The Weeds

By Vox

Social Sciences

What's The Weeds about?

Everyone is always warning you not to get lost in the weeds. But not Vox's Ezra Klein, Sarah Kliff, and Matthew Yglesias. They love the weeds. That's where all the policy is. This is the podcast for people who follow politics because they love thinking about health care, economics, and zoning. It is not podcast for people who like hearing talk about gaffes.

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LAST EPISODE

Is inflation out of control?

10.19.2021

Dylan, German, and Dara talk about the whopping 5.4 percent inflation rate the Consumer Price Index estimated last week, what it means, and if inflation is going to get worse. They dig into a paper out of the Federal Reserve ...

The Weeds episodes:

10.19.2021 Is inflation out of control? Dylan, German, and Dara talk about the whopping 5.4 percent inflation rate the Consumer Price Index estimated last week, what it means, and if inflation is going to get worse. They dig into a paper out of the Federal Reserve ...
10.15.2021 The home care fight in Congress Joe Biden has proposed a landmark $400 billion expansion of funding for home and community-based services (HCBS), the part of Medicaid that funds support services for older adults and people with disabilities living at home rather than in institutions. But ...
10.12.2021 The coming climate exodus Vox senior reporter Rebecca Leber (@rebleber) joins The Weeds to explain the problem of migration caused by climate change, such as that due to wildfires, rising seas, and crop failures. She explains how a warming planet is forcing people to ...
10.08.2021 The Most Dangerous Branch: Roe v. Wade Vox Supreme Court correspondent Ian Millhiser talks with NYU professor Melissa Murray (@ProfMMurray) about the future of reproductive freedom. The Supreme Court started its new term this week, and with six conservative judges on the bench, Republicans are likely to ...
10.05.2021 Yes, vaccine mandates work Dylan, German, and Jerusalem talk about vaccine mandates. They discuss the evidence supporting vaccine requirements, the United States’ history with inoculation campaigns, and the patchwork nature of America’s many public health measures. Plus, a white paper about elite universities. References: ...
10.01.2021 How genes impact your life Dylan and Jerusalem are joined by Kathryn Paige Harden, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, to discuss her new book The Genetic Lottery: Why DNA Matters for Social Equality. They talk about what geneticists have ...
09.28.2021 The debt ceiling’s threat to America Dylan, German, and Dara discuss the debt ceiling: the current crisis, what the debt ceiling even is, and how the debt ceiling has become a politically polarized issue. They also talk about why the debt ceiling is bad for democracy. ...
09.24.2021 AMA time with Dylan, German, and Jerusalem Dylan, German, and Jerusalem sit down to answer listener questions. In our first AMA episode of the post-Matt-Yglesias Weeds era, the trio discusses constitutional amendments, climate change, how we could fix global poverty, influential books, and more. Resources: Reasons and ...
09.21.2021 Means testing our patience Dylan, German, and Jerusalem discuss means testing and work requirements after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) suggested their inclusion in one of Biden's legacy priorities: the expanded child tax credit. Right now Democrats in Congress are trying to hammer out a ...
09.17.2021 Ezra, Matt, and Sarah Try (Again) to Podcast For Matt’s last episode of The Weeds, Ezra Klein and Sarah Kliff return for a look at why health care and drug costs in the US keep rising, how subsidizing industries leads to higher consumer costs, and what both political ...
09.14.2021 The Weeds Will Live Forever Matt, Dara, Jerusalem, and German use Matt’s last Tuesday episode to discuss life expectancy in the US. They explore paternalistic policy decisions, the misnomer of “deaths of despair,” and the longevity of The Weeds. US life expectancy is compared to ...
09.10.2021 The Federal Reserve's regulatory issues Matt is joined by Mike Konczal, Director of Macroeconomic Analysis and Progressive Thought at the Roosevelt Institute and author of Freedom From the Market. They explore Jerome Powell’s tenure as Fed Chair, the relationship between interest rates and unemployment numbers, ...
09.07.2021 The Federal Reserve: Climate Change edition Vox's Dylan Matthews joins Matt and Jerusalem to talk about whether the Federal Reserve can use monetary policy to fight climate change and how the ideal Fed Chair may not exist. Plus, a new study about the effectiveness of masking ...
09.03.2021 Who's afraid of a big bad poll? Matt is joined by David Shor, Head of Data Science at OpenLabs R&D, to discuss the causes and implications of polling errors in recent election cycles. By looking at different response rates and the implicit bias in some polls David ...
08.31.2021 Galaxy Brain Recession Matt, Dara, and German use this week’s episode to explore the infrastructure bill before Congress. They focus on broadband access for rural and urban America and explore the purpose of the money being set aside for Amtrak. Parallels between the ...
08.27.2021 Afghan refugees face an uncertain future Matt is joined by Vox’s Nicole Narea for a discussion on the complex situation facing Afghan refugees following the United States withdrawal. Nicole explains the variety of avenues through which Afghans can attempt to reach the US and why many ...
08.25.2021 Boosters: Worth it or not, here they come Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's German Lopez to talk about the Biden administration’s plan to authorize third doses of the vaccine for Americans beginning in September. They discuss the scientific, political, and moral reasons behind the decision. They ...
08.20.2021 Baby making vibes Matt is joined by The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig. They discuss J.D. Vance’s attacks on the parental status of liberal politicians and dissect what is actually happening with left-wing birth rates. They explore the policy decisions that would actually affect natality ...
08.17.2021 Back to School: Masters mishaps Matt is joined by Vox's Libby Nelson and Jerusalem Demsas for a conversation about the rising cost of master’s programs, their usefulness in today’s economy, and their role as federally subsidized job training. Matt, Libby, and Jerusalem reflect on their ...
08.13.2021 Reign of Terror Matt is joined by reporter Spencer Ackerman, author of the new book Reign of Terror. Ackerman explains the ways in which America’s approach to domestic white terrorism differs from its approach to international threats. They discuss the treatment of Timothy ...
08.10.2021 Back to School: Learning loss Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's German Lopez for a conversation about student learning loss. They focus on the policy decisions that led to school shutdowns during the pandemic, the consequences for different demographics, and alternative solutions for future ...
08.06.2021 Dare to speak freely Matt is joined by author and CEO Suzanne Nossel for a discussion about how to reconcile a robust defense of free speech with the advancement of an inclusive and progressive society. They explore the risks associated with a censorious culture, ...
08.04.2021 Back to School: All for pre-K, and pre-K for all Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's Jerusalem Demsas for a conversation about pre-K and day care programs. They discuss the impacts of pre-K programs on socioeconomics, diversity, and political behavior. Plus, some historical research is considered on a Norwegian ...
07.30.2021 Getting power to the people Matt is joined by Liza Reed of the Niskanen Center to talk about energy policy, electricity transmission, and how America's complex system of power grids really function. Resources: "Transmission Stalled: Siting Challenges for Interregional Transmission" by Liza Reed (April 14) ...
07.28.2021 Time Machine: Buchanan v. Warley (1917) Vox's Jerusalem Demsas joins Matt and Dara on a time machine trip back to a WW1-era Supreme Court decision that shaped land use policy, zoning, and racial discrimination in housing. Discussion of Buchanan (and the related Euclid case decided nine ...
07.23.2021 Prices on the rise Matt is joined by economist Julia Coronado to talk about inflation, markets, and employment in the pandemic recovery economy. They discuss housing, new and used car markets, and possible strategies toward achieving full employment. Resources: "Economic Outlook and Risks to ...
07.21.2021 Time Machine: Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 Vox's Li Zhou joins Dara and Matt for another spin in the time machine, to talk about the policy that shaped how immigration largely still works in America. They discuss the history and context of the Immigration and Nationality Act ...
07.16.2021 The critical race theory debate Matt is joined by Education Week reporter and editor Andrew Ujifusa to talk about the ill-defined and somewhat facetious debate over critical race theory. But really, this conversation is about the schools, and all sorts of issues facing them: pandemic ...
07.14.2021 Time Machine: Volcker Shock Vox's Dylan Matthews joins Matt and Dara for another step into Weeds Time Machine: a visit to the past to review some now-forgotten chapter in policy history. This week, it's a return to the late 1970s and a reexamination of ...
07.09.2021 Cruelty: the point Matt is joined by Atlantic staff writer Adam Serwer, author of the new book The Cruelty Is the Point. They discuss the racial politics of the Trump-era, how these tactics persist in the GOP today, and how the dynamics of ...
07.07.2021 Time Machine: No Child Left Behind Vox's Libby Nelson joins Matt and Dara on the first episode of the Weeds Time Machine: a visit to the past to review some now-forgotten chapter in policy history. This week, it's No Child Left Behind. Our hosts discuss the ...
06.30.2021 Coming attractions Vox film critic and culture reporter Alissa Wilkinson joins Matt and Dara to take a break from politics (sort of) to talk about movies. They discuss the state of the streaming wars, the fate of the post-Covid movie theater, and ...
06.26.2021 Who started Covid? Matt is joined by deputy editor of New York magazine and author David Wallace-Wells to talk about the new evidence for the so-called "Lab-Leak hypothesis," and about the possible origins of Covid-19. Wallace-Wells introduces the new research done by Jesse ...
06.23.2021 So, for the next pandemic.... Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's German Lopez to talk through some of the lessons we seem not to have learned from the way the Covid pandemic unfolded — or, is still unfolding. Our hosts discuss the abandonment of ...
06.16.2021 What's the deal with that new Alzheimer's drug? Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's Dylan Scott to learn about aducanumab, the new drug that was recently approved by the FDA for treating Alzheimer's disease despite a lack of evidence of its effectiveness, possibly serious side effects, and ...
06.12.2021 Zoning our way through it Matt is joined by Emily Hamilton of the Mercatus Center to talk about the way that zoning and land use policy affects property value, housing availability, and affordability. They discuss some example statutes from those laboratories of democracy, the several ...
06.09.2021 Hot jobs summer Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's Emily Stewart to talk about the state of the economy right now. They take on the jobs numbers, some of the markets that were hit with unforeseen interruptions and shortages, and get pretty ...
06.05.2021 The pipeline to prison Matt sits down with John Pfaff, professor and author of Locked In, an influential and important 2017 book about mass incarceration in America. The two discuss some common misconceptions about America's prison population, three different meanings of the term "broken ...
06.02.2021 The lab-leak hypothesis Matt is joined by Vox's Libby Nelson and Jerusalem Demsas for a conversation about the rising cost of master’s programs, their usefulness in today’s economy, and their role as federally subsidized job training. Matt, Libby, and Jerusalem, explore their varied ...
05.28.2021 Stephen Breyer should retire Matt is joined by author and Harvard Kennedy School professor Maya Sen to talk about the state of the American judiciary. They discuss Breyer's unwillingness to retire, the pervasive influence of prestige on the "legal elite," the cult of RBG, ...
05.25.2021 Give more money to cranks! Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's Dylan Matthews to talk about what the Covid vaccine development process has taught us vaccine development, production, and regulation. They also discuss the way we fund scientific research, evaluating a possible "prize"-based alternative ...
05.21.2021 Research the police Matt is joined by economist and NYU faculty fellow Morgan Williams, Jr. to talk about his research on policing and gun control legislation, and the consequences of policy on crime and incarceration. Resources: "Police Force Size and Civilian Race" by ...
05.18.2021 Masks off! Party time? It's everybody's birthday! No, seriously. Taurus Matt Yglesias is joined by two people who also share a May 18th birthday: Vox's Libby Nelson and The Atlantic's Derek Thompson. They discuss the confusing range of public health and policy directives that ...
05.14.2021 The plan for more free school Matt is joined by New York Times education reporter Dana Goldstein to talk about what Biden's American Families Plan will do to bolster and expand public education access in this country. They talk about the plan for universal preschool, free ...
05.11.2021 Homelessness and the rising tide Matt and Dara are joined by Vox Politics and Policy Fellow Jerusalem Demsas to talk about homelessness, and the policies that have failed to even properly confront this problem. They talk about the decline of SRO housing, the progressives who ...
05.07.2021 The app store war Matt is joined by Makena Kelly of The Verge to talk about some recent stories at the intersection of policy and tech. She discusses the Facebook Oversight Board's ambivalent "ruling" on Trump's ban from the platform, Apple's ongoing antitrust court ...
05.05.2021 The "hundred days" myth Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's Andrew Prokop to talk about the very notion of a president's "first hundred days," whether or not it is a useful or important metric for their performance. Andrew talks about the history of ...
04.30.2021 There's lead in your turmeric Matt is joined by Rachel Silverman, a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, who talks about the extreme dangers and high prevalence of lead contamination globally. Despite the manifest health benefits that would be served by Biden's plans ...
04.28.2021 A Manchin for all seasons Matt and Dara are joined by Vox's Andrew Prokop, author of an in-depth revelatory profile on America's swingiest Senator: Mr. Manchin in the Middle. Andrew brings Manchin's history as a legislator to bear in discussion, shedding light on what Manchin's ...
04.23.2021 Why transit projects fail Matt is joined by professor and transit researcher Eric Goldwyn to talk about why transit projects in the U.S. often fail. They discuss several high-profile cases, including the Second Avenue subway line in New York, the Green Line Extension in ...

