The Democratic National Convention, The Senate Intelligence Report, Steve Bannon

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Trey and Ken dive deep into the new format of the Democratic Convention, look at all 966 pages of the Senate Intelligence Report part five, and the arrest and charges against Steve Bannon for fraud.

This Week’s Recommendations
Trey suggests you check out Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home

Ken suggest you check out Reconstruction: Political and Economic

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Reforming Criminal Justice: Plea Bargaining, “Legal Fictions”, and Sentencing

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Mike talks with Ohio State Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly about reforming the plea bargaining process, the Michael Flynn case and “legal fictions”, the Paul Manafort case and sentencing guidelines, why we need sentencing databases, and more.

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Let Them Eat Tweets!

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Mike opens the show with some brief comments on Joe Biden choosing Kamala Harris, the USPS and the 2020 election, and the agreement between the UAE and Israel. After that is his interview with political scientists Jacob Hacker (Yale) and Paul Pierson (Berkeley) about their new book, Let Them Eat Tweets: How the Right Rules in an Age of Extreme Inequality. Following the interview, Jay joins Mike for some conservative commentary.

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Coronavirus Legislation, Primary Elections, Medicaid Expansion

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Mike and Jay discuss the impasse in the latest coronavirus legislation, President Trump’s promise to issue executive orders, the latest primary elections, and yet another state’s voters approving Medicaid expansion.

Mike’s Weekly Recommendation
The Bulwark’s Daily Newsletter

Jay’s Weekly Recommendation
No Property in Man. Sean Wilentz

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Stella Immanuel, Barr Testifies, Big Tech Hearings, Stimulus Stalls

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Trey and Ken discuss Stella Immanuel and the other frontline doctors and what it means to think critically, rationality, and scientifically. They also tackle the failures by House Democrats to hold Attorney General Barr accountable as well the House’s hearings with Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Google’s CEOs. Finally they discuss the gridlock over further COVID stimulus funds and why unemployment benefits are the sticking point.

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Portland Protests, Operation Legend, Census Concerns, Cancelled Convention, COVID-19

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Mike and Kristin discuss the Portland unrest that seems to have escalated with the arrival of federal officers, as well as the separate issue of Operation Legend in cities across the country. They also take on the issue of President Trump’s executive order to discount undocumented immigrants in the Census with regard to congressional redistricting, as well as cancellation of the in-person events at Republican National Convention and COVID-19 concerns.

Mike’s Weekly Recommendation
I Can Help (1974, Billy Swann)
I Can Help (1989, The Replacements – featuring Tom Waits) 

Kristin’s Weekly Recommendation
Missing in Alaska (podcast)

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John Lewis, Masks, Federal Executions, Trump Campaign Shakeup

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Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding.”  Mike and Jay talk about masks, character, and who’s hiding what in the Georgia- Atlanta spat, CDC guidance, and Trump’s approach to facial coverings. Then the first federal execution in 17 years opens up a discussion about the death penalty, if and how it should be applied, and who should decide those questions.  And Trump once again proves himself to the George Steinbrenner of politics by replacing another campaign manager.  Does this signal a change in direction, or just Trump being Trump?

Mike’s Weekly Recommendation
Andrew Sullivan’s Final NY Magazine Column
The Weekly Dish

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Stone Commutation, Opening Schools, SCOTUS on Trump’s Finances & the Electoral College

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This week, Mike & Jay discuss the commutation of Roger Stone’s sentence by President Trump, the Trump administration’s push to open up schools this fall, international student visas, and big Supreme Court rulings on the release of Donald Trump’s financial records and whether presidential electors can be punished or replaced for being “faithless”.

Mike’s Weekly Recommendation
Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist 

Jay’s Weekly Recommendation
The First Salute. Barbara Tuchman

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Independence Day, COVID Masks, Russian Bounties, Abortion Rights, Religious Freedom

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On this week’s show, Mike and Kristin kick things off by discussing some of the recent developments in COVID-19 news and the differences in how governors and the President have handled mask-wearing. They also talk about allegations of Russian bounties on US troops  as well as two recent SCOTUS decisions handed down this week, one involving abortion rights (June Medical Services v. Russo) and one involving religious freedom (Espinoza v. Montana), as well as related issues of activist judges and precedent in similar cases.

Mike’s Weekly Recommendation
1776 (musical)
John Adams: A Life, by John Ferling
John Adams (two volumes), by Page Smith

Kristin’s Weekly Recommendation
Floor is Lava (Netflix)
Home Before Dark, by Riley Sager

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Policing Bills, Berman Firing, Flynn Ruling, Immigration Order, COVID Increase

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Mike & Jay start off by discussing the House and Senate versions of legislation intended to address systemic problems with policing in the United States. They agree that neither side has much reason to compromise in the run-up to the 2020 elections, but they feel that there’s actually a good amount of ground on which a compromise could be possible.

After that, they take up the firing of US Attorney Geoffrey Berman. Mike argues that the whole thing was handled incompetently, and Jay feels that it’s yet another example of the GOP not being all that adept at “inside baseball”.

Then it’s a look at the DC Circuit’s 2-1 ruling ordering that the charges against Michael Flynn be dismissed. Mike argues that this is extreme judicial activism, and Jay doesn’t disagree, though he sees it as less extreme than Mike does. In the end though, Jay believes that the majority make the right call in a tough case, whereas Mike thinks it’s a clearly wrong decision that should be reversed by the DC Circuit as a whole.

Next is President Trump’s immigration order which further restricts entry to various classes of immigrants. The administration argues that this is necessary to protect US workers during the economic crisis stemming from COVID-19, but neither Jay nor Mike buys this argument.

Finally, Mike & Jay discuss the significant increase in coronavirus cases as well as the increase in the percentage of positive tests. They both feel that President Trump could show better leadership on the mask issue, but Jay is generally opposed to mandatory mask orders, feeling that societal pressure to wear masks is likely to be more effective.

Mike’s Weekly Recommendation
The Goldman Sans font

Jay’s Weekly Recommendation
The Revolution Comforts the Comfortable. Kevin Williamson

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