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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

news politics

All Episodes

57:42

Venezuela Strike, Trump v. Illinois, Mike’s Not a...

The Politics Guys ·

2026/01/03

Mike and Michael open with the breaking news that the Trump administration launched military strikes against Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro, debating whether the operation violates international law and risks plunging Venezuela into deeper instability. Michael stresses the fog of war, unresolved legal authority, and the danger posed by entrenched militias and fractured institutions, while Mike argues that even removing a brutal strongman sets a dangerous precedent when done outside

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24:18

Military Conduct, TPUSA, 2026 Predictions,...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/23

Trey and Mike join in this holiday-sized show! The pair start with a look into the Pentagon’s investigation into Senator Kelly over his video of illegal orders. Mike outlines the contours of the military code of justice. Trey argues for the need for members of the Senate (and House) to have the ability to speak freely.Next, they move to the ongoing feud between Candace Owens and Erica Kirk over TPUSA and the killing of Charlie Kirk. Trey argues that the future of the political right is who wins in

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67:00

The Affordability Hoax, Tina Peters and Presidential...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/19

Trey and Mike start with a focus on economic affordability, inflation rates, and the implications of Trump's economic policies. Trey outlines the historic economic conditions between Trump and Biden, noting that the economic conditions under Trump were better than under Biden. Mike argues that you can’t look at the total average under Biden because of COVID. Next, they discuss Trump's pardon of Tina Peters, exploring the limits of presidential power and the role of norms in governance. Mike argues

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18:15

Streaming Battle, Minnesota Fraud, Listener Questions

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/16

Mike and Joey open with a deep dive into the emerging battle over Warner Bros. Discovery, weighing Netflix’s proposed mega-merger against Paramount Skydance’s rival bid and asking whether antitrust law still has teeth in a streaming world defined by consolidation. Mike stresses market definition, consumer harm, and the risk of enshittification when dominant platforms get complacent, while Joey argues consolidation raises prices and erodes both competition and the marketplace of ideas Next, they

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56:56

Venezuela Actions, Presidential Power

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/13

Mike and Joey open with a look at U.S. missile strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats and the seizure of an oil tanker, debating whether Article II authority is enough or whether Congress should have a say. Mike presses on limiting principles, civilian deaths, and why Coast Guard interdiction might achieve the same ends with fewer moral costs, while Joey argues the strikes fit long-standing counterterror logic and reflect the president’s duty to act decisively against narco-terror networks Next,

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15:51

Ideologies: Marxism

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/09

Trey & Justin continue their dive into contemporary political ideologies. This week they dive into Marxism. Topics covered include:Marxism’s underlying structure in Hegel’s writings Historical Determinism Democracy and Marxism Lenin’s “fix” to Marxism with imperialism Critiques of Marxism and Neo-Marxism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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1:51

Introducing Explain Like I'm 5

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/09

Mike talks about the Explain Like I'm 5 podcast. I hope you will enjoy this excellent show as much as we do.

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70:34

National Guard Members Killed, Hegseth's Narco...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/05

Trey and Justin start the show discussing last week’s tragic incident involving the National Guard in Washington DC. Here, both Trey and Justin agree on the terrible nature of the attack. Trey highlights the emotionally charged nature such an episode will have on immigration conversations. Specifically, Trey discusses how media frames impact policy. Justin highlights that the White House is simply using the incident to crackdown further on immigration. The pair both agree that Afghans who assisted

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19:07

Democrats’ Dilemma, Second Thoughts on Sports Betting

The Politics Guys ·

2025/12/02

Mike, Tim, and Michael open with the “Deciding to Win” memo and the broader question of how Democrats can reconnect with working-class voters while staying true to core values. Mike argues that Democrats already face structural disadvantages and will lose even more elections if they treat politics as a mass pedagogy project instead of meeting voters where they are with authentic, non-condescending economic populism. Tim contends that Democrats are ripping themselves apart over issues like trans

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67:47

Ukraine Peace Deal, Comey Case Tossed, Military Orders

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/29

Mike, Tim, and Michael open with Trump’s 28-point Ukraine peace plan, built on Russian terms that demand territorial concessions, a NATO ban, limits on Ukraine’s army, and sweeping amnesty. Tim focuses on trading some Ukrainian territory for ironclad security guarantees, including foreign troops on the ground as real deterrence. Mike argues the U.S. should massively ramp up weapons and capabilities for Kyiv, rejecting escalation fears and warning that half-measures only reward aggression and

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17:36

Comey Indictment, ACA Subsidies, the MAGA Theory of...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/25

Mike and Joey open with the spiraling Comey prosecution, where a Trump-aligned U.S. attorney faces judicial scorn for alleged grand-jury missteps that could collapse the case. Mike argues the real play is intimidation and precedent-setting revenge politics rather than a credible legal charge. Joey counters that Comey was central to what he considers the most serious political scandal in decades and sees the prosecution as predictable fallout, while defending Halligan against “rookie mistake”

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70:16

Epstein Files, Trump MBS Meeting, California vs ICE

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/22

Mike and Joey open with the blowback to Joey’s claim that “the hubris of the left” is the biggest obstacle to national unity . Mike frames Trump’s behavior as the more obvious example of hubris, while Joey argues that Trump’s personality is massive but incidental and that the real divide is between people focused on ideas and people hung up on identity. Joey sees Trump as a magnanimous, big-ideas president undermined by small-minded opponents, while Mike counters that Trump’s “magnanimity” looks

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50:57

A.I. in Political Campaigns

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/19

Travis talks with Dr. Michael Cohen, author of Modern Political Campaigns, and Julie Sweet, author of the American Association of Political Consultants’ Deepfake Law Compliance Guide for Political Campaigns, about the role of artificial intelligence in political campaigns.Topics Travis, Julie, and Michael cover include: How campaigns are using AI and how they can be compliant with state laws and regulations What the use of AI will mean for the future of the campaign workforce The

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32:23

Federalist Paper No 1

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/18

Trey & Ken begin a new supporter's series on The Federalist Papers. This week's episode includes an overview of The Federalist Papers themselves and introduces Federalist Paper No. 1. Topics covered include: The history behind writing the original essays The attack on the Constitution by Anti-Federalists How Hamilton and Madison became the principal authors The controversy over who wrote each essay Follow along with Trey & Ken by following Trey's New Substack. Each episode

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63:12

Government Shutdown Ends, Epstein Documents Continue,...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/14

In this episode, Trey and Ken discuss the recent end of the US government shutdown, including the implications for both parties, with a focus on the ACA subsidies. Trey argues that he was ultimately correct, and the shutdown did not benefit Democrats nor lasted into December. While Ken concedes that the shutdown didn’t last as long as he anticipated, it was still the longest in history, and importantly, it taught Democrats how to fight. He sees it as a net positive for Democrats moving into the

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51:41

Saving Ourselves From Big Car

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/12

Mike talks with David Obst, a former journalist, publisher, screenwriter, and film producer. He’s also the author of a new book on the automotive industry called Saving Ourselves from Big Car, which is the focus of their conversation.Topics Mike & David cover include: How “Big Car” became a self-perpetuating system The deadly legacy of leaded gasoline Corporate cover-ups and government complicity Racial injustice in the building of highways Planned obsolescence and car

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13:06

Ideologies: Conservatism

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/11

Trey & Justin continue their dive into contemporary political ideologies. This week, they dive into conservatism. Topics covered include: The underlying principles of conservatism, including tradition and gradual change The relationship between tradition and conservatism The relationship between religion and conservatism The differences between the Republican Party and conservatives Critiques of the status quo nature of conservatism Check out Trey's New Substack The Politics Guys

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62:22

Democrats Win, Government Shutdown, Senate...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/08

Trey and Justin open the show by bypassing the shutdown, at least for a moment, and starting with the 2025 elections. Trey argues that the results are a victory for Democrats, but must be contextualized. His key point is that the economy is becoming an issue for Republicans. Both hosts outline what off-year elections such as this can and don’t mean more generally and how the Democratic Party still faces structural issues facing the midterms.Next, the guys turn to the issue of the government

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61:48

Nations Apart: Colin Woodard on the Regional Cultures...

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/05

Mike talks with New York Times bestselling author, historian, and journalist Colin Woodard. His latest book is Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America, which they discuss on this episode. Topics Mike & Colin discuss include: America as a federation of rival regional cultures How early settlers shaped lasting political divides Culture’s role in red and blue state patterns Communitarian vs. individualist visions of freedom Why internal migration

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18:51

AI Bubble, Trump’s Pardons, Biden’s Autopen

The Politics Guys ·

2025/11/04

Mike, Michael, and Tim open with a discussion of the missing economic data and what that means for understanding the current economy. Tim explains that while unemployment remains low and markets are strong, uncertainty looms because key government reports haven’t been released. Mike argues that the apparent strength is concentrated almost entirely in AI and tech stocks, raising fears of an unsustainable bubble. Michael agrees the boom feels narrow and risky, warning that layoffs and overinvestment

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277 results

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