Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

Grant Hermes
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Politics has never been more chaotic, and most podcasts just add to the noise. Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes cuts through it. Grant is an AP Award-winning journalist with over a decade of on-the-ground reporting on the biggest political stories, scandals, and elections in America. Twice a week, he takes the stories dominating the headlines and breaks them down in plain English — no jargon, no spin, no shouting. If you care about what’s happening in this country but you’re exhausted by how it’s being covered, this is the show for you. Real reporting. Clear explanations. Actual context. Make It Make Sense drops three times a week. Subscribe so you never miss it.

  1. 54 MIN AGO

    We Made It Worse: How the US Handed Iran a Nuclear Argument w/ Eric Czuleger

    How Close Did We Actually Come? — Iran, The Peace Talks, and What Happens Next The VP is on a plane to Pakistan. Peace talks are scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad as Iran comes in with better cards than it had before the war.  Grant talks to Eric Czuleger from The Under Report back on the show to break down the most overwhelming week in recent memory; what actually happened, how close Tuesday really was to a nuclear war, and why the way this has played out may have made a nuclear Iran more likely, not less. They get into: Why the US position going into Saturday's talks is so difficultWhat "writing your opponent's victory speech" means for these negotiationsWhy are nuclear weapons everywhere more likely now than any time since the 1970sWhy the IRGC hardliners are now more in control than Iran's elected government.This is a freewheeling conversation, and they cover a lot of ground; it's worth it. LINKS:   MAKE IT MAKE SENSE SUBSTACK  THE UNDER REPORT BY ERIC CZULEGER Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    1hr 3min

  2. 23 HR AGO

    Is This Even A Ceasefire?

    The Iran "ceasefire" lasted roughly three hours. The Strait of Hormuz is technically a toll road now. America might get a cut. And nobody can agree on what either side is even negotiating for.  Grant breaks down everything that happened this week — the ceasefire announcement, why Israel blew it up, what Iran's 10-point plan actually says, and the honest scorecard after 38 days of war. Make It Make Sense Substack PROMO CODES:  This episode is brought to you by Akila Sunglasses Don’t get caught wearing last summer’s sunglasses this spring break. Akila offers great frames for every style, without the designer price tag.  Use the code MIMS25 to get 10% off your entire order 👉 Shop now: AKILA.la Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    16 min

  3. 3 DAYS AGO

    Trump Threatens to Wipe Out Iran's Entire Civilization And The Nuclear Option on the Table?

    Trump's deadline for Iran expires at 8PM ET tonight — and hours before it hits, he threatened to wipe out an entire civilization in a single night. Is the nuclear option actually on the table? Grant  breaks down Trump's escalating threats against Iran, what "wiping out a civilization" actually means under international law, the genocide definition in the Geneva Convention, and what signals suggest talks may still be happening behind closed doors. Topics covered: — Trump's Easter Sunday Truth Social post threatening Iranian power plants & bridges — Why bombing civilian infrastructure is a war crime under the Geneva Convention — The legal definition of genocide & why Trump's words meet the threshold — Republican reactions: Ron Johnson, Mike Lawler's CNN vs. Fox whiplash — JD Vance in Hungary, "Madman Theory," and the nuclear arms context — What signals suggest a deal may still be in play before tonight's deadline Make It Make Sense Substack PROMO CODES:  This episode is brought to you by Akila Sunglasses Don’t get caught wearing last summer’s sunglasses this spring break. Akila offers great frames for every style, without the designer price tag.  Use the code MIMS25 to get 10% off your entire order 👉 Shop now: AKILA.la Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    17 min

  4. 3 APR

    The 1% Election: How Primaries Are Rigged Against Everyone ft. Chad Peace

    45% of Americans now call themselves independent — more than either party. So why does Congress look nothing like the country? Today Grant talks with Chad Peace of the Independent Voter Project about the hidden math behind our elections: how closed primaries, gerrymandering, and plurality voting let roughly 1–2% of the electorate pick your representative before most people even show up to vote. → Why independent voters aren't "closet partisans" — they're structurally locked out → The New Jersey primary that half the state can't vote in → Why Alaska now has the gold standard of elections (and why Trump hates it) → The one-sentence law Congress could pass tomorrow → Why voter ID is 84% popular but never passes → How we get from here to real reform   LINKS: Independent Voter Project Make It Make Sense Substack PROMO CODES: This episode is brought to you by Akila Sunglasses Don’t get caught wearing last summer’s sunglasses this spring break. Akila offers great frames for every style, without the designer price tag.  Use the code MIMS25 to get 10% off your entire order 👉 Shop now: AKILA.la Disclosure: This episode contains paid sponsorship. All opinions are Grant’s own. #independentvoters #elections #democracy #votingrights #politics #primaryelections #rankedchoicevoting Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    32 min

  5. 2 APR

    Trump Said Nothing For 20 Minutes

    Trump gave a primetime national address about the Iran war — and the most important parts were what he didn't say. We break down the three things that got cut from the speech, why the markets tanked anyway, and why $7/gallon gas might hit by Memorial Day. Then: the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara — the case that could end birthright citizenship for the first time in 127 years. We explain what the administration is actually arguing, why they're citing a pro-segregation white supremacist, and what the justices signaled. Plus: Trump became the first sitting president to show up during a case. It didn't go how he thought it would. This week on Substack (paid): The new bills in Congress targeting citizenship — what they say, what experts are calling dangerous, and who they'd affect. → makeitmakesense.substack.com PROMO CODES:  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes Sponsored by: Akila Sunglasses This episode is brought to you by Akila Sunglasses Don’t get caught wearing last summer’s sunglasses this spring break. Akila offers great frames for every style, without the designer price tag.  Use the code MIMS25 to get 10% off your entire order 👉 Shop now: AKILA.la Disclosure: This episode contains paid sponsorship. All opinions are Grant’s own. Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    24 min

  6. 31 MAR

    The Shutdown Is Still Here, The War Has No Plan, And Lindsey Graham Is At Disney World

    The longest government shutdown in US history drags on as Republicans in the House and Senate square off against each other before leaving for Spring Break without a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security.  Trump orders TSA agents to get back pay, except no one knows where the money is coming from or if it's legal. ICE may be a permanent fixture at airports.  The war in Iran reaches the two-month mark as gas prices rise to $4/gallon and don't show any sign of coming down. Trump hints that he may just walk away from the war and leave the rest of the world to deal with Iran and a closed Strait of Hormuz, which threatens to send gas prices to $7/gallon by the summer. Buckle up.   Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    19 min

  7. 27 MAR

    Congress Is Giving Away Your Power w/ Michael Thorning from Bipartisan Policy Center

    Grant is joined by the Bipartisan Policy Center's Michael Thorning. Thorning is the director of structural democracy at the nonpartisan think tank and the lead writer of a brand new series called Congress at a Crossroads.  He and Grant talk about why Congress is so broken, how it got here, and what can be done to fix it before it's too late.  LINKS:  Congress at a Crossroads Bipartisan Policy Center PROMO CODES:  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes Sponsored by: Akila Sunglasses This episode is brought to you by Akila Sunglasses Don’t get caught wearing last summer’s sunglasses this spring break. Akila offers great frames for every style, without the designer price tag.  Use the code MIMS25 to get 10% off your entire order 👉 Shop now: AKILA.la Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    48 min

  8. 13 MAR

    Pam Bondi Wants To Save The Lawyers Judges Hate w/ Liz Dye from the Law and Chaos Podcast

    Grant is joined by Liz Dye from the Law and Chaos Podcast to talk about the shenanigans coming from the Attorney General's office. AG Pam Bondi is trying to meddle with state bar associations so DOJ attorneys can't face discipline for doing things they would normally face discipline for. Liz explains how it all traces back to a guy named Ed Martin, one of the DOJ's hottest dumpster fires.  PLUS, they talk about what doing this could mean for lawyers stuck trying to defend DHS, military lawyers thrown into civilian courts, and maybe follow through on Trump's election plans. LINKS:  https://www.lawandchaospod.com/podcast PROMO CODES:  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes Sponsored by: Facial in a Bottle by Love Indus This episode is brought to you by Facial in a Bottle by Love Indus. You’re stressed. You’re reading the news. You’re probably not sleeping great. Your skin knows. Facial in a Bottle is a single product that does the work of a full professional facial — at home, in minutes. Clean ingredients, real results, no appointment required. No awkward small talk with a stranger touching your face. Just results. Use code MIMS25 at checkout for [X]% off your first order. 👉 Shop now: www.LoveIndus.com Support the show Follow along on social media X: @mimsnewspod Instagram: @mimsnewspod TikTok: @mimsnewspod Substack: mimsnewspod.substack.com YouTube: youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod Bluesky: Granthermes.bsky.social Follow Grant: X: @GrantHermes Insta/TikTok: GrantHermesTV SPONSORS AND ADS: Our listeners are smart, loyal, and tuned in — and your brand could be too. Let’s work together. For sponsorships and custom ad spots, reach out to ads@matchbookmediapod.com

    37 min
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Politics has never been more chaotic, and most podcasts just add to the noise. Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes cuts through it. Grant is an AP Award-winning journalist with over a decade of on-the-ground reporting on the biggest political stories, scandals, and elections in America. Twice a week, he takes the stories dominating the headlines and breaks them down in plain English — no jargon, no spin, no shouting. If you care about what’s happening in this country but you’re exhausted by how it’s being covered, this is the show for you. Real reporting. Clear explanations. Actual context. Make It Make Sense drops three times a week. Subscribe so you never miss it.

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