I Could Have Designed A Fake Organization In An Afternoon!

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand Episode: I Could Have Designed A Fake Organization In An Afternoon! Release Date: March 5, 2025 Host: Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

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1. Government Efficiency and Waste

The episode kicks off with Joe Getty introducing the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (GoJ), criticizing what he perceives as massive wasteful spending within various government departments.

• Joe Getty [00:24]: "I believe they just don't want to admit that. Just listen to some of the appalling waste we have already identified."

He cites specific examples of questionable expenditures:

• HHS: $22 billion allocated for free housing and cars for illegal aliens.
• Diversity Programs: $45 million for scholarships in Burma and $40 million for the inclusion of sedentary migrants.

The hosts express frustration over these allocations, highlighting the ease with which funds can be misappropriated through the creation of seemingly legitimate organizations.

• Jack Armstrong [07:31]: "I could have designed a fake organization in an afternoon."

2. Examination of Presidential Rhetoric and Leadership

Jack Armstrong reflects on former President Trump's communication style, noting his resilience against heckling and ability to maintain focus during rallies.

• Jack Armstrong [01:40]: "Trump is so used to his raucous rallies... He is utterly unfazed by heckling. He just either addresses it or keeps going."

They discuss Trump's background as a showman and brand builder, comparing his approach to other political figures.

3. Investigation into the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the Biden administration's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The hosts critique the administration for alleged mismanagement and favoritism towards certain nonprofits.

• Joe Getty [04:22]: "It appears that little of the $27 billion revitalized anything except the coffers of a range of environmental nonprofits associated with former Obama and Biden administration officials."

Jack Armstrong emphasizes the rampant corruption and the challenges in uncovering such large-scale financial misappropriations.

• Jack Armstrong [06:22]: "It is graft, pure and simple, and titanic amounts of it."

4. Fiscal Conservatism and Taxation

The conversation shifts to broader fiscal issues, advocating for the elimination of government waste and expressing skepticism towards high taxation.

• Joe Getty [09:44]: "The only way that you can combat this is to be against taxes. It's your only."

They debate the impact of tax policies and the importance of fiscal responsibility to prevent further governmental corruption.

5. Misconduct in Law Enforcement

The hosts delve into a disturbing report about Los Angeles County detention officers involved in orchestrating gladiator-style fights among juvenile detainees. This segment highlights systemic issues within the prison system.

• Jack Armstrong [12:47]: "But that's why they're on leave."
• Joe Getty [13:07]: Discusses a listener's book, How to Create a Monster, critiquing the prison system's role in fostering hardened criminals.

6. Corporate Strategies and Consumer Culture

Target's strategic moves to regain its market presence are examined, alongside societal trends such as the "Cali Sober" lifestyle—eschewing alcohol while consuming other substances.

• Jack Armstrong [14:00]: "It's determined to bring back some of its lost Target mojo."

They critique Target's marketing shifts and discuss the potential societal implications of trends like "Cali Sober."

7. Political Analysis: State of the Union and Polling Insights

A comprehensive analysis of a recent State of the Union-like speech by Trump is provided, incorporating polling data to assess its reception.

• Politico Reference [20:34]: "Rich Lowry... said most people watching that speech will be at a loss for what they were supposed to disagree with."

Poll results indicate a polarized but generally favorable view among Republicans and some independents.

• Jew Getty [23:08]: "CNN snap poll... 76% approve, 23% disapprove."
• Jack Armstrong [24:00]: "It was a really good, the first chunk of it was a really good speech."

8. Foreign Policy and Territorial Ambitions

The hosts speculate on President Trump's foreign policy statements, particularly regarding Greenland, suggesting ulterior motives related to national security and global influence.

• Joe Getty [28:50]: "We need Greenland for national security and even international security."

They humorously critique the feasibility and intentions behind such territorial ambitions.

9. Cultural Commentary and Personal Insights

The episode concludes with lighter topics, including reflections on Dolly Parton's late husband and the allure of fame. The hosts emphasize the value of a private, unassuming life versus the pursuit of celebrity.

• Joe Getty [35:02]: "He ran an asphalt laying company for 60 years... a life legend."

Notable Quotes:

• Jack Armstrong [07:31]: "I could have designed a fake organization in an afternoon."
• Joe Getty [04:22]: "This Rush Job operation is riddled with conflicts of interest and corruption."
• Jack Armstrong [24:00]: "It was a really good, the first chunk of it was a really good speech."

Concluding Thoughts

Armstrong and Getty emphasize the importance of vigilance against governmental and corporate corruption, advocate for fiscal conservatism, and encourage listeners to remain informed and critical of political narratives. They blend serious analysis with cultural commentary, offering a comprehensive overview of current political and social issues.

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Note: This summary captures the key discussions and insights from the episode, omitting non-content sections such as advertisements and out-of-topic banter to provide a cohesive and informative overview for those who haven't listened to the episode.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln Radio Studio, the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

And now here's Armstrong and Getty.

[Joe Getty]

And to that end, I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency. GoJ, perhaps you've heard of it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Perhaps.

[Joe Getty]

Thank you, Elon. He's working very hard. He didn't need this. He didn't need this. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it. I believe they just don't want to admit that. Just listen to some of the appalling waste we have already identified. $22 billion from HHS to provide free housing and cars for illegal aliens. $45 million for diversity, equity and inclusion scholarships in Burma. $40 million to improve the social and economic inclusion of sedentary migrants. Nobody knows what that is. $8 million to promote.

[Unknown Guest]

And it goes on and on with a whole bunch of other good stuff that I'm happy they I. Sedentary migrants.

[Jack Armstrong]

Get off your ass. What?

[Unknown Guest]

Nobody knows what that is. That's hilarious.

[Jack Armstrong]

And you know what? One thing I noticed during the speech last night, I took one for the team and watched like an hour of it, was that Trump is so used to his raucous rallies where people yell constantly while he's talking. He is utterly unflapped by heckling. He doesn't care at all. He just either addresses it or keeps going. It's up to him. Very good at that.

[Unknown Guest]

I think that fits in with something. Paul Begala, who helped Bill Clinton get elected back in the day. He was on CNN yesterday. Showmanship. It is his great gift. This guy is a great showman, but he understands better than anybody, probably even better than Ronald Reagan, how to command attention. Yeah, well, he's a TV star. Ronald Reagan was an actor. But that's different than being a standing up in front of a live crowd all the time TV star sort of guy. He's just. He's just a showman through and through.

[Jack Armstrong]

And even when Trump was 90% just a real estate developer, he was the showman real estate developer. And other guys who went about the gig more quietly and probably more, you know, effectively or made more money were always saying, trump's not that big a deal, but he's a big deal when it comes to brand building.

[Unknown Guest]

Anyway, what I wanted to bring up was the, the cut and waste thing and the Doge thing. And I'm annoyed by the cynics who say this is a drop in the bucket, it's a rounding error. It will make no Effect. I, I, oh, I care. I want to deal with the real debt and deficit.

[Jack Armstrong]

Sure. The structural stuff, as they say.

[Unknown Guest]

I do want to deal with that. But why would I not be in favor of getting rid of this wasteful stuff? I just, I don't get that. And I've been saying, I've been saying for years, but I said last week, just like in a parallel universe or if I could come back in life, one thing I'd like to try to do is starting at age 18, just try to get government money. I think if you put, if you put effort into it and work the system and just paid attention to the news and saw where the big chunks of money were going, you could fake up a board or an organization or a charity or whatever and get big chunks of that money so easy. And I, I think there are millions of people across the country that do that at the county, state and federal level. That's all they do well.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Unknown Guest]

I don't think that I know that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Sure. Like that Stacey Abrams organization we talked about. I think it was last week or early this week they got $20 million as Biden was going out the door and their name is like it's a random hip woke word generator string together of Social Green Justice Fairness Coalition. Well, I'm about to get into doing anything or nothing.

[Unknown Guest]

Some of that Barry Weiss tweeted this out yesterday story and it's a lot of that stuff. The Department of Justice is investigating the Greenhouse Gas Reduction fund. It's a $27 billion program that was part of Biden's $740 billion inflation reduction act, which we all know was the New Green Deal called the Inflation Reduction Act. And everybody fell for it. Well, people didn't fall for it, but it passed. Created in the spring of 2023 and managed by the Environmental Protection Agency, the fund was supposed to be a first of its kind program to address the climate crisis while revitalizing communities that it considered historically left behind. Man, there's a lot of phrases there that make you want to grab your wallet. Uh, but Barry Weiss goes on to say, but it appears that little of the $27 billion revitalized anything except the coffers of a range of environmental nonprofits associated with former Obama and Biden administration officials. The Biden administration used so called climate equity, another phrase that makes me want to grab my wallet, make sure nobody steals it. The Biden administration used so called climate equity to justify handouts of billions of dollars to their far left friends. Lee Zeldin, for instance, The Trump administration's new EPA administer told the financial Press. It's my utmost priority to get a handle on every dollar that went out the door in this scheme and once again restore oversight and accountability over these funds.

[Jack Armstrong]

This hallelujah.

[Unknown Guest]

This Rush Job operation is riddled with conflicts of interest and corruption. A Free Press investigation reveals that of the 27 billion, 20 billion was rushed out the door. This is what you were talking about to eight nonprofit groups after Biden lost the election but before Trump took office. As one former EPA official put it on secretly recorded video, it was akin to tossing gold bars off the Titanic.

[Jack Armstrong]

It is graft, pure and simple, and titanic amounts of it.

[Unknown Guest]

I remember when these big trillion dollar deals passed and Steve Hayes of the Dispatch said they are going to be unraveling for decades where this money went and how much was just ripped off because there's just so much. When you have a trillion dollar deal, there's just so much money. A billion here or it's certainly 50 million here or there is. Nobody will ever hear about. I mean it's got a rise to the level of billions before it'll ever even make the news.

[Jack Armstrong]

Sure, if you consider that a trillion dollars is a thousand billion, but some.

[Unknown Guest]

Individual guy ended up with, you know, $20 million that would set you for life. Nobody will ever uncover that stuff. Anyway. Back to this. The eight groups were allocated sums ranging for 4 from 400 million to 6.9 billion. Several of them were formed in August 2023, just one month after the grant applications went live. In July of 2023 when it became clear that the large 9 and 10 figure grants would be up for grabs, the board.

[Jack Armstrong]

We are idiots. I know. I've gotten in on that.

[Unknown Guest]

I know. That's what I'm talking about.

[Jack Armstrong]

I could have designed a fake organization in an afternoon. Please.

[Unknown Guest]

So this passes, you get wind from your friends in Congress or whoever it is, that man, they've got like $100 billion fund they got to get out the door. So you form some 40 board the save the planet from, from greenhouse gas and help the Trans Commission. And you know me and my kids are on it and my parents and, and if you're friends with the right people, they send $50 million your way.

[Jack Armstrong]

Throw the word equity in there. It's just good one. It's all powerful. Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

The boards and staff of these eight groups include Democratic donors, people with connections to Obama and Biden administrations, and prominent Democrats as you mentioned, like Stacey Abrams. These are some of the biggest grants to individual organizations in American history and your tax dollars.

[Jack Armstrong]

You bust your ass all week long. You look at your gross pay and your net pay. That's where it went. Now do we have you tune in so we can make you angry? No, not per se, but somebody needs to be angry about this. We. We can't be fleeced. Like if. If you are complacent in the face of thievery, this egregious, you deserve the thievery.

[Unknown Guest]

Would this be investigated? It's being investigated by the Justice Department. Would this be investigated if Kamala had one? Of course not.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's hilarious.

[Unknown Guest]

I know it's a side. Why did I even mention it? But the idea that when they. They had these $20 billion that rushed out the door after the election, but before Trump took office, and some of these boards were invented, you know, days after this happened, and they got anywhere between, as she said here, wrote here, between 400 million and $6.9 billion.

[Jack Armstrong]

They exist to receive the money. That's why they exist. It's horrifying.

[Unknown Guest]

It is. The only way that you can combat this is to be against taxes. It's your only.

[Jack Armstrong]

The rich gonna pay their fair share.

[Unknown Guest]

Of this s. No kidding. God dang it. It's so frustrating. I mean, it makes you so cynical. Does it make you feel okay about cheating on your taxes? I don't know how. It wouldn't. If you can.

[Jack Armstrong]

We certainly don't suggest that on any level.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, push it as hard as you can.

[Jack Armstrong]

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[Unknown Guest]

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[Jack Armstrong]

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[Unknown Guest]

I depressed myself with that last story and I read it last night in bed and got all angry.

[Jack Armstrong]

If we can just whip up the fervor a little bit for more fiscal conservatism in this country, we'll be doing our children and grandchildren a great service. And I don't mean you and me, I mean all of us friends, all of us again, just, oh, we're such saps. And this is one of the reasons I subscribe to the free press. They're doing a great job. Even, even when I don't agree with their conclusions, they're making honest inquiries to try to figure out what's happening, which is kind of what we do around here.

[Unknown Guest]

Among things we can get to this hour, quite a bit of polling. Your, your snap polling came out last night after the Trump speech. Really good news for Trump. Or if you're a Trump fan, I'd say that among other things on the way. Stay here. Armstrong and Getty, 30 Los Angeles county detention officers charged for alle facilitating these so called gladiator fights between juvenile detainees. The attorney general says from June to December of 2023, there were 69 fights involving 143 teenagers, the youngest just 12 years old. Officers now facing charges ranging from child abuse and battery to conspiracy. And the LA County Parole Department says all current staff who have been charged are now on leave without paid on leave are going to be fired. It's almost impossible to fire a lot of guards in a lot of prisons.

[Jack Armstrong]

But that's why they're on leave.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, I thought that story was disgusting when I thought it was an adult. Geez, you're pitting children against each other.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh yeah, you are. Lots of them.

[Unknown Guest]

You have been around an ugly crowd, prisoners for so long, you've lost your humanity. You shouldn't be doing that job anymore.

[Jack Armstrong]

One of our listeners wrote, I think it was self published, a book years and years and years ago. And he sent it to us and I read part of it and I kept it. It was, I think it was called how to Create a Monster. He'd worked in the prison system for a long time and his thesis was that our prison system as it exists is almost like it's designed to create the hardest, meanest people we possibly can. And he was not coming at it from some sort of liberal do Gooder, turn them all loose. Gavin Newsom nonsense. He was just thinking we really ought to reimagine this if we want to create, you know, citizens that we want to have around because 90, whatever percent of them will get out eventually anyway. Thought provoking.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. God, that's horrible.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it is. Totally different topic here. Target, Jack. Big Target man. Through the years, I'm a stockholder.

[Unknown Guest]

I go to Target at least once a week, sometimes multiple times.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's determined to bring back some of its lost Target mojo. In fact, the CEO actually used the term Target on a big call with investors. They want to refocus on their traditional strengths. Exciting merchandise and a great store experience.

[Unknown Guest]

The original appeal for me was it's not Walmart, it's just a. It's Walmart with better carts and a little cleaner.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, wow, I'm working with the Rockefeller over here, Mr. Fancy.

[Unknown Guest]

It's like, that's like Nate Borgozzi says, Target. I don't go to Target. We, I'm not, we don't. We're not from old money.

[Jack Armstrong]

I've got to admit. And I tend to be a forgiving person. I have a really hard time forgiving them, not just for like rainbow T shirts, but like selling tucking your little boy's penis garments so he can explore his transgenderism stuff.

[Unknown Guest]

Pretty, it's pretty awful.

[Jack Armstrong]

That is way, way, way, way beyond the pale. But you might see some trying to class up the Target in a, you know, store near you. Speaking of consumer affairs, this is literally consuming. Meet the Cali Sober set. No booze, but drugs are fine.

[Unknown Guest]

California sober.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

Who are Demi Lovato Nevato? What is that singer name she invented? She, she went into rehab and then was asked about how rehab is going. She said, well, I'm California sober, I still smoke pot. So that is caught on as a term.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? Here's a 30 year old gal who they focus on, who has cut down her drinking since moving to Southern California in 2019 and quote, started doing big doses of mushrooms instead. Now she's 30, living in Topanga Canyon where she hosts alcohol free pop up parties in the LA area where she serves mo enhancing mocktails and mushroom chocolates. All right, so alcohol is largely off the table, but psychedelics are a big part of the, the social scene. I, I'm not sure. I mean, if you're like drinking to excess and you couldn't control it and you're hurting your health and relationships and that sort of thing, you know, what the heck, if you can just do something a Little bit. I get that. But the idea that, yeah, I've given up alcohol because it's harmful and now I take powerful psychoactive drugs all the time. I would, I would advise caution. They mentioned that she started dabbling with quote unquote plant medicine after cutting back on alcohol hangovers.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

And wanted different experiences.

[Unknown Guest]

There you go.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay. She, man, she does like all of this stuff.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. California Sober's mostly mocked, I think. I don't think it's a thing other than being mocked.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm a big. To each your own guy. I will just tell you this. And I've said this to young people more than once. The idea of psychoactive drugs, which, you know, can be fine to take. If you believe that, that's okay. The problem is the bargain you're striking is I'm going to alter my brain chemistry and when I'm done, it'll go back to normal. Then next week I'm going to alter my brain chemistry and then it'll go back to normal. And you repeat that over and over and over again. And many people, eventually their brain says, yeah, I'm not going back to normal. I can't anymore.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. Joe Rogan, Elon, and a lot of people swear by it. Changed their lives forever in a. In a profound way.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. I'm not cynical about it. I'm just again, advising caution.

[Unknown Guest]

I'd hate to ruin my brain over it.

[Jack Armstrong]

You only got the one that would suck kind of, you know, B minus as it is.

[Unknown Guest]

And sometimes you get ruined like the first try, Right?

[Jack Armstrong]

It can happen. Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, that would suck. They did some snap polling on Trump's speech last night, man. Pretty good results. Breaking down different issues and everything like that. He's got to be happy with that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it's probably great results. Cause it was so great and kicks.

[Unknown Guest]

Ass if you miss this. That's coming up. If you missed a segment, get the podcast. Armstrong and Getty on demand.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Gettysburg.

[Joe Getty]

And we have Marco Rubio in charge. Good luck, Marco. Now we know who to blame if anything goes wrong. Marco's been amazing and he's going to do a great job.

[Unknown Guest]

So Marco Rubio is the Secretary of State. A lot going on foreign policy wise, but there was reporting yesterday, although all with unnamed sources. You never have any idea if there's a grain of truth to these stories or not. But there was some reporting yesterday. I forget where I saw it. Real publication that Marco Rubio is not happy with how being Secretary of State has turned out because it seems like Trump and Vance and Others are making foreign policy decisions kind of on the fly, saying them out loud without his input or his knowledge of what direction they're going. It wouldn't shock me that that's true.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, that's not an insane thing to claim.

[Unknown Guest]

No. But getting to the speech in general. So what are you calling last night's speech?

[Jack Armstrong]

The so tack? The state of the ass kicking.

[Unknown Guest]

So Trump gives the longest speech ever for one of those things, and the Democrats sat for everything. That's never happened before. That's a new deal no matter what. Meaning a kid. Kid that beat cancer. They didn't stand and cheer.

[Jack Armstrong]

I mean, okay, well, Debbie Dingle of Michigan, I'm not stealing your thunder here, am I? She actually plugged her ears and rolled her eyes as people were applauding for the little kid who's fighting cancer. Good look, Debbie.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. And then some of the issues that they, they won't stand for, you know, we're going to end men and women's sports. Nobody stood. Really?

[Jack Armstrong]

Not even a single one? Not a single vote the other day?

[Unknown Guest]

Not. Not even in some of those districts, like whatever that woman was that gave the, the rebuttal speech last night. She was pretty good from Michigan, but they chose her because Trump won her district and she won as a Democrat. Even districts like that, there's not somebody that wants to stand up and say, you know, I kind of think dudes shouldn't be in girls sports either. That's just shocking that they're that uniform on such a. What seemed to me settled issue anyway. Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

No dissent is allowed in the Democratic.

