The Chuck ToddCast

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck delivers a blunt warning about how Donald Trump’s erratic, ahistorical tariff strategy is pushing the United States toward a self-inflicted crisis—one that could even stumble into war. With none of the usual political penalties applying to Trump, elected Republicans have opted for fearful silence, becoming complicit as tariffs punish American taxpayers and U.S. credibility abroad rapidly erodes. Americans, worn down by “Trump Exhaustion Syndrome” and the lack of consequences after January 6th, are watching as the last real guardrail—the economy—buckles under market turmoil, while Congress and the Supreme Court delay or abdicate their responsibility to act.
The episode underscores the extraordinary global fallout: Canada openly questioning whether it can rely on the U.S., wargaming invasion scenarios, pursuing “strategic autonomy,” and calling for new middle-power alliances even as it reaffirms commitment to NATO. As isolationism spreads and the rules-based order America once led begins to fracture, Chuck argues that only a congressional reckoning—or a midterm revolt—can halt the damage and preserve the country’s democratic institutions.
Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 senate seats Democrats are most likely to flip in the midterms, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and recaps his experience at the college football national championship game… and the insane prices being charged to attend.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
02:00 Trump is potentially stumbling into a war over tariffs
03:00 Trump’s strategy is erratic & detached from historical norms
03:45 None of the usual political penalties apply to Trump
04:15 Canada is preparing & worrying that U.S. could invade
04:45 Trump’s tariffs punish the American taxpayer
05:30 Elected Republicans are afraid of voicing dissent
06:45 Republicans choose silence & makes them complicit
08:00 Americans are numb, suffering from “Trump Exhaustion Syndrome”
09:00 Lack of consequences for January 6th emboldened Trump
10:45 Trump has weakened American credibility abroad
12:00 There’s little check left in the GOP to prevent damage
12:30 The only guardrail left is the economy and markets, which cratered
14:15 Isolationism is terrible politics and terrible for the country
15:15 Congress is the only institution that can stop Trump & is abdicating
16:15 SCOTUS delays ruling on tariffs, making them hard to unwind
17:15 It’s possible the midterms become a revolt & sober up the GOP
17:45 Trump is affected by the “political YOLO virus”
18:30 Mitch McConnell could have changed the course of history, and didn’t
19:30 Trump has made America most vulnerable & isolated in decades
21:00 Canadian PM gives Davos speech pleading with Americans
22:00 When America chooses isolationism, so will everyone else
23:00 Canada has shifted toward “strategic autonomy”
24:15 Carney is saying Canada can’t rely on the United States
25:00 Canada is wargaming for an invasion from the south
25:45 Canada proposes a middle power trading bloc
27:15 Carney says Canada stands committed to NATO’s Article 5
27:45 Canada looking for new partners to confront an aggressive U.S.
28:30 America has thrived atop the rules based order, and is risking everything
30:45 25th Amendment intended for true incapacitation
31:30 Congress has to do its job to preserve the America we love
38:30 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Gina Hinojosa
40:00 ToddCast Top 5 seats Democrats can win & flip senate
42:45 #1 North Carolina & #2 Maine
46:30 #3 Michigan
49:45 #4 Ohio
51:15 #5 Alaska
54:30 Ask Chuck
55:15 Which presidency would be more dangerous… Trump or Vance?
59:30 If most Americans are center left or right, why can’t we elect centrists?
1:04:15 Would military action against a treaty ally be considered an illegal order?
1:07:45 How should the country resolve insider trading on the prediction markets?
1:09:15 Reaction to Indiana winning National Championship over Miami
1:19:30 The prices at the National Championship were highway robbery
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gina Hinojosa, a Texas state representative and Democratic candidate for governor, joins the Chuck ToddCast to discuss how the school choice debate has created unexpected opportunities for Democrats in traditionally red states. Hinojosa, who entered politics through school board advocacy to save her son's school, argues that corruption—not ideology—is the biggest driver of Texas politics. She accuses Governor Greg Abbott of holding school funding hostage to push through a voucher program, forcing closures across the state while Texas ranks in the bottom three nationally for education funding. Hinojosa contends that vouchers lack transparency and accountability, and notes that even Trump-voting Texas women have joined the fight against them. She criticizes charter schools for cherry-picking students while taking public resources, and highlights how special education funding has been systematically cut, leaving expensive and crucial services unmet.
Beyond education, Hinojosa paints a broader picture of dysfunction in Texas, claiming Abbott has awarded $1 billion in no-bid contracts to donors—what she calls the "Greg Abbott corruption tax"—and pointing to failures in the state's deregulated electric grid, border policy, and treatment of vulnerable communities. She argues that Texas operates as a three-party state, with two Republican wings and Democrats, and describes how Abbott used millions to primary moderate "Bush Republicans," successfully defeating nine incumbents who wouldn't toe the line. While acknowledging challenges like the border security issue that flipped the Rio Grande Valley toward Trump and ICE enforcement she describes as "terrorizing communities," Hinojosa sees opportunities in growing business community frustration over tariffs and deportations. She emphasizes that despite Texas's economic power and population growth—which will add 4-5 congressional districts—ordinary Texans aren't benefiting, with small business owners earning less than the national average and electric bills skyrocketing due to data center demand and grid mismanagement.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Gina Hinojosa joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:00 School choice issue has opened the door for Dems in red states
02:30 Gina’s background in education & school board politics
04:00 Ran for school board to save her son’s school
04:30 Greg Abbott is reallocating money, forcing school closures
05:15 Corruption is biggest driver of politics in Texas
06:00 Consultants & vendors use part time legislators to make money
06:45 Schools closing all over Texas due to budget cuts & vouchers
08:00 Abbott held school funding hostage trying to pass voucher program
08:30 Texas is bottom 3 in the country for school funding
10:00 Texas women who voted Trump joined fight against vouchers
11:15 Vouchers have no transparency or accountability
12:30 The school funding model hasn’t changed since industrial age
13:45 Do you support Texas’s “recapture” funding model?
15:00 The recaptured money is being wasted
16:30 Student testing and NAEP scores are decreasing overall
17:45 Teachers deserve to be treated and paid like professional
18:30 Special needs students can attend private school funded by state
19:30 Special education is very expensive & requests go unmet
20:45 State cut corners to avoid paying for special ed students
22:15 Charter schools take public resources but not all kids
23:15 Charter schools deny admission to kids with disciplinary records
24:45 Education paid for by Texas property taxes which have skyrocketed
25:15 Texans pay the “Greg Abbott corruption tax”
26:00 Abbott has given $1 billion dollars in no-bid contracts to donors
27:45 The corruption issue is ripe but the electorate is cynical on both sides
29:15 Abbott’s corruption is the #1 talking point in the Republican primary
30:30 Gas companies let Texans freeze until prices spiked high enough
32:30 Border security issue led to Rio Grande valley voting for Trump
34:00 Biden was able to fix border issues, just took too long to do it
34:30 Deportations flipped political sentiment in Rio Grande valley
36:00 ICE is terrorizing communities
36:45 Masked law enforcement should be illegal
37:45 Texas is a three party state: Two GOP wings & Democrats
38:30 How can you grow the Democratic party in Texas?
39:45 The “Bush Republicans” in TX can’t vote their districts or conscience
40:15 Abbott used millions to primary Bush Republicans & 9 lost their race
41:30 Is the GOP nationalizing the race your biggest challenge?
42:30 Texas will gain 4-5 congressional districts due to growth
44:45 The business community in TX is mad at tariffs & deportations
45:30 People of Texas aren’t benefiting from their economic power
47:15 Small business owners make less than average nationally
47:45 Texas’s electric grid is a ticking time bomb
48:15 Deregulation & corruption have exacerbated issues with grid
49:00 Electric bills skyrocketing due to data centers
50:30 Thoughts on nuclear to address energy problems?
