The Politics Guys

In this installment of our “Election 2020” series featuring six Northern Kentucky University students, we discuss the first presidential debate, held on Tuesday September 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. Topics we cover include: if debates matter and if this one might matter more than usual whether the American public wants substantive policy debate who ‘won’ the debate -  and what winning a debate means wh...

This week, Mike and Kristin talk about the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and President Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. They both weigh in on whether this will fundamentally change SCOTUS and how it will affect upcoming decisions. Then, they discuss the death of Breonna Taylor and the legal outcomes of the investigation into her death, as well as the prote...

Mike talks with David Litt who, from 2011 to 2016, was a speechwriter for President Obama. Mr. Litt is also the New York Times bestselling author of the book Thanks Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years. His latest book is Democracy in One Book or Less: How It Works, Why It Doesn't, and Why Fixing It Is Easier Than You Think, which they discuss on this episode. Topics Mike & David cover i...

In this installment of our “Election 2020” series featuring six Northern Kentucky University students, we discuss President Trump and Joe Biden on their approach to foreign policy, China, Russia, the Middle East, North Korea, and the military. Be part of the discussion on the Politics Guys ‘BipartisanPolitics’ community on Reddit. Join the conversation on The Politics Guys Facebook page. Listener...

Mike and Jay open by discussing the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the likelihood of her replacement on the Court being confirmed before Inauguration Day. Following that they talk about CDC Director Robert Redfield’s Senate testimony concerning a coronavirus vaccine as opposed to President Trump’s much more optimistic view of things. They close by considering recent comment...

In this installment of our “Election 2020” series featuring six Northern Kentucky University students, we discuss President Trump’s economic record, how he and Joe Biden differ on economic policy, income & wealth inequality, minimum corporate taxes, a $15 per hour national minimum wage, and lots more.  Be part of the discussion on the Politics Guys ‘BipartisanPolitics’ community on Reddit. Joi...

Trey and Ken dive deep into the DOJ's decision to intervene in Jean Carroll's defamation suit against President Trump. Next they look at the CBO's report of $3 trillion in record deficit spending. Finally, they discuss the failure of the Senate GOP's "skinny bill" on COVID relief. This Week's Recommendations Trey suggests you check out Contemporary Theories of Liberalism Ken suggests you check out...

In this installment of our “Election 2020” series featuring six Northern Kentucky University students, we discuss President Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, Joe Biden’s proposals for dealing with COVID-19, Trump’s attempts to repeal Obamacare and what, if anything, he’d put in its place, access to abortion, and Biden’s plan for “Obamacare 2.0”. How many needless Covid-19 deaths were c...

On this week's show, Mike and Kristin tackle some major issues facing the country - and voters - right now. They weigh in on the issue of law and order, protests and riots taking place, and whether voters will be swayed by statements made by the Trump and Biden campaigns to address the violence. They also unpack some COVID policy issues, including the Trump Administration's CDC moratorium on evict...

In this installment of our “Election 2020” series featuring six Northern Kentucky University students, we discuss the most important qualities for a president to have and the extent to which Donald Trump and Joe Biden possess them, the importance of Vice President picks, a cautionary note about polls, and “most likely” and “worst case” presidential and congressional election predictions. An Evalua...

Mike and Jay emblazon their names across the sky as they discuss RNC's unconventional convention. Then the discussion turns to Kenosha and the politics and morality of leadership in a tinderbox, followed by a look at the reason or reasons that some former Republican officials are supporting Biden. Be part of the discussion on the Politics Guys ‘BipartisanPolitics’ community on Reddit. Join the con...

We’re very happy to bring you the first part of a new series on the 2020 election, featuring Mike and six Northern Kentucky University students. Our focus will be largely on policy, with topics to include COVID-19, healthcare, economic policy, immigration, foreign & defense policy, race & gender, and lots more. In this episode, Mike explains the project, we meet the students, and then have...

