The Politics Guys

In this episode, Mike & Jay respond to listeners on: whether changes to the Democrats’ superdelegate rules will have a big impact on who their 2020 nominee will be what Democrats can do to win back the Midwest if Joe Biden is out of touch and past his prime if the Politics Guys are out of touch and past their primes story selection bias in the mainstream media Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay and Mike open the show with a discussion of the first two Democratic presidential debates. Instead of looking at the debates in terms of ‘winners and losers’ they step back and talk about the nature of the debate format and the sort of qualities it rewards and punishes. Mike lets loose on his general disgust with these multi-person debates, and while Jay isn’t quite as impassioned he agrees that they’re far more spectacle than substance. Next, they look at a trio of major end-of-term Supreme Court decisions, starting with gerrymandering. Jay feels that the majority got it right and that gerrymandering, while a potential danger to democracy, isn’t something that the Court can fix. Mike disagrees but feels it’s a tough question and understands why some may not be able to accept the social science view of how much partisan gerrymandering is too much. After that they turn to the Court’s decision on the Trump administration’s plan to add a citizenship question to the Census. Mike thinks that Chief Justice Roberts and the Court’s four liberals got it exactly right - while the administration can add a citizenship question, they have to provide a reasonable explanation for why they’re doing so, as opposed to the after-the-fact rationale the administration provided. Jay is somewhat disappointed with the outcome, but joins Mike in his respect for Chief Justice Roberts. The final Supreme Court ruling they examine received less coverage than the others, but is on a topic - administrative discretion - that’s near and dear to both Mike and Jay’s hearts. Jay feels that the Court’s ruling to keep in place a narrowed doctrine of deference to administrative agencies’ interpretations of their own rules is reasonable, though he argues that the narrowing of that deference is part of a larger project to restrain the administrative state - something he’s very much in favor of. Mike agrees with the outcome and argues that the four dissenters seem to want to replace agency discretion with judicial discretion, which he views as unacceptable judicial activism. They close the show with a look at the humanitarian crisis on the Mexican border. Mike & Jay agree that the system is currently overwhelmed, and that Congress did the right thing in putting aside at least some partisan differences and approving some desperately needed emergency funding. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Helena Rosenblatt, a professor of history at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York about her latest book, The Lost History of Liberalism: From Ancient Rome to the Twenty-First Century. Topics Mike & Helena discuss include: the meaning of liberalism in ancient Greece and Rome liberalism as an aristocratic virtue the connection between liberalism and education the Catholic Church as an historical opponent of liberalism classical, ‘laissez faire’ liberalism progressive Republicans, Wilsonian Democrats, and 20th century American liberalism how mid-twentieth century totalitarianism affected liberalism the key challenges to modern liberalism Helena Rosenblatt on Twitter Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will and Brian begin with a discussion about Trump’s official re-election announcement. Both agree that Trump has better odds than the average pundit gives him to keep his position, but they differ slightly on why he could win. Will argues that the base will be enough to see him through while Brian posits that Democrats could likely unseat him if they spent less time debating one another and instead focused on a concentrated campaign against Trump. Ultimately, Brian argues that his base sees him as Teflon Don and that his control of the media is underacknowleged by political opponents. Will argues that with the economy doing well and no actual military conflict, Trump should be able to keep America great. Next, they turn to Hope Hicks’ testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. Neither Will nor Brian are surprised that Hicks has not been willing to discuss what Democrats want to hear about, but they both acknowledge Democrats will keep trying to find information to help make a case that Trump has obstructed justice. Brian sees this as essential to preserving democracy as we understand it in America while Will believes Democrats are costing themselves time and resources by focusing on an already galvanized issue rather than going after the president on policy grounds. In the end, they both wonder what utility Democrats will ultimately gain from this and what could be accomplished if efforts were devoted to other areas. They then turn to discussing the Eddie Gallagher trial currently underway. Both believe this is an issue that merits an investigation, but they differ on culpability. Brian finds the alleged actions reprehensible while Will believe Gallagher needed greater support prior to being sent back into a combat zone. While neither excuses his alleged behavior, Will finds the testimony of a medic to raise serious questions. Both believe this is reasonable doubt, but Will points to the immunity granted to the medic as a potential sign that the government was looking to muddy the waters and avoid President Trump having to ultimately pardon Gallagher for his crime. Brian agrees and adds that if we want to improve our image abroad, avoiding allegations of incidents like this would be a great first step. Lastly, Will and Brian conclude with a discussion of recent activities in Iran, focusing on the Revolutionary Guard’s decision to shoot down an American drone this week. Will is perplexed by the response to last week’s cargo ship bombing allegations and the announcement this week that it must have been a mistake to shoot down the drone. Brian is concerned about maintaining territorial sovereignty while also protecting national interests. Both agree that a war with Iran would not be a useful endeavor given the lack of an endgame. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with University of Missouri St. Louis economist David Rose about his book Why Culture Matters Most. Topics they discuss include: why democratic capitalism is the only reliable way to achieve mass flourishing the relationship between culture, trust, institutions, and mass flourishing small group vs large group trust the role of religion in building a high-trust society why trust in the system has been in such steep decline how limited government helps to maintain trust in the system what we can do to increase trust and strengthen our democratic institutions Panel on Capitalism & Poverty (YouTube) Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Kristin begin with a discussion about the recent immigration agreement between the U.S. and Mexico. They go into some depth about the details of the agreement, President Trump’s stance, the concerns about the short timeline for Mexico, and some of the larger issues that the U.S. may face down the road. Both agree to take a “wait and see” approach. They also question whether it would be wise to add a “sunset” provision to executive orders so that Congress can assess crisis situations with a more flexible timeframe, but without necessarily hindering the President’s ability to act quickly. Next up is another geo-political topic that picked up steam toward the end of the week – escalating tensions with Iran. This week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed the finger at Iran for involvement in attacks of tanker vessels in the Gulf of Oman. Mike wonders if this is something the U.S. should approach with “muscle”, essentially backing Iran into a corner, and whether that is a wise move. Kristin brings up historical context and the importance of unifying allies to address Iran’s aggression – as was the case under President Reagan. Mike also brings up questions about the connection between this and possible arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Turning to domestic issues, Mike and Kristin discuss the disagreement surrounding the citizenship question on the 2020 Census, as well as the House Oversight and Reform Committee’s vote to hold AG William Barr and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in contempt for withholding related documents. Both Kristin and Mike surmise that there is more here than meets the eye, as the actions seem politically motivated on both sides. They discuss their views, and Mike brings up an interesting idea regarding the timing of the Census. Finally, Mike and Kristin wrap up with a discussion of some personnel changes and issues coming out of the White House, including White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her departure, as well as issues surrounding Top Aide Kellyanne Conway’s violations of the Hatch Act. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will and Alexandra begin today’s show by discussing the state of impeachment talks. Will argues that impeachment at this moment would do nothing by divide Democrats and solidify Trump support. With the DCC publicly split already, it would just draw focus off of 2020 and risk alienating potential moderate voters. Alexandra, on the other hand, has shifted her views since the Barr performance and lack of willingness of Trump to cooperate. While she believes winning in 2020 is crucial for Democrats, she believes this is about protecting institutions and democracy more largely. Next, they turn to a general discussion of the 2020 election. Will continues to argue that 20 candidates in a debate is going to fracture the party more than help. Moreover, he points to the potential for donor fatigue based on debate performances and the general election. The September debates will produce more substance and nuance, but what damage will occur before then? Alexandra points to concerns about Democrats only participating when they are energized by a candidate and the impact octogenarian candidates may have here. She draws out comparisons between current female candidates and the flaws of Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Perhaps most importantly, she points out that the presence of Bernie Sanders on stage—who she identifies as not being a Democrat—as damaging the ability for other candidates to shine. Lastly, Alexandra and Will discuss topics of interest this week. Will chooses to discuss regulation and sport. After yet another small child was hit by a foul ball at a baseball game, there are increasing calls for enhanced safety measures. Will understands the wish to regulate for the name of safety but also posits that parents have a role to play here when deciding to sit with small children. Alexandra shared about her research describes a lot of what is occurring in American politics before our eyes today by focusing on how dissent against leaders by group members is viewed—both by leaders and those who dissent. This is relevant for framing discussions within both the Republican and Democratic parties today. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguysor politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will and Alexandra begin by discussing President Trump’s trip this week to Europe. While Will believes the trip got off to a rocky start thanks to the tweets directed at Mayor Kahn, he also argues that the Normandy Address was the highlight of Trump’s presidency thus far. Alexandra posits that there were a number of concerns about the trip, including the inclusion of Trump’s extended family on the trip. The conversation ends with a detailed conversation about media coverage and perceptions of individual reality. Next, they turn to discuss the recently released job report, which failed to meet expectations of the administration. Alexandra points to concerns about how quick the Fed can (or is wiling to) move. More importantly, she feels the unemployment numbers are not the best evidence of how well society is doing because of the type of jobs that are available. Will believes the Fed will drop interest rates quite soon to help make up the gap but also points to stable unemployment and overall healthy economy continuing to buoy the Trump Presidency. Yet, a slowing economy will need to be addressed. For the next topic, Alexandra and Will talk about Trump’s Mexican tariff threats. Will believes Trump needs to ensure support of his base before moving unilaterally. Will the average Midwestern voter sacrifice from their own income to limit immigration at our Southern border? Maybe more importantly, can he handle detractors within his own party over this issue? Alexandra points to the brokered deal not likely leading to success. Moreover, she posits that the initial tariff threat could have led to a complete destabilization of the Mexican government and economy, leading to more efforts for individuals to enter to the United States. Lastly, they turn to a discussion of recent ICE actions and the decision to cut educational opportunities and legal aid for children in custody without parents. While budget was cited as the main cause, there are plenty of political arguments. Alexandra finds the actions to be illegal despite pleasing Trump’s base and supporters. Will argues that we technically owe nothing to these individuals beyond stated rights, he recognizes there is no benefit to not helping children in these situations. Both agree that depriving children of basic emotional stability has long-term consequences. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguysor politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken take on listen questions in this midweek episode. First the pair answer a question on why liberals seemingly support Israel. Second they weigh in on if the Democrats have a successful electoral strategy to create a new “blue wall.” Third they address a question on the changes in climate change language coming from the White House. Specifically what they think of the term “freedom molecules.” Fourth they explore a listen question on if and why presidents cannot be charged with a crime. Is it policy or is it a constitutional reason? Fifth, how much power does the president really have? Specifically, how much economic power? Finally, is it possible to give moderates more power in American political parties? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguysor politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Trey & Ken start the show by analyzing Robert Mueller’s brief statement to the press. Specifically they address why Mueller spoke and why there were no charges brought. They also parse his words on the question of crimes and the lack of support he offered to Barr. Trey thinks that Mueller has opened a greater possibility of impeachment proceedings. Next is a discussion of Mexico tariffs over immigration. Trey hypothesizes the timing of this conversation is directly related to Mueller’s statement. Ken largely agrees. On the policy side they discuss the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which is the supposed basis for President Trump’s tariffs. Ken sees there being no emergency and therefore not valid, Trey wonders if the act would even apply to a mechanism such as tariffs. After that it is to the newest abortion restrictions coming from Louisiana. Both agree that one of the unique aspects of this week’s potential restrictions are they originate from Democrats and was signed by a Democratic governor. Trey wonders if this doesn’t point to a larger set of schisms while Ken sees it as regional politics as usual. Finally, Trey & Ken discuss the new DNC debate thresholds. While some are arguing this makes the Democratic Party a filtering device Ken and Trey argue that is precisely what political parties were designed to do. Trey takes aim at the progressive and populist tendencies that have put too much power into the wrong hands, despite good intentions. Trey sees both the rise of punditry and the decline of parties as bad unintended outcomes to progressive initiatives to end backroom deals. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, hosts of the Pantsuit Politics podcast about their new book, I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): a Guide To Grace-Filled Political Conversations. In this conversation, Mike, Sarah, and Beth discuss: why they became political podcasters the role of faith in political discussion ‘taking off your jersey’ before talking politics why the left and the right often view politics as more important than it is, and how that makes productive dialog more difficult how to have grace-filled political conversations cultivating a sense of curiosity ‘embracing the paradox’ partisan echo chambers and lots more! follow Pantsuit Politics on Twitter Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike & Jay open the show with a look at the latest development in the various investigations and requests for information surrounding President Trump. They agree that while the president’s legal strategy isn’t the strongest, his political strategy - delaying until after the 2020 election and goading the Democrats into impeachment - is a smart one. They also discuss New York’s recently passed law that would allow Congress to receive President Trump’s state tax information. Next is a discussion of the recent tensions with Iran. Mike points out that this all stems from the Trump administration pulling out of the multilateral Iran nuclear agreement under the assumption that they could get a better deal by squeezing Iran’s economy. Jay largely agrees with the strategy and while Mike understands it, he wonders how successful sanctions are likely to be given our decided lack of success in over half a century of sanctions against Cuba and North Korea. After that, the Guys talk about the health care conscience rule, which allows providers, insurers, and employers to refuse to provide or pay for health services that violate their religious or moral beliefs. 20 states are suing the administration over this rule, and Mike believes they have a good point, in that it’s likely to result in discrimination against certain groups, especially in underserved rural areas. Jay is more sympathetic to the new rule and feels that if there’s a legitimate need for certain services, the market will find a way to provide it. Finally, Mike & Jay discuss the ‘Tobacco Free Youth Act’ introduced by tobacco-state Senators Mitch McConnell and Tim Kaine. Mike sees it as a positive step, but not that big of one, arguing that the real fear for the tobacco industry is a ban on flavors, which might hurt the growth of their youth market. Jay’s uncomfortable with the raised restriction, feeling that people can make an informed choice about whether or not to use tobacco. It’s not an argument Mike really buys, given the addictive nature of tobacco - he’d like to see the U.S. move to a total ban of tobacco products over time. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with political scientist Matt Grossmann, Director of Michigan State University's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, about his book Artists of the Possible: Governing Networks and American Policy Change Since 1945. Topics Mike & Matt discuss include: how much of a role the public has in policy change the flaws in our standard notions of how policy change happens how Matt examined every major policy change from 1945 - 2004 why policy favors the status quo - and liberal interests President Trump as a policymaker and lots more Follow Matt Grossmann on Twitter Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike & Jay start this week’s show by talking about the escalating tensions between the United States and China. Mike actually agrees with President Trump that China may pose a significant security threat and that the time to act is now. But Mike feels that the US can’t act unilaterally and hope to succeed. Jay, as a committed free-trader, views trade wars as ultimately self-defeating and believes that President Trump will end up making a deal with China. Next is a discussion of the recent anti-abortion law in Alabama, which was expressly designed to provide the Supreme Court an opportunity to overturn Roe v Wade. Mike believes that the Court largely got it right in Roe, while Jay sees the decision as judicial overreach. Neither of them think that the current court is likely to overturn Roe, though if President Trump gets any more appointments , that could change. Following that is a look at the Supreme Court’s decision allowing a major class-action lawsuit against Apple to go forward. Both Mike and Jay believe the five justices in the majority made the right call, though Jay felt that the dissenters also made some strong points. Mike thinks that, regardless of the decision on the merits, the Court allowing this suit to go forward could cause Apple and other tech giants to act less anti-competitively, for fear of future legal action. The show closes with a discussion of President Trump’s new immigration plan, which calls for a shift from a largely family ties based system to one focused on education and job skills. Mike thinks it’s a reasonable idea, but only if the overall permanent residency caps are significantly boosted, which would make it something that at least some Democrats could support. Jay is less sanguine about the possibility of any deal, but he agrees that there’s a strong case to be made for more legal immigration. Senate Republican Policy Committee paper on the Trans Pacific Partnership Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will and Alexandra open the show discussing Trump’s current approval numbers and potential reasons they have reached a high during his administration. They then discuss the state of the Democratic field for 2020 and how the number of candidates could impact the electability of the eventual nominee. Next, they discuss Alexandra’s research on in-group control and leadership and how it relates to the modern political narrative. They end with listener questions on Trump’s foreign policy legacy and the future of Spygate investigations. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will and Alexandra open the show discussing the contempt charges brought against Attorney General Barr and it's possible impact. Will argues this is little more than political theater while Alexandra points to the parallels and differences between this and when Republicans found Eric Holder in contempt during the Obama Administration. Both believe the struggle for power between Congress and the President is far from over with Will especially noting how John Roberts must feel watching this while trying to ensure his Court remains politically neutral. They also discuss the subpoena of Donald Trump Jr. by the Senaste Intelligence Committee, chaired by Republican Richard Burr and whether it signals more than just a simple subpoena. Next, they turn to a discussion of Trump's taxes and efforts in California and Illinois to keep candidates off the ballot who don't publicly release tax records. Alexandra notes how the numbers released this week show that Trump has been a failed businessman while Will counters that his supporters never chose him for his buisness acumen. Both believe there's nothing inherently wrong with sharing tax records, but that there is a question of privacy expectations to be considered. Will strongly notes that Republicans likely could care less about being on the ballot in Democratic states. He does point out possible down-ballot concerns, though. Alexandra, on the other hand, points to the impact if states opt to award their Electoral votes to nation-wide winners. This could change the Republican response. Will and Alexandra then turn to discussing the economic showdown between the United States and China. Alexandra points to the deep impact tariffs can have on American citizens--especially those with less spending power today. Will points to the disconnect between IP concerns and increased costs of goods, which seems to be the point we have reached. Both believe this will have an impact on the Democratic primaries and 2020 in general--especially for Republican Senators facing re-elections who must navigate between Trump support and their constituents' economic needs. Lastly, Will and Alexandra discuss recent actions toward Iran. Will argues that while Iran is a concern that Alexandra is right in asserting they are not an immediate threat. Moreover, Will questions why North Korea is treated differently than Iran given who has ready nuclear weapons and who doesn't in the relationship. Alexandra worries about the regional impact of our actions and the general tendency of the Trump Administration to bounce from threat to theat without much explained reason. Both Will and Alexandra point to concerns about broader strategy and implications. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mike & Jay respond to listener questions on: ‘electability’ vs highlighting differences with Trump why Mike thinks Jay’s view of Net Neutrality is outdated funding for cathedrals vs. funding to fight homelessness possible indictments in the Obama spying scandal if impeachment talk is bad for the country what information presidential candidates should have to release Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike & Jay open the show by talking about Attorney General William Barr’s testimony before the Senate and his refusal to testify before the House. Mike says that although he initially gave Barr the benefit of the doubt, it’s now clear that Barr is more interested in carrying water for the president than serving as an impartial arbiter of the law. Jay disagrees, feeling that Barr has been forthcoming with Democrats, who he believes are subjecting Barr to scrutiny for strictly political gain. Next is a look at the Trump administration’s recent request for $4.5 billion dollars in emergency immigration funding as well as administration proposals to charge fees to asylum seekers and deny them work permits. Mike argues that while emergency funding is needed, it should be focused on hiring more immigration judges. Both Mike and Jay agree that there are potential problems with denying asylum seekers in the country work permits, and that if a fee is charged to asylum seekers, there should be a waiver process in place to ensure that those in clear danger are not prevented from seeking asylum. After that is a discussion of the crisis in Venezuela, after the failure of opposition leader Juan Guaido’s attempt to oust President Nicolas Maduro (who many people, including Jay and Mike, see as illegitimate). Mike is very wary of US military involvement given the sad history of the United States in Central and South America, while Jay counters that it’s important to keep the military option on the table as well as to respond if the Russians or Cubans stage a significant military intervention of their own. The show closes with an analysis of the Trump Organization’s lawsuits against several banks to prevent them from turning over Trump’s financial documents to Congress. Mike says that the law on this is clear - Congress has the right to these documents - but that the Trump strategy is to delay until after the 2020 elections. Jay doesn’t disagree, but feels that Congress’ legitimate investigatory authority might be somewhat more limited than Mike views it as being. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Trey & Ken answer listener questions on why presidential candidates aren’t tackling homelessness, whether civility is actually oppression, if Trump could be convicted if impeached, and the causes of the rising costs of higher education. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken start the show with a big question facing the House Democrats and the Democratic primary field: to impeach or not to impeach? Ken suggests that impeachment should begin and ongoing house committees ought to transition to that role. Trey thinks impeachment is, effectively, a dead portion of the Constitution and has no hope of contemporary use. The conversation leads the hosts to talking about the political strategies that President Trump has employed in the aftermath of the Mueller report, specifically stonewalling Congress. This leads Trey and Ken to discuss the wider relationship between the President and Congress. Trey, using prominent political science research, suggests that Presidential power has long grown and that Congress has no desire to truly check the Presidency, even if a particular Congress may give lip service to checking a particular President. Ken believes that Congress has maintained powerful oversight and can use that power over Trump. Next Trey and Ken turn to recently missed IRS deadline. The Treasury Secretary continues to push back the date of releasing Trump’s tax returns and both hosts agree that the Trump administration is hoping to run out the clock. Finally, Trey and Ken talk Joe Biden entering the 2020 primary contest and the larger implications this has on the 2020 field. Ken thinks Biden will have a harder time explaining his long record to a more progressive Democratic Party. Trey thinks Biden’s centrism offers the possibility of a real challenge to Trump. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristin & Mike respond to listener questions on the feud between President Trump and Rep. Ilhan Omar, how we can hold media accountable, Kristin’s view on the proper role of regulation in a capitalist economy, and what they think a second term for Donald Trump might look like. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristin and Mike open the show with the story that’s consumed the media - the release of the redacted Mueller Report. They discuss ‘collusion’, obstruction, Attorney General William Barr spinning the report pre-release, and the pros and cons of starting impeachment proceedings. They also talk about Trey’s ‘big picture’ view - that presidents are too powerful and the office of the presidency itself is broken. Next, they discuss President Trump’s second veto, over the congressional resolution to stop assisting the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces in that country’s civil war. Mike sees it as a small positive sign, though he wishes that Congress would be more assertive when it comes to taking what he views as its rightful place in matters of war. Kristin points out that there’s more than a little gray area here, which Mike feels could be clarified if something like the War Powers Resolution were made into a constitutional amendment (not that that’s happening any time soon). The show closes with a look at AG Barr’s announcement that some asylum seekers would be denied the opportunity to post bail. The decision, while only applying to those travelling without children and entering at non-authorized entry points, could affect thousands of asylum seekers. Mike thinks that if the administration were serious about solving this problem, they’d make it much harder for businesses to hire undocumented workers by mandating E-verify and cracking down on businesses employing undocumented workers, a position Kristin thinks is reasonable. Further, Mike argues that instead of cutting aid to Central American countries, as the Trump administration has been doing, the U.S. should be dramatically increasing it. Kristin isn’t a fan of that, arguing that government money may be poorly targeted and ill-spent and that it would be far better to encourage NGOs to assist struggling Central American countries. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike & Jay open the show with a discussion of recent controversies surrounding Chick-Fil-A. Mike believes that decisions to not allow the chicken chain into certain venues are based on the company’s support for anti-gay discrimination and its own internal anti-gay policies. Jay, on the other hand, sees this as an attack on religious belief. Next is a look at the standoff between the Treasury Department and the House Ways and Means Committee concerning Donald Trump’s income taxes. Mike and Jay both think that the law requires Treasury to hand over the president’s returns and that eventually that will happen. Mike believes that this is important for policy reasons, as there may well be some significant conflicts of interest that could be identified through an examination of Trump’s returns. But politically both Guys see it as a potential loss for Democrats, no matter what the returns might contain. After that, Mike and Jay review the first quarter Democratic presidential candidate fundraising totals. Mike was surprised at how far in front Bernie Sanders was, and also by the strong showing of Pete Buttigieg. Jay thinks that Elizabeth Warren’s weak showing is most likely a result of her decision to eschew big-donor fundraising events. Jay also points out that we shouldn’t make too much of these numbers, as in every presidential primary there are flashes in the pan who start strong but fade fast. Finally, Mike talks about some findings from his research on ideology, bipartisanship, and demographic representation in the political podcast world. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike & Jay open the show with a look at the leadership shakeup at the Department of Homeland Security. Mike argues that the problem isn’t insufficiently tough leadership, but rather that President Trump wants to do things he can’t legally do. (Like keep asylum seekers in Mexico, which a federal judge recently said wasn’t permissible.) Jay largely agrees, but points out that the president’s hands are somewhat tied by Democrats in Congress who aren’t interested in negotiating a broader deal on immigration. Mike doesn’t quite buy that, arguing that Trump hasn’t even tried to negotiate in good faith. Next is discussion of Attorney General William Barr’s testimony before Congress. After talking about why certain parts of the Mueller report might legitimately need to be redacted, the Guys discuss Barr’s claim that the government spied on the Trump campaign. Both Mike and Jay agree that this of course happened, and that the only question - as Barr himself pointed out - is whether that surveillance was fully justified under the law. They both see this as very serious and entirely worthy of a fair and full investigation. After that Mike & Jay discuss a House measure that would reinstate net neutrality after the Trump FCC rescinded it. Jay says that net neutrality is a solution in search of a problem and that there’s no need to regulate and potentially hinder the growth of the Internet. Mike says that enshrining net neutrality in law is a smart preemptive measure that will keep service providers from acting in ways that will stifle competition. Finally, Mike & Jay talk about the arrest and potential extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. They agree that Assange should be extradited and that while he may at times be a journalist, he has repeatedly acted in a dangerous and wildly irresponsible way, putting countless lives at risk. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will talks with political scientist Brian Smentkowski, an Associate Professor at the University of Idaho. He’s the co-author of Misreading the Bill of Rights: Top Ten Myths Concerning Your Rights and Liberties with Craig Freeman and Kirby Goidel. Topics Will & Brian discuss include: The top myths Americans hold regarding the Bill of Rights Whether a Bill of Rights is necessary for democracy Our changing understanding of religion in the United States America’s paradoxical view of security How a free press and an informed citizenry impacts democracy The differences between punishment and torture Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will is joined by a new co-host, Brian Smentkowski, a political scientist from the University of Idaho. They begin the show by discussing the current status of the Mueller Report and Democratic efforts to get President Trump’s tax returns released. Will sees little value with releasing the report in full while Brian argues that if nothing else it is symbolically necessary. Both agree, however, that the report will be twisted to fit partisan desires. Regarding income tax returns, both note how tradition is guiding discussions more than law at present. Next, they turn to discussing the harassment allegations raised against potential presidential nominee Joe Biden. While Will argues that Biden is from a different era and seems genuinely unsure of what he’s done wrong without being malicious, Brian argues there’s nothing funny about the allegations and when combined with Biden’s past could raise red flags for some voters. Will ties the conversation back to whether the average Democratic voter would risk a Biden nomination (and polling that suggests he’s the best chance against Trump in 2020) over the current allegations or not. They then turn to discuss the current field and Tim Ryan’s decision to irrelevantly enter the race. Both find Mayor Peter to be an interesting case study. Lastly, the Guys talk about three recent example of government intervention and regulation. First, they look at the focus on self-regulating industries brought to light by the FAA and Boeing’s Super Max debacle. Brian argues that self-regulation can work, but it comes with definite risks while Will worries about the cost-benefit of government becoming too involved. Both Will and Brian share concerns over New York City’s current proposal for a consumption tax to relieve traffic concerns south of Central Park. Brian isn’t sure there will be any impact while Will believes money should be spent on better public transportation to influence ridership. Lastly, both Will and Brian lament the upcoming statewide ban on plastic bags in the state of New York, albeit for very different reasons. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this listener mail episode, Mike and Jay respond to the following listener questions: Will employers pocket insurance premium money they’d potentially save under a Medicare For All system? Why might Trump have wanted to obstruct justice, even if he wasn’t working with the Russians? Where do Mike and Jay differ from their parties? What do Mike and Jay think about Pete Buttigeig? Why do so many Democrats seem to be anti-Israel? Will gerrymandering get worse after the 2020 Census? How can we trust a media that first told us that Trump was working with the Russians and is now disappointed that he wasn’t working with the Russians? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay and Mike open the show with a discussion of what we currently know about the recently ended Mueller investigation. Jay says there was ‘no collusion’ while Mike points out that there was ‘not enough evidence to prove collusion’ which he sees as an important distinction. They also discuss why Mueller refrained from making a determination about obstruction of justice and what’s next for Democrats intent on continuing their investigations into President Trump. After that is a look at the administration’s recent change of position on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Previously, they stated that while the individual mandate was unconstitutional, the rest of the law could stand (not that they were enthusiastic about it). This change of position seems to be both constitutionally questionable and a potential political problem for Congressional Republicans. However, viewed in light of what’s good for President Trump, Jay believes the change of position may make good political sense. Finally, the Guys discuss a federal judge halting Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and Kentucky. Mike argues that the administration overstepped when it granted the work requirements waivers which he believes amounted to the executive branch rewriting a law it didn’t like. Jay counters that work requirements are related to health outcomes, and that the programs should be allowed to continue. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken start the show this week breaking from the normal format and discussing a topic that does not cover “American politics and policy” directly. Instead the pair discuss Brexit. After talking about the complex potential outcomes of Brexit and the looming hard deadline the pair turn to discus the idea of nationalism more broadly. Trey begins by suggesting nationalism is the underlying cause of Brexit. Ken sees nationalism as inherently racist. Trey, a supporter of open borders at home, cautions that nationalism is a more important variable than he has given credit to. He sees a credible argument against his own position for open borders and wonders if the two of them have not missed reasonable pushback. Trey & Ken close the episode with a listener question. The question concerns what would happen to American presidential elections if electoral college votes were given out on the basis of proportional representation instead of winner take all. Both Trey & Ken have slightly different views but agree that any of these changes depend on how much you value democratic majoritarianism vs. republicanism’s fear of majorities. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken start the show by discussing the novel constitutional law case: District of Columbia v. Donald J. Trump. The question in the case concerns an antiquated word, emolument, found in only three places in the constitution. The question pivots on if foreign and domestic entities are involving themselves with Trump properties to get a better reception from President Trump. Ken thinks the case is relatively straightforward, but Trey wonders if the Supreme Court would want to involve itself in a potentially ignorable decision. After that, they talk about President Trump’s executive order concerning free speech on college campus. Trey & Ken learn they are both supporters and members of the same free speech organization and are happy with the principles laid out in the order. The order itself, however, seems to do nothing that isn’t already taking place on college campuses. Trey suggests it is more of a position stance than a policy stance. Then it’s time to discuss the economy. Recent economic conditions are showing a deeply healthy economy. The only cloud being the ballooning federal deficit. Trey & Ken have a bit of disagreement over the causes of this good news. Then the two discuss the economic models that suggest that President Trump would easily win reelection in this climate. Trey & Ken talk political vs. economic forecast models and debate the extent to which minimum wage increases explain weekly worker wage growth. Trey & Ken close the show by talking about the robust Democratic primary field. Ken discusses his top three candidates while Trey ponders if Booker has not been given his due. Trey thinks Democrats have a tougher general election regardless of the winner given the current economic conditions and Ken is worried his predictions are too early to matter. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this listener response episode, Mike and Kristin address these listener questions: In the light of recently released testimony, can we conclude that elements in the intelligence community worked to sabotage Donald Trump? Is online media transparent enough about changing stories? Is opposition to the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act tantamount to support for infanticide? Is Mike being naive about border security? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike & Kristin start the show by discussing the Senate’s vote to rescind the national emergency declared by President Trump, and Trump’s veto of the Congressional resolution. They agree that there’s little chance the veto will be overridden, but it’s still likely to be a long time before any more walls get built given all the legal hurdles the administration will have to overcome. After that, they talk about why the U.S. trailed the rest of the world in grounding the Boeing 737 Max 8 in the wake of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Mike thinks it may have something to do with Boeing’s political clout in the U.S., which Kristin also sees as a factor. Kristin says that we should be at least somewhat concerned that the world took its cue from China as opposed to the U.S. and that we may need to more carefully consider commercial aircraft regulation. Then it’s a look at President Trump’s 2020 budget. Like almost all presidential budgets, it’s largely dead on arrival but even so it gives us a sense of what the administration’s priorities are - in this case defense and walls. Kristin argues that this makes sense - President Trump is looking toward 2020 and wants to keep his base supportive and engaged. Mike points out the chicanery the administration engaged in to boost the defense budget and laments what he sees as incredible fiscal irresponsibility of ‘tax cut & borrow’ Republicans. Next, Mike & Kristin talk about Beto O’Rourke’s entry into the crowded Democratic presidential hopeful field. Kristin doesn’t think much of O’Rourke, but Mike likes his more moderate stances, at least compared to a number of other prominent Democratic candidates. But he thinks O’Rourke isn’t experienced enough and favors former governors like Colorado’s John Hickenlooper. They close the show by talking about the college admissions scandal. Mike makes the point that this, while troubling, is much less of a problem than the larger system of legal privilege that gives kids from wealthy families a leg up in the admissions process. Kristin agrees, and both Mike & Kristin feel that there need to be some fairly fundamental changes to our education system (which may be the topic of a special policy show they hope to do at some point in the future). Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks to Mark Godsey, a former federal prosecutor who's currently a professor of law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Professor Godsey is the co-founder and director of the Ohio Innocence Project, which is one of the most active and successful Innocence Projects in the country. He's also the author of Blind Injustice: A Former Prosecutor Exposes the Psychology and Politics of Wrongful Convictions. Topics Mike & Mark discuss include: the scope of the wrongful convictions problem the prosecutorial mindset and wrongful convictions main reasons for wrongful convictions how Innocence Projects work to free the wrongfully convicted making it easier to free the wrongfully convicted how to decrease wrongful convictions Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay start the show by discussing H.R. 1, the ‘For The People Act’ recently passed by House Democrats. Mike thinks it’s a great start toward fixing some of the basic flaws in our representative system. ALthough Jay agrees with Mitch McConnell about the horribleness of the bill, Mike and Jay do find some common ground, both for and against elements of the legislation. Next, they get into the remarks made by Rep. Ilhan Omar and the resulting House resolution against anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim speech. Mike feels that Omar’s comment was taken out of context and that she makes some important points about how we often label those who question U.S. policy toward Israel. Jay argues that while Omar may not be an anti-Semite, she has a record of previous remarks and she surely knew that the words she used were unnecessarily inflammatory. After that, the Guys talk about the latest Trump investigations. Mike believes that the House is casting a broad net because there’s so much corruption in the Trump administration to investigate, whereas Jay - while not denying ethical issues in the administration - feels it’s more of a partisan fishing expedition. Finally, Mike & Jay discuss the sentencing of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mike believes that Judge T. S. Ellis may have let his personal bias influence both his conduct toward the prosecution during the trial as well as his sentence of Manafort. Jay’s no fan of judicial bias, but he doesn’t see the Ellis’ sentence as being an abuse of discretion. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with media expert Matthew Pressman, an Assistant Professor of Journalism at Seton Hall University. Prior to earning his doctorate in history, Dr. Pressman worked for eight years at Vanity Fair, where his articles about the news media won the 2010 Mirror Award for Best Commentary (digital media). He's the author of On Press: The Liberal Values That Shaped the News. Topics Mike & Matt discuss include: the shift from ‘straight news’ to interpretation the meaning of objectivity in the news how commercial pressures shape news coverage the inherent conservative bias of pre-1960s news media the conservative critique of ‘liberal media’ racism and sexism in newsrooms and news coverage the rise of the reader-oriented newspaper the media’s response to Donald Trump if today’s media is better than the pre 1960s media Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay start the show with a discussion of what’s next now that the House has voted to rescind President Trump’s national emergency declaration. They agree that there won’t be the votes to override the inevitable presidential veto, but given the various constitutional uncertainties, a lot has to go right (or wrong, depending on your view) before any wall-building happens. Next is a look at the summit between President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un. Mike and Jay both believe that Trump was right to walk away without a deal, though Mike disagrees with President Trump’s habit of what he sees as foolish agreement with dictators who deny knowledge of human rights abuses. After that it’s the House Democrats ‘Medicare for All’ plan. Jay thinks it’s an awful idea for all sorts of reasons, and while Mike agrees with the goal of a single-payer system, he thinks that this plan tries to do too much too quickly. On a semi-related note, the Guys discuss the Senate testimony of pharmaceutical executives this week. They both think that the drug pricing system in the United States is a big mess, but Jay’s much more inclined to trust market mechanisms to sort things out than Mike is. The show closes with former Trump fixer Michael Cohen’s testimony to Congress. Neither Mike nor Jay was surprised by what Cohen said, and they don’t see anything approaching a ‘smoking gun’ in his testimony. About the only thing that that’s absolutely clear is that Donald Trump has surrounded himself with some awfully sleazy characters. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Trey is joined by Ken and they continue examining questions of constitutional significance. First, Trey reviews the history of incorporation before asking Ken to discuss the implications of the history-making Timbs v Indiana, where the Supreme Court incorporated the excessive fines prohibition of the Eighth Amendment. Next, Trey turns to the question of citizenship and the pending case of Hoda Muthana. Hoda, a woman who joined ISIS and now wants to return to the U.S.. The case allows Trey and Ken to talk about birthright citizenship, the politics of the right of return, and more generally citizenship and treason. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Politics Guys Trey Orndorff is joined by Ken Katkin. The two get into the constitutional and legal details surrounding national emergencies. Specifically the two discuss what constitutes a national emergency and the National Emergencies Act of 1976. Further the look at the historic context of presidential power in times of emergency and the way the Supreme Court has upheld, or struck down, presidential power. After an extended discussion Trey turns to the issue of Andrew McCabe and the two discuss both the constitutional question of the 25th amendment — including historical reasoning — and the pragmatical political outcome McCabe hoped to achieve. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguysor politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristin, who voted for Donald Trump, talks about the three main things she likes about the president. The first is that he’s brought the issue of media bias to the forefront. Mike agrees, but thinks that President Trump has done far more damage by constantly lying and by working to delegitimize any media that criticizes him, rather than engaging with the media based on substance. The second thing Kristin likes about Trump is that’s he’s moved away from several Obama-era foreign policy decisions she sees as misguided; namely the Iran nuclear deal and diplomatically isolating North Korea. Mike believes that the Iran deal was actually the right move, and that given the state of North Korea’s nuclear development almost any president would have ended up talking to them, though he agrees that Trump deserves at least some credit for opening up talks. Kristin’s final Trump positive is that he’s appointed ‘originalist’ Supreme Court justices, something very important to conservatives. Mike doesn’t believe originalism is anything more than a cover for conservative rulings and doesn’t see much differences between Trump’s judicial appointments and those of any other modern GOP president - aside from Trump having appointed two Justices with expansive views of executive power, which Mike finds understandable and worrying. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Kristin open this week’s show with President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency in order to fund border wall construction. Mike argues that there’s no real emergency in the first place, though Kristin doesn’t quite agree. They go on to consider whether or not the president’s declaration will hold up in court (probably) and if he’ll then have the legal authority to build a wall (maybe not). Mike and Kristin agree that Trump did this not necessarily because he cares about a wall, but because he wants to keep his base happy - a strategy Mike thinks might end up working to Democrats’ advantage in 2020. Next is a look at a major public lands bill that passed the Senate with a huge bipartisan majority and is set to sail through the House and be signed into law by President Trump, who’s signaled his approval. How did it happen? Largely because there was something for everyone in the bill. Mike says we could have more positive-sum outcomes like this if Congress brought back earmarks, which were banned in 2011. Kristin is concerned about both waste, and the potential for corruption from earmarks, but agrees that they’re a very useful legislative lubricant. Finally, Mike and Kristin discuss Amazon’s decision to not build a second HQ in Long Island City, New York after pressure from area activists. Mike sees this as a good thing, argues that Amazon should have engaged with the community from the beginning, and claims that the entire HQ2 competition exemplifies the disaster of ‘race to the bottom’ corporate giveaways by state and local governments. Kristin feels that Amazon’s decision is a loss to New York, in that the tax subsidies would have more than been made up for in long-term economic growth. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will and Zach discuss Venezuela, the candidates in 2020, and answer listener questions about Zach's ideology. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this show, Will & Zach discuss: their opinions of the State of the Union Address perceptions of AOC's Green New Deal scandals in Virginia the Supreme Court stay on Louisiana's abortion law current happenings around the Trump investigation If you haven’t take the short (two-question) Politics Guys Listener Survey, please do. It will really help us out! Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this listener comment show, Mike & Jay discuss: their recommendations for daily news updates pros and cons of privacy legislation if experience hurts presidential candidates basing representation on demographics, not geography Michael Cohen and legal ethics a ‘Politics Guys Bingo’ game If you haven’t take the short (two-question) Politics Guys Listener Survey, please do. It will really help us out! Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jay takes charge of the show, starting things off with a discussion of the ongoing budget negotiations and President Trump’s authority to declare a national emergency and use the military to build a wall. Next is a look at President Trump’s seeming disagreement with his intelligence agency chiefs about the greatest threats to the United States. Jay points out that Trump shouldn’t have bought into the media’s sensationalist rendition of events and that, as usual, Trump tweeted precipitously. Mike says that we should focus on the substantive point made by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats: Russian and China are the main threats, and at present they’re working more closely together than they have been at any point since the 1950s. Then they move to the INF Treaty, which the Trump Administration announced the U.S. would be withdrawing from, citing persistent and blatant Russian non-compliance. While Jay is sorry to see the INF Treaty go (he wrote a killer paper on it back in his college days), he and Mike believe that at some point the U.S. has to call Russia to account for its actions in violation of the treaty. After that, the Guys discuss the potential withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. They agree that this would essentially give the Taliban a victory and make the world less safe. Mike mentions that he’s largely abandoned his former ‘go big or go home’ approach to U.S. military presence abroad, recognizing that we may have to keep small but significant forces in many places around the world on a permanent basis. The show closes with analysis of the U.S. move to recognize Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela, freeze Venezuela’s assets in the U.S., and call on that country’s military to back Guaido over incumbent president Nicolas Maduro. Both Mike and Jay agree that this was the right move, though Mike points out that some on the left are right to be at least somewhat hesitant, given the less than honorable history of U.S. intervention in Latin America. Take the short (2-question) Politics Guys Listener Survey The National Emergencies Act is not a Blank Check (Take Care Blog) Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Trey and Ken tackle a number of listener questions including: Can we avert civil war? How can I think critically? Is failing to federalize elections voter suppression? How would The Politics Guys fix the nomination process? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Trey is joined by Ken. In a surprise ending Trey and Ken deeply disagree! Before that the pair look at a potential hidden sentence in the inditement of Roger Stone. Then they turn to the Covington Catholic so-called smirk, focusing more on the complexities of social networking combined with constant recording making non-news events seemingly news worthy. Next Trey and Ken turn their attention to Giuliani and ask if there might not be a coherent strategy to his seemingly unending number of statement walk backs. Finally the pair end on a heavy bit of discord as the two disagree over not only the blame of the shutdown, but the normative and ethical requirements of budgets for an exciting show close! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with theologian and economist Mary Hirschfeld about her book Aquinas and the Market: Toward a Humane Economy. Professor Hirschfeld started her career as an economist, getting her Ph.D. from Harvard and then working and teaching in the field for the next 15 years. She then made a fascinating career change, going back to graduate school and earning a doctorate in theology from Notre Dame. She's currently an Associate Professor of Economics and Theology at Villanova University. Topics Mike and Professor Hirschfeld discuss include: what theology can bring to a discussion of economics what Thomas Aquinas - a medieval Dominican friar - can contribute to our understanding of 21st century economics why economics isn’t as value-neutral as many people think money, desire, and happiness ‘maximizing your utility’ vs. ‘ordering your life’ why private property is a good thing inequality and economic justice Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to patreon.com/politicsguys Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Mike is joined by Republican policy analyst (and podcaster) Kristin Matheny. Mike and Kristin start things off by talking about the continuing government shutdown, including what it’s costing, the back-and-forth between Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell’s role, and how (and when) they think it will all end. After that, they discuss the Senate hearings to confirm William Barr as Attorney General. Mike thinks liberals should be suspicious of President Trump’s pick, especially considering that Barr would be in charge when Robert Mueller wraps up his investigation. Kristen, who’s on board with far more of Barr’s policy views than Mike is, agrees that it’s reasonable for liberals to have at least some suspicions. Next, Mike and Kristen consider whether there should be a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, as well as whether or not Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross broke with legal requirements in attempting to include the question. Kristen isn’t as convinced as Mike is on the potential damage from including a citizenship question, but she agrees that there are some major issues in how Ross attempted to insert the question. The show closes with a discussion of New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who this week announced her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Mike calls Gillibrand ‘Hillary Clinton 2.0’ and argues that she’d be a bad choice on multiple levels. Kristen agrees, and says that Gillibrand is vulnerable in a number of areas, and isn’t very likely to win the nomination. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike is joined by Beth Silvers from the Pantsuit Politics podcast to talk about some ideas he has for changing the U.S. Constitution. They discuss: Doubling the size of Congress Semi-proportional representation in the Senate Eliminating the Electoral College Mandatory voting Campaign finance reform Mandatory national service 20 year term limits for federal judges (including the Supreme Court) Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Will open with a continued discussion of the government shutdown. With employees now not receiving pay for the first time, it feels as if it has reached a new level of seriousness. Neither Mike nor Will see an easy path to the shutdown coming to a close, although they do agree with the premise of Rob Portman’s proposed legislation to prevent future shutdowns. Then they turn to a more detailed discussion of Trump’s first Oval Office address. Discussion focuses on both the idea of the address and its overall substance—including considering the pros and cons of building a wall. While neither are entirely convinced the address deserved national play, Will believes it was one of Trump’s better addresses while Mike still questions Trump’s use of facts—especially when speaking off-the-cuff and in campaign mode. Both agree that there isn’t an inherent media bias in allowing Trump to make this address while not airing Obama’s 2014 immigration address. Will believes part of the decision related to timing and Trump’s lack of previous Oval Office addresses while Mike adds that the uncertainty surrounding what Trump might say is good for viewership. From an effectiveness perspective, both Mike and Will raise doubt on whether a full border wall will have the desired impact. Mike believes stronger border control through agents or electronic monitoring would do just as much good while Will believes the symbolism of a wall is as important as its function. Will does argue that criminal activity by individuals who come across the border with the sole intent of immediately returning to Mexico could be thwarted by a physical wall. Finally, they turn to Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria. Beyond just examining the possible impact of withdrawal, they discuss the reasons for a slow withdrawal, why the United States was ever interested in Syria to begin, and the future of our relationship with Turkey. Mike argues that a rushed withdrawal could lead to long-term issues in the already complex region while Will worries about whether Turkey can actually be trusted to execute at this time. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices