A Gentlemen’s Disagreement

Episode 176 - Six months in, promises made, promises broken?

Is the controversy around the Epstein files the straw that broke the back of the MAGA coalition? Or is this just another example in a long line of "this time it's different!" wishful thinking for the anti-Trumpers?

Episode 175 - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder: the OBBB

We analyze the "One Big Beautiful Bill" from all the angles: from the process and potential precedent, to the actual impact the bill will have on people's lives, to the messaging of the bill from both parties. We also try to look at the long term effects of the bill: how did it change how our government will work for the people going forward and what does it mean politically for the midterms and beyond?

Episode 174 - Creating an independent (voter) identity with Lura Forcum

Lura Forcum of The Independent Center joins us to discuss how we might be able to turn the white whale of many American voters--independent candidates--into a reality.

Episode 173 - Totally obliterated: Iran's nuclear program and any semblance of international law

We had planned to debate whether the U.S. should or shouldn't get involved in the Israeli-Iranian conflict. Well, President Trump did, so the debate turned into whether it was the right move and how it might play out both internationally and domestically.

Episode 172 - What to make of the Trump-Musk fallout and more

Two of our great friends, Perry Laberis and Ray Mooney, join us to discuss what the breakdown in the Trump-Musk relationship means for the future of both men, the future of this administration, and the future of politics in the U.S. We also hit on some other items in the news towards the end of the conversation.

Episode 171 - The news is making me depressed: tell me it ain't that bad

The constant barrage of news coming from this administration has been weighing heavily on Ricky. Is it at bad as it seems? Can Brendan offer any hope or simply commiserate? 

Episode 170 - The price of tariffs with Dr. Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan

Director of the Global Linkages Lab and Brown University professor Dr. Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan makes the case for why tariffs are not the solution to U.S. trade deficits or U.S. job losses and explains why America First might soon mean America Alone.

Episode 169 - The intersection of AI & climate change with Dr. Joseph B. Keller

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about AI. And a lot of talk about climate change. But where and how do these two forces life-changing forces collide? Dr. Joseph B. Keller of the Brookings Institution helps us answer these questions and tells us what policy makers should be thinking about as both forces continue to advance.

Episode 168 - The first 100 days with Matthew Knych

Matthew Knych joins us to reflect on the wild, whirlwind, and incredibly consequential first 100 days of the second Trump Administration.

Episode 167 - The life, legacy, and politics of Pope Francis with Father Oliver Rafferty

Jesuit priest and Boston College Professor of History Oliver Rafferty takes us beneath the surface of the simple narratives surrounding Pope Francis's life and legacy to examine the pope he really was, the church he ran, and the one that he leaves us.