Episode 72– Bob Ney: Inside the Breakdown of American Government

In this Veterans Day–recorded episode of Golf and Politics, Matt and Rob welcome back their very first guest — former Congressman Bob Ney — for a brutally honest deep dive into Congress, shutdown politics, fiscal chaos, and the future of American governance. Before the politics, the guys honor the veterans in their lives and share personal stories that set the tone for an episode rooted in gratitude and perspective. Then they get into the big questions: • Why does the government keep shutting down? • Does “fiscal responsibility” mean anything anymore? • Could Congress ever pass a real budget again? • How have primaries, social media, and Trump reshaped incentives in Washington? • Is Chuck Schumer stronger or weaker after this shutdown showdown? • What happens when one party centralizes power — and the other eventually gets it back? Bob Ney brings decades of insider perspective — from the Contract with America to balancing the budget in the 1990s to the Patriot Act fight — and breaks down how Congress lost its power and how it could regain it. If you want a real, unfiltered, behind-the-curtain view of D.C. from people who’ve lived it, this is the episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices