Episodes

  • The Federal Shutdown's Other Casualty: The States

    The Federal Shutdown's Other Casualty: The States
    Oct 28 2025
    The shutdown pain for federal workers and programs like Obamacare is all the news, but the 50 states are also starting to feel the crunch. How and when did the states become so dependent on Washington, D.C. dollars and what's that doing to the national debt? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with Senior Executive Vice President at the State Policy Network Tony Woodlief about how states have “perfected the art” of getting federal money, which now had grown into “an addiction” that is leading to more costs and worse policy. The pair also discuss the first steps toward weaning states off that money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson on Shutdown Risks and Democratic Demands

    House Speaker Mike Johnson on Shutdown Risks and Democratic Demands
    Oct 21 2025
    The government shutdown has been going on for more than three weeks, and neither side is budging. On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel talks to House Speaker Mike Johnson about the closure calculations of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, why he hasn't yet sworn in Arizona's Adelita Grijalva, and the likelihood that the shutdown could soon grow painful for far more Americans--as more flights are delayed, troops miss paychecks, and the feds run out of money for programs like the Women's, Infants and Children supplement. Johnson also talks through the reform demands House Republicans might have in any future negotiations over Obamacare subsidies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • Sen. John Kennedy on the Senate, Stupidity and Shutdowns

    Sen. John Kennedy on the Senate, Stupidity and Shutdowns
    Oct 7 2025
    Louisiana Republican John Kennedy (R-L.A.)--also known as 'America's most quotable senator'--joins this episode of All Things with an update on the government closure, and the lowdown on his (hilarious) new book, 'How to Test Negative for Stupid.' Kim Strassel queries the senator on how he comes up with his classic lines, his thoughts on the Trump administration so far, his amusing insights on what's wrong with Washington D.C.--and, of course, his fear of what fellow senator Lindsey Graham might do to his fish tank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 mins
  • Breaking Down the Shutdown

    Breaking Down the Shutdown
    Sep 30 2025
    With negotiations at a standstill, the government is headed for a shutdown. Can Democrats sell a healthcare message, or will voters view this as yet more anti-Donald-Trump resistance? Is this a liability for the White House, or OMB Director Russ Vought's opportunity to produce more sweeping federal-worker firings? What exactly gets shut down, how inconvenient will it be for Americans, and when will it end? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel breaks down the shutdown with Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford. They also discuss the true source of the dysfunction--Congress's inability to get its spending bills done--and Lankford's ‘Preventing Government Shutdowns Act,’ legislation that would force Congress to stay in Washington, D.C. until spending deals get done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Untangling the Free-Speech Muddle

    Untangling the Free-Speech Muddle
    Sep 23 2025
    Recent threats by Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute "hate speech" and by Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr to penalize ABC affiliates over Jimmy Kimmel's comments have thrust the nation into a muddled conversation over free speech. On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel asks Institute for Free Speech Chairman Brad Smith to sort through the basics: What does the First Amendment actually cover? What are the limits to free speech? Should the federal government have any role moderating media comments, and where does the legal system stand on that question? And how corrosive is cancel culture to our broader free-speech tradition? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • Lawmaker Safety in the Wake of Charlie Kirk’s Murder

    Lawmaker Safety in the Wake of Charlie Kirk’s Murder
    Sep 16 2025
    The assassination of Charlie Kirk and the rising tide of political violence is turning a spotlight on how best to keep Congress and other members of government safe. What kind of protection do political leaders have now, and what more do they need? What challenges come with protecting members both in Washington, D.C., and also in their home districts and states? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with chairman of the Committee on House Administration, Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, about current and planned resources, what might be done to turn down the political temperature, and whether these events threaten the ability of politicians to engage in their core duty of interacting with constituents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • How to Tackle an Affordable-Housing Crisis  

    How to Tackle an Affordable-Housing Crisis  
    Sep 9 2025
    President Donald Trump is considering declaring a national housing emergency to deal with high home costs, but what can the federal government actually do, and will it make a difference? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson about cutting regulatory burdens, increasing tax incentives, expanding financing for unconventional homes, and the great opportunity that rests in transferring some federal land for housing development. They also discuss the politics of housing--an issue that, like crime, transcends demographics and voting groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Donald Trump's Anti-Crime Spree

    Donald Trump's Anti-Crime Spree
    Sep 2 2025
    Donald Trump’s decision to send the National Guard into Washington, D.C. to tackle crime is provoking backlash from Democrats across the nation. But Republicans are leaning in on law and order, seeing it as political winner in next year's midterms. Will the president now escalate, and send troops to other cities? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with Wall Street Journal columnist and Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Jason Riley about why Democrats are losing the argument on policing, and what politicians get right and wrong about the reasons behind spikes in crime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    28 mins