All right, so welcome everyone to our deep dive
today. And you guys have obviously been keeping
up with all the news about Trump's second term.
Yeah, it's a lot to keep up with. It is. It is.
I mean, we've got all these articles here about
the political and economic landscape of early
2025. Yeah. And well, like I said, it's a lot.
It's unpredictable. It is. And you might want
to hold on to your wallets. You might want to
hold on to everything, actually. Everything feels
a little shaky right now. Yeah, speaking of shaky
my 401k is Feeling a little lighter these days.
I don't know about yours, but yeah a 9 % drop
in the S &P 500 in just a month. Yeah, that'll
make you sweat. That's a lot, right? Yeah, it
is. That's not normal. No, that's not normal.
I mean, we're talking potential recession territory
here. Oh, wow. Yeah, when businesses are uncertain
about the future, you know, with all this talk
about trade wars and tariffs and things like
that, they don't really want to invest or hire.
Makes sense. And when businesses aren't growing,
well, the economy isn't either. So it's not just
that the numbers are down. It's that the whole
system is kind of like frozen. Yeah, it's like
everyone's waiting to see what happens next.
Exactly, a wait and see kind of thing. And it's
not just an American problem, is it? I mean,
the EU is pushing back against these tariffs.
Oh yeah, they're definitely not happy. And they're
getting pretty creative. Yeah, instead of those
broad tariffs, they're going after specific products.
Oh really? Yeah. Like chewing gum. Chewing gum.
Chewing gum, communion wafers, even women's negliges.
What is going on? Well, it's all very strategic,
actually, these products. They're largely manufactured
in districts that heavily support Trump. Oh,
so they're thinking about this. Yeah, they did
their research. It's a way to put pressure on
those Republican lawmakers, you know, maybe get
them to question the president's approach. So
they're not just so it's not just economic, it's
political. Exactly. It's hitting. it hurts. Oh,
so while we're all nervously checking our retirement
funds, the EU is out there playing 4D chess.
Well, they're thinking ahead, that's for sure.
Yeah, and if the economy actually does take a
nosedive, somebody's got to take the blame right.
Right. I mean... Well, you know, it seems like
the administration might already have a scapegoat
lined up. Oh, really? Commerce Secretary Howard
Lutnick? Oh, yeah, that guy. What's his... What's
the deal again? Well, let's just say his grasp
of global trade policy seems a bit shaky. He's
the one who said, what are tariffs? OK, maybe
he didn't actually say that, but he has contradicted
Trump publicly on occasion. Oh, that's not good.
No, not in this administration. Loyalty is key.
Right. Well, let's shift gears a little bit and
talk about Congress. They just passed a continuing
resolution, which basically just keeps the government
funded, right? Yeah, that's the main gist of
it. Like keeping the lights on. But there's more
to it than that. House Republicans, they kind
of slipped in some language that actually limits
Congress's own power to check Trump's use of
national emergencies, you know, the ones he likes
to declare all the time. Oh, so basically they're
giving him even more power to do whatever he
wants, even if it hurts American businesses and
consumers. That's one way to look at it. So even
if these tariffs are a bad idea, they can't really
do anything to stop him. Well, it makes it a
lot harder. And is that even like, is that constitutional?
That's a good question, because the power to
impose tariffs, that's supposed to be with Congress,
not the president. So this could end up in court.
Easily. OK, so Congress is basically handing
him a blank check. Seems that way. And hoping
for the best. OK. Speaking of handing things
out, did you hear about this self -deportation
app? What? Apparently, the Trump administration
just released this app. for free to help people
leave the country. You're kidding. No, I'm serious.
Seriously. Yeah. Like, is this real? That's wild.
It's like, I mean, you'd think they'd charge
for that, at least. Right. But this is just part
of their whole immigration thing, right? Yeah,
it's all part of their strategy. You know, they're
also running that $200 million ad campaign. Oh,
the one with the DHS secretary. What's her name?
Noam? Yeah, Kristi Noam. Where she's basically,
like, praising Trump and then threatening people.
Yeah, it's pretty intense. I mean, chilling is
a good word for it. But it's effective. Oh, it's
effective. Immigration lawyers are telling their
clients to stay away from that act. Really? Yeah,
they're concerned that ICE could use the data
to track down and arrest undocumented immigrants.
Wow, so it's like a trap. Pretty much. So and
it's the opposite of what Biden was doing. Oh,
yeah, completely. I mean, the Biden administration
had an app to help people apply for asylum. And
now we have a deportation app. Yeah. And they've
also cut funding for immigration courts. So the
backlog is just going to get worse. It's already
enormous. Wow. So yeah, this is just going to
make it harder for people to navigate the system.
It's clear that the priority is deterring and
deporting. immigrants. Yeah. And not processing
applications. Definitely not. OK, but here's
where it gets interesting. Remember how Trump
used to say, I love the poorly educated? Yeah.
Well, it seems like that wasn't just a campaign
trail gaffe. What do you mean? Well, he's ordered
the firing of half the staff at the Department
of Education. Oh, wow. And he's even hinted at
dismantling the whole department. Seriously?
Yeah. And this actually aligns with some recommendations
from that conservative group, Project 2025. Oh,
the group that wants to dismantle huge chunks
of the federal government? Yeah. Wow. They have
this whole blueprint for getting rid of the Department
of Education entirely. It's like their vision
is becoming reality. It's a little too convenient,
don't you think? Yeah. And I mean, think about
everything the Department of Education does,
student loans, civil rights in schools. teacher
support. And can they even function with half
the staff? Let alone no staff. That's a good
question. Yeah. And the Civil Rights Division,
which investigates discrimination in schools,
they've been hit especially hard. Oh, wow. So
is this really about efficiency? Or is it something
else? It makes you wonder. This isn't the only
group that Trump's targeting, though. No. He's
also set his sights on the legal profession.
Really? What happened? Well, he issued an executive
order blacklifting the law firm Perkins Coy.
Perkins Coy? Why them? You know, the firm that
represented the Clinton campaign. Oh, right.
And the Steele dossier? Yeah. Wow. So basically,
he's going after anyone who's ever crossed him.
It seems that way. He's barring the government
from hiring them, banning their employees from
federal buildings. Whoa. Even revoking their
security clearances. That's pretty extreme. I
know. It's like he's holding a grudge. Well,
a judge did block some of those penalties. Oh,
she did. Yeah, federal judge. She called it an
attack on the rule of law. She even said that
Trump's actions sent chills down her spine. That's
scary. Yeah. So it seems like he's trying to
silence anyone who opposes him. It's a dangerous
trend. And it's not an isolated incident. Really?
He's targeted other law firms and individuals
for defending people he doesn't like. It's like,
what happens when lawyers are too afraid to represent
people who are critical of the government? It's
a slippery slope. A healthy democracy needs a
strong and independent legal profession. This
is starting to feel like a dystopian novel. Yeah,
that's a little unsettling. OK, so we've got
a shaky economy, a Congress that seems happy
to give up its power. attacks on education, and
now this attack on the legal profession. What
could possibly be next? Well, if you listen to
Trump and his new buddy Elon Musk, our retirement
safety net might be next. You mean social security?
That's the one. But nobody touches social security.
Well, they might be trying to. Trump and Musk
have been talking about all the waste, fraud,
and abuse in the system. Oh, I've heard that
one before. Yeah, it's usually what they say
before they try to cut funding. Right. And Musk
seems to think that AI can solve every problem.
Is he suggesting we replace human oversight of
social security with robots? He hasn't said that
outright, but he has made some pretty outrageous
claims. Like the one about there being 20 million
people over the age of 100 collecting benefits.
I know. That's statistically impossible. It is.
But he's trying to paint this picture of social
security as this program riddled with fraud.
And you know what comes after that? Yeah, cuts.
And with Musk's whole AI obsession, it makes
you wonder if he's going to push for using it
to evaluate claims, which could make it even
harder for people to get the benefits they deserve.
Right. So we've got a potential recession, a
power hungry president, and a tech billionaire
who wants to automate our social safety net.
It's a lot. It's a lot to take in, and we're
just getting started. So stay tuned for part
two, where we'll explore how all of this is playing
out in the lead up to the 2026 midterm elections.
It's going to be interesting. It is. That's for
sure. OK, well, we'll be back. See you then.
OK. So welcome back to our deep dive into early
2025. It's a wild ride. It is, isn't it? I mean,
we've already uncovered so much, and it seems
like Trump's second term is. Well, even more
tumultuous than his first. Oh, yeah, the stakes
are definitely higher. They are and The potential
consequences. I mean for everyone they seem so
much bigger this time around. Oh, yeah for sure
This isn't just political theater anymore. This
stuff has real impact Yeah, exactly and while
that whole Greenland thing is super interesting
It's out there. It is it is but let's maybe bring
it back down to earth for a minute and talk about
something that affects all of us, the economy.
We talked about the stock market jitters and
that possibility of a recession, but what does
that actually mean for people? I mean, like,
for the average person listening right now. Well,
a recession, it isn't just about numbers on a
screen. It's about people losing their jobs.
Wages not growing. That sense of security, yeah,
that starts to disappear. You know, it affects
your ability to just live your life, you know?
Put food on the table, pay your bills. Plan for
the future. Yeah, that's scary. It is. And the
thing is, a lot of this uncertainty right now,
it's because of these trade wars. Yeah, because
nobody knows what's going to happen next. Right.
It's impossible to plan when the rules are constantly
changing. Exactly. And it's not just American
businesses that are feeling this, right? Yeah.
I mean, the EU, they're pushing back with their
own tariffs. Oh, yeah. They are not messing around.
They're being very strategic about it, too. Yeah,
with those, uh... those products they're targeting,
like the communion wafers and the negliges. Exactly.
This isn't random. They're going after products
made in districts that heavily support Trump.
So they're thinking about the politics, too.
Oh, absolutely. They're trying to put pressure
on those Republican lawmakers, you know, maybe
make them rethink their support for the president's
policies. OK, so it's not just about the economics.
It's about the politics. It's both. It's a multi
-layered strategy. So while we're all worried
about our 401k, the EU is out there playing 40
chess. Pretty much. They're thinking long term.
And if the economy really does tank, someone's
going to take the blame for it. Oh, for sure.
Somebody always does. And it seems like they
might already have their scapegoat. Howard Lutnick.
Yeah, the Commerce Secretary. The guy who doesn't
seem to understand basic economics. Yeah, he's
an easy target. He's the one who contradicted
Trump on tariffs. Yeah, multiple times. Not a
good look. Not in this administration. Okay,
but this whole situation with the economy, it
makes me wonder. Shouldn't Congress be doing
more? You would think so, right. There's supposed
to be a check on the president's power. Right,
oversight and all that. But that's the thing
about this. It's not just about economic policy.
It's about power itself. Yeah. And it seems like
they're more than happy to just hand over their
power to the president. Yeah. You know, like,
with that provision, they snuck into the continuing
resolution. The one about national emergencies.
Exactly. They basically gave Trump a free pass
to impose tariffs whenever he wants. So even
if it hurts American businesses and consumers,
they tied their own hands. It's like they're
saying, go ahead, break it. We don't care. Well,
they're definitely not doing much to stop him.
OK. And this whole thing with immigration. It's
getting worse. Oh, yeah, for sure. The app, the
ads, the cuts to the courts. It's like they're
trying to create a hostile environment for anyone
who's not already here. It's about sending a
message. You know, don't even think about coming
here. And it's working, right? Yeah. I mean,
people are scared. Oh, yeah, absolutely. Especially
with those ads. They're terrifying. And they're
effective. Oh, very effective. I mean, they're
basically telling people to self -deport or face
the consequences. And they're making it harder
to seek asylum. with the cuts to the courts.
Yeah, the backlog is only going to get worse.
It's a humanitarian crisis in the making. It
feels like a deliberate attempt to dismantle
any kind of support system for immigrants. Yeah,
like they're trying to make it as difficult as
possible for people to come here legally. And
if you connect this to the bigger picture with
the Department of Education and the attacks on
the legal profession. Right, it's a pattern.
It seems like a concerted effort to weaken these
institutions. Yeah, the institutions that are
supposed to protect us. And it's not just Trump,
is it? No, it's bigger than him. Remember Project
2025, that conservative group? Yeah, the ones
who want to shrink the government. Right. They
have this whole plan for dismantling these agencies,
and it seems like their vision is becoming reality.
It is terrifying. It is. But there is some hope.
Well, the 2026 midterms are coming up. Yeah.
And historically, midterm elections tend to favor
the party that's not in the White House. So there's
a chance for things to change. There's always
a chance. But it's going to be a fight. Republicans
aren't going to give up their power easily. And
with Senator Shaheen retiring. Yeah, that's a
tough one for Democrats. New Hampshire could
go either way. So control of the Senate could
come down to just a handful of races. It's going
to be close. It's a lot to think about. It is.
And we're only a few months into this. It's going
to be a long couple of years. Well, before we
get too overwhelmed, let's take a break. We'll
be back with the final part of our deep dive,
where we'll talk about some potential scenarios
for the future. And what we can do about all
of this. Exactly. Because it's not all doom and
gloom. There's always something we can do. Right.
We have to stay hopeful. OK. We'll be right back.
All right. So welcome back to the final part
of our deep dive into early 2025. It's been a
journey. It has. It's been a lot. I'm kind of
exhausted, to be honest. I hear that. It's a
lot to process, for sure. Yeah, but before we
all go take a nap, we got to talk about what
this all means. Like, what are the long -term
consequences of all this stuff we've been talking
about? Well, one thing that's really concerning
is this growing divide between people. You mean,
like, politically? Yeah, the polarization and
the erosion of trust in institutions. It's like
everyone's picking sides and nobody's willing
to listen to each other anymore. Yeah, and that
makes it impossible to solve problems, doesn't
it? Exactly. How can you address things like
the economy or climate change when everyone's
too busy fighting? And it's not just disagreeing
about policy. It's deeper than that. It's like
people are questioning the very legitimacy of
our institutions, the media, the courts, even
elections. So like the foundation of our democracy
is cracking. Yeah, it's like the ground is shifting
beneath our feet. And this goes back to what
we were talking about with Congress, right? If
they're so willing to give up their power, what's
stopping future presidents from doing the same?
Or even worse? It's a scary thought. What happens
when the people in power are the ones trying
to dismantle the guardrails? It's like, OK, so
we're all kind of freaked out now. What can we
actually do about this? Besides yelling at the
TV. Well, the first step is to stay informed.
OK. And I don't just mean reading headlines.
Right. It's about digging deeper, you know, finding
different perspectives, actually evaluating the
information you're getting. So like fact checking
everything. Pretty much. We all have to be more
critical, especially with all the misinformation
out there. Right. Don't just believe everything
you read. OK, so we're informed. Now what? Then
we have to act. Knowledge without action is useless.
OK. We have to engage in the political process,
contact our representatives, support organizations
that align with our values, especially vote in
every election, not just the presidential ones.
So those 2026 midterms are going to be huge.
It could be a turning point. Midterms are often
a way for voters to send a message to the party
in power. Right. And if people are unhappy, they
can change the balance of power. So every vote
matters. Absolutely. But voting isn't the only
thing we can do. We can also get involved in
our communities, volunteer, organize, speak out
against injustice. Find our people. Exactly.
Find your tribe. Connect with like -minded folks.
Build coalitions. Because collective action,
that's how we create real change. It's about
reclaiming our power. Exactly. Not just as individuals,
but as a society. It's easy to feel powerless
when you see all this stuff happening. It is.
But we're not powerless. We have a voice. We
have a choice. Right. We can't give in to fear.
We have to believe that things can get better.
Well, that's about it for our deep dive into
early 2025. It's been a wild ride. It has. But
hopefully you've learned something. Yeah. And
maybe even feel a little bit empowered. Remember,
knowledge is power. Stay informed, stay engaged,
and stay hopeful. Yeah. Don't let the bastards
grind you down. Thanks for joining us on the
deep dive. We'll see you next time.