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Matt Mackowiak's Mack On Politics

Smart political talk every week from Austin, Texas political consultant Matt Mackowiak, who has served in senior roles for two U.S. Senators and the Bush administration.
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Now displaying: August, 2018
Aug 30, 2018

The Catholic Church is the subject of the 97th episode.

My guest is National Review editor at large and National Review Institute senior fellow Kathryn Lopez, who has been writing about the church for many years.

In this conversation, we discuss the Pennsylvania grand jury report, the Vigano letter, Pope Francis’ response, our ideas for what how the church should respond to this crisis, whether deeper reforms are needed and whether my guest’s own beliefs have made her doubt her faith.

Aug 25, 2018

It was a consequential week.

The Trump legal situation is the subject of the 96th episode.

Our guest is attorney Gayle Trotter, a graduate of the University of Virginia law School and Fox News and Fox Business commentator.

In this conversation, we begin with her take on what happened this past week, address the question of whether a sitting President can be indicted, and examine the details of the alleged campaign finance violations, the Labor Day deadline, the recent immunity deals, and the President’s pardon power.

Finally, our guest makes a prediction about where the story is headed and gives her advice as to whether Trump to submit to an interview with Mueller.

Aug 13, 2018

Trade is the subject of the 95th episode.

Our guest is Tony Fratto, founding partner of Hamilton Place Strategies, CNBC contributor, and former senior Treasury official.

In this deep dive, we discuss the state of play on trade actions and reactions, NAFTA, fast track authority, the Mexican presidential transition, how trade may affect the midterm elections, the recent $12 billion agriculture bailout, the role of Peter Navarro and how tariffs are being used against the EU and China.

Aug 9, 2018

One man was responsible for chronicling the taxpayer dollars wasted and the fraud committed during the U.S. reconstruction effort in Iraq.

His name is Stuart Bowen. He is our guest for the 94th episode – live from Austin.

In this fascinating conversation, we begin by talking about the role of Inspector General and its limitations, what he found when his work was complete, how sectarianism and corruption paralyze Iraq, how ISIS has been decimated, whether Muqtada al-Sadr will be able to form a coalition government, what Iran wants in Iraq, what the future holds in Syria, whether Trump had sided with the Sunni countries over the Shi’a ones, and what Iraq’s future looks like.

Aug 3, 2018

U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) is our guest for the 93rd episode, taped live in Austin from the Resurgent Gathering.

Davidson may be best known for succeeding former Speaker John Boehner in Ohio’s 8th district.

But his story is more remarkable than that.

He was an officer as an Army Ranger, then ran a successful manufacturing company, before winning a 16-way special election to serve in Congress in 2016.

In this conversation, we talked about how he thinks Congress is doing, how he thinks President Trump is doing, how the midterms look, and then pivot to discuss trade, agriculture, Dodd-Frank Reform, the Mueller inquiry, and finally what it’s like to serve in Congress.

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