Welcome back to the Deep Dive.
We are diving into the wild world of post-election 2024 today.
Definitely wild.
And let me tell ya, things are getting kinda crazy out there.
Yeah, no kidding.
We've got a whole bunch of sources here.
News articles, op-eds, laked info, the whole nine yards,
and it all seems to be saying the same thing.
Oh really? And what's that?
The old rules.
Yeah.
Yeah, they don't apply anymore.
You know, it's interesting because the narrative
is changing like so fast.
And we're not just talking like policy debates here, right?
We're seeing power dynamics like really being challenged
domestically, internationally.
It's like the whole systems under pressure, you know?
It's a total stress test.
Huge test test.
Okay, so let's just jump right in.
Yeah, let's do it.
Trump's cabinet picks.
Oh boy.
He's going all in on this blue man GA thing, right?
Okay.
Bringing in people like Tulsi Gabbard,
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Interesting choices.
That's your typical Republican stuff.
Not at all.
And I think this is about more than just like appealing
to voters, right?
It's about power.
Trump's trying to redefine the Republican party,
maybe even create something completely new.
Wow.
So.
The question is can he actually make it work?
Right.
Are Gabbard and Kennedy Jr. enough
to build a lasting movement?
Or are they just playing a role?
You know.
Ponds in the game.
Exactly, ponds in his game.
It's a risky move for sure.
Very risky.
And speaking of risky moves, what about Pete Higgseth
for Secretary of Defense?
Oh yeah.
That's raising some eyebrows.
You think?
Yeah, for sure.
There's a lot of pushback even from Republicans.
Really?
Yeah.
I mean, some people are saying he just doesn't have
the experience for a job like that.
Especially now, right?
Especially now everything's so tense globally.
You need someone steady at the helm.
So it's interesting though, right?
Because Trump doesn't seem as invested
in Higgseth's confirmation
as he is with his blue Maggie picks.
You're right.
That is interesting.
Do you think Higgseth's expendable?
Or is there like a bigger strategy here?
It could be that Trump sees Higgseth's role
as more symbolic, you know?
Maybe he's more focused on consolidating his power
within the party.
Using Gabbard and Kennedy Jr. to change
the party's ideology.
Interesting.
And Higgseth is just a distraction.
Oh, a smoke screen.
Exactly, a smoke screen.
So while Trump's putting his team together,
there's this whole other battle going on.
Oh, yeah.
The fight for control of the narrative.
The narrative that's crucial.
And we've got some worrying developments in the media.
Oh, no.
What's going on?
Specifically with the Washington Post and the LA Times.
Oh, those are big ones.
Yeah, and this is what I find troubling.
What's that?
It shows how vulnerable traditional media
is to political pressure.
Right.
And ownership changes.
Absolutely.
Ownership changes everything.
So the Washington Post, they published a column
questioning water fluoridation.
What?
Yeah, and that's basically echoing
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views.
Oh, wow.
That's pretty controversial.
It is.
And it makes you wonder about their editorial decisions.
Right.
Are they being influenced by personal agendas?
Exactly.
That's worrying.
And then there's the LA Times.
OK, what's happening there?
They're under new ownership, Patrick Soon-Shung.
OK.
And they're doing this fairness meter thing for articles.
A fairness meter?
What is that?
Readers can vote on whether an article is biased or not.
Hmm.
That's all.
I know it's like a gimmick, right?
It is, but it's a dangerous one.
How so?
Well, it reduces complex issues to a simple, fair,
or unfair judgment.
It's fueling polarization.
And it undermines objective reporting.
It's not about engaging readers.
No, it's about pandering to the extremes.
And there's been fallout.
Oh, yeah.
Harry Lippmann, a veteran columnist,
he resigned in protest.
Wow.
He specifically called out Soon-Shung's interference
in editorial decisions.
Oh, that's not good.
Especially during the campaign.
Right.
So he's directly meddling.
It seems like it.
And that sets a dangerous precedent.
It does.
It undermines the whole idea of editorial independence.
Yeah.
And it could compromise the entire publication.
It's like the ground is shifting.
It really is.
The old rules are gone.
Gone.
And the institutions we used to trust are being challenged.
In a big way.
Yeah.
And what's crazy is that we're seeing this globally, too.
Oh, really?
This rise in authoritarianism.
Oh, that's scary.
Even in democracy.
It's happening everywhere.
Like what happened in South Korea.
Oh, yeah, with President Yoon.
He tried to grab more power.
That was a blatant power grab.
It was.
But the crazy thing is, it totally backfired.
He underestimated the Korean people.
It seems like it.
The military didn't fully cooperate, the legislature pushed back,
and the public outcry was huge.
Wow.
Yoon ended up facing impeachment proceedings.
So even when a leader tries to become a dictator,
democracy can push back.
Especially when people are engaged.
And the institutions are strong.
Exactly.
It's a powerful reminder that democracy is not a given.
It's something we have to fight for.
Every single day.
Yeah.
It's a constant battle.
Absolutely.
We can't take it for granted.
Not for a second.
You know what else we can't ignore.
What's that?
This whole thing with Trump and revenge.
Oh, yeah.
That's a big one.
It seems like he's really focused on settling scores.
Well, it's been a pattern throughout his career.
Right.
And it could have some serious consequences
in his second term.
Like what?
Well, if he's really out for revenge,
it could undermine the rule of law.
Right.
And erode public trust in the government even further.
It's a scary thought.
It is.
And it makes you wonder, you know,
how much power does he actually have?
To act on these impulses.
Exactly.
Especially after that Supreme Court ruling.
Oh, you mean the one that basically expanded
presidential authority?
Yeah, the Louis IV ruling or whatever it was called.
You mean Nixon v. Vance?
Yeah, that one.
Right.
Well, that decision did broaden the scope
of executive privilege.
So it's harder to hold the president accountable.
Exactly.
And with Trump's history of pushing the limits,
it's a recipe for potential abuse of power.
So let me get this straight.
OK.
We've got a president who wants revenge.
He's got more power than ever.
Yeah.
And the media is struggling to stay independent.
It's a pretty bleak picture.
It is.
It really is.
There's that South Korea situation
that gives me a little bit of hope.
Me too.
It shows that even when a leader tries to overreach,
the system can push back.
As long as the people are engaged.
Yes.
And the institutions are strong.
It's like that saying, you know,
eternal vigilance is the price of liberty or something like that.
Something like that.
But yeah, we can't afford to be complacent.
We can't.
We need to stay informed, stay engaged.
And hold our leaders accountable.
Absolutely.
I feel like we're in one of those, you know.
Political thrillers.
Yeah.
But it's like it's actually happening.
It's real life.
Real consequences.
Exactly.
But here's what gets me.
All these things we've been talking about.
Trump, the media, global instability, it's all connected.
Yeah, it's like a vicious cycle.
Yeah.
It's all feeding off of each other.
And the lines are getting blurred.
That's what's really worrying.
Look, what's true anymore?
Right.
What's real power versus, you know, authoritarianism?
It's harder and harder to tell.
So, OK, where do we go from here?
That's the million dollar question.
What can we even do?
Well, I think the first step is to resist the urge to give up.
Yeah.
Not get cynical.
Exactly.
Cynicism is a trap.
It's easy to feel like nothing matters.
It is.
But that's exactly what they want us to think.
So what's the opposite of cynicism?
Engagement.
Stay informed.
Yeah.
Keep learning.
Be curious.
Exactly.
And don't be afraid to have tough conversations.
With people who disagree with us.
Even with people who disagree with you, you know?
It's all about challenging our own assumptions.
Absolutely.
And being open to new information.
So it's not about having all the answers.
Not at all.
It's about staying engaged.
Yes.
Staying curious.
Staying involved.
And remembering that we're not alone in this.
Exactly.
Find your people.
Find our tribe.
Join groups that share your values.
And speak up.
Use your voice.
Make a difference.
And speaking of speaking up, if you're feeling fired up
about all this, check out the show notes.
We've got all the sources there.
All the links, the transcript, even a link to our fountain page.
Oh yeah.
Come join the conversation over there.
Tell us what you think.
What stood out to you.
What questions are still bugging you.
Let's keep this conversation going.
Mm-hmm.
And that's it for this deep dive, folks.
Thanks for joining us.
We'll see you next time.