Beyond Politics

In our interview with Norman Ornstein -- one of the most famous and respected scholars of American politics and government -- we were struck by how worried he's become for the future of America. ***🙂🙏🤛QUICK Favor: After you Hit "Follow" or "Subscribe" Can You Please Leave Us a Rating and Review?*** A trusted voice who often appears on C-SPAN, CBS, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, NPR, and “PBS NewsHour” and who served as an election analyst for CBS News for thirty years, Ornstein explains the factors that contributed to the current broken state of American politics, most significantly the so-called tribalization initiated by Newt Gingrich, the influence of Rupert Murdoch's media outlets, and the advent of social media. He also shares his ideas for making things better, including national service and a surprising idea for Congress. Ho

03:21 The Shift in American Politics and the Role of Trump

09:19 The Impact of Media and Social Media on Politics

13:42 The Need for Structural Reforms in American Politics

29:15 The Future of the Democratic and Republican Parties

29:43 Potential Fixes for the Current Political Climate

39:43 The Impact of the Permanent Campaign on Politics

42:22 A Sliver of Hope

In part one of a two-part crossover between the Beyond Politics podcast and The Politics Guys, Matt Robison and Mike Baranowski discuss what's gone so disastrously wrong with Congress and why things have gotten so horribly broken. ***🙂🙏🤛QUICK Favor: After you Hit "Follow" or "Subscribe" Can You Please Leave Us a Rating and Review?***

When you're done, jump over to the Politics Guys feed and check out Part Two.

02:05 The Politics Guys Podcast

03:54 The Beyond Politics Podcast

07:01 The Challenges of Running for Congress

08:58 The Reality of Being a Member of Congress

14:56 The Impact of Celebrity Culture in Congress

20:15 The Shift from Workhorses to Show Horses in Congress

21:43 Decline in Competitive Seats in the House

22:06 The Rise of Extremism in Safe Districts

22:45 The Role of Low Turnout Elections

23:21 The Influence of Political Incentives

25:20 The Mudcat Principle

25:44 The Role of Money, Votes, and Press in Campaigns

27:52 The Shift in Party Power

29:53 The Unintended Consequences of Reforms

37:58 The Role of Voter Turnout in Elections

42:36 The Shift in Control of Congress

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is prosecuting Donald Trump for election interference, is seeking Supreme Court intervention to speed up his case, and all of the prosecutions of Trump likely hang in the balance. Also: University Presidents' insane hypocrisy on antisemitism, House Republicans' upcoming vote to impeach President Biden despite lack of evidence, the"optimally" strong job numbers in the U.S., a shocking situation in Texas related to abortion, and the mysterious disappearance of Alexi Navalny.

00:51 Discussion on Jack Smith's Case Against Donald Trump

03:24 Debate on the Impact of Trump's Potential Conviction

07:01 Analysis of Chris Sununu's Endorsement of Nikki Haley

15:28 Debate on the Impact of University Presidents' Statements

25:45 The State of the U.S. Economy and the Impeachment of President Biden

32:29 The Impact of Abortion Laws on Women's Rights

37:50 The Disappearance of Alexi Navalny: A Reminder of Putin's Dictatorship

Tune in to this week's podcast with Mike Morton to learn more about what you can be doing to improve your financial wealth towards the end of this year.

Liz Cheney is floating the idea of a third party presidential run: what impact this could have on the 2024 election? Would this help or hurt Joe Biden. Also: the passing of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, gathering momentum around Nikki Haley as the potential candidate to stop Trump, and the subtle influence of the National Association of Realtors on political decisions.

01:07 Discussing Liz Cheney's Potential Presidential Run

01:34 Analyzing the Impact of Cheney's Candidacy on Biden

02:38 Debate on Cheney's Potential to Win as a Third Party Candidate

04:18 Comparing Liz Cheney to Previous Third Party Candidates

07:30 The Potential Impact of Cheney's Candidacy on Swing States

14:09 The Princess Bride Choice: Biden, Trump, or Cheney?

19:23 Reflecting on the Legacy of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

27:37 Rapid Fire Discussion on Current Political Events

34:29 The Impact of the National Association of Realtors on Politics

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Now that George Santos has been expelled from Congress, we know three things for sure: 1) this is the rule, not the exception, when it comes to Republican insanity, 2) this was not about Republicans doing the right thing, but about something else, 3) Trump had better watch his back. Matt Robison and Cliff Schecter run down what this means in this fast-turnaround "emergency" pod.

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The economy is really good by most of the big measures that economists use and that political analysts typically pay attention to -- jobs, unemployment, and economic growth -- and inflation has mostly evaporated. Yet Americans are still downright sullen about not just the economy, but the state of the country overall, and wide open to conspiracy theories in a way they've never been before. Matt and Dr. Debra Osgood explore the intersection of human psychology and politics and discuss the impact of fear and perceived threats on our behavior.

The panel debates whether recent revelations -- scooped by ABC News -- about former Vice President Mike Pence actually deciding to let Donald Trump have his way on counting the 2020 electoral votes on January 6 are an understandable moment of human doubt that only a partisan would criticize, or a major sliding doors moment in American history that changes our understanding of Mike Pence and that day. Also:

00:25 Discussion on Journalists Held Hostage

01:08 Analysis of Israel-Hamas Conflict

03:34 Critique of Media Coverage on Israel-Hamas War

06:21 Discussion on Mike Pence's Role in Election Certification

19:37 Debate on Trump's Mental State and Presidential Prospects

23:45 Speculation on Republican Nomination Process

30:38 Hunter Biden to testify, Santos to be sent packing

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Tune in to this weeks podcast about Sparketypes and how they can impact your life!