On this episode of the Happy Hour, the gang discuss the latest military escalations in the middle east, the crazy political manueverings going on in Nebraska, the importance of youth sports, but first--we welcome two new Under 45ers to the Playlist, both from none other than New Jersey.

On this episode of the Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony discuss the latest pager attacks in Lebanon before covering a wide range of congressional issues like manufacturing, election certification and a very interesting race shaping up in central California.

On this episode of the Happy Hour, Michael and Anna welcome Anthony back from Europe and gingerly remind him that we still have two very old people running for president, despite many reasons for both to exit stage right.

The gang unpack the latest controversies surround the 2024 election through the lens of what our young leaders in Congress are saying about it. Then they segue to Trump's frontrunner VP of JD Vance... VP JV has a certainly ring to it I guess. Then we couldn't NOT cover the controversy surround Refrigerator Freedom--yep, you heard that right. Can't make this stuff up kids...

The issue of this week's Political Happy Hour is Party Loyalty and the question is, is there room for a so-called political maverick in today's hyper-partisan politics? 

Anthony sits out this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, letting fellow east-coasters Michael and Anna hash out the viability of today's leading political maverick: Adam Kinzinger.  

You may know him as the Republican who voted to impeach Trump, or the one who's for banning assault rifles, or perhaps you know him because he actually did have a call sign as an Combat Air Force Pilot in Iraq.  And hey, he just may even be you congressman if you live in Illinois' 16th.  But rest assured, despite the fact that he isn't running for reelection in November, it is very safe to say we have not seen the last of this Republican Maverick.  

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It is with profound sadness that the issue of this week's Political Happy Hour is, yet again, Mass Shootings.  

The question we're asking this week is in the wake of the most recent school shooting, is now the time for community healing or legislative action? 

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony quite frankly get a little worked up over this blatant epidemic and the lack of political willingness to even address the very basic elements of this problem that is firmly planted in this country.   

The Republicans say it's a mental health issue while the Democrats say it's a gun issue. There already exists bipartisan bills that would address background checks and red flag laws, but there doesn't seem to be enough votes to pass it in the Senate. 

While the gang sips cocktails on this Political Happy Hour, the melancholic reality of the recent events certainly looms large but that's not a reason to avoid having the challenging conversations. In fact, it's exactly why we must.  

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The issue is Domestic Terrorism and the question is does Congress passing legislation to combat domestic terrorism feel like government overreach or necessary surveillance?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony address the recent mass-shooting tragedy in Buffalo by examining it through the lens of the recent Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022.

The Democratically proposed legislation looks poised to pass but tune in to find out which Democrats joined Republicans in opposing the bill.

As all ways, the gang sips cocktails on this Political Happy Hour as they discuss the latest goings-on with our Congressional Leaders under the age of 45.

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The issue is The War In Ukraine and the question is now that Congress is set to approve $40 Billion in military aid to Ukraine, what comes next?

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony dive into the latest pen strokes out of the ol' Congressional check book with the latest Tsunami of funds headed for Ukraine and for good reason, damnit!  

The gang sips coffee on this early morning Political Happy Hour recording as they discuss which Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 said what about the bill and who actually voted against it! They also manage to chat about the reinstated Lend-Lease Act which hasn't been used since WWII.  

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The issue is Abortion and the question is does the potential of overturning Roe v. Wade invigorate Democrats, Republicans, or both?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony break down the latest media maelstrom surrounding Justice Alito's leaked draft decision regarding whether or not the Supreme Court may be poised to overturn the landmark abortion rights case. Strong drinks and hot takes are a plenty in this segment during, during which Anna reads and bunch of mystery tweets and makes the boys guess who said what.  

One thing is for certain on this Political Happy Hour and that is that Abortion Rights may be the single most polarizing issue among our Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 !  

