Axis of Reason

The Mueller Report is in the books. Nicholas Grossman, international relations professor at the University of Illinois and editor at Arc Digital, joins Taylor to sort through what we learned.

What to expect on the eve of the Mueller report. Bernie Sanders and the Democratic field. And, how Trump keeps his supporters with him by "owning the libs."

The Mueller report is done and now President Donald Trump is calling for an investigation of the "oranges" (aka origins) of the investigation. We debate whether he has a point.

This week: President Trump brawls with George Conway on Twitter; Devin Nunes sues a cow; and, Elizabeth Warren reignites the debate over the electoral college.

This week, several of our perennial topics of discussion on Axis of Reason were in the news. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez created a stir (again); President Trump faces a rebuke from Congress over his emergency declaration; and, as Special Counsel Robert Mueller nears the end of the Russia probe, we discuss what happens next.

LINKS

Ocasio-Cortez asks Wells Fargo CEO why the bank finances the ‘caging of children’ (Washington Post)

https://wapo.st/2Hkbj43

Senate on cusp of passing rebuke to Trump on national emergency declaration (Washington Post)

https://wapo.st/2VYUAXg

The Incredible Shrinking Trump Presidency (Roughly Explained)

http://bit.ly/2Hj4dNk

Waiting in Vain for the Mueller Report (The Atlantic)

http://bit.ly/2TAyldG

Two deficits -- trade and budget -- have dominated American politics. Two recent reports show that both have grown dramatically. On this week's episode, why the trade deficit probably matters less than people think and the budget deficit matters much more than politicians will admit.

The Commerce Department reported on Tuesday that the goods trade deficit struck an all-time high of $891.3 billion in 2018. This in spite of President Trump's trade wars intended to narrow it. While Mr. Trump has fixated on the trade deficit, it is actually largely driven by factors other than the high tariff rates and "terrible" trade deals he laments.

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department reported that the federal budget deficit has exploded so far this fiscal year, which began in October. The gap in government spending and revenues grew by 77% in the first four months of the 2019 fiscal year compared to $310 billion compared to $176 billion in the same period last year.

In a dramatic appearance on Capitol Hill Wednesday, President Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, portrayed his former boss as a racist, a conman, a cheat, and a crook. He alleged that Mr. Trump committed a range of criminal act, including after he won the Presidency.

The last time Mr. Cohen appeared before Congress, he lied about how long discussions about building a Trump Tower in Moscow continued. On May 6, Mr. Cohen begins a three year prison term, in part, due to those false statements. Mr. Cohen said he lied to cover for Mr. Trump.

In his testimony, Mr. Cohen portrayed himself as a victim of misplaced loyalty seeking redemption. Should we believe him? And if so, what do the allegations he raised mean for Donald Trump?

Plus, what should we should expect from President Trump's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

As the NC State Board of Elections prepared to decide his father's fate, Mark Harris' son took the stand to give dramatic testimony. Plus, we unpack President Trump's declaration of a national emergency. How will it fair in the courts?

Follow us on Twitter: @tgriffinNC and @TylerCralle

LINKS:

The Election Fraud Allegations in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District Explained

https://www.roughlyexplained.com/2018/12/the-election-fraud-allegations-in-north-carolinas-9th-congressional-district-explained/

Can President Trump Declare a National Emergency and Build the Wall?

https://www.roughlyexplained.com/2019/01/can-president-trump-declare-a-national-emergency-and-build-the-wall/

A "Green New Deal" and a border funding "old deal" are demonstrate the political peril of populist nonsense pretending to be policy.

Find us on Twitter:

Taylor - @tgriffinNC

Tyler - @tylercralle

Ronald Reagan’s OMB Director, David Stockman joins us to talk about his new book, Peak Trump, which examines the serious challenges facing the economy and Washington’s failure to address them.