Vox

The death row assembly line | The Gray Area - October 9, 2026 - Vox

Is there a humane way for the state to kill someone?

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Guest host Miles Bryan sits down with New York Times Magazine writer and ProPublica reporter Pamela Colloff to pull back the curtain on critical flaws in America's approach to the death penalty. From the tragedy of wrongful convictions to the profound impact capital punishment has on victims' families, can the death penalty ever truly be justified?

Drawing on decades of reporting and a new book, To Catch a Devil, Colloff examines the reality of executions in states like Florida, the prevalence of unreliable jailhouse informants, and why a system built on human judgment can never be infallible.

00:00 Intro

01:59 Why Colloff changed her mind on the death penalty

06:57 The declining use of the death penalty

11:49 Governor Desantis and the death penalty

20:50 The governor’s power in Florida

32:45 Jailhouse informants

42:02 To Catch a Devil

Guest Host: Miles Bryan, Vox Senior Producer and Reporter

Guest: Pamela Colloff, author of To Catch A Devil

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If Dems take Congress, what can they actually do? - October 8, 2026 - Vox

With the US midterm elections a few weeks away, Vox is bringing you conversations with our political reporters and correspondents. Today, Explained host Sean Rameswaram speaks with senior politics correspondent Andrew Prokop about the challenges a reshaped Democratic Party could face if it wins control of the House and potentially the Senate.

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Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.

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Democrats need a stronger message on abortion | America, Actually - October 6, 2026 - Vox

Jessica Valenti says Democrats are playing it too safe on abortion. As the founder of Abortion, Every Day on Substack, she said the party should treat abortion rights as a matter of affordability, healthcare, and personal freedom, and make a stronger case for keeping the government out of decisions about pregnancy.

In this special episode of America, Actually, Valenti joins Vox’s Astead Herndon for a conversation about why support for abortion rights hasn’t always translated into Democratic victories, the consequences of abortion bans, and how Republicans are changing their rhetoric while continuing to pursue restrictions. They also discuss threats to birth control, the stakes of the midterms, and why Valenti wants Democrats to go beyond promising to “restore Roe” in 2028.

America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday, tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.

If you enjoy our reporting and want to learn more, sign up for Astead’s weekly newsletter, Midterms, Actually. Just go to www.vox.com/midtermsactually to learn more, and get in-depth analysis about this year’s election right to your inbox.

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Why it’s okay to want more money | The Gray Area - October 5, 2026 - Vox

Is wanting to be rich selfish? Does making money require exploiting other people? Or can the pursuit of wealth actually benefit society?

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In this episode, guest host Sally Herships speaks with philosopher Jason Brennan about his book, "Why It's OK to Want to Be Rich." Jason makes the case that both wanting money and earning money are signs that we’re creating value for society. In this conversation, they explore why society believes money corrupts relationships, what wealthy individuals owe to society, and the cultural differences around money and wealth.

This episode was produced in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect.

00:00 Intro

03:19 Wanting to be rich is good for society

14:27 Capitalism, winners, and losers

24:43 Wealth, taxes, and banking

34:25 Does capitalism require exploitation?

39:57 What do the rich owe society?

Host: Sally Herships, journalist and director of the audio program at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. (Find Sally’s work here).

Guest: Jason Brennan, professor of philosophy and public affairs at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday.

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Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.

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