Mike and Kristin begin with a discussion about the recent immigration agreement between the U.S. and Mexico. They go into some depth about the details of the agreement, President Trump’s stance, the concerns about the short timeline for Mexico, and some of the larger issues that the U.S. may face down the road. Both agree to take a “wait and see” approach. They also question whether it would be wise to add a “sunset” provision to executive orders so that Congress can assess crisis situations with a more flexible timeframe, but without necessarily hindering the President’s ability to act quickly.
Next up is another geo-political topic that picked up steam toward the end of the week – escalating tensions with Iran. This week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed the finger at Iran for involvement in attacks of tanker vessels in the Gulf of Oman. Mike wonders if this is something the U.S. should approach with “muscle”, essentially backing Iran into a corner, and whether that is a wise move. Kristin brings up historical context and the importance of unifying allies to address Iran’s aggression – as was the case under President Reagan. Mike also brings up questions about the connection between this and possible arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Turning to domestic issues, Mike and Kristin discuss the disagreement surrounding the citizenship question on the 2020 Census, as well as the House Oversight and Reform Committee’s vote to hold AG William Barr and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in contempt for withholding related documents. Both Kristin and Mike surmise that there is more here than meets the eye, as the actions seem politically motivated on both sides. They discuss their views, and Mike brings up an interesting idea regarding the timing of the Census.
Finally, Mike and Kristin wrap up with a discussion of some personnel changes and issues coming out of the White House, including White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her departure, as well as issues surrounding Top Aide Kellyanne Conway’s violations of the Hatch Act.
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Abraham Lincoln and Our Ancient Faith
Redistricting, Texas Porn Law, Trump’s Time Interview
Campus Protestors, Antisemitism Awareness, Marijuana Rescheduling
Can Capitalism Save the Planet?
SCOTUS on Homelessness, Trump Immunity, FTC Bans Noncompetes
Ukraine Aid, TikTok Ban, Campus Protests
Bryan Caplan Will Not Be Stampeded!
The Sixth Amendment
Israel, Johnson's Foreign Aid, Uri Berliner, the 1st Amendment
The Lie Detectives: In Search of a Playbook for Winning Elections in the Disinformation Age
Guns, Table Saws, America Divided (or maybe not)
AZ Abortion Law, Student Loan Debt, Trump on Trial
The Uses and Abuses of the Modern University
The Fifth Amendment
Israel and Iran, Biden’s Foreign Policy, Florida’s Supreme Court on Abortion Ban, Trump Media & Technology
NBC and Ronna McDaniel, Truth Social IPO. RFK Jr. and 3rd Parties
Joe Lieberman, Abortion Pill Access, Eastman Disbarment
Parliamentary America: The Least Radical Means of Radically Repairing Our Broken Democracy
Texas and Immigration, Presidential Fundraising, Alternative to the Bar Exam
Shutdown Avoided, Apple Lawsuit, OH Senate Primary and Trumpism
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