The Bulwark Podcast Ezra Klein: Protecting People Means Winning Power
69 snips
Sep 25, 2025 
Ezra Klein, an opinion columnist at The New York Times and host of the Ezra Klein Show, dives deep into the current political landscape. He shares insights on Democrats navigating potential government shutdowns and the moral struggles involved. Klein emphasizes the need for coherent messaging around corruption while contemplating the role of unconventional candidates. He warns against the perils of political violence and dehumanization, advocating for a politics that prioritizes winning power through unity and effective communication.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Corruption As The Central Framing
- Donald Trump is corrupting federal institutions by turning agencies into tools for personal power and wealth accumulation.
- A shutdown can signal an emergency about that corruption but only if Democrats have a coherent, winning argument.
Limit Demands, Tie Them To Corruption
- Go into any shutdown with a short list of achievable demands that embody the larger corruption argument.
- Pick targets the public understands, like masked ICE operations and gutted ethics offices, to gain public sympathy.
Shutdowns Shift Attention, Not Always Outcomes
- Losing a shutdown doesn't always determine electoral outcomes; past shutdowns had mixed midterm effects.
- Shutdowns mainly change attention dynamics and can cohere a base ahead of elections.
