Critique of Political Policies and Healthcare Challenges

Meet my friends, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton!  If you love Verdict, the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show might also be in your audio wheelhouse. Politics, news analysis, and some pop culture and comedy thrown in too.

Here’s a sample episode recapping four Thursday takeaways. Give the guys a listen and then follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

New C&B Steak Bet!

Kamala Harris announced she will not run for California governor in 2026. Clay and Buck analyze her new book, 107 Days, and preview her upcoming appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—her first major interview since her 2024 presidential campaign defeat.

Clay and Buck make a new steak bet about Kamala Harris’s political future. They engage in a spirited discussion over whether Harris will run for president in 2028. Clay argues she will, citing her age, lack of alternative pursuits, and her unique position as a Black female candidate with strong name recognition. Buck counters that Harris is politically finished, suggesting she’s more likely to take a ceremonial role at a university or think tank. The conversation touches on Democratic Party strategy, the importance of the South Carolina primary, and the influence of figures like James Clyburn.

Mayor Mamdani?

The conversation shifts to New York City politics, where the hosts critique mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for his past support of defunding the police and his proposal for city-run grocery stores. They warn that his policies could lead to economic and public safety disasters, drawing comparisons to failed socialist models. The segment includes a broader critique of progressive governance and its effects on urban housing, crime, and affordability.

Dr. Oz on the Future of Healthcare

Dr. Oz, now serving as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Trump administration, outlines the administration’s ambitious healthcare agenda. He addresses the skyrocketing cost of healthcare in America, the chronic disease epidemic, and the mental health crisis, emphasizing the role of loneliness as a key driver of poor health outcomes. Dr. Oz also highlights a recent White House event where major tech and healthcare companies pledged to return control of medical records to patients and modernize healthcare through digital innovation.

A major focus is the “big beautiful bill” that introduced work requirements for Medicaid recipients, aiming to restore dignity and autonomy to able-bodied Americans while preserving the program’s integrity. Dr. Oz defends the policy as a moral and economic imperative, drawing parallels to President Clinton’s welfare reform.

The conversation shifts to prescription drug pricing, where Dr. Oz announces a new “most favored nation” pricing policy to combat global freeloading and reduce U.S. drug costs. He compares this initiative to NATO’s cost-sharing model, asserting that America should no longer bear the financial burden of global pharmaceutical R&D alone.

Technology’s transformative role in healthcare is another key theme. Dr. Oz discusses how AI, robotics, and automation will streamline care, reduce administrative waste, and combat fraud—highlighting a recent $15 billion DOJ takedown of a multinational criminal network exploiting Medicare.

FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak

FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak joins the show to discuss the agency’s efforts to protect consumers from sophisticated scams, including AI-driven voice cloning fraud. She outlines the FTC’s enforcement mechanisms, collaboration with the DOJ, and focus on anti-competitive mergers in the fast-evolving tech sector. Holyoak also promotes the FTC’s “Made in USA” labeling enforcement, encouraging businesses and consumers to report violations. 

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