Older episodes

The Weeds

What's The Weeds about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Weeds episodes:

Is inflation out of control?

The home care fight in Congress

The coming climate exodus

The Most Dangerous Branch: Roe v. Wade

Yes, vaccine mandates work

How genes impact your life

The debt ceiling’s threat to America

AMA time with Dylan, German, and Jerusalem

Means testing our patience

Ezra, Matt, and Sarah Try (Again) to Podcast

The Weeds Will Live Forever

The Federal Reserve's regulatory issues

The Federal Reserve: Climate Change edition

Who's afraid of a big bad poll?

Galaxy Brain Recession

Afghan refugees face an uncertain future

Boosters: Worth it or not, here they come

Baby making vibes

Back to School: Masters mishaps

Reign of Terror

Back to School: Learning loss

Dare to speak freely

Back to School: All for pre-K, and pre-K for all

Getting power to the people

Time Machine: Buchanan v. Warley (1917)

Prices on the rise

Time Machine: Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

The critical race theory debate

Time Machine: Volcker Shock

Cruelty: the point

Time Machine: No Child Left Behind

Coming attractions

Who started Covid?

So, for the next pandemic....

What's the deal with that new Alzheimer's drug?

Zoning our way through it

Hot jobs summer

The pipeline to prison

The lab-leak hypothesis

Stephen Breyer should retire

Give more money to cranks!

Research the police

Masks off! Party time?

The plan for more free school

Homelessness and the rising tide

The app store war

The "hundred days" myth

There's lead in your turmeric

A Manchin for all seasons

Why transit projects fail

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