Mike and Jay open this final pre-election episode with a look at the closing arguments of Trump and Harris, with a focus on Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally. Mike is feeling fairly pessimistic but thinks that Harris may have an edge in voter enthusiasm and grassroots organization that might just put her over the top. Jay argues that while Trump should be taken seriously but not literally, Harris should be taken neither seriously nor literally. From there they turn to a discussion of th...
Nov 01, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Mike talks with Stephen J. Ducat, an author, political psychologist, psychoanalyst, and former psychology professor in the School of Humanities at New College of California. They discuss Professor Ducat’s most recent book, Hatreds We Love: The Psychology of Political Tribalism in Post-Truth America. Topics Mike and Stephen discuss include: - why tribal loyalty often overrides material self-interest - demonizing outsiders to reinforce in-group virtue - conservative disgust vs liberal disdain - th...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Jay and Justin spend the entirety of this midweek supporters' episode discussing the F word: fascism. It’s been explicitly applied to Donald Trump recently by not only Democrats but several of his former staffers as well. What is fascism? How does it differ from other forms of authoritarianism? Does Donald Trump tick enough boxes to be one? While Trump exhibits some concerning authoritarian tendencies - like his admiration for strong leaders and inflammatory rhetoric about "corrupting the blood ...
Oct 29, 2024•16 min
Jay and Justin open this episode with their predictions for the upcoming presidential election, with Justin forecasting a narrow Harris victory and Jay expecting Trump to return to the White House. They also discuss how traditional polling methods might be missing key voter segments and how social desirability bias could affect Trump supporters' willingness to participate in polls. Next, they look at early voting patterns and Republican voter registration trends, which they agree could be favora...
Oct 26, 2024•1 hr
Mike talks with Mark Green, founder of The Democracy Project, twice-elected Public Advocate for New York City, and the author of multiple books, the latest being, The Inflection Election: Democracy or Fascism in 2024?, which they discuss in this episode. Topics Mike and Mark discuss include: - the importance of the 2024 presidential election - if Donald Trump is a fascist - if Trump is an existential threat to American democracy - why Mike has more faith in the Supreme Court than Mark does - the...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Mike and May open the preview of this supporters’ midweek episode with their predictions for control of the Senate and House, where they agree that Republicans are all but a lock to win the upper chamber and that things look somewhat more promising for Democrats in the House. Then they turn to a recent ruling in Georgia in which a judge enjoined an election rule that would have required hand counting of ballots to ensure they match the total number of votes tallied electronically. Neither Mike n...
Oct 22, 2024•16 min
Mike and May open with a discussion of Kamala Harris’ interview with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier. Mike thinks there were several missed opportunities for Harris, while May argues that Harris is a policy lightweight. Mike believes that the focus on immigration and gender transition surgery for inmates says a lot about what matters to the Fox audience, as does the lack of attention paid to healthcare, abortion, Ukraine, and China. Then they turn to the state of the race and make the...
Oct 18, 2024•58 min
Mike talks with Pedro Domingos, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. He’s an AI researcher, tech industry insider, and author of the best-selling book The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World. Recently, he’s turned his hand to political fiction, in the often hilariously funny novel 2040: A Silicon Valley Satire, which is very funny but also has plenty to say about serious issues facing us concer...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Mike and Jay open the preview of this midweek supporters’ episode with a look at the over 100 lawsuits that have already been filed and how they’re likely to affect the outcome and aftermath of what’s almost sure to be an extremely close presidential race. Next, they turn to a new analysis of how Trump and Harris’ platforms would affect the economy. Mike argues that Jay should be even more concerned about Trump given how much worse his proposals look for the national debt, even after considering...
Oct 15, 2024•18 min
Mike and Jay open with a discussion of the lies told by Donald Trump and JD Vance about FEMA in the wake of disaster relief efforts for hurricanes Helene and Milton. They also get FEMA’s role and whether the agency should be doing more in advance of ever-increasing major natural disasters. Next is a discussion of oral arguments in two major cases that opened the Supreme Court’s new term – one involving ghost guns and another in which the state of Oklahoma admits prosecutorial misconduct in a dea...
Oct 12, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Mike talks with Rebecca Glazier, a Professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Professor Glazier is the Director of the Little Rock Congregations Study and the author of the book Faith and Community: How Engagement Strengthens Members, Places of Worship, and Society, which they discuss in this episode. Topics Mike and Rebecca Cover Include: - the forms of religious engagement - religious engagement and political efficacy - the tension between community...
Oct 09, 2024•52 min
This 14th Amendment Constitution episode focuses on the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Topics include The context of the 14th Amendment's ratification, Plessy v Ferguson, Brown v Board of Education, and the history behind Thurgood Marshall and the NCAAP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 08, 2024•19 min
Trey and Ken start with the Vice-Presidential debate. The conversation begins with an explanation of rejecting the horse-race narrative of analyzing debates and how the VP debate won’t change voting patterns. They also discuss the stability of the presidential polling numbers despite assassination attempts and a candidate dropping out. Next, they look at Iran’s recent missile barrage on Israel. The hosts also discuss Israel’s tactics against Hezbollah. They end the show with a sharp debate over ...
Oct 04, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Jay and Justin open the midweek supporters’ episode with a discussion of the appellate oral arguments over Donald Trump's civil fraud conviction, with a focus on the legal case, process, and political implications. They then turn their attention to the Vance Dossier hack and leak. While the document itself is not a page-turner, it raises important questions about media ethics and campaign security. Finally, they examine recent and less recent 2nd Amendment Supreme Court cases and the role and li...
Oct 01, 2024•17 min
Jay and Justin start with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the US, then move to Kamala Harris's visit to the border to talk immigration policy. They wrap up with a pair of political scandals: New York Mayor Eric Adams and NC Gubernatorial Candidate Mark Robinson The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level...
Sep 28, 2024•1 hr 32 min
Mike talks with Matt Grossmann, Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research and Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. Matt was on the show in 2019 when we talked about his book on public policy change, Artists of the Possible, and he’s back again for a discussion of his latest book, co-authored with David Hopkins, Polarized by Degrees: How the Diploma Divide and the Culture War Transformed American Politics. Topics Mike & Matt Discuss Include: - the...
Sep 25, 2024•52 min
Mike and May open this supporters’ midweek episode with a discussion of Senate Democrats’ failed IVF bill. Both Mike and May think there’s something to be said for the legislation itself while agreeing that it was more of a messaging bill than a serious legislative proposal. From there they turn to strong bipartisan support for emergency funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Mike expresses at least some surprise that no House Republicans seemed to object to nearly $3 billion in additio...
Sep 24, 2024•18 min
Mike and May open with a discussion of the 2nd attempt (that we know of) on Donald Trump’s life, which turns into a broader consideration of extremist rhetoric on both sides and political violence. May believes that Trump has been targeted more than any other figure, suggesting more of a problem on the left. Mike thinks that things will get considerably worse, no matter which candidate wins in November. Next, they consider how events have unfolded in Springfield Ohio, in the wake of Donald Trump...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr
Mike welcomes back to the show George Mason University economist Bryan Caplan to discuss his book, Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation. Topics Mike and Bryan discuss include: - why housing prices are so high - bipartisan agreement on housing deregulation - the value of building more high-rise residential units - the many costs of NIMBYism - the Supreme Court and housing regulation - government housing regulations that do make sense - building and immigration - which ...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Mike and Jay open the preview of this midweek supporters' episode with a look at reports from Goldman Sachs and the Penn Wharton Budget Model, both of which conclude that Kamala Harris’ economic plans will be better for the US economy than Donald Trump’s. However, there are some important caveats, which they delve into. Next, they look at where Congress is in the yearly budget process, with the fiscal year ending in less than two weeks. They also discuss the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility ...
Sep 17, 2024•19 min
Mike and Jay open with a discussion of the first (and possibly only) debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Jay agrees with the conventional wisdom about the debate hurting Trump, and Mike agrees that it’s not likely to make a huge difference. But as Jay points out, in a race almost certain to be as close as this one is, a few thousand votes in the right places could mean a lot. Mike argues that Donald Trump’s untrue comment about Haitian migrants eating family pets is a disgusting dehum...
Sep 14, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Trey and Ken discuss the 13th Amendment and the 14th Amendment's citizenship and privileges and immunities clauses. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of po...
Sep 07, 2024•19 min
Trey is again joined by Ken and they start the show looking at the U.S. Justice Department's recent indictment of, presumably, Tenet Media. Ken argues this demonstrates the Justice Department is taking Russian election interference seriously, while Trey suggests this kind of revelation can be a place for considering one's media content consumption. Next, the duo dives into Montana's U.S. Senate Race between Republican challenger Tim Sheehy and Democratic incumbent Jon Tester. Ken believes there ...
Sep 07, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Travis talks with political scientist and the CEO of PRRI, Dr. Melissa Deckman about her new book, The Politics of Gen Z: How the Youngest Voters Will Shape our Democracy, in which she explores the political activities of American Zoomers, especially among Gen Z women, including a robust analysis of survey data coupled with rich detail from focus groups and interview with young political entrepreneurs. Topics Travis and Melissa cover include: The rise of women’s political participation and how i...
Sep 04, 2024•56 min
Questions include: May's position on conversion therapy May's thoughts on the LGBTQ+ community Trey and May on Donald Trump and democracy in the U.S. The best books on politics The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the Sustainable Planet podcast, as well as the free Sustainable Planet Substack. Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo we’re @PoliticsGuys. The ...
Sep 03, 2024•21 min
Trey and May begin by analyzing Harris’s CNN interview. Trey posits we have entered a new post-position political age. Both discuss the evolution of Harris and whether she has stayed true to her values while shifting her policies. The pair delve into the respective promises of both Harris and Trump on using opposing party members in their cabinet and their transition team respectively. Next the pair dive into Trump’s evolution on abortion and his use of pro-choice phrases in his Truth Social Pos...
Aug 30, 2024•56 min
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 v...
Aug 28, 2024•53 min
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 t...
Aug 27, 2024•18 min
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 polit...
Aug 24, 2024•1 hr 12 min
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 Congre...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr 4 min
