A Line Up Every Nose

Summary

Summary of “A Line Up Every Nose” Episode on Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Release Date: April 7, 2025

In the episode titled “A Line Up Every Nose” from the Armstrong & Getty On Demand podcast, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into an array of pressing topics that span collegiate sports regulations, global trade dynamics, labor market challenges, and notable cultural phenomena. The episode is marked by insightful discussions, critical analyses, and a touch of humor, making complex subjects accessible to a broad audience.

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1. NCAA NIL Ruling and Its Impact on College Sports [03:00 - 06:10]

The conversation kicks off with a deep dive into the recent California ruling affecting the NCAA's Name, Image, and Likelihood (NIL) policies. This regulation aims to regulate how college athletes can monetize their personal brands, introducing a cap of approximately $2.8 million per school.

Jack Armstrong [05:32]:
"They're trying to have some sort of control over this. They're trying to take boosters out of it as much."

Michael Angelo [05:38]:
"It's an attempt to try to have some sort of control over this. They're trying to take boosters out of it as much."

Armstrong and Angelo discuss the complexities of the NIL provisions and express concerns over the transfer portal's role in destabilizing team rosters. They critically assess whether the ruling effectively balances athlete compensation with the integrity of college sports.

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2. Tariffs and Trade Policies Under Trump Administration [17:23 - 33:50]

The hosts shift focus to the Trump administration's aggressive trade policies, particularly the threat of imposing an additional 50% tariff on China in response to retaliatory measures.

Michael Angelo [17:47]:
"So we got. We already have. We added 20. Aren't we running out of percentages?"

Jack Armstrong [25:07]:
"Tariffs are a terrible mistake. They don't work. They will lead to higher prices."

They explore the constitutional implications of using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs, highlighting the unprecedented nature of this move and predicting potential legal challenges.

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3. Labor Market Challenges and Unemployment Issues [21:07 - 30:02]

Armstrong and Angelo address the current labor market's struggles, citing a significant gap between job openings and the availability of qualified workers. They attribute this to various factors, including government welfare programs and the disconnect between educational qualifications and job market needs.

Jack Armstrong [28:41]:
"The labor force participation rate among working-age men is now 5% lower than in the early '80s."

The discussion extends to the rise of self-employment in areas like day trading and financial blogging, questioning the sustainability and reliability of these alternative income sources.

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4. Cultural Phenomena: The Minecraft Movie Sensation [36:05 - 43:48]

A standout segment covers the unexpected blockbuster success of the Minecraft movie, which shattered box office records and fostered a unique pre-release engagement through viral catchphrases.

Jack Armstrong [39:10]:
"Everybody in the theater said the line along with the character and then clapped at a movie they've never seen before."

Michael Angelo [40:00]:
"The movie industry is dying… they’re struggling to figure out how to get people in theaters."

The hosts analyze how strategic marketing and social media buzz created a communal viewing experience predicated on shared catchphrases, altering traditional movie-watching dynamics.

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5. Open Borders and Immigration Policy Critique [18:34 - 32:03]

The episode critiques both Democratic and Republican approaches to immigration, arguing that current policies undermine national sovereignty and exacerbate labor shortages.

Jack Armstrong [19:06]:
"Bernie is consistent with Cesar Chavez and other labor leaders… we don't want millions of people flooding in."

Michael Angelo [20:37]:
"We have a system for it if it wants to do its thing."

The hosts discuss the economic and social repercussions of excessive immigration, linking it to wage suppression and the depletion of available labor in critical industries.

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6. Technology and Consumer Impact: Nintendo Switch 2 Delay [10:55 - 11:16]

A brief but insightful discussion on Nintendo's strategic decision to delay the release of the Switch 2 in the U.S. due to ongoing tariff issues.

Jack Armstrong [11:16]:
"Racial quotas in America. Brilliant. That's our universities, folks."

The hosts speculate on the broader implications of such delays on consumer markets and international trade relations.

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7. Economic Policies and Their Broader Effects [27:05 - 32:27]

Armstrong and Angelo explore the multifaceted impact of economic policies, including trade deficits and government welfare programs. They emphasize the resultant deadweight loss to society due to high unemployment and underemployment rates.

Jack Armstrong [27:07]:
"A good worker can be hard to find these days. Blame government, which showers benefits on able-bodied people who don't work."

The segment highlights data from surveys indicating significant job vacancies across various sectors juxtaposed against declining labor force participation.

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8. Final Thoughts: Societal Bonds and Media Influence [40:12 - 45:28]

Concluding the episode, the hosts reflect on how shared media experiences, like the Minecraft movie's catchphrases, foster social bonds and a sense of community. They ponder the evolving nature of media consumption and its implications for societal cohesion.

Jack Armstrong [43:54]:
"They would bond around that we would get so much meaning out of… we feel closer or more a part of something."

Michael Angelo [44:12]:
"It's all so interesting… it was, nobody knew before they could say it and get out."

The episode wraps up with light-hearted banter and reflections on the interconnectedness of modern media, work, and social interactions.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Michael Angelo [04:16]:
  "Which became a thing a couple of years ago. And that's how you end up with a super hottie gymnast chick making gazillions of dollars…"

• Jack Armstrong [18:23]:
  "Yeah, that's not democracy, republic or whatever you want to call it. Too much executive power is too much power…"

• Michael Angelo [32:03]:
  "That's really ridiculous to call that an emergency."

---

Conclusion

The “A Line Up Every Nose” episode offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of contemporary issues affecting sports, economics, labor markets, and culture. Through informed discussions and critical analyses, Armstrong and Getty provide listeners with valuable insights into the complexities of today's societal dynamics, making the episode a must-listen for those seeking to understand the interplay between policy decisions and everyday life.

Transcript

[Christina Quinn]

Okay, Real talk, we're all kind of hooked on our phones. It's full of shiny apps designed to keep your attention captive forever. But there's real life stuff to do other than scrolling. And I'm here to help. I'm Christina Quinn, the host of Try this, a podcast from the Washington Post. The show explores solutions for life's common problems. And this season, we're learning to tame the dopamine beast and reclaim our attention in this noisy and distracting world. So let's tame the beast together. Find Try this from the Washington Post.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wherever you listen, asking the right questions can greatly impact your future, especially when it comes to your finances. So if you're looking for a financial advisor you can trust, certified financial planner professionals are committed to acting in your best interest. That's why it's gotta be a CFP. Find your CFP [e-mail] you know how.

[Joe Getty]

We'Re always talking about what's next? Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going f. It's like a supercomputer on wheels. The tech is insane. And the drivers, they're like chess grandmasters at 200 miles per hour. You've got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku next race. Miami, April 12th at Ameca Insurance.

[Jack Armstrong]

We know it's more than just a car or a house. It's the four wheels that get you where you're going and the four walls that welcome you. When you combine auto and home insurance.

[Michael Angelo]

With Amica, we'll help protect it all. And the more you cover, the more you can save.

[Jack Armstrong]

Amica, empathy is our best policy.

[Christina Quinn]

For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with [e-mail] Broadcasting live from the.

[Jack Armstrong]

Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Michael Angelo]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

And now here's Armstrong and be.

[Michael Angelo]

Canip. 15 seconds left. Now it's flag makes his move. Flag back in. Flag. Short rebound by Houston.

[Jack Armstrong]

Got a foul.

[Michael Angelo]

3.4.

[Jack Armstrong]

So there you have the best player.

[Michael Angelo]

Well, he's gonna be the number one pick in the NBA draft next year, playing for Duke, missed the shot that could have sent him to the finals and that's not going to affect his life really that much. But he is a freshman and back in the old days, like when I was a kid, if you had the NCAA final going on, you'd have a whole bunch of guys have been playing for the team for four years maybe. I mean a Kareem Abdul Jabbar four years he's been playing for the same team. That was regular. Then it became sometimes you leave after your sophomore junior year. Now it's a whole bunch of freshmen out there all the time. I don't know about tonight's teams in.

[Jack Armstrong]

The finals and sixth year seniors, whatever those are.

[Michael Angelo]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Because they're not going to make the NBA. So they just stay playing college basketball until they get booted out.

[Michael Angelo]

So there's a big judge ruling in California that at least the Washington Post is saying. I don't know who they're quoting here. Oh, they're quoting the PAC 12 commissioner. You think of the evolution of the NCAA and all the rules changes that have happened over the years. There's never been anything as significant as this. Talking about today's ruling, but I don't completely understand it. It's all about your nil market. What's nil stand for again?

[Jack Armstrong]

Name, image and likeness.

[Michael Angelo]

Right. Which became a thing a couple of years ago. And that's how you end up with a super hottie gymnast chick making gazillions of dollars, which is fine. I don't really have a problem with it.

[Jack Armstrong]

And a quarterback just being paid millions of dollars to come to your school.

[Michael Angelo]

Right. So they're gonna, they're gonna have a cap on how much money it can be. But it's a ton of money, the however many millions of dollars per school you can have and all that sort of stuff. So they're trying to reign this in a little bit whether or not that will get challenged at some point. Because I think most people who like sports, they like. They. You liked it better in the old days, professional sports and college sports. But it wasn't fair to the players at all.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? Yeah, it was kind of silly. So what did this ruling.

[Michael Angelo]

Silly is the right word or not. They're going to put a cap at $2.8 million per league or school. I don't remember what it was in my window closed and I don't care enough to look it back. And again, it was very, very, very complicated, I'll tell you that. I read multiple paragraphs and couldn't figure it out. But it's a.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's.

[Michael Angelo]

It's an attempt to try to have some sort of control over this. They're trying to take boosters out of it as much.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, yeah. Because that's a huge part of it. If you have a big booster community that pours money into your nil fund. I had a friend attempt to explain to me exactly how it works. Brilliant guy and a huge college sports fan. About half of the. My eyes glazed over and I realized I was thinking about something else. Right. That's the way it was.

[Michael Angelo]

Reading this long Washington Post article. It's very complicated. It doesn't mention anything, though about the players switching around to schools thing. To me that's what's killing it.

[Jack Armstrong]

The transfer portal.

[Katie Green]

Yeah.

[Michael Angelo]

I mean, you have a season and then you get to the playoffs in football. I know when I was sitting there watching the games, the. The bowl games with my family and my brothers were talking about. Yeah, that guy played for K State all year long and now he's with this team or whatever. That's ridiculous.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah. Brand new squad every single year. I can't even imagine what it's like to be a college coach. To have like, the laws of the universe, gravity and the theory of relativity, like, change every two years.

[Michael Angelo]

Well.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Michael Angelo]

Well. The biggest coach in all of college football. Nick Sabian. He quit. He didn't. He didn't want to be part of this new world and try to figure it out. Like, I have a particular skill set. I knew how to, like, get people and develop them and build a team. But if they're all going to move around every year, that's not what I do.

[Jack Armstrong]

And now he makes verbo commercials. Right.

[Michael Angelo]

What's verbal?

[Jack Armstrong]

She's the vrbo. Occasional rental by owner. Yeah. Funny. Commercials. There are rules in this house. No fun. No running. No showers over five minutes maximum. Two flushes per visit.

[Michael Angelo]

Oh, that'd be tough for me.

[Jack Armstrong]

Check in times three. Couples standing there. It's 258. I know.

[Michael Angelo]

Trying to figure out.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hostile.

[Michael Angelo]

Trying to figure out. There's a couple of things I wanted to get on that I hadn't gotten on yet on the air. I'm going to talk about the Minecraft movie coming up a little bit later. Later. Which is the biggest movie of the year so far. And some phenomenon around it that I found very, very interesting. The Russell brand thing. No. Not interested in that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Like this headline. Podcaster Gavin Newsom launches methane satellites as California borrows money for health care. That's well put.

[Michael Angelo]

Oh, here's a headline I mentioned earlier that I wanted to get to this kid named Stanley Zong. He's an adult, but he's trying to be a college kid. 4.42 GPA in high school. That's significantly above 4. I don't know how that even works.

[Jack Armstrong]

Near perfect SAT, advanced placement classes, you get bonus points.

[Michael Angelo]

Near perfect SAT, bested adults in coding competitions across the country. Started his own electronic signing service while still in high school. He was rejected by 16 colleges because they got too many Asians. How do you like that system?

[Jack Armstrong]

Racial quotas in America. Brilliant. That's our universities, folks.

[Michael Angelo]

Not unbelievable. I can't believe that has been going on for so long. I. I don't like any of the discrimination whatsoever, but I get how you can pull it off against white people. I get how that works because you just say, well, there's too many white people. We need less of those. But how do you do.

[Jack Armstrong]

How do you do it? They were behind the racism of the past, so now they got to shut up and take whatever we give them.

[Michael Angelo]

How do you get away with keeping out really, really smart Asian kids? How do you possibly justify that?

[Jack Armstrong]

That's why the whole Neo Marxist thing is so full of lies. Because when it's handy for you, Asian people are people of color. They're being oppressed by the white devil. But when it's not handy for you, all of a sudden they're white enough. Keep them out. It's people of color. Color, more color.

[Michael Angelo]

They're wheat. They're white enough. Wow. Are you familiar with the meme with the dominoes tipping over? The guy starting a little domino and then the bigger and bigger dominoes. Have you seen that meme? And then there's different things applying to it. This one I thought was really good. I saw over the weekend with the front little tiny domino was Obama makes fun of Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner. And then the final domino was Nintendo Switch 2 never released in the United States. This was a big deal for my kids. It was announced on Friday outside of the Best Buy because I was at the Best Buy the other day on Friday. I'm going to talk about that later. Trying to get a freaking computer fixed. It's impossible. They had all these giant Nintendo displays outside. Big, giant cardboard. Like, you know when something huge happens. Because they knew there were going to be lines outside the Best Buy, people lined up to get the new Switch too. They announced on Friday Nintendo did that they're not going to release it. In the United States currently because they're made in Japan and they don't want to deal with all the tariff stuff going forward with all the Nintendo things. So they're gonna hold on to it, see how this shakes out. It's a big deal for the video game industry.

[Jack Armstrong]

Was that pressure from the Japanese government on Nintendo Corporation?

[Michael Angelo]

I don't know who pressured it, but they, they pulled. I mean, if you call Best Buy, I don't know about today, but if, but when I was calling on Friday, the first thing it says, if you're looking to get in a Nintendo 2 and would like to get on, I mean that's the first thing they say at the entire company. Best Buy across the country, it was going to be their big, big draw seller. And Nintendo said, nope, not going to do it because of the tariffs.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. I wonder if they just calculated this will all be over in a couple of weeks and we won't have to either A, jack up our price in a way that really punishes the hell out of our customers or B, not make enough profit on it.

[Michael Angelo]

That's the way I guest.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's a delay.

[Michael Angelo]

Yeah, that's the way I took it. And I wonder how many products are like that that aren't quite as high profile that would make the news as the Nintendo Switch 2 being pulled. There are going to be so many ripple effects from this tariff thing. It's just, it's unimaginable.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Including on exporters, American exporters and American manufacturers of domestic goods who import like raw materials or little parts or whatever. I mean, it's, that's why those of us who believe in free trade. And yes, I understand that what was called free trade globally wasn't actually, and I'm in favor of reforming that. But you can't possibly centrally plan an economy. It's far too complex. I mean, hell, you can hardly centrally plan like one product if it's at all complex, the entire economy. That's ludicrous.

[Michael Angelo]

How long will it take for the positive ripples to hit?

[Jack Armstrong]

2 to 40 years, depending on what you're talking about.

[Michael Angelo]

2 to 40 years seems like a long time.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Michael Angelo]

That's why since we have elections, national elections every two years, that seems problematic.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. I would say, strategically speaking. And then in the 17th quarter of the football game, I will be. No, no, no, that's not the way you're term works. So, yeah, I don't. That's why I find it difficult to believe Trump actually thinks we're going to become like a trade Barrier isolated. We'll make all of our stuff on our own place. He's not going to be in power nearly long enough. And Congress won't be on his side in the Senate. And I just. That can't possibly work.

[Michael Angelo]

One more business thing to throw in before we take a break. Kind of a trivia question in case it comes up. Olive Garden. I didn't know this was the top US casual dining restaurant for the last seven years. Olive Garden did not know that. I've not been to the OG In a very long time. Have you, Michael?

[Jack Armstrong]

OG No.

[Michael Angelo]

Anybody? Is there anybody good food like to find?

[Jack Armstrong]

15 years minimum. I think since I've been number one.

[Michael Angelo]

Huh. Maybe we're bubbled. Number one casual dining restaurant in the country for seven years. They just got replaced by now. This place we do go to regularly because we like the cinnamon bread. And if it's a birthday, we like the fact that they put you on a saddle. There's a hint. And make you go, whoo.

[Jack Armstrong]

Ha.

[Michael Angelo]

As they all sing around you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Texas.

[Michael Angelo]

Texas Roadhouse is now the number one casual dining place in America. And we go there, I don't know, half dozen times last year, probably.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. I don't believe I've ever been there.

[Michael Angelo]

Some good eating right there.

[Jack Armstrong]

Do they have white tablecloths and waiters and tuxedos? That's the only establishment I frequent.

[Michael Angelo]

Absolutely not. But every once in a while they play music and all the waitresses a line dance. And the food's good, too. Okay, we got other stuff on the way. Stay here.

[Christina Quinn]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Katie Green]

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[Christina Quinn]

Okay, real talk. We're all kind of hooked on our phones. It's full of shiny apps designed to keep your attention captive forever. But there's real life stuff to do other than scrolling, and I'm here to help. Hi, I'm Christina Quinn, the host of Try this, a podcast from the Washington Post. The show explores solutions for life's common problems. And this season, we're learning to tame the dopamine beast and reclaim our attention in this noisy and distracting world. So let's tame the beast together. Find Try this from the Washington Post.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wherever you listen, asking the right questions can greatly impact your future, especially when it comes to your finances. So if you're looking for a financial advisor you can trust, certified financial planner professionals are committed to acting in your best interest. That's why it's got to be a CFP. Find your CFP [e-mail] hi, I'm Cindy.

[Christina Quinn]

Crawford, and I'm the founder of meaningful beauty. When Dr. Sabah and I decided to do a skincare line together, he said to me, we are going to give women meaningful beauty. And I said, that's exactly right. We want to give women meaningful beauty, which means each and every product is meaningful. It has a. A reason to exist. It's efficacious. You're going to get results, and then you just go out and live your life. Meaningful beauty. Confidence is beautiful. Learn more@meaningful beauty.com.

[Joe Getty]

You know how we're always talking about what's next? Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going fast. It's like a supercomputer on wheels. The tech is insane, and the drivers, they're like chess grandmasters at 200 miles per hour. You've got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku. Next race, Miami, April 12th.

[Michael Angelo]

First, a little breaking news. Don't need the donkey, I don't think. I'm not sure how serious he is, but Trump has just threatened an additional 50% tariff on China if it doesn't withdraw its retaliatory tariff plan that it announced Friday of 34%. I think that's what it announced.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hmm.

[Michael Angelo]

So we got. We already have. We added 20. Aren't we running out of percentages? Aren't we over 100% now? Aren't we at, like, 140% like your coach wanted you to give?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes. Where Will it end and will the courts end it? Next segment. Interesting nonpartisan analysis.

[Michael Angelo]

How serious is Trump? About an additional 50% tariff on China. And how soon could he do it? At least the way things are happening so far, he could announce it a half hour from now. Right. And that's the law of the land.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, that's, that's not democracy, republic or whatever you want to call it. Too much executive power is too much power, no matter who's in the White House. Because if we do it, they'll do it.

[Michael Angelo]

Different topic. I found this so interesting. I watched it closely to make sure it wasn't AI because if we played it before, I didn't remember. This is Bernie Sanders talking about immigration in 2015, prior to Trump becoming president. The first time.

[Jack Armstrong]

Open borders.

[Michael Angelo]

That's a Koch brothers proposal.

[Jack Armstrong]

The idea, of course, I mean, that's a right wing proposal which says essentially there is no United States and it'd make everybody in America poor. Then you're doing away with, with the concept of a nation state. And I don't think there's any country in the world which believes in that. What right wing people in this country would love is an open border policy. Bring in all kinds of people who work for two or three dollars an hour. That would be great for them. I don't believe in that. Bernard Sanders.

[Michael Angelo]

And it goes on and on and on in that same vein, that it is a right wing Republican thing to want to open the borders and bring in all these, this cheap labor. And if you do that, you have no country, there's no sovereignty. What's the point of even having a country? Yeah, that's the argument a lot of us are making on the right through the whole Biden ridiculousness of the biggest movement of human beings in world history.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Bernie is consistent with Cesar Chavez and other, you know, labor leaders especially. You've said, no, we don't want millions of people flooding in and, and cutting our bargaining ability by flooding the market with, you know, more laborers. That's the last thing they want.

[Michael Angelo]

Make us all poorer.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, well, and Bernie understands also that if you, for instance, I don't know, throw the border open and millions of people wash across, all of a sudden Americans are going to say, no, we can't have a big welfare state like Bernie Sanders wants. Socialism. In fact, we got to cut the one we've got because we got people coming in from all over the globe to suck at the delicious teat of the federal government.

[Michael Angelo]

It happened though, and it's already have.

[Jack Armstrong]

Executives having Too much power. No, kid, I've decided not to enforce immigration law. Anybody who wants to come into the country can. That's what Biden said, essentially.

[Michael Angelo]

Wow, that's a heck of a back to back presidencies right there. Biden launches the biggest migration movement in world history in peacetime, and then Trump reforms the entire global economic order. Both individual decisions. That's something.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. It's kind of disturbing. Not kind of, it's disturbing.

[Michael Angelo]

Congress could have stood up to either one of them, though.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes.

[Michael Angelo]

I mean, we have a system for it if it wants to do its thing.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's one of the problems with bipartisanship dying. I mean, if, you know, Hunter Biden gets elected president. How about that thought? And that sound like, you know, some sort of horrific 80% tax for all white people or hookers or whatever. And. And you can't get a single Democrat to cross the aisle to vote to, you know, limit his power or override it or whatever. I mean, that's just not a healthy place to be.

[Michael Angelo]

What would Hunter Biden run on a baby mama in every garage?

[Jack Armstrong]

Probably. Yeah. Come on, line up every nose. Alicia Finley in the Wall Street Journal makes a pretty interesting point though, that employers, especially manufacturers, can't find reliable conscientious workers who can pass a drug test. And so we've simultaneously got millions of people flooding across the border. Well, we did anyway. Cutting the wages of low wage Americans. But manufacturers can't get people to show.

[Michael Angelo]

Up the drug test saying it's all around marijuana. I don't probably got to figure that out. If it's going to be legal in almost every state, you can't continue to drug test for it, I don't think. But.

[Christina Quinn]

Armstrong and Getty. I'm Molly Roberts.

[Jack Armstrong]

And I'm Drew Goins.

[Joe Getty]

Each Friday on Impromptu, we talk through the questions.

[Jack Armstrong]

We can't stop thinking about.

[Christina Quinn]

Do we need to rethink how much we drink?

[Jack Armstrong]

Why are companies really asking workers to come back to the office?

[Christina Quinn]

Does boycotting a business actually work?

[Jack Armstrong]

Should we quit social media?

[Christina Quinn]

We're here when the news gets personal and the headlines hit home.

[Jack Armstrong]

Join Molly and me every Friday on Impromptu from Washington Post Opinions.

[Christina Quinn]

Find impromptu. Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jack Armstrong]

Asking the right questions can greatly impact your future, especially when it comes to your finances. So if you're looking for a financial advisor you can trust, certified financial planner professionals are committed to acting in your best interest. That's why it's gotta be a CFP. Find your CFP [e-mail].

[Christina Quinn]

Hi, I'm Cindy Crawford and I'm the founder of Meaningful Beauty. Well, I don't know about you, but, like, I never liked being told, oh, wow, you look so good for your age. Like, why even bother saying that? Why don't you just say you look great at any age, every age. That's. That's what meaningful Beauty is all about. We create products that make you feel confident in your skin at the age you are now. Meaningful Beauty, Beautiful skin at every age. Learn [e-mail].

[Joe Getty]

You know how we're always talking about what's next? Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going fast. It's like a supercomputer on wheels. The tech is insane. And the drivers, they're like chess grandmasters at 200 miles per hour. You've got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku Next race, Miami, April 12.

[Christina Quinn]

For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with [e-mail] there's been some speculation, partly because of the video that was.

[Jack Armstrong]

Posted on Truth Social, that there was some sort of deliberate effort on your part to have the market sell off.

[Christina Quinn]

Can you talk about that one?

[Michael Angelo]

No, that's not so. But I do want to solve the deficit problem that we have with China, with the European Union and other nations, and they're going to have to do that. And if they want to talk about that, I'm open to talking. But otherwise, why would I want to talk? Well, there could be short term pain.

[Christina Quinn]

It's going to be consumers who bear the cost.

[Jack Armstrong]

Tariffs are a terrible mistake. They don't work. They will lead to higher prices.

[Michael Angelo]

Remember what mama Gump said, stupid is as stupid does.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let's don't be stupid.

[Michael Angelo]

Let's don't have a trade war. I heard some Republicans in there.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's all Republicans, Jack. Four of them.

[Michael Angelo]

I haven't heard anybody explain to me sufficiently what he's talking about regarding the trade deficit we've got between countries.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. I've heard some really smart, reasonable people say they don't get why he thinks it's always a bad thing. It just happens. I mean, you're going to have countries where you have a huge trade surplus and we do actually quite a few. And then you're gonna have countries that you just want more of their stuff than they can buy from you. As I've said before, if you're a big wealthy country, you're gonna buy more from small poor countries than they could conceivably buy from you. So you're gonna run a trade deficit and it's fine. He seems obsessed with it in a weird way. I don't, I don't get it, honestly. Anyway, I thought this was interesting. Oh, in just a moment or two what the courts might say about all this. Cuz it's on pretty shaky constitutional ground the, the tariff regime. But I thought this was just interesting. A good worker can be hard to find these days. Blame government, which showers benefits on able bodied people who don't work while at the same time subsidizing college degrees that don't lead to productive employment.

[Michael Angelo]

Yeah, that's definitely going on.

[Jack Armstrong]

Great summary. The result is millions of idle men and millions of unfilled jobs. What an economist would call a deadweight loss to society. I had a big study that we touched on briefly but. And it was from npr, interestingly enough, about the many hundreds of thousands of people on disability who aren't disabled. The plant just closed in their town and it's easy enough to get disability that they went ahead and did it and they've got some candid quotes from people who like run those programs or from the corporations. Hey, we're just hiding you folks because they're not listed as unemployed.

[Michael Angelo]

Is there any way, is there any.

[Jack Armstrong]

Government kind of likes it too.

[Michael Angelo]

Is there any way you'd get turned down from disability if you claimed your back hurt because there's just no way to prove your back doesn't hurt.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I did. It's not effortless to get it, but it's easy anyway. 40% of small business owners In March, 40% reported job openings they could not fill with the share in construction, 56% no bueno. When was the last time you passed a construction site and they were not playing Mexican music? Never. Transportation 53% they can't fill their jobs. Manufacturing is 47% according to last week's National Federation of Independent Business survey. Let's see. Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey tells a similar story. There are twice as many job openings in manufacturing than in the mid 2000s. There's not share of employment.

[Michael Angelo]

There's not a single 22 year old coming out of college with whatever degree that wants any of those jobs you just mentioned.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? The labor force participation rate among working age men is now 5% lower than in the early 80s. As a result, there are about 3.5 million fewer men between the ages of 25 and 54 in the workplace even as the population has grown. And 1.3 million between the ages of 25 and 34 than there would have been were it not for this decline.

[Michael Angelo]

Yeah, but if they're working, they wouldn't be able to play the new Nintendo Switch 2.

[Jack Armstrong]

So where have all the good working men gone? Some are subsisting on government benefits or living off their parents. About 17% of working age men are on Medicaid, 7.5% on food stamps and 6.3% on Social Security, many claiming disability payouts, according to the Census Bureau. Many spend their days playing video games and day trading.

[Michael Angelo]

Day trading?

[Jack Armstrong]

What kind of system is this? Friends say they're saying young what kind.

[Michael Angelo]

Of system is this? Where I'm at work to help pay for this.

[Jack Armstrong]

Friends say they've seen young men on dating apps claim to be working as self employed traders, financial bloggers, and even retired financial engineer euphemisms for Robin Hood Bros. Who speculate on stocks and share tips on Reddit.

[Michael Angelo]

Ladies, if you come across a I don't care how good looking he seems, if he claims he's a financial blogger is going to be living off of you.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, blogger, that's my job. Part of it was that the stocks were doing nothing but going up for the last several years and so everybody started to think they're a genius and quit their jobs, I guess. But on a different topic, somewhat related the tariff thingamajigger.

[Michael Angelo]

I've heard of it.

[Jack Armstrong]

The Constitution makes it Congress's job to levy taxes. We all know that right from school, including tariffs and regulate foreign commerce. That's for Congress. Starting in the 1930s, Congress started shifting some of that authority to the president. They passed laws that allowed the president to impose tariffs in response to trade treaty violations, unfair trade barriers and other urgent situations. But Trump is relying on another law that doesn't specifically mention tariffs, the International Emergency Economic Powers act, passed in 1977, which gives the president broad emergency powers to regulate foreign commerce to deal with, quote, unusual and extraordinary threats against the national security or the economy. Presidents have invoked the laws the law dozens of times, usually to impose economic sanctions or freeze the property of foreign terrorists and other criminals. Trump's used the law to sanction Venezuela's main state owned oil company. But Trump is the first president to use the law to set tariff rates. And he's done so through emergency declarations linking the higher export taxes to efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking, illegal immigration and trade imbalances. This is absolutely headed for the courts as a trade imbalance, a national emergency.

[Michael Angelo]

The fentanyl and the immigration thing, the fentanyl one's a stretch. The immigration thing's a stretch to call that an emergency. That you can do this. But the. What was the third one? That's the one that's really.

[Jack Armstrong]

Trade imbalances.

[Michael Angelo]

That's really ridiculous to call that an emergency.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it is. Mm. Yeah. I don't now as leverage in a negotiation, I get the trafficking and illegal immigration and how that is for the benefit of the American people. It's a righteous idea to try to kill the fentanyl trade into legal immigration to like, sure, end all trade imbalances. To me, that's just crazy.

[Michael Angelo]

Yeah. Using whatever tools you've got in your toolbox to deal with fentanyl or illegal immigration is one thing, but I don't know, the whole emergency thing always, always concerns me for anybody at any level.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Please, Covid. Isn't that enough to convince conservatives and, you know, MAGA folks that we don't want the executive have sweeping emergency powers. That tool gets handed to the next person. Goodness sakes.

[Michael Angelo]

And they will, you know, there's a school shooting and they will say this is a. This is an emergency. It's a health emergency. Shootings that was brought up during Biden. The idea of declaring some sort of health emergency or safety emergency around shootings and then you do all kinds of gun things that are. You couldn't do otherwise.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. One of their favorite tax is to say that like poverty or income inequality is a civil rights issue. If they can show that there's a racial imbalance of any kind, then it becomes, you know, the Justice Department and it's a civil rights violation to make more than your neighbor if you have lighter skin than them and God knows what they might concoct. President AOC oh, here's the best one.

[Michael Angelo]

The most, the easiest one probably for the right administration, a climate emergency. And they could do all kinds of things with not letting you drive a gas car or whatever they want to do.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. Yeah.

[Michael Angelo]

That's highly troubling. I want to talk about my son went to the Minecraft movie Friday night. So did like every other young person in America. Interesting phenomena around that I want to bring up, among other things. We'll finish strong. Stay tuned.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Christina Quinn]

I'm Molly Roberts.

[Jack Armstrong]

And I'm Drew Goins.

[Joe Getty]

Each Friday on Impromptu, we talk through.

[Jack Armstrong]

The questions we can't stop thinking about.

[Christina Quinn]

Do we need to rethink how much we drink?

[Jack Armstrong]

Why are companies really asking workers to come back to the office?

[Christina Quinn]

Does boycotting a business actually work?

[Jack Armstrong]

Should we quit social media?

[Christina Quinn]

We're here when the news gets personal and the headlines hit home.

[Jack Armstrong]

Join Molly and me every Friday on Impromptu from Washington Post Opinions.

[Christina Quinn]

Find Impromptu Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jack Armstrong]

Asking the right questions can greatly impact your future, especially when it comes to your finances. So if you're looking for a financial advisor you can trust, certified financial planner professionals are committed to acting in your best interest. That's why it's gotta be a CFP. Find your CFP [e-mail] hi, I'm Cindy.

