Stubborn Things

Jay and Sean are joined this week by Ruy Teixeira, Nonresident Senior Fellow at AEI and longtime analyst of Democratic politics. Our hosts interview Ruy about the evolving relationship between the Democratic Party and organized labor, whether Democrats can learn from their past mistakes to form a durable electoral coalition, and more. Along the way, Jay, Sean, and Ruy discuss the “Abundance" movement, immigration, class, and if there are any heterodox Democrats who can make waves in future elections. Take a listen!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at [email protected].
Show notes:
America's Forgotten Majority
The Emerging Democratic Majority
Where Have All the Democrats Gone?
Ruy's last article in The Liberal Patriot

This week, our hosts take a break from talking about the drama of 21st century American politics and turn back the clock. In this very special edition of Stubborn Things, Jay and Sean start the Very Official Stubborn Things Presidential Tiers List. They start, of course, with Washington and make it all the way through Buchanan. See where Jay and Sean agree and where their lists diverge. Take a listen and let us know what you think about our tiers!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at [email protected].
Show notes:
Jay’s biography of James Madison

Our Stubborn Things hosts this week talk voting and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, a.k.a. the SAVE Act, a.k.a. the SAVE America Act, currently making its way through Congress. Jay and Sean discuss how the bill would change voting, the advantages and challenges with requiring proof of citizenship to vote, and the bad faith arguments each camp makes about the bill. Then, they go back in time to review the 2021 Democrat-led For the People Act, and Sean calls Jay old. Finally, the episode wraps with a focus on campaign finance and the role of big money in elections.
Take a listen and let us know what you think!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at [email protected].
Show notes:
H.R.22 – SAVE Act
Yuval Levin’s National Review article
NYT article about campaign finance

This week, Jay and Sean tackle the results of the Senate primary in Texas. They discuss James Talarico’s victory in the Democratic primary and the religious dimension of Talarico’s candidacy. They also assess the strengths and weaknesses of Talarico’s two potential GOP opponents, incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who will face each other in a runoff in May, as well as how Texas demographics may play in the general election. Plus, Jay and Sean dip into the mailbag and answer a listener question about the books that have influenced them. Take a listen and let us know what you think!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at [email protected].
Show notes:
Sean’s Recommendations:
The Almanac of American Politics
Electoral Realignments, by David Mayhew
The Emerging Democratic Majority, by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira
Jay’s Recommendations:
Conjectures and Refutations, by Karl Popper
Micromotives and Macrobehavior, by Thomas Schelling
Reflections on the Revolution in France, by Edmund Burke

AEI’s Jay Cost and Sean Trende talk about the topic on everyone’s mind this week: the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Learning Resources v. Trump, which struck down President Trump’s use of tariffs under IEEPA. Throughout the episode, our hosts touch on the majority opinion, as well as the various concurrences and dissents, that came down last Friday. Jay and Sean address the history of tariffs in American political economy before moving on to a conversation about the separation of powers. They wrap up by discussing the ideological makeup of the Court and this case’s implications for questions of checks and balances. Take a listen and let us know what you think!
Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.
Comments? Suggestions? Email us at [email protected].
Show notes:
Jay’s review of The Constitution of Conflict