Beerocracy!®

The war with Iran is showing no signs of slowing down, and thousands have been killed and injured. The Trump administration has launched the Middle East into uncertainty, and there is no one better to discuss the chaos than Kian Tajbakhsh. Tajbakhsh is an Iranian-American scholar and democratic activist who was arrested and imprisoned by this brutal regime. Released as part of the Obama Nuclear Deal of 2015, he makes a pretty controversial argument that's going to stop you mid-sip: that the United States isn't starting a war with Iran — it's finishing one that Iran started back in 1979. This is an episode you don't want to miss.

The U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran - hitting major cities, taking out top military commanders, and assassinating Supreme Leader Khamenei. This isn't a warning shot. This is war. And now, uncertainty is everywhere. Thousands have died, the U.S's Middle Eastern allies are being attacked, and Donald Trump changes his answers on "How long?" and "Why?" and "What's next?" every time he is asked. I'm joined by Ross Harrison, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC and author of the new book “Decoding Iran’s Foreign Policy." We break down all the questions surrounding this military advancement, providing historical context and analyzing potential outcomes. This is a scary time, but this podcast provides insights and answers. Ross's Book: Decoding Iran's Foreign Policy

Content Warning: This episode discusses sexual abuse. When Marina Lacerda was 14 years old, she found herself giving a massage to Jeffrey Epstein in his NYC mansion - the beginning of what would be years of abuse. As Minor Victim #1, Lacerda’s testimony in the 2019 indictment of Epstein helped lead to his arrest. And for years, she hid this secret. But now, she’s ready to speak out for herself and survivors everywhere. 

This is the final episode of the two part Beerocracy! podcast special where I traveled to the top Trump supporting counties in 4 states in Appalachia to try to understand why and how people support Donald Trump. Our social media feeds keep us in our echo chambers, discouraging dialogue. I decided I was tired of the constant rhetoric making it seem like I, a liberal, couldn't find common ground and talk to people on the complete opposite side of the political spectrum to me. So I did what any stubborn person would do, I went on a roadtrip.

This episode is Part 1 of a two part Beerocracy! podcast special where I traveled to the top Trump supporting counties in 4 states in Appalachia to try to understand why and how people support Donald Trump. Our social media feeds keep us in our echo chambers, discouraging dialogue. I decided I was tired of the constant rhetoric making it seem like I, a liberal, couldn't find common ground and talk to people on the complete opposite side of the political spectrum to me. So I did what any stubborn person would do, I went on a roadtrip.

Two American citizens and dozens of immigrants have been killed, hundreds injured, and the country is on edge because of Donald Trump's immigration policy. Trump ran on an anti-immigrant platform, promising record levels of deportations, and so far, he's been attempting to live up to his campaign promises. The problem? His administration is conducting itself with unseen levels of aggression, cruelty, and a disregard for laws. I'm joined by former ICE field director, Darius Reeves, who reveals the ins and outs of immigration enforcement. It's an honest, challenging conversation surrounding the moral qualms of immigrations enforcement. He shares what it was like working under four different administrations, insider knowledge about what happened when a current field director tried to push back, as well as his personal relationships with Todd Lyons and Tom Homan. Reeves has some choice words for this current administration. This is an honest, challenging conversation about immigration, power, and accountability, and one you don’t want to miss.!DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE!

President Trump has set his sights on Greenland. This arctic territory has become center stage for Trump's imperialistic desires, leading to classically aggressive statements that cause chaos on a global stage. But what makes Greenland so desirable? I'm joined by Dr. Cameron “Cam” Carlson from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, to break down the importance of this icy plateau. From national security concerns to rare earth minerals, we unpack everything there is to know about Greenland, and why Trump is currently obsessed.

On January 13th, the Supreme Court is hearing the arguments for West Virginia v. BPJ, a landmark Supreme Court case that could reshape the future of transgender rights and school athletics nationwide. The case challenges West Virginia’s 2021 Save Women’s Sports Act, which bans transgender girls and women from participating in female school sports. At the center is B.P.J., Becky Pepper Jackson, a transgender girl who was barred from joining her middle school track team. The justices will weigh whether these state-level bans violate Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.To unpack what’s at stake, we’re joined by Sruti Swaminathan, Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project and counsel for B.P.J. in B.P.J. v. West Virginia Board of Education. Swaminathan explains the legal arguments behind the challenge, what this case could mean for transgender students across the country, and dispels a lot of myths about transgender athletes.

In one of the most dramatic and controversial moments in recent U.S.–Latin America relations, the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, brought them to the United States on criminal charges, and sent shockwaves across the region. So what happens next? Between Trump's very transparent desires for oil investment in the country, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio setting his sites on a regime change in Cuba next, the U.S. is taking aggressive stances in Latin America. I'm joined by Frank Mora, Professor of Politics and International Relations at Florida International University and former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States, to discuss what potential futures look like for Venezuela, and the broader Latin American region. Don't forget to like and subscribe!

Hello Team!Just wanted to thank everyone for their part in contributing to this podcast. From my guests dedicating their time and my listeners for engaging with every episode, I am so grateful for the year that was 2025. I can't wait for what awaits in 2026.Cheers to 2025 and thank you all. Emily

It's happened again. Another school shooting. A terrible, unnecessary constant in American life. But it doesn't have to be this way. This episode takes a hard, solutions-focused look at school shooting prevention through conversations with leaders from Sandy Hook Promise, one of the nation’s leading violence prevention organizations. In the wake of gun violence across the U.S., we move beyond headlines to examine what actually works to stop violence before it happens: by identifying warning signs, building safer school communities, and intervening early.I'm joined by Liz Murphy, Senior Vice President of Federal Policy & Partnerships and Patrick Malone, Senior Director of Federal Policy from Sandy Hook Promise to explain how prevention, including evidence-based programs that help students and adults recognize concerning behaviors, address social isolation, and take threats seriously without stigmatizing mental health, can be the change to the norm of school shootings in America.

