Left, Right & Center

Does Trump’s Economic Vision Match What Americans See?

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/kcrw [https://incogni.com/kcrw]  The way President Trump saw it in his State of the Union address, our nation is getting stronger, safer and more affordable for American families. Polls paint a different picture where far more people think the economy has gotten worse, not better in Trump’s second term.  The president insists he has more levers to pull, including tariffs, despite the fact that the Supreme Court just shot his tariff policy down. We’ll talk about that defeat for Trump in court – what it says about the court’s makeup, and whether we should take this decision as a major check on presidential power.  Speaking of checks – we talk about the outrage over the way the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team responded in a congratulatory presidential phone call. There’s also outrage over a comment by California’s governor that struck some as racist. We examine when outrage is truly meaningful in this political climate – and who decides – with Mo Elleithee on the left and Sarah Isgur on the right. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Mo Elleithee [https://www.kcrw.com/people/mo-elleithee], executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee [https://twitter.com/MoElleithee] * Sarah Isgur [https://www.kcrw.com/people/sarah-isgur], senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons [https://twitter.com/whignewtons]

Prince Andrew Arrested. Will The Epstein Files Take Down Others?

The fallout from the millions of pages released from the Epstein Files has now reached the British royal family with the arrest of former Prince Andrew. In business and academia, many major figures have stepped down. However American politicians named in the files have faced few consequences. Why is that, and what are some of the larger political implications of the Epstein Files? Also, President Trump is preparing his State of the Union address. Our panelists give their recommendations for what he should focus on and how Democrats can most effectively respond. Plus, the fight over voting rights in Congress and at the state level. Republicans in Washington are trying to pass national voting rules, while Democratic states are actively pushing back. Producer: Leo Duran Host: Susan Davis [https://www.kcrw.com/people/susan-davis]  Guests:  * Mo Elleithee [https://www.kcrw.com/people/mo-elleithee], executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee [https://twitter.com/MoElleithee] * Mike Dubke [https://www.kcrw.com/people/michael-dubke], veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 - @MikeDubke [https://x.com/mikedubke?lang=en]

Texas Dems are stuck on identity politics with Senate race at stake

The first votes of the 2026 midterm elections will soon be cast in Texas, and the Senate primary race is shaping up to be messy for both Democrats and Republicans. The two blue candidates, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett and state Representative James Talarico are each facing blowback for comments they made about race and identity. There’s also an intraparty fracture between the GOP’s establishment and insurgent wings exposing itself in the race between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and his challenger, Texas Attorney General and Trump ally Ken Paxton. We’ll unpack how unsettled party fault lines on both sides could impact the general election. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan package called the Housing for the 21st Century Act. Back in October, the Senate passed its own legislation called the ROAD to Housing Act. Both aim to boost housing supply and make buying more affordable for Americans. We’ll break down the policies and the politics. The Winter Olympics are underway in Italy and some American athletes are feeling complicated about representing the United States. After 27-year-old skier Hunter Hess expressed his “mixed emotions,” President Trump responded by calling him “a real loser.”  That insult is common in Trump's playbook when talking to political foes. We’ll talk about whether that playbook is still effective, especially when Olympians are the target. Producer: Robin Estrin Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Elizabeth Bruenig [https://www.kcrw.com/people/elizabeth-bruenig], staff writer, The Atlantic - @ebruenig [http://twitter.com/@ebruenig] * Will Swaim [https://www.kcrw.com/people/will-swaim], host of National Review’s “Radio Free California;” president at the California Policy Center - @willswaim [https://x.com/WillSwaim]

Congress takes up ICE reforms, Trump calls to “nationalize” voting

This week, Congress ended a partial government shutdown, approving funding for several federal agencies through September. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees I.C.E and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, was not among those agencies. Democrats say they won’t fund the D.H.S without restrictions on federal immigration agents. In this shifting political landscape, how will congressional Republicans respond? We’ll discuss the Democrats’ demands. How might congress realistically check President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies, given the violent and seemingly indiscriminate tactics we’re seeing in Minneapolis and nationally? With the midterms looming, will it be possible for the two parties to come together and compromise? Speaking of elections, President Trump this week repeated a call to “nationalize” elections, saying Republicans should “take over” voting in 15 states. Are free and fair elections under threat?  Here's the Carter-Baker Commission report.  [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/carter-baker-commission-16-years-later#:~:text=Linkedin-,Download%20PDF,-Print%20This%20Publication] Producer: Robin Estrin Host: David Greene [https://www.kcrw.com/people/david-greene]  Guests:  * Mo Elleithee [https://www.kcrw.com/people/mo-elleithee], executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee [https://twitter.com/MoElleithee] * Sarah Isgur [https://www.kcrw.com/people/sarah-isgur], senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons [https://twitter.com/whignewtons]

Will changes to ICE operations in Minneapolis be enough?

Protests and skirmishes between Minnesota residents and federal agents are still ongoing after the second shooting of a US citizen in Minneapolis this month. Thirty-seven year old ICU nurse Alex Pretti was killed by Border Patrol agents while filming immigration operations in the city. Following a weekend of inflammatory comments by DHS secretary Kristy Noem and other members of the Trump administration, the president has looked to turn the temperature down. He deployed ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to take command of operations in Minneapolis. The experienced immigration official acknowledged that “certain improvements could and should be made” to immigration enforcement in the area. But Homan insisted that more cooperation from state and local officials would be necessary before a reduction in federal presence.    It remains to be seen whether the tonal shift or any changes in operations will be effective in the Twin Cities region. The situation has raised concerns among Congress that legislative action may be necessary. Senate Democrats worked toward a deal with the White House to avoid a government shutdown over DHS funding. While some initial framework has been drawn up, the two sides will continue negotiating new guardrails for ICE and Border Patrol. Will Congress step up for a rare check of the Oval Office? Plus, we’ll answer listener questions about where executive power and America’s position as a world leader stand after a tumultuous start to 2026.