Explain It to Me

Join editor Libby Nelson (@libbyanelson) and reporters Rachel Cohen (@rmc031) and Madeleine Ngo (@maddiengo) for a summer policy wrap-up. Inflation, the economy, and gas prices were on everyone’s minds, but we have even more policy news to talk about. Both Congress and the Biden administration made one last late-summer policy push with the Inflation Reduction Act and student loan cancellation. What does this all mean for you? Listen to find out!References:School vaccine mandates for Covid-19 are not happening Will student loan forgiveness make inflation worse?Inflation is finally slowing down. Will things get cheaper? The inflation numbers are bad — but how bad are they?  GDP declined again — but that might not mean we're in a recession ”Standard Oil” octopus cartoon Credits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserA.M. Hall, deputy editorial directorWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox senior correspondent Dylan Matthews sits down with Felicia Wong (@FeliciaWongRI), president and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute, to talk about a new era of industrial policy. They discuss the theory of modern supply-side economics, the passage of the Inflation Reduction and CHIPS acts, and how much common ground exists between the political left and the right.Hosts:Dylan Matthews (@dylanmatt), senior correspondent, VoxCredits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerA.M. Hall, editorial director Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp and Vox senior foreign writer Jonathan Guyer discuss the killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the organizers behind the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US. His death marks a turning point in the “war on terror” and US foreign policy, but what kind of turning point? Can we say the war on terror is over, or is it just entering a new stage?References:What Ayman Zawahiri’s death tells us about terrorism and US foreign policyAyman al-Zawahiri’s death by drone was President Biden’s opportunity to end the war on terrorismNo one has been held accountable for the catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal Where in the world are Russians going to avoid sanctions? Hosts:Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, VoxJonathan Guyer (@mideastXmidwest), senior foreign policy writer, Vox Credits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserAmber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcastsWant to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a surprise to many, last week Kansas overwhelmingly voted down an anti-abortion ballot initiative. If abortion rights can win in a deep-red state, what does that mean for the midterms this fall? Join Vox policy editor Libby Nelson (@libbyanelson), Vox senior policy reporter Rachel Cohen (@rmc031), and Vox politics reporter Nicole Narea (@nicolenarea) for a conversation about the new state of abortion politics.References:Abortion was on the ballot in Kansas. Access won. Why the Kansas abortion amendment is so confusing The challenge of turning pro-choice Americans into pro-choice voters The states pushing abortion ballot measures in 2022 post-RoeSenate Democrats slowly consider their options after Roe  Hosts:Libby Nelson (@libbyanelson)Rachel Cohen (@rmc031)Nicole Narea (@nicolenarea)Credits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserAmber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcastsSign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weedsletter Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Earth swelters through yet another record-breaking summer, a surprise push for climate legislation on Capitol Hill gave us a shimmer of optimism and hope toward fighting climate change. But, while it’s a step in the right direction to reduce carbon emissions, it’s not a panacea. How do we maintain optimism, even when the right steps feel too small?References:Summaries of the climate, tax, and prescription drug parts of the Manchin dealWhat Democrats' big new bill would actually do What the Inflation Reduction Act needs to pass, including Sen. SinemaPrinceton researchers’ estimate of the deal’s climate impactThe Republican vote against benefits for veterans exposed to toxinsThe White House/Employ America plan to reduce gas pricesNina Kelsey’s theory of the “green spiral”It’s so hot in Europe that roads are literally bucklingEurope is burning like it’s 2052Hosts:Bryan Walsh(@bryanrwalsh), Future Perfect editor, VoxDylan Matthews, (@dylanmatt), senior correspondent, VoxSigal Samuel (@sigalsamuel), Future Perfect senior reporter, VoxCredits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserAmber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcastsSign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weedsletter Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Matthews, Dara Lind, and special guest Ari Ne’eman (@aneeman) fire up the Weeds Time Machine for a special episode on the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA was signed into law 32 years ago today, and while the legislation had a profound impact on almost every corner of American society, the bill wasn’t perfect. So hop into the Time Machine to learn about the history of the disability rights movement, how the ADA came to be, and what the movement is working toward today.References:What if Disability Rights Were for Everyone?Opinion | A 'Safety Net' That's a Kafkaesque MessWatch Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution | Netflix Official SiteThe Power of 504 Episode transcriptHosts:Dylan Matthews (@dylanmatt), senior correspondent, VoxDara Lind (@dlind), Weeds co-host, VoxCredits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserAmber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcastsSign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weedsletter Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dara Lind is joined by Vox senior correspondent Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) to discuss the major decisions handed down by the Supreme Court this term. They talk about the Court’s emphasis on historical narrative, its move away from settled legal doctrine, and the politicization of the Court. Plus, a white paper on originalism and stare decisis written by then-professor Amy Coney Barrett. References:The post-legal Supreme Court Originalism and Stare Decisis Hosts:Dara Lind (@dlind), Weeds co-host, VoxCredits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserAmber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcastsSign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weedsletter Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox Supreme Court correspondent Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) speaks with Michele Goodwin, a law professor, bioethicist, and leading expert on reproductive health policy, about the future of abortion rights in a world without Roe.References:Policing the Womb by Michele Goodwin Credits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserAmber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcastsSign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weedsletter Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Matthews and Dara Lind are joined by Vox senior reporter Keren Landman, M.D., (@landmanspeaking) to discuss the extremely high maternal mortality rate in the United States. Breaking down those numbers by socioeconomic factors like race or income, the rate of pregnancy-related deaths gets even worse. What will happen now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned? References:Where will abortion still be legal now that Roe v. Wade has been overruled? The end of Roe will mean more children living in poverty Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2020 Maternity Care Deserts Report Maternal Mortality and Maternity Care in the United States Compared to 10 Other Developed CountriesHow Many American Women Die From Causes Related to Pregnancy or Childbirth? No One Knows.Overturning Roe v. Wade Could Make Maternal Mortality Even WorseWhite paper: Maternal Mortality and Women's Political PowerHosts:Dylan Matthews (@dylanmatt), senior correspondent, VoxDara Lind (@dlind), Weeds co-host, VoxCredits:Sofi LaLonde, producer and engineerLibby Nelson, editorial adviserAmber Hall, deputy editorial director of talk podcastsSign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weedsletter Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, Weeds listeners: Today, we are bringing you an episode of Today, Explained that originally aired in early June. Ten months ago, the faculty of Cramer Hill Elementary set out to get their kids back on track after a year of mostly remote learning. Today, Explained’s Miles Bryan attended eighth-grade graduation to see how they did.This episode was reported and produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Efim Shapiro, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.Transcript at vox.com/todayexplainedSupport Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices