The government shutdown has been going on for more than three weeks, and neither side is budging. On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel talks to House Speaker Mike Johnson about the closure calculations of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, why he hasn't yet sworn in Arizona's Adelita Grijalva, and the likelihood that the shutdown could soon grow painful for far more Americans--as more flights are delayed, troops miss paychecks, and the feds run out of money for programs like the Women's, Infants and Children supplement. Johnson also talks through the reform demands House Republicans might have in any future negotiations over Obamacare subsidies. 

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Louisiana Republican John Kennedy (R-L.A.)--also known as 'America's most quotable senator'--joins this episode of All Things with an update on the government closure, and the lowdown on his (hilarious) new book, 'How to Test Negative for Stupid.' Kim Strassel queries the senator on how he comes up with his classic lines, his thoughts on the Trump administration so far, his amusing insights on what's wrong with Washington D.C.--and, of course, his fear of what fellow senator Lindsey Graham might do to his fish tank.

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With negotiations at a standstill, the government is headed for a shutdown. Can Democrats sell a healthcare message, or will voters view this as yet more anti-Donald-Trump resistance? Is this a liability for the White House, or OMB Director Russ Vought's opportunity to produce more sweeping federal-worker firings? What exactly gets shut down, how inconvenient will it be for Americans, and when will it end? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel breaks down the shutdown with Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford. They also discuss the true source of the dysfunction--Congress's inability to get its spending bills done--and Lankford's ‘Preventing Government Shutdowns Act,’ legislation that would force Congress to stay in Washington, D.C. until spending deals get done.  

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Recent threats by Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute "hate speech" and by Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr to penalize ABC affiliates over Jimmy Kimmel's comments have thrust the nation into a muddled conversation over free speech. On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel asks Institute for Free Speech Chairman Brad Smith to sort through the basics: What does the First Amendment actually cover? What are the limits to free speech? Should the federal government have any role moderating media comments, and where does the legal system stand on that question? And how corrosive is cancel culture to our broader free-speech tradition? 

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The assassination of Charlie Kirk and the rising tide of political violence is turning a spotlight on how best to keep Congress and other members of government safe. What kind of protection do political leaders have now, and what more do they need? What challenges come with protecting members both in Washington, D.C., and also in their home districts and states? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with chairman of the Committee on House Administration, Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, about current and planned resources, what might be done to turn down the political temperature, and whether these events threaten the ability of politicians to engage in their core duty of interacting with constituents. 

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President Donald Trump is considering declaring a national housing emergency to deal with high home costs, but what can the federal government actually do, and will it make a difference? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson about cutting regulatory burdens, increasing tax incentives, expanding financing for unconventional homes, and the great opportunity that rests in transferring some federal land for housing development. They also discuss the politics of housing--an issue that, like crime, transcends demographics and voting groups. 

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Donald Trump’s decision to send the National Guard into Washington, D.C. to tackle crime is provoking backlash from Democrats across the nation. But Republicans are leaning in on law and order, seeing it as political winner in next year's midterms. Will the president now escalate, and send troops to other cities? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with Wall Street Journal columnist and Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Jason Riley about why Democrats are losing the argument on policing, and what politicians get right and wrong about the reasons behind spikes in crime.

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Trey Gowdy is known as a former congressman and a Fox News television host, but he remains a prosecutor at heart and has now poured that experience into his newly released first novel, "The Color of Death." On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel and Gowdy discuss the real work "good" prosecutors do, the emotional toll it can take, and the worrisome trend of prosecutors focusing more on politics than on justice for victims.

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Public approval of Congress remains low, as Americans no longer think the polarized institution is even capable of performing basic functions. But does the gridlock really all come down to partisanship? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with the Bipartisan Policy Center's J.D. Rackey about the congressional rules, procedures and trends that get in the way of action, and some of the more innovative reforms and ideas for making Congress work again.   

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A battle of restricting in Texas has created a national firestorm, with Lone Star State Democrats fleeing to other states, and governors from California to New York getting in on the fight. But what is gerrymandering, how did it start, and what does it mean for Donald Trump’s second term? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with legal scholar and former member of the Federal Election Commission Hans von Spakovsky about how race, politics, and Supreme Court rulings all collide in gerrymandering cases, and why so-called “independent” commissions are nothing like they say they are.

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