Tim Talks Politics

To help us assess the Trump administration's first 100 days in power, I've called back to the podcast guests who have all been on to talk about different aspects of this administration. Dr. Scott Waller, Dr. Matt Van Hook, and Dustin Steeve all on the podcast on individual prior episodes to discuss Inauguration Day and the GOP platform (Dr. Waller), VP Vance's Munich speech and the Trump foreign policy (Dr. Matt Van Hook), and the work of Elon Musk and DOGE (Dustin Steeve). In this conversation, we revisit each of these arenas while more broadly discussing the pros and cons of “first 100 days” assessments, the legislative efforts of the Trump administration, and how to think about President Trump's ongoing conflicts with the judiciary branch.Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full show notes (30% for podcast listeners)!

Dr. Andrew Bailey returns to the podcast to talk about Bitcoin, or rather, the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. Amidst the flurry of President Trump's executive orders was one that was celebrated by many in the cryptocurrency world, but generally raised, at best, ambivalent eyebrows in the broader policy world: the creation of 1) a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve (BSR) and 2) a cryptocurrency stockpile. On the surface, this seemed to be a major step forward in mainstreaming cryptocurrency, and Bitcoin in particular, while also fulfilling a Trump campaign promise. But how was such a strategic reserve going to work? How would American governments utilize it? Is it just a holding pen for cryptocurrencies, or is there more to it than that?In this discussion, Andrew walks us through the whats, whys, and hows of the BSR. We talk about the executive order that established the BSR as well as ongoing legislative efforts to make the BSR a permanent feature of American strategic planning. Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full show notes (30% for podcast listeners)!

Mark David Hall is back on the podcast to talk about Christian nationalism, only this time, we're talking about the broader topic of religious nationalism globally. While Christian nationalism has received quite a bit of (inflated) attention in the US, there has been a noticeable trend towards religious nationalism around the world. It was a trend I picked up on and wrote about in a blog post (see below) ten years ago, but Mark and I discuss this trend now because earlier this year, Pew Research published a study on religious nationalism and how America and Christian nationalism measures up with other countries and their dominant religions. The Pew study validates a major claim Mark has been writing and speaking on, namely, that the concerns about Christian nationalism in America are indeed overblown. However, the study does much more than by giving us a window into something I only hinted at in my doctoral dissertation research: political culture influences state action. Religious nationalisms of all stripes and inherently political ideologies that seek to define and shape political culture a particular way, which, proportional to their population size in a country could have large effects on domestic and international politics. This was a groundbreaking and important study by Pew, and well worth taking the time to read and digest.Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full show notes (30% for podcast listeners)!

For the moment, the press and populace appear to be focused on the Trump administration's handling of Ukraine, but don't let that fool you; the lightning rod of controversy in the second Trump administration remains Elon Musk and DOGE. Just what is DOGE doing? What is the method behind Musk's seeming madness? My guest today is a good friend and longtime Musk watcher, Dustin Steeve. Dustin, not unlike Musk, sits at the intersection of business, entrepreneurship, and politics, and he's one of the sharpest culture critics I know. His experience in the world of business leadership and tech entrepreneurship gives him unique insight into understanding the principles that undergird Musk's (often mistaken) brand of chaotic leadership.In this podcast, Dustin and I walk through Musk's background and what he's bringing to the table in terms of assisting the President to find and cut waste and redundancies in the federal government. We then pivot to discussing the work of DOGE, the challenges inherent in any organizational restructuring. Along the way, Dustin provides some excellent contextual background on DOGE, what it is, and what it is not. This is a podcast that cuts through a lot of the hyperbolic noise surrounding Musk and the work of DOGE, and is well worth your time, especially if you, like me, have only been tangentially aware of Musk and his work prior to his emergence as a major player on Team Trump.⁠Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full show notes (30% for podcast listeners)!

Whoa, Nelly! Starting with the Munich Security Conference this past February, Vice President Vance outlined a bracing critique of the emerging political cultures in America's European allies. As of this posting, US-Europe relations have been on one crazy rollercoaster, careening from Vance's speech to a two-week whirlwind of Ukrainian diplomacy that culminated in the now mythical dust up in the Oval Office that had critics of the Trump administration wringing their hands over the future of the transatlantic alliance.What is this new dispensation of US diplomacy we seem to be living in? Dr. Matt Van Hook returns to the podcast today to unpack the speech that started it all, VP Vance's broadside at the Munich Security Conference. Matt and I walk through the speech and its main themes, locate it in the broader context of public diplomacy and (Vice) Presidential rhetoric, and consider whether or not the transatlantic alliance really is in as much trouble as many seem to think.NOTE: This was recorded two days before that Oval Office row, so if you're wondering why we don't discuss it, there you go. Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics on Substack⁠⁠⁠ (30% for podcast listeners)!

We're only one month (not even) into the second Trump administration, and word is we're in the midst of a “constitutional crisis”! So, set your hair on fire, clutch your pearls, and rage tweet!Of course, you know I don't think you should do that.Google Trends indicates that the term “constitutional crisis” really peaked only in the last couple of weeks, and largely peaked in the Washington DC metro area. Outside the Beltway, the term has not gained that much traction. Why? Are average Americans just that disconnected from the impending authoritarian takeover of the Trump-Musk cabal? Do they no longer value the checks and balances of the Constitutional order?No and no.In this episode, I'm going to walk you through the emergence of the “constitutional crisis” term and the narrative around it in the American media space.We'll take a look at how the term has been used, what it's being used to describe, and relevant historical parallels all in an effort to bring perspective and clarity to the “crisis of the moment” that is actually not much of a crisis. Subscribe to the ⁠⁠Weekly Brief on Substack⁠⁠ (30% for podcast listeners)!

Today's show is a rebroadcast of Episode 34 where I discussed the nature and limitations of executive orders. Both the Biden and Trump administrations spent their first days in office signing executive orders almost as fast as staffers could get them across their desks. And while those executive orders demonstrate the “energy” Publius sought to imbue the executive branch with, they also come with some real limitations. In today's show, I'm going to provide you with a brief overview of executive orders, their purposes, how they fit in our Constitution system, and why they so often become a lightning rod for partisan controversy. Subscribe to the ⁠Weekly Brief on Substack⁠ (30% for podcast listeners)!

This week ushered in the second Trump administration as President Trump took the oath of office in the Capitol Rotunda due to inclement weather. Rather fitting, no? A storm is raging outside, but the American republic literally and figuratively takes shelter within the physical and political structures established by the Constitution. That wasn't the only thought provoking visual the inauguration ceremony presented. In style and substance, this second Trump inauguration signaled a serious shift from the Biden years towards a vision of American possibility that drew on history, the Constitutional order, Trump's own brand of optimistic swagger, and America's religious roots.  There is a lot to unpack, here, so I jumped on a call with my friend and colleague, Dr. Scott Waller of Biola University, to unpack the imagery, rhetoric, and history of the moment we witnessed this past Monday. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener!

It's 2025 and we've got a new year, new Congress, new President, and a very different political landscape in the US and abroad. How, then, should America conduct itself on the world stage? How will the new Trump administration approach the many simmering conflicts around the world while navigating the still fluid political realignment at home? Are we entering a period of renewed American isolationism? To answer these questions (and a whole lot more), I talk about the future of American foreign policy with New York Times bestselling author Stephen Mansfield. I've been reading Stephen's books since high school, and I highly recommend his podcast, The Stephen Mansfield Podcast. Stephen brings decades of experience in historical research and writing, and international experience to bear on these big questions surrounding the future of American foreign policy. Our focus in this discussion is exploring the future of American foreign policy, particularly in the realigned Republican Party under Donald Trump, and what a conservative view of foreign policy may look like going forward. Is there room for an internationalist conservative vision of foreign policy in an expanded GOP tent, or will the isolationist instincts of Donald Trump and his MAGA base prevail? In this wide ranging conversation, we talk about everything from the Middle East and the Kurds to Winston Churchill to what a Trump 2.0 foreign policy could look like. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener!

Joseph Eptstein is back on the podcast to discuss recent events in the Middle East. As listeners of my podcast and readers of my newsletter know, Syria has undergone a seismic change in the last month with the collapse of the Assad regime, and the emergence of a new government composed of elements of a Turkey-backed rebel coalition. Where do we go from here? Joseph and I unpack this question as we explore the events that led up to Assad's ouster, the groups and people now seeking to build a better Syria, and the broader regional and global implications of one of 2024's biggest black swan events. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener!

Disclaimer: Since we're talking about bitcoin, cryptocurrencies in this podcast, and I reference my work as a financial advisor, I must emphasize that the content of this podcast is for information and educational purposes ONLY. Nothing discussed here should be taken as personal financial or investment advice for any individual or group. Onwards! Bitcoin keeps pushing close to the $100,000 mark, which is a long way from where the world's most prominent cryptocurrency started in 2010. The crazy thing is that, relatively speaking, bitcoin is still in its infancy, yet it is making a mark on politics and economics alike. From recalibrating the political economy of El Salvador to its use as an alternative source of money for Russian dissidents and Ukrainian refugees, bitcoin is carving out space for itself in the global economy. To help unpack bitcoin, how it works, and its growing use as “resistance money,” I've brought on friend and colleague Andrew Bailey from Yale-NUS to discuss Resistance Money: A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin, a book he recently published with coauthors Bradley Rettler and Craig Warmke.  In this discussion, we explore Bitcoin's evolution, its use as resistance money, the El Salvador experiment, and how Bitcoin mining is contributing to developing green energy infrastructure around the world. It's a fascinating discussion that helped me broaden my view of what had been a somewhat mysterious topic to me prior to reading Andrew's work. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

There was a time not too very long ago when the so-called Global War on Terror dominated American national security and foreign policy thinking. Not so today as the doyens of American grand strategy fret over great power competition with Russia and China, and the return of nuclear proliferation with Iran and North Korea. So what happened to global terrorism? What became of Al-Qaeda and ISIS? They never went away, in fact, in some respects, these two organizations have never been more active. They're just not that focused on the US and the US is not that focused on them. What shifted in the politics and geographic footprint in global terrorism and its main actors? To help me unpack this fascinating topic, I welcome Dr. Steven Childs to the show. Dr. Childs and I are friends and colleagues. We both got our doctorates from Claremont Graduate University where we studied under the same professors, and we've collaborated on multiple writing projects, including one on terrorism. Dr. Childs is currently the director of the Masters in National Security Studies program at Cal State San Bernardino.  In this wide ranging interview, we discuss the geostrategic shift in world politics towards great power competition and what that means for the ongoing fight against terror groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, then we dive into an overview of the current status of terrorism and its major organizations today.  Just a reminder! Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

It's a week after Election Day and what a fascinating election it was. You can see my initial assessment of the election in my newsletter (link below), but in this podcast I'm going for a bit of a palette cleanser. If you've been feeling overwhelmed or generally weary with all the election coverage, may I recommend the Gettysburg Address?  Arguably one of the greatest speeches, if not the greatest, in American history, Abraham Lincoln's brief words memorializing the Gettysburg battlefield present us with enduring lessons on the nature of the American state, and casts an expansive moral vision for the future of the republic.  Today on the podcast, I'm joined by Lincoln scholar Dr. Matt Van Hook who is an Assistant Director and Associate Professor in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University. We recorded this podcast before the November 5th election, but it's a timely walkthrough of a timeless work of political thought and prose. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

We're less than a week away from Election Day and the presidential race looks as tight as most people anticipated. However, recent media appearances by Kamala Harris have again failed to move the needle in her favor, and may even be accelerating a sense of alienation between independent voters and the Democratic Party as well as growing frustration within the Democratic base. In this second of two episodes looking at the major party platforms, I sit down with my friends and colleagues in Biola University's Political Science Department to break down the party platforms of 2024. In this episode, Drs. Scott Waller and Darren Guerra cover the Democratic Party's platform, which is very different from the GOP platform we covered last time.  Admittedly, all three of us are conservative voters who generally vote Republican, but we're also scholars who are interested in pursuing truth and wisdom. So, even though we bend a rather critical eye on this document, we're working to understand the reasoning behind the Democratic Party's choices in terms of format, length, policy options, etc. that show up in this platform. This is a discussion that seeks to understand how the Democratic Party views the voting public in the context of a significant political realignment. If you've felt a little confused over why the opposing parties seem so different this year, this is a great conversation to understand the political changes afoot in America, and I would highly recommend you listen to it in tandem with our discussion on the GOP platform. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

As America careens towards another presidential election, it's already been a campaign season marked by once in a generation changes such as the pro-life movement getting marginalized inside the GOP, key blocs of voters breaking with the Democratic Party, assassination attempts on Donald Trump, and the list goes on. But what is it that Democrats and Republicans are trying to achieve in this election cycle, besides winning, that is? What does a vote for a Republican or Democrat even mean these days? In the next two episodes of this podcast, I sit down with my friends and colleagues in Biola University's Political Science Department to break down the party platforms of 2024. In this episode, Drs. Scott Waller and Darren Guerra cover the Republican platform, which is a very different kind of platform on many different fronts. As experts in religious liberty issues (Waller) and Constitutional thought (Guerra), Scott and Darren bring both a historical awareness of Republican politics as well as developments in the broader American political system to this conversation.  This is a discussion that seeks to locate what appears to be a different kind of platform document in the context of a significant political realignment. If you've felt a little confused over why the opposing parties seem so different this year, this is a great conversation to understand the political changes afoot in America. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

As we hit the homestretch of the 2024 election, we're witnessing significant changes to the demographics of the Democratic and Republican coalitions. Political scientists call this “realignment” and we haven't seen one this big in a generation. Just this last week, a new report came showing that for the first time ever, registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats nationwide. That expanding tent creates a more favorable electoral map for the GOP, but it also creates some difficult realities for constituencies that have long formed foundational blocs in the GOP. One such group is the pro-life movement that has anchored the social conservative vote in the GOP for the last 50-plus years. This year, however, it's different. As public opinion has shifted on abortion and pro-life sponsored legislation on abortion failed in battleground states (and even some red ones), the GOP platform for 2024 followed the lead of Donald Trump and visibly distanced itself from the pro-life position. In this interview, I sat down to chat with Baylor University's Matthew Lee Anderson and unpack a recent article he wrote for The Dispatch on the future of the pro-life movement. We discuss the shifting political realities that appear to have put the pro-life movement on its back foot, before delving into how the pro-life movement can use this time of being in the proverbial “political wilderness” to hone its outreach and messaging to the broader American culture. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

Christian nationalism has gotten a lot of play the last few years, particularly in the rhetoric of its opponents in journalism, academia, and even the White House. According to its critics, Christian nationalism is a malevolent ideology that has allied itself with Donald Trump to capture conservative politics in America with the aim of bringing about a dystopian Christian theocracy akin to The Handmaid's Tale. Mark David Hall argues in his new book, Who's Afraid of Christian Nationalism?, that such claims are overblown and that Christian nationalism is not the existential threat the critics claim. In fact, Christian nationalism may not even be a helpful phrase to describe the thinking of American Christians when it comes to politics in general. In this interview, Mark and I chart the rise of the term turned pejorative, explore both journalistic and academic writing on Christian nationalism, evaluate the data connected with that research, and discuss how those (very) few Christians who do seek to make an affirmative case for Christian nationalism aren't even representative of most Christians. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

Joseph Epstein is back on the show to give us an update on the regional conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iran. While Hamas remains the main target of Israeli operations in Gaza, the conflict with Iran is increasingly coming to the forefront, which is raising fears of a broader war. We discuss how the July assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in Syria and Iran is shaping Iran's strategic calculus, and explore why, despite the high profile nature of Ismail Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran, Iran has yet to strike back at Israel as of this recording. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

OK, the title is a little dramatic, but I wanted to build off of comments I made in my last podcast as well a theme I've been developing this summer in my newsletter: The American news media is so caught up in the drama of the upcoming presidential election that it is not serving the American people well in keeping readers abreast of what else is happening in the world.  To illustrate that point, I'm going to run you through the Council of Foreign Relations' Global Conflict Tracker, and I'll put a link to it in the show notes if you'd like to follow along. Or you can just open up Google maps, or a good old fashioned paper atlas if such a one still graces your bookshelf.  Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics ⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

The Summer of 2024 will go down in American history as one of the most exciting, if not consequential, summers in modern history. The way I've been putting it to people is that it's like we've taken the political violence, economic turmoil, and geopolitical tensions of the 1960s, that whole decade, and just squeezed it into one summer. That's intense. quick review of domestic politics in the Summer of 2024 and look ahead to what's in store for this publication in the coming months.Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics ⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

When you hear people talk about World War III do you typically envision nuclear armed superpowers slinging nukes at hordes of robot soldiers until human civilization is blasted into a post-apocalyptic desert? Or maybe you imagine something akin to the last World War with millions of soldiers fighting on every continent and in every domain. My guest today argues that in reality, World War III may have already started and it's not what we typically imagine.  Joseph Epstein is the Legislative Analyst at the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), a Washington DC think tank, and is an expert on foreign policy, terrorism, and the Middle East. In a fascinating discussion that starts with the war in Gaza, we broaden the scope to consider one of Epstein's many articles exploring the possibility that World War III has already begun, and we discuss its different dimensions and implications for US policy. Rather than an all-consuming conflict, Epstein argues that this current “World War” is being fought in the “gray zone” - a domain just below the threshold of declared war where countries seek to preserve plausible deniability and avoid direct conflict while still inflicting harm on their adversary. Think America “fighting” Russia by arming Ukraine, or Iran “fighting” Israel through its region-wide network of terror proxies. Gray zone tactics also emerge in the information domain in the form of propaganda and information warfare, and in economics via sanctions and heightened trade barriers.  Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics  on Substack⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

This past semester, I had the opportunity to explore the Arab-Israeli conflict, its history and politics, with a class of undergraduate students. During that class, I brought in my good friend, and former TTP podcast guest, Judith Rood to discuss her personal background and its connection to the Arab-Israeli conflict and to explore some of the more complex elements that animate Israeli-Palestinian relations. This is Part 2 of that guest lecture. In it, we discuss the contentious issues surrounding Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the oft overlooked issue of sovereignty in determining national claims in this contested corner of the world. Subscribe to the ⁠⁠Weekly Brief on Substack⁠⁠ (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at⁠⁠ www.timtalkspolitics.com⁠⁠. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

October 7, 2023 marked a fresh round of warfare between Israel and Hamas, the terrorist organization governing the Gaza Strip. I had the opportunity to explore the broader Arab-Israeli conflict, its history and politics, with a class of undergraduate students this last semester. During that class, I brought in my good friend, and former TTP podcast guest, Judith Rood to discuss her personal background and its connection to the Arab-Israeli conflict and to explore some of the more complex elements that animate Israeli-Palestinian relations. This is a recording of that guest lecture and it's been divided into two parts, the second of which will air next week. Subscribe to the ⁠Weekly Brief on Substack⁠ (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at⁠ www.timtalkspolitics.com⁠. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/timtalkspolitics/support

One of the major demographic trends pollsters and politicos have been watching for the past few decades is the growing electoral clout of Hispanic voters in America. Traditionally, this trend line has been read as translating into an almost one for one electoral advantage for Democrats. Then Donald Trump happened... and a pandemic... and a President-Biden induced inflationary period... and an increasingly unstable southern border. Over the course of the last three election cycles, a steady stream of Hispanic voters started leaving the Democratic Party. As we approach the 2022 midterms, that stream has turned into a recognizable river with potential long term consequences for Democrats. But will it automatically translate into gains for Republicans? My guest today is a freelance writer and one of those Hispanic voters. Joe Laughon lives, reads, and writes on the topic of Hispanic voters in America, and he joins the podcast today to explore where this trend line is headed. It is a wide ranging discussion full of the kind of nuance, historical perspective, and personal insight that guests routinely bring to this podcast. I hope you find it an enjoyable and insightful listen. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter the Weekly Brief on Substack for a weekly summary of the major events shaping our world (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

In this episode, I'm going evaluate several questions related to the Dobbs ruling and abortion more broadly. There is a LOT of misinformation/misinterpretation on this ruling out in the media ecosystem, so I think a little Q&A clarification may be in order. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter the Weekly Brief on Substack for a weekly summary of the major events shaping our world (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

We're almost a month past America's withdrawal from Afghanistan, and it is shocking to see how quickly the conflict and the debacle of the withdrawal has faded already in the public square. Today on the podcast, I unpack the history of the Afghanistan war, the withdrawal and its effects with two veterans of the Afghanistan conflict, Joseph Lake and Matt Said. Besides being personal friends and all around great guys, I asked Joseph and Matt to be on the podcast at the same time so that listeners can get an idea of the complexity of war. They were in the country at different points in time, in different regions, doing different things, which informs their thinking on the subject. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter the Weekly Brief on Substack for a weekly summary of the major events shaping our world (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

We conclude our read through of the UN Charter by evaluating the International Trusteeship System (yeah, I hadn't heard of it either), the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter the Weekly Brief on Substack for a weekly summary of the major events shaping our world (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

In Part 2 or our read-through of the UN Charter, we cover Chapters VII-XII, which explore the roles envisioned for the Security Council and other UN organs in facilitating conflict resolution, economic development and social exchange. How best to interpret these articles? Are they goals? A strategy? Or, a strategy made up of more goals? Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter the Weekly Brief on Substack for a weekly summary of the major events shaping our world (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Historically, the UN has not been popular in the United States with a more vocal segment of the population critiquing its checkered history of peace missions gone wrong, institutional corruption, and the undermining of its stated democratic and liberal ideals. However, before one can grasp what the UN is and is not capable of, and whether America should or should not leverage the UN in its diplomacy, one should first start with a basic understanding of its purposes and organization. In this and the next two episodes, we're going to read through and comment the UN's foundational document, the UN charter. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter the Weekly Brief on Substack for a weekly summary of the major events shaping our world (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

In this episode, I walk you through the NATO charter and the background of America's oldest standing political alliance. In his inaugural address, Biden argued that his administration would bring diplomacy, alliance commitments and democracy back and send them to new heights. His European trip earlier this summer was a key element of that recommitment to multilateral diplomacy. The trip also finished with a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. European allies and Russia. No two entities symbolize America's core geopolitical interests than this, and the embodiment of America's alliance with Western Europe and security check against Russia is found in the NATO charter. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter the Weekly Brief on Substack for a weekly summary of the major events shaping our world (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

You've probably heard the saying "all politics is local," but what does that actually say about local politics? In the negative sense, it may refer to some cynical calculus about what issues ought to be discussed to win an election. However, in the positive sense, the saying can help us ground our understanding of politics and government in the more immediate concerns of our local communities, which can often have an uncanny way of building consensus, neighborliness, and all the positive attributes that can overcome the divisive politics of our time. To help me unpack the virtues of local government and discuss the practical ways average citizens can get involved, I'm joined on the podcast by my friend and colleague Eric Alegria. Besides being a doctoral student, working professional, and family man, Eric also serves as the mayor of his city. In this conversation, we discuss what got him involved in local government, the challenges of civic leadership in the COVID era, the avenues open to citizen involvement in local government, and the practical step one can take to get involved. This is fun, practical, and encouraging conversation about what's possible in a democratic society where citizens care about their neighbors and community. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

There are few conflicts more contentious and polarizing in the American public square than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That conflict flamed anew in recent weeks over property disputes in East Jerusalem neighborhoods. What started as demonstrations quickly morphed into rioting, then military conflict as Islamist militants led by Hamas in the Gaza Strip volleyed thousands of rockets at Israeli cities and towns. As this podcast airs, there’s a ceasefire, so we may as well make use of the time to get our bearings on this conflict. In today’s episode of the Tim Talks Politics podcast, I interview Dr. Judith Mendelsohn Rood, Professor Emeritus from Biola University on the deep and complex roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Strap in because while this conversation is longer than my usual interviews, it’s an information firehose! Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Harvard's Dr. Tom Patterson returns to the TTP podcast to talk about the future of the Republican Party in the "post-Trump" political landscape. I put "post-Trump" in quotations because, as we discuss in this episode, the influence of Trump on the Republican Party is very much a present force in the current GOP. Dr. Patterson and I revisit some of the major themes we discussed in our last conversation on challenges facing the Republican Party, then broaden the discussion to include challenges faced by the Democrats when it comes to governance, and the broader implications of a non-functioning Congress to the American political system. It's a stimulating conversation which locates current events in a much broader historical context than you'll find in the 24-hour news cycle. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

April 15 is Tax Day in America! Not exactly a national holiday, but a day of civic significance as the IRS starts raking in the revenue that will be used to fund your government and its multitude of functions. But how exactly are we taxed? Where does all the money go? Who even decided that taxing Americans for working was such a good idea that it should be written into the Constitution? Americans rebelled against England, in part, over taxes, but taxes remain a necessary evil, so in this episode, I explore some the foundational questions related to the how your taxes are calculated, collected and used. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

This podcast has kind of fallen into series on evaluating some of the initial components of the Biden administration, using them as a jumping off point to discuss larger themes in American government with respect to the Presidency. In this episode, I’m going to provide an overview of the Interim National Security Strategy Guidance document as being the first major articulation of the Biden foreign policy. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Joe Biden is barely a month in office and he’s already setting a fairly blistering pace of signing executive orders. Why so much activity so early? Is it just about undoing the Trump legacy? Is it about signaling a “energetic executive”? Is it signaling a larger legislative effort? Well, it’s a little of “all of the above”. Compared to his immediate predecessors, Joe Biden moved quickly to sign a bunch of executive orders in the opening weeks of his administration that left many critics crying “imperial presidency,” and “executive overreach!” But is it? In today’s show, I’m going to provide you with a brief overview of executive orders, their purposes, how they fit in our Constitution system, and why they so often become a lightning rod for partisan controversy. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Typically, I'd be posting a new episode this week, but I'm in the midst of preparing for my qualifying exams in my doctoral program, so there won't be the usual podcast episode this week. BUT, I look forward to talking with you again in a couple weeks when I'm (hopefully) safely on the other side of qualifying exams. Until next time, then! Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

I recorded this episode on Inauguration Day and took the opportunity to do a rhetorical analysis of President Biden's inaugural address. It was a solid speech that hit all the right notes of pathos in keeping with the best traditions of inaugural addresses, and it also made a couple of surprising innovations. That's the rhetorical analysis. From a political standpoint, though, it's a speech that will likely leave the half of America that did not vote for Biden uneasy with veiled references to a national campaign against "political extremism, white supremacy, and domestic terrorism," and no mention of the strategic challenges America faces from countries like China. Lots to dig into in this episode, I hope you enjoy it! Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

As we start the new year with a runoff Senate election in Georgia and ongoing drama surrounding the presidential election of 2020, I've noticed a deepening divide or polarization in the information space. So, I thought to start this next round of podcasts, I'd rebroadcast one of my earliest podcasts on the "information cycle." Information is critical to understanding our political system, which is why an independent and diverse media is so crucial to the health of democratic system. However, the Internet has broken down a lot of barriers and filters, and now we’re all members of the media. So we need to discuss how we, as citizens, engage in information and how that informs our politics. So today, I want to talk about how to find good information and how to use it in your political discussions, then I’ll supply you with a few resources. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

In this last episode of 2020, I hit pause to consider lessons learned over the course of a tumultuous year, and share a few things that I'm concerned about and excited about in 2021. 2020 was a tumultuous year to say the least, but we made it through! We're here and it's as good a time as any to consider what was learned. I'm a big proponent of life long learning and some of the best learning come through experience coupled with reflection. For me, for example, this year was an incredible opportunity to learn and write about presidential decision-making while watching it unfold in real time as America grappled with a pandemic, social upheaval, a raucous election and more. This episode is by no means an exhaustive exploration of all I thought and read, so if you're interested in hearing my thoughts on other topics please drop me a line and ask away! In the meantime, I hope the rest of your 2020 is restful and restorative. Merry Christmas and I'll see you in 2021! Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

December 14 is the date that the Electoral College will cast its ballots for the United States President and it will likely be a victory for Joe Biden. President Trump continues with his slate of lawsuits alleging election fraud in numerous states, but said last week that he will concede only after he is officially defeated in the Electoral College. Is Trump’s refusal to concede sour grapes, or a very strict reading of the Constitution? It may be a little of both, but the winner of a Presidential election is not official until the Electoral College has cast its ballots and had them verified in Congress. It makes the process of electing the President longer and a little more complicated. Additionally, several past elections have seen candidates become presidents after losing the popular vote and winning the electoral vote. What gives? Is this undemocratic? Why does the US Constitution mandate such an odd intermediary step after a national vote? I’m going to address each of these questions in today’s podcast. Don't forget, you can subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack and get 30% for podcast listeners! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

We are two weeks past Election Day 2020, but the final result, while projected, is still being finalized. Joe Biden is the projected president-elect, but the Trump administration is challenging the final results in several states in court. Both sides are adamant they won and that the other side is "stealing" the election from them. This is incredibly damaging rhetoric, but going through the courts to affirm in the integrity of the vote is an excellent antidote. The critical question, in my mind, is the degree to which American citizens will affirm the ruling of the courts? In this episode of the Tim Talks Politics podcast, I explore the potential consequences of this rhetoric of "stealing", while also unpacking some of the emerging trends we're seeing taking shape in the post election landscape. I consider the significance of America's party realignment, the character and makeup of the Democratic and Republican Parties going forward, and challenge listeners to break out of their information echo chambers as they seek information on understanding our political context. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

It's election time! Or, rather, it was election time. I recorded this episode the day after Election Day, and you're getting this the next day after that, so there may still be some changes coming. However, I take the time in this episode to offer some quick thoughts on what I see as a largely positive outcome to this election. Close elections are always tense, but I think there's a lot that Americans can be proud about and encouraged by in this election. Additionally, I discuss some of the emerging stories and trend lines that the drama of the presidential election may be obscuring, and make for more mentions of my newsletter than I typically do. :) Speaking of that newsletter, you can subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Continuing my fall series of interviews on different aspects of the 2020 Election, and in this interview I talk with Steve Miller on the Democratic Party's platform and pitch to voters, is it more than "Trump bad"? Well, "Trump bad" is a big part of the pitch and appeal, according to my guest today, Steve Miller. In addition to being my brother-in-law and all around awesome guy, Steve is a market researcher who makes his living studying consumer behavior and decision making, and he brings that insight into this analysis of the Democratic Party's platform and messaging in the 2020 election. This is a fascinating discussion, which I enjoyed immensely. I hope you enjoy it as well! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Continuing my fall series of interviews on different aspects of the 2020 Election, and in this interview I talk with Matthew Anderson on the platform (or lack thereof) of the Republican Party. It's an enjoyable conversation on whether or not people read platforms anymore; why the Republicans chose to retain their 2016 platform while President Trump laid out his own "platform" in the form of a second term agenda; and how things are stacking up for the Republicans heading into the final weeks of the election. NOTE: This was recorded before upheaval of presidential debates and President Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis, so if you're wondering why we're not talking about that, now you know. Enjoy! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

The "Evangelical Vote" is one of the most talked about, mythologized, and misunderstood voting segments in the American populace. Often portrayed in popular media as a monolithic bloc, Evangelicals are surprisingly diverse and that diversity extends to their voting habits. To help us understand how some segments of Evangelical voters are approaching the 2020 election, I interview twin brothers and pastors, Josh and Jeremy Matlock. They bring a unique perspective to this topic as pastors serving in very different parts of the country and ministering to different congregations that my be grouped under the shared heading of "Evangelical," but have different approaches to political thinking and behavior. Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

This is a discussion on the future of the Democratic Party. It mirrors the interview I did with Harvard’s Tom Patterson on the future of the Republican Party. I follow up on that topic by switching focus to consider the Democratic Party. I talk with Dr. Tom Holihan from the University of Southern California to consider what "traps," if any, do Democrats face in the near to medium term (5-10 years) future. Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Part 5 in our summer read through of the US Constitution. In this episode, we wrap our summer series by looking at Amendments 14-27. Most are short, but Amendments 12, 14, 20 and 25 are fairly long by comparison. We’ll consider why that is and also make some commentary on the historical context of several of these amendments as well as length of time it takes to add these amendments to the Constitution. Lots of interesting stuff here that was even new for me to consider. Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Part IV in our summer read through of the US Constitution. In this episode and the next, we’ll cover the Constitution’s 27 amendments. Today, I cover the first 10 Amendments that were ratified in the 1790s as a packaged deal and became known as the Bill of Rights. Whose rights do you ask? Yours, mine, our individual state. Just a reminder, listeners of the podcast can get a discount to my weekly newsletter the Weekly Brief. By subscribing to the Weekly Brief, you'll also get access to a new feature for premium subscribers: An online discussion thread for each podcast episode/topic. Looking forward to talking with you! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Part III in our summer read through of the US Constitution. Articles 3-7 outline the judiciary, the process of amending the Constitution, and lays some of the basic legal and economic groundwork outlining how states were to function in relation to one another in the new republic. Got some good resources to share in this episode too, and a discount to my weekly newsletter the Weekly Brief for podcast listeners. By subscribing to the Weekly Brief, you'll also get access to a new feature for premium subscribers: An online discussion thread for each podcast episode/topic. Looking forward to talking with you! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support

Part II in our summer read through of the US Constitution. Article II deals with the Executive branch, the Electoral College, and the Office of the President. Relevant reading/listening as we approach a presidential election this year. Might be useful to think about the Constitutional duties of the President when considering your vote. Upholding, protecting and defending the Constitution is part of the oath of office after all, the core part of the job description. Got some good resources to share in this episode too, and a discount to my weekly newsletter the Weekly Brief for podcast listeners. By subscribing to the Weekly Brief, you'll also get access to a new feature for premium subscribers: An online discussion thread for each podcast episode/topic. Looking forward to talking with you! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com and subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timtalkspolitics/support