The Chuck ToddCast

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Josh Seftel joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss All the Empty Rooms, his devastating Netflix documentary short that chronicles the untouched bedrooms of children killed in school shootings since Sandy Hook. Seftel describes a country that has grown numb to over 100 school shootings just this year — where the reporting cycle moves on before victims' stories can truly be told — and explains how the simple, visceral act of standing in a dead child's bedroom forces viewers to feel something that statistics never could. He reveals that many parents have kept these rooms exactly as their children left them, preserving even the smell, creating what amounts to sacred spaces frozen in time.Chuck draws the parallel to the decision to show Emmett Till's open casket, and Seftel argues these painful stories must be told regardless of how uncomfortable they make us, because imagery can be more powerful than the spoken word. What makes the film's approach so striking — and so strategically effective — is what it leaves out. The word "gun" is never mentioned, a deliberate choice to avoid triggering the political reflexes that shut down conversation before it starts. And it's working: Seftel shares that a Second Amendment enthusiast changed his mind after seeing the photos of empty rooms, and even a Sandy Hook denier reached out after watching. The film's funders didn't want to make money — they wanted to make change — and Netflix's global distribution has given it a massive reach. Seftel says the conversation has to start with one simple question — "How do we keep kids safe at school?" — and that the film intentionally got better as it got shorter, stripping away prescription and polemic to let the silence of those rooms do the work. Go to  https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.” Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or AmericanFinancing.net/TheChuckToddCast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Josh Seftel joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:45 People are surprised by the portrayal in “All the Empty Rooms” 02:15 Public has grown to accept over 100 school shootings a year 03:00 Seeing the empty rooms of victims forces you to feel something 04:30 Why has mass shooting frequency been accelerating? 06:00 Does media coverage of shootings plant the seed for more? 07:15 Says a lot about American psyche that True Crime is so popular 08:30 Focus of the doc is on victims, not the shooters 09:00 Asked parents of every child killed since Sandy Hook to film their room 12:00 Media that means to come back to tell victims stories aren’t able to 13:00 Stories must be told, regardless of how painful. Like Emmit Til  14:15 Many parents kept their slain children’s rooms untouched 15:15 Parents want to preserve the smell of their children 16:15 How did you compartmentalize when making this doc? 18:15 The hope of the doc is that everyone can feel the weight of the loss 19:30 People with the power to fix this problem need to see this doc 21:00 The word “Gun” is never mentioned, didn’t want to turn off viewers 22:45 Photos of empty rooms led 2A enthusiast to change his mind 23:30 Got an email from a Sandy Hook denier that watched the doc 25:30 The doc paints a 3D image of the victims, that gets missed normally 28:00 Parents choose to grieve & respond in different ways 30:00 Each family & parent has a different relationship with the empty room 31:45 Some families want to move, but can’t bring themselves to pack up room 33:30 Was it hard not to get prescriptive? 36:00 Conversation must start with “How do we keep kids safe at school?” 37:00 The film got better as it got shorter 38:00 Imagery can be more powerful than spoken word 39:15 Streaming on Netflix allows for far wider distribution  40:30 Funders for the doc didn’t want to make money, they wanted to make change 44:00 The topic wasn’t just powerful, it was visually powerfulSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd breaks down the Texas primary results and finds a political landscape that should terrify the Republican establishment. Ken Paxton and John Cornyn are headed to a runoff on the GOP side, but the headline number is stunning: Democrats posted a higher overall vote total than Republicans in the Texas primary, a seismic signal in what has long been the country's biggest red state. He credits Talarico's viral Colbert moment with giving him a massive boost, notes that Latino voters broke decisively for Talarico over Jasmine Crockett — who ran an unconventional campaign and is unlikely to concede quickly — and argues that a Paxton vs. Talarico general election would genuinely put Texas in play. He walks through the strategic calculus: history favors Paxton in a runoff, Cornyn has outperformed polling but a Cornyn nomination would draw less national Democratic investment in the race, and Democrats should have the budget to compete in Texas regardless — because Texas is "nice to have" for Democrats but "must have" for Republicans, and if Democrats win even once there, it opens the floodgates. He also flags Dan Crenshaw losing after failing to secure Trump's endorsement, the razor-thin two-vote margin for the state senate campaign in North Carolina, and a broader pattern of bad developments piling up for the GOP — capped by Trump stoking voter skepticism with an unpopular Iran war. His verdict: this is the worst possible start to an election cycle for Republicans, because it's easy to start a war and very hard to end one. Then, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Josh Seftel joins the Chuck Toddcast to discuss All the Empty Rooms, his devastating Netflix documentary short that chronicles the untouched bedrooms of children killed in school shootings since Sandy Hook. Seftel describes a country that has grown numb to over 100 school shootings just this year — where the reporting cycle moves on before victims' stories can truly be told — and explains how the simple, visceral act of standing in a dead child's bedroom forces viewers to feel something that statistics never could. He reveals that many parents have kept these rooms exactly as their children left them, preserving even the smell, creating what amounts to sacred spaces frozen in time.Chuck draws the parallel to the decision to show Emmett Till's open casket, and Seftel argues these painful stories must be told regardless of how uncomfortable they make us, because imagery can be more powerful than the spoken word. What makes the film's approach so striking — and so strategically effective — is what it leaves out. The word "gun" is never mentioned, a deliberate choice to avoid triggering the political reflexes that shut down conversation before it starts. And it's working: Seftel shares that a Second Amendment enthusiast changed his mind after seeing the photos of empty rooms, and even a Sandy Hook denier reached out after watching. The film's funders didn't want to make money — they wanted to make change — and Netflix's global distribution has given it a massive reach. Seftel says the conversation has to start with one simple question — "How do we keep kids safe at school?" — and that the film intentionally got better as it got shorter, stripping away prescription and polemic to let the silence of those rooms do the work. Finally, Chuck lists his ToddCast Top 5 All-Time Texas statewide elections and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Go to  https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.” Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or AmericanFinancing.net/TheChuckToddCast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:00 Ken Paxton & John Cornyn headed to a runoff 02:30 Democrats had a higher vote total than Republicans in Texas primary 03:45 Talarico’s moment with Stephen Colbert gave him a huge boost 05:00 Several house races headed to a run off 07:00 Latino voters broke fairly decisively for Talarico 07:45 Crockett didn’t run a conventional campaign 08:30 Crockett is unlikely to concede quickly 10:00 We never got the full story on the Colbert moment 11:15 Fighter vs Uniter is the divide amongst Democrats 13:00 If Cornyn can stay ahead of Paxton, that will matter to Trump 14:30 Talarico being the nominee will make establishment Republicans nervous 16:00 History says it’s more likely that Paxton wins the runoff  18:00 Cornyn has outperformed the polling 18:30 With Paxton & Talarico as the nominees, Texas is in play  19:30 Do senate Democrats play in the Republican runoff? 20:30 If it’s Cornyn vs. Talarico, the national party won’t help Talarico as much 22:00 Will Dems spend on Alaska, Iowa and Nebraska? 23:15 Dems should have the budget to target Texas 24:00 Texas is “nice to have” for Dems, it’s “must have” for Republicans 25:30 If Democrats win once in Texas, it opens the door for more wins 26:45 Two vote margin for the state senate president in North Carolina 27:45 Dan Crenshaw didn’t get Trump endorsement and lost 29:15 Bad developments keep happening for the Republican party 30:15 Trump is only stoking voter skepticism with Iran war 31:30 It’s easy to start a war, it’s hard to end one 32:00 Worst possible start to an election cycle for the Republicans 42:00 Josh Seftel joins the Chuck ToddCast 43:45 People are surprised by the portrayal in “All the Empty Rooms” 44:15 Public has grown to accept over 100 school shootings a year 45:00 Seeing the empty rooms of victims forces you to feel something 46:30 Why has mass shooting frequency been accelerating? 48:00 Does media coverage of shootings plant the seed for more? 49:15 Says a lot about American psyche that True Crime is so popular 50:30 Focus of the doc is on victims, not the shooters 51:00 Asked parents of every child killed since Sandy Hook to film their room 54:00 Media that means to come back to tell victims stories aren’t able to 55:00 Stories must be told, regardless of how painful. Like Emmit Til 56:15 Many parents kept their slain children’s rooms untouched 57:15 Parents want to preserve the smell of their children 58:15 How did you compartmentalize when making this doc? 1:00:15 The hope of the doc is that everyone can feel the weight of the loss 1:01:30 People with the power to fix this problem need to see this doc 1:03:00 The word “Gun” is never mentioned, didn’t want to turn off viewers 1:04:45 Photos of empty rooms led 2A enthusiast to change his mind 1:05:30 Got an email from a Sandy Hook denier that watched the doc 1:07:30 The doc paints a 3D image of the victims, that gets missed normally 1:10:00 Parents choose to grieve & respond in different ways 1:12:00 Each family & parent has a different relationship with the empty room 1:13:45 Some families want to move, but can’t bring themselves to pack up room 1:15:30 Was it hard not to get prescriptive? 1:18:00 Conversation must start with “How do we keep kids safe at school?” 1:19:00 The film got better as it got shorter 1:20:00 Imagery can be more powerful than spoken word 1:21:15 Streaming on Netflix allows for far wider distribution 1:22:30 Funders for the doc didn’t want to make money, they wanted to make change 1:26:00 The topic wasn’t just powerful, it was visually powerful 1:31:45 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Josh Seftel 1:34:30 Texas senate race has a chance to become an all-timer 1:35:15 ToddCast Top 5 All-Time statewide campaigns in Texas history 1:37:15 #5 2006 Governor’s race 1:42:45 #4 1994 Governor’s race 1:45:45 #3 1924 Governor’s race 1:49:15 #2 1962 special election for senate 1:54:00 #1 1948 Democratic senate primary 2:01:30 Honorable mentions 2:04:00 Ask Chuck 2:04:15 Take on Pete Hegseth’s briefing on the Iran war? What are the objectives? 2:10:30 Why is a war powers resolution needed? How can congress restrain Trump? 2:13:45 Will this war be better received if not launched during tax season? 2:18:15 Explaining complex political & world events to your kids?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd breaks down the Texas primary results and finds a political landscape that should terrify the Republican establishment. Ken Paxton and John Cornyn are headed to a runoff on the GOP side, but the headline number is stunning: Democrats posted a higher overall vote total than Republicans in the Texas primary, a seismic signal in what has long been the country's biggest red state. He credits Talarico's viral Colbert moment with giving him a massive boost, notes that Latino voters broke decisively for Talarico over Jasmine Crockett — who ran an unconventional campaign and is unlikely to concede quickly — and argues that a Paxton vs. Talarico general election would genuinely put Texas in play. He walks through the strategic calculus: history favors Paxton in a runoff, Cornyn has outperformed polling but a Cornyn nomination would draw less national Democratic investment in the race, and Democrats should have the budget to compete in Texas regardless — because Texas is "nice to have" for Democrats but "must have" for Republicans, and if Democrats win even once there, it opens the floodgates. He also flags Dan Crenshaw losing after failing to secure Trump's endorsement, the razor-thin two-vote margin for the state senate campaign in North Carolina, and a broader pattern of bad developments piling up for the GOP — capped by Trump stoking voter skepticism with an unpopular Iran war. His verdict: this is the worst possible start to an election cycle for Republicans, because it's easy to start a war and very hard to end one. Finally, Chuck lists his ToddCast Top 5 All-Time Texas statewide elections and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Go to  https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.” Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or AmericanFinancing.net/TheChuckToddCast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:00 Ken Paxton & John Cornyn headed to a runoff 02:30 Democrats had a higher vote total than Republicans in Texas primary 03:45 Talarico’s moment with Stephen Colbert gave him a huge boost 05:00 Several house races headed to a run off 07:00 Latino voters broke fairly decisively for Talarico 07:45 Crockett didn’t run a conventional campaign 08:30 Crockett is unlikely to concede quickly 10:00 We never got the full story on the Colbert moment 11:15 Fighter vs Uniter is the divide amongst Democrats 13:00 If Cornyn can stay ahead of Paxton, that will matter to Trump 14:30 Talarico being the nominee will make establishment Republicans nervous 16:00 History says it’s more likely that Paxton wins the runoff  18:00 Cornyn has outperformed the polling 18:30 With Paxton & Talarico as the nominees, Texas is in play  19:30 Do senate Democrats play in the Republican runoff? 20:30 If it’s Cornyn vs. Talarico, the national party won’t help Talarico as much 22:00 Will Dems spend on Alaska, Iowa and Nebraska? 23:15 Dems should have the budget to target Texas 24:00 Texas is “nice to have” for Dems, it’s “must have” for Republicans 25:30 If Democrats win once in Texas, it opens the door for more wins 26:45 Two vote margin for the state senate president in North Carolina 27:45 Dan Crenshaw didn’t get Trump endorsement and lost 29:15 Bad developments keep happening for the Republican party 30:15 Trump is only stoking voter skepticism with Iran war 31:30 It’s easy to start a war, it’s hard to end one 32:00 Worst possible start to an election cycle for the Republicans 41:30 ToddCast Top 5 All-Time statewide campaigns in Texas history 43:30 #5 2006 Governor’s race 49:00 #4 1994 Governor’s race 52:00 #3 1924 Governor’s race 55:30 #2 1962 special election for senate 1:00:15 #1 1948 Democratic senate primary 1:07:45 Honorable mentions 1:10:15 Ask Chuck 1:10:30 Take on Pete Hegseth’s briefing on the Iran war? What are the objectives? 1:16:45 Why is a war powers resolution needed? How can congress restrain Trump? 1:20:00 Will this war be better received if not launched during tax season? 1:24:30 Explaining complex political & world events to your kids?