Explain It to Me

​​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 explains why some policies are less popular than they seem. Their conversation also tackles what can be done by politicians to achieve broader appeal.Resources:“What Do Partisan Donors Want?” by David Broockman and Neil Malhotra (Public Opinion Quarterly; 2020)“Balancing, Generic Polls and Midterm Congressional Elections” by Joseph Bafumi, Robert S. Erikson, and Christopher Wlezien (Dartmouth Scholarship; 2010)Guest:David Shor (@davidshor), Head of Data Science, OpenLabs R&DHost:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 two emerge both in the need for connecting Americans and in the pitfalls facing this country if we fail to make progress. This week’s white paper is a study of a methodology for predicting recessions based on individuals' expectations of their own employment status and perception of the economy rather than a scientific dissection of impersonal macro data sets.Resources:“What’s in the new infrastructure bill — and why it’s a big deal” by German Lopez (Vox; Aug 10, 2021)White Paper: “The Economics of Walking About and Predicting Unemployment” by David G. Blanchflower & Alex Bryson (NBER; August 2021)Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration Reporter, ProPublicaGerman Lopez (@germanrlopez), Senior Correspondent, VoxCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 of them are not viable at this moment. Nicole and Matt also compare the US evacuation from Kabul with the evacuations from Iraq and Vietnam.Resources:“Biden had a chance to save US allies in Afghanistan. He wasted it.” by Nicole Narea (Vox; Aug 17, 2021)Google Map of Macedonia, Iraq, and AfghanistanU.S. Refugee Admissions ProgramU.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Office Of Refugee ResettlementUNHCR - USAGuest:Nicole Narea (@nicolenarea), Immigration Reporter, VoxHost:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 also look at the international implications of sharing vaccines and the difficulties of ramping up production in the vaccine supply chain ecosystem. This week’s white paper is a study of how slave-owning southern families retained their wealth and influence after the Civil War. The conversation illuminates the importance of social ties to political continuity and explores a similar study of Chinese generational wealth spanning the Maoist revolution.Resources:"U.S. officials’ decision on Covid-19 booster shots baffles — and upsets — some scientists" by Helen Branswell (Stat News; Aug. 18, 2021)"Myths of Vaccine Manufacturing" by Derek Lowe (Science Translational Medicine; Feb 2, 2021)"The U.S. Is Getting a Crash Course in Scientific Uncertainty" by Apoorva Mandavilli (New York Times; Aug 22, 2021)“Following full FDA approval Pfizer-BioNTech must share Covid-19 vaccine technology to boost global supply” by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF; Aug 23, 2021)White Paper: “The Intergenerational Effects of a Large Wealth Shock: White Southerners after the Civil War” by Philipp Ager, Leah Boustan, Katherine Eriksson (American Economic Review; Forthcoming)The Son Also Rises: Surnames and the History of Social Mobility by Gregory Clark (Princeton University Press; Feb 23, 2014)Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration Reporter, ProPublicaGerman Lopez (@germanrlopez), Senior Correspondent, VoxCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 and the vibes that right-wing media focus on instead. Listen for true facts about Batman’s role as a father, Matt’s take on children’s TV, and why we should all watch Daniel Tiger. Resources:"Invasion of the Baby-Haters" by Elizabeth Bruenig (The Atlantic; Aug 11, 2021)"I Became a Mother at 25, and I’m Not Sorry I Didn’t Wait" by Elizabeth Bruenig (The New York Times; May 7, 2021)One Billion Americans: The Case for Thinking Bigger by Matthew Yglesias (Penguin Random House; Sep 15, 2020)Guest:Elizabeth Bruenig (@ebruenig), staff writer, The AtlanticHost:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 varied educational paths and discuss the effectiveness of student loan forgiveness for higher ed. This week’s white paper illuminates the downstream consequences of raising pollution standards for battery recycling in the United States.Resources:“‘Financially Hobbled for Life’: The Elite Master’s Degrees That Don’t Pay Off” by Melissa Korn and Andrea Fuller (The Wall Street Journal; July 8, 2021)The Masters Trap, Part Two, Part Three by Anne Helen Peterson (Culture Studies; July 2021)“Graduate programs have become a cash cow for struggling colleges. What does that mean for students?” by Jon Marcus (PBS Newshour; September 18, 2017)“Master’s degree programs surge at nation’s colleges and universities” by Nick Anderson (The Washington Post; May 25, 2013)White Paper: “North-South Displacement Effects of Environmental Regulation: The Case of Battery Recycling” (NBER; August 2021)Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comLibby Nelson (@libbyanelson), Deputy Policy EditorJerusalem Demsas (@JerusalemDemsas), Policy Reporter, VoxCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 McVeigh after the Oklahoma City bombing, and the way in which it primed the political and cultural response to 9/11 and the War on Terror. Ackerman also argues that the unlawful and immoral approach of the government laid the groundwork for Trump's presidency.Resources:Reign of Terror by Spencer Ackerman (Penguin Random House; Aug 10, 2021)The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins (Public Affairs; May 19, 2020)"Second Inaugural Address" by George W. Bush (January 20, 2005)State of Exception by Giorgio Agamben (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press; 2005)Guest:Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman), author, reporter, and publisher of Forever Wars on Substack, contributing editor at the Daily Beast.Host:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 crises. In this week’s white, paper the concept of associating a monetary value with life is explored through re-enlistment bonuses paid out by the military.Resources:“COVID-19 and education: The lingering effects of unfinished learning” by Emma Dorn, Bryan Hancock, Jimmy Sarakatsannis, and Ellen Viruleg (McKinsey & Company; July 27, 2021)“Learning Loss and Educational Inequalities in Europe: Mapping the Potential Consequences of the COVID-19 Crisis” by Zsuzsa Blaskó, Patricia da Costa, and Sylke V. Schnepf (Institute of Labor Economics; April 2021)“Learning loss due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic” by Per Engzell, Arun Frey, and Mark D. Verhagen (PNAS; April 27, 2021)“Is Summer Learning Loss Real?” by Paul T. von Hippel (Education Next; June 4, 2019)White Paper: “The Heterogeneous Value of a Statistical Life: Evidence from U.S. Army Reenlistment Decisions” by Kyle Greenberg, et al. (NBER; July 2021)Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration Reporter, ProPublicaGerman Lopez (@germanrlopez), Senior Correspondent, VoxCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, and look at the effects on social media, retail, and school environments.Resources:Dare to Speak by Suzanne Nossel (HarperCollins Dey Street; July 2020)Guest:Suzanne Nossel (@SuzanneNossel), CEO, PEN America; author, Dare to SpeakHost:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 program of rural education expansion.Resources:"Exploring New Research on Pre-K Outcomes" by Adrienne Fischer, Tom Keily and Matt Weyer (Education Commission of The States; May 2020)"Growing the Economy Through Affordable Child Care" by Rasheed Malik (Center for American Progress; May 24)White paper: "The Making of Social Democracy: The Economic and Electoral Consequences of Norway’s 1936 Folk School Reform" (NBER; July 2021)Hosts:Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.comDara Lind (@DLind), Immigration Reporter, ProPublicaJerusalem Demsas (@JerusalemDemsas), Policy Reporter, VoxCredits:Ness Smith-Savedoff, Producer & EngineerErikk Geannikis, Producer, Talk PodcastsAs the Biden administration gears up, we'll help you understand this unprecedented burst of policymaking. Sign up for The Weeds newsletter each Friday: vox.com/weeds-newsletter.The Weeds is a Vox Media Podcast Network production.Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a contribution to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcastsAbout VoxVox is a news network that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines.Follow Us: Vox.comFacebook group: The Weeds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices