The Politics Guys

Mike and Jay open the episode with a look at multiple state decisions concerning whether or not Donald Trump is eligible to appear on the GOP primary ballot. They consider the 14th Amendment’s Insurrection Clause and whether the elements apply to Trump, the authority of state officials to rule on this, and how (or even if) they believe the Supreme Court will rule on the issue. Following that is a discussion of immigration policy as another large migrant caravan makes its way to the United States. Jay argues that our immigration system is broken and Mike agrees, though he pushes back on Jay’s claim that we have essentially open borders. They discuss what sort of compromise is possible and who may be standing in the way of action on immigration. Then it’s back to Trump, considering the Supreme Court’s decision to not take up his presidential immunity claim before the D.C. Circuit has a chance to rule. They both see this as the correct decision and a positive development for Trump, even though it’s unlikely he’ll avoid a jury verdict before January of 2025. They close with what a second Trump term might mean for trade, a prospect both Mike and Jay find deeply troubling. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Richard McGahey, an economist and senior fellow at the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis and the Institute on Race, Power, and Political Economy, at The New School. He’s served as executive director of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, assistant secretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Labor, and in senior governmental positions in New York State and New York City. He’s also the author of Unequal Cities: Overcoming Anti-Urban Bias to Reduce Inequality in the United States, which they discuss on this episode. Topics Mike and Rick discuss include: - the economic importance of cities - cities vs. metropolitan areas - why we should care about inequality - causes of anti-urban bias in American politics - how to address anti-urban bias Rick McGahey on X 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken continue through the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights by diving into the 1st Amendment's Free Press clause. They also look at how Free Speech and Free Press are intertwined. Finally, they look at the limits of these rights inside of civil actions along with a discussion of prior restraint. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken start the episode discussing the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Three key items the hosts zero in on are: the nature of passing it with bipartisan support, the temporary renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and funding for Ukraine. Next, they discuss the newly passed impeachment inquiry vote in the House along with Hunter Biden's decision to defy a Congressional subpoena. Here things get heated. Trey sees Hunter's decision as emblematic of his long standing wrong doing while Ken sees Hunter no differently than how any other family member has exploited the White House for profit. They also disagree over whether he should have testified. Trey says yes and Ken says Hunter was right to defy the order. The pair close on the most recent events in the Hamas / Israel conflict. This includes a discussion of the growing split on the left over support for Israel and Ken trying to help Trey understand why many on the left see Israel as a colonizer state. Please help us out by taking the Politics Guys Listener Survey – it’s quick and anonymous. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of this crossover episode between The Politics Guys and Beyond Politics, Mike and Beyond Politics host Matt Robison consider potential solutions to the problems plaguing Congress. They cover a lot of ground, including the influence of money in politics, the impact of media on political discourse, and the intricacies of the voting system. Specific reforms they discuss include a voucher system for campaign finance, the restoration of the talking filibuster in the Senate, approval voting, and rank choice voting. Be sure to listen to Part 1 of the conversation on the Beyond Politics podcast. Please help us out by taking the Politics Guys Listener Survey – it’s quick and anonymous. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open this supporters’ midweek episode by discussing the fallout from the congressional testimony of the presidents of Penn, MIT, and Harvard. Mike argues that their comments were technically and legally correct but utterly tone-deaf. Jay contends that the presidents’ responses demonstrate a clear bias in academia, a charge Mike doesn’t believe to be entirely accurate. From there they move on to an extended discussion of Israel and the Palestinians. Mike makes the case that the Israelis have never truly negotiated in good faith with the Palestinians. Jay doesn’t think that’s the case, and argues that even if Israel hasn’t always acted spotlessly, they’ve done far better than groups representing the Palestinians have. Please help us out by taking the Politics Guys Listener Survey – it’s quick and anonymous. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the episode with a discussion of the indictment of Hunter Biden on multiple tax-related charges, as well as the broader House Republican investigation into the Biden family. They agree that Hunter Biden almost certainly cheated the federal government but that there’s nothing yet that links his activities to any illegal actions on the part of Joe Biden. (Though Jay is less certain of this than Mike is.) From there, they turn to Senate Republicans blocking passage of aid to Ukraine and Israel over demands for more border security. Mike points out that President Biden is ahead of much of his party on this issue, while Jay sees a deal being made sometime before the end of the year. Next is a look at the indictment of six fake electors in Nevada, which comes after similar actions in other states. Mike sees this as an appropriate action that will give those with crazy ideas pause, while Jay wonders if it may represent the criminalization of politics. They close on the Supreme Court case of Moore v United States, which has the potential to upend the tax code and cost the federal government trillions of dollars. Neither Mike nor Jay buys the government’s constitutional argument, but Mike thinks that this is a case where pragmatism will likely outweigh constitutional purity. Jay is concerned that the Court could rule in a way that would give Congress too much taxing authority. Please help us out by taking the Politics Guys Listener Survey – it’s quick and anonymous. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken continue through the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights by diving into the 1st Amendment's Free Speech clause. What, if any, restrictions can government place on speech? What is and to what extent do people have symbolic speech rights? All of this and a host of court cases covered on this week's episode. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken open the episode covering two recent deaths: Henry Kissinger and Sandra Day O'Connor. Trey outlines the positives and the controversies of Kissinger's international realism, along with both his opening of China and his support for authoritarian regimes. Ken highlights the swing vote legacy of O'Connor, despite her own desire not to be seen in that light during her lifetime. Next, they turn to the U.S. House's expelling of George Santos. Trey outlines the Constitution's flexibility on the issue, agrees with his ousters, and sees in it the possibility for a move away from Trumpianism in the Republican Party. Ken is less optimistic, but agrees with Santo's ouster. They close with a look at the Supreme Court oral arguments over SEC v Jarkesy and the 5th Circuit Court's opinion questioning the administrative state. Trey sees potential issues with a consecration of power in a singular agency of powers, and institutions, designed to be divided. Ken believes there is less to fear and no Constitutional problem with vesting an administrative agency with executive, legislative, and judicial power. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Colby College political scientists Nick Jacobs and Dan Shea about their book The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America. Topics Discussed Include: - what it means to be a rural voter - misconceptions of rural voters - if conservatives in rural areas are truly distinct - what rural identity is, and why it matters - why Democrats have been doing so poorly with rural voters - Donald Trump’s appeal in rural areas - ruralness and racism - if Democrats can ever compete again outside of cities and suburbs 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode, Mike, Jay, and May open by discussing a federal judge ruling that Pennsylvania mail-in ballots that were incorrectly dated but received on time have to be counted. Jay and May have problems with the decision, and Mike agrees that it doesn’t seem to fit the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but that it may be a violation of the Equal Protection Clause. From there they turn to an unusually high rate of congressional retirements. Jay thinks it’s mainly due to Congress being an increasingly miserable place to work. Mike and May agree, though Mike also believes that more Democrats are retiring, especially in the Senate, because they see rough electoral waters ahead. Next is a look at whether Elon Musk’s recent activity on X is antisemitic and whether Musk has a case against Media Matters for alleging that X has put vile antisemitic posts next to ads from major corporations. They close with a consideration of what they’re each most thankful for in this holiday season. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike, Jay, and May open the episode with a discussion of the hostage-for-prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel. They all agree on the importance of Israel getting their hostages back as well as on Hamas’ determination to destroy Israel. But Mike feels that Israel should find a way to give Gazans a positive path forward, something Jay and May are less optimistic about (not that Mike is all that optimistic). Next, they turn to a Colorado judge’s ruling that Donald Trump is an insurrectionist, but that he can still appear on the ballot because the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment doesn’t apply to him. All of the hosts agree that the clause doesn’t apply to Trump, and that voters should have the opportunity to decide whether to elect an insurrectionist, or if Trump is an insurrectionist in the first place. They close with a look at the 8th Circuit’s recent ruling that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act doesn’t give private individuals the right to bring suit. Mike sees it as wrongheaded conservative judicial activism, a position Jay and May dispute. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Adam Kovacevich, founder and CEO of the Chamber of Progress and former head of Google’s US policy strategy and external affairs team about the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. Topics Mike and Adam Discuss Include: - FTC Chair Lina Khan’s views on Big Tech and antitrust - if Amazon is hurting consumers - how dominant Amazon is in retail - potential effects of FTC lawsuits against tech firms - if antitrust law needs to be updated for the 21st century Adam Kovacevich on X 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken continue through the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights by diving into the 1st Amendment and the Free Exercise Clause. Topics include Reynolds, Smith, and the separation between belief and action inherent in the Supreme Court's understanding of the phrase. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken start the episode with a discussion of the escalation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Trey argues that Israel's drive south is the result of the asymmetric nature of the conflict. Ken agrees, but believes that Israel must account for the human suffering and collateral damage a push out of Gaza City entails. Next they turn to the meeting between Xi Jinping and Biden in San Fransisco. Trey lauds the positive rhetorical improvement from a few months ago and attributes this to the need for economic ties, which is the foundation of international liberalism. After that is an overview of the newly passed laddered continuing resolution. Ken believes that deficit spending and the recent downgrade in US credit sits at the feet of the Republican Party. Trey argues it is the lack of a majority between Democrats who want to increase spending and Republicans who are deeply divided over what kinds of spending cuts are needed. Then it is a brief overview of Representative Santos' Ethics Committee Report outlining his fraud. Trey and Ken predict the likelihood of him being removed from the House of Representatives. They close with a brief discussion on the Supreme Court's recently released ethics code. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Ganesh Sitaraman, a Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and a longtime advisor to Senator Elizabeth Warren. He's also the author of multiple books, including The Counterinsurgent’s Constitution, The Great Democracy, The Crisis of the Middle Class Constitution. His latest book is Why Flying is Miserable and How to Fix It, which they discuss in this episode. Topics Mike and Ganesh cover include: - what makes flying miserable - the main eras of air flight regulation - cross-subsidies and cream skimming - the old, highly regulated system - what led to deregulation - how the deregulated system has performed - how to make flying less miserable Ganesh Sitaraman on X 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode with a look at recent polling that shows Donald Trump beating President Biden in five of the six key battleground states. While it’s still a year until the election, Biden’s weakness is worrying a lot of Democrats, including Mike. Jay points out that if Trump is convicted things might change, though Trump being behind bars by election day is improbable, even if he’s convicted (of something or other) and sentenced to prison. Next, they turn to the House censure of Rep. Rashida Tlaib for her remarks on Israel and Hamas. Mike doesn’t agree with Tlaib’s comments but feels that they’re not so beyond the pale that they merit censure, a position Jay disagrees with. Following that it’s a look at oral arguments before the Supreme Court in United States v. Rahimi, in which the Court is being asked to determine if prohibiting people with domestic violence restraining orders from owning a firearm is constitutionally permissible. Both Mike and Jay think it is, and it looks like a majority of the Court sees things the same way. They close with a discussion of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, bipartisan Senate legislation that would allow media companies to collectively bargain with Big Tech platforms for advertising revenue. Neither Mike nor Jay sees this as good legislation because while it would transfer some money from Big Tech to media companies, it doesn’t do much to encourage the sort of journalism that’s important to democracy. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the episode with a discussion of West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin’s decision to not run for reelection in 2024. Mike thinks it makes sense given his likely defeat, and Jay makes a case for a Biden-Manchin 2024 ticket. They also consider what Manchin would bring to the No Labels presidential ticket, and how a No Labels candidate might affect the race. Next they turn to the elections in Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia. Abortion rights were a big winner in Ohio and played a role in all three states’ elections. Mike thinks it’s a great issue for Democrats to run on, and Jay argues that Republicans were stuck by past votes for pre-Roe laws they didn’t expect to go into effect. They close with a loot at the latest Republican presidential debate. Mike wonders if there’s a point to the debates given Trump’s commanding lead. Jay thinks there is, and explains why. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The preview of this supporters’ midweek episode opens with a discussion of the multiple state lawsuits concerning whether or not Donald Trump can even appear on the ballot. Some are arguing that he’s ineligible because he’s either engaged in or aided insurrectionists, which under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment makes him ineligible. Mike and May are skeptical of this line of reasoning and explain why they expect Trump to be on the ballot in all 50 states. Next, they look at two Supreme Court cases involving public officials blocking citizens on their private social media accounts. Is this impermissible viewpoint discrimination, or are the officials exercising their 1st Amendment rights as private citizens? Mike and May agree that when it comes to non-governmental social media accounts, officials should be able to block anyone they want, which wouldn’t be permissible on official government social media accounts. Then they turn to Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military promotions, which has both Democrats and many Senate Republicans increasingly frustrated. May is sympathetic to Tuberville’s policy position but thinks he should consider backing off at this point. Mike agrees, though he’s less in agreement with Tuberville’s methods than May is. They close the episode with a look at how successful the Affordable Care Act has been now that it’s been in effect for a decade. Mike thinks it’s not perfect but has worked fairly well, while May sees things very differently. One thing they do agree on is that the U.S. healthcare system is a big, expensive mess. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and May open with a discussion of the latest developments concerning Israel and Hamas. They look at the case for and against a temporary pause in Israel’s military response in Gaza, the House of Representatives approving $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, and why the U.S. would consider giving billions in aid to a wealthy country like Israel in the first place. After that, they turn to President Biden’s Executive Order on artificial intelligence. Mike likes it overall but thinks that the administration doesn’t have the authority to mandate that A.I. developers give the federal government information concerning their models. May agrees with that but thinks it’s a bad idea even if it were to come via legislation. They close by addressing listener questions concerning May’s comments last week about election integrity. For listeners who want a fuller understanding of Republican concerns, May recommends Mollie Hemingway’s book Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections. 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. 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 tentative labor agreement between the United Auto Workers and Ford. May doesn’t see how the economics work out for Ford and predicts a government bailout at some point. Mike is more optimistic and believes it’s a reasonable deal for both sides. Following that they consider Donald Trump’s ongoing legal cases – the Georgia election case in the wake of a fourth defendant pleading guilty, gag orders in two of Trump’s other cases, and testimony by his former Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows. Then it’s a discussion of the multi-state, bipartisan lawsuit against Meta. May predicts a settlement at some point, though she isn’t so sure that it will do much to protect children. They close with their thoughts on gun violence and America’s gun culture in the wake of yet another horrific mass shooting. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and May open the episode with a discussion of recently elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. May sees the whole Speaker saga as embarrassing for her party while Mike argues against the portrayal of Johnson as a radical far-right election denier. After that they turn to the Middle East, discussing whether or not Mike was right to suggest Israel is a colonialist oppressor, whether that’s inherently antisemitic, UN ceasefire resolutions, and a Senate proposal for standalone Israel aid, as opposed to the Israel/Ukraine/Immigration package proposed by the Biden administration. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the preview of this supporters' midweek episode Mike and Jay open by discussing the guilty pleas by Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro in the Georgia racketeering case. Mike thinks it’s a reasonable prosecution and that these pleas may make it easier for prosecutors to get Trump. Jay thinks that “getting Trump” is exactly the problem with this prosecution that he believes shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Then they turn to the revised indictment against New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez. Both Jay and Mike think Menendez is almost certainly a corrupt guy who should end up behind bars. Mike comments that both Menendez and Republican Rep. George Santos seem to have learned that in modern American politics, brazening it out no matter how guilty you look (or are) is the go-to strategy. They close by discussing the near inevitability of a Biden-Trump rematch and consider President Biden’s reluctance to appear before the media. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open with the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Jay gives President Biden credit for his response but argues that Biden’s words of sympathy for Palestinian civilians were ill-timed. They consider the larger issues involved – whether Gazans are rightfully angry with Israel, what Hamas wants and whether Israel is giving it to them, and if we’ll ever see a two-state solution – as well as responses by pro-Palestinian groups in the US and their doxing by conservative groups. Then they turn to the Republicans' inability to elect a Speaker of the House. Mike makes the case that candidate Jim Jordan represents much of what’s wrong with American politics. Jay doesn’t make a case for Jordan as Speaker, but he argues at this point anyone is better than no one. Mike agrees but wonders why the far more numerous House Republican moderates should have to give in to the smaller Freedom Caucus Republicans. They both predict there will be a Republican Speaker within the next few weeks and that the whole fracas won’t matter much to voters in November. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fall of 2017, only a few years after Jim Jordan co-founded the House Freedom Caucus, he had this conversation with Jay, who knew Jordan from their days in the Ohio House of Representatives (Jordan was a freshman legislator, Jay was a staffer). Jordan talks about why he helped create the Freedom Caucus, what it stands for, his views on government spending and debt, as well as some ideas that Mike thinks end up in “tinfoil-hat-wearing conspiracy theory” territory. Given Jordan’s rise to power and his current bid to be the next Speaker of the House, we thought listeners might appreciate hearing this interview from our Politics Guys archive. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey & Ken continue their dive into the U.S. Constitution by overviewing the origins, history, and importance of the Bill of Rights. This episode sets up the next arch of the Constitution episodes as Trey & Ken go through each portion of the first 10 Amendments. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this deep dive episode Trey & Ken take a longview look at the conflict in the Gaza Strip. This includes a history into the formation of both Israel and the Gaza Strip, along with the key moments that led to the terrorist activity on Saturday. The pair discuss the current crisis, the likely next steps, and the response internationally and in the United States to the crisis. As a second story the guys look at the collapse of Scalise as the next U.S. House Speaker, likely next steps, and the possibility of a coalition Speaker with votes from House Democrats. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Steve Inskeep, cohost of NPR’s Morning Edition and their Up First podcast. He’s the author of multiple books, including Instant City, Jacksonland, Imperfect Union, and his latest book, Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America, which they discuss in this episode. Topics Mike and Steve Discuss Include: - the myth vs the reality of Lincoln - how growing up poor influenced Lincoln - Lincoln’s impressive understanding of human psychology - the benefits of engaging with critics - comparisons to Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama - the legacy of Lincoln’s use of executive power - division, reconciliation, and what we can learn from Lincoln today Steve Inskeep on X 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The preview of this supporters’ midweek episode open's with a discussion of Mike’s favorite federal agency – the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Supreme Court is considering whether the financing system for the agency set up by Congress is unconstitutional. Mike doesn’t think so, but it’s a tougher call for Jay. After that, they look into the Credit Card Competition Act, legislation currently in the Senate that would force Visa and Mastercard to let merchants choose an alternative to them for processing credit card payments. On this, Mike and Jay are largely in agreement – more competition seems like a good idea, despite the scare ads that suggest it will mean the end of credit card rewards program. They close by considering Bertrand Russell’s essay “In Praise of Idleness”. Mike thinks there’s a lot to it, and while Jay sees the merit in some of what Russell argues, he feels that Russell might be over-selling idleness. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of the ousting of Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, with every Democrat joining eight Republicans in voting to remove McCarthy as Speaker. Mike asks Jay to explain what’s going on with his party, and whether he thinks this will hurt Republicans in 2024. Jay thinks there will be electoral consequences, but Mike doesn’t agree, at least not if an extended government shutdown is avoided. They have a lot to say about Matt Gaetz, none of it complimentary. (Though Mike gives him credit for solid political positioning.) Following that is a discussion of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s appointment of Laphonza Butler to fill the seat held by the recently departed Dianne Feinstein, a Supreme Court case hinging on whether the word “and” might actually mean “or”, and Donald Trump accusing a court clerk in his civil trial of being Senator Chuck Schumer’s girlfriend and helping to “rig” the case against him. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey talks with Lainey Newman, co-author of Rust Belt Union Blues: Why Working-Class Voters Are Turning Away from the Democratic Party about how the changing nature of social networks has shifted Union voters from Democrats to Trump voters. Topics Trey and Lainey Discuss Include: - how Lainey and Theda Skocpol came to work on the book - how social networks including unions defined the "union man" - why union workers shifted voting patterns as a result of social network changes - the reason for the decline of unions - what the future of unions are in the United States 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trey and Ken continue their deep dive into the U.S. Constitution with an examination of Article VII. The pair discuss the government bypassing nature of the ratification process, what the ratification process was, how the anti-federalists brought us the Bill of Rights from the ratification battle, and set up an introduction to the Bill of Rights. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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

After a brief discussion of the death of Diane Feinstein, including her legacy both positive and negative, Trey and Ken discuss the GOP debate. Trey just doesn’t see room at the GOP table for anyone other than Trump. Ken thinks that the nominees should have gone after Trump sooner, but now have no way to pivot. They then discuss the possibility of a Trump victory next year in the general election. Next, they turn to the ongoing shutdown. As the show went live McCarthy lost his vote for a continuing resolution. Trey argues that a smaller faction of the House Freedom Caucus simply want McCarthy out as speaker for symbolic reasons. Ken argues that the Freedom Caucus wants to effectively burn the house down. They then turn to the ongoing civil trial in New York over the valuation of Trump’s properties. Ken explains the nature of this kind of trial and what it means moving forward. They pair close the show discussing the U.S. Supreme Court’s unwillingness to allow Alabama to use its current electoral map. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Heather Cox Richardson, a professor of history at Boston College and creator of the popular, award-winning “Letters from an American” Substack newsletter. She’s the author of the recently released book, Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America, which is the topic of their discussion. Topics Mike and Heather Discuss Include: - if America is on the brink of authoritarianism - how and why authoritarian leaders come to power - the breakdown of the American “Liberal Consensus” - the transformation of the Republican Party - GOP enablers of Trump - whether liberal elites are to blame for Trump’s rise Heather Cox Richardson on X 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode Mike and May discuss Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s acquittal by the Texas State Senate; if college sports needs saving, whether Congress should act, and what that could look like; why the Senate abandoned its dress code and what that has to do with John Fetterman; and the reaction to Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis’s pre-sentencing letters on behalf of convicted rapist Danny Masterson. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a brief look at the recently announced federal corruption indictment against New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, Mike and May discuss the politics of the looming government shutdown. With less than a week to go before the end of the fiscal year, a shutdown looks almost inevitable. Mike and May discuss the political and policy motivation of the key players and how they think things will play out. Next, they turn to Attorney General Merrick Garland’s recent testimony before Congress, where he was asked tough questions about DOJ investigations, naming David Weiss a special counsel, alleged anti-Catholicism at the FBI, and targeting of parents protesting at school board meetings. They close with a discussion of Governor Josh Shapiro’s announcement that Pennsylvania would be implementing automatic voter registration, making it the 24th state with an automatic registration process. May raises concerns concerning the legality of the move and the registration process itself. Mike agrees that there could be a legitimate legal challenge to Shapiro unilaterally making the change, but he has fewer concerns with the process and argues that it doesn’t benefit Democrats nearly as much as partisans on both sides may think. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike talks with Max Bo‍‍‍rders, the founder and Executive Director of Social Evolution —a non-profit organization dedicated to liberating humanity through innovation. Max is also the co-founder of the Future Frontiers conference and festival. He’s the author of a number of books, including The Decentralist, The Social Singularity, After Collapse, and his most recent book, Underthrow: How Jefferson’s Dangerous Idea Will Spark a New Revolution, which is the focus of their discussion. Topics Mike and Max discuss include: - the modern faith in the Church of State - what luxury beliefs are, and why they’re a problem - why Max things we should relate to each other as consumers - libertarianism and anarchism - hubris and revolutionary change Check out Max’s Constitution of Consent contest. It’s free to enter and the winner will get $25,000. Max Borders on X 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this preview of the midweek supporters’ episode, Mike and Jay open with a discussion of Mitt Romney’s retirement from the Senate, including a look at how the Republican Party has changed since Romney was the GOP’s nominee in 2012 and thoughts on Romney’s opposition to Trump. After that, they discuss why Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his surgeon general are bucking the CDC’s latest COVID booster recommendation, the discovery of significant pandemic unemployment insurance fraud, and an excellent listener question on the root cause of our political dysfunction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Jay kick off the episode with a discussion of Hunter Biden’s indictment on multiple federal gun-related charges. While the guys don’t see Biden ending up in a cell next to Donald Trump, they think it’s pretty clear that Hunter is guilty, but that the gun law he violated may be unconstitutional under the current Supreme Court’s view of the 2nd Amendment. Next is a look at Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announcement of a Biden impeachment inquiry. They discuss why McCarthy broke his word on having a vote of the full House to authorize such a move, the role of the House Freedom Caucus, and how the ongoing budget negotiations may or may not fit in. Then they turn to the United Auto Workers strike against GM, Ford, and Chrysler, analyzing the union's demands for higher wages and benefits versus the automakers' need to invest in new electric vehicle technology. They discuss the political and economic tradeoffs around moving to EVs, including potential job losses that governments have failed to adequately address through retraining and transition programs. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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

Trey and Ken continue their deep dive into the U.S. Constitution with an examination of Article VI. The pair discuss the importance of the continuation of supporting treaties from prior to the Constitution, the details of the Supremacy Clause, and a discussion of the importance of no religious tests for office in contrast to England. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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

Trey and Ken open the show with a discussion of Peter Navarro’s conviction of contempt of Congress. Ken points out that this is a new tactic: appealing rulings not to win, but in the hopes of receiving a pardon. Meanwhile, Trey wonders about the larger reasoning for Navarro to go to bat for Trump given he could have been easily saved by Trump earlier in the process. This leads to a discussion of Enrique Tarrio’s conviction and sentencing. Trey is surprised that mainstream candidates such as DeSantis are criticizing the process and then laments it is evidence that the Republican Party is now the party of Trump ideology. Next the duo discuss the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Ken (Katkin) notes that it was his own celebrity within the Christian right that ultimately bings him down among his own believers. Trey discusses the relationship between infidelity and politics. After that is a conversation about the shocking news that the federal deficit doubled in 2023. Trey sees this as deeply problematic, especially since it is coming during a period of strong growth. He criticizes Bidenomics. Ken sees such deficits as sustainable, although they are second best options. He disagrees there is a need for structural change, unless it meant undoing tax cuts. The Guys then turn their attention overseas to the recent Mexico Supreme Court ruling finding a right for abortion. This leads Trey and Ken to postulate how the U.S. and Mexico diverge. Trey notes that in both cases the Supreme Court’s were at odds with popular opinion in their respective countries. He wonders if Mexico will see a push for pro-life policies in a similar manner to the pro-choice bump which occurred after Dobbs. The pair close the show with an empirical overview of Labor Unions for Labor Day. The final verdict? For better or worse they are dead. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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

In the preview of this supporters' midweek episode, Mike and May discuss Donald Trump's trial date being set for March 2024, right in the midst of the Republican primary race. They debate whether the timing will help or hurt Trump in the primaries, as well as whether any Republican will end up mounting a real challenge to Trump or if his being nominated by the GOP for a third straight time is a foregone conclusion. They also talk about the likelihood of House Republicans initiating impeachment proceedings against Biden when Congress is back in session. May argues that impeachment has been weaponized and even though a Biden impeachment inquiry may not be justified at this point, Republicans have to fight fire with fire before the bar can be raised again and impeachment becomes the rarity it's been in the past. Shifting gears, they analyze a federal judge's decision allowing a biological male to join a sorority at the University of Wyoming. The judge ruled the sorority's bylaws stating membership is for women are open to interpretation since 'woman' was not defined. Mike and May discuss private organizations defining their own membership criteria as opposed to courts imposing definitions. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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 May open the episode with a look at the initial drugs selected for Medicare drug price negotiations, a very popular policy made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. May isn’t a fan of the program, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will save the government nearly $100 billion over a decade. She argues that it will stifle innovation and that the so-called negotiations are little more than government price setting. Mike sees things differently, believing that this gives Medicare the ability to negotiate that it should have had long ago. Mike and May agree in their view of the American health system as a big mess filled with perverse incentives. Then they turn to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s recent on-camera freeze-up – the second in little more than a month. They discuss if McConnell should retire, what happens if he does, the best method to fill Senate vacancies (it’s not the method most states use), and whether it’s time to take a serious look at age and term limits for Congress. (And maybe age limits for the president too.) That sets Mike off on a semi-rant about the 10th Amendment. May generally agrees with him, but she’s less emotionally invested in it than Mike, who has a strangely deep attachment to the 10th. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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 supporters’ midweek episode with a look at the latest developments surrounding Donald Trump’s indictments. They discuss the sensation surrounding Trump’s mug shot as well as House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan’s announcement of an investigation into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who indicted Trump on multiple felony counts related to his alleged attempts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Georgia. Next, they turn to President Biden’s reaction to the tragic fires on the Hawaiian island of Maui as well as the connection between the fires and the larger issue of global climate change. Mike makes the case for a link and while Jay doesn’t disagree, he argues that many on the left are too quick to blame climate change. They close with a discussion of the murder of Wagner Group head Yevgeniy Prigozhin – the latest in a long line of suspicious deaths linked