Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: Running A Mummy & Then A Moron Was A Bad Plan
Date: August 20, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

In this episode, Armstrong & Getty dive deep into the current state of American politics, focusing particularly on the Democratic Party's struggles with voter registration and identity, contrasting social and cultural trends, and the implications of recent data on youth mental health. The hosts provide their signature blend of pointed political commentary, dark humor, generational reflection, and candid storytelling about family life, mental health, and societal expectations.

Key Topics & Discussions

1. The Crisis Within the Democratic Party

[04:00–16:30]

• Voter Registration Declines:
  The hosts analyze a New York Times piece reporting that the Democratic Party is in a “voter registration crisis”—heavily losing ground to Republicans across 30 tracked states. The shift, described as a "hemorrhage" and "stampede," is not limited to battleground states but is also evident in blue and red states.

• Media Spin & Perception:
  The contrast between media narratives (“Democrats as brave warriors” vs. internal disaster) and actual data is examined. Armstrong notes, “He will come across as the brave warrior for stem values. Correct. And what is the sound of very few hands clapping? The Democratic Party is hemorrhaging voters.” (Travis, 04:30)

• Disconnect From Voters:
  The hosts discuss how the image of a “few, very loud people” dominates perceptions of the Democratic Party, alienating mainstream voters. “People perceive the Democratic Party to be a few very loud people who believe things I don’t believe at all.” (Travis, 05:57)

• New Voter Trends:
  Striking stats from the Times reveal that only 48% of new voters registered as Democrats in the most recent cycle—down from 63% in 2018—and that, for the first time since 2018, more new registrations are going Republican. Democrats’ edge in key swing states is vanishing.

• Cultural & Leadership Problems:
  Armstrong and Getty suggest Democrats fail to counteract their fringe and question why more moderate voices don’t step forward. “I’m surprised that a John Fetterman…hasn’t been able to stand up and shout down that very small, very out of touch but very loud segment of their party.” (Rodney, 07:26)

Notable Quotes:

• “The only caveat I would throw into this story is that both parties are much smaller than they used to be because there are so many people that don’t want to identify with either party.” (Rodney, 09:12)
• “You realize you tried to run a mummy and then when people caught on to the fact that you had a mummy, you put in an idiot. I mean, that’s a, that’s a bad look.” (Rodney, 12:04)

2. Five Takeaways from the Democratic Decline

[10:19–16:30]
Travis breaks down the five takeaways from the Times’ companion story (paraphrased):

1. Democrats are losing ground with new voters—especially among young people.
2. Battleground states swing right: Dems lost registration edges in states like Florida and New Hampshire.
3. The gender gap problem: Republican strength among men outpaces the Dem edge among women.
4. Younger voters shifting right: Republicans have an outright majority among new young voters in 2024.
5. Outlook remains bleak: There’s no evidence of a reversal—Democrats are down hundreds of thousands of registrations even since last November.

3. The Social Contagion of Diagnoses: ADHD, Therapy & Kids’ Mental Health

[29:21–43:00]

• ADHD Prevalence & Medication:
  The hosts share personal stories about children’s ADHD diagnoses and medication debates. New Swedish research (150,000+ participants) finds that ADHD medication correlates with fewer negative life outcomes—lower rates of suicide attempts, substance abuse, and criminal convictions among medicated individuals.

  Armstrong reflects that “every kid is different” and that a one-size-fits-all approach can be misleading, while Getty points to difficulties with inconsistent medical diagnoses:
  “First of all, I've had a very respected doctor get one diagnosis and a different respected doctor have a completely different diagnosis, and then what in the hell are you supposed to do with that information. So they're guessing to a great extent.” (Rodney, 32:57)

• Critical Look at School Mental Health Screenings:
  The hosts cite Abigail Shrier’s reporting on widespread mental health screenings in schools—raising concerns about privacy, parental consent, and the potential for suggestibility among children.

  Shrier’s survey example:

  • “In the past few weeks, have you wished you were dead?”
  • “Are you thinking of killing yourself right now? If yes, please describe.”

  Rodney’s reaction:
  “If they declare your kid a threat to themselves, they 5150 that kid and your kid no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the county… I mean, zero say.” (Rodney, 35:16)

  The hosts question the ethics and efficacy of such screenings, highlighting risks of overdiagnosis, stigmatization, and false positives:
  “Most kids