Rational Radio Daily with Steele and Ungar

Latest Episodes:

"Whoever wins these areas is going to win the next several decades." Apr 07, 2018

Show notes

President Trump announced Thursday that he was considering leveling $100 billion in further tariffs on China. The first round of tariffs, set to the tune of $50 billion, aimed to punish China for violating World Trade Organization rules and dumping steel into both U.S. and international markets. Another reason President Trump cited in imposing these tariffs is decades of intellectual property theft carried out by Chinese businesses. China stated earlier today that it will not hesitate to respond with high tariffs of its own. Are we at the brink of a trade war? Gordon Chang, a Daily Beast columnist and author of “The Coming Collapse of China,” explains why he thinks what we're seeing isn't a trade war, but a struggle between two economic superpowers vying for technological dominance. EPA chief Scott Pruitt is in hot water following several recent scandals. Will he be able to weather the storm?

"Polls are the crack cocaine of political journalists." Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

Democrats are celebrating this week in the wake of Judge Rebecca Dallet’s election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She is the first Democrat to win an open seat on the court since 1995. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker warned that Dallet’s win means we could see a “blue wave” in November's midterm elections that would give Democrats control of the House. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told a Kentucky newspaper earlier this week that Republicans know the wind is in their face, saying, “We just don’t know if its category three, four or five.” Could the Dems still manage to mess it all up? Jeff Greenfield, an award-winning television journalist, talks about how the Left’s unforced errors and “Year of Magical Thinking” could potentially ruin their prospects for a "blue wave". Jamie McIntyre, a senior writer for the Washington Examiner, discusses President Trump’s decision to reverse course and keep U.S. troops in Syria.

"There's no hiding place from the evils that killed him physically." Apr 05, 2018

Show notes

50 years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot by James Earl Ray while staying at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. King gave his final speech—now remembered as the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech—at the Masonic Temple of Memphis, where King had been for a few days to support striking public sanitation workers. In the days that followed, riots broke out across the country. Many are wondering, especially in the wake of events like Charlottesville, where Dr. King’s legacy stands in our culture and public discourse. Are we any closer to achieving his dream or have we actually taken steps backwards? Andrew Young, former executive director of the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference), former Ambassador to the United Nations and a friend and confidant of Dr. King, reflects on Dr. King’s last days, his legacy and why he feels his friend is still with us. Rick and guest co-host Rick Tyler discuss the potential political and economic impact of the $50 billion worth of tariffs China imposed on key U.S. goods.

"There are people across the spectrum who are opposed to this." Apr 04, 2018

Show notes

Deadspin published a video on Twitter over the weekend that demonstrated the growing monolithic hold that Sinclair Broadcasting Group exerts on local TV news stations across the country. The video shows dozens of anchors reading the same script, mandated by Sinclair to be read on air, which lambasts “biased and false news.” Media watchdogs are concerned with Sinclair’s record of conservative bias and how its editorial content seems to be in-line with the talking points of the Trump White House. If Sinclair completes its acquisition of Tribune Media, it could reach 72% of U.S. households and could push even more “must air” scripts on its audience, giving them less coverage of local news and local politics. Pam Vogel, a research fellow at Media Matters, talks about Sinclair’s effect on local news and the difficulty in regulating the ambitious media behemoth. President Trump said he wants the military to guard the Mexican border until his border wall is in place. Michael and Rick examine what might be motivating the president’s heightened rhetoric on immigration and border security. Is he trying to act tough for the base, giving Republicans talking points for a tough election cycle or something else entirely?

"What you're going to get is organized mayhem." Apr 03, 2018

Show notes

As American military forces and its allies force ISIS to the brink of defeat, U.S. commanders are worried that their efforts might be wasted. An NBC News report says commanders and senior officials are concerned that a lack of guidance could potentially destroy their mission despite being "on the two-yard line." Career counterintelligence officer Malcolm Nance joined Rick and Michael to discuss how the chaos in the White House is jeopardizing the war against ISIS. Nick Tabor of New York Magazine explained how corruption, not Russia, might be President Trump's biggest political liability.

