Politicology

Pat Condo (Founder and CEO of Seekr Technologies)  joins Ron Steslow to discuss the media landscape, their search tool that uses Artificial Intelligence to index websites and news stories to rate the content so readers can make better informed choices about what they read.  (02:26) From navigation technology to search technology (05:46) Why he decided to create Seekr (37:50) What makes Seekr diffe...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we’ll talk about turbulence in the stock market and the fight over the Continuing Resolution to avert a shutdown Then, we talk about a new Facebook whistleblower who detailed the lengths Meta was willing to go to to operate in China.  Finally, we head to Politicology+,where we’ll preview Alex Isenstadt’s new book Revenge: The Inside St...

Matt Lewis, Alex Isenstadt and host Ron Steslow discuss Alex’s new book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power Read Alex’ book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power— https://bit.ly/4kvx94g Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katty Kay (veteran reporter and four-time NYT bestselling author) joins host Ron Steslow to discuss her new book The Power Code: More Joy. Less Ego. Maximum Impact for Women (and Everyone), co-written with Claire Shipman.  (02:12) Katty’s background and why she started looking at power  (07:07) Women are passing men in college degrees, but not the boardroom  (13:10) Why women have been more likely...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, President Trump’s first address to congress of his second term.   Then, we talk about Third Way leading the charge as Democrats rethink not only their brand but their positions as they plan for the future of the party. Next, we turn our attention to AI for some provocative, non-technical considerations that are neither theoretical nor...

Marc Polymeropoulos on that Oval Office Disaster and the Trump Admin’s Abandonment of Ukraine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Susan Del Percio  and host Ron Steslow discuss a piece in The Atlantic calling for Democrats to clean house.  Related reading:  The Atlantic - Democrats Need Their Own DEI Purge - The Atlantic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss the Trump Administration’s 180 degree turn on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  Then, we talk about why housing prices keep climbing even with higher interest rates—and why we should be thinking about a paradigm shift in how we think about owning a home. Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we’ll talk about a piece in The At...

James Kirchick joins Ron Steslow to discuss his book Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington (01:55) Why he wrote the book (06:43) The interwoven political history and gay history in Washington (14:33) The melting pot of the gay community and why it was seen as a  threat (19:55) The trope that whatever is bad must be gay (31:51) The Lavender Scare  (35:53) The tension between the gay  lo...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss DOGE’s complicated story, why we do need to cut spending, and whether they’re being realistic about what that will take Then, we talk about the Trump plan to dismantle the federal Department of Education  After that, we talk about the European speech laws that are in the spotlight after a 60 Minutes segment and a speech from...

This episode is a little bit different. And personal. Kristyn Komarnicki, director of dialogue and convening at Christians for Social Action, and Darren Calhoun, a justice advocate, worship leader, and Associate Fellow at CSA, join Ron Steslow to discuss intentional dialogue, and how we can use their techniques in the relationships that matter to us. (07:06) What is dialogue? How is it different f...

Host Ron Steslow welcomes Mike Brock, CEO of TBD, a subsidiary of Block Inc. (formerly Square), the financial technology firm led by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. The Internet is dominated by massive, corporate walled gardens like Google, Facebook, and Twitter (now X), where centralized control makes their users (us!) vulnerable to censorship and manipulation. In this episode, we explore how the mo...

For the ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Molly McKew (writer and lecturer on Russian influence and information warfare) about Russia’s ongoing attack on Ukraine, the status of the war, and what comes next for Ukraine. They discuss: (01:56) Understanding the current state of the war (05:26) The Evolution of th...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss the whirlwind around tariffs, the politics and the optics, and why the tariffs on China are moving forward  Then, we talk about a Chinese AI startup that’s making shockwaves and how it’s impacting the U.S.-China Tech war After that, we talk about immigration and how the Laken Riley Act vote is a sign of the growing gap in La...

Michele Gelfand (Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Professor of Psychology by Courtesy at Stanford University) joins host Ron Steslow to discuss culture, social norms, and her book Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World  (01:46) Why she decided to study culture  (04:34) What are tight and loose cultures (06:12) W...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss the chaos that ignited after the White House pushed for a freeze in federal funding and the Trump Administration backing down Then, we talk about Trump-supporting, young men and their desire to be recognized for greatness  Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss the government-run snitch lines in seven states and...

For the full and ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to  Casey Michel (Director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation) about his book Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World and how foreign money  influences our politics. They discuss: (...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss Donald Trump’s broad pardons for January 6th and Joe Biden’s preemptive pardons for Trump critics and his own family members. Then, we talk about Trump’s Executive Orders and whether there’s a growing appetite for something resembling a more monarchical presidency Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss Donald and...

Liam Donovan, Marc Caputo, Brady Dale (Crypto Reporter at Axios),  and host Ron Steslow discuss  Donald and Melania Trump launching memecoins and the serious ethical questions they raise Related reading:  Axios - Trump meme coin unsettles some blockchain leaders NYT - Trump Begins Selling New Crypto Token, Raising Ethical Concerns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the ad-free & full version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Nick Anthony (Policy Analyst at the Cato Institute and a Fellow at the Human Rights Foundation) about Central Bank Digital Curriences, their potential to invade privacy, alter the dynamics of financial control, how governments are trying to justify them, and why...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss the devastating wild fires in California and the political earthquake that’s coming. Then, we talk about the paradox of America’s dysfunction at home and unparalleled power on the global stage. Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss the TikTok ban set to go into effect and the “refugees” flocking to other China c...

For the ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Senator Ron Wyden (Oregon) about his new book It Takes Chutzpah and leading the legislative charge for privacy in the digital age. Segments to look forward to: (01:48) What is Chutzpah (06:06) Being the ‘Designated Driver’ in the Senate  (07:31) Why he’s committed to p...

To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss President-elect Trump’s push to get “one, big, beautiful bill” to get his campaign promises through congress.  Then, we talk about the proposals for a strategic Bitcoin reserve and the shifts in how legislators are thinking about crypto.  Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss how we can and should talk about the...

For the ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to longtime Washington D.C. public defender Heather Shaner about her work representing dozens of January 6th defendants. They’re joined by Liz Gilbert Cohen who worked as a consulting producer on the documentary about Heather’s work with January 6 defendents—Public Defend...

For the full and ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus We live in a loud world that’s getting louder. We encounter noise all around us—from the chatter of polite conversations, to street noise in a big city, to the constant intrusion of the dings of notifications. But what is all of this noise doing to us, and what does it mean to find quiet i...