Rational Radio Daily with Steele and Ungar

Latest Episodes:

"He [Trump] operates in a fairly narrow band of wrongness, but he never leaves it." Nov 03, 2017

Show notes

On August 5, 2015, Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight predicted that Donald Trump had a 2 percent chance of winning the presidency. That same day, Scott Adams, creator of the beloved comic strip, “Dilbert”, predicted that Trump had a 98 percent chance of winning the 2016 presidential election. Adams based his prediction on his knowledge of hypnotism, communication patterns and sales techniques. He distilled what he saw into a new book, “Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter”, and shared some of those lessons with Rick Ungar and guest co-host Robert Traynham. Brian Harding of the Center for American Progress discusses the objectives and rhetoric we can expect from President Trump on his upcoming trip across Asia.

"Radicalization is occurring almost exclusively in cyberspace." Nov 02, 2017

Show notes

In the wake of the domestic terror attack in Manhattan, many people are wondering how the attacker was able to plot and carry out the attack without raising alarms or showing signs of radicalization. Career counterterrorism officer Malcolm Nance said this is because ISIS is learning from Al Qaeda and moving their radicalization operations online and underground. Nance gave us his expert analysis on the terror attack and the ensuing political and legal responses. Noah Rothman, associate editor of Commentary Magazine, discussed historical revisionism and Trump chief of staff John Kelly's controversial comments about Robert E. Lee and the Civil War.

"They don't really seem to have a long-term strategy of how to defend against this stuff." Nov 01, 2017

Show notes

After special counsel Robert Mueller’s opening salvo in the Russia investigation, one big question remains: “What is his next move?” Duke University law professor Sam Buell joins us to read the tea leaves on Mueller's investigation. Professor Buell, a former federal prosecutor, says the recent developments prove evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and indicates that this investigation is far from over. Jared Broach, founder of Nightly Spirits ghost tours, gives us a Halloween treat by sharing some spooky stories of former presidents seeing ghosts in the White House.

"The middle class is going to get whacked again...because they're going to end up paying the bill." Oct 31, 2017

Show notes

President Trump declared the opioid crisis a “national public health emergency” last week. The difference in calling the epidemic a public health emergency instead of a national crisis is prodigious. Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio, 13), who represents one of the hardest-hit areas in the opioid crisis, says the money from the national public health emergency fund could barely cover the funding for one of his counties, let alone the nation. “There’s no money,” says Ryan. “We literally need $10 billion to fund all of the programs.” The congressman discussed the administration’s response to the opioid epidemic and Republicans' push for tax reform. Author and historian Lamar Waldron talks about some of the nuggets he unearthed from the recently-released JFK documents.

"When people are dying, the White House HAS to respond." Oct 28, 2017

Show notes

President Trump declared the opioid crisis a “national public health emergency” this week, directing a variety of federal agencies and administrators to focus on fighting this issue. Declaring the opioid crisis a “national public health emergency” instead of a “national emergency” makes a significant difference in sources of funding, administrative jurisdiction, and actions that Congress can take. Jeremy Slevin, associate director of advocacy for the Center for American Progress' Poverty to Prosperity program, details the pitfalls the Trump administration faces in fighting the opioid crisis. Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, talks about a reasonable and constitutional path to change the electoral college into a winner-take-all system through the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

"Anyone that has economic incentive can and will create fake news." Oct 26, 2017

Show notes

Sara Fischer, media reporter for Axios, delivered a frightening message on Steele & Ungar Wednesday night: Fake news will only get worse. Fischer pointed out that the perpetrators of fake news are getting smarter and more sophisticated. “What’s they’re starting to do is alter real stories,” said Fischer, who added that fake news content creators are also doctoring videos, photos and other media. She provided an in-depth look at how fake news isn't just a political problem, but an economic one as well. Joe Cunningham, assistant managing editor for RedState.com, shared his outlook on the 2018 midterms after Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) announced he won't be running for re-election.

"The political parties win by sowing division." Oct 25, 2017

Show notes

In 2016, Ken Stern, former CEO of NPR, went around the country and spent time engaging with conservatives of all stripes in order to learn more about media bias, political bubbles and vehement rhetoric in politics. The conversations changed him on a fundamental level. “I didn't stay a Republican, but I didn't stay a Democrat either,” he told Rick Ungar. Stern documented his encounters and the lessons he learned in his new book: “Republican Like Me: How I Left the Liberal Bubble and Learned to Love the Right”. Rick and Michael Steele also examined the political implications of Senator Jeff Flake’s (R-Ariz.) decision not to run for re-election in 2018.

"Virginia should be first in the country in economic growth and job creation." Oct 24, 2017

Show notes

The Virginia governor's race between Lt. Governor Ralph Northam and former RNC chair Ed Gillespie will be a key indicator for what we could see in the 2018 midterms. Will Northam and the Democrats prove that they have an economic message that resonates with voters? Ed Gillespie, the Republican candidate, says that Virginia has to work well with the White House in order to thrive. “In a state where 20 cents of every dollar, in your economy, is a direct federal dollar, you need a good working relationship with the President of the United States.” Gillespie joined Michael Steele and Rick Ungar to share his economic vision for Virginia and his mindset during the final stretch of the campaign. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), who co-sponsored a new Medicare expansion plan with Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), jumped on with Rick to explain the benefits of "Medicare X".

"Where are all the deficit hawks? Where are ANY of the deficit hawks?" Oct 21, 2017

Show notes

Congressman Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), the vice-ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee, joins Rick Ungar and guest co-host Rick Tyler to talk about the state of play on tax reform now that the Senate has passed a budget resolution. Dr. John Abromeit, a history professor at SUNY Buffalo, jumps on with the guys to discuss a surprising new poll that says economics may not be the primary driver of populism.

"The blitheness with which we are talking about war with North Korea...this is just crazy." Oct 20, 2017

Show notes

A recent NBC News/Survey Monkey poll revealed that 72 percent of Americans fear that the U.S. will enter a major, armed conflict in the first term of Donald Trump’s presidency. The poll revealed that 54 percent of Americans fear the conflict will be with North Korea. Smaller percentages fear wars with ISIS, Russia, Iran or China. Former CIA Director John Brennan recently stated that there’s a 20-25 percent chance that the United States will go to war with North Korea. Malcolm Nance, a career counterintelligence office, knows that Brennan is not one to speak lightly: “He does not throw around hyperbole...He is hearing the President of the United States talk his way to war.” Nance talks with Rick Ungar and guest co-host Rick Tyler about the very real possibility of a war before 2020. The guys also discuss President George W. Bush's strong rebuke of bigotry, nativism, and political division in a recent speech. Were his comments aimed at President Trump?

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Rational Radio Daily with Steele and Ungar

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected