All right, buckle up everyone, because today we are diving deep into the wild world of
US politics.
Well, it's exciting.
It is, especially with the source material we have.
Today, we're dissecting Electoral-Vote.com's News of the Day from January 15, 2025.
Oh yeah, there was a lot going on that day.
So much.
We're going to try to cover it all.
Pete Hagseth's confirmation hearing for the Pentagon, Elon Musk's interesting political
week, and even some surprising developments in the courts.
I'm really curious to see how all of those connect.
Me too, because on the surface, they seem so separate, but trust me, by the end of this
deep dive, you'll see how they all paint a picture of where American democracy stands
in 2025.
Okay, I'm ready.
Where do we start?
Let's start with this Hagseth situation.
It's a bit of a, well, a bit of a mess.
Yeah, I can see why.
Democrats are really going after him in this hearing.
Yeah, they're bringing up some serious stuff from his past, like allegations of sexual assault
and his opposition to women in combat, stuff that you think would be a deal breaker for
a lot of people.
You'd think so, but the Republicans seem to be going all in on defending him.
It's like they're in a totally different reality.
Like, are they just, I don't know, just blindly following party lines at this point?
I mean, it definitely feels like we're seeing echoes of the Kavanaugh hearings here, where
the whole thing just turned into this massive partisan battle.
Right.
And that makes me wonder, is this the new normal for Senate confirmations?
Like qualifications and ethics don't matter anymore.
It's a worrying trend.
Yeah.
It's the road's trust in these institutions.
And speaking of worrying trends, did you hear what Senator Mullen said?
He actually compared Hexith's alleged alcoholism.
What's going on with that?
To just anyone having a drink and still keeping their job.
Like, he went on CNN to defend that comparison.
Yeah, I don't think that's an accurate comparison at all.
I mean, we're talking about the potential for impairment in someone who would be in charge
of our national security.
Exactly.
He's considered someone who's got a clear head and can make sound judgments in a crisis.
And honestly, Hexith doesn't seem to be doing himself any favors.
Well, he seems to be dodging a lot of the tough questions.
And when he does answer, it's all appeals to God and Jesus and of course, Donald Trump.
Oh yeah, that's a classic political tactic.
Yeah.
Play to the base, don't engage in real debate.
Right.
It's effective, but it doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
So given all of this, what are the odds of him actually getting confirmed?
Well, given the current makeup of the Senate and the fact that most Republicans are terrified
of a Trump-backed primary challenge.
Oh yeah, those are brutal.
I'd say the odds are pretty high.
It's ironic though, isn't it?
What do you mean?
Well, you have Eggsepp who's potentially unqualified and has all this baggage sailing
through.
But then you have other controversial figures like RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard who might actually
face more resistance.
Interesting.
I think that is.
I think it comes down to the role itself.
The Secretary of Defense has to oversee this massive department with tons of experienced
careerists.
Yeah, you can't just come in and shake things up overnight.
Exactly.
And Eggsepp's focus, at least what we've seen so far, is on these culture war issues,
which aligns with current Republican priorities.
So he's a safer bet in their eyes.
Seems that way.
And speaking of culture wars, we can ignore Senator Schmidt and his creative poster board
attacking DEI initiatives.
I'm pretty sure that was a dog whistle, wouldn't you say?
Oh yeah, that was a dog whistle for sure.
You know, it's that coded language used to appeal to a specific audience without actually
saying it outright.
Like a secret handshake.
Exactly.
In this case, Schmidt's using this attack on DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion to
signal to those who already opposed those initiatives, painting them as woke or anti-American.
It's a way to tap into existing anxieties and prejudices without directly addressing
them.
Okay, let's switch gears for a bit and talk about another big player in this political
landscape, Elon Musk.
He seems to be having a rough week, to see the least.
What happened?
I haven't caught up on all the news.
Well it seems like Steve Bannon has declared war on him.
Like full-on war, threatening to get him ousted from the Trump administration.
Wow, that's a big move.
It is.
I mean, Bannon still holds a lot of sway with the Magier base.
Plus he has the backing of the Moosir family's money.
Exactly.
And that combination, their money and influence, could potentially outweigh even Musk's own
financial clout.
Especially if Trump's already annoyed with Musk, which from what I've heard he might
be.
Yeah, and Musk hasn't exactly been making things easy for himself.
Did you hear about his recent trip to the UK?
It was a disaster.
No, what happened?
Well, he was over there making all these wild claims about an impending civil war, and then
he called for the imprisonment of Kier Starmor, the leader of the Labour Party.
What?
Yeah.
And then he flip-flopped on his support for Nigel Farage.
It's like he has no idea what's going on in British politics.
Well, it does seem like his expertise in one area doesn't necessarily translate to another.
I mean, his suggestions, like invading Britain.
Oh yeah, he actually suggested that.
They're absurd.
He just doesn't seem to understand the nuances of a different political system.
It's almost like he's become a caricature of himself, this larger-than-life figure who's
now the laughing stock of a country he clearly doesn't get.
It's kind of Shakespearean, wouldn't you say?
Yeah, it's definitely a dramatic turn of events, and it makes you wonder if it's all just hubris.
Like his ego writing checks, his knowledge can't cash.
Exactly.
And speaking of checks, Musk might have a bigger problem on his hands than bad press in the
UK.
The SEC just hit him with a lawsuit for securities fraud related to his Twitter acquisition.
Oh wow, that's serious.
It is.
And it makes this whole situation even more complicated.
Now you've got the Trump administration potentially involved.
Right, if Bannon wins this little war of his and gets Musk kicked out.
Oh yeah, what then?
Then Musk could be facing the full force of the SEC without any allies to protect him.
On the other hand, Trump might see this as an opportunity to control Musk, you know,
offer support in exchange for loyalty.
This is getting really interesting.
It really highlights how intertwined politics, finance, and even social media have become.
Yeah, it's all connected.
This has been quite the deep dive already and we've only just scratched the surface.
But you know what's interesting?
With all this talk about political maneuvering and power grabs, it's easy to get, well, a
little cynical about the state of American democracy.
But there's actually a glimmer of hope and it's coming from an unexpected place, the
judicial branch.
Hold on really, I thought we were all pretty worried about the courts becoming increasingly
politicized.
Yeah, especially after some of those Supreme Court decisions.
Right.
But if you look beyond the Supreme Court at some of the lesser known judges.
The ones who don't make the headlines every day.
Exactly.
A different picture starts to emerge.
We're actually seeing quite a few examples of judges at all levels demonstrating like
real impartiality.
You mean they actually upholding the law?
Yeah, even when it goes against political expectations.
Okay, I'm listening.
Give me some examples.
What kind of cases are we talking about?
Well, there's this judge in Missouri appointed by a Republican governor who just struck down
some pretty restrictive abortion laws.
Wow.
That's pretty gutsy considering the political climate.
Yeah, it is.
And then you have this Clinton appointed judge who upheld the conviction of, get this, a
Democratic senator.
No way.
Talk about going against the grain.
It seems like these judges are actually putting their oaths above their political affiliations.
Exactly.
And then there are even more examples, a Bush appointed judge upheld the Naval Academy's
race conscious admissions policy.
Interesting.
And then there's the Montana Supreme Court.
They have a reputation for being pretty independent.
Oh yeah, they're not afraid to shake things up.
Right.
They just overturned a law that was trying to limit the consideration of climate change
in environmental reviews.
That's huge.
Yeah, a big win for environmental advocates.
So it's not all doom and gloom.
There are still judges out there who are willing to make the tough calls based on the law.
Not just politics.
Absolutely.
It's important to remember that the narrative of a completely politicized judiciary is,
well, incomplete.
There are still those who are committed to upholding the law.
Even when it's difficult.
Yeah, even when it's unpopular.
Exactly.
Like for example, this panel of Obama appointed judges just ruled against the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission.
Really?
And here's the kicker.
They actually agreed with the commission's goals.
But.
They felt the agency had overstepped its legal authority.
Wow.
That kind of intellectual honesty is crucial for maintaining a truly independent judiciary.
This is giving me some much needed optimism, I gotta say.
It's so easy to get caught up in all the negative headlines and feel like everything is falling
apart.
It is.
But these examples show that there are still people in positions of power who are genuinely
committed to doing the right thing.
That's what we need more of.
Okay.
Let's shift gears a bit and talk about something that's been generating a lot of buzz lately.
Trump's upcoming inauguration.
The intelligence agencies issued a warning about potential violence.
But so far there haven't been any specific threats.
What do you think?
Are we overreacting?
Or is the real reason to be concerned?
I think it's important to take these warnings seriously, but I also think we need to be,
I don't know, maybe a little skeptical.
Skeptical has?
Well, remember there was a similar warning before Biden's inauguration.
Oh yeah.
And nothing happened.
Right.
Intelligence agencies tend to like err on the side of caution, you know?
Yeah.
Better safe than sorry, I guess.
Especially in a situation like this.
Makes sense.
Speaking of Biden, I heard Michelle Obama is skipping the inauguration.
Oh yeah.
And even Jimmy Carter's funeral.
It seems like she's not a big fan of Trump.
Well, she's not exactly hiding your feelings.
No, she's not.
But you know what I find really bizarre?
What's that?
The whole flag situation.
Oh, the flags?
Apparently Washington flags will be flying at full staff for Trump's inauguration, even
though it coincides with the mourning period for former President Carter.
You're kidding.
I'm not.
It's like incredibly disrespectful, even for Trump.
This just shows you where his priorities lie.
Ego over decorum, as usual.
It's amazing how he manages to find new ways to surprise us.
So we've covered a lot of ground today.
A potentially unqualified Secretary of Defense, Elon Musk's wild ride, and a surprising glimmer
of hope in the judicial system.
It's been quite a journey.
It really has.
It makes you think, doesn't it?
It really makes you think about the state of our democracy.
It feels like every institution is being tested.
Oh yeah, big time.
The Pentagon, the courts, everything.
It's like we're watching a live stress test.
Can they withstand all this pressure?
And if these seemingly safe areas are being manipulated, what does that mean for the future?
It's kind of scary.
The big question, isn't it?
Like where does it go from here?
I think it shows how important it is to be vigilant, hold our leaders accountable, you
know, demand transparency.
Yeah, we can't just sit back and watch.
Exactly.
We have to be involved, informed, and willing to speak up for what we believe in.
It's not just national politics either, right?
No.
This is happening everywhere, even locally.
School boards, city councils, you name it.
It's like a battleground for these ideological differences.
It's exhausting.
You can't escape it.
True.
But it also shows how important it is.
Politics touches our lives in so many ways.
It's a reminder that democracy takes work.
We have to participate, engage, and, you know, sometimes fight for what we believe in.
Well said.
This deep dive has been, I don't know, it's been enlightening.
I agree.
A little scary, but also a good reminder of what's at stake.
Absolutely.
Dear listeners, thank you for joining us on this journey through U.S. politics.
It's complex, it's messy, but it's also incredibly important.
Stay curious, stay engaged, and we'll see you on our next deep dive.