Hey guys, welcome to the Friday Mini Show. Got a whole bunch of stuff to get through, Ryan Graham, great.

Hey guys, welcome to the Friday Mini Show. Got a whole bunch of stuff to get through, Ryan Graham, great.

To see you, My friends, Nice to see you.

To see you, My friends, Nice to see you.

So we are hoping that our right wing friend Emily Kishinski is going to join us for some of the latter topics here. In particular, we're going to get into the Jeffrey Epstein the big release of the files, which there's quite a bit of MAGA pushback on how all of that went down, which is quite quite amusing.

So we are hoping that our right wing friend Emily Kishinski is going to join us for some of the latter topics here. In particular, we're going to get into the Jeffrey Epstein the big release of the files, which there's quite a bit of MAGA pushback on how all of that went down, which is quite quite amusing.

Ryan, I like that one.

Ryan, I like that one.

Yes, And so we have about ten or twenty minutes to cram in as much left as propaganda as we can until she comes in and checks us. And later today we're going to be posting our interview with former CFP to CFPB director Roe hit Chopra.

Yes, And so we have about ten or twenty minutes to cram in as much left as propaganda as we can until she comes in and checks us. And later today we're going to be posting our interview with former CFP to CFPB director Roe hit Chopra.

Emily couldn't join that.

Emily couldn't join that.

She had to shed a flight she had to catch, so it's just me and row Hit But I played for him the like the Mark Zuckerberg comments on Rogan and Mark Andresen comments Jamie Diamond calling him an arrogant, out of touch SOB and had him respond to all of those different charges.

She had to shed a flight she had to catch, so it's just me and row Hit But I played for him the like the Mark Zuckerberg comments on Rogan and Mark Andresen comments Jamie Diamond calling him an arrogant, out of touch SOB and had him respond to all of those different charges.

It's pretty interesting.

It's pretty interesting.

Yeah, what we're kind of the big takeaways there, because I haven't gotten a chance to watch it yet either, And that was one of the clearest examples to me, and you called it out immediately of how these oligarchs, the Andreasons of the world and the Zuckerbergs of the world were trying to use a like fake culture war agenda to trick people into supporting what is just like a blatantly pro oligarchic agenda. And one of the things we actually have in the show is some of the CFPB enforcements that have now been rolled back now that that agency is just completely gutted.

Yeah, what we're kind of the big takeaways there, because I haven't gotten a chance to watch it yet either, And that was one of the clearest examples to me, and you called it out immediately of how these oligarchs, the Andreasons of the world and the Zuckerbergs of the world were trying to use a like fake culture war agenda to trick people into supporting what is just like a blatantly pro oligarchic agenda. And one of the things we actually have in the show is some of the CFPB enforcements that have now been rolled back now that that agency is just completely gutted.

I think it's just really interesting for people to hear precisely what the CFPB was doing that got these people upset. And for instance, when the White House basically tried to get rid of the CFBB, they put out a statement that listed like six seven things that they objected to and included links to stories.

I think it's just really interesting for people to hear precisely what the CFPB was doing that got these people upset. And for instance, when the White House basically tried to get rid of the CFBB, they put out a statement that listed like six seven things that they objected to and included links to stories.

So I went through it with Chopra. All Right, they say, you.

So I went through it with Chopra. All Right, they say, you.

You know, try to enforce price controls on banks. Click through the link, like what is this and he's like, oh, that's our overdraft rule that said you can't you know, illegally shuffle around people's payments. So that they get five overdrafts rather than one, and the White House pulls the price controls.

You know, try to enforce price controls on banks. Click through the link, like what is this and he's like, oh, that's our overdraft rule that said you can't you know, illegally shuffle around people's payments. So that they get five overdrafts rather than one, and the White House pulls the price controls.

So so dishonest.

So so dishonest.

Think I wish every person in the country could you know, we'll watch this interview.

Think I wish every person in the country could you know, we'll watch this interview.

Well maybe they will, you never know. I'll go ahead and pull this up.

Well maybe they will, you never know. I'll go ahead and pull this up.

This was an element I had for later along with we've got a whole bunch of updates on Doge. We've got some court pushback on Doge. That's really significant. But I mean, this is what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was doing. They had these different enforcement actions against Capital One against Berkshire Hathaway owned Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, against a predatory student loan company, and now all of that is just being completely dropped and going away. So and of course it's no mistake, you know, a no accident that Elon Musk had just signed a deal with Visa. He wants to turn Twitter into one of these payment processors as well and be the quote unquote everything app they would have fallen under CFPB regulatory jurisdiction. And now the cfp BE basically doesn't exist anymore, so they have more of a free hand to scam people and do some of the things like what Sam Bankman freed was rightfully, you know, convicted and turn in prison.

This was an element I had for later along with we've got a whole bunch of updates on Doge. We've got some court pushback on Doge. That's really significant. But I mean, this is what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was doing. They had these different enforcement actions against Capital One against Berkshire Hathaway owned Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, against a predatory student loan company, and now all of that is just being completely dropped and going away. So and of course it's no mistake, you know, a no accident that Elon Musk had just signed a deal with Visa. He wants to turn Twitter into one of these payment processors as well and be the quote unquote everything app they would have fallen under CFPB regulatory jurisdiction. And now the cfp BE basically doesn't exist anymore, so they have more of a free hand to scam people and do some of the things like what Sam Bankman freed was rightfully, you know, convicted and turn in prison.

For doing Yeah, and Zuckerberg went on Rogan and was like, I don't understand why this agency would come after us. We have nothing to do with any any finance or financial institution behavior. And Rohit pointed out just five years ago they launched their own currency called Libra, Like, are we supposed to pretend that that never happened.

For doing Yeah, and Zuckerberg went on Rogan and was like, I don't understand why this agency would come after us. We have nothing to do with any any finance or financial institution behavior. And Rohit pointed out just five years ago they launched their own currency called Libra, Like, are we supposed to pretend that that never happened.

The thing that was to me the most insulting was Zuckerberg pretending, oh, I don't even know what this agency.

The thing that was to me the most insulting was Zuckerberg pretending, oh, I don't even know what this agency.

Dude, shut the fuck up, like, stop playing dumb.

Dude, shut the fuck up, like, stop playing dumb.

And yeah, the Rogan just going along with all of it was really sad to see as well.

And yeah, the Rogan just going along with all of it was really sad to see as well.

But in any case, if he watches it too.

But in any case, if he watches it too.

Yeah, he actually just recorded a big long interview apparently with Elon, so that's gonna be interesting as well.

Yeah, he actually just recorded a big long interview apparently with Elon, so that's gonna be interesting as well.

Well, we'll stay tuned forward to that. Yeah, yeah, for what comes down to that one.

Well, we'll stay tuned forward to that. Yeah, yeah, for what comes down to that one.

But let's go ahead and jump into the latest Widows just to give a sketch of what we're going to try to get through this morning.

But let's go ahead and jump into the latest Widows just to give a sketch of what we're going to try to get through this morning.

We've got all the Doge updates.

We've got all the Doge updates.

The court orders, the latest in terms of the cuts going after the Weather Service and those sorts of things. That's a really significant one. Right now, we've also got all of the Epstein melee from yesterday and MAGA free count over that, and related to that, I would say, also the Tate brothers making their way to the US and actually some MAGA pushback over that as well.

The court orders, the latest in terms of the cuts going after the Weather Service and those sorts of things. That's a really significant one. Right now, we've also got all of the Epstein melee from yesterday and MAGA free count over that, and related to that, I would say, also the Tate brothers making their way to the US and actually some MAGA pushback over that as well.

But it looks very.

But it looks very.

Much like the Trump administration intervened to get these alleged rapists and sex traffickers to be able to travel to the United States.

Much like the Trump administration intervened to get these alleged rapists and sex traffickers to be able to travel to the United States.

So, you know, you've got a lot of sex.

So, you know, you've got a lot of sex.

Trafficker rapist stories here relevant to the day, and we've saved those for later in the show. We're hoping Emily is going to be able to join because we want to get a perspective from the right about all of this stuff is landing. But let me go ahead and jump in with this. So a couple of significant court orders coming down, this one in particular the most noteworthy. So a judge has blocked the Trump administrations firings of federal workers. This pertains to you guys, know how they just came in and said, Okay, everybody who is still on probationary status, that's it.

Trafficker rapist stories here relevant to the day, and we've saved those for later in the show. We're hoping Emily is going to be able to join because we want to get a perspective from the right about all of this stuff is landing. But let me go ahead and jump in with this. So a couple of significant court orders coming down, this one in particular the most noteworthy. So a judge has blocked the Trump administrations firings of federal workers. This pertains to you guys, know how they just came in and said, Okay, everybody who is still on probationary status, that's it.

You're gone.

You're gone.

And you know, that's mostly people who are new on the job, but also, as Ryan pointed out previously, it's also people who just got promotions. So you're talking about a lot of individuals who actually were the most successful and the most significant within their organizations. One other thing I learned too, Ryan, is you know, we have all these programs for military spouses, who of course are having to pick up and move around the country all the time based on where their husband or wife is being deployed, and so they would more frequently than your average employee find themselves in a probationary status because of having to pick up and move around the country and job hop more often than your average employees. So they also work tremendously hit hard by this. Let me just read a little bit of this article on Before you do.

And you know, that's mostly people who are new on the job, but also, as Ryan pointed out previously, it's also people who just got promotions. So you're talking about a lot of individuals who actually were the most successful and the most significant within their organizations. One other thing I learned too, Ryan, is you know, we have all these programs for military spouses, who of course are having to pick up and move around the country all the time based on where their husband or wife is being deployed, and so they would more frequently than your average employee find themselves in a probationary status because of having to pick up and move around the country and job hop more often than your average employees. So they also work tremendously hit hard by this. Let me just read a little bit of this article on Before you do.

That, I have to offer one clarification. The probationary period applies to when you move from into management or if you move get a promotion or a lateral movement from one agency to another or one sub agency to another sub agency. If you just go from you just get a raise from one year to the next like that, that doesn't kick you back into the probationary period, and the best interpretations of when your probationary period in management, they can't actually fire you from that. They would push you back down into worker status out of management.

That, I have to offer one clarification. The probationary period applies to when you move from into management or if you move get a promotion or a lateral movement from one agency to another or one sub agency to another sub agency. If you just go from you just get a raise from one year to the next like that, that doesn't kick you back into the probationary period, and the best interpretations of when your probationary period in management, they can't actually fire you from that. They would push you back down into worker status out of management.

But lots of people do move.

But lots of people do move.

From agency to agency or get detailed and then come back or and so those would all be caught up. So it's not complete blanket anybody who got promoted, which is what I implied on the show.

From agency to agency or get detailed and then come back or and so those would all be caught up. So it's not complete blanket anybody who got promoted, which is what I implied on the show.

So I wanted to kind of.

So I wanted to kind of.

Correct that, gotcha, Okay, So here is what the Washington Posts is reporting. A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Office of Personnel Management to recent directives that initiated the mass firing or probationary workers across the government, ruling that the terminations were probably illegal, as a group of labor unions are argued in court. US District Judge William Alsup ordered OPM to rescind its previous directives to more than two dozen agencies, including the Department of Defense, which I think is the largest employer of civilians across the government. So really significant here. The ruling a temporary restraint on the government, will be revisited in the coming weeks. It's one of the biggest roadblocks so far to Trump's effort to slash the federal workforce. Here's about some of the language from the judge. They say, Congress has given the authority to hire and fire to the agencies themselves.

Correct that, gotcha, Okay, So here is what the Washington Posts is reporting. A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Office of Personnel Management to recent directives that initiated the mass firing or probationary workers across the government, ruling that the terminations were probably illegal, as a group of labor unions are argued in court. US District Judge William Alsup ordered OPM to rescind its previous directives to more than two dozen agencies, including the Department of Defense, which I think is the largest employer of civilians across the government. So really significant here. The ruling a temporary restraint on the government, will be revisited in the coming weeks. It's one of the biggest roadblocks so far to Trump's effort to slash the federal workforce. Here's about some of the language from the judge. They say, Congress has given the authority to hire and fire to the agencies themselves.

The Department of Defense, for.

The Department of Defense, for.

Example, has statutory authority to hire and fire. The Office of Personnel Management does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe to hire and fire employees at another agency. They can hire and fire their own employees. The article goes on to explain ran that even though this is a significant ruling but not a final decision, unclear how soon this is going to result in any sort of tangible benefits for those federal government workers who have been fired, as you know, part of this effort to act all the probationary employees from the government. This pertained to one specific civilian employee who you know, was part of this hearing. So hard to say when or how this is going to ultimately be implemented, but you know, a significant move forward for those who are trying to fight back against the mass cuts and especially mass firings at the federal government.

Example, has statutory authority to hire and fire. The Office of Personnel Management does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe to hire and fire employees at another agency. They can hire and fire their own employees. The article goes on to explain ran that even though this is a significant ruling but not a final decision, unclear how soon this is going to result in any sort of tangible benefits for those federal government workers who have been fired, as you know, part of this effort to act all the probationary employees from the government. This pertained to one specific civilian employee who you know, was part of this hearing. So hard to say when or how this is going to ultimately be implemented, but you know, a significant move forward for those who are trying to fight back against the mass cuts and especially mass firings at the federal government.

Yeah, and in a sense, it's a process technicality in the sense that if today, the Department of Defense itself sends out emails to all of these people well I don't even know their emails don't work anymore, but they have to find them somehow and send them a letter saying, you know, I'm writing you from the Department of Defense and you are fired. And they've also started changing the wording of how they've done these firings to try to get them closer to legal. Out of the gate, they were saying, you are fired because your skills and your performance, you know, don't match the needs that we currently have. And so lots of federal workers. Then we're like, well, here's my I just had my performance review and I got all you know, I got gold stars and all the flowers you could ask for. And so now they have said, you know, basically a kind of a reorganization type of language, like it's not you, it's us. You know, we don't it's not you, it's me. We don't need you around anymore. It's not about your performance. Now they'd have to do that that new language and send it directly from you know, if it's Noah, then Noah would.

Yeah, and in a sense, it's a process technicality in the sense that if today, the Department of Defense itself sends out emails to all of these people well I don't even know their emails don't work anymore, but they have to find them somehow and send them a letter saying, you know, I'm writing you from the Department of Defense and you are fired. And they've also started changing the wording of how they've done these firings to try to get them closer to legal. Out of the gate, they were saying, you are fired because your skills and your performance, you know, don't match the needs that we currently have. And so lots of federal workers. Then we're like, well, here's my I just had my performance review and I got all you know, I got gold stars and all the flowers you could ask for. And so now they have said, you know, basically a kind of a reorganization type of language, like it's not you, it's us. You know, we don't it's not you, it's me. We don't need you around anymore. It's not about your performance. Now they'd have to do that that new language and send it directly from you know, if it's Noah, then Noah would.

Have to do the firing.

Have to do the firing.

And so then a judge might say okay, well this was improper, but now it's moot, so you're still fired.

And so then a judge might say okay, well this was improper, but now it's moot, so you're still fired.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, and I also saw as part of their arguments here, the government is changing their tune. You know, originally they were saying, at all these agencies, you have to fire of your probationary employees, and now there's well it was really a recommendation, and then the agencies are taken upon themselves to fire all of these employees because that gets around. You know, what the judge said here is like there is no statue anywhere they said in the history of the universe that says OPM, just come in and fire all of these staff across all of these agencies. They're responsible for their own employees. They can fire whoever they want there, but you can't come in and hole of government mandate the Defense Department and everybody else to fire all of these employees. So the government is trying to get a little cute here. Oh well, we just this was just a you know, a strong recommendation, but we weren't really mandating it. So we'll see if that changes anything.

Well, and I also saw as part of their arguments here, the government is changing their tune. You know, originally they were saying, at all these agencies, you have to fire of your probationary employees, and now there's well it was really a recommendation, and then the agencies are taken upon themselves to fire all of these employees because that gets around. You know, what the judge said here is like there is no statue anywhere they said in the history of the universe that says OPM, just come in and fire all of these staff across all of these agencies. They're responsible for their own employees. They can fire whoever they want there, but you can't come in and hole of government mandate the Defense Department and everybody else to fire all of these employees. So the government is trying to get a little cute here. Oh well, we just this was just a you know, a strong recommendation, but we weren't really mandating it. So we'll see if that changes anything.

Yeah, it would be like Noah trying to fire people at the Pentagon, right, Like, no, you can't do that.

Yeah, it would be like Noah trying to fire people at the Pentagon, right, Like, no, you can't do that.

You can't do that.

You can't do that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, and Bernie Sanders made a point that was pretty relevant to this, and it's one that I've been making for a while now, not as well as Bernie Sanders, of course, but or not as virally certainly as Bernie Sanders. But you know, all of these Senate confirmed agency heads now are totally irrelevant, Like they don't matter much at all at this point, because if some Doge kid says we're going to let go of this many people and we're going to close your office and we're going to get this program, they're the ones who have the final say. And you've been making the great point Ryan about you know, at the Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued these waivers for petfar saying no, this funding is going to continue, and DOGE is basically like, no, it's not. And it's Doge that ends up having the final word here. So Bernie was making a similar point about how just completely stripped of power these agency heads are and how irrelevant. Let's go ahead and take a listen to the way he phrased this on the Senate floor.

Well, and Bernie Sanders made a point that was pretty relevant to this, and it's one that I've been making for a while now, not as well as Bernie Sanders, of course, but or not as virally certainly as Bernie Sanders. But you know, all of these Senate confirmed agency heads now are totally irrelevant, Like they don't matter much at all at this point, because if some Doge kid says we're going to let go of this many people and we're going to close your office and we're going to get this program, they're the ones who have the final say. And you've been making the great point Ryan about you know, at the Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued these waivers for petfar saying no, this funding is going to continue, and DOGE is basically like, no, it's not. And it's Doge that ends up having the final word here. So Bernie was making a similar point about how just completely stripped of power these agency heads are and how irrelevant. Let's go ahead and take a listen to the way he phrased this on the Senate floor.

Today, we are not voting on who the next Secretary of Labor is the next secretary of Labor, the next Secretary of Education, the next Secretary of Housing, the next Secretary of the Treasury is Elon Musk. And let us understand that reality and not play along with the charade.

Today, we are not voting on who the next Secretary of Labor is the next secretary of Labor, the next Secretary of Education, the next Secretary of Housing, the next Secretary of the Treasury is Elon Musk. And let us understand that reality and not play along with the charade.

Does anyone here really think that any.

Does anyone here really think that any.

Secretary of Labor, any secretary of Education, is going to make decisions by himself or herself. Just yesterday, President held a meeting with his cabinet. And who was the star of the meeting was the Secretary of Defense, so Secretary of State. No, it was an unelected official otems to be the wealthiest person on earth. It was Elon Musk. And at that meeting, President Trump asked his cabinet, is anybody unhappy with Elon?

Secretary of Labor, any secretary of Education, is going to make decisions by himself or herself. Just yesterday, President held a meeting with his cabinet. And who was the star of the meeting was the Secretary of Defense, so Secretary of State. No, it was an unelected official otems to be the wealthiest person on earth. It was Elon Musk. And at that meeting, President Trump asked his cabinet, is anybody unhappy with Elon?

Well, if you.

Well, if you.

Are, we'll throw them out of here. In the quote, in other words, if any cabinet official has the courage to stand up to mister Musk and disobey as edicts, they are gone. So, mister chairman, my request to you is a simple one. Let's be honest. The American people understand it, and it's time that we understlitered as well.

Are, we'll throw them out of here. In the quote, in other words, if any cabinet official has the courage to stand up to mister Musk and disobey as edicts, they are gone. So, mister chairman, my request to you is a simple one. Let's be honest. The American people understand it, and it's time that we understlitered as well.

If you want.

If you want.

To discuss policies in the Department of let's bring in the real secretary jevn I respectfully request this committee bring Elon Musk before this committee so.

To discuss policies in the Department of let's bring in the real secretary jevn I respectfully request this committee bring Elon Musk before this committee so.

That we can really hear what's going on with the government.

That we can really hear what's going on with the government.

Would you make of that moment, Ryan, Yeah, I.

Would you make of that moment, Ryan, Yeah, I.

Mean fair point. If he wants to run the show, he should be the one that answers the question. Is accountable to the public and accountable to our elected bodies. And to the point that we were talking about earlier about them trying to make it more legal, russ Vote sent out a memo yesterday pretty to a lot of government senior government officials that was forwarded to me, and there's one key line I can read to you here. The shows the way that they're kind of tweaking their language to try to make it legal. They say, he says quote, pursuant to the President's direction, agencies should focus on the maximum elimination of functions that are not statutorily mandated while driving the highest quality, most efficient delivery of their statutorily required functions. So what they're what they're going to argue is that Congress requires the EPA or or Noah or whatever to do this thing, and we are going to do our best to do that thing that you say you're going to do. They don't require us to do these things by statute, and so we're getting rid.

Mean fair point. If he wants to run the show, he should be the one that answers the question. Is accountable to the public and accountable to our elected bodies. And to the point that we were talking about earlier about them trying to make it more legal, russ Vote sent out a memo yesterday pretty to a lot of government senior government officials that was forwarded to me, and there's one key line I can read to you here. The shows the way that they're kind of tweaking their language to try to make it legal. They say, he says quote, pursuant to the President's direction, agencies should focus on the maximum elimination of functions that are not statutorily mandated while driving the highest quality, most efficient delivery of their statutorily required functions. So what they're what they're going to argue is that Congress requires the EPA or or Noah or whatever to do this thing, and we are going to do our best to do that thing that you say you're going to do. They don't require us to do these things by statute, and so we're getting rid.

Of them all.

Of them all.

And just because we're getting rid of a lot of what we're statutorally required to do, it doesn't mean we're not going to still do the mission. So it's really it's sidestepping the unitary executive theory because it's it's saying no, no, we're doing what you want. Don't worry, we're just doing it cheaper and better, which is like nobody would nobody would argue that you can't do that. So then the question would be, well, is that what you're actually doing or you're just putting this in a memo so you can share it with the judge.

And just because we're getting rid of a lot of what we're statutorally required to do, it doesn't mean we're not going to still do the mission. So it's really it's sidestepping the unitary executive theory because it's it's saying no, no, we're doing what you want. Don't worry, we're just doing it cheaper and better, which is like nobody would nobody would argue that you can't do that. So then the question would be, well, is that what you're actually doing or you're just putting this in a memo so you can share it with the judge.

Well, and I think we already have an answer to that. When you look at USAA being the most clear cut example, I mean that agency has been destroyed, and it is, you know, by law, an independent agency authorized by Congress through multiple successive legislative efforts, and so it is, you know, it is not legal to just destroy an agency, or even just to take the key parts of it and subsume it under the State Department would require Congressional legislation. So you know, in some of these agencies, maybe technically they're complying with what Congress you know, authorized and demanded of this agency, but we know certain examples that is definitely not the case.

Well, and I think we already have an answer to that. When you look at USAA being the most clear cut example, I mean that agency has been destroyed, and it is, you know, by law, an independent agency authorized by Congress through multiple successive legislative efforts, and so it is, you know, it is not legal to just destroy an agency, or even just to take the key parts of it and subsume it under the State Department would require Congressional legislation. So you know, in some of these agencies, maybe technically they're complying with what Congress you know, authorized and demanded of this agency, but we know certain examples that is definitely not the case.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think some of the genius of the moves that they're making now evil genius maybe, is that it makes us sound like hall monitors, where we're like, well, hold on, you know, you know, flipping over the board and reading the rules and saying, oh, you can't do that. That's not you know, that's not how you're supposed to get rid of USAID, even while you know, we have been very critical of lots of what usa ID does, so and they can they can take the It isn't higher ground necessarily.

I think some of the genius of the moves that they're making now evil genius maybe, is that it makes us sound like hall monitors, where we're like, well, hold on, you know, you know, flipping over the board and reading the rules and saying, oh, you can't do that. That's not you know, that's not how you're supposed to get rid of USAID, even while you know, we have been very critical of lots of what usa ID does, so and they can they can take the It isn't higher ground necessarily.

But it's different ground where they're like, you know, screw.

But it's different ground where they're like, you know, screw.

You, Like people are sick of this stuff, we're getting rid of it, and you're the ones that are standing in the way of it.

You, Like people are sick of this stuff, we're getting rid of it, and you're the ones that are standing in the way of it.

Uh.

Uh.

And And it kind of flips the whole argument about the Constitution the Republic on its head because Democrats are so used to Republicans being the ones that insist upon every every word of the Constitution being honored faithfully, so then it's like whiplasher to be like, oh, article one doesn't matter, never mind, like yeah, article one, it's like a big part of it. It's the first one, and it's a huge chunk of it. It's like, oh, I think if.

And And it kind of flips the whole argument about the Constitution the Republic on its head because Democrats are so used to Republicans being the ones that insist upon every every word of the Constitution being honored faithfully, so then it's like whiplasher to be like, oh, article one doesn't matter, never mind, like yeah, article one, it's like a big part of it. It's the first one, and it's a huge chunk of it. It's like, oh, I think if.

It had stayed in the realm of USAI D I think that argument probably you know, has traction. Although even there, you know, people are not cruel. They want to don't want to deny. That's why there was a back.

It had stayed in the realm of USAI D I think that argument probably you know, has traction. Although even there, you know, people are not cruel. They want to don't want to deny. That's why there was a back.

That's embarrassing.

That's embarrassing.

They have not and by the way, they have not restarted ebola prevention funding and so these things even though you know this might be in Africa, now we all know from very recent experience, it doesn't stay in Africa.

They have not and by the way, they have not restarted ebola prevention funding and so these things even though you know this might be in Africa, now we all know from very recent experience, it doesn't stay in Africa.

So you know they have planes that can fly right here.

So you know they have planes that can fly right here.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So you when you ask people like should the government be more efficient?

So you when you ask people like should the government be more efficient?

Should we spend less on foreign aid? They're like sure.

Should we spend less on foreign aid? They're like sure.

When it's like, should we deny life saving medication to babies born with HIV living in an orphanage, it's like, no, what's wrong with you?

When it's like, should we deny life saving medication to babies born with HIV living in an orphanage, it's like, no, what's wrong with you?

Of course not.

Of course not.

But again to the point, it's obviously gotten way beyond just USAID at this point, I mean, we could I could go ahead and pull this up. Actually they're planning on slashing half of the Social Security Administration, and some of the headlines that are coming out in towns like local cities around the country really do underscore how the federal government is not just something that exists among like hippie liberals in d C with Ukraine flags and their bios.

But again to the point, it's obviously gotten way beyond just USAID at this point, I mean, we could I could go ahead and pull this up. Actually they're planning on slashing half of the Social Security Administration, and some of the headlines that are coming out in towns like local cities around the country really do underscore how the federal government is not just something that exists among like hippie liberals in d C with Ukraine flags and their bios.

You know, this is these.

You know, this is these.

Are headlines from Green Bay and from you know, in Michigan and in Birmingham social Security Las Vegas social Security offices that are slated for closure as part of these cuts. We've seen the impact to the National Park Service already. Obviously this pair is too with the budget resolution that just passed through the House, with every single Republican save for one voting for it, that's going to attack Medicaid. And so I think there's a very clear picture that's emerging for people. You see this, you know, in the way the poll numbers have moved as well, where it's like one billionaire has taken control of the government and is running it for the benefit of him and his buddies and has slash any program that may benefit you or anything that the government does that you like or like maybe error traffic safety as one example, that's getting slashed while a bunch of billy are getting tax cuts. So even though the whole monitor thing like I hear you there, but I think we've gone way beyond that at this point.

Are headlines from Green Bay and from you know, in Michigan and in Birmingham social Security Las Vegas social Security offices that are slated for closure as part of these cuts. We've seen the impact to the National Park Service already. Obviously this pair is too with the budget resolution that just passed through the House, with every single Republican save for one voting for it, that's going to attack Medicaid. And so I think there's a very clear picture that's emerging for people. You see this, you know, in the way the poll numbers have moved as well, where it's like one billionaire has taken control of the government and is running it for the benefit of him and his buddies and has slash any program that may benefit you or anything that the government does that you like or like maybe error traffic safety as one example, that's getting slashed while a bunch of billy are getting tax cuts. So even though the whole monitor thing like I hear you there, but I think we've gone way beyond that at this point.

Right, the higher level response to that is, like, you, guys, people voted for you because they think rent is too high, interest rates are too high, egg prices are too high, and you're closing the Social Security office in the town. Yeah, which people need that the soci Security office open for obvious reasons.

Right, the higher level response to that is, like, you, guys, people voted for you because they think rent is too high, interest rates are too high, egg prices are too high, and you're closing the Social Security office in the town. Yeah, which people need that the soci Security office open for obvious reasons.

And they'll say, well, if we.

And they'll say, well, if we.

If we close the Social Security office, then will save money and eventually interest rates will go down as a result of that. That's that is the most broken, kind of slow way that you could ever try to do monetary policy by just you know, firing a bunch of Noah workers like that, you're not being serious about where the federal government spends money, not social Security staffers in Alabama or Wisconsin or Michigan.

If we close the Social Security office, then will save money and eventually interest rates will go down as a result of that. That's that is the most broken, kind of slow way that you could ever try to do monetary policy by just you know, firing a bunch of Noah workers like that, you're not being serious about where the federal government spends money, not social Security staffers in Alabama or Wisconsin or Michigan.

Well, especially, that's not moving the needle on interest.

Well, especially, that's not moving the needle on interest.

Rates, especially when you're pairing that with four trillion dollar tax cuts for the rich, right, Like you're not Like, clearly you're not serious about deficit reduction. The only person who was actually serious about It was Thomas Massey who voted against the bill because he was like, it blows up the debt and the depths.

Rates, especially when you're pairing that with four trillion dollar tax cuts for the rich, right, Like you're not Like, clearly you're not serious about deficit reduction. The only person who was actually serious about It was Thomas Massey who voted against the bill because he was like, it blows up the debt and the depths.

Right, you also wouldn't got the IRS.

Right, you also wouldn't got the IRS.

Correct, Yes, because every dollar you spent at the IRS is returned by the way. I mean, you know CFPB again if you're talking about like efficiency, and that was one of the best agencies in terms of return on investment for the dollars that are invested there. So yeah, I mean, causing pain and misery among the federal government workforce is not going to do a damn thing. If you look at the if you fired every single federal government worker, it is like a relatively small proportion of the federal government budget. So you know, this is clearly not about cutting debt, cutting deficit, cutting the fat. It's about consolidation of power in an eye ideological agenda. I mean, you are more of a history buff than I am, but you know, it seems like there's some parallels here with like, you know, Mao's Cultural Revolution and the purges of the bureaucracy. You know in that era is kind of what it's i would say, scape.

Correct, Yes, because every dollar you spent at the IRS is returned by the way. I mean, you know CFPB again if you're talking about like efficiency, and that was one of the best agencies in terms of return on investment for the dollars that are invested there. So yeah, I mean, causing pain and misery among the federal government workforce is not going to do a damn thing. If you look at the if you fired every single federal government worker, it is like a relatively small proportion of the federal government budget. So you know, this is clearly not about cutting debt, cutting deficit, cutting the fat. It's about consolidation of power in an eye ideological agenda. I mean, you are more of a history buff than I am, but you know, it seems like there's some parallels here with like, you know, Mao's Cultural Revolution and the purges of the bureaucracy. You know in that era is kind of what it's i would say, scape.

Analogy spegoating people, escapegoating people rather than having the courage to go after where the real money is.

Analogy spegoating people, escapegoating people rather than having the courage to go after where the real money is.

Like you could you want to save a trillion bucks, you know, go after the F thirty five program or whatever. You know, maybe I don't know if it's a trillion.

Like you could you want to save a trillion bucks, you know, go after the F thirty five program or whatever. You know, maybe I don't know if it's a trillion.

It's an enormous amount of money that we've spent on this this jet that we don't need.

It's an enormous amount of money that we've spent on this this jet that we don't need.

We got drones. Yeah, just get rid of that. But you won't, you won't.

We got drones. Yeah, just get rid of that. But you won't, you won't.

Go after that because that's where your money comes from.

Go after that because that's where your money comes from.

Yeah, that's exactly right.

Yeah, that's exactly right.

So here's one more legal decision that came down that could be significant. A judge's ordered some Trump administration officials, at least one DOGE staffer, to have to sit for depositions in a lawsuit over the group's access to sensitive government systems. The judge involved here called dog's activities opaque. I believe they're limited to eight hours of you know, depot testimony from these staffers that are involved here. And this could be I mean, because it has been completely opaque. We've had to rely on whistleblowers from within this very these various agencies and some intrepid reporting from a whole range of people, both kind of your traditional media types like Jeff Stein, but also some who are more independent media to try to figure out what they're even up to and there, and we still have there's still a lot of unanswered questions, So could be some interesting things that come out of those depositions. So it's something to keep an eye on.

So here's one more legal decision that came down that could be significant. A judge's ordered some Trump administration officials, at least one DOGE staffer, to have to sit for depositions in a lawsuit over the group's access to sensitive government systems. The judge involved here called dog's activities opaque. I believe they're limited to eight hours of you know, depot testimony from these staffers that are involved here. And this could be I mean, because it has been completely opaque. We've had to rely on whistleblowers from within this very these various agencies and some intrepid reporting from a whole range of people, both kind of your traditional media types like Jeff Stein, but also some who are more independent media to try to figure out what they're even up to and there, and we still have there's still a lot of unanswered questions, So could be some interesting things that come out of those depositions. So it's something to keep an eye on.

Yeah, if we ever get them, you know, it's you know they're going to because they're gonna have some wins too in the courts.

Yeah, if we ever get them, you know, it's you know they're going to because they're gonna have some wins too in the courts.

Yes, we'll see.

Yes, we'll see.

Yeah, they will.

Yeah, they will.

They certainly will, I think, especially when they get up to the Supreme Court given the ideological valance there. We've mentioned Noah a couple times, and this is one of the more significant cuts that's moving forward. It's also one that was significantly signaled in Project twenty twenty five. They are mass firing upwards of eighteen hundred workers at the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, including top climate scientists and weather forecasters. The firings reportedly include workers at the National Weather Service. And as I mentioned and Ryan you may know more about, this has been kind of an ideological project of the russ vote right, and in Project twenty twenty five, first of all, they hate they hate Noah because they are honest about climate change, so they don't like that. And then they also, you know, right now, anyone including there's some weather ubers who have gotten really big, but your local weather forecast or anyone can access the data and resources of the National Weather Service. And obviously that's really important because we are having increasingly extreme and increasingly regular climate catastrophes, and the right, led by RUSS vote and Project twenty twenty five, et cetera, they have long wanted to effectively privatize that function so that people have to pay in order to get that kind of research, and it's stripped of anything that might indicate that, you know, the climate crisis is fueling these things, and any of the research that indicates what direction the climate crisis might take.

They certainly will, I think, especially when they get up to the Supreme Court given the ideological valance there. We've mentioned Noah a couple times, and this is one of the more significant cuts that's moving forward. It's also one that was significantly signaled in Project twenty twenty five. They are mass firing upwards of eighteen hundred workers at the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, including top climate scientists and weather forecasters. The firings reportedly include workers at the National Weather Service. And as I mentioned and Ryan you may know more about, this has been kind of an ideological project of the russ vote right, and in Project twenty twenty five, first of all, they hate they hate Noah because they are honest about climate change, so they don't like that. And then they also, you know, right now, anyone including there's some weather ubers who have gotten really big, but your local weather forecast or anyone can access the data and resources of the National Weather Service. And obviously that's really important because we are having increasingly extreme and increasingly regular climate catastrophes, and the right, led by RUSS vote and Project twenty twenty five, et cetera, they have long wanted to effectively privatize that function so that people have to pay in order to get that kind of research, and it's stripped of anything that might indicate that, you know, the climate crisis is fueling these things, and any of the research that indicates what direction the climate crisis might take.

Right, it's for them, and actually, honestly, you could call it it's socialism, like the public comes together and collectively funds something that we all believe that we need, which is some forecast about what the weather is going to be like, both extreme events and regular events. And you know, we make fun of the weatherman for getting things wrong.

Right, it's for them, and actually, honestly, you could call it it's socialism, like the public comes together and collectively funds something that we all believe that we need, which is some forecast about what the weather is going to be like, both extreme events and regular events. And you know, we make fun of the weatherman for getting things wrong.

But the are the the.

But the are the the.

Apps on our phone are pretty good, like you think, if you think about it, if you know, they tell.

Apps on our phone are pretty good, like you think, if you think about it, if you know, they tell.

You what it's going to be.

You what it's going to be.

They're they're nailing it pretty often, and people find it very helpfully. You've got you know, free access all the time to this pretty accurate data, and they take for granted that people some people take for granted that that just comes from the sky, but it has to get filtered through a bunch of scientists who are you know, training their whole lives to figure this stuff out and then and then pump it out to us for free. And you're right, ACU Weather and these other places want to just you know, monopolize it so they can so they can charge you for it. But at the same time they're going to it'll be a much crappier service because they are getting rid of the people who know who know how to do it right.

They're they're nailing it pretty often, and people find it very helpfully. You've got you know, free access all the time to this pretty accurate data, and they take for granted that people some people take for granted that that just comes from the sky, but it has to get filtered through a bunch of scientists who are you know, training their whole lives to figure this stuff out and then and then pump it out to us for free. And you're right, ACU Weather and these other places want to just you know, monopolize it so they can so they can charge you for it. But at the same time they're going to it'll be a much crappier service because they are getting rid of the people who know who know how to do it right.

And this is one of those things where you know, it requires significant scale to be able to do it well and to be able to predict things effectively in you know, every part of what is a large and vast country, et cetera. So yeah, you'll be paying more and you will be getting less. There were I wanted to show two different people one knock.

And this is one of those things where you know, it requires significant scale to be able to do it well and to be able to predict things effectively in you know, every part of what is a large and vast country, et cetera. So yeah, you'll be paying more and you will be getting less. There were I wanted to show two different people one knock.

On effect this could have.

On effect this could have.

The insurance companies are getting freaked out at a lack of access to data, true, which and then if insurance companies are in doubt, they're just going to raise rates like they're you know, they're not your friend, right, Yeah, So now we're shoot ourselves in a couple of feet this way.

The insurance companies are getting freaked out at a lack of access to data, true, which and then if insurance companies are in doubt, they're just going to raise rates like they're you know, they're not your friend, right, Yeah, So now we're shoot ourselves in a couple of feet this way.

So I wanted to show a kind of like traditional weather person and also I think the biggest YouTube weather guy, Ryan hall al Roker wade in and said, going into the severe weather and hurricane season, this cannot be good. Commerce departments laid off hundreds of NOAH employees, many with specialized skills, who work at one of the world's top climate science and weather forecasting agencies. Why it matters National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, responsible for providing weather watches and warnings, monitoring studying earth climate, as well as operating weather satellites and protecting marine life. The layoffs of probotionary employees that began Thursday hit soon after cuts at the behest of Elon Musk's DOGE occurred at other climate and environment agencies. The big picture, Noah's missions require staff to work around the clock to monitor dan dangerous weather, earthquakes that could cause tsunamis and other hazards. He goes on to note that just in the past several weeks, they've been essential. I mean, one of the stories that I've been covering is the that you know, there were these horrific floods in Appalachia, across parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, historic levels of devastation.

So I wanted to show a kind of like traditional weather person and also I think the biggest YouTube weather guy, Ryan hall al Roker wade in and said, going into the severe weather and hurricane season, this cannot be good. Commerce departments laid off hundreds of NOAH employees, many with specialized skills, who work at one of the world's top climate science and weather forecasting agencies. Why it matters National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, responsible for providing weather watches and warnings, monitoring studying earth climate, as well as operating weather satellites and protecting marine life. The layoffs of probotionary employees that began Thursday hit soon after cuts at the behest of Elon Musk's DOGE occurred at other climate and environment agencies. The big picture, Noah's missions require staff to work around the clock to monitor dan dangerous weather, earthquakes that could cause tsunamis and other hazards. He goes on to note that just in the past several weeks, they've been essential. I mean, one of the stories that I've been covering is the that you know, there were these horrific floods in Appalachia, across parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, historic levels of devastation.

First of all, it.

First of all, it.

Took Trump almost two weeks to declare state of emergency in West Virginia, which is just completely unforgivable. And you know, if it had been Biden on the other side, it would have been a total freak count from the Rye Hocket, you abandon these people, et cetera, et cetera. But you know, it really is a sort of coordinated attack not only on Noah but also on FEMA. Trump is that he wants to dismantle and send it to the states. It was stated like West Virginia's a poor, small state, is not going to have the ability to respond on their own. But in any case, al Roker pointing out there that the regularity of these events, now you say it's you know, what was once a once in a hundred year flood seems to be happening, you know, once every five year, once every decade, with increasing regularity, all because of the you know, escalating climate crisis.

Took Trump almost two weeks to declare state of emergency in West Virginia, which is just completely unforgivable. And you know, if it had been Biden on the other side, it would have been a total freak count from the Rye Hocket, you abandon these people, et cetera, et cetera. But you know, it really is a sort of coordinated attack not only on Noah but also on FEMA. Trump is that he wants to dismantle and send it to the states. It was stated like West Virginia's a poor, small state, is not going to have the ability to respond on their own. But in any case, al Roker pointing out there that the regularity of these events, now you say it's you know, what was once a once in a hundred year flood seems to be happening, you know, once every five year, once every decade, with increasing regularity, all because of the you know, escalating climate crisis.

Right, Federal emergency management is one of the most obvious things you would want federalized. Yeah, if if a small, if a small poor state like West Virginia could do it on its own, they would.

Right, Federal emergency management is one of the most obvious things you would want federalized. Yeah, if if a small, if a small poor state like West Virginia could do it on its own, they would.

Right they can.

Right they can.

Yeah, that's exactly right. That's exactly right. And you know, and actually it will be not that it matters whether it's Trump voters or Democratic voters or whatever, but it will be more red states that are harder hit because states like California and New York, you know, they still need federal garment help, but they will be more able to respond. They have more resources than a state like you know, West Virginia, or you know, Mississippi and Alabama, a so on. Louisiana often hard hit by hurricanes as well.

Yeah, that's exactly right. That's exactly right. And you know, and actually it will be not that it matters whether it's Trump voters or Democratic voters or whatever, but it will be more red states that are harder hit because states like California and New York, you know, they still need federal garment help, but they will be more able to respond. They have more resources than a state like you know, West Virginia, or you know, Mississippi and Alabama, a so on. Louisiana often hard hit by hurricanes as well.

Kansaw, Oklahoma.

Kansaw, Oklahoma.

They all get whacked with Yeah, that's exactly right, tornadoes. So you know, this is this is one that is important for literally everyone in the country. This is the YouTuber I was mentioning Ryan Hall. He says, this is Devid's stating news. Today's reported layoffs at the NWS will impact our ability to keep American safe from extreme weather. These forecasters are essentil frontline workers who save lives during hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Cutting these meteorologists isn't just short sighted, it is dangerous. And I think that's you know that almost goes without saying, or it should go without saying.

They all get whacked with Yeah, that's exactly right, tornadoes. So you know, this is this is one that is important for literally everyone in the country. This is the YouTuber I was mentioning Ryan Hall. He says, this is Devid's stating news. Today's reported layoffs at the NWS will impact our ability to keep American safe from extreme weather. These forecasters are essentil frontline workers who save lives during hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Cutting these meteorologists isn't just short sighted, it is dangerous. And I think that's you know that almost goes without saying, or it should go without saying.

It's it's it's very similar to cutting a bowl of funding, like and they cut it.

It's it's it's very similar to cutting a bowl of funding, like and they cut it.

You know that the Ebola outbreak.

You know that the Ebola outbreak.

Was I think was declared January twenty eighth or something, and to be pausing at Bola prevention funding at that moment is absurd. And you know he claimed, oh we kicked it back up very quickly. That appears, like you said, not to be true. But even if you wait, you lost three days, and only three days. I people understand how infectious a bowla is, like you have, like it's you save so much money and so many lives by getting it right away. It costs so much more to be slow and let it spread and then try to come in and contain it.

Was I think was declared January twenty eighth or something, and to be pausing at Bola prevention funding at that moment is absurd. And you know he claimed, oh we kicked it back up very quickly. That appears, like you said, not to be true. But even if you wait, you lost three days, and only three days. I people understand how infectious a bowla is, like you have, like it's you save so much money and so many lives by getting it right away. It costs so much more to be slow and let it spread and then try to come in and contain it.

Yeah, and you know, with any one of these things, it's like, well, maybe it'll be okay, you know, maybe they'll get the funding turned back on, or the local health authorities will do an effective job of stopping the spread.

Yeah, and you know, with any one of these things, it's like, well, maybe it'll be okay, you know, maybe they'll get the funding turned back on, or the local health authorities will do an effective job of stopping the spread.

Maybe it'll be fine.

Maybe it'll be fine.

Maybe the cuts that they air with the air traffic controller at the FAA, maybe it'll work out, you know.

Maybe the cuts that they air with the air traffic controller at the FAA, maybe it'll work out, you know.

And maybe yesterday they missed each other.

And maybe yesterday they missed each other.

Yeah, it worked out, you know, no harm, no foul. Right, it's all good. I don't know what you libs are panicking about. You know, maybe the Social Security Administration will be able to cut all the checks on time and with accuracy with half the staff.

Yeah, it worked out, you know, no harm, no foul. Right, it's all good. I don't know what you libs are panicking about. You know, maybe the Social Security Administration will be able to cut all the checks on time and with accuracy with half the staff.

But and nobody's nobody's case will get denied because they didn't have access to an office.

But and nobody's nobody's case will get denied because they didn't have access to an office.

But sure, right, yeah, or you know, maybe just not that many so we don't really care all that much or hear about them. Probably yeah, And maybe you know, they'll do good enough job of predicting hurricanes and tornadoes and whatever that it doesn't cause an immediate catastrophic loss of life. But that's a lot of ifs, and you're spreading them across the entire government, you know, food safety, like all of these things. Hey, Emily, Hi, Hi, everyone, just in time. Actually one more story and then we're getting to Epstein and tape. So you're right on schedule. But you know, when you're talking about all of these risks and cuts comparted across the federal government, I think David Day made this point, like you are taking responsibility for every catastrophe.

But sure, right, yeah, or you know, maybe just not that many so we don't really care all that much or hear about them. Probably yeah, And maybe you know, they'll do good enough job of predicting hurricanes and tornadoes and whatever that it doesn't cause an immediate catastrophic loss of life. But that's a lot of ifs, and you're spreading them across the entire government, you know, food safety, like all of these things. Hey, Emily, Hi, Hi, everyone, just in time. Actually one more story and then we're getting to Epstein and tape. So you're right on schedule. But you know, when you're talking about all of these risks and cuts comparted across the federal government, I think David Day made this point, like you are taking responsibility for every catastrophe.

That's kind of unfold stupid.

That's kind of unfold stupid.

And even in the best of circumstances, there are going to be catastrophes, even when things are running at full tilt and it's most efficient, and you know, God forbid, we have another pandemic. They had to quickly scramble to rehire the people who were monitoring the bird flu spread. You know, they had to quickly rehire the dude was like watching over nuclear safety. How many other stories like there like that are there across government that we don't even know about.

And even in the best of circumstances, there are going to be catastrophes, even when things are running at full tilt and it's most efficient, and you know, God forbid, we have another pandemic. They had to quickly scramble to rehire the people who were monitoring the bird flu spread. You know, they had to quickly rehire the dude was like watching over nuclear safety. How many other stories like there like that are there across government that we don't even know about.

The attack on and Emily and I've talked about this. The attack on the FAA and air traffic controllers is the one that is probably just politically the stupidest, because you then own every plane crash after that, even if you had nothing to do with it. I was talking to an air traffic controller yesterday who said that while so far air traffic controllers themselves have not been affected, like have not been fired, even the ones that are probationary. He said he's lost most of his support staff and contracts, like contractors that were assisting them. So before they'd have people helping with their scheduling, helping order equipment that you need to make sure that all of your stuff continues to work, and all the other kind of technical support that goes on in the background. So they got rid of all of them, and so now it's just the air traffic controllers. And so Elon Musk is like, well, hey, look, we didn't fire the air traffic controllers, so it's not our fault if there's a plane crash. But now you have the air traffic controllers trying to fix the equipment and ordering the parts for the equipment and scheduling their own travel and like doing all the things that they used to have help doing. So while they're doing that, what are they not doing?

The attack on and Emily and I've talked about this. The attack on the FAA and air traffic controllers is the one that is probably just politically the stupidest, because you then own every plane crash after that, even if you had nothing to do with it. I was talking to an air traffic controller yesterday who said that while so far air traffic controllers themselves have not been affected, like have not been fired, even the ones that are probationary. He said he's lost most of his support staff and contracts, like contractors that were assisting them. So before they'd have people helping with their scheduling, helping order equipment that you need to make sure that all of your stuff continues to work, and all the other kind of technical support that goes on in the background. So they got rid of all of them, and so now it's just the air traffic controllers. And so Elon Musk is like, well, hey, look, we didn't fire the air traffic controllers, so it's not our fault if there's a plane crash. But now you have the air traffic controllers trying to fix the equipment and ordering the parts for the equipment and scheduling their own travel and like doing all the things that they used to have help doing. So while they're doing that, what are they not doing?

Yeah?

Yeah?

Well, I mean you could think about it in the context of this show, like, you know, if.

Well, I mean you could think about it in the context of this show, like, you know, if.

All the support staff of this show was fired, the show would still what we didn't.

All the support staff of this show was fired, the show would still what we didn't.

Fire, Crystal, What are you complaining about?

Fire, Crystal, What are you complaining about?

Right?

Right?

It would not be a good show. It would not go off, Well, it wouldn't go out on time. I don't even know how to post the show every day.

It would not be a good show. It would not go off, Well, it wouldn't go out on time. I don't even know how to post the show every day.

It would be right in our basements.

It would be right in our basements.

It would be TikTok. You guys would just move the show to TikTok.

It would be TikTok. You guys would just move the show to TikTok.

It's true, that's true.

It's true, that's true.

What are you complaining about? Yeah, you still get still get it?

What are you complaining about? Yeah, you still get still get it?

So okay, this is actually a good transition to this story that I've been following closely and actually that I posted a TikTok about. Thank you Emily for that ability to and I'm over ten thousand followers now, just big milestones. I can apply for the TikTok Creators Fund. Very exciting stuff. Cute helping me with that. But in any case, it sure looks like Elon Musk is just like stealing this two point four billion dollar contract that had been previously awarded to Verizon over at the FAA for so he's you know, his operatives there are taking it for Starlink. And the way all of this went down is, you know, you had that horrific crash. Elon had been putting pressure on the fa administrator even before Trump was inaugurated. They've been going forward with these cuts at the FAA. They sent over some SpaceX engineers to look around and see what's going on, see if they can make it safer, et cetera. And those people just came in effectively and were like, oh, this two point four billion dollar contract we're going to give to Verizon, We're not doing that anymore.

So okay, this is actually a good transition to this story that I've been following closely and actually that I posted a TikTok about. Thank you Emily for that ability to and I'm over ten thousand followers now, just big milestones. I can apply for the TikTok Creators Fund. Very exciting stuff. Cute helping me with that. But in any case, it sure looks like Elon Musk is just like stealing this two point four billion dollar contract that had been previously awarded to Verizon over at the FAA for so he's you know, his operatives there are taking it for Starlink. And the way all of this went down is, you know, you had that horrific crash. Elon had been putting pressure on the fa administrator even before Trump was inaugurated. They've been going forward with these cuts at the FAA. They sent over some SpaceX engineers to look around and see what's going on, see if they can make it safer, et cetera. And those people just came in effectively and were like, oh, this two point four billion dollar contract we're going to give to Verizon, We're not doing that anymore.

Now we're giving it to Starlink again.

Now we're giving it to Starlink again.

You know, this is illegal because there's a whole contract process that has to play out. You have to have competitive bids, which I think is something that everyone would kind of intuitively understand that you don't want to just give out contracts to whoever is favored status obviously the FAAAA. You want to make sure things are done in like the best possible way. I have no idea if Verizon is, you know, doing a fantastic job and doing an amazing job or whatever. But the fact of the richest man on the planet sending his operatives in there and just like taking this contract for himself one more very brazen instance of the complete self dealing and corruption and conflicts of interest just inherent in all of this. Not to mention, you know, the FA was also investigating SpaceX for a launch that went wrong where the rocket came apart. A dozen commercial flights had to be diverted and so this was a big deal. Something tells me that investigation is not going to be going forward in the same way, and there was some reportings suggests that you know that investigation of spaces and others and other investigations of Tesla were part of the motivating factor for Elon must to get as involved in Trump's campaign and in Doge as he ultimately has.

You know, this is illegal because there's a whole contract process that has to play out. You have to have competitive bids, which I think is something that everyone would kind of intuitively understand that you don't want to just give out contracts to whoever is favored status obviously the FAAAA. You want to make sure things are done in like the best possible way. I have no idea if Verizon is, you know, doing a fantastic job and doing an amazing job or whatever. But the fact of the richest man on the planet sending his operatives in there and just like taking this contract for himself one more very brazen instance of the complete self dealing and corruption and conflicts of interest just inherent in all of this. Not to mention, you know, the FA was also investigating SpaceX for a launch that went wrong where the rocket came apart. A dozen commercial flights had to be diverted and so this was a big deal. Something tells me that investigation is not going to be going forward in the same way, and there was some reportings suggests that you know that investigation of spaces and others and other investigations of Tesla were part of the motivating factor for Elon must to get as involved in Trump's campaign and in Doge as he ultimately has.

Well, can I just say, I was just gonna say quickly, Ryan, like, we don't know.

Well, can I just say, I was just gonna say quickly, Ryan, like, we don't know.

This is one of the things that really bothers me, And honestly it should bother Elon. Obviously it doesn't, but it should because you'll never know. Like I actually think some of his bids probably are extremely competitive, some of his products are extremely compelling, some of what he does is extremely compelling. But this actually is like the kind of thing that we're never gonna know sometimes, like this one. The reporting has been really good on it, but there are going to be contracts awarded that we don't know probably until like five years down the road, that there was wheeling and dealing behind the scenes. And like, it makes you less competitive when you just know you're going to get the bid, It makes your products suck more when you know that you can just rely on getting the government contract because you're the one giving the government contracts. It's actually not good for anybody. Like it's self dealing of course, and like that's corrupt and gross. But in this case, there's probably a good case to be made that he really did have a more competitive, better bid, But it doesn't that trajectory historically doesn't continue because when it gets less competitive, if your product gets less good.

This is one of the things that really bothers me, And honestly it should bother Elon. Obviously it doesn't, but it should because you'll never know. Like I actually think some of his bids probably are extremely competitive, some of his products are extremely compelling, some of what he does is extremely compelling. But this actually is like the kind of thing that we're never gonna know sometimes, like this one. The reporting has been really good on it, but there are going to be contracts awarded that we don't know probably until like five years down the road, that there was wheeling and dealing behind the scenes. And like, it makes you less competitive when you just know you're going to get the bid, It makes your products suck more when you know that you can just rely on getting the government contract because you're the one giving the government contracts. It's actually not good for anybody. Like it's self dealing of course, and like that's corrupt and gross. But in this case, there's probably a good case to be made that he really did have a more competitive, better bid, But it doesn't that trajectory historically doesn't continue because when it gets less competitive, if your product gets less good.

Yeah, because there was no competitive there was no bid, there was just him taking the contract.

Yeah, because there was no competitive there was no bid, there was just him taking the contract.

And the officials at.

And the officials at.

The FAA actually have refused to sign off on it under pressure. I don't know if they have yet or not, so they're having to like elevate it to the Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, but they you know, this was this contract was years in the making with Verizon. Apparently next month was when they were supposed to sign off on the final thing, and Elon tweeted something negative about this Verizon situation. Then lo and behold his doge guys are just like, yep, we're going to.