Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we p...
S2 Ep1005: Michael Lewis: Government Workers Aren't the Corrupt Ones
Trump loves to complain about the deep state while Elon claims he's rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse with all his mass firings. But DOGE should be looking higher up the food chain to target the graft: for example, the South African immigrant whose car company would not have gotten off the ground without the taxpayer money he still collects. In contrast, government workers are mainly mission-driven and they're not in it for the money. Michael's new collection of essays takes a look at some of the characters who populate our federal workforce, including people performing small miracles without fame and glory. Plus, the risk of Trump politicizing economic data and his plan to destroy whatever trust people still have in the government.
Michael Lewis—and Sarah Vowell, who profiled a record keeper at the National Archives for the new book—join Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
The new book, "Who Is Government: The Untold Story of Public Service"
Tim's "Bulwark Takes" on some of the men taken taken to the El Salvador prison camp
Adrian's "Huddled Masses" newsletter on ICE deportations based on tattoos
George Conway emergency pod on the Paul Weiss law firm caving to Trump
Michael's book, "Losers: The Road to Everyplace but the White House"
Tim's playlist
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1:00:46
S2 Ep1004: Wes Moore: The System Doesn't Work for a Lot of People
Trump is a vessel for frustration over the status quo, but he is not a vehicle for a solution—since he has no idea about how to make things better for anyone besides himself. He's made clear that his personal interests come before the country's, and he's willing to trade away the superpowers that made America the globe's Dream Team. The Democrats need to seize the moment to argue for a smarter, more humane way to do efficiency. Plus, the Maryland governor shares his disgust over DOGE's disrespect of veterans and discusses his commitment to elevating boys and men.
Gov. Wes Moore joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Richard Reeves on Moore's commitment to help boys and men
New York magazine on David Shor's 2024 election dataÂ
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49:17
S2 Ep1003: Ben Wittes: Putin Makes A Fool of Trump, Again
The Art of the Deal guy gave a master class on how to get worked over by Putin: First, wait around for an hour like an obedient puppy only to have your ceasefire proposal summarily rejected. Then, watch the Kremlin issue a statement that flatly contradicts your claims of what transpired during the phone call on Ukraine. Will there ever be a point when Putin embarrasses Trump so much that he has to defend his manhood? Plus, the possible interpretations of John Roberts's rebuke of Trump, and the administration's sacrifice of even more U.S. power—by silencing the Voice of America.
Ben Wittes joins Tim Miller.
show notes
Ben's Lawfare piece on Trump destroying the Voice of America
Tim's and Sam's interview with Tim Mak on the Trump-Putin phone call
NYT story on the possibly deleted data on kidnapped Ukrainian children (gifted)
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55:57
S2 Ep1002: Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov: The Cheap Whore at the White House
The fastest growing demographic class in America is billionaires—we've gone from 500 to 2,500 in the past 10 years. And they know the cheapest, easiest way to get richer: Give a million bucks to Mr. Pay-to-Play in the Oval Office. Meanwhile, maybe just maybe POTUS's confidant in Moscow deposited some cash in his Swiss bank account AKA TrumpCoin, and that's why he is working so hard to get Ukraine to surrender. Also, Dems really need to focus on one or two issues to counter Trump's flood the zone strategy: like the threat to Social Security or questioning why Elon is not applying DOGE to his own Tesla subsidies. Plus, young men are the most anxious, depressed, and obese generation in history and we've really got to help them.Â
Jessie Tarlov and Scott Galloway join Tim Miller.
show notes
Raging Moderates podcast
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1:02:10
S2 Ep1001: Bill Kristol: Give Back the Statue of Liberty
Trump is taking liberties with our country's role in the world as a land of hope and opportunity by summarily locking up and deporting law-abiding immigrants—including people with legitimate asylum claims, people here on proper visas, and people with minor errors in their paperwork. And it's all being done with intentional cruelty to convey the message: Don't even think of coming to Fortress America. Meanwhile, his tone-deaf billionaire treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, is mocking Americans for wanting cheap TVs. Plus, Schumer postpones his book tour as Democrats look elsewhere for a fighter, and Trump throws a late-night tantrum about Biden's pardons.
show notes:
White House sizzle reel of immigrants being sent to penal colony in El Salvador
Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Aaron Reichlin-Melnick
Tim Miller and guests discuss the latest political news for the flagship podcast of the Never Trump movement and the reality-based community. Every weekday we provide insightful analysis, political hot-takes, an unabashed defense of liberal democracy and long-form interviews that cut through the "both-sides" BS. Plus a few laughs to help you wash down the crazy.
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