Author: Michael Baranowski

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Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of the US-led missile strike on Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure, in response to Syria’s alleged chemical attack on Syrian insurgents. Both Mike and Jay agree that the international community can’t stand by and allow anyone to use chemical weapons, and they feel the strike was justified. Mike takes issue with the way the strike happened, arguing that President Trump doesn’t have the Constitutional authority to carry out such attacks without Congressional authorization.

After that, they discuss House Speaker Paul Ryan’s announcement that he would not seek reelection. Mike points out that Ryan is the 27th Republican in Congress to either resign or not seek reelection, compared to only 11 Democrats, which suggests to him that many Republicans know a ‘blue wave’ is coming. Jay doesn’t entirely buy this, arguing that many Republicans may simply be tiring of working with President Trump. Both Mike and Jay feel that Ryan has been unfairly portrayed by many in the left-wing media as an ‘evil guy who hates the poor’, though Mike points out that the right engages in this sort of thing all the time too, when they say that liberals ‘hate America’.

Next is a look at Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s nearly 10 hours of testimony before Congress. They both thing he did a good job, and that it’s unlikely any government regulation of Facebook is coming, at least not in the short term. Jay doubts whether the attempt by Russia to use Facebook to help defeat Hillary Clinton was very important. Mike agrees, but argues that the fact that a hostile foreign power was making any attempt is reason for serious concern.

Following that is discussion of the FBI raid of Trump attorney Michael Cohen’s office, including the seizure of attorney-client communications. Jay says that this is very serious, and suggests that there may be a double standard at work, with officials being more willing to authorize actions targeted at President Trump than they would be against others. Mike disputes this, saying that he’s more inclined to trust in the integrity of top FBI and Justice Department officials than he is to trust in the integrity of President Trump.

In a semi-related story, Mike and Jay talk about the Department of Justice’s Inspector General report on former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, which concluded that McCabe lied to investigators as well as to former FBI Director James Comey about a story leaked to the Wall Street Journal. They discuss President Trump’s reaction to the finding – that McCabe was under Comey’s control – and point out that that’s the exact opposite of what the report concludes. Mike point out that this IG finding puts something of a hole in the narrative of some on the left that McCabe was unfairly forced out of the FBI.

What Jay’s Reading
Guys and Dolls: The Stories of Damon Runyon.

What Mike’s Listening To
Ezra Klein talks to Sam Harris about Charles Murray.

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Trey is joined by Ken this week and reveals he is headed to Oklahoma Christain University. Trey and Ken open the show by discussing the ongoing dispute between the United States and China over trade policy. The hosts explore both the immediate tariffs on aluminum and steel issued by Donald Trump and the pork and wine tariffs imposed by China in retaliation. The hosts also parse the escalating war of words between the two countries and speculate on the possibility of a trade war. Trey and Ken agree that free trade is largely better for the economy (Trey most strongly), but disagree over the role of unions in a free trade driven world.

Next Trey and Ken look at the thorny issue of Cambridge Analytica and Facebook’s numerous privacy snafus over. In a series of reveals it was uncovered that Facebook is recording data on users call and texting data, allowing apps to gather wide swaths of information on users who had not consented and more. In short, for a variety of reasons, Facebook could not get off the proverbial front page. Trey and Ken ask themselves what they might do if they were Congress. Specifically what questions the hosts might have for Mr. Zuckerberg in a committee hearing. Trey and Ken also muse on if people really are willing to pay the economic cost for privacy and mull whether Congress ought to make that a mandated requirement.

Finally Trey and Ken move to the international issue of Syria. They discuss President Trump’s comments earlier last week on an imminent pullout and the revelations late last week that he is butting heads with his military staff, potentially offering them a six month timeline. In a unique twist Trey argues that U.S. foreign intervention has been a failure and finds support for Trump’s stated goal to wind down military options overseas while Ken limitedly argues that the U.S. has a moral imperative to see them through to create stability.

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What Trey’s Reading:

Longtime listeners might have gleaned that I love political science and history, but what you might not know (unless you follow me personally on Twitter or Instagram) is that I am a runner and aspiring triathlete. I love to run year round in on all terrain and in all weather and so this week I am going to share a pair of books I read that I think might inspire you to get outside, run more, and maybe even change the way you eat. Sorry we didn’t have time to share it during the episode itself!

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. An inspiring tale of how all of humanity is a running people, but how we lost the essence of our running.

Eat and Run by Scott Jurek. It is a autobiography with running and eating thrown in from one of the world’s greatest ultra-marathoners. Scott is a man who runs as much in a single race — 150 miles — as I run in a month!

In this listener mail episode of The Politics Guys, Mike and Jay respond to listener questions including:

Why Congress gives the president so much power in authorizations for use of military force.

The lack of attention both Mike and Jay have paid to working conditions to healthcare workers, and how those conditions affect patients.

Why Jay seems so dismissive of young people’s protests.

What Jay (and Mike) mean when they call themselves ‘Burkean’

Why political flip-flopping gets such a bad name.

Show Notes
– Nuclear Jenga – in a Bouncy Castle. Jesse Lawler
– Great Thinkers: Edmund Burke

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support.

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Mike welcomes The 45th Podcast’s  Susan Simpson to the show, in Part II of The Politics Guys / The 45th Podcast host exchange. Mike and Susan open with a look at the shakeup at the VA, with Mike questioning the managerial qualifications of Ronny Jackson, President Trump’s choice to take over for David Shulkin at the massive VA. Susan argues that no reasonable person would even want the VA job, and suggests that Jackson’s fawning estimate of the president’s health, along with a desire for power, are what may have made him Trump’s pick.

