Hi, friends.

Today I made an appearance on another great Substack you should check out: Lincoln Square, where I joined Susan Dumas, one of the hosts of their morning show.

I know I’ve been starving you for content that doesn’t require sitting down and reading a thousand words of political science.

And second, I’m pretty sure you’re dying to know what the hell happened in Wisconsin last night and what it means.

That’s a big part of what Susan and I talked about, and I think the conversation is worth sharing in full with you today while it is fresh off the presses.

A little context: Lincoln Square is a pretty progressive space, which made this an especially interesting conversation. We talked about the Wisconsin results, what they tell us about the electorate heading into November, and some of the bigger challenges confronting Democrats and progressives right now—including the DSA’s newly released platform and why parts of it create some very real political problems.

We also got into a bunch of other things about the election ahead, what Democrats should be paying attention to, and what last night may be telling us about where this cycle is headed.

And if you haven’t already, go check out Lincoln Square on Substack. Susan and the team are doing great work over there.

Enjoy!

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This week Rachel and Aaron dive into the hurricane of Donald Trump’s chaos – from Jeffrey Epstein… to an unprecedented affordability crisis… to a new health care crisis… to an identity crisis for MAGA. Plus, a lesson for Democrats on how to message affordability. And another underwater poll for Donald Trump, “the dog that hasn’t barked.”

LINKS:

* The Cycle on Substack: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

* AP/NORC Survey: Trump’s approval rating remains low during government shutdown

* Axios: The affordability crisis, once Biden’s, is now Trump’s

* Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game

The Cycle- On Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

This week Rachel and Aaron unpack the GOP’s framing of thousands of peaceful “No Kings” protests as “Hate America” rallies. How, exactly, did Republicans lose control of the narrative–at least for a weekend? Plus, why House Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to swear-in America’s newest member of Congress. And what do Venezuelan boat strikes have to do with disgraced Congressman George Santos?

LINKS:

* ABC’s This Week: Jonathan Karl interviews Speaker Mike Johnson

* NBC’s Meet the Press: Kristen Welker interviews Senator Rand Paul

* ABC News: Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva on ‘delay tactics’ in being sworn into Congress

* The Cycle on Substack

* Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

This week, why we shouldn’t be afraid of using the other F-word: fascism, especially as the Right shatters political norms, turns citizens into public enemies, and politicizes the military. Rachel and Aaron discuss a Democrat who joked about violence, a Republican who preaches it, a billionaire who builds it into the algorithm, and a movement now summoning generals for loyalty oaths. Plus: The political strategies and public polling behind the government shutdown. Who, exactly, is getting the blame?

LINKS:

* France24: Elon Musk: The voice of the far right in Europe?

* Stephen Miller’s cousin on Facebook: “the face of evil”

* The Cycle - Substack: We’re Deep in the S**t Now: The Only Way to Win the Shutdown Was Not to Play

* Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game

The Cycle- On Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

This week Rachel and Aaron discuss the Trump Administration’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s death, his martyrdom, and what’s next on the march into authoritarianism. Plus, a trip to the front lines of Trump’s tariffs: rural America. Why are farmers are feeling the pinch first? And Trump crosses a thin red line by ordering the U.S. Department of Justice to target his political enemies, facts be damned.

LINKS:

* Substack - The Cycle: From Goebbels to Google: Same S**t, Different Century

* Truth Social: Trump says opponents are “guilty as hell” – without evidence

* Hot Mic: “Our brand is in crisis”

* Imperial March in Washington, DC

* Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

With Labor Day behind us, Trump’s honeymoon is over and his march into fascist authoritarianism is in full force. This week Rachel and Aaron look at his latest distraction from a nosediving economy and the Epstein Files: an armed, federal invasion of America’s third-largest city. Plus, market instability rocks America’ farmers as Trump’s tariffs take a toll, a grilling for RFK junior (and no, we’re not talking about his face), and Gov. Newsom’s master class in political mockery looks awfully familiar.

LINKS:

* Substack - The Cycle: A Blue Tsunami is Headed for Virginia and New Jersey

* Substack - The Cycle: Democrats Want to Run on Affordability: Here’s How to Do it Right

* American Soybean Association: ‘A trade and financial precipice’

* Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game

The Cycle- On Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you Joe Jones, Maureen Drews, Dianna Richardson, Mary Detweiler, and many others for tuning into my live video with Susan Wagner! Join me for my next live video in the app.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

Why are Republicans trying to give themselves an edge in Congress? In the words of one GOP lawmaker: “Because we can.” This week, Rachel and Aaron separate the facts from JD Vance’s alt reality as some Democrats prepare to fight fire with fire. Plus: Trump takes federal control over Washington DC. And South Park sends up America’s most notorious puppy killer.

LINKS:

* YouTube: President Trump holds news conference on plans to address D.C. crime

* Gavin Newsom to Trump: ‘You Are Playing With Fire’

* The Cycle (Substack): Appeasement Didn’t Work Then; It Won’t Work Now

The Cycle- On Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

Facts are stubborn things, at least two of Trump’s predecessors have said. And for Trump on the economy—and Jeffrey Epstein–-there’s nothing to see here. This week Rachel and Aaron look at what the latest job numbers mean for Trump 2.0. Plus, Trump is making his own list… of political enemies. And secret documents in a secret annex at FBI Headquarters? Pssh.

LINKS

* New York Times: Until Trump Fired Her, She Was an Economist With Bipartisan Support

* ABC News: Joe Rogan slams Trump administration over Epstein investigation: 'Trying to gaslight'

* The Breakfast Club: Charlamagne Responds To Donald Trump’s ‘Truth Social’ Post About Him

* The Cycle (Substack): The Anatomy of “Othering”: How Authoritarians Build Permission for Violence

* Hit ‘Em Where It Hurts: How to Save Democracy by Beating Republicans at Their Own Game’

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe

This week Rachel and Aaron stick to the one scandal that’s finally sticking to Teflon Don: Jeffrey Epstein, and the Trump Administration’s spectacular inability to control the narrative. Rachel dives into the need to “politicize everything.” A look at how Trump 2.0 is using immigration to destroy democracy with quiet bureaucracy. And why are some Dems demanding to fight “fire with fire” after the latest GOP effort to retain control of the U.S. House?

LINKS:

* The Cycle (Substack): Politicize Everything: A Blueprint for a Party that Fights

* YouTube: 'You’ve got no rights’: teenage US citizen records violent arrest by immigration officers

* The Guardian: How Trump has supercharged the immigration crackdown - in data

* YouTube: 'Epstein Partied With Trump': Texas Congressional Candidate Dragged Out Of Hearing

* YouTube: California's Newsom Calls To 'Fight Fire With Fire' As Texas Considers Redistricting

* Surrounded (Jubilee Media): 1 Progressive vs 20 Far-Right Conservatives (ft. Mehdi Hasan)

* 50501: Rage Against the Regime | August 2, 2025

* The National: Convicted US Felon to Arrive in Scotland

The Cycle- On Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecycle.substack.com/subscribe