PG141: A Line at the White House Exit, Stormy Daniels Sues Trump, and the Student Walkout

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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

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‘Collusion’ Investigation, Healthcare, Contempt & Civil Discourse, Chain Migration

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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

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PG140: North Korea Talks, Sessions Sues California, Trump’s Tariffs, Florida vs the NRA

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Mike and Jay open the show with a look at the stunning announcement about talks between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Both of the guys are hesitant to believe this will lead to anything given North Korea’s track record of stringing U.S. administrations along and breaking agreements. They’re also concerned that by meeting with Kim – the first time any U.S. president has agreed to talks with North Korea’s leader, President Trump may be giving the regime something it’s always wanted and getting little if anything in return.

After that it’s discussion of the suit the Department of Justice has brought against three California laws involving enforcement of federal immigration policy. In a strange twist, Attorney General Sessions is making the typical liberal argument about federal government supremacy while California is responding with traditionally conservative points about the 10th Amendment, going so far as to rely on a conservative icon, former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Both Jay and Mike think that the federal government will end up winning in court (with Jay being more sure of this than Mike) though it’s likely to take several years.

After that, Mike and Jay discuss the tariffs on steel and aluminum that President Trump formally announced this week. They both see this as a truly bad move that will not only hurt far more Americans than it will help, but a step that further erodes America’s standing in the world and does nothing to deal with a truly significant international issue – China’s ongoing, massive intellectual property theft.

Finally, the Guys look at the new gun legislation enacted in Florida in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting. They consider whether the NRA’s Second Amendment based lawsuit is likely to succeed (probably not) and discuss whether Florida might be a model for more states and possibly even the U.S. Congress, where not much has happened as of yet.

What Mike’s Reading
For Two Months, I Got My News From Print Newspapers. Here’s What I Learned. Farhad Manjoo

What Jay’s Reading
Parkland kids can protest, but they don’t know what they are talking about. Jonah Goldberg

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What We’ve Learned About Fake News

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Mike talks with Jason Reifler, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, about his research into fake news. They discuss Dr. Reifler’s recent paper on the topic (‘Selective Exposure to Misinformation: Evidence from the consumption of fake news during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign‘), whether fact checking helps combat fake news, if this is a Trump-specific phenomena or part of a broader and even more disturbing trend, and lots more.

Follow Jason Reifler on Twitter

Episode Links
Politifact
Factcheck.org
Snopes
Craig Silverman

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PG139: Trump’s Tariffs, Gun Policy, A New Cold War?, Hicks Quits

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This week’s show starts with a discussion of the ‘national security’ tariffs President Trump announced he planned to impose on steel and aluminum. Mike and Jay are in agreement that the tariffs are a terrible idea and not at all related to national security. Jay points out that this is an issue where President Trump is getting more support from Democrats from his fellow Republicans, who were generally upset and dismayed at the announcement.

The president further disturbed many in his own party this week by suggesting he was in favor of tougher gun laws than most Congressional Republican are likely to support. Mike makes the point that we’ve seen the president make similar statements on other issues – immigration most notably – and then fall back into GOP orthodoxy in the end. The Guys also look at a variety of other gun policy related developments that took place over the last week.

Next is a discussion of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s bellicose speech about the U.S. threat to global security and new weapons systems Russia has developed to thwart U.S. missile defenses. This comes shortly after NSA and U.S. Cyber Command chief Mike Rogers told the Senate Intelligence Committee that we’re not doing enough to prevent Russian cyberattacks on our election systems.

Finally, it’s a look at what seems to be a West Wing in disarray, following the departure of Hope Hicks as communications director. Mike and Jay agree that the extremely high level of turnover – especially in the communications area – is yet another indication that Donald Trump is an impulsive person who hates being managed and bridles at the necessity of message discipline.

What Jay’s Reading
The Only Good Thing About Donald Trump Is All His Policies.  Joseph Epstein. (WSJ. Unfortunately, it’s behind a paywall and there’s no non-paywall version of this article. But you really should check out Epstein’s wonderful writing, which you can do without having to deal with a paywall at The Weekly Standard.)

What Mike’s Reading
The Fractured Republic. Yuval Levin

Republic, Lost: Version 2.0. Lawrence Lessig

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Reforming an Unresponsive Political System

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Mike talks with Jim Jonas, a founding director of the National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers and co-founder of Colorado Independent Voters. Jim is an experienced political, public affairs and corporate communication consultant based in Denver, Colorado. For the last decade he’s helped create and manage a wide variety of entrepreneurial, disruptive political organizations and campaigns to promote independent/nonpartisan causes and candidates. He was a co-founder of Unity ’08, a consultant to Americans Elect, and the campaign manager to Greg Orman’s independent campaign for the US Senate in Kansas in 2014. Jim got his start in politics writing and producing political media for consulting legend Roger Ailes in New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC. He also served as Senator Lamar Alexander’s communications director for his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination in 1996.

Mike and Jim discuss whether political elites have too much power, the barriers both major parties have set up to reform, how reform can happen, and what listeners can do to help the cause of nonpartisan reform.

Jim Jonas on Twitter

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PG138: Gun Laws, North Korea Sanctions, PA Gerrymandering, Mueller Charges

The show opens with Mike and Jay discussing the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. Mike takes issue with the inflammatory rhetoric of NRA head Wayne LaPierre, and while Jay agrees, he points out that there are those on the left who are equally inflammatory. In terms of policy proposals, Mike points out how rare schools shootings are, the difficulty in making them even more rare, and the almost certain unintended consequences of any such effort. Jay agrees, though seems less skeptical of proposals to arm teachers than Mike clearly is.

Next, the Guys discuss the latest round of U.S. sanctions against North Korea. They both agree that North Korea has taken advantage of previous administrations – of both parties – with Jay arguing that this sort of tough approach is called for, given that history. Mike appreciates the logic, but is concerned about possible consequences if the U.S. backs North Korea into a corner with no way out.

Then it’s more on gerrymandering, in the wake of Pennsylvania’s Democratic-majority supreme court drawing a Congressional map for the state after the Republican-controlled legislature and Democratic governor couldn’t agree on their own map. While Mike and Jay believe that courts shouldn’t draw Congressional maps, Mike believes it’s an unfortunate last option when a court finds legislative maps to be in violation of a constitution (whether it’s a state or the federal constitution).

Finally, Mike and Kay discuss the new indictments against former Trump campaign operatives Paul Manafort and Rick Gates. Jay doesn’t see the link between these charges and collusion with the Russians in the 2018 elections, and while Mike agrees, he points out that these investigations typically take years, and that Mueller is likely building a case.

What Jay’s Watching:
The Times of Harvey Milk

What Mike’s Reading:
Who Needs Congressional Districts?

Here’s the link to take the Stony Brook survey on the messages that political parties send to their members. (The researchers request that you don’t post about the survey so as to not influence others who haven’t yet taken it.)

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School Shooting, Contempt for Religion, Universal Healthcare, GOP Debts

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Mike and Jay lead off the show with Mike arguing that in the aftermath of tragic events, like the recent school shooting in Florida, we’re far too quick to rush to judgment and far too eager to believe that incompetence or malfeasance is the cause. He argues that we should look to institutional structures, incentives, and resources which are, in his view, more commonly at fault.

After that, Mike and Jay answer listener questions about whether liberals like Susan Jacoby (who Mike recently interviewed on the show) are contemptuous of religion, their positions on universal healthcare, if Mike should be more aggressive, if Jay’s carrying water for the Trump administration, and whether the nation debt is more the fault of Republicans than Democrats.

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PG137: South Florida Shooting and the FBI, Mueller’s Indictment, Senate Immigration Fails, Mitt Romney for Senate, and No Solo-Press Conferences for President Trump

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This week’s show opens with Trey introducing a new voice for the left: Ken Katkin, a professor of law at Northern Kentucky University, who’s stepping in to give Mike the week off (and to give listeners the week off from Mike ?). The two then move into the tragedy in South Florida this week. The two open by talking about the FBI’s potential shortcomings as noted by Governor Rick Scott. They then move, briefly, to discuss the role of gun legislation. The topic is particularly difficult for Trey who lives and works in Central Florida.

Next Trey brings up the Mueller’s indictment against 13 Russians. Both Trey and Ken agree a central finding is a lack of citizen awareness of information discernment. It also appears to support the claims of the Trump team that more than being pro-Trump, to this point they were anti-Hillary in all their forms. However, it is clear that more is coming from Mueller on the American side.

After that Trey and Ken discuss Romney for Senate, and how wrongfully both the left and the right wrongly dismissed him as a cold warrior for focusing on Russia. Romney is a fascinating test case for how Republicans will run campaigns in the post-Trump era.

Finally Ken and Trey discuss an issue near and dear to Trey’s heart: presidential communication. It has been over a year since Trump’s last solo-press conference. It is evidence in favor of a hypothesis that Trey made in academic circles in 2011: presidents will use unmediated social media channels over mediated channels of information.

The Crisis of the Middle Class Constitution

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Mike talks with Ganesh Sitaraman, a professor of law at Vanderbilt Law School and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He’s a longtime advisor to Senator Elizabeth Warren, serving as her policy director and senior counsel. Professor Sitaraman has commented on foreign and domestic policy in The New York Times, The New Republic, The Boston Globe, and The Christian Science Monitor and is the author of The Counterinsurgent’s Constitution: Law in the Age of Small Wars, which won the 2013 Palmer Civil Liberties Prize and, most recently, The Crisis of the Middle Class Constitution: Why Income Inequality Threatens Our Republic.

In this episode, Mike and Professor Sitaraman discuss ‘class warfare’ vs ‘middle class’ constitutions, the radicalism of the Founders, why income inequality wasn’t a big problem in 18th century America, the reasons for increased economic inequality over the past 40 years, and lots more!

Ganesh Sitaraman on Twitter

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