Category: Podcast

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Mike, Tim, and Joey open with the ongoing government shutdown. Joey argues Democrats will be blamed because their messaging is fractured and influenced by the left wing of the party. Tim highlights ballooning deficits and sees rebellious Republicans forcing fiscal discipline. Mike concedes Democrats bear responsibility but stresses that Democrats have a good issue in the extension of ACA subsidies.

Next, the guys turn to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and President Trump’s speeches to assembled generals. Tim admires Hegseth’s emphasis on ending “mission creep,” higher standards, and unity over DEI. Mike agrees with the focus on people and culture but criticizes the rhetoric as performative and partisan, noting that the broken windows analogy is outdated. Joey supports the speeches as effective in re-centering the military on warfighting and Western values.

After that, the discussion shifts to Portland, where federal facilities have faced months of, at times, violent protests. Mike opposes violence but warns against overstating Antifa as an “organization” and sees the administration’s moves as smart but authoritarian politics. Tim stresses that crime and disorder resonate broadly with Americans, making this a political winner for Republicans. Joey frames Antifa as part of a historic leftist destabilizing strategy and argues Trump’s firm stance protects America’s institutions and values.

The guys close with reflections on federalism, public perceptions of crime, and the risks of normalizing federal troop deployments in cities. Mike worries about selective enforcement and First Amendment issues, while Tim and Joey emphasize the political gains Republicans are likely to reap from crime as a national issue.

Check out Tim’s Substack

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The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

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In this episode of The Politics Guys, Trey and Justin discuss the recent indictment of James Comey by the DOJ, analyzing its unusual nature and the implications of President Trump’s public statements regarding the legal proceedings. This includes questions about the motivations of the DOJ’s motives and the highly unusual nature of the indictment itself.

Next is a discussion of President Trump and RFK Jr’s press conference on Tylenol and autism. Trey outlines the most recent research on the potential connections between the two, with a focus on the nature of correlation studies, and refutes claims that Amish people do not have any rates of autism. Justin brings even more detail into the nature of double-blind studies.

Then the pair turn to Trump’s UN speech. Here, Trey outlines President Trump’s bold claims about international relations, immigration, and his role as a peacemaker. The pair also discuss their agreement with Trump on the flaws of the UN and, notably, deep agreement that India and the EU supplying Russia with money via oil allows Russia to pursue its military goals.

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Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys.

The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

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Mike is joined by a new host, political scientist Michael Levy. They open with the political and constitutional fallout from Charlie Kirk’s murder, focusing on government crackdowns on speech. Michael stresses the deeper problem of weaponizing government against dissent, while Mike argues this shows the split between Trump loyalists and constitutional conservatives like Ted Cruz.

Next, they turn to Trump’s deployment of National Guard units to cities like Memphis and proposals for tougher sentencing in D.C. Michael emphasizes that these measures are often more about optics than addressing root causes of crime, while Mike worries about performative politics without clear objectives and the loss of bipartisan reform momentum.

After that, the discussion moves to the looming government shutdown. Michael predicts a shutdown is likely, given the lack of cross-party negotiations and high stakes over ACA subsidies, while Mike highlights that majority parties almost never win shutdown battles and sees Democrats trying to leverage their strongest policy terrain—healthcare.

The guys close with reflections on polarization and leadership. Michael doubts Schumer has leverage to force concessions, while Mike stresses that Democrats cannot afford to fold on ACA subsidies despite the risks of shutdown politics.

Listen to Mike’s appearance on the What Do We Do Next? Podcast

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Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys.

The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

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Trey and Justin discuss the tragic death of political figure Charlie Kirk, exploring the implications of political violence in the United States. They analyze the rhetoric surrounding the incident, the role of social media in exacerbating tensions, and the need for empathy in political discourse. Next, the pair discuss the Supreme Court’s recent rulings on immigration policy, emphasizing the importance of due process and civil liberties. The Trey and Justine finish with a call for civil dialogue and understanding in a polarized political landscape.

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Mike is a big fan of Tim’s Substack.

Check out the excellent Sustainable Planet podcast.

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys.

The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

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Mike and Tim open with the Fifth Circuit’s rejection of President Trump’s attempt to use the Alien Enemies Act against Venezuelan migrants tied to Tren de Aragua. Tim argues the ruling shows the importance of clear legal definitions but believes Trump is still winning the broader political fight on immigration, while Mike warns about sweeping due process problems in deporting whole populations without individual review.

Next, they turn to a federal judge striking down Trump’s deployment of troops to Los Angeles under Posse Comitatus. Mike emphasizes the danger of stretching unitary executive power to make the law meaningless, stressing the risks of militarized law enforcement. Tim concedes the legal limits but insists Democrats’ failures on crime and homelessness fuel political support for Trump’s actions, framing the issue as one of disorder and broken local governance.

After that, the guys dig into the appellate court’s ruling against Trump’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Tim defends tariffs as a fair, flat consumption tax and credits Trump for forcing a rethink of free trade politics, while Mike points out their regressive economic effects and chaotic rollout. The discussion broadens into jobs data, deficits, non-tariff barriers, and whether the Supreme Court will ultimately defer to Trump’s emergency claims.

The guys close with predictions on the Court’s likely stance, a spirited back-and-forth on whether the justices will side with Trump, and a reminder that much of the fight is as much about words and perceptions as it is about law or economics.

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Mike is a big fan of Tim’s Substack.

Check out the excellent Sustainable Planet podcast.

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys.

The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

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Trey talks with Tyler Evans, an experienced infectious diseases and public health expert who has worked around the word, including as Chief Medical Officer for New York City, but also with Doctors Without Borders and Partners in Health. He is the author of Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics: Decoding the Social and Political Drivers of Pandemics from Plague to COVID-19, which is the topic of the episode.

Topics Trey and Tyler cover include:

• the effect of politics on public health outcomes
• public health policy and healthcare access
• public mistrust of health authorities
• the effects of the current administration on public health

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Mike’s Substack: What Fresh Hell is This?

Check out the excellent Sustainable Planet podcast.

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys.

The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.