52:00 Favorite food on the campaign trail?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck delivers a blunt warning about how Donald Trump’s erratic, ahistorical tariff strategy is pushing the United States toward a self-inflicted crisis—one that could even stumble into war. With none of the usual political penalties applying to Trump, elected Republicans have opted for fearful silence, becoming complicit as tariffs punish American taxpayers and U.S. credibility abroad rapidly erodes. Americans, worn down by “Trump Exhaustion Syndrome” and the lack of consequences after January 6th, are watching as the last real guardrail—the economy—buckles under market turmoil, while Congress and the Supreme Court delay or abdicate their responsibility to act. The episode underscores the extraordinary global fallout: Canada openly questioning whether it can rely on the U.S., wargaming invasion scenarios, pursuing “strategic autonomy,” and calling for new middle-power alliances even as it reaffirms commitment to NATO. As isolationism spreads and the rules-based order America once led begins to fracture, Chuck argues that only a congressional reckoning—or a midterm revolt—can halt the damage and preserve the country’s democratic institutions.
Gina Hinojosa, a Texas state representative and Democratic candidate for governor, joins Chuck to discuss how the school choice debate has created unexpected opportunities for Democrats in traditionally red states. Hinojosa, who entered politics through school board advocacy to save her son's school, argues that corruption—not ideology—is the biggest driver of Texas politics. She accuses Governor Greg Abbott of holding school funding hostage to push through a voucher program, forcing closures across the state while Texas ranks in the bottom three nationally for education funding. Hinojosa contends that vouchers lack transparency and accountability, and notes that even Trump-voting Texas women have joined the fight against them. She criticizes charter schools for cherry-picking students while taking public resources, and highlights how special education funding has been systematically cut, leaving expensive and crucial services unmet.
Beyond education, Hinojosa paints a broader picture of dysfunction in Texas, claiming Abbott has awarded $1 billion in no-bid contracts to donors—what she calls the "Greg Abbott corruption tax"—and pointing to failures in the state's deregulated electric grid, border policy, and treatment of vulnerable communities. She argues that Texas operates as a three-party state, with two Republican wings and Democrats, and describes how Abbott used millions to primary moderate "Bush Republicans," successfully defeating nine incumbents who wouldn't toe the line. While acknowledging challenges like the border security issue that flipped the Rio Grande Valley toward Trump and ICE enforcement she describes as "terrorizing communities," Hinojosa sees opportunities in growing business community frustration over tariffs and deportations. She emphasizes that despite Texas's economic power and population growth—which will add 4-5 congressional districts—ordinary Texans aren't benefiting, with small business owners earning less than the national average and electric bills skyrocketing due to data center demand and grid mismanagement.
Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 senate seats Democrats are most likely to flip in the midterms, answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and recaps his experience at the college football national championship game… and the insane prices being charged to attend.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
06:00 Trump is potentially stumbling into a war over tariffs
07:00 Trump’s strategy is erratic & detached from historical norms
07:45 None of the usual political penalties apply to Trump
08:15 Canada is preparing & worrying that U.S. could invade
08:45 Trump’s tariffs punish the American taxpayer
09:30 Elected Republicans are afraid of voicing dissent
10:45 Republicans choose silence & makes them complicit
12:00 Americans are numb, suffering from “Trump Exhaustion Syndrome”
13:00 Lack of consequences for January 6th emboldened Trump
14:45 Trump has weakened American credibility abroad
16:00 There’s little check left in the GOP to prevent damage
16:30 The only guardrail left is the economy and markets, which crated
18:15 Isolationism is terrible politics and terrible for the country
19:15 Congress is the only institution that can stop Trump & is abdicating
20:15 SCOTUS delays ruling on tariffs, making them hard to unwind
21:15 It’s possible the midterms become a revolt & sober up the GOP
21:45 Trump is affected by the “political YOLO virus”
22:30 Mitch McConnell could have changed the course of history, and didn’t
23:30 Trump has made America most vulnerable & isolated in decades
25:00 Canadian PM gives Davos speech pleading with Americans
26:00 When America chooses isolationism, so will everyone else
27:00 Canada has shifted toward “strategic autonomy”
28:15 Carney is saying Canada can’t rely on the United States
29:00 Canada is wargaming for an invasion from the south
29:45 Canada proposes a middle power trading bloc
31:15 Carney says Canada stands committed to NATO’s Article 5
31:45 Canada looking for new partners to confront an aggressive U.S.
