The Contrarian Pod

The legitimacy of our court system hangs by a thread. If the Voting Rights Act is axed by the Supreme Court, it will set off a wave of destruction within American society — particularly for Black Americans.Janai Nelson recently argued in front of the Supreme Court to protect these voting rights. She’s the President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and April Ryan recently spoke with her for a special edition of The Tea to discuss gerrymandering and what’s at stake in the case.And, Americans are out of work, missing paychecks, deprived of essential social services, and relying on the capacity of food banks to get by while the government stays closed. And yet, during all of this strife, Republicans spend their time on a crusade against equal representation and for unfair, rigged elections.In North Carolina, state Republicans approved yet another pro-Republican, pro-white, anti-equality redistricting map as children starve and farmers suffer.Anderson Clayton [24:10], the North Carolina Democratic Party Chair, and Jen Rubin talked about the state’s map, and why the upcoming high-stakes senate and state supreme court races are so pivotal.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

One thing Republicans don’t want you to know is that The Big Beautiful Bill’s severe cuts to Medicaid and the expiration of ACA subsidies would shake the entire healthcare system. Even the economy would be significantly hurt by these cuts.Jen spoke about what’s at stake in the fight over healthcare with Dr. Avenel Joseph, she’s the Vice President for Policy at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.And, while Trump likes to tell you he’s an America-first, swamp draining President, his actions speak louder than his very loud words. He’s pardoned his Bitcoin investor, he’s demanded $230 million from the DOJ, and he’s in the middle of destroying the East Wing of the White House after saying he wouldn’t.The administration’s blatant corruption is so rapid and expansive, it can be hard to keep up with all of the scams.Thankfully, American Progress has unveiled the Trump Take Tracker, a “real-time financial tracker documenting the cash and gifts that President Donald Trump and his family have received by selling the presidency.”Will Ragland, [19:35] VP of Research for the Advocacy and Outreach Department at American Progress, walked Jen through the tracker and why honest recording is a step towards accountability.The tracker can be found on the American Progress website.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

The Public Religion Research Institute released its annual American Values Survey today, an enormous poll of over 5,000 Americans that tracks everything from views on immigration to gender roles, to defining the essence of what makes an American.It is absolutely central reading for anyone trying to understand our contemporary politics. Robby P. Jones, the CEO of PRRI, joins Jen to discuss the most interesting findings, including where Americans stand on culture vs. economic anxiety issues, why and where Democrats can make gains in public opinion.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

Today is the 17th day of the Republicans’ government shutdown, and there is seemingly no end in sight.Jen speaks about the shutdown with Neera Tanden. She’s the Center for American Progress President, and reminds us that the central issue of the shutdown is Republicans refusing to provide healthcare for millions of Americans.For only a small fraction of the money given to billionaires from the tax cuts awarded to them in the Big Beautiful Bill, America would be able to fund the healthcare of millions of Americans.Also, Bishop Mariann Budde [15:47] joins Jen to discuss her her new book, “We Can Be Brave,” which addresses teens and young adults and examines the important life lessons we learn when faced with difficult choices.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

With Trump’s blackout of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and generally attacking any statistic that might make him look bad, economist Justin Wolfers explains the numbers he pays attention to in the economy and why they matter.Justin is a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Michigan, and one of our favorite guests to break down the chaos that’s taking over the economy.Wolfers presents a digestible explanation on our economic status—despite Trump’s labor statistics blackout—while weighing how net zero, or net negative, migration can tank our global standing.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

This week, former FBI Director James Comey pled not guilty to two charges brought against him by Trump’s DOJ. What happens next?Former General Counsel to the FBI, Andrew Weissmann, and Jen discuss what Comey’s defense team may be planning, and how the DOJ’s case may be destined to fail. Not only does this seem to be a textbook case of vindictive persecution (which could result in the whole case being thrown out), but the evidence presented thus far is shockingly weak.Plus, the pair break down Pam Bondi’s bizarre performance before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Not only did Bondi refuse to answer straightforward questions, but she continuously demeaned and attacked the legislators probing her. Congressional oversight is a key component of our democracy’s checks and balances system. As Trump’s appointees refuse to cooperate, we witness the erosion of the system before our eyes.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, has fundamentally altered our country’s treatment of immigrants: the lack of due process for detainees, ICE’s reliance on masks, urging the president to make up a need for the military to infiltrate our cities. This is not fixing immigration or making Americans safer, and is fundamentally anti-democratic.Jen spoke with New York Representative Daniel Goldman to discuss the latest on the Trump Administration’s upheaval of immigration and the ongoing government shutdown.Plus, ICE raids have increased in frequency and aggression in the past few weeks, you might have seen the news from Chicago where agents raided an apartment building with a helicopter in the middle of the night.Not only are ICE tactics becoming more militarized, they’ve become shockingly indiscriminate ever since SCOTUS effectively legalized racial profiling.Immigration law and policy expert Aaron Reichlin-Melnick [16:08] explains why ICE has shifted away from its previous M.O. of investigative, targeted arrests and the legality of employing raids at work sites and Latino communities to conduct mass arrests.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

