1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,680 Welcome back everybody for another deep dive. 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,720 This time we're gonna be taking a look 3 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,640 at the first few weeks of 2025 in US politics. 4 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,320 And I've got a ton of sources here, 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:13,360 news articles, court documents, 6 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,400 even some pretty wild social media threads 7 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,600 and let me tell you, it's a lot to keep track of. 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,480 We're gonna be trying to answer some big questions today. 9 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,320 Like just how much power does the president actually have? 10 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,400 Is Elon Musk some kind of puppet master? 11 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,240 Or is he just another chaotic force in the government? 12 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:33,560 And what does Taylor Swift's Super Bowl attendance have? 13 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:34,840 Anything to do with this? 14 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:36,000 So let's dive in. 15 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,040 What's fascinating to watch Trump's second term unfold. 16 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:40,680 You know, all the traditional rules of politics 17 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,120 they seem to have been thrown out the window. 18 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,760 Executive orders are flying out left and right 19 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,040 and the legal challenges are coming in just as fast. 20 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:48,560 There's this constant back and forth 21 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,120 between all the branches of government. 22 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:51,360 Yeah, it feels like everyone's playing 23 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:52,760 political speed chess or something. 24 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:54,960 But before we get too deep at all the legal stuff, 25 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,240 let's start with something a little bit more fun, shall we? 26 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:01,400 The Super Bowl, Super Bowl, LIX Eagles versus Chiefs. 27 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:02,800 What a game, huh? 28 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:04,640 The Eagles totally dominated. 29 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,480 The Chiefs dynasty hopes, I think they're officially over. 30 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:09,640 Oh, for sure. 31 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,800 Saquon Barkley's performance was incredible. 32 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,760 He broke the all-time single season rushing record. 33 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:16,960 And get this, that record includes the playoffs. 34 00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:18,960 I think that's something people forget sometimes. 35 00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:22,000 He played consistently well the entire season. 36 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,440 Yeah, that record's gonna stand for a long time, I think. 37 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,680 But beyond just the game itself, 38 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:28,920 there were some pretty interesting things 39 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,000 happening off the field as well. 40 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,240 Trump became the first sitting president 41 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,160 to ever attend the Super Bowl. 42 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,200 It really makes you wonder 43 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,480 about how the lines between politics and entertainment 44 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,080 are being blurred and how presidents 45 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,560 are using their platform to try and connect 46 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,440 with the American people in new ways. 47 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,680 And then of course you have the Taylor Swift factor. 48 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:50,360 She was there watching the game from a suite. 49 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,520 It was the Chiefs' first loss in 10 games that she attended. 50 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,560 I guess all good things must come to an end. 51 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,600 But speaking of things that don't last, 52 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:03,080 let's talk about Trump's flurry of executive orders. 53 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:04,480 I mean, it's like he's trying to remake 54 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,280 the whole government in his own image. 55 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:07,640 And of course it's not surprising 56 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:09,320 that the lawsuits are starting to pile up. 57 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:12,200 Yeah, the number of legal challenges is just unprecedented. 58 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,120 And it just really highlights 59 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,800 how divided American society is right now. 60 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,080 Take for example, that case involving Elon Musk's kids, 61 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,880 the Muskrats, as the media is calling them. 62 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,360 They allegedly got access to some very sensitive 63 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:26,200 government data. 64 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,880 Oh yeah, the whole DOGE cryptocurrency thing. 65 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:31,440 Didn't they hack into the Treasury Department or something? 66 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:32,400 That's what people are saying. 67 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:33,680 The full details is still coming out. 68 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,240 But basically they're accused of using their father's influence 69 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,160 to manipulate the cryptocurrency market for their own game. 70 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,200 Judge Engelmeyer actually issued a preliminary injunction 71 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,200 blocking them from accessing any more government systems. 72 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,640 He cited concerns about privacy violations and abuse of power. 73 00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:54,600 Yeah, that's a pretty major setback for the administration. 74 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:56,280 And it raises some very serious questions 75 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:57,680 about their oversight. 76 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,640 And then you have the whole USA-died case. 77 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:02,400 I mean, Musk was basically trying to gut the entire agency. 78 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,480 He claimed it was full of corruption. 79 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,080 Yeah, he put thousands of employees on administrative leave, 80 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,400 including foreign service officers stationed overseas. 81 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,000 Some of them were even undergoing medical treatment. 82 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,720 And there was a lot of pushback, 83 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:17,960 a lot of condemnation from lawmakers 84 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:19,760 and humanitarian organizations. 85 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:21,880 And then Judge Nichols stepped in, right? 86 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:22,600 Yes. 87 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,720 Judge Nichols, a Trump appointee himself, 88 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,800 issued a temporary restraining order to stop Musk's actions. 89 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,360 He said it was to protect the employees 90 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,040 and the mission of the agency. 91 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:33,520 He said there just wasn't enough evidence 92 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,440 to back up those corruption allegations. 93 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,080 So it seems like even judges that Trump appointed 94 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:39,240 are pushing back a bit. 95 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,080 It's interesting to see that the judiciary isn't just 96 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,480 blindly rubber stamping all of the President's policies. 97 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,640 But it's not just those high-profile cases either. 98 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,560 You have all these lawsuits challenging things like, 99 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,200 the government's buyout offers for homeowners in flood zones, 100 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,920 the executive order on birthright citizenship, 101 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,520 the funding freeze on sanctuary cities, 102 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:00,560 the list goes on and on. 103 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,120 It's like a total legal battle royale. 104 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,600 And that's where Russell Vought comes in, you remember him, 105 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,720 head of the Office of Management and Budget. 106 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,080 The Senate confirmed him for another term. 107 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:11,720 He's really quite a character. 108 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:13,960 He's known for his very aggressive approach 109 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,400 to shrinking the size of the federal government. 110 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,480 He's very good at understanding the budget 111 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,200 and all its intricacies. 112 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,320 And he's a big believer on what's called impoundment, 113 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,800 withholding funds that Congress has already approved. 114 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,720 Yeah, he's basically like the architect of the burn it all 115 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,080 down mentality in this administration. 116 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,080 And we can't forget about his other job as well, can we? 117 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,600 He's also running the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 118 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,120 the CFPB. 119 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:38,080 Oh, that's right. 120 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,280 And he's pretty much put the whole agency on hold, 121 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:44,640 saying he wants to prevent it from being weaponized 122 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,560 against certain industries. 123 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,360 Of course, this comes at a time when that whole Trump crypto 124 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,360 coin scam is blowing up. 125 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:53,960 You know the one where people were tricked 126 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:55,880 into buying this digital currency? 127 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,320 That was supposedly backed by Trump's business empire. 128 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,800 It turned out to be a total fraud. 129 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:03,680 And a lot of people lost a lot of money. 130 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,640 You know, it's funny because if the CFPB was actually 131 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,040 functioning, they could have been warning people 132 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:10,400 about this kind of scam. 133 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:12,200 The timing is definitely interesting. 134 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,320 And speaking of things that make you go, hmm, 135 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,000 remember how Vought is always talking about family values 136 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,720 and being a good Christian? 137 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:19,880 Well, he got divorced last summer. 138 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:20,720 Oh, yeah, that's right. 139 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:21,680 I almost forgot about that. 140 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,080 It's definitely something to keep in mind 141 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:24,280 when we're looking at his policies. 142 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:25,120 But anyway, let's move on. 143 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,240 I want to talk about the other major player 144 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,000 in all of this, Elon Musk. 145 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,160 He's gone from just posting provocative tweets 146 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,000 to actually being involved in trying 147 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:34,280 to reshape the government. 148 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:36,520 It's really a fascinating change. 149 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,760 It's very different from the traditional idea 150 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:40,600 of a dictator who wants to control 151 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,040 every aspect of government. 152 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:43,520 Musk's approach is different. 153 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,040 Yeah, it's less about building up 154 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,720 a powerful centralized state and more about tearing down 155 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,040 all the existing institutions so that he can step in 156 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:53,600 and exert his influence. 