Today, Explained

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s “loony lies”

Vox’s Aaron Rupar explains why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has likened a fellow Republican’s views to cancer. And New York magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi explores what lawmakers peddling conspiracy theories means for the future of the GOP. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The coup in Myanmar

Some would say the military has always been in control of Myanmar. On Monday morning, they made it official once again. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing Chicano Squad

After the 1977 murder of a young Latino man, the Houston Police Department created a team of five young Latino officers to solve homicides in their community. True crime meets forgotten history in the Vox Media Podcast Network’s Chicano Squad. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biden’s latest 13 actions (in 13 minutes)

And whether or not any of it will last beyond his presidency. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GameStock

Vox’s Emily Stewart explains how GameStop’s stock jumped by 1,700 percent this month. Bloomberg’s Matt Levine ponders the purpose of the stock market. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The military’s far-right problem

Sen. Tammy Duckworth wants the military to do a better job of rooting out extremism in its ranks. A military investigator explains how to solve a decades-old problem. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coronavirus, 365 days later

One year after our first episode on the novel coronavirus, Vox’s Julia Belluz explains what we got right, what we got wrong, and what comes next. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marianne Williamson on healing America’s soul

Marianne Williamson was applauded as well as ridiculed on the presidential debate stage when she warned of the “dark psychic forces of collectivized hatred.” Now, just a few weeks after a lethal insurrection, a historic second impeachment, and the inauguration of President Joe Biden, she talks about the possibility of unity. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Second in command, first in history

Kamala Harris has already broken barriers, but ahead lies the rare task of leading a polarized and evenly divided Senate. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Biden’s first 17 actions (in 17 minutes)

In his first few minutes in office, President Biden hit CTRL+Z on former President Trump’s agenda. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

46

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in today and got straight to work. Vox’s Laura McGann and Dylan Matthews explain what will be done immediately, and what’s possible with the slimmest of majorities in Congress. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abolish the lame-duck period?

America’s two-month lame-duck period gave supporters of the outgoing president ample time to plan a violent uprising. Vox’s Ian Millhiser argues the long transition needs to end. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first global vaccination

Was distributed by 22 orphans. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Okay, Google: unionize!

A very big tech company now has a very small union. Recode’s Shirin Ghaffary explains why highly paid workers in an anti-union industry still organized and made history. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The people behind the insurrection

President Trump has been impeached for inciting an insurrection on the Capitol one week ago. CNN’s Elle Reeve was there and explains who was duped into mobbing the government. Plus, Washington Post’s Dan Lamothe reports on how the government plans to prevent another mob from wreaking havoc. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A step past impeachment

Impeachment won’t stop the United States’ slide towards authoritarianism. Voter reform might. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Deplatforming Donald

First he lost his Facebook. Then he lost his Twitter. As of today, President Trump had been limited or booted by more than a dozen platforms. Casey Newton, editor of Platformer, explains the historic shift on social media. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The flamethrowers and the fire extinguishers

Infighting among Republican lawmakers reached a breaking point this week. The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins explains why and the tough road ahead for the GOP. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How security at the Capitol failed

Washington Post national security reporter Dan Lamothe explains how a number of agencies and politicians put together a historically bad security plan for Congress on Wednesday. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The breach, explained by Rep. Maloney (locked in her office)

Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York explains what it was like to live through today’s violent transfer of power. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The virus gets more contagious

Viruses mutate, but this time it’s different. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All eyes on Georgia

Tuesday’s election will decide who controls the Senate, but the president is still hung up on the election he already lost. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The year in revue

It's been a year. It’s been a year And after all the news  We’re still not in the clear It’s been a year Can’t even remember what life was like  Back before we didn’t need a mask to go outside It’s been a year Can’t even remember how it used to sound Before the streets were quiet and we had to lock it down It’s been a year 2020 The year began on fire Australia was burning And Iran was looking dire And you know you might forget it but Back in the before time We thought we’d have to deal With Third World War time It was only January  The last time I went to a wedding And we barely knew back then That the virus was already spreading Meanwhile the end of The impeachment trial, finally It went the way you thought it would Except for maybe Romney The virus leaves China On planes and on ships  The world watches closely As Italy gets hit But Italians sang from their balconies And then came the celebrities It’s been a year It’s been a year And after all the news We’re still not in the clear It’s been a year 2020 is cancelled No Olympics and Costco took away free samples So long, Coachella Goodbye in-person classes No European travel We banned their white asses Covid conspiracies. We’ve got varieties  Bill Gates made it in a lab And 5G wants to kill your dad Maybe it’ll go away  When temperatures are high Maybe some disinfectant Is worth the college try? Lockdowns, shutdowns Layoffs and a market crash Mask on. Mask off The stimulus won’t help my rash We’re running out of TP We’re running out of PPE I’m scared of getting groceries I’m losing all my sanity When is this all gonna end? It feels like everything is the same Every single day  Blends into the next day It’s been a year It’s been a year And after all the news We’re still not in the clear. It’s been a year Late May A wall starts to shatter More than half the country screaming Black! Lives! Matter! A monumental protest movement  Started in the streets Statues start to fall And people protest the police Racist mascots fall and  Athletes protest in the bubble John Lewis passed away but left us His “good trouble.” The Confederate flag Lost again in this pandemic While more and more people saw That racism’s systemic But unity, it doesn’t last  It quickly gets politicized  There’s shooting in Kenosha  And everyone’s still taking sides One step forward One step back The United States Staying right on track It’s been a— Wait, wait hold the phone The president has got it He didn’t wanna wear a mask But now he tested positive Yeah, he’s gonna beat it But he won’t win the election  Even after RBG The Court will not correct it Convinces half his party It’s a steal, without a reason Tries to throw good ballots out But books the wrong Four Seasons Fifty different lawsuits Winding through the courts. He’s losing and losing and losing and losing and losing… Who cares! Now there’s a vaccine! And another new vaccine! It’s actually happening! It’s all predicted by Fauci! Thank you to the doctors And to all the educators Thank you to the nurses And to grocery store workers And also all the drivers! Who now have my address And for saving our election God bless USPS! It’s been a year It’s been a year And after all the news We’re still not in the clear It’s been a year It’s been a year And after all the news We’re still not in the clear It’s been a year Can’t even remember what it’s like to be dancing with my friends and eating with my family It’s been a year Can’t even remember what normal was, but gimme more hugs in 2021 It’s been a year It’s been a year And after all the news We’re still not in the clear. It’s been a year It’s been a year We’ve given up so much But somehow we’re still here We’re still here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How 2020 changed us

In the final episode of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” people look back on a very long year. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Animals catch Covid-19, too

In the fourth of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” a reminder that we’re not the only animals who got Covid-19 this year. Science writer David Quammen explains why our health and theirs are intertwined. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Fauci’s nightmare before Christmas

In the third of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” Dr. Anthony Fauci reflects back on his pandemic year, what he’s learned, and what he’d do differently. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The year live music died

In the second of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” musicians explain how they got creative when live shows and tours were canceled. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Moving home

In the first of our five-part series, “You, Me, and Covid-19,” millennials are moving back in with their parents (again), but they are discovering multigenerational living has its perks. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A climate change of address

An estimated 143 million people will relocate to escape climate change in the next three decades. Quartz’s Amanda Shendruk explains how cities can transform themselves into climate havens. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How Netscape created our tech world

In this episode of the Go for Broke podcast, host Julia Furlan travels back to the mid-’90s to explain how a bygone web browser set the stage for modern tech. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices