Beyond Politics

If you're intrigued by the idea of making the most of your 529 accounts, I have just the podcast for you. This week Mike Morton and I discuss three advanced strategies that can help you get the most out of these versatile financial tools.

In the last 15 years, Republicans have successfully, and quietly, the grabbed a hold on key offices at the state and local level -- often uncontested -- that make critical decisions about Americans' day to day lives. Amanda Litman runs Run for Something, an organization that is working to beat back that tide. And she joins us with some surprisingly good news...it's working.

As we begin to think ahead to the coming days and weeks of war between Israel and Hamas, are there already signs of divisions forming in the US? Democrats are dealing with a long-simmering division on the left about Israel policy, while increasing numbers of Republicans are offering the false choice between Israel and Ukraine. Also: Scalise or Jordan, which is worse? And who does RFK Jr. hurt more, Biden or Trump?

October 7 has been called Israel's 9/11. There are a few people on Earth that are better able to talk about what's happening now and what may happen next than Dan Perry, former lead reporter for the Associated Press for the Middle East, who is based in Tel Aviv and joins us from the middle of the crisis.

Join Mike Morton and I this week as we discusses 529 to Roth IRA contributions and how you can use it to benefit the financial aspect of your life.

Congressman Jamie Raskin, one of the most capable, incisive, and brilliant members of Congress serving today, joins the show. We wanted to know, now that Kevin McCarthy has been removed as Speaker of the House, what was the real reason Democrats didn't try to save him (1:29)? Is there really a hard-right fringe, or is the fringe actually the real core of the Republican Party today (9:34)? What happened at that infamous impeachment inquiry hearing last week when Raskin tore apart the Republican argument and laid bare the real agenda behind what was happening (12:36)? What did he see on the Jan 6 committee that hasn't shown up in the indictments of Trump and his co-conspirators (20:11)?

Right wing nuts (i.e. Matt Gaetz) are trying to take down the most powerful Republican in America, Kevin McCarthy, who just pulled off a shocking 11th hour deal to prevent a government shutdown, while Donald Trump goes on unhinged rants about his financial and legal world collapsing around him. And the biggest story might be...Taylor Swift?

Kevin McCarthy maneuvering to try to save his speaker-ship against a Matt Gaetz-led charge to remove him after the surprise weekend deal for a continuing resolution that's keeping the government open. Democrats are trying to figure out whether can they cut a deal here to gain themselves more power and to get rid of this impeachment inquiry. Republicans are scrambling to figure out whether Gaetz actually has the votes to actually remove Kevin McCarthy? And is there an alternative if they do manage to get rid of them? Matt Robison and Cliff Schecter quickly hit all the key points on what everyone is thinking and where this could be heading.

Have some extra cash? Wondering if you should put it toward your mortgage? Join Mike Morton and I this week as we delve into the answer to this FAQ. It’s not as simple as you might think. Why? Because why you shouldn’t is equally as compelling as why you should work to pay down that debt. 

California Senator Dianne Feinstein, a trailblazing icon, has died. In this emergency podcast, writer and political analyst Jason Sattler joins to discuss the remarkable legacy of Senator Feinstein, and also the burning question that will have far-reaching consequences for America: will Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans take advantage of her death to block all Biden judicial appointments for the rest of the President's term?