Author: Michael Baranowski

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Mike & Jay start off this week’s episode with a look at the latest developments in the no longer “immanent” Russian invasion of Ukraine (at least not according to the White House). That’s followed by discussion of Donald Trump’s comments on the Electoral Count Act, pardons for those involved in the January 6th Capitol rioting, and the Republican National Committee’s censure of Republican House members Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney.

Following that is a discussion of judicial recusal and whether Justice Clarence Thomas should be hearing cases involving the House January 6th Commission, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL and its larger societal implications, and whether Joe Rogan should be reined in or even censored for giving a platform to people advancing questionable information concerning COVID-19.

Jay’s Recommendations
Nightmare Alley (1947) & Nightmare Alley (2021)

Mike’s Recommendation
Napoleon’s Master: A Life of Prince Talleyrand. David Lawday

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This week it’s a special three-person episode: Mike, Jay, and Ken. They kick things off by discussing the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, including his role on the Court, potential replacements, and the upcoming confirmation battle.

They stick with the Supreme Court in their discussion of two big affirmative action cases the Court has agreed to hear, both concerning alleged discrimination against Asian Americans in college admissions. 

Next, it’s a look at a federal judge’s ruling that halted the largest oil lease sale in US history. Why did the Biden administration hold the sale in the first place? What was the Trump-era Interior Department’s argument about drilling having less of an environmental impact than not drilling? Mike, Jay, and Ken discuss that and more.

Following that, they turn to recent economic news, including strong growth in 2021 — with even stronger inflation. Mike stands by his optimistic economic predictions (while admitting that he might have been somewhat too optimistic) and Ken largely agrees. Jay, on the other hand, thinks the economy won’t be improving nearly as quickly as Mike and Ken seem to believe.

The show closes with a look at the American Museum of Natural History’s decision to remove an allegedly racist statue of former US President Theodore Roosevelt. Mike and Ken agree that the statue should have been removed, while Jay feels it should have stayed in place.

Recommendations

Ken: Lost Cincinnati Concert Venues of the ’50s and ’60s: From the Surf Club to Ludlow Garage. Steven Rosen

Jay:  Supreme Court of the United States Website

Mike: Station Eleven (HBO Max)

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This week Trey and Ken host the show. The first story is discussing the filibuster and the Democrats inability to change it for voting rights. Trey gives a brief history of the filibuster. Ken argues it has been weaponized since the 1990s. Trey suggests weaponization depends on the policy outcome desired.

Next, they turn to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the January 6 Committee’s request for documents. Trey talks about the implications of the Supreme Court ruling the earlier court as dicta and Ken talks about how he sees this as evidence against a stacked court.

After that they discuss the New York Attorney General’s newest revelations. They discuss the implications of pleading the 5th in a civil case as opposed to a criminal case and the possibility of not engaging in civil lawsuits.

They move on to talk about what gerrymandering in 2022 might mean for the midterms. Ken sees Ohio as an ideal model and Trey wonders if what Democrats really want is to ditch single member districts.

Up last is a discussion about Biden’s polling, what the polling predicts about the midterm elections, and why and when his numbers hit bottom.

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This week Mike, Jay and Trey all host the show. Mike pays tribute to his late mother and this episode is dedicated to her memory.

The first story is vaccine mandates. The trio parse out the questions of legality from policy. All three hosts are in large agreement on legality, but there are some differences in the best policy moving forward.

Next, they turn to Biden’s speech in Georgia and his accompanying failure to pass, or even start, a voting rights bill through the Senate. The hosts debate the underlying strategy and why the White House believed it was possible to pass such a sweeping bill.

After that they discuss the failure of Cruz’s Russian pipeline sanctions. This leads Jay and Mike to agree on a new era of Cold War policy, while Trey has doubts about the success of true real politic style relations.

They move on to talk about the dustup between Dr. Fauci and Senator Paul. Trey finds the rhetoric disturbing while Jay thinks it is warranted.

Up last is a discussion about those who were part of January 6 now running for office. This leads to a protracted conversation between Trey and Jay on Babbitt and the use of force.

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Mike & Jay start the first Politics Guys show of 2022 by looking back at the events of January 6th, 2021. They discuss how they viewed the Capitol riot then, how they see it now, the value of the House January 6th Commission, and how much of a hold Donald Trump and “The Big Lie” has on the Republican Party.

January 6th happened in large part because of Congress’ role in certifying presidential election results. Mike & Jay move on to discuss how that process works and whether it’s time to clarify or even repeal the Electoral Count Act.

Next, they turn to the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s December meeting, which were released this past week. Mike & Jay agree that it’s good that the Fed is moving to moderate inflation, but they disagree on how quickly inflation is likely to fall.

After that they discuss Chief Justice Roberts’ year end report on the state of the federal judiciary. Roberts acknowledges problems with transparency and discrimination in the judicial branch, but argues that these problems can be dealt with internally. Mike is skeptical about the ability of the branch to police itself, and even Jay thinks there may be a role for Congress to play here, though he’s more cautious about regulation than Mike is (which is generally the case).

They move on to talk about Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Twitter ban and the larger issues of Big Tech censorship, free speech, and the marketplace of ideas. 

The show closes with Mike & Jay responding to listener questions on workforce development policy and the future of the Republican Party.

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Mike’s Recommendations

Chief Justice Roberts’ 2021 Report on the Federal Judiciary

The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6. Miles Davis & John Coltrane

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In this final episode of 2021 Trey and Ken look back to the biggest moments of 2021 in order to make some predictions about the big issues of 2022. They cover the party system, the durability of democracy, economic policy with a focus on inflation and spending, midterm predictions, the pandemic, and a bit of thought on the 2024 presidential election.

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After a tribute (of sorts) to Bob Dole, Mike comes in hot on the Supreme Court’s decision on the Texas abortion case. That surprises Jay, who feels it’s a victory (of sorts) for abortion providers in Texas. Mike agrees with Chief Justice Roberts who, in his partial dissent, argues that “it is the role of the Supreme Court in our constitutional system that is at stake.”

Next, they discuss the debt ceiling deal that was reached this week, getting into the legislative politics of it all as well as patting themselves on the back for calling it correctly (not that it was all that difficult to conclude that in the end the United States government wouldn’t default on its debt). 

Following that they delve into US foreign policy, in a look at the Biden-Putin talks over Ukraine and the Biden administration’s announcement that US diplomats will be boycotting the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. 

Then it’s a discussion of the merits of the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Texas for alleged violations of the Voting Rights Act in creating their new congressional and state legislative districts. They agree that the VRA’s racial gerrymandering standards are awfully vague, but Mike believes they still serve a useful purpose, while Jay isn’t so convinced of that. 

After delving into the latest developments surrounding COVID, including a Senate vote to repeal the Biden administration’s workplace vaccine mandate, Mike & Jay look to the future, with their best and worst case predictions for 2022 and years beyond. Mike thinks Democrats have plenty of reasons to be concerned, and while Jay agrees he’s far more optimistic about the demise of authoritarian populism than Mike is.

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Mike & Jay open the show with a discussion of the deal to keep the federal government funded through mid-February, which turns into a much more philosophical argument between Jay’s Machiavellian pragmatism / realism and Mike’s liberal idealism.

Next is a discussion of oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which involves Mississippi’s ban on essentially all abortions after 15 weeks. Mike & Jay agree that the Supreme Court will uphold the law and, in the process, allow other states to put into place significant restrictions on the ability of women to have abortions. Where they disagree is whether or not a constitutionally protected right to terminate a pregnancy exists.

After that, they discuss a recent National Labor Relations Board ruling that Amazon acted improperly in a union election at its Bessemer, Alabama warehouse, and that a new election is necessary. Mike agrees with the ruling and believes it’s clear that Amazon was out of line in its anti-union efforts, while Jay doesn’t think the company did anything meriting a re-do of the election. This leads into a broader discussion of the role of unions in America, globalization, automation, and economic vs non-economic concerns of workers.

The show ends with Mike & Jay picking up on a theme from last week – Mike’s alleged privilege. Mike makes the case that, as a White, male, cisgendered, heterosexual, he’s swimming in an ocean of privilege. Jay concedes that Mike has had some advantages based on his gender, race, and sexual orientation, but argues that those advantages are not as great as many on the left claim, and that socioeconomic and cultural issues can be far more important.

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