Discourse with Wayne Unger

<p>Welcome to <em>Discourse with Wayne Unger</em>—where we cut through the noise and make sense of the chaos. On this podcast, we take a deep dive into the pressing issues shaping our world in politics, law, technology, business, and more. No echo chambers. No corporate influence. Just thoughtful analysis and respectful civic dialogue. Because understanding different perspectives isn’t just important—it’s necessary.</p>

Ballots and Bellwethers: Election Day 2025 Recap

Send us a text Reflecting on the 2025 Off-Cycle Election Results In this bonus episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger offers a reflection on the recent off-cycle election held on November 4th, 2025. With an unscripted approach, he shares his thoughts on key outcomes including the Democrats' wins in Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, and the historic victory of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York City's mayoral race. Unger discusses voter turnout dynamics, the political ...

11-07
29:11

The Shutdown Showdown: Explaining the Government Shutdown

Send us a text Navigating the Longest Federal Government Shutdown: Causes, Consequences, and Predictions In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger breaks down the ongoing federal government shutdown, discussing its causes, potential length, and impact on American citizens. Unger delves into the history of government shutdowns, the failure of Congress to pass a budget, and the political stalemate between Democrats and Republicans over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. He explains ...

11-04
52:06

Ceasefires & Government Shutdowns

Send us a text Deep Dive into Middle East Ceasefire, Government Shutdown, and Healthcare Policies Host Wayne Unger, a law professor and former Silicon Valley insider, navigates through today's pressing issues from the Middle East ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration to the 21-day U.S. government shutdown. The episode critiques Congress's use of continuing resolutions, the political tug-of-war over Affordable Care Act subsidies, and the court's role in enabling presidential overreac...

10-22
38:16

We're Back! First Amendment and Political Violence

Send us a text Navigating Stare Decisis, Political Violence, and Free Speech: A Deep Dive In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger returns after a brief hiatus to discuss his recent academic work on the doctrine of stare decisis and its application in civil rights cases. He delves into the complexities of the Supreme Court’s handling of precedents and judicial activism, especially in light of the recent Dobbs decision. The episode also addresses the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk...

10-07
40:21

Trump's MO: Mail-In Ballots, Redistricting, and Peace Deals

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger delves into major current events, focusing on two key election topics: redistricting battles between Texas and California, and Donald Trump's controversial push to end mail-in voting. Unger discusses Trump's proposed executive order against mail-in ballots. He also discusses the recent meetings be...

08-20
01:02:42

Echoes of Sovereignty: Academic Freedom and Political Influence

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger delves into the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and major universities such as Harvard, Columbia, and Brown. The episode explores Harvard's lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of violating First Amendment rights by freezing federal funds to coerce institutional c...

08-14
01:32:05

AI Governance, US v. China, and Cyberwarfare with Kevin Frazier

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Discourse: Diving into AI Regulation and National Security In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger, a law professor and former Silicon Valley professional, welcomes the podcast's first guest, Kevin Frazier from UT Austin. Kevin is an expert in artificial intelligence governance policy. They discuss the complexities of AI regulation, the...

07-31
51:12

Is it a big beautiful bill or a bad backwards bill? Part 2

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Dissecting the 'Big Beautiful Bill': Impacts and Implications. Episode 2 of a two-part series. In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger dives deep into a comprehensive analysis of the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' examining its numerous appropriations, tax reforms, and budgetary impacts. The discussion covers significant allocations to the U.S. ...

07-22
48:48

Which is it? A Big Beautiful Bill or Big Betrayal Bill? Part 1

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Dissecting Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill': Medicaid Reforms (Part 1 of 2) In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger delves into Donald Trump's recently signed legislation, examining its contents and potential impacts. Key topics include changes to Medicaid, such as the elimination of benefits for undocumented individuals and the introductio...

07-17
53:07

Supreme Court Wraps Up with Birthright Citizenship, Universal Injunctions, Pornography, and LGBTQ Books

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! The Final Three Supreme Court Decisions of This Term Host Wayne Unger, a law professor and former Silicon Valley expert, introduces a new format for the Discourse podcast. This episode, recorded on July 1st, 2025, includes an unscripted reaction to recent political headlines and a deep dive into three significant Supreme Court decisions. Unger...

07-09
01:01:20

Unscripted Fire Round: Elon vs. Trump, Supreme Court Rulings, and Iran Tensions

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Unscripted: Elon vs. Trump, Supreme Court Rulings, and Iran Tensions In this episode of 'Discourse,' host Wayne Unger diverges from the usual script to provide an unscripted, rapid-fire discussion on a variety of pressing topics. The episode touches on the Twitter feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Trump’s extension of deadlines for TikT...

06-24
42:19

Trade Court Rules Against Trump's Tariffs

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Discourse is now a Top 40 News Commentary podcast in the U.S. on Apple Podcasts. Help us keep this show commercial free by becoming a subscriber and supporting us with a monthly monetary donation. Visit discoursepod.org and click the Support button today! In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger delves into the recent ruling by the Unit...

06-05
35:51

Medicine, Money, and Middlemen: A Deep Dive into U.S. Drug Costs

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Discourse is now a Top 40 News Commentary podcast in the U.S. on Apple Podcasts. Help us keep this show commercial free by becoming a subscriber and supporting us with a monthly monetary donation. Visit discoursepod.org and click the Support button today! Decoding Prescription Drug Prices: A Deep Dive into the Hidden Costs and Executive Orders ...

05-29
43:39

Diplomatic Gifts or Glaring Grifts: Examining the Qatar Plane

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Discourse is now a Top 60 News Commentary podcast on Apple Podcasts! For us to continue this work commercial-free, please join us as a subscriber to provide a monthly donation. Visit www.discoursepod.org and click the Support button today! Diplomatic Gifts or Glaring Grifts: Examining the Qatar Plane Understanding Corruption and Its Implication...

05-20
29:58

Trade Talks & Habeas Suspension: The Latest from the Trump Administration

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Discourse is now a Top 60 News Commentary podcast on Apple Podcasts! For us to continue this work commercial-free, please join us as a subscriber to provide a monthly monetary contribution. Visit www.discoursepod.org and click Support. Analyzing Trump's Tariffs and Habeas Corpus Controversy In this episode of Discourse, hosted by Wayne U...

05-13
26:49

The Brewing Constitutional Crisis: Trump's Immigration Actions Clash with Free Speech and Due Process

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger discusses the contentious legal and political issues surrounding deportations under the Trump administration. The focus is on the case of Kmar Rega Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador despite a court order. Wayne breaks down the legal nuances of due process, hearsay, and the First Amendment as...

05-01
51:23

The Real Cost of Trump Tariffs

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Trade Wars: Assessing Trump's Tariffs In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger delves into the intricacies of tariffs, focusing on President Trump's recent implementation of tariffs on a wide array of imports. The episode breaks down what tariffs are, how they function and their economic effects, especially in a globalized economy. Unger...

04-08
54:55

Authority in Action: The Scope of US Presidential Powers

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Understanding Presidential Authority In this episode of Discourse, host Wayne Unger, a law professor and former Silicon Valley nerd, explores the scope of presidential authority in the United States. Unger breaks down the constitutional and statutory powers vested in the presidency, referencing specific clauses from Article II of the U.S. Const...

04-06
28:47

Messaging Missteps: Unpacking the Discussion of War Plans on Signal

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Security Breach: Journalist Accidentally Added to Government Signal Thread In this episode of 'Discourse,' host Wayne Unger explores the ramifications of a recent security lapse where top national security officials accidentally included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a secure messaging thread on Signal. The conversation focuses on the technol...

03-25
36:43

Tsunami: Nationwide Injunctions and Trump's EO to Close the Education Department

Send us a text Announcement: Follow the Discourse podcast on TikTok (@discoursepodcast1) and Instagram (@discoursepodcast) where we post daily shorts! Tsunami: Nationwide Injunctions and Trump's EO to Close the Education Department In this episode of 'Discourse,' host Wayne Unger, a law professor and former Silicon Valley nerd, delves into the Trump administration's controversial executive order to close the Department of Education. Unger explores the constitutional and legal challenges...

03-20
29:34

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