Using the Illinois Democratic primary as a launching point, David and Alex break down how the Citizens United Supreme Court case has lead to the oligarchy class using Super PACs to reshape our politics the way prop bets have reshaped the way we watch sports.

Chapters:

00:00 Super PAC spending 2010 v now

00:36 Reaction to Kat Abughazaleh, Julia Stratton and the Illinois Primary

5:36 AIPAC boosting Bushra Amiwala to divide progressives

7:30 Citizens United: The Super Pac’s origin 

11:24 David Comps The FEC to Adam Silver stopping cap circumvention, and the creation of Super PACs to the introduction of online sports gambling and the prop bet.

13:35 The Free Town project: The libertarian utopia as a metaphor for campaign finance deregulation

17:41 Increase in dark money spending over time

18:40 The local effect

19:22 How Super PACs changed lawmakers constituents 

21:44 The attention economy elevating social media stars like Zohran Mamdani

24:36 Elon Musk and billionaire ROI on Super PAC donations

30:50 How Super PACs have mutated

36:10 Phone time is a reason congresspeople like SuperPACs

39:51 Virginia’s data centers fight

43:31 The Ai and tech lobby

44:39 Why all of this is bad for Democrats

53:55 How do we fix this?

56:00 How it’s a form of voter suppression

58:12 Get involved locally

In honor of the 2026 Academy Awards the Armchair guys nominate politicians to their made up, sometimes unhinged Oscar Award categories. They celebrate the worst and best of our political system, and reflect on what has lead us to this moment in American history.

Chapters:

00:00 INTRO

1:04 SINNERS is the best film of the year. It’s running neck and neck with One Battle After Another, like the LA marathon finish. 

4:33 The New beginnings, late bloomer award: Senator Chris Van Hollen

8:44 Name that old white Senator

10:21 The Paul Giamatti, character actor award: Congressmen John Conyers 

13:33 Drew Brees’s and the saints playoff heartbreaks

14:00 The Illinois Senate race, and the Congressional Black Caucus 

18:53 The Miles Canton, who is this guy award: Justin Pearson and Justin Jones

27:24 The exciting whites: Cooper Dejean and 

28:46 James Clyburn and his succession plan

29:55 The Zone of interest, Best Performance as a Representative of Israel: Mike Huckabee, Lindsey Graham

37:37 Liberal Zionism in America and the civil rights movement

46:11 Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin

49:10 The Green Book award: Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders

52:53 The intersection of economic populism and race

58:45 Chase Infiniti, breakout person of the year: Summer Lee.

1:01:42 Democrats are holding their young talent back

1:04:41 The NFL’s socialism

1:05:31 Graham Platner on Pod Save America

1:09:32 Wrap up: Lack of accountability 

Justin Pearson Exchange-

https://www.tiktok.com/@thetnholler/video/7615673433086643469

Since the United Staes went to war with Iran, the Armchair guys explain how we got here by breaking down the biggest warmongers in American history and compare them to the professional wrestler they most encapsulate. 

00:00 Intro

1:58 Texas and North Carolina primary recap

13:41 defining the rules and setting the theater

Intercontinental division:

18:23 John Foster Dullus

21:05 Teddy Roosevelt

24:35 Henry Kissinger

28:55 Alan Dullus and Richard Bissell

32:22 Stephen Miller

36:04 Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld

39:21 John Bolton

Heavyweights champion war mongers:

39:31 George W Bush

42:40 Americans may finally be anti-war

45:47 LBJ

49:06 Richard Nixon

53:25 Ronald Reagan

55:27 America and Trump currently in the Iran war

The Armchair guys break down the California governor’s primary and tell you which democratic candidates are viable and which need to drop out ASAP to keep a Republican from getting into the runoff..

Episode chapters:

Intro 0:01

Overview of the primary 1:25

State Superintendent Tony Thumond 6:15

Congressman Eric Swallwell 14:38

State controller Betty Yee 24:30

Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra 27:15

Former mayor of LA Antonio Villlaraigosa 28:45

Former congresswomen Katie Porter 30:15

The good news in all this 40:15

Mayor of San Jose Matt Mahan 42:10

Billionaire Tom Steyer 48:45

Wrap up 1:01

Link to Emerson College Poll:

https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-hilton-swalwell-bianco-lead-nonpartisan-primary-for-governor/

The Armchair guys debate which politicians would win the gold medal in different winter olympic events.  While deciding their podium of politicians, they recount Cory Booker’s 25 hour marathon speech, break down how Bill Clinton always skis past accountability, pitch how Zohran Mamdani could be the metaphorical future of American figure skating, more. 

The five Winter Olympic events covered are:

1. Cross country skiing 
2. Curling
3. Figure skating
4. Moguls skiing 
5. Bobsled

Episode links:

Julian bond story - https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/georgia-state-house-refused-to-seat-julian-bond/

Eillen Gu’s interview answer of perspective - https://x.com/alvinfoo/status/2023955713760850190?s=46

Bill Clinton playing the sax on Arsenio Hall Show - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_WuGDYawFQ

Amber Glenn’s statement after winning gold - https://x.com/pinknews/status/2021890808383717758?s=46

Alex, Chris, and David sit down to tier the biggest choke jobs and fumbles in modern politics:

Jimmy Carter in the 1980 election, Ted Kennedy not knowing why he wanted to be president, Hillary in 2016 election, Alabama GOP party for nominating Roy Moore for senate, Rick Perry's debate oops, Obama's Wall st bail out,

John Edwards cheating on dying wife w/ on the campaign trail, Mark Sanford's 'Appalachian Trail', Newt Gingrich impeachment of Bill Clinton, George HW Bush going to a grocery store, Michael Dukakis tank picture, and

Nixon debating JFK.

Link to HW Bush at Grocery store and Ted Kennedy's answer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akLjzTisZoI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDh2iKzBh4E

Alex, Chris, and David sit down to see who can make the best athlete comparisons to racist and radical US politicians. The politicians they comp are: George Washington, Bernie Sanders, John Lewis, Bull Conner, Shirley Chisholm, Ted Cruz, Joe McCarthy, and Ronald Reagan. 

Alex, Chris, and David sit down and make a way too early tier list of the 2028 potential democratic presidential nominees. Jokes and sports metaphors abound as they break down how the following politicians fit into the upcoming presidential primary:

Pete Buttigeig, Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, AOC, Josh Shapiro, Kamala Harris, Andy Beshear, Cory Booker, Gretchen Whitmore, Raphael Warnock, Stephen A Smith, John Fetterman, Chris Murphy, Ro Khanna, Rahm Emanuel, Wes Moore, Mark Cuban, James Talarico, Jasmine Crockett, and Mark Kelly. 

Yes, we've changed the name of the podcast since recording this episode.