The Politics Guys
The Politics Guys is an independent, bipartisan, ideologically diverse American politics and policy podcast hosted by experts: political scientists, law professors, practicing attorneys, and former government officials. 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. In addition to our weekly news discussion, we feature regular interviews with leading figures from across the ideological spectrum. Past guests include Representatives Jim Jordan, Thomas Massie, and Rob Wittman; Jeffrey Sachs; Tyler Cowen; Bryan Caplan; Dan Carlin; Larry Sabato; and Lawrence Lessig.
Episodes
November 22, 2025 • 70 mins
Mike and Joey open with the blowback to Joey’s claim that “the hubris of the left” is the biggest obstacle to national unity . Mike frames Trump’s behavior as the more obvious example of hubris, while Joey argues that Trump’s personality is massive but incidental and that the real divide is between people focused on ideas and people hung up on identity. Joey sees Trump as a magnanimous, big-ideas president undermined by small-minde...
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November 19, 2025 • 50 mins
Travis talks with Dr. Michael Cohen, author of Modern Political Campaigns, and Julie Sweet, author of the American Association of Political Consultants’ Deepfake Law Compliance Guide for Political Campaigns, about the role of artificial intelligence in political campaigns.
Topics Travis, Julie, and Michael cover include:
How campaigns are using AI and how they can be compliant with state laws and regulations
What the us...
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November 18, 2025 • 32 mins
Trey & Ken begin a new supporter's series on The Federalist Papers. This week's episode includes an overview of The Federalist Papers themselves and introduces Federalist Paper No. 1. Topics covered include:
The history behind writing the original essays
The attack on the Constitution by Anti-Federalists
How Hamilton and Madison became the principal authors
The controversy over who wrote each essay
Follow...
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November 14, 2025 • 63 mins
In this episode, Trey and Ken discuss the recent end of the US government shutdown, including the implications for both parties, with a focus on the ACA subsidies. Trey argues that he was ultimately correct, and the shutdown did not benefit Democrats nor lasted into December. While Ken concedes that the shutdown didn’t last as long as he anticipated, it was still the longest in history, and importantly, it taught Democrats how to f...
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November 12, 2025 • 51 mins
Mike talks with David Obst, a former journalist, publisher, screenwriter, and film producer. He’s also the author of a new book on the automotive industry called Saving Ourselves from Big Car, which is the focus of their conversation.
Topics Mike & David cover include:
How “Big Car” became a self-perpetuating system
The deadly legacy of leaded gasoline
Corporate cover-ups and government complicity
Racial inj...
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November 11, 2025 • 13 mins
Trey & Justin continue their dive into contemporary political ideologies. This week, they dive into conservatism. Topics covered include:
The underlying principles of conservatism, including tradition and gradual change
The relationship between tradition and conservatism
The relationship between religion and conservatism
The differences between the Republican Party and conservatives
Critiques of the status quo natur...
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November 7, 2025 • 62 mins
Trey and Justin open the show by bypassing the shutdown, at least for a moment, and starting with the 2025 elections. Trey argues that the results are a victory for Democrats, but must be contextualized. His key point is that the economy is becoming an issue for Republicans. Both hosts outline what off-year elections such as this can and don’t mean more generally and how the Democratic Party still faces structural issues facing the...
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November 5, 2025 • 61 mins
Mike talks with New York Times bestselling author, historian, and journalist Colin Woodard. His latest book is Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America, which they discuss on this episode.
Topics Mike & Colin discuss include:
America as a federation of rival regional cultures
How early settlers shaped lasting political divides
Culture’s role in red and blue state patterns
Communitarian...
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November 4, 2025 • 18 mins
Mike, Michael, and Tim open with a discussion of the missing economic data and what that means for understanding the current economy. Tim explains that while unemployment remains low and markets are strong, uncertainty looms because key government reports haven’t been released. Mike argues that the apparent strength is concentrated almost entirely in AI and tech stocks, raising fears of an unsustainable bubble. Michael agrees the b...
