FYPod — He SHAMED Congress at 18 — Now He’s Running for Office (w/ Matt Post)

Podcast: FYPod (The Bulwark)
Hosts: Tim Miller and Cameron Kasky
Guest: Matt Post
Date: October 11, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tim Miller and Cameron Kasky sit down with Matt Post, a 26-year-old Yale Law grad and candidate for the Maryland State House of Delegates. Dubbed a member of the "mass shooting generation," Post has been a vocal advocate for gun reform since his teens, shaming Congress at age 18 during March for Our Lives. The hosts explore Post’s political philosophy, personal background, policy agenda (especially on guns, ICE, and public housing), and dig into "men’s issues," with detours into campaign style, masculinity, dating, and bro culture. The conversation moves quickly but always keeps a core focus: what drives Gen Z’s politics, and why young voters are changing.

Key Discussion Points

1. Who Is Matt Post? (00:21-07:45)

• Background & Upbringing: Jewish, Maryland native, family rose via public institutions.

  "A governing body needs all kinds of different experiences...what's missing right now is people who have grown up as part of the mass shooting generation." — Matt Post (01:07)

• Personal Style: Describes himself as “Old Navy mannequin.”
• High School Experience: Cross-country runner, Minecraft/Team Fortress 2 fan, student organizer.
• Political Start: Elected to Montgomery County school board at 17 with 43,000 votes.

2. Shaming Congress at 18 — March for Our Lives (06:44-13:15)

• Viral Speech: At 18, Post delivered a stirring speech during the walkouts post-Parkland, rejecting “classrooms as prisons” and calling for comprehensive gun control (07:46-09:08).

  “We will not sit in classrooms with armed teachers. We refuse to learn in fear... We will accept nothing less than comprehensive gun control. And if it's what it takes, we will shame our national policymakers into protecting us.” — 18-year-old Matt Post (07:46)

• Student Leadership: Built credibility through authenticity and rage over government inaction.

  "You can't manufacture authenticity. Especially in the social media era, people see right through that." — Cameron Kasky (12:27)

• Persistence & Hope: Despite setbacks, maintains belief in state-level progress.

  “I refuse to allow myself to become numb to the losses, to the stagnant policies, to the lack of progress...things are still possible.” — Matt Post (15:02)

3. Progressive Priorities: ICE, Housing, and Anti-Corruption (16:31-27:07)

i. ICE and Civil Liberties (16:31-19:38)

• Stance: Wants to ban collaboration between school-based police and ICE, restrict ICE access to sensitive areas, ban masked ICE agents (“Gestapo in the United States”).

  "There is nothing American about masked thugs throwing people into the back of unmarked vans and driving away." — Matt Post (17:33)

• Political Caution & Urgency: Dems are too cautious; believes bold opposition to rising authoritarianism is required.

  “Rising authoritarianism...rolling over and playing dead has never worked in history… This is a break the glass moment for our democracy.” — Matt Post (18:57)

ii. Abundance, Housing, and "Anti-Paperwork" Progressivism (20:35-23:31)

• Abundance Pill: Self-identifies as abundance-pilled, influenced by Ezra Klein, but claims he was there before it was cool.

  “I would call myself an anti-paperwork progressive...We have means-tested and over-proceduralized to paralysis, where government can't do anything.” — Matt Post (21:00)

• Universal Programs: Push for less paperwork, more universal benefits, simpler housing policy.
• Maryland’s Progress: Praises Gov. Wes Moore’s reforms, but argues for more action on housing and benefits.

iii. Anti-Corruption & Campaign Reform Speed Round (24:10-27:13)

• Ban Corporate Donations: Supports Maryland joining most states in banning direct corporate donations.
• Transparency in PAC Ads: Strong for requiring top funders to be named in ads.
• Ban Congressional Stock Trading: Sees symbolic value in public trust, even if practical impact is limited.
• Limit Revolving Door Lobbying: Wants a five-year cooling-off period.

4. Men’s Issues, Masculinity, and Dating Culture (27:18-41:58)

i. Reddit Men’s Advice & Bro Culture (27:18-37:36)

• Compliments to Men: Discussion on lack of positive reinforcement for straight men.

  "As a straight guy, you get one compliment maybe every 14 months or so, and you sort of hold on to that until the next one." — Matt Post (36:10)

• Birthday Preferences: Some men don’t like celebrating birthdays—Post relates to this, noting his dad even hides his birthday.
• Advice for Friendships: Encourages men to compliment and “love” their friends openly.

  "It's not gay. It's the cool thing to do and it makes the friendship deeper." — Cameron Kasky (37:18)

ii. Dating & Approaches:

• Cold Approaches: Tim suggests the old-fashioned handwritten phone number; Matt admits he’s never cold-approached a woman.
• Navigating Modern Norms: Recognizes today’s young men are more cautious due to social climate.

  "Maybe your personality and values don't line up...you have to identify that." — Cameron Kasky (30:41)

• Campaign Trail & Dating: Tim encourages mixing campaigning and dating — Matt isn’t interested.

iii. Men’s Mental Health

• Compliment Deficit: Acknowledges the “sadness” for straight men who rarely hear praise.
• Old Jewish Women Allies: Matt jokes about grandmas on the trail trying to set him up.
• Campaign Focus: Matt says he’s busy, not mixing dating with politics.

5. Rapid-Fire Personal Takes & Policy Positions (41:58-End)

• Fitness Routine: Matt hits the gym five times a week—“man of the people” at LA Fitness.
• Crypto: Brief crypto phase; sold Bitcoin to pay roommate debts via Splitwise.
• Sports Gambling: Conflicted—acknowledges revenue for schools but worries about its “corrosive” impact.
• Streaming & Sports Rights: Frustration with sports Balkanization—too many platforms to watch games; Cam suggests a (tongue-in-cheek) “state-run sports network.”
• MMA/Masc Culture: Matt finds MMA “cathartic,” watches mainly socially. Tim outs himself as a Frank Ocean fan and MMA novice.
• Sports Fandom: Matt is a Ravens fan, holding out hope despite a rough season.
• Political Race Details: Running for an open seat in Maryland’s State House—first entrant, ex-rep retiring, district covers exurban/rural edge of Montgomery County.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authenticity in Activism:

  “You can't manufacture authenticity...People see right through that shit, especially in the social-media era.” — Cameron Kasky (12:27)

• On State-Level Gun Reform Victories:

  “Since 2018, over 300 gun safety laws have been passed around the country...the state level is where we're gonna continue chipping away.” — Matt Post (15:55)

• On ICE & Authoritarian Risks:

  "There is nothing American about masked thugs throwing people into the back of unmarked vans and driving away...This is a break-the-glass moment for our democracy." — Matt Post (17:33 & 18:57)

• On “Abundance” Progressivism:

  “I hate paperwork…We have means-tested and over-proceduralized to paralysis, where government can't do anything.” — Matt Post (21:08)

• On Modern Masculinity:

  "It's not gay. It's the cool thing to do and it makes the friendship deeper." — Cameron Kasky (37:21)

• On Compliment Scarcity:

  "As a straight guy, you get one compliment maybe every 14 months or so, and you sort of hold on to that until the next one." — Matt Post (36:10)

Key Timestamps

• Intro & Personal Style: 00:00–01:30
• Matt’s Background & Cafeteria Table Talk: 04:17–06:44
• March for Our Lives Speech: 07:46–09:08
• Gun Policy, Hope vs. Cynicism: 13:36–16:31
• ICE Policy & Civil Liberties: 16:31–19:38
• Abundance & Paperwork Rant: 20:35–23:31
• Anti-Corruption Policy Speed Round: 24:10–27:13
• Reddit Men's Advice/Jokes: 27:18–41:58
• Personal Fitness & Crypto: 43:20–44:54
• Sports Gambling Rant: 45:01–46:52
• Sports Streaming Frustration (State TV Bit): 46:52–48:32
• MMA and Masculinity: 48:36–50:21
• Ravens Fan & Political Campaign Wrap: 50:31–51:56

Concluding Notes

The episode deftly blends hard politics, personal narrative, and generational conversations, showing how Gen Z’s politics are shaped by urgency, authenticity, and lived reality—from school shootings and ICE raids to venmo debts and dating advice. Post emerges as both a serious policy thinker (“abundance-pilled anti-paperwork progressive”) and a relatable, introspective campaigner. The hosts riff freely but always steer the conversation back to the changed world—and political mood—of America’s youngest voters.

For more: Visit MattPostForMD.com or follow on social. DMs are open (but, as Matt notes, for policy questions, not just setups from grandmas!).

End of summary.