The Politics Guys

Michael Baranowski
  • 4.4 (750)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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 Politics Guys Present: The U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 10

    6H AGO

    The Politics Guys Present: The U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 10

    This episode provides an in-depth analysis of Article 1, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution, exploring the limitations it places on states and the historical context behind these provisions. Key topics covered include Limits on state powers in treaties, currency, and military Historical context of Article 1, Section 10 The Contracts Clause and property rights Case studies: Dartmouth College and Minnesota Mortgage Federalism and the role of Congress versus states ⁠⁠Read Trey's Substack for a deep dive into the Federalist Papers⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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

    55 min
  2. Introducing Explain Like I'm 5

    7H AGO

    Introducing Explain Like I'm 5

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

    2 min

  3. 1D AGO

    Germany Drawdown, ICE Budget, Redistricting, Flipping Fetterman

    Mike, Trey, and Terry open this supporters' exclusive midweek episode with Trump’s planned troop drawdown from Germany and what it says about America’s shifting posture toward Europe. Terry argues the 5,000-troop reduction itself is not strategically decisive, but looks more like retaliation than planning. Trey sees it as part of a broader Trump effort to demote NATO and reorder U.S. alliances, while Mike worries that America may be giving up a relatively inexpensive source of leverage, deterrence, and global reach. Next, they turn to the Senate reconciliation package, the parliamentarian’s limits on what can be included, and the huge increase in funding for immigration enforcement. Trey explains why reconciliation has become central in a Senate where ordinary legislating is increasingly blocked by the filibuster. Mike focuses on the institutional damage of Congress pre-funding executive priorities for years at a time, while Terry argues that although the congressional abdication is real, Trump is delivering the immigration crackdown he openly campaigned on. After that, the guys discuss Florida’s new congressional map and the escalating national gerrymandering war. Trey lays out how DeSantis is trying to maximize Republican seats while framing the map as race-neutral after the Callais decision. Mike argues that Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment should make this kind of map legally vulnerable, though he suspects the state supreme court may find a way to uphold it. Terry emphasizes that both parties are abandoning anti-gerrymandering principles when power is at stake, while also warning that Republicans may be overreading recent Hispanic voting trends. They close with Republican efforts to flip John Fetterman and what his alienation from Democrats means for the Senate. Terry thinks Fetterman has little reason to switch parties now and give up leverage. Trey notes that Fetterman still votes with Democrats most of the time and argues that party activists now treat even modest dissent as betrayal. Mike sees Fetterman as politically stranded: far too liberal to be a real Republican, too estranged from Democrats to be effective, and likely headed for a very difficult 2028 primary. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    18 min

  4. 4D AGO

    Trump’s Iran Gamble, MAGA Primaries, Abortion Pill Fight

    Mike, Trey, and guest host Terry Casey, a political scientist at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, open with the still-unresolved U.S. conflict with Iran, the closed Strait of Hormuz, and the Trump administration’s attempt to frame military pressure and uncertain negotiations as progress. Trey argues that the administration still lacks a clear win condition and may be trying to avoid admitting failure. Terry counters that a U.S. win is possible, but only at costs Trump may not be willing to pay. Mike suggests Iran may be playing for time, betting that Trump’s fear of midterm damage and rising gas prices will push him toward a face-saving retreat. Next, the guys turn to this week’s elections, including Trump-backed primary challenges in Indiana, a Democratic special-election win in Michigan, and turnout signals in Ohio. Trey sees Trump’s successful targeting of dissenting Republicans as evidence of his continuing grip on the GOP, while warning that special elections are imperfect predictors of November. Mike argues that the Indiana results may show the power of massive money in low-turnout races more than Trump’s personal power alone. Terry adds a ground-level view from Indiana, where one anti-Trump-targeted incumbent survived by emphasizing local politics against a challenger whose entire message was Trump’s endorsement. After that, the guys examine the Fifth Circuit’s order restricting access to mifepristone, Justice Alito’s temporary administrative stay, and the broader clash over abortion, FDA authority, standing, and state power. Trey thinks the Supreme Court will likely look for a procedural way to avoid a sweeping merits ruling, while worrying that post-Dobbs litigation keeps compounding the loss of individual liberty. Terry presses the harder federalism question: if states can ban abortion, why can’t they block abortion drugs from being shipped into the state? Mike argues that the standing issue is not a mere technicality, because accepting Louisiana’s theory could dramatically expand state challenges to federal regulation. Check out the Future of Our Former Democracy podcast  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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    55 min

  5. MAY 5

    DHS Funding, Comey Indictment, GOP Crack-Up?

    Mike, Justin, and Kirby open this supporters’ exclusive midweek episode with the fight over DHS funding, where a bipartisan deal appears to keep most of the department funded while leaving ICE and Border Patrol outside the agreement for now. Mike argues that Democrats didn’t get the statutory limits on raids, masks, and body cameras they wanted, but may still have forced some moderation in enforcement tactics after Minneapolis. Justin sees the deal as a likely temporary fix and argues that the bad optics of aggressive enforcement gave Democrats more room to hold out. Kirby thinks the shutdown exposed poor strategic thinking on both sides, with Republicans taking an issue where they had an advantage and damaging themselves through overreach. Next, the guys turn to the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey over his Instagram post showing seashells spelling out “8647.” Mike argues that the indictment is legally thin because true-threat doctrine requires evidence that Comey intended, or at least recklessly disregarded, that the message would be understood as a threat. Kirby sees the case as unserious on the merits but serious as a signal that the Trump DOJ is using process itself as punishment. Justin agrees that the case is unlikely to lead to conviction and argues that Republicans are trying to redefine ordinary political language while ignoring far more aggressive rhetoric from Trump and his allies. After that, the discussion broadens to whether Trump’s choices are weakening the MAGA coalition and damaging the Republican brand heading into the midterms and beyond. Mike points to Trump’s poor approval numbers, economic dissatisfaction, the Iran war, and the failure of some GOP structural advantages to materialize as signs that Republicans may be heading into serious trouble. Kirby argues that Trump still owns the party, but a major midterm loss could open the fight between MAGA and post-MAGA Republicans over the party’s future. Justin thinks Trump’s biggest problem is his habit of promising transformation and then delivering something closer to continuity, especially on the economy, while also noting that post-Trump Republican policy may not change as much as Trump’s critics hope. Listen to Kirby’s Inside Political Science podcast here. Check out the Future of Our Former Democracy podcast  Curious about what sort of POTUS you’d be? Find out in the Fantasy President presidential simulator. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    17 min

  6. MAY 2

    Voting Rights, Political Violence, Iran

    Mike, Justin, and special guest Kirby Goidel, a professor of political science at Texas A&M, open with the Supreme Court’s latest Voting Rights Act decision and what it means for racial representation, partisan gerrymandering, and the future of congressional redistricting. Justin argues that the ruling effectively makes racial vote-dilution claims nearly impossible to prove, especially when courts allow states to hide behind partisan explanations. Kirby pushes past the immediate partisan implications, suggesting that while the decision may hurt descriptive representation, its long-term effects on substantive representation are harder to predict. Mike is more sympathetic to the Court’s reasoning than expected, arguing that once race and party become highly correlated, Section 2 enforcement can begin to look like court-ordered Democratic gerrymandering. Next, the guys turn to the latest alleged assassination attempt against President Trump, the security response, the immediate political spin, and the administration’s argument that it strengthens the case for a new White House ballroom. Mike argues that the security system largely worked, while calling the ballroom justification legally and politically opportunistic. Justin focuses on the rise of lone-wolf political violence and the broader collapse of trust that makes conspiracy thinking almost automatic after events like this. Kirby emphasizes how quickly both parties convert crises into talking points and argues that political violence today is serious but should not be exaggerated beyond historical context. They close with the war against Iran, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the War Powers Resolution deadline, and whether Congress still has any meaningful role in authorizing sustained military conflict. Kirby argues that Congress has effectively surrendered much of its war-making authority and is unlikely to reclaim it unless the war becomes politically unbearable. Justin sees the conflict as strategically underdefined and politically dangerous for Republicans, especially if it fractures the MAGA coalition or keeps driving up fuel prices. Mike argues that Iran may actually have the stronger position over time, because Trump’s demand for something close to unconditional surrender is not a real negotiation strategy and may collide with public anger over the war’s economic costs. You can listen to Kirby’s Inside Political Science podcast here. Check out the Future of Our Former Democracy podcast  Curious about what sort of POTUS you’d be? Find out in the Fantasy President presidential simulator. 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. Next, the guys turn to the latest alleged assassination attempt against President Trump, the security response, the immediate political spin, and the administration’s argument that it strengthens the case for a new White House ballroom. Mike argues that the security system largely worked, while calling the ballroom justification legally and politically opportunistic. Justin focuses on the rise of lone-wolf political violence and the broader collapse of trust that makes conspiracy thinking almost automatic after events like this. Kirby emphasizes how quickly both parties convert crises into talking points and argues that political violence today is serious but should not be exaggerated beyond historical context. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 1m

  7. APR 29

    Why The Midterms Will Be Disappointing

    Mike is joined by special guest Corey Nathan, creator and host of the Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other podcast. They discuss why the coming midterm elections are likely to leave most Americans dissatisfied, even under optimistic partisan scenarios, arguing that while Democrats may plausibly retake the House and even have an outside shot at the Senate, structural realities—uncompetitive districts, polarized primaries, fundraising incentives, and institutional constraints like the filibuster—limit the likelihood of meaningful change; Corey emphasizes concerns about election integrity and democratic norms, along with a desire for accountability and constitutional order, while also expressing cautious optimism about independent-minded legislators and cross-partisan cooperation emerging at state and local levels, whereas Mike stresses deeper systemic forces that reward conflict, discourage reform, and make Congress resistant to change; together they explore possible but unlikely paths to less disappointing outcomes—from weakening the filibuster to institutional reforms—while ultimately converging on a modest, process-oriented hope that incremental progress, civic engagement, and good-faith dialogue may be the most realistic way forward in a system structurally biased toward frustration.  Check out Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    56 min
  8. Political Ideologies: Feminism

    APR 28

    Political Ideologies: Feminism

    In this supporter-exclusive midweek episode, Trey is joined by Justin, and begin their discussion of modern ideologies with a deep dive into Feminism. On this week’s show, Trey and Justin discuss: The different waves of Feminism  The evolution of Feminism from an early struggle for political recognition and personhood to a focus on social structures and intersectionality Fascism’s rejection of reason and its rejection of Enlightenment rationality. The radical vs. liberal divide in Feminism An examination of how contemporary feminism interacts with trans rights The expanding nature of who counts as a Feminist and its intersection with race, class, and gender The Politics Guys on ⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠X⁠ Trey’s Substack on the Federalist Papers 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

    12 min
See All (1.1K)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

4.4
out of 5
750 Ratings

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Baranowski
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Politics Guys

You Might Also Like