Episodes

  • ENCORE: Rule Makers and Rule Breakers

    ENCORE: Rule Makers and Rule Breakers
    Feb 6 2025
    Michele Gelfand (Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Professor of Psychology by Courtesy at Stanford University) joins host Ron Steslow to discuss culture, social norms, and her book Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World (01:46) Why she decided to study culture (04:34) What are tight and loose cultures (06:12) Why tight and loose cultures evolve (10:38) The tradeoffs between tight and loose and how different cultures responded to the Covid pandemic (16:19) Tightness-looseness and willingness to change (19:57) Red and Blue vs Tight and Loose (30:36) Tightening around core values, even in loose cultures (34:56) Real and manufactured threats (44:15) How we we can put this framework into action You should read Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: https://amzn.to/3Qy8DQc Follow Michele and Ron on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MicheleJGelfand https://twitter.com/RonSteslow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • The Chaotic Funding Freeze—The Weekly Roundup

    The Chaotic Funding Freeze—The Weekly Roundup
    Feb 1 2025
    To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss the chaos that ignited after the White House pushed for a freeze in federal funding and the Trump Administration backing down Then, we talk about Trump-supporting, young men and their desire to be recognized for greatness Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss the government-run snitch lines in seven states and localities Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: Zack Czajkowski (Fmr. Lincoln Project Political Director) James Lynch (Communications Strategist) Segments this week: (03:19) Funding Freeze Chaos (39:15) The Last Boys Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Send your questions and thoughts to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/JamesGLynch https://x.com/ZackCz Related reading: Segment 1: The Dispatch - Impoundment and the Discretionary Presidency - The Dispatch CNBC - White House says Trump funding freeze remains in effect despite rescinding OMB memo Washington Post - Federal judge blocks Trump federal spending freeze after a day of chaos - The Washington Post Segment 2: The Point Magazine - Last Boys at the Beginning of History | The Point Magazine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Foreign Agents

    Foreign Agents
    Jan 30 2025
    For the full and ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Casey Michel (Director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program at the Human Rights Foundation) about his book Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World and how foreign money influences our politics. They discuss: (01:46) The shadow world of foreign lobbying (03:45) Ivy Lee and Paul Manafort (07:36) The First Amendment and foreign influence (10:23) Understanding FARA (13:28) How Paul Manafort shaped modern lobbying (15:49) Legal loopholes and foreign influence in politics (18:11) The case of Viktor Pinchuk (22:13) The Trump Administration’s impact on foreign lobbying (27:19) How Universities and Think tanks are the new frontier of influence (33:05) Colorful characters in foreign lobbying (41:39) The Biden Family and foreign influence accusations (45:27) Contrasting foreign influence on Trump and Clinton (49:00) Proposed reforms Read Foreign Agents: How American Lobbyists and Lawmakers Threaten Democracy Around the World: https://bit.ly/4giHjBK Check out the HRF’s Combatting Kleptocracy Program: https://bit.ly/4hAAQTJ Follow Ron and Casey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/cjcmichel Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • “F--k it: Release 'em all”—The Weekly Roundup

    “F--k it: Release 'em all”—The Weekly Roundup
    Jan 24 2025
    To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss Donald Trump’s broad pardons for January 6th and Joe Biden’s preemptive pardons for Trump critics and his own family members. Then, we talk about Trump’s Executive Orders and whether there’s a growing appetite for something resembling a more monarchical presidency Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss Donald and Melania Trump launching memecoins (don’t worry, we’ll explain) and the serious ethical questions they raise Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: Liam Donovan (Principal at Bracewell LLP) Marc Caputo (Senior Politics Reporter at Axios) Segments this week: (02:54) Pardons (24:48) Executive Orders Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Send your questions and thoughts to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/LPDonovan https://x.com/MarcACaputo Related reading: Segment 1: Axios - "F--k it: Release 'em all": Why Trump embraced broad Jan. 6 pardons Politico - There’s reason to be worried about the plethora of pardons from Trump and Biden - POLITICO Politico - Biden said his pardon of family was meant to shield them from Trump. That’s not the full story. - POLITICO Segment 2: Reason - With executive order avalanche, Trump continues trend toward a monarchical presidency NYT - ‘The Interview’: Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy is Done - The New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • [+] Presidential Sh!tcoins [PREVIEW]

    [+] Presidential Sh!tcoins [PREVIEW]
    Jan 24 2025
    Liam Donovan, Marc Caputo, Brady Dale (Crypto Reporter at Axios), and host Ron Steslow discuss Donald and Melania Trump launching memecoins and the serious ethical questions they raise Related reading: Axios - Trump meme coin unsettles some blockchain leaders NYT - Trump Begins Selling New Crypto Token, Raising Ethical Concerns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • The Sinister Threat of Digital Dollars

    The Sinister Threat of Digital Dollars
    Jan 23 2025
    For the ad-free & full version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Nick Anthony (Policy Analyst at the Cato Institute and a Fellow at the Human Rights Foundation) about Central Bank Digital Curriences, their potential to invade privacy, alter the dynamics of financial control, how governments are trying to justify them, and why those arguments are insufficient . They discuss: (04:16) Intro to CBDCs (07:58) How CBDCs would give unprecedented control over how you can spend money (12:15) The Arguments for and against CBDCs (19:53)The hidden assumptions behind CBDC arguments (24:50) The real world privacy implications of CBDCs (33:05) CBDCs around the globe (36:21) The political dynamics in the U.S. (47:47) Bitcoin vs CBDCs Check out the HRF’s CBDC Tracker: https://bit.ly/3WtFb3g Follow Ron and Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/EconWithNick Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Fires & Fault Lines—The Weekly Roundup

    Fires & Fault Lines—The Weekly Roundup
    Jan 18 2025
    To unlock Politicology+ visit politicology.com/plus This week, we discuss the devastating wild fires in California and the political earthquake that’s coming. Then, we talk about the paradox of America’s dysfunction at home and unparalleled power on the global stage. Finally, we head to Politicology+ where we discuss the TikTok ban set to go into effect and the “refugees” flocking to other China controlled apps. Joining Ron Steslow on this week’s panel: Hagar Chemali (Fmr. spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) Mike Madrid (Lincoln Project cofounder, author of The Latino Century) Segments this week: (02:04) The Wild Fires (32:02) Dysfunction at home and power abroad Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Send your questions and thoughts to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/HagarChemali https://x.com/madrid_mike Related reading: Segment 1: NBC News - Reservoir in Pacific Palisades was out of commission when fire started NYT - Newsom Suspends State Environmental Rules for Rebuilding After Fires - The New York Times Cato - California Insurance Market: Another Victim of the War on Prices | Cato at Liberty Blog Los Angeles Daily News -Misinformation about California fires is spreading like, well, wildfire – Daily News Segment 2: Foreign Affairs - The Strange Triumph of a Broken America Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Sen. Ron Wyden: 'It Takes Chutzpah’ to Fight for Privacy

    Sen. Ron Wyden: 'It Takes Chutzpah’ to Fight for Privacy
    Jan 15 2025
    For the ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plus In this episode, Ron talks to Senator Ron Wyden (Oregon) about his new book It Takes Chutzpah and leading the legislative charge for privacy in the digital age. Segments to look forward to: (01:48) What is Chutzpah (06:06) Being the ‘Designated Driver’ in the Senate (07:31) Why he’s committed to principled bipartisanship (10:22) Why the fight for privacy is so important to him (14:17) The “wild west” of data privacy (18:35) Putting the “foreign” back in FISA (19:43) Where the political battlelines are drawn on privacy (24:57) Financial privacy Read It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change: https://bit.ly/4fWL3st Follow Ron and Sen. Wyden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/RonWyden Email your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins