The Politics Guys

In this week's show Trey and Ken start by talking about Biden's proposal to curb crime. The pair get into the stats and whether or not a bold crime push is even a good idea. Then they turn to the New York Mayoral race. Here the talk about rank choice voting and how crime rates may have factored into the primary. Next the pair turn to what Trey calls the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that wasn't....

Mike and Jay this week as the ACA Supreme Court trilogy reaches its thrilling conclusion. As often is the case, the sequels just aren't as good and the Court dismisses for lack of standing. Jay and Mike talk about standing severability and a mandate that really looks unconstitutional but is as toothless as that Abominable Snow Monster at the end of Rudolf. Then — Happy Juneteenth! Mike and Jay agr...

This week Trey and Ken talk about Biden on his overseas visit. What is to be gained and what are the optics? Next the pair talk about the future of Biden's agenda. Does Congressional theater work? Should it work? Have the standards been applied evenly to both parties? Then it's off to inflation where Trey argues government spending is leading to unhealthy levels of inflation while Ken argues thing...

This week Mike and Jay ignore all advice to the contrary and mess with Texas. Is Texas' new proposed voting law really an "assault on democracy" or just some marginal policy changes? And is walking out on a vote any way to do your job? Speaking of doing your job, why is it so hard to find good (or any) help these days? Mike laments the unfulfilling nature of so many occupations in our post-capital...

Kristin is back! She and Mike tackle the end of the proposed January 6th Commission, Republican Senators blocking the proposal, and some individual Senators’ concerns. They also discuss the COVID lab leak issue and some pressing questions, including whether Trump was right and what the future holds for U.S.-China relations. Finally, Mike and Kristin discuss the bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Compe...

Mike and Jay open the show with a look at the recently agreed upon cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. They consider whether Israel’s response was disproportionate, where responsibility lies for the current crisis, and what role the United States should play. Following that, they discuss the bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6th takeover of the US Capitol. Mike believes it should a...

Trey and Ken begin by asking: who controls the Republican Party and is there a place for Cheney like Republicans? The looming question for Trey is if there can remain a place in the Republican Party for non-Trump supporters. Next the pair get technical, and economic, on the colonial pipeline debate. They also discuss the balance of environmentalism with its human cost. Finally, Trey and Ken discus...

Mike, Jay, and Olivia discuss whether Florida’s new voting law is a solution in search of a problem or a reasonable election security measure, COVID vaccination rates and whether waiving intellectual property protections will be an overall benefit, and what Liz Cheney’s all but certain ouster as the #3 House Republican means for the near-term future of the GOP. Mike’s Recommendations For All Manki...

How many trillions until it starts adding up to real money? That is Trey's lead question this week when discussing Biden's American Families Plan with Ken. The pair discuss the plan, Biden's speech to a joint session of Congress, and reconciliation. Next the pair move to Monday's early Census 2020 data drop and dive into American by the numbers. Trey and Ken then talk about the support for democra...

It's Mike and Jay this week discussing the Chauvin verdict, the future of policing, and the propriety of elected officials opining on what a jury ought to do. Then Happy Earth Day! Biden promises to cut lots of emissions or something . . . . we'll get the details later. Then a Supreme Court decision we can all agree on. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter Listener support helps make The Politi...

Mike and Jay are joined by special guest Mark Marsolais, a veteran of the Houston Police Department who went on to earn his PhD in criminal justice and who now teaches at the college level. They discuss incidents in Brooklyn Center, Windsor, and Chicago and get into police training, conduct, the role of police unions, "the thin blue line", racism in policing, and a lot more. Following that, Mike a...

Reconciliation is back! Trey and Ken talk about the recent Senate parliamentarian ruling on a third budget reconciliation and what it means for Biden's infrastructure bill. Then Trey and Ken argue over progressive taxes and SALT, before agreeing on Biden's recent gun control legislation. Next the pair discuss the long history of vaccine skepticism and its most recent incarnation in the form of COV...

