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Policy

Vox’s policy team covers how government action and inaction affect people’s lives: the problems facing the US, the ideas that could solve them, and the debates and arguments that will determine if those solutions become reality.

What if quitting your terrible job would help the economy?
Future Perfect

Should people who quit get unemployment benefits?

By Oshan Jarow
What two years without Roe looks like, in 8 chartsWhat two years without Roe looks like, in 8 charts
Explainers

Americans are confronting a whole new reality of patchwork abortion access after the Dobbs decision.

By Nicole Narea
What to know about Biden’s new plan to legalize US citizens’ undocumented family membersWhat to know about Biden’s new plan to legalize US citizens’ undocumented family members
Politics

Who’s eligible, is it legal, and other key questions, answered.

By Nicole Narea
Biden’s sweeping new asylum restrictions, explainedBiden’s sweeping new asylum restrictions, explained
Politics

Biden's transparently political attack on asylum put little daylight between him and Trump.

By Nicole Narea

The latest in Policy

Innovation in child care is coming from a surprising source: Police departmentsInnovation in child care is coming from a surprising source: Police departments
Parenting

Day care as public safety and public relations.

By Rachel M. Cohen
What the Labour Party’s big win in the UK will actually meanWhat the Labour Party’s big win in the UK will actually mean
World Politics

The UK is getting a new government. What is it promising to do?

By Ellen Ioanes
Why American politicians are so oldWhy American politicians are so old
Policy

And why the solution isn’t age limits.

By Abdallah Fayyad
What should an electric car sound like?What should an electric car sound like?
Play
Video

The driving sounds of EVs, explained by the designers who make them.

By Christophe Haubursin
How white victimhood is shaping a second Trump termHow white victimhood is shaping a second Trump term
Politics

As the GOP’s voting base diversifies, conservative elites are doubling down on white identity politics.

By Zack Beauchamp
If it’s 100 degrees out, does your boss have to give you a break? Probably not.If it’s 100 degrees out, does your boss have to give you a break? Probably not.
Future Perfect

The US doesn‘t have federal heat protections. A standard would save lives. As a heat dome suffocates much of the East, it‘s becoming more apparent that we need better standards in the face of climate change.

By Sam Delgado
The Supreme Court’s disastrous Trump immunity decision, explainedThe Supreme Court’s disastrous Trump immunity decision, explained
Supreme Court

The Court's Trump immunity case is a blueprint for dictatorship.

By Ian Millhiser
How dangerous is it really to have a baby in America?How dangerous is it really to have a baby in America?
Health

The debate over maternal deaths, explained.

By Anna North
What Kenya’s deadly protests are really aboutWhat Kenya’s deadly protests are really about
World Politics

A proposed tax hike sparked unrest, but Kenya’s real problem is a debt crisis.

By Ellen Ioanes
LBJ and Truman knew when to quit. Will Biden?LBJ and Truman knew when to quit. Will Biden?
Politics

Some lessons from the two presidents who walked away.

By Abdallah Fayyad
Why the Supreme Court just ruled in favor of over 300 January 6 insurrectionistsWhy the Supreme Court just ruled in favor of over 300 January 6 insurrectionists
Supreme Court

The rules governing statutory construction often allow judges to choose how they want to read a law.

By Ian Millhiser
What a big new Supreme Court decision could mean for homeless AmericansWhat a big new Supreme Court decision could mean for homeless Americans
Homelessness

The Grants Pass v. Johnson decision does not spell the end to fights over tent encampments in America.

By Rachel M. Cohen
Joe Biden should save his legacy by ending his candidacyJoe Biden should save his legacy by ending his candidacy
Politics

The case for somebody, anybody else.

By Eric Levitz
Can Democrats replace Biden as their nominee?Can Democrats replace Biden as their nominee?
2024 Elections

Eh, no, not really.

By Christian Paz
Biden vs. Trump: The first 2024 presidential debateBiden vs. Trump: The first 2024 presidential debate
2024 Elections

It's a historic rematch, the first ever debate between a sitting president and a former president.

By Vox Staff
The most important Biden Cabinet member you don’t knowThe most important Biden Cabinet member you don’t know
Policy

Vox’s Dylan Matthews sits down with US trade representative Katherine Tai

By Dylan Matthews
Facts on the Ground
2024 Elections

We're here to help you understand the state of America on some of the most contested policy areas of the 2024 election.

By Vox Staff
Biden’s border record: Trump’s claims vs. reality
Policy

The border trends during Biden's presidency, and how his policies played into them, explained.

By Andrew Prokop
Why do Americans always think crime is going up?
Policy

Crime is actually falling. Here are three theories on why that doesn't seem to reassure voters.

By Abdallah Fayyad
The Supreme Court’s new abortion decision, explainedThe Supreme Court’s new abortion decision, explained
Supreme Court

The leaked decision is not a victory for abortion rights.

By Ian Millhiser
I’m pregnant. I’m traveling. I’m terrified.
Life

My family reunion is in South Carolina. Essential care for my high-risk pregnancy is not.

By Aubrey Hirsch
Pregnancy in America is starting to feel like a crimePregnancy in America is starting to feel like a crime
Health

The ripple effects of the fall of Roe extend far beyond abortion.

By Anna North
The best plan to help refugees might also be the simplest
Future Perfect

More refugees live in cities. Could cash help them rebuild their lives?

By Jacob Kushner
The Supreme Court refuses to accept blame for its worst guns decisionThe Supreme Court refuses to accept blame for its worst guns decision
Supreme Court

US v. Rahimi is completely incoherent, and it faults lower courts for the justices' own incompetence.

By Ian Millhiser
Can we be actually normal about birth rates?Can we be actually normal about birth rates?
Future Perfect

Declining birth rates do matter, but we need to approach them thoughtfully.

By Kelsey Piper
Why Latin American leaders are obsessed with mega prisonsWhy Latin American leaders are obsessed with mega prisons
World Politics

El Salvador has touted its tough-on-crime policies (and kept quiet on human rights issues). Now everyone wants to try.

By Ellen Ioanes
This number can measure how dangerous a heat wave is for youThis number can measure how dangerous a heat wave is for you
Climate

What is the wet bulb temperature? And why is it so important?

By Umair Irfan
Why Americans hate inflation — and its cureWhy Americans hate inflation — and its cure
Future Perfect

Other countries have social safety nets. The US has debt.

By Dylan Matthews
Most Americans are wrong about crimeMost Americans are wrong about crime
Play
Video

But they’re right that something has changed in American cities.

By Adam Freelander
Biden’s big immigration gambleBiden’s big immigration gamble
Politics

The president is trying to have it both ways. Will it work?

By Christian Paz
Yes in God’s backyard? This housing solution may be the answer to your prayers.Yes in God’s backyard? This housing solution may be the answer to your prayers.
Housing

Churches, mosques, and temples could change the game on affordable housing.

By Rachel M. Cohen
The Supreme Court just effectively legalized machine gunsThe Supreme Court just effectively legalized machine guns
Supreme Court

On a party line vote, the Court legalized “bump stocks,” which convert semiautomatic guns into fully automatic ones.

By Ian Millhiser
The Supreme Court’s abortion pill case is only a narrow and temporary victory for abortionThe Supreme Court’s abortion pill case is only a narrow and temporary victory for abortion
Supreme Court

The decision is unanimous, but it leaves open two routes Republicans could take to pull mifepristone from the market.

By Ian Millhiser
The federal government’s new plan to (maybe) give renters straight cashThe federal government’s new plan to (maybe) give renters straight cash
Policy

A bold experiment to help tenants is advancing.

By Rachel M. Cohen
Biden is on track to beat inflation and lose the presidencyBiden is on track to beat inflation and lose the presidency
Politics

The data on prices is getting better, but the public’s disapproval of the president remains unchanged.

By Eric Levitz
Business owners are buying into a bogus myth about drivingBusiness owners are buying into a bogus myth about driving
Future Perfect

NYC’s very good plan to fix traffic fell victim to a very bad argument. And it's not just New York.

By David Zipper
One change that would make cars safer for everyoneOne change that would make cars safer for everyone
Policy

Too many pedestrians are dying on US roads. Changing car safety ratings could save lives.

By Marin Cogan
Cities know how to improve traffic. They keep making the same colossal mistake.Cities know how to improve traffic. They keep making the same colossal mistake.
Policy

The US shouldn’t give up on congestion pricing.

By Abdallah Fayyad
The failure of the college presidentThe failure of the college president
Politics

How the top campus job became so complex and public this year.

By Fabiola Cineas
Our identity crisis on immigrationOur identity crisis on immigration
Today, Explained newsletter

Cities and states aren’t waiting for the federal government to act.

By Matt Collette