‘If You’re Still Comfortable, You’re Not Doing Enough’
Jumaane Williams, New York City’s second-highest elected official, shares advice for protesters and his hope for change.
Listen: An Extremely Bizarre Plan to Play Basketball
Rising case numbers, an empty theme park, and 22 teams in quarantine. What could go wrong?
Listen: Can We Sing?
And answers to other listener questions
Listen: Why the Virus Is Spreading So Unevenly
The pandemic isn’t going away, and its growth is hard to predict.
Listen: Would Defunding the Police Make Us Safer?
Police departments have enormous budgets. Are we getting what we pay for?
Listen: How Limiting Protests Will Spread the Virus
Crowded gatherings are only part of the equation.
Listen: How Racism Kills Black Americans
The health effects of discrimination are usually less obvious than murder.
Listen: Sometimes, Things Can Change
A historian shares lessons, and warnings, from the New Deal.
Listen: Is America Going to Make It?
James Fallows gives us some historical perspective.
Listen: Is Anyone Else Not Showering?
There’s good cleaning and bad cleaning. Jim attempts to explain.
The Ticket: Mayor Nan Whaley
The mayor of Dayton, Ohio, on how badly America’s cities need a bailout, and how painful the impact could be if they don’t get one.
Listen: It’s a Small World Health Organization
What happens if the United States pulls out of the WHO during the pandemic?
Listen: Is There a Vaccine Shortcut?
Researchers could deliberately expose people to the coronavirus to speed up the development of a vaccine. Is it worth it?
Listen: Am I Depressed?
Or is the world just depressing?
The Ticket: Senator Bill Cassidy
The senator from Louisiana (and doctor) describes how he sees states reopening and why he says those decisions should come from outside Washington, D.C.
Listen: The Comforting Appeal of Conspiracy Theories
Why false narratives can sometimes outrun facts
Listen: You Should Have an Advance Directive
It’s hard to talk about end-of-life care. You should do it anyway.
Listen: The Racial Contract
The same forces that allow a black man’s killers to walk free have shaped the country’s response to the pandemic.
Listen: Will You Merge Bubbles With Me?
A guide to dating and relationships during the pandemic
Listen: Where Movie Theaters Go From Here
Will summer’s big blockbuster premiere in your apartment?