Political Playlist Happy Hour

On this episode of the happy hour, Michael and Anthony take the helm...and in classic fashion, they have no map or plan for where they're sailing...so they sail right into the latest on the debt ceiling deal, what this means for Democrats and Republicans--who both seem to have many members of their respective parties who are not fans of the deal. And finally, they discuss some recent Supreme Court rulings that have major environmental implications with respect to the power of the EPA. So shake that martini and hit play!

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Some episodes are light and bubbly (that's a pun--wink) and other episodes are, well... a little more "scotch-y". This one is that. Because the gang dives into some of the more depressing news of the week, from Debt ceiling crisis to the battle of Bakhmut, the most brutal fighting in the Ukrainian war. Don't worry, it's not supper depressing but it's...concerning.

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That's right, on today's episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael and Anna have the privilege of speaking with Congressman Robert Garcia of California. Congressman Garcia represents CA's 42 district, which includes the port of Long Beach, and as a freshman, sits on the powerful Homeland Security Committee. Therefore, we couldn't pass up this opportunity to speak with Robert about all things immigration, including the recent expiration of Title 42 and what this means for our southern border.

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Better make it a double...because this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour is looooong...and it get's spicy too! Michael, Anna and Anthony talk about Trump's latest legal loses as it relates to Republican leaders in Congress, what it means for current and future moderate reps like Nancy Mace. Then we tackle some Title 42 policy followed up with a twitter spat about Trans inclusion in the LGBTQ+ movement between (now criminally indicted) George Santos and Robert Garcia. Like we said, it gets spicy.

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On this episode of the Happy Hour, Michael Anna and Anthony discuss the recent abrupt exit of Geoffrey Hinton from Google, otherwise known as the Godfather of A.I., and the further startling alarm bells he's ringing regarding the future of A.I.... Spoiler, it's...alarming.

The gang then unpacks the latest goings-on in Congress, which saw some bipartisan surprises this week (Tom Cotton), some partisan un-surprises (the fight over the debt ceiling), the scoop on rare-earth minerals (Eric Swalwell) and perhaps the least surprising thing which is Michael is horrible at guessing these tweets.

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In this Episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna and Anthony sit down with Republican State Representative Joe Alexander of New Hampshire (The Granite State) to discuss, among other things, the work of getting more Millennials and Gen Z Conservatives to run for office. What makes Joe qualified to speak on this , you ask? Well, he was the youngest elected NH State Rep in 2018 at age 24! He also helped start an organization called Run Gen Z...so yeah, he's kind of an authority on this. And aside from being a very smart guy, he's also a lot of fun to talk to. So pull up a glass, and come get one bit smarter with us.

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On this Happy Hour, Michael and Anna unpack the latest with the trove of leaked classified documents and discuss what certain members of Congress are saying about it, particularly the response to Marjorie Taylor Greene's seeming defense of the leak. Yeah, we know. Also discussed in this episode is the pushback on Biden's new proposed Labor Secretary and their past resume from their time in California office.

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Michael jokes, Anna rants, and Anthony offends...CLASSIC Political Playlist Happy Hour!

On this episode of the Happy Hour, the gang unpacks the recent Texas court ruling on the abortion drug Mifepristone, and discuss what some of our congressional leaders on the right and left are saying about it...and spoiler, there is one VERY unlikely bipartisan team-up on this one. Then, they turn their attention to the Pacific and discuss the latest gamut of tweets surrounding China and it's appetite for a Taiwan takeover.

So pull up a glass and get one bit smarter!

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On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna and Michael sit down with the co-founders of Run For Something, a progressive organization that helps identify and support young progressive Democrats running for local, state and federal office. Amanda Litman and Ross Morales Rocketto discuss their journey through politics and what ultimately drove them to create this organization, which to date has supported over 2,500 candidates and won over 1,000 elections.

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If you're like most Americans this week, you've been clutching your pearls--err, savings and treasury bonds in a confused panic about the health and stability of our greater banking system. Well, fear not! Because we, at Political Playlist have an especially "ranty" episode dropping for you where we break down the gist of all this and highlight one of our newest members of Congress, Rep. Jeff Jackson of North Carolina, who perhaps gives the clearest, most succinct explanation of all this. We also celebrate March 14th which is equal pay day, and lastly, we dive into The Parents Bill Of Rights which is looking to pass the House. 

BUT FIRST, we pour a cocktail and prepare ourselves for the tsunami that is our modern day news cycle.

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In the spirit of Oscar's Monday, we're tipping our hat to this year's Best Picture winner in noticing how the current political landscape feels like some twisted version of the metaverse...and how Congress seems to be doing everything except its job!

On this episode of the happy hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony dive into some salacious tweets from a few oldies-but-goodies, as they cover new January 6th investigations, Energy Independence and Abortion.

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On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael and Anna take the wheel as they duet the latest political issues that Congress under the age of 45 is fighting for. First, they wade into some SCOTUS waters as the Supreme Court just heard a case revolving around Section 230--which many of our young leaders have talked about.  Next they train their sights on some infrastructure bill rollout and then they unpack the political chatter revolving around Biden's buzz-worthy trip to Ukraine. It's all in the happy hour so pull up a glass and come get one bit smarter.

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The gang needs a strong one for this Political Playlist Happy Hour as they unpack the recent report about the $3 trillion new increase to the U.S. Debt that was previously not calculated. Then Michael, Anna and Anthony discuss the Ohio train derailment disaster along with several derailed policies on Guns, Immigration and just how off-the-tracks much of this new Congress seems to be finding themselves.

So pull up a glass to the one place where you'll find all the latest on Congressional leaders under the age of 45.

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On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna wows the boys with her impressive pitch skills, while getting a little assist from everyone's new favorite A.I. in the process. The Gang then unpack the latest tweets from Rep. Seth Moulton, Rep. Robert Garcia, and Rep. Emilia Sykes.  And last but not least, Anna debuts some of her newfound piano playing skills which she claims to have had for years but this is of course the first we're hearing of it.

So pour yourself a drink and come join the conversation about our Congressional leaders under the age of 45.

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On this Happy Hour, Michael and Anna trade their wines for lattes as they chat with former Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin, who by the way, just happens to be the youngest representative elected to the state! We take a dive into the tactics and strategy she implemented on her various campaign trails, which led to her Democratic victory among a very Republican constituency. And it turns out her most effective tool was having an actual conversation with the voter. Sounds a lot like what we preach here at Political Playlist. So pull up a glass and join us for the conversation.

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You'll have to forgive us this week but we decided to kick off this Political Happy Hour with a little breaking doomsday news about...the doomsday clock, which they just announced is now only 90 seconds to midnight! 

Sure, the doomsday clock is rooted in some empirical data but its true purpose is to sound the allegorical alarm. And let's face it, I don't think any of us agree that everything is just fine.

Be that as it may, Michael, Anna and Anthony forge ahead with cocktails and political news surrounding the 17% of Congress that's under the age of 45 years old.  So pull up a glass, tune in and get one bit smarter.

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...And ain't no partisan rift low enough, to keep this Congress from (potentially) agreeing on raising the debt-ceiling.  On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony break down what exactly all this "paying our debt" hoopla is about and what exactly has our young Congress divided about it...chiefly Republican Byron Donalds of Florida.

The gang also dives into some tweets related to MLK Jr.'s impressively young start into the political arena and how he represents a model for why more young people should follow politics.

Oh, and we also discuss tractors. That's right, those big green and yellow toys with the iconic John Deere moniker stamped to their engine hoods. While you may recognize that image, what you likely do not know is how much of a strangle-hold the eponymous company has on their local repair centers.

All this, and of course, cocktails on this episode.

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While we would gladly welcome the great Kenny Loggins onto the Happy Hour ANY time he wants, sadly this episode forges ahead without him.

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael and Anthony fly solo at the helm--or, should we say, Maverick and Rooster. The boys leave Anna to her spa weekend and train their sights on pressing issues like Border Security, the resurrection of the bipartisan stock-ban legislation, and one of the GOP's greatest hits: Combating China.

This action packed episode is chalked full of tweets, and when the hot takes get too close for missiles, these playlister Aces switch to guns.

And clearly Anna's away because this summary was obviously written by someone obsessed with the new Top Gun film. 

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Love 'em, hate 'em, or didn't even know 'em-- on this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, the gang bids adieu to the departing under-45ers of the 117th Congress. And spoiler, it's a mixed bag of good, bad, and ugly heading for the exit. 

As always, Hosts Michael, Anna and Anthony pour some cocktails to discuss the transition of power in the upcoming 118th Congress and raise a glass to the increase of new Congressional leaders under 45... it's now at a "whooping" 17% !!!  While that might not seem like a lot, remember that big change rarely happens overnight, so any positive progress is worth celebrating. 

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On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael discuss the potential, and maybe actual, change that's a-brewin' in China as well as in our own Congress.

While China is seeing unprecedented protests, it remains unlikely that the Chinese people will see very much change, if at all. Whereas in our own Congress, the democrats are poised for sweeping change among their leadership ranks, with Pol Pla's own Pete Aguilar emerging as the number 3 Democrat in the house. 

 In addition to that leadership change, we also discuss the Respect For Marriage act which received broad bipartisan support thanks to the hard work from Kyrsten Sinema. 

As always, tune in to our Political Happy Hour to get all the latest on Congressional leaders under 45.

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Whooo-ee. These midterms were certainly one for the books. On this week's episode, Anna, Anthony and Michael gives some reactions to what went down last week starting with one important observation - America's independents are powerful and sizable. They also talk about some of the important seats our young members of Congress kept in competitive races, newcomers to the platform who they're excited to showcase starting in January, and what an influx of young politicians means for the future. It's an all out frenzy of commentary, starting with some choice words about Anna's selection of eyewear... 

Yes, it's true...sometimes we use the show to work out our own issues, but it's only because this week's issues are a little bit of a bummer. 

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael and Anna discuss the sobering fact that scholastic test scores in America are down, and we mean way down. And in tragic news out of Missouri, yet another shooting fails to register more than the obligatory "thoughts and prayers" from our lawmakers except for a select few. But on the bright side, one Congressional leader under 45 finally saw their Veteran's bill get signed into law after TWO YEARS of fighting for it. 

Pull up a drink and come get one bit smarter with us.

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On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anthony gets a case of the giggles when he learns about Liz Lettuce, an actually head of lettuce mockingly displayed on a webcam in an attempt to outlast recently installed, and more recently departed, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Michael, Anna and Anthony chat UK politics before bringing back home to discuss some recent AOC burns on twitter regarding the recent Dobbs decision, the quality of education in New Jersey, and the imminent need to take preventative military action regarding China's hostility toward Taiwan.

Pull up a drink and hear all the latest goings on among young Congressional Leaders under the age of 45.

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What could be more fun than Ron DeSantis's choice of post-hurricane footwear? This episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, as we dive into fiscal responsibility among our leaders, the potential need for legislation preventing members of congress from trading stocks while in office...oh and the idea of selling Hawaii. Spoiler, that is an Barkett original. So pull up a glass and get ready to dive into all the latest goings on in Congress among our leaders under the age of 45.

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On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna and Michael go it alone as Anthony attends his 117th wedding of the year. But it turns out, they don't miss him much, evident by the fact that Anna and Michael are professional long-winded talkers and happily didn't have anyone hurrying them along this time.

They cover a range of issues including water infrastructure in Florida, Domestic Oil and Gas production in Texas, and the likelihood of whether or not we'll see the enhanced child tax credit actually become law.

It's a healthy episode of knowledge so pull up a glass and get ready to learn something new about what our young Congressional leaders under 45 are saying and doing about the issues that effect all of us.

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The gang's all here for this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, and more importantly, it was recorded at 5pm so everyone showed up with an actual cocktail in hand!

Anna, Anthony and Michael discuss some of the major news headlines, like Governor DeSantis of Florida sending migrants to Martha's Vineyard via private jet, before diving into some tweets of the week.

Anthony brings up one from a Republican Congresswoman who's quite critical of the Biden Administration, Michael shines a light on much behind the scenes work the Administration did to avert a Railroad workers strike, and Anna dives into the perilous weather situation that Puerto Rico now faces.

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The team does something different this week and welcomes Maddie and Sammy from The Girl and the Gov to Happy Hour. The Girl and the Gov is rebranding politics for millennial women and breaking down the barriers to civic engagement. 

Anna and Anthony may not have had cocktails for this morning recording, but that didn't stop things from getting a little rowdy. Maddie and Sammy break down how to get out of our echo chambers, when 'tough' political conversations are productive or not, and what they think of some of the young politicians we cover on Political Playlist... spoiler alert, everyone's a little googly-eyed for Sen. Jon Ossoff from Georgia.

In this Episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna and Michael raise a glass to the dearly departed Queen Elizabeth II as they remark on her place within American History--having met 13 of the last 14 U.S Presidents, dating back to Harry Truman. 

But after a few here-heres, we quickly pivot back to legislative matters on this side of the pond, specifically surrounding legalization of marijuana, the newly enacted CHIPS Act, and how this new infrastructure spending is going to address something one of our Under-45ers calls "Climate Justice".

Lots a tweets read, and lots of suds sipped as we unpack all the goings on in Congress among our elected leaders under the age of 45.

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On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna, Michael and Anthony dive into the latest issue of Student Debt Forgiveness. On the heels of the President's Executive Order, canceling of up to $10,000.00 worth of student loan debt, it's no surprise to see that the Democrats and Republicans are on completely different sides of this issue. 

The gang reads tweets from young lawmakers on both sides and try to unpack the argument each is making, for and against. They also learn about a new push from under-45er and Army Vet Jason Crow to rethink how the Pentagon goes about minimizing civilian casualties in war, which is tragically all too high. 

Lots happening in the beltway that is effecting everyone from the coasts to the countrysides. What are our young leaders in Congress doing and saying about it all? Tune in to find out who said what, who sponsored this, and who is tweet-trashing that!

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Finally! The Political Playlist Happy Hour returns from its summer recess and boy has it been a busy last few weeks. On this episode, Anna, Anthony and Michael breakdown the latest goings-on in Gov under-45 and common theme: BILLS. Congress has passed a handful of major legislation in the last few weeks, including the Inflation Reduction Act, The CHIPS Act, and The PACT Act. These bills were signed into law by the President, following varying degrees of bipartisan support. But what were our young leaders in Congress doing and saying about it all? Tune in to find out who said what, who sponsored this, and who is tweet-trashing that!

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 The issue is Saudi Arabia and the question is what did the US truly gain from President Biden's recent trip to Saudi Arabia?  

On this episode of the Political Happy Hour Anna, Anthony and Michael dive into the second leg of President' Biden's recent trip to the Middle East and discuss what the administration is hoping to achieve from the trip to Saudia Arabia, and how dealing with MBS (The Crown Prince) is a tight-rope walk to say the least.  

The gang also addresses the elephant in the room--or elephants--those being oil and human rights, while while looking at what our young leaders under 45 in Congress are saying about it.  

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The issue is the Middle East and the question is what does Biden's trip to Israel tell us about the future of Middle East relations?  

On this episode of the Political Happy Hour Anna, Anthony and Michael dive into the first leg of President' Biden's recent trip to the Middle East and discuss what the administration is hoping to achieve from the trip.  

The gang breaks down what out young leaders under 45 in Congress are saying about it and discuss who's sounding the alarm on Iran's nuclear deal and who's focusing on diplomacy with Palestine.  

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The issue is change and the question is will the Supreme Court's decision on the EPA reduce our advances in combating climate change?  

On this episode of the political Happy Hour Anna, Anthony and Michael dive into the 3rd mega-decision from the supreme court in as many weeks, and discuss what impact it will have, if any, on meaningful advances toward curbing harmful greenhouse gases.  

The gang breaks down what the decision actually means in practical terms and what the political future looks like on this issue among  young leaders under 45 in Congress.  

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The issue is foreign detainees and the question is what can we learn from Brittany Griner's detention in Russia? 

On this episode of the political Happy Hour Anna, Anthony and Michael dive into the wrongful detention of WNBA star Brittany Griner, who's being held in a Russian prison on what many believe to be bogus drug charges.  

The gang breaks down how it all happened, why she's over in Russia in the first place, and what our young leaders under 45 in Congress are saying and doing about it.  

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The issue is abortion and the question is what are our young lawmakers in Congress saying about the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade?  

This episode of the political Happy Hour gets personal as Anna, Anthony and Michael dive into this hotly contested issue and subsequent court ruling in an effort to try and understand how this still remains perhaps the most polarizing issue in our country and among our young Congressional leaders under the age of 45. 

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The issue of this week's Political Happy Hour is The January 6th Committee and the question is, what is a more effective messaging approach for the committee: Anti-Trump, or Pro-Democracy?  

Anthony decides to sashay back into the happy hour as the gang breakdown the January 6th Committee's recent primetime hearing and discuss how the 3 lawmakers from Political Playlist who sit on the committee are approaching the messaging of the committee's findings.   

Those three members include Democrats Stephanie Murphy of Florida and Pete Aguilar of California, as well as Republican Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.   

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The issue of this week's Political Happy Hour is Party Loyalty and the question is, is there room for a so-called political maverick in today's hyper-partisan politics? 

Anthony sits out this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, letting fellow east-coasters Michael and Anna hash out the viability of today's leading political maverick: Adam Kinzinger.  

You may know him as the Republican who voted to impeach Trump, or the one who's for banning assault rifles, or perhaps you know him because he actually did have a call sign as an Combat Air Force Pilot in Iraq.  And hey, he just may even be you congressman if you live in Illinois' 16th.  But rest assured, despite the fact that he isn't running for reelection in November, it is very safe to say we have not seen the last of this Republican Maverick.  

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It is with profound sadness that the issue of this week's Political Happy Hour is, yet again, Mass Shootings.  

The question we're asking this week is in the wake of the most recent school shooting, is now the time for community healing or legislative action? 

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony quite frankly get a little worked up over this blatant epidemic and the lack of political willingness to even address the very basic elements of this problem that is firmly planted in this country.   

The Republicans say it's a mental health issue while the Democrats say it's a gun issue. There already exists bipartisan bills that would address background checks and red flag laws, but there doesn't seem to be enough votes to pass it in the Senate. 

While the gang sips cocktails on this Political Happy Hour, the melancholic reality of the recent events certainly looms large but that's not a reason to avoid having the challenging conversations. In fact, it's exactly why we must.  

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The issue is Domestic Terrorism and the question is does Congress passing legislation to combat domestic terrorism feel like government overreach or necessary surveillance?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony address the recent mass-shooting tragedy in Buffalo by examining it through the lens of the recent Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022.

The Democratically proposed legislation looks poised to pass but tune in to find out which Democrats joined Republicans in opposing the bill.

As all ways, the gang sips cocktails on this Political Happy Hour as they discuss the latest goings-on with our Congressional Leaders under the age of 45.

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The issue is The War In Ukraine and the question is now that Congress is set to approve $40 Billion in military aid to Ukraine, what comes next?

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony dive into the latest pen strokes out of the ol' Congressional check book with the latest Tsunami of funds headed for Ukraine and for good reason, damnit!  

The gang sips coffee on this early morning Political Happy Hour recording as they discuss which Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 said what about the bill and who actually voted against it! They also manage to chat about the reinstated Lend-Lease Act which hasn't been used since WWII.  

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The issue is Abortion and the question is does the potential of overturning Roe v. Wade invigorate Democrats, Republicans, or both?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony break down the latest media maelstrom surrounding Justice Alito's leaked draft decision regarding whether or not the Supreme Court may be poised to overturn the landmark abortion rights case. Strong drinks and hot takes are a plenty in this segment during, during which Anna reads and bunch of mystery tweets and makes the boys guess who said what.  

One thing is for certain on this Political Happy Hour and that is that Abortion Rights may be the single most polarizing issue among our Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 !  

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The issue is Free Speech and the question is Elon Musk buying Twitter really the win for free speech that Republicans are claiming it to be?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony break down the latest social media bombshell surround Elon Musk buying twitter and look at how and why Republicans have almost unanimously leapt for free speech joy while the Democrats are staying deafeningly quiet.  

But one thing's for certain, and that is that none of our Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 are giving up their Twitter accounts any time soon!  

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The issue is Student Debt and the question is what are the consequences of student debt relief for young Americans?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony break down the Biden Administration's recent decision to extend the student loan moratorium until August, effectively sending each party racing back to their political corners on this issue. 

And it is one that has our young Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 all talking.

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The issue is immigration and the question is will doing away with Title 42 create a disaster at our southern border?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, the gang pours a glass, and dives into a specific immigration policy known as Title 42 that was instated early on during the pandemic. Just recently, the Biden Administration announced it would be ending it, which has caused a stir among many Republicans as well as moderate Democrats.   

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The issue is legalizing marijuana and the question is will Congress finally pass legislation to federally legalize weed? 

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, the gang pours a glass, and pops a gummy, to discuss the recent passing of the MORE Act in the House. Passed mostly along party lines save for a few of our leaders on the platform, most notably Republicans Matt Gaetz and Brian Mast, who joined Democrats in supporting the bill, while Democrat Chris Pappas joined Republicans in a nay vote.  

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The issue is Electability and the question is, does Madison Cawthorn's blatant, exaggerated media stunt help his re-election?  

Oh my, indeed! Where to begin, with this latest Happy Hour taking a turn towards the provocative as Michael, Anna and Anthony discuss the North Carolinian's recent comments that have Washington and the Republican Party fuming. 

But in today's day and age, will any of this hurt his chances for re-election?  

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The issue is Cryptocurrency Regulation and the question is, can young lawmakers bring our financial regulatory system into the 21st Century? 

In this episode, Anna needs every last drop of her organic, locally-sourced, hand-foraged Kombucha Margarita for teaching Michael and Anthony all about Crypto and bitcoin and AnthonyCoin (coming soon)...and unpacking the myriad legislation proposed around this new emerging market.   

And in a shocking plot twist, there is actually bipartisan support around this issue! 

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The issue is THE BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM and the question is, why isn't anyone talking about this?

In this episode, the boys are still left to their own devices as Michael and Anthony take a deep dive into The Budapest Memorandum, a denuclearization agreement signed back in 1994 between the US, UK, Russia and Ukraine.   

Tune in to find out what exactly this was and how Russia is in clear violation of it.   

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With war raging in Ukraine, Anthony and Michael tackle the President's recent decision to ban imports of Russian oil and ask the hard questions of what the costs of this will be. Spoiler: it's going to be pricey.  They also read various tweets from our young leaders of congress and try to guess what party they're from and who said it. 

As always, they pour a few cocktail and try to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

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Or as we discovered in this segment of the Happy Hour, "Run Ruben Run" would have been a more apt title as the gang discuss the possibility--err, likelihood that Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego (D; AZ-7) will challenge Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) in the 2024 Arizona Senate Primary.   

As always, Anna, Anthony and Michael pour a few cocktail and try to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

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In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna talks...and talks...and talks... about the US's China Policy and specifically the new COMPETES Act in Congress, which looks to make the US more competitive with China in a number of areas. Anthony and Michael try to compete for air time but like the Republican opposition to this bill, they haven't quite mustered a winning strategy against it yet.  

As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress. 

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In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael tackle the economy and specifically how the Tech Sector can help boost it. They break down California Congressman Ro Khanna's plan to expand the tech sector to rural areas by creating tech hubs in cities and towns far from Silicon Valley.   As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

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Except do fret, because the amount of student debt that Americans have is soaring and there is no clear solution on the horizon.  

In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael tackle the student debt crisis, what our young politicians are saying and doing about it, and how Republicans might be wise to grab hold of this as a core campaign issue for the upcoming elections.  

As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress. 

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In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael tackle election security, and specifically what a group of North Carolina lawyers are trying to do about Madison Cawthorn's involvement in events leading up to the January 6th insurrection. Spoiler, it has to do with the 3rd Section of the 14th Amendment. ***Insert "mind-blown" emoji here***  

As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

Instagram: @politicalplaylist 

Website: politicalplaylist.com

Like all great Happy Hours, you must embrace the unexpected, and starting this week, Anna, Anthony and Michael are doing just that as they pivot their weekly happy hour format over to Youtube. There, you can find weekly segments focusing on the major core political issues all through the lens of the young members of Congress under the age of 45.

In this mashup, the trio takes on three issues: Foreign Policy, Rules and Regulations, and Mental Health, and looks at some of the goings-on surrounding new legislation, policy, and current events. 

Weekly compilation episodes will continue to be available in podcast form but we encourage everyone to head to our Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXaNOi_ovdDBe6I_M8-naLA) in order to check out just how well all that Goop product is working out! Spoiler: Anna's the only one who received the gift basket from them.

In the first Happy Hour of the New Year, Anna, Anthony and Michael decide to yelp-review our government and--spoiler alert--it did not receive a Michelin Star. The trio unpack the latest ups and downs of DC disfunction and riff on the state of the filibuster, what Congressional leaders are saying, or not saying, about Jan 6, and they also manage to unpack why Anna wasn't allowed to have McDonald's as a kid. 

Once again, Anna heads off on assignment, leaving the pod reigns to Anthony and Michael. They sit down with Sara Hernandez, an attorney, mother, and former teacher, who is now running to be a Trustee for the LA Community College District. They talk about what galvanized Sara to take up the cause of eduction, the non-profit she started after seeing first-hand the challenges that inner-city schools face, and why she's excited to tackle the new challenges that covid has posed for many students. 

The band's all back together for this Happy Hour as they wrap up the year in "Post-Partisan" style. Anna, Anthony and Michael start pushing this new term to refer to the changing desires of voters who want innovation over compromise, irrespective of party ideology. The gang also riffs on party disunity and whether or not it will spur party unity. And we'll let you be the judge as to whether or not Anthony is one bit smarter this week.

In this episode, Anna takes a much-needed spa week, leaving the boys to their own devices! So what do Michael and Anthony do? They invite on their buddy, Bobby Kronfli. Except Bobby isn't just any buddy. He's the owner of Bacari, one of the hottest restaurant chains in Los Angeles, and while he does make a mean martini, he really joins the Happy Hour to detail just how he was able to keep his restaurants afloat during covid. Spoiler: We have him to thank for restaurants in LA becoming grocery stores. You don't want to miss this riveting and candid conversation about what it was like to be a restaurateur on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

On this Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael share their mutual admiration for Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, of South Carolina and discuss whether or not she's the perfect mold of future GOP leaders. They also unpack the recent Supreme Court hearing on the Mississippi abortion case, discuss some Congresspeople throwing shade at the President, and most critical, identify who of the group takes the longest to get ready. Spoiler, it ain't Anna! So pull up a glass and get one bit smarter.

In this Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony unpack all of the animus and anime emanating from the House, and ask the big question: is it about time we have a code of conduct in Congress? Pull up a glass as they also wade into the future of bipartisanship and whether or not we'll ever see it again.

On this week's Happy Hour, Anna and Anthony are joined by Rebecca Brown, Policy Director for the Innocence Project, a nonprofit that exonerates the wrongfully convicted through DNA evidence and reforms in the criminal justice system. Rebecca dives into how they go about this on a state-by-state level, how the attention to racial justice over the past year has led to a groundswell of support for their mission, and shares some heartbreaking anecdotes that emphasize why this work is so important. To feel moved, educated, and galvanized, this is not an episode to miss!

In this loooooonger-than-usual Happy Hour (We blame Anna), the Gang chops it up about the off-year election cycle results and what this may foretell regarding the various political and campaign strategies each party may deploy in the forthcoming mid-term elections and beyond! Anna, Anthony and Michael also dive into what the future might look like for Adam Kinzinger and Anthony Gonzalez as well as the debate about proposed settlement payments to separated migrants during the Trump Administration.

In this Happy Hour, The Playlist Gang discuss one Republican Senator's suggestion for how to deal with our aging politicians: Cognitive Tests! After unpacking all the pros and cons that come with age, Michael, Anna and Anthony tackle topics like Paris Hilton's newfound activism, the unique and potentially questionable fundraising efforts going on within each party, and the Brew-fest heard 'round the Beltway. 

With Congress a’ buzzing around the Facebook whistleblower hearings, Anna and Anthony decide to go straight to the source to see what the fuss is about. Tune in as they sit down with POLITICO's Ali Levine, as she breaks down the fight over big data between Silicon Valley and Washington DC. They also unpack the policy debate around children's safety online as well as try and wrap their heads around what we’re now learning about Facebook and what's to come for good old 'Zuck.'

Alexandra S. Levine is a technology reporter for POLITICO focused on privacy and data issues in the U.S. and around the world. She covers the fights between Silicon Valley and Washington over companies’ handling of data — including efforts to create rules around the collecting, sharing and monetizing of Americans’ information as well as the tensions between what’s going on at the state, federal and international level. As of late, she has been most closely following political and policy debates around children’s safety online and AI tools like facial recognition. Prior to joining POLITICO in 2019, Alexandra spent three years as a staff reporter at The New York Times.

This aptly-named episode focuses on "Kooky" Kyrsten Sinema, the newly crowned Arizona queen of the Senate, as she flexes her not-so-moderate muscles when it comes to the bi-partisan infrastructure bill she helped negotiate. Michael, Anna and Anthony also discuss where the real ideological power in Congress lies, how they should mix up the D's and R's by region for the next Congressional baseball game, and the three political gurus certainly never miss an opportunity to poke fan at one another. Oh, and check out the IG version of the episode to see Anna in a kooky wig!

Join us in this episode as Michael, Anna and Anthony discuss the varying degrees of ideology individuals have towards their political party. Anna specifically dives into a notable moderate on either side of the aisle, Anthony discusses what he would do if he were president, and of course, everyone has some thoughts on AOC's Met Gala Dress. 

The team takes on the very light topic of abortion in America and ask the question if having more women in office will evolve the highly partisan debate. Tune in for this discussion plus our new section, The Riff, where Anna, Anthony, & Michael pick of a topic and, you guessed it, riff on it!

Anna is joined by actress and activist Yvette Nicole Brown. Though she's perhaps best known for her work on the hit series Community, Yvette has been working behind the political scenes to support candidates and issues that matter to her. Tune in to hear about how that work started, what she looks for in a candidate when deciding to support them, and, of course, what gives her hope. 

This episode the team discusses the seemingly endless stream of breaking news these days and discuss if young lawmakers will bring new ideas to U.S. foreign policy after the disaster leaving Afghanistan. Tune in for nonpartisan political commentary like you've never heard it before. 

Co-Founder, Anna chats with her dad, actor, director, & activist Tony Goldwyn about his journey to political engagement and how it influenced her decision to start Political Playlist. Tune into catch the dynamic dad-daughter and hear about Tony's childhood encounter with Richard Nixon.

Are young politicians going to derail the most recent bipartisan infrastructure bill? Maybe! Tune in to hear about this thrilling mess, Democrats' push towards climate legislation, why the political ghost of Gov. Cuomo might (or might not) continue to haunt us, and more!

Anna, Anthony & Michael dive into last week's newsletter which posed the question of how young politicians are particularly equipped to handle laws around mental health. They also get into WTF is going on with infrastructure, scary things like 'forever chemicals', the Hulu documentary 'Summer of Soul', and why they're each One Bit Smarter!

Anna, Anthony, & Michael breakdown the most recent newsletter, questioning U.S. efforts over history at nation building in Haiti, Cuba, and Afghanistan and what having so many young veterans in office might change about those efforts. A doozy of an episode that packs a punch and is sure to make you one bit smarter by the time you're finished!

In celebration of July 4th, Anna, Anthony & Michael unpack the document of all documents... the Constitution. Should it be updated? Should we leave it alone? Tune in to hear more and also to learn about a new Republican climate change initiative, a saucy update on infrastructure, and other young politicians making moves!

Former Democratic representative Abby Finkenauer joins Anna & Anthony as the first inaugural guest on the Happy Hour. Abby was one of the youngest women every elected to Congress and served from 2018-2020 representing Iowa's 1st district. Abby talks about working to double funding for endometriosis, what she learned from her loss in 2020, and how she's now working with the organization The Next 50 to help young candidates fund their campaigns. Abby is an example of why Political Playlist exists - a young, relatable American dedicated to public service! 

In a surprising week of bipartisanship, there's growing consensus from the progressive left to the conservative right when it comes to what the hell we should do about Big Tech. AND Biden just appointed a 32-year-old anti-Big Techer to head the Federal Trade Commission which is sure to move the process along. For this and more, including our favorite new gadget called the Flavor Blaster, tune in! 

In the inaugural episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Anna, Michael & Anthony do a deep political dive on the state of LGBTQ+ issues among young lawmakers, shine a light on Rep. Nancy Mace's (R-SC) Twinkie eating and Sen. Jon Ossoff's (D-GA) Georgia green bills, and learn why Anthony loved kindergarten so much.