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PODCAST

The Politics Guys

Michael Baranowski

The Politics Guys is an independent, bipartisan, ideologically diverse American politics and policy podcast hosted by experts: political scientists, law professors, practicing attorneys, and former government officials. Our mission is to give listeners a much-needed break from conservative and liberal echo chambers through civil, rational, and evidence-based discussion of American politics and policy from multiple perspectives. In addition to our weekly news discussion, we feature regular interviews

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All Episodes

19:01

FBI in Crisis, Venezuelan Strikes, Listener Questions

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/23

Mike and Michael open with the turmoil inside the FBI under Director Kash Patel, highlighting Patel’s public clashes with Congress, mass agent departures, and lawsuits alleging unlawful firings. Michael argues that Patel is dangerously unqualified and politicizing the Bureau, while Mike stresses the long-term damage caused by the loss of experienced agents and the trend toward authoritarian-style loyalty tests. Next, they turn to the U.S. military’s sinking of Venezuelan boats allegedly tied to

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58:12

Charlie Kirk Reactions, Trump and Crime, Government...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/20

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

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60:24

Is There Really Democracy in America?

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/17

Mike talks with Osita Nwanevu, a contributing editor at The New Republic, columnist at The Guardian, and the Democratic Institutions fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. He’s also the author of The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding, which they discuss on this episode Topics Mike & Osita cover include: why democracy is the best political system the ‘folk theory’ of democracy if Americans actually care about democracy democracy and

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17:04

Epstein's Birthday Book, 24th Anniversary of 9/11

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/16

Trey and Justin cover the recent firing of UK ambassador Peter Mandelson over his connections to Jeffrey Epstein and the implications of Trump's involvement with Epstein. Next, they reflect on the 24th anniversary of 9/11, discussing its lasting impact on American politics and society, and the evolution of political responses to terrorism. The pair also make connections to the lessons of 9/11, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and the current culture of political violence in the United States. The

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60:19

Charlie Kirk, Noem v Perdomo

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/13

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

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50:58

America’s Law and Order Leviathan

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/10

Mike talks with David Garland, the Arthur Vanderbilt Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology at New York University. He’s the author of multiple books, including the recently released Law and Order Leviathan: America’s Extraordinary Regime of Policing and Punishment, which they discuss on this episodeTopics Mike & David cover include: why the US justice system is so deeply punitive how American capitalism affects our penal system American gun culture and crime why crim

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18:16

Trump’s Architecture & Google’s Monopoly: Power,...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/09

Mike and Tim open this midweek supporters’ episode with a listener’s multipart question about political shifts, good Democratic policies, Trump’s weak spots, and Republican values Democrats overlook. Tim highlights his changed stance on abortion, his appreciation for progressive taxes, skepticism of Trump’s trust in Putin, and the need for more respect toward pro-life views. Mike adds that he is rethinking the unitary executive theory, weighing risks of presidential overreach against the benefit of

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55:26

Trump’s Legal Setbacks: Immigration, Troops in LA,...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/06

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

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47:21

Pandemics, Poverty and Politics

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/03

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

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10:04

The 25th and 26th Amendment

The Politics Guys ·

2025/09/02

Trey and Ken continue their deep dive through the U.S. Constitution. They begin by looking at the history and structure of the 25th Amendment. How it has been used in terms of voluntary transfers of power and for the selection of vice presidents. They also discuss the unused portions allowing a president to be forced to transfer power. The pair also discuss the history of enfranchising 18-year-olds and its ties to the Vietnam War. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Check out the

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73:07

Lisa Cook, Troops in Chicago, Susan Monarez

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/29

In a special three-guest episode, Trey and Ken are joined by Mike. They start the show with a conversation on Trump’s attempted firing of Federal Reserve Board Member Lisa Cook over mortgage applications. Trey overviews what is happening and the likely desire of President Trump to influence monetary policy. Ken discusses the current legal landscape for the firing of independent board members, and Mike is thoroughly disturbed by the entire process.Next, the guys move to Chicago and the potential

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78:11

Bryan Caplan is Pro-Market AND Pro-Business

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/27

Mike welcomes back George Mason University economist Bryan Caplan to discuss Bryan’s latest collection, Pro-Market AND Pro-Business: Essays on Laissez-Faire. Topics Mike & Bryan discuss include: Mike’s skepticism of big business and Bryan’s response why Bryan thinks businesspeople earn every penny the pro-market case for noncompete clauses consumer harm and antitrust law positive and negative externalities Bryan’s ideal pro-market healthcare system opportunity costs and using

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16:02

Alligator Alcatraz, Bolton Raid, Ballot Box Battles

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/26

Justin and Sam open with a discussion of the legal challenges surrounding the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility, where Sam highlights how environmental law is being leveraged in unexpected ways and Justin emphasizes the partisan optics behind the controversy. Next, they turn to the FBI raid on John Bolton’s home. Sam underscores the legal backdrop of Bolton’s book dispute and stresses that a liberal bench approving the warrant suggests strong probable cause, while Justin raises

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57:57

Trump’s Diplomacy, Intel Bailout, Fed Frustrations

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/23

Justin and Sam open with Trump’s back-to-back meetings with Zelensky and Putin. Sam argues they could mark real progress, with Trump uniquely able to pressure leaders into a room. Justin doubts meaningful concessions are likely, pointing to Putin’s sunk costs and Ukraine’s moral high ground.Next, the guys examine Trump’s move to secure a $9B government stake in Intel. Sam frames it as a justified national-security safeguard given U.S. reliance on chips and China’s role in supply chains. Justin

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17:32

New BLS Head, Trump v Higher Ed, Reclassifying Marijuana

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/19

Mike and Joey open this midweek supporters’ episode with a discussion of President Trump nominating E.J. Antoni to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Mike argues that Antoni is too inexperienced for the position, while Joey counters that it’s Antoni’s lack of time in the establishment that may make him a more effective change agent at BLS. They both agree that there are significant issues with BLS’s data collection methodology that need to be addressed. Next is a look at President Trump’s

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3:59

Our New Hosts and What We're All About

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/17

A brief message from Mike about the newest hosts on TPG and why they're on the show. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X 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

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66:12

Trump/Putin Meeting, MPD Takeover, Redistricting Wars

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/16

Mike and Joey open with a discussion of President Trump’s meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Mike sees it as a weak Trump being once again played by alpha-dog Putin, while Joey believes it’s Trump who is cleverly playing to Putin’s ego. They both agree that we won’t know which interpretation is closer to right until we know the details of any potential peace deal.Next, it’s a look at the Trump administration’s efforts to combat crime in Washington, D.C.. Joey argues that the

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62:19

The Everyday Walls of American Life

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/13

Mike talks with Anand Pandian, a professor of anthropology at Johns Hopkins University. He's the author of Something Between Us: The Everyday Walls of American Life, and How to Take Them Down, which they discuss on this episode..Topics Mike & Anand cover include: how distance feeds conspiratorial thinking the rise of “fortress homes” the decline of front porches why American vehicles are so enormous “White Body Armor” the walls of the mind mutual aid and

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11:31

Jack Smith, Russian Hoax, JD Vance

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/12

Ken Katkin and Justin Holmes discuss dive into the recent appellate court decision in the DOJ contempt suit, new developments in the investigations of Jack Smith and the Russia Hoax, as well as JD Vance using federal resources to make sure he had a good canoe trip. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X 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

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63:16

Labor Statistics, Tariffs, Texas Redistricting

The Politics Guys ·

2025/08/09

This week, Justin Holmes and Ken Katkin are host. They start off with the firing of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which seems bad all around, but perhaps won't give Trump what he wants in the end. Next, they move on to trade, as some of Trump's tariffs took effect this week, while China's were delayed yet again. They finish by talking about developments in the fight over Texas redistricting, and Trump’s social media posts about the census, and the likelihood there could be an extra

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280 results

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