Trump's Imperial Presidency in Overdrive and Grahm Platner's Collapse

Trump's Imperial Presidency in Overdrive and Grahm Platner's Collapse

Author: The Politics Guys - Government Democracy & News July 11, 2026 Duration: 1:08:06
Trey Orndorff and Ken Katkin tackle the ongoing volatilty of the U.S. / Iran conflict and its month-old Memorandum of Understanding falling apart. Ken argues there is no hope for peace until the next presidential elections. Trey is not sure even that event will end the violence fully. The pair also discuss the Friday morning mystery of the unclaimed bombs and who might be responsible.

Next they discuss NATO and the discordent tone between Trump's demands to halt all U.S. trade with Spain and for Greenland to be purchased from Denmark. Trey and Ken look under the hood and find the real reasoning: Madrid's locking its airspace to American warplanes bound for Iran.

They close with a discussion of the collapse Grahm Platner as a result of harrowing allegations of rape and domestic abuse. Trey argues that Democrats should have jumped ship long ago just on the basis of his written comments and his likely Nazi tattoo. Trey and Ken break down the strict state statutory deadlines for the Maine Democratic Committee to salvage the ballot, clash over whether a centrist replacement actually helps or hurts against incumbent Susan Collins, and dissect why primary voters are increasingly willing to overlook massive personal red flags to back an aggressive "fighter."

We hear you! Everyone wants to know when The Politics Guys are finally launching video episodes on YouTube. We’ve got a promise for you: If 25 new supporters join or existing supporters increase their tier this month, we will officially start releasing some video episodes. Plus, anyone who signs up or upgrades in July will be automatically entered into a raffle to win a free year of membership at their current tier!
  • 90% Off Your First Monthly Month: Use code 0943D
  • An Additional 10% Off Annual Support: Use code 9B50C


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.

Tired of political conversations that feel more like shouting matches? The Politics Guys offers a different space, one built on civility and genuine expertise rather than partisan performance. Host Michael Baranowski guides discussions with a rotating panel of knowledgeable voices-political scientists, law professors, and attorneys who've worked within government. These aren't just pundits; they're practitioners and scholars who bring evidence and experience to the table. Each episode digs into the nuances of American policy and the political landscape, ensuring multiple perspectives are heard not as debate points, but as integral parts of a complex whole. You'll find the analysis here is grounded and deliberate, a conscious step away from the reactive news cycle. This podcast thrives on the principle that understanding different viewpoints is the foundation of a healthier democracy, not a compromise of one's own. It’s for anyone seeking depth over drama, and substance over soundbites, in their political listening.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Politics Guys
Podcast Episodes
Can Maine Kill the Super PAC? Larry Lessig’s Supreme Court Strategy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:09
Could a voter-approved law in Maine bring down the legal foundation of Super PACs without overturning Citizens United? Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig joins Mike to explain why he believes the lower-court ruling in…
Scott Wiener on Housing, AI, and Democrats’ Build-or-Fail Moment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:50
Michael Levy talks with California State Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco, one of the country’s leading Democratic voices on housing policy, artificial intelligence, the abundance movement, LGBTQ rights, and sexual…
Testing Trump’s Power on Birthright Citizenship, the Fed, and Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:43
Mike and Jay kick off the Fourth of July weekend with a quick reflection on America at 250 before turning to a packed week of constitutional conflict: renewed U.S.-Iran tensions near the Strait of Hormuz, Trump’s failed…
Can AI Make Campaign Texts Less Awful? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:36
Mike talks with Tom Carroll, co-founder and CEO of Convos, a controlled AI-powered texting platform designed to turn campaign texting from one-way blasts into two-way voter conversations. They discuss why campaign texts…
Political Ideologies: Multiculturalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:26
In this supporter-exclusive midweek episode, Trey is joined by Justin, and they cover multiculturalism as an ideology.On this week’s show, Trey and Justin discuss:Core principles of multiculturalismWhat differentiates mu…