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd delivers a searing assessment of a war he calls one of choice, not necessity. He argues that "ends justify the means" sums up everything about Trump's presidency, noting that the rationale for the war has shifted multiple times, there was no smoking gun incident to prompt the strikes, the administration's credibility with the public is extremely low, and Trump's own surrogates spent years warning that Democrats would start a war with Iran. He questions whether the U.S. got boxed in by Netanyahu and whether Trump is simply looking for his own Delcy Rodriguez-style compliant leader in Tehran, pointing out the absurdity of calling on Iran's military to surrender without clarifying to whom. He warns that regime change is a tall order that gives America enormous responsibility it isn't prepared for, that oil prices are set to soar with massive domestic political consequences, and that the prior cuts to Voice of America were a shortsighted mistake now that winning hearts and minds actually matters. He warns that if unilateral executive war-making becomes normalized, America will have fundamentally changed its republic. He closes by pivoting to the Texas primary, where Talarico appears to have momentum heading into election day, Trump has refused to endorse in the GOP race leaving Cornyn exposed, and total primary turnout will serve as a critical bellwether for November's midterms. Finally, ahead of the Texas primaries on Tuesday, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit Texas’s declaration of independence from Mexico & the unique forces that shaped the state’s “Lone Star” mentality. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Go to  https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.” Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or AmericanFinancing.net/TheChuckToddCast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 06:00 “Ends justify the means” sums up everything about Trump’s presidency 06:45 The administration’s credibility with the public is extremely low 07:30 Military sources are less likely to lie to reporters than political ones 08:30 The rationale for the war has changed multiple times 09:15 There was no smoking gun incident to prompt the war 10:30 Regime change is a tall order & gives us more responsibility 12:00 Trump has called for the Iranian military to surrender… but to whom? 12:45 Cuts to Voice of America was a shortsighted mistake 13:30 After massacre of protesters, there was a humanitarian case for strikes 15:00 Is Trump looking for his own Delcy Rodriguez in Iran? 15:30 Did the U.S. get boxed in by Netanyahu? 16:30 This a war of choice, not a war of necessity  17:15 Trump & surrogates warned for years that Dems would start a war with Iran 18:00 Trump has targeted two world leaders in less than a year 19:00 The administration has created a massive political problem 19:30 Trump has given up domestically, focused on foreign policy legacy 20:30 Trump doesn’t think about consequences beyond what’s good for him 21:15 This war will create an identity crisis for the Republican party 21:45 This has the potential to be incredibly good for the middle east 22:15 10/7 was the biggest strategic mistake Iran has ever made 23:30 Gulf states can’t keep their neutrality, MBS talked Trump into attacking 24:30 Iran’s proxies were more effective than their actual military 25:00 Israel is clearly the military power of the middle east 25:45 Oil prices likely to soar and will impact politics domestically 27:15 Trump probably cuts the deal if Iran completely capitulated 28:00 Iran was more forthcoming in negotiations than Russia is 29:15 Trump only chooses fights he knows he can dominate 30:00 Congress has itself to blame by not even bothering to vote 31:00 Will the American people decide that congress is optional 31:45 Contradiction between campaign rhetoric & governance should matter 32:45 If unilateral executive action becomes normal, we change our republic 34:15 Success overseas rarely translates to votes at the ballot box 35:30 Iraq & Afghanistan are still a mess twenty years after intervening 36:15 Talarico seems to have momentum prior to Texas primary 36:45 Trump refused to endorse in Texas 37:30 Dan Crenshaw is the only Republican in Texas without Trump’s support 38:30 Total turnout in Texas primary will be a bellwether for November 39:15 There are a lot of Cornyn/Talarico voters 48:00 ToddCast Time Machine - March 2nd 1836 48:45 Texas formally declares independence from Mexico 49:30 Independence declared in a small town, not a capital 50:45 There was a substantial population of Tejanos already in Texas 51:30 The revolution was multiethnic 52:00 Texas received exemptions for slavery under indentured structures 52:30 How the Alamo became a symbol 53:15 “Remember the Alamo” was a powerful rallying cry 54:30 Sam Houston eventually defeated the Mexican forces 55:00 From 1836-1845, Texas was an independent republic 56:00 The disputed border provided the pretext for war 56:30 Texas retained extraordinary autonomy compared to other states 58:00 Texas doesn’t just have an origin story, but an argument with its past 59:00 Ask Chuck 59:15 What is the political risk for Trump in not making war case to the public? 1:02:45 Why is the media so quick to jump onboard the administration’s framing? 1:07:00 How strong was the nuclear deal Obama struck with Iran? 1:11:30 Why aren’t drafters of the Articles of Confederation considered founding fathers? 1:15:00 Is Trump trying to elicit a “rally around the flag” effect to help the midterms? 1:18:30 Will Trump force through tariffs using a different emergency authority? 1:22:45 How was the career change from network to independent gone?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rep. Sean Casten — the Illinois Democrat, clean energy entrepreneur, and scientist-turned-congressman who was inspired to run for office by Trump's first election — joins the Chuck ToddCast for a candid and wide-ranging conversation about what's broken in Congress and how to fix it. Casten pulls back the curtain on congressional dysfunction, describing a body increasingly populated by pundits and influencers rather than legislators, where televised hearings reward political theater over policymaking and cabinet secretaries like Scott Bessent feel they don't have to answer to Congress at all. He walks through his grilling of Bessent on the legality of the Venezuelan oil seizure — a moment where the Treasury Secretary had no good answer. Casten warns that congressional weakness is the single biggest issue plaguing the federal government. They debate Chuck’s long-standing position of uncapping the House of Representatives to bring the ratio down to 400-500,000 constituents per member, Casten pitches creating a block of 12 nationally elected senators to serve the national interest, and — most provocatively — stripping the Supreme Court of its self-granted power to set its own docket, a power Congress gave and can take away. He notes that Iceland copied America's government structure and eventually scrapped its senate. He closes by identifying income inequality, AI, and the changing job market as the seminal issues of 2028, warning that if Trump's own supporters prioritize economic concerns, the pitchforks will be coming out. Go to  https://zbiotics.com/CHUCKTODDCAST and use CHUCKTODDCAST at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.” Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. American Finance Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1081, for details about credit costs and terms. Or AmericanFinancing.net/TheChuckToddCast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Rep. Sean Casten joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:45 Leadership has hijacked congress 02:45 Congress increasingly has more pundits/influencers than legislators 03:30 Hearings being televised leads to more political theater 04:00 In the minority, all you can do is move public opinion 05:00 Grilling Scott Bessent on legality of Venezuelan oil seizure 06:15 Bessent is the adult behind the scenes, but not publicly 08:00 There was no way for Bessent to answer the question well 08:30 Administration has no authority to distribute Venezuelan oil 09:45 Rubio and Bessent didn’t coordinate their stories 11:00 Cabinet secretaries feel they don’t have to answer to congress 11:45 Trump was constrained in his first term, not in this term 13:00 Rubio will get blamed if foreign adventurism goes poorly 14:15 Loyalty is a one-way street with Trump 15:00 Congressional dysfunction is biggest issue with federal government 15:45 Why give up your job as CEO to run for congress? 16:45 Wanted to combat climate change as a member of congress 18:15 Trump’s election inspired many people to get off the sidelines 19:00 Congress rarely takes back its power, other branches grab more 20:15 American democracy only gets updated after major upheaval 22:45 What structural reforms to democracy would you like to work on? 24:00 Senate, electoral college and Supreme Court are holding us back 24:45 Create a block of 12 nationally elected senators to serve national interest 25:30 Congress can strip appellate jurisdiction from the Supreme Court 26:30 Congress gave SCOTUS power to set their own docket, can take it away 28:15 Without lifetime appointments, Trump probably fires Gorsuch & Barrett 29:15 SCOTUS justices are mostly partisan warriors 30:30 Iceland copied U.S. government structure, eventually scrapped senate 32:30 Size of the House of Representatives needs to be uncapped 35:30 400-500k constituents per congress member seems about right 37:15 What’s the appetite in congress for real structural reform? 38:45 New construction for a bigger congress is a solvable challenge 40:30 Members in less than safe seats incentivized to be in-district over D.C. 43:30 There’s value in being in-district and having the pulse of the community 44:15 Democratic party is viewed as poorly as Trump in polls 46:30 Do Democrats have a leadership problem or party brand problem? 47:15 Democratic voters punishing the party for not putting Trump away? 48:30 Biden had major legislative wins because he understood process 50:00 America needs a Churchill, fighter type in the Oval Office 51:30 Obama, Clinton and Carter weren’t on the radar 2-3 years before election 53:00 Do Democrats want a “fighter” or “uniter” as their next nominee? 55:15 Income inequality, AI & job market will be seminal issues in 2028 57:30 If Trump supporters prioritize economic concerns, pitchforks will be out 1:02:00 Congress has same proportion of “knuckleheads” as any workplaceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.