Glenn and Jeff get very provocative this week, asking what it really means to be a "conservative." They argue that a true conservative would actually embrace gay marriage. Politically, while unconventional, fiscal conservatives should back gay marriage in order to separate from their "conservative" brethren, and build a new party build on new conservative principles of limited government, fiscal discipline and social responsibility. Inexplicably, under the last "conservative" government, Medicare and Medicaid spending, the budget deficit, the national debt and federal spending per household all grew to their highest levels ever -- all trendlines which should have been going down. Even the rate of growth of government, which one would expect to slow under conservatives, increased. With the party polling at its lowest levels in decades, it's  time for them to take bold, and yes, even irrational steps. The definition of insanity is repeating the same mistakes and thinking you're going to get a different result. We think the Republican Party, in its present form, has gone insane. You want the best of inside the beltway politics, listen to MSNBC's Hardball. You want great political commentary? watch Ed Schultz, Keith Olberman or Rachel Maddow. But if you want Washington politics explained to Main Street, listen to PoliTalk -- always entertaining and informative. It's PoliTalk: your weekly political podcast.

Are you a fan of the tax revolt tea parties, or do you find them revolting? Glenn speaks in favor of them, and praises their supporters for their passion and their desire to reign in government spending. Jeff finds the gimmick revolting, and wonders why it was conveniently on hiatus during the years when Republican leaders were in control of Congress and spending was out of control? They also look at the issue of the piracy off the coast of Somalia, but not from the usual viewpoint, more for what it means for a country in chaos and its global implications for other hotspots like Pakistan and Afghanistan. They then compare the "surgical" bankruptcy of GM to the country's colonoscopy -- ugly, uncomfortable, but necessary. Finally, Jeff broaches a topic for a future show by diving into the equally uncomfortable but nonetheless important discussion of money in politics. Always informative and entertaining. It's inside the beltway politics for the masses, it's the beltway brought to Main Street talked about by two business and political pros. It's PoliTalk.

Glenn and Jeff take on the absurdity of the celebrity culture that has us obsessing more over whether or not a gift is appropriate for the queen or that she can be touched instead of how we can rescue the world from its economic crisis. They also take on the absurdity of the budget process, and wonder how any good policy can actually come out of something so arcane and confusing? Finally, they talk about the politics of the Former Senator Ted Stevens case and why Senators Dodd and Bunning are in danger waters for their re-election campaigns (it's not what you think). Always entertaining and informative, it's PoliTalk: where you get the inside scoop on what's really happening in Washington from two guys outside the beltway.

What we have in GM and its bailout is a failure of imagination, a failure to communicate and a failure of execution. At PoliTalk, we keep our egos in check, but we take pride in bringing our substantial experience in politics and business to bear in communicating what's really going on in Washington, and what it means for us. To this end, kudos to Glenn for predicting exactly what happened this weekend with GM months ago. In this episode, Glenn continues to call for GM to go into bankruptcy. Jeff and Glenn also speak passionately about the double standard being applied, where auto execs get fired and workers are asked to renegotiate their contracts, but financial services execs keep their jobs, and their bonuses, and we're told their employees get to keep their bonuses because they were under contract. They also explain why Alberto Gonzolez won't be traveling to Spain anytime soon, and why Sarah Palin may not be including John McCain on her Christmas Card list. Get the real scoop here on PoliTalk: the place where political insiders come to get the outside the beltway view on how their politics and policy gets traction, and where those on the outside come to get a real inside view on politics and policy in Washington. Always informative, entertaining and authentic, it's  PoliTalk, featuring Glenn Gaudet and Jeff Kimball -- two seasoned political and business pros.