In politics, you’re often told not to get lost in the weeds. But we love the weeds! That’s where politics becomes policy – the stuff that shapes our lives. Every Tuesday and Friday, Matthew Yglesias is joined by Ezra Klein, Sarah Kliff, Dara Lind, Jane Coaston and other Vox voices to dig into the weeds on important national issues, including healthcare, immigration, housing, and everything else that matters. Produced by Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
https://www.vox.com/the-weeds
What to obstruct when you’re obstructing
Matt, Jane, and Andrew Prokop talk about the Mueller report — which one of them has actually read to the end.
Related reading:
Quinta Jurecic’s color-coded analysis of Mueller’s obstruction language
Rick Hasen’s article on Mueller not prosecuting Donald Trump Jr.
Full Mueller report
White paper
Maybe collusion, probably obstruction [Special Crossover Edition]
Ezra Klein joins Zack, Jenn, and Alex in a crossover episode with Worldly on Robert Mueller’s just-released report. They explain the special counsel's main findings on collusion with Russian election interference and on obstruction of justice and why they aren’t good for Trump. Then they zoom out and talk about what this whole episode reveals about the health of American democracy and how this gives a green light for Russia and other authoritarian powers to intervene in future US elections...
Trump Family (Tax) Values
Dara, Sarah, and Matt talk about the suspiciously timed retirement of Trump's sister, IRS enforcement, and new research on how police stops can actually cause crime.
Related reading:
ProPublica study on the EITC audits
White paper
How Canada got Medicare-for-all done
Ezra returns to discuss filibuster reform and the legacy of Tommy Douglas with Sarah and Matt.
Recommended reading:
Tommy Douglas named greatest Canadian
Filibuster reform explainer
Sanders and reconciliation explainer
Doctor strike explainer
White paper
The Purge: DHS
Jane, Dara, and Matt discuss Trump's personnel shake-up at the Department of Homeland Security and what's next for immigration policy.
Recommended reading:
Jake Tapper on Trump telling border patrol agents to ignore the law
The White House’s wish list for DHS actions
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s resignation, explained
Attack of the clone bills
Matt, Sarah, and Dara copied this discussion of model legislation from an asbestos lobbyist.
Recommended reading:
USA Today article
Article on 'ALEC'
Research on model legislation 1
Research on model legislation 2
Research on model legislation 3
Learning from Norway's lesbian mothers
Dara, Jane, and Matt on President Donald Trump’s latest border moves and a new wrinkle in the story of the gender pay gap.
Recommended reading:
Explainer on Trump cutting off aid
Explainer on border closure
CNN report on Trump’s border briefings
The US policy of returning Central American asylum seekers to wait in Mexico
An optimistic take on aid and El Salvador
A pessimistic take on aid and El Salvador
White paper
Infrastructure Week (and Farm Week and Teacher Week)
Dara, Jane, and Matt analyze three new policy proposals from Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris.
Recommended reading:
Amy Klobuchar's infrastructure plan
Elizabeth Warren's agriculture plan
Kamala Harris's teacher-pay plan
HuffPost feature on Harris's truancy policy
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Mueller's investigation is over. Obamacare repeal isn't.
Sarah, Dara, and Jane discuss the Hill's response to Mueller, the DOJ's siege of Obamacare, and the benefits of IUDs.
National Review article
Zack Beauchamp's article on the reaction to William Barr's Mueller letter
New York Times article on Mueller report
White paper
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Should presidential candidates get into the weeds?
Sarah, Jane, and Matt debate the value of policy details in the primary.
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