Tim Talks Politics

As we start the new year with a runoff Senate election in Georgia and ongoing drama surrounding the presidential election of 2020, I've noticed a deepening divide or polarization in the information space. So, I thought to start this next round of podcasts, I'd rebroadcast one of my earliest podcasts on the "information cycle." 

Information is critical to understanding our political system, which is why an independent and diverse media is so crucial to the health of democratic system. However, the Internet has broken down a lot of barriers and filters, and now we’re all members of the media.  So we need to discuss how we, as citizens, engage in information and how that informs our politics.

So today, I want to talk about how to find good information and how to use it in your political discussions, then I’ll supply you with a few resources.

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In this last episode of 2020, I hit pause to consider lessons learned over the course of a tumultuous year, and share a few things that I'm concerned about and excited about in 2021.

2020 was a tumultuous year to say the least, but we made it through! We're here and it's as good a time as any to consider what was learned. I'm a big proponent of life long learning and some of the best learning come through experience coupled with reflection. For me, for example, this year was an incredible opportunity to learn and write about presidential decision-making while watching it unfold in real time as America grappled with a pandemic, social upheaval, a raucous election and more.

This episode is by no means an exhaustive exploration of all I thought and read, so if you're interested in hearing my thoughts on other topics please drop me a line and ask away!

In the meantime, I hope the rest of your 2020 is restful and restorative. Merry Christmas and I'll see you in 2021!

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December 14 is the date that the Electoral College will cast its ballots for the United States President and it will likely be a victory for Joe Biden. President Trump continues with his slate of lawsuits alleging election fraud in numerous states, but said last week that he will concede only after he is officially defeated in the Electoral College. Is Trump’s refusal to concede sour grapes, or a very strict reading of the Constitution? It may be a little of both, but the winner of a Presidential election is not official until the Electoral College has cast its ballots and had them verified in Congress. It makes the process of electing the President longer and a little more complicated. Additionally, several past elections have seen candidates become presidents after losing the popular vote and winning the electoral vote. What gives? Is this undemocratic? Why does the US Constitution mandate such an odd intermediary step after a national vote? I’m going to address each of these questions in today’s podcast.

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We are two weeks past Election Day 2020, but the final result, while projected, is still being finalized. Joe Biden is the projected president-elect, but the Trump administration is challenging the final results in several states in court. Both sides are adamant they won and that the other side is "stealing" the election from them. This is incredibly damaging rhetoric, but going through the courts to affirm in the integrity of the vote is an excellent antidote. The critical question, in my mind, is the degree to which American citizens will affirm the ruling of the courts? 

In this episode of the Tim Talks Politics podcast, I explore the potential consequences of this rhetoric of "stealing", while also unpacking some of the emerging trends we're seeing taking shape in the post election landscape. I consider the significance of America's party realignment, the character and makeup of the Democratic and Republican Parties going forward, and challenge listeners to break out of their information echo chambers as they seek information on understanding our political context. 

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It's election time! Or, rather, it was election time. I recorded this episode the day after Election Day, and you're getting this the next day after that, so there may still be some changes coming. However, I take the time in this episode to offer some quick thoughts on what I see as a largely positive outcome to this election. Close elections are always tense, but I think there's a lot that Americans can be proud about and encouraged by in this election. 

Additionally, I discuss some of the emerging stories and trend lines that the drama of the presidential election may be obscuring, and make for more mentions of my newsletter than I typically do. :)

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Continuing my fall series of interviews on different aspects of the 2020 Election, and in this interview I talk with Steve Miller on the Democratic Party's platform and pitch to voters, is it more than "Trump bad"? Well, "Trump bad" is a big part of the pitch and appeal, according to my guest today, Steve Miller.

In addition to being my brother-in-law and all around awesome guy, Steve is a market researcher who makes his living studying consumer behavior and decision making, and he brings that insight into this analysis of the Democratic Party's platform and messaging in the 2020 election. This is a fascinating discussion, which I enjoyed immensely. I hope you enjoy it as well!

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Continuing my fall series of interviews on different aspects of the 2020 Election, and in this interview I talk with Matthew Anderson on the platform (or lack thereof) of the Republican Party. It's an enjoyable conversation on whether or not people read platforms anymore; why the Republicans chose to retain their 2016 platform while President Trump laid out his own "platform" in the form of a second term agenda; and how things are stacking up for the Republicans heading into the final weeks of the election. NOTE: This was recorded before upheaval of presidential debates and President Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis, so if you're wondering why we're not talking about that, now you know. Enjoy!

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The "Evangelical Vote" is one of the most talked about, mythologized, and misunderstood voting segments in the American populace. Often portrayed in popular media as a monolithic bloc, Evangelicals are surprisingly diverse and that diversity extends to their voting habits. To help us understand how some segments of Evangelical voters are approaching the 2020 election, I interview twin brothers and pastors, Josh and Jeremy Matlock. They bring a unique perspective to this topic as pastors serving in very different parts of the country and ministering to different congregations that my be grouped under the shared heading of "Evangelical," but have different approaches to political thinking and behavior.

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This is a discussion on the future of the Democratic Party. It mirrors the interview I did with Harvard’s Tom Patterson on the future of the Republican Party. I follow up on that topic by switching focus to consider the Democratic Party. I talk with Dr. Tom Holihan from the University of Southern California to consider what "traps," if any, do Democrats face in the near to medium term (5-10 years) future.

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Part 5 in our summer read through of the US Constitution. In this episode, we wrap our summer series by looking at Amendments 11-27. Most are short, but Amendments 12, 14, 20 and 25 are fairly long by comparison. We’ll consider why that is and also make some commentary on the historical context of several of these amendments as well as length of time it takes to add these amendments to the Constitution. Lots of interesting stuff here that was even new for me to consider.

Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)!