Earlier this week, you might have seen that President Trump tweeted a racist, AI-generated video with a sombrero and mustache on House Representative Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies.Jefferies joined The Tea with April Ryan to talk about why the President is focusing on distractions and memes during a government shutdown instead of a resolution to the shutdown, why Democrats won’t sign a Republican funding bill that refuses to provide healthcare for everyday Americans, and his eight-word message to the President: “Cancel the cuts, lower the cost, save healthcare.”You can catch The Tea, live every Thursday, at 5pm eastern at The Contrarian.Also, the gates to the Supreme Court will crack open on Monday for SCOTUS’ next season of cases.SCOTUS expert Steve Vladeck [20:45] looks at the upcoming docket and also breaks down the court’s decision to allow Fed Governor Lisa Cook to stay in her seat until a hearing in January.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

This week, former FBI Director James Comey was formally indicted by a federal grand jury, another brazen attempt by the Trump administration to use the federal government to go after his perceived enemies.Jen got the chance to break down the logistics of the indictment and the ongoing weaponization of the DOJ with Andrew Weissmann. He served as general counsel of the FBI, was lead prosecutor for Robert Mueller’s Special Council, and is now professor of practice at the NYU School of Law.This, quite simply, is a ‘break glass’ moment in American politics.To keep supporting our independent journalism and help fund litigation against the Trump regime, pick up some limited-edition merch: shop.contrariannews.orgThe Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

This week, former FBI Director James Comey was formally indicted by a federal grand jury, another brazen attempt by the Trump administration to use the federal government to go after his perceived enemies.Jen got the chance to break down the logistics of the indictment and the ongoing weaponization of the DOJ with Andrew Weissmann. He served as general counsel of the FBI, was lead prosecutor for Robert Mueller’s Special Council, and is now professor of practice at the NYU School of Law.This, quite simply, is a ‘break glass’ moment in American politics.To keep supporting our independent journalism and help fund litigation against the Trump regime, pick up some limited-edition merch: shop.contrariannews.orgThe Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

It’s no secret that the Trump administration has shown unparalleled levels of corruption since returning to the White House.Last week, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced legislation that would ban government officials from owning and trading stocks.Jen spoke with the Senator about why that’s so important, protecting health care by avoiding a Republican shutdown of government, and how each of us can contribute to public service through his ‘Answer the Call’ agenda.Then, Mary McCord [18:15], the executive director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law School, discussed Trump’s assault on the First Amendment and the Trump administration’s failure to be truthful in its judicial proceedings.To keep supporting our independent journalism and help fund litigation against the Trump regime, pick up some limited-edition merch: shop.contrariannews.orgThe Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

A potential government shutdown is looming over Washington, and while Republicans control the White House, the Senate, and the House, they’re still blaming (who else?) the Democrats for their inability to get anything done.Neera Tanden, President of the Center for American Progress and the former Domestic Policy Advisor to President Joe Biden, joins Jen to help make sense of a potential shutdown, why Republicans are obsessed with gutting healthcare, and the future of free speech.And later, Randi Weingarten [22:12], president of the American Federation of Teachers, is here to talk about “Why Fascists Fear Teachers,” which is also the title of her new book.It is a remarkable read, and an important one — Randi and Jen discussed the importance of education, especially in the face of this authoritarian regime.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

Deploying the military against US citizens, intimidating universities, and bullying the media into silence are just a few of the techniques that Trump and countless other dictators have used to maintain their grip on power.Ruth Ben-Ghiat, one of the foremost experts on authoritarianism and fascism, and Jen Rubin discuss how Trump is normalizing the military’s presence in domestic spaces, why authoritarians strike bargains with our nation’s institutions, and that change is possible.Also, two major international events happened last week but received less coverage than they deserved. First, Russia sent over 19 drones into Poland’s airspace, which Poland shot down. Romania experienced a similar breach of their borders.And second, Nepal saw massive protests denouncing corruption in government. After only a week of violent demonstrations, the government collapsed and an interim Prime Minister was appointed.Tim Mak, investigative journalist based in Ukraine, [16:45] broke down Russia’s probe into NATO territory and how Gen-Z is harnessing their power across the globe.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

It's been a tragic week, one which saw a senseless assassination of a political commentator, yet another school shooting, the anniversary of 9/11, and an appalling response from our president — who used the opportunity to make unfounded accusations about the "radical left."It’s hard to divorce acts of violence from rhetoric in the current landscape. The way Trump has handled political violence has been selective – avoiding statements altogether when his perceived enemies are attacked; while using aggressive, threatening language when it’s a supporter. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger was in Congress during the January 6 attack, another act of political violence, and we discussed the lack of political leadership in this time of uneven, selective outrage.And later, Rep. Pat Ryan [16:38], a member of the house from New York, has been on the front lines of Congress in the debate over a possible government shutdown. Jen and Rep. Ryan discuss the need for Democrats to form a stronger platform and play hard ball.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

President Trump is attempting to disenfranchise the Latino community with a highly gerrymandered map that would directly target Rep. Greg Casar’s (D-TX) seat and other minority-majority districts in the state.Rep. Casar and Jen spoke about the danger of disenfranchising Latino and African-American communities through re-districting maps, RFK Jr.'s disastrous hearing where he tried to defend his anti-vax positions, and how the Democratic Party can go beyond being just the ‘anti-Trump’ party and offer a positive platform.And after, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) [19:28] spoke with Jen after sitting in on two Senate hearings with RFK Jr. and a hearing on the decision to attack a fishing vessel, alleged to be carrying drugs, in international waters.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

Donald Trump has been making a lot of money while he's been President, but he has also been making a lot of money because he's President.Judd Legum, the founder of Popular Information, spoke with Jen Rubin to break down how Trump and his family are enriching themselves through a crypto scheme that benefits mightily from Trump’s executive orders, a compliant SEC, and a disinterested media.And, a group of Epstein survivors gathered outside the Capitol this week to give personal testimony of the abuse they experienced and to urge lawmakers to release the Epstein files.Jen sat down with Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, to discuss the bipartisan efforts to get the Epstein files released, the importance of listening to the victims, plus budget talks, redistricting, and more [23:22].The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

This week marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the massive failure of the federal government’s response that followed. Over 1,300 people were killed and hundreds of thousands more were displaced from their homes.Mitch Landrieu became the 61st Mayor of New Orleans in 2010, five years after Hurricane Katrina, and oversaw the recovery and restoration of a great American city. He later became President Biden’s infrastructure czar.Mitch and Jen discussed the importance of the federal government’s support in emergencies and how Trump’s DOGE cuts will only bring about more destruction and harm.And after, as we approach Labor Day on Monday, it’s more important than ever that we take time to reflect on what the holiday stands for. The Trump administration has been ruthlessly anti-union since taking office in January, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler [33:09] is here to discuss how the working class has become abandoned in Trump’s America and how the labor movement is holding strong despite constant attacks.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

This week marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the massive failure of the federal government’s response that followed. Over 1,300 people were killed and hundreds of thousands more were displaced from their homes.Mitch Landrieu became the 61st Mayor of New Orleans in 2010, five years after Hurricane Katrina, and oversaw the recovery and restoration of a great American city. He later became President Biden’s infrastructure czar.Mitch and Jen discussed the importance of the federal government’s support in emergencies and how Trump’s DOGE cuts will only bring about more destruction and harm.And after, as we approach Labor Day on Monday, it’s more important than ever that we take time to reflect on what the holiday stands for. The Trump administration has been ruthlessly anti-union since taking office in January, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler [33:09] is here to discuss how the working class has become abandoned in Trump’s America and how the labor movement is holding strong despite constant attacks.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

It hasn't been a great few months for the U.S. economy.We've seen prices rise, we've seen chaos in tariffs, we've seen deficits grow quite large, and we've seen the job market crumble.Justin Wolfers, professor of economics at the University of Michigan, joined Jen to explain why Trump's attempts to control the economy are erratic and dangerous to the country. Also, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman discusses the Trump Administration’s efforts to remove Fed Reserve Governor Lisa Cook could destabilize the central bank’s independence.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe

Back in April, Trump signed an executive order targeting whistleblower Miles Taylor. You might remember the name, he wrote an anonymous op-ed in the New York Times critiquing Trump during his first term.And, New York Attorney General Letitia James has long been a target of Trump’s revenge. Most recently, the Department of Justice launched a two-pronged investigation into her conduct.Attorney Abbe Lowell now represents them both.Jen Rubin spoke with him about how much power Trump has over D.C. and how he’s weaponizing litigation against his perceived enemies in his second term.Plus, Contrarian contributor April Ryan is here with Pastor Jamal Bryant [31:00]. Pastor Bryant has become the face of the boycott against Target and explains why the economic effort must continue. As a native from the DMV, he opens up on what watching the assault on his community has felt like.You can join April live every Thursday at 5:00pm ET for her show “The Tea” on the Contrarian Substack!y.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit contrarian.substack.com/subscribe