Mike & Trey kick off the show by talking about a big opioid verdict against Johnson & Johnson in Oklahoma as well as a pending mega-settlement between Purdue Pharma and nearly 2,000 litigants. They agree that opioid abuse has had disastrous and tragic consequences, but neither Mike nor Trey are convinced that the Johnson & Johnson verdict will hold up on appeal. Purdue Pharma, having already admitted wrongdoing in previous cases (including a settlement with Oklahoma) is altogether different they believe.
Next, they discuss the 2020 presidential race, including a new Republican challenger to Donald Trump (one-term Illinois representative Joe Walsh), the Democrats who made the cut for the next debate, transparency of the Democratic debate rules, and who they see as the most likely - and most dangerous - general election opponent to President Trump.
After that they turn to the resignation of Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson and what it means for 2020. They agree that it’s good news for the Democrats, but Mike thinks the Republicans will still probably hold both seats, especially as Stacey Abrams has said she won’t run (which Mike thinks might have something to do with her hopes of being Joe Biden’s VP pick).
The show ends with a discussion of the border wall - first, allegations that President Trump has promised pardons to those who break the law to get the wall built, followed by President Trump’s keen interest in the aesthetics of the wall. Trey thinks that Trump probably did at least joke about pardons, and that it was either intuitively or strategically a smart move. Mike says that the focus on building a big, intimidating wall is largely empty symbolism, and characteristic of Donald Trump.
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Mike & Jay Respond to Listener Questions
The Constitution: Article II, Section I
Title 42, Defamation, Trump Town Hall, Santos Indictment, EPA Rules, Dormant Commerce Clause
Oklahoma Execution, Housing & Socializing Risk, Changing American Values
Proud Boys Convictions, Debt Limit, The End of Chevron, Zooey Zephyr
The Big Myth: Loathing Government and Loving the ‘Free’ Market
Carlson Out at Fox, Biden 2024, Trump Rape Trial, Supreme Court Ethics
SCOTUS Mifepristone Ruling, House Debt Ceiling Bill, Disney Sues DeSantis
Bud Light & Dylan Mulvaney, Justice Thomas & Corruption, Tax Day
Fox Settles, Should Feinstein Resign, SCOTUS & Religious Protection
The Constitution: Article I, Section 10
Justice Thomas, Mifepristone, Leaked Documents, Tennessee House, Trump’s Appeal
Elections in Wisconsin & Chicago, Transgender Policy
Abortion Pill Rulings, Net Neutrality, Trump Indictment
Supreme Court & Free Speech, Nebraska Filibuster, Iraq War 20th Anniversary
Trump Indictment, Nashville School Shooting, Regulating A.I.
The Constitution: Article I, Section 9, The Powers Denied States
Trump Investigations, DeSantis, Xi Jinping & Vladimir Putin, TikTok, French Riots
Willow Oil Project, DeSantis & Trump on Ukraine, American Happiness
SVB Failure & Socialism for the Rich, TikTok Ban
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