Vox

Democrats could win 2026 and still lose the bigger fight | America, Actually - September 29, 2026 - Vox
Sarah Longwell says Democrats could win back the House in November and still draw the wrong lessons about what voters want. A backlash against Donald Trump, she argues, shouldn’t be mistaken for enthusiasm for Democrats.
In this special episode of America, Actually, recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival, Vox’s Astead Herndon talks with Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark and host of The Focus Group podcast, about what she’s learned from listening to voters across the country. They discuss why voters don’t fit neatly into ideological boxes, how the changing electorate could shape the next presidential election, and what the Republican Party might look like after Trump.
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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The dark side of modern therapy culture | The Gray Area - September 28, 2026 - Vox
We were told that airing our personal trauma in public would set us free. Instead, we got “the trauma script,” celebrity branding, and performative empathy.
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In today's episode, guest host Christine Emba talks with cultural theorist and professor Catherine Liu, author of "Traumatized: The New Politics of Public Suffering." In this scathing book, Catherine argues that our modern obsession with the "trauma script" isn't a radical act of liberation, but rather a distraction from widening economic inequality. They discuss why identity pluralism has eclipsed class struggle, how public therapy speak undermines democratic debate, and why we must move away from commodified self-absorption to focus on collective political and economic change.
00:00 Intro
01:32 Origins of the trauma script
04:22 Class struggle vs individual suffering
12:18 Identity pluralism and the politics of public suffering
16:45 Public confessions and the trauma brand
24:27 From consciousness-raising to the self-help industry
32:50 Reclaiming boundaries
Guest Host Christine Emba, columnist and author
Guest: Catherine Liu, author of Traumatized: The New Politics of Public Suffering
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The AI election | America, Actually - September 26, 2026 - Vox
A recent New York Times/Siena poll found that less than 1 percent of voters view artificial intelligence as a top priority this election cycle. But is that really the case? Will Lawrence, a progressive congressional candidate in Michigan, is betting his campaign on the opposite. The co-founder of the environmental group Sunrise Movement has pivoted from climate and housing activism to taking on Big Tech.
Vox’s Astead Herndon talks with Lawrence about how AI fits into the wider progressive movement, and whether panic over the rapidly advancing technology represents something deeper about who will ultimately control the future of the US economy.
00:00 Why AI panic is spreading
02:41 From activist to congressional candidate
04:47 Why AI became a campaign issue
05:53 The backlash against data centers
07:42 Should America hit pause on AI?
09:05 Is AI a bubble or a revolution?
10:13 The fight over AI surveillance
11:52 What happens if AI replaces jobs?
15:35 How the Progressive Movement changed
19:50 Why Trump won Michigan
20:29 Lawrence responds to controversial remarks
23:07 Can AI become a bipartisan issue?
23:49 Is AI really the crisis of our time?
26:16 Takeaways
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.
Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO
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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The AI double squeeze: job loss and predatory debt | The Gray Area - September 25, 2026 - Vox
Inside the financial double squeeze of AI job loss.
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In today's episode, Vox senior reporter and producer Miles Bryan talks with writer Daniel Kolitz about his piece for The Baffler, "Paid Phones." Kolitz explains what it felt like to be among the first wave of workers displaced by generative AI. The two of them talked about how fintech payday loan apps use hidden fees and subscriptions to profit off of desperate borrowers, and how an online community on Reddit is organizing a quiet resistance against predatory lenders.
00:00 Intro
04:17 The golden age of SEO ghostwriting
09:39 The arrival of ChatGPT and job displacement
15:16 Entering the world of “friendly” cash advance apps
24:37 The Reddit ACH revocation community
31:59 The economic outlook of AI job loss
36:24 Climbing out of debt
Guest Host: Miles Bryan, Vox Senior Producer and Reporter
Guest: Daniel Kolitz, author of Paid Phones
We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show.
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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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