The Politics Guys

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

Mike talks with educator, researcher, and writer Sarah Towle about her latest book, Crossing the Line: Finding America in the Borderlands. Topics Mike and Sarah Discuss Include: - the historical roots of our current immigration issues - the connection between trade policy and immigration - why prevention through deterrence hasn’t worked - if “remain in Mexico” is a viable approach to asylum seekers - immigrants, crime, and American jobs - helping border communities cope with the flow of migrants - what a more efficient, effective, and humane border policy might look like Sarah Towle on X 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

In the preview of this midweek supporters’ episode, Jay is joined by Justin Holmes from the University of Northern Iowa (whose opinions, as always are his own and not reflective of his employer, the people of the great state of Iowa, or its 20 Million head of hogs). They open by taking up the failed vote to hold Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over Robert Hur’s recordings of his interviews with President Biden. They discuss the legal merits of contempt, the challenges of enforcement, bills of attainder, and campaign implications. (Spoiler alert, Republicans win either way, if anyone is paying attention to this.) They close with a discussion of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which has gotten a lot of attention recently as a potential blueprint for a second Trump administration. They initially focus on potential changes to the DOJ and continue with a broader discussion of the role of bureaucracy in a democracy, where Justin attempts to find common ground between the great political philosophers Edmund Burke and Jello Biafra. They try to get to the bottom of whether these are new ideas, whether they’re good ideas, whether they’re going to be guiding principles for Donald Trump, and why Democrats are so concerned. 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

Jay is joined by Justin Holmes from the University of Northern Iowa (whose opinions, as always are his own and not reflective of his employer, the people of the great state of Iowa, or its 20 Million head of hogs). The show kicks off with a discussion of the ongoing calls for President Biden to end his campaign. They start with a divide over how bad of shape Biden is in cognitively and mainstream press coverage (Jay thinks it’s about time the mainstream press picks up on Biden’s problems, Justin thinks the coverage is overblown). They then discuss the process for removing Biden from the ticket (there’s not a clean one), who the contenders are, and what their odds are. Next, they turn their attention to Trump’s potential Vice Presidential Choices, and what each brings to the ticket. They conclude with a discussion of AOC’s impeachment resolution against Justices Thomas and Alito for accepting gifts. Jay discusses whether they did anything illegal, and Justin and Jay disagree about how much meddling Congress should have in regulating the Supreme Court, but they both agree that accepting valuable gifts is a bad look, and that Harlan Crow should take them to Bali. 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 May open the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode with a discussion of the Supreme Court decision allowing municipalities to deal with homeless encampments by bans on outdoor camping. Mike is all over the place on this one, finding something to like (and dislike) on all sides, while May believes that the majority got it right. Next, they consider the Court’s ruling in Moody v. NetChoice, involving efforts by Florida and Texas to regulate social media they believe is biased against conservatives. Mike has a big problem with any government viewpoint regulation while May thinks a case can be made that these services are monopolies and there is a reasonable state interest in promoting a diversity of opinion. They close with a discussion of Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s policy blueprint for a conservative administration. Mike points out that the many big government conservative activist proposals are fundamentally un-conservative, a tension May also recognizes. They focus in particular on the proposal to give presidents more power to remove government officials from their positions, which many on the right feel is necessary to correct a longstanding liberal bias in the administrative state. 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

Biden Defiant, Presidential Immunity, Overturning 1/6 Convictions Mike and May open with a discussion of the fallout from President Biden’s debate performance, including his defiant (and some would say delusional) determination to stay in the race and beat Donald Trump. May thinks the Democrats should have seen this coming and doesn’t expect them to force Biden out, while Mike holds out hope that the mounting pressure from party leaders and donors will end up with Biden stepping aside. Following that they turn to the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity. May believes that the majority got it right, and while Mike doesn’t disagree, he feels that they went too far. They close by considering the Court’s ruling that one of the charges a number of January 6th defendants were convicted on was improperly applied to them. Both Mike and May agree with the ruling, and note the somewhat unusual alignment of the justices, with one of the Court’s conservatives joining the liberals in dissent, and one of the liberals siding with the conservative majority. 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

