Brain Trust Live

6/27/22 - The End of Roe/World Roundtable

In Which We Discuss:

We’re doing a roundtable about the end of Roe and…that’s basically it.

 

About Our Guests:

BEN SOFTNESS is an old friend of Lila’s who spent years as partner at a DC law firm, where he briefed half a dozen cases in the Supreme Court on issues of statutory and constitutional law. He’s the author of an article on how the Supreme Court is usually incrementalist and avoids seismic shifts in the law to protect its legitimacy —an article who's premise was recently disproven! He is also the reformed Republican from Lila’s book, Some Kids Left Behind, available wherever books are sold.

SASCHA MEISEL is a lawyer and friend of the pod who’s experience in campaign work and the law seemed relevant here. And also she’s Lila's personal lawyer b/c sometimes Lila gets into her car and cries until she gives her legal advice.

 

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

6/20/22 - Diet Pepsi Drunk

In Which We Discuss:

1. The June corporate appropriation holiday bonanza continues!

2. Biden will try literally anything to make America think he’s President Bartlett.

3. Rudy Giuliani didn’t knowingly break the law, he was just drunk on Diet Pepsi.

4. Can we please put a news embargo on reporting CA election results until we actually have California election results?

5. When will Democrats learn: Part 435 of our ongoing series.

6. Have you ever wondered if the current inflation was caused by something other than that one time the government sent you a measly check? We have.

 

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

 

6/6/22 - Try Literally Anything

In Which We Discuss:

1. Does Pride Month belong to straight people now? A research-free exposé!

2. It’s shooting city out there, so naturally our representatives are back to begging us for help.

3. Alaska is looking to one-up CA’s chaotic primary process…and succeeding!

4. We’re pretty sure we attended the last Iowa Caucus.

5. Biden White House baffled by sad polling numbers as Americans face numerous predictable and solvable crises.

6. Democrats find unity on student debt cancellation: Everybody hates the White House plan.

 

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

5/23/22 - Let Them Eat Formula!

In Which We Discuss:

1. Free ballot guides! Free ballot guides! DM us on Twitter if you want our free LA ballot guide!

2. There’s nothing like the sweet taste of learning that PA hates Connor Lamb as much as non-PA does.

3. Big primaries are coming up on Tuesday, including Cuellar/Cisneros.

4. NY’s new maps have led to Manhattan chaos!

5. Eric Adams claims he’s not thinking of running for president, but he’s also lying about living in NJ so do with that what you will.

6. Let them eat formula! But, like, really. Let them. Babies need food.

 

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

5/16/22 - Stupidity Week

In Which We Discuss:

1. Protests should feel more like protests and less like guitar circles: A graduate thesis from Brain Trust Live.

2. Somehow Donald Trump missed the opportunity to endorse a pro-rape candidate in the PA primaries, and that seems like an oversight.

3. There’s nobody to vote FOR on the LA mayoral ballot, just people to vote against.

4. Biden had a prime stupidity week, but at least the deficit is going down.

5. Baby formula: Let’s find some.

6. Student Loans: Let’s cancel some.

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

5/9/22 - Governing With Imagination

In Which We Discuss:

1. It’s time to try to dream as big as Republicans.

2. Also, If you’re in line to protest at the homes of the SCOTUS judges, stay in line!

3. When Jen Psaki and Bill Kristol give you life advice, do the opposite.

4. If you’re going to pursue student loan forgiveness, try actually forgiving some loans.

BUT most importantly, you can do more than vote. Burn it down! Become ungovernable!

 

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

4/4/22 - GOP Obsessions

In Which We Discuss:

1. New York is the only place on earth insane enough to continually come for Amazon…and win.

2. Trump’s phone logs - or lack thereof - are the latest in his ongoing quest to one-up Richard Nixon. 

3. The White House is very concerned about the effect of inflation on the defense budget, not as concerned about it impacting your ability to eat.

4. Known liar Madison Cawthorn finally gets in trouble for telling an absolutely unbelievable story that’s…probably his first true one.

5. The KBJ SCOTUS hearings prove once again that the GOP cannot think of anything other than child pornography. 

6. America’s least-favorite slam poet is ready to bring crazy sentence syntax back to Washington.

 

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

3/14/22 - ”Yes We Can!”...Still Get COVID [w/ Kristin Urquiza of Marked By COVID]

In Which We Discuss:

1. Kristin Urquiza from Marked by COVID joins us to talk about advocacy, public health policy, and the pandemic.

2. Florida is very committed to its brand

3. Obama shows us that, “Yes We Can!”...still get COVID

4. We joked about it before, but we might actually have attended the nation’s last caucus

5. If Chuck Grassley hates Eric Garcetti so much he should understand why Angelenos are trying to get him to India so fast

6. Mar-a-lago is the hottest gay club in Florida

 

Find the Kristin Urquiza and Marked by COVID Online:

Twitter: @kdurquiza / @MarkedByCovid

Instagram: @markedbycovid

Facebook: @markedbycovid

 

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

1/19/22 - Veep is Supposed to Be a Parody

In Which We Discuss:

1. Extremism, according to Joe Manchin, is you voting.

2. As you bemoan Biden’s bad week last week, the one thing that should give you solace is that this is the 52nd bad week of his term.

3. Note to Kamala Harris and all future Vice Presidents: Veep is a parody.

4. 2024 is shaping up to have…the same primary as 2020?

5. Eric Adams is not even good at nepotism.

 

Brain Trust Live is (still) Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

1/10/22 - Thanks, Teachers! [w/ guest Carissa Byrne Hessick]

In Which We Discuss:

1. Carissa Byrne Hessick joins us to talk about her book Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal.

2. COVID is everywhere thanks to…teachers?

3. Jobs: You can now even do them with COVID!

4. Voting: What if we could protect your ability to do it

5. Chris Matthews and Hillary Clinton chime in with a message from the bunker.

6. Madison Cawthorn ends his marriage to a Crossfit Influencer who may or may not be a Russian spy.

 

* Follow Carissa on Twitter: @CBHessick

* Buy Carissa's Book: Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal

 

* Buy Lila's Book: Some Kids Left Behind

Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL!  Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!