[Christina Quinn]

Crawford, and I'm the founder of Meaningful Beauty. Well, I don't know about you, but, like, I never liked being told, oh, wow, you look so good for your age. Like, why even bother saying that? Why don't you just say you look great at any age, Every age. That's what Meaningful Beauty is all about. We create products that make you feel confident in your skin at the age you are now. Meaningful Beauty. Beautiful skin at every age. Learn more@meaningful beauty.com.

[Joe Getty]

You know how we're always talking about what's next? Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going fast. It's like a supercomputer on wheels. The tech is insane, and the drivers, they're like chess grandmasters at 200 miles per hour. You've got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku next race Miami, April 12 for some of.

[Christina Quinn]

Us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with [e-mail].

[Michael Angelo]

I don't know how many of you went to the Minecraft movie. It'd probably have to be that you took younger kids to it or you have older kids that you know went to it. And that could be from age 13 till 35. Because Minecraft's been the top video game in the world for a very, very long time.

[Jack Armstrong]

And you, I was gonna say, I hope the 20 to 35 year olds who love Minecraft are going on their own and not being brought by their parents.

[Michael Angelo]

Right. Yeah. So they're, they're, you know, you might be a 40 year old guy, that Minecraft was huge for you when you were younger and you're kind of going out of nostalgia or whatever. But the Minecraft movie broke all kinds of box office records. Biggest video game movie opening ever. Biggest movie of the year so far. It's a Jack Black vehicle. He's pretty enjoying him on Saturday Night Live. I wonder if he ever auditioned for Saturday Night Live. He's just one of those people that's, he's like Kenan Thompson. He's just one of those people that's funny. It doesn't really even matter if the lines are good. It's just, he's just funny saying them and he made every skit better. But anyway, here's an interesting thing about the Minecraft movie that is a new phenomenon perhaps. First of all, it was my son wanted to go with his friends. So he wanted me to buy tickets online. And you now at all movie theaters, you buy your tickets like you do for a concert. You have a specific seat. And I said, well, you can sit wherever you want. He said, no, it's going to be packed. I thought, okay. And it turned out it was. He texted me when he got there and there was a line three blocks long and they were playing the movie like every hour on different screens and there was still a line three blocks long on opening day for this movie. And my youngest son, Henry, who's 13, he'd mentioned that Boy scouts, everybody was dropping Minecraft lines. I said, well, the movie hasn't come out yet, right? He said, yeah, but everybody knows the lines from. And I said, well, how. And he said, well, the trailers that they run. So if you're on YouTube and you know YouTube knows who's watching, they're not sending me that trailer. Well, I pay the premium on YouTube so I don't have to watch ads. But they, they see all these ads and they see the trailers and so they're, they're catchphrases that caught on before the movie comes out. Now start the clip here. So this is my high schooler. He knew this was coming and so did everybody else in the theater. And they got, he got his phone out and recorded it in here. And then I'LL fill it in after you. This is Jack Black. Here we go. I actually ended up talking over it, but everybody in the theater said the line along with the character and then clapped at a movie they've never seen before.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow.

[Michael Angelo]

I find that interesting. I remember we talking about this standpoint.

[Jack Armstrong]

When the Simpsons movie came out. Everybody knew about spider Pig, for instance, and the spider pig song. All the best punch lines are in the trailers. It's annoying.

[Michael Angelo]

Chicken jockey is what everybody said. Their chicken jockey. And then they all clap for a movie they've never seen before. So the height the. The. The promotional machine for these movies, that's got to be its own industry where I'm sure you can make a ton of money of understanding how to create this kind of buzz before the product's even been out there. And then anybody even has a chance to decide if they like it or not.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. And then the social media stuff, I'll bet that. Is that the highest paid position at a movie studio at. Damn.

[Michael Angelo]

Well, God, it might be. And then. So then that's the commerce part of it. And then I just thought the cultural part of it. How important it was for both of my kids to know the catchphrases and throw them around and. And like the street credit gives you to be able to know them and laugh at them and everything like that. Like, he did a boy scout camp two weeks ago. Everybody was throwing a. It wasn't chicken. It was chicken jockey. And what was the other one? It's coming in hot, I guess, is a hot line. And you say that to your friends and they all laugh and it makes you cooler and they cooler and it's a bonding moment or something.

[Jack Armstrong]

Sure. Any anthropologist could explain it to you.

[Michael Angelo]

I feel like when I was younger, the movie had to. A movie had to come out and catch on before there were catchphrases. I don't remember ever, like the crowd chanting a catchphrase for a movie we've never seen before.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. You might giggle with recognition seeing that punchline that was on the promo that annoyed me in the ad or the trailer or whatever. But no, not so omnipresent that people even know, you know, when it's coming and can say it and get out.

[Michael Angelo]

Their phones to record it. So the movie industry is dying. You know, they're just. They're just really struggling to try to figure out how to get people in theaters. But maybe creating this sort of a you gotta be in the know phenomenon ahead of time is the way to get people in there. Yeah, it's more I need to be able. It's more of a. I need to say I've seen that because we're all saying this catchphrase than it is about wanting to see the movie. That's. I guess that's what I'm getting at.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah. Interesting.

[Michael Angelo]

They've had to stand it on their head. I know. The seats are sure a lot more comfortable at the movie theater than they used to be. That's.

[Jack Armstrong]

Maybe I'll venture back to one someday.

[Michael Angelo]

So expensive, though.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, see, now I'm back to watching at home.

[Michael Angelo]

Oh, it's a lot of money. I sent him. I bought his ticket. It was. I think with the tax and buying it on Fandago, I might have spent close to 20 bucks for a movie ticket. And then I gave him 20 bucks. I said, I'm only giving you. He wanted 40. I said, I'll give you 20 bucks. And that's it. You can drink out of the water fountain or, I don't know, bring a snack bar or something. But. But that's 60. That's $40. I'm into this.

[Jack Armstrong]

All of these numbers seem so high to me, don't they? This is how you end up saying, I remember. Well, you could take your best girl to the Nickelodeon for a dime.

[Michael Angelo]

Yeah, that. That commentary, your commentary right there made sense prior to the inflation, but the inflation has everybody saying these numbers seem high.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, yeah, well, it's not. You know, when I was young man, it's like two years ago.

[Michael Angelo]

Yeah. Thank God they don't serve eggs at the movie theater. Imagine how expensive that would be.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, a movie theater egg. Delicious though. It's Final thoughts. I'm strong again.

[Michael Angelo]

It's Final thoughts.

[Jack Armstrong]

Get ready with Katie Green and Michael Angelo.

[Michael Angelo]

I was about to say something else, but I'll save it for my final thought. Here's your host for final Thoughts, Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let's get a final thought from everybody on the crew to wrap things up for the day. There he is, pressing the buttons in the control room. Michelangelo, Michael, final thought. You know, I can't go to the movie theaters anymore because as an older man now I have to go to the back bathroom and I. I can't pause it. I, you know, I sit there in the theater.

[Michael Angelo]

Oh, I can't pause this, you know. Yeah, but that is an interesting thing when you're used to pausing. It seems just so wrong to get up and leave while it's still going.

[Jack Armstrong]

I know, it seems great. You got to systematically dehydrate yourself over the course of two days. Michael. Katie Greener, esteemed newswoman, has a final thought. Katie?

[Michael Angelo]

Oh, we talked earlier in the show.

[Joe Getty]

About that video of the liberals just.

[Michael Angelo]

Unhinged at the protest.

[Jack Armstrong]

And you can see it by going to Armstrong and getting.

[Michael Angelo]

And going to Katie's corner.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's posted there. Yeah, the visual is definitely worth taking in. Jack, Final thought, Sociology, human beings.

[Michael Angelo]

It's all so interesting. The fact that we would bond around that we would get so much meaning out of. I know this catchphrase for the movie. You know the catchphrase we're all going to say, say it together. And now we feel closer or more a part of something. It's. I find it fascinating.

[Jack Armstrong]

For millions of years the other tribe would kill you and take your stuff. That's it. Am I in your tribe or are you in the other tribe? Oh, you're in my tribe, right? Okay. Yeah, simple as that. My final thought, Air travel. When it's good, it's bad. When it's bad, it's awful. I never want to go anywhere again. I'm just going to stay in my house. I'm not even gonna ride in a car because somebody might accidentally whisk me to the airport and I'd end up on a plane.

[Michael Angelo]

Armstrong and Getty wrapping up another grueling four hour workday.

[Jack Armstrong]

So many people. Thanks. So little time. Go to armstrong getty.com check out Katie's Corners, the hot links. Drop us a Note [e-mail] Pick yourself up SMG swag while you're there. The Spicy Times hat.

[Michael Angelo]

Where will the markets end up today? And then what will the commentary be? And we'll get into another day of that whole thing tomorrow. See you then. God bless America. Armstrong and Yeti. It's over. We need to adapt our approach.

[Jack Armstrong]

Who is the little baby girl do need a kissy?

[Joe Getty]

I hope you'll stand up and stop this madness.

[Christina Quinn]

You're kind of damned if you do.

[Jack Armstrong]

And damned if you don't. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Are you me?

[Michael Angelo]

My point was made.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'll see y'all soon.

[Michael Angelo]

There's a hole in the sky where a tree once stood. Somebody's making money.

[Jack Armstrong]

On your feet.

[Michael Angelo]

No, sir.

[Jack Armstrong]

Your time has expired.

[Michael Angelo]

Thank you all very much.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Katie Green]

It's tax season and by now. I know we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year. Here's another 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone. But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number. 100 million. That's how many data points Lifelock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by another good number, the million dollar protection plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with Lifelock identity theft protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off. Terms apply.

[Michael Angelo]

We've all done it. You see a headline but don't have.

[Christina Quinn]

Time to read the whole story.

[Jack Armstrong]

Or there's so much news you're not sure what is worth your time. I'm Colby Ekowitz, co host of Post Reports, the weekday afternoon podcast from the Washington Post. Post Reports brings you what's relevant and revealing.

[Michael Angelo]

Breaking stories, politics, wellness, culture. Each episode goes beyond a headline for.

[Jack Armstrong]

The context you need. Find Post Reports now wherever you're listening.

[Christina Quinn]

For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with [e-mail].

[Michael Angelo]

You know, some people say that Odoo business management software is like fertilizer, the way it promotes growth and all. But other people say Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it grows with your company and is also magically affordable. And there's some people who would even say Odoo's individual software programs come together to build the perfect suite. Like building blocks. Well, Odoo is all of these things. Fertilizer, magic beanstalk, building blocks for business. So sign up [e-mail] o d o o dot com.

[Joe Getty]

You know how we're always talking about what's next? Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going fast. It's like a supercomputer on wheel wheels. The tech is insane and the drivers, they're like chess grandmasters at 200 miles per hour. You've got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku. Next race, Miami, April 12th.