4.4 • 3.6K Ratings
🗓️ 25 November 2025
⏱️ 65 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Mike Pesca welcomes back Nick Gillespie (Reason Magazine) and first-time guest Russ Muirhead (Dartmouth professor and New Hampshire State Rep.) for a spirited debate that is—we swear—not even mad. Today, we look at the half-full autocratic glass: Does the dismissal of the Comey and James indictments prove that institutions are holding, or does the very attempt confirm our slide toward norms violation? We debate the two bedrock rules of democracy, why Congress keeps misplacing its spine, and the reasons the legislative branch is becoming functionally obsolete. Plus, the lame-duck question is back, MTG's lonely departure, and the politics of affordability: What's the real, non-supply-side fix for housing? Finally, a Goat Grinder on cinematic trauma warnings and the tragedy of piped-in pub music.
Produced by Corey Wara
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| 0:00.0 | I have promos to tell you about. You know, I do the gist list every day. I round up stories, give them to you. And I put them behind a paywall because it costs me money, but also I think it underlines the value. It was $55, but the boys in accounts receivable tell me due to tariffs. It's going to go up to $59.99 in January. But I'm going to give it to you, not at 55, but at $49. |
| 0:22.4 | From now through January 4th, if you text Mike to 3377, you get access to the paid version |
| 0:31.7 | of the gist list, all the stuff that's behind the paywall for $49. |
| 0:37.5 | You know, one time I wrote about the Bobcat trapping return to Indiana. |
| 0:42.9 | And same day, I wrote about the Philippines facing a gambling boom that's costing them |
| 0:47.4 | 17.89 billion pesos in March alone on e-games. |
| 0:53.0 | And then if you subscribe, I also tell you what 17.89 billion pesos is worth in dollars. |
| 0:59.3 | So it's really worth the money. |
| 1:01.1 | And the money being, I won't give it in pesos. |
| 1:03.2 | It's $49. |
| 1:05.3 | Text 33777 for the substack offering. |
| 1:09.1 | Now, I'm a talker. |
| 1:10.9 | We also have our audio offering. |
| 1:13.0 | If you want to get this show without ads and with all the bonus content to support me as best you can, there was once a Pesca Plus offering. |
| 1:21.6 | And it cost $89 for the year. |
| 1:23.2 | And that was a good price. |
| 1:24.5 | Now it costs $75 through the new year. We have to be laser-focused on |
| 1:30.6 | affordability. Use the code laser-focus at checkout. Go to subscribe.mike pesca.com to get our |
| 1:39.8 | Peska-plus audio offerings for only $75. |
| 1:47.8 | Laser Focus is the code to use at checkout. |
| 1:52.4 | Two great codes, two great ways to experience GIST content. |
| 1:59.6 | It's Tuesday, November 25th, 2025 from Peach Fish Productions. |
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