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The issue is Free Speech and the question is Elon Musk buying Twitter really the win for free speech that Republicans are claiming it to be?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony break down the latest social media bombshell surround Elon Musk buying twitter and look at how and why Republicans have almost unanimously leapt for free speech joy while the Democrats are staying deafeningly quiet.  

But one thing's for certain, and that is that none of our Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 are giving up their Twitter accounts any time soon!  

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The issue is Student Debt and the question is what are the consequences of student debt relief for young Americans?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony break down the Biden Administration's recent decision to extend the student loan moratorium until August, effectively sending each party racing back to their political corners on this issue. 

And it is one that has our young Congressional Leaders under the age of 45 all talking.

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The issue is immigration and the question is will doing away with Title 42 create a disaster at our southern border?  

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, the gang pours a glass, and dives into a specific immigration policy known as Title 42 that was instated early on during the pandemic. Just recently, the Biden Administration announced it would be ending it, which has caused a stir among many Republicans as well as moderate Democrats.   

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The issue is legalizing marijuana and the question is will Congress finally pass legislation to federally legalize weed? 

On this episode of Political Playlist Happy Hour, the gang pours a glass, and pops a gummy, to discuss the recent passing of the MORE Act in the House. Passed mostly along party lines save for a few of our leaders on the platform, most notably Republicans Matt Gaetz and Brian Mast, who joined Democrats in supporting the bill, while Democrat Chris Pappas joined Republicans in a nay vote.  

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The issue is Electability and the question is, does Madison Cawthorn's blatant, exaggerated media stunt help his re-election?  

Oh my, indeed! Where to begin, with this latest Happy Hour taking a turn towards the provocative as Michael, Anna and Anthony discuss the North Carolinian's recent comments that have Washington and the Republican Party fuming. 

But in today's day and age, will any of this hurt his chances for re-election?  

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This is a question Michael and Anna ask many times on this episode, are we there yet? Are we done with the election yet? Are we over the unnecessary vitriol and chaos and disfunction of Washington and our politics yet?

Indeed these may be unanswerable questions, but what we can tell you is what our young members like Jared Golden, Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez and Eric Swalwell are saying about the Democratic Presidential ticket and the recent Presidential immunity ruling by the Supreme Court.

The issue is Cryptocurrency Regulation and the question is, can young lawmakers bring our financial regulatory system into the 21st Century? 

In this episode, Anna needs every last drop of her organic, locally-sourced, hand-foraged Kombucha Margarita for teaching Michael and Anthony all about Crypto and bitcoin and AnthonyCoin (coming soon)...and unpacking the myriad legislation proposed around this new emerging market.   

And in a shocking plot twist, there is actually bipartisan support around this issue! 

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The issue is THE BUDAPEST MEMORANDUM and the question is, why isn't anyone talking about this?

In this episode, the boys are still left to their own devices as Michael and Anthony take a deep dive into The Budapest Memorandum, a denuclearization agreement signed back in 1994 between the US, UK, Russia and Ukraine.   

Tune in to find out what exactly this was and how Russia is in clear violation of it.   

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With war raging in Ukraine, Anthony and Michael tackle the President's recent decision to ban imports of Russian oil and ask the hard questions of what the costs of this will be. Spoiler: it's going to be pricey.  They also read various tweets from our young leaders of congress and try to guess what party they're from and who said it. 

As always, they pour a few cocktail and try to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

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Or as we discovered in this segment of the Happy Hour, "Run Ruben Run" would have been a more apt title as the gang discuss the possibility--err, likelihood that Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego (D; AZ-7) will challenge Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) in the 2024 Arizona Senate Primary.   

As always, Anna, Anthony and Michael pour a few cocktail and try to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

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In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna talks...and talks...and talks... about the US's China Policy and specifically the new COMPETES Act in Congress, which looks to make the US more competitive with China in a number of areas. Anthony and Michael try to compete for air time but like the Republican opposition to this bill, they haven't quite mustered a winning strategy against it yet.  

As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress. 

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In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael tackle the economy and specifically how the Tech Sector can help boost it. They break down California Congressman Ro Khanna's plan to expand the tech sector to rural areas by creating tech hubs in cities and towns far from Silicon Valley.   As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

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Except do fret, because the amount of student debt that Americans have is soaring and there is no clear solution on the horizon.  

In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael tackle the student debt crisis, what our young politicians are saying and doing about it, and how Republicans might be wise to grab hold of this as a core campaign issue for the upcoming elections.  

As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress. 

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In this segment of the Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael tackle election security, and specifically what a group of North Carolina lawyers are trying to do about Madison Cawthorn's involvement in events leading up to the January 6th insurrection. Spoiler, it has to do with the 3rd Section of the 14th Amendment. ***Insert "mind-blown" emoji here***  

As always, the gang pours a friendly cocktail and tries to unpack all the pressing political issues of our day through the nonpartisan lens of young Congressional leaders under the age of 45--which sadly only makes up 14% of Congress.  

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Like all great Happy Hours, you must embrace the unexpected, and starting this week, Anna, Anthony and Michael are doing just that as they pivot their weekly happy hour format over to Youtube. There, you can find weekly segments focusing on the major core political issues all through the lens of the young members of Congress under the age of 45.

In this mashup, the trio takes on three issues: Foreign Policy, Rules and Regulations, and Mental Health, and looks at some of the goings-on surrounding new legislation, policy, and current events. 

Weekly compilation episodes will continue to be available in podcast form but we encourage everyone to head to our Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXaNOi_ovdDBe6I_M8-naLA) in order to check out just how well all that Goop product is working out! Spoiler: Anna's the only one who received the gift basket from them.

In the first Happy Hour of the New Year, Anna, Anthony and Michael decide to yelp-review our government and--spoiler alert--it did not receive a Michelin Star. The trio unpack the latest ups and downs of DC disfunction and riff on the state of the filibuster, what Congressional leaders are saying, or not saying, about Jan 6, and they also manage to unpack why Anna wasn't allowed to have McDonald's as a kid. 

On this episode of the Happy Hour, the gang rejoice at the news that Anna has found wedding shoes for her beautifully oversized feet! Then on to other important matters, like the elections in Britain and France, plus Ritchie Torres' unwavering support for Israel and the contentious primary races for many of his progressive colleagues.

Once again, Anna heads off on assignment, leaving the pod reigns to Anthony and Michael. They sit down with Sara Hernandez, an attorney, mother, and former teacher, who is now running to be a Trustee for the LA Community College District. They talk about what galvanized Sara to take up the cause of eduction, the non-profit she started after seeing first-hand the challenges that inner-city schools face, and why she's excited to tackle the new challenges that covid has posed for many students. 

The band's all back together for this Happy Hour as they wrap up the year in "Post-Partisan" style. Anna, Anthony and Michael start pushing this new term to refer to the changing desires of voters who want innovation over compromise, irrespective of party ideology. The gang also riffs on party disunity and whether or not it will spur party unity. And we'll let you be the judge as to whether or not Anthony is one bit smarter this week.

In this episode, Anna takes a much-needed spa week, leaving the boys to their own devices! So what do Michael and Anthony do? They invite on their buddy, Bobby Kronfli. Except Bobby isn't just any buddy. He's the owner of Bacari, one of the hottest restaurant chains in Los Angeles, and while he does make a mean martini, he really joins the Happy Hour to detail just how he was able to keep his restaurants afloat during covid. Spoiler: We have him to thank for restaurants in LA becoming grocery stores. You don't want to miss this riveting and candid conversation about what it was like to be a restaurateur on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

On this Happy Hour, Anna, Anthony and Michael share their mutual admiration for Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, of South Carolina and discuss whether or not she's the perfect mold of future GOP leaders. They also unpack the recent Supreme Court hearing on the Mississippi abortion case, discuss some Congresspeople throwing shade at the President, and most critical, identify who of the group takes the longest to get ready. Spoiler, it ain't Anna! So pull up a glass and get one bit smarter.

In this Happy Hour, Michael, Anna and Anthony unpack all of the animus and anime emanating from the House, and ask the big question: is it about time we have a code of conduct in Congress? Pull up a glass as they also wade into the future of bipartisanship and whether or not we'll ever see it again.

On this week's Happy Hour, Anna and Anthony are joined by Rebecca Brown, Policy Director for the Innocence Project, a nonprofit that exonerates the wrongfully convicted through DNA evidence and reforms in the criminal justice system. Rebecca dives into how they go about this on a state-by-state level, how the attention to racial justice over the past year has led to a groundswell of support for their mission, and shares some heartbreaking anecdotes that emphasize why this work is so important. To feel moved, educated, and galvanized, this is not an episode to miss!

In this loooooonger-than-usual Happy Hour (We blame Anna), the Gang chops it up about the off-year election cycle results and what this may foretell regarding the various political and campaign strategies each party may deploy in the forthcoming mid-term elections and beyond! Anna, Anthony and Michael also dive into what the future might look like for Adam Kinzinger and Anthony Gonzalez as well as the debate about proposed settlement payments to separated migrants during the Trump Administration.

Layla Zaidane, CEO of the Millennial Action Project (MAP), joins Anna and Michael to talk about how MAP works with the youngest members of Congress to find bipartisan solutions to common American problems. If you think there's no hope for politicians ever working together - tune in and learn more about how MAP has managed to bridge the divide around issues like climate change, the debt crisis, cybersecurity, and more. Dare we say... it might just make you optimistic about our collective future!

In this Happy Hour, The Playlist Gang discuss one Republican Senator's suggestion for how to deal with our aging politicians: Cognitive Tests! After unpacking all the pros and cons that come with age, Michael, Anna and Anthony tackle topics like Paris Hilton's newfound activism, the unique and potentially questionable fundraising efforts going on within each party, and the Brew-fest heard 'round the Beltway. 

With Congress a’ buzzing around the Facebook whistleblower hearings, Anna and Anthony decide to go straight to the source to see what the fuss is about. Tune in as they sit down with POLITICO's Ali Levine, as she breaks down the fight over big data between Silicon Valley and Washington DC. They also unpack the policy debate around children's safety online as well as try and wrap their heads around what we’re now learning about Facebook and what's to come for good old 'Zuck.'

Alexandra S. Levine is a technology reporter for POLITICO focused on privacy and data issues in the U.S. and around the world. She covers the fights between Silicon Valley and Washington over companies’ handling of data — including efforts to create rules around the collecting, sharing and monetizing of Americans’ information as well as the tensions between what’s going on at the state, federal and international level. As of late, she has been most closely following political and policy debates around children’s safety online and AI tools like facial recognition. Prior to joining POLITICO in 2019, Alexandra spent three years as a staff reporter at The New York Times.

Apologies to anyone in favor of sensible gun reform, we're just not that into you--or so says the US Supreme Court when it comes to the federal ban on bump-stocks for semiautomatic weapons. On this happy hour, Michael, Anna, and Anthony dive into the Supreme Court's latest overturning of the Trump-era policy as well as wade into the new immigration marriage policy for undocumented immigrants as well as some interesting new crime policy propositions hitting the California ballots.

This aptly-named episode focuses on "Kooky" Kyrsten Sinema, the newly crowned Arizona queen of the Senate, as she flexes her not-so-moderate muscles when it comes to the bi-partisan infrastructure bill she helped negotiate. Michael, Anna and Anthony also discuss where the real ideological power in Congress lies, how they should mix up the D's and R's by region for the next Congressional baseball game, and the three political gurus certainly never miss an opportunity to poke fan at one another. Oh, and check out the IG version of the episode to see Anna in a kooky wig!

Join us in this episode as Michael, Anna and Anthony discuss the varying degrees of ideology individuals have towards their political party. Anna specifically dives into a notable moderate on either side of the aisle, Anthony discusses what he would do if he were president, and of course, everyone has some thoughts on AOC's Met Gala Dress. 

We revisit a conversation with Erin Vilardi, CEO of Vote Run Lead - an organization that has helped over 36,000 women run for political office. Erin talks about how VRL encourages women to come as they are, using their existing skills to make them great politicians. Tune in for some inspiration on why it's so important to get involved and RUN!

The team takes on the very light topic of abortion in America and ask the question if having more women in office will evolve the highly partisan debate. Tune in for this discussion plus our new section, The Riff, where Anna, Anthony, & Michael pick of a topic and, you guessed it, riff on it!

Anna is joined by actress and activist Yvette Nicole Brown. Though she's perhaps best known for her work on the hit series Community, Yvette has been working behind the political scenes to support candidates and issues that matter to her. Tune in to hear about how that work started, what she looks for in a candidate when deciding to support them, and, of course, what gives her hope. 

This episode the team discusses the seemingly endless stream of breaking news these days and discuss if young lawmakers will bring new ideas to U.S. foreign policy after the disaster leaving Afghanistan. Tune in for nonpartisan political commentary like you've never heard it before. 

Co-Founder, Anna chats with her dad, actor, director, & activist Tony Goldwyn about his journey to political engagement and how it influenced her decision to start Political Playlist. Tune into catch the dynamic dad-daughter and hear about Tony's childhood encounter with Richard Nixon.

Are young politicians going to derail the most recent bipartisan infrastructure bill? Maybe! Tune in to hear about this thrilling mess, Democrats' push towards climate legislation, why the political ghost of Gov. Cuomo might (or might not) continue to haunt us, and more!

Co-Founder Anthony sits down with... Anthony! Rep. Anthony Gonzalez to be exact, a 36-year-old Republican who represents Ohio's 16th district. They chat about Rep. Gonzalez's view of Congress today, where he thinks things can be fixed, and how his NFL career prepared him for the big leagues of the Capitol. Rep. Gonzalez is a particularly important politician to know about right now, as he was one of a handful of Republicans who voted to impeach Trump last year after the Jan. 6th attacks and has come under fire from the far-right for doing so. In fact, Trump made his first midterm campaign appearance to rally for one of Rep. Gonzalez's primary challengers.

Anna, Anthony & Michael dive into last week's newsletter which posed the question of how young politicians are particularly equipped to handle laws around mental health. They also get into WTF is going on with infrastructure, scary things like 'forever chemicals', the Hulu documentary 'Summer of Soul', and why they're each One Bit Smarter!

The political vitriol in Washington is getting harsher and harsher but this trio of civic youngsters (we can call ourselves that right?) is trying to unpack the baggage so you don't have to go insane doing it!

This episode features discussions on the DOJ, Immigration and a wild alleged fraud scheme surrounding the CFO of right wing media outlet The Epoch Times.

Jon Lubecky is a Marine and National Guard veteran who served in Iraq and now advocates for psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD, after undergoing the treatment himself six years ago. He sits down with Anna to talk about MAPS, the organization he works with, which studies MDMA and other psychedelics to heal trauma, and how they've brought together politicians from both sides of the aisle to support the research. Jon's story is one you won't want to miss and sheds light on some of the most promising medical research of our time. 

Anna, Anthony, & Michael breakdown the most recent newsletter, questioning U.S. efforts over history at nation building in Haiti, Cuba, and Afghanistan and what having so many young veterans in office might change about those efforts. A doozy of an episode that packs a punch and is sure to make you one bit smarter by the time you're finished!

In celebration of July 4th, Anna, Anthony & Michael unpack the document of all documents... the Constitution. Should it be updated? Should we leave it alone? Tune in to hear more and also to learn about a new Republican climate change initiative, a saucy update on infrastructure, and other young politicians making moves!