The Contrarian Pod

The Trump administration continues to weaponize the legal system to attempt to suppress voting.Jen caught up with Janai Nelson, the President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, and one of the country’s premier civil rights attorneys.They discussed how MAGA plans to install voter ID laws, why Janai calls the SAVE Act the ‘Stop All Voters Everywhere Act’, and a very weird argument from Justice Roberts at the Supreme Court about a voting conspiracy theory.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

For decades, American presidents have steered clear of all-out war against Iran. They know Iran would retaliate, cutting off oil, bombarding our Gulf state allies.We’re now in a quagmire, oil prices are going sky-high, and our Gulf allies are under assault.Senator Chris Coons from Delaware has been in multiple classified briefings regarding Iran and we talked about what Trump doesn’t know, how we got to where we are, how we get out of it, and what this means for the American economy and our national security.And on Coffee with the Contrarians, we caught up with Katie Phang [20:29]. We talked about Iran, Pam Bondi’s sham hearing and the latest in the Epstein Files.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

For decades, American presidents have steered clear of all-out war against Iran. They know Iran would retaliate, cutting off oil, bombarding our Gulf state allies.We’re now in a quagmire, oil prices are going sky-high, and our Gulf allies are under assault.Senator Chris Coons from Delaware has been in multiple classified briefings regarding Iran and we talked about what Trump doesn’t know, how we got to where we are, how we get out of it, and what this means for the American economy and our national security.And on Coffee with the Contrarians, we caught up with Katie Phang [20:29]. We talked about Iran, Pam Bondi’s sham hearing and the latest in the Epstein Files.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Tuesday was primary day in Illinois, with races for Senate, Governor, and in the Chicago-area alone, four competitive house races.There was also lots and lots of interest from dark money groups.Jen and Norm had a chance to talk about all of that with pollster and political analyst Simon Rosenberg on Coffee with the Contrarians. Simon shared his thoughts on what individual races could mean for the Midterms, alongside the continued influence of dark money, the impact of the war, and the SAVE Act.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Jen caught up with one of our favorite guests on The Contrarian pod, Jeremy Ben-Ami. He’s the president of J Street, a center-left group that is pro-peace, pro-democracy, pro-Israel.They talked about Trump’s disastrous war in the Middle East, AIPAC’s meddling in Democratic primaries with dark money, and the ‘SAVE Act,’ a voter suppression bill that should be more aptly titled the Jim Crow Act.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Back in 2011, a 19-year-old named Zach Wahls went viral after defending his “untraditional” family in the Iowa House of Representatives. Ever since, Wahls has fought for Iowa families and workers in the Iowa State Senate.Now, Wahls is running for U.S. Senate in Iowa.Jen talked with Zach about the most important issues of his campaign: tackling the Trump Administration’s corruption, how government can support Iowa farmers, and the importance of ending a useless war in Iran.Last November, ProPublica exposed a $220 million DHS advertisement contract that handed money to Kristi Noem’s own friends. Last week, Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) publicly questioned Noem about the funds at a Judiciary Committee hearing. The next day, Noem was fired as Homeland Security Secretary.Rep. Neguse and Jen [26:06] looked at Noem’s involvement in the scandal and why Americans still deserve complete transparency and accountability around the $220 million contract, which might just be the tip of the iceberg of misappropriated funds in the Trump Administration.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Jared Bernstein is here today with his Let’s do Lunch series! This week, he talks with Neil Mahoney, who runs the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, to answer questions from our substack subscribers on everything you might want to know in the world of Economics. As you can imagine, we got a ton of questions about the economic impact of Trump’s war with Iran, the effects on the cost of oil, the disruption in trade and the Strait of Hormuz, and lots moreThe 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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Trump’s unconstitutional, reckless war continues.Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, prolific author, State Department veteran, and former diplomat joined Jen to try to answer some of the most pressing questions when it comes to Trump’s war: What was Bibi Netanyahu’s motivation?Why did previous presidents not go to war? What’s the outcome for the United States and the future for the Middle East?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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Donald Trump has launched a unilateral, unconstitutional and reckless war against Iran that has inflamed the entire region.He also wants more money to pay for it. Even with over $900 billion for the Defense Department, he wants more.Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and I talked about how this reckless and unnecessary war, and why wee shouldn’t give another dime to the Trump administration to pay for it.And on Coffee with the Contrarians, political data analyst and pollster G Elliot Morris [20:48] swung by to explain why Democrats prevailed in Texas, why turnout was so high, and the coalitions Democrats will need to construct in order to be victorious in the upcoming Midterms.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Last night’s elections in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas were on every level a big night for Democrats. They won where they needed to, and they have a shot at flipping a Senate seat in Texas.Simon Rosenberg, election guru, author, and creator of Hopium Chronicles, talked with Jen about the Democrats’ huge night, not only in Texas, but across the Senate landscape.We also looked at how Republicans’ constant kowtowing to Trump and failed gambles at redistricting could change the outcome of pivotal Congressional races in the Midterms.And on the Tea with April Ryan, April chatted with election strategist Terrance Woodbury [27:33]. They looked at the voting power of the Black community in the South and why Black men are the new swing voters.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Donald Trump has taken us to war with Iran.He didn’t have congressional authorization. He didn’t conduct a national debate. He didn’t even tell us a precise reason for the war, how long it will last or what it will cost.So what are service members putting their life on the line for?Jen spoke with two lawmakers, Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), who have a lot to say about the subject.Despite Trump’s claims, Sen. Andy Kim says he hasn’t seen any proof of imminent threat from Iran. Rep. Adam Smith [17:56] walked Jen through the possible outcomes of the war, the potential for this to spin out of control, and the fact that this was entirely avoidable simply by continuing down a diplomatic path.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Two events happened recently that left us scratching our heads.First, the Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s illegal tariffs. Secondly, Trump had a State of the Union address that felt more like an out-of-body experience than decipherable policy.To help us decipher both, Jen spoke with Justin Wolfers, he’s a renowned economist, professor at the University of Michigan, and one of our favorite people to talk with at The Contrarian.The two discussed the decision on tariffs, and what the new rate of 10% (or maybe it’s now 15%?) actually means for the economy. They also look at Trump’s claims on job growth and what sectors are actually hiring.Justin also shares some career news and shares his thoughts on the anti-immigrant racism and rhetoric that now seems acceptable in American politics.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Last night was Trump’s first State of the Union address since his return to office. It was dreadful, rambling, embarrassing, vicious, insulting, disgraceful, and filled with lies. He used the speech to further divide Americans to hide his own miserable record.On this morning’s Coffee with the Contrarians, Norm Eisen and Jen Rubin chatted with Reverend Paul Raushenbush. In addition to being a Baptist minister, he’s the president and CEO of the Interfaith Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting faith and freedom, respecting individual rights, and fighting back against the co-opting of religion from the right.We talked about Trump’s speech, Paul’s appearance on the National Mall at the Alternative State of the Union, and why the faith community is a critical part of a broad pro-democracy coalition.Coffee with the Contrarians is live every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday at 9:15 am eastern on The Contrarian substack.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Tom Malinowski, friend of The Contrarian, former congressman and State Department official, recently lost his bid for the 11th Congressional District in New Jersey. He was defeated in a way that should disturb all of us.AIPAC has become a source of dark money, and while it used to be a bipartisan organization, it’s now being funded heavily by Republican billionaires.Tom and Jen discussed the danger that poses to our democracy, the possibility of airstrikes in Iran and why Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” is just another scam.Though Tom didn’t win his primary race, there are other great candidates that are willing to stand up against this authoritarian takeover.Sarah Trone Garriott [29:35] is running for Iowa’s 3rd district. She’s a former hospital chaplain who wants to fight back against rising costs, restrictions in healthcare, and funding cuts to SNAP. We also talked about the concerning spread of religious nationalism in America and how we can push back against the weaponization of faith.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s tariffs are illegal. The majority of the justices agreed that the power of tariffs lies with Congress, not the President’s.Friend of The Contrarian and SCOTUS expert Steve Vladeck joins Jen to break down the Court’s decision. The looming question now is how exactly the government is meant to refund the money it earned from the tariffs. Steve also explains what the decision portends for Trump’s future chances in SCOTUS. On the Tea with April Ryan, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson spoke with April about the Congressional Black Caucus and its work in defending SNAP benefits. Rep. Thompson is also the ranking member on the Homeland Security Committee, which oversees ICE and Border Patrol.And, the next No Kings Day protest is coming up on March 28th. Let’s make this the largest peaceful protest in American history. A special pre-order of Contrarian merch is up until this Sunday so you can support our work in style.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Jen spoke with correspondent Katie Phang during this morning’s Coffee with the Contrarians about the civil rights legacy Jesse Jackson left behind, why the SAVE Act is a very real threat to voting rights, and why the midterms are a crucial opportunity to stop the slide toward authoritarianism. And, the next No Kings Day protest is coming up on March 28th. Let’s make this the largest peaceful protest in American history. A special pre-order of Contrarian merch is up until this Sunday so you can support our work in style.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

