Bourbon & Rum Podcast

Supreme Court, Tariffs & Executive Authority

Duration: 55:29 | Recorded on February 21, 2026 S3E7 – A deep dive into the Supreme Court’s ruling limiting presidential tariff powers, the future of U.S. trade policy, executive authority, and the political firestorm surrounding the Epstein files. Featured Spirits Old Forester Single Barrel Pusser’s Rum Show Notes / Supreme Court Blocks Use of Emergency…
What is Americanization: Ideals, Interests, and Global Realities

Duration: 46:43 | Recorded on February 15, 2026 S3E6 – A wide-ranging discussion on Americanization, Saudi Arabia’s transformation, democratic peace theory, and whether U.S. foreign policy prioritizes human rights or strategic self-interest. Featured Spirits E.H. Taylor, Jr. Ron Carúpano (Venezuela) Show Notes / Saudi Arabia in Transition:Kyle reflects on recent travel to Riyadh and contrasts…
Epstein Files, Markets, AI, and Immigration

Duration: 46:18 | Recorded on February 1, 2026 S3E5 – A wide-ranging discussion on the release of millions of Epstein-related court documents, institutional failure and elite accountability, Federal Reserve leadership and interest rates, AI’s impact on work and education, and the evolving politics of immigration enforcement. Featured Spirits Bourbon: Stagg Jr Rum: Santa Teresa 1796…
Power, Protest, and Trust in a Fractured Democracy

Duration: 56:22 | Recorded on January 25, 2026 S3E4 – A measured, in-depth conversation on immigration enforcement, protest, and political trust, centered on the fatal ICE-related shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Featured Spirits Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Cruzan Blackstrap Rum Show Notes / The Minneapolis Shooting:Both hosts reflect on their initial reactions…
Security, Protest, and the Battle Over Public Trust

Duration: 45:08 | Recorded on January 18, 2026 S3E3 – A difficult discussion on U.S. immigration enforcement, political rhetoric, and institutional trust, using recent ICE activity in Minnesota and Trump-era communication strategies as a lens for examining polarization, governance, and civil society. Featured Spirits Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength Bourbon Rivers Rum Show Notes…
Free Speech, Censorship, and the Power of the Political Brand

Duration: 54:42 | Recorded on December 27, 2025 S3E2 – A candid conversation on free speech, censorship, political power, and media accountability, sparked by EU digital speech laws and U.S. travel bans, and expanding into Trump, media lawsuits, and the rise of politics as brand warfare. Featured Spirits Sazerac Rye Full Proof Bolivar Rum Show…
The Risks and Logic of Removing a Dictator: What Comes Next?

Duration: 41:47 | Recorded on January 4, 2026 S3E1 – U.S. intervention in Venezuela, the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, and the strategic, legal, and geopolitical implications of modern “surgical” foreign policy actions. Featured SpiritsRare Character Single Barrel American Light WhiskeyNo rum, only lemonade Show Notes / Invasion or Law Enforcement Action? Framing the Maduro Arrest:Kent…
Epstein Files, Redactions, and the Immigration Double Standard

Duration: 50:54 | Recorded on December 19, 2025 S2E39 – Kent and Kyle react to the long-awaited release of the Epstein files, shifting to a deeper debate on government transparency and their shared mistrust of the political establishment. Their conversation takes a turn, a deep dive into immigration policy that challenges partisan narratives by examining…
Christmas Conversations: Politics, Family, and Keeping It Civil

Duration: 46:46 | Recorded on December 14, 2025 S2E38 – A year-end holiday episode where Kent and Kyle reflect on political polarization, social media’s influence, and practical strategies for surviving, and improving, difficult political conversations with family during the holidays. Featured Spirits ⁠Henry McKenna Single Barrel⁠ ⁠Bolivar⁠ Show Notes / Holiday Politics Feel Worse Than…
The Slippery Slope of Social Media Screening

Duration: 46:52 | Recorded on December 10, 2025S2E37 – A wide-ranging conversation over bourbon and rum examining border security, social media vetting, immigration economics, and how freedom, security, and government overreach collide in modern travel and immigration policy. Featured Spirits Benchmark Foolproof BourbonBarbados-style rum cocktail (made with Dominican Republic rum) Show Notes / Social Media…