S2 Ep1019: David Frum: It's Too Late to Stop the Pain
Trump has effectively imposed a trade embargo on China, which means that after the inventory runs out, American retail will soon dry up. And since Europeans are already bypassing U.S. military contractors to beef up their defense spending —El Salvador is our only ally now— Trump is likely to do something desperate, like firing the Fed chair or seizing Greenland. American presidents decades from now will still be cleaning up what Trump did to this country in 2025. David Frum breaks down the insanity and stupidity of the vision behind the tariffs regime as well as the deep feelings of betrayal in Canada. If globalism means peace, prosperity, and commerce, then let's be globalists.
David Frum joins guest host Jonathan V. Last for the weekend pod.
show notes
David's new Atlantic podcast
David on screw manufacturing and the absurdity of Trump's tariffs
David on how the tariffs will make smuggling great again
Tim's playlist
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51:44
S2 Ep1018: Andrew Weissmann and Patrick Gaspard: Naked Corruption
Just before he paused the tariffs on Wednesday, an unusual spike in activity on the S&P 500 prompted speculation that Trump was orchestrating an insider trading scheme. After the markets closed, he joked with *the* Charles Schwab about how the financier had made $2.5 billion in trades that day. Meanwhile, Trump ordered the DOJ to investigate two former officials he regards as enemies—this comes on the heels of his efforts to intimidate law firms from taking on clients who oppose him. Plus, Trump's long obsession with white South Africans, and do Democrats listen too much to grassroots activist groups?
Andrew Weissmann and Patrick Gaspard join Tim Miller.
show notes
Andrew's Substack
Rep. Steve Horsford questioning whether the tariff pause was market manipulation
The White House is pumping out a lot of happy talk about countries wanting to make deals over the tariffs, but the tumult Trump has created has spread to the bond market. And that may be a sign that he has people so spooked about the U.S. economy that our Treasuries are no longer seen as a safe bet. Meanwhile, China has a lot of leverage here and may be using it.
Plus, the Democrats' candidate recruiter for the midterms, Colorado's Jason Crow, discusses how to win back working class voters.
Catherine Rampell and Rep. Jason Crow join Tim Miller.
show notes
Catherine's column, "Who will tell Trump he’s naked?"
Catherine's column on the Senate GOP tax plan
NYT profile of Jason Crow
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1:20:09
S2 Ep1016: Jonathan Cohn and Mark Lilla: Lobotomizing America
When it comes to biomedical research, America is already great. We are the world's leader in the field. But the Trump administration is gutting research and innovation on things like cancer, Alzheimer's, and arthritis—and the amputation of our scientific expertise under RFK, Jr. has been about as thoughtful as the tariffs rollout. Meanwhile, when it comes to the developing budget bill, Medicaid is getting some surprising red state support from people like Josh Hawley. Plus, when people willfully choose ignorance as a way to cope with an uncertain world.
Professor Mark Lilla and The Bulwark's Jonathan Cohn join Tim Miller.
show notes
Mark Lilla's new book, "Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know"
Mark's website
Jonathan on Trump's cuts at child-care programs like Head Start
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1:07:18
S2 Ep1015: Bill Kristol: The High Cost of Stupidity
Part of the reason for the market bloodbath is because the finance wizzes didn't factor in that Trump would actually do the truly moronic thing he kept saying he would. Their shock over his recklessness is intensifying the crash. Meanwhile, a trio of administration fools trying to defend the tariffs—Lutnick, Bessent, and Hassett—showed there is no grand design to the trade war, White House infighting is getting hot enough that even Elon is subtweeting Trump, and the folks we elected over on the Hill could actually do something to try to stop the market carnage. Plus, new reporting on our government's kidnapping of migrants, Republicans in North Carolina are trying to steal a supreme court seat, and where is JD Vance?
Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod.
show notes
JVL on the end of the American Age
Lauren on the backlash against Dems in major law firms who are bending the knee
60 Minutes segment on migrants sent to the Salvadoran penal colony
Tim's 'Bulwark Take' responding to the 60 Minutes report
Tim talking with AEI's Stan Veuger about Trump's terrible tariff math
The book, "The Captive Mind" by Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz
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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