The Politics Guys

The Politics Guys - Government Democracy & News
  • 4.4 (751)
  • 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. 10h ago

    Can Open Primaries Break the Two-Party Cartel?

    Open Primaries founder John Opdycke joins Mike to argue that America’s primary system gives political parties too much control while shutting out millions of independent voters. They discuss taxpayer-funded closed primaries, top-two elections, whether open systems actually reduce polarization, the threat of strategic “raiding,” and why third parties so rarely gain traction. Opdycke also explains the 2024 defeats of several election-reform measures, the risks of bundling open primaries with ranked-choice voting, opposition from both major parties, and why changing election rules matters only if reformers also build new political coalitions and persuade voters to participate. Open Primaries 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.

    Can Open Primaries Break the Two-Party Cartel?

  2. 11h 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.

    Introducing Explain Like I'm 5

  3. 1d ago

    Religion as a political ideology

    On this midweek supporters-exclusive episode of The Politics Guys, Trey Orndorff (Oklahoma Christian University) and Justin Holmes (University of Northern Iowa) continue their deep dive into political ideologies by tackling a unique case: religion. Topics covered include: How religion shapes political behaviorJohn Rawls and exorcising faith, and can it be, from the public sphereAn overview of the substantive and functional definitions of religion Is religion just an add-on to other ideologies?What, if anything, makes the values of religion different from other values?Are there true values and how do we exist in a pluralist society if we accept that there are better and worse values?Become a new monthly supporter on Patreon and get your first month nearly free (90% off) with promo code 0943D, or become a new annual supporter and get an additional 10% off on top of the regular 10% annual supporter discount with promo code 9B50C. These offers are good until the end of July at patreon.com/politicsguys 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.

    Religion as a political ideology

  4. 5d ago

    The $37 Billion War, Britain’s Leadership Pivot, Forced-Labor Tariffs, and Arizona’s Primary

    On this week’s episode, political scientist Trey Orndorff (Oklahoma Christian University) is joined by political scientist Justin Holmes (University of Northern Iowa) to break down a packed late-July news cycle spanning a massive war supplemental request on Capitol Hill, a rapid-fire prime ministerial transition across the Atlantic, executive tariff gymnastics, and an electoral shockwave in a premier battleground state. The pair begins by diving into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's combative appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Hegseth revealed that the U.S. military conflict with Iran has burned through $37.5 billion so far, defending a massive $87.6 billion emergency supplemental request. Trey breaks down the math discovering that the request represents a 9.2% increase over the baseline defense budget.  Next, over in Great Britain, Andy Burnham officially became the UK's 59th Prime Minister. Trey and Justin discuss the mechanics of parliamentary leadership swaps, Burnham's swift shift to authorize U.S. air launches from British bases against Iran, and his appointment of prominent Trump critic Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary. They also look at polling showing that nearly two-thirds of the British public oppose offensive U.S. strikes and explore the domestic risks Burnham faces as he balances transatlantic relations with a skeptical electorate.   After that the guys analyze the White House's latest trade moves following USTR Jamieson Greer's announcement of new Section 301 tariffs targeting 60 major trading partners under the official justification of combating foreign forced labor. Trey and Justin look past the human-rights framing to reveal the underlying legal timeline: the Section 301 action was timed to seamlessly replace temporary Section 122 tariffs that expired at midnight. They debate President Trump's mercantilist vision, "constitutional whack-a-mole," supply chain realities and why global companies are likely to wait out executive trade directives.   To close the show, Trey and Justin head to Arizona, where primary voters handed a complete sweep to Donald Trump's endorsed slate: Congressman Andy Biggs for Governor, State Rep. Alexander Kolodin for Secretary of State, and State Senate President Warren Petersen for Attorney General. With all three nominees tied directly to post-2020 election challenges, Jan 6 objections, and the Maricopa County Cyber Ninjas audit, the guys debate how this hard-right ticket will fair in November against incumbent Democrats, the median voter theory, and why Democrats consistently struggle with tangible election security messaging. Become a new monthly supporter on Patreon and get your first month nearly free (90% off) with promo code 0943D, or become a new annual supporter and get an additional 10% off on top of the regular 10% annual supporter discount with promo code 9B50C. These offers are good until the end of July at patreon.com/politicsguys 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.

    The $37 Billion War, Britain’s Leadership Pivot, Forced-Labor Tariffs, and Arizona’s Primary

  5. Jul 22

    Who Controls AI—and Who Pays When It Goes Wrong?

    AI is advancing faster than Congress can regulate it—but leaving the industry to police itself carries enormous risks. Mike talks with former congressman and Pentagon official Brad Carson about mandatory safety testing, federal efforts to override state AI laws, liability when AI causes harm, Anthropic’s clash with the government, autonomous weapons, mass surveillance, and why artificial intelligence could upend higher education. They also confront the deeper question: will citizens have any meaningful say over a technology being built by a handful of extraordinarily powerful companies?  Americans for Responsible Innovation Follow Brad Carson on X. The Politics Guys on Facebook | X Become a new monthly supporter on Patreon and get your first month nearly free (90% off) with promo code 0943D, or become a new annual supporter and get an additional 10% off on top of the regular 10% annual supporter discount with promo code 9B50C. These offers are good until the end of July at patreon.com/politicsguys 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.

    Who Controls AI—and Who Pays When It Goes Wrong?

  6. Jul 21

    Can Trump Settle With Himself? Rubio’s ICC War, Hegseth’s Purge, and the DSA Left

    This supporters’ exclusive midweek episode begins with a remarkable question: can a president sue his own government, negotiate with his own Justice Department, and call the result a legitimate settlement? Mike and Michael Levy unpack the judge’s ruling in Trump v. IRS, then turn to Marco Rubio’s campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court, Pete Hegseth’s removal of senior military leaders and push for testosterone screening, and the Democratic Socialists’ recent primary victories. Are Democrats facing their own Tea Party insurgency—or a movement whose appeal collapses outside deep-blue districts?  Check out Michael Levy’s Substack St. Thomas, by Sonny Rollins Become a new monthly supporter on Patreon and get your first month nearly free (90% off) with promo code 0943D, or become a new annual supporter and get an additional 10% off on top of the regular 10% annual supporter discount with promo code 9B50C. These offers are good until the end of July at patreon.com/politicsguys 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.

    Can Trump Settle With Himself? Rubio’s ICC War, Hegseth’s Purge, and the DSA Left

  7. Jul 17

    Trump’s Election Fraud Claims, Iran War Redux, and Lindsey Graham’s Legacy

    Donald Trump says America’s elections are dangerously vulnerable—but did his primetime speech offer evidence, or lay the groundwork to contest a Republican midterm defeat? Mike and Michael Levy dissect Trump’s election-security claims, the SAVE Act, and the gap between genuine cybersecurity risks and unsupported allegations of noncitizen voting. They also examine the renewed U.S.-Iran war, the collapse of the Strait of Hormuz agreement, and whether Trump’s pressure campaign has any plausible endgame. Then they debate Lindsey Graham’s legacy: pragmatic dealmaker preserving his influence, or cautionary tale of a senator who recognized Trump’s danger and enabled it anyway? Finally, they turn to Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination, Justice Department independence, Trump’s IRS settlement, and the Epstein files. Check out Michael Levy’s Substack Become a new monthly supporter on Patreon and get your first month nearly free (90% off) with promo code 0943D, or become a new annual supporter and get an additional 10% off on top of the regular 10% annual supporter discount with promo code 9B50C. These offers are good until the end of July at patreon.com/politicsguys 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.

    Trump’s Election Fraud Claims, Iran War Redux, and Lindsey Graham’s Legacy

  8. Jul 15

    Can Maine Kill the Super PAC? Larry Lessig’s Supreme Court Strategy

    Could a voter-approved law in Maine bring down the legal foundation of Super PACs without overturning Citizens United? Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig joins Mike to explain why he believes the lower-court ruling in SpeechNow v. FEC—not Citizens United—created today’s unlimited-contribution system, and why Maine’s overwhelmingly approved Super PAC contribution limits could give the Supreme Court a chance to correct that mistake. They discuss corruption, originalism, campaign coordination, democracy vouchers, public financing, and whether meaningful campaign finance reform remains politically possible. Lawrence Lessig on X Become a new monthly supporter on Patreon and get your first month nearly free (90% off) with promo code 0943D, or become a new annual supporter and get an additional 10% off on top of the regular 10% annual supporter discount with promo code 9B50C. These offers are good until the end of July at patreon.com/politicsguys 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.

    Can Maine Kill the Super PAC? Larry Lessig’s Supreme Court Strategy
See All (1K)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

4.4
out of 5
751 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
    The Politics Guys - Government Democracy & News
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Michael Baranowski
  • Show Website
    The Politics Guys