International pollster and Republican strategist Alex Tarascio joins The World and Stuff to unpack what the data says about global political realignment, gender fault lines, polling blind spots, the U.S. retreat from democracy-building, and how the world is reacting to Trump 2.0.

This episode goes deep — from why polls keep underestimating Trump to the hidden costs of gutting foreign aid programs like USAID.

Alex offers a behind-the-scenes look at how campaigns really choose their messages, and what global allies think of America’s recalibration of its role on the world stage.

Recorded: April 16, 2025

📍 Chapters

00:00 – Intro: Who is Alex Tarascio?

01:06 – The Tea Party & Citizens United's Impact

06:03 – Inside the International Republican Institute

11:29 – Democratic Backsliding & Bias in NGOs

14:30 – Why USAID & IRI Were Gutted Under Trump

17:35 – The Real Reason the Trump Admin Targeted Foreign Aid

27:42 – What Private GOP Pollsters Actually Do?

35:26 – Why Trump Keeps Overperforming Polls

38:29 – How Americans Are Reacting to Trump’s Second Term

52:12 – Gender Fault Lines, Brain Drain & Global Trends

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