Beyond Politics

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Inside Trump’s Stealth Purge Plan with the Congressman Leading the Fight Against It Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

Late last week, a blockbuster report from Jonathan Swan of Axios detailed how former President Trump’s top allies are prepping a plan to purge the federal government. They want to remove thousands of key decision-makers and replace them with MAGA loyalists, all through an Executive Order called "Schedule F." The report shows that even beyond the usual targets like EPA and the IRS, the Trump shadow team is targeting our entire law enforcement, intelligence, and defense apparatus. The end result? If Donald Trump were re-elected, there would no longer be any guardrail between the American people and Trump’s whims, once the core of the federal service is replaced with a new army of rabid MAGA foot soldiers.

The Congressman who has been leading the fight against this threat is Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). He successfully passed an amendment in the House of Representatives to this year’s defense bill to prevent any future president from executing the Schedule F maneuver, but Republicans hope to block it in the Senate. We are very privileged to have Congressman Connolly here with us to tell us all about it.

What Does the Bleh Stock Market Really Say About the Economy? Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

Chris Hill, host of Motley Fool Money, explains what the low earnings reports and downward guidance from major retailers really reflects about the economy. Does it mean that the biggest sellers see troubled times ahead, or is something else going on? Also, why is Google forever? And is now a good time to buy...grills?!?

A Turning Point for Trump? Jul 26, 2022

Show notes

Did last week mark a major crumbling in Donald Trump's pillars of support? Today, we bring you another episode of our in-depth roundtable analysis show "Balance of Power" in which we look at a not-so-subtle turn in conservative media around the former President. Also, is it time for both parties to turn the page to a new generation? Why is one of the biggest Senate races in the country swinging toward the Democrat? And do recent revelations show that the media has been messing up the Hunter Biden story all along, or that they mostly got it right?

Photo by Darren Halstead on Unsplash

Senior Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope, Dr. John Mather Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

If you’re like us and most of the Internet, you spent last week goggling at the very first, and absolutely stunning, images from the James Webb Space Telescope. These images lead us right into the most profound questions about the cosmos, and our own existence...and they help to put some of our fights, disagreements, and problems here on this pale blue dot (the kinds of things we normally cover on this show) into some proper perspective.

To give us that perspective, our guest is Dr. John Mather, Senior Project Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope. In 2006, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE) which helped cement the big-bang theory of the universe. According to the Nobel Prize committee, "the COBE project can also be regarded as the starting point for cosmology as a precision science." In 2007, Mather was listed among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World.

Note: we had low audio quality on Matt's portion of audio, because when a Nobel Prize winner agrees to come on the show to talk about one of the most exciting stories in the world, you make it work even if one of your hosts is traveling and using sub-standard equipment. We apologize for the slightly hollow sound.

Manchin's "Crushing Blow" to Dem Agenda: Is It Actually Crushing? Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

Also, have the January 6 hearings been valuable? Are in-party challengers emerging for Trump and Biden? And will the horrifying Ohio case and similar tragedies that are surely coming change the impact of the Dobbs decision for voters?

Do Democrats Even Have a Message? Jul 15, 2022

Show notes

Mark Bergman has advised some of America's best-known political leaders on effective messaging...and he's worried. We need to do better among non-college educated voters, but he says that "the Democratic Party is not giving them an option and an economic alternative. They agree with us on all these other issues, but the Democratic party needs an economic message. Can you tell me what it is? I couldn't." Mark and Matt run through how things are shaping up not just for the midterms but beyond, and how Democrats can start to make more inroads with the voters that they desperately need.

Photo by Max LaRochelle on Unsplash

The Elon-Twitter Breakup Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

Chris Hill of Motley Fool Money explains what's going on with the Elon-Twitter deal meltdown. Also, the economy is looking up, and expectations are super low, so could we be in for a market surge on even meh earnings reports? And a huge summer movie benchmark for Hollywood.

The Knives Come Out for Biden on the Left Jul 13, 2022

Show notes

A spat between the White House and progressives was followed in short order by a slew of stories about whether Biden is too old to run again. Coincidence? Also, should the nomination process become a reality show? Is there really room for a centrist party in America? And is there a Constitutional right to eat dinner?

A Democratic Revolt in New Hampshire Jul 12, 2022

Show notes

Paul and Kevin Landrigan cover the front page New York Times article about awakening democracy in Croydon, New Hampshire. The town rose up, shook itself off, and organized to confront Free Staters who had taken advantage of citizen complacency. They also cover the race for NH Governor. A new poll from Democratic candidate Senator Tom Sherman gives him a shot with abortion politics as the driving issue.

Behind the Scenes with Democrats' Best Ad Maker Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

Mark Putnam has helped to elect 11 governors, 10 senators and dozens of House members. He may be best known for the fact that when Barack Obama had enough money in 2008 to produce not a 30 second ad but a 30-minute film, he turned to Mark Putnam to direct it. According to the Washington Post, Mark has “a reputation in Beltway circles as the go-to guy for candidates running tough races in red states.” So as the Democrats face down an election cycle with nothing but tough races, Mark joins the show to tell some amazing stories from his decades behind the camera working with America's top leaders. Plus, he reveals his hints for how to make an effective ad in this day and age and what Democrats need to do in 2022 and beyond.

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