Politicology

Double Feature: Oxford Union, Doha's Long Game—Politicology+ Preview

This week, we’re bringing you a double feature of Politicology+ special previews. First, Ron Steslow talks with Mike Madrid about his invitation to debate at the Oxford Union, where he argued the position that Donald Trump has betrayed the conservative movement. Mike describes the pageantry and weight of history at one of the world’s most storied debating societies, the case he built around Edmund Burke, the opposing arguments he found most compelling. Then, Hagar Chemali and Jay Solomon unpack how Qatar, a tiny Gulf nation with just 350,000 citizens, has built one of the most wide-reaching influence networks in the world. They start with a scandal involving Israeli columnist Alon Pinkas, who received Qatari-linked payments while writing about Qatar, and use it to trace the larger system behind it. From there, the conversation widens to Qatar’s strategic investments and lobbying efforts across media, universities, think tanks, diplomacy, and politics. Then, they break down Qatar’s long game: using money, access, and soft power to position itself as an indispensable player in the Middle East—and reshape Western institutions in the process. POLITICOLOGY+ 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. SPONSORS & PROMO CODES: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com Ron Steslow on X: https://x.com/RonSteslow Mike Madrid on X: https://x.com/madrid_mike Hagar Cheali on X: https://x.com/HagarChemali Jay Solomon on X: https://x.com/FPJaySolomon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ENCORE: Foreign Agents

For the ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Casey Michel (Director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation) about his book Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World and how foreign money influences our politics. They discuss: (01:46) The shadow world of foreign lobbying (03:45) Ivy Lee and Paul Manafort (07:36) The First Amendment and foreign influence (10:23) Understanding FARA (13:28) How Paul Manafort shaped modern lobbying (15:49) Legal loopholes and foreign influence in politics (18:11) The case of Viktor Pinchuk (22:13) The Trump Administration’s impact on foreign lobbying (27:19) How Universities and Think tanks are the new frontier of influence (33:05) Colorful characters in foreign lobbying (41:39) The Biden Family and foreign influence accusations (45:27) Contrasting foreign influence on Trump and Clinton (49:00) Proposed reforms Read Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World: https://bit.ly/4giHjBK Check out the HRF’s Combatting Kleptocracy Program: https://bit.ly/4hAAQTJ Follow Ron and Casey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/cjcmichel Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ENCORE: Bitcoin is Changing the Fight for Freedom

Host Ron Steslow welcomes Alex Gladstein (Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation) to discuss the significant and often misunderstood role of Bitcoin in protecting human rights and fighting against authoritarians around the world. Segments to look forward to: (02:07) Alex’s background in human rights work and why he became interested in Bitcoin (16:18) Bitcoin vs other cryptocurrencies (26:04) Financial privilege (38:35) Bitcoin in action (45:50) Bitcoin creating financial independence for women in Afghanistan (56:25)How a human rights activist uses Bitcoin to free hostages (59:10) Bitcoin as a tool against monetary colonialism in west Africa (1:00:10) The importance of peer-to-peer transactions (1:07:50) How Bitcoin mining can bring electricity to remote areas and support sustainable energy projects (1:19:40) Why Bitcoin matters for everyone Follow Ron and Alex on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://twitter.com/gladstein Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Horseshoe Populism the End of Pax Americana?

For the ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Jay Solomon (executive director of investigations at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University and cohost of The Threat podcast) and Hagar Chemali (former spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN and cohost of The Threat podcast) about what the latest war with Iran reveals about the limits of American power. They explore why allies failed to rally around the United States, how the Strait of Hormuz became a political weapon, and why both ends of the political spectrum increasingly argue that America itself is the problem. Then they trace the radicalization of one young American activist as a window into the forces pulling at the country from the outside.  Later, Ron, Jay, and Hagar turn to corruption, transactional foreign policy, and where American leadership goes once the old institutions can no longer be rebuilt. They discuss: (5:01) What this war revealed about the limits of American power (6:41) Why allies didn't rally, and the Strait of Hormuz as a toll booth (8:34) The case that confrontation with Iran was inevitable (15:21) The left's turn: DSA, the Mamdani primaries, and a hollowing party (20:26) Populism meets foreign policy (25:52) The radicalization of Calla Walsh (35:02) Utopian movements and the dream of a perfectible world (39:09) The anti-war tradition versus foreign influence (46:30) The right's turn: JD Vance, Qatar, Pakistan, and the Quincy Institute (54:40) Transactionalism, corruption, and values that left the room (1:02:41) Anti-Semitism, legitimate debate, and the new litmus tests (1:09:47) What Israel does if American support collapses (1:13:12) The industrial complexes and their competing incentives (1:21:47) Iran's real motives and the lessons of the pallets of cash (1:33:49) Is this our Suez Canal moment? Check out The Threat podcast: The Threat podcast: https://bit.ly/3QPoKhZ Follow Ron on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslow Follow Jay on Twitter: https://x.com/FPJaySolomon Follow Hagar on Twitter: https://x.com/HagarChemali  Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Last Institutionalists—The Weekly

Mike Madrid (Author of The Latino Century) joins Host Ron Steslow to dive into how populism is consuming both parties and the institutions meant to contain them, from a socialist sweep in New York to a building debt-and-oil crisis. They begin with New York's primaries, where DSA-aligned candidates won and Zohran Mamdani emerged as a kingmaker—signaling the Democratic party’s “Tea Party moment.”  From there, they ask whether the party is radicalizing or whether its establishment wing is the last refuge of institutional conservatism Then they trace an oil crisis to a draining Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the rising cost of servicing the national debt, and the first moves of new Fed chair Kevin Warsh. Finally, they map the vise closing on the White House before the midterms: a standoff with Iran, a depleting reserve, and a choice between a weak deal and economic shock. In Politicology+, they discuss Mike’s invitation to the Oxford Union, where he argued the position that Donald Trump has betrayed the conservative movement.  POLITICOLOGY+ 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. SPONSORS & PROMO CODES: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com Ron Steslow on X: https://x.com/RonSteslow Mike Madrid on X: https://x.com/madrid_mike Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices