The Politics Guys

The Politics Guys - Government Democracy & News

The Politics Guys is an independent, ideologically diverse American politics and policy podcast hosted by experts: political scientists, law professors, and practicing attorneys with government experience. Our mission is to give listeners a much-needed break from conservative and liberal echo chambers through civil, rational, and evidence-based discussion of American politics and policy from multiple perspectives.

  1. The Unitary Executive Unleashed: Shouting Matches, Veto Threats, and Trump’s SCOTUS Sweep

    1d ago

    The Unitary Executive Unleashed: Shouting Matches, Veto Threats, and Trump’s SCOTUS Sweep

    Political scientists Trey Orndorff (Oklahoma Christian University) and Justin Holmes (University of Northern Iowa) break down a wildly volatile week in American governance, focusing heavily on the expanding boundaries and realities of modern presidential power. From a shocking last-minute executive shutdown of a bipartisan housing bill to the unprecedented face-to-face shouting match on Capitol Hill and two major immigration overhauls at the Supreme Court, Trey and Justin get into the details of the relationship of the the branches of government. Topics covered include: The 90-Minute Housing Act U-Turn: Trey and Justin detail the sudden collapse of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, a sweeping bipartisan bill that sailed through the Senate 85–5 and the House 358–32. The bill was designed to block municipalities from stopping office-to-housing conversions and cap Wall Street mega-investors from aggressively buying up single-family homes. Yet, just 90 minutes before a scheduled noon signing ceremony, President Trump canceled the event on Truth Social, labeling the popular bill "of minor importance" and too "Elizabeth Warren-centric". The War Powers Showdown & The Great Senate Flip-Flop: The Senate initially passed a War Powers resolution by a razor-thin 50–48 margin to rein in executive military actions. The vote came directly after Secretary Hegseth requested a massive $80 billion for military expenditures related to Iran. After Trump face-to-face berated Senate Republicans the Senate took the step of completely reversing its vote. Senator Cassidy flipped his vote, and non-interventionist Senator Rand Paul shifted to a present vote. Trump’s Double Victory at the Supreme Court: An analytical breakdown of two monumental 6–3 conservative majority rulings penned by Justice Alito handing the executive branch sweeping control over immigration policy. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X 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.

    1h 2m
  2. Why Young Lawmakers Are Quitting — and It’s Not Just Salary

    Jun 17

    Why Young Lawmakers Are Quitting — and It’s Not Just Salary

    Mike talks with Layla Zaidane, president and CEO of Future Caucus, the largest nonpartisan organization of young lawmakers in the United States, about why the next generation of political leaders may be running into a system that makes public service nearly impossible. They discuss whether younger lawmakers really govern differently, how Future Caucus tries to build bipartisan trust without sanding away ideological disagreement, and why under-resourced state legislatures often end up empowering governors, lobbyists, and interest groups instead of elected representatives. They also dig into Future Caucus’s Exit Interview report, including the biggest reasons young lawmakers leave office: political violence, low pay, lack of staff, weak institutional support, unpredictable schedules, and the difficulty of serving without personal wealth or family flexibility. The conversation closes with a blunt but hopeful argument: if state legislatures are the farm system for national leadership, neglecting them is a long-term democratic failure.  Future Caucus on X The Politics Guys on Facebook | X 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.

    54 min

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4.4
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About

The Politics Guys is an independent, ideologically diverse American politics and policy podcast hosted by experts: political scientists, law professors, and practicing attorneys with government experience. Our mission is to give listeners a much-needed break from conservative and liberal echo chambers through civil, rational, and evidence-based discussion of American politics and policy from multiple perspectives.

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