"We just have never really been good in this country of having a discussion about race because it's too painful." Mar 31, 2018

Show notes

After two years of legal battles, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu prevailed and oversaw the removal of four prominent Confederate monuments in the city. The Kennedy Library Foundation announced this week that Landrieu will be awarded the John F. Kennedy Courage in Profile Award. The foundation's president, Jack Schlossberg, said, “In a year marked by continued racial injustice, in a moment of misguided national leadership and heightened division, Mayor Landrieu’s courage stands out brightly as an affirmative step in the right direction.” Mayor Landrieu talked with Michael Steele and Rick Ungar about the fight to remove the statues and his new book, "In the Shadow of Statues." Retired Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters recently left his role as a contributor at Fox News. He joined the guys to discuss why he left and how we can and should try to overcome hysteria in the media.

"We need long-term career professionals who have the interest of veterans and the VA at heart." Mar 30, 2018

Show notes

Former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin wrote an op-ed for Wednesday's New York Times and explained why he's against privatizing the VA. Before he was fired earlier this week, Shulkin was reportedly unhappy with scandals and infighting at the agency that undermined his agenda and credibility. Mere hours after his dismissal, Shulkin joined NPR's Morning Edition and blamed much of the recent turmoil in the VA on political appointees that believe "that we are moving in the wrong direction or weren't moving fast enough toward privatizing the VA.” Jeremy Butler, the Chief Operations Officer for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, discusses why he opposes the privatization of the VA. Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif. 17) talks about why he thinks the Republicans’ “Balanced-Budget Amendment” is nothing more than a political play in a fiercely competitive election year.

"There is open warfare in the VA. It has to end and it has to end NOW!" Mar 29, 2018

Show notes

President Trump dismissed Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin this evening with a tweet. The president also tweeted his preferred replacement for Dr. Shulkin in the same series of tweets. Robert Wilkie, assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs, will serve as acting director and Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, the physician to Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump, will be the president's nominee to become the next VA Secretary. This shake-up at the VA comes amidst fierce internal debate over questions of privatization and outrage over wasteful spending. Former VA Secretary Anthony Principi, who served under President George W. Bush, reacts to Shuklin's ouster and shares his thoughts on what the VA needs to get back on course. Stephon Clark, a 23-year-old father of two from Sacramento, California, was shot 20 times by two police officers in his grandparents' backyard earlier this month. Michael and Rick discuss how we can address the root of these shootings in a more holistic way.

"You can never break an emotional connection with a rational argument" Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

In 1979, Baptist minister Jerry Falwell founded the Moral Majority to represent and promote the values and viewpoints of the Christian Right. During the March for Our Lives this past weekend, Matthew Dowd, ABC News' chief political analyst, believed a new moral majority had formed, tweeting, "New Moral Majority in America. And it isn’t white evangelicals, or the supporters of Trump. It is the majority of the country who believe in integrity in government, compassion, the rule of law, and justice." Dowd joins Rick Ungar to discuss this new moral majority and how it is beginning to show itself across the political spectrum. The Supreme Court will begin hearing a oral arguments in a gerrymandering case about redistricting in Maryland. The guys discuss how the court's ruling could influence coming elections and change the balance of power in Congress.

"If we are not willing to fight for them, we'll have to answer to them" Mar 27, 2018

Show notes

This past Saturday, students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School organized the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C. and rallies in major cities all over the country. People of all ages and backgrounds gathered to hear speakers, including some of the survivors of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, share their stories and talk about why gun control legislation is so important. Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-Calif. 15) joins Michael and Rick to share his thoughts on the impact of the March for Our Lives and how it could affect the current and future political landscape.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Rational Radio Daily with Steele and Ungar

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected