Swalwell Resigns, Trump vs Leo, Orbán Falls, Iran, FISA Section 702

This week, Trey & Ken begin with Representative Eric Swalwell’s resignation from Congress and his suspended gubernatorial bid. Ken and Trey find themselves at odds over the institutional response. Ken argues that if Swalwell maintains his innocence, he should have stayed to fight the charges, suggesting his presence was a net positive for the Democratic caucus. Trey, however, contends that the resignation is a necessary consequence of his actions and that the party must prioritize moral clarity over political utility. Next, the pair turn to Viktor Orbán and the Fidesz party, conceding defeat to the Tisza party. The guys analyze the ripple effects of this election, particularly the role of Vice President JD Vance’s recent stumping for Orbán. Ken offers a provocative take: that the President used Vance’s Hungarian visit as a tactical maneuver to neutralize a VP who has been quietly skeptical of the ongoing war in Iran, at least behind the scenes. Then, the guys turn to the 10-day ceasefire now in place between Israel and Lebanon and the ongoing maritime landscape shift in response. While there are hopes for reopening the Strait to international commerce, the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in full effect. Trey and Ken examine the legal and strategic friction of maintaining an active blockade during a nominal ceasefire, along with the possibility of continued peace after the ceasefire period ends. They also discuss the close war powers vote that occurred in the House. Finally, they close in a moment of agreement. Both Trey and Ken argue that FISA Section 702, despite the President’s recent calls for renewal, has become incompatible with American civil liberties. They discuss why they believe the program, plagued by a history of abuse and the potential for future overreach, belongs in the dustbin of history. Check out the ⁠Future of Our Former Democracy⁠ podcast  Curious about what sort of POTUS you’d be? Find out in the ⁠Fantasy President⁠ presidential simulator. The Politics Guys on ⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠X⁠ Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at⁠ patreon.com/politicsguys⁠ or⁠ politicsguys.com/support⁠. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys. The Politics Guys is part of⁠ The Democracy Group⁠, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices