The Politics Guys

Mike and Ken open this supporters’ exclusive midweek episode with a look at TrumpRx, a government-branded prescription drug discount portal. Mike points out that it offers real savings on certain high-cost drugs and signals a willingness to confront pharmaceutical pricing, but suggests it may function more as a Big Pharma marketing funnel than structural reform. Ken contends it risks undermining insurance markets, misdirects consumers from systemic solutions like negotiation or single-payer leverage, and may create perverse incentives while doing little beyond what private platforms already offer.

Next, the guys turn to new post–SFFA admissions data showing decl...

Mike and Ken open with the end of ICE’s “Operation Metro Surge” in Minneapolis, a federal judge’s masking ruling, and a looming DHS shutdown, framing the debate over whether the administration’s hardline immigration tactics are enforcement or political theater. Mike argues the surge squandered a politically strong issue by embracing heavy-handed tactics that hurt Trump in the polls and likely achieved little lasting cooperation, while Ken contends the real aim was to intimidate blue-state critics and that, on that metric, the operation failed.

Next, the guys turn to the House vote rebuking Trump’s Canada tarif...

The Politics Guys analyze the U.S. Constitution. In this episode, they focus on:

⁠Read Trey's Substack for a deep dive into the Federalist Papers⁠⁠

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The Politics Guys is part of⁠⁠ The Democracy Group⁠⁠, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken i...

In this supporter’s exclusive midweek show, Trey and Mike open with a discussion of the U.S.-India trade deal. The discussion focuses on the relationship to the potential deal and its effects on Russia. Trey argues that current fiscal policy is well outside the empirical truth understood by the most recent scholarship, and Mike wonders if a deal will ever occur.

Next, they discuss the unusual Trump vs. Trump case where Trump is suing the IRS for $ 10 billion. Trey argues that if Trump was serious about the injury, he would have sued fo...

In this weekend episode, Trey and Mike discuss the recent government shutdown and budget negotiations, focusing on the implications of Democratic proposals regarding ICE and law enforcement. Mike argues that Democrats have a fine opening bid, but their list is not going to get met. Trey agrees, but they disagree deeply over what ought to be implemented. Trey is firmly for the unmasking of ICE agents along with true warrants. Mike believes the dangers to ICE agents outweigh libertarian and liberal ideals.

Next, they dive into so-called midterm election integrity with a focus on...

In the second episode of The Politics Guys Present, Trey and Ken tackle the Preamble to the U.S Constitution, plus dive into Article I, Section 1, 2 and 3. Topics include:

⁠Read Trey's Substack for a deep dive into the Federalist Papers⁠

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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 at⁠patreon.com/politicsguy...

Mike, Trey, and Russ open with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Davos speech arguing that the rules-based international order has ruptured and that middle powers should loosen their reliance on U.S. hegemony. Mike frames the debate around the long-term benefits versus short-term costs of American dominance, Trey agrees with Carney’s realist diagnosis but rejects his prescription to abandon liberal institutions, and Russ emphasizes the symbolic importance of a Western leader openly challenging U.S. power even if the material constraints make real independence unlikely.

Next, the guys turn to the Trump administration’s plans to use...

Mike, Trey, and new-to-the-show cohost Russ Gifford open with the January 27 assault on Rep. Ilhan Omar at a Minneapolis town hall. Trey frames the incident as crossing a line but notes it was closer to an “enhanced protest” than a lethal attack, stressing that it could have been far worse. Russ draws a parallel to symbolic political assaults like the shoe thrown at George W. Bush, while Mike emphasizes that President Trump’s response—suggesting Omar staged the attack—says more about the coarsening of political norms than about the physical harm involved.

Next, the guys turn to the esc...

In this first episode of The Politics Guys Present, Trey and Ken introduce the U.S. Constitution. Topics include:

Read Trey's Substack for a deep dive into the Federalist Papers

The Politics Guys on Facebook | X

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 atpatreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venm...

Trey and Justin continue their series on political ideologies, this week with anarchism. Topics covered include:

What is an anarchist?

What does it mean to reject the state?

Anarchism and human nature

The positive vision of life after the state

The Politics Guys on Facebook | X

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

The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a networ...

This week, Trey and Justin open the show by announcing The Politics Guys Presents: The U.S. Constitution. This is a new drop coming on Wednesdays, open to all listeners, to get a detailed understanding of the U.S. Constitution!

After that, the pair move to Trump’s seeming U-Turn on Greenland. Trey argues that the goal isn’t Greenland necessarily, but rather to change the relationship with our former allies. He connects it to the United States exiting the World Health Organization. Justin argues Trump was trying to project strength and did not realize the extent of o...

Mike and Michael open with a deep dive into the Supreme Court cases involving Idaho and West Virginia bans on transgender girls participating in girls’ sports, unpacking why the Court is likely to uphold the laws while sharply distinguishing between what may be legally permissible and what constitutes sound or humane policy. Mike emphasizes administratability, original legislative meaning in Title IX, and the unavoidable reality that someone loses under any legal rule, while Michael argues the Court is ducking meaningful scrutiny, endorsing blanket exclusions, and turning vulnerable kids into symbolic casualties of a broader culture war.

Next, th...

Mike and Michael open with an update on events in Minneapolis in the wake of the killing of Renee Good. Michael emphasizes how polling shows broad public skepticism and frames the situation as a legitimacy crisis for ICE, while Mike argues the administration’s response reflects an entrenched us-versus-them mentality that treats protesters as enemies rather than citizens.

Next, the guys pivot to the clash between President Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over the Fed’s headquarters renovation and the resulting DOJ investigation. Michael lays out the cost overruns, subpoenas, and Republican unease about Fed inde...

In this midweek show, Trey and Mike look to the expanding international vision from Trumpworld as it relates primarily to Greenland. Mike argues that Greenland is just saber rattling, but Trey argues that it is more. Further, he argues that MAGA does not see common ground with other democracies, especially in Europe.

Next, they discuss the economic policies of exiting the global tax agreements. Mike believes it was the best move in the case of the U.S. Trey goes into the details of how Europe has targeted the U.S. in terms of taxes.

...

Mike joins Trey to open the show with a deep dive into the ICE killing of Renee Good. Mike focuses on the language used by administrative officials and its militant attack on Good. Trey highlights that, even if Good was engaged in illegal activity, there is a level of due process. He also argues that federalism better handles police situations because they are inherently a part of those communities.

Next, the guys turn to a deeper dive into Operation Absolute Resolve or the attack on Venezuela. While last week the guys got a quick first take, this...

Mike and Michael open with CBS News pulling a 60 Minutes investigation into alleged abuse of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador, focusing less on the prison itself than on what the decision signals about media independence. Mike argues that conditioning broadcast on administration participation amounts to false balance and effectively hands officials a veto over investigative journalism, while Michael stresses that the move breaks with 60 Minutes’ role as a mass-audience accountability institution rather than a niche outlet.

Next, the guys step back and treat Trump’s first year as a scorecard exercise, weighing major 2024 campaign promises against outc...

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 the UN framework and without clear congressional authorization.

Next, the guys turn to domestic executive power in Trump v. Illinois, analyzing the Supreme Court’s ref...

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 this battle. Mike argues Owens is si...

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 that, from a textualist viewpoint, the U.S. Constitution is consistent with a unitary theory of the pre...

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 turn to the idea of “objective” or traditional news, debating David Ellison’s claim that CNN and CBS could rebuild a fact-driven, ideological...

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, they pivot to Trump v. Slaughter and the fate of Humphrey’s Executor, unpacking what presidential remov...

Trey & Justin continue their dive into contemporary political ideologies. This week they dive into Marxism. Topics covered include:

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

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 the U.S. were due help and that an individualized tragic incident does not change the need for a robust asylum po...

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 rights, women’s sports, and abortion limits, and that these fissures are driving away Hispanics and moderates in a way no amount of pollin...

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 embolden China over Taiwan. Michael sees the plan as politically and militarily a nonstarter, doubts any near-term peace is possible, and warns that Zele...

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” criticisms.

Next, they roll into the looming ACA subsidy cliff and the GOP’s strategic paralysis: extend subsidies, rebrand them throug...

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 more like dominance dressed up as charm.

Next, they dig into Congress’s overwhelming vote...

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 current state of and future prospects for academic research on AI in campaigns and elections

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 has a Substack article for more detailed information on each Federalist Paper! Subscribe now!

The Politics...

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 midterm.

Next, they turn to the political fallout from the re...

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 addiction

The invention of jaywalking

Big Car’s influence on media an...

Trey & Justin continue their dive into contemporary political ideologies. This week, they dive into conservatism. Topics covered include:

Check out Trey's New Substack

The Politics Guys on Facebook | X

Check out the excellent Sustainable Planet podcast.

Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of suppor...

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 shutdown, which is now the longest in history. Trey asks Justin where he...

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 reinforces cultural divides

The roots of American ethno-nationalism

Shared civic ideals in the Declaration of...

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 could lead to a painful reckoning. Tim counters that disruptive innovation has always produced temporary upheaval before lasting growth, while Mike remains un...

Mike, Tim, and Michael open with the fifth week of the government shutdown, now poised to become the longest ever. Tim argues that while the disruption is real, the economic impact will be minor and short-lived, suggesting resolution will come after the elections. Michael delivers a fiery critique, calling the shutdown political theater that hurts ordinary people and decrying Republican fiscal hypocrisy. Mike underscores the tangible harm to citizens, emphasizing that the ACA subsidy fight shows how deeply broken the system is.

Next, the guys turn to President Trump’s Asia tour — a mix of spectacle and deal...

Mike talks with former Democratic activist Lisa Ekman, whose recently released book is titled Deprogramming Democrats & unEducating the Elites: How I Escaped the Progressive Cult.

Topics Mike &  Lisa discuss include:

Ekman’s background in Democratic politics

government and expert failure during COVID

the tension between public health policy and liberty

the problem with replacing equality with equity

communist thinking in classrooms

returning power to the states and the people

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This episode marks the finale in Trey and Ken’s three-year journey through the U.S. Constitution! In this final episode of the Constitution series, Trey and Ken discuss the 26th and 27th Amendments, exploring their historical significance and political implications. They also look at the journey of the Equal Rights Amendment and its “almost” status as a 28th Amendment. The hosts close by discussing the possibility of amending the U.S. Constitution in the future.

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Check out the excellent Sustainable Planet podcast.

Listener support helps make The Politic...

Trey and Ken start by letting Ken weigh in on the government shutdown. Ken argues that the Democrats are winning and are doing the right thing. Trey disagrees and sees Democrats as eventually the party that will back down and let people get paid. Ken doubles down by saying the shutdown will last until December when Republicans will then back down.

Next, the guys overview the demolition of the White House’s East Wing. Trey is concerned about the larger issue of buying favor with the government for those who help fund it. Ken, meanwhile, thinks strong la...