Explain It to Me

Matt, Sarah and Ezra on a new, blockbuster study on racial mobility — and whether Mark Zuckerberg should shut down Facebook. References: Race and Economic Opportunity in the United States Dylan Matthews' piece Income Mobility Charts for Girls, Asian-Americans and Other Groups. Or, Make Your Own Extensive Data Shows Punishing Reach of Racism for Black Boys Matt's case against Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Prokop, senior politics reporter for Vox.com, joins Dara and Matt to break down the scandal that’s rocking the worlds of technology and politics. References: The Jane Mayer piece on the Mercers Dara mentioned A study on Big Five personality attributes and voting behavior SCIENCE! on the Cambridge Analytica model A big five personality test you can do at home  Andrew's Cambridge Analytica explainer Matt's good Facebook take Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An economics working paper finds that access to Naloxone, a drug to reverse opioid overdoses, may increase opioid abuse. Sarah and Ezra explain the paper that started a social media firestorm — and what it means for combating the opioid epidemic. References: Doleac and Mukherjee working paper A good summary of the debate from The Atlantic Health Affairs blog post  Working paper from Daniel Rees People are dying because we misunderstand how those with addiction think A lifesaving drug for overdoses doesn’t reduce opioid deaths? Be skeptical Trump’s opioid crisis plan: more death penalty, fewer prescriptions, more treatment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dara and Matt break down the history of Immigration & Customs Enforcement: how it got this way, and why some on the left want it to go away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox senior politics reporter Jane Coaston joins Ezra and Matt to talk about Trump turmoil, political correctness and the latest research on the state of the parties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox Politics & Policy reporter Alexia Fernandez-Campbell joins Dara and Matt to talk about the West Virginia teachers strike. References: Alexia’s article on teachers Vox's Alvin Chang just published this amazing tool to see how teachers are paid in your state An explainer on the Supreme Court’s Janus case How public-sector unions are preparing for a post-Janus future The original “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas” Photographer evidence that he’s been called “Beto” since he was a toddler A good primer on “Hispanic” as an identity constructed in the US Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sarah, Ezra, and Matt talk about a bipartisan bank deregulation bill, Medicaid work requirements, and constitutional hardball. References: Mark Tushner’s original constitutional hardball article Ron Chernow’s biography of Ulysses Grant Why there are two Dakotas Dylan Scott’s “Trump’s Hidden War on Medicaid” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox senior politics reporter Jane Coaston joins Dara and Matt to talk about a week of extremely erratic policymaking from an increasingly chaotic Trump White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Scott joins Sarah and Matt to talk about a new universal health care plan — plus some exciting administrative data from the good-old USA! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are also some good ideas discussed. All of them are about guns. German Lopez joins Dara and Matt to talk about gun control in the wake of the Parkland shooting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices