of The Weeds examines Australia’s radical — and successful — reforms to gun laws.

By Ella Nilsen