It’s mostly Supreme Court on the preview of this midweek supporters’ episode, with Mike and Jay discussing whether the EPA can force Ohio to be a “good neighbor” to downwind states, when a bribe isn’t a bribe, whether the Purdue Pharma OxyContin settlement should have been thrown out, and – in a non-court discussion, their thoughts on the Julian Assange plea deal. 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 President Biden’s disastrous performance in the first presidential debate. Mike was actually hoping for a worse outcome that would all but force Biden from the race, which he doesn’t think will happen, despite multiple calls for Biden to step aside. Jay wonders how Biden’s closest confidants and top advisors allowed things to get to this point. Mike suggests that Biden may still be able to handle the non-public-facing parts of the job, which Jay doubts, particularly in the event of a national security emergency. After that, they turn to the Supreme Court ending Chevron deference, in a ruling that will have major implications for government agencies, Congress, and the courts. Mike has long been a supporter of Chevron but thinks that the Court made the right call here, which both surprises and pleases Jay, who’s never been a fan of Chevron. Following that they discuss two other major decisions of the Court – one that allows women in Idaho to obtain abortions to preserve their lives and health and another in which the Court decided that plaintiffs arguing the government censored their social media posts don’t have standing to sue. 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 talks with attorney, author, and historian Talmage Boston. His books include Cross-Examining History, Raising the Bar: The Crucial Role of Lawyers in History, and most recently, How The Best Did It: Leadership Lessons From Our Top Presidents, which is the focus of their discussion. Topics Mike and Talmage cover include: - the “Great 8”: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, TR, FDR, Ike, JFK, and Reagan - key leadership strengths of those 8 presidents - the main weakness of each of the 8 presidents - most important presidential leadership skills - if it’s harder to be a great political leader in today’s world - strengths and weaknesses of Joe Biden and Donald Trump 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

Trey & Ken discuss the meaning of the 11th Amendment including: Chisholm v Georgia Hans v Louisiana Ex parte Young Fitzpatrick v Bitzer Seminole Tribe v Florida Central Virginia Community College v Katz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken open by delving into President Biden's proposed path to citizenship for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens, analyzing its potential impacts and political ramifications. Trey argues the timing is a political bone to the left in the wake of his tougher border policies. Next, they tackle the implications of three major Supreme Court cases. In the first, Moore v. United States, upholding foreign asset taxing, Trey and Ken agree with the majority but Trey disagrees with the policy implications of a wealth tax. In the second, Gonzalez v. Trevino, both Trey and Ken agree that reigning in some protection for police officers is important. Still, Ken argues that all the justices would change their votes if it were applied to former president Trump. In the third, United States v. Rahimi, they discuss the upholding of the Second Amendment's constitutionality for those under domestic violence orders. Lastly, they explore the Senate's recent blockage of the Democratic-led bump stock ban by Senate Republicans. Trey argues Republicans are simply using it as a political tool for the upcoming election and hopes afterward a ban will be possible. Check out Democracy Works, 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 talks with Liam deClive-Lowe, co-founder and co-president of American Policy Ventures. APV is a group that works with people and organizations across the ideological spectrum to make it easier for policymakers to effectively solve critical policy problems. They sponsored the Georgetown Battleground Civility Poll that came out not too long ago, which is the focus of their conversation Topics Mike & Liam Discuss Include: - the mission of AVP - the value of Democrat and Republican pollsters working together - why most Republicans and Democrats believe democracy is threatened - fighting for values vs working for the best possible solution - getting to a point of ‘slightly less loathing’ - how close we are to civil war - why Congress is more bipartisan than you might think - opportunities for bipartisanship Follow Liam and American Policy Ventures on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet. 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 by discussing the House of Representatives holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for failing to turn over audio of Special Counsel Hur’s interview with President Biden in the classified documents investigation. They agree that this is political on both sides, and that while the Biden camp may not have strong legal ground to stand on, it’s not likely the audio will be released before the election. Following that they turn to the conservative backlash against YouTuber Ms. Rachel. Many conservatives believe that Ms. Rachel’s support for Pride Month and the inclusion of a non-binary guest makes her channel inappropriate for children. Mike argues that Ms. Rachel isn’t doing anything objectionable, and nothing that amounts to ‘grooming’, a term he argues conservatives throw around with reckless abandon,. They close by discussing May’s recent article in the Washington Examiner on a federal magistrate judge’s ruling that not transferring a female-identifying, biologically male prisoner to a women’s prison violates her 8th Amendment rights. May finds this completely out of line with any reasonable understanding of the amendment, whereas Mike sees it as a reasonable conclusion to reach considering the circumstances in this particular case. 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 & May open with a discussion of the guilty verdict in the Hunter Biden gun trial. They discuss Biden’s defense, the possibility of a pardon or commutation by President Biden, Donald Trump’s reaction, and how this may all play out politically. Next, they turn to two big Supreme Court decisions. In the first of these, a unanimous Court found that the group challenging the FDA’s loosening of restrictions on the abortion drug mifepristone didn’t have standing to sue. Mike agrees, but May feels that standing has become such a degraded doctrine that the right should be able to take advantage of it as much as she feels the left has in the past. They close with the Court’s ruling that the Trump-era ATF exceeded its authority by banning bump stocks. Mike and May agree with the ruling, but Mike is more inclined to give regulatory agencies some deference in interpreting statutes than May. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Democracy Works, 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