We face the constant scourge of white supremacy under this regime.April Ryan got the chance to speak with one of the icons of the civil rights movement, Dr. Bernice King.She’s the youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, and is CEO of the King Center, which is dedicated to upholding Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy.Dr. King spoke with April about the crucial work of the center, why freedom must be fought for in every generation, and the special challenges presented during this regime.While white supremacy isn’t new in the United States, the Trump administration’s willingness to openly reference white supremacist dogma, imagery, and phrases is troubling.For example, last October, the Homeland Security account on X posted a single word: “remigrate.” Remigration is a white supremacist concept of forcible, mass deportation of non-whites as a tool of ethnic cleansing.Jen spoke with Bill Braniff [29:35], the Executive Director of the Polarization and Extremism Research & Innovation Lab to explain how constant dog whistles motivates Neo-Nazis and extremists to act on their hateful ideology, and how we can fight back.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

This week, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi embarrassed herself, her beloved leader, and the rule of law in front of the House Judiciary Committee. Refusing to answer a single question about the Epstein files or ICE’s deadly occupation directly, Bondi not only disrespected the congressional process of oversight, but completely disregarded the voices of the Epstein survivors who were sitting just a few feet behind her. She did not look at them once.U.S. Senator Van Hollen spoke with Jen about Bondi’s disgraceful dodging during questioning and how the DOJ is monitoring the activity of lawmakers researching the Epstein files.Also this week, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Trump to discuss the U.S.’s negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program. This meeting comes two weeks after Trump threatened Iran with a “far worse” strike if a deal cannot be made.Jeremy Ben-Ami [21:37], the President of pro-peace, pro-democracy PAC J-Street, joined Jen from Tel Aviv to discuss what Trump’s posturing against Iran may mean for the future of its nuclear weapons. The two also discussed the role of AIPAC in American elections, with the most recent example being in the New Jersey special primary and how the super-PAC no longer represents the best for Jewish Americans.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Last week, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the federal government’s policy of keeping thousands of people in detention centers without offering them a chance for bond hearings. This decision goes against years of legal precedent with, according to Politico, 360 judges rejecting the detention strategy in over 3,000 cases.Jen spoke with Latino activist and non-profit director Carlos Eduardo Espina about the court ruling and the impact it will have on detainees, and why Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance was bigger than football.And, since Trump has regained office, 27 Dems have been elected and flipped a seat where no Dems have been elected before. What is going on in red states?Jess Piper [23:03], Executive Director for grassroots fundraising organization Blue Missouri, spoke with Jen about how the Trump Administration has never fought for rural voters’ best interests.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has had a successful first term and is now running for re-election. He’s also out with a new book, Where We Keep the Light. It talks about his journey as a politician and the horrible arson attack on his family last Passover.Just a few days ago, a Pennsylvania man was arrested after threatening Gov. Shapiro’s family with stalking and violence. Despite the threats and acts of violence, the Governor is still committed to a career in public service.Jen spoke with Gov. Shapiro about his new book, his views on Israel, the worrying attempts to nationalize and rig elections, and the need to end all ICE operations immediately.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 www.contrariannews.org/subscribe