Will and Brian begin by discussing the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Brian sees great value in space and exploration as a means to advance scientific knowledge and understanding. Even more importantly, he finds that interest in STEM can help motivate children to pursue careers that will continue to move the world forward. Will also sees value in space exploration but wants to remind everyone of the political push behind many early endeavors. Moreover, he also posits the good that could be done with the same budget money today to help citizens across the United States.
Next, they move to a lengthy discussion around Trump’s Tweets aimed at the Squad and fallout surrounding it. Brian argues the tweets are explicitly racist and problematic for democratic governance in the country. Will, on the other hand, believes that while the intention was clear, the message itself was not as direct as many are claiming. Both believe the move was quite strategic. Will posits that Trump used this to move the news media off of other areas while also forcing Speaker Pelosi to defend the Squad, consequently positioning the left as being more extreme than they currently are in reality. Both agree that this issue will continue to be discussed but will not lead to any noticeable shifts in public opinion and pushes for impeachment are wasted efforts today.
Will and Brian then discuss the contempt charges brought against Attorney General Barr and Secretary Ross by the House over the citizenship Census question. Will points out that the entire debate is not about the actual question, since it has existed in some format for decades, but instead about how the information could and would be used. Brian believe the contempt charges are largely political theater but still send an important message regarding the current state of Congressional relations with the President.
Lastly, they briefly discuss the testimony of Secretary McAleenan regarding border conditions today. Will begins by saying that Mike Pence’s comments on the conditions got his attention more than anything else in the news recently given his political leanings and honest assessment. Moreover, Will worries that presidential candidates are using the border as a photo opp which undermines the plight of the individuals currently held there. Brian is concerned both with the conditions and the way that Americans are responding. Both wonder if McAleenan was suggesting to the House that this could all be solved if they were willing to more actively take other measures to curb immigration.
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