Breyer Retires, Affirmative Action, Oil Leases, Inflation & The Economy, TR Statue Removed

This week it’s a special three-person episode: Mike, Jay, and Ken. They kick things off by discussing the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, including his role on the Court, potential replacements, and the upcoming confirmation battle. They stick with the Supreme Court in their discussion of two big affirmative action cases the Court has agreed to hear, both concerning alleged discrimination against Asian Americans in college admissions.  Next, it’s a look at a federal judge’s ruling that halted the largest oil lease sale in US history. Why did the Biden administration hold the sale in the first place? What was the Trump-era Interior Department’s argument about drilling having less of an environmental impact than not drilling? Mike, Jay, and Ken discuss that and more. Following that, they turn to recent economic news, including strong growth in 2021 — with even stronger inflation. Mike stands by his optimistic economic predictions (while admitting that he might have been somewhat too optimistic) and Ken largely agrees. Jay, on the other hand, thinks the economy won’t be improving nearly as quickly as Mike and Ken seem to believe. The show closes with a look at the American Museum of Natural History’s decision to remove an allegedly racist statue of former US President Theodore Roosevelt. Mike and Ken agree that the statue should have been removed, while Jay feels it should have stayed in place. Recommendations Ken: Lost Cincinnati Concert Venues of the '50s and '60s: From the Surf Club to Ludlow Garage. Steven Rosen Jay:  Supreme Court of the United States Website Mike: Station Eleven (HBO Max) We’d really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes for The Politics Guys 2022 Listener Survey.  The Politics Guys on Facebook | Twitter Listener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. If you’re interested in supporting the podcast, go to patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesThe Politics Guys on Facebook | XListener support helps make The Politics Guys possible. You can support us or change your level of support at patreon.com/politicsguys or politicsguys.com/support. On Venmo, we’re @PoliticsGuys.The Politics Guys is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.