On The DMZ: How the 2016 GOP primary is like the NCAA’s Final Four. What happens if Rand Paul and Ted Cruz both run? An interview with John McCain supports Bill’s prediction that a Paul nomination would rend the GOP asunder, and Matt recalls some other eerily accurate McCain forecasting. Matt and Bill consider whether Republicans will really try to shut down the government in an attempt to defund Obamacare. Bill is baffled by this strategy, which Matt calls “delusional.”
On Rational Actors, Kevin asks Ben to explain libertarian populism. How is it different from other kinds of reform conservatism? What does libertarian populism have to offer middle- and working-class voters? Ben points toward a number of areas ripe for reform: the payroll tax, farm and energy subsidies, and big banks. Would the GOP base accept a more progressive tax code? Kevin and Ben next discuss the changing media landscape, where ad-supported models are collapsing while paid subscriptions are on the rise. Plus: What Glenn Beck, Andrew Sullivan, and Netflix have in common.