Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Bonds & Handwriting
Date: September 10, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty tackle some of the most pressing issues facing America, including the complexities of drug interdiction, the ongoing crisis in public education, issues with bail reform and public safety, and cultural blind spots around homelessness and crime. The hosts dig deep into the realities behind news headlines, challenge media narratives, and bring in expert voices—like longtime bail agent Topo Padilla—to enrich the conversation. Their tone is candid, irreverent, and deeply concerned with the direction of American society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. America’s Approach to Drug Interdiction

(01:16 - 03:16)

• Narco Boats and U.S. Policy: The show opens with a report about a U.S. Coast Guard operation, where a narco boat was seized and drug smugglers apprehended. The hosts reflect on whether America’s approach—sometimes lethal, sometimes simple interdiction—is coherent or ethical.
  • Jack Armstrong references Senator Rand Paul's critique:
    "Are we just going to kill all drug dealers anywhere in the world that are sending drugs anywhere? ... How do we figure this out?" (01:16)
  • Joe Getty points out the nuance:
    "It's not as nearly as simple as a lot of people are portraying it... these guys in the boats are either like the lowest level guys or fishermen." (02:28)

2. The Decline of Public Education and Misplaced Blame

(03:16 - 07:52, 10:16 - 14:23)

• National Report Card & Trends: The latest education report card shows U.S. schools are continuing to decline, an issue the hosts argue is decades in the making—long before COVID or recent federal staffing changes.
  • Ben Ferguson dismisses trendy explanations:
    "Covid didn't help, but it's not the cause by any means whatsoever." (03:47)
  • Joe Getty on the limits of federal solutions:
    "The idea that your child learns to read and write because of the federal Department of Education is hilarious." (04:00)
• Phones in Classrooms: Hosts are alarmed by the prevalence of cellphones during class and question the impact on learning.
  • Ben Ferguson incredulous:
    "The whole classroom, people are just sitting there looking at their phones... Of course you're not learning." (04:20)
• Systemic Failures According to Teachers:
  • Email from a 20-year veteran teacher highlights issues: union power, lack of student retention, kids entering kindergarten without basic skills due to excessive screen time instead of hands-on activities.
  • Joe Getty explains brain science:
    "Handwriting is an incredible stimulator of your brain, connecting the mechanical with the cerebral… there's practically no substitute for it." (07:31)
• Advancement Without Merit:
  • The shift from holding students back ("flunking") to automatic promotion is seen as disastrous.
  • Ben Ferguson critiques the self-esteem strategy:
    "You're not going to help their self esteem by sending them out into the world where they can't read or do math and they can't work a job. That's pretty hard on your self esteem too." (06:34)
• Socioeconomic Gaps and Advanced Early Ed:
  • Jack Armstrong wonders where the drop-off occurs:
    "Kindergarten, first grade is so much more advanced than it was when I was a kid. Where does the drop off occur?" (11:27)
  • Joe Getty on blue vs. red states and smartphone policy:
    "It's a majority of states now have banned smartphones in classrooms, but whether it's enforced or not... certainly blue county to red county, there's probably a difference." (05:18)

3. Bail Reform, Public Safety, and Expert Guest: Topo Padilla

(23:25 - 31:57)

• The Cash Bail Debate:
  • The hosts introduce Topo Padilla, a veteran bail agent, to illuminate why bail exists and the problems with "cashless bail" or catch-and-release policies advocated by progressive states.
  • Topo Padilla explains the role of bail:
    "Bail has really one sole purpose... accountability that people go to court... If they don't, it is our job to return them to court at no cost to taxpayers." (24:28)
  • On the importance of 'skin in the game':
    "Recidivism happens when you have no skin in the game... our system does work." (25:13)
  • Padilla's data:
    "We have over a 98% success rate in turning people to court. If you compare that to somebody who just signs a piece of paper and is released... fugitive rates skyrocket." (27:45-30:35)
  • On the growth of fugitive cases:
    "We in the bail profession created a fugitive... That is a problem we have in this country." (30:35)
  • Hosts decry the "luxury beliefs" of progressive elites:
    "Meanwhile, in the hood, the people know exactly how it works and they hate the idea." (29:53, Joe Getty)
• Failure of the Mental Health/Judicial System:
  • Reflecting on a high-profile murder in Charlotte, the hosts say the perpetrator was clearly dangerously unstable but society failed to intervene before tragedy.
  • Ben Ferguson on the real issue:
    "Mostly a failure of our... judicial system, our mental health [system], the way we deal, all of that." (31:58)
• Cultural Reluctance to Incarcerate the Mentally Unwell:
  • Joe Getty quotes Nellie Bowles of The Free Press:
    "In America, every lunatic gets one free murder... A lunatic who runs around trying to kill should at least get one before he is locked up." (34:14)

4. Media Blind Spots: Homelessness, Drugs, and Public Policy

(39:22 - 44:27)

• Ignoring the Drug Crisis in Homelessness Reporting:
  • The hosts dissect a Seattle Times article on homelessness, condemning it for never mentioning drugs as a major factor.
  • Joe Getty vents his disbelief:
    "It does not once mention drugs or drug abuse. Not once." (42:15)
  • Ben Ferguson summarizes why this matters:
    "That is the leading reason for the street person problem." (42:19)
  • On the journalistic and political failure:
    “You’re forbidden to talk about the actual dynamics of what’s happening... To remain a liberal in good standing...” (43:03, Joe Getty)
• Wider Cultural Implications:
  • Avoidance of inconvenient truths in media and politics enables worsening conditions and ineffective policies.

5. Other Notable Segments & Quotes

• Mike Tyson, Fentanyl, and Addiction:

  • Noted as a tangent, but searing in commentary on the potency and social threat of fentanyl.
    Ben Ferguson summarizes Tyson's experience:
    "Tyson said he was on it for a while for his toe... when he stopped it, he was full on throwing up and shakes and everything... it's crazy addictive. Like really, really." (20:05) Joe Getty on the street availability:
    "The idea that you're buying it from some dude on the street and you're trusting them to get the dosage right. It's just... it could kill hundreds of thousands of people. Whoops. It has." (19:14)

• On Divorce Language:

  • Ben Ferguson critiques cultural framing:
    “I wish we would change the way we talk about that... to filed for divorce from their family... that's what you're doing... The kids, though, huge deal. Never gets mentioned.” (17:03)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Impossibility of Bureaucratic Solutions to Education:
  • Joe Getty (04:00):
    “The idea that your child learns to read and write because of the federal Department of Education is hilarious.”
• On the real problems in education:
  • Joe Getty (07:31):
    “Handwriting is an incredible stimulator of your brain, connecting the mechanical with the cerebral. We're talking about your brain... and there's practically no substitute for it for developing your brain.”
• On the policy divide:
  • Joe Getty (29:53):
    "Meanwhile, in the hood, the people know exactly how it works and they hate the idea."
• On the cost of current progressive crime policy:
  • Joe Getty (34:14, quoting Nellie Bowles):
    “In America, every lunatic gets one free murder...”
• On journalistic malpractice in the Seattle Times:
  • Joe Getty (42:15):
    "It does not once mention drugs or drug abuse. Not once."
  • Ben Ferguson (42:19):
    "That is the leading reason for the street person problem."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Narco Boat and Drug Policy: 01:16 – 03:16
• Public Education in Decline: 03:16 – 14:23
• Bail, Crime, and Justice System (Topo Padilla interview): 23:25 – 31:57
• Mental Health Failures & Crime: 31:57 – 36:15
• Media Blindness on Drugs/Homelessness: 39:22 – 44:27
• Fentanyl & Mike Tyson Sidebar: 17:55 – 20:46

Episode Takeaways

• Complex Problems Require Honest Discussion: Across topics—education, drug policy, crime, and homelessness—the Armstrong & Getty team advocates for blunt honesty over polite avoidance.
• Systemic Issues, Not Just Policy Gaps: Schools, courts, mental health, and even journalism are each indicted for contributing to or enabling ongoing crises.
• Cultural and Political Blindness: The refusal to acknowledge inconvenient truths—especially regarding the impacts of drug addiction and homelessness—perpetuates failed policies.
• Need for Accountability: From students advancing without mastery to criminals released without consequence, the theme of accountability—from family to government—runs through the hour.

For a direct, unvarnished look at today's headlines—and a challenge to accepted narratives—this episode of Armstrong & Getty brings both urgency and clarity.