Trey and Ken dive deep into the new format of the Democratic Convention, look at all 966 pages of the Senate Intelligence Report part five, and the arrest and charges against Steve Bannon for fraud. This Week's Recommendations Trey suggests you check out Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home Ken suggest you check out Reconstruction: Political and Economic Be part of the discussion on the Politics...

Mike talks with Ohio State Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly about reforming the plea bargaining process, the Michael Flynn case and “legal fictions”, the Paul Manafort case and sentencing guidelines, why we need sentencing databases, and lots more! Truth or Consequences: Making the Case for Transparency and Reform in the Plea Negotiation Process (PDF) State Supreme Court rejects truth-in-sen...

Mike opens the show with some brief comments on Joe Biden choosing Kamala Harris, the USPS and the 2020 election, and the agreement between the UAE and Israel. After that is his interview with political scientists Jacob Hacker (Yale) and Paul Pierson (Berkeley) about their new book, Let Them Eat Tweets: How the Right Rules in an Age of Extreme Inequality. Following the interview, Jay joins Mike fo...

Mike and Jay discuss the impasse in the latest coronavirus legislation, President Trump’s promise to issue executive orders, the latest primary elections, and yet another state’s voters approving Medicaid expansion. Mike’s Weekly Recommendation The Bulwark’s Daily Newsletter Jay’s Weekly Recommendation No Property in Man. Sean Wilentz Be part of the discussion on the Politics Guys ‘BipartisanPolit...

Trey and Ken discuss Stella Immanuel and the other frontline doctors and what it means to think critically, rationality, and scientifically. They also tackle the failures by House Democrats to hold Attorney General Barr accountable as well the House’s hearings with Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Google’s CEOs. Finally they discuss the gridlock over further COVID stimulus funds and why unemployment be...

Mike and Kristin discuss the Portland unrest that seems to have escalated with the arrival of federal officers, as well as the separate issue of Operation Legend in cities across the country. They also take on the issue of President Trump’s executive order to discount undocumented immigrants in the Census with regard to congressional redistricting, as well as cancellation of the in-person events a...

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding."  Mike and Jay talk about masks, character, and who's hiding what in the Georgia- Atlanta spat, CDC guidance, and Trump's approach to facial coverings. Then the first federal execution in 17 years opens up a discussion about the death penalty, if and how it should be applied...

This week, Mike & Jay discuss the commutation of Roger Stone’s sentence by President Trump, the Trump administration’s push to open up schools this fall, international student visas, and big Supreme Court rulings on the release of Donald Trump’s financial records and whether presidential electors can be punished or replaced for being “faithless”. Mike’s Weekly Recommendation Zoe’s Extraordinar...

On this week's show, Mike and Kristin kick things off by discussing some of the recent developments in COVID-19 news and the differences in how governors and the President have handled mask-wearing. They also talk about allegations of Russian bounties on US troops as well as two recent SCOTUS decisions handed down this week, one involving abortion rights (June Medical Services v. Russo) and one in...

Mike & Jay start off by discussing the House and Senate versions of legislation intended to address systemic problems with policing in the United States. They agree that neither side has much reason to compromise in the run-up to the 2020 elections, but they feel that there’s actually a good amount of ground on which a compromise could be possible. After that, they take up the firing of US Att...

On today's show, Trey and Ken discuss Bostock v. Clayton County and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The discussion leads them to discuss the implications of various methods the court uses, or ought to use, in interpreting law. Trey and Ken also talk DACA and the downfall of the Trump administration's use of illegality to try to end DACA. The two speculate as to why this was the method used and what it...

On today’s show, Mike and Kristin begin by discussing several developments in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, including some of the legislation put forth or discussed by Republicans and Democrats recently, aimed at eliminating police violence. They also bring up the issue of police culture, as well as the argument for reforming and changing police culture - as opposed to defunding the polic...

Mike talks with economist Jeffrey Sachs, University Professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. Dr. Sachs is  also director of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and has been advisor to three UN secretaries-general. In addition to being one of the world's leading experts on poverty and economic development, he is the author of...