The Politics Guys

his week, Mike and Jay start out by discussing President Trump's decision to discontinue President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. They both agree that it's probably a good policy, but that it's also probably unconstitutional, and as such President Trump did the right thing by discontinuing it and urging Congress to enshrine it into law. Next it's a look at President Trumps deal with his new friends Chuck (Schumer) and Nancy (Pelosi) to continue to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling until mid-December. The move caught Congressional Republicans by surprise and was not appreciated by them, to say the least. Mike optimistically wonders if maybe this is a sign of a more bipartisan Trump, while Jay things that it's another example of Trump forgetting who his friends are - friends he might need in, say, an impeachment trial. After that, the Guys turn to the still worsening situation in North Korea in the wake of the regime's latest and most powerful nuclear weapons test. Jay is convinced that the US won't let North Korea develop the capability to launch a nuclear strike on the mainland US while Mike believes that the costs of preventing it are simply too high to bear and that some day soon, North Korea will have that capability, despite President Trump's promise that it will not be allowed to happen. Finally, it's an update on President Trump's travel ban, which was dealt a setback this week by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Jay feel that the 9th Circuit got it wrong, while Mike argues that the administration's interpretation of an earlier Supreme Court opinion was too narrow. Mike's Recommended Reading: - Grand Hotel Abyss: The Lives of the Frankfurt School. Stuart Jefferies | http://amzn.to/2je3jGM Jay's Recommend Reading: - The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson | http://amzn.to/2jdNcJk We hope you’ll consider checking out the sponsors of today’s show: Davinci. Book your meeting space at http://www.davincimeeting.com/TPG and the first hour is on them. SeatGeek. Politics Guys listeners get $20 dollars off their first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeek app or go to http://www.seatgeek.com and enter promo code POLITICSGUY 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 Henry Petroski, a Professor of Civil Engineering and History at Duke University. Dr. Petroski is a prolific scholar and public intellectual - in addition to publishing nineteen books and hundreds of articles in newspapers, magazines, and trade publications, he’s authored over seventy-five academic journal articles. His many books include: The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance, The Evolution of Useful Things, The House with Sixteen Handmade Doors, and The Road Taken: The History and Future of America’s Infrastructure. In this episode, Mike and Dr. Petroski discuss learning from failure, how bad US infrastructure really is, why so many big projects seem take longer and cost more than projected, what a good infrastructure bill would look like, and lots more. Dr. Petroski's Recommendations: American Society of Civil Engineers Smart Brief | http://bit.ly/2iRsDSD US Department of Transportation | http://bit.ly/2iRRc1J American Infrastructure Weekly | http://bit.ly/2iRpfHu Trump Administration Infrastructure Initiative | http://bit.ly/2iPSbzA Dr. Petroski's Duke University Page | http://bit.ly/2iQf7i6 We hope you'll consider checking out the sponsors of today's show: Davinci. Book your meeting space at http://www.davincimeeting.com/TPG and the first hour is on them! SeatGeek. Politics Guys listeners get $20 dollars off their first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeek app or go to https://www.seatgeek.com and enter promo code POLITICSGUY 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, Mike and Jay start things off by talking about the politics of Hurricane Harvey, including the quality of the government's response, how well President Trump personally responded, and the role federal flood insurance plays in disasters like this. Next, it's an update on President Trump's ban on transgender troops in the military. The Guys begin with a discussion the wisdom of Secretary of Defense Mattis's decision to allow transgender troops to stay in the military until a full review has been completed. After that, they talk about the two lawsuits that have been filed against the ban. Finally, Mike and Jay revisit the issue of sanctuary cities, in light of a federal judge barring the enactment of Texas' sanctuary city prohibitions. Mike's Recommended Listening: Sam Harris' interview with Charles Murray | http://bit.ly/2iQbQ2i Jay's Recommended Reading: The American Spirit is Alive in Texas | http://on.wsj.com/2iRGmJd We hope you'll consider checking out the sponsors of today's show: Dollar Shave Club. new members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 with free shipping by going to https://www.dollarshaveclub.com/tpg Blue Apron. Check out this week's menu and get your first three meals free, with free shipping, by going to https://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 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 weren't able to get to everything they wanted to cover on Saturday's show, so they decided to do this 'Saturday Spillover' show. In it, they talk about President Trump's escalating battle with Senate Republicans, the largest ever NFL football team national anthem protest, whether Donald Trump actually looked at the eclipse without protective glasses and why it matters, as well as answering some listener mail. We hope you'll check out the sponsors of this episode: Seatgeek. Politics Guys listeners get $20 dollars off their first SeatGeek purchase by download the SeatGeek app or going to https://www.seatgeek.com and entering promo code POLITICSGUY. ZipRecruiter. Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE by going to https://www.ZipRecruiter.com/politicsguy 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 starts with Mike and Jay talking about two late-breaking stories: President Trump's pardon of former Maricopa County AZ sheriff Joe Arpaio and the president's memo formalizing the ban on transgender troops which he previewed in late July on Twitter. Neither Mike nor Jay think that the pardon is a good idea, as it sends a message that law enforcement officials can ignore the rule of law, so long as it's a law President Trump disagrees with. The Guys differ on the transgender ban, but they both agree that President Trump should have allowed Secretary of Defense Mattis' review of the effect of transgender troops on military readiness to conclude before any action was taken. Next is a look at the president's new Afghanistan policy. Mike actually likes a lot of what he heard from the president (as does Jay) though he's skeptical on what he views as President Trump's over-reliance on the military and downplaying of diplomacy and nation-building. Finally, in the wake of another defeat for Texas' voter ID law in the federal courts, Mike and Jay talk about vote fraud, the intent of these state ID laws, and what a truly honest voter ID law might look like (hint: not like what Texas came up with). Mike's Recommended Reading - Don't Look Now, but America's Tax System May Collapse Soon http://bit.ly/2xlUopO Jay's Recommended Reading - American Blackout http://theatln.tc/2xlUw8M We hope you'll check out the sponsors of today's show: SeatGeek.Politics Guys listeners get $20 dollars off their first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeek app or go to https://www.seatgeek.com and enter promo code POLITICSGUY Casper. Politics Guys listeners get $50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by going to https://www.casper.com/tpg 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 Saadia Madsbjerg, a Managing Director at the Rockefeller Foundation. Ms. Madsbjerg's work focuses on innovative finance solutions that change the status quo and raise private sector investment capital to further the Foundation’s goals of building greater resilience and promoting inclusive economies. In this episode, Mike and Ms. Madsbjerg discuss what the Rockefeller Foundation does, why government programs alone can't meet the economic needs of communities across the globe, the importance of private sector involvement in helping to build more resilient and inclusive economies, and the challenges of developing partnerships with the private sector. We hope you'll check out the sponsors of today's show: SeatGeek. Politics Guys listeners get $20 dollars off their first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeekor go to https://www.seatgeek.com and enter promo code POLITICSGUY Casper. Politics Guys listeners get $50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by going to https://www.casper.com/tpg and using promo code 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 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 starts by examining Trump’s ever changing statement on Charlottesville, VA. Trump would end up setting a more measured tone renouncing Neo-Nazi’s and other hate groups, but then on Tuesday Trump became combative with reporters and argued there are two sides to the story, specifically calling out the “alt-left.” The shift has seemingly shaken the White House as Trump goes off message again. Next, we look specifically at the ever evolving White House. This week it is the exit of Bannon. Early Friday news broke that Bannon had mutually agreed to leave, but that afternoon it became clear that Trump had asked him to step down. By late Friday reports emerged that Bannon would be returning to Breitbart. We talk generally about the White House churn and, specifically, what a “freed” Bannon means both for the news cycle and the White House. After that the Guys discuss Hope Hicks, the 28 year old interim communications director. We also respond to some listener mail. We hope you’ll check out the sponsors of today’s show: ZipRecruiter, where Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE by going to http://www.ZipRecruiter.com/politicsguy Brooklinen. Politics Guys listeners get $20 off AND free shipping when you use promo code tpg at http://www.brooklinen.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 author, journalist, and environmental activist Mark Lynas. He's a frequent speaker around the world on climate change, biotechnology and nuclear power, and was climate change advisor to the President of the Maldeeves from 2009 - 2011. In 2013 he was appointed a Visiting Fellow at Cornell University’s Office of International Programs, and now works with the Cornell Alliance for Science, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. His books include ‘Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet’, winner of the 2008 Royal Society Science books prize, 'The God Species: Saving the Planet in the Age of Humans’, and, most recently, 'Nuclear 2.0: Why a Green Future Needs Nuclear Power’. Mark's Recommendations - Pandora’s Promise (documentary) http://imdb.to/2wNuVFl - Food Evolution (documentary) http://imdb.to/2wNpHJI Follow Mark on Twitter https://twitter.com/mark_lynas We hope you'll check out the sponsors of today's show: Brooklinen. Politics Guys listeners get $20 off AND free shipping when you use promo code [tpg] at https://www.brooklinen.com Court Appointed, a podcast where co-hosts Mike and Tommy educate and entertain while exploring where laws - and all things legal - have originated and how they currently apply. http://bit.ly/2wNHSii ZipRecruiter, where Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE by going to https://www.ZipRecruiter.com/politicsguy 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 starts with the tragic events in Charlottesville, VA where there were multiple clashes between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters, the most horrific by far being a young white man deliberately ramming his vehicle into the counter-protesters, resulting in one death and 19 injuries. President Trump condemned the violence, but made no specific mention of white nationalists or other hate groups by name, instead pointedly saying that there was violence 'on many sides'. Later on Saturday, the Justice Department announced that it would be starting a civil rights investigation into the the circumstances of the deadly car ramming. Next, it's a look at the situation between the United State and North Korea. As President Trump doubles down on his bellicose rhetoric in response to North Korea's typical semi-lunatic public pronouncements, Mike and Jay consider whether President Trump has a strategy and what options the US has. After that, the Guys discuss the opioid crisis, which President Trump has declared to be a national emergency, as well as a new draft climate report that government officials leaked to the media for fear that the Trump administration might downplay or possibly even bury their findings. We hope you'll check out the sponsors of this episode: Blue Bottle Coffee. Go to https://www.bluebottlecoffee.com/TPG for $10 off your first coffee subscription order. Casper. Politics Guys listeners get $50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by going to https://www.casper.com/tpg Dollar Shave Club, where new members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 with FREE shipping by going to https://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 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

In this listener mail episode, Mike and Jay tackle a bunch of questions including whether we're spending the right amount of money on the right things for national defense, how to deal with a future in which machines are doing so many of the things people currently do, news outlets and columnists we don't agree with but respect and recommend, why Americans pay so much for health care when American healthcare outcomes seem to lag those of other rich countries, and why we're subsidizing the fossil fuel industry. We hope you'll check out the sponsors of this episode: Blue Bottle Coffee. Go to https://www.bluebottlecoffee.com/TPG for $10 off your first coffee subscription order. Casper. Politics Guys listeners get $50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by going to https://www.casper.com/tpg. Dollar Shave Club, where new members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 with FREE shipping by going to https://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 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 this week with an analysis of the shakeup among President Trump's top advisors. First it was Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci being fired 10 days after he was named to the position and before his first official day on the job. The man behind the firing was new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who many conservatives hope will bring some order and discipline to the White House. Mike and Jay wonder if this is possible, given that so much of the chaos seems to come from the president himself. Next it's a look at the major restructuring of immigration policy for which President Trump signaled his approval. Neither Jay nor Mike think the move is advisable, but it's clearly near and dear to the hearts of nationalists like top Trump advisor Steve Bannon. After that the Guys take a look at some good jobs news, which President Trump quickly took full credit for, even though the pace of job creation over his first six months in office is actually slightly behind job creation during President Obama's last six months in office. The larger point though is that presidents tend to get (and take) way too much credit for good economic news, and get way too much blame when the economy isn't performing well. Finally, Jay and Mike consider some actions recently taken by the Senate, particularly a move to shore up Obamacare, and wonder whether the Senate might be moving on from President Trump. This week's show is sponsored by: ZipRecruiter where Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE by going to https://www.ziprecruiter.com/politicsguy Blue Apron. Check out this week's menu and get your first THREE meals free with free shipping by going 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 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 to Bill Ritter Jr., director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. Prior to that he served as Governor of Colorado from 2007 to 2011. During his term, Governor Ritter established Colorado as a national and international leader in renewable energy by building a New Energy Economy that's creating thousands of new jobs and establishing hundreds of new companies. He also enacted an aggressive business-development and job-creation agenda focused on knowledge-based industries of the future like energy, aerospace, biosciences, and information technology. Governor Ritter is also the author of ‘Powering Forward: What Everyone Should Know About America’s Energy Revolution’ Governor Ritter Recommends - The Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker (http://bit.ly/2w3qTs9) - Spot for Clean Energy (http://bit.ly/2w3js46) - Sue Tierney - The Analysis Group (http://bit.ly/2w3fbhf) - The Atlantic Magazine (http://theatln.tc/2w2Wdr5) This Week's Show is Sponsored By ZipRecruiter, where Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE by going to https://www.ziprecruiter.com/politicsguy Blue Apron. Check out this week's menu and get your first three meals free with free shipping by going to https://blueapron.com/tpg Politics Guys Insiders support the show and get exclusive extras like special updates, more commentary, additional episodes, and lots more. You can check it out and sign up at our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/politicsguys or by clicking on the Patreon link at https://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

This week Trey and Jay team up to take on a fast moving week in the world of politics! We start with the McCain and company torpedoing the so-called skinny bill in the Senate. It looks like Republicans are having a tough time passing legislation and both Trey and Jay agree that with any other Republican president the legislation would have passed. Then we turn to the profanity laced Anthony Scaramucci interview and Twitter fallout. It seems like the Twitter stream of consciousness is the new normal in the Trump White House as Matt Drudge put it: “Priebus Out, General In.” Finally we move to talking about how Mitt Romney was right about Russia and the Senate’s sanctions on Russia plus the Russian response. Trey’s Recommendation This Week: – This War of Mine (Video Game) - http://bit.ly/2vVoDTS Interested in supporting the show and getting even more Politics Guys content? Check out our Insiders program at https://www.patreon.com/politicsguys This week’s show is sponsored by: Brooklinen.com, where you can get luxury bedding, underpriced. You have to try these sheets! Politics Guys listeners can get $20 off AND free shipping when you use the the promo code “TPG” at https://www.brooklinen.com Casper, the sleep brand that gives you an obsessively engineered mattress at a shockingly fair price. Politics Guys listeners can get $50 toward the purchase of any mattress by visiting https://www.casper.com/tpgSupport 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

Lawrence Lessig on Campaign Finance Reform Mike talks with Lawrence Lessig, the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School. Prior to his time at Harvard, Professor Lessig clerked for not one, but two of Mike's intellectual heroes, Judge Richard Posner and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Professor Lessig is the author of numerous books on law, commerce, culture, and ideas. His latest, Republic, Lost, Version 2.0, is a revised and expanded version of Republic, Lost, which Mike says is the best introduction to, and analysis of, not only campaign finance, but the fundamental incentives that drive public policy in the United States. Professor Lessig followed up on Republic, Lost with a major campaign to enact the reforms he believes to be vital to restoring American democracy, including launching a political action committee, giving a number of TED talks, and most notably, running for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 2016. Professor Lessig Recommends Fifty Shades of Green: High Finance, Political Money, and the U.S. Congress. Thomas Ferguson, Jie Chen, Paul Jorgensen (http://bit.ly/2vCpW9P) Citizens Divided: Campaign Finance Reform and the Constitution. Robert C. Post (http://amzn.to/2vCShx5) Unlock Congress. Michael Golden (http://amzn.to/2vCMB66) Follow Lawrence Lessig on Twitter (https://twitter.com/lessig) Interested in supporting the show and getting even more Politics Guys content? Check out our Insiders program at https://www.patreon.com/politicsguys This week’s show is sponsored by: Brooklinen, where listeners get $20 dollars off and free shipping by using promo code tpg at https://www.brooklinen.com Casper, where Politics Guys listeners get $50 dollars toward any mattress purchase by visiting https://www.casper.com/tpgSupport 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 their thoughts on Senator John McCain, who this week announced that he has a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer. Despite their occasional policy differences with Senator McCain, both of the Guys agree that McCain is a genuine American hero and wish him all the best as he fights his cancer. Next, it's a look at the confusing case of the Senate health bill, or bills actually, as there are at least four of them out there. Neither Mike nor Jay think any of them are likely to pass, and Mike questions how much of a legislative mastermind Majority Leader Mitch McConnell really is. They also discuss how President Trump might force the Obamacare exchanges into failure. After that it's a look at the shakeup in the White House communications operation, President Trump's lack of faith in Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whether Sessions talked with the Russians about policy matters during the campaign, and what to make of President Trump's electoral integrity commission, which held its first meeting this week. Mike's Recommendation This Week: My History Can Beat Up Your Politics (Podcast) http://bit.ly/2unfJzN Jay's Recommendation This Week: Charles Dickens Makes Me Want to Throw Up. David Mamet http://on.wsj.com/2undjAX Interested in supporting the show and getting even more Politics Guys content? Check out our Insiders program at https://www.patreon.com/politicsguys This week's show is sponsored by: Dollar Shave Club where new members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 with free shipping by going to https://www.dollarshaveclub.com/TPG Ziprecruiter, where Politics Guys listeners can post jobs for FREE by going to https://www.ZipRecruiter.com/politicsguySupport 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. Kenneth Rogoff, Professor of Economics and Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University. From 2001–2003, Dr. Rogoff was Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund. He's a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, serves on the Economic Advisory Panel of the New York Federal Reserve, and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences as well as the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Rogoff's books include 'Foundations of International Macroeconomics', the standard graduate text in the field, 'This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly', and, most recently, 'The Curse of Cash: How Large-Denomination Bills Aid Crime & Tax Evasion and Constrain Monetary Policy', which just came out in an updated paperback edition. In this interview, Mike and Dr. Rogoff discuss: - commonalities in financial crises - the challenges of analyzing eight centuries of financial data - whether Dodd-Frank was a step in the right direction - why stability is inherently destabilizing - the inevitability of financial crises - why there are so many $100 bills in circulation - who benefits from large denomination bills - recommendations for macroeconomic literacy - and lots more! Dr. Rogoff Recommends - Lords of Finance. Liaquat Ahamed (http://amzn.to/2tn74OE) - Economix. Michael Goodwin (http://amzn.to/2tmD3yN) - The Economist (https://www.economist.com/) Follow Dr. Rogoff on Twitter (https://twitter.com/krogoff) Dr. Rogoff's Website (http://www.kennethrogoff.com/) Interested in supporting the show and getting even more Politics Guys content? Check out our Insiders program at https://www.patreon.com/politicsguys Your support of our sponsors helps keep The Politics Guys going. The sponsors of this show are: Dollar Shave Club, where new members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 with FREE shipping. To take advantage of this great deal go to https://www.dollarshaveclub.com/TPG ZipRecruiter. Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE by going to https://www.ziprecruiter.com/politicsguySupport 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 a look at the latest iteration of the Senate health care bill. While there are some changes from the initial version, Mike is still opposed, Jay is still 'eh' and neither of them think it has the votes to pass - at least not without seriously sweetening the pot for some GOP senators and their states. After that, it's a look at the recent revelations about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian government connected attorney claiming to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Both Jay and Mike agree that it was incredibly stupid for Trump Jr. to not only take the meeting, but to indicate his eager interest to take the meeting in email. The best possible light to put this in is that the Trump administration is, at the highest level - composed of rank amateurs. The more ominous interpretation is that top Trump campaign operatives knew what they were doing was wrong, but assumed they wouldn't get caught. After that, it's a look at the confirmation hearing for FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray - both the Guys agree he's a fine choice - and discussion of whether the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Mike's favorite regulatory agency) is doing consumers a favor with a new rule banning mandatory arbitration. Interested in supporting the show and getting even more Politics Guys content? Check out our Insiders program at https://www.patreon.com/politicsguys This episode is sponsored by Brooklinen - Mike's new favorite sheets. For $20 off and free shipping, use promo code tpg at https://www.brooklinen.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 to Harvard's Gary King, author or co-author of over 150 scholarly journal articles, 20 open-source software packages, eight books, and winner of more prizes, awards, and honors than you can shake a stick at. Dr. King is a fellow in eight honorary societies, including the National Academy of Sciences. He is unquestionably one of the preeminent political scientists of the last half century. His work encompasses a broad range of issues including demographic forecasting, legislative redistricting, Chinese government censorship & social media use, bias in Social Security Administration forecasts, analysis of ‘Big Data’, and numerous publications in the area of what statistics and modeling. Mike and Dr. King discuss gerrymandering, partisan symmetry, bias in Social Security predictions, how the Chinese government uses social media, and lots more. Follow Gary King on Twitter https://twitter.com/kinggary Dr. King's jaw-droppingly impressive page at Harvard https://gking.harvard.edu/ This show is sponsored by Brooklinen.com. Mike is super-picky about bedding, and he thinks Brooklinen's sheets are the best he's ever slept under. Brooklinen is so confident that you’ll love their sheets that they offer a risk-free 60-night satisfaction guarantee and a lifetime warranty on all of their sheets and comforters. Politics Guys listeners get $20 off AND free shipping by using promo code tpg at http://brooklinen.com.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 kicks off with Mike and Trey talking about the July 4th North Korean Missile Test. The launch is important because it marks the first intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launched by North Korea and Kim Jung Un. Both Mike and Trey agree there are no great options, but that the options that do exist should rule military intervention off the table. Next Mike and Trey examine the recently concluded G20 summit. The two major points of interest are Trump’s meeting with Putin and the response to the U.S. Exiting the Paris agreement. Mike and Trey also briefly look at Trump’s proposal to create an “impenetrable Cyber Security unit” with Russia. After that, the Guys move on to the CNN / Trump feud. Both Trey and Mike agree that the item is mainly non-news, but that it represents a larger shift in political communication. The real story is the change to the news media and to the way politicians disseminate information. In short, Trump might be right that Tweeting is the “modern day presidential” thing to do, even if the Guys worry about the longer term effects. Finally the Guys examine the Illinois budget. The budget, which just passed after two years, brought a bit of disagreement between Mike and Trey. Mike arguing that states have a moral obligation to the poor and Trey arguing that lower taxes must be coupled with lower spending across the board. Please consider checking out this week’s sponsors: Seat Geek, where you can find the best seats at the best prices – fully guaranteed, and it only takes a few taps on the app or a few clicks if you access it through their website. Use our promo code POLITICSGUY for $20 off your first purchase. Go to https://seatgeek.com/ or download the Seat Geek app to save big on tickets. Blue Apron - where you can get all the ingredients for the best meals delivered straight to your door. Try dinner, the Blue Apron way. Use our link https://www.blueapron.com/TPG/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 Brooke Gladstone, co-host and managing editor of WNYC’s On The Media. Ms. Gladstone has won multiple awards for her reporting, including a National Press Club Award and two Peabody Awards. She’s also the author of two books: The Influencing Machine, a media manifesto in graphic form and, most recently, The Trouble With Reality: A Rumination on Moral Panic in Our Time, which came out in May. Brooke Gladstone's Recommended News Sources - Talking Points Memo - Vox - Commentary - The Weekly Standard - National Review - The New York Times - The Washington Post - National Public Radio Follow Brooke Gladstone on Twitter https://twitter.com/OTMBrooke We hope you'll check out this show's sponsors: Blue Apron - a better way to cook. Check out this week's menu and get your first three meals free, with free shipping, by going to https://blueapron.com/tpg SeatGeek - the convenient way to get tickets to live events at a great price. Download the SeatGeek app or go to https://seatgeek.com to see all that SeatGeek has to offer. Politics Guys listeners get $20 off their first purchase by entering code POLITICSGUY at checkout.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 taking a look at the currently stalled Senate GOP healthcare bill. Between the bill's broad unpopularity and a devastating Congressional Budget Office score, it looks like it's going to be tough for Mitch McConnell to get this bill through his chamber without some significant changes. While Mike and Jay differ greatly on the merits of Obamacare, they both agree that, to this point, Republicans haven't offered a serious, carefully considered conservative alternative to it. Next it's a look at some big news from the Supreme Court. The Court partially lifted the injunctions imposed by lower federal courts on President Trump's travel ban, and said it would hear the case in October, at the beginning of its next term. Both Jay and Mike feel this is the right call, though Jay feels the injunction should have been completely lifted, which Mike doesn't agree with. After that, they discuss a Supreme Court decision that allows state funding for religious institutions. Jay feels the seven members in the majority got it right, and Mike just barely agrees, though he feels that Justices Sotomayor and Ginsburg make some important points in dissent. After that, the Guys talk about a new research study on Seattle's minimum wage experiment. The study, which found that the boost actually cost workers money, was praised by the right, with the left finding plenty of holes in the methodology. Jay feels this vindicates conservative common sense, while Mike argues that it's only one flawed study (as all studies are, to a certain extent) and although it should be taken into consideration, the weight of the evidence still supports the overall benefit of minimum wage hikes. What Jay's Reading: Stop Pretending You're Not Rich. Richard Reeves http://nyti.ms/2tfrINC On Campus, Failure is on the Syllabus. Jessica Bennett http://nyti.ms/2teYApC What Mike's Reading: The Policy Scout Podcast https://www.thepolicyscout.com/ Please consider checking out this week's sponsors: Seat Geek, where you can find the best seats at the best prices – fully guaranteed, and it only takes a few taps on the app or a few clicks if you access it through their website. Use our promo code POLITICSGUY for $20 off your first purchase. https://seatgeek.com Dollar Shave Club, the smarter choice for a great shave at a great price, conveniently delivered right to your door. New members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 with FREE shipping by going to https://dollarshaveclub.com/tpgSupport 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 so much intense listener response to Mike's recent interview with Townhall.com columnist Kurt Schlichter, that Mike and Jay decided to devote the first part of this listener mail episode to addressing those responses and explaining why Mr. Schlicter was invited on the show. Mr. Schlichter himself appears in this episode, to explain what he meant when, in the interview, he repeatedly referred to Hillary Clinton as evil. After that, the Guys answer listener mail, including questions about climate change, reasons for opposition to normalizing relations with Cuba, and their thoughts on a Politics Guys 'Cheers' analogy. We hope you'll check out the sponsors of today's show: Dollar Shave Club, where new members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 with FREE shipping. In your first month’s box, you get a weighty handle, a full cassette of four Executive cartridges and a tube of Shave Butter. You can only get this offer now by going to https://dollarshaveclub.com/tpg SeatGeek, where you can find the best seats at the best prices. Politics Guys listeners get $20 of their first purchase. Either download the app or go to https://seatgeek.com and enter promo code POLITICSGUY at checkout.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 things off by talking about health care bill unveiled by Senate Republicans. Mike sees it as a nearly trillion dollar tax cut financed by draconian cuts to Medicaid, whereas Jay believes it may help by giving states more authority and halting what he sees as unsustainable Medicaid cost growth. Then it's a look at the Georgia special election, where Democrat Jon Ossoff narrowly lost to Republican Karen Handel. Mike says Democrats shouldn't overreact because Democrats have over performed in all four of the special elections held to elect replacements for Trump administration officials formerly serving in the House. Jay points out that a loss is a loss, and Democrats are 0-4. After that, they discuss Russia sanctions, both new sanctions unveiled by the Trump administration and a Senate bill - passed by a vote of 98-2 - calling for tougher sanctions and making it harder for the president to reverse sanctions. What Jay's Reading The Last Battle for Democracy in Venezuela (WSJ - paywall) http://on.wsj.com/2s5kK0g What Mike's Reading The Brookings Cafeteria (podcast) http://brook.gs/2s5XVtl We hope you'll check out this week's sponsors: Seat Geek, where you can find the best seats at the best prices - fully guaranteed, and it only takes a few taps on the app or a few clicks if you access it through their website - https://seatgeek.com/. Use our promo code POLITICSGUY for $20 off your first purchase. ZipRecruiter, which lets you post your job to 100 plus job sites with just one click. Unlike other job sites, ZipRecruiter doesn’t depend on candidates finding you; it finds them. In fact, over 80% of jobs posted on ZipRecruiter get a qualified candidate in just 24 hours! Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE. Just go to https://www.ziprecruiter.com/politicsguySupport 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 Kurt Schlichter, an attorney, retired Army infantry colonel, and Senior Columnist for Townhall.com. His commentary on political, military, and legal issues has been featured in numerous national outlets, such as Fox News, CNN, and the Hugh Hewitt Show. They discuss why Hillary Clinton has less respect for democratic norms than Donald Trump, scuzzy bureaucrats in the intelligence community hoping to destroy the Trump presidency, why he gives Trump a grade of A+ so far, the complete lack of evidence in the Russia probes, and lots more!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 start this week with the tragic shooting of Scalise and the unfortunate political communications uproar in it’s aftermath by James Hodgkinson. Both Mike and Trey worry that democracy may be losing a pillar when demonization is the new normal. After that they talk about the rollback of Obama’s Cuba opening. Trump is returning to an older policy of restrictions, although his rhetoric is more drastic than his actually changes. Later Mike and Trey discuss the Sessions testimony and the increase of rate in the Federal Reserve. Finally we end the show with what we are reading now and the unlikely truth that both Trey and Mike love Roberts’ Napoleon biography.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 Sasha Issenberg, a political journalist whose work has appeared in Slate, Washington Monthly, The Atlantic, and lots of other places. He's a contributor to Bloomberg Politics and the author of multiple books, including the widely praised "The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns" which Politico called 'Moneyball for Politics'.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 received so much listener feedback on our discussion of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord (in episode 102) that they decided to do this special follow-up. In it, they cover the 'We Are Still In' movement, what states - especially California - are doing, whether or not Jay believes human activity is responsible for climate change, and why Mike wants us to significantly slow emissions today, whereas Jay feels that we're better off growing the economy and waiting for what he believes will be better and cheaper emission control and climate change mitigation technology in the future. They also respond to listener comments.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 talking about the story that dominated the news this week: the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey. Neither of the Guys think that Comey dropped any bombshells, though Mike believes that this is still early days in an investigation that will go on for years and cripple the Trump administration. Jay thinks it might wrap up sooner than that, but that once again, Donald Trump's biggest obstacle seems to be Donald Trump. After that, they talk about Trump's pick for FBI Director. They agree that Christopher Wray is a sane and sensible choice (which is hardly a given in the Trump administration) but that the delay of nearly a month in naming a replacement for Comey is yet another example of how Donald Trump is in over his head. A story that didn't get the coverage it deserved this week was Kansas' experiment with radically lower taxes, and experiment the state legislature forced conservative governor Sam Brownback to abandon this week. Mike and Jay talk about what this might tell us about the effects of deep tax cuts and the impact it might have on similar proposals both in other states and at the national level. What Jay's Reading: Just Mercy, by Brian Stevenson What Mike's Reading: The Sixth Extinction, by Elizabeth KolbertSupport 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 senior editor and columnist Ryan Avent, author of The Gated City and, most recently, The Wealth of Humans: Work and its Absence in the Twenty-First Century. In addition to The Economist, Mr. Avent's work has appeared in outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Republic, the Atlantic, and the Washington Examiner. Prior to coming to The Economist, he worked as an economic consultant and an industry analyst for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He has an economics degree from North Carolina State University, and an Masters of Science in economic history from the London School of Economics. Mike and Ryan talk about where the jobs are going, who's at risk, the effects on economic inequality, the social and psychological effects of a largely jobless future, and lots more. Ryan Avent Recommends - EconTalk - FT Alpha - The Weeds - Marginal Revolution UniversitySupport 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 by talking about President Trump's announcement that the United States will be leaving the Paris Climate Change Accord, making it one of only three countries in the world to not be participating (the other two are Syria and Nicaragua). Mike, who was hoping against hope that US would stay in, is disappointed, feeling that President Trump is stuck in the past and that his actions may have a negative effect on the environment, future job growth, and US global leadership. Jay, on the other hand, thinks President Trump made the right call. Then it's a look at the US role in Afghanistan in the wake of a major terrorist attack last week that left 90 dead and hundreds wounded. Should the United State up its military commitment to the country and try to turn the tide against the Taliban, or would it be best to cut our losses, given the potentially unwinnable situation? After that, the Guys look at Ohio's recently announced lawsuit against Big Pharma for allegedly misleading doctors and the public about the dangers of prescription opioids. The state's move is part of a growing trend of states and counties taking legal action against pharmaceutical companies. Mike feels this is a step in the right direction but Jay, who agrees that the opioid crisis is extremely serious, says he's not crazy about the approach Ohio is taking.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 Samuel Sinyangwe, co-founder of OurStates, an initiative that connects communities to actionable information and tools to reject the Trump / GOP agenda in every state and protect communities from harm. Mr. Sinyangwe is a policy analyst and data scientist who also co-founded Mapping Police Violence, which collects and analyzes data on police violence in the United States. He’s been featured on MSNBC, CNN, BBC, LA Times, the Forbes '30 under 30' and The Root 100.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 talking about something they *won't* be covering - the continuing drip, drip, drip of Trump scandal leaks. That doesn't mean that they aren't concerned with the serious allegations that have been raised (especially true in Mike's case) but that the leaks don't tell us much of anything. For the most part, they're going to hold off until there's substantive news on the leak investigations, as opposed to juicy tidbits leaked from anonymous sources. After that, Mike and Jay talk about what President Trump accomplished on his first foreign trip, and whether he was right to downplay human rights in Saudi Arabia and push NATO allies to pay up. They also take a look at a recent Supreme Court decision on redistricting, in which the very conservative Justice Thomas sided with the Court's liberals. There's a reason why that happened, and Mike and Jay discuss it, as well as the bigger picture of redistricting challenges over the last few years.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 author, ABC News chief political analyst, and die-hard independent Matthew Dowd. Mr. Dowd has extensive experience in politics where he's worked for candidates and officeholders on both sides of the aisle, including Democrats Dick Gephardt & Lloyd Bentsen and Republicans George W. Bush - on whose campaign he was chief strategist - and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He's co-author of the bestselling book 'Applebees America' and his latest book, which just came out this spring, is 'A New Way: Embracing The Paradox as we Lead and Serve'. He's also founded multiple companies, including ListenTo.us, a community of independent minded people sick and tired of gridlock and the lack of common-sense leadership and dedicated to putting the 'united' back in United States.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Mike is joined by Trey, filling in for Jay. They start the show with an overview of a tumultuous week for President Trump, featuring the president revealing classified information to Russia, allegations that Trump asked then FBI Director Comey to drop the investigation against Mike Flynn, and the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a special counsel to head the investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Then, Mike and Trey take a look at Donald Trump's first foreign trip as president, where he'll be visiting the Middle East and Europe. They discuss why those countries were chosen and what, if anything, is likely to come out of the trip. After that it's a look at NAFTA, in the wake of the Trump administration formally notifying Congress that it will be renegotiating the treaty. Mike and Trey discuss whether NAFTA is really as bad as President Trump has said it is, who's won and who's lost under the agreement, and the strange political alliances it's forged.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 journalist and researcher Dr. Sarah Kendzior about the threat posed by the Trump presidency, media elites & 'flyover country' and lots more! Dr. Kendzior is a columnist for Canada's Globe and Mail, and her work has has appeared in multiple national outlets in the U.S. including Politico, Slate, The Atlantic, and the New York Times. She’s also the author of the best-selling essay collection, ‘The View from Flyover Country’. Dr. Kendzior has a PhD in anthropology, with her academic work focusing on the authoritarian states of the former Soviet Union and how the internet affects political mobilization, self-expression, and trust. She also maintains an always-fascinating Twitter account and was named one of “the 100 people you should be following on Twitter to make sense of global events” by Foreign Policy magazine. Be sure to check out http://politicsguys.com/ for episode links & more.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 out with President Trump's surprising and, some would say, far-too impulsive firing of FBI Director James Comey. Mike and Jay consider if this is Trump fearing that the FBI is getting too close to finding ties between his campaign and Russia, Trump simply being his erratic, 'act first and consider the consequences later' self, or possibly some combination of the two. After that, they talk about the recent move by Attorney General Jeff Sessions withdrawing former Obama AG Eric Holder's directive that gave federal prosecutors the ability to work around mandatory minimum sentences that many on the left and the right feel are expensive and ineffective. Then it's on to the Election Fraud Commission President Trump set up with a recent executive order. Mike and Jay talk about what the data tells us about election fraud, what a commission might lead to, and how to balance the integrity of the election system with concerns about voter suppression. What We're Reading This Week: Jay The Decline of the West. Oswald Spengler Mike The End of Alchemy: Money, Banking, and the Future of the Global Economy. Mervyn KingSupport 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. Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Dr. Drezner is the author of multiple books, including Theories of International Politics and Zombies, The System Worked: How The World Stopped Another Great Depression, and most recently, The Ideas Industry: How Pessimists, Partisans, and Plutocrats are Transforming the Marketplace of Ideas. In this interview, Mike and Dr. Drezner discuss public intellectuals, thought leaders, TED Talks, self-promoting academics, why economists are more popular than political scientists, 'Trump vs. The Blob', North Korea, and lots more!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 Guys start out this week's show with a detailed look at the American Health Care Act, which the House of Representatives passed in a squeaker of a vote. Both Mike and Jay expect that the Senate will take up and pass some version of the AHCA, but that it's likely to be somewhat different from what the House approved. In their discussion of the bill, the Guys discuss where people get their insurance, what Obamacare did (or tried to do), and how the AHCA would change things. Next, it's a look at the bipartisan spending bill that Congress approved, with almost all of the opposition coming from Republicans. Mike and Jay talk about why so many Republicans were against it and whether or not conservatives are right to be worried about federal spending and debt levels. Finally, the Guys introduce a new segment to the show: What We're Reading. Every week, Mike and Jay will talk about an article, book, podcast episode, or documentary they've been reading, listening to, or watching, in an attempt to break away from the of-the-moment, 'instant analysis' of the news cycle.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 James Fallows, a legendary figure in American journalism. Mr. Fallows was chief speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter, editor of US News & World Report, a program designer at Microsoft, and is currently a national correspondent for The Atlantic, a magazine he’s written for since the late 1970s. His work there has won great acclaim, including a National Magazine Award. In addition to his journalism, Mr. Fallows is the founding chairman of New America, a think tank committed to renewing American politics, prosperity, and purpose, and the author of numerous books on subjects as diverse as the news media, travel, America’s war in Iraq, and, most recently, two books on China: Postcards from Tomorrow and China Airborne.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 marks a return to our roots, with a focus on deeper analysis of what's most important, and less coverage of the ephemeral events that so often dominate the weekly news cycle. Mike and his fellow political scientist Trey - who's guest-hosting this week for Jay - start with a look at Donald Trump's first 100 days. They consider how '100 days' became such a big deal, what a president's first 100 days can tell us about the rest of his term, what it means to be a successful president (and how much of that is in the president's control), and how likely they think it is that Donald Trump will have a successful presidency. Next is their discussion of the Trump tax plan. Mike outlines the basics of the plan after which Mike and Trey talk about whether the plan would be good for the United States, what it would do the the national debt, and the political realities of enacting tax reform. This episode is sponsored by Upside.com - where you can get big travel savings and a $100, $200, or even $300 Amazon gift card. Use our code BIZTRIP to get at least a $200 gift card when you book your first trip. Our second sponsor is Blue Apron. Great, fresh meals, delivered right to your door, ready in under 40 minutes, and less than $10 per person per meal. Politics Guys listeners can get their first three meals free and free shipping by going to blueapron.com/tpgSupport 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

First up is Mike's interview with political scientist Larry Sabato. Professor Sabato is the director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, which includes Sabato’s Crystal Ball - the foremost election forecasting site in the United States. Professor Sabato is the author of many books, including ‘A More Perfect Constitution’, ‘The Kennedy Half-Century’ and, most recently he was the lead editor on ‘Trumped: The 2016 Election That Broke All The Rules’. He regularly appears on national news outlets such as Fox, CNN, and MSNBC offering invaluable insight and analysis of polls and elections. After that, Mike and Jay respond to listener mail. Episode Links: Follow Professor Sabato on Twitter @LarrySabato Sabato’s Crystal Ball http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/ Decision Desk HQ https://decisiondeskhq.com/ CQ Almanac https://library.cqpress.com/cqalmanac/ Almanac of American Politics https://www.thealmanacofamericanpolitics.com/ Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections http://uselectionatlas.org/ Daily Kos Elections http://www.dailykos.com/blog/Elections Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire https://politicalwire.com/ The Bellwether: Why Ohio Picks the President. Kyle Kondik https://www.amazon.com/Bellwether-Why-Ohio-Picks-President-ebook/dp/B01H1S9PWM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492014696&sr=8-2&keywords=the+bellweather This episode is sponsored by Dollar Shave Club - the smarter choice. Politics Guys listeners can get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 dollars - with FREE shipping by going to dollarshaveclub.com/tpgSupport 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 talking about the 'not-quite' Democratic win in the special election in Georgia. Mike thinks it could be a (positive) sign of things to come for Democrats in Congress, but Jay isn't so sure. After that, the Guys talk about whether Fox was right to give Bill O'Reilly the boot, President Trump's executive orders on steel, the H-1B visa program, and Wall Street regulation, and whether Berkeley is trying to silence Ann Coulter. This show's co-sponsor is Dollar Shave Club. For a limited time, new members get their 1st month of the Executive Razor with a tube of their Dr. Carver’s Shave Butter for ONLY $5 dollars - with FREE shipping. Join the club today at dollarshaveclub.com/tpg The other co-sponsor of the show is Upside.com - the best new way to buy business travel. Every time you buy a trip at Upside, you save a ton of money AND they give you an Amazon gift card worth one hundred, two hundred, even three hundred dollars. Use our special promo code BIZTRIP to at least a two-hundred- dollar Amazon gift card when you book.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 Jeremy Haile, co-author of the Indivisible Guide - a practical guide to influencing Members of Congress, written by a team of former Congressional staffers. From 2008-2012, Jeremy served as a legislative aide to Rep. Lloyd Doggett along with Indivisible board members Ezra Levin and Sarah Dohl. Since then, Jeremy has worked in criminal justice reform advocacy at The Sentencing Project and as a public interest lawyer in San Francisco. A longtime activist, Jeremy's advocacy has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and NPR’s All Things Considered. His writing has appeared in such publications as The Marshall Project, The Nation, and The Hill. Jeremy has given talks to numerous audiences, including students at Harvard Law School and Princeton University. Jeremy's Recommended Reading (and Listening) - The Unwinding. George Packer - Evicted. Matthew Desmond - The New Jim Crow. Michelle Alexander - Pod Save America After we went off air, Jeremy also mentioned OurStates, which "connects communities to actionable information and tools to reject the Trump / GOP agenda in every state and protect communities from harm."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 Guys start out by looking at President Trump's foreign policy in a dangerous world. First it's Syria, where Assad's chemical attacks and the U.S. retaliatory missile strike has brought US / Russia relations to their lowest level in quite a while. Then it's North Korea, the unstable regime getting ready for it's sixth nuclear test. Can the U.S. exert enough pressure on China to deter a potential disaster in North Korea? After that, Mike and Jay turn to domestic policy - special elections that seem to bode well for Democrats (though November 2018 is a long way off) and whether President Trump is willing to sabotage Obamacare in order to force its repeal and replacement. And why are we seeing a return to this issue anyway, given that mere weeks ago, Speaker Paul Ryan said Obamacare would be the law of the land for the foreseeable future. Finally, the Guys discuss Steve Bannon's fall from grace and consider whether President Trump is evolving and learning on the job, or if instead he's a largely empty vessel, wholly incurious about policy details, into which any significantly smooth talker can pour his or her ideas.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 Republican pollster and political analyst Kristen Soltis Anderson. Ms. Anderson is co-founder of the research and analytics firm Echelon Insights, a contributor at ABC News, a Washington Examiner columnist, a regular guest on shows like Morning Joe, Fox News Sunday, and Real Time with Bill Maher, author of The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials Are Leading America (And How Republicans Can Keep Up), and the co-host of The Pollsters, a bipartisan weekly podcast.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, we have our very first sponsor - Blue Apron! To get three of their great meals for free as well as free shipping, go to blueapron.com/TPG It was a crazy week in foreign policy, and the guys start with the biggest of all the big stories - the missile strike on Syria authorized by President Trump in response to Syria using illegal chemical weapons on its own people. The move was a major departure both from policy under President Obama and President Trump's own prior statements on the wisdom of military involvement in Syria. Mike and Jay discuss whether the president made the right call and what this might mean for the future. Next, the Guys discuss the visit of Egyptian President / military strongman Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who President Trump not only welcomed, but embraced. Mike sees this as a mistake, while Jay believe it's good diplomacy. After that is some domestic policy - the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Just as everyone predicted, Democrats filibustered his nomination, Republicans changed the rules to disallow filibusters of Supreme Court nominees, and Gorsuch was then confirmed on a largely party-line vote. Senators from both parties, as well as Mike and Jay, regret that things have come to this point, but the confirmation process is yet another example of how very polarized our politics has become. But wait - there's more! The Guys get into the latest developments in the Russia / Trump investigations, and then wrap things up by talking about the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.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 Professor Andrew McAfee, Co-Director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Initiative on the Digital Economy and a Principal Research Scientist at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Professor McAfee's work has appeared in numerous academic and popular publications, including the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. He is the author of a number of books, including The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies (co-authored with Erik Brynjolfsson).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 Guys start out by looking at the latest news on the multiple Russia probes. The House investigation has slowed to a crawl amid claims from Democrats that Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes can't be trusted to conduct an impartial probe. The Senate investigation seems to be far more bipartisan to this point. Mike and Jay talk about why this is, along with what to make of former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn's willingness to testify - if he's given immunity. Then it's a look at what Mike calls the Republican 'circular firing squad' with President Trump calling out the House Freedom Caucus, and the Caucus and it's conservative supporters blasting right back at the president. Following an update on the Gorsuch confirmation process, the Guys get a chance to talk policy - why Republicans don't seem to like the EPA, what President Trump's new executive order on the environment means, and whether or not our NATO allies are pulling their weight.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 UC Berkeley economist Brad DeLong. Professor DeLong, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton administration, blogs at 'Grasping Reality with All Tentacles' - one of the best economics blogs around. Topics they discuss include economic inequality, economic growth, why this is the best time ever to be poor (in the United States, at least), grifters and suckers, alien sinister forces, McDonalds, restaurant gift cards, how the best con artists are those who can con themselves, and lots more.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 taking a look at the first big legislative push of President Trump and House Republicans: The failed repeal and replace vote on Obamacare. They talk about what happened, why it happened, what it means for Obamacare, and the possible paths forward for Republicans. Then it's on to Judge Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both the Guys agree that after 20 hours of testimony, we're exactly where everyone expected we'd be: Republicans united in support, Democrats united in opposition, and a Democratic filibuster - followed by a Republican rule change preventing Supreme Court nominee filibusters - to come. After that, the Guys review the latest developments in the Trump / Russia story, focusing on FBI Director James Comey's testimony to the House Intelligence Committee, as well as a questionable move by Devin Nunes, the Committee's chairperson. The focus then turns to immigration, with discussion of the new 'Muslim laptop ban' (as Jay calls it), the criminality of illegal vs legal residents, and the Department of Homeland Security's attempt to shame local jurisdictions that don't cooperate with immigrant detainment requests.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