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 against Covid-19 reignites the debate on public health messaging around the pandemic. Also, Matt wants experts to stay in their lanes. Resources: “Will Biden Make a Historic Mistake at the Fed?” by J. Bradford Delong (Project Syndicate; Sep 1, 2021) “Strengthening the...
Sep 07, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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) “...
Sep 03, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 employm...
Aug 31, 2021•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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)...
Aug 27, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 a...
Aug 25, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Elizab...
Aug 20, 2021•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Resource...
Aug 17, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 T...
Aug 13, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Aug 10, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Speak Host: Matt Yglesias (@...
Aug 06, 2021•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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" b...
Aug 04, 2021•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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) Summary of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPA) Guest: Liza Reed (@LizaBevin), Research Manager, Low Carbon Technology Policy, Niskanen Center Host: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Slowboring.com Credits: Erikk Geannikis (@...
Jul 30, 2021•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 years later) leads our hosts to talk a lot about the interrelated histories of zoning and racism in twentieth-century America. Resources: Buchanan v. Warley, 245 US 60 (1917) Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Company, 272 US 365 (1926) "The racial orig...
Jul 28, 2021•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Inflation" by Julia Coronado (presentation to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Economic Advisory Panel; April 9) "Here's Who Will Be Left Behind in the Housing Boom" by Ali Wolf (New York Times; July 13) Guest: Julia Coron...
Jul 23, 2021•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 of 1965 (a.k.a. the Hart-Celler Act), and the previous discriminatory immigration policies that preceded it. Our hosts also discuss how this piece of legislation shaped — and still shapes — the way immigration in America takes place today. Resources: One Mighty and I...
Jul 21, 2021•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 learning loss, re-opening plans, and the perennial debates over how best to serve all students, particularly students of color. We are conducting an audience survey to better serve you. It takes about five minutes, and it really helps out the show...
Jul 16, 2021•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 "Volcker shock": an attempt by Fed Chairman Paul Volcker to cope with rising inflation, and the myriad consequences of his efforts. Our hosts discuss the oil crisis, stagflation, the curious relationship between central banking and fiscal policy, and give some much-needed re...
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 the present moment have led us to relitigate Reconstruction-era problems that go against the fundamental understanding of American equity. They also have a few things to say in there about Die Hard and Indiana Jones. Resources: "The Cruelty Is the Point" by Adam Serwer (The Atla...
Jul 09, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 bipartisan consensus that existed at the outset of this policy, how everyone eventually turned on it, and the legacy it still leaves behind in our school systems today. Resources: "The GOP's Plan to Take Education Policy Back to the Early 1990s" by Kevin Carey (Oct. 5, 2011; T...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 rehearse some Hollywood history to discover that vertical integration might be... good? Plus, some research is examined that deals with spectator inattention and umpire performance in Major League Baseball. Resources: "On going back to the movies" by Alissa Wilkinson (Vox...
Jun 30, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 D. Bloom on possible missing tranches of genetic sequencing data from Chinese servers, and the discussion turns to what we know, don't know, can't know, and might know about the origins of Covid . . . and where that leaves us for the next pande...
Jun 26, 2021•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 the Obama-era pandemic playbook, the politicized messaging and idiosyncratic inattention of former President Trump, and what it would mean to develop a truly harm-reducing strategy for the America we actually have. Plus, some research is discussed that evaluates the relationship betwe...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 a jaw-droppingly high price tag. Matt, Dara, and Dylan discuss the situation in light of lessons learned, or not quite learned, from the global pandemic. Then, some research is discussed that evaluates the effects of work requirements on supplemental nutritio...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 states, tackle the most divisive issue in all of housing Twitter, and Matt just lets totally loose about how he's not allowed to replace his home's windows. Resources: H.R. 4307, the Build More Housing Near Transit Act 2006 Arizona Proposit...
Jun 12, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 philosophical amidst a detailed discussion about the supply chain for chicken wings. Then, some research is discussed that suggests that maybe your tweets really do matter... or, at least when you tweet through U.S. elections where Donald Trump is on the ballot. Resources: "Ma...
Jun 09, 2021•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast 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 windows," and what might be the true cause of the current trending rise in violent crime across the nation. Resources: Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration and How to Achieve Real Reform by John Pfaff (2017; Basic Books) G...
Jun 05, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 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:...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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, the influence and role of The Federalist Society, and the inherent biases in the elite legal system that have led to an "affirmative action"-like feeder program for conservative judges. Resources: The Judicial Tug of War: How Lawyers, Politicians, and Ideo...
May 28, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 to our current grant-funding system, and some research is analyzed that concerns the resiliency of so-called "forced entrepreneurs," and their businesses' tendency to better weather recessions. Resources: "How to supercharge vac...
May 25, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Aaron Chalfin, Benjamin Hansen, Emily K. Weisburst & Morgan C. Williams Jr. (Dec. 2020) "Body-Worn Cameras in Policing: Benefits and Costs" by Morgan C. Williams Jr., Nathan Weil, Elizabeth A. Rasich, Jens Ludwig, Hye Change & Sophia Egrari (Mar. 20...
May 21, 2021•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast 
