Slate News

Since last summer, it’s been difficult to fill an Adderall prescription. The shortage is driving some people to try other ADHD medications—causing shortages of those medications too—while others are sourcing their medication on the “gray market.” Why is such a common drug nowhere to be found?And why has the FDA been so mum on the subject? Guests: Ike Swetlitz, health journalist for Bloomberg News Sheila McClear, writer for Los Angeles magazine If you enjoy this show, please consider signing...

The Atlanta Police Foundation’s $90 million police training facility, a mock-urban space with a nightclub, convenience store, and even homes, has drawn the ire of police reform activists, environmentalists, and even advocates for the homeless. The months-long effort by forest-dwelling protesters to prevent the construction of this facility has left an advocate dead, a state trooper shot, 35 individuals facing terrorism charges, and a community divided. Guest: Madeline Thigpen, criminal...

This weekend, former President Trump warned supporters on Truth Social he could be arrested on Tuesday, and called for them to “TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Although it’s unclear whether Trump is facing imminent arrest, many observers believe legal proceedings focused on Trump’s “hush money” payment to Stormy Daniels suggest an indictment is coming soon. How strong is this case, and how likely is it that Trump will face real legal consequences? Guests: Dahlia Lithwick, host of Slate’s Amicus, and...

For decades, there has been a stigma attached to remaining unmarried and childless in the Black community, particularly for women. But a growing part of the Black middle class is single, childfree adults. Does the trend threaten the future of the Black family, or is it time to recognize a different model for family life? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by sociologist Kris Marsh, author of “The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class.” Guest:...

Using just what you’ve posted to social media, generative A.I. can create a “puppet version” of your voice—one that’s close enough to scam your family into paying thousands in, say, bail money. And imitating public officials to create “deep fakes” who say whatever they’re told is even easier. Guest: Pranshu Verma, tech reporter for the Washington Post. Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any...

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the Silicon Valley Bank bailout with David Leonhardt; Ron DeSantis coming out against aid to Ukraine; and free speech fights at elite law schools. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: William Saletan for The Bulwark: “The Ukraine Untruths of Disingenuous DeSantis” Ken White for The Popehat Report: “Hating Everyone Everywhere All At Once At Stanford” David Lat for Original Jurisdiction: “Yale Law Is No Longer #1—For...

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers dive into the drama in the banking world. They discuss the fallout of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and its subsequent government takeover. They also take some listener questions about SVB! Felix, Emily and Elizabeth also discuss Credit Suisse, and how government policy may change for banks that are “too big to fail”. In the Plus segment: What was it like to have an SVB bank account in the last week? Podcast production by Anna...

The economy is doing well almost every but in tech, where headlines about layoffs have been replaced with news about Silicon Valley Bank’s demise. The collapse of “the central artery for the tech industry” looks like the end of an era. Where do venture capitalists, start-ups—and the industry writ large—go now? Guest: Priya Anand, reporter at Bloomberg covering venture capital and start-ups. Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus...

Colleges are dropping the SAT as a requirement in their admissions process, citing studies that what the test measures best is simply how well you’ve prepared for the test. But the question at the heart of the matter remains: how do you create a fair and equitable college admissions process? And can a test-optional system help foster a more equal playing field when there’s still so much inequality built into our school systems? Guest: Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, senior reporter at Higher Ed Dive. If...

Slate’s political and discussion podcast, Hear Me Out, launches March 21. Join host Celeste Headlee and a guest each week for a smart, fair debate on issues that matter. In a nation where many of us have forgotten how to talk to each other, veteran journalist Celeste Headlee has devoted years to reinvigorating the art of civil conversation and debate. Each week on Hear Me Out, she'll invite a thoughtful guest to discuss their controversial perspective on a current issue, and engage in a...

The downfall of Silicon Valley Bank marks the second largest bank collapse in American history. Why and how did SVBgo under? Where were the regulators? And how do we stop this from happening again? Guest: Annie Lowery,staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Give People Money. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting...

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has made anti-trans legislation a trademark of her term, but singling out trans people—and those who provide them medical care—comes at a cost to the state and its residents. It left the tiny rural town of Webster with only one physician. Guest: Mayson Bedient, a family medicine and gender-affirming care specialist in Fargo, North Dakota If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate...

Judy Heumann devoted her life to advocating for Americans with disabilities and was a fixture at protests, sit-ins, and activist meetings, eventually becoming a presidential advisor. After passing away at 75, her work continues through her friends and those she fought for. Guest: Sandy Ho, founder of Disability and Intersectionality Summit and disability policy researcher. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any...

The online dating world can be brutal and repetitive—just the kind of thing you might want to automate. But, in one tech writer’s experience, artificial intelligence isn’t ready to make real connections—at least, not without a lot of help. Guest: Heather Tal Murphy, covers business and technology at Slate Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow...

The Scream franchise returns to theaters this weekend. Since it first debuted in 1996, the racial dynamics of horror films have evolved. And for the first time in generations of scary movies, African American characters are surviving, killing the monsters, or even slaying as horror villains themselves. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Mark Harris, the co-author of The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar, to talk about the evolution of Black...

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by political analyst Michael Podhorzer (ex AFL-CIO, now newly-minted substacker). Michael was one of the all-hands-on-deck responsible for shoring up the 2020 election against subversion, he’s a political data geek, and for Amicus’s purposes - he’s someone with a fascinating take on the Supreme Court, and all the ways we fail to truly understand it. Hear why Michael doesn't care about Leonard Leo, the lessons learned in the Trump years that we should be applying to...

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe is joined by film producer and Stay Gold Features founder Daniela Taplin Lundberg to discuss the challenges of film production and the importance of movies that tell women’s stories, even when they seem too risky to make. In Slate Plus, Nadira and Daniela talk about their favorite (surprisingly) feminist movies. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth and Tori Dominguez with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia...

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by American Banker national editor Kevin Wack to discuss all things banking, including retail banking, why it’s so difficult to switch banks and why neobanks aren’t more successful. They also discuss the Wells Fargo fake accounts scandal. In the Plus segment: the lead up to the Silicon Valley Bank downfall. Podcast production by Anna Phillips and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just weeks before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a Nebraska woman and her daughter were charged with performing an illegal abortion, thanks to information that law enforcement uncovered by going through their Facebook accounts. Guest: Johana Bhuiyan, senior reporter on tech and surveillance for The Guardian Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of...

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign, the end of pandemic-era medicaid & food security protections, and the many legal fights over medication abortion. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show Hannah Dreier and Kirsten Luce for The New York Times: “Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S.” Jeff Stein and Tony Romm for The Washington Post: “Biden Calls For Trillions In Tax Hikes And New...