Today on Ben Kissel Politics, the headlines stretch from the classroom to the doctor’s office to the floor of the United Nations. Media figures are already sparring over the pronouns used for a trans school shooter, turning tragedy into yet another culture war skirmish. Meanwhile, the debate over Donald Trump’s health heats up—raising questions about fitness, transparency, and whether his campaign trail doctors moonlight as hype men. And on the world stage, Israel lashes out at Belgium after the European nation officially recognized Palestine as a state in the UN—a diplomatic move that further complicates an already volatile global scene. It’s a mix of language battles, medical mysteries, and international recognition, delivered with the usual dose of sarcasm, skepticism, and a stiff drink. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we’re tackling the strange mix of fear, free speech, and full-on political backpedaling. 😨 First up: fear of fear itself. How do you confront the anxiety of living in a time where panic feels like the default setting? We dig into what it means to conquer that fear and keep moving forward. 📚 Then we dive into the new pronoun-policing legislation, which caps damages at $50,000 for people offended by speech. Because nothing says protecting freedom like slapping a price tag on it. 🏛️ And finally, Gavin Newsom continues his bid to fight his way to the middle—this time with some spectacular backtracking on earlier stances. Turns out, running for president means your spine has to be as flexible as your polling data. It’s fear management, language lawfare, and political gymnastics—all wrapped in sarcasm and a stiff drink. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we cover the news cycle’s perfect trifecta of absurdity. 🎤 Alabama Governor Kay Ivey gave a press conference that went off script—thanks to a rogue burp into the microphone. Call it southern charm, call it indigestion, call it the most relatable thing a politician has done all year. 🇺🇸 Meanwhile, Donald Trump is promising that burning an American flag will mean a mandatory one-year prison sentence. Because nothing says freedom quite like locking someone up for using it. 💻 And across the country, data centers keep multiplying like political scandals—draining power, eating resources, and making neighbors wonder if cloud computing is really worth the blackout risk. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we’re paying the real price for progress. 🌍 First, we dive into the climate toll of artificial intelligence—because every chatbot answer and AI-generated cat meme comes with a carbon footprint big enough to stomp a glacier. 🎖️ Meanwhile, in North Korea, Kim Jong Un has actually admitted his soldiers have lost battles. That’s right—the world’s most denial-prone dictator let the mask slip. (Somewhere a propaganda writer is being reassigned to “forever nap duty.”) 📸 And finally, Donald Trump is showing off a photo of himself with Vladimir Putin, as if it’s senior prom all over again. It’s the kind of flex that makes you wonder if his campaign strategy is just running on nostalgia and glossy prints. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, the news cycle serves up a platter that’s equal parts salty and surreal. 🦪 In Maine, oyster farmer Graham Platner trades his shucking knife for a campaign slogan, proving that politics really is about who can open the toughest shells. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton shocked plenty of people by conceding that Donald Trump actually had some good ideas on foreign policy. We dig into whether this is honesty, strategy, or just 2024’s weirdest plot twist. 🏛️ And in California, Gavin Newsom is backtracking on the trans athlete debate as he positions himself for a White House run. Turns out, flip-flopping isn’t just an Olympic sport—it’s a campaign strategy. It’s grassroots grit, bipartisan eyebrow-raisers, and presidential gymnastics—all in one episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Ben Kissel Politics, we explore the strange similarities between Bill Clinton and Donald Trump when they talk about immigration—proof that sometimes the political spectrum is just a circle. We also hear from cultural heavyweights George Carlin, Noam Chomsky, and Frank Zappa on why trusting those in power is a dangerous habit. And in the middle of all that cynicism, we talk about how to stay positive when America feels like it’s running on chaos, caffeine, and campaign slogans. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we take a stroll—literally—into some of the weirdest and most troubling policy moves of the week. 🇨🇳 First up: In China, AI is now being used to classify people as criminals for walking down the “wrong” sidewalk. Yes, apparently your Fitbit route could land you on a watchlist. Big Brother has gone full neighborhood watch… with facial recognition. 🌿 Back home, the U.S. is keeping marijuana classified the same as steroids and codeine—because nothing says “modern drug policy” like pretending a joint is the same as a syringe full of HGH. 🏛️ And finally, Jeanine Pirro and Donald Trump are calling for the National Guard to “eradicate” lawlessness and homelessness in Washington, D.C. Because when you have no housing plan, a Humvee is apparently the next best thing. It’s surveillance, over-classification, and political overcompensation—wrapped in one episode. Come for the policy talk, stay for the mental image of Jeanine Pirro barking orders in camouflage. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, the headlines read like a political Mad Lib gone wrong. 📰 First up, Donald Trump addresses the ever-growing Epstein conspiracy theories — and calls them “bullshit.” Which is fascinating, considering some of his previous connections and photo ops. (We’ll let you decide whether this is honesty, damage control, or just the world’s weirdest branding exercise.) 