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November 1, 2025 • 68 mins
Mike, Tim, and Michael open with the fifth week of the government shutdown, now poised to become the longest ever. Tim argues that while the disruption is real, the economic impact will be minor and short-lived, suggesting resolution will come after the elections. Michael delivers a fiery critique, calling the shutdown political theater that hurts ordinary people and decrying Republican fiscal hypocrisy. Mike underscores the tangib...
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October 29, 2025 • 68 mins
Mike talks with former Democratic activist Lisa Ekman, whose recently released book is titled Deprogramming Democrats & unEducating the Elites: How I Escaped the Progressive Cult.
Topics Mike & Lisa discuss include:
Ekman’s background in Democratic politics
government and expert failure during COVID
the tension between public health policy and liberty
the problem with replacing equality with equity
co...
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October 28, 2025 • 14 mins
This episode marks the finale in Trey and Ken’s three-year journey through the U.S. Constitution! In this final episode of the Constitution series, Trey and Ken discuss the 26th and 27th Amendments, exploring their historical significance and political implications. They also look at the journey of the Equal Rights Amendment and its “almost” status as a 28th Amendment. The hosts close by discussing the possibility of amending the U...
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Trey and Ken start by letting Ken weigh in on the government shutdown. Ken argues that the Democrats are winning and are doing the right thing. Trey disagrees and sees Democrats as eventually the party that will back down and let people get paid. Ken doubles down by saying the shutdown will last until December when Republicans will then back down.
Next, the guys overview the demolition of the White House’s East Wing. Trey is conce...
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October 22, 2025 • 47 mins
Mike talks with John L. Campbell, the Class of 1925 Professor and Professor of Sociology Emeritus at Dartmouth College. He’s the author of the recently released book, Pay Up! Conservative Myths About Tax Cuts for the Rich, which they discuss on this episode.
Topics Mike & John cover include:
the main conservative tax cut myths
the Laffer Curve and “self-funding” tax cuts
neoliberalism - intellectual movement or ma...
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Mike and Joey open with the Supreme Court’s unusual re-argument in Louisiana v. Calais, a case that could reshape Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Joey outlines the tangled history of Louisiana’s redistricting and argues that race-based districts may themselves violate equal-protection principles. Mike predicts Justice Kavanaugh will be the key vote to end broad race-based redistricting, though he worries about dismantling long-...
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October 18, 2025 • 73 mins
Mike and Joey open with the continuing government shutdown and whether blame is shifting. Mike criticizes Republicans for spreading false claims about Democrats’ immigration spending demands. Joey maintains that Democrats are increasingly seen as the problem, adding that media silence signals their growing liability.
Next, the guys debate Trump’s firing of federal workers during the shutdown. Mike condemns the administration’s dis...
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October 15, 2025 • 58 mins
Mike talks with Paul Starr, a professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton University and the author of multiple books, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Social Transformation of American Medicine. His latest book is American Contradiction: Revolution and Revenge from the 1950s to Now, which they discuss in this episode
Topics Mike & Paul cover include:
Trumpism as ‘total revenge’
why American politics ...
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October 14, 2025 • 14 mins
Trey and Justin continue their series on contemporary political ideologies by examining liberalism. They explore its historical roots, key thinkers like Hobbes and Locke, and the evolution of liberal thought through figures such as Mill and Rawls. The discussion highlights the differences between classical and social liberalism, the implications of social contract theory, and the critique of liberalism by communitarians. The conver...
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October 10, 2025 • 67 mins
In this episode of The Politics Guys, Trey and Justin discuss what they call an episode on the unilateral presidency and nihilism. The show kicks off the ongoing budget standoff and government shutdown, including Trey’s overarching point that the imperial presidency comes to us one small move at a time and is not limited to President Trump.
Next, they turn to the recent Gaza ceasefire brokered by President Trump. Trey argues that...
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October 8, 2025 • 58 mins
Travis talks with entrepreneur and trade industry leader Dan Varroney about his new book, Rethinking Economic Growth: How Small Businesses Can Help Consistently Grow the Economy, in which he writes about some of the biggest challenges facing small business owners and how American policymakers can support these businesses.
Topics Travis and Dan cover include:
The critical role that small businesses play in the American econo...
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