Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov

Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov open the final month before the midterms with the big picture: Kalshi has Democrats at 64% to win majorities in both the House and Senate, and new polling shows Democrats leading gubernatorial races in Republican-held states including Iowa, Ohio, and even Texas. Trump has been out rallying — promising "nearly $100" to 20 million seniors on Medicare, and teasing a "big surprise" in November. Is the momentum firmly behind Democrats — and what exactly is $100 supposed to do for seniors? Scott adds just how bad an idea it is to hand out money that creates more debt for the country and the next generation of Americans.

The Iran war just reached British soil. The U.S. has abruptly pulled all B-1 bombers from a UK air base after commanders received urgent intelligence about an Iran-backed plot against the facility. British police had already arrested five men in vans near the base — later released on bail but still under investigation — and a dual British-Iranian national was separately arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. How serious are these threats — and does this change the calculus of the Iran conflict?

On Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced the Ban Flock Act — a bill that would bar federal agencies from using automated license plate readers and cut off federal grant funding to state and local governments with contracts for the technology. The same night, Sanders and AOC made a surprise appearance to introduce rock band The Strokes before about 40,000 fans in Queens. Are Bernie and AOC giving the people what they want — and will Bernie continue to be a major presence heading into 2028?

A new Supreme Court term begins today, with major cases on the docket including proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration, and the Trump administration's policy of detaining noncitizens without bond hearings. Justice Alito says he considered retiring this year but will revisit the decision in 2027. What does this mean for Republicans hoping to replace him with another conservative — and what happens if Democrats take back the Senate before he makes his exit?

And finally: a mysterious illness at a Russian laboratory that studies some of the world's deadliest pathogens has sparked a health scare. A 28-year-old lab technician has died from pneumonia of unknown origin, dozens of people are reportedly in isolation, and Russia's top infectious disease official has reportedly rushed to the region. What do we know?

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov open Thursday with the escalating trade war, now being waged on multiple fronts simultaneously. Trump's outright ban on select Canadian goods — including alcoholic beverages — went into effect earlier this week, after Trump called Canada "one of the worst countries in the entire world." For the third time in under two years, courts have been asked to rule on Trump's tariffs — this latest challenge covering over 99% of U.S. imports. Jess and Scott break down the legal challenge, why Trump keeps trying despite repeated court losses, and what the constant legal uncertainty does to companies and consumers trying to operate in the U.S.

Meanwhile, the EU and Canada are reportedly planning to announce a sweeping new partnership at the end of October, covering digital trade, critical minerals stockpiling, and more — a direct response to Trump's trade war. Is this a winning strategy?

Yesterday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used his "State of the Force" address at Quantico to announce a new autonomous warfare command, a 20% cut to general and admiral positions, and "Project Meridian" — a new initiative to be led by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich. Hegseth also called press coverage of the Iran war "treason."

Then they discuss the dramatic incident aboard a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane carrying mostly Israeli passengers. The aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before passengers and crew apparently fought their way into the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot. The flight landed safely in Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot is now in custody. The airline says the motive is still under investigation. Is this a terrorism case — or is it too early to say?

Finally, the candidates for California governor faced off in a debate last night. Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton squared off on taxes, immigration, and Hilton's relationship with Trump in a state that is also one of the world's largest economies. Kalshi has Becerra at 96% likely to win in November. What does this race tell us about broader national dynamics?

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Jessica's book I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends is out now — pick it up here: https://sites.prh.com/idisagree

Jessica Tarlov and Aaron Parnas are back for Raging Perspective with 35 days until the midterms.

They open with a bombshell recording obtained by the New York Times: Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee in Texas and longtime Trump ally, is privately admitting that Trump may be hurting him and other Republicans politically. In the recording, Paxton says his numbers — and everyone else's — dropped after the recent Trump-led GOP “midterm convention” in Dallas. How bad is this for Paxton — and what does it mean for the Texas Senate race?

Former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, as Senate Republicans hoped to secure a public humiliation of Trump’s political enemies. But a moment between Smith and Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) went viral — and not for the reasons Republicans wanted. Aaron and Jessica react, with an eye toward the expression on Katie Britt's face.

Trump is working overtime to make "superintelligence" a thing. All executive branch departments and agencies are now required to use that phrase instead of "artificial intelligence," a change announced after a White House lunch with AI — or is it SI? — leaders. The tech leaders signed what Trump called a "morally binding" agreement to establish AI safety standards — a one-page, voluntary pact calling for four layers of controls and auditing, including internal monitoring, outside evaluators, and independent board oversight. Aaron breaks down why Trump is doubling down on AI when it's becoming increasingly unpopular. Also, the U.S. launched its own branded AI chatbot: America.gov. Aaron shares what he’s learned from the site so far.

Plus, a quick check in on the situation in Iran, and Jessica and Aaron take listener questions on Texas, immigration hearings, and Kristi Noem’s divorce.

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov talk about the Iran war's growing economic toll. Trump is once again claiming the U.S. will win in Iran — even as he publicly rejected Tehran's recent offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile oil prices have soared to over $100 a barrel, up from $72 in February before the war began. In the bond market, the ten-year Treasury yield is at its highest level in two decades. With Trump now planning to spend the next 30 days campaigning for Republicans in traditionally red states, he'll have to balance political priorities at home with a war that's increasingly hitting Americans in their wallets.

The Trump administration's Education Department has officially rescinded the Biden-era interpretation of Title IX that included protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Education Secretary Linda McMahon says the move will reduce confusion for parents, students, and educational institutions. Does this actually change much on the ground — or is it primarily about optics for a base that views gender as a defining issue?

A new lawsuit has put the “Cornell Seven” back in the spotlight. A former Cornell student alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members in 2024. Prosecutors initially declined to file charges but have now reopened the investigation and are seeking a grand jury review. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Ortez (D-NY) weighed in publicly. Where does the case go from here?

In Los Angeles, new polling shows in the mayoral race shows Democratic Socialist city councilmember Nithya Raman leading the incumbent mayor Karen Bass by 11 points — a dramatic reversal from the June primary when Bass finished five points ahead of Raman. 63% of likely voters view Bass unfavorably, with majorities panning her response to the Palisades Fire. Raman is dominating among younger voters, and Kalshi currently has her odds of winning at 57%. How did Raman pull off this turnaround — and will the race tighten before November, or will another of America’s largest and most Democratic cities be led by a DSA member?

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov open the week with the Canada trade war entering a new phase: outright bans on Canadian goods including alcoholic beverages, motorcycles, and whey kick in tomorrow. Unlike the earlier tariffs, these bans may not hit the Canadian economy as hard — so what's the intended effect, and does Canada have any reason to come to the table?Meanwhile, Dan Scavino and other notable Republicans are posting AI-generated videos online at a moment when Americans are increasingly worried about AI. Is that helping Republicans — or hurting them?

Trump hosted Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for dinner on Sunday night, after an appeals court ruling that the Trump administration could block Anthropic from Pentagon contracts. They also discuss Trump’s Oval Office announcement today about a new steel plant being built in Iowa. Scott and Jess talk about what kind of political posturing is going on, and why these moves will do little to make real change in the economy.

Over the weekend, Trump 2024 campaign ads re-aired during SNL and NFL broadcasts — but this time, stamped with "Paid for by the U.S. Government.” Ethics lawyers and politicians are objecting to the use of taxpayer money for what are effectively partisan campaign materials.

In the tech world: Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel has made a public case for why being evil… isn't all that bad. What does it say that a member of the tech billionaire class is willing to say this out loud?

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