Beyond Politics

The way we communicate in political campaigns, and American politics overall, has changed radically. New media platforms, a fractured media landscape, and innovative techniques for getting political messages across have created opportunities for mischief, misinformation, and misdirection -- along with genuine ways to politicians to engage with voters. Now, artificial intelligence may scramble things even further. Matthew Krayton joins the show to talk about this new environment. He is an accomplished political operative and campaign consultant who specializes in the brave new world of "digital media."

This week Mike Morton and I put the Traditional 401k and the Roth 401k in a head-to-head battle of the retirement accounts. If you’ve been following this podcast for a while, you are well aware of what a 401k account is a tax-advantaged way to help fund your retirement. Just in case you need a refresher, a 401k, or 401(k), is a retirement savings plan offered by many employers in the United States. It’s a valuable tool that allows you to save for your retirement while enjoying potential tax benefits. There are two types of these accounts, a Traditional and a Roth. Which is right for you? Follow the fight to find out.

He's the man who engineered the right wing takeover of the courts. He's sitting on a $1. 6 billion slush fund, and now he says he's coming for the rest of American politics and culture. You may have heard the name Leonard Leo, but you may not know the full impact of what he's done, or the remarkable backstory of his rise to becoming one of the most powerful people in America. Our guest is Andy Kroll, an investigative reporter for ProPublica, where he covers voting elections, the courts and other democracy issues. He was part of a team that wrote the definitive investigation of Leo, He's also the author of the book, A Death on W Street, the murder of Seth Rich and the age of conspiracy.

How mainstream media rushed into a false narrative about the Gaza hospital explosion. Should Joe Biden have gone to Israel? Will an insurrectionist leader become Speaker of the House? What effect will the Trump gag order have?

If you're intrigued by the idea of making the most of your 529 accounts, I have just the podcast for you. This week Mike Morton and I discuss three advanced strategies that can help you get the most out of these versatile financial tools.

In the last 15 years, Republicans have successfully, and quietly, the grabbed a hold on key offices at the state and local level -- often uncontested -- that make critical decisions about Americans' day to day lives. Amanda Litman runs Run for Something, an organization that is working to beat back that tide. And she joins us with some surprisingly good news...it's working.

As we begin to think ahead to the coming days and weeks of war between Israel and Hamas, are there already signs of divisions forming in the US? Democrats are dealing with a long-simmering division on the left about Israel policy, while increasing numbers of Republicans are offering the false choice between Israel and Ukraine. Also: Scalise or Jordan, which is worse? And who does RFK Jr. hurt more, Biden or Trump?

October 7 has been called Israel's 9/11. There are a few people on Earth that are better able to talk about what's happening now and what may happen next than Dan Perry, former lead reporter for the Associated Press for the Middle East, who is based in Tel Aviv and joins us from the middle of the crisis.

Join Mike Morton and I this week as we discusses 529 to Roth IRA contributions and how you can use it to benefit the financial aspect of your life.

Congressman Jamie Raskin, one of the most capable, incisive, and brilliant members of Congress serving today, joins the show. We wanted to know, now that Kevin McCarthy has been removed as Speaker of the House, what was the real reason Democrats didn't try to save him (1:29)? Is there really a hard-right fringe, or is the fringe actually the real core of the Republican Party today (9:34)? What happened at that infamous impeachment inquiry hearing last week when Raskin tore apart the Republican argument and laid bare the real agenda behind what was happening (12:36)? What did he see on the Jan 6 committee that hasn't shown up in the indictments of Trump and his co-conspirators (20:11)?