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The Political Life - from campaigns to capitols and everywhere in between. A show about the people whose lives are immersed in the political world, and how they got there. Politicians, lobbyists, pollsters, and business people. If they're on the show, they're living the political life.

Hosted by Jim O'Brien, The Political Life introduces you to the personalities and "day in the life" experiences of some of the most interesting and dynamic individuals in the field. 

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  2. Who Will Blink First? The Debt Ceiling Debate with Rich Gold

Who Will Blink First? The Debt Ceiling Debate with Rich Gold

May 25, 2023

Rich Gold returns to the podcast to talk with Jim about the looming debt limit in Washington D.C, why this issue of coming to an agreement is so important, and what could happen if no agreement is made.

Topics covered in this episode include:

  • How things are going at Holland & Knight.

  • An update on the debt limit negotiations.

  • What makes this different than the last time it happened?

  • A recap of where the negotiating started and where it is now.

    • What the Republicans want

    • What the Democrats are trying to do to compromise with the Republicans

  • What would need to happen for the Republicans to get everything they want and why it's not realistic?

  • Why the current options won't get enough votes to go through?

  • Balancing the right amount of budget cuts.

  • Will they eventually come to a comprise at the end of the day?

  • What happens if they don't?

  • Why it's not a good idea to cut a deal right before the deadline and what happened last time a deal was cut before the deadline.

    • The real-world impacts that occurred.

  • Can a divided government happen with a Republican president and Democrats controlling Congress?

    • The shift of the Republican party.

  • What could happen if a Republican votes and Donald Trump doesn't approve of it.

  • Work requirements.

  • The significance of agreeing to freeze the limit.

  • Is the military budget increase normal or for something specific?

  • What makes up the budget deficit?

  • Who Rich will have as his special guest when he hosts the podcast!

Rich Gold is the leader of Holland & Knight's Public Policy & Regulation Group and focuses his practice at the intersection of complex policy and political issues involving Congress, the executive branch and the media. Rich Gold is the leader of the firm's Public Policy & Regulation Group and focuses his practice at the intersection of complex policy and political issues involving Congress, the executive branch and the media.

The Public Policy & Regulation Group has been ranked among the top law and lobbying firms in Washington by publications including American Lawyer's Influence Magazine, Legal 500 United States guide, Financial Times and U.S. News - Best Lawyers guide. Mr. Gold has been recognized as a top lobbyist in Washington by The Hill, The National Journal, Washington SmartCEO, Super Lawyers and The Washington Business Journal, as well as one of Washingtonian Magazine's 500 Most Influential People Shaping Policy for the past two years.

In addition, Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide has recognized Mr. Gold since 2007. He is one of only three practitioners ranked as Band 1 in Chambers USA Nationwide Government Relations category, the highest ranking one can receive in Chambers.

Mr. Gold served in the U.S. Senate for Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) as his advisor on environmental affairs where he worked on issues related to environmental side agreements of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). During the Clinton administration, he was a special assistant to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Carol Browner, with whom he helped develop the EPA's Superfund reform proposal and its administrative improvements package. Mr. Gold also served as a career lawyer in the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and Office of General Counsel, working on major rule makings as well as significant Superfund cases.

Mr. Gold approaches political and policy problems from the perspective of campaign-style advocacy – forming, developing and executing issue-advocacy campaigns that incorporate lobbying, regulatory lawyering, traditional and social media, and grassroots engagement to break through the noise in Washington and achieve client goals. Mr. Gold has engaged for individual companies, trade associations and coalitions on the issues of the day ranging from climate change legislation and regulations and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform to trade legislation, corporate tax reform, as well as major U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reform legislation and financial services legislation.

 

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