The Politics Guys

A discussion of the history of the 14th Amendment as it relates to sexual discrimination. Cases of focus include: Frontiero v. Richardson Craig v Boren United States v Virigina Obergefell v Hodges The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken delve into the aftermath of the 2024 election, focusing on Pennsylvania and the contested Senate race. Trey notes the Wall Street Journal has declared a Republican winner, while Ken holds out hope that the New York Times has not. They also examine the remaining House races and what the losses mean for Democrats. Ken sees it primarily as a messaging issue, but Trey believes there are structural issues with Democrats. They both agree that the American electorate wants closed borders and Democrats will be forced to respond. The pair also discuss the ballot initiatives on abortion. They close the show by discussing the German parliament, including a breakdown of the coalition government. Ken believes it is a tilt to the right globally and examines its reasons. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special post-election episode, Mike, Trey, Ken, and May get together to discuss their initial thoughts in the wake of Donald Trump’s biggest win to date. They talk about the issues, the campaigns, fundamentals, shrinking vs growing electoral coalitions, what to expect from a second Trump term, where Democrats should go from here, and lots more. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the preview of this midweek supporters’ episode with a discussion of why so many Americans aren’t happy with their presidential choices. Mike points out that this is a relatively new thing, and he and Jay agree that changes to the nomination process and social media have played a significant role in this. That leads Mike to wonder if there’s any way out of our crummy candidate, two-party doom loop. He isn’t optimistic but thinks there’s at least an outside chance that a popular centrist billionaire could make a real run at the presidency as an independent, mentioning Mark Cuban as a possibility. They end with Mike explaining why, although he thinks a second Trump presidency will be awful, it won’t end democracy – and it might even be a good thing for Democrats in the medium to long term. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just a quick message to let you know that we'll be recording a special 'all hands on deck' post-election episode of The Politics Guys on Wednesday, November 6. It should be in your feed sometime after 6pm Eastern Standard Time that day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open this final pre-election episode with a look at the closing arguments of Trump and Harris, with a focus on Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally. Mike is feeling fairly pessimistic but thinks that Harris may have an edge in voter enthusiasm and grassroots organization that might just put her over the top. Jay argues that while Trump should be taken seriously but not literally, Harris should be taken neither seriously nor literally. From there they turn to a discussion of the non-endorsements by USA Today, the LA Times, and the Washington Post. Mike sees in this wealthy media owners hoping to avoid being included on Trump’s enemies list should he regain the presidency. Jay doesn’t exactly buy that, but he agrees with Mike that journalism is under more threat than it has been in recent memory. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Stephen J. Ducat, an author, political psychologist, psychoanalyst, and former psychology professor in the School of Humanities at New College of California. They discuss Professor Ducat’s most recent book, Hatreds We Love: The Psychology of Political Tribalism in Post-Truth America. Topics Mike and Stephen discuss include: - why tribal loyalty often overrides material self-interest - demonizing outsiders to reinforce in-group virtue - conservative disgust vs liberal disdain - the ‘malignant, intuitive genius’ of Donald Trump - the dark side of political purity - the importance of being morally multi-lingual The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay and Justin spend the entirety of this midweek supporters' episode discussing the F word: fascism. It’s been explicitly applied to Donald Trump recently by not only Democrats but several of his former staffers as well. What is fascism? How does it differ from other forms of authoritarianism? Does Donald Trump tick enough boxes to be one? While Trump exhibits some concerning authoritarian tendencies - like his admiration for strong leaders and inflammatory rhetoric about "corrupting the blood of America" - the reality is more nuanced than simple labels suggest. Trump's isolationist views contradict traditional fascist expansionism, and his approach differs from historical European fascism's philosophical roots. Justin and Jay emphasize that while Trump may check some fascist boxes, applying the term requires careful consideration of historical context and specific characteristics. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay and Justin open this episode with their predictions for the upcoming presidential election, with Justin forecasting a narrow Harris victory and Jay expecting Trump to return to the White House. They also discuss how traditional polling methods might be missing key voter segments and how social desirability bias could affect Trump supporters' willingness to participate in polls. Next, they look at early voting patterns and Republican voter registration trends, which they agree could be favorable indicators for Trump. They examine the challenges of predicting likely voters and how different pollsters' methods can yield radically different results from the same raw data. They close by considering Trump's recent proposal for widespread tariffs, including a potential 10-20% baseline tariff on all imports and 60% on Chinese goods. Jay, drawing on traditional Republican free-market principles, expresses serious concerns about these proposals, while both hosts discuss how such policies could impact the American economy. They explore the mythology of 1950s American industrialism and why attempting to recreate that era through tariffs might be both impractical and economically harmful. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Mark Green, founder of The Democracy Project, twice-elected Public Advocate for New York City, and the author of multiple books, the latest being, The Inflection Election: Democracy or Fascism in 2024?, which they discuss in this episode. Topics Mike and Mark discuss include: - the importance of the 2024 presidential election - if Donald Trump is a fascist - if Trump is an existential threat to American democracy - why Mike has more faith in the Supreme Court than Mark does - the rise of right-wing populism in democracies around the world - election integrity and public faith in elections - responsibility for the ‘culture wars’ - if Trump is so awful, why nearly half of all voters support him The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and May open the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode with their predictions for control of the Senate and House, where they agree that Republicans are all but a lock to win the upper chamber and that things look somewhat more promising for Democrats in the House. Then they turn to a recent ruling in Georgia in which a judge enjoined an election rule that would have required hand counting of ballots to ensure they match the total number of votes tallied electronically. Neither Mike nor May have a problem with the change as such, but they agree that it comes too soon before the election. After that they discuss China, which they agree is the greatest foreign threat to the United States, and consider what China policy would look like in a Trump or a Harris administration. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and May open with a discussion of Kamala Harris’ interview with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier. Mike thinks there were several missed opportunities for Harris, while May argues that Harris is a policy lightweight. Mike believes that the focus on immigration and gender transition surgery for inmates says a lot about what matters to the Fox audience, as does the lack of attention paid to healthcare, abortion, Ukraine, and China. Then they turn to the state of the race and make their presidential predictions – they both think Harris will eke out a win, though neither of them are at all sure about the outcome. In making their prediction, they explain what gives them reason for optimism and what makes them feel pessimistic about the potential outcome. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Pedro Domingos, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. He’s an AI researcher, tech industry insider, and author of the best-selling book The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World. Recently, he’s turned his hand to political fiction, in the often hilariously funny novel 2040: A Silicon Valley Satire, which is very funny but also has plenty to say about serious issues facing us concerning technology and politics/ Topics Mike and Pedro discuss include: - why we should speed up, not slow down AI development - the serious AI dominance threat from China - why our big concern should be incompetent AI - AI transparency and bias - how AI makes direct democracy possible - the limits of AI direct democracy - reasons to be optimistic about AI and politics The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the preview of this midweek supporters’ episode with a look at the over 100 lawsuits that have already been filed and how they’re likely to affect the outcome and aftermath of what’s almost sure to be an extremely close presidential race. Next, they turn to a new analysis of how Trump and Harris’ platforms would affect the economy. Mike argues that Jay should be even more concerned about Trump given how much worse his proposals look for the national debt, even after considering lighter regulation in a Trump administration. Jay isn’t fond of all the spending that will almost certainly take place in a Trump administration, but thinks that in the end, a Republican in the White House – even Donald Trump – will be better for the economy. Then it’s a look at a new rule from the EPA that mandates the removal of all lead water pipes in the next decade. Mike thinks it’s a good rule, but wishes the federal government fully funded it. Jay is no fan of leaded drinking water, but is more skeptical about the benefits of the rule relative to the costs. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open with a discussion of the lies told by Donald Trump and JD Vance about FEMA in the wake of disaster relief efforts for hurricanes Helene and Milton. They also get FEMA’s role and whether the agency should be doing more in advance of ever-increasing major natural disasters. Next is a discussion of oral arguments in two major cases that opened the Supreme Court’s new term – one involving ghost guns and another in which the state of Oklahoma admits prosecutorial misconduct in a death penalty case. They close with what may be a new media strategy from Kamala Harris, and a look at her 60 Minutes interview, as well as Donald Trump’s call for CBS to have its broadcast license revoked. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Rebecca Glazier, a Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Professor Glazier is the Director of the Little Rock Congregations Study and the author of the book Faith and Community: How Engagement Strengthens Members, Places of Worship, and Society, which they discuss in this episode. Topics Mike and Rebecca Cover Include: - the forms of religious engagement - religious engagement and political efficacy - the tension between community engagement and partisanship - engagement in liberal and conservative congregations - declining institutional authority and religious organizations The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This 14th Amendment Constitution episode focuses on the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Topics include The context of the 14th Amendment's ratification, Plessy v Ferguson, Brown v Board of Education, and the history behind Thurgood Marshall and the NCAAP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken start with the Vice-Presidential debate. The conversation begins with an explanation of rejecting the horse-race narrative of analyzing debates and how the VP debate won’t change voting patterns. They also discuss the stability of the presidential polling numbers despite assassination attempts and a candidate dropping out. Next, they look at Iran’s recent missile barrage on Israel. The hosts also discuss Israel’s tactics against Hezbollah. They end the show with a sharp debate over the dockworkers’ strike. Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay and Justin open the midweek supporters’ episode with a discussion of the appellate oral arguments over Donald Trump's civil fraud conviction, with a focus on the legal case, process, and political implications. They then turn their attention to the Vance Dossier hack and leak. While the document itself is not a page-turner, it raises important questions about media ethics and campaign security. Finally, they examine recent and less recent 2nd Amendment Supreme Court cases and the role and limits of historical analysis in interpreting the Constitution. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay and Justin start with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the US, then move to Kamala Harris's visit to the border to talk immigration policy. They wrap up with a pair of political scandals: New York Mayor Eric Adams and NC Gubernatorial Candidate Mark Robinson The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Matt Grossmann, Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research and Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. Matt was on the show in 2019 when we talked about his book on public policy change, Artists of the Possible, and he’s back again for a discussion of his latest book, co-authored with David Hopkins, Polarized by Degrees: How the Diploma Divide and the Culture War Transformed American Politics. Topics Mike & Matt Discuss Include: - the educultural realignment in American Politics - the degree divide as an international phenomenon - if the progressive left has moved too fast - the dangerous ramifications of destroying institutional trust - the political right and ‘woke capitalism’ - why liberals dominate popular culture - conservatives’ attempts to set up parallel institutions Matt Grossmann on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and May open this supporters’ midweek episode with a discussion of Senate Democrats’ failed IVF bill. Both Mike and May think there’s something to be said for the legislation itself while agreeing that it was more of a messaging bill than a serious legislative proposal. From there they turn to strong bipartisan support for emergency funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Mike expresses at least some surprise that no House Republicans seemed to object to nearly $3 billion in additional funding that was needed in large part because of the PACT Act, which over 80 percent of House Republicans voted against in 2022. They close by answering a number of listener questions on the pro-life movement, Trump’s manipulability, sex vs gender identity, US birth rate trends, and healthcare for inmates. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and May open with a discussion of the 2nd attempt (that we know of) on Donald Trump’s life, which turns into a broader consideration of extremist rhetoric on both sides and political violence. May believes that Trump has been targeted more than any other figure, suggesting more of a problem on the left. Mike thinks that things will get considerably worse, no matter which candidate wins in November. Next, they consider how events have unfolded in Springfield Ohio, in the wake of Donald Trump’s lie about Haitian migrants in Springfield stealing and then eating family pets. May believes that the real focus should be on the problems associated with immigration, while Mike argues that Trump and Vance have crossed an important line – from spinning and exaggerating to having seemingly no concern for truth, if baldfaced lies serve their cause. From there it’s a look at media avoidance by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. May and Mike agree that it’s a smart strategy, and Mike is more curious as to why JD Vance has been so prominent, given how much of what Vance has to say may turn off undecided voters (at least that’s Mike’s take). They close with a discussion of the Federal Reserve's first interest rate cut since 2020. Mike doesn’t buy the argument from Trump that it’s either a sign of a bad economy or that it was politically motivated. May points to how the cut is likely to help people hoping to buy a home. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike welcomes back to the show George Mason University economist Bryan Caplan to discuss his book, Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation. Topics Mike and Bryan discuss include: - why housing prices are so high - bipartisan agreement on housing deregulation - the value of building more high-rise residential units - the many costs of NIMBYism - the Supreme Court and housing regulation - government housing regulations that do make sense - building and immigration - which jurisdictions are moving in the right direction - and lots more! Bryan on X Bryan’s Substack: Bet on It The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the preview of this midweek supporters' episode with a look at reports from Goldman Sachs and the Penn Wharton Budget Model, both of which conclude that Kamala Harris’ economic plans will be better for the US economy than Donald Trump’s. However, there are some important caveats, which they delve into. Next, they look at where Congress is in the yearly budget process, with the fiscal year ending in less than two weeks. They also discuss the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which House Republicans initially included as a policy rider to the CR. Mike thinks it’s pointless election-year posturing that is likely to solve no problems and make it more difficult for some Democratic constituencies to vote. Jay sees it as a reasonable measure, especially in light of what he views as Democrats’ ultimate goal of allowing non-citizens to vote in federal elections. They close with Jay explaining why he’s not a Democrat, the first part of a multi-segment series that will be featured when Mike and Jay are hosting the podcast. (When Jay is done it will be Mike’s turn to explain why he left the GOP for good in the mid-2000s.) The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open with a discussion of the first (and possibly only) debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Jay agrees with the conventional wisdom about the debate hurting Trump, and Mike agrees that it’s not likely to make a huge difference. But as Jay points out, in a race almost certain to be as close as this one is, a few thousand votes in the right places could mean a lot. Mike argues that Donald Trump’s untrue comment about Haitian migrants eating family pets is a disgusting dehumanization of migrants. Jay isn’t that worked up about it, and argues that Springfield, Ohio has had understandable difficulty handling the number of migrants it’s seen in the last few years. Next, they move to endorsements of Harris by Dick & Liz Cheney, a number of prominent Republicans who say they can’t support Trump, and ‘childless cat lady’ Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris. Mike believes that all these Republicans either endorsing the opposition or refusing to support their party’s nominee is unprecedented. Jay reiterates that he’s likely to follow the lead of Romney and Pence, who aren’t voting for Harris but won’t vote for Trump either. They close with a look at the state of the presidential race. Mike is a lot less confident in Harris’ chances than either Ken or Trey (both of whom last week felt that Harris will win). Mike believes that Trump will once again outperform his polling and figures his chances at winning to be around 60%. Jay largely agrees, wondering if Harris has peaked. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken discuss the 13th Amendment and the 14th Amendment's citizenship and privileges and immunities clauses. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey is again joined by Ken and they start the show looking at the U.S. Justice Department's recent indictment of, presumably, Tenet Media. Ken argues this demonstrates the Justice Department is taking Russian election interference seriously, while Trey suggests this kind of revelation can be a place for considering one's media content consumption. Next, the duo dives into Montana's U.S. Senate Race between Republican challenger Tim Sheehy and Democratic incumbent Jon Tester. Ken believes there is a chance that Democrats pick up enough seats to offset probable losses, but agrees with Trey that that the better odds are on Republicans taking the Senate by one to two seats. Trey and Ken differ though in the end because Trey believes Republicans will hold the House and Ken argues New York is enough to tip the scales to the Democrats. After that, they move to Hunter Biden's last-minute guilty plea. Trey finds Hunter Biden's commentary to come off as whining and Trump-like and, ultimately, a win for justice. Ken believes the deck was stacked against Hunter and has more sympathy for the aggressive prosecution. Then it is a quick conversation about U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro's violation of the Hatch Act. The hosts overview what happened and the history of the Hatch Act. They also delve into Trump's attempt via Executive Order at circumventing the Hatch Act by creating a new level of employee: Schedule F. The pair close the show by discussing the SAVE Act. Here Trey muses that asking for ID, although not necessary, is not an undue burden in modern society. Ken argues that it would increase disenfranchisement. Trey counters by suggesting it would follow to eliminate ID requirements in other areas, especially in banking. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis talks with political scientist and the CEO of PRRI, Dr. Melissa Deckman about her new book, The Politics of Gen Z: How the Youngest Voters Will Shape our Democracy, in which she explores the political activities of American Zoomers, especially among Gen Z women, including a robust analysis of survey data coupled with rich detail from focus groups and interview with young political entrepreneurs. Topics Travis and Melissa cover include: The rise of women’s political participation and how it compares to historical participation The ideology of the new cohort of American women and a comparison to her previous research on the politics of conservative women What the future of politics looks like in America and how right-of-center actors can appeal to young voters Follow Dr. Melissa Deckman on X. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Questions include: May's position on conversion therapy May's thoughts on the LGBTQ+ community Trey and May on Donald Trump and democracy in the U.S. The best books on politics The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and May begin by analyzing Harris’s CNN interview. Trey posits we have entered a new post-position political age. Both discuss the evolution of Harris and whether she has stayed true to her values while shifting her policies. The pair delve into the respective promises of both Harris and Trump on using opposing party members in their cabinet and their transition team respectively. Next the pair dive into Trump’s evolution on abortion and his use of pro-choice phrases in his Truth Social Posts along with his rhetoric about wanting to extend abortion windows and his comment on Florida’s six weeks being too short. This leads to May asserting that the pro-life movement was not ready for a win while Trey contends that the common goal of ending Roe hid the deep disagreements in the pro-life movement. They close by looking at the Trump indictment which attempts to separate his public and private actions. May believes that his actions were justified and will not meet the scrutiny of the Supreme Court and Trey sees a petulant child who could never accept election results that had not tended Trump’s direction. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Josh Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University about his recently released book, The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers. Topics Mike & Josh Cover Include: - how vouchers work - Milton Friedman’s role as a voucher pioneer - vouchers as a response to school desegregation - why modern voucher programs are less accountable - the ‘woke’ agenda of k-12 education - vouchers and religious freedom - Harris v Trump on vouchers Josh Cowen on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode with a discussion of a Texas judge’s ruling against the FTC’s noncompete clause ban. Mike is more in favor of at least restricting noncompete clauses than Jay is, but they both agree that the judge was correct on the law. Next, they take a look at the Republican and Democratic Party platforms, starting with the parties’ positions on inflation/prices, the economy, and immigration. They close by responding to listener questions on the ‘coronation’ of Kamala Harris and what the parties have done to unite the country. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open with a discussion of the recently concluded Democratic National Convention. Mike notes that the tone of the DNC was far more upbeat and optimistic than the RNC, and attributes that in some part to the basic nature of Donald Trump. They also get into a discussion of the Democrats’ celebrity advantage and Jay’s theory as to why that’s the case. Next up is RFK Jr. suspending his campaign and endorsing Donald Trump. Mike argues that in some ways RFK Jr. and Trump make strange political bedfellows, but that RFK Jr. seemed determined to leverage his small but potentially significant support into an administration position in either a Harris or Trump administration. Jay thinks RFK Jr is a long-time nut and that he’d be a horrible choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services. They close with a look at the House Oversight Committee’s report on the Biden impeachment inquiry. Jay thinks Biden likely committed serious ethical and possibly legal lapses while vice president, whereas Mike is less certain and argues for the weirdness of even considering impeaching a president for things he allegedly did when he was vice president. That said, Mike feels that it’s good for Congress to look into credible accusations of favor-currying from presidential friends and family. Mike’s hope is that this impeachment-mania will end when Trump and Biden have left the scene. Jay isn’t as hopeful as Mike on that. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Scott Klug, an Emmy award-winning journalist, former member of Congress, and currently co-chair of the Federal Public Affairs Practice at the national law firm of Foley & Lardner. He’s also a podcaster - the founder and host of Lost in the Middle: America’s Political Orphans – and writes the Lost in the Middle Substack. Topics Mike and Scott Discuss Include: - Scott’s move from journalism to Congress to lobbyist - changes in the GOP from Reagan to Trump - corruption in Congress - the importance of local investigative journalism - why neither party seems to focus much on the middle - institutional factors driving partisanship - if things are likely to get worse before they get better The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump and Harris Economic Plans, Presidential Prediction Models Jay, Justin, and Mike open the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode with a discussion of the recent economic speeches by Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Jay is unhappy with what he’s hearing from both sides, and Mike makes the case that if you like Biden’s policies, you’ll like Harris’ even more. Justin points out that much of what we’re hearing from Trump isn’t new, but it’s the first major policy speech from Harris. As such, they spend some time debating her plans to combat ‘price gouging’, raise the child tax credit, increase the housing supply, and forgive student loan and medical debt. They all take issue with one policy proposal on which Harris and Trump seem to agree – eliminating taxation of tips. They close with Mike introducing his presidential prediction model, which Jay rightly pokes fun at, and then consider the utility of these models more generally. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay, Justin, and Mike open with a discussion of the X conversation between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. They consider the ties between Musk and Trump, Musk’s move from left to right, and whether the event was a violation of campaign finance law as well as illegal worker intimidation. This moves into a conversation of Elon Musk’s recent lawsuit alleging that an advertiser boycott of X violates antitrust law. Jay points out that it’s a strange claim in that there’s no apparent harm to consumers. Justin doesn’t see the lawsuit as having much likelihood of success, while Mike mentions that it’s an example of even more judicial forum shopping. They close with the recently announced Medicare drug price reduction agreement. Jay has a problem with the nature of the negotiations but agrees that Americans have been paying more so that pharmaceutical companies can make up for lower prices in most other developed countries. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis talks with political science professor (and mom!), Dr. Lindsey Cormack about her new book, How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It), in which she encourages parents to learn more about politics, civics, and government, and to take on a more active role in providing that education to their children. Topics Travis and Lindsey cover include: Key features and functions of American civics that parents need to know and to teach their children How to talk to kids about controversial or hot-topic issues in an age-appropriate way Why schools have failed to provide this instruction to students and what they could do to improve Follow Dr. Lindsey Cormack on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the preview of this supporters’ midweek show with a look at Judge Amit Metha’s ruling that Google is a monopolist in online search. Both Mike and Jay are torn on this, though for slightly different reasons. Jay has a problem with any one company controlling so much personal data, while Mike’s concern is more with Google’s practices that lock in its dominance through multi-billion dollar “default search engine” agreements. Next, they discuss Rep. Cori Bush’s primary loss. Bush is the second “Squad” member to lose their primary, in no small part because of a big push by AIPAC – the American Israel Public Affairs Committee – to oust those who have come out strongly against Israel’s response to the October 7th Hamas attacks. They close with a consideration of several Supreme Court reforms proposed by President Biden. Jay thinks they’re all awful, whereas Mike believes there’s some merit to at least two of them, though he doesn’t expect any of them to come to fruition. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open with a discussion of Kamala Harris’ choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. While neither Mike nor Jay believes Walz will make much of a difference, Mike argues that he’s more of a “regular person” than Trump running mate JD Vance, and that Harris has a reasonable shot at winning without running with a battleground state running mate. Then they turn to the state of the presidential race. Jay points out what he sees as the hypocrisy of Democrats' “coronation” of Harris, a position Mike takes issue with. Mike has moved from near despair to cautious optimism now that Harris has replaced Biden on the ticket, while Jay sees it as still Trump’s race to lose, and believes Trump might even win big. They agree that Harris should hold a press conference, but Mike is willing to cut her more slack given all she’s had to do since Biden bowed out. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with historian Anthony Gregory, author of multiple publications on national security, constitutionalism, and legal theory. His latest book is New Deal Law and Order: How The War on Crime Built The Modern Liberal State. Topics Mike & Anthony Discuss Include: - the origin of the “war on crime” - how the war on crime paved the way for the modern liberal state - FDR’s “creative constitutionalism” - J. Edgar Hoover and the creation of the modern FBI - the war on crime and the Civil Rights Movement - consequences of New Deal law & order Anthony Gregory on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken continue their deep dive through the U.S. Constitution with the 12th Amendment. Topics of conversation include: The divided government of 1796 The contested election of 1800 The timeline of presidential elections The Presidential Succession Act Chiafalo v Washington Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey, May, and Ken commence the show with an in-depth discussion on former President Donald Trump’s comments at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention (NABJ) in Chicago. The debate becomes contentious as Ken and May dispute Trump’s engagement with racist groups. May contends that Ken’s remarks unfairly characterize conservatives as racist, while Ken clarifies that Trump’s outreach to white supremacists does not implicate all conservatives, only a segment of his coalition. Next, they analyze the largest U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange since the Cold War, which included Wall Street reporter Evan Gershkovich, and consider its implications amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ken and May diverge on the potential actions of a Trump/Vance administration in response to this exchange. May argues the action needs to come to an end sooner, not later, because the American public is growing tired of supporting it financially. The show concludes with a discussion on the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. Trey points out the deep power it means Israel has inside of Iran. Ken believes the negative repercussions outweigh the positive, suggesting it endangers any remaining prisoners. May argues that earlier decisive action against more specific Hamas members, like Haniyeh, by Israel, would have been more impactful on the international stage, rather than delaying nearly a year The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the An Honorable Profession and Sustainable Planet podcasts, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Zee Cohen-Sanchez, Founder and Executive Director of Sole Strategies, a political organization building grassroots campaigns across the US for candidates who are passionate about change. After Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign, Zee committed to helping Democratic candidates win seats across the country. Since founding Sole Strategies in 2020, Zee and her team have worked on hundreds of nationwide campaigns. Topics Mike and Zee Cover Include: - the weirdness of politicians - flipping seats - the Democrats GOTV advantage - Republican grass-roots success - if Mike could run a positive campaign – and win Sole Strategies on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Ken open this preview of the supporters' midweek show with a look at Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress. They agree that the US doesn’t have a lot of leverage over Israel given America’s strategic interests in the region and concerns about Iran. Mike argues that members of Congress who are stridently anti-Israel are actively hurting their party’s chances in the upcoming elections. Next, they turn to a discussion of the Supreme Court, first focusing on the jurisprudence of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and then moving into a more general discussion of the Court. They close by talking about the media sources they most frequently turn to for news and analysis. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike, Ken, and Trey open with a discussion of President Biden’s decision to leave the race and the potential running mates and policies for presumptive nominee Kamala Harris. Ken argues that Biden would have done just fine against Trump and that Harris will also win in November, whereas Trey and Mike are far less bullish on her chances. They all agree that a potential Harris administration would be somewhat to the left of what we’ve seen from Joe Biden. They close the episode by looking at the Secret Service failures and congressional testimony that led to the resignation of director Kimberly Cheatle. Mike and Trey think Cheatle should have resigned sooner, with Mike arguing that President Biden should have called for her resignation shortly after the magnitude of the failure became evident. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the An Honorable Profession and Sustainable Planet podcasts, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Berkeley political scientist Steven Fish, author of the recently released book, Comeback: Routing Trumpism, Reclaiming the Nation, and Restoring Democracy’s Edge. Topics Mike & Steve Discuss Include: - if Democrats are spoiled whiners - low-dominance liberals vs high-dominance Trump - why ignoring polls is a good thing (at times) - pathologically risk-averse liberals - high-dominance politics in a global perspective - how Kamala Harris can project strength against Trump - why Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear might be a good VP choice - structural problems facing high-dominance Democrats - Mike’s misgivings about high-dominance messaging The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re releasing this second “not actually a midweek episode” episode following President Biden’s announcement that he won’t be running for reelection. That was all we covered in the preview of the midweek episode that dropped earlier today, and now that events have overtaken our analysis, we thought you deserved more than a suddenly very dated analysis of whether or not Biden would leave the ticket. Next week, we’ll be considering all of the potential implications of Biden’s exit, but for now we hope you’ll enjoy the rest of Mike and Jay’s discussion, which covers Judge Aileen Cannon’s dismissal of the Trump documents case and the conviction of New Jersey US Senator Robert Menendez. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet, and the Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the preview of this special early-release edition of the midweek supporters’ show with a discussion of the Democratic National Committee’s plan to hold a virtual roll-call vote in the first week of August to nominate Joe Biden. Mike hopes that doesn’t end up happening, but is skeptical of the press reports saying that it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Biden will bow to pressure and end his reelection campaign. Jay, who hopes Biden is the candidate, seeing him as more beatable than the alternatives, thinks Biden won’t end up being the Democrats’ nominee. Next, they consider Judge Aileen Cannon’s dismissal of the classified documents case against Donald Trump. Jay believes that Cannon got it right on the law. Mike is less sure about that, and argues that less thana month ago, the Supreme Court heard a case coming from Special Counsel Jack Smith and, aside from Justice Thomas’ solo concurrence, voiced no concern with how Smith was appointed. They close with a look at the conviction of New Jersey Democratic US Senator Robert Menendez. Mike thinks that Menendez might have reasonable grounds for appeal on “speech or debate clause” grounds. Jay finds that almost laughable, but given how the Supreme Court ruled on Donald Trump’s executive immunity, Mike’s not laughing. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet, and the Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open with a discussion of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. While there’s a lot we still don’t know, it’s clear that the Secret Service failed to do its job. Mike and Jay agree that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle shouldn’t still have her job, though Mike contends that those on the right blaming what happened on “DEI hires” are engaged in rampant speculation to promote their ideological agenda. Next is a look at Ohio US Senator JD Vance, who Trump picked as his running mate. Jay still doesn’t think Vance was a great choice, though he attempts to work out what Vance might bring to the ticket. Mike argues that VPs bring almost nothing to the ticket and that the simplest way to understand Trump’s selection of Vance is that Trump just went with his gut. Mike also argues that the selection of Vance points to a MAGAfied GOP even after Trump leaves the scene. In considering the Republican Convention at which Trump and Vance were formally nominated, Mike found that the GOP seems to be looking to the past and not at all like the optimistic, future-oriented party of Ronald Reagan. Jay points out that the Republicans did a great job of bringing in “real Americans” to drive home the point that the Republican Party is fighting for Americans who are looked down on by elites. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Politics in Question, Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet, and the Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices