

Politicology
Politicology
Politics in America is transforming. We’re embarking on a new series to deepen our understanding of who we are, how we got here, and how we rebuild without repeating the mistakes of the past. Ron Steslow hosts academics, behavioral economists, social psychologists, politicos, philosophers, anthropologists, journalists, poets, and storytellers—and more—to discuss America’s political present and future and dive into the deeper problems we face as a nation. Email us questions or comments: podcast@politicology.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 31, 2023 • 1h 18min
Everyone’s on TikTok — The Weekly Roundup
Lucy Caldwell (Walsh 2020 Campaign Manager) and Frank Sadler (Chief of Staff to Carly Fiorina) join host Ron Steslow to unpack some of the most important stories of the week and how they’re shaping the political landscape:(02:06) The shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville (26:06) The influencers pressuring Congress to block a forced sale of TikTok(42:00) Why public opinion polling on federal spending isn’t helpful and Biden’s attacks on Republican proposals for Social Security—the same proposals he made in the senate. [Politicology+ Subscribers Only] Donald Trump kicks off his “Retribution” Tour at a rally in Waco, Texas Listen to our conversation about hate crimes with Michael Masters: https://link.chtbl.com/fNs7kICyPoliticology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Follow this week’s panel on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://twitter.com/lucymcaldwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 29, 2023 • 53min
Testimony—Part 2
You can pre-order Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation now at https://www.jonwardwrites.org/Jon Ward (Journalist and author of Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation) joins Ron Steslow to discuss growing up in the Evangelical Church, “Christian Trumpism,” and his new memoir.(06:05) Why Sarah Palin resonated with so many Christians (10:36) What having difficult conversations can teach you engagement and defensiveness (20:00) Evangelicals showing more fear than faith (28:50) How the structures in evangelical communities enabled Trump to distort reality (31:06) Right Makes Might vs Might Makes Right (36:32) How can outsiders engage positively with Evangelicals on reforming the movement Pre-order Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation—https://www.jonwardwrites.org/Follow Ron and Jon on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/jonward11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 24, 2023 • 49min
Bitter Medicine? — The Weekly Roundup
Matt Bennett (Executive Vice President for Public Affairs at Third Way) and Beth Fukumoto (former Hawaii House Minority Leader) join host Ron Steslow to unpack some of the most important stories of the week and how they’re shaping the political landscape:(02:44) The Fed’s rate hike in the midst of turmoil for the banking system, how it will impact consumers, and how that could impact our politics(13:00) The Biden Administration’s crackdown on fentanyl at the U.S. Mexico border(23:00) The left-wing media campaign trying to turn the public against U.S. military support for Ukraine[Politicology+ Subscribers Only] The Trump allies buying property around the Capitol to build a MAGA Campus.Politicology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Follow this week’s panel on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://twitter.com/ThirdWayMattBhttps://twitter.com/bethfukumoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 23, 2023 • 59min
Testimony—Part 1
You can pre-order Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation now at https://www.jonwardwrites.org/Jon Ward (Journalist and author of Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation) joins Ron Steslow to discuss growing up in the Evangelical Church, “Christian Trumpism,” and his new memoir.(03:28) Why Jon wrote the book(08:10) Being a “border-stalker” (14:36) The Jesus Movement (21:07) Understanding the different motivations (abortion and race) for Evangelicals joining the Republican party(23:00) The insular church community and how it impacted his worldview(30:00) How Christian belief in the end times impacts action (32:50) The connection between being a spiritual warrior and a political warrior (36:15) Spiritual ecstasy as a sign of devotion to God (and the burnout it caused)(41:41) How anti-intellectualism reinforced the social bubblePre-order Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation—https://www.jonwardwrites.org/Follow Ron and Jon on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/jonward11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 17, 2023 • 1h 7min
Bank Runs, Bailouts, and Backlash — The Weekly Roundup
Mike Madrid (Lincoln Project Cofounder), Liz Gilbert Cohen (President of the 2020 Democratic National Convention), and Donna Redel (former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum) join host Ron Steslow to unpack some of the most important stories of the week and how they’re shaping the political landscape:(03:07) The Silicon Valley Bank Collapse(34:28) Biden’s Threat to Ban TikTok, national security, and data security concerns[Politicology+ Subscribers Only] Ron DeSantis’s claim that the support for Ukraine isn’t vital to national interest, the ongoing fight over support for Ukraine within the Republican party, and the opportunity it presents for Democrats…if they can seize it.Politicology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Follow this week’s panel on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://twitter.com/DonnaRedelhttps://twitter.com/madrid_mikeFollow Liz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizgilbertcohen/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 15, 2023 • 1h 22min
Encore: Democracy Interventions with Prof. Robb Willer
What are the psychological forces driving that partisan animosity?What’s causing Americans to vote for anti-democracy candidates? Are there any interventions that might actually work to turn down the heat and save our democracy? Robb Willer, professor of sociology, psychology, and organizational behavior at Stanford University talks with Ron Steslow about Stanford’s Strengthening Democracy Challenge, reducing partisan animosity and support for anti-democracy candidates .(01:31) Robbs background(02:46) The growth of polarization and partisan animosity (15:08) The Strengthening Democracy Challenge(22:40) Negative partisanship and support for undemocratic candidates(29:46) How cues from leaders can reduce support for anti-democracy candidates(32:17) Working together and respectfully discussing differences reduces partisan animosity (37:47) Misperceptions about how how you’re viewed by members of another party fuels animosity (46:47) Is there hope for overcoming animosity and acceptance of undemocratic candidates? (53:16) How to implement these ideas(59:23) The role of emotions in decision makingYou should check out the interventions we discussed: Elite Cues: https://bit.ly/3TEeS6ZPositive Contact (Heineken Ad): https://bit.ly/3N74PEMMisperceptions: https://bit.ly/3W4iMaNFear of Democratic Collapse: https://bit.ly/3W4awHOFollow Robb and Ron on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RobbWillerhttps://twitter.com/RonSteslow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 10, 2023 • 55min
The Other January 6th — The Weekly Roundup
Susan Del Percio (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert), Scott MacFarlane (CBS News Congressional Correspondent), and Scott Tranter (Investor and Advisor to Decision Desk HQ) join host Ron Steslow to unpack some of the most important stories of the week and how they’re shaping the political landscape:(02:25) Tucker Carlson’s release of clips of security footage from the capitol on January 6th and how he’s shaping the narrative about the attack(21:35) Joe Biden’s budget blueprint,his plans for deficit reduction, and how House Republicans are planning to cut costs[Politicology+ Subscribers Only] Washington, DC’s criminal code reform that’s going to fail in congress, Joe Biden’s announcement that he’ll sign a law overruling the City Council and what it means for home rule in the DistrictPoliticology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Follow this week’s panel on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/DelPercioShttps://twitter.com/MacFarlaneNewshttps://twitter.com/stranter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 8, 2023 • 1h 3min
“I’m in the Ponzi Business” — Part 2
In the second part of this two part episode, Donna Redel (former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum) and Justin Weitz (partner at the law firm Morgan Lewis) joins Ron Steslow to discuss the downfall of FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried(03:21) What the guilty pleas from other FTX leaders could mean for SBF(09:40) SBF’s “apology tour” and how it could benefit the prosecution (10:32) The charges against SBF filed in December and the superseding indictment issued in February(12:30) How the FTX saga changes the urgency of conversations about regulation (19:30) The impact of the FTX collapse on public perception Follow Ron and Donna on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/DonnaRedelYou can find Justin here: http://bit.ly/3L4spDj Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 3, 2023 • 1h 22min
“Fox is Captive to its Audience” — The Weekly Roundup
Lanae Erickson (Senior Vice President for the Social Policy & Politics Program at Third Way) and Andy Kroll (Investigative Reporter at ProPublica) join guest host Lucy Caldwell to unpack some of the most important stories of the week and how they’re shaping the political landscape:(02:13) Lori Lightfoot’s defeat in the Chicago Mayor’s race and what this signals about voters’ perceptions of crime (39:17) The bombshell revelations about how Fox News in recent court filings [Politicology+ Subscribers Only] The rise of the perennial candidate and consultant grift Politicology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Follow this week’s panel on Twitter:https://twitter.com/lucymcaldwellhttps://twitter.com/LanaeEricksonhttps://twitter.com/AndyKroll Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 1, 2023 • 48min
“I’m in the Ponzi Business” — Part 1
Donna Redel (former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum) and Justin Weitz (partner at the law firm Morgan Lewis) joins Ron Steslow to discuss the downfall of FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried(03:20) Differences among types of crypto (06:16) How crypto is viewed by federal law enforcement (08:20) Misconceptions about whether and how Bitcoin can be tracked(13:30) Where FTX sat in the industry landscape before it fell apart (17:15) Crypto farming and the” black box” interviewListen to the full "black box" interview from Bloomberg: http://bit.ly/3yyFu0h(29:35) What makes fraud fraud(32:38) What led to the collapse of FTXWatch that debate: https://bit.ly/3IIwwltFollow Ron and Donna on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/DonnaRedel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


