The Politics Guys

Mike talks with Greg Lukianoff, attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). He's the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, Freedom From Speech, and FIRE’s Guide to Free Speech on Campus. Most recently, he co-authored The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure with Jonathan Haidt. Mike and Greg discuss- the 3 Great Untruths of modern American society- fragile kids- tribalism and ‘us vs. them’ thinking- white male privilege- Stoicism, Buddhism, and modern psychology- and lots more Follow Greg on Twitter 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

Trey Orndorff welcomes Alexandra Filindra from the University of Illinois at Chicago to The Politics Guys this week. The Politics Guys ask listeners to give us your comments and feedback on Alexandra and the show this week. First up Trey thanks listener Erik who caught a mistake last week. Trey said Justice Kennedy withdrew his support of Kavanaugh when he meant to say Stevens. Thanks Erik, we truly appreciate it! After the correction Trey and Alexandra get into the midterm question. Specifically Trey brings up Trump’s USA Today op-ed and his apology to Kavanaugh. Alexandra is surprised that Trump would write an op-ed and wonders aloud what the benefit might be. Trey sees a consistent communication pattern and thinks the op-ed is good strategy — as is setting up opposition to Kavanaugh as being for “the mob.” This leads Trey and Alexandra to talk in detail on the midterm election strategy and transitions to questions of election fundraising in the wake of the Kavanaugh confirmation. Democrats are reporting big dollar donation increases and Republicans are pointing to percentage increases in funds. Both point to Kavanaugh as the reason why. Trey asks Alexandra what she thinks of the Democrats chances in the Senate given the dip in the polls for Democratic Senator Heitkamp after voting against Kavanaugh. Alexandra brings up it is more difficult for Democrats due to gerrymandering and Trey argues it was a Republican party focused on local elections that set them up for these wins. Trey and Alexandra then turn to Nikki Haleys resignation. Specifically they discuss the timing, both in relation to the midterm elections and to the Kavanaugh confirmation process. It also gets both of them to discuss party and campaign strategy for 2020 and beyond. The final story is the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. As of the show’s airing it appears likely that the Saudi King ordered Jamal killed with video evidence coming from Turkey. On the American front it has led to a split between Congressional Republicans and President Trump on the proper response. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you are 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 talks with cybersecurity expert Sami Saydjari. He's been deeply involved in the fields for over three decades, working for organizations including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Security Agency, and NASA, among others. He has published numerous papers, consulted national leaders on cybersecurity policy, and educated the public through interviews with national media including CNN, PBS, ABC, the New York Times, Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine. He's also the author of the recently published book, Engineering Trustworthy Systems: Get Cybersecurity Design Right the First Time. Topics Mike & Sami cover include:- Security issues with voting systems- Hacking infrastructure- If military command & control systems are safe- Why more complex = more hackable- Sami’s cybersecurity policy recommendations Sami on the Web Follow Sami on Twitter 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

This week Trey Orndorff and The Politics Guys is excited to introduce Athena King, a political scientist from Virginia State University. The Politics Guys asks that listeners listen to Athena and send us your feedback on what you think of the show. After introduction Trey and Athena again dress the newest developments concerning Brett Kavanaugh. Specifically the two discuss Kavanaugh’s Washington Post Op-Ed in defense of his hearings and the Friday cloture vote that opens the possibility of a vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination on Saturday or Sunday. Both Trey and Athena agree that Kavanaugh is likely to be confirmed, but Trey thinks it will be a wider margin with limited Democratic support and Athena believes Mike Pence will be necessary to cast a tie-breaking vote. Trey and Athena the address “Nafta 2.0” or more properly USMCA. Athena argues that American supply chains need more open markets. Trey agrees but is willing to concede that this is a win for the Trump Presidency and a fulfillment of a large campaign promise. Athena gets into the details of automobiles while Trey focuses on the international economic questions of the shift. Only time will tell if and when the Senate will take up the issue. Next the pair move to an underreported story out of Bloomberg on the possibility of a Chinese hardware hack on American company servers. Apple and Facebook have denied the allegations, but it appears that China has been trying to infiltrate servers in the U.S. Trey wonders if this might not be an argument for a more nationalist economic policy and is, at a minimum, a question that free marketeers like himself must answer. Athena questions what the Chinese motive is. Finally Trey and Athena discuss the issue of Trump’s finances in wake of a New York Time story highlighting the dubious — and potentially fraudulent — money policies the Trump family used. Athena and Trey agree that this is unlikely to move the needle of support for Trump, but wonder what the broader picture will continue to be as more information slowly drips out. 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 talks with Onkar Ghate, a senior fellow and chief philosophy officer at the Ayn Rand Institute. Dr. Ghate is the Institute’s resident expert on Objectivism and serves as its senior trainer and editor. He has taught philosophy for over ten years at the Institute’s Objectivist Academic Center. Dr. Ghate studied economics and philosophy at the University of Toronto and worked in the financial industry prior to joining the Ayn Rand Institute in 2000. He received his doctorate in philosophy in 1998 from the University of Calgary. Mike & Dr. Ghate Discuss: - Why Ayn Rand would hate Donald Trump- Misunderstanding ‘selfishness’- Objectivism and Judeo-Christian Values- Why Rand wasn’t a Libertarian or a Conservative- The 75th anniversary of Rand’s The Fountainhead- Are there American politicians who embody Rand’s values?- And lots more! The Ayn Rand Institute on Twitter 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

This week, Mike welcomes political scientist Will Miller back to the show. Will and Mike open by discussing the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Included is the perspective of Mike’s politically astute friend, Leah. While the Guys differ on whether Kavanaugh is the right person for the vacancy of the Court, they do agree on the credibility of Dr. Ford and her testimony. They also discuss what this means for future nomination battles and the willingness of individuals to even consider being nominated for the Court.Next is a discussion of the federal budget process, which is progressing surprisingly smoothly. While Mike and Will agree that the budget is largely inflated, they disagree on the causes and solutions. Mike advocates for increasing taxes to balance the books, while Will suggests something akin to zero-based budgeting would require agencies to justify the money they request in a more meaningful way.After Jay responds to some fairly intense criticism concerning his comments on last week's show, Ryan provides Will and Mike with their listener mail question this week. Ryan asks the Guys response to a recent Robert Reich opinion piece suggesting Congress or the Supreme Court could annul the totality of Trump’s presidency if he’s found of colluding with Russia to get elected. 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

This week, Mike and Jay open the show with a look at the accusation of attempted rape leveled at Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford. The Guys have a lot of differences of opinion on this issue, though they do agree on the importance of a process that is fair to both Professor Ford and Judge Kavanaugh. Next is a discussion of President Trump’s call to release intelligence related to the Russia investigation. Jay advances that argument that President Trump is lying when he said he hasn’t read the documents and that the president is timing his order for maximum media impact and the greatest political benefit. After that, the Guys talk about the latest in the ongoing trade war with China. Mike points out that the best possible outcome for the United States would be President Trump being right about his risky, unorthodox strategy. Jay adds that even if Trump is right regarding China, his trade strategy with our EU and Canadian allies still seems highly suspect. Then Mike and Jay discuss an important federal court ruling on political contribution disclosure rules. Mike thinks the ruling is both an example of what happens when Congress delegates too much authority to regulators, as well as a win for transparency. Jay agrees on the delegation issue, but has his doubts about the wisdom of the ruling, as well as whether it will be affirmed on appeal. Our listener mail question this week comes from Don, who asks if terms limits might make government more responsive and effective. Help Mike decide the topic of his next book by taking this super-quick one question survey. (The survey is open until Friday, September 28.) 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 talks to University of Maryland cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand about her new book, Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire the World. Topics Mike and Michele discuss include: the importance of culture in understanding politics why some cultures are 'tight' and others are 'loose' the advantages and disadvantages of tightness and looseness tight culture support for 'loose' Donald Trump the geography of tightness and looseness in the United States threat perception, political ideology, and tightness if the United States should be tighter or looser than it is how tight and loose cultures can better communicate and lots more Follow Michele Gelfand on Twitter 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

Trey and Ken this week start off the show by looking at both the content and the fallout from Bob Woodward’s new book Fear. Both are fascinated with what it might mean for the organizational structure of the White House. Ken suggests that the drama of taking papers of the president’s desk is probably overplayed. Relatedly, Trey and Ken then look at the anonymous New York Times Op-Ed. In uncommon agreement, although for slightly different reasons, both Guys agree that the author should simply have resigned and gone public with his criticism of the president instead of continuing to engage with a president who is “anti-democratic.” Ken and Trey also suggest it is undemocratic to try and undo the president’s agenda. Next The Guys turn to the tight race Ted Cruz faces in Texas. The big question is: is this closeness related to the actions of Ted Cruz or is it part of larger demographic shifts? Then Trey and Ken look at the most recent NAFTA developments. Specifically the bilateral agreement with Mexico and the remaining issues with Canada. Ken points out it is unlikely to move forward, but Trey wonders if Democrats in the Senate might not shift to deal a blow to a free trade agreement. The last issue is the Manafort plea deal. Ken has a unique take arguing that Manafort may be trying to angle for a better deal and, perhaps even a pardon. 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 Vanderbilt University political scientist Larry Bartels about his book (co-authored with Christopher Achen) Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government. Topics Mike and Larry discuss include: identity politics tribalism the ‘folk theory’ of democracy and why it’s wrong inattentive, uninformed, and irrational voters if the problem of ‘bad voters’ has been getting worse recently if polarization is really such a big deal the potential problem of too much democracy what we can do to get more responsive government 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

This week, Mike and Jay open the show with discussion of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh. They agree that the hearings are almost entirely political theater at this point and that everyone’s mind is made up. Mike argues that despite this, Democrats’ claim that they should be given sufficient time to review all of the potentially relevant documents relating to Kavanaugh’s career in public service is a good one. Jay is skeptical. Next is a look at leaked material from journalist Bob Woodward’s upcoming book on the Trump administration as well as the bombshell New York Times Op-Ed in which an anonymous senior White House staffer suggested that he and others like him are actively working to frustrate parts of President Trump’s agenda. Mike and Jay think it would be in the best interests of the country if this anonymous source revealed himself. While Mike is strongly against almost everything that President Trump has done, he doesn’t believe that Senator Elizabeth Warren and others on the left are right in calling for the potential removal of Trump through the 25th Amendment, as in Mike’s reading of the amendment, it doesn’t apply to President Trump (though impeachment and removal might). After that the Guys evaluate the choice of former Arizona Senator John Kyl as the replacement for John McCain. They share the views of almost everyone outside the extremes that this was a solid choice, though Mike of course laments that McCain wasn’t replaced with someone equally if not more liberal (a relative term, to be sure). Finally, Mike and Jay discuss the testimony of Facebook and Twitter on Capitol Hill regarding free speech and government regulation, potentially anti-competitive behavior, as well as the threat posed by voting systems lacking paper trails. 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

In this week of Ask the Politics Guys supporters ask Trey and Mike their most pressing questions. First they address the issue of if Trump’s support among Republicans is so high because never-Trump Republicans are leaving. Next the Guys turn to a question about how alternative voting methods might effect the number of parties that exist, they also address the seeming impersonal nature of voting in a proportional representation system. After that Trey and Mike respond to a more personal question and explain how they ended up as political scientists. Both connected in college, but fascinatingly Mike was Trey’s professor! Next the Guys look to how tariffs will impact midwestern farm states in the upcoming midterms and, unfortunately, think it is unlikely to have an immediate impact. Finally Trey and Mike talk about why the show has not addressed more of the polling and the horse race of the campaign yet. 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

Trey and Mike open this week looking at Senator John McCain’s legacy in the American political system. Whether you gave money to his campaign like Mike, or disagreed with his policies like Trey, both Guys agree that McCain was a honest Senator who worked tirelessly for his vision of a better United States. The question remains how the Senators of the future will — or can — carry on that legacy. Next Mike and Trey turn to NAFTA renegotiation. It appears that Mexico and the U.S. are close to a bilateral deal. Canada, although it missed a deadline on Friday, could still be part of an agreement. It is unclear what all the specifics will be or if it will be a new multinational trade deal or two bilateral agreements. The Guys then turn to Trump and Google’s spat this week. Trump accused Google of advancing Obama over himself and Google quickly fired back that it has followed an identical policy for all Presidents. This spat may have been good cover for the Google and MasterCard agreement coming out this week. Finally Trey and Mike turn to the ongoing legal questions surrounding 3D printing guns. As the stay continues on releasing them Trey argues it may be time to look to the history of pornography as a blueprint for how to address the issue. 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 talks with E. Glen Weyl, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research New York City, about his recent book with Eric Posner, Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society. Mike and Glen discuss: why private property is a form of inefficient monopoly and how to fix it the problem with ‘one person, one vote’ and a proposed alternative a radical alternative to our current immigration system how big institutional investors discourage innovation and growth the massive amount of unpaid labor we willingly provide to Facebook, Google, Amazon, and other Big Tech companies - Google’s The Selfish Ledger (YouTube) - Glen Weyl on Twitter 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 Jay open the show with a discussion of President Trump’s very rough week. First was the conviction of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort on eight counts of bank and tax fraud, followed by a plea deal between federal prosecutors and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. The Guys discuss both the legal and political ramifications, as well as President Trump’s seeming inability to surround himself with ‘the best people’. Next is a look at Senate Democrat arguments for delaying the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. One argument is that the Michael Cohen plea means that any new Justice could be essentially a juror in a potential case against President Trump, an argument both Mike and Jay don’t believe holds much water. The second argument has to do with Republicans trying to push through confirmation before the midterms without allowing for adequate time to fully review Kavanaugh’s paper trail, particularly from his time as White House Staff Secretary in the George W. Bush administration. This claim has more merit, but Jay and Mike see it more as a stalling tactic than a truly legitimate reason to delay confirmation proceedings. After that, the Guys discuss the indictment of California Republican Duncan Hunter on multiple counts of misuse of campaign funds. Mike points out that Hunter is likely to keep his House seat due to the Democrats nominating a candidate who is a poor fit for Hunter’s district. Both Mike and Jay think that Hunter is exactly the sort of ‘grab what you can’ officeholder who offends the sensibilities of all small-r republicans. The episode closes with a look at the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed ‘Affordable Clean Energy’ rule. Mike argues that it’s bad policy that puts corporate profits above public health, whereas Jay sees it as the federal government rightly giving more discretion to the states and the market to deal with power generation and pollution. 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 talks to novelist and essayist Joshua Cohen about his latest book, Attention: Dispatches from a Land of Distraction. In this talk, Mike and Joshua discuss: Donald Trump and the Fall of Atlantic City What people who have worked with Donald Trump have to say about him Ethnic whites and the Trump coalition Contrasting Donald Trump and Barack Obama The appeal of Bernie Sanders Distraction and Attention 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

(There was a very short period in Mike’s life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast – Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once was, and so he quickly shut down Politics Plus. But before he did, he’d posted four interviews – all of which he thinks are pretty good and are worth sharing with you as Politics Guys bonus episodes.) Mike talks with Beck Dorey-Stein, who worked as a White House stenographer from 2012 – 2017. She’s written about her experiences in the just released book, From the Corner of the Oval. They discuss: What White House stenographers do How being in the White House changed how Beck felt about politics If the White House is anything like the TV show The West Wing The insane hours and workloads of White House staffers What happens behind the scenes during crises ‘Living the dream’ in the Obama administration Her view of President Obama What it was like to come to work the day after Donald Trump was elected What it was like working in the Trump administration And lots more 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 Jay open the show with a look at the recent primary elections in Vermont, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Kansas. Mike is pleased to see his Democrats nominating diverse candidates, while Jay points out that while diversity is a good thing, being well-qualified, regardless of race, creed, or color is what’s most important. Next is a look at President Trump pulling former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance, with the administration planning more security clearance revocations in the future. Mike argues that this politicizing of security clearances is essentially unprecedented and is yet another example of how President Trump’s disregard for custom and unwritten law is damaging the United States. Jay doesn’t disagree, though he points out that what the president has done is not legally impermissible. After that, the Guys discuss the sickening revelations concerning predator priests coming out of a Pennsylvania grand jury report. Mike hopes there will be similar investigations in every state that shake the Catholic Church to its core and force a change in what many say is a deeply corrupt culture of cover-up. Jay agrees that the Church’s culture needs to change, but he feels that some of the legislative proposals aimed at helping victims may have serious unintended consequences. The show closes with a look at Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ plan to rescind a rule that forces for-profit colleges and vocational schools to demonstrate that graduates are able to get decent-paying jobs. Mike argues that this rule has gone a long way to cleaning up the fraudulent excesses of for-profit education and should be maintained. Jay counters that there should be one rule to cover both for-profit and not-for-profit schools. 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

In this listener comment episode Trey and Mike discuss: Trey’s take on what a Libertarian is How Democrats could pay for Medicare for all Why the GOP has trouble with racism How Mike would run Trump and Trey would run a Democratic opponent Why 3rd Parties struggle in the U.S. even when people seemingly hate the two major political parties Why The Politics Guys hasn’t covered the Obama spying scandal 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

(There was a very short period in Mike’s life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast – Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once was, and so he quickly shut down Politics Plus. But before he did, he’d posted four interviews – all of which he thinks are pretty good and are worth sharing with you as Politics Guys bonus episodes.) ***** ***** ***** Mike talks to Tali Sharot, director of the Affective Brain Lab and an Associate Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience in the department of Experimental Psychology at University College London. Dr. Sharot’s research integrates neuroscience, behavioral economics, and psychology to study how emotion influences people’s beliefs, decisions and social interactions. She’s the author of The Optimism Bias and, most recently, The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others. Mike and Dr. Sharot discuss: how some information is like sex and plum pie why Donald Trump was so much more influential than his Republican presidential rivals how our attempts to persuade others can actually boomerang on us, leaving them less persuaded than they were to start with how to go from getting someone to agree with you to getting them to act when crowds are wise and when they’re not and lots more Follow the Affective Brain Lab on Twitter 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

Trey and Mike open this week’s show focusing on the recent Ohio 12th District special election. Both Trey and Mike agree that the 12th District looks like trouble for Republicans. This year, statistically, Democrats should do better and both agree the evidence suggests they might do a bit better than that. Specifically Trey points to the shifting demographics for Republicans where suburban voters are leaving Republicans as rural voters increase. Next is a discussion of Missouri’s recent strike down of a “right to work” law. Trey and Mike disagree over whether such laws — which do not allow employment to be dependent on union membership — help or hurt workers. They do agree that the law’s failure to pass is evidence that there is a structural shift taking place in American politics. After that Trey and Mike return to the trial of Paul Manafort — again — and investigate how this might or might not affect President Trump. At this point it doesn’t seem there is much connection to Trump and Mike takes the depressing view that nothing seems to shake Trump supporters. Then it is time to discuss Representative Chris Collins and his alleged insider trading. In a broader take on the issue Mike offers that members of Congress ought to be paid more and not allowed to sit on publicly traded boards. Mike and Trey finish the show by putting Nunes’ comments in context. Mike thinks it shows the widening gap between discourse communities and Trey contextualizes the issue by suggesting such comments are not too far from par in private fundraising situations. 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

In this listener comment episode Mike and Jay discuss: Google and antitrust Mike’s inconsistent use of Occam’s Razor Why there aren’t more good candidates Jay’s ‘line in the sand’ on Trump The $12 billion in payments to U.S. farmers hurt by the trade war The information release fight between the Department of Justice and House Republicans President Trump’s calls to halt the Mueller investigation 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

(There was a very short period in Mike’s life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast – Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once was, and so he quickly shut down Politics Plus. But before he did, he’d posted four interviews – all of which he thinks are pretty good and are worth sharing with you as Politics Guys bonus episodes.) Mike talks to Mona Charen, one of the most prominent conservative voices in the United States. She writes a syndicated column that appears in more than 200 newspapers, she’s a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and is the author of the books Useful Idiots, Do-Gooders,and the recently released Sex Matters: How Modern Feminism Lost Touch with Science, Love, and Common Sense. Topics they cover include: differences between pioneering feminists and the ‘second-wave’ feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s feminism and the Marxist concept of ‘false consciousness’ what science tells us about biological differences between the sexes whether women can ‘have it all’ how sexual empowerment was a wrong turn for the feminist movement the rise of ‘no-fault’ divorces and the damage they’ve done whether ‘my body, my choice’ and ‘safe, legal, and rare’ is a reasonable approach to abortion the ‘Campus Rape Industrial Complex’ the transgender movement Follow Mona Charen on Twitter 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 Jay open this week’s show with a look at the trial of Paul Manafort, who’s accused of tax fraud, bank fraud, and bank fraud conspiracy. Both of the Guys agree that things look pretty bad for Manafort. While the charges aren’t directly related to Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, Mike and Jay say that Mueller couldn’t simply ignore evidence of crimes discovered as part of his investigation into Russian interference. Next is a discussion of 3D printed guns, in the news due to the Trump administration settling with the gun blueprint creator which would have allowed posting of the design specifications on the Internet. Mike and Jay both have big problems with the ruling of a federal judge that prohibited posting of the designs, seeing it as unconstitutional prior restraint. After that, Mike and Jay consider two big Trump administration regulatory changes: freezing automotive fuel efficiency standards and expanding ‘short term’ health insurance policies that can legally circumvent Obamacare minimum coverage standards. Mike sees both of these moves as bad policy. Jay likes them from a policy standpoint, but argues that the Trump administration may not be entitled to get all of what it wants through the regulatory process. 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 talks to political scientist John Sides about his Democracy Fund Voter Study Group report, 'Muslims in America: Public Perceptions in the Trump Era' Dr. Sides is an associate professor of political science at The George Washington University, co-author of the books Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America (coming out in September of 2018) and The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election, as well as a founder and the editor-in-chief of the political science blog, The Monkey Cage. Topics Mike and Dr. Sides discuss include: How favorably Americans rate Muslims. Differences in how Republicans and Democrats rate Muslims. How education affects Muslim bias. Public support for a Muslim ban. Americans' views of Muslims compared to Muslim Americans' own views about themselves. Mainstream media's role in perpetuating anti-Muslim bias. 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

There was a very short period in Mike's life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast - Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once was, and so he quickly shut down Politics Plus. But before he did, he'd posted four interviews - all of which he thinks are pretty good and are worth sharing with you as Politics Guys bonus episodes. ********** In this interview, Mike talks with journalist, author, and policy analyst David Frum. Mr. Frum is currently a senior editor at the Atlantic. From 2014 through 2017, he chaired the board of trustees of the leading UK center-right think tank, Policy Exchange. He's served as a speechwriter and special assistant to President George W. Bush and as senior adviser to the Rudy Giuliani presidential campaigns. He's also the author of nine books, most recently Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic. In the conversation, Mike and Mr. Frum cover, among other things: how Bill Clinton monetized the post-presidency America as a toddler in heavy traffic Donald Trump and punching babies the ‘neither ethical or smart’ Trump administration Congressional leaders enabling Trumpocracy whether the American political system can handle the Trump presidency Follow David Frum on Twitter 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 the show is produced for the first time ever in Oklahoma City. Trey, now officially part of Oklahoma Christian University, is joined by Ken who is preparing to move to Denver. The first topic is Trump’s trade policy. The Trey and Ken to differing degrees agree that subsides to farmers is simply a policy mistake fixing the earlier policy mistake of enacting tariffs. While Ken has some boundaries around the idea of free trade, both think that the current tariffs policies are reminiscent of the import substitution industrialization models of the 1980s and 1990s. Next up Trey and Ken look at the recent spat over Twitter between the U.S. and Iran. Here both hosts agree that the current foreign policy of acting belligerent randomly has not helped the U.S. cause. However the hosts disagree over the cause of this policy. Ken thinks it is part of a larger conspiracy where Putin controls Trump and Trey thinks, while it certainly benefits Russia, is more easily explained by an individual who is acting irrationally and that irrationality helps anyone who isn’t the U.S. Trey and Ken turn next to the Michael Cohen tape of a conversation with Donald Trump. The hosts agree that the tape is damaging and ponder why Trump would have agreed to release it. They discuss the possible implications of the content of the tape and consider how it might play into the Mueller investigation. Finally Ken and Trey briefly examine Facebook’s stock decline. At a 19% devaluation it takes the record for the biggest drop in one day ever. The hosts parse out the question to what extent, if any, recent privacy changes in EU law or backlash from data breaches has led to slowing user growth and, as a result, investor confidence. 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

In this listener comment episode, Mike and Jay get into: If the media - Time magazine in particular - was fair in its photographic portrayal of President Trump’s immigration policy, and if Mike and Jay spend too much time on a media sideshow. How much deference federal courts should give to administrative agencies. Whether Jay thinks government regulations to prevent pollution are wise and necessary corrections for market failures. A conservative case for abolishing ICE. Mike, Jay, and ideological orthodoxy. What Mike’s Reading Politics with Charles P. Pierce What it Takes to Get an Abortion in the Most Restrictive U.S. State 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

This week, Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of the summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland. They agree that President Trump’s performance was bizarre and awful. Mike says this, combined with everything else we’ve seen regarding Trump and Russia, is enough to convince him that President Trump is either compromised by Russia or believes he may be compromised, which amounts to the same thing in real terms. After that, the Guys discuss new rules that would make major, industry-friendly changes to the Endangered Species Act. Mike says that he’s all in favor of streamlining environmental approvals for industry, but not at the cost of endangering and destroying biodiversity. Jay has a more positive take on the proposed rules, believing they’re a much-needed corrective to a policy that’s unnecessarily hampered economic growth. Next is a look at the European Union’s latest fine against Google for engaging in anticompetitive practices. Mike says that ensuring competitive markets is a key role of government, and that the EU is doing a better job of it then the US is doing. Jay is also all for competitive markets, but thinks that the EU’s position is overreach and that consumers have more options than EU regulators seems to believe. Finally, the Guys talk about the withdrawn nomination of Ryan Bounds to serve on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mike finds it disappointing that Bounds even got to this point, as both of his home-state senators returned negative ‘Blue Slips’ which traditionally meant that the nomination would be quashed. He argues that the Blue Slip tradition is yet another casualty of our hyper-partisan environment. Jay is less sad to see the Blue Slip go, arguing that it’s no longer serving its intended purpose, but he agrees with Mike that making judicial nominations filibuster-proof has been a step in the wrong direction. What Mike and Jay are ReadingWhy I’m No Longer a Russiagate Skeptic 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 talks to Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, director of the pediatrics residency at the Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, and an assistant professor at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine, where she heads the Hurley Children’s Hospital Public Health Initiative. It was through Dr, Mona’s courageous and unflagging efforts that the public learned about the dangerous levels of lead in Flint's drinking water. Her work has been recognized by numerous environmental groups, including the Michigan Environmental Council, the Children's Environmental Health Network, and the Union of Concerned Sciences. She's the author of a recently released book on the Flint crisis, titled What The Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City. Follow Dr. Mona on Twitter 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 Trey kick off the show by discussing the 12 Russian intelligence officials indicted this week for hacking into Democratic Party systems. Mike says that despite the fact that these Russians will never face trial in the United States, the indictments point to the importance of allowing Robert Mueller to complete his investigation, which is not at all the pointless ‘witch hunt’ some claim. Trey says that these indictments make the idea of President Trump meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin an even worse idea than it already was. Next is discussion of President Trump nominating Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. Mike and Trey agree that Kavanaugh is a fairly mainstream conservative choice who will almost certainly be confirmed. Trey points out that a few Senate Democrats facing tough reelection fights may end up voting in favor of confirmation, which seems far more likely than any Republicans defecting. After that, the Guys talk about the NATO summit and President Trump’s first official visit to the UK. It was a story of two Trumps - the public side, where the president engaged in his usual over-the-top bellicosity, and the private side, where by most accounts he was downright reasonable. Trey believes that President Trump’s view of NATO and trade relations with the UK is bound up with his larger zero-sum view of trade, which is currently playing out in the escalating trade war with China, which the Guys turn to next. They both agree that imposing additional tariffs on Chinese goods is a truly awful idea, and while a majority of Congressional Republicans agree, they lack the political will to do anything substantive about it. Finally, Trey and Mike discuss the bipartisan grandstanding at the Congressional testimony of FBI agent Peter Strzok. Mike laments the GOP’s continued effort to destroy the credibility of the FBI in support of the president, and Trey agrees that the greater tendency to discredit accusers, rather than focus on the facts, is a very disturbing trend. 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

In this listener comment episode, Mike and Trey address these questions: Why has the executive branch become so much more powerful than the legislative and judicial branches, and what can we do about it? What motivates President Trump’s political allies beyond short term outcomes? If the Democrats take control of Congress are we still stuck in a stalemate or do we see President Trump force the GOP to compromise to get his agenda passed? What common ground could the Democrats find with Trump? Are they so oppositional that compromise is politically detrimental? How big of a problem is the national debt? What practical things can liberals and conservatives do to effect change? What Mike’s ReadingMarijuana addiction is real, and rising (Denver Post) What Trey’s ReadingThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Mark Twain 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

This week's show kicks off with Mike and Trey discussing the likely strategies of both the left and the right once President Trump names his Supreme Court nominee. After that it's discussion of the resignation of scandal-plagued EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. The Guys agree that Pruitt was exactly what many Republicans wanted in terms of policy, but that the mounting scandals became too much of a distraction. They also discuss what Pruitt's departure is likely to mean for the EPA going forward. Then it's a look at the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China, after President Trump's imposition of $34 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, and China's retaliation. Mike thinks this is looking less like a negotiating tactic and more like a longer-term policy. Trey agrees and, as the biggest free-trader of all the Politics Guys, is particularly disturbed by these developments. Next is an update on the immigration fiasco, which Mike continues to argue is both incompetent and inhumane. Trey makes the point that this policy can be seen as part of a larger worldview that also pushes back against free trade. Mike suggests that all the awful images might actually be what some in the administration want, in that they may eventually lead to fewer immigrants willing to risk crossing into the United States illegally. Finally, they discuss the GOP Senate delegation to Russia over the 4th of July as well as President Trump's upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mike is surprised as how partisanship has become so strong that it has somehow turned Republicans into Russian appeasears. Trey and Mike are concerned that President Trump may be overmatched in any one-on-one meeting with Putin. 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

In our first ever three-person Politics Guys, Northern Kentucky University Law Professor Ken Katkin joins Mike and Jay to discuss: how Kennedy was different from the Court’s four other conservatives whether the Justices are politicians in robes or if they base their decisions on more than partisan calculations if Senator McConnell should hold off on hearings for President Trump’s nominee to replace Kennedy until after the election, as he did with President Obama’s nominee to replace Justice Scalia how the Court may alter its opinions on partisan gerrymandering, LGBTQ rights, denial of services to same-sex weddings, and Roe v. Wade with a new, more conservative replacement for Kennedy 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

This week’s show starts off with Mike and Jay discussing Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement. There’s so much to cover here that the Guys decided to do an entire episode on it, which will drop in the usual Wednesday slot (July 4). There were a bunch of important Supreme Court decisions announced this week, which Mike and Jay then get into. First was a big win for President Trump’s travel ban. Jay thinks the Court make the right call, but Mike - after initially agreeing earlier in the week - has changed his mind, and thinks the four liberal dissenters got it right. After that is another 5-4 conservative ruling that overturned a 41-year-old precedent that allowed public sector unions to charge non-members a collective bargaining fee. Jay once again sides with the conservative majority, while Mike argues that their decision rests on shaky grounds and, as such, he would default to allowing the policy of the states as opposed to what he sees as conservative judicial activism. Then it’s a look at the Court - yet again along 5-4 ideological lines - overturning the California FACT Act, which required anti-abortion ‘pregnancy crisis centers’ to make mention of abortion services available elsewhere as well as to let clients know if the center does not have a state medical license. Mike agrees with the 9th Circuit, which held that this was neutral commercial speech and therefore subject to regulation. Jay believes the majority on the Supreme Court was right in arguing that this amounts to compelled speech promoting abortion, and therefore a violation of the 1st Amendment. The final big case of the week involved a Texas congressional and state legislative redistricting plan that a lower court said was an impermissible racial gerrymander. It was another 5-4 ideological split, with Jay standing with the conservative majority who argued that the burden of proof was on the plaintiffs and they didn’t demonstrate that Texas acted in bad faith. Mike is pretty sure that Texas did act in bad faith, but because he didn’t see clear proof of this, he reluctantly agrees that the Court’s conservatives were right on this one. Finally, Mike and Jay discuss the major developments in immigration policy in the last week: President Trump’s suggestion that immigrants aren’t entitled to due process, the multi-state lawsuit against family separations, a federal judge ordering the administration to reunite families, the incompetence with which the policy has been carried out from the very beginning, and why Congress hasn’t acted, and it’s likely to any time soon. 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

In this listener comment episode, Mike and Jay address the following listener questions: Should police be given the level of qualified immunity from prosecution they currently receive? Will a recent federal court ruling change anything? We need to keep an eye on regulators, but doesn’t Jay think we also need to watch companies? How do we keep companies honest, and working in the best interest of consumers and the public? How can the media balance respect for the office of the presidency with fair coverage of presidential untruths? How do our perceptions of migrants shape our attitudes toward immigration policy? What Mike’s Binge Watching (and reading) While his Wife is Away on a Month-Long International Trip Animal Kingdom Bosch All or Nothing: The Dallas Cowboys Red Oaks Westworld God’s Soldiers: : Adventure, Politics, Intrigue, and Power--A History of the Jesuits. Jonathan Wright Pierre Teilhard De Chardin: Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series) What Jay’s Reading Trump’s Critics Desecrate the Holocaust. Jay Winik (Wall Street Journal - Paywall) No, You’re Not Perfect ‘Just the Way You Are’. David French (National Review) 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

This week’s show starts with Mike and Jay discussing the bipartisan furor over family separations that have occurred as a result of the Trump administration’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ immigration policy. Mike argues that the policy is inhumane, that Donald Trump lied when he said he could do nothing about it - as evidenced by the Executive Order he signed halting the policy - and that the policy was incompetently rolled out. Jay agrees about the incompetence and the president being wrong about having his hands tied, but believes that the policy’s effects have been exaggerated by many on the left and in the media. After that, it’s a look at two important Supreme Court decisions. The first is a highly anticipated ruling on partisan gerrymandering. The Court disappointed many people by deciding not to decide, arguing that the cases weren’t ready for their review. Mike and Jay, while disagreeing on the underlying issue of partisan gerrymandering, agree that the Court made the right call here. The second case involves an ideologically unusual 5-4 split in a ruling that will allow states to require out-of-state merchants to charge sales tax. Mike agrees with the policy, but sides with the dissenters - led by Chief Justice John Roberts - on the law, agreeing that this was a matter for Congress to address, not the Court. Jay, while less pleased on policy grounds, shares Mike’s approval of the judicial restraint argued for by Roberts and the three other Justices in the minority. Next is a discussion of the Trump administration’s proposals to create a ‘Space Force’ and to combine the Departments of Education and Labor. Mike is skeptical about the need for a sixth branch of the armed forces, while Jay thinks it could be a reasonable idea given what’s sure to be the increasing military importance of space. Mike’s less sure about the Education / Labor merger, and Jay agrees that it would need to be fleshed out considerably more. Given that neither of these things can occur without Congressional approval, it seems unlikely they’ll happen any time soon, though Jay points out that it can be useful to float big ideas as trial balloons. Finally, the Guys debate the wisdom of the United States withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council. Jay points out that the Council has a massive bias against Israel and is filled with human rights abusing states. Mike agrees, but believes that the Obama approach of engaging with even very flawed international organizations in an attempt to improve them is usually a better strategy than walking away. 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

This episode features Trey and Ken’s responses to the following listener questions: Why do we have the Electoral College? Why isn’t there a way to invalidate fraudulent elections? What would it take for a third party rise to national prominence? Can you explain ranked-choice voting? What do you think about ranked-choice voting in light of the recent Maine election? What We’re Reading A Spy Named Orphan: The Enigma of Donald Maclean by Roland Philipps The Kennedy Brothers: The Rise and Fall of Jack and Bobby by Richard Mahoney 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 talks about his new interview podcast, Politics Plus. On the show, he’ll be interviewing men and women from across the ideological spectrum about American politics, economics, history, and culture. You can find and subscribe to Politics Plus by searching for it in your podcast app. If for for any reason that doesn’t work, you should also be able to subscribe by entering the show’s feed URL into your podcast app. You can also listen on the Politics Plus website. Subscribe on iOS Feed URL: http://politicsplus.libsyn.com/rss Politics Plus Website: politicsplus.us Email Mike: [email protected] 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 open the show by discussing the 500 page Justice Department finding on the FBI. They both largely agree the report shows former FBI Director James Comey was insubordinate, but they differ on who it helps most rhetorically. Trey thinks that the FBI agents didn’t express their political positions in a responsible way while Ken thinks that the report understates the amount the FBI helped Trump. Then it’s a discussion of Trump’s meeting with Kim Jung-Un in Singapore. The Guys generally agree that the outcome didn’t amount to much. They agree that the more discussion is better, but they’re pessimistic on the long-term benefits of the meeting. Next, Trey plays devil’s advocate and asks Ken what he liked or didn’t like about the Supreme Court decision upholding Ohio’s method of purging non-voters. Ken thinks it pointlessly culls the rolls of voters without netting much of a benefit to the state. Finally Trey and Ken talk free trade and the increasingly angry trade war emerging between the U.S. and China, spearheaded by Trump. The two spar a bit about the benefits of free trade and when trade barriers might be a good thing. 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

This episode features Mike and Jay’s responses to the following listener questions: Jay says he’s pro-choice with it comes to people choosing their own health care. Is he also pro-choice when it comes to a woman’s right to choose whether or not to end her pregnancy? Jay suggested that President Trump’s hardball negotiating style brought North Korea back to the bargaining table. But President Trump was the one who initially cancelled the summit, meaning that Jay’s comment is factually inaccurate. Can Jay explain this? How can both parties energize voters to participate and turn out in 2018 and beyond? Aside from judicial nominations, is the Republican Party too short-term oriented in its thinking? What’s the justification for free trade with emerging economies, especially if the result is lost American jobs? Don’t emerging economies need the U.S. more than the U.S. needs them? Government regulation ended child labor, provided us with a safer food supply, and has led to many other societal goods. Does Jay really oppose government regulation? Can he explain his position on regulation? 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 Jay open with a look at the G7 meeting in Quebec, Canada. They agree that President Trump's protectionism is bad policy, though Jay still thinks that the president might be using his tough talk as a negotiating tactic and may not impose long-term tariff barriers. Mike says that President Trump's call to readmit Russia to the group is a horrible idea because, unlike the G7 countries, Russia is not a real democracy. Then it's a discussion of the Supreme Court's 7-2 ruling in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case. The Guys agree that this was a very narrow ruling (in scope, not vote split) and that the Court should have addressed the key free expression issue that was raised. Although Mike is a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights, he thinks the concurrence of Justices Gorsuch and Thomas, which argues that forcing the baker to create a cake for a same-sex wedding is a form of unconstitutional compelled speech, makes some strong points. After that, it's immigration - first the move by House GOP moderates to force a vote on allowing Dreamers to stay in the country legally, and then a discussion of rising illegal border crossing arrests, the wisdom of the Trump administration's 'family separation' and 'zero tolerance' policies, and a big-picture look at what U.S. immigration policy should be. Finally, Mike and Jay talk about President Trump's commutation of Alice Marie Johnson's sentence and his view that he can pardon himself, if he so chooses. 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 talks to Dr. Robert Sutter, a Professor of International Affairs at the Elliott School of George Washington University. Dr. Sutter has worked both in government and in academia, including positions with the CIA, State Department, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He's published 20 books, over 200 articles and several hundred government reports dealing with contemporary East Asian and Pacific countries and their relations with the United States. His most recent book is US-China Relations: Perilous Past, Uncertain Present. Mike and Dr. Sutter discuss how China is like Prussia, China's investment in Africa, the US / China trade deficit, China & North Korea, if the 21st century will be the 'Chinese Century', and lots more. We'd really appreciate it if you could take the short, super-easy Politics Guys libsyn survey. Here's the link: survey.libsyn.com/politicsguys 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

This week, Mike and Jay start with a look at the Trump Administration's announcement that it would be imposing hefty steel and aluminum tariffs on U.S. allies Mexico, Canada, and the European Union on 'national security' grounds. The administration is also considering a major tariff on imported cars (also ostensibly for national security). Both Mike and Jay think this protectionism is one of the worst things to come out of the Trump administration, though Jay is more hopeful that it's more bluster from the president that won't end up as set policy. After that, they discuss the off-again, on-again summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jung Un. Mike says that President Trump is exactly the sort of person least suited to carry out the sort of careful, patient negotiations that could defuse the threat posed by North Korea. Jay feels that the president's show of strength is the right approach for North Korea, though both he and Mike wish the president understood the importance of dealing with U.S. allies differently than he deals with adversaries. Next is a look at the extremely good jobs report. Mike points out that while the U.S. is in the midst of the second longest expansion in modern history, wages are still somewhat stagnant and economic growth is far slower than it's been at many points in the post World War II era. Both Jay and Mike agree that President Trump can't claim responsibility for the expansion any more than President Obama could, and they lament the tendency of the media to overemphasize the importance of government when it comes to economic growth. Then they turn to the Supreme Court's decision to not hear a case involving an anti-abortion law from Arkansas. While Mike and Jay differ on the wisdom of abortion rights restrictions, they agree that the Court was correct on procedure. In the end, they expect Arkansas' law to be overturned as unconstitutional, as the Court did with a similar Texas law in 2016. Finally, the Guys discuss President Trump's pardon of conservative provocateur Dinesh D'Souza, and whether the president is using his pardons to send a message to people Robert Mueller has indicted in his Russia investigation. Mike doubts it, believing that it's simply President Trump being his impulsive self for the most part. Mike somewhat surprises Jay by favoring the president's pardon of D'Souza, who Mike says is an awful person, but who was unfairly singled out by the Obama administration for prosecution. Jay points out that it's the awful people who are most in need of protection - and sometimes pardons. If you haven't yet filled out the super quick and easy (literally no more than a minute) Politics Guys survey, we hope you will. It will help libsyn, our new podcast host, grow our audience and keep the show financially viable. Here's the link: survey.libsyn.com/politicsguys What Mike's Reading Mind Control: Barbara Ehrenreich’s radical critique of wellness and self-improvement. What Jay's Reading Worried About Incivility? Start With Yourself. 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 Jay kick off the show by discussing a federal court ruling that President Trump was violating the 1st Amendment by blocking some critics from his Twitter feed. Neither of the Guys is exactly comfortable with the courts telling people how to run their social media lives, but they agree that because President Trump is using Twitter as an essentially official presidential communication tool, different rules might apply. Then it's a look at the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling permitting companies to require employees to settle disputed through individual arbitration instead of banding together. Jay says it was the right call and a good policy, and while Mike agrees that the conservative majority made the right interpretation of the law, he absolutely hates the policy outcome and wishes Congress would act to make things less unfair to workers. After that, the Guys discuss the move by around 20 moderate House Republicans to force a series of votes on immigration, in the hope of giving permanent status to Dreamers. They've been opposed by the House GOP leadership, which doesn't want to risk a politically dangerous vote before the November elections, as well as the House Freedom Caucus, which wants nothing to do with even an indirect path to citizenship for Dreamers. Finally, Mike responds to a listener who says he's too easy on Republicans like Paul Ryan who support policies that will hurt and potentially even kill Americans. Our new host company, Libsyn, has put together a super short and very important survey which will help them help us reach a larger audience and keep the show sustainable. If you haven't already filled it out, we hope you will. You'll find it here: survey.libsyn.com/politicsguys 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

This week, Mike and Jay start off with a look at the North Korea summit, which President Trump canceled, but later suggested might be back on after all. The Guys discuss why the president canceled, what his plan is, and whether we're moving in the right direction. Then it's a domestic policy bonanza. First is a look at a rollback of the Dodd-Frank law passed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Mike and Jay agree that smaller banks needed some regulatory relief, but Mike argues that the rollback does much more than that, and its loosened restrictions on larger banks put us in danger of another financial crisis. This is followed by discussion of the 'Right to Try' Act, which allows terminally ill patients to try largely unproven treatments, and a major VA bill that will give veterans more options for private care. Mike argues it goes too far down the road to privatization. Jay doesn't disagree, but he supports further privatization. Finally, Mike and Jay discuss the latest developments in the Robert Mueller investigation, particularly the 'Spygate' claims coming from President Trump and some of his supporters. What Mike's Reading The Hedges of the Garden of Liberty. Why does Trump get away with corruption? Because Bill and Hillary Clinton normalized it. Please help us out by taking this super-quick & easy survey. We promise it won't take more than a minute of your time (if that): survey.libsyn.com/politicsguys 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 talks with journalist, editor, and publisher Kenneth Whyte, author of The Uncrowned King: The Sensational Rise of William Randolph Hearst and most recently, Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times. If you think Herbert Hoover was a boring conservative presidential nonentity, you're in for a pleasant surprise. In this conversation, Mike and Ken discuss Hoover's swashbuckling and sketchy business career, his amazing humanitarian efforts in World War I (it was a crime that he didn't win a Nobel Peace Prize), how Hoover can amazingly lay claim to being the father of modern progressivism and modern conservatism, and lots more. Kenneth Whyte on Twitter 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

This week Trey and Mike begin the show with the tragic news of a school shooting in Santa Fe Friday. Mike argues briefly that it is the immutable American gun culture that leads to these kinds of tragedies. Trey argues that the right ignores the possibility of lowering the current levels of gun violence with data from other countries while the left ignores that these rates are extremely low forms of death. After Santa Fe, the hosts transition to two foreign policy topics. The first of these is the United States moving the Israeli embassy to Jerusalem. The move, started by Congress under Bill Clinton but delayed since then, occurred on Monday and led to violence in Gaza and a border conflict. Trey and Mike have different takes on the ability to take sides, but agree that most ignore the long standing historical forces — and immorality — that has led to the ongoing violence. They also arguing the timing was ill advised. In other foreign policy news Trey and Mike look at the recent harsh words between the U.S. and North Korea as we approach the June 12 summit. Neither host finds the issue shocking and both suggest that it is par for the course for North Korea despite the unfortunate comments from John Bolton. Turning from foreign to domestic policy Trey and Mike discuss the Senate confirmation of Gina Haspel. Mike argues that she is qualified save for her role in the 2002 torture involvement. Trey is more disappointed in the Senate for the vote and argues that her move to destroy evidence in 2005 disqualifies her from the role and makes it impossible to ever accurately asses her success or failure as CIA head given it is hard to know if she would revert to those kinds of coverups again. Next Trey and Mike move on to the Senate Intelligence Committee endorsing the evidence that Russia was involved in influencing the 2016 election and, further, it was doing so in favor of Donald Trump. Trey argues that the conclusion is straightforward, but that the likelihood it resulted in changing the election is tiny. Finally, Trey and Mike discuss the 2,500 pages of material released by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both hosts offer insights into what the material means and offer a voice of support for continued investigations. Bonus Show! Supporters were treated to a second bonus show this week. If you are interested in hearing more from Trey and Mike head to http://www.politicsguys.com/support/ and unlock the bonus show. 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 Ran Levi, author of Battle of Minds: The History of Computer Malware and host of the Malicious Life podcast, which explores the people and the stories behind the cyber security industry and its evolution. Mike and Ran discuss Russian hacking into Democratic and Republican systems, potential hacking into state election systems, why paper ballots are a really good idea, the cybersecurity threat posed by Russia, North Korea, and terrorist organizations, the most common vulnerabilities and what governments aren't doing to protect themselves, and more. Ran Levi on Twitter 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

This week's show opens with a look at the Iran nuclear deal that President Trump pulled the U.S. out of. Both Mike and Jay agree that it was an imperfect deal, but Mike feels we should have stayed in and worked to improve it. Jay feels that the deal was far more imperfect than Mike does, but he agrees that the president's propensity for walking away from international agreements isn't the best way to handle things. The Guys next turn to the historic summit meeting between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jung Un, which President Trump announced would be held in Singapore on June 12\. Jay sees this as a potential step in the right direction and though Mike has plenty of doubts about President Trump's diplomatic ability, he agrees that after decades of stalemate, things could possibly be changing for the better. Even so, it's still very early days, and the U.S. is dealing with an incredibly secretive and untrustworthy country, so expectations should be very low. After that Mike and Jay discussion Gina Haspel, President Trump's nominee to lead the CIA. Mike acknowledges Haspel's experience and expertise, but agrees with Senator John McCain that Haspel's position on torture / 'enhanced interrogation techniques' is disqualifying. Jay disagrees arguing that much of the outcry against Haspel is simply due to her being Donald Trump's nominee. Next is a look at the Senate primary elections in Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana. Neither Mike nor Jay saw much to surprise them, with Jay pointing out that there seemed to be a move away from extreme Republicans. Finally, Mike and Jay talk about former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen raising millions peddling his connection to the president. Mike says that while this sort of thing goes on all the time - in Republican and Democratic administrations - he's troubled by yet another Russia connection. Jay sees things more or less the same way, and in discussing the topic he clarifies his position on Trump, Russia, and collusion. **What Mike's Reading** [Why the specter of Marx still haunts the world](https://wapo.st/2IdEAKx). [](https://econ.st/2Ii8ayN) [Rulers of the world: read Karl Marx!](https://econ.st/2Ii8ayN) [](https://nyti.ms/2IdjRqm) [Happy Birthday, Karl Marx. You Were Right](https://nyti.ms/2IdjRqm)! **What Jay's Reading** [I'm Not Black, I'm Kanye: Kanye West wants freedom - white freedom](https://theatln.tc/2Iipx2i). Ta-Nehisi Coates **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible**. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com/support](http://www.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