The Politics Guys

This 'listener mailbag' show begins with Mike and Jay taking a question from a listener who wonders if it's fair to conclude that healthcare in the United States is broken given the far greater amount per capita the U.S. spends to get results not too different from other rich, developed countries. Mike says yes, and Jay doesn't quite say no, though he points out some important features of the United States that may make international comparisons somewhat tricky. Next is a listener who writes in to argue against Jay's seeming dismissal of protests by telling the story of how his experience attending a march led him to become deeply involved in politics. Jay responds by acknowledging that in some cases a protest experience can be a springboard for greater political action, but argues that in most cases that isn't what happens. Then it's a listener questioning the value of labor unions. Mike says that while it's true that unions may have been slow to adapt to a globalized market, they still have a critical role. Jay, who points out that unions have done a lot of good in the past, is a lot more skeptical about their continued relevance. After that the Guys make some recommendations for books that cover Clinton shenanigans - books that aren't partisan hit-jobs but rather well-researched examinations written by highly respected authors. (Yes - those sort of politics books *do* exist.) This is followed by several questions about Syria, involving the president's authority to authorize military action and a more macro-level look at U.S. policy in Syria and the Middle East as a whole. Mike and Jay close the show by answering a listener who wonders what it would take for Jay to be personally appalled by Donald Trump, and what, if anything, Mike likes about the president. **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

Mike talks with journalist and best-selling author Kurt Andersen about his most recent book, '[Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History](https://amzn.to/2jmJF8C)'. Mike and Kurt discuss America's founding by 'a nutty religious cult', the long history of American pseudo-empiricism, the dynamic equilibrium between fantasists and realists that made American great, how the fantasists ended up in the driver's seat, ways in which the 1960s empowered the modern right, Donald Trump as a 21st century P.T. Barnum, and lots more. **[Kurt Andersen on Twitter](https://twitter.com/KBAndersen)** **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

This week Trey and Mike host together for the first time in a number of episodes. Picking up with one of last week's topics the hosts discuss the meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea. Trey and Mike both agree the meeting was important, but it was a show over a substantive policy meeting. Despite the need for caution, both are weakly optimistic about the future. The devil will be in the substantive policy details, especially in the meaning of "complete denuclearization." The conversation then turned domestic as Trey and Mike examined Emmanuel Macron's state visit to the U.S. The hosts argued that President Macron was trying to simultaneously highlight his personal relationship with President Trump while pushing for Trump to concede on a few important policy points. Trey and Mike spend time discussing those policy points, including Syria. tariffs, and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The Trey and Mike didn't agree on each of these issues and, on Syria, both took opposite policy positions. The conversation then shifted to the Arizona special election. Both hosts, as political scientists, agree that the actual campaign is generally not the best variable in understanding elections. They discuss how much of the current wave of Democratic inroads is due to over arching structural variables and how much of it is explained by a post-Trump Republican Party. Next Trey and Mike briefly analyze Dr. Ronnie Jackson's withdraw from consideration as head of the VA. Trey and Mike agree that the vague accusations were not the right grounds for this to occur, they were simply the "sexiest" news items. Instead the more important, and theoretically boring issue, was the experience to lead such a large organization. That, unfortunately, was not the conversation the American people had. Finally Trey and Mike have little positive to say about Scott Pruitt. Trey argues, and Mike agreed, that Pruitt has two majors issues: 1) a rule change on "secret science" and 2) a series of potential ethical lapses concerning spending. The hosts, as scientists themselves, spend time explaining why some science requires privacy for participants and the importance of the peer-review process. As for the ethical violations, the problem is everyone is for fiscal conservatism when it is brandished as a weapon, but not so interested in it when in power. **What Mike's Reading** [Mencken: The American Iconoclast](https://amzn.to/2HAcoBs). Marion Elizabeth Rogers [Notes on Democracy . H. L. Mencken](https://amzn.to/2vR6qe7) **What Trey's Reading** [A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea](https://amzn.to/2I0S4fZ). Masaji Ishikawa **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

Mike talks with Sheila Tate, who served as press secretary to First Lady Nancy Reagan from 1981 to 1985\. After leaving the White House staff, she co-founded the Washington D.C. public relations firm Powell Tate. She served as press secretary to George H. W. Bush during his successful campaign for the presidency in 1988, as well as for his transition. Sheila remained in close touch with Nancy Reagan after the Reagans returned to California, speaking with her often until Mrs. Reagan’s passing in 2016\. Ms. Tate is the author of the recently released book '[The Lady in Red: An Intimate Portrait of Nancy Reagan](https://amzn.to/2Ho2yCE)'. Mike and Sheila discuss what First Ladies do, what Nancy Reagan was like, the role she played in the Reagan presidency, the 'Just Say No' anti-drug campaign, her 'Dragon Lady' reputation, what people most commonly get wrong about Nancy Reagan, and lots more. **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

This week, Mike welcomes special guest co-host Will Miller, a center-right political scientist. Mike and Will start the show by discussing the upcoming negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea in the wake of Secretary of State Nominee Mike Pompeo's Easter weekend visit to North Korea and recent indications by the regime that they're willing to freeze nuclear testing and discuss denuclearization. Both Mike and Will are skeptical, but believe that getting the North talking is a step in the right direction. After that, it's a discussion of the Russia sanctions that didn't happen, when UN Ambassador Nikki Haley's announcement of upcoming sanctions was walked back by the administration, which claimed that Haley had gotten ahead of herself. Mike and Will see this as yet another example of the Trump administration's poor message discipline - a problem that seems to stem largely from President Trump himself. The Guys also discuss whether additional sanctions should have been imposed. Next is a discussion of a Supreme Court decision on immigration in which Trump appointee Neil Gorsuch joined with the Court's four liberals to strike down part of a law used to deport immigrants on the grounds that it is unconstitutionally vague. Will argues that this isn't really a partisan issue, but rather one of statutory construction, and says that the real surprise is that other conservatives on the Court didn't have more of a problem with the vague wording of the law. Then Mike gets to talk about his favorite government agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as explain the intricacies of the Congressional Review Act, which Senate Republicans used to overturn a CFPB 'guidance' issued during the Obama administration. Mike says that this is a clever / sneaky move by Republicans that could lead to a good deal more Obama-era regulatory guidance being overturned. Will agrees, but as he's no fan of regulation, he sees this as a potentially good thing. The Guys close with a discussion of James Comey's media blitz and what his new book and memos tell us about whether or not President Trump obstructed justice. Mike says that it tells us next to nothing, and the media is making focusing far too much on the clash of personalities. Will agrees, and says that the Republicans' move to release the Comey memos may have partially backfired on them. **What Will's Reading & Watching** [Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities](http://bit.ly/2JeOMTs) (PBS documentary) [Why Historically Black Colleges and Universities are Enjoying a Renaissance](https://on.natgeo.com/2JaoFNa). (National Geographic) [The Paradox of Choice . Barry Schwartz.](https://amzn.to/2Jb37QQ) **What Mike's Reading** [Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times . Kenneth Whyte](https://amzn.to/2J4Ta7k) **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

Mike talks with economist Tyler Cowen. In addition to being a professor of Economics at George Mason University, Dr. Cowen blogs at [Marginal Revolution](http://bit.ly/2IWWSzV), hosts the '[Conversations with Tyler](http://bit.ly/2IZNYBK)' podcast , is a regular contributor at [Bloomberg View](https://bloom.bg/2J3dRAK) , and is the author of a number of books, including '[The Great Stagnation](https://amzn.to/2H3z0tD)', '[An Economist Gets Lunch](https://amzn.to/2H2XJhQ)', '[Average is Over](https://amzn.to/2IZLKSF)' and '[The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream](https://amzn.to/2H3Kg9x)', which recently came out in paperback. Mike and Tyler discuss how the United States got so complacent, the rise of segregation, monopolies and anti-trust regulation, 'matching' and inequality, why Americans don't riot like they used to, Brazil as the best comparison country to the United States, Donald Trump's 'placebo presidency', if the future belongs to China, and lots more. [](https://twitter.com/tylercowen) [**Tyler Cowen on Twitter**](https://twitter.com/tylercowen) **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

Mike and Jay discuss the US-led missile strike on Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure, Paul Ryan's resignation, Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Congress, the FBI raid on Michael Cohen's office, and the Department of Justice's Inspector General report on Andrew McCabe. They debate the legitimacy of these events and their implications for American politics. While they have different perspectives, they both agree that these events are cause for concern. **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). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks to Dr. Danielle McDonald, a criminal justice professor at Northern Kentucky University about her book **[Race, Gender, Class, and Criminal Justice: Examining Barriers to Justice](https://amzn.to/2IFDsPE)**. Mike and Danielle discuss racial profiling, the militarization of law enforcement, problems with public defenders, racial sentencing disparities, and capital punishment. **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

Trey is joined by Ken this week and reveals he is headed to Oklahoma Christain University. Trey and Ken open the show by discussing the ongoing dispute between the United States and China over trade policy. The hosts explore both the immediate tariffs on aluminum and steel issued by Donald Trump and the pork and wine tariffs imposed by China in retaliation. The hosts also parse the escalating war of words between the two countries and speculate on the possibility of a trade war. Trey and Ken agree that free trade is largely better for the economy (Trey most strongly), but disagree over the role of unions in a free trade driven world. Next Trey and Ken look at the thorny issue of Cambridge Analytica and Facebook’s numerous privacy snafus over. In a series of reveals it was uncovered that Facebook is recording data on users call and texting data, allowing apps to gather wide swaths of information on users who had not consented and more. In short, for a variety of reasons, Facebook could not get off the proverbial front page. Trey and Ken ask themselves what they might do if they were Congress. Specifically what questions the hosts might have for Mr. Zuckerberg in a committee hearing. Trey and Ken also muse on if people really are willing to pay the economic cost for privacy and mull whether Congress ought to make that a mandated requirement. Finally Trey and Ken move to the international issue of Syria. They discuss President Trump’s comments earlier last week on an imminent pullout and the revelations late last week that he is butting heads with his military staff, potentially offering them a six month timeline. In a unique twist Trey argues that U.S. foreign intervention has been a failure and finds support for Trump’s stated goal to wind down military options overseas while Ken limitedly argues that the U.S. has a moral imperative to see them through to create stability. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show go to [www.politicsguys.com/support](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

In this listener mail episode of The Politics Guys, Mike and Jay respond to listener questions, including: * Why Congress gives the president so much power in authorizations for use of military force. * The lack of attention both Mike and Jay have paid to working conditions to healthcare workers, and how those conditions affect patients. * Why Jay seems so dismissive of young people's protests. * What Jay (and Mike) mean when they call themselves 'Burkean'. * Why political flip-flopping gets such a bad name. **Show Notes** - [Nuclear Jenga - in a Bouncy Castle](http://bit.ly/2tAzepU). Jesse Lawler - [Great Thinkers: Edmund Burke](http://bit.ly/2pXOyb0) **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

Mike welcomes [The 45th Podcast's](https://45thpod.com/) Susan Simpson to the show, in Part II of The Politics Guys / The 45th Podcast host exchange. Mike and Susan open with a look at the shakeup at the VA, with Mike questioning the managerial qualifications of Ronny Jackson, President Trump's choice to take over for David Shulkin at the massive VA. Susan argues that no reasonable person would even want the VA job, and suggests that Jackson's fawning estimate of the president's health, along with a desire for power, are what may have made him Trump's pick. Next it's discussion of the recent announcement by the Department of Commerce that the 2020 Census will have a questions about citizenship status. Both Mike and Susan are skeptical of the motives of the Justice Department, which requested the question be added. Mike hesitates to call the move racist, but points out that any likely political advantage from the move will be to the Republicans. After that, Mike and Susan turn to a discussion of what North Korean leader Kim Jung Un's recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and his upcoming meetings with South Korea's Moon Jae-in and President Trump, might mean. Mike suggests that President Trump's tougher stance could be bearing fruit, though he concedes that even a Democratic administration would have almost certainly ratcheted up sanctions in response to the North's nuclear tests. Susan says there's no policy here but chaos, and is concerned that President Trump might lead us into an unnecessary armed conflict with North Korea. Then it's a look at the March for our Lives and Justice Stevens recent call for repeal of the Second Amendment. Mike and Susan are both big supporters of the March and hope that it leads to significant change. They differ somewhat on Justice Stevens advocacy for a repeal of the Second Amendment. Mike feels it's a gift to the NRA and not necessary, as even the draconian gun regulations in Washington D.C. - far tougher than what most people are calling for - are possible without touching the Second Amendment. Susan doesn't entirely disagree, but argues that the Second Amendment can make reasonable gun laws more difficult to pass, and points out that even a repeal wouldn't make firearms illegal. After that, they discuss the increasingly strained relations between Russia and the United States in the wake of tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats and closing of consulates. Susan points out that despite this strong U.S. response - which she argues Trump was forced to make - we still haven't heard the president say anything negative about Vladimir Putin. She argues that's because Putin almost certainly has damaging information on Trump. **Show Notes** **What Susan's Reading & Listening To:** [Maryland appeals court decision in Adnan Syed case](https://bsun.md/2pTHSuC). [Missing and Murdered](http://bit.ly/2pWGVBJ) (podcast) **What Mike's Listening To:** [Philosophize This](http://philosophizethis.org/). Stephen West (podcast) - [The 45th Podcast](https://45thpod.com/) - [The 45th on Twitter](https://twitter.com/45thPod) **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

Mike talks with Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker about his work on economic growth, insecurity, and inequality. Dr. Hacker's books include '[The Great Risk Shift](https://amzn.to/2I5IPYo)', [Winner-Take-All Politics](https://amzn.to/2I7I5lz), and, most recently, '[American Amnesia: How the War on Government Led Us to Forget What Made America Prosper](https://amzn.to/2I62nMi)'. Mike and Dr. Hacker discuss what we've forgotten about shared economic growth, why the United States is lagging in so many areas where it once was a world leader, if we're too nostalgic for a past that can't be recreated, the effects technological change and globalization have had on American prosperity, how we can move to a positive-sum economic future, why Donald Trump is an unexpected opportunity for progressives, and lots more. ** 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

This week, Mike and Jay start by looking at the $1.3 trillion dollar, 2,0000+ page budget passed by Congress and very reluctantly signed into law by President Trump. Mike sees it as not half bad, given Republican control of the legislative and executive branches, while Jay tends to agree with House Freedom Caucus concerns about out-of-control spending. Next is a discussion of the $60 billion in tariffs President Trump announced against China in response to China's widespread intellectual property theft. Mike is actually somewhat sympathetic to the Trump administration's approach, feeling that previous attempts to minimize Chinese IP theft have been largely unsuccessful. Jay argues that tariffs are likely to be too blunt of an instrument to effect significant change. After that, the Guys get into privacy in social media in the wake of the Facebook / Cambridge Analytica scandal. Both Mike and Jay agree that a loss of privacy is the price we pay for 'free' use of social networks and wonder if this price is too high. Following that is a look at the special election in Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District, where Democrat Connor Lamb won in an extremely conservative district. Mike sees it as a sign of Democratic voter enthusiasm and expects a wave election in November that will give the Democrats control of the House of Representatives. Jay isn't so sure, and questions whether the Democrats will be able to replicate their success in PA 18 in other races. To close, Mike and Jay discuss the latest shake-up in the White House, with National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster being replaced by John Bolton. Mike thinks that Bolton is too hawkish, too impulsive, and reinforces President Trump's worst instincts. Jay is more of a fan of Bolton, but agrees that President Trump would benefit from more voices of moderation. **What Jay's Reading**[The Gathering Stormy](http://bit.ly/2GigTTJ). Jonah Goldberg [Truth Isn't the Problem - We Are](https://on.wsj.com/2I3tWpx). Rebecca Newberger Goldstein (WSJ - paywall) **What Mike's Reading**[12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos](https://amzn.to/2I3gOAr). Jordan Peterson **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

Mike welcomes George Mason University economist Bryan Caplan back to the show to talk about his latest book, '[The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money](http://amzn.to/2FTfqzI)'. In this episode, Mike and Dr. Caplan discuss the myths that people believe about the value of a college education, if college teaches people job-relevant skills (mostly no), if it teaches them 'how to think' (not as far as we can measure), if it's an economically smart move for the student (not in as many cases as you might think), and if having a lot of well-educated people benefits society in any measurable way (I bet you can guess the answer at this point). In spite of the depressing (at least to Mike) and impressive amount of data and analysis Dr. Caplan brings to bear, Mike makes a game attempt to salvage some meaning and value for his life's work. **Follow Bryan Caplan [on Twitter](http://politicsguys.com/bryan-caplan-interview/)** **[Bryan Caplan's previous Politics Guys appearance](http://politicsguys.com/bryan-caplan-interview/)** (where he and Mike discussed '[The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies](http://amzn.to/2HFEGKr)') **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

Trey begins by hijacking the show's opening with an original loop. Jay and Trey then open the show by looking at the big exits from the White House this week including Rex Tillerson and Andrew McCabe. Jay argues that the replacements are capable and Trey worries that the turmoil underlies a deeper problem in management at the White House. Both agree that there is significant turnover. After that the discussion turns to Stormy Daniels. Jay and Trey deeply disagree over the payoff from the Trump organization to Daniels. Jay calculates, based on past precedent, that Trump having an affair will neither affect his approval nor his reelection chances. Trey believes this might be Trump’s downfall. It is one thing to have an affair, another to clandestinely try to buy off the conversation concerning it. Finally, Trey and Jay discuss the student walkouts on Wednesday. Both see the reactions from left and right as part of the underlying ideological differences that are separating the two camps. Further, they have slightly different takes on the institutional takeover of the walkout. Finally, they agree that discussions about gun control are separate from feelings on the protest itself.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 'Ask The Politics Guys' episode, Mike and Jay respond to comments and questions on: * the nature of the Mueller investigation * the role of healthcare costs in personal bankruptcy * contempt and civil discourse * the wisdom of nationwide concealed carry reciprocity * why Jay uses the term 'chain migration' * the guys' thoughts on UK politics * looking to the Veterans' healthcare system as a model for what universal care in the U.S. might be like. **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

Mike and Jay open the show with a look at the stunning announcement about talks between President Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Both of the guys are hesitant to believe this will lead to anything given North Korea's track record of stringing U.S. administrations along and breaking agreements. They're also concerned that by meeting with Kim - the first time any U.S. president has agreed to talks with North Korea's leader, President Trump may be giving the regime something it's always wanted and getting little if anything in return. After that it's discussion of the suit the Department of Justice has brought against three California laws involving enforcement of federal immigration policy. In a strange twist, Attorney General Sessions is making the typical liberal argument about federal government supremacy while California is responding with traditionally conservative points about the 10th Amendment, going so far as to rely on a conservative icon, former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Both Jay and Mike think that the federal government will end up winning in court (with Jay being more sure of this than Mike) though it's likely to take several years. After that, Mike and Jay discuss the tariffs on steel and aluminum that President Trump formally announced this week. They both see this as a truly bad move that will not only hurt far more Americans than it will help, but a step that further erodes America's standing in the world and does nothing to deal with a truly significant international issue - China's ongoing, massive intellectual property theft. Finally, the Guys look at the new gun legislation enacted in Florida in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting. They consider whether the NRA's Second Amendment based lawsuit is likely to succeed (probably not) and discuss whether Florida might be a model for more states and possibly even the U.S. Congress, where not much has happened as of yet. **What Mike's Reading** [For Two Months, I Got My News From Print Newspapers. Here’s What I Learned](http://nyti.ms/2p2IIVm). Farhad Manjoo **What Jay's Reading** [Parkland kids can protest, but they don't know what they are talking about](https://usat.ly/2p36l0j). Jonah Goldberg **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possibl**e. 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

Mike talks with Jason Reifler, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, about his research into fake news. They discuss Dr. Reifler's recent paper on the topic ('[Selective Exposure to Misinformation: Evidence from the consumption of fake news during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign](https://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/fake-news-2016.pdf)'), whether fact checking helps combat fake news, if this is a Trump-specific phenomena or part of a broader and even more disturbing trend, and lots more. **Follow Jason Reifler** **[on Twitter](https://twitter.com/jasonreifler)** **Episode Links** - [Politifact](http://www.politifact.com) - F[actcheck.org](https://www.factcheck.org) - [Snopes](https://www.snopes.com) - [Craig Silverman](https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman) **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

This week's show starts with a discussion of the 'national security' tariffs President Trump announced he planned to impose on steel and aluminum. Mike and Jay are in agreement that the tariffs are a terrible idea and not at all related to national security. Jay points out that this is an issue where President Trump is getting more support from Democrats from his fellow Republicans, who were generally upset and dismayed at the announcement. The president further disturbed many in his own party this week by suggesting he was in favor of tougher gun laws than most Congressional Republican are likely to support. Mike makes the point that we've seen the president make similar statements on other issues - immigration most notably - and then fall back into GOP orthodoxy in the end. The Guys also look at a variety of other gun policy related developments that took place over the last week. Next is a discussion of Russian president Vladimir Putin's bellicose speech about the U.S. threat to global security and new weapons systems Russia has developed to thwart U.S. missile defenses. This comes shortly after NSA and U.S. Cyber Command chief Mike Rogers told the Senate Intelligence Committee that we're not doing enough to prevent Russian cyberattacks on our election systems. Finally, it's a look at what seems to be a West Wing in disarray, following the departure of Hope Hicks as communications director. Mike and Jay agree that the extremely high level of turnover - especially in the communications area - is yet another indication that Donald Trump is an impulsive person who hates being managed and bridles at the necessity of message discipline. **What Jay's Reading :** [The Only Good Thing About Donald Trump Is All His Policies](http://on.wsj.com/2oFHUGD). Joseph Epstein. (WSJ. Unfortunately, it's behind a paywall and there's no non-paywall version of this article. But you really should check out Epstein's wonderful writing, which you can do without having to deal with a paywall at [The Weekly Standard](http://tws.io/2oDpVke).) **What Mike's Reading** [The Fractured Republic](http://amzn.to/2oDq6vU). Yuval Levin [Republic, Lost: Version 2.0](http://amzn.to/2oEoOAD). Lawrence Lessig **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

Mike talks with Jim Jonas, a founding director of the [National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers](https://nonpartisanreformers.org/) and co-founder of Colorado Independent Voters. Jim is an experienced political, public affairs and corporate communication consultant based in Denver, Colorado. For the last decade he's helped create and manage a wide variety of entrepreneurial, disruptive political organizations and campaigns to promote independent/nonpartisan causes and candidates. He was a co-founder of Unity '08, a consultant to Americans Elect, and the campaign manager to Greg Orman's independent campaign for the US Senate in Kansas in 2014\. Jim got his start in politics writing and producing political media for consulting legend Roger Ailes in New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC. He also served as Senator Lamar Alexander's communications director for his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination in 1996. Mike and Jim discuss whether political elites have too much power, the barriers both major parties have set up to reform, how reform can happen, and what listeners can do to help the cause of nonpartisan reform. **[Jim Jonas on Twitter](https://twitter.com/jimjonas)** **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

The show opens with Mike and Jay discussing the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. Mike takes issue with the inflammatory rhetoric of NRA head Wayne LaPierre, and while Jay agrees, he points out that there are those on the left who are equally inflammatory. In terms of policy proposals, Mike points out how rare schools shootings are, the difficulty in making them even more rare, and the almost certain unintended consequences of any such effort. Jay agrees, though seems less skeptical of proposals to arm teachers than Mike clearly is. Next, the Guys discuss the latest round of U.S. sanctions against North Korea. They both agree that North Korea has taken advantage of previous administrations - of both parties - with Jay arguing that this sort of tough approach is called for, given that history. Mike appreciates the logic, but is concerned about possible consequences if the U.S. backs North Korea into a corner with no way out. Then it's more on gerrymandering, in the wake of Pennsylvania's Democratic-majority supreme court drawing a Congressional map for the state after the Republican-controlled legislature and Democratic governor couldn't agree on their own map. While Mike and Jay believe that courts shouldn't draw Congressional maps, Mike believes it's an unfortunate last option when a court finds legislative maps to be in violation of a constitution (whether it's a state or the federal constitution). Finally, Mike and Kay discuss the new indictments against former Trump campaign operatives Paul Manafort and Rick Gates. Jay doesn't see the link between these charges and collusion with the Russians in the 2018 elections, and while Mike agrees, he points out that these investigations typically take years, and that Mueller is likely building a case. **What Jay's Watching: ** [**** The Times of Harvey Milk](http://bit.ly/2EQpPQA) **What Mike's Reading:** [Who Needs Congressional Districts](http://nyti.ms/2EOu675)? **[Here's the link to take the Stony Brook survey](http://bit.ly/2EM5k7n)** on the messages that political parties send to their members. (The researchers request that you don't post about the survey so as to not influence others who haven't yet taken it.) **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

Mike and Jay lead off the show with Mike arguing that in the aftermath of tragic events, like the recent school shooting in Florida, we're far too quick to rush to judgment and far too eager to believe that incompetence or malfeasance is the cause. He argues that we should look to institutional structures, incentives, and resources which are, in his view, more commonly at fault. After that, Mike and Jay answer listener questions about whether liberals like Susan Jacoby ([who Mike recently interviewed on the show](http://politicsguys.com/the-age-of-american-unreason-in-a-culture-of-lies/)) are contemptuous of religion, their positions on universal healthcare, if Mike should be more aggressive, if Jay's carrying water for the Trump administration, and whether the nation debt is more the fault of Republicans than Democrats. **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

This week’s show opens with Trey introducing a new voice for the left: Ken Katkin, , a professor of law at Northern Kentucky University, who's stepping in to give Mike the week off (and to give listeners the week off from Mike ). The two then move into the tragedy in South Florida this week. The two open by talking about the FBI’s potential shortcomings as noted by Governor Rick Scott. They then move, briefly, to discuss the role of gun legislation. The topic is particularly difficult for Trey who lives and works in Central Florida. Next Trey brings up the Mueller’s indictment against 13 Russians. Both Trey and Ken agree a central finding is a lack of citizen awareness of information discernment. It also appears to support the claims of the Trump team that more than being pro-Trump, to this point they were anti-Hillary in all their forms. However, it is clear that more is coming from Mueller on the American side. After that Trey and Ken discuss Romney for Senate, and how wrongfully both the left and the right wrongly dismissed him as a cold warrior for focusing on Russia. Romney is a fascinating test case for how Republicans will run campaigns in the post-Trump era. Finally Ken and Trey discuss an issue near and dear to Trey’s heart: presidential communication. It has been over a year since Trump’s last solo-press conference. It is evidence in favor of a hypothesis that Trey made in academic circles in 2011: presidents will use unmediated social media channels over mediated channels of information.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 Ganesh Sitaraman, a professor of law at Vanderbilt Law School and a senior fellow at the [Center for American Progress](https://www.americanprogress.org/). He's a longtime advisor to Senator Elizabeth Warren, serving as her policy director and senior counsel. Professor Sitaraman has commented on foreign and domestic policy in The New York Times, The New Republic, The Boston Globe, and The Christian Science Monitor and is the author of [The Counterinsurgent’s Constitution: Law in the Age of Small Wars](http://amzn.to/2BrU8da), which won the 2013 Palmer Civil Liberties Prize and, most recently, [The Crisis of the Middle Class Constitution: Why Income Inequality Threatens Our Republic.](http://amzn.to/2Br0QA9) In this episode, Mike and Professor Sitaraman discuss 'class warfare' vs 'middle class' constitutions, the radicalism of the Founders, why income inequality wasn't a big problem in 18th century America, the reasons for increased economic inequality over the past 40 years, and lots more! [Ganesh Sitaraman on Twitter](https://twitter.com/GaneshSitaraman) Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal link.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 Mike and Jay discussing President Trump's decision to not allow the release of the Democratic response to the memo released last week by House Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes. While the FBI and Department of Justice voiced concerns with releasing the Democrats' response, Mike points out that they also raised concerns about the Republican memo, which the President allowed to be released. Even so, Mike is withholding judgement because the White House claims it will work with the Intelligence Committee to come up with a version of the Democratic memo that can be released. Jay agrees with Mike that the Trump administration's handling of this whole thing has been somewhat less than supremely competent. Next is a look at the bipartisan (yes, that's right bipartisan) budget agreement reached by Congress. While some on the left were disappointed that protection for Dreamers wasn't part of the deal, and some on the right were angered by what they see as reckless spending, there were more than enough votes to send the measure to President Trump's desk. Mike and Jay discuss the winners, losers, and policy implications of the agreement. (Earlier in the week, Mike promised to compose and sing a song titled 'Donald Trump is Great' if there was a budget before they aired the show. While he was technically right about there not being a budget - the measure President Trump signed was a continuing resolution, with the actual budget coming in March - Mike decided that he didn't want to skate by on a technicality. If you want to hear him 'sing' his Donald Trump 'song', be sure to listen past the closing credits.) After that it's gerrymandering - a proposed redistricting plan in Ohio that has both Jay and Mike proud to be Buckeyes as well as a challenge to a Pennsylvania redistricting plan that the Supreme Court decided not to take up. **What Mike's Reading** _[Naked Money](http://amzn.to/2BniSDh)_. Charles Wheelan **What Jay's Reading** [Ohio's redistricting fight suggests how principles and politics can mesh](http://bit.ly/2Bo9kZ4). [Eight views of Pennsylvania: A visual dive into Congressional redistricting and gerrymandering](http://bit.ly/2BlcIDL). **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible.** If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal link.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 addressing listener comments, starting with a criticism of their recent discussion of reproductive rights, which several listeners said was sorely lacking in nuance. They also get into the extent to which they follow world politics, President Trump's racism, and podcasts they recommend (well, podcasts Mike recommends - Jay's pretty much a one podcast guy). After that is Mike's recent interview with conservative radio and podcast host Todd Feinberg, in which Mike explains how he went from a far right, Republican-voting, Heritage Foundation intern to the centrist liberal he is today. **Show Links:** - [The Weeds](http://bit.ly/2Bb5MJg) - [The Ezra Klein Show](http://bit.ly/2Bb5QJ0) - [Left, Right, and Center](http://kcrw.co/2Bce3g9) - [Pantsuit Politics](http://bit.ly/2BcwVvw) - [NPR's Politics Podcast](http://n.pr/2Be9v9f) - [Todd Feinberg on WTIC NewsTalk 1080](http://cbsloc.al/2BcZDMU) - [Harvard Lunch Club podcast](http://bit.ly/2BcZlFy) - [Mike Rowe's Life Advice](http://bit.ly/2Bd4zkI) - [538's Gerrymandering Project](http://53eig.ht/2BcX5hG) - [Scott Adams on cognitive bias and Trump](http://on.wsj.com/2BamWHb) (WSJ - paywall) **Today's show is sponsored by DaVinci.** Go to [Davinciwork.com/TPG](http://www.davinciwork.com/TPG) and, for a limited time, get 50% off your first purchase. **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible.** If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal link.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 Mike and Jay's discussion of the 'Nunes Memo', in which the GOP majority of the House Intelligence Committee suggests that the FBI obtained a FISA warrant to spy on Trump campaign associate Carter Page using highly questionable evidence. Jay believes that it's important for this information to come out, while Mike argues that the GOP was wrong to release what he believes to be partial and misleading information. Next is a look at President Trump's State of the Union address. Both Mike and Jay agree that the SOTU is painful and largely pointless political theater - after explaining why they move on to discuss the two major substantive policy proposals in the speech: a four-point immigration plan and an outline of an upcoming $1.5 trillion infrastructure proposal. **What Jay's Reading:** [Polarization is an Old American Story](http://on.wsj.com/2FInPWp). (Wall Street Journal - paywall) **What Mike's Reading:** [TV Gave Us the Modern State of the Union. Then It Killed It](http://politi.co/2FFU2gV). (Politico) **We hope you'll check out the sponsors of today's show:**[**Policygenius.com**](http://www.policygenius.com) - the easy way to compare and buy life insurance online. **SeatGeek** - Politics Guys listeners get $20 off their first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeek app and enter promo code **POLITICSGUY** **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible.** If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal link.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 Susan Jacoby, an independent scholar specializing in the history of reason, atheism, secularism, and religious liberty. She's the bestselling author of 12 books, including '[Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism](http://amzn.to/2FnHx9T)' and 'The Age of American Unreason', which just came out in a new, updated edition titled ['The Age of American Unreason in a Culture of Lies](http://amzn.to/2Foubdk)'. They discuss American anti-intellectualism, the meaning of unreason, if unreason has become a bigger problem in recent years, whether this is a bipartisan phenomenon, if Donald Trump is an aberration or a sign of things to come, and lots more. [Susan Jacoby's Website](http://www.susanjacoby.co/) **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible.** If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal link.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, disaster struck The Politics Guys. Well, okay, maybe not disaster exactly, but a truly nasty flu bug felled Trey late in the week. We'd planned to have Trey run the show along with a special more far left than Mike guest co-host, but that all fell apart when Trey's thermometer hit 105 yesterday afternoon. (He got some good drugs and is feeling slightly better today.) Mike and Jay had planned to take the week off and so neither of them was ready to do anything but provide off-the-cuff, uninformed opinions. (Yes, we realize that sometimes it seems like they do that every week, but trust us, they spend a lot of time preparing.) And so, instead of throwing together some shoddy instant-analysis of the news (which you can get *so* many other places) we decided instead to run Mike's recent talk with San Quinones about the opioid epidemic. Sam lived for 10 years as a freelance writer in Mexico, where he wrote his first two books, returning to the U.S. in 2004 to work for the L.A. Times, covering immigration, drug trafficking, neighborhood stories, and gangs. In 2014 he resigned from the Times to return to freelancing, working for publications including National Geographic, the New York Times, and Los Angeles Magazine. He's the author of three books, including [Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic](https://www.amazon.com/Dreamland-True-Americas-Opiate-Epidemic/dp/1620402521/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1517072560&sr=8-1), which appeared on numerous 'best book of the year' lists and won the National Book Critics Circle award for nonfiction. He's spoken about the crisis in many venues, including Marc Maron's WTF and Russ Roberts' EconTalk (two of Mike's favorite podcasts), and he recently testified on the opioid crisis before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee. **The sponsors of today's show are:** **Dollar Shave Club**. Get the Dollar Shave Club Starter Set for just five buck by going to [dollarshaveclub.com/TPG](https://www.dollarshaveclub.com/TPG). **Policy Genius.** Life insurance and more in minutes. Check it out for free at [policygenius.com](http://www.policygenius.com) **DaVinci.** Great, affordable meeting rooms in cities across the country. Go to [davincimeet.com/TPG](http://www.davincimeet.com/TPG) and, for a limited time, get 50% off your first purchase. **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible**. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 Maryland sociology professor Dana R. Fisher about her research on activism and protests, the Women's March, who protests and why, whether protests can drive real political change, differences between Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party, and lots more. [Follow Dr. Fisher on Twitter](https://twitter.com/Fisher_DanaR) ** Show Notes** [The Women's March](https://www.womensmarch.com/) [Indivisible](https://www.indivisible.org/) [Mike's Talk with Indivisible's Jeremy Haile](http://politicsguys.com/778-2/) [Network](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/network/) ** Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible**. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 the story everyone's been talking about - the government shutdown. Mike and Jay largely stay away from the blame game consuming most of the media, and try to focus on why both parties did what they did and the role President Trumps leadership (or lack thereof) played. Next, Mike and Jay discuss the 2018 March for Life, as well as some recent actions taken by the Trump administration and the House of Representatives in support of the pro-life movement. While Mike believes that women have a fundamental right to make reproductive decisions prior to fetal viability, he's sympathetic to pro-life people who see essentially all terminated pregnancies as needless deaths. Jay makes the case that in this area, the law is on Mike's side, but that he doesn't find the fundamental right Mike does in the Constitution. Finally, the Guys turn once again to gerrymandering, in light of the Supreme Court overturning the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals' order that North Carolina redraw its Congressional districts by the end of January. Mike agrees with Jay that the Supreme Court made the right call, though they disagree concerning how the Court should ultimately rule. **What Mike's Reading** [Trump's Basic Instincts About the Political War Are Essentially Right, and The Establishment's Sense of It Is Essentially Wrong](http://bit.ly/2DvU9hU). **What Jay's Reading** [Bad Weather Is No Reason For Climate Alarm](http://on.wsj.com/2DAlEGQ). **Today's show is sponsored by SeatGeek**. Politics Guys listeners get $20 off their first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeek app and enter promo code **POLITICSGUY**. **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible**. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 (really more of a listener mail, Facebook, Twitter, and politicsguys.com site comment episode) Mike and Jay respond to listener comments concerning: * Why Republicans like Jay aren't nearly as respectful of facts as Democrats are (Jay disagrees, as you might expect) * Why The Politics Guys isn't more diverse, and whether or not the lack of a liberal further to the left of Mike is a problem. * How Jay's Burkean ideals match up to the modern-day GOP. (And Mike points out that he's got Burkean ideals too!) * Who Mike and Jay think might run for president in 2020 During this episode, Mike waxed rhapsodical about the amazing economic data site put together by the St. Louis branch of the Federal Reserve - [here's the link](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/). **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible**. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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's back with his second food politics episode. This time, he reads [his post on the politics of farm labor](http://politicsguys.com/the-politics-of-farm-labor/) , getting into who works on America's farms (mostly immigrants), how willing Americans are to do farm labor (not very, for understandable reasons), why nearly half of all farm labor is done by undocumented immigrants, abuses of immigrant laborers, and the connection between immigrant labor and food prices. If you'd like to let Mike know what you think about this episode, or if you have any ideas, suggestions, or you just want to say 'hi', you can reach him at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). **The generous support of listeners is what helps keep The Politics Guys going.** If you'd interested in becoming part of our great group of Politics Guys financial supporters, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on either the Patreon or PayPal links you'll find there.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 everything that's been happening on the immigration front this week, including the Trump administration's decision to not extend temporary protected status to nearly 200,000 Salvadorians, a federal judge's ruling that DACA must continue until the courts rule on it, and the potential immigration deal that blew up amid President Trump's remarks about 'shithole' countries. Mike argues that President Trump is both a racist and an impediment to the Republican party. Jay agrees that Trump makes the job of Congressional Republicans much harder, but won't go so far as to call the president a racist. After that, it's a look at the administration's announcement that it will allow states to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. Mike says that this is the Trump version of Obama's DACA - implementing a program that contravenes legislative intent. Further, he argues that the work requirements arise more out of states' desire to save money (at the expense of the poorest and most vulnerable) than out of concern for the people who will be affected. Jay disagrees, arguing that there are significant differences between DACA and this, and that states are ultimately helping people by imposing a work requirement. Next, Mike and Jay discuss the bipartisan House vote approving a six-year renewal of the NSA's warrantless wiretapping authority. Mike says this is not only bad for civil liberties, but is yet another example of President Trump's disturbing lack of policy knowledge and his equally disturbing ability to be influenced by the last person he hears. Jay agrees with Mike's point about President Trump, but feels that the NSA program is important and that renewing it without significant changes was the right move. **What Mike's Reading:** [The Decline of Anti-Trumpism](http://nyti.ms/2mvapou). David Brooks **What Jay's Reading:** [The Cold War: A World History](http://amzn.to/2mpV5JY). Odd Arne Westad **Today's show is sponsored by DaVinci**, providing you with incredibly affordable access to meeting rooms in every city. Politics Guys listeners get 50% off their first purchase at [davincimeet.com/TPG](http://davincimeet.com/TPG) **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible.** If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 attorney Scott Oswald, a managing principal at [The Employment Law Group](https://www.employmentlawgroup.com). Scott has extensive experience with whistleblower, employment discrimination, and wrongful termination cases, regularly lectures on employment and whistleblower law, and has authored numerous articles on federal and state whistleblower and employment law protections. Mike and Scott discuss the differences between whistleblowing and leaking, protections for whistleblowers, leaking of classified information, the magnitude of the employment discrimination problem, whether things are getting better, and differences between the Trump and Obama administrations in employment discrimination enforcement. The Employment Law Group on Twitter: [https://twitter.com/telglawyers](https://twitter.com/telglawyers) Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 show of 2018 Mike and Trey look at what they thought would be a quiet week in the news that quickly exploded. First they look at the unexpected offer by Kim Jong Un to talks between North and South Korea. Then the hosts turn their attention to the emergence of protests in Iran and look at the similarities and differences between the 2009 and 2018 protests. After this weeks foreign policy questions are finished Trey and Mike discuss domestic policy beginning with Session’s DOJ memo on marijuana. They briefly discuss the more substantive outcomes of Michael Wolff’s upcoming book on the Trump White House before turning their attention to changes to offshore drilling. This episode of The Politics Guys is sponsored by http://www.policygenius.com the free way to compare insurance quotes made simple.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 Josh Silver, Director and co-founder of [Represent.Us](https://represent.us/) , a nonprofit organization that brings together conservatives, progressives, and everyone in between to pass powerful anti-corruption laws that stop political bribery, end secret money, and fix our broken elections. Mike and Josh discuss why so many reformers take a left-wing approach, how big of a problem political corruption is, secret money and political speech, how to improve elections, and lots more. **Episode Links** [The 'Unrig the System' Summit](https://unrigsummit.com/) [The American Anti-Corruption Act](https://anticorruptionact.org/) [Lawmakers fighting Citizen Election Initiatives](http://lat.ms/2CsKbxb) Represent.us [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/representdotus) This episode of The Politics Guys is sponsored by **SeatGeek**, the easiest way to buy tickets to live events. Politics Guys listeners get **$20 off** their first SeatGeek purchase by downloading the SeatGeek app or going to [seatgeek.com](https://seatgeek.com/) and entering promo code **POLITICSGUY** **Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible.** If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 aren't doing their regular Saturday show today, but instead of giving you nothing this weekend Mike thought he'd try an experiment. As you might know, [Mike started a blog](http://politicsguys.com/mike/) not too long ago. One reader suggested that he do it as a sort of mini-podcast as well. That sounded like a reasonable idea, and so he gave it a try. This is the result (for better or worse). We hope you enjoy this experimental Politics Guys episode, and that you let us know what you think - good, bad, or indifferent. Is this something you'd like to see on a regular basis (in addition to, not in place of, our regular Saturday and Wednesday shows)? Any suggestions, ideas, critiques? Whatever you think, we'd love to hear from you. You can contact Mike directly at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) or message us on [the Politics Guys Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/politicsguyspage/) Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to [politicsguys.com](http://www.politicsguys.com) and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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, and Trey have been talking about the GOP tax bill since early November, and this week it finally became the GOP tax law, after President Trump signed the measure before departing for his Christmas vacation. Mike and Jay summarize their views on the legislation and make some predictions as to how it's likely to play out. After that they discuss the United Nations General Assembly's vote opposing U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel. Mike thinks that when only a handful of tiny countries are on your side maybe it's time to reconsider your stance whereas Jay feels that the UN has once again demonstrated its strong anti-Israel bias. Next is a look at President Trump's recently announced national security strategy. Mike points out that in many places the document seems to contradict what President Trump has actually said and done, whereas Jay thinks that the administration's focus on 'principled realism' is a good thing. (Mike likes the term too, but wishes there was a bit more focus on the 'principled' part, especially concerning human rights.) Finally, Mike and Jay point out some relatively good news to end the year - the government won't be shutting down, at least not until late January, thanks to a stopgap funding measure passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump. Importantly, the measure includes emergency funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides coverage to around nine million children from lower-income families. Had Congress not come to an agreement on extending this funding, up to two millions kids would have been at least temporally without insurance. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 Dr. Bob Pendleton, Chief Medical Officer at University of Utah Health. They discuss the school's recently released 'Value in Health Care Survey' (https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/value/) which asked patients, doctors, and employers across the country about about their perceptions of value in health care and how they prioritize quality, service, and cost of health care services. Mike and Dr. Pendleton dig in to the survey's findings, some of which were fairly astonishing - for instance, that patients ranked getting better as less important than the friendliness of the medical office staff. They also discuss what these findings mean for the healthcare system in the United States and how policymakers might use this information to improve the U.S. system. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 rejoins Michael after finishing the fall semester at Daytona State College. The first topic of conversation is the Alabama special Senate election. Trey and Michael discuss the implications of a Jones win, a Moore loss, and what the exit polling data tell us about the future. They then turn to Net Neutrality briefly before moving to the biggest week’s news: the GOP tax bill. With the bill out of conference committee Trey and Michael discuss the modified plan. Next comes a discussion of the renewed sexual allegations against President Donald Trump before ending on the potential Mueller credibility issue. We hope you'll check out today's sponsor: Dollar Shave Club. New members get DSC's starter set, featuring their Executive Razor, a full cassette of cartridges, shave butter, body wash, and 'One Wipe Charlies' butt wipes for only $5 by going to http://www.dollarshaveclub.com/tpg Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 welcomes back to the show political scientist and American Enterprise Institute Resident Scholar Norman Ornstein. They talk about his latest book: One Nation After Trump: A Guide for the Perplexed, the Disillusioned, the Desperate, and the Not-Yet Deported. Mike and Dr. Ornstein discuss why Donald Trump’s victory does and doesn’t mean, whether ‘presidential demeanor’ really matters, if President Trump’s liberties with the truth are that much of a break with the past, if presidents can pardon themselves, whether those on the left calling for the ‘normalization’ of impeachment have a point, and lots more. Show Links: One Nation After Trump | http://amzn.to/2AHRXzT Glenn Kessler’s ‘Fact Checker’ Blog at the Washington Post | http://wapo.st/2AJ0in2 Norm Ornstein on Twitter | https://twitter.com/NormOrnstein We hope you’ll check out today’s sponsor: Dollar Shave Club. There’s no reason not to join! Get the DSC starter set, featuring their Executive Razor, a full cassette of cartridges, shave butter, body wash, and 'One Wipe Charlies' butt wipes for only $5 by going to http://www.dollarshaveclub.com/tpg Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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

Today's show, which Mike does solo, is a radical departure from the normal format. That's not because Mike went renegade and ditched Jay's conservative counterweight or that Jay quit in disgust at Mike's liberalism. Mike and Jay actually did record a show, but due to a major issue that affected both the main and backup recording, Jay's end of the conversation was essentially unlistenable. (New equipment is on its way to Jay and this won't be an issue going forward. In Jay's absence, Mike does his best to cover his views as well as Jay's thoughts on President Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and (eventually) move the U.S. Embassy there, the continuing sexual harassment scandal that has now led to the resignations of Al Franken, John Conyers, and Trent Franks, the continuing resolution to keep the government operating until December 22, whether or not a budget deal will be reached and what a deal might look like, and President Trump's move to dramatically curtail the size of two sites President Obama declared national monuments under the 1906 Antiquities Act. Mike's Recommended Reading Patreon’s fee change punishes supporters who make small pledges. | http://engt.co/2A8Q7H1 Jay's Recommended Listening Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (oral argument) | http://bit.ly/2A70pYg We hope you'll check out today's sponsor: Blue Apron, treating Politics Guys listeners to their first dinner - a $30 value - plus free shipping. To get this great deal go to http://www.blueapron.com/TPG Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 historian Ray Raphael about his latest book, The U.S. Constitution: Explained - Clause by Clause - For Every American Today. Ray argues thatboth sides are wrong about the 2nd Amendment, explains why there's no such thing as an Constitutional Originalist, discusses whether or not the Constitution is outdated, and lots more. Ray Raphael on the web | http://www.rayraphael.com/ Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon or PayPal links.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 Senate tax bill, which passed by a vote of 51-49, with 'no' votes from every Democrat and one Republican (Tennessee's Bob Corker). Jay is a lot more optimistic about the economic growth potential of the cuts than Mike is, though they both agree that corporate tax reform is necessary. They also agree that there will be a House-Senate compromise leading to a bill for President Trump to sign. In the end, Mike fears that the resulting law will significantly increase the national debt as well as make a bad economic inequality situation even worse, though for the sake of the country he hopes he's wrong and Jay is right. Then it's a big announcement about the future of The Politics Guys. Mike and Jay talk about why they're going ad free and how they plan to expand the show. After that, the Guys discuss the plea deal entered into by former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Jay doesn't think there's much there, but cautions that we'll have to wait and see what potentially damaging information Flynn may have on other Trump administration officials. Mike views this as another in a long line of instances where the cover-up may be worse than the crime. He doesn't see this as ending Donald Trump's presidency and expresses concern about the 'normalization' of presidential impeachment. The show closes with a discussion of who the rightful head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is. Mike was really hoping that the law supported the claim of CFPB Deputy Director Leandra English, but after reviewing the evidence he agrees with Jay that President Trump had the right to make CFPB foe Mick Mulvaney the acting head of the bureau. We hope you'll check out today's sponsor: Brooklinen. Politics Guys listeners get $20 off and free shipping by going to http://www.brooklinen.com and using promo code TGP. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon link.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 Daniel Golden, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Daniel Golden, author of Spy Schools: How the CIA, FBI, and Foreign Intelligence Secretly Exploit America's Universities (http://amzn.to/2n34ACy) They discuss how widespread spying is (a lot more widespread than Mike thought, that's for sure), if schools that are recruiting more international students are more vulnerable, how Trump administration immigration policies are likely to affect spying in colleges and universities, and lots more. Dan Golden on Twitter | https://twitter.com/DanLGoldenSupport 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 off this week with a discussion of net neutrality in the wake of the FCC's move to revoke Obama-era rules that prevent internet service providers from privileging content from certain providers over others. Jay argues that this is a welcome backing off of government regulation that is not only more fair to ISPs but should result in greater investment and better outcomes for consumers. Mike disagrees, saying that investment didn't drop after the net neutrality rules went into effect and says that this is a perfect example of a market in which natural monopolies cry out for smart regulation to enhance competition. Mike goes even further than this, calling for an internet infrastructure project as a 21st century equivalent of the interstate highway system. Then the Guys look at the Justice Department's surprising legal challenge to the AT&T / Time Warner merger. Neither Mike nor Jay think that there's much of a case, because historically, 'vertical' mergers like this - where the two companies involved are not in direct competition - don't meet anti-trust guidelines. Mike thinks this is probably a negotiating strategy on the part of the Justice Department and that an out-of-court settlement will ultimately be reached. Next, it's a look at the latest challenge to President Trump's ban on transgender troops. Both Mike and Jay agree that the federal judges ruling against the ban made the right call, and they also both have trouble understanding what rational reason the president would have for attempting to change policy in this area. Finally, Mike and Jay discuss the latest sexual harassment allegations on Capitol Hill involving long-time Democratic Representative John Conyers, new allegations against Democratic Senator Al Franken, as well as President Trump's semi-endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore. What Mike's Reading: The chained CPI: Another secret tax hike for the middle class slipped into the GOP tax bills | http://lat.ms/2n2H0pv What Jay's Reading: The Desolate Wilderness | http://on.wsj.com/2n3Mxfc And The Fair Land | http://on.wsj.com/2n1IlNn Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon link.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 by discussing what, for Mike, was crushing news - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau head Rob Cordray announced that he would be stepping down. Mike points out that since its creation as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, the semi-independent CFPB has been a strong advocate for consumers. He laments that this this will largely cease under Trump-appointed leadership. Jay, like most Republicans, believes that the agency is too independent, needlessly harms financial institutions for the sake of powerful Democratic interests, and needs to be reined in. Next, they talk about the mistrial recently announced in the federal corruption trial of Democratic New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez. Had Menendez been convicted, outgoing governor Chris Christie may have been able to appoint a Republican to take Menendez' place, giving the GOP another much-needed seat to bolster their slim Senate majority. Both Mike and Jay seem to believe Menendez is guilty of, at the very least, unethical behavior, but they point out that it's incredibly difficult to demonstrate quid-pro-quo corruption (e.g. Wealthy 'friend': "Here's $5,000 in exchange for which I want you to vote 'no' on that bill" Senator: "Okay, thanks for the $5,000. I'll be sure to vote 'no'.") especially in the wake of a unanimous 2016 Supreme Court decision. Then it's listener mail. Jay responds to a someone who is very disappointed in Jay's Machiavellian take on politics, Mike and Jay answer a listener who wants some solid evidence that minorities in the United States are being systematically disadvantaged, and Mike and Jay reply to a listener who wonders how to productively engage people like Mike's friend (and Trump supporter) Joe. Links: Mike's interview with campaign finance reform advocate and Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig. | http://bit.ly/2vKUlF5 Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon link.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 Mike and Jay taking a look at the current state of the Republican tax reform bills in both the House and the Senate. Mike points out - once again - that it's a horrible idea to ram a huge, complex tax bill through only weeks after it was introduced, and that the measure is essentially a big tax cut for businesses and the rich that will be paid for by future generations of Americans. Jay believes that in the end the cuts will result in enough growth to make them worthwhile. After that, the Guys turn to the recent wave of sexual harassment revelations, specifically more women coming forward to accuse Alabama Republican Roy Moore, who maintains his innocence, and Democratic Senator Al Franken, who has admitted his guilt. Mike also shares a personal story, in the hope that it might encourage others to speak out. We hope you'll check out the sponsor of today's show: Dollar Shave Club. Go to http://dollarshaveclub.com/TPG to get your first month of their best razor along with travel size versions of their shave butter, body cleanser, and butt wipes for just $5. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.comSupport 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 Dan Flynn, Editor in Chief of Food Safety News (http://www.foodsafetynews.com/) about the Food Safety Modernization Act, whether FDA inspections are tough enough, if regulations are unfair to smaller farms, and the state of food safety regulation in the Trump administration. Food Safety News on Twitter | https://twitter.com/foodsafetynews We hope you'll check out the sponsor of today's show: Blue Bottle Coffee. Hurry to http://www.bluebottlecoffee.com/TPG for $10 off your first coffee subscription order. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to http://www.politicsguys.com and click on the Patreon link.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