[Unknown Guest]

Party before I get to some of the polling. And even Politico thought the Democrats attempt at pushback fell flat. Politico wrote today.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

Rich Lowry, Rich Lowry, who's a man of the right, but definitely not a Trump fan, said most people watching that speech will be at a loss for what they were supposed to disagree with and wonder why Democrats were so glum and disagreeable. Well, that would fit in with some of the polling that came out. The CNN snap poll. Among speechwatcher views of Trump's speech approve, 76% disapprove, 23. So 7623 approve. Among speechwatchers issues you care about. Almost two thirds. A lot. 28%. A little. 10%. None at all. So speech made you feel hopeful, proud, worried, or angry. Those are the options. 68% hopeful. Over half.

[Jack Armstrong]

For all of the, quote, unquote, controversy. It had a very positive vibe to it.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. In the speech, Trump was presidential Entertaining, inspiring, unifying, divisive. Three quarters said presidential, three quarters said entertaining, 71% inspiring, 62% unifying, and less than half divisive. Now, my first thought upon seeing these numbers was, well, maybe only Republicans watched. And it's not only Republicans, but it was heavily Republicans. Party identification of speech watchers, 51% Republicans. And then you split it among independents and Democrats for the rest. But I don't know, I don't know what the numbers are on that usually. I know I've looked at these snap polls over the years and they're usually not that overwhelmingly favorable for a Democrat or a Republican. I don't know about the makeup of the audience. Do you remember, is the, is it always the case? I mean, I'm sure it's always the case that if you have a Democratic president, more Democrats watching Republicans and vice versa.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes, sure.

[Unknown Guest]

But is it overwhelmingly that way?

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't remember.

[Unknown Guest]

I don't remember either. Have we. Is that just like part of the new era we're in where only Republicans are going to watch a Republican president and only Democrats and so all of this will be skewed. I don't know about that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Given the fact that the State of the Union address has just become a campaign speech, you know, whether it's Joe Biden or halfway Kamala Harris or Barack Obama. I heard they're jabbering plenty. I didn't, you know, if I do this for a living, no way. Why do I want to tune into one of his campaign speeches? So it's probably pretty heavily partisan.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. So then if that's the fact, if, well, so it's half Republicans, the fact that 3/4 of people thought the speech was great, that means you're doing better than just Republicans.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Well, again, depending on the distribution of the audience, Republicans, Independents and Democrats, which isn't clear to me. You didn't mention that. Right. Or did you?

[Unknown Guest]

Over half Republicans watch the speech of watchers. Over half are Republicans.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Okay.

[Unknown Guest]

And then 27% independents, 20% Democrats.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, sorry. So I was thinking of other things and missed that. But yeah, clearly I was going to say, yeah, Republicans are watching, but a lot of, you know, Trump agnostic or Trump friendly independents, I'm sure watch too. It was a really good, the first chunk of it was a really good speech. How he went deep into the night. I don't get why he does that. Maybe you're right. He's just trying to generate more sound bites because most people take it in through the echo chamber. But it was good it was terrific. And, and I'm highly. Trump skeptical on a lot of things. Everybody knows that. But as a celebration of the progress and rallying the country behind the things he's trying to do that we all agree on, eliminating government waste, getting men out of women's sports and women's private places, all that stuff, I thought he presented it in a very down to earth, easy to digest way. I thought it was very effective.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. I saw Jeff Greenfeld, he, he wrote a piece for Politico fairly praising of Trump's speech from his standpoint. I mean, because a smart pundit, if you're not just a naked partisan, you would say, I mean, you would say, even if you hate Trump, I hate Trump. I hate everything he's doing. But that was good for him. That was a win for him, which is. I saw a number of people say, oh, that's what everybody on the Dispatch said last night. Dispatch is a conservative publication, if you don't know it, website. None of them like Trump. But they all thought it was a net win for Trump. Definitely last night. Politico writing today, the actual headline is giving Bingo Democrats Silent Protest against Trump Falls Flat. That's the everybody holding up the little signs that say various things, looking at the signs. Must Steals Save Medicaid, Protect Veterans. Okay.

[Jack Armstrong]

Just false.

[Unknown Guest]

One of the problems with those signs I saw pointed out on social media was they were so easily memeable. It takes very little Photoshop skill to change those signs into all kinds of ridiculous things that a lot of people.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, right.

[Unknown Guest]

I'm a moron or whatever.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, and the great, the great grandstanding moment at the beginning of the thing where Al Green, the ancient lunatic who even Democrats wish would die. They don't say that on the record, of course, but they want it. The fact that he was the big grandstandy. I'm against Trump leader. An ancient lunatic shaking his cane. I mean, it was beyond parody. It was the stuff of like, a really good Saturday Night Live sketch.

[Unknown Guest]

Well, an ancient lunatic I'd never heard of. And I follow politics more closely, obviously, than most people do. The polling on that 76% of people approved of carrying that old guy out of there. I was hoping he was gonna like, shove one of those dudes or like, you know, make a real scene.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. Try to turn it into, you know, the Selma march or something like that. Because that was the thing. I wasn't sure how it was gonna go because it was so obviously performative.

[Unknown Guest]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

I mean, it wasn't new.

[Unknown Guest]

He was gonna get kicked out for that. He was told stopper, he'll get kicked out. And he kept on with the hopes that he would get kicked out.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right, exactly. It was just so according to an obvious script. Mostly it was eye rolling and chuckling at the whole idiotic exhibition. And then on Trump went with a speech.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, anyhow, that's that. Nobody will even remember it happened by Friday.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, the getting kicked out of the speech?

[Unknown Guest]

No, the whole speech.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. The only effect it might have is it was a bigger audience than usual for look at the crazy s we've found in the budget. Were trying to save your taxpayer dollars. That part was really effective. Could, could nudge the needle.

[Unknown Guest]

God, we've got such big stories, like real stories going on right now. The tariff thing, depending on how long that lasts, that's going to be the talk of the country. If it lasts very long and people start seeing significant price increases. And then the whole Ukraine, Russia thing, which could go, who knows how that's going to turn out.

[Jack Armstrong]

And that might just be a single theater of the alleged greater scheme to switch away from the American led rules based international order to more spheres of influence. Great nations, old timey way to arrange the globe.

[Unknown Guest]

Am I right that Trump said we're going to get Greenland last night?

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't know.

[Unknown Guest]

I read that up there. I don't know if we have that clip. We have that clip, Hanson, but I read it up on the screen. Trump said Greenland will be ours.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, here you go. 76 and I also have a message.

[Joe Getty]

Tonight for the incredible people of Greenland. We strongly support your right to determine your own future. And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America. We need Greenland for national security and even international security. And we're working with everybody involved to try and get it. But we need it really for international world security. And I think we're going to get it one way or the other. We're going to get one way or the other.

[Unknown Guest]

Okay, there you go.

[Joe Getty]

We will keep you safe, we will make you rich. And together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, just to install 50 million space heaters around to warm the place up. That'd be a start. Well, reminds me of the Panama strategy where he's talking about taking the canal back by force. And yesterday if you didn't hear this, we mentioned it lay dish in the show that an American company, well, BlackRock Investments, the investment giant, had bought the port facilities at either end of the canal from the Hong Kong based company that had been Running them. So you know, and I've said this from the beginning, he's angling toward an enhanced security agreement with Greenland and it's Danish overlords.

[Unknown Guest]

I can hardly see the road with the heat rising up on the horizon. Panama.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow. Greenland.

[Unknown Guest]

So I was. He actually wants Greenland though. I don't think this is just a ploy. And I. As a what a territory or whatever, we would make it like something like what Guam is or something. But I, I've read a number of pundits that I was surprised that were like all in. Oh yeah, we should absolutely find a way to get Greenland. It's very important to the future of the safety of the world and everything like that now.

[Jack Armstrong]

But I agree completely. For the record, it's not up to.

[Unknown Guest]

The Greenland Greenlanders, is it? Isn't it up to the Danes? Don't they own Greenland or something?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, they've got a pretty good right of self determination to the extent that I understand the Danish system. I understand a nice Danish with a cup of coffee, but yeah, the people of Greenland decide their fate.

[Unknown Guest]

The population of 56,000. Buy them each car. Vote for it and I'll buy a car. Well, it cost us nothing.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why are you so belligerent? You are the ugly American. This disgusts me. Here's what's going to happen. Here's, here's all Trump is saying. And this goes again to the. Here's our sphere of influence. There's your sphere of influence. We won't screw with yours, you don't screw with ours. New world order that they're talking about building. We have to have Greenland to protect the Arctic Circle and the northern shipping and military passages. And it might be some sort of protectorate status. It might just be, here's what he's going for. A 100% certain alliance with Greenland or Denmark or we own it. So that we always know it's on our side in our sphere of influence, whatever shape that takes.

[Unknown Guest]

You want Santa under the control of Chinese? We need Greenland.

[Jack Armstrong]

Is that what you want? I was reading some really interesting stuff about Greenland the other day. Do we have time for this?

[Unknown Guest]

I find that hard to believe.

[Jack Armstrong]

What? No. Oh, super interesting. If you're into mining logistics and you know me, mining logistics, getting the crap out of the ground there may be one of the most logistically daunting tasks anybody's ever imagined. Giant mining company after mining companies looked into it, seen the enormous wealth to be extracted and said no, but couldn't.

[Unknown Guest]

We not literally bribe them? Like give you a car but make it clear to them your economy is going to be so different if you come under the sway of the United States. You're all going to be wealthy for one thing.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. If we could promise them that.

[Unknown Guest]

I think we can.

[Jack Armstrong]

Can we?

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, sure.

[Jack Armstrong]

What do you know about mining logistics?

[Unknown Guest]

Nothing.

[Jack Armstrong]

Nothing.

[Unknown Guest]

And I. I wasn't reading about it the other day and won't be.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hey, the adults are talking.

[Unknown Guest]

All right, we're on the way. Stay here.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty. We are 2620 point games this year.

[Unknown Guest]

LeBron open three 22 seasons, 40 years of age. LeBron James, 50,002 points, is already the leading scorer in NBA history. Now he is by a lot, hitting 50,000 points. Nobody thought that would ever be possible. It helps if you start when you're 18 and are really, really good, but.

[Jack Armstrong]

Play till you're 65. Apparently, that seems to be the plan.

[Unknown Guest]

He's 40 and they are in first place in their division and they got one of the best players in the NBA to join him and he's young Luka Doncic. And they're. They're going to be a finals contender. That'll be fun to watch, I think. I was just watching some news and you know how during COVID people weren't going into studios, so guests on TV were doing their thing from home, which was new, but it has continued. A lot of people or organizations have decided, what are we making you drive clear across New York or D.C. or fly across the country or whatever, to be in the studio when you can just do it from home. And then also the whole, not only am I not going to throw on a suit, I'm not even going to throw on a decent shirt or put away the cereal bowl on the counter behind me. It's just amazing how many people just don't care. And I'm not sure it matters. So what difference does it make?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it's funny. I've done enough of that. I've tried to come up with the perfect background, the right books and the right look and all. But then I see some, like, great pundits who. And this is, this is true a lot in D.C. you see their background and you realize, oh, you have much more influence than money because they're, you know, doing their shot from a very, very modest basement room there in D.C. yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

But hey, I wanted to mention this, so I meant brought up on the show yesterday that Dolly Parton's husband died of all weird stories, but she had been married to the Same guy for 60 years. Met him when at the laundromat when she was 18.

[Jack Armstrong]

He saw Devil too. I've seen pictures. Back in the day.

[Unknown Guest]

He saw him for the first her. Saw her for the first time. Thought, I'm going to marry that girl. And he did two years later. And they stayed married the whole time. And very happily married from all accounts, from both of them. But this. Yes, interesting. Yesterday I saw this tweeted out carl Dean, that's Dolly Parton's husband. Married young, gave zero Fs about fame and fortune. He laid asphalt for a living. He ran an asphalt laying company for 60 years. Married to a very famous woman. Zero Facebook posts, zero tweets. 10 for 10. Life legend. Yeah, just somebody had no interest in putting his opinion out there about everything that happens in the world or any opinions about anything. Just gonna live my life. I don't care how famous I could be or how much attention I could get. I just don't care.

[Jack Armstrong]

Worked hard and loved his woman. It's all right.

[Unknown Guest]

Why don't more people do that? You'd be happier.

[Jack Armstrong]

Lust for fame is difficult to explain. It seems to be damn near universal.

[Unknown Guest]

We do four hours. If you miss an hour, get the podcast. Armstrong and Getty on demand.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.