Beyond Politics

So what happened when Donald Trump went back to the scene of the crime? We're talking of course, about his visit to Congress, the independent branch of government that he urged his supporters to attack as he inspired them to attempted insurrection. We also got into the hunter Biden verdict, and the question of whether Members of Congress really misplayed the political messaging about it. We also talked about the abortion pill ruling and how the media handled that. And then today is Donald Trump's birthday. And we took the liberty at the very end of the show of proposing our very own set of birthday presents for him. 01:00 Trump's Capitol Hill Visit: A Bizarre Return 06:36 Trump's Influence and Republican Sycophancy 12:08 Nikki Haley and the Future of the Republican Party 19:34 Supreme Court Ruling on Mifepristone 24:57 Hunter Biden's Legal Troubles 30:21 Justice System and Political Influence 38:02 Trump's Birthday

Today, we look at the source of power that has driven the Republican Party for the last five decades, and has shaped the policies, politics, and politicians who in turn shape our lives. Political scientist EJ Fagan's new book 'The Thinkers,' dives into the origins, methods, and extensive power that these institutions quietly wield. 01:07 The Power Behind the Throne 03:41 The Garbage Can Model in Policy Making 11:32 Heritage's Legacy and Modern Think Tanks 20:05 The Intellectual Orthodoxy of Conservatism 20:53 Nixon and Environmental Policies 21:58 The Laffer Curve and Alternative Facts 27:31 Think Tanks and Policy Influence 34:56 Funding and Influence of Think Tanks 38:09 Polarization and the Role of Think Tanks

Int he aftermath of Donald Trump's felony conviction, polls are suggesting that critical voters are turning on him. So why are all the big name Republicans so determined to stick with him, and suggest dangerous, scary reprisals? Also is Biden's big border executive order going to make a political difference. Plus, President Biden boxed in Bibi Netanyahu on the peace deal that's on the table between Israel and Hamas. Finally, we have a bold prediction on the NBA finals. 01:03 The Aftermath of Trump's Conviction 05:02 Republican Disconnect and MAGA Penalty 06:54 Faith in Voters and Polling Insights 17:48 Biden's Border Executive Order 27:35 Netanyahu and the Israel-Gaza Conflict 36:53 NBA Finals Predictions and Conclusion

ProPublica reporter Andy Kroll just went deep inside the epicenter of MAGA insanity, and found some unsettling things. What drives the MAGA movement is not policy or even support for Trump anymore, but something worse, something that's been on full display since Trump's conviction in New York. And it paints a troubling picture of the post-Trump future of the Republican Party. 01:40 A Disturbing Scene 06:47 The Ideological Divide in MAGA 16:17 The Rise and Fall of Christina Karamo 21:57 The Rise of Nihilism in the Republican Party 25:45 The Future of the Republican Party Post-Trump 29:42 The Entrenchment of Election Denialism 40:28 A Glimmer of Hope: Grassroots Education

A quick interview with Howard Monroe about the impact of the Trump conviction

We start with an emergency segment recorded late this evening on the news that Donald Trump has been convicted on all 34 counts int he New York fraud trial, and is now a felon. We sort through the legal next steps and the political implications. We then shift to our earlier recording and hit the big story from Congressman Jamie Raskin and his proposal about how to force Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito off of the Supreme court cases involving Donald Trump because of their obvious bias. And finally, you'll want to hang on until the end. When we talk about whether we found the single dumbest criminal defendant in history. 00:00 Trump's Conviction: Immediate Reactions 02:14 Legal Analysis of the Verdict 04:43 Political Fallout and Public Reaction 08:29 Implications for American Democracy 11:36 Future Legal Proceedings and Sentencing 23:14 Supreme Court Controversies 38:53 Zoom Courtroom Mishaps

It's a shocking story we hear almost nothing about: huge corporations exploiting some of the $900 billion a year in government programs aimed at helping America's poor, and pocketing hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars along the way. Anne Kim, a Contributing Editor at Washington Monthly, shares some of the most riveting stories from her book 'Poverty for Profit' (publishing TODAY at this link) a deep dive into what these companies are doing, who is being hurt, and why we decided as a country to outsource the poverty industry. Anne also explains why there's still some good news and hope for the future. 00:51 The Shocking Reality of the Poverty Industry 04:31 The Earned Income Tax Credit: A Double-Edged Sword 10:54 Maximus: The Giant Behind Welfare Outsourcing 16:48 The Dark Side of Medicaid and Dialysis Centers 21:19 The Bail Bond System: Preying on the Vulnerable 23:22 The Roots of Privatization and Its Impact on Poverty 30:03 Reimagining Government's Role and the Path Forward

Yes, Donald Trump did kind of tell supporters that he's dead. Our round table discussion started with deep, interesting question: after all the talk about polarization and division, is there actually a powerful emerging centrist movement in America? But then, Alicia dropped something kind of fascinating and disturbing into the conversation, an email from Donald Trump that seems to imply the he is currently dead. And as if that wasn't amusing enough, we close the show on one of the deepest existential questions facing America: what is the sandwich really? We actually had a legal read on that from a real court this week. 01:24 Exploring the Existence of a Political Center in America 05:54 The Rise and Impact of Performative Politics 07:53 The MAGA Movement and Its Influence 16:54 The Future of Republican Moderates and the MAGA Legacy 22:28 Is Trump...Dead? 28:47 The Biden vs. Trump Debate: Age, Sanity, and Governance 30:24 The Great Sandwich Debate: What Qualifies?

Are Democrats really shedding massive amounts of support from African American voters? There are certainly warning signs of trouble -- including a New York times poll showing Trump getting the support of more than 20% of Black Americans. But Mario Broussard and Ana Robinson of Global Strategy Group say that the actual picture is a lot more nuanced than that, and that if the numbers suggest anything, it's that there are things Biden and the Democrats can do to hold on to the critical core of the Democrats' base. 01:21 Young Black Women's Voting Enthusiasm and Economic Struggles 04:49 The Impact of Abortion Rights on Young Black Women Voters 15:27 Economic Concerns Among Black Voters 26:34 Messaging Strategies for Democrats: Addressing Key Voter Concerns 32:31 The Role of Social Media and Influencers in Engaging Young Voters

After a major standoff, Trump and Biden have agreed to two presidential debates. Did Biden win this exchange? And how much does it really matter? Also, a quick breakdown of Michael Cohen's testimony, and the question of whether Trump's political defenses in the hush money trial are actually kind of working. Plus, a very weird New York Times poll from this week and a continued run of voting results that Donald Trump should be finding downright scary. Plus, our closing segment has snakes on a plane. No, really. And we closed with snakes on a plane. No, literally. I mean, it. Snakes on a plane, 00:00 Opening Remarks: The Role of Debates in Politics 00:46 Debating the Debates: Trump vs. Biden 02:27 The Circus of Presidential Debates 04:26 Breaking Tradition: The New Debate Format 06:19 The Argument Against Debates 10:53 Character and Policy in Debates 17:02 Strategic Analysis: Biden vs. Trump Debate Dynamics 19:29 Trump's Debate Strategy and Poll Analysis 20:16 Breaking Down Trump's Legal Challenges 20:25 The Michael Cohen Testimony: A Deep Dive 25:50 Analyzing Trump's Defense Strategies 30:56 Voter Sentiment and Election Predictions 35:40 Quirky News Roundup: Bees, Zebras, and Snakes