All right, welcome everyone back again for another deep dive.
This time we're looking at the post-election landscape.
Things are already getting, well, interesting to say the least.
You just made one word for it.
Yeah, maybe even a little wild.
And we've got some really insightful analysis
to help us unpack all the drama, all the twists and turns.
Always a pleasure to be back.
Glad to have you.
So the piece we're diving into today
is from ElectoralVote.com, dated November 29th, 2024.
And it covers a whole range of hot topics.
We're talking about Trump's return,
potential trade wars, billionaire shenanigans,
and even surprise glimmer of hope.
You've really got to keep up with things.
These days, so much is changing so fast.
It really does feel like we're on a roller coaster,
doesn't it?
Absolutely.
Okay, so let's jump right in.
Trump is back in the White House as we all know.
And well, it seems like he's picking up
right where he left off.
Yeah, like riding a bike,
he never really left the public eye.
True, true.
But now he's talking of imposing a 25% tariff
on all goods from Canada and Mexico.
Oh, this is gonna be interesting.
He's not pulling any punches.
Unless they help curb immigration and fentanyl smuggling.
So it's like a bargaining chip.
A very large bargaining chip
with a lot of potential fallout.
This was a campaign promise, remember?
Right, it wasn't just some off the cuff remark.
Exactly.
So now the question is,
is he serious about actually falling through with this?
Because the economic impact could be huge.
Massive, not just in the US, but globally.
We're talking about two of our biggest trading partners here.
It does feel a bit like a page
out of his old playbook though, right?
Like remember the build the wall situation?
Oh, absolutely.
Classic Trump, lots of talk, maybe some symbolic action.
And then a declaration of victory
no matter what the actual outcome is.
Precisely.
And that's exactly what electoralvote.com is predicting.
We'll see here, a repeat performance.
They seem to have a pretty good track record
with these kinds of predictions.
They do, they do.
They have their finger on the pulse for sure.
But this time, it's not just about a wall.
We're talking about a potential trade war
with two of our closest allies.
And that's no small thing.
The stakes are much higher now.
And I get the focus on Mexico,
you know, with the immigration and fentanyl concerns.
But I'm a little puzzled about Canada.
Why drag them into this?
Yeah.
What's the angle there?
Well, I think it comes down to NAFTA,
the North American Free Trade Agreement, remember that?
Right, yeah.
By including Canada,
Trump essentially increases his leverage.
It's a way to put more pressure on Mexico.
Oh, so it's all about strategy.
It's a power play.
And let's be honest, it wouldn't be a Trump move
without a little bit of that, would it?
I guess not.
Speaking of power plays,
what do you make of this whole situation
with President Shinebaum of Mexico?
Oh, that's a good one.
You're talking about the phone call.
Yeah.
Trump claims she agreed to stop migration after their chat.
And she immediately came out and denied it.
She publicly refuted his account.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it?
What's really going on here?
It does raise some interesting questions
about how Trump's gonna operate in this second term.
Is this a sign that he's gonna just keep creating
his own version of reality, regardless of the facts?
Or is there a more strategic game at play here?
Hmm.
That's definitely something we need to watch closely,
wouldn't you say?
Absolutely.
And this whole pattern of claiming credit,
even where it's not really due.
Seems to be emerging as a bit of a theme, yeah.
Electrovote.com actually predicted this, didn't they?
They did.
And it's playing out almost exactly as they anticipated.
We saw it with the Israel-Libonon ceasefire.
Ah, yes, where Trump and his allies
were so quick to take credit.
Even though they had no real involvement
in the negotiations?
None whatsoever.
And now they're doing it
with a decrease in border crossings too.
Trying to take credit
for the Biden administration's success.
Right.
It was a result of an agreement put in place
by the previous administration.
But that doesn't, is it the narrative, does it?
So they're trying to rewrite history, basically.
In real time.
And that's where it gets really concerning.
When facts and evidence no longer matter.
When it's all about controlling the narrative.
How can we have meaningful conversations about policy
if we can't even agree on a shared reality?
It's a valid concern.
Okay, let's shift gears for a minute
and talk about what's being called the A-hole caucus.
Oh yes, this should be good.
This rather troubling alliance between Trump and Elon Musk.
Two P's in a pod, some might say.
Their behavior has been quite,
let's just say concerning.
To put it mildly, what is it that draws them together?
Well, they both seem to thrive on controversy.
And they share a certain disregard for,
shall we say, conventional norms.
I mean, look at Trump's Thanksgiving message.
It was so divisive.
Talk about a contrast with Biden's message
of unity and gratitude.
Night and day.
It really highlights the fundamental difference
in their approaches to leadership.
One seeks to divide the other to unify.
And unfortunately, their actions often reflect that.
Exactly.
And then you have Musk doxing those federal employees.
All women, I might add, in climate-related role.
And them making these completely baseless accusations
of treason against Loutan curl Alexander Vinden.
It's reckless and dangerous.
And the lack of accountability for both of them
is really alarming.
Their words have real world consequences.
And we've seen it with the increase in threats.
The bomb threats against members of Congress
are just chilling.
It's a slippery slope when powerful figures
can incite violence and just escape consequences like that.
It really is.
Speaking of power dynamics, maybe we
should move on to this whole drama with Patrick Soon-Shong.
The LA Times owner.
Right.
This situation raises some serious questions
about the influence of wealth on the media.
Yeah, this one's a bit of a head scratcher.
So he blocked the paper's endorsement of Kamala Harris.
Claiming it was in the name of fairness.
Right.
And now he's trying to hire Scott Jennings,
the pro-Trump commentator for the editorial board.
Again, citing fairness.
But is it really about fairness?
Or is there something else going on?
Some are saying he's trying to cozy up to Trump,
maybe to protect his other business interests.
It's like he's betting that aligning himself with Trump
will be beneficial in the long run.
A risky gimp.
And it seems like that bet backfired big time
during his interview with Oliver Darcy.
Oh, that was a train wreck.
Soon-Shong tried to defend his actions.
But Darcy wasn't having it.
Called him out for being dishonest.
And the whole thing ended with Soon-Shong just abruptly
cutting off the interview.
Not a good look.
Darcy made a good point, though.
Defending Trump often requires a certain, let's say,
flexibility with the truth.
It was a pretty tense exchange.
It was.
And it's a good reminder that even reputable news sources
can be influenced by personal agendas.
By those in control.
Exactly.
So how can we stay informed when the information we're
getting is filtered through these biases?
That's the million dollar question, isn't it?
It is.
I think it's more important than ever
to be a critical consumer of information.
Don't just accept everything at face value.
Right.
Look for multiple sources, consider their biases,
and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Critical thinking is key.
Absolutely.
OK, so I think we need a little break from all
of this negativity, don't you?
I could use a little positivity right about now.
Let's focus on a more positive story for a moment.
Amidst all the chaos, there's this little glimmer of hope
coming from the Senate.
Oh, tell me more.
It's Senator George Helmi, the temporary replacement
for Bob Menendez from New Jersey.
He's the one who's really making the most of his time
in office.
Exactly.
It's so refreshing.
He could have just enjoyed the perks of the position.
But he's chosen to be proactive, use his platform
to actually make a difference.
No, that's what I like to hear.
He's been incredibly busy sponsoring
important legislation, including that bill
to protect children online.
Yeah, that's a huge issue these days.
He's also been delivering powerful speeches
and even focusing on constituent services.
Something Menendez apparently neglected.
It's a great example of someone seizing the moment.
Choosing to have a positive impact.
Really embodying that whole carpetium spirit.
I love it.
It's a good reminder that even in a system
that can feel so broken.
Individuals can still make a difference.
It's inspiring.
It is.
It really is.
OK, so before we wrap up, I thought
it'd be fun to lighten things up a bit
with a little holiday-themed game.
Oh, I'm game.
What do you have in mind?
So electoralvote.com has this suggested Christmas presence
thing.
I saw that.
It's pretty funny.
And I thought it'd be fun for us to play along.
I'm in.
Who are we shopping for?
Let's see, we've got Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Joe
Biden.
OK, I'm already thinking.
JD Vance and Mike Johnson.
That's a diverse group.
This is going to be good.
I need to think about this for a minute.
All right, well, while you're thinking,
I want to encourage our listeners to play along too.
What gifts would you choose for these folks?
Share your ideas on social media.
Or with your friends.
Let's get a conversation going.
It's a fun way to engage with the political landscape.
And who knows?
Maybe it'll stark some insightful observations
along the way.
You never know.
All right, so we covered a lot of ground today.
We have, from tariff threats and political maneuvering
to billionaires throwing their weight around.
And a surprising story of hope in the Senate.
It's been quite a ride so far.
A roller coaster, as you said.
And it's only just begun.
Stay tuned, folks.
It's only going to get more interesting from here.
All right, we'll be back soon with more.
Can't wait.
See you then.
See you.
And it's a reminder that these issues,
they have real world consequences for all of us.
Yeah, it's not just some abstract political game.
Exactly.
The decisions made in those halls of power.
They affect our everyday lives.
They do, from the cost of goods to the information we consume.
Which is why staying informed and engaged is so crucial.
We can't afford to be passive bystanders.
We need to ask questions.
Challenge assumptions.
Hold those in power accountable.
I couldn't agree more.
Critical thinking is more important now than ever.
Absolutely.
And part of that is recognizing that no source of information
is completely unbiased.
Right.
Everyone has their own perspective.
We all have our own filters.
So true.
OK, I think we need a little break
from all this negativity.
Me too.
Yeah.
Let's focus on a more positive story for a moment.
I'm all ears.
So amidst all the chaos, there's this little glimmer
of hope coming from the Senate.
Oh, a glimmer of hope.
Tell me more.
It's Senator George Helmi.
The one from New Jersey?
Yeah, the temporary replacement for Bob Menendez.
I've heard his name.
Yeah.
Well, he's really making the most of his time in office.
That's good to hear.
It's really refreshing to see.
Yeah.
He could have just sat back and enjoyed
the perks of the position.
Exactly.
But he's chosen to be proactive.
He's using his platform to make a difference.
Now, that's what I like to hear.
He's been incredibly busy.
Doing what?
Fill me in.
Sponsoring important legislation.
Like, what kind of legislation?
Well, there's that bill to protect children online, for one.
Right.
That's a huge issue these days.
And he's been delivering some really powerful speeches.
Making his voice heard.
He's even focusing on constituent services.
Which, from what I hear, Menendez kind of neglected.
It's a great example of someone seizing the moment.
Choosing to have a positive impact.
To really embodying that whole Carptium spirit.
I love it.
It's a good reminder that even in a system that
can feel so broken at times, individuals
can still make a difference.
They can.
It's inspiring.
It is.
It really is.
OK, so before we wrap up this deep dive,
I thought it'd be fun to lighten things up a bit.
A little fun, yeah.
With a little holiday themed game.
A long game.
Always up for some fun.
So electoralvote.com has this suggested Christmas presents
thing.
Something to love that, yeah.
And I thought it'd be fun for us to play along.
Let's do it.
Who are we shopping for?
OK, we've got Kamala Harris.
OK.
Donald Trump.
Challenging Joe Biden.
OK.
JD Vance.
All right.
And Mike Johnson.
It's a diverse group.
This is going to be good.
You know, right?
Give me a minute to think.
Well, while you're thinking, I want
to encourage our listeners to play along too.
Yeah, join in the fun.
What gifts would you choose for these folks?
Get creative.
Share your ideas on social media with your friends.
Let's get a conversation going.
It's a fun way to engage with the political landscape.
Lighthearted.
Exactly.
And who knows?
It might spark some insightful observations.
I never know.
All right, so we've covered a lot of ground today.
We have, from tariff threats and political maneuvering
to billionaires throwing their weight around
and a surprising story of hope in the Senate.
It's been quite a ride.
A roller coaster, as you said.
And it's only just begun.
Stay tuned, folks.
We'll be back soon with more.
Can't wait.
Yeah, it really makes you think.
If you were in that position, even for a short time,
what would you do?
What would I prioritize?
Would you focus on specific policies?
Or try to, you know, build consensus.
Or maybe use that platform to amplify certain voices.
So many possibilities.
It's a great thought experiment.
It is.
But let's bring it back to our deep dive for a minute.
OK, yeah.
We've covered a lot of ground today.
Trump's return to the White House,
well, it's already shaken things up.
And not always in a good way, as we've seen.
We've got potential trade wars brewing,
billionaires throwing their weight around,
and this concerning trend of...
Manipulating narratives.
Yeah, to fit their own agendas.
It's a lot to unpack, that's for sure.
It is.
And it's important to remember that these issues,
they have real world consequences for all of us.
They do.
This isn't just some abstract political game.
Right.
The decisions made in those halls of power...
They affect our everyday lives.
In very real ways.
Absolutely.
From the cost of goods to, as we said,
the information we consume...
It's why staying informed and engaged is so crucial.
We can't just be passive bystanders.
Right.
We need to ask questions, challenge assumptions,
hold those in power accountable.
Couldn't agree more.
Critical thinking is more important now than ever.
It really is.
And part of that is recognizing that no source of information
is completely unbiased.
Right.
Everyone has their own perspective, their own lens.
We all have our filters.
So true.
OK, I think it's time to wrap up this deep dive.
Yeah, I think we've covered a lot.
But before we go, I want to leave our listeners
with a final thought to ponder.
Ooh, I like this.
If you were suddenly handed a brief moment of power,
just like Senator Helmi.
OK.
What would you do with it?
What change would you try to make in the world?
Wow, that's a powerful question.
It is, isn't it?
It really makes you think about what your priorities would be.
Exactly.
And it's a good reminder that we all
have the potential to make a difference.
Even in small ways, right?
Absolutely.
Whether it's through our work, our relationships,
or just the choices we make every day.
We can all contribute to creating a better world.
I think that's a great note to end on.
It is.
Thank you so much for joining us on this deep dive.
It's been a pleasure, as always.
We'll be back next week with another fascinating exploration
looking forward to it of the topics shaping our world.
Until then, stay curious, stay informed, and stay engaged.
And happy holidays.
Yes, happy holidays, everyone.
See you next time.