32:30 America has thrived atop the rules based order, and is risking everything
34:45 25th Amendment intended for true incapacitation
35:30 Congress has to do its job to preserve the America we love
42:45 Gina Hinojosa joins the Chuck ToddCast
43:45 School choice issue has opened the door for Dems in red states
45:15 Gina’s background in education & school board politics
46:45 Ran for school board to save her son’s school
47:15 Greg Abbott is reallocating money, forcing school closures
48:00 Corruption is biggest driver of politics in Texas
48:45 Consultants & vendors use part time legislators to make money
49:30 Schools closing all over Texas due to budget cuts & vouchers
50:45 Abbott held school funding hostage trying to pass voucher program
51:15 Texas is bottom 3 in the country for school funding
52:45 Texas women who voted Trump joined fight against vouchers
54:00 Vouchers have no transparency or accountability
55:15 The school funding model hasn’t changed since industrial age
56:30 Do you support Texas’s “recapture” funding model?
57:45 The recaptured money is being wasted
59:15 Student testing and NAEP scores are decreasing overall
1:00:30 Teachers deserve to be treated and paid like professional
1:01:15 Special needs students can attend private school funded by state
1:02:15 Special education is very expensive & requests go unmet
1:03:30 State cut corners to avoid paying for special ed students
1:05:00 Charter schools take public resources but not all kids
1:06:00 Charter schools deny admission to kids with disciplinary records
1:07:30 Education paid for by Texas property taxes which have skyrocketed
1:08:00 Texans pay the “Greg Abbott corruption tax”
1:08:45 Abbott has given $1 billion dollars in no-bid contracts to donors
1:10:30 The corruption issue is ripe but the electorate is cynical on both sides
1:12:00 Abbott’s corruption is the #1 talking point in the Republican primary
1:13:15 Gas companies let Texans freeze until prices spiked high enough
1:15:15 Border security issue led to Rio Grande valley voting for Trump
1:16:45 Biden was able to fix border issues, just took too long to do it
1:17:15 Deportations flipped political sentiment in Rio Grande valley
1:18:45 ICE is terrorizing communities
1:19:30 Masked law enforcement should be illegal
1:20:30 Texas is a three party state: Two GOP wings & Democrats
1:21:15 How can you grow the Democratic party in Texas?
1:22:30 The “Bush Republicans” in TX can’t vote their districts or conscience
1:23:00 Abbott used millions to primary Bush Republicans & 9 lost their race
1:24:15 Is the GOP nationalizing the race your biggest challenge?
1:25:15 Texas will gain 4-5 congressional districts due to growth
1:27:30 The business community in TX is mad at tariffs & deportations
1:28:15 People of Texas aren’t benefiting from their economic power
1:30:00 Small business owners make less than average nationally
1:30:30 Texas’s electric grid is a ticking time bomb
1:31:00 Deregulation & corruption have exacerbated issues with grid
1:31:45 Electric bills skyrocketing due to data centers
1:33:15 Thoughts on nuclear energy to address energy problems?
1:34:45 Favorite food on the campaign trail?
1:37:30 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Gina Hinojosa
1:39:00 ToddCast Top 5 seats Democrats can win & flip senate
1:41:45 #1 North Carolina & #2 Maine
1:45:30 #3 Michigan
1:48:45 #4 Ohio
1:50:15 #5 Alaska
1:53:30 Ask Chuck
1:54:15 Which presidency would be more dangerous… Trump or Vance?
1:58:30 If most Americans are center left or right, why can’t we elect centrists?
2:03:15 Would military action against a treaty ally be considered an illegal order?
2:06:45 How should the country resolve insider trading on the prediction markets?
2:08:15 Reaction to Indiana winning National Championship over Miami
2:18:30 The prices at the National Championship were highway robbery
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd sounds the alarm on how Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs and economic coercion could unintentionally push the U.S. and the world toward open conflict, drawing stark parallels to the Smoot-Hawley tariffs and the dangerous bloc-based thinking that preceded World War II. As Trump threatens NATO unity, wages economic war with Europe, and even uses tariffs as leverage in a pressure campaign over Greenland, the result isn’t strength but instability—risking retaliation, potentially weakening the dollar’s reserve status, and handing strategic advantages to China and Russia. Chuck argues that while Trump may not be trying to start a war, his isolationist instincts, economic bullying, and disregard for democratic norms are dismantling the postwar order America built and benefited from, creating a far more dangerous world. The episode also turns inward, examining Trump’s endorsement politics and fixation on retribution, even at the cost of GOP viability, as Senate Republicans quietly weigh whether stopping this madness—or walking away—is their last remaining option.
Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the evolving public perception of Muhammed Ali, answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment and preview the college football national championship between Indiana and his beloved Miami Hurricanes.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
02:30 Could Trump’s tariffs accidentally stumble the U.S. into a war?
03:45 Bad economic policy could drive the world into war
04:30 Destroying NATO & economic war w/ Europe will create GOP defections
05:15 What Trump is doing is incredibly alarming
05:45 When tariffs are used as leverage, they can create security problems
06:15 Smoot-Hawley tariffs created lasting damage
07:30 Retaliation followed after the Smoot-Hawley tariffs
08:00 Smoot-Hawley didn’t cause WW2, but had a huge impact in creating it
09:00 When the world starts thinking in blocs, wars become more likely
10:00 In blocs, countries start prioritizing resource security
10:30 Trump is using tariffs as leverage for economic bullying to acquire Greenland
11:15 Macron calls for EU use of an anti-coercion law against the U.S.
12:15 Trump’s Greenland posture threatens trade with Europe
12:45 Republicans in the senate need to stop this madness
13:30 We’re risking the dollar as the world’s reserve currency
14:30 Canada has struck trade agreements with China in response to Trump
15:15 China will gain increased leverage in North America
16:30 Trade disputes risk becoming security grievances
17:15 Trump is risking stumbling the U.S. into a war
18:00 The world is more dangerous now than any time since WW2
19:00 Americans are taking a safe and stable world for granted
19:30 Trump has created the dream scenario for the Chinese & Russians
20:15 The world order America built & benefitted from is being dismantled
20:45 Trump’s actions, if not stopped…could set us back generations
22:00 Trump has proven he doesn’t care about democracy in Venezuela
23:30 When the biggest country goes isolationist, everyone else does too
24:15 Trump isn’t trying to get us into war, but his actions are taking us closer to one
27:30 Trump endorses against Bill Cassidy despite Cassidy’s deference
29:00 Cassidy may consider retirement after reviewing polling in Louisiana
30:30 Cassidy could have a shot at winning as an independent
33:30 Trump cares about retribution more than viability of the GOP
37:30 ToddCast Time Machine - January 22nd, 1964
38:00 Cassius Clay announces conversion to Islam & name change
39:00 Heavyweight champion of the world carried huge symbolic weight
39:45 Muhammed Ali challenged the power structures
40:30 Ali exposed unspoken rule - You have to be deferential & assimilate
41:15 Press treated Ali as a problem to be managed
42:00 Ali refusing to be drafted turned him into a villain
42:45 Over time, Ali became vindicated by the public
43:45 Ali carried conviction at great personal cost
44:45 America changed its view of Ali, & speaks to America’s evolution
45:45 Ask Chuck
46:00 Thanks for the book recommendation for “The Barn”
47:00 Could any Republicans defect to hand over control of the House?
52:00 Packers/Bears rivalry goes way beyond football
53:30 Indiana vs. Miami National Championship thoughts
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd sounds the alarm on how Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs and economic coercion could unintentionally push the U.S. and the world toward open conflict, drawing stark parallels to the Smoot-Hawley tariffs and the dangerous bloc-based thinking that preceded World War II. As Trump threatens NATO unity, wages economic war with Europe, and even uses tariffs as leverage in a pressure campaign over Greenland, the result isn’t strength but instability—risking retaliation, potentially weakening the dollar’s reserve status, and handing strategic advantages to China and Russia. Chuck argues that while Trump may not be trying to start a war, his isolationist instincts, economic bullying, and disregard for democratic norms are dismantling the postwar order America built and benefited from, creating a far more dangerous world. The episode also turns inward, examining Trump’s endorsement politics and fixation on retribution, even at the cost of GOP viability, as Senate Republicans quietly weigh whether stopping this madness—or walking away—is their last remaining option.
Mechele Dickerson, professor at the University of Texas School of Law & author of the new book “The Middle Class New Deal” joins Chuck Todd to make the case that rebuilding the American middle class requires something bold and familiar. Drawing on history, Dickerson explains how the original New Deal didn’t just regulate markets but actively created the first stable American middle class, a reminder that free markets alone don’t guarantee broad prosperity. As today’s economy shifts risk onto workers through independent contracting, weakened unions, and employer-based benefits that no longer fit modern labor markets, she argues that financial security—not wealth—is what most Americans are actually chasing, and it’s essential for economic and democratic stability.
The conversation digs into healthcare, education, and labor power as the pillars of a functioning middle class, from why employer-based health insurance is a historical accident to how government-guaranteed healthcare could actually relieve businesses, and why underused public schools and outdated calendars are weakening the future workforce. Dickerson warns that the erosion of unions, the weaponization of cultural divisions, and rising economic nihilism—especially among younger Americans—mirror dangerous Gilded Age dynamics, where extreme inequality hollowed out democracy. The takeaway is stark but hopeful: upward mobility is deeply American, but without intentional policy choices that put workers and families first, an eroding middle class can become fertile ground for political instability and authoritarianism.
Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the evolving public perception of Muhammed Ali, answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment and preview the college football national championship between Indiana and his beloved Miami Hurricanes.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
02:30 Could Trump’s tariffs accidentally stumble the U.S. into a war?
03:45 Bad economic policy could drive the world into war
04:30 Destroying NATO & economic war w/ Europe will create GOP defections
05:15 What Trump is doing is incredibly alarming
05:45 When tariffs are used as leverage, they can create security problems
06:15 Smoot-Hawley tariffs created lasting damage
07:30 Retaliation followed after the Smoot-Hawley tariffs
08:00 Smoot-Hawley didn’t cause WW2, but had a huge impact in creating it
09:00 When the world starts thinking in blocs, wars become more likely
10:00 In blocs, countries start prioritizing resource security
10:30 Trump is using tariffs as leverage for economic bullying to acquire Greenland
11:15 Macron calls for EU use of an anti-coercion law against the U.S.
12:15 Trump’s Greenland posture threatens trade with Europe
12:45 Republicans in the senate need to stop this madness
13:30 We’re risking the dollar as the world’s reserve currency
14:30 Canada has struck trade agreements with China in response to Trump
15:15 China will gain increased leverage in North America
16:30 Trade disputes risk becoming security grievances
17:15 Trump is risking stumbling the U.S. into a war
18:00 The world is more dangerous now than any time since WW2
19:00 Americans are taking a safe and stable world for granted
19:30 Trump has created the dream scenario for the Chinese & Russians
20:15 The world order America built & benefitted from is being dismantled
20:45 Trump’s actions, if not stopped…could set us back generations
22:00 Trump has proven he doesn’t care about democracy in Venezuela
23:30 When the biggest country goes isolationist, everyone else does too
24:15 Trump isn’t trying to get us into war, but his actions are taking us closer to one
27:30 Trump endorses against Bill Cassidy despite Cassidy’s deference
29:00 Cassidy may consider retirement after reviewing polling in Louisiana
30:30 Cassidy could have a shot at winning as an independent
33:30 Trump cares about retribution more than viability of the GOP
41:15 Mechele Dickerson joins the Chuck ToddCast
42:45 Both the left & right can learn from “The Middle Class New Deal”
44:15 What motivated you to put these ideas under a “New Deal” framework
45:15 The New Deal created the first American middle class
46:15 Free market economies don’t automatically create a middle class
47:45 Socialism & interfering with free markets created the middle class
48:15 A stable middle class is critical for stability
49:00 The uber wealthy can only consume so much & don’t drive spending
50:15 People struggling don’t want to be wealthy, just financially secure
52:00 Independent contractors don’t get same benefits as employees
53:30 Retirement security has been shifted from employers to employees
55:00 Big companies with lots of contractors have a ton of political leverage
56:15 Amazon’s delivery providers aren’t set up to have employees
58:15 CEO’s of big companies hate the cost of healthcare
59:45 Business could support a system where they aren’t responsible for healthcare
1:01:00 Employer based healthcare was born out of World War 2 wage controls
1:02:15 Government guaranteed health insurance has many upsides
1:04:30 The debate around government guaranteed education has stalled
1:05:15 What steps could be taken to make progress in public education?
1:06:30 In rural areas there is no “school choice”, just home school
1:07:15 Public school facilities are underutilized
1:07:45 Public school calendar revolves around an agrarian calendar
1:09:00 Without good public education, we’ll have a poor labor force
1:11:00 Schools should add a voluntary summer trimester
1:12:45 Workers will only get equal treatment through collective bargaining
1:13:15 How do you bring back labor unions?
1:14:30 Middle & lower class have suffered since labor unions were gutted
1:15:15 Union culture is merged with corporate culture in Europe
1:16:30 Race & ethnicity have been used as wedges to advance a class argument
1:18:30 The entire middle class is suffering economically
1:20:15 How do you prioritize anti-poverty programs to revive the middle class?
1:21:15 Upward mobility is wired into the DNA of Americans
1:22:45 Billionaires aren’t incentivized to create a healthy middle class
1:23:45 There are parallels between the current moment & the Gilded Age
1:24:45 Should corporations build communities the way Hershey did?
1:26:45 Politicians have to help constituents be ok, not just tell them they’re ok
1:27:15 2016 election of Trump was the white middle class primal scream
1:28:15 An eroding middle class can drive societies into autocracy
1:29:15 Trump administration keeps having “let them eat cake” moments
1:30:15 Middle class support tax cuts for rich, thinking they’ll become rich
1:31:00 Younger Americans suffer from a sense of economic nihilism
1:31:45 Bill Clinton’s strength was understanding middle class, he came from it
1:32:30 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Mechele Dickerson
1:33:15 ToddCast Time Machine - January 22nd, 1964
1:33:45 Cassius Clay announces conversion to Islam & name change
1:34:45 Heavyweight champion of the world carried huge symbolic weight
1:35:30 Muhammed Ali challenged the power structures
1:36:15 Ali exposed unspoken rule - You have to be deferential & assimilate
1:37:00 Press treated Ali as a problem to be managed
1:37:45 Ali refusing to be drafted turned him into a villain
1:38:30 Over time, Ali became vindicated by the public
1:39:30 Ali carried conviction at great personal cost
1:40:30 America changed its view of Ali, & speaks to America’s evolution
1:41:30 Ask Chuck
1:41:45 Thanks for the book recommendation for “The Barn”
1:42:45 Could any Republicans defect to hand over control of the House?
1:47:45 Packers/Bears rivalry goes way beyond football
1:49:15 Indiana vs. Miami National Championship thoughts
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