All right, so here we are back again.
It's 2025 and Trump's back for round two.
Round two, yeah.
It's, I feel like it's giving you a wild ride.
But today we're diving into this piece
from electoralvote.com.
Okay.
It's like a minute by minute account of,
well, Inauguration Day.
A play by play.
Yeah, play by play.
Yeah.
So let's just jump right in.
Okay, first up, the inaugural address,
they called it unusual.
Unusual.
Yeah.
I feel like, well, that's kind of putting it lightly.
Yeah, it was long, that's for sure.
And kind of all over the place, you know?
For meandering.
Yeah, meandering.
He's talking about, you know,
a golden age for America, economic prosperity,
global respect, all that.
But I don't know, it just felt disconnected, you know,
from the reality of his first term.
It's like he's promising a sequel,
but it completely ignores the plot of the first movie.
Exactly.
And then there's this whole manifest destiny thing
he kept bringing up.
Oh yeah.
I mean, come on.
He's just loaded, you know?
Historically, westward expansion, American exceptionalism.
You know, it can be interpreted in a lot of different ways.
Some not so good.
Especially considering, well, his past interest in,
shall we say, acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal.
Yeah.
Makes you wonder what kind of destiny
he has in mind this time around.
Right.
It makes you wonder about his vision
for America's role in the world.
And then there's this other thing, I don't know if you noticed,
but he really went after the Biden administration harshly,
like really laid into them.
Yeah, can you imagine being Biden sitting there
while your successor is basically listing
all your perceived failures?
The other former presidents, they look so uncomfortable.
You could just feel the tension in the air.
Yeah, but amidst all the serious stuff,
there was that hilarious moment when he mispronounced decline.
I swear, I thought I was hearing things.
Dicline was trending on Twitter,
all thanks to John Stuart, of course.
John Stuart, always good for a laugh.
But I think those kinds of slip-ups,
they reveal something about his communication style.
What do you mean?
It's impulsive.
He's not thinking things through, just learning things out.
It might be funny to some people,
but others see it as a lack of respect for the occasion.
Right, a disregard for careful language.
The article also points out this theme of,
Trump is a victim, which I found really interesting.
Yeah, the victim narrative, it's powerful.
I mean, he's incredibly wealthy,
holds the most powerful position in the world,
and yet he's still playing the victim card.
Constantly, he's being attacked, wronged
by the deep state, the media.
It resonates with his base, it really does.
It solidifies their loyalty, fuels their resentment.
It's a potent mix.
And let's not forget the falsehoods.
The article didn't hold back.
Calling out numerous lies in the speech.
Sounds like CNN's Daniel Dayle, the fact-checker,
had his work cut out for him.
Oh, absolutely.
I mean, truth is a fluid concept in Trump's world.
You know, fact-checking is important, don't get me wrong,
but sometimes it feels like a losing battle.
The misinformation spreads so quickly online,
it's hard to keep up.
That's like whack-a-mole, isn't it?
Exactly.
And an article ended the section on the speech
by saying that despite all its flaws,
it was received with cheers from his supporters.
Which really highlights, you know,
the deep divisions in our country.
Totally.
For some, this speech was a call to action,
a promise of a return to greatness,
but for others, it was a reminder of the dangers we face,
you know, populism, the erosion of democratic norms.
It's a stark contrast.
Okay, so let's shift gears a bit
and look at the inauguration from a different angle.
Right.
The visuals, you know, the photos.
They tell a story too.
Oh, yeah.
Images are powerful.
Sometimes they can say things that words just can't.
Exactly.
So first up, we have this photo of Trump
at the swearing end, right?
And he's not actually placing his hand on the Bible.
Oh, yeah, I saw that.
It's causing quite a stir online.
Legally, it doesn't mean anything, right?
No, not really.
It's more of a symbolic thing.
But symbolically, it's raising some eyebrows.
Some are calling you to deliver a power move.
Others just a simple oversight.
What do you think?
I honestly don't know.
But it's interesting to compare this to the reaction
when Obama had that minor oath flub back in 09.
Oh, right.
The right wing media went ballistic.
It does make you wonder about the consistency
or lack thereof of the outrage machine, doesn't it?
Definitely.
Okay, moving on to Melania's outfit.
I mean, what a statement.
Some people said she looked like she walked out
of a Wes Anderson film.
I saw comparisons to a futuristic space empress.
Right, it was definitely eye-catching.
Do you think there's a message there?
Fashion can be a form of communication,
especially for someone in her position.
Maybe it was a subtle protest or a way to express
her feelings about her husband's second term.
It's hard to say for sure,
but it definitely added another layer of intrigue to the day.
And of course, no inauguration would be complete
without Bernie Sanders.
Right, back with his signature grumpy look
and those mittens.
The man's become an inauguration meme.
A national treasure, honestly.
And speaking of fashion choices,
we have Senator John Federman attending the inauguration
in his, well, let's call it his trademark casual attire.
Yeah, the hoodies and shorts.
It was a bit jarring, considering the formality of the event.
I mean, I get it.
It's his style, but still.
Maybe he's trying to make a statement.
Or maybe he just really hates dressing up.
Who knows?
But it definitely made him stand out.
Okay, last image I wanna touch on
is this picture of the billionaire class
at the inauguration, Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk.
They were all there front and center.
It's pretty striking, isn't it?
They're not exactly known for being politically active,
but they sure showed up for Trump.
It speaks to their influence, you know?
They're not just wealthy.
They have a lot of power in tech, in media,
and now it seems in politics.
And that's a little concerning.
It is.
It's like this whole other layer of power dynamics
we have to consider now.
Absolutely.
And it's not just their presence.
There was that photo of Elon Musk
making what some people perceived as a Nazi salute.
Oh, right.
That was, yeah.
It sparked a lot of controversy.
Some people downplayed it,
but many, especially Jewish leaders, were deeply concerned.
Especially given, you know, his past behavior
and his refusal to apologize.
Right.
It's hard to give him the benefit of the doubt
at this point.
And this is just the beginning.
We haven't even touched on the executive orders yet.
Boy.
The executive orders buckle up, everyone.
This is where things really get interesting.
So yeah, the executive orders.
This is where things get interesting.
The article calls it a slew.
I mean, that's an understatement.
85 executive orders on day one.
85?
Like seriously, he's making up for lost time or something.
Right.
That's a point to prove.
And yeah, immigration was a big focus.
No surprise there.
Not surprising at all given, you know, his campaign.
Exactly.
National emergency at the border,
sending in the troops.
He even tried to end birthright citizenship.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.
Ending birthright citizenship.
By executive order.
Is that like even legal?
That's a good question.
Probably not.
A lot of legal experts are saying it violates
the 14th Amendment, you know,
the whole born on US soil thing.
Right, right.
It'll probably end up in court.
Big surprise.
Right.
Yeah, another Trump legal battle.
Shocking.
So birthright citizenship, mass deportations,
crackdown on cartels, he didn't hold back.
Nope.
It's a hard line approach, that's for sure.
And there was that incident at the border.
The shootout.
Yeah.
It's not clear if it's directly related
to the executive orders, but you know, timing is.
That's your turn.
Yeah.
Concerning, to say the least.
Okay, moving on, there's also this executive order
targeting transgender Americans.
And the title is, well, a choice.
Defending women from gender ideology extremism
and restoring biological truth to the federal government.
You can't make this stuff up.
I know, right?
It's like straight out of a dystopia novel.
And you know, the content is even worse.
It tries to define sex based solely on reproductive cells,
like denying the very existence of transgender people.
It's pretty extreme.
And the article connects this to like a wider attack
on DEI initiatives.
Yeah.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, all that.
Right.
And then you find another order basically ending
all DEI programs in the government.
But having the courts like upheld these kinds of programs
before, even in the military, they have.
So yeah, he's picking a fight he's probably gonna lose.
Again.
It's also performative, isn't it?
Appealing to a certain segment of his base.
Yeah.
But not really accomplishing much in terms of actual policy.
Maybe.
But the impact is real, you know?
And it's not just social issues.
He went after the environment too.
Pulled out of the Paris climate accords.
Again, revoked electric vehicle mandates.
Opened up Alaskan land for drilling.
So back to drill, baby.
Drill.
Pretty much.
But you know, the world has moved on a bit
since his first term.
The demand for electric vehicles is there,
with or without mandates.
And the commitment to the Paris Accord seems pretty solid.
Let's hope so.
What else did he target with these executive orders?
Oh, he rescinded a bunch of Biden's executive order.
Environmental protections, diversity initiatives,
government oversight, you know, the usual suspects.
The usual suspects.
He also specifically reduced oversight of the Supreme Court.
Yeah.
Hmm.
Makes you think, doesn't it?
It does.
OK.
International front.
WHO.
Yeah.
Gone.
Vaccine mandates.
Gone.
So basically doubling down on all the controversial stuff
from his first term.
All right.
What about DOGE?
Department of Government Efficiency.
DOGE.
Yeah, that's not going so well.
What happened?
So Vivek Rameshwamy, you know, he
was supposed to co-lead it with Elon Musk.
Right.
Yeah, well, he resigned like hours after being sworn in.
Wow.
What, did they have a falling out or something?
Seems like it.
Apparently, he was clashing with both Musk and Trump.
And the final straw was some disagreement
about H-1B visas.
H-1B visas.
Those are for foreign workers, right?
Yeah.
So yeah, DOGE is off to a rocky start.
To put it mildly.
And on top of that, there are already lawsuits.
They're saying DOGE violates the Federal Advisory Committee
Act.
Something about not following proper procedures
when they set it up.
Yeah, more legal trouble.
But hey, it wouldn't be a Trump administration without it.
OK, so executive orders, check.
But we can't forget about the Partons.
The partonora.
It's like a last minute free for all.
Biden got in on the action too.
Yeah, he commuted Leonard Peltier's sentence.
Peltier.
That's the Native American activist, right?
He's been in prison for like 50 years?
Yeah, for the deaths of those two FBI agents back in the 70s.
It was a huge case, very controversial.
Activists have been calling for his release for decades.
Right.
But then Biden also went and pardoned, like his whole family,
the entire January 6th committee.
Fauci, Millie, I mean, the list goes on.
It was preemptive.
Protecting them from potential prosecution
from the Trump administration, a lot of them
had been threatened with legal action.
Yeah, but it isn't accepting a pardon, like admitting guilt.
It's complicated.
Legally, it's kind of a gray area.
The Supreme Court hasn't really ruled on it definitively.
So we don't really know.
But what about the people Biden didn't pardon?
The article mentioned Jack Smith and Mary Garland.
Yeah, they were conspicuously absent from the list,
which is interesting to say the least.
Maybe there were some backroom deals going on.
Who knows?
OK, back to Trump.
He pardoned a bunch of people involved
in the January 6th insurrection.
He did.
Yeah.
Kept his campaign promise.
But he didn't pardon everyone.
Who didn't he pardon?
The Proud Boys leader, Enrique Tario,
and the Oath Keepers founder, Stuart Rhodes.
They were both convicted of seditious conspiracy.
Seems like even Trump has his limits.
Maybe.
Or maybe.
It was a calculated move to distance himself
from the most extreme elements of the attack.
Either way, it highlights how the pardon power is, like,
totally politicized now.
And that's scary.
Absolutely.
And the article really condemns Trump's use
of the pardon power.
They say it cheapens the institution,
sets a dangerous precedent.
It's hard to argue with that.
There's a clear difference between Biden's pardons and Trump's.
Biden was trying to protect people.
Trump was rewarding loyalty and consolidating power.
It's not the same thing.
It's not.
OK, ready to move on to the Senate.
They got right to work on Inauguration Day confirming
nominees, as is tradition.
How'd that go?
Well, not much got done, actually.
Only one nominee was confirmed.
Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.
That was Trump's first cabinet appointment for this term.
Rubio, no surprise there.
What about the others?
Well, Pete Hegseth got approved by the Senate Armed
Services Committee for Secretary of Defense.
But it was a party line vote.
So is he a shoe in for confirmation by the full Senate?
Pretty much.
I mean, it's rare for a nominee to get outright rejected.
They usually withdraw if they don't have the votes.
So yeah, Hegseth is probably going
to be running the Pentagon soon.
OK, and what else did the Senate do?
They passed the Lakin' Riley Act.
Oh, the one that mandates detention
for undocumented immigrants, even for misdemeanors.
That's the one.
Yeah, it's pretty controversial.
Critics are saying it'll lead to mass incarceration,
violate due process rights.
It's bad news.
Didn't we talk about this bill in a previous deep dive?
I feel like we've been here before.
We have.
It was first proposed during Trump's first term,
but it didn't go anywhere.
Now, with Republicans in control of the Senate
and Trump back in the White House,
it's probably going to become law.
And it passed with bipartisan support.
Yeah, 12 Democrats voted for it, mostly from states
with close election results in 24.
So they're playing it safe, trying
to appease anti-immigrant sentiment back home.
Seems like it.
It's all about reelection, isn't it?
It's just it's disheartening.
Seeing these Democrats cave to political pressure like this,
what does it say about the state of our democracy?
Yeah, I don't know.
It's a good question.
And it's not just the Lakin' Riley Act.
It's everything.
The pardons, the executive orders, the rhetoric.
It all points to this growing sense of unease.
We're on the edge of something, something bad.
So we've covered a lot, the speech, the pictures,
the executive orders, the pardons, the Senate.
It's like a whole terms worth of stuff happen in one day.
It really does.
This electoral vote.com piece has been, well, a wild ride.
A fascinating snapshot of, I don't know,
this moment in history.
It's a lot to take in.
It is.
So as we wrap up this deep dive, what are the big takeaways
for you?
What stands out?
Well, concentration of power.
For one, I mean, Trump's back.
He's emboldened.
And he's not wasting any time.
85 executive orders.
That's a statement.
It's like he's saying, I'm in charge.
And I'm going to do things my way.
Exactly.
But can he actually govern like this?
I mean, executive orders are powerful,
but they're not a substitute for actual laws.
Right.
And with Congress divided, he can't just bulldoze his agenda
through.
Exactly.
So he's going to have to rely on executive orders
even more, which creates the sense of impermanence.
Because the next president can just come in and reverse them
It's a recipe for instability.
And then there's the division.
I mean, it's everywhere.
The reaction to the speech, the debates over the pardons,
the executive orders.
It's like we're two different countries.
It's really stark.
And it makes you wonder, how do we bridge this gap?
How do we find common ground when we can't even
agree on basic facts?
The pardons, they definitely didn't help.
It just poured fuel on the fire.
Right.
Everyone's accusing everyone else of hypocrisy.
It's all so, so cynical.
And it makes it impossible to have a real conversation
about anything.
It's exhausting.
And then there's this underlying feeling of dread,
like something bad is coming.
The shootout at the border, the lawsuits against DOGE,
the pardons, the Senate battles.
It feels like we're on the edge of, I don't know,
something really bad.
I know what you mean.
It's easy to get caught up in the negativity.
But we have to remember, we're not powerless.
We can stay informed, engage in these conversations,
hold our leaders accountable.
We have to if we want to protect our democracy.
It's a lot.
But you're right.
We can't just give up.
So as we wrap up, what's the one thing you want our listeners
to take away from this?
I want them to understand the stakes.
The next four years are going to be crucial.
We all have to play a role.
We have to speak up.
We have to fight for what we believe in.
This is our democracy.
And we can't let it slip away.
Well said.
We have to stay engaged, stay informed, stay vigilant,
and try to have some hope.
It's going to be a tough road ahead.
But we'll get through it.
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive.
We'll be back soon with more analysis
and hopefully some glimmers of hope in these uncertain times.