to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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 episode with a discussion of the first Republican presidential debate, featuring eight GOP presidential hopefuls with runaway favorite Donald Trump noticeably absent. Neither Jay nor Mike thinks what we saw was an actual debate, but they did find some value in hearing what the candidates had to say about supporting Donald Trump, immigration, abortion rights, and Ukraine. They also discuss Trump’s decision to skip the debate in favor of counter-programming a pre-taped interview with Tucker Carlson on X. Is Donald Trump even constitutionally eligible to run again? Mike and Jay consider the argument that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment bars Trump from running. It’s not some crazy liberal notion, but a lengthy and well-researched argument of two well-respected conservative legal scholars. Mike finds the logic convincing and while Jay says there’s something to it, he doesn’t think that Trump can be barred from running without some sort of authoritative legal finding. Mike disagrees but argues that Trump shouldn’t be barred because of the horrendous repercussions of such a ruling. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) 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

Trey and Ken continue their deep dive into the U.S. Constitution with an examination of Article V. The hosts focus on the amendment process for the U.S. Constitution, along with two issues that our Framers kept from being amended. They also discuss the possibility of a Constitutional Convention along with if there will be a 28th Amendment. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter 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 week Trey and Ken are joined by special guest Liz! The Politics Guys trio start by discussing the most recent charges of racketeering against former president Trump in Georgia. Liz and Ken both see this as a good thing. Further Ken predicts Trump will wind up in jail before the end of the year. Trey thinks Ken is wrong, Trump will not wind up in jail for pragmatic political reasons. He also thinks the publicity of the trial will not fair well for Democrats. Next the three discuss how the latest Trump charges intersect with the upcoming Republican Presidential primary. Liz thinks that Trump will turn himself in during the debate to keep the focus on him. Ken thinks that process will take longer than normal and believes it will make for bad imaging for Trump. After that the discussion moves to the local story turned global: the Marion County Record's raid by local police. All three discuss the implication of the Privacy Protection Act along with the more human side to the story. The three hosts finish the show with a discussion of Senator Tommy Tuberville's blocking of military promotions until Congress either takes action over Defense Department policy concerning paying for abortions and travel or the policy is overturned. Trey believes the Senate could and should take up the issue in normal policy, but won't because both sides believe they win by the inaction. Ken and Liz disagree, arguing the Tuberville's actions are without precedence. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter 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

In this preview of the second midweek supporters’ episode we’re running this week, Mike, Jay, Trey, and a number of Patreon supporters consider the recent David Brooks NYT article, “What if We’re the Bad Guys Here?” in which Brooks asks the mostly liberal elite readership of the Times to consider how they may have contributed to an economic and cultural environment that allowed Donald Trump to come to power and remain the leading voice in the Republican Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this preview of the supporters' midweek episode, Mike & Jay open with a discussion of President Biden’s recently announced investment restrictions on China. While both of the Guys are free traders, they agree that when it comes to national security it makes sense to put some restrictions on countries that are strategic adversaries. Following that, they look at the Supreme Court’s recent stay of a lower-court judge’s invalidation of Biden administration ghost-gun kit regulations and consider party loyalty in the wake of Joe Manchin’s announcement that he’s very seriously considering leaving the Democratic Party as well as Donald Trump’s refusal to sign a GOP presidential nominee loyalty pledge. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter 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 & Jay open with a discussion of Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of a special counsel in the Hunter Biden investigation after the collapse of a plea bargain between Biden and federal prosecutors. While it may not change much in practical terms, they agree that it makes sense politically. Next is a look at the message Ohio voters sent in resoundingly rejecting a measure that would have made it more difficult to enact a state constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights in the state. Jay and Mike agree that the GOP hasn’t found its way on the issue in the post-Dobbs world, but Jay is more confident than Mike that Republicans can win over voters on the issue. Following that they discuss the latest developments in the Trump January 6th indictment, including the issuing of a protective order and Trump’s 1st Amendment rights. They close with Biden’s request for additional funding for Ukraine, which given softening public support Mike believes won’t necessarily pass. Jay is more optimistic, though he laments the more insular turn of the Trump-era GOP. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter 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