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Benjamin Franklin said the only certainties in life are death and taxes. Sifting through receipts, deciphering confusing codes, and filling out forms is an annual ritual that's about much more than money. The history of the income tax and the battle over who should pay how much is about what we value as a nation. In this conversation with historian Molly Michelmore we'll explore the past, present, and future of the income tax.

It’s another pivotal week for the U.S. Supreme Court when it comes to abortion access. A ruling by the Supreme Court on Friday has temporarily blocked lower court rulings restricting the abortion pill, mifepristone. Plus, where the highest unemployment rates in the country are. And, violence in Sudan as two rival military factions fight for control. Also, exactly how fast the world’s fastest marathon runner actually is. Guests: Axios' Oriana González and Alex Fitzpatrick. Credits: Axios Today is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Fonda Mwangi and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can text questions, comments and story ideas to Niala as a text or voice memo to 202-918-4893. Go Deeper: Supreme Court blocks lower court rulings restricting abortion pills Dozens dead in Sudan as fighting between military and rival militia intensifies The cities with the highest — and lowest — unemployment levels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How lowe can we go? Yeah, it’s Rob Lowe. So grab your lollipop and wait in line for three hours… it’s an all-new SmartLess. Please support us by supporting our sponsors. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SMARTLESS and get on your way to being your best self. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Vibe Check, Sam, Saeed, and Zach talk about “The Tennessee Three”, HBO’s “Succession”, and the impact of television character deaths. Plus, a few recommendations to keep your vibe right. We want to hear from you! Email us at vibecheck@stitcher.com, and keep in touch with us on Instagram @samsanders, @theferocity, and @zachstaff. Also, follow us on Tik Tok @vibecheckpod. ------------------------------------------------------ This week’s recommendations:  Saeed: Smokiez Edibles Zach: Magic Spoon  Sam: TikTok’s Enshittification by Cory Doctorow Why I Keep My Eyes – and My Mind – on the South Sam’s Playlist: https://spotify.link/pppi7UiAHyb

“The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest running show in the history of Broadway, will close its doors on Sunday after more than three decades. We went backstage during one of the final performances before the show’s famous chandelier crashes down one last time. Guest: Michael Paulson, a theater correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  The show was originally set to close in February, but the announcement set off a surge in ticket sales. “Phans,” as they call themselves, rushed to see it one last time. In an interview, Cameron Mackintosh said weakening box office and rising production costs led to the decision to end “Phantom’s” run. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus joins us to dive deep into: going to therapy with her 87-year-old mom, how to love adult kids well, the metaphor that got her through breast cancer, and why we should all be excited about getting older.  About Julia:  Julia Louis-Dreyfus is one of Hollywood’s most influential, iconic actors and producers. She starred in and executive produced HBO’s hit series Veep, she was Elaine Benes in Seinfeld and Christine Campbell in The New Adventures of Old Christine. She has received 11 Emmys with 26 nominations; she broke records for the most Emmys won. She was recently honored with the White House’s National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists who advance the arts in the United States.   On April 11, she released her new podcast, “Wiser Than Me,” a 10-part series of candid, witty conversations with women over 70. And her fantastic new film You Hurt My Feelings is being released in May.   TW: @OfficialJLD IG: @officialjld To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices