Washington just lived through a “Seinfeld shutdown”—a 43-day government closure over… basically nothing. Or was it nothing?

This week, Ron Steslow is joined by Peter Suderman (features editor at Reason and host of the Reason Roundtable) to unpack the weirdest shutdown in modern memory and the deeply broken healthcare system underneath it.

They dig into why Democrats picked this fight, why they folded even while winning the blame game, and what it says about Obamacare that it now needs emergency subsidies for the emergency subsidies.

Then, from World War II wage controls to Hillarycare to the ACA, Peter walks through how America accidentally built three-and-a-half overlapping healthcare systems—and why both parties are in denial about the bill coming due.

In Politicology+ they dive into the battle between the Abundance Agenda and the ascendent socialism on the left

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Listen to The Reason Roundtable: https://reason.com/podcasts/the-reason-roundtable/

Listen to Across the Movie Aisle: https://movieaisle.substack.com/

Check out Cocktails with Suderman: https://cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com/

Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate

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Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Send your questions and ideas to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https:/x.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/petersuderman

Related Reading: 

Axios - The bill to reopen the government would shut down these THC products

Politico - Senators distance themselves from controversial payout provision - POLITICO

CNBC - What Democrats are — and aren't — getting in the deal that could end the government shutdown

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Ron Steslow and Peter Suderman dive into the battle between the Abundance Agenda (Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson’s answer to America’s scarcity mindset) and the newly ascendant socialist wing embodied by New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

Related Reading: 

The Atlantic - Mamdani Has a Point About Rent Control - The Atlantic

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This week, Ron Steslow and Susan Del Percio (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert) break down Tuesday night’s election results, Mamdani’s win in New York City, the blowout wins for moderate Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, and how these wins highlight the identity crisis within the Democratic Party.

In Politicology+ they unpack the Trump tariffs and the oral arguments in one of the most watched Supreme Court cases of the year. 

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate

Find our sponsor links and promo codes here: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Send your questions and ideas to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https:/x.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/DelPercioS

Related Reading: 

Politico - The Night Democrats Finally Stopped Losing - POLITICO

NYT - An Emboldened Mamdani Sheds Conciliatory Tone - The New York Times

The Free Press - What the Right Gets Wrong About Zohran Mamdani

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Nick Gillespie and host Ron Steslow discuss AI, what it’s doing to us, and our relationship with what it means to be human.

Related media:

NBC - Some of her closest relationships are with chatbots. That's more common than you think.

Vox - The rise of chatbot “friends” | Vox

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This week, Ron Steslow and Mike Madrid (Author of The Latino Century) discuss the proposed wealth tax on billionaires in California, the signs of worsening economic conditions, and how class warfare could dominate our politics.

In Politicology+ they discuss the redistricting wars, the Supreme Court case that could upend a central part of the Voting Rights Act, how Latinos becoming the largest minority group will make us rethink what being a “minority” even means, and how partisanship is becoming our primary identity.

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate

Find our sponsor links and promo codes here: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Send your questions and ideas to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https:/x.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/madrid_mike

Related Reading: 

Axios - What to know about California's billionaires tax ballot proposal - Axios San Francisco

Fortune - Everyone thinks AI is replacing factory workers, but Amazon’s layoffs show it’s coming for middle management first

WSJ - Tens of Thousands of White-Collar Jobs Are Disappearing as AI Starts to Bite

CNN - Live updates: Fed looks set to cut rates for second time this year despite data blackout due to government shutdown | CNN Business

Fortune - The economy is reliant on the ‘fortunes of the well-to-do’ says Moody’s—if the ultra-rich get nervy that means recession

The Bulwark - My Last Day as an Accomplice of the Republican Party

The Great Transformation - Leaving MAGA - The Great Transformation with Mike Madrid

SOFR Volume November 2023-Present 

Fed Balance Sheet QE/QT 

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This week, Ron Steslow and Hagar Chemali (Fmr. spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) connect a headline-grabbing jewel heist at the Louvre to China’s push to dethrone the dollar.

Then, they turn to the escalating conflict with Venezuela: the strikes on alleged “drug boats,” CIA’s new covert action authority, and what’s really at stake for Maduro’s regime.

In Politicology+ they discuss the Gaza ceasefire, why early flare-ups aren’t a sign of failure, the new “yellow line,” and why disarmament is the sticking point. They talk about who could actually keep the peace and tension between economic incentives of reconstruction and the risks of corruption in this unconventional diplomacy.

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate

Find our sponsor links and promo codes here: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Send your questions and ideas to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https:/x.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/HagarChemali

Related Reading: 

Andrei Jikh—China Is Using Gold To Replace the U.S. Dollar

Fortune - Top analyst says China is playing a ‘key role’ in the price of gold going through the roof, and he’s got the data to prove it | Fortune

The Dispatch — Will Trump Overthrow the Leader of Venezuela?

NYT — U.S. Attacks More Boats as Tensions With Venezuela Rise: What’s Happened So Far

NYT - Trump Administration Authorizes Covert C.I.A. Action in Venezuela - The New York Times

Politico - Trump’s boat strikes unite regime change advocates and immigration hardliners - POLITICO

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In our digital age, people have grown to see social media platforms as mere tools and applications. 

Marcus Collins, the award-winning marketer, former digital strategist for Beyoncé, and author of "For The Culture", argues otherwise. 

Join host Ron Steslow as he sits down with Marcus to unravel the deep-seated influence of culture on social media and our daily choices.

Marcus elaborates on his assertion that "social media is people" and why understanding this fundamental idea changes our approach to digital platforms. He also delves into the crucial role of culture in hyperpolarization and how it weaves into the fabric of our society.

Segments to look forward to:

(01:20) How Marcus came to study culture: "I feel like I'm at my best when I'm helping people realize the best version of themselves…”

(04:26) The connection between marketing and psychology

(08:42) The importance of purpose in advertising: "Start with what you believe and when you start with what you believe people who see the world the way you do go, 'Finally, someone said it. That's my person.'”

(17:02) The influence of culture on consumer choice

(20:40) The connection between culture and politics

(24:00) Case study: How Patagonia leveraged culture to build their brand

(30:00) Case study: Donald Trump's cultural strategy in the 2016 election

(32:09) Understanding tribes and congregations

(37:27)”The brain is a prediction machine” 

(40:00) The role of culture in hyperpolarization

(42:14) The state of anti-Trump Republicans within the broader Republican culture

(44:00) How subcultures develop and operate

(50:00) How preaching the gospel can get people to move

You Should Read For the Culture: https://amzn.to/3QjLDaH

Check out Predictably Rational by Dan Ariely: https://amzn.to/3rPeWHL

Follow Ron and Marcus on X (Twitter):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/marctothec

For the full and ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus

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This week, Ron Steslow and Susan Del Percio (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert) break down New York City’s mayoral race and what a likely Zoran Mamdani win would signal for Democrats, how “personality politics” and populism are reshaping both parties, and what’s driving the current government shutdown fight. 

In Politicology+ they unpack the disturbing revelations surrounding Virginia Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones.

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate

Find our sponsor links and promo codes here: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Send your questions and ideas to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https:/x.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/DelPercioS

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We live in a loud world that’s getting louder.

We encounter noise all around us—from the chatter of polite conversations, to street noise in a big city, to the constant intrusion of the dings of notifications.

But what is all of this noise doing to us, and what does it mean to find quiet in the midst of it?

 In fact, what is silence, anyway?

How can it affect our minds, our bodies, and our relationships?

Harvard and Oxford trained policymaker Justin Zorn and NASA consultant Leigh Marz join host Ron Steslow to discuss their new book, Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise

(02:38) What we can all learn from how the Amish evaluate new technology

(07:25) The attention economy and why it’s not working for us

(13:44) Understanding “ma” and how we can use  it to resolve conflict

(22:14) Using quality over quantity to measure productivity

(26:26) Ways to incorporate silence in your everyday life

(35:35) Silence and expanded states of consciousness using psychedelics 

You should read Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise : http://bit.ly/3UIGJU2

FollowJustin, Leigh, and Ron on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/JustinZorn

https://twitter.com/LeighMarz

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

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This week, Ron Steslow and Mike Madrid (Author of The Latino Century) trace a through-line from our screen-first, post-literate society to America’s escalating political violence.

In Politicology+ they continue the conversation, discussing the institutions, laws, and norms we’ve put in place to prevent violence from becoming a political tool, how they’re breaking down, and how we move forward.

Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus.

Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate

Find our sponsor links and promo codes here: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Send your questions and ideas to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

https:/x.com/RonSteslow

https://x.com/madrid_mike

Related Reading: 

The dawn of the post-literate society - by James Marriott

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