‘The weirdest Democrat in America’
‘The weirdest Democrat in America’  
Podcast: Reasonably Optimistic
Published On: Wed Dec 17 2025
Description: There’s no one in politics quite like the Democratic governor of Colorado, Jared Polis. He's a serial entrepreneur who cashed in on the dot-com boom and has pushed back on over-regulation of artificial intelligence and the tech industry. He’s in favor of abortion rights, but was against overregulation of mask mandates. He's pro-business and pro-weed. The “pro-liberty” governor joins host Megan McArdle to discuss Trump’s tariff and immigration policies, transgender care and how to make housing and health care more affordable.Timecodes00:00 Welcome Gov. Jared Polis01:27 Jared Polis’s entrepreneurial start03:54 Three most important qualities in an entrepreneur04:28 Most important qualities in a governor05:00 Transition from tech to government05:52 Transition from Congress to governor07:03 First year as Governor08:20 Regulation of Tech Companies11:45 The “Pro-business,” “Pro-trade” Party15:02 Are tariffs shifting voters?16:35 Being pro-freedom17:22 The only Democrat in The Liberty Caucus 18:39 The polarization of transgender care22:59 The Jared Polis brand of politics23:29 Making health care more affordable27:40 Making housing more affordable31:14 Does his politics have national appeal?32:22 Jared Polis’s MAGA uncle33:24 Can Americans be civil again?34:55 How to fix Congress 36:02 The activist base of the Democratic Party37:36 One thing to praise Trump on 38:32 Collecting Coins41:02 What is Jared Polis reasonably optimistic about?Subscribe to The Washington Post here.