🏦 Then we get into the debanking of politically exposed persons — when banks decide you’re too risky to have an account because your name keeps showing up in scandal stories. Apparently, financial institutions have higher moral standards than some elected officials. ⚖️ Speaking of which — a politician just passed a bill to lessen penalties for 18-year-olds who rape children. Yep. That’s not satire. That’s not hyperbole. That’s an actual, real-life legislative decision someone thought was a good look. It’s denial, financial exile, and legal decline — all in one episode. Buckle up, because this political circus just replaced the elephants with flaming dumpsters. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we take you on a journey through America's weirdest political decisions, starting with… Kristi Noem, who’s back in the news and somehow still doing everything except helping her constituents. 🐊 Meanwhile in Florida (obviously), prison officials are greenlighting what we’re calling “Alligator Alcatraz” — a massive new facility in the swamps, because apparently incarceration isn’t cruel enough without reptiles. 🚨 And in Texas, Democrats stage a walkout to break quorum over a proposed racially biased redistricting map. Nothing like voting rights theater to remind us we’re still living in a political reality show—but with fewer coherent plot lines and more sunscreen. It’s one part satire, one part outrage, and all parts “wait, that’s real?” Tune in for political chaos, swamp creatures, and the kind of leadership decisions that make you say, “You know what? Maybe the alligators should vote.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, it’s a fever dream of geopolitical denial and scripted entrances. First, Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu takes a bold stand… against reality. He claims there’s no starvation happening in Gaza, despite footage, aid organizations, and common sense saying otherwise. Who needs facts when you’ve got a podium and a straight face? Meanwhile, in the weirdest crossover since The Jetsons Meet The Flintstones, Triple H shows up at the White House—presumably to cut a promo on foreign policy. Because nothing says diplomacy like someone yelling “Are you ready?!” into a government microphone. 💸 And then there’s Linda McMahon, delivering a devastating heel turn by announcing that student loans will NOT be forgiven. That’s right, folks—Linda just hit the American youth with a steel chair of economic despair. It’s politics, it’s wrestling, it’s denial, and it’s debt. Basically, the entire human experience—just with more entrance music. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this jam-packed episode of Ben Kissel Politics, we redraw the lines—political and moral. 🗺️ First up, we dive into voter redistricting. Because what better way to honor democracy than by carving up neighborhoods like a gerrymandered pizza? 💸 Then, the money trail leads somewhere... uncomfortable. Apparently, Trump made 4,700 wire transfers to none other than Jeffrey Epstein. That’s not a typo—that’s a Venmo addiction with a felony twist. 🤝 Meanwhile, the U.S. and EU are trying to play nice with a shiny new trade deal. Will it solve global economic woes? Probably not. But it’ll look great in a campaign ad. 🙏 And finally, a devoutly "pro-life" politician is caught funding three abortions—all outside his marriage. Because nothing says Christian values like outsourcing morality and dodging paternity. If you're looking for a podcast that mixes political chaos with moral collapse and just enough trade jargon to keep your dad awake—this is it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Ben Kissel Politics, it’s man vs. machine... or maybe man apologizing to machine. 🤖 Tech CEOs—who once promised us flying cars and smarter phones—are now nervously biting their fingers as AI starts replacing everything from copywriters to therapists. We unpack their public apologies, doomsday warnings, and the not-so-subtle subtext: "Sorry we built the robot that’s better at your job (and probably your marriage)." 🧠 But it’s not all robo-tears. In a rare turn of uplifting news, AI is actually giving people hope. One woman—left voiceless after a stroke—got her voice back thanks to this very same “Skynet-lite” technology. So... is AI a tool of salvation or a high-tech middle finger to humanity? We break it down—with the usual mix of sarcasm, side-eyes, and some admiration for the robot that might one day host this podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Ben Kissel Politics, we flush away real issues to examine the biggest distractions in Washington's porcelain circus such as bathroom monitors in the military and renaming the Kennedy Center after Melania Trump. Listen in as we try to figure out if any of this is real or just political mad-libs on mushrooms. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben dives into a wild week in American politics: Trump keeps wondering why anyone cares about Epstein, Texas GOP leaders try to draw democracy out of the state entirely, and right-wing media personalities seem to be realizing that maybe—just maybe—Trump isn’t the second coming. From shady coverups to redrawn maps to Fox News giving Trump the cold shoulder, it’s a hot mess of scandal, strategy, and schadenfreude. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ben Kissel as he discusses the political news of the week. Topics include: The Alabama hemp bill, Trump and Epstein and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ben Kissel as he discusses the week's political news. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ben Kissel as he discusses the week's political news. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ben Kissel as he discusses the week's political news. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ben Kissel as he discusses the week's political news. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ben Kissel as he discusses the political news of the week. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.