Making Progress, eh?!?

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "Making Progress, eh?!?"

Date: August 10, 2026
Host: Joe Getty (w/ Jack Armstrong)
Guest: Gary Dietrich (CBS/iHeart political analyst)
Length Covered: Main segments only (addresses, intros, ads, and outros omitted)

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Episode Overview

This episode revolves around the current American political landscape as it heads into a pivotal midterm election. Joe Getty and guest analyst Gary Dietrich unpack shifting dynamics in both the Republican and Democratic parties, discussing the influence of Trumpism in GOP primaries, turmoil within mainstream Democrats amid rising Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) energy, and the changing strategies behind DNC primary scheduling. The episode concludes with segments on data privacy and scams, as well as a deep dive into financial problems plaguing the LA Unified School District.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of the Republican Party & Trump’s Enduring Influence

[03:43 – 06:59]

• Discussion: Joe notes a Washington Post article on the race to succeed Lindsey Graham, highlighting that the only apparent issue discussed was “who’s most Trumpy.”
  • Joe Getty: “It was as if there are no other issues. It was like there was no character. The only thing was how Trumpy is this person.” [03:43]
• Gary’s insight: The current midterms signal whether the GOP begins moving toward a “post-Trump era.” Despite Trump not being on the ballot, his influence lingers—especially in the primaries.
  • Gary Dietrich: “Many Republicans in the primaries want Trump to be their buddy... but as we move toward absolutely critical midterm elections, many candidates face a conundrum—being ‘Trump enough’ is both a plus and minus, especially in swing states.” [04:21]
• Tightrope Act: Joe wonders if more Republicans will start expressing nuanced support—backing some Trump initiatives while distancing from Trump personally.
  • Joe Getty: “At some point, you do you and let the chips fall… if you’re constantly reactive... no, don’t be that.” [06:18]

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2. Democratic Party: Internal Tension and the Rise of the Far Left

[06:59 – 10:54]

• Joe and Gary discuss “the mainstream of the Democratic Party freaking out about the ascendance of the far, far left, the DSA and all that.”
  • Gary Dietrich: “You’ve got loud voices like James Carville saying, ‘look, I’m about ready to leave or they need to get out of our party.’” [06:59]
• Rapid Change: The shift toward DSA-affiliated candidates has happened “in like six to nine months”—with high-profile races in blue swing states (e.g., Michigan and Wisconsin) featuring Democratic Socialists, not just outlier progressives.
  • Gary Dietrich: “This is becoming for Democrats a massive headache, where they wanted to make this solely about Trump… they are on defense.” [07:28]
• Fad or Movement?: Joe references a columnist claiming socialism is a passing trend, but disagrees, arguing the educational system and party history make it a potentially permanent force:
  • Joe Getty: “I could easily see the Democratic establishment thinking, ‘oh, we’ll take them in, get their energy, and co-opt them’… but we’ve seen that sort of thing blow up through history.” [08:29]
  • Gary Dietrich: “Younger voters, who, by the way, were highly activated… this isn’t the first time around for this kind of a deal. Remember how close Bernie Sanders came to overthrowing the Democratic establishment?” [09:50]

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3. The DNC’s Primary State Scheduling Shake-Up

[10:54 – 13:25]

• Joe raises rumors of big changes to the DNC’s primary order; Gary confirms: South Carolina will go first, then Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia.
  • Gary Dietrich: “Putting South Carolina first really enhances... the black vote... most people say this is a serious benefit to Kamala Harris should she run.” [11:18]
• The order is seen as potentially favoring certain candidates (esp. Kamala Harris, Wes Moore, Cory Booker), but it’s unclear whether it benefits progressives or the old guard.
  • Gary Dietrich: “Is this basically to rig the structure for the newly progressive energized wing, or is it to shore up the old guard? There’s no clear analysis on that right now.” [12:10]
• Joe notes that traditional union blocks may be less predictable this cycle—the SEIU in California is called “just communists... as far left as you can get.”
  • Gary Dietrich: “You’re going to see a lot of intra-union battles... it’s not going to be monolithic.” [14:14]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Trump’s Influence:
  “As we move toward absolutely critical midterm elections, many candidates face a conundrum—being ‘Trump enough’ is both a plus and minus, especially in swing states.” (Gary Dietrich, 04:21)
• On Internal Democratic Conflict:
  “You’ve got loud voices like James Carville saying, ‘look, I’m about ready to leave, or they need to get out of our party.’” (Gary Dietrich, 06:59)
• On the Perils of Political Fads:
  “I could easily see the Democratic establishment thinking, ‘oh, we’ll take them in, get their energy, and co-opt them’… but we’ve seen that sort of thing blow up through history.” (Joe Getty, 08:29)
• On DNC Primary Changes:
  “Most people are saying this is a serious benefit to Kamala Harris should she run. And by the way, all indications are right now that’s more likely than not.” (Gary Dietrich, 12:15)

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Quickfire Segment: Tech & Privacy (Meta Smart Glasses)

[19:20 – 23:22]

• Issue: Meta smart glasses (“pervert glasses”) allow users to record video/audio covertly; backlash grows as businesses ban them.
  • Joe Getty: “There are people wearing these glasses which look like regular glasses, and they can videotape or audiotape people... what they're trying to do is provoke a reaction and post it online.” [19:20]
  • Katie Green: Adds color on business pushback and personal anecdotes about their surreptitious nature. [20:44]

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Feature: The LA School District Disaster

[39:55 – 45:20]

• Main Point: Massive fiscal mismanagement and unsustainable union contracts threaten to bankrupt LA Unified.
  • Joe Getty: “Public school systems... are a union scam to get money masquerading as an education system. Their purpose has been perverted.” [40:15]
• Details:
  • COVID relief hid serious deficits; now, as that money runs out, layoffs and insolvency loom.
  • Union-negotiated raises (12%-24% over three years) far outrun revenues, despite warnings.
  • Pension and health costs, declining enrollment, and union influence compound the crisis.
  • Joe Getty: “The LA district sought to raid its retiree health benefit funds. That’s like tapping your 401k for a holiday you can’t afford.” [43:50]

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Scams & Data Privacy

[45:20 – 50:19]

• Jury Duty Scam: Con artists (sometimes using AI voices) trick victims into paying fake fines, causing billions in losses nationally.
  • Joe Getty: “You think you're pretty smart... but boy, the scammers are getting good.” [45:20]
  • Takeaway: “Authorities will never call to threaten arrest or demand money over missed jury duty, ever.” [47:54]
  • Panic scams exploit human stress responses, making even smart people vulnerable.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |----------------------------------------|-----------------| | GOP & Trump Influence | 03:43 – 06:59 | | Dems & DSA Surge | 06:59 – 10:54 | | DNC Primary Structure Changes | 10:54 – 13:25 | | Meta Glasses / Privacy Issues | 19:20 – 23:22 | | LA School District Financial Crisis | 39:55 – 45:20 | | Jury Duty & Other Scams | 45:20 – 50:19 |

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Overall Tone

The episode is marked by wit, skepticism, and a practical—sometimes sardonic—take on political and social issues. Joe Getty combines personal commentary, data, and guest insights. Segments flow quickly, shifting from granular political analysis to topical takes on technology, public institutions, and personal security.

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Final Note

This episode is a treasure trove for anyone seeking a lively but thoughtful recap of current U.S. political tensions, party evolution (in both GOP and Democrats), and the unpredictability of both election dynamics and technology’s impacts on everyday security and privacy. If you’re interested in how American parties are grappling with change—or how a city as big as Los Angeles can blunder its way to bankruptcy—this episode packs insight, warnings, and some gallows humor throughout.

Transcript

[Joe Getty]

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Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty. And now, here's Armstrong and Getty. Hey, thanks for being here. Hope you're well. Hope you had a good, fun, relaxing slash productive weekend. Whatever your goals were, I hope you reach them at least partially. Looking forward to talking to Gary Dietrich, longtime friend of the Armstrong and Getty Show. Gary's a nonpartisan CBS television and iHeartRadio political analyst, and Gary joins us now. Hello, Gary. How are you?

[Gary Dietrich]

Hey, Joe. Good to talk with you. Trust your soldiering on towards another NFL season, my friend.

[Joe Getty]

I am indeed. I am Gary, product of the auspicious Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Pre grade inflation, I should point out.

[Gary Dietrich]

I appreciate that notation.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. Now, now, Gary, granted, I went to a pathetic state university where many of the professors weren't even literate, they couldn't even read, and we squatted in huts on mud floors to study. But back in the day, if I got an A or a couple of them I was fist pumping, I would dance all the way home.

[Gary Dietrich]

It was.

[Joe Getty]

It was hard back in the day, probably that.

[Gary Dietrich]

Yeah, I understand that.

[Joe Getty]

Certified genius, but.

[Gary Dietrich]

Oh, no, no, hardly. I understand that. You know, I got enough Midwest and I think, you know, Joe from Kansas and Ohio roots that I always have to tell. But listen, we snuck in the back door. I don't know how it happened, but I got in.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. Good man. So let's talk about the current scene. I read with interest. I was reading the Washington Post and they were talking about who's going to succeed Lindsey Grah in South Carolina. And what was interesting to me about the article was that the entire thing was who hews most closely to Trump, whose Trump credentials are the best. It was as if there are no other issues. It was like there was no character. There was just. The only thing was how Trumpy is this person. And I know that's becoming a less and less comfortable dynamic in the Republican Party. What are you saying?

[Gary Dietrich]

Well, I think you're exactly right, Joe. I mean, we are right now. This midterm really will be the tipping point, Joe, to, you know, how do I say this? The movement towards a post Trump era. As he has already said himself, I'm not on the ballot this fall. Well, that's not really true because to your point, many Republicans in the primaries want Trump to be their buddy in this balloting in the primary. But as we move towards a, you know, absolutely critical midterm election here, that could determine a lot about the second half of the final Trump Trump post. I mean, Trump presidency. You know, Democrats are still gonna make this midterm a lot about him. And polling numbers they're pulling up, you know, validate a lot of that. I mean, he's down to like 34% approval. That matched his low of his first term. He's up at about three quarters of voters saying, I'm not happy with things economically, you know, all the data, Joe. So it sort of depends on what state you're in and whether you're in the primary. Or a general, be it the midterm or heading towards 28, about whether or not affiliating with Trump right now is a plus and a minus. And in many of these swing states, though, the conundrum for, for the GOP is it's both.

[Joe Getty]

So I wonder whether we're going to see a lot more Armstrong and Gettysque statements of, hey, a lot of the stuff the President's done is great. I support it 100%, but there's a lot of stuff I don't like too. So I'm, you know, I'm an independent guy. I'm going to be with him when he's right. I'm going to oppose him when he's wrong. You think more like standing on their own two fetish perhaps?

[Gary Dietrich]

Yeah, I think, I think there's going to be a lot more of that, especially in these very, very purple states. As you know, though, that's a tough tightrope to walk. You know, it gets a little nuanced and you have to be careful, as you know, because all of a sudden you could find yourself on the wrong end of a true social post from the White House saying, you know, this person's not Trumpy enough. And I, I withdrawing my endorsement, whatever. You know, it sort of like cuts. Cuts both ways.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. I would just suggest to the Republican candidates out there, the way I just suggested is the only way to go. You just, at some point you do you and let the chips fall. If you're constantly reactive and just trying to take the path of least resistance, it's just. No, no, don't be that. But, you know, nobody's gonna listen to me anyway, so we'll have to see how that evolves. Meanwhile, and this is really, I think, the political headline in America, Gary, the, the mainstream of the Democratic Party has got to be freaking out a little bit about, a little, a lot about the ascendance of the far, far left, the DSA and all that. What are you hearing from folks close to the party?

[Gary Dietrich]

Well, that's 100% true. I mean, you've got, you know, loud voices, like a James Carville saying, look, I'm about ready to leave or they need to get out of our party. See, you've got that element out there. You got John Fetterman saying essentially the same thing, you know, and the challenge for the Democrats, and this is the thing about this one, and why this is so juicy is you, Joe, is that this all happened in like six to nine months. Right. All of a sudden, Mom, Donnie wins well, maybe that was a one off, whatever. But no, all of a sudden, in the, in the bluest, most critical of swing states, Michigan, you haven't guessed, it was only about 1 percentage point. But you have, you know, a DSA affiliated candidate, you have the, you know, Democratic nominee for Wisconsin governor and a formal part of the Democratic social. So, I mean, this is becoming for Democrats a massive headache where they wanted to make this solely about Trump and what they perceive to be his weaknesses on Iran, on the economy, especially right now, they are on defense. And Joe, this is going to be so interesting to watch because Gavin Newsom, for example, California governor, big time aspirant for 28. Where was he this weekend? In Michigan? How close does the, how do we say this mainstream Democrat or somebody especially that wants the White House in 28. How close do they cozy up to this new wing, you could call it, of the party, knowing that as they say, this is where the energy is, et cetera, right now. But could it become a major albatross both in the midterms and especially as we point towards 28?

[Joe Getty]

The Republicans, obviously, Gary, are gonna try to make it the biggest albatross ever seen. And I think it'll work to some extent. I know you, like me, have been studying political movements for a very long time. I came across a piece, his name always escapes me, Brooks. He writes for the Free Press, he's a professor. He talks about happiness and that sort thing. And he was positing in a column that I responded to, but he said that this socialist thing, the dsa, it's just a fad. It's just something the kids are trying on for a while and it'll go away like disco or, you know, neon colors in the 80s or whatever. And I thought and wrote back, I think he's completely wrong, partly because of the way the American educational system has been taken over by the left. In fact, the very, very far left, the critical theory crowd in a lot of ways. And I've seen, I've studied plenty mainstream political parties and movements that have gotten taken over by the very energetic, smallish, but absolutely hell bent, you know, left wing, for instance. And I could easily see the Democratic establishment thinking, oh, we can handle these people. I tell you what, we'll take them in, we'll take the energy, we'll get those votes, then we'll co op them, we'll choke them off and we'll keep control of the party. But we've both seen that sort of thing blow up through history.

[Gary Dietrich]

Yeah, Joe, I think you're exactly right. I mean, I side where you come down on this analysis. And it's not just because younger voters, who, by the way, let's remind ourselves, were highly activated. This isn't the first time around for this kind of a deal. Remember how close Bernie Sanders came to completely overthrowing the Democratic establishment that is related to Hillary Clinton. And most young and disaffected voters say were it not for the dnc, sort of rigging the game in that election, Bernie might have won that nomination. So this has been brewing for a while. Add to that Joe, which you also know, and that is the incredible disaffection with the established, really older part of the party. Okay. And I'm talking about Nancy Pelosi is just upset. But Chuck Schumer, all these octogenarians that younger voters, even without the dsa, will say it is time for, for you to step aside. So this is not going to go away. I don't think this is going to be a real challenge, not for just this cycle, certainly in 28 and maybe beyond.

[Joe Getty]

And they're right. I mean, they've identified the disease just fine. The old guard are hacks. But their cure for the disease, I think is completely wrong. Gary Dietrich on the line. Hey, Gary, speaking of the dnc, I know they're going to announce soon the primary states in what order they're going to happen in. And I hear there could be big changes. What are they up to? What do you think the strategy is?

[Gary Dietrich]

Yeah, this is actually a really big deal. People say, oh, this is a snoozer, you know. No, not at all. Here's the thing. Remember that what saved Joe Biden's bacon last time around when he got the nomination was this state that had never been first in line. And people said, what? South Carolina? Well, it's happening again. And what's gonna happen formally? So people know by the end of this week, the DNC will determine which and where they go. Now, here's the list we have right now. And this is almost certainly reportedly going to be where they end up. South Carolina is going to go again, followed by Nevada a little bit later, and then New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia. Real quick, here's how this breaks down, Joe. Putting South Carolina first really enhances most people believe the black vote recognizes that. Remember that. That is really. Joe Biden lost the first two primaries. Iowa and Hampshire did that. Hold it out. So here's the thing. People are now saying, who does this benefit? Is this basically to rig the party structure for the newly progressive Energized wing or is it to, you know, shore up the old guard? You know what, there's no clear analysis on that right now. But here's what we do know. Putting South Carolina first. And Joe, I know your proclivities when it comes to the former vice president and her aspirations potentially in 28. Most people are saying this is a serious benefit to Kamala Harris should she run. And by the way, all indications are right now that's more likely than not. And maybe others, maybe a Wes Moore, maybe a Cory Booker, you know, not necessarily just black candidates, but there's that. And also people who, let's just say, are not in, well, you might call it more of a mainstream people looking at Kentucky's Andy Beshear, the governor, or Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania. We'll see where this plays out. But certainly it's going to begin to set the Ma Joe, for 28 in a way that is just going to enhance the battle we were just talking about between the so called new progressive DSA types and the establishment.

[Joe Getty]

Right now we've only got about a minute left. Gary and I want to get a little into the weeds, which means we'll have to check ourselves for ticks. But so South Carolina is the black vote, which tends to be fairly, and I'm grossly oversimplifying, but which tends to be fairly mainstream Democrat. And then the idea of Nevada going next is a lot of unions, they tend to be fairly mainstream Democrat. But if I look at some of the unions like the SEIU in California, they're just communists. I mean, they are, they are absolutely as far left as you can get. Is, are the, is everything changing so fast that even the best laid plans of the DNC might not go the way they think they're going to go? They can't fix it like they did with Hillary and Bernie, for instance.

[Gary Dietrich]

I think you're exactly right, Joe. And just to put this real, real succinctly, the union vote is not gonna be monolithic. It isn't even in the SEIU in California. We don't have time to go into the details, but you're gonna see, you're gonna see a lot of intra union battles even remember when a lot of the big unions, Kingsters and others are saying, hey, you know what? We're thinking about getting behind Trump. You're gonna see that battle within the Democratic Party, which unions, not all unions. Which unions go on this side, which put their chips on, on the other side.

[Joe Getty]

Gary Dietrich, CBS television and iHeartRadio political analyst Gary, it's been too long. A great pleasure. Let's do it again soon.

[Gary Dietrich]

Likewise, buddy.

[Joe Getty]

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[Joe Getty]

Man, there's so much great stuff to talk about. Just not enough time. Oh well, want to get to Mark Zuckerberg's big long piece about AI? Oh gosh, it's a little complicated. And a story about LA schools. Good Lord. Is the LA school district falling apart? It's the world's most obvious slow motion train wreck. It's just, oh well, all I Guess we can do is keep fighting for, you know, reasonableness and conservative principles and hope the world smarts up. Speaking of Mark Zuckerberg, AKA Satan the Meta, smart glasses are now increasingly referred to as pervert glasses. The backlash against the glasses is growing online. Katie Green joins us for a bit of reaction. Anyway, I hope, I don't know, have you heard about any of this in the real world yet, Katie? That there are lots of people wearing these glasses which look like a regular pair of glasses and they can videotape or audiotape people for that matter. And I still use tape because I'm old. They can video or audio record people without those people knowing. Now, theoretically there's a little light or something, but it can be, you know, covered or whatever. And what they're trying to do is like they try to pick up a woman or hit him with a line or say something objectionable, then get their reaction and post it online.

[Ashley from Ben and Ashley Podcast]

Right?

[Gary Dietrich]

Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

I haven't heard about this in my

[Gary Dietrich]

day to day life, but I've been reading instances of it and there, there

[Joe Getty]

was a video that went up where a guy tried to do this to a woman and she kind of clued in.

[Gary Dietrich]

She went, wait, are you recording me?

[Joe Getty]

Because you can see. I mean, they're actually there, at least on the ones that I've seen. There is not a light.

[Gary Dietrich]

It's just you can, if you hone in on the outside of the frame,

[Joe Getty]

you can see the actual camera.

[Gary Dietrich]

I can, I can see it happening. I don't know how, how popular that is.

[Joe Getty]

Some businesses are banning them.

[Gary Dietrich]

Yeah, I've seen that. Yeah, I've, I've seen where you know,

[Joe Getty]

the, you can't go in with these things on. And I mean, I'm looking at their website right now.

[Gary Dietrich]

When I purchased mine, which I'll.

[Joe Getty]

We've talked about it before. I use mine to videotape my newborn because I can go hands free.

[Gary Dietrich]

And I've gotten some great footage of

[Joe Getty]

him using these, but they've released at least 20 new styles from when I

[Gary Dietrich]

purchased mine that don't look like they

[Joe Getty]

have cameras in them, but they do. Wow. Wow. Yeah, yeah. Here is a list of a couple businesses that have banned them. I can't wait to talk to Anastasia, Anastasia Bose Odin about this topic. Excuse me. In. I think she's gonna kick off hour four. Yeah, that's right. Cause I'm sure she has some important, you know, liberty constitutional case stuff to talk about. But. And we talked about the case. What was it in New York? I can't even remember the particulars of it. Oh, oh, oh. It was the couple that was smooching on the park bench and some online provocateur videotaped them then released it and it turns out the dude was a high powered lawyer and the woman was his much younger underling at the firm and he's losing out on a job offer and blah blah blah. And in this new era, because the old doctrine is if you're in public, you have no expectations of privacy. But what about somebody who exploits that for profit and deliberately provokes an embarrassing encounter so they can exploit that? All right, where, where are we now? And so I want to talk to Anastasia about that, but you know, I was going to squeeze in discussion of a a new scam going around. The jury duty scam evidently is fooling lots and lots of people. Maybe we'll squeeze that into next half hour. Stay tuned to that and much, much more. If you can't stay tuned, just grab the podcast. You ought to subscribe so it auto downloads. Armstrong and get hang around. We'll be right back.

[Ashley from Ben and Ashley Podcast]

Armstrong and Getty, this is Ashley from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. Ben. I've been reflecting a lot lately on how many big life moments our listeners have experienced with us.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, it's pretty wild.

[Ashley from Ben and Ashley Podcast]

They've watched us go from dating shows to engagements, weddings, babies buying homes. Every stage comes with new decisions.

[Joe Getty]

The milestones are the fun part, but the planning is where things get real.

[Ashley from Ben and Ashley Podcast]

That's why Klarna stands out. Klarna gives people smarter tools to help manage everyday money with flexible ways to pay cash back that builds automatically everything in one place and support that makes everyday decisions feel less overwhelming.

[Joe Getty]

Since life moves so fast, the right tools can help you feel more confident. Download the Klarna app today or visit klarna.com to learn more. California Resident loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance law license and MLS number 1353190 cloud balance account required to be eligible for cashback points. Limitations, terms and conditions apply.

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[Commercial Announcer]

I'd like to introduce you to Meaningful Beauty, the famed skincare brand created by iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford. It's her secret to absolutely gorgeous skin. Meaningful Beauty makes powerful and effective skin care simple and it's loved by millions of women. It's formulated for all ages and all skin tones and types. And it's designed to work as a complete skin care system, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished. I recommend starting with Cindy's full regimen which contains all five of her best selling products including the Amazing Youth Activating Melon Serum. This next generation serum has the power of melon leaf stem cell technology. Its melon leaves stem cells encapsulated for freshness and released onto the skin to support a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. With thousands of glowing five star reviews, why not give it a try? Subscribe today and you can get the Amazing Meaningful Beauty system for just $49.95. That includes our introductory five piece system, free gifts, free shipping and a 60 day money back guarantee. All of that [e-mail] hi, it's Kyle

[Kyle McLaughlin]

McLaughlin, host of what Are We Even Doing? You know, I've always believed the way you start your morning sets the tone for everything that follows. That first cup of coffee isn't just a routine, it's a ritual. That quiet moment before the day really begins. That's why I appreciate Delonghi. For over 50 years, they've combined Italian craftsmanship, thoughtful design and innovation for homes around the world. As the number one espresso machine brand in the world. They bring that same expertise to an espresso experience that feels effortless and makes mornings a little more delicious. The machine looks beautiful in my kitchen, but it's also incredibly simple to use a quick espresso before heading out the door or a cappuccino on a slower morning. It turns an everyday moment into something worth savoring. Dare I say, a damn fine cup of coffee right now you can save 10% off your purchase at DeLonghi.com with code Kyle at checkout. After all, if it's not Italian, is it even espresso? To learn more, visit DeLonghi.com

[Joe Getty]

Iran Defiant. The President is looking for a way out. I'm involved in the negotiation. I think we're doing fine. But the Iranians say they will never reopen the Strait of Hormuz unless the US Corrects its behavior. Wait a minute, wait a minute. It was end of last week, wasn't it, that the president told reporters he was prepared to launch the biggest military military attack since World War II, but was then talked down by US allies because the deal was imminent. And on Friday, the president on social media suggested victory was already in hand, linked to an article declaring Donald Trump won the Iran war. Vice President Vance told Fox News that the US Would continue to pressure Iran to make long term changes, but essentially the straight thing is settled. That was on Friday, I guess. Well, here's a little more information on the latest twist. Next clip. MICHAEL Iranian leaders are again demanding more concessions from the U.S. including the lifting of the naval blockade, removing sanctions, releasing frozen assets and providing compensation for the war before reopening the strait. Now it's increasingly clear Iran believes it has the upper hand, betting the White House wants to end this confrontation more than it does. Okay, so the new deal, since the president said the strait will be opened, is Iran says you need to permanently end the war, lift the naval blockade, withdraw all your forces, end all your sanctions, free all of our frozen assets, pay US War reparations, end all threats and insults going forward and stop military action against any of Iran's militia allies around the region, from the Shia militias in the godforsaken parts of Iraq to Hezbollah to the Houthis. Gotta call off the dogs on all those people and then we'll open the strait. That's the new deal. And I use that term advisedly. That is Iran's attitude at this point. We're not coming to you hat in hand asking you for terms. You're coming to us Trump. And here's what it's going to take. Trump. They are defiant. Next clip.

[Gary Dietrich]

Iran well aware of the power of

[Joe Getty]

their stranglehold over the strait as energy prices remain high. They are also likely well aware of

[Commercial Announcer]

reports that this war is taking a

[Gary Dietrich]

real toll on US Munitions.

[Commercial Announcer]

Now Iran says they are exchanging messages

[HeroBread Advertiser]

with the US through intermediaries while President

[Commercial Announcer]

Trump told Axios they are, quote, only

[Gary Dietrich]

semi negotiating with them.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Trump saying we are low keying it,

[Joe Getty]

semi negotiating with them. Let's skip to General Jack Keane. 67. Here's what he thinks is going on. You gotta understand where this regime is really coming from. The people who are running it, they have an ideology that they're holding to. They absolutely believe right now that they have the upper hand. I notice people that don't want to admit that, but that's where the Iranians are. I'm not saying that's where they are. I don't believe it myself, but it's irrelevant. They believe it. They believe the strengths of a moose is a strategic asset, and they are not going to bargain that away. Yeah, as I've said before, they were intent on getting a nuke and still are, of course, but they were intent on getting it. So that was their veto against any attacker, invasion or anything like that. That was their deterrence. And now they've realized, oh, the Straits are Hormuz and that other one over, over yonder, out to the West, El Shababa Ria or whatever they call it, as long as the Houthis are cooperating, they can shut that one down too. And they're thinking, oh, hell, we were working on his bomb all the time, all this time, and we got the Straits, we could close. This is great. This is our veto. And one more aspect of this from General King as we get closer to the midterms. They want to create a volatile situation that demonstrates that the administration is not managing the war properly so that that will impact them in the midterm elections. The Iranians have always, multiple administrations, been tuned in to what is happening in America, where is our political resolve? They focus a lot on our people to understand where the American will truly is. And I've never known exactly what to do about that as a country other than maybe just being aware of it. All your evil regimes that we talk about all the time, primarily you, China and Russia and Iran, they have access to our media, so we have open, free media. They have access to Gallup polls. I mean, they have entire universities full of folks who the government uses to study the American political system and where we are right now and what levers to push or pull, depending on how the levers, I mean, greatest example, I mean, most clear example. You remember back when we all became aware of the fact that Russia and China have all these bot accounts on all the social media and. Or it's their intelligence services that have these accounts and they would say, hey, like a lot of black people are mad. They've. They've fallen for this critical theory stuff, George, Floyd, etc. So let's get in there and let's really, really push white people are evil simultaneously. Let's really, really push that. That movement is out of hand and white people are good. Let's just get them at each other's throats. So they're intimately acquainted with the American political system and media and the rest of it. So, yeah, they're trying to. Trying to exploit the hell out of it best they can. And they're right in this case, whether it's gas prices or just tiring of the war or certainly any loss of life, the American people have a very low tolerance for it. And the IRGC knows that, though they're getting squeezed pretty severely, I think, economically. The, the administration's getting really squeezed politically. And it's. It's definitely a game of chicken. Who can hold out the longest? One more note on this. Let's go to Vice President J.D. vance, clip number 66, describing where he perceives we are. We're really in the middle of the game here. This thing is not over. I feel quite confident we will get there, but we're still a bit in the middle of the game. They're hurting in a big way. They want this thing to be over. The question is whether they're able, their system is able to give the things that are necessary for us to be happy, for us to feel like we've gotten what we need out of this particular engagement. That is still to be determined. But I do think that we've made some progress over the last few days. I don't think anybody believes you, J.D. you might be telling the truth. That might be true, but we have no way of knowing it's true. You've said we're close to a deal and the President has over and over and over again. And whether the IRGC is undermining the negotiators or just everybody's screwing with you, I don't know. But. But we've made progress. Yeah, maybe you have, maybe you haven't. Was it a miscalculation? Was it a bluff being called? Either way, we're in. We're in a bit of a world of hurt right now. I mean, not bad hurt as a country, but definitely painted ourselves into a corner. Not quite sure what to do. So I want to talk about the LA school system and the miserable state of affairs there in a moment or two. Also, I want to squeeze in the jury duty scam because I sure as heck don't want you to fall for it. It. I'm telling you. You think you're pretty smart. You think you're pretty sophisticated. Yeah, me too. But boy, the scammers are getting good. That's coming up. Stay with us. Armstrong and Getty,

[Ashley from Ben and Ashley Podcast]

This is Ashley from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. Ben. I've been reflecting a lot lately on how many big life moments our listeners have experienced with us.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, it's pretty wild.

[Ashley from Ben and Ashley Podcast]

They've watched us go from dating shows to engagements, weddings, babies, buying homes. Every stage comes with new decisions.

[Joe Getty]

The milestones are the fun part, but the planning is where things get real.

[Ashley from Ben and Ashley Podcast]

That's why Klarna stands out. Klarna gives people smarter tools to help manage everyday money with flexible ways to pay cash back that builds automatically everything in one place and support that makes everyday decisions feel less overwhelming.

[Joe Getty]

Since life moves so fast, the right tools can help you feel more confident. Download the Klarna app today or visit klarna.com to learn more. California Resident Loans made her arrange pursuant to a California Finance law license and MLS number 1353190. Klarna balance account required to be eligible for cashback points. Limitations, terms and conditions apply.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Bite into a stacked sandwich made with herobred or a fully loaded bagel and the only thing you'll think is delicious. You won't think it's up to 19 grams of protein, but it is. You wouldn't believe it has 11 to

[Commercial Announcer]

32 grams of fiber, but it does.

[HeroBread Advertiser]

Herobread makes loaves, buns, tortillas, bagels and noodles packed with taste but without all the net carbs, we're talking 0 to 5 grams net carbs per serving. With Herobread there are no compromises, just flavor. There's none of the stiff baked goods you'd expect from better for you brands. There's just the soft, fluffy bread you crave, plus small batch drops of indulgent favorites like the popular 2 gram net carb Hero croissant and 3 gram net carb Hero pain au chocolat. And right now, Herobread is offering 10% off your order. Go to Hero Co and use code IHEART at checkout. That's code IHEART at 8. Hero Co all figures per serving of Hero Bread. See nutrition facts on Hero Co. Now

[Commercial Announcer]

I'd like to introduce you to Meaningful Beauty, the famed skincare brand created by iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford. It's her secret to absolutely gorgeous skin. Meaningful Beauty makes powerful and effective skin care simple and it's loved by millions of women. It's formulated for all ages and all skin tones and types and it's designed to work as a complete skincare center system, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished. I recommend starting with Cindy's full regimen which contains all five of her best selling products including the Amazing Youth Activating Melon Serum. This next generation serum has the power of melon leaf stem cell technology. Its melon leaf stem cells encapsulated for freshness and released onto the skin to support a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. With thousands of glowing five star reviews, why not give it a try? Subscribe today and you can get the Amazing Meaningful Beauty system for just $49.95. That includes our introductory five piece system, free gifts, free shipping and a 60 day money back guarantee. All that available@meaningful beauty.com hi, it's Kyle

[Kyle McLaughlin]

MacLachlan, host of what Are We Even Doing? You know, I've always believed the way you start your morning sets the tone for everything that follows. That first cup of coffee isn't just a routine, it's a ritual. That quiet moment before the day really begins. That's why I appreciate DE'. Longhi. For over 50 years, they've combined Italian craftsmanship, thoughtful design and innovation for homes around the world. As the number one espresso machine brand in the world. They bring that same expertise to an espresso experience that feels effortless and makes mornings a little more delicious. The machine looks beautiful in my kitchen, but it's also incredibly simple to use a quick espresso before heading out the door or a cappuccino on a slower morning. It turns an everyday moment into something worth savoring, dare I say, a damn fine cup of coffee. Right now you can save 10% off your purchase at DeLonghi.com with code Kyle at checkout. After all, if it's not Italian, is it even espresso? To learn more, visit delonghi.com

[Gary Dietrich]

According to

[Joe Getty]

insiders, New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdami is thin skinned and hypersensitive to public criticism. Now, normally I'd make a joke about him, but I don't want him to

[Gary Dietrich]

fly a plane into my building. Oh my God.

[Kyle McLaughlin]

Thank you.

[Joe Getty]

Wow, that's an edgy joke there. Greg Gutfeld, if you need him. Looking forward to chatting with Anastasia Bowden from the Pacific Legal foundation next hour. Man. We have some great topics to discuss, including President Trump's recent new attempt at an executive order ending birthright or birth tourism. Exactly the right person to talk to, so we'll do that. Public school systems Government school systems in America are to a greater or lesser extent depending on which one you're talking about a union scam to get money masquerading as an education system. Them I think their purpose has been perverted. They're now a money spigot for unions. And looking at some thinking by Alicia Finley here in the Wall Street Journal. She's written a great piece talking about that public schools across America are in the unions that control them are learning about Margaret Thatcher's famous quote but the problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money. Well Covid dollars from Washington just pumped huge amounts of money into public schools and papered over a lot of their structural budget problems for a little while. But now that that incredibly inflation causing ill advised federal money is drying up, the red ink is really starting to show up. According to the Labor Department's monthly jobs report on Friday, local government education shed 50,000 jobs in July. The leading contributor to the nation's 23,000 unemployment decline 23,000 person unemployment decline net and she points out that ground 0 is the LA Unified School District, the country's second largest after New York. The LA County Office of Education is their boss. They oversee the school district and last month they warned that the district meets the criteria for a lack of going concern designation. That's some absolutely lovely euphemistic wordplay, meaning you're about to go bankrupt. On the current course, the district will not be able to pay its bills next year, according to the county's letter. In June, the district ratified agreements with the unions despite repeated warnings by county officials that you can't afford these contracts. The union agreements are Projected to cost $1.13 billion this year, 1.13 and 1.44 next year, money the district knew it didn't have when it agreed to the deal. But here's what you need to know about that sort of vote. You've got union lawyers on both sides of the bargaining table in especially in California. California is like the worst example. Illinois is terrible too, where you go from you're a union lawyer to you get elected to the legislature with union money and then there's no oppositional negotiating. It's the same parties on both sides of the table anyway. The district even warned in February, a few months before agreeing to the labor contract, that it has an $877 million deficit that could require thousands of layoffs. At some point we reached a breaking point, said then the then superintendent, who resigned in late June amid an FBI probe related to district contract. Oh boy, that's a shock. Nonetheless, the district, knowing this, agreed to boost pay for principals and assistant principals by 12% over two years. You gotten a raise like that, friends? Yeah, me neither. They've increased teacher average pay by 14% over two years and raised compensation for non instructional employees such as custodian, campus aides and cafeteria workers by 24% over three years. In addition to sweetening health benefits to pay for this, the district sought to raid its retiree health benefit funds. So that's like tapping your 401k for a holiday you can't afford. You're covering up a structural deficit. It's not like you're investing it. And la, the LA district's problems are a lot like those of other large urban school districts. Unsustainable spending, particularly on administration employee benefits, combined with shrinking enrollment. For every buck that a teacher earns in compensation, the district and state pay 30 cents more toward their pensions. And I've got more percentages and numbers and stuff like that, but you know what? The, the tail is wagging the dog in education now 100%. And there are a hell of a lot of teachers I love and they are some of the most important people in my life and your life and kids lives all over America. I love teachers, despise teachers unions. More to say on that topic, but I want to move along to this. It's a story about this gal happens to be in Florida, but doesn't really matter. And she was driving, driving through the streets, talking to the sheriff's deputy about his three young daughters as she was heading to a grim errand, gathering thousands of dollars in bail to avoid arrest for missing jury duty. This woman's 38 years old.

[Gary Dietrich]

She's.

[Joe Getty]

I think she's a mom. She's a manager in the finance department of a government contractor. And she was convinced by these cop scammers that she'd missed jury duty and had to pay a fine. And they. When she reached the drop off point, she balked. It was a convenience store with abandoned gas pumps and a cryptocurrency machine. Inside, she was told scran scan this QR code and feed the machine $4,000 in cash. While she walked back to her car and began to voice doubts that have been building. Are you sure this is where I'm supposed to post the bail? And the officer's friendly demeanor vanished. His voice rose. He reminded her that he was tracking her location and the deputies were two blocks away ready to bring her in. So she went back INS made The deposit. Is she a soft head? Absolutely, she is a soft head. Are you kidding? You're going to fall for that.

[Gary Dietrich]

But

[Joe Getty]

it's worth knowing how good these people are because their scams and their strategies will adapt. You got a team of at least five scammers playing different roles, each of them with dead perfect Florida accents. In this case, they kept her on the phone for nearly 10 hours and talked her into handling over $25,000 dollars. She said, they had me scared. They knew my Social Security number, they knew how much I had in my bank, bank account. They knew every single thing about me. Again, this gal, I'm sure she's a nice gal. She's a bit of a soft head. Why would your local police department know how much you have in your bank accounts? They don't get to know that. That's not a thing, as the kids say. But there are so many, so many scams, phony ups, texts. I get those all the time. AI generated voices of loved ones in trouble, spoofed emails, tricking city governments. People reported losing three and a half billion dollars to imposter scams last year. That's nearly triple the level in 2020. Three and a half billion dollars. And, friends, that's what people admitted to. And a lot of people lose the money and think, there's no way I'm going to get this money back if I bring it to anybody's attention. And Joe Getty is going to call me a soft head. So I'm just not going to bring it to anybody's attention. So that number I'll bet is it could easily be double that. $3.5 million. Some of the swindles are originating overseas, run by sophisticated criminal syndicates. Some of these, some of these scammers actually have HR departments in performance reviews. They are corporations, but increasingly they come from closer to home. For instance, the Justice Department convicted a couple of Georgia inmates who ran scams on stolen cell phones from behind bars. So, yeah, they sound like locals and they convince you of this, that and the other. So here's the takeaway. And you know, I shouldn't use the term soft head. I have three children. I adore them. One of them is very savvy, very skeptical. One of them is very, very credulous. Is a fairly easy mark for scammers. And so maybe it's a genetic thing, maybe you're born with it, whatever. But authorities are warning you, they will not call you ever to threaten arrest or demand money over missed jury duty, ever. And as hard as it might be to imagine so called panic scams work by triggering your stress responses that shift you into fight or flight, which impairs your rational thought. Some people more than others. According to cyber security experts, the perpetrators leverage claimed authority and apply tremendous pressure. And in a Reddit thread about the jury duty scam, for instance, quite a few people who fell for it described being duped and said stuff like quote I would never thought I would fall for this. Another one said they basically psychologically kidnapped for you and you stopped stop thinking clearly with just what we said before and the second they get off the phone is the second they start thinking on their own, according to this guy who's an expert in these scams. Oh man, you just got to know what these things feel like or sound like when they get started. And no, it sounds plausible, but if it has these earmarks, it's a scam. Okay, great discussion about birth tourism, constitutional rights. Do you can you expect privacy in public getting videotaped Anastasia Boat next? If you don't get it, get the podcast and Gettysburg. This is Tony Ayo from the Real Report with Tony Ayo and Uncle Murder. You ever notice how everything keeps going up? Rent, streaming, even extra Sosa at your favorite burrito spot? But with Boost Mobile, you don't have to play the Willis Go up soon game. Boost Mobile offers an unlimited talk, text and data plan at a price that'll never go up. It's the same price you'll pay for Life Switch now for unlimited wireless at a price that'll never go up. Only at boost mobile, after 30 gigabytes, customers may experience slower speeds. Customers will pay $25 a month as long as they remain active on the Boost Unlimited plan.

[Kyle McLaughlin]

Hi, it's Kyle McLaughlin, host of the what Are We Even Doing Podcast. You know, my favorite part of the morning is that first cup of coffee. A small, quiet ritual that sets the rhythm for my day. That's why I appreciate DE'. Longhi. For over 50 years, they've combined Italian craftsmanship and thoughtful design. And as the number one espresso machine brand in the world, they make it effortless. Just a damn fine cup of coffee in your own kitchen. Right now you can save 10% off your purchase at DeLonghi.com with code Kyle at checkout. After all, if it's not Italian, is it even espresso?

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