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He's Mumbling Into His Jello - Armstrong & Getty On Demand | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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He's Mumbling Into His Jello

Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Wed Dec 11 2024

Summary

Episode Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "He's Mumbling Into His Jello"

Release Date: December 11, 2024
Host/Authors: Jack Armstrong, Joe Getty, and Chris Wilner
Podcast Description: The official, On-Demand podcast of The Armstrong & Getty Show! Accept no substitutes!

1. Foreign Policy Critique: Biden Administration's Middle East Strategy

The episode delves into a critical analysis of the Biden administration's foreign policy, particularly focusing on the Middle East. Hosts Jack Armstrong, Joe Getty, and Chris Wilner dissect the administration's approach towards key regional players and the resultant geopolitical shifts.

Support for Allies and Regional Shifts:
- Chris Wilner ([05:21]) states, “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East... new opportunities opening for the people of Syria and the entire regime.”
- The hosts argue that despite bipartisan praise for Israel's military actions against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, the Biden administration’s policies have inadvertently empowered these adversaries by restraining Israel’s actions, thereby inadvertently weakening U.S. influence.
Criticism of Policy Effectiveness:
- Joe Getty ([06:08]) references a passage from Bob Woodward’s book, highlighting tensions between President Biden and Israeli leadership. He remarks, “Biden went AP on the phone with Netanyahu, according to Woodward's book, screaming at him, you effing a hole...”
- Chris Wilner further criticizes the administration by saying, “They congratulate themselves for a policy that in Biden's words, made it impossible for Iran and Hezbollah to continue to prop up the Assad regime.”

2. Shifting Presidential Influence: Biden vs. Trump

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the perceived decline of President Biden's influence juxtaposed with former President Trump's rising clout in both domestic and foreign arenas.

Trump's Enhanced Role:
- Chris Wilner ([09:55]) echoes sentiments from the National Review, stating, “Without a doubt, he is [Trump].” He emphasizes Trump’s active role in international relations, such as meetings with Macron and Trudeau.
- The hosts debate the legitimacy and implications of Trump being described as the “most powerful presidential president elect in modern history,” questioning the balance of power and executive authority.
Biden's Waning Authority:
- Chris Wilner ([10:35]) mentions, “He's pulling many, many strings of foreign policy...” suggesting that Biden is ceding control over critical areas like trade and immigration.
- The hosts highlight internal frustrations, noting that “some Democrats are furious,” and discussing how Biden’s administration is perceived as ineffective or sidelined.

3. The Jordan Neely Case: A Symbol of Policy Failures

The episode transitions to a deep dive into the tragic case of Jordan Neely, using it as a lens to examine broader societal issues related to mental health, homelessness, and the criminal justice system.

Chronology of Jordan Neely's Struggles:
- Joe Getty ([32:08]) outlines Neely’s troubled history, citing over three dozen arrests, extensive drug use (particularly K2), and multiple encounters with mental health services.
- Chris Wilner ([33:31]) emphasizes, “He was given all of those things,” referring to the treatments and interventions Neely received, yet ultimately failing to prevent his tragic death.
Failures in Support Systems:
- The hosts discuss how Neely’s case exemplifies the inadequacies of current systems meant to support mentally ill and homeless individuals. They critique the reliance on rehabilitation over punitive measures, questioning the effectiveness of existing programs.
- Joe Getty ([36:42]) asserts, “The reality is tough... addiction and abuse programs don't work very often in the best of cases.”

4. Societal Solutions to Addiction and Homelessness

Building on the Neely case, Armstrong, Getty, and Wilner debate potential societal approaches to tackling addiction and homelessness, weighing libertarian ideals against progressive policies.

Libertarian Perspective:
- Chris Wilner ([37:59]) discusses libertarian viewpoints that advocate for personal responsibility and the elimination of welfare states, arguing that such approaches are impractical and lack societal support.
- He draws parallels between drug decriminalization efforts, like those in Oregon, and their subsequent failures, labeling them as “a miserable, miserable failure.”
Progressive Solutions and Critiques:
- The hosts critique progressive efforts, such as those led by Al Sharpton and the ACLU, suggesting that while intentions may be noble, the execution often falls short. Joe Getty ([40:17]) dismissively refers to Sharpton as “a charlatan,” arguing that progressive organizations fail to implement effective, tangible solutions.

5. Personal Anecdote: Joe Getty's Encounter with Violence

Adding a personal dimension to the discussion, Joe Getty shares a harrowing encounter that underscores the podcast's critiques of societal failures.

Confrontation with a Violent Individual:
- Joe Getty ([44:16]–[46:14]) narrates an incident where he faced a violent, drug-addicted individual threatening his family. Despite sparing Josh’s life by not engaging physically, Getty expresses frustration with law enforcement’s response, quoting a cop who implied that societal failures in mental health support contributed to the situation.
- This anecdote reinforces the hosts' argument about the urgent need for effective mental health and addiction solutions.

6. Concluding Thoughts: The Imperative for Change

In wrapping up, Armstrong, Getty, and Wilner reiterate the urgency of addressing the systemic issues surrounding mental health, addiction, and homelessness. They advocate for policies that balance compassion with accountability, emphasizing that current approaches are insufficient and often exacerbate the very problems they aim to solve.

Call for Realistic Solutions:
- Chris Wilner ([49:55]–[50:20]) argues for removing profit motives from societal support systems to tackle homelessness and addiction more effectively, suggesting that eliminating financial incentives could lead to more genuine support mechanisms.
Final Reflections:
- Joe Getty ([50:25]–[52:36]) underscores the necessity for society to confront harsh realities and implement stringent measures to deter drug addiction, positing that a lack of effective intervention only perpetuates cycles of violence and despair.

Notable Quotes

Chris Wilner at [05:21]:
“Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East... new opportunities opening for the people of Syria and the entire regime.”
Joe Getty at [06:08]:
“Biden went AP on the phone with Netanyahu... screaming at him, you effing a hole...”
Chris Wilner at [09:55]:
“He is [Trump]. He is pulling many, many strings of foreign policy...”
Joe Getty at [36:42]:
“The reality is tough... addiction and abuse programs don't work very often in the best of cases.”
Chris Wilner at [37:59]:
“He was given all of those things,” referring to treatments Neely received.
Joe Getty at [40:17]:
“Al Sharpton is a charlatan.”
Joe Getty at [46:01]:
“The real tragedy is that he can't get help.”

Conclusion

In "He's Mumbling Into His Jello," Armstrong and Getty offer a poignant critique of contemporary American policies on foreign affairs, mental health, and societal support systems. Through incisive analysis and personal storytelling, the episode underscores the complexities and failures inherent in current approaches, advocating for more effective and accountable solutions to pressing societal issues.

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Transcript

Jack Armstrong (0:00)

All right, we're all set for the party. I've trimmed the tree, hung the mistletoe, and paired all those weird shaped knives and forks with the appropriate cheeses. And I plugged in the Partisan Partisan. It's a home cocktail maker that makes over 60 premium cocktails, plus a whole lot of seasonal favorites too. I just got it for 50 off, so how about a Cosmopolitan or a Mistletoe Margarita?

Joe Getty (0:20)

I'm thirsty. Watch.

Jack Armstrong (0:22)

I just pop in a capsule, choose my strength and wow.

Joe Getty (0:25)

Beginning to feel more seasonal in here already.

Jack Armstrong (0:28)

If your holiday party doesn't have a bartender, then you become the bartender. Unless you've got a Bartesian because Bartesian crafts every cocktail perfectly in as little as 30 seconds. And I just got it for $50 off.

Joe Getty (0:40)

Tis the season to be jollier.

Chris Wilner (0:44)

Add some holiday flavor to every celebration with the sleek, sophisticated home cocktail maker Bartesian. Get $50 off any cocktail maker@bartisian.com cocktail that's B A R T E S I N.

Steve Post (1:00)

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Dan Snow (1:29)

Today, the leaves drift to the ground.

Chris Wilner (1:32)

The wind rises.

Dan Snow (1:34)

Pull up a chair by our fire.

Jack Armstrong (1:37)

And listen to stories from the darker.

Dan Snow (1:39)

Side of the past.

Joe Getty (1:41)

I'm Maddie.

Dan Snow (1:41)

And I'm Anthony. And on our podcast After Dark Myths, Misdeeds, and the Paranormal, we tell stories.

Joe Getty (33:31)

And again, I'm trying to make this realize this is. Recognize this is a complex issue. What do you do with mentally ill people? What do you do with drug addicts? But let's go through Mr. Neely's life. Mr. Neely racked up more than three dozen arrests in his life before he was choked to death. Many were of the sort that people living on the street often accrue while homeless, like turnstile jumping or trespassing. But at least four were on charges of punching people, two of them the subway system. We'll get to that later. Outreach workers noted that Mr. Neely heavily used K2, the powerful, unpredictable synthetic marijuana, which, by the way, when you're on it, will make you do horrible things, but will ruin your brain. And there ain't no fixing that. And what do we do with those people? Back to that. We'll get to that again later. In June of 2019, an outreach worker noticed that Mr. Neely had lost considerable weight and was sleeping upright. Around that time, he was reported to have banged on a booth agent's door and threatened to kill her, according to the workers notes. Then he was gone. At some point, Mr. Neely became a client of an intensive mobile treatment team, one of the squads of mental health clinicians who minister to people in the streets and shelters. I have a relative who actually does that kind of work. In March of 2020, the team had Mr. Neely taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was kept for a week, according to homeless outreach records. It was not clear what contact the team had with him after that. This gets to Joey's Joe's point that. But he did get that care that Ace, the ACLU and CLU was claiming he deserved. Yeah, okay, he deserved it and he got it. In November of 2021, Mr. Neely's aggression seemed to peak when he punched a 67 year old woman in the street on the Lower east side, the police said. The woman suffered several facial injuries, including a broken nose, according to court documents. Obviously it's just luck that she didn't die. He was charged with assault and awaiting the resolution of his case, spent 15 months in jail, the police said, though his family said the stint was shorter. He pleaded guilty on February 9th of this year and a carefully planned strategy between the city and his lawyers to allow him to get treatment and stay out of prison. Treatment for your drug addiction, do you know what the goal is today? The judge said. Yes, Mr. Neely replied. What is the goal? To make it physically and mentally to the program. He was to go from court to live at a treatment facility in the Bronx and stay clean for 15 months and return his felony conviction. Conviction would be reduced. I don't know that that's what we need to do as a society. But anyway, he promised to take his medication and to avoid drugs and not to leave the facility without permission. This is a wonderful opportunity to turn things around and we're glad to give it to you, the prosecutor said. Thank you so much, Mr. Neely replied. Thirteen days later, he abandoned the facility. The judge issued a warrant for his arrest. He goes on to do a variety of other minor things and then shows up on the subway screaming and yelling, he's going to kill people. If he doesn't get what he wants, he gets in a choke hold and he's dead.

Chris Wilner (46:14)

Yeah. People are completely delusional about reality. They cannot accept reality. I've said this many times. The real divide in American politics is those people who are adults who understand reality and understand sometimes you have to do stuff that's sad or makes your heart hurt and you'd rather not, but you have to as a society. Some people can deal with that and some people cannot. And they are generally progressives who are wantonly cruel when they need to be, which is a bit of a. A paradox. But what I was about to say about the drug thing is. And you know, as a small L Libertarian, I always want to opt to the side of more liberty. But there are absolute perfect parallels between, like, some way out there libertarians who believe we ought to have open borders, free flow of labor. But they always say that there are little meetings where, you know, they concoct their ridiculous plans, but we need to completely eliminate the welfare state. And there you've come and you work, and if you don't work, you don't get anything. And then it will work. Well, that's utterly, completely, laughably unrealistic. There is no way you are going to get the people in the government of the United States to completely dismantle the welfare state. Stop it. You might as well talk about pigs flying information like the Blue Angels. So with the drug thing, and it's been interesting to watch it play out, particularly in Oregon where they decriminalized possession use of hard drugs, and actually ask the people of Oregon how that went. It's been a miserable, miserable failure. And they rescinded that law and are now back to at least to some extent cracking down on possession and use. I was swayed at one time in my life by the great libertarian setting, saying rather that drugs will ruin your life. Therefore, if we catch you with drugs, we're going to ruin your life. And I thought that was very clever, and it is, actually. But now here's the problem and it's. There's a parallel with the immigration thing in that if you say to me in society, yes, you can use and possess hard drugs if you like, but if you violate any of the rules and laws of man or God, you are going to suffer the full consequences of it. We're not going to let you say, but I was on drugs. If you ruin your mind, you're not get allowed to say, I'm sorry, I'm crazy. No, you have made the decision to use hard drugs. That road very quickly and directly toward the horrendous thing you did. You will feel the full weight of the law.