Beyond Politics

It's a shocking story we hear almost nothing about: huge corporations exploiting some of the $900 billion a year in government programs aimed at helping America's poor, and pocketing hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars along the way. Anne Kim, a Contributing Editor at Washington Monthly, shares some of the most riveting stories from her book 'Poverty for Profit' (publishing TODAY at this link) a deep dive into what these companies are doing, who is being hurt, and why we decided as a country to outsource the poverty industry. Anne also explains why there's still some good news and hope for the future.

00:51 The Shocking Reality of the Poverty Industry

04:31 The Earned Income Tax Credit: A Double-Edged Sword

10:54 Maximus: The Giant Behind Welfare Outsourcing

16:48 The Dark Side of Medicaid and Dialysis Centers

21:19 The Bail Bond System: Preying on the Vulnerable

23:22 The Roots of Privatization and Its Impact on Poverty

30:03 Reimagining Government's Role and the Path Forward

Yes, Donald Trump did kind of tell supporters that he's dead. Our round table discussion started with deep, interesting question: after all the talk about polarization and division, is there actually a powerful emerging centrist movement in America? But then, Alicia dropped something kind of fascinating and disturbing into the conversation, an email from Donald Trump that seems to imply the he is currently dead. And as if that wasn't amusing enough, we close the show on one of the deepest existential questions facing America: what is the sandwich really? We actually had a legal read on that from a real court this week.

01:24 Exploring the Existence of a Political Center in America

05:54 The Rise and Impact of Performative Politics

07:53 The MAGA Movement and Its Influence

16:54 The Future of Republican Moderates and the MAGA Legacy

22:28 Is Trump...Dead?

28:47 The Biden vs. Trump Debate: Age, Sanity, and Governance

30:24 The Great Sandwich Debate: What Qualifies?

Are Democrats really shedding massive amounts of support from African American voters? There are certainly warning signs of trouble -- including a New York times poll showing Trump getting the support of more than 20% of Black Americans. But Mario Broussard and Ana Robinson of Global Strategy Group say that the actual picture is a lot more nuanced than that, and that if the numbers suggest anything, it's that there are things Biden and the Democrats can do to hold on to the critical core of the Democrats' base.

01:21 Young Black Women's Voting Enthusiasm and Economic Struggles

04:49 The Impact of Abortion Rights on Young Black Women Voters

15:27 Economic Concerns Among Black Voters

26:34 Messaging Strategies for Democrats: Addressing Key Voter Concerns

32:31 The Role of Social Media and Influencers in Engaging Young Voters

After a major standoff, Trump and Biden have agreed to two presidential debates. Did Biden win this exchange? And how much does it really matter? Also, a quick breakdown of Michael Cohen's testimony, and the question of whether Trump's political defenses in the hush money trial are actually kind of working. Plus, a very weird New York Times poll from this week and a continued run of voting results that Donald Trump should be finding downright scary. Plus, our closing segment has snakes on a plane. No, really.

And we closed with snakes on a plane. No, literally. I mean, it. Snakes on a plane,

00:00 Opening Remarks: The Role of Debates in Politics

00:46 Debating the Debates: Trump vs. Biden

02:27 The Circus of Presidential Debates

04:26 Breaking Tradition: The New Debate Format

06:19 The Argument Against Debates

10:53 Character and Policy in Debates

17:02 Strategic Analysis: Biden vs. Trump Debate Dynamics

19:29 Trump's Debate Strategy and Poll Analysis

20:16 Breaking Down Trump's Legal Challenges

20:25 The Michael Cohen Testimony: A Deep Dive

25:50 Analyzing Trump's Defense Strategies

30:56 Voter Sentiment and Election Predictions

35:40 Quirky News Roundup: Bees, Zebras, and Snakes

Lauren Goldstein of Change Research dives into a fascinating study aims to get inside the minds of voters and could help explain why they feel so negative about the most important issue of the 2024 election - the economy. Also, why they do things differently than most opinion researchers, and how that can help change the way we talk to voters.

01:38 Exploring the Real Economic Pain Points of Voters

05:20 The Psychological Underpinnings of Financial Comparisons

10:09 Addressing the Generational Divide and Economic Pessimism

17:08 Strategies for Effective Political Communication

23:13 The Secret Handshake and Used Car Fraud Metaphors

31:29 Innovative Approaches to Public Opinion Research

34:37 The Importance of Listening and Adapting Messaging

Was the big, headline grabbing testimony from Stormy Daniel actually the most significant thing that happened in the Trump trial this week? We make the case that the answer is actually...no. Trump should be a lot more worried about three other developments. Plus, what's driving the Biden administration's pause on arms transfers to Israel? And why did RFK Jr. say that a piece of his brain is missing???

00:53 Exploring the Impact of Stormy Daniels' Testimony

05:14 The Hypocrisy Surrounding Pornography

08:56 The Legal Significance Beyond the Headlines

13:32 Trump's Legal Risks and Public Opinion Dynamics

17:30 Debunking Polling Myths and Misinterpretations

21:34 Analyzing the Middle East Ceasefire Negotiations

25:19 The Grand Bargain: Biden's Middle East Strategy

32:56 The Controversial Views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

What are the things you have to get right to succeed in the world of politics? What's the secret sauce to winning a campaign? (hint: it's actually not what most people think) And what are the unwritten rules that you have to know to be a member of Congress or to work in Congress? We tacked these questions and much more this week, when Matt was honored to be a guest on one of the top podcasts in the world aimed at political insiders, the ProPolitics podcast hosted by Zac McCrary. We're bringing you the full episode here, and check out their feed and consider subscribing if you want to hear more from the biggest insiders in DC.

This week, politics has been kind of amazing because there's been such a strange mix of ultra serious issues filled with moments that are just hilarious. We unpack the latest developments in the Trump trial and how Donald Trump's own lawyer ended up introducing some really humiliating evidence about him. Also, the crackdown on student protesters and how Lauren Boebert managed to beclown herself. And then of course, we had to talk about the most bizarre story of political self destruction that any of us have ever seen, which happened to a prominent Republican this week.

01:00 The Trump Trial: Legal Analysis and Hilarity

04:01 The Gag Order Debate: Trump's Legal Challenges and Strategies

17:56 Campus Protests: A Mix of Serious and Ridiculous

20:34 The Quirky Protesters and Their Demands

21:20 The Satirical Take on Modern Protests

23:06 Lauren Boebert's Campus Stunt Goes Viral

26:04 Christy Noem's Controversial Animal Stories

32:41 The Debate Over Marijuana Legalization

36:30 Closing Thoughts and Goodbyes

Is there actually a light at the end of the tunnel, a way out of MAGA domination for the Republican Party? Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution and Peter Wehner of the Trinity Forum, walk us through their much-discussed plan outlined in a recent New York Times opinion piece for a new movement to return to a rational, conservative Republican Party in America. ***Please remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.***

00:59 Exploring the Roots and Reasons for a GOP Split

05:05 The Exile Strategy: Overcoming MAGA's Grip

09:12 The Moral and Strategic Imperatives of Overthrowing MAGA

14:34 Potential Leaders and the Path Forward

26:55 The Psychological Battle Against MAGA Dominance

As protests over the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, reignite and turn violent, the panel ask whether a line has been crossed and what universities that have been paralyzed for so long should do now. We also mark the historic passage of the foreign aid bill, which included long overdue money for Ukraine. And at the end, we ask whether a quote from Mitt Romney this week was a great one or the greatest one ever given. But we start off with the tsunami of Trump legal news, including yesterday's massive Supreme court hearing, new indictments in Arizona, and Paul's evaluation as a former prosecutor of how effective this week's testimony in the New York trial really was

01:07 Analyzing the Prosecution's Strategy in Trump's Trial

05:07 The Intricacies of Legal and Ethical Boundaries in Media Collaboration

14:27 Breaking Down the New Indictments and Supreme Court's Role

18:01 Addressing Anti-Semitic Protests at Elite Universities

24:43 Comparing Past and Present Campus Protests

36:22 Political Achievements and Bipartisanship

37:47 The Mitt Romney Quote