Oligarch Foot Rubs

Summary

Summary of "Oligarch Foot Rubs" Episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Released on April 23, 2025 | Host: iHeartPodcasts

The "Oligarch Foot Rubs" episode of the Armstrong & Getty On Demand podcast delves into the contentious political landscape surrounding California Congressman Kevin Kiley. The hosts, Ryan Seacrest and Drew Goins, engage in a spirited dialogue with Christina Quinn from the Washington Post's "Try This" podcast, critically examining Kiley's political stance and his defense against allegations of serving oligarchic interests.

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1. Introduction to the Controversy

The episode opens with Christina Quinn setting the stage for a heated discussion about Kevin Kiley. She asserts, “[Kevin Kiley] knows that it is deeply unpopular. He knows that it hurts the people of Folsom. But he is not there to serve working families” (02:39). This provocative statement frames the conversation, highlighting the tension between Kiley and progressive figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Bernie Sanders.

2. Kevin Kiley’s Defense Against Oligarch Allegations

Ryan Seacrest introduces Congressman Kevin Kiley, inviting him to respond to the criticisms. Kiley swiftly rebuts the claims, emphasizing his commitment to fiscal responsibility and educational choice. At 04:27, Kiley states:

“They want their socialists. They believe in open borders. They believe in defunding the police. They believe in essentially attacking and effectively abolishing small businesses or at least making life miserable for them.”

Kiley argues that the socialist policies advocated by AOC and Sanders have led to tangible negative outcomes in California, such as “out of control crime and homelessness and poverty” (05:41).

3. The Reality of Income Inequality in California

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the stark income inequality in California. Kiley highlights:

“California has one of the most, is one of the most highest inequality states in the entire country. So I'd say just look at the reality that we have” (05:41).

He further underscores the impact of bureaucratic red tape on small businesses, noting that excessive permit fees and regulations discourage entrepreneurship, leading to closures of beloved local establishments (08:12). Kiley cites statistics stating, “California has the highest poverty rate in the United States when you factor in the cost of living” (08:55), reinforcing his argument against the effectiveness of current state policies.

4. Critique of Socialist Policies and Their Impact

Kiley positions himself as a proponent of “common sense” solutions contrasting the “radical socialism” he attributes to his political adversaries (07:09). He argues that the policies promoted by AOC and Sanders have not only failed to deliver on their promises but have actively worsened the socio-economic conditions in regions like San Francisco and Oakland.

5. Education System and Academic Freedom

Shifting focus, the conversation transitions to the state of academic freedom and the challenges within the American education system (09:24). Kiley addresses the rise in antisemitism on campuses, describing incidents that threatened student safety and led to widespread campus shutdowns (09:53). He contends that these issues are symptomatic of deeper cultural problems within academia, necessitating "fundamental reforms" to protect free speech and ensure academic integrity.

“Harvard was dead last [in protecting free speech].” (11:27)

6. Anecdotal Insights on Elite Education and Abuse

Drew Goins introduces a historical perspective by recounting brutal practices in early 20th-century elite British private schools, drawing parallels to current criticisms of Kiley. He narrates an account where students were forced into degrading positions, such as acting as footstools for authority figures (15:53). This anecdote serves to illustrate the extent of control and dehumanization that can occur within elite institutions, indirectly questioning the integrity of those in power, including politicians like Kiley.

7. Concluding Remarks and Light-Hearted Banter

As the episode wraps up, the hosts and Kiley engage in lighter conversation, diffusing some of the earlier tension. Ryan Seacrest and Drew Goins share humorous exchanges about the unusual practices in elite schools and the metaphorical "foot rubs" associated with oligarchs (14:34). Kiley maintains his composure, reinforcing his commitment to his constituents and dismissing the accusations leveled against him.

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Notable Quotes

• Christina Quinn (02:39):

  “Kevin Kiley knows that it is deeply unpopular. He knows that it hurts the people of Folsom. But he is not there to serve working families.”

• Kevin Kiley (04:27):

  “They want their socialists. They believe in open borders. They believe in defunding the police. They believe in essentially attacking and effectively abolishing small businesses or at least making life miserable for them.”

• Kevin Kiley (05:41):

  “California has one of the most, is one of the most highest inequality states in the entire country. So I'd say just look at the reality that we have.”

• Kevin Kiley (11:27):

  “Harvard was dead last [in protecting free speech].”

Conclusion

"Oligarch Foot Rubs" offers a robust exploration of the political dynamics within California, spotlighting Congressman Kevin Kiley's defense against allegations of serving elite interests. Through incisive discussions on income inequality, socialist policies, and the state of academic freedom, the episode provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing debates shaping American politics. The inclusion of historical anecdotes and light-hearted exchanges further enriches the narrative, making the complex issues accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

Transcript

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[Christina Quinn]

Kevin Kiley knows that this is not what you want. He knows that it is deeply unpopular. He knows that it hurts the people of Folsom. But he is not there to serve working families.

[Kevin Kiley]

He is there to serve himself and.

[Christina Quinn]

The billionaire class that put him there.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Well, Mr. Kiley, I think some of.

[Drew Goins]

Your constituents have a message for you.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Don't vote to give tax breaks to billionaires and cut programs that the working class of this country desperately needs.

[Drew Goins]

Man, I wish. I wish we could talk to this Kevin Kiley person, but he's probably busy giving a foot rub to some oligarch right now.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Oh, I tell you what. Typical of former English high school teachers, Kevin Kiley has become an unrecognizable monster, apparently, according to AOC and Bernie. And we'll talk to the monster now. Congressman Kevin Kiley of California's third district. Kevin, how are you, sir?

[Kevin Kiley]

I'm doing well. So nice of you to welcome me to your program. Despite, you know, what you've heard from our friends Bernie and AOC there, you're.

[Drew Goins]

Currently on your hands and knees serving as a footstool for an oligarch.

[Kevin Kiley]

Oh, my gosh. Did you see? She flies first class for this fight oligarchy tour.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Yeah, right, Right. Seriously. And Kevin, you're not going to blow your own horn, but if you. If you knew Kevin, a former high school teacher, son of a teacher who believes in fiscal responsibility, educational choice, you know, American values. To call him some sort of lackey for oligarchs is hilarious. But how would you respond to the screeds that you've heard?

[Kevin Kiley]

Oh, my gosh. Where do I even begin? Well, for one thing, you know, I actually told both of them, I said, look, I'll debate you while you're in town if you want, but no, they'd much prefer to just stand up behind a teleprompter and attack me from there than actually try to defend their ideas. But it's like when you look at what they advocate for, okay, they want their socialists. They have a socialist vision for America. They believe in open borders. They believe in defunding the police. They believe in essentially attacking and effectively abolishing small businesses or at least making life miserable for them. These ideas have actually been implemented in the very states that they visited in California. No more so than in places like San Francisco or in Oakland or some extent Los Angeles. So we don't have to theorize about what the consequences are. We can see it in the real world that many Californians have had to live with, and what are the consequences. We have out of control crime and homelessness and poverty and, ironically enough, inequality. California has one of the most, is one of the most highest inequality states in the entire country. So I'd say just look at the reality that we have. Fortunately, I happen to represent an area where we do things differently. And precisely because of that, we've managed to maintain a much higher quality of life than the rest of California.

[Drew Goins]

That's quite a crowd they drew, though. Enthusiastic crowd, as Bernie always does. There's just enough chunk of people that buy that whole socialist vision that show up and cheer like crazy, and I can't. So they're trying to do what Trump did, where he would go into blue areas and draw a big crowd of excited conservatives that don't feel represented in that area and then call out the local person and then make a lot of news that way. So I guess that's the whole point, is to get you to respond. I don't see how it benefits them. Exactly, though.

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Yeah.

[Kevin Kiley]

I don't know. You don't know how many people come from, you know, the local area and how far people come from. So, you know, but look, I feel like, you know, people want to go and participate in that. I think it's fine. I think that people, whatever viewpoint they are, is whether you're far left, communist or wherever you are on the spectrum, I think it's a healthy thing to be an active participant in the political process. It just so happens that the ideas that Ms. Ocasio Cortez and Senator Sanders are espousing are completely disastrous and failed ideas.

[Drew Goins]

Right. So, you know, the Trump example is he's going around the country touting something that is mostly things that were majority popular or close to go ahead and nominate Bernie Nocasio Cortez, the lose 48 states. So go, you know, get as much attention as you want.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Exactly.

[Kevin Kiley]

So, I mean, honestly, I think it's a great thing in the sense that they're providing a Very clear contrast that we have a choice between radical socialism, which has failed disastrously everywhere it's been tried, including in places like San Francisco, or a return to common sense that is sweeping the country right now and that is desperately needed in California.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Congressman Kevin Kiley on the line serves California's third District, a very sane quadrant of California not far from the radio ranch at all. So, Kevin, I love the point you made about the income inequality in California. And it brought to mind a couple of stories I've heard from friends who are small business people and, or would be small business people who tried to get something started that would employ people and thereby feed and clothe them and educate their children, and the bureaucrats extorted them for either just exorbitant amounts of money and permit fees and that sort of thing, or the paperwork was so dizzying it just discouraged them from doing it at all.

[Kevin Kiley]

Oh, that's right, exactly. And it's terrible at the state level in California. And then you go to places like Los Angeles or San Francisco or Oakland and then you pile on the bureaucracy there. And it's why so many small businesses are. I mean, people in every community in California can tell you their favorite restaurant had to shut down or their favorite small business had to shut down. It's why you look at San Francisco, they've been leaving in droves. And you know, California also has the highest level of real poverty in every state in the country. Think about that. We've had one party rule for a long, long time, Gavin Newsom and the super majority legislature, and they've produced the highest poverty rate in the United States.

[Drew Goins]

I didn't know that. That's quite a stat. Say that again. So I fully understand it.

[Kevin Kiley]

California has the highest poverty rate in the United States when you factor in the cost of living. So that is sort of the wow. You know, verdict for what these policies give you is they give you precisely the opposite of what Bernie and AOC are promising.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Newsom, 2028, who's with me? So, Kevin, we've. We've had an extended discussion over the last couple of days about the situation in American education, K through PhD and it's our belief that it's a huge challenge for the United States that so many of our educational institutions are teaching our kids to despise their country and Western civilization and that sort of thing. It's awful. You come from an education background. I know it's near and dear to your heart. Do you have any thoughts on how do we restore some semblance of Academic freedom without taking away academic freedom by heavy handed mandates on college. Do you think, is that something you think about much?

[Kevin Kiley]

Yeah, yeah, that's a, that's a great question. And you know, of course this is all coming to a head with this showdown between the administration and Harvard. But you know, we need to think about what exactly happened on that campus and a number of other campuses across this country. You had this absolutely abhorrent explosion in antisemitism. This isn't like some small thing that went wrong. It's one of the world's most abhorrent, retrograde, ancient prejudices that suddenly, in this horrifying way that threatened the safety of students that took over buildings, they shut down campuses, essentially people didn't feel safe on campus. And so I think that that has led many people to ask what has gone so incredibly wrong on these campuses. And it's not the sort of thing that the administration is saying where you can just have some, whatever, some focus group, some task force, some committee that says, okay, well will try to do a little bit better. No, this has exposed something that is, is fundamentally wrong. Problems that are deeply rooted in the culture of academia that frankly have in some cases been incubated at our universities and then spread throughout the country. And so I think that there, this is a time where we need to demand fundamental reforms precisely to assure things like academic freedom. Because remember, even before the horrifying scenes we've seen over the last year and a half, Harvard, just to take that as an example, again, was the very worst college in the entire country when it came to protecting free speech. There was a survey, 251 colleges, they ranked them. How good are you at actually allowing free speech? Protecting the First Amendment? Harvard was dead last.

[Drew Goins]

I forgot. That's unbelievable.

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[Ryan Seacrest]

We'Ll have to schedule a time to talk at greater length about this because again, I think it may be the most important problem facing the United States. But you're right, we need to call it out. Raise awareness, enforce the laws as they stand, and just chip away at the deal.

[Drew Goins]

Go back to making coffee for the oligarchs and we'll let you go.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Yeah, there's the monster described By AOC and Bernie. I hope your children weren't frightened by his rhetoric. Yeah, Kevin Kiley, always, always great to talk. Keep fighting the good fight.

[Kevin Kiley]

You bet. Thanks for having me on.

[Drew Goins]

So my joke about he was on his hands and knees as a footstool for an oligarch. The reason, the reason that popped into my head. I was reading this book yesterday and I won't get bogged down on what it is, but it was about the elite private schools in England in the early 20th century. And we've talked about this before. Christopher Hitchens writes about how brutal they were. I mean, it's just. It's amazing. I mean, if you were rich, you sent your kid to the hardest to get in school, they were going to be raped or fondled, beaten with no repercussions from bullies, all kinds of horrible things. Anyway, at length, I was talking about the. He went to one of your super fancy private schools. I mean, he was like your upper crust of England. And the headmaster, the guy who ran the school there, his wife would make two of the kids get on their hands and knees as a footstool for. In the evening at the school.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Good work. If you can get.

[Drew Goins]

Wow, that crazy.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Wow, that, you know. Oh, boy, I would love to talk to some. Some Brits about how that fits into the overall British vibe, you know, the culture and because that's so abhorrent, Rich.

[Drew Goins]

If you were rich, you sent your kids off to be abused and everybody knew it because most of them went to the same school. You went to the school and were abused. And then you'd send your kid to the same school to be abused. Right.

[Ryan Seacrest]

To become an obedient cog who repressed his feelings and behaved in a very British way. That's what, that's what I was driving at. And there's actually some great pop music about this sort of thing, whether it's Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall, Part two, or bloody well right. The Supertramp classic about the British schooling system and how utterly dehumanizing it was intentionally.

[Drew Goins]

Wow. So they didn't come out of those schools and think, God, one thing I'm never going to do is have my kid go to someplace like that. No, they did the opposite.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Yeah, it's interesting and it's remarkably different than the American spirit.

[Drew Goins]

Yeah, I'd say she would make a couple of kids get on their hands and knees so she'd use them for a footstool in her evenings. That is.

[Ryan Seacrest]

That'd just be weird. I'm not sure I want a human footstool. I mean, even if one were offered to me, I'm not sure I would take you up on the offer. I agree.

[Drew Goins]

I wouldn't feel right about it. It takes. It takes a certain personality to be okay with that.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Yeah.

[Drew Goins]

Yes, I will use used furniture. Sure.

[Kevin Kiley]

Don't get any ideas.

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Jack.

[Ryan Seacrest]

I'm not coming in the studio.

[Drew Goins]

Okay. We got more on the way. Stay here.

[Kevin Kiley]

Armstrong and Gettysburg.

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[Molly Roberts]

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