Political scientist Travis Taylor talks with law professor Joshua Douglas about his new book The Court v. The Voters: The Troubling Story of How the Supreme Court Has Undermined Voting Rights, in which he writes about the U.S. Supreme Court's recent history of prioritizing the power of states to regulate elections over the rights of voters. Topics Travis and Josh Cover Include: · how the Court has changed the standard by which it reviews voting rights cases · combating election fraud and maintaining voter access · the direction the Court is going in light of more recent decisions in "extreme" cases · potential solutions to correct the Court's current course · conservative criticisms of the book and why conservatives should read it Follow Josh Douglas on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet. 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 finish the Bill of Rights by delving into the origins and significance of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Topics covered include: Federalist and Anti-Federalist debates during and after the Constitution's drafting, addressing concerns that listing specific rights might imply that others were not protected. Does the Ninth Amendment make textualism pointless? The conflict between the philosophic origins of the Ninth Amendment and why legal scholars abandoned it. The Tenth Amendment's balance between federal and state power Lessons learned from the Articles of Confederation The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions The modern (1990s) application of the Tenth Amendment. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out How Do We Fix It and Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet. 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 start the show with Biden’s immigration order. President Biden has announced a sweeping executive action on immigration, authorizing U.S. immigration officials to deport large numbers of migrants without processing their asylum claims. This new policy, seen as one of the most restrictive border policies by a Democratic president, marks a significant shift in the administration’s approach to border security. Ken partially defends Biden’s order, even if it looks similar to past Trump policies. Trey argues that Biden issued it as a proclamation instead of an executive order because he recognizes it is not inherently constitutional. Next, Attorney General Merrick Garland faced intense scrutiny from Republicans this week. Garland was grilled on Capitol Hill and has seen his standing on both the right and the left fall. Ken argues that Garland has overemphasized neutrality and has not properly pursued former President Trump and allies. Trey argues that the left’s attacks on Garland are nearly identical to those from Republicans and are no more founded than those from the Republicans. Finally, the pair discuss Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, where he addressed critical issues related to the U.S. response to COVID-19. Fauci admitted that the “6 feet apart” social distancing recommendation lacked robust empirical support and it was more of an arbitrary guideline. He also acknowledged that the lab leak theory regarding the origins of COVID-19 should not be dismissed outright, a significant shift from his earlier stance. Both Trey and Ken continue to agree he largely did well in his capacity during the pandemic, however, Trey faults him for wrongfully downplaying, primarily for political reasons, the possibility of a lab leak in China. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out How Do We Fix It and Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet. 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 Les Leopold, co-founder and executive director of the Labor Institute, a nonprofit organization that develops and conducts education and policy programs for unions, environmental organizations, community groups, and immigrant worker centers on workplace health and safety, the environment, economics, and movement building. He’s also the author of multiple books. His latest is Wall Street’s War on Workers: How Mass Layoffs and Greed are Destroying the Working Class and What to Do About It, which they talk about in this episode. Topics Mike & Les Discuss Include: - if Wall Street is really at war with workers - how to understand ultra-low unemployment rates - technology, globalization, and US workers - the economic and psychological toll of mass layoffs - the decline of public sector unions in the US - how government policy can make things better for workers The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet. 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 the Supreme Court’s decision in NRA v. Vullo, a case in which Jay submitted an amicus brief to the Court. The Justices unanimously agreed with (most of) Jay’s reasoning, as does Mike. From there, they move on to the decision by the Biden administration to allow Ukraine to use US weapons to strike inside Russia, which they both agree with, but wish were less limited. Following that is a discussion of the Libertarian Party presidential nominee Chase Oliver, the fairly extreme planks in the Texas Republican Party’s platform, and how the lack of enthusiasm of Black voters for Biden could affect his reelection chances. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet. 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 & Jay open with a discussion of Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Mike isn’t crazy about the law but believes that the prosecutor, judge, and jury acted reasonably in applying it. Jay discusses possible grounds for appeal. They agree that the effect of the conviction won’t be great, but that any small political benefit should be to Biden. Then they move to calls for Justice Samuel Alito’s recusal. Mike starts with some comments concerning Ken’s characterization of Alito as corrupt and racist on last week’s show with Trey. On the issue of recusal, neither Mike nor Jay think Alito should step back, though Mike is somewhat more troubled by self-recusal at the Supreme Court level. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out How Do We Fix It and Mike’s other podcast - Sustainable Planet. 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 Corey Nathan, host of the most excellent podcast, Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other. Corey shares his unique perspective as a "born-again Christian with a thick Jewish accent" and how his background has influenced his approach to discussing sensitive topics like politics and religion. Topics Mike & Corey Discuss Include: - how and why Corey doesn’t fit the ‘Evangelical Christian’ stereotype - discussing politics with evangelical Christians - a Biblical approach to political issues like immigration and LGBTQ rights - searching for the truth, as opposed to trying to ‘win’ every argument - the value of regularly engaging with people with whom we disagree Follow Corey on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Mike’s other podcast is Sustainable Planet. 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 talks with Becca Block, author of Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t, in which she discusses the surprising policy implications of listening to student's voices in public education. Topics Trey and Becca Cover Include are we asking too much of the public school system? what it means to listen deeply to student voices the competing policy desires of parents, teachers, and students the intersection of race and gender on educational policy are libertarians right when it comes to public education? Follow Becca on her website, and check out Can You Help Me Give A Sh*t 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 dive into the 7th and 8th Amendments. Topics include: The historic origins of jury trials The lack of contemporary 7th Amendment cases Excessive bail Excessive fines and civil forfiture Cruel and unusual punishment The death penalty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken start the show by delving into the International Court of Justice’s Friday ruling against Israel. Trey and Ken disagree over the scope of the decision as to whether it prohibits further offensive action. Ken believes the ICJ is offering wiggle room and Trey does not. Staying overseas, the guys talk about the surprising call for snap elections in the United Kingdom. The hosts focus on the motivations behind this decision, especially given recent poll numbers for Conservatives, the potential outcomes, and the impact it could have on British politics. Next, attention turns to the primary elections in Georgia, Oregon, and Kentucky along with the special election in California. The focus is primarily on the presidential election. Trey believes it points to a low turnout election and Ken is more optimistic. In Supreme Court news, Trey and Ken finish the show over the landmark ruling on racial gerrymandering. Here Ken believes that Justice Alito is overtly racist and inconsistent. Trey pushes back hard and argues that Ken fundamentally misunderstands Alito’s ruling. They dive deep into the details of the decision. They also address the recent Alito flag controversy. 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 talks with Elizabeth Neumann, former Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, about her recently released book Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace. Topics Trey and Elizabeth Cover Include from foreign extremism to domestic extremism the Christian case against extremism the evolution of religion and politics how left and right differ in extremist activities Follow Elizabeth on X, and check out Kingdom of Rage 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 Trey kick off the previeww of this midweek supporters’ episode with a look at the Supreme Court’s upholding the funding structure for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Mike and Trey think this was the right call, with Trey arguing that Justices Alito and Gorsuch are conflating the unconstitutional with what they may believe to be unwise public policy. Next, they discuss how AT&T improperly influenced the Illinois legislature into passing bills favorable to the company. This turns into a broader discussion of the problem of state and local-level corruption and why it may be worse today than it has been in the recent past. Following that they turn to stadium subsidies – why voters approve them, why economists hate them, and what can be done to make it harder for pro sports owners to tell cities, ‘pay up or we’re moving’. They close with Trey discussing why many evangelicals support Israel, and how his support differs. Before long, they end up in some deeper theological and philosophical waters. Mike’s other podcast is Sustainable Planet. 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 Trey open with a discussion of the Biden administration’s recently announced tariffs on China. Trey is no fan of protectionism, but he understands Mike’s points concerning US issues with China’s trade practices. They both agree that Donald Trump’s approach to China would almost certainly be more tariff-heavy than Biden’s. Then they turn to presidential debates, which will happen without the Commission on Presidential Debates. Trey points out how early the first of the two scheduled debates will be, which Mike attributes to Biden wanting to give debating Trump a try far enough ahead of the election that it won’t do much damage if things go off the rails. From there they move to the Supreme Court allowing Louisiana’s congressional redistricting map to go into effect. Trey points out the difficult position Louisiana’s legislature is in, caught between the Equal Protection Clause and the Voting Rights Act. Mike is most sympathetic to the view of Justice Jackson, who felt that the Court shouldn’t have gotten involved at this point. They close with a discussion of US aid to Israel. Mike doesn’t think it unreasonable for the US to put conditions on its support of Israel, or to withhold support entirely if aid is being used in a way we believe to be morally unacceptable. Trey points out that were neighboring countries more willing to take in Palestinians, the situation might be far less dire than it currently is. Check out Let’s Find Common Ground. Mike’s other podcast is Sustainable Planet. 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 Tulsi Gabbard, a military veteran and four-term member of Congress who was Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee. She caused a major stir when she left the party, which she’s written about in her recently released book, For Love of Country: Leave the Democrat Party Behind, which is the focus of their conversation. Topics Mike & Tulsi Discuss Include: - what drew Tulsi to the Democrats in the first place - how she realized she no longer was a Democrat - if Democratic Party elites are warmongers - foreign policy and isolationism - the ‘wokeism’ of contemporary Democrats - the Democratic Party and free speech Check out Tulsi’s Website and follow her on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Mike’s other podcast is Sustainable Planet. 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 preview of this midweek supporters’ episode with a discussion of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem revealing in her new book that she shot a dog and lied about meeting Kim Jong Un. They discussed why someone would put that in a book, what this means for the VP contest, and ultimately proposed a third political party whose platform mostly consists of not shooting dogs. Next, they talk about the Supreme Court ruling in Culley v. Marshall, dealing with a civil forfeiture case from Alabama. While the Court sided with the state, they seem open to the idea of revisiting the issue of forfeiture in the future. In their discussion, Justin and Jay consider constitutional issues, perverse incentives, and English common law from before the Norman invasion. They close with a look at recent swing state polling, which shows a statistical dead heat, but with Trump up slightly in all seven of the polled states. How have these states become the ones that matter? Are there others? Will journalists continue pushing the idea that Ohio is a swing state just so they can go to diners and talk to average Americans? Check out Mike’s other podcast, Sustainable Planet. 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 start off discussing President Biden’s proposed pause in sending certain offensive weapons to Israel if they attack Rafah, including the impact on the conflict, potential reverberations in the international community, and the domestic political implications of conflict over Israel within the Democratic party. Next, they turn their attention to Marjorie Taylor Green’s failed attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. Why did the Democrats stick by him, what does this say about the state of the Republican party, and what institutional factors got us here in the first place? Following that, they discussed the delay in former President Trump’s documents case, after Judge Cannon postponed the start of the trial indefinitely pending hearings on a number of motions. Was this the right call? What does it mean for the upcoming election? They close with a discussion of Representative Henry Cuellar’s indictment on bribery and money laundering charges from his dealings with Azerbaijan and Mexico. Is there an Azerbaijan caucus in Congress? What does the case against Cuellar look like? What does this hold for control of the House in November? Check out Mike’s other podcast, Sustainable Planet. 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 Allen Guelzo, the Thomas W. Smith Distinguished Research Scholar in the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. Professor Guelzo is a three-time winner of the Lincoln Prize, awarded annually for the finest scholarly work in English on Abraham Lincoln, the American Civil War soldier, or a subject relating to their era. They discuss his latest book, Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment. Topics Discussed Include: - why Lincoln had such faith in democracy - if Lincoln saw Blacks as truly equal - Lincoln’s constitutionally questionable actions - what current-day politicians could learn from Lincoln - Lincoln’s cosmic optimism Check out Mike’s other podcast, Sustainable Planet. 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 May open the preview of this midweek supporters’ episode with a look at the Louisiana redistricting plan recently rejected by a three-judge panel. They get into the tension between the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause, partisan vs racial gerrymandering, and if there’s a better way to set up congressional districts. Next is a discussion of the proposed federal rescheduling of marijuana. Mike thinks it’s long overdue and should lead to more and better research on the effects (both good and bad) of pot. May is more skeptical, though she agrees that we could use better medical research on cannabis’ effects. They end with their thoughts on the extended interview Donald Trump recently gave to Time. Mike was surprised at how often Trump came off as a normal politician, while May was unsurprised at Trump’s agenda for a second term. Check out Mike’s other podcast, Sustainable Planet. 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