It's the democracy, stupid

Instead of more conversation about the disastrous war in Iran, the mess Donald Trump has made of the law, or the door mat that is our Congress, G. Elliot Morris and I talk about something we love- the American people.

As we head into No-Kings weekend, it’s worth considering how far Americans have moved to reject the policies and practices of Donald Trump. On ICE, airports, cost of living… On getting our government to work for us instead of for the rich and powerful.

We also talk about how to overcome the partisan trap that has for too long limited our options and constrained our imagination.

As always, give a listen and let us know what you think.

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

Give a listen and let us know what you think

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

Todd Huntley is Director of National Security Law Program at Georgetown Law, and a retired US Navy JAG captain. He joined me to talk about the legality of the various uses of our military this past year: in the Caribbean, in Venezuela, and in Iran.

We discussed OLC opinions, AUMFs, the war powers described in the constitution, as well as international laws and treaties. I sure wasn’t left thinking we are using our military powers within existing legal authorities.

So, I asked why we have rules of engagement. After all, Pete Hegseth wants no limits on the ability to use force or the ways force is used. Huntley’s answer was clear: the rules are entirely for the benefit of our soldiers and our nation.

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

It’s St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago. It’s also election day. Two things we do well here. Susan, Joan, and I talk about that normal stuff, and the absolutely abnormal behavior of our President.

Give a listen and let us know what you think!

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

This week we talked:

* War in Iran

* Kristi Noem and where the blame for ICE’s terrible behavior really belongs

* The primaries in Texas and N. Carolina

* GOP voter suppression

As always, we have some fun and we disagree amicably.

Thanks to all who participated live. For those catching the recording, leave a comment to tell us what you think.

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

In a conversation about news, and how news works, we talked about

* Jared Kushner and foreign money

* The gap between the law and the reporting on tariffs

* Disappearing Epstein files

* What breaks through

* The media habits we all need

As always, give a listen and leave a comment to tell us what you think.

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

This week Joe and I catch up on a few things:

* The State of the Union

* Trump’s latest effort to undermine the upcoming elections

* Whether the GOP will survive its fawning deal with the devil

* The missing Epstein files

* Our mutual love for Texas (really)

Thank you to all who joined us live, your comments were terrific. For those seeing the recording, leave a comment to let us know what you think.

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

You are going to want to hear this.

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

Starting with a discussion of the recent Munich Security Conference and moving on to the so-called Board of Peace this conversation gets off to a quick start. Towards the end we discuss the capture of the State Department by Elon Musk and the consequences for our democracy.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe

We discuss tariffs, the upcoming state of the union, the current state of the ICE invasion in Minnesota, the tragedy of kids in ICE detention facilities, and the amazing resilience and resistance on display by Americans.

Get full access to It's the democracy, stupid at edwineisendrath.substack.com/subscribe