Infrastructurepalooza! Mike and Jay talk about what's in the bill (lots), what's left out (not much), and how the procedure is guiding the substance of the bill. Then Mike and Jay board the midnight train to Georgia to talk election bill specifics, Biden's "hyperbole" (Jay's air quotes), and whether corporations are responding to customer perception or government demands. Finally--March Madness Ba...

Mike and Jay open the episode with a discussion of the mass shooting in Boulder Colorado. Is the same script of “outrage, resistance, inaction” going to play out after this tragedy that we’ve seen so many times before? They also reexamine their discussion of the Georgia mass shooting from last week. Did they downplay the issue of AAPI intolerance? What about violence against women and sex workers?...

Mike and Jay talk about the mess at the border, where good intentions create bad incentives. Then the Georgia shootings. Are they part of a larger trend of intolerance and violence toward Asians? Should this be viewed through the prism of race? And can anti-Chinese rhetoric be blamed for an increase in hate crimes against Asians? Biden takes a tough line against China. Can a rising China be contai...

This week Trey is joined by Ken and the pair start with the Supreme Court case of Uzuegbunam v. Preczewiski. Here the pair discuss the standards the Supreme Court uses to determine if a case ought to be heard and Ken argues the Supreme Court should do away with the concept of mootness. Next the pair discuss the dubious record Biden has set in not holding a press conference. Trey notes his 45 days...

Mike and Trey open the show with a look at  final negotiations over the latest COVID relief legislation, in which centrist Senate Democrats - Joe Manchin in particular - forced significant revisions to the House-passed measure. Next, they discuss H.R. 1, the “For The People Act”, which would be the largest federal intervention in election procedures in a very long time. Mike thinks that’s a good t...

Mike talks with Brown University political scientist James Morone about his latest book, Republic of Wrath: How American Politics Turned Tribal, from George Washington to Donald Trump. Topics they cover include: the history of partisan conflict how our current conflicts are different states as “laboratories of authoritarianism the dirty little secret of bipartisanship recommendations for reform Th...

The show opens with Mike asking Jay to help him understand how Mitch McConnell’s pledge to “absolutely” support Trump if he’s the 2024 Republican nominee squares with McConnell’s blistering denunciation of Trump in the aftermath of the Capitol takeover. Mikes sees it as McConnell putting party over country, whereas Jay believes it’s political strategy that we shouldn’t read all that much into. Nex...

Mike and Jay talk with Congressman Rob Wittman (R, VA-1), second ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, about the growth in Chinese military strength (they now have the largest navy in the world), the threat posed by China to US interests, Taiwan, military spending, and more. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’r...

Trey and Ken talk about the ongoing Republican Civil War between McConnell and Trump and what it means for the future of both the Republican and the Democratic Parties. Then the pair take up the remaining legal fallout for former President Donald Trump after his second impeachment. Next the discussion turns south to the history of energy in Texas and the political posturing on energy policy. Final...

Mike, Jay, and special guest-star Olivia talk about week one of Impeachment 2, does the forgone conclusion mean we get a political show trial rather than a deliberative hearing?  Then, is there really any chance of moderate (or more accurately non-Trump Republicans) forming a third party?  Well, some people had a Zoom call about it, so we discuss. Finally, a criminal investigation of Trump from a...

Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of the latest COVID stimulus talks, including their views on the competing proposals and whether or not either side is negotiating in good faith. Next is a look at the votes on Marjorie Taylor Greene and Liz Cheney, and what they say about the congressional politics and the state of the GOP in 2021. They close by considering the briefs filed by the Hous...

In this week's episode Trey and Ken discuss Trump's historic second impeachment Senate proceedings, the organization of a divided Senate, the importance of Senator Leahy's health, and finally a heated discussion of executive actions, Biden's executive actions, and the role of executive actions in a Madisonian Constitutional system. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter Mike’s Article Recommendat...

In this extended-length episode (it was a big week), Mike and Jay discuss the Biden inauguration, the mass protests that didn’t happen at state capitols, and a flurry of executive actions on the pandemic, immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and rollbacks of Trump administration orders and regulations. The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter Mike’s Article Recommendations Listener support helps make The Po...