Armstrong & Getty On Demand: "I'm Against Armed Robbery"

Release Date: February 10, 2026
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

This episode of Armstrong & Getty dives into California’s ongoing government fraud scandals, the systemic lack of accountability, and the corrosive effects of political and bureaucratic corruption. Along the way, the hosts discuss the culture of government waste, political media bias, and the way large-scale fraud becomes normalized both in politics and society. The latter part of the show hits topics such as body positivity in medical practice, sensational journalism, and media condescension toward "average Americans." The tone is irreverent, sardonic, and frequently self-deprecating.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Systemic Fraud and Government Waste in California

• Intro (00:16–02:58): The show opens by referencing massive fraud in California’s unemployment system ($32.6B in fraud, $24B “missing” from homelessness efforts, 1.2M fake community college applications). The hosts introduce clips from recent congressional hearings and journalism, including Rep. Kevin Kiley and California Post reporter Joe Pollack.

• Quote:

  “The governor has presided over fraud really as a business model in California.”
  — Joe Pollack (02:08)

• The hosts lambast the rewarding of government failures with promotions (Julie Su moving up after the unemployment fraud scandal), framing this as a result of intentional systemic incentives:

  “You fail up.” (02:58)

• Analysis: Jack and Joe suggest state audits are ignored, fraud is institutionalized, and the media generally fails to hold officials to account unless the outlet is explicitly non-progressive. They applaud the establishment of the "California Post" as a potential check on government power.

2. Progressive Voters vs. Activists and "The Scam as Old as Politics"

• Segment (03:01–06:11): Discussion shifts to why voters seemingly tolerate waste and fraud:

  "The activists... they're criminals. Their supporters are soft heads who fall for the false moral argument."
  — Joe Getty (04:58)

• Jack wishes that progressive voters cared as much about wasted money as new taxes:

  “Progressives should be leading the charge to... All of that money could be spent on what? Pick your cause: schools, vaccines, whatever you’re into.”
  — Jack Armstrong (04:44)

• Institutional charity is discussed: inflated budgets have not led to improved state services—a direct reference to homelessness ($24 billion spent “with very little impact”), schools, and infrastructure (05:09–06:11).

• Memorable Moment (Ocean's 11 Analogy):

  “There are days I… actually feel like I’m watching Ocean’s Eleven… I’m against armed robbery, of course I am… but you kind of enjoy it on that level… it’s a super clever scheme… The selling of the progressive tax code as a moral imperative… to narrow the tax base so that you can never be elected out… That is a brilliant maneuver. That is George Clooney robbing the casino. Smart. It’s evil… but clever.”
  — Joe Getty (10:36)

3. Voter Apathy & The Getty-McArdle Principle

• Segment (07:42–09:31):
  A cited Megan McArdle column notes that fraud scandals rarely bring consequences. Joe coins “the Getty McArdle principle” to explain that voters don’t emotionally connect the dots between taxes taken and money wasted. The tax base is intentionally narrowed so most voters aren't outraged or affected:

  “You get that the government wastes money... but for some reason, they don’t connect those two power lines together and have the right, the obvious emotional reaction to that.”
  — Joe Getty (08:34)

4. Ethical Decline & "What's Stopping Them from Stealing?"

• Segment (09:42–12:24):
  They contend that past generations had enough ethical gatekeepers to keep government theft in check; with ethics decayed, fraud only grows. The culture of personal responsibility and aversion to accepting “charity” or entitlement has disappeared:

  “If you lose enough ethics around government, there’s nothing stopping them from stealing.”
  — Jack Armstrong (10:16)

5. Brief News Diversions

• Segment (12:31–16:16):
  • Updates on the “Guthrie case” (potential criminal investigation), handled with characteristic joking, skepticism toward media speculation, and banter about sensational rumors.
  • Quick digressions: Jeffrey Epstein emails mentioning Bill Gates’ alleged personal concerns, which Jack uses to impart a “live an honest life” moral.

6. Media Sensationalism and Culture Critiques

• Super Bowl Recap (17:24–18:18):

  • Their comedic summary: weird commercials (“AI Jesus and Mike Tyson telling you to eat apples”) and cultural decline signified by a switch from beer/pop ads to AI-themed products.

• Body Positivity vs. Medical Reality (18:21–26:33):

  • The hosts discuss “body positivity,” referencing New York Times reporting that doctors are reluctant to directly mention obesity for fear of alienating patients—especially in light of COVID comorbidities:

  “If you got your knees and your ankles hurt all the time and you’re £450, say, have you tried losing weight? Because I think your weight is the main reason your knees hurt.”
  — Jack Armstrong (22:03)

  They also criticize public reluctance to discuss obesity as a COVID risk factor:

  “During COVID the relationship between COVID deaths and being overweight was crazy but got like no attention because of it being offensive or whatever.”
  — Jack Armstrong (25:49)

7. Mocking Elitist Journalism: "Gay Nazi Truck Reviews"

• Segment (27:00–34:31):
  The hosts mock a Wall Street Journal Pulitzer-winning car reviewer who likens pickup truck aficionados to Nazis obsessed with flamboyant style:

  “Jack Armstrong, do you or do you not drive a Ford F250 Super Duty truck?”
  — Joe Getty (29:15)
  “I do.”
  — Jack Armstrong (29:16)

  The critic’s prose is described as ludicrous and condescending; Joe and Jack lampoon his attempt to psychoanalyze blue-collar truck owners and signal his own disdain for them.

• Pulitzer/Nobel Rant: The hosts decry the politicization of prestigious journalism awards, suggesting prize committees are ideologically compromised.

• Quote:

  “He has to have many, many paragraphs to get around to insulting people who would drive a truck. That’s his truck review.”
  — Jack Armstrong (31:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Government Waste:

  “There is no punishment for fraud… and you simply get promoted. You fail up.”
  — Joe Pollack (02:08)

• On Activists vs. Progressives:

  "The activists… they're criminals. Their supporters are soft heads who fall for the false moral argument."
  — Joe Getty (04:58)

• On Voter Disengagement:

  “People cannot picture and feel they took a bunch of my money out of my check and threw it away.”
  — Joe Getty (08:34)

• On Scandals:

  “These scandals don't have the appropriate penalty at the end... which is very depressing.”
  — Jack Armstrong (07:42)

• On Media Elitism:

  "Your job is to write about cars… Comparing people you don’t like to Nazis is another classic case."
  — (Paraphrasing Andrew Stiles, 31:32)

• Humor/Absurdity:

  “I think you're having trouble understanding it because you're a gay Nazi. And I have proof from the Wall Street Journal's auto review column.”
  — Joe Getty (24:46)

• Moral lesson:

  “If you live your life a certain way, do the right thing, it’s so much easier... you’re not lying, you’re not cheating... imagine the stress…”
  — Jack Armstrong (15:28)

Important Timestamps

• 00:16–02:58 – California fraud scandals, political corruption, introduction of media clips.
• 03:01–06:11 – Progressive politics, activists vs. voters, government waste.
• 07:42–10:15 – Voter apathy, “Getty McArdle Principle”.
• 10:36 – Ocean’s 11 analogy for fraud in politics.
• 12:31–16:16 – Guthrie news update; Epstein/Gates rumor and moral takeaway.
• 17:24–18:18 – Super Bowl/ads pop culture commentary.
• 18:21–26:33 – Detailed breakdown on body positivity, medical reluctance to discuss obesity.
• 27:00–34:31 – Wall Street Journal “gay Nazi truck review” mockery; further press critique and humor.

Conclusion & Takeaways

The episode paints a bleak but darkly comic portrait of state-level mismanagement, the insidious comfort with waste and fraud in politics, and the unwillingness of both voters and media to confront uncomfortable truths. Armstrong & Getty punctuate their criticism with humor, cultural references, and a healthy dose of self-awareness.

Whether discussing billion-dollar scandals, cultural fads, or journalistic pretensions, their approach is equal parts skeptical and satirical—perfect for listeners who want an unvarnished, occasionally outrageous take on the news of the day.