The Politics Guys

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. They close the show with their rants and recommendations. Mike’s rant is that One Battle After Another is nothing but a leftist fantasy. Trey’s rant is anti-immigration Christians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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 week Trey and Mike were able to dive deeper. The pair are in large agreement, but while Trey focuses on the aspects of international law, Mike argues that even pragmatically it makes little sense. They close the show looking at the suspension of TANF funds to Democratic states. Trey argues that the current block grant format of federal government spending largely means that states are not concerned with waste and fraud. Mike suggests that Congress would be better off legislating new rules for fraud, but that the current mode simply seems to be punishing states who disagree with Trump. 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 Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 outcomes across inflation, Ukraine, taxes, tariffs, immigration, and “draining the swamp.” Michael frames the segment as a reality check on which promises were structurally impossible, which were substantively kept, and which were kept only by expanding executive power, while Mike emphasizes that Trump largely delivered where he could, but at the cost of higher prices, degraded state capacity, and long-run institutional risks that are likely to matter more politically than symbolic wins. They close with Trump’s move to put his name on the Kennedy Center, debating whether it represents routine branding or an abuse of power that politicizes a national memorial. Michael highlights the legal vulnerabilities and cultural backlash already hurting the institution, while Mike sees the episode as emblematic of Trump’s show-business instincts and insecurity, warning that spectacle-driven politics may be crowding out restraint as the country looks ahead to 2028. 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 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 what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 refusal to lift an injunction blocking the federalization of the National Guard and Trump’s subsequent decision to stand down, at least for now. Michael defends the Court’s insistence on a clear statutory basis and warns that Justice Alito’s dissent reflects an overly expansive view of presidential power, while Mike criticizes the majority’s strained reading of the statute, siding more with Alito’s interpretation but still opposing the administration’s policy as reckless and destabilizing. Finally, the conversation becomes more personal as Michael presses Mike on his recent decision to stop identifying as a Democrat and what that means philosophically and politically. Mike explains his Humean conservatism, rooted in epistemic humility and institutional fragility, argues that modern politics punishes restraint and caution, and concludes that while he is politically homeless, his commitment to rule of law means he will continue voting Democratic as long as Trumpism dominates the Republican Party. 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 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 what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices