WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.700 Welcome to the Deep Dive. We're your shortcut 00:00:02.700 --> 00:00:05.599 to getting truly well -informed. We basically 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.679 take a whole stack of sources, articles, some 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:09.880 research, our own notes, and pull out the key 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:13.279 insights, the surprising facts just for you. 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:16.260 Today, we're diving into a recent news digest, 00:00:16.420 --> 00:00:18.100 and it's got, well, quite a mix. We're talking 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:21.059 judicial decisions, political strategies, some 00:00:21.059 --> 00:00:24.120 really critical voter trends, and even an international 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:27.050 asylum request. OK, so let's unpack this. Our 00:00:27.050 --> 00:00:30.030 goal here is to connect the dots, understand 00:00:30.030 --> 00:00:32.009 the underlying dynamics shaping things right 00:00:32.009 --> 00:00:34.030 now, from subtle shifts in political tactics 00:00:34.030 --> 00:00:37.030 to some pretty significant societal changes. 00:00:37.270 --> 00:00:39.090 What's fascinating here is how these individual 00:00:39.090 --> 00:00:40.850 stories, they might seem disparate at first glance, 00:00:41.090 --> 00:00:43.310 but when you look at them together, they really 00:00:43.310 --> 00:00:45.250 paint a much clearer picture. You start to see 00:00:45.250 --> 00:00:48.229 what's unfolding in power structures and also 00:00:48.229 --> 00:00:52.189 in public sentiment. Absolutely. So. Sticking 00:00:52.189 --> 00:00:54.130 to a bit of an odd tradition, we seem to have 00:00:54.130 --> 00:00:58.210 fallen into Jeffrey Epstein news. It always seems 00:00:58.210 --> 00:01:01.369 to demand attention first, even if it's relatively 00:01:01.369 --> 00:01:04.230 minor this time. This week, it's the latest on 00:01:04.230 --> 00:01:07.329 the refusal to unseal grand jury transcripts. 00:01:07.430 --> 00:01:09.549 There was a recent ruling by U .S. District Judge 00:01:09.549 --> 00:01:11.510 Richard Berman. He's a Bill Clinton appointee 00:01:11.510 --> 00:01:13.810 in New York denying the release. And, you know, 00:01:13.810 --> 00:01:15.189 that's interesting because Berman is actually 00:01:15.189 --> 00:01:17.829 the third federal judge to refuse. He follows 00:01:17.829 --> 00:01:21.010 Judge Paul Engelmeyer, an Obama appointee who 00:01:21.010 --> 00:01:23.469 oversaw the Ghislaine Maxwell case, and Judge 00:01:23.469 --> 00:01:25.890 Robin Rosenberg, also an Obama appointee down 00:01:25.890 --> 00:01:27.939 in Florida. So, you know, in baseball, it's like 00:01:27.939 --> 00:01:30.480 three strikes and you're out, right? But in court, 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:32.700 you can technically keep trying indefinitely. 00:01:33.260 --> 00:01:34.980 Still, the more refusals you get in one direction, 00:01:35.140 --> 00:01:37.030 well... It makes it more likely a new judge will 00:01:37.030 --> 00:01:38.870 read those prior opinions and kind of lean the 00:01:38.870 --> 00:01:41.010 same way. It suggests the system, at least at 00:01:41.010 --> 00:01:43.129 this level, is pretty aligned on keeping these 00:01:43.129 --> 00:01:45.829 specific documents sealed, regardless of who 00:01:45.829 --> 00:01:48.310 appointed the judge. Yeah, that consistency is 00:01:48.310 --> 00:01:50.629 notable. And the Department of Justice, interestingly, 00:01:51.129 --> 00:01:53.230 hasn't appealed any of these rulings yet. They 00:01:53.230 --> 00:01:55.370 still could, but haven't. So that's one piece 00:01:55.370 --> 00:01:58.310 judicial secrecy. But just as interesting is 00:01:58.310 --> 00:02:00.609 how political figures are changing their game, 00:02:00.750 --> 00:02:03.750 their strategies. Let's pivot to that. California 00:02:03.750 --> 00:02:08.610 Governor Gavin Newsom. Ah, yes. The new Democratic 00:02:08.610 --> 00:02:12.830 playbook, perhaps? Maybe. He's been actively 00:02:12.830 --> 00:02:15.710 trolling Donald Trump, using these really over 00:02:15.710 --> 00:02:17.870 -the -top social media posts, kind of mocking 00:02:17.870 --> 00:02:20.469 Trump's style, and apparently Trump is furious, 00:02:20.689 --> 00:02:22.370 doesn't know how to handle it. Some examples 00:02:22.370 --> 00:02:24.189 are pretty clever, actually, like calling Trump 00:02:24.189 --> 00:02:26.530 Christopher Columbus. Newsom's apparently fine 00:02:26.530 --> 00:02:28.349 being called Gavin Columbus if it annoys Trump. 00:02:28.770 --> 00:02:30.729 And then there's the nickname TACO. Stands for 00:02:30.729 --> 00:02:33.560 Take America Clean Out. Yeah, that one seems 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:35.740 to really get under his skin. It feels a bit 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:38.139 like playground stuff, but maybe effective. Well, 00:02:38.300 --> 00:02:40.520 it's a stark contrast, isn't it? Michelle Obama 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:43.319 famously said, when they go low, we go high. 00:02:43.800 --> 00:02:45.680 Newsom seems to be trying, when they go low, 00:02:45.819 --> 00:02:48.060 we go low too. Maybe add some AI generated stuff 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:50.259 and see if we climb the algorithm. And it seems 00:02:50.259 --> 00:02:52.219 to have spawned this little cottage industry 00:02:52.219 --> 00:02:55.759 of like AI savvy Democrats. Apparently it's boosting 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:57.860 morale and some think it might bait Trump into 00:02:57.860 --> 00:03:00.439 a mistake. Democratic strategists are noticing. 00:03:00.740 --> 00:03:03.759 Jamal Simmons said Democrats are over being the 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:06.039 nice guy party and that people outside the political 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:08.159 bubble actually seem to like Newsom's approach. 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:10.400 Christie Setzer was surprised it took Democrats 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.379 this long, called it brilliant, a good attention 00:03:13.379 --> 00:03:15.479 getting device. And it is getting Newsom attention. 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:18.120 He's popped up to second place behind Kamala 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:20.580 Harris in a very early twenty twenty eight poll, 00:03:20.939 --> 00:03:22.759 mostly named recognition at this stage, obviously. 00:03:23.370 --> 00:03:26.590 But notice he's also targeting JD Vance specifically, 00:03:27.069 --> 00:03:29.590 trying to weaken Vance's early lead for the GOP 00:03:29.590 --> 00:03:32.530 nomination in 28. Maybe make that primary fight 00:03:32.530 --> 00:03:35.550 nastier. But the trolling, the tweets, that's 00:03:35.550 --> 00:03:37.849 low risk. Newsom's real gamble, the big one, 00:03:38.050 --> 00:03:40.210 is this redistricting initiative in California, 00:03:40.530 --> 00:03:44.150 Proposition 50, on the ballot in November. Huge. 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.900 Absolutely huge strategic play. If Prop 50 passes 00:03:47.900 --> 00:03:51.780 and they redraw the map for 26 -28 -30, Newsom's 00:03:51.780 --> 00:03:54.099 a hero in the party. If it fails, he's the goat. 00:03:54.419 --> 00:03:56.520 Simple as that. There's a Democratic poll saying 00:03:56.520 --> 00:03:59.340 57 % of California voters are in favor right 00:03:59.340 --> 00:04:01.599 now. We'll see. And this is happening while... 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:03.539 Texas, meanwhile, has already pushed through 00:04:03.539 --> 00:04:06.379 its new map. Redistricting battles are definitely 00:04:06.379 --> 00:04:09.020 heating up everywhere. Right. Just one more poll 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:11.139 point. That Citron Center one showed California 00:04:11.139 --> 00:04:13.400 Democrats preferring Newsom over Harris 25 to 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:16.199 19 percent head to head for 28. Again, very early 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:18.459 days. Take it with salt and pepper. Name recognition 00:04:18.459 --> 00:04:21.180 is key. But it's a data point. OK, so that's 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:22.879 the shifting strategies. But what about the voters 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:24.420 themselves? There's a new study from the New 00:04:24.420 --> 00:04:27.139 York Times indicating Democrats are bleeding 00:04:27.139 --> 00:04:29.740 voters nationwide. Yeah, this is well, it's pretty 00:04:29.740 --> 00:04:32.100 ominous for Democrats. It's not just that younger 00:04:32.100 --> 00:04:35.060 voters went for Trump in 24. It's that many have 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:37.480 actually changed their party registration from 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:39.839 Democrat to Republican. They're becoming actual 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:42.319 Republicans on paper, at least in the 30 states 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:44.680 that have party registration. Looking at the 00:04:44.680 --> 00:04:48.100 change from 2020 to 2024, the share of registered 00:04:48.100 --> 00:04:50.740 Democrats went down. In every single state with 00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:52.959 registration, sometimes by a little, sometimes 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:55.860 by as much as 8%, Republican registration is 00:04:55.860 --> 00:04:57.800 up in many states. But interestingly, down in 00:04:57.800 --> 00:05:00.639 a few, like Alaska, Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:02.959 when both go down, it usually means folks are 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:05.720 re -registering as independents, which, depending 00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:07.800 on the state's primary rules, might not be the 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:09.699 smartest move strategically. So what are the 00:05:09.699 --> 00:05:12.040 raw numbers on that shift? Democrats lost about 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:14.600 2 .1 million registered voters. Republicans gained 00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:17.399 about 2 .4 million. So that Democratic registration 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:20.459 lead, it shrank. from 11 points in 2020 down 00:05:20.459 --> 00:05:23.740 to six points in 2024. And context is important 00:05:23.740 --> 00:05:26.459 here, right? California and New York have partisan 00:05:26.459 --> 00:05:29.410 registration, big blue states. But Texas and 00:05:29.410 --> 00:05:32.269 most of the South don't. So millions of Republicans 00:05:32.269 --> 00:05:34.709 aren't even in these stats. Plus, for the first 00:05:34.709 --> 00:05:37.790 time in 2024, more new voters signed up as Republicans 00:05:37.790 --> 00:05:39.610 than Democrats. Exactly. And the key thing to 00:05:39.610 --> 00:05:41.850 remember is registration is usually a lagging 00:05:41.850 --> 00:05:44.290 indicator. People often stop voting for a party 00:05:44.290 --> 00:05:46.149 long before they bother to officially change 00:05:46.149 --> 00:05:48.730 their registration. So this just kind of formalizes 00:05:48.730 --> 00:05:51.209 what we suspected. Republicans gaining popularity, 00:05:51.689 --> 00:05:53.449 Democrats losing it. And most of the switches 00:05:53.449 --> 00:05:55.550 are dumb into Republican, suggesting people are 00:05:55.550 --> 00:05:58.389 really fed up. The details are, well, pretty 00:05:58.389 --> 00:06:00.949 grim for the Democrats. Among new male voters, 00:06:01.490 --> 00:06:03.930 59 % registered Democrat in 2020. That dropped 00:06:03.930 --> 00:06:08.170 to 39 % in 2024. And new Latino voters, 52 % 00:06:08.170 --> 00:06:11.629 Democrat in 2020, down to just 33 % in 2024. 00:06:11.850 --> 00:06:15.029 Big drops. Wow. OK. So what does this all mean 00:06:15.029 --> 00:06:16.889 for the Democrat strategy going forward? What 00:06:16.889 --> 00:06:18.730 do they do? Well, it forces a tough question, 00:06:18.850 --> 00:06:20.589 doesn't it? They need to figure out why the brand 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:23.370 is struggling so badly. One theory floating around 00:06:23.370 --> 00:06:26.509 is, well, maybe... Nobody really knows what Democrats 00:06:26.509 --> 00:06:29.029 stand for anymore, including maybe some Democrats 00:06:29.029 --> 00:06:31.649 themselves. Compared to Republicans, who are 00:06:31.649 --> 00:06:33.889 generally pretty unified, right? Lower taxes, 00:06:34.089 --> 00:06:36.009 less government, accept the military, tough on 00:06:36.009 --> 00:06:39.009 crime, anti -abortion, anti -immigration, pushback 00:06:39.009 --> 00:06:42.449 on progressive social stuff. It's clearer. Democrats 00:06:42.449 --> 00:06:44.509 are a bigger tent, more diverse views. So the 00:06:44.509 --> 00:06:47.089 suggested strategy is basically... Go all in 00:06:47.089 --> 00:06:50.149 on jobs, wages, the economy, which probably means 00:06:50.149 --> 00:06:52.649 dropping or at least de -emphasizing some issues 00:06:52.649 --> 00:06:55.009 that parts of the party care deeply about, like 00:06:55.009 --> 00:06:57.550 climate change, DEI initiatives, gay rights, 00:06:57.769 --> 00:06:59.769 and almost certainly trans rights. It might even 00:06:59.769 --> 00:07:01.629 mean telling some of the more progressive voices 00:07:01.629 --> 00:07:04.790 to kindly shut up, as the source put it, or even 00:07:04.790 --> 00:07:07.509 the DCC funding primary challenges against figures 00:07:07.509 --> 00:07:10.290 like Jasmine Crockett, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Clive, 00:07:10.550 --> 00:07:12.170 people whose statements sometimes become attack 00:07:12.170 --> 00:07:14.750 points that hurt the broader party image. There's 00:07:14.750 --> 00:07:17.000 an asymmetry, you see? Republicans can easily 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:19.600 pick one progressive Democrat and make them the 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.660 face of the whole party in attack ads. It just 00:07:22.660 --> 00:07:24.420 doesn't really work the other way around. That's 00:07:24.420 --> 00:07:26.180 a really tough prescription, though. If they 00:07:26.180 --> 00:07:28.779 go all in on the economy and sideline progressive 00:07:28.779 --> 00:07:31.660 issues, don't they risk alienating the base, 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.779 especially the young voters and minority groups 00:07:33.779 --> 00:07:36.120 they're already losing? That's absolutely the 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:39.060 tightrope. It's a huge risk. But the thinking 00:07:39.060 --> 00:07:41.540 or the gamble is that they're losing more ground 00:07:41.540 --> 00:07:43.560 with centrist and working class voters right 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:46.439 now. So maybe shifting the focus is necessary 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:49.079 to stop the bleeding, even if it upsets some 00:07:49.079 --> 00:07:51.839 core supporters, reclaiming that broad economic 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:54.699 message. A real strategic dilemma. OK, let's 00:07:54.699 --> 00:07:57.279 shift again from broad voter trends to something 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:00.600 very specific. How do you actually influence 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:03.680 policy in Trump world when the usual channels 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:05.939 maybe don't work? We've got this intriguing example, 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:09.209 Laura Loomer. and her alleged influence. Bill 00:08:09.209 --> 00:08:11.189 Maher suggested it stemmed from a personal relationship 00:08:11.189 --> 00:08:13.329 with Trump. Loomer denied that, sued him for 00:08:13.329 --> 00:08:15.870 defamation even. Tim Miller over at the bulwark 00:08:15.870 --> 00:08:18.670 actually defended her, kind of strangely, suggesting 00:08:18.670 --> 00:08:20.810 an affair was technically impossible based on 00:08:20.810 --> 00:08:25.500 past reports. Weird tangent. Yeah. Regardless 00:08:25.500 --> 00:08:28.220 of why, her influence seems real. She's got some 00:08:28.220 --> 00:08:31.160 greatest hits, so to speak, getting visas for 00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:33.840 people from Gaza halted, getting five National 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:35.779 Security Council members fired for perceived 00:08:35.779 --> 00:08:38.580 disloyalty, even getting the FDA's top vaccine 00:08:38.580 --> 00:08:41.120 regulator fired, though he was later reinstated. 00:08:41.340 --> 00:08:42.840 And you have to figure she probably has other 00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:44.659 successes that just aren't public knowledge. 00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:47.139 She has his ear. That's the key. Her value isn't 00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:48.980 just reporting stuff. It's that she can apparently 00:08:48.980 --> 00:08:51.460 get him to act. That's real leverage. OK, so 00:08:51.460 --> 00:08:54.200 if you're not Laura Loomer. Maybe a company or 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:56.159 just an individual and you want to influence 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:59.200 policy now. What's the playbook? Jim van de Huy 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.700 and Mike Allen at Axios put together a list Yeah, 00:09:01.700 --> 00:09:04.139 and it's pretty blunt advice really direct we 00:09:04.139 --> 00:09:06.500 can break it down first stuff about communication 00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:09.500 Managing what you say like put a sock in it Basically, 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.360 don't say nasty things about Trump, his policies, 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:14.659 his allies. There's only downside. And beware 00:09:14.659 --> 00:09:17.120 of loomeroids, those hyper loyal followers who 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:19.860 police any criticism. Then put a sock in the 00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:22.500 mouths of others. Guilt by association is real. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:24.960 Make sure people connected to you also stay quiet 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:27.440 and don't overreact. If Trump says something 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:29.080 awful, keep quiet. You might just forget about 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:31.820 it. Remember taco. Don't poke the bear unnecessarily. 00:09:32.019 --> 00:09:34.360 Strategic silence. So bite your tongue. What 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:37.299 about actually engaging? Right. They say Trump 00:09:37.299 --> 00:09:40.159 has two ears. One's only open to the make -you 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:42.279 purists. You understand that maybe hire a Trump 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:45.440 whisperer. But the other ear? It listens to more 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.379 rational actors like Treasury Secretary Scott 00:09:48.379 --> 00:09:51.240 Besant or Secretary of State Marco Rubio. You 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:54.539 ideally want to reach both. Also, everything's 00:09:54.539 --> 00:09:57.620 negotiable. Trump loves making deals. Big deals. 00:09:58.179 --> 00:10:00.379 But it has to be simple, easy to explain, and 00:10:00.379 --> 00:10:02.940 sound like a clear win for him personally. Think 00:10:02.940 --> 00:10:05.860 APER promising $100 billion investment, not some 00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:08.139 complex policy argument about national interest. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:11.580 It's transactional. And it's WWE or reality TV. 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:13.679 It's all about the show. Pageantry, posturing, 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:15.620 PR. It needs to look good, make him look like 00:10:15.620 --> 00:10:17.399 a winner, make the other side look like losers. 00:10:17.779 --> 00:10:19.620 Narrative is key. Got it. What about the more 00:10:19.620 --> 00:10:21.159 personal side of things? Yeah, this is where 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:23.519 it gets interesting. A kiss ass. Apparently Trump 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:26.220 loves gifts, especially if they're gold. But 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:29.059 he can supposedly sniff out toadies. So the insight 00:10:29.059 --> 00:10:31.080 isn't just flattery. It needs to be grand, almost 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:33.639 theatrical. And always, always connect it back 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:35.620 to how it benefits him personally. Makes him 00:10:35.620 --> 00:10:39.080 look good. Simple bootlicking won't cut it. about 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:43.000 feeding that specific public ego. OK. So grandeur, 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:46.200 not just groveling. Exactly. Then get face to 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:48.820 face. The advice suggests he's actually more 00:10:48.820 --> 00:10:51.159 reasonable, maybe less prone to grandstanding 00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:53.879 in private one on one meetings. So getting that 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:56.580 face time is crucial. You got to work the gatekeepers 00:10:56.580 --> 00:10:59.299 again, emphasizing how seeing you benefits Trump 00:10:59.299 --> 00:11:01.840 personally. And maybe the most direct piece of 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.789 advice, pony up the best way in. Money. Buy a 00:11:05.789 --> 00:11:08.409 couple of plates at a MAGA Inc. dinner. They 00:11:08.409 --> 00:11:11.250 mention $1 million per plate gets you a few minutes 00:11:11.250 --> 00:11:14.409 with Trump and a rubber chicken dinner. A million 00:11:14.409 --> 00:11:16.809 bucks for rubber chicken in a few minutes. Apparently. 00:11:17.409 --> 00:11:19.830 But it's the foot in the door. It buys you access, 00:11:20.009 --> 00:11:22.269 maybe leads to more FaceTime later. It shows 00:11:22.269 --> 00:11:24.090 you're serious in the currency he understands. 00:11:24.509 --> 00:11:27.570 And finally, the long view. Two key things. The 00:11:27.570 --> 00:11:30.169 deal's never done. Even if you have a deal, even 00:11:30.169 --> 00:11:32.519 a signed contract. Trump might change his mind. 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:34.860 Reneguing his scene is just another negotiation 00:11:34.860 --> 00:11:37.240 tactic. You have to expect it and play the long 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:39.899 game. This is crucial. We're barely one sixth 00:11:39.899 --> 00:11:42.139 the way through his term. These tactics, you 00:11:42.139 --> 00:11:44.659 got to keep them up until January 20th, 2029. 00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:49.159 It's a marathon. OK, all of this might really 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.539 go against your basic principles. But the message 00:11:51.539 --> 00:11:55.539 is this is how it works now. Consider yourself 00:11:55.539 --> 00:11:58.129 warned. Which leads us kind of neatly into what 00:11:58.129 --> 00:12:00.330 we're told is the most important guiding principle 00:12:00.330 --> 00:12:03.110 in all of Trump world. Let me guess. It's all 00:12:03.110 --> 00:12:05.389 about the grift. Bingo. Yeah, we see examples. 00:12:05.809 --> 00:12:09.049 Former AG Pam Bondi, her power leading to what 00:12:09.049 --> 00:12:11.769 some call thrifts, whether they are in parentheses, 00:12:12.389 --> 00:12:14.509 you know, pushing back on gift rules. Cigars 00:12:14.509 --> 00:12:16.490 from Conor McGregor. Yeah. Trying to get into 00:12:16.490 --> 00:12:19.389 the president's box at the FIFA Club World Cup 00:12:19.389 --> 00:12:21.529 final. Yeah. Her defense was apparently she didn't 00:12:21.529 --> 00:12:23.169 stay for the whole game, so it was OK. Yeah. 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:26.200 which is a defense. But Trump himself is described 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:28.299 as much more experienced at this, like taking 00:12:28.299 --> 00:12:30.399 the actual Club World Cup trophy and a medal 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:32.240 and just going on stage with the winners. It's 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:34.460 bolder. And this grift thing seems to be creating 00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:37.519 some friction, some actual policy clashes, specifically 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.139 where M .A .A. make America healthy. Again, meets 00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:43.139 Mindy. M .A .O .A. is HHS secretary Robert Kennedy 00:12:43.139 --> 00:12:45.340 Jr.'s thing, even if the name's a bit off, implying 00:12:45.340 --> 00:12:47.700 America was healthier before. And Kennedy's pushing 00:12:47.700 --> 00:12:50.039 some ideas that might actually make things unhealthier. 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:53.600 But anyway. Right. The clash is here. MHA really 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:56.840 dislikes big pharma, big ag, big chemical, but 00:12:56.840 --> 00:12:58.899 there's House Appropriations bill floating around 00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:02.299 with provisions specifically shielding pesticide 00:13:02.299 --> 00:13:05.740 and chemical companies from liability, from accountability 00:13:05.740 --> 00:13:07.919 for health damage. And those provisions were 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:09.860 reportedly put there by Melkide folks, maybe 00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:12.740 even Trump himself, as like paybacks for campaign 00:13:12.740 --> 00:13:16.210 donations. So MEHA wants one thing, MEGA wants 00:13:16.210 --> 00:13:18.350 the opposite, internal conflict. Mary Holland, 00:13:18.570 --> 00:13:21.110 she's the CEO of the main MEHA group, Children's 00:13:21.110 --> 00:13:23.169 Health Defense. She said it pretty plainly. It's 00:13:23.169 --> 00:13:25.210 obvious that there are tensions within this newfound 00:13:25.210 --> 00:13:27.350 coalition between MEHA and MEGA, and there are 00:13:27.350 --> 00:13:29.470 some big issues there. Yeah, it makes sense. 00:13:30.079 --> 00:13:32.279 Traditionally, a lot of conservatives sided with 00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:35.919 industry wanted fewer environmental rules. MAHA 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:38.340 wants tighter rules, more protections. That puts 00:13:38.340 --> 00:13:40.139 them directly against companies who probably 00:13:40.139 --> 00:13:41.720 thought they'd bought some regulatory relief. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:44.340 There's a specific fight going on right now. 00:13:44.899 --> 00:13:46.600 Representative Mike Simpson, Republican from 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:49.700 Idaho, chairs the relevant appropriations subcommittee. 00:13:50.100 --> 00:13:52.240 He put language in a bill saying states cannot 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.419 require different pesticide labels than the federal 00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:56.230 one. That's what the chemical companies want. 00:13:56.450 --> 00:13:59.110 Exactly. They don't want California, say, adding 00:13:59.110 --> 00:14:01.710 extra warnings or restrictions that the EPA hasn't 00:14:01.710 --> 00:14:04.830 mandated nationally. But MAHA supports states 00:14:04.830 --> 00:14:07.850 having more power, like being able to ban spraying 00:14:07.850 --> 00:14:11.169 near schools. Direct conflict. Another one is 00:14:11.169 --> 00:14:14.769 forever chemicals, PFAS. Simpson's bill actually 00:14:14.769 --> 00:14:17.769 prohibits the EPA from banning food from farms 00:14:17.769 --> 00:14:20.330 contaminated with them. MHA is totally against 00:14:20.330 --> 00:14:22.350 that. And you've got former chemical industry 00:14:22.350 --> 00:14:24.610 people now in leading roles at the EPA, apparently 00:14:24.610 --> 00:14:27.210 working to reduce restrictions on cancer -causing 00:14:27.210 --> 00:14:29.909 chemicals. So even if Kennedy is maybe on the 00:14:29.909 --> 00:14:31.889 side of the angels on this one particular issue, 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:34.600 Trump's the decider, and he seems inclined to 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:36.360 help the industries that paid up. It's quite 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:39.259 the tangle. And speaking of loyalty, retribution, 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:42.019 political dynamics, Tulsi Gabbard, she's made 00:14:42.019 --> 00:14:44.720 a move to revote the security clearance of Obama 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:48.340 and Biden administration officials. Yeah, it's 00:14:48.340 --> 00:14:50.320 hard to see the national security angle there, 00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:52.279 honestly. Her statement about Clarence is being 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:54.960 a privilege contingent on adherence to principles. 00:14:55.500 --> 00:14:57.299 Well, you can pretty much translate that as if 00:14:57.299 --> 00:14:59.700 you didn't support Donald Trump or criticized 00:14:59.700 --> 00:15:03.740 him, your Clarence might get pulled. She specifically 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:05.899 went after intelligence professionals who said 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:09.039 Russia interfered in the 2016 election, which, 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:11.340 by the way, was an assessment backed up by a 00:15:11.340 --> 00:15:14.080 three -year Republican -led Senate Intel Committee 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:16.720 investigation. Marco Rubio signed off on that 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.340 report back then. So this looks less like security 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:21.720 and more like part of Trump's retribution tour. 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:24.490 Plain and simple. Mark Zaid, he is a national 00:15:24.490 --> 00:15:26.990 security lawyer, called the targeted individuals 00:15:26.990 --> 00:15:30.009 dedicated public servants. And Larry Pfeiffer, 00:15:30.190 --> 00:15:32.730 former CIA chief of staff, basically asked on 00:15:32.730 --> 00:15:35.990 social media who Trump and Gabbard are really 00:15:35.990 --> 00:15:38.809 working for. He even ended his post with a Russian 00:15:38.809 --> 00:15:42.289 flag emoji. Strong reaction. OK, let's shift 00:15:42.289 --> 00:15:45.309 one last time from these big political and policy 00:15:45.309 --> 00:15:48.110 clashes to a very personal story, but one that 00:15:48.110 --> 00:15:50.090 maybe reflects some of these larger societal 00:15:50.090 --> 00:15:53.539 shifts. It's the case of Ronika Clifford -Carlos. 00:15:53.700 --> 00:15:56.000 She's a 28 year old transgender woman from the 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:59.100 U .S. and she's seeking political asylum in the 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:01.340 Netherlands. She says she fears for her life, 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:03.539 fears persecution for being trans back in the 00:16:03.539 --> 00:16:05.340 U .S. And this really highlights the different 00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:07.320 ways nations view rights and safety, doesn't 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:09.320 it? The Dutch government's initial response was 00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:11.820 basically Yes, the situation for trans people 00:16:11.820 --> 00:16:14.240 in the U .S. is concerning, but it's not so bad 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:16.139 that they should grant asylum to every trans 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:18.200 person who asks. They pointed out that trans 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.899 people have won cases in U .S. court. So the 00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:22.980 legal framework isn't entirely gone in their 00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:25.440 view. Clifford Carlos specifically mentioned 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:28.500 her fear about medical care, that her access 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:30.759 to hormones could just be cut off at any time. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.720 But the Dutch Immigration Service said she didn't 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:34.740 provide specific proof of that imminent danger. 00:16:34.909 --> 00:16:37.750 And they argued asylum can't be granted just 00:16:37.750 --> 00:16:41.070 because some future action could endanger her. 00:16:41.149 --> 00:16:43.250 It has to be more concrete, more immediate. So 00:16:43.250 --> 00:16:45.809 she's filed suit in a Dutch court in The Hague. 00:16:45.990 --> 00:16:47.830 We're waiting on a ruling in a few weeks. Yeah. 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:50.299 It really raises that question though, what does 00:16:50.299 --> 00:16:52.740 this one individual situation tell us about how 00:16:52.740 --> 00:16:55.940 rights and safety are perceived across borders 00:16:55.940 --> 00:16:58.440 and how the U .S. is viewed globally on issues 00:16:58.440 --> 00:17:01.139 like this right now? It's a really powerful human 00:17:01.139 --> 00:17:03.620 angle on these big shifts. It really is and looking 00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:06.880 back at everything we've covered. Wow. It feels 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.799 like a whirlwind, but it's all strangely connected, 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:11.559 isn't it? We went from judicial secrecy in the 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:14.319 Epstein case to these really new kind of aggressive 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.099 political campaign tactics. Then those huge shifts 00:17:17.099 --> 00:17:19.579 in voter registration, the advice on how to navigate 00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:22.640 Trump world, the policy fights between MHA and 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:25.339 Magier, the loyalty tests with security clearances, 00:17:25.779 --> 00:17:28.740 and ending on this deeply personal asylum case. 00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:31.559 Exactly. If you connect it all back to that bigger 00:17:31.559 --> 00:17:34.410 picture, it just... underscores this constant 00:17:34.410 --> 00:17:36.789 interplay, doesn't it, between what individuals 00:17:36.789 --> 00:17:40.309 do, how public feeling shifts, and that ongoing 00:17:40.309 --> 00:17:43.329 quest for power and influence. It shows how every 00:17:43.329 --> 00:17:45.769 single headline, even ones that seem small or 00:17:45.769 --> 00:17:48.730 weird, they all add up. They contribute to this 00:17:48.730 --> 00:17:51.309 larger story about where things are heading and 00:17:51.309 --> 00:17:53.490 how people in power are trying to manage it or 00:17:53.490 --> 00:17:56.269 maybe manipulate it. So as you, the listener, 00:17:56.410 --> 00:17:57.990 think about everything we've unpacked today, 00:17:58.029 --> 00:18:01.109 here's maybe a final thought to chew on. How 00:18:01.109 --> 00:18:03.630 might these changing political strategies combine 00:18:03.630 --> 00:18:05.609 with these really profound shifts in who voters 00:18:05.609 --> 00:18:08.210 are and what they want? How might that reshape 00:18:08.210 --> 00:18:10.750 the very definition of political success and 00:18:10.750 --> 00:18:13.069 maybe even national identity itself in the years 00:18:13.069 --> 00:18:15.609 ahead? Lots to think about. Thank you for joining 00:18:15.609 --> 00:18:16.650 us for this Deep Dive.