The Politics Guys

Trey and Justin begin the show by discussing two Supreme Court cases. The first case resulted in a unanimous decision against Mexico’s lawsuit against gun manufacturers. The case sparked a discussion between the hosts about their own positions on gun rights and the merits of the case. Trey viewed it as a pointless case. Next, the hosts addressed the split decision to allow DOGE access to social security information. While acknowledging the problematic nature of the institutional presidency, the hosts agree that DOGE, despite its policy issues, should be granted access to the data. This led to an extended conversation about the evolution of the presidency and the concept of the imperial presidency. The show concludes with a discussion about the possible  party realignment occurring in the United States, focused on the departure of former President Biden’s press secretary from the Democratic Party.  The Politics Guys on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/politicsguyspage] | X [https://twitter.com/politicsguys] Mike’s Substack: What Fresh Hell is This [https://baranowski.substack.com/]? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support atpatreon.com/politicsguys [https://patreon.com/politicsguys] or politicsguys.com/support [https://politicsguys.com/support]. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group [https://www.democracygroup.org/], 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 [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Trey and Justin join forces for the first time in this week's episode! The pair begin with a discussion of Trump's new travel ban and its relationship to the attack in Boulder. Then they discuss both the social media battle between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump and whether this is the last gasp for economic conservatives in the Republican Party. They close the show discussing the impact of Ukraine's drone strikes and how it borders, as close as one can, to the workings of a James Bond-like movie. The Politics Guys on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/politicsguyspage] | X [https://twitter.com/politicsguys] Mike’s Substack: What Fresh Hell is This [https://baranowski.substack.com/]? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support atpatreon.com/politicsguys [https://patreon.com/politicsguys] or politicsguys.com/support [https://politicsguys.com/support]. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group [https://www.democracygroup.org/], 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 [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Mike talks with Lura Forcum, president of the Independent Center [https://www.independentcenter.org/], an organization that represents people who are fed up with partisan politics and feel politically homeless. Topics Mike & Lura discuss include: * how Lura went from a marketing professor to running the Independent Center * true independents vs learners * if there are enough independents to make a real difference * whether partisan politics is such a bad thing * the two-party stranglehold on political power * how the Independent Center hopes to change things Check out Lura's podcast: We Made This Political [https://wemadethispolitical.substack.com/] The Independent Center on X [https://x.com/Independent_Cen] The Politics Guys on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/politicsguyspage] | X [https://twitter.com/politicsguys] Mike’s Substack: What Fresh Hell is This [https://baranowski.substack.com/]? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys [https://patreon.com/politicsguys] or politicsguys.com/support [https://politicsguys.com/support]. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group [https://www.democracygroup.org/], 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 [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Mike, Justin, and Sam open with the Russia-Ukraine war and Trump’s shifting tone toward Putin. Sam calls Putin “crazy like a fox” and blames Biden’s weak deterrence, arguing Ukraine will ultimately have to concede territory. Mike notes that while Congress is pushing for more sanctions, “if you give Putin an inch, he’ll take three and a half miles.” Justin worries that conceding ground may only encourage further Russian aggression and doubts anyone has real leverage to end the stalemate. Next, the hosts discuss Elon Musk’s exit from his government role. Sam says Musk’s departure was legally inevitable and credits him with shaking things up, though he sees missed opportunities. Mike frames Musk’s tenure as a classic story of a corporate titan facing the reality of government, describing Musk as both brilliant and clueless. Justin argues Musk overpromised and underdelivered, leaving behind a mess and ongoing conflict-of-interest questions. The conversation closes with Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms and the politicization of legal representation. Sam claims big law has been “weaponized” against conservatives but admits the orders were drafted too broadly. Mike finds the summary judgment against Trump unsurprising and warns that crackdowns on law firms threaten the free market. Justin sees the rulings as a win for free speech and says if lawyers can’t find a firm, they can start their own, adding that Trump’s style is a big part of the backlash.  The Politics Guys on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/politicsguyspage] | X [https://twitter.com/politicsguys] Mike’s Substack: What Fresh Hell is This [https://baranowski.substack.com/]? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys [https://patreon.com/politicsguys] or politicsguys.com/support [https://politicsguys.com/support]. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group [https://www.democracygroup.org/], 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 [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week, Mike and Justin welcome conservative attorney Sam Dewey to the podcast. They start with a discussion of the big rulings this week on President Trump’s tariffs. Sam says the real issue is Congress giving too much tariff power to the president. Justin sees a troubling pattern of executive overreach. Mike highlights the irony that conservative legal doctrines may now limit Trump’s power. Next, they turn to the latest bunch of clemency actions from President Trump. Sam defends the pardons as a response to “weaponized” prosecutions. Justin argues the beneficiaries are mostly Trump’s allies, not everyday people. Mike notes Trump’s deeply personal approach to justice.   The Politics Guys on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/politicsguyspage] | X [https://twitter.com/politicsguys] Mike’s Substack: What Fresh Hell is This [https://baranowski.substack.com/]? Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys [https://patreon.com/politicsguys] or politicsguys.com/support [https://politicsguys.com/support]. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group [https://www.democracygroup.org/], 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 [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]