Episode summary
Political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen discusses his forthcoming book "The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World" with host Chris Hayes, focusing primarily on his controversial proposal to expand and reform the Supreme Court. Cohen, whose first book was a New York Times number one bestseller, argues that Democrats must adopt Republican-style power tactics when they regain control of government. His Supreme Court reform blueprint calls for expanding the court from nine to 13 justices to match the number of federal circuit courts, implementing single 18-year terms, establishing mandatory retirement at age 70, and creating an enforceable ethics code. Cohen contends that without such reforms, the current conservative-majority court will effectively veto any progressive legislation Democrats pass. He dismisses recent court decisions against Trump's birthright citizenship and mail-in ballot positions as insufficient proof the system works, noting that four Republican justices were still willing to overturn constitutional text. Cohen reveals he persuaded California Governor Gavin Newsom toward supporting court expansion during a 90-minute podcast interview, despite Newsom's historical reluctance. The conversation also covers Trump's financial activities in office, with Cohen arguing that the president's crypto profits and luxury projects contradict his campaign promises to help working Americans. With over 200 million monthly views across platforms, Cohen has become influential in Democratic messaging strategy, particularly in online spaces where he identifies corruption and hypocrisy as the most animating issues for the base.