157 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:54,520 Exactly. 158 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:56,760 And he's using some very unconventional tactics 159 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,200 to get there, like demoralizing and firing career 160 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,440 government workers, promoting artificial intelligence 161 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,800 over human expertise, and constantly challenging 162 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:08,280 the normal legal processes. 163 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:10,640 Remember that diagram that the New York Times published? 164 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,760 The one that showed all of Musk's conflicts of interest 165 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,520 with different government agencies, 166 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,120 considering how many billions of dollars his companies get 167 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:18,440 in government contracts. 168 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,280 It was a real tangled web of influence and power. 169 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:22,760 And it seems like what he's doing 170 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,120 aligns with that idea of zero-based government. 171 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:25,840 Oh, yes. 172 00:06:25,840 --> 00:06:29,280 Zero-based government where you basically dismantle everything 173 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:30,920 and try to rebuild it from scratch. 174 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,760 I mean, it's a very bold approach. 175 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,960 And some might even say reckless. 176 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:35,720 And you know what? 177 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,640 It looks like it might actually be backfiring. 178 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:40,040 Public opinion polls are starting 179 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:43,000 to show that Musk's approval rating is dropping, 180 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,880 especially among independent voters. 181 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,800 It makes you wonder, if Musk becomes too unpopular, 182 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:50,560 will Trump just cut him loose? 183 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,920 And what happens if these two giants of industry clash? 184 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,760 I mean, could we be in for a major power struggle? 185 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:58,560 This is just the beginning, folks. 186 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,240 It certainly seems that way. 187 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,440 And speaking of potential political shakeups, 188 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,400 we need to talk about what's happening in New York and Virginia. 189 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:08,320 Believe it or not, these local events 190 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,800 could have major consequences on the national stage. 191 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,200 Yeah, it's easy to get caught up in all the drama in Washington. 192 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,480 But sometimes the most important political battles 193 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,480 are happening in other places, like New York, for example. 194 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,040 You see, Rep. Elise Stefanik, a rising star 195 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:23,520 in the Republican Party. 196 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,720 She's been nominated to be the US Ambassador to United Nations. 197 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,120 Which means her seat in the House is going to be empty. 198 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,200 And that means there's going to be a special election. 199 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:35,200 Now, on the surface, that might seem like just routine procedure, 200 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,040 but the devil's in the details. 201 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,320 Oh, I'm sure there are some juicy details. 202 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:40,520 So what's going on? 203 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:42,880 Well, the Democrats have introduced a bill 204 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,760 that would let the governor delay the special election 205 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,120 until November. 206 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:49,400 And why would they want to do that? 207 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:50,560 Think about it. 208 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,560 The Republicans have a very slim majority in the House right now. 209 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:59,680 If the election is delayed, it means that seat stays empty for months. 210 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,560 And that gives the Democrats a lot more power 211 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,720 to potentially block legislation. 212 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,400 All they need is a few no votes from some key Republicans. 213 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:09,840 Ah, so they're playing a long game. 214 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,600 So who are these key Republicans that could cause trouble? 215 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,560 There are two in particular, Reps Roy and Norman. 216 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,520 They've said publicly that they're willing to vote against the budget. 217 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,440 If it doesn't include some major cuts, 218 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:21,760 they're not exactly household names, 219 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,280 but all of a sudden they have a surprising amount of power. 220 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:26,040 It's like a political pressure cooker. 221 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:27,880 Every single vote matters. 222 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:29,840 That puts Speaker Johnson in a tough position. 223 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:30,880 Absolutely. 224 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:32,760 He has to decide what to do. 225 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:36,520 Does he try to negotiate with the Democrats to get his budget passed 226 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:38,960 and maybe make some concessions he doesn't want to make? 227 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,640 Or does he just push forward without their support 228 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:42,960 and risk a government shutdown? 229 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:44,520 A government shutdown is pretty risky. 230 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,160 Historically, it's usually the Republicans who are more willing to use that tactic. 231 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:49,120 That's true. 232 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:50,800 But things are different now. 233 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,600 The Democrats might be willing to play heart ball, 234 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,680 especially since control of the House is so close. 235 00:08:56,680 --> 00:08:58,080 Imagine what that would look like. 236 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,760 The Republicans in chaos, unable to govern, 237 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,800 forcing a shutdown that hurts ordinary Americans. 238 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,080 That could be a powerful message going into the 2026 midterms. 239 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,200 It's a high-stakes gamble, no doubt about it. 240 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,560 And speaking of high-stakes political battles, 241 00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:12,600 let's talk about Virginia. 242 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,440 The governor's race there could have major implications, 243 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,280 not just for the state, but for the national political landscape. 244 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:19,720 We've got Abigail Spanberger. 245 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,400 She's a former CIA officer and congresswoman. 246 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:27,280 Running against Winston Earlsier as the current lieutenant governor. 247 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:28,720 It's going to be close. 248 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,160 And you know what, this is where all those federal workers that Elon Musk fired 249 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,320 could really come back to haunt the Republicans. 250 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:35,040 How so? 251 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:38,000 Virginia has a lot of federal employees. 252 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,080 A lot of them are probably going to lose their jobs because of these cuts. 253 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,240 I don't see them voting for the party that's taking with their livelihood, 254 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:45,640 even if they usually vote Republican. 255 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:46,640 That makes sense. 256 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:48,720 So Earlsier isn't a tough spot. 257 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,280 If she distances herself from Trump and Musk, 258 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,120 she risks alienating her base. 259 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,760 But if she supports them, she could alienate moderate voters. 260 00:09:57,760 --> 00:09:59,320 How do you think she's going to handle this? 261 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:00,640 It's going to be a real balancing act. 262 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,040 We'll have to see what she does. 263 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,840 Virginia doesn't always follow national political trends exactly, 264 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:09,040 but it's often a good indicator of the overall political climate. 265 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,520 So if Spanberger wins, it could be a bad sign for the Republicans 266 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:14,160 in the 2026 midterms. 267 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,280 It's definitely a race to watch. 268 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,520 But while all this is happening in New York and Virginia, 269 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:23,360 the Senate isn't just sitting around waiting for the House to figure out its budget. 270 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:24,640 Nope, they're not. 271 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,920 Senator Graham is leading the budget reconciliation process. 272 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,880 He's setting spending targets for different committees. 273 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:35,720 This could either make things easier or it could create even more gridlock. 274 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:36,560 We'll have to wait and see. 275 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:39,560 It seems like there are a lot of potential roadblocks ahead. 276 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:43,760 So what are the main differences between what the Senate is doing with the budget 277 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,280 and what Speaker Johnson is trying to do in the House? 278 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,400 The biggest difference is that the Senate is only focused on the budget. 279 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker Johnson wants one giant bill that covers all of Trump's priorities, 280 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,680 kind of like an everything but the kitchen sink approach. 281 00:10:56,680 --> 00:10:57,080 I see. 282 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,840 It'll be interesting to see what happens when those two approaches clash. 283 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,720 Do you think Johnson will have to give up on his big bill idea? 284 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,040 And what about the debt ceiling? 285 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:08,200 Is that going to be part of the Senate bill or is that going to be a whole separate fight? 286 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,600 It's like a giant game of legislative Tetris. 287 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:11,560 That's a good way to put it. 288 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:12,000 Yeah. 289 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:17,920 And to make things even more complicated, we have to factor in Trump's new tariffs. 290 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:23,960 He's announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, mostly targeting Canada, Mexico and China. 291 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:28,920 He says it's all about fairness, matching the tariffs those countries put on US products. 292 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:33,080 But didn't he already try this during his first term and didn't it backfire? 293 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:33,880 It did. 294 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,920 Tariffs almost always end up raising prices for consumers. 295 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,160 So Trump might think he's punishing other countries. 296 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,280 But it's really American shoppers who are going to pay the price. 297 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,080 And that might not be a good strategy with his base, 298 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:47,480 especially the people who are already struggling to make ends meet. 299 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:47,920 Right. 300 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,240 And there's another issue here too, isn't there? 301 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,960 Does the president even have the authority to just impose tariffs on his own? 302 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:56,640 That's a good question. 303 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,920 The Constitution gives that power to Congress. 304 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:02,640 So this could easily turn into another legal battle. 305 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:04,320 And it could end up in the Supreme Court. 306 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:08,320 It seems like everything ends up in the Supreme Court these days. 307 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaking of legal battles, let's go back to Elon Musk and his muskrats. 308 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:17,840 Remember that software engineer Marco Ales, the one who got rehired after posting those racist comments online? 309 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,440 Yeah, that was a big story. 310 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,760 And fortunately, it looks like he's not the only one. 311 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,080 I know one of the muskrats, Gavin Cleiger. 312 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,240 He's also posted white supremacist stuff online. 313 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,920 And neither of them seem to be facing any consequences. 314 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:31,040 That's really worrisome. 315 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:35,600 It makes you question the kind of culture Musk is creating in these government agencies. 316 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:40,560 And the fact that neither Trump nor Musk seem to care is really troubling. 317 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:43,440 It sends a message that these kinds of views are OK. 318 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:45,840 And that can have a ripple effect. 319 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,960 It can contribute to a broader climate of intolerance and division. 320 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,040 Man, it really does feel like we're living in some kind of crazy political pressure cooker. 321 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,760 You know, you've got the president pushing the limits of his power, 322 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:59,280 this tech mogul with some pretty radical ideas, 323 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:05,840 trying to change the government from the inside, all this tension about race and the economy and just basic human decency. 324 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:07,200 It's a lot to take in. 325 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:08,480 So where does this all go? 326 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:09,920 Well, that's the big question, isn't it? 327 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:12,720 But if we step back and look at the bigger picture, I think, 328 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:16,240 we can start to see some possible outcomes. 329 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,400 One possibility is that the system holds. 330 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,440 You know, that the checks and balances that we have in American democracy 331 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:23,600 are strong enough to withstand all this pressure. 332 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,760 We're already seeing judges push back against some of the things the president is trying to do. 333 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:30,720 And there's growing opposition to Musk's tactics as well. 334 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:32,000 OK, that's good. 335 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,080 But what if those checks and balances are enough? 336 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:38,080 What happens if the institutions that are supposed to protect our rights and freedoms, 337 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:39,360 what if they get eroded? 338 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:40,480 What then? 339 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:41,520 That's a scary thought. 340 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:43,600 It's the worst case scenario, really. 341 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,480 You know, a slide towards authoritarianism, 342 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,440 where all the power ends up in the hands of a few people. 343 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,160 And anyone who disagrees is silenced. 344 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,400 It's happened to other democracies before. 345 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:55,440 We have to be careful. 346 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:56,800 So what can we do? 347 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:00,640 How do we make sure that American democracy survives all of this? 348 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:01,840 Well, that's where you come in. 349 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:06,960 We all have a responsibility as citizens to stay informed, to think critically, 350 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:09,440 and to hold our leaders accountable. 351 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:12,160 Don't accept easy answers or simple explanations. 352 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:13,280 Question everything. 353 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:14,880 Demand transparency. 354 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,440 You always hear people say knowledge is power, 355 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,920 but it's not enough to just have the knowledge. 356 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:21,360 We have to actually use it. 357 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:22,080 Exactly. 358 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:23,920 Read more than just the headlines. 359 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:25,600 Try to get different perspectives. 360 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:27,440 Have real conversations with people. 361 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,160 And most importantly, don't lose hope. 362 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,320 The future of American democracy depends on all of us. 363 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,960 I know all these sources that we've talked about today, 364 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:38,640 they're really just a snapshot in time. 365 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,080 The story is still going on. 366 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:41,680 We don't know how it's going to end. 367 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,920 The choices that we make now are going to determine the future of this country. 368 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:47,360 So I want you to think about this. 369 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:49,040 As you learn more about these issues, 370 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,760 what role are you going to play in shaping American democracy? 371 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,680 What kind of country do you want to live in? 372 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:55,760 And what are you willing to do to make that happen? 373 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:57,760 Those are really important questions, 374 00:14:57,760 --> 00:14:59,840 and the answers aren't just going to affect us. 375 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:01,840 They're going to affect generations to come. 376 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:04,720 Well, that's all the time we have for today's deep dive. 377 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:05,600 Thanks for joining us. 378 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,280 Keep asking those tough questions. 379 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:08,240 Stay engaged. 380 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,120 And we'll see you next time.