Prices are up, paychecks aren’t keeping pace, and the stock market is soaring like nothing’s wrong. So… what is actually going on in this economy?!I'm joined by Ben Harris, Vice President and Director of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution to unpack everything you want to know about the affordability crisis, why economists are calling this a "K-shaped" economy, and how we got to this point.From deep dives into the housing crisis to the Magnificent 7 stocks, we break down how the same economy can feel like two totally different worlds.

The United States has been using a highly controversial tactic in its effort to stop drug trafficking: bombing suspected “narco-terrorist” boats off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia. After a bombshell report in the Washington Post alleging that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered all survivors to be killed during one of these bombings, there has been bipartisan outcry over whether the United States is committing war crimes. In this episode, I'm joined by Laurie Blank, an expert in the law of armed conflict, to break down the legal questions behind these strikes. We explore whether the U.S. can legally classify drug boats as terrorist targets, what counts as self-defense outside a declared war, and how the U.S. can be held accountable for potentially committing crimes.

Beerocracy! went on the road! On a stop in Washington D.C., I was lucky to sit down for conversation with Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) to discuss all thing Capitol Hill. If you want to know what one of the rising stars of the Democratic party thinks about Trump's reign and his Republican colleagues, this is the episode for you.

Sudan is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises due to a brutal war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Over 150,000 have been killed with 12 million displaced, and the recent falling of El-Fasher to the RSF has left reports of mass atrocities.I'm joined by Caitlin Howarth, Project Director of Conflict Analysis Programs from the Yale School of Public Health to discuss how her team's important work is helping to hold the RSF accountable for their war crimes. Through satellite imagery, her team is able to get an inside look into the atrocities occurring that the RSF is trying to hide under the rug. We also look at how Sudan got to this point and what role outside powers are playing. If you’ve been wondering what’s really happening in Sudan — and why it matters — this episode has you covered. This is a humanitarian crisis and genocide that needs much more international outcry.**Correction: Mohammed bin Salman is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

The November 4, 2025 elections delivered a strong night for Democrats across the country, signaling potential cracks in Donald Trump’s political influence as his second term continues. Abigail Spanberger won the governorship in Virginia, Mikie Sherrill won in New Jersey, and Democratic-Socialist Zohran Mamdani made history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor after defeating Andrew Cuomo. After November 4th, Democrats are feeling good. But how good should they be feeling? I'm joined by election analyst extraordinaire, David Wasserman, Senior Editor & Elections Analyst of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, to break down the nitty gritty of election day and what it could signal for the midterms.

The US has been upping its pressure campaign on stopping drug trafficking into the United States and one such tactic is by very illegally bombing "narco-terrorists" in boats off the coasts of Venezuela and Columbia. But this isn't the full story. The US is increasing its pressure campaign against Venezuela, in what appears to be a push for a regime change against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.I'm joined by Henry Ziemer, Associate Fellow of the Americas Program from the Center for Strategic and International Studies to dive into the rapidly escalating maritime tension and how it sits at the intersection of narco-trafficking, regional politics and interventionism. We explore what the U.S. is doing, why now, how Venezuela and regional actors are reacting, and what this means for broader geopolitics.

Across the country, a growing movement is reshaping public education - Christian nationalism. From book bans to parent choice arguments to bibles in schools, public education in America is facing an aggressive religious push that's never been seen before in modern history. I'm joined by Kevin J. Burke, Professor of Education at University of Georgia, who recently researched and wrote a white paper for the National Education Policy Center about Christian Nationalism and Educational Policy in the United States. This is a sneak peak as to what it's the research before it's release on November 4th. In this episode, we discuss the history of Christianity in American education, the beliefs of Christian nationalists, and how it's radiating through the nation from local school board meetings to the Supreme Court. ***Don't Forget To Follow!***

After two years of devastating war, a fragile ceasefire has finally taken hold between Israel and Gaza. But what comes next? The new 20-point peace plan is vague, lacking any clear roadmap for peace or accountability. What’s certain is that more than 70,000 people have been killed in Gaza, and the enclave has been left in ruins.I'm joined by Khaled Elgindy, former senior fellow and director of the Middle East Institute’s Program on Palestine and Israeli-Palestinian Affairs, to break down the key details of this plan, Donald Trump’s role in shaping it, and whether this ceasefire can actually last. We also dive into what rebuilding Gaza could look like — and how Palestinians can ensure they have a voice in their own future.

President Trump has ordered National Guard deployments to Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, Illinois, claiming they’re needed to protect federal agents and property as his administration intensifies its immigration enforcement raids. The move has ignited a major constitutional showdown over presidential power, state sovereignty, and the limits of federal authority.In this episode of Beerocracy!, I’m joined by Chris Mirasola, Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center, who specializes in domestic military and constitutional law. Together, we break down the legal doctrines behind the National Guard deployment, from the Insurrection Act and plenary presidential authority to the controversy over sending one state’s National Guard into another without consent.Chris also explains how these disputes could soon reach the U.S. Supreme Court — and what’s at stake for the balance of power between states and the federal government.If you’ve been wondering whether the president can legally deploy the National Guard across state lines, or how the Insurrection Act could reshape the future of civil-military relations in America, this episode has you covered.