Next it’s discussion of the recent announcement by the Department of Commerce that the 2020 Census will have a questions about citizenship status. Both Mike and Susan are skeptical of the motives of the Justice Department, which requested the question be added. Mike hesitates to call the move racist, but points out that any likely political advantage from the move will be to the Republicans.

After that, Mike and Susan turn to a discussion of what North Korean leader Kim Jung Un’s recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and his upcoming meetings with South Korea’s Moon Jae-in and President Trump, might mean. Mike suggests that President Trump’s tougher stance could be bearing fruit, though he concedes that even a Democratic administration would have almost certainly ratcheted up sanctions in response to the North’s nuclear tests. Susan says there’s no policy here but chaos, and is concerned that President Trump might lead us into an unnecessary armed conflict with North Korea.

Then it’s a look at the March for our Lives and Justice Stevens recent call for repeal of the Second Amendment. Mike and Susan are both big supporters of the March and hope that it leads to significant change. They differ somewhat on Justice Stevens advocacy for a repeal of the Second Amendment. Mike feels it’s a gift to the NRA and not necessary, as even the draconian gun regulations in Washington D.C. – far tougher than what most people are calling for – are possible without touching the Second Amendment. Susan doesn’t entirely disagree, but argues that the Second Amendment can make reasonable gun laws more difficult to pass, and points out that even a repeal wouldn’t make firearms illegal.

After that, they discuss the increasingly strained relations between Russia and the United States in the wake of tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats and closing of consulates. Susan points out that despite this strong U.S. response – which she argues Trump was forced to make – we still haven’t heard the president say anything negative about Vladimir Putin. She argues that’s because Putin almost certainly has damaging information on Trump.

Show Notes

What Susan’s Reading & Listening To:
– Maryland appeals court decision in Adnan Syed case.
– Missing and Murdered (podcast)

What Mike’s Listening To:
– Philosophize This. Stephen West (podcast)

– The 45th Podcast
– The 45th on Twitter

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support.

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This week, Mike and Jay start by looking at the $1.3 trillion dollar, 2,0000+ page budget passed by Congress and very reluctantly signed into law by President Trump. Mike sees it as not half bad, given Republican control of the legislative and executive branches, while Jay tends to agree with House Freedom Caucus concerns about out-of-control spending.

Next is a discussion of the $60 billion in tariffs President Trump announced against China in response to China’s widespread intellectual property theft. Mike is actually somewhat sympathetic to the Trump administration’s approach, feeling that previous attempts to minimize Chinese IP theft have been largely unsuccessful. Jay argues that tariffs are likely to be too blunt of an instrument to effect significant change.

After that, the Guys get into privacy in social media in the wake of the Facebook / Cambridge Analytica scandal. Both Mike and Jay agree that a loss of privacy is the price we pay for ‘free’ use of social networks and wonder if this price is too high.

Following that is a look at the special election in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District, where Democrat Connor Lamb won in an extremely conservative district. Mike sees it as a sign of Democratic voter enthusiasm and expects a wave election in November that will give the Democrats control of the House of Representatives. Jay isn’t so sure, and questions whether the Democrats will be able to replicate their success in PA 18 in other races.

To close, Mike and Jay discuss the latest shake-up in the White House, with National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster being replaced by John Bolton. Mike thinks that Bolton is too hawkish, too impulsive, and reinforces President Trump’s worst instincts. Jay is more of a fan of Bolton, but agrees that President Trump would benefit from more voices of moderation.

What Jay’s Reading
The Gathering Stormy.  Jonah Goldberg

Truth Isn’t the Problem – We Are.  Rebecca Newberger Goldstein (WSJ – paywall)

What Mike’s Reading
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.  Jordan Peterson

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support.

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Trey begins by hijacking the show’s opening with an original loop. Jay and Trey then open the show by looking at the big exits from the White House this week including Rex Tillerson and Andrew McCabe. Jay argues that the replacements are capable and Trey worries that the turmoil underlies a deeper problem in management at the White House. Both agree that there is significant turnover.

After that the discussion turns to Stormy Daniels. Jay and Trey deeply disagree over the payoff from the Trump organization to Daniels. Jay calculates, based on past precedent, that Trump having an affair will neither affect his approval nor his reelection chances. Trey believes this might be Trump’s downfall. It is one thing to have an affair, another to clandestinely try to buy off the conversation concerning it.

Finally, Trey and Jay discuss the student walkouts on Wednesday. Both see the reactions from left and right as part of the underlying ideological differences that are separating the two camps. Further, they have slightly different takes on the institutional takeover of the walkout. Finally, they agree that discussions about gun control are separate from feelings on the protest itself.

What Trey’s Reading

Grant by Ron Chernow

What Jay’s Reading

Steven Hawking A Brief History of Time

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support.

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In this ‘Ask The Politics Guys’ episode, Mike and Jay respond to listener comments and questions on:

• • the nature of the Mueller investigation
  • the role of healthcare costs in personal bankruptcy
  • contempt and civil discourse
  • the wisdom of nationwide concealed carry reciprocity
  • why Jay uses the term ‘chain migration’
  • the guys’ thoughts on UK politics
  • the Veterans’ healthcare system as a model for what universal care in the U.S. might be like

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the show, go to politicsguys.com/support.