Congressman Jim Jordan on the Debt Limit, Tax Reform, and the 2016 Election

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Jay talks to Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus. Jay and Rep. Jordan discuss the debt ceiling, tax reform, the Obama administration’s attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election, and more.

As a lead-in to the interview, Mike and Jay talk about the history of the Freedom Caucus. After the interview they discuss Rep. Jordan’s policy positions and recommendations.

– Follow Rep. Jordan on Twitter

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PG117: Trump’s DACA Deal, Bernie’s Medicare For All, Equifax Breach

This week, the Guys start off by talking about the potential deal President Trump reached with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi that involves allowing Dreamers to stay in the country legally in exchange for enhanced border security. Mike is cautiously optimistic about the proposal while Jay believes that Schumer and Pelosi may be far more interested in a 2018 campaign issue than a legislative accomplishment.

Next is a look at Senator Bernie Sanders’ ‘Medicare For All’ legislation, which he introduced this week. Neither Mike nor Jay think it has a chance of passing, and while Mike would support a true ‘Medicare for All’ bill, he argues that what Sanders calls for is far more generous than Medicare and would be a financial disaster. Jay doesn’t disagree, though he’s definitely not in favor of even a scaled-back ‘Medicare For All’ type program.

Finally, Mike and Jay talk about the political implications of the Equifax security breach. Mike believes it’s high time we updated our regulatory framework and impose the sort of oversight on credit rating agencies that we do on other financial institutions. Jay doesn’t disagree, exactly, though he’s far more skeptical of the value of imposing more regulations on the agencies and favors alternate approaches to incentivizing them to keep our personal data safe.

Mike’s Recommended Reading:
– Richard Posner, Leader of a Legal Revolution

Jay’s Recommended Reading:
– In The Garden of Beasts. Erik Larson

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Political Correctness and Identity Politics

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This week, Mike and Jay respond to a listener who feels Mike was being snide and slanderous to Jay in a recent show, and then move on to an in-depth discussion of political correctness and identity politics.

For their discussion, they focus on these four articles:

A linguist explains how the far-right hijacked political correctness

The Liberal Crackup

Identity Politics Are Tearing America Apart

How Trump Kills the G.O.P

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PG116: DACA, Trump’s Deal with Dems, North Korea, Travel Ban

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This week, Mike and Jay start out by discussing President Trump’s decision to discontinue President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. They both agree that it’s probably a good policy, but that it’s also probably unconstitutional, and as such President Trump did the right thing by discontinuing it and urging Congress to enshrine it into law.

Next it’s a look at President Trumps deal with his new friends Chuck (Schumer) and Nancy (Pelosi) to continue to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling until mid-December. The move caught Congressional Republicans by surprise and was not appreciated by them, to say the least. Mike optimistically wonders if maybe this is a sign of a more bipartisan Trump, while Jay things that it’s another example of Trump forgetting who his friends are – friends he might need in, say, an impeachment trial.

After that, the Guys turn to the still worsening situation in North Korea in the wake of the regime’s latest and most powerful nuclear weapons test. Jay is convinced that the US won’t let North Korea develop the capability to launch a nuclear strike on the mainland US while Mike believes that the costs of preventing it are simply too high to bear and that some day soon, North Korea will have that capability, despite President Trump’s promise that it will not be allowed to happen.

Finally, it’s an update on President Trump’s travel ban, which was dealt a setback this week by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Jay feel that the 9th Circuit got it wrong, while Mike argues that the administration’s interpretation of an earlier Supreme Court opinion was too narrow.

Mike’s Recommended Reading:
– Grand Hotel Abyss: The Lives of the Frankfurt School. Stuart Jefferies

Jay’s Recommend Reading:
– The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Henry Petroski on The State of American Infrastructure

Mike talks with Henry Petroski, a Professor of Civil Engineering and History at Duke University. Dr. Petroski is a prolific scholar and public intellectual – in addition to publishing nineteen books and hundreds of articles in newspapers, magazines, and trade publications, he’s authored over seventy-five academic journal articles. His many books include: The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance, The Evolution of Useful Things, The House with Sixteen Handmade Doors, and The Road Taken: The History and Future of America’s Infrastructure.

In this episode, Mike and Dr. Petroski discuss learning from failure, how bad US infrastructure really is, why so many big projects seem take longer and cost more than projected, what a good infrastructure bill would look like, and lots more.

Dr. Petroski’s Recommendations:
– American Society of Civil Engineers Smart Brief
– US Department of Transportation
– American Infrastructure Weekly
– Trump Administration Infrastructure Initiative

Dr. Petroski’s Duke University Page

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PG115: Hurricanes, Transgender Lawsuits, and Sanctuary Cities

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This week, Mike and Jay start things off by talking about the politics of Hurricane Harvey, including the quality of the government’s response, how well President Trump personally responded, and the role federal flood insurance plays in disasters like this.

Next, it’s an update on President Trump’s ban on transgender troops in the military. The Guys begin with a discussion the wisdom of Secretary of Defense Mattis’s decision to allow transgender troops to stay in the military until a full review has been completed. After that, they talk about the two lawsuits that have been filed against the ban.

Finally, Mike and Jay revisit the issue of sanctuary cities, in light of a federal judge barring the enactment of Texas’ sanctuary city prohibitions.

Mike’s Recommended Listening:
– Sam Harris’ interview with Charles Murray

Jay’s Recommended Reading:
– The American Spirit is Alive in Texas

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Trump vs the Senate, Browns Protest, Trump vs the Eclipse, Listener Mail

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Mike and Jay weren’t able to get to everything they wanted to cover on Saturday’s show, so they decided to do this ‘Saturday Spillover’ show. In it, they talk about President Trump’s escalating battle with Senate Republicans, the largest ever NFL football team national anthem protest, whether Donald Trump actually looked at the eclipse without protective glasses and why it matters, as well as answering some listener mail.

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PG 114: Arpaio Pardon, Transgender Ban, Afghanistan Policy, Voter ID Laws

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This week’s show starts with Mike and Jay talking about two late-breaking stories: President Trump’s pardon of former Maricopa County AZ sheriff Joe Arpaio and the president’s memo formalizing the ban on transgender troops which he previewed in late July on Twitter. Neither Mike nor Jay think that the pardon is a good idea, as it sends a message that law enforcement officials can ignore the rule of law, so long as it’s a law President Trump disagrees with. The Guys differ on the transgender ban, but they both agree that President Trump should have allowed Secretary of Defense Mattis’ review of the effect of transgender troops on military readiness to conclude before any action was taken.

Next is a look at the president’s new Afghanistan policy. Mike actually likes a lot of what he heard from the president (as does Jay) though he’s skeptical on what he views as President Trump’s over-reliance on the military and downplaying of diplomacy and nation-building.

Finally, in the wake of another defeat for Texas’ voter ID law in the federal courts, Mike and Jay talk about vote fraud, the intent of these state ID laws, and what a truly honest voter ID law might look like (hint: not like what Texas came up with).

Mike’s Recommended Reading
– Don’t Look Now, but America’s Tax System May Collapse Soon 

Jay’s Recommended Reading
– American Blackout

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Saadia Madsbjerg on Changing the Status Quo with Innovative Finance

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Mike talks with Saadia Madsbjerg, a Managing Director at the Rockefeller Foundation. Ms. Madsbjerg’s work focuses on innovative finance solutions that change the status quo and raise private sector investment capital to further the Foundation’s goals of building greater resilience and promoting inclusive economies.

In this episode, Mike and Ms. Madsbjerg discuss what the Rockefeller Foundation does, why government programs alone can’t meet the economic needs of communities across the globe, the importance of private sector involvement in helping to build more resilient and inclusive economies, and the challenges of developing partnerships with the private sector.

Saadia Madsbjerg Recommends:
– Finance and the Good Society. Bob Schiller
– Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment
– Impact Alpha Brief (newsletter)
– The Innovative Finance Revolution

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PG113: Charlottesville (again), Bannon’s Out, and the Rise of Hope Hicks

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This week’s show starts by examining Trump’s ever changing statement on Charlottesville, VA. Trump would end up setting a more measured tone renouncing Neo-Nazi’s and other hate groups, but then on Tuesday Trump became combative with reporters and argued there are two sides to the story, specifically calling out the “alt-left.” The shift has seemingly shaken the White House as Trump goes off message again.

Next, we look specifically at the ever evolving White House. This week it is the exit of Bannon. Early Friday news broke that Bannon had mutually agreed to leave, but that afternoon it became clear that Trump had asked him to step down. By late Friday reports emerged that Bannon would be returning to Breitbart. We talk generally about the White House churn and, specifically, what a “freed” Bannon means both for the news cycle and the White House.

After that the Guys discuss Hope Hicks, the 28 year old interim communications director. We also respond to some listener mail.

Mike’s Recommended Reading:

–Neustadt’s Presidential Power

–Bloomberg on Neustadt

Trey’s Recommended reading:

David McCullough’s The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris

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