Good Politics: Recent Episodes
Dr. Wilson & Adam Wightman
An allegiance-free discussion of American politics hosted by Dr. Sean Wilson, a politics professor, author and lawyer, and featuring WSU student Adam Wightman, the three-time general manager of WWSU 106.9 FM. Tune in to understand current events, Trump and the 2020 race.
An examination of Trump's fiscal policy going forward in 2020. A look at the $4.6 trillion budget, the deficit and the larger issues.
An examination of how the Trump administration is doing with economic growth through January 2020.
An examination of how the Trump impeachment was defined by political perception, narrative and framework rather than bedrock elements of facts and law that can pierce our biases.
An examination of polling data and how Democrats might have played their cards differently.
Type-B impeachment, known as "political impeachment," is not as effective as the real thing. To use the impeachment power effectively, you must have indictable offenses that show corruption in office. Lacking that, you merely increase the cohesion of your rival and strengthen your opponent.
An examination of the war power in the American constitution and whether Donald Trump is violating it.
An examination of the Dershowitz argument that political impeachment violates the US Constitution.
On the very day the Senate impeachment began, the GAO put out a legal opinion on whether it is lawful for a President to delay foreign aid. Was the opinion correct?
An examination of the Bolton theory of truth and what the cries for witnesses actually amount to.
An examination of the strategy and significance of the charge against President Trump. And an examination of how election-year impeachments work as opposed to objective impeachments.
A look at normative and public policy arguments that surround the killing of Qasem Soleimani. And also, a look at what appears to be the new Trump Doctrine, and what a war with Iran might look like.
A look at Trump's approach to dealing with Iran up to the killing of Qasem Soleimani, and how the same constitutes a game changer.
Who will prevail in Trump's tariff gambit: the China hawks or the Wall Street Journal business class? And what's up with USMCA (Nafta II)?
A brief look at the complicated dynamic of promoting LNG and fracking, and how the same affects both American standing on the world stage and environmentalism.
A look at the December jobs report, the collapse of the repo market and the return of quantitative easing. Is this economy for real?
A look at the two basic operations Nixon used to try to destroy his political rivals and manipulate who would be his Democratic opponent. After describing the covert bugging surveillance operations, special attention is paid to the dirty tricks public sabotage operation headed by Donald Segretti.
Who was worse at abusing their power, Trump or Nixon? When it comes to targeting political rivals with corrupt intent, in order to get an advantage in a re-election campaign -- how do the two presidents compare?
An examination of how the law of bribery works and how this differs from what may be in the public imagination.
A look at where American politics seems to be headed: investigating and prosecuting our political rivals.
An application of bribery law and principles to the Trump situation, and an examination of the applicable defenses.
How can a president legally "slow walk" or cancel foreign aid that is already appropriated? And what happens if he or she sees demons in the head prior to flushing it out? Where is the line, and did Trump cross it?
This episode focuses on the key issues to watch for in the impeachment hearings. And it also examines who is winning.
A look at middle class politics, tax cuts in 2020, and the latest on Phase I of the China thing.
The 3rd quarter growth report is in: Are the supply siders winning or losing? And how does the jobs report factor in?
Political impeachment displaces institutional professionals who know about serious criminality in exchange for politicians who know about the ritual of shame and censure. These behavior-frameworks are totally different and result in different processes.
A look at the Papadopoulos entrapment story as the DOJ investigation turns criminal. Was there a good basis for the FBI to target the Trump campaign as early as July 31st in 2016? And does this even matter?
A look at some of the most important normative differences between the Trump and Nixon impeachments: namely, the role of law and the ethics of opposition research in democracy.
What is up with Rudy Giuliani? The two people with Ukrainian ties who got him connected to Victor Shokin -- both former clients -- were just indicted on federal charges in New York.
A look at the October jobs report and the records that were set for poverty and unemployment.
A look at who got the better of the China Phase I deal. And a quick look at the FY 2019 deficit number and USMCA
How the Steele Dossier fits into the impeachment issue and whether the Trump story has two sides.
An analysis of the Victor Shokin/Burisma problem that Joe Biden may have, and whether Rudy Giuliani is right that it is withing the public interest to have the same vetted. Is it wrong to impeach a president if he is looking for relevant truth?
The politics of partisan impeachment. Who is winning, what is the procedure, and how is this different from other cases? And will Republicans defect?
Examines the Biden-Burisma thing and looks at what team Trump might be after in the next chapter of scandal in American politics.
Examines the law of opposition research and whether a president has to commit a crime to be legally "impeached." And also: who will win this game of hardball politics?
An episode devoted to why the American constitution remains unique and relevant. The Bill of Rights and Second Amendment are specifically discussed.
Examines the American political cycle, whether there is a shift to the left or right, and whether centrism is the wrong play for the Democratic Party.
Socialism and Centrism are battling for the soul of the Democratic party. Idealism is battling pragmatism. This is far more important of a phenomenon than whether or not Trump is re-elected.
How 2016 changed the way candidates say things. Is it true that only the most lurid can win the election?
The jobs data: is it good and will it affect the race in 2020? Will it have an impact on the voting behavior of marginalized groups?
How it is that Bernie Sanders doesn't understand the American system of government. There are no revolutions during a dealignment.
Democratic theorists often make too much of simple majorities. Majorities and mandates are not the same.
Is an election a market or a fire drill? Do you optimally placate the body politic or just drive the base nuts?
The Scaramucci "thing" and whether it is tied to, or evidence of, a fracture in the conservative donor class concerning the objectives for China. Are the China hawks in the administration incompatible with Republican corporate objectives?
Understanding the rise of tariffs in Trump presidency and their use against both rivals and allies.
How tariffs work (who pays them) and whether they will make countries like China change their economic behavior toward the US.