The Reign of Elon

02/05/25 • 70 min

We’re back again with another podcast with views from (and disagreements within) the center about Elon Musk, who has been the prime mover behind a lot of the news this week— efforts to cull the federal workforce, the (illegal?) pause on grants foreign and domestic, and the apparent shutdown of USAID. Plus: Trump’s sudden announcement (and sudden pause) of big tariffs on Mexico and Canada; venting about the DNC Chair election and about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s apparent glide path to overseeing our health policy apparatus, and we talk about the DCA plane crash — and the apparently irresistible urge the president feels to speculate about why it happened.

If you have feedback, we continue to encourage you to email [email protected].

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.joshbarro.com/subscribe

If you have feedback, we continue to encourage you to email [email protected].

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.joshbarro.com/subscribe

Previous Episode

A Centrist Look at Trump Week One

I’m back in your ears this week — testing out an idea. There’s a lot of political chat shows out there aimed at slices of the ideological spectrum, but the middle is underserved. Shouldn’t we have a show to digest the news, hash out some civil disagreements, talk a little bit about how the right and left are screwing things up, and also have a little fun?

Ben Dreyfuss, Megan McArdle, and Mike Pesca join me this week to discuss Trump’s first week, the big economic promises he’ll have trouble fulfilling, the relative apathy of “the Resistance” compared to 2017, what we’re looking forward to about his presidency, the war on DEI, the TikTok ban reprieve, and even the newest unit of measure of time: the “Ramaswamy,” which is negative one days. Let us know what you think: [email protected]

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.joshbarro.com/subscribe

Next Episode

Reaping and Sowing

I'm back again with another talkative podcast for the political center with Mike Pesca, Ben Dreyfuss and Megan McArdle. This week we’re (unsurprisingly) focused on the ongoing actions of DOGE: the firings and freezes that Megan correctly identifies as less a cost-cutting effort than a strategy to punish and diminish institutions that Republicans see as dominated by the left. We also discuss Elon Musk’s family drama, the imminent return of Andrew Cuomo to New York politics, and the imminent release of the woke Snow White movie.

Feedback? Questions? Get in touch at www.joshbarro.com or email [email protected].

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.joshbarro.com/subscribe