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80-Proof Politics

Evergreen Podcasts80proofpolitics.com
On any given day in Washington, DC, policy proposals are created, debated, and decimated by tens of thousands of people and organizations working behind the scenes. Each week one of these advocates and I will visit a DC watering hole and distill the art of advocacy by pulling back the curtain a bit and taking a look at how they play their part in this sausage factory we call our federal government. So, if you’re at all interested in how the sausage is made, pull up a chair, grab a drink, and join us for the next 30 minutes or so. After all, what goes better with sausage than a tall cold one?

Episodes

Looking after the GSIBs with Kevin Fromer, President and CEO of the Financial Services Forum.

From answering calls on Capitol Hill to running the Financial Services Forum, Kevin Fromer has had a classic - and very successful - public policy career in Washington. Along the way, he was the Chief of Staff for the longest serving Member in the House, Policy Advisor to the Speaker, and AsstSec for Legislative Affairs at Treasury during the '08-'09 financial services crisis. He joins me at Cafe Riggs which used to be the lobby for the largest bank in DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

May 18, 202335 minSeason 3Ep. 28

Kevin Fromer Sneak Preview

How do we ensure the nation's 4700 banks are healthy? What if the 8 GSIP's at the top of the food chain were to fail? My guest next week and his team spend every day working to make sure that doesn't happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 11, 20233 minSeason 3Ep. 21

Erol Yayboke, Director of Fragility and Mobility at CSIS joins me at The Dignitary to explain what it's like to work for a think tank.

From monitoring Putin's disinformation tactics, writing about the destructive earthquakes in Turkey, and figuring out how to get paid for thinking and writing, Erol Yayboke, Director of Fragility and Mobility at CSIS joins me at The Dignitary to explain what it's like to work for a think tank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 04, 202350 min

Next week's sneak peek

Next week’s guest is going to tell us what it’s like to work at a think tank. They play a fascinating role in the federal policy arena. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 27, 20233 minSeason 3Ep. 21

A conversation with Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley about the need for a Sustainability Scorecard

Fifty-three years ago this week, a group of activists started the modern-day era of environmentalism, climate control, and sustainability by stealing my birthday and turning it into Earth Day. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of chatting with one of current champions of that cause, former Governor of Maryland and 2016 Presidential candidate, Martin O'Malley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 20, 202337 minSeason 3Ep. 20

Next week's sneak peek

Fifty years ago, a group of "Think Global; Act Local" do-gooders stole my birthday! Next week's guest has a lot to say about why those thieves have failed in their mission to save the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 13, 20233 minSeason 3Ep. 19

Chatting (at an undisclosed location...) about safe building transportation with Amy Blankenbiller, Executive Director of the National Elevator Industry, Inc.

Ever stopped to think about how much time - or how many miles (!) - you spend moving from place to place on an elevator or an escalator? Me neither. But Amy Blankenbiller does, ands she's working to make those experiences safe and enjoyable for us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 06, 202336 minSeason 3Ep. 18

Next week's sneak peek

It seems every industry has a trade association. Tune in next week to learn a bit about one you might be taking for granted on a daily basis. Oh, and something very unique happened while recording this one... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 30, 20233 minSeason 3Ep. 17

A Conversation with Chairman Bill Archer on the Occasion of his 95th Birthday

This week, we step back from distilling the art of advocacy and have a conversation with the first former Member of Congress to visit 80-Proof Politics. Join me as former Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Bill Archer, shares his public service story on the occasion of his 95th Birthday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 23, 202338 minSeason 3Ep. 16

A sneak peek at next week's episode

Next week, 80-Proof Politics takes a step back from Distilling the Art of Advocacy for a conversation I recently had with a well-known person in this town who served 30 years in Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 16, 20233 minSeason 3Ep. 15

Creating a Successful Team From Opposite Ends of The Political Spectrum with Cristina Antelo and Mark Williams

Cristina Antelo and Mark Williams didn't know each other until three years ago - in spite of being from the same town, having children the same age, and each heavily involved in Hispanic politic organizations - but found out they are basically the same person from different ends of the political spectrum. Now they run one of the hottest lobby firms in town, Ferox Strategies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 09, 202357 minSeason 3Ep. 14

Next Episode Sneak Peek

Two politicos from Dallas walk into a bar... A sneak peek of an informative and highly entertaining conversation with two people who share very similar backgrounds - tho' from opposite ends of the political spectrum - never met until three years ago and are now running one of the most successful lobby firms in town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 01, 20233 minSeason 3Ep. 13

Washington Navigators Preview

What does it take to branch out and start your own lobbying firm? These two did just that after decades of working for others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 02, 20233 minSeason 3Ep. 9

Exploring the role of PACs with Micaela Isler, Executive Director of NABPAC

The Executive Director of the National Association of Business Political Action Committees, Micaela Isler, breaks down what PACs are, how they represent the voices of hundreds - even thousands - of like-minded individuals in today's elections, and how the housing financial crisis saved her marriage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 26, 202344 minSeason 3Ep. 8

Episode 8 Preview

Next week, 80-Proof Politics returns to its regular schedule with a fascinating conversation with Micaela Isler, Executive Director of the National Association of Business PACs. Here's a sneak peek into that episode. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 19, 20233 min

Behind the Curtain - Now What?

How will official Washington respond to the collapsed house of cards that once was FTX and SBF? What happens to the millions he and his colleagues contributed to political campaigns? Will crypto ever be sexy again inside the Beltway? Let's see... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 05, 202321 minSeason 3Ep. 6

Behind the Curtain - The Playbook

It's not that FTX and Bankman-Fried created an entirely new approach to federal advocacy. They literally used every page in the playbook while spending over $200M inside the Beltway. What they did was run a massively accelerated 2-minute offense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 29, 202230 minSeason 3Ep. 5

Behind the Curtain - Players Need a Goal

Imagine if you will that you decide to spend $200M in Washington to become a "player." You'd expect some sort of favorable outcome, wouldn't you? Bankman-Fried and FTX sure did. Episode 2 of 80-Proof Politics Behind the Curtain explores what exactly our crypto friend hoped to accomplish by becoming a political force. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 22, 202218 minSeason 3Ep. 4

Behind the Curtain - Becoming a DC Player

We're kicking off a new partnership with Evergreen Podcasts with a special four-part mini series called: 80-Proof Politics Behind the Curtain. In episode 1 I ask the question, "What would you do if you had $3million to spend in Washington DC?" Turns out the answer is "a lot" if you compress the typical advocacy playbook into an 18-month accelerated charm offensive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 15, 202237 minSeason 3Ep. 3

Season 3 Teaser

There’s exciting news about the future of 80-Proof Politics (cue “The Jeffersons” theme song…). Stay tuned for the big announcement, but in the meantime here’s a taste of the upcoming season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 01, 20223 minSeason 3Ep. 2

Navigating DC with a swamp pilot: Keeping the "why" in focus with Mike Bertman, Founder and President of Swamp Pilot Strategies, LLC.

Welcome back! After nearly eighteen months on the social distancing lam, 80-Proof Politics is back with episode 1 of season 3. Longtime distilled spirits lobbyist, Mike Bertman tells us about why he is now betting on himself for once, and making sure he has at least one great idea each day in order to make himself better tomorrow than he is today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 10, 202258 minSeason 3Ep. 1

Remotely conversing with former longtime higher ed advocate and congressional candidate, Shay Stautz

Fresh from the campaign trail in his home state of Arizona - and having his beer delivered to his doorstep during this time of shelter-in-place - Shay Stautz talks about his years as a higher education lobbyist, how he translated that experience into running for Congress, and plowing through colleagues in the office to get his first real policy position on Capitol Hill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 28, 202047 minSeason 2Ep. 6

Drinking Alone: Advocacy in the Time of Coronavirus

In this special edition of 80-Proof Politics, we touch base virtually with a few of our previous Guestperts to see how they are adjusting a profession built on personal relationships and interpersonal communications to an era of self isolation and social distancing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 20, 202041 minSeason 2Ep. 5

Matthew Cornelius, Executive Director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation, talks about encouraging acquisition at the speed of technology within the federal government. At Lost & Found.

From telling federal agency personnel why they can't to now showing them why they should, Matthew Cornelius - three months into his role as Executive Director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation - joins 80-Proof at Lost & Found for a pre-coronavirus talk about how being a Duke fan while attending UNC prepared him for working at Treasury, GSA, OMB, and running an association of companies helping to shape innovation in government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 27, 202047 minSeason 2Ep. 4