Vox

Why building things in America has become so hard | The Gray Area - January 12, 2026 - Vox
Why is it so hard for America to build things?
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Bridges take years to construct. Housing costs are soaring. Transit systems are crumbling. And we’re struggling to update our infrastructure to prepare for the climate crisis. Even when there’s broad agreement that something needs to be done, collective action feels impossible. Why is that? Today’s guest is Marc Dunkelman, author of Why Nothing Works, a book about the modern American experience of watching government fail. He argues that by giving too many people the power to say “no,” we’ve stymied our collective progress.
Marc and Sean discuss an inherent tension in American politics: the need for effective, centralized power and a deep fear of its abuse. They trace how that tension has played out across American history, from the clashes between Jefferson and Hamilton, through the New Deal’s Tennessee Valley Authority, to the backlash against figures like Robert Moses. Marc argues that our current system — born out of a reaction to too much top-down authority during the late 20th century — has produced paralysis, dysfunction, and a deep distrust of government.
Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)
Guest: Guest: Marc Dunkelman (@MarcDunkelman), author of Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress — and How to Bring It Back.
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This episode was supported by a grant from Arnold Ventures. Vox had full discretion over the content of this reporting
00:00 Intro
01:16 Hamilton vs Jefferson
08:16 How the Tennessee Valley Authority changed America
11:25 Why we’re struggling to build clean energy infrastructure
15:17 How Robert Moses changed New York
24:25 Can government dysfunction be blamed on progressive reforms?
39:55 Having a voice vs having a veto
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2025, in 8 minutes - December 31, 2025 - Vox
2025 was dominated by the second iteration of the Trump administration, the release of the Epstein files, and government shakeups that ranged from the longest federal shutdown in history to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announcing her resignation. It was also a year of historic political moments — from a ceasefire in Gaza to Gen Z-led government protests abroad, and the rise of young politicians like Zohran Mamdani.
Along the way, the world got its first American pope, Labubu became a household name, and China upended the AI conversation with the introduction of DeepSeek. Amid seemingly endless government transitions, the year closed with a growing sense of unrest as the US launched new strikes in multiple countries. Let’s take a look back at the jam-packed events that defined 2025.
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Zohran Mamdani on his first priorities as NYC mayor (Full video interview) - December 30, 2025 - Vox
For Today, Explained, Vox’s Astead Herndon sat down with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at his transition team’s office to talk about how Mamdani plans to execute on his promises once in office.
Earlier this year, Herndon profiled Mamdani’s rise for New York Times magazine, interviewing the rising political star on the campaign trail several times. That October story broke down Mamdani’s unprecedented rise and gave the play-by-play of his surprise primary election victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
In this one-on-one interview with Vox, Herndon caught up with Mamdani ahead of his inauguration. They talk through everything from Mamdani’s first priorities in office, to what the national Democratic Party can learn from his successful campaign on affordability, to his appeal to new, young voters through social video.
Listen to Today, Explained, featuring a scene from Mamdani’s 12 hours of listening to constituents.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/today-explained/id1346207297
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