Pantsuit Politics

Should Democrats shut down the government to stop Trump's authoritarian overreach? Sarah and Beth break down Ezra Klein's New York Times op-ed calling on Democrats to use the September 30th funding deadline to confront Trump's illegal pocket rescissions, growing corruption, and dismantling of congressional oversight, while examining whether traditional bipartisan governance enables authoritarianism.

Why has Congress abandoned its c...

Is Trump a dictator, or just a wannabe? Sarah and Beth define authoritarianism and examine how decades of expanding executive power set the stage for Trump's emergency declarations, ICE army, and attacks on expertise, while exploring whether American institutions can resist the authoritarian playbook.

What happens when courts push back but the Supreme Court stays silent? They analyze Trump's use of emergency powers to justify milit...

What happens when we can't tell truth from rumors anymore? Sarah and Beth process the bizarre weekend when Trump death rumors dominated X while official news sources stayed silent, exploring what this reveals about our fractured media landscape and the breakdown of institutional trust.

How do you rebuild expertise once it walks out the door? They examine the chaos at CDC under RFK Jr.'s influence, including the firing of Director D...

How do we talk about safety without demonizing entire communities? Sarah and Beth grapple with the complex psychology behind violence while examining Trump's federal takeover of DC police and exploring why crime statistics show progress even as public fear remains high.

When does federal intervention help versus harm local communities? They analyze the deployment of National Guard troops to DC, the disconnect between data-driven po...

What can Canada's death laws teach us about policy limits? Sarah and Beth examine Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAID) program, where assisted deaths now account for 1 in 20 deaths nationwide - more than Alzheimer's and diabetes combined. They trace how policies that began with terminally ill patients have expanded to include those with treatable conditions and mental health issues alone.

When does personal autonomy go too f...

How have our perspectives changed since October 7th? Sarah and Beth open up about the difficulty of covering a conflict where any words will cause pain to someone. They share how their perspectives have evolved since October 7th and grapple with the moral complexities of Israel's actions, America's role, and what comes next.

How do you hold complexity without losing moral clarity? Sarah and Beth explore how the Israeli government's...

Today, we're sharing our spicy bonus episode from last week with everyone. We do an episode like this once a week for our premium subscribers on Substack. If you enjoy this conversation, we'd love for you to join us on Substack. We're running an end of summer sale through August 31st with 15% off an annual subscription. Use this link to get your savings while they last!  http://pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/subscribe/summersale&nbs...

Are President Trump's diplomatic gambles paying off or backfiring? Sarah and Beth analyze Trump's summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, examining whether giving Putin a platform on American soil legitimizes his regime or advances genuine peace negotiations. 

What does the Jeffrey Epstein case reveal about justice in America? Sarah and Beth debate how wealth and power corrupt our justice system. They wrestle with distinguishing...

Are we ready for the AI revolution transforming our world? Sarah and Beth dive into the lightning-fast rise of artificial intelligence that's reshaping how we work, connect, and live our daily lives. From workplace automation to community impacts, they unpack our collective anxieties about this technological shift and explore practical approaches to AI regulation and engagement.

What does it mean to stay resilient in an AI-driven w...

Sarah and Beth return from their summer break to discuss how they decide what to cover in today's chaotic political landscape. They dive into the Texas gerrymandering battle and explore the broader shift toward state-level governance happening across America.

Topics Discussed: 

• How We Choose Our Topics for the Show
• The Shift from Federal to State Power (and What It Means...

Pantsuit Politics is celebrating ten years of podcasting this year!

A lot has happened politically, culturally, and personally in the last ten years. This summer, we’re revisiting each of the years we’ve been podcasting with a special flashback episode. In our final flashback, we ponder how much we’re still sorting through the remnants left by the whirlwind that ...

We are thrilled to be sharing a conversation today between Beth and Dr. Casey Burgat, a professor and author of the new book, We Hold These "Truths": How to Spot the Myths that are Holding America Back. Beth and Casey talk about the balance of power between the branches of government, what a reset would look like, where they would start fixing things, and — perhaps most importantly — their shar...

Pantsuit Politics is celebrating ten years of podcasting this year!

A lot has happened politically, culturally, and personally in the last ten years. This summer, we’re revisiting each of the years we’ve been podcasting with a special flashback episode. Today, we look back at how emerging technology and the start of the war in Gaza changed the world.

Topics Discussed

• Eme...

Pantsuit Politics is celebrating ten years of podcasting this year!

A lot has happened politically, culturally, and personally in the last ten years. This summer, we’re revisiting each of the years we’ve been podcasting with a special flashback episode. Today, we look back at 2022. Sarah explains why she thinks the slap at the Oscars was such a pivot point, and we reflect on the invasion of Ukr...

Today’s spicy bonus episode is available to all listeners. These bonus episodes are where Sarah and Beth let loose a bit more than the main show. Their feelings are often more raw and their conversation often has more heat. This episode, like many of our spicy bonus episodes, is explicit.

If you enjoy this type of conversation from Sarah and Beth, we hope you’ll join us as a paid subscriber her...

Pantsuit Politics is celebrating ten years of podcasting this year!

A lot has happened politically, culturally, and personally in the last ten years. This summer, we’re revisiting each of the years we’ve been podcasting with a special flashback episode. Today, we look back at 2021 and present our theory that it - not 2020 - is the year that actually broke us.

Topics Discussed

• January 6th

...