Right Brain Left Brain

In this round, Mike and Kurt weigh the implications of closing down the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Guantanamo Bay Prison Camp was opened in 2002 to hold high-value prisoners in the War on Terror. 780 were mean and boys were detained in the ensuing years. As of 2021, 40 foreign detainees remain in US custody, without criminal charge or trial. Is this justified? Who remains? What is the legacy of GITMO? And should the Biden administration finally shutter the camp for good? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Left Brain Mike and Right Brain Kurt dive into the heated national controversy that is mail-in voting. With less than two months before the general election, and in the middle of a pandemic, states are scrambling to adapt our national election infrastructure to the unique challenges posed by a COVID-ridden United States. Many states are transitioning to easier mail-in voting, with a few automatically sending ballots by mail to every registered voter. Should mail-in voting be made universal at the national level, or would such a measure threaten the fundamental integrity of the US election system? Join us as Kurt and Mike have a few and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

We’re back! In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss the merits and pitfalls of a US national mandate to wear protective masks. In the midst of a global pandemic and the run-up to a presidential election, opinions are divided on whether the federal government should step in and order that everyone in America wear a protective mask in public. Would such a mandate be effective? Would it create more problems than it would solve? Or is this the a necessary part of a strategy to keep the country safe against COVID-19? Join us as Kurt and Mike reunite in the studio to drink gallons of cinnamon whiskey and debate these questions - and more - on this week’s episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

Because we can't produce our show in person, we're launching a mini-series called "Summer Interlude." Until we can get back into the studio to record our normal show, we'll be publishing regular conversations about the ongoing coronavirus and protest issues facing our nation. In this episode, we get you caught up on where we each stand as we embark on the difficult process of trying to understand one another and find common ground during dark times.

In this round, Kurt and Mike explore the controversy surrounding Democratic nominee Joe Biden and the credible sexual assault allegations against him. In a world where liberals have accused conservatives of moral bankruptcy for supporting Donald Trump, have the new allegations against Biden caught the Democrats' hand in the moral cookie jar? Is there a morally consistent way to believe women and still vote for an accused sex offender? Join us as Mike and Kurt pop a couple beers and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain! Full episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/36879710

In this round, Mike and Kurt examine the Trump Administration's coronavirus response. In an ongoing crisis with variables that change daily, COVID-19 has posed a challenge that would be difficult for anyone to handle. Donald Trump has come under fire for his leadership during the pandemic response, but is that criticism fair? Is Trump really as incompetent as his toughest critics say, or is he doing an adequate job? Join us as Mike and Kurt meet at the virtual bar to debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

We're back! In this round, there's no round at all. Mike and Kurt catch you up on where we've been, what we've been doing, and how we plan to irresponsibly spend our stimulus checks. Join us as we try to take this thing remote and laugh through the tears on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt debate the billion-dollar question: Should billionaires exist? Is the world's wealthiest class a bug or a feature of capitalism? What harm - or good - do billionaires really do? And what should we do about billionaires as their numbers increase? Join us as Kurt and Mike knock a couple back and debate these questions - and more - on this week's Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt examine the Trump Administration's decision to send a surge of tactical immigration agents into sanctuary cities. The surge is designed to assist in apprehending immigrants who commit crimes who are also suspected of being in the United States illegally, with the intention of deportations. Is this policy just? Will it help to root out particularly bad criminals from immigrant communities, or will the presence of increased federal agents do more harm to these communities than good? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - over a beer, in this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt take a look at the ongoing Democratic primary season. With results in from two states, the early frontrunners of the party are apparent - Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Bernie Sanders. What are the key differences between the candidates? And which of the two is better suited to challenge and ultimately defeat Donald Trump? Join us as Kurt and Mike drink spiced rum and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this Patreon round, Mike and Kurt dive into the controversy surrounding the 2020 Iowa caucus. With Mayor Pete and Bernie Sanders both claiming Iowa victory, who's the real winner? Does the dubious outcome of the caucus foreshadow a presidential contest fraught with failures for the Dems? Or is the delay in Iowa results just a minor blip on an otherwise fair and reasonable primary election? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink mai tais and debate these questions - and more - on the February Patreon-only episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt take a deep dive into a recent Federal court ruling regarding the rights of the homeless. The US Supreme Court has declined to take up a controversial Idaho case in which it was ruled unconstitutional to prohibit homeless people from sleeping in public spaces. Are this district ruling, and the Supreme Court decision to let it stand, just? Who does this ruling most impact? Will it foster a change to the way we address homelessness, or does it create more problems than it solves? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt dive into the US military killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. Was Donald Trump justified in killing the man? What gives him the authority to do so? Was it the right thing to do, or will it lead to more bloodshed - perhaps even all-out war? Join us as Kurt and Mike mix rum and tequila and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this Patreon-only round, Mike and Kurt debate the ongoing controversy around so-called "2nd Amendment Sanctuaries." Are these places, where folks boldly claim that they will not enforce certain gun-control laws, bastions of self-determination? Or are they lawless regions, devoid of concern for the common good? Or something else entirely...? Join us as Kurt and Mike knock back tequila shots and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain! Listen to the full episode at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/32823794

In this round, Mike and Kurt debate the Articles of Impeachment that have been passed in the US House of Representatives. Now that the inquiry phase is complete, do the Democrats have the goods? Is conviction in the Senate likely, or even possible? Senate trial outcome notwithstanding, does the case against Trump warrant removal from office? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink 100-proof rye and debate these questions - and more - on this episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt examine the Trump Administration's recent rule change to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as S.N.A.P., or Food Stamps. With Trump's new eligibility rules, fewer folks are expected to receive SNAP benefits moving forward. Yet many support the move, arguing that SNAP is too generous, wasting taxpayer money on those who shouldn't qualify. Is this new rule reasonable, or is Trump the Grinch they say he is? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - on this week's Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt size up the top Democratic contenders remaining in the 2020 field. With the departure of Beto O'Rourke and the first primary just a couple months away, now seems like a good time to check in on the remaining candidates. The top of the field has young moderates, old socialists, estabilshment Dems, and septuagenarian hellraisers duking it out for the top spot. As the Iowa caucus swiftly approaches, who will come out on top? What are the target demographics, and whose policy positions will capture those endorsements? How should the candidates adjust their platforms as the field narrows? Join us as Kurt and Mike consume a pint of rum and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Kurt and Mike look at the ongoing fight for Hong Kong independence through the lens of American reactions. While world-wide-web-warriors tweet out their thoughts and prayers, some high-profile commentators find themselves in hot water for showing too much - or not enough - moral support for the massive Hong Kong protests. What's really going on in Hong Kong? With millions of Americans weighing in on the issue, who's the biggest hypocrite of them all? Join us as Mike and Kurt tear through a six-pack, un-pack the Hong Kong controversy, and answer these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss the recent Turkish incursion into northern Syria. After President Trump removed US troops from the region of Syria bordering Turkey, Turkish president Erdogan moved quickly to invade the region, sending troops and paying proxies to launch attacks agains Syrian Kurds - our allies in the fight against ISIS. The attacks have been roundly condemned, but questions remain: What's the US's responsibility to the Kurds? Should the US do anything in reprisal over the attacks and, if so, what? And how can we prevent something like this ever happening again? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Kurt and Mike discuss Donald Trump’s sudden decision to pull all remaining US troops out of northern Syria, where they’d been embedded with allied Kurdish fighters in the war against ISIS. Many critics of this move argue that this is a major double-cross of the Kurds, who face hostility from a Turkish military that's been waiting to invade northern Syria. Does Trump’s move give Turkey the green light to massacre the Kurdish fighters who frontlined the fight against ISIS? Will Trump’s reassurances stack up in the face of Turkish aggression against a Kurdish population they’ve been at odds with for decades? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - on this week’s episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt examine the newest developments in the impeachment inquiry. What's the best case for impeachment? What's the best case against? Can the Democrats manage to leverage impeachment in their favor, even if Trump ends up getting acquitted? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink more than enough rum and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss - you guessed it - impeachment. Ukraine, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Donald Trump, we leave no stone unturned, no handshake deal un-investigated. With a whistleblower spilling the beans on a questionable phone call between Trump and the president of Ukraine, the nation is in an uproar. Nancy Pelosi seems to be caving to forces on the left demanding impeachment. So is it finally time? Have the Democrats finally found the smoking gun? Or is this just another search for a silver bullet just around the river bend? Join us as Kurt and Mike drink just enough Tequila and debate these questions - and more - on this week’s Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt take a look at the state of prisons in the US. Since the tough-on-crime era of the 1980s, the American prison population has skyrocketed. To save money, the federal penal system began issuing contracts to private companies to house prisoners, and many states, cities, and counties have followed suit, but not without controversy. Is there a major difference between private and government-run prisons? Are the claimed problems with for-profit prisons unfixable? With a number of states shunning prison privatization, should the federal government ban them outright? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink too much whiskey and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

This week, Mike's home from his epic motorcycle spirit quest, and Kurt sets out on his great Pacific Northwest anniversary trip! Join us as Mike and Kurt predict what probably happened in the two weeks since we were last in the studio! We'll be back in full force next Friday, Sept. 20! See ya then!

Right Brain Left Brain is on vacation! This week, Mike is on an epic motorcycle trip around the Pacific Northwest in search of the elusive Bigfoot, while Kurt gets drunk and debates his reflection in the dressing room mirror.

In this round, Mike and Kurt take a look at talk of an impending economic downturn. Many economists and pundits are predicting a looming recession, but are their predictions politically motivated? How much of the analysis is honest reporting, and how much of it is wishful thinking? Do major figures on the political left actually hope for a major economic disaster in the run-up to 2020? Join us as Kurt and Mike day drink Bloody Mary and discuss these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt take you a look at our icy neighbor to the north - Greenland! After Trump floated the idea of purchasing the massive country, we here in the US can't stop talking about it! What if Trump really managed to convince Denmark to sell? Would that be a boon for the US or would the disadvantages outweigh the benefits? Join us as we drink more than enough tequila and debate these questions - and more - on this week's Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt look at the Trump Administration's new rule regarding legal immigrants, known to most as the "Public Charge" rule. The new rule allows US Immigration Services to deny green cards to immigrants who use American welfare while undergoing the naturalization process. Is this regulation needed, or does it unnecessarily target an already disadvantaged demographic? Is it a double-standard, or is fair to give preferential treatment to citizens? Join us as Kurt and Mike have a drink or three and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss the most recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. With each new attack seeming to only increase the animosity and ideological gridlock between the right and left, are there any policy solutions that both sides can accept? What can we agree on? Can anything curb mass shootings in America? Join us as we drink low quality liquor and discuss these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Kurt and Mike take a deeper look at the “fight for fifteen,” an increasingly popular movement to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour. Does the US need a higher minimum wage? Does $15 go too far? Would the change hurt low-income earners more than it would help them, or would it allow them to live with the dignity they deserve? Join us as we drink gluten free liquor and debate these questions - and more - on this week’s episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt examine the tweets of the President of the United States in which he suggests that one or more US Congresswomen "go back where they came from." Who is Trump really targeting in this tweet? Is this racism, or are Trump's word's being twisted? Join us as Kurt and Mike drink too much rum and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Kurt and Mike discuss the trial of Navy Seal Chief Eddie Gallagher, accused of brutally murdering an injured prisoner in 2017. Was the not guilty verdict appropriate? Were the jury’s hands tied? Is Gallagher a hero or a monster? And what does this event and the outcome of the subsequent trial reveal about the credibility - and moral fabric - of the US military? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink un unhealthy mix of liquors and debate these questions - and more - on this week’s episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this episode, Mike and Kurt discuss the first Democratic presidential debate of the 2020 primary season! What moments stood out? Who won? Who will survive to the next round? Are the Democrats setting themselves up for success against Donald Trump in the 2020 election? Join us as Kurt and Mike drink enough Tequila to drown a cow and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Kurt and Mike take a look at the salary of United States Senators and House Representatives. For the first time in ten years, House leadership recently tried to give congress a pay raise, creating a rift among DC lawmakers, even splitting House Democrats. While some argue that a raise would check against corruption, many believe the current $174k salary is more than enough compensation for a congress facing strong popular disapproval. Should congress get a raise? Is there a better way to pay our top lawmakers? Join us as we drink "fine" Irish Whiskey and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss US migrant detention. With numerous commentators labeling the 200-plus American detention centers “concentration camps,” the country finds itself in a heated debate. Is it fair to label these detention centers something so nefarious, or is it needlessly offensive and divisive? What are the conditions on the ground driving this controversy? Join us as we drink “smooth” vodka and debate these questions - and more - on this week’s episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt dive into the strange world of big game trophy hunting. One of the major controversies of our time, stories of rare animals like lions, elephants, and rhinoceroses killed for sport, usually by wealthy Americans, make US news often. Is this controversial practice simply barbaric, or is there a good side? Is it possible that allowing the killing of certain animals keep entire species alive? Is it simply too inhumane to allow trophy hunting in any capacity? Join us as we mix rum and whiskey and debate these questions - and more - on this week’s episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt take a look at the 2nd Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights, which protects the basic right of every American to own firearms. Due to mass shootings and the general high level of gun violence in America, many want tighter restrictions. But others argue that restricting the right to bear arms is simply unconstitutional. Is the 2nd Amendment a barrier to common-sense gun regulations? What would the United States look like without it? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt debate the merits of a new Senate bill aimed at raising the national minimum tobacco purchasing age to 21. In a country where most smokers form their habits in their middle and high school years, would raising the minimum age even do anything, or is it just another example of government overreach, bordering on statism? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink too much whiskey and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss impeachment. With a Republican congressman coming out in favor of impeachment this week, the country is facing tough questions. Did Trump commit impeachable offenses? If so, should we impeach - even if it means he might be acquitted? What happens if impeachment fails? Join us as we drink fine Canadian whiskey and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt look at the pool of 2020 Democratic hopefuls and their platforms - from centrists set on reunification to - gulp - socialists hell bent on political revolution. With the face of the American left ever changing and a surge of new young voters, should the party move to the left? Or should they count on capturing moderates and undecided voters by moving to the center? Or is there a third option? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink a pint of Fireball whiskey and debate these questions and more on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt dive into the core mechanic of the United States presidential election system - the electoral college! With two relatively recent instances of American presidents losing the popular vote but winning the presidency, many are wondering - is the US election system broken? Should America move to a straight-up popular vote system, adjust the electoral college, or simply leave the system alone? Join us as Kurt and Mike drink enough rum to sedate a gorilla and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt debate Universal Basic Income! We zoom in on Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang's "Freedom Dividend," a proposal to give each adult American $1,000 each and every month, no strings attached. The goal is to counteract the jobs displaced by the rise of AI and automation in key American industries - but will this program break the bank? Is there really a big enough problem to take this drastic an action? And might the Freedom Dividend hurt the most marginalized people in the country? Join us as we drink rosé-infused beer and debate these questions and more on this week's Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt debate the merits and pitfalls of the major election reform bill that just passed in the US House of Representatives, HR1, the For The People Act of 2019. What's in the bill? What are the biggest pros and cons? Does the bill do enough good to pass it despite it's shortcomings, or should it be sent back to the chop shop? Join us as we drink too much craft beer and debate these questions and more on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain! www.patreon.com/rblbpod

In this round, Kurt and Mike discuss the trials of freshman Democratic House Representative Ilhan Omar, whose recent comments about Israel and the prominent lobby organization AIPAC have landed her in hot water with the political right - and even some of her allies in the Democratic party. What exactly did she say, and what's the context of her comments? Were Omar's comments anti-semitic and, if so, what should be done about it? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink too much beer and discuss these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss the Venezuela situation. What's going on? What's the history of Venezuela, and what's the relationship between controversial ex-president Hugo Chavez and sitting president Nicolas Maduro? Why is everybody in the US talking about it? Why does the Trump administration seem to care so much? Is Venezuela proof that socialism is a failure? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink a few beers and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss the controversy surrounding Empire star Jussie Smollett's claims of falling victim to a politically-motivated hate crime. After gaining the national spotlight with a harrowing story of an attempted lynching, Smollett is now in hot water, charged with fabricating the entire event in an elaborate publicity scheme. But even as the facts of the story come to light, the political firestorm is raging. What does this strange affair tell us about American political discourse? Join us as Mike and Kurt mix whiskey and gin and discuss this question - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt knock a few down and debate the merits and shortcomings of the Democrats' Green New Deal legislation. What are the chances AOC's signature legislation will pass the House? Is it necessary? If it passed, what would life in Green New Deal America be like? Could the free market solve our climate challenges better than government intervention? Join us as we drink enough to drown a cow and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Kurt and Mike discuss the House Democrats' recent proposal to make Election day (the first Tuesday of November) a yearly federal holiday! What are the pros and cons of adding another holiday to the year? Is it just another Democratic power grab, as Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested? Would the lost productivity and guaranteed federal payroll break the bank? Would people even be more likely to vote?? Join us as Mike and Kurt drink far too much Canadian Whiskey and debate these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt debate the first major policy proposal from Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren - a 2-3% wealth tax on Americans worth $50m and up. What are the odds the law will pass? Do Americans support such a law? Would it even fix anything, or is this proposal just a punishment on the wealthy? Join us as Mike and Kurt debate these questions - and more - on this week’s episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this round, Mike and Kurt discuss the Supreme Court's decision to stay the injunction on Donald Trump's 2017 ban on transgender people in the United States military. While a final decision on the ban will come at a future time, the Court's decision is a significant blow to those wishing for trans inclusion in the military, effectively allowing trans people to be banned indefinitely. Is there a moral or practical justification for the ban? What are the odds that it'll be overturned? And how will the ban impact the thousands of trans soldiers currently serving? Join us as we discuss these questions - and more - on this week's episode of Right Brain Left Brain!

In this special round, Mike and Kurt bring on a guest - filmmaker and writer Cody Clarke! Join us as we discuss being in the political minority, New York politics, a possible Mike Bloomberg presidential run, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and Cody's upcoming film Mute Date, and more!