From the start of Donald Trump's second term, he's been eager to cut the federal workforce. So, Elon Musk headed the newly minted DOGE to begin slashing tens of thousands of jobs.Our friend, Michael Lewis, author of "The Big Short" and, most recently, "Who is Government?," joins us to share stories of public servants who not only improved this country but have saved countless lives. Those improvements and breakthroughs could only have happened through the power and effectiveness of a strong government. Lewis warns of the long-term consequences of dismantling agencies like USAID and removing oversight mechanisms. The public might not immediately feel these impacts, but the results will eventually be catastrophic, particularly for vulnerable populations worldwide. Lewis explains that DOGE was never about fraud, waste, and abuse. It's always been about ideology, power, and money. Visit Michael's website to learn more: https://www.michaellewiswrites.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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32:09
Dahlia Lithwick on the Courts vs. Trump
We're joined by Dahlia Lithwick, award-winning journalist, author, and host of the Amicus podcast. Dahlia looks at the judicial pushback against the Trump administration, as the Courts have stood up to Trump's policies on birthright citizenship and deportation. We also discuss Trump’s targeting of law firms.The Supreme Court notably ruled 9-0 that the administration must facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, which it has ignored. Is this the Constitutional crisis we've been anticipating? Will Trump pay a price for ignoring The Supreme Court?Plus, Dahlia breaks down why a fetal personhood bill will inevitably be brought before The Supreme Court.Listen to Dahlia's Amicus podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amicus-with-dahlia-lithwick-law-justice-and-the-courts/id928790786Read Dahlia in Slate: https://slate.com/author/dahlia-lithwickSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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44:13
Mark Leibovich and Molly Jong-Fast on Trump’s 100 Days
Trump’s first 100 days back in office have been a whirlwind filled with chaotic, confusing, and authoritarian behavior and very little thoughtful policy - the perfect opportunity to welcome back our friends, Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic and Molly Jong-Fast, host of the Fast Politics Podcast.These 100 days have been filled with bizarre stories that we may have already forgotten about. So, we run through some of the under reported stories with Mark and Molly and get their opinions on some of the most damaging actions Trump and his administration have taken. Plus, we take a look at how Democrats can message their way back into better poll numbers.From taking over Greenland to cutting FEMA to how the Supreme Court can use their powers to help reign in some of the chaos, we cover the landscape of the first 100 days and beyond! Only 1,356 days to go until his Presidency is over!Read Mark Leibovich in The Atlantic:https://www.theatlantic.com/author/mark-leibovich/Listen to Molly Jong-Fast's podcast, Fast Politics:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fast-politics-with-molly-jong-fast/id1645614328See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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46:36
Robert Reich on Fighting The Trump Autocracy
Every day we see this country inch closer to authoritarianism under Donald Trump. We're joined by Robert Reich, political economist, professor, author, and former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton. We cover how Reich thinks Democrats should fight back against this era of oligarchy in America. He explains the power of protest and lays out the messaging that Democrats need to embrace to show solidarity for the coming midterms and beyond.Plus, Reich tells the story of being classmates with Clarence Thomas, Hillary Rodham, and Bill Clinton and how he introduced Bill and Hillary at law school. Listen to Reich's podcast, The Coffee Klatch: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-coffee-klatch-with-robert-reich/id1635446643Watch Reich's videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RBReichSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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45:38
BEST OF: Tim Alberta on Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism
In this Best Of episode, we revisit our conversation with Tim Alberta, the author of the profoundly disturbing book "The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory,” which was released before the 2024 election. In this interview, he explains how evangelicals have been turned into a political tool for the Republican Party. Alberta grew up in the evangelical wing of The Presbyterian Church and watched as they turned their backs on him after he criticized Donald Trump. How did The Evangelical Church turn so far towards right wing politics? What exactly is an Evangelical? How can those voters ever be won back?Read Tim's work in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/tim-alberta/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A five-time Emmy winning SNL comedy writer/producer, joins a four-time #1 NYT bestselling author, a three-time highest-rated national progressive radio host, a two-time Grammy winning artist, and a former US Senator. So, it gets a little crowded in the booth when Al talks public policy and sometimes political comedy with notable guests. Think “The Daily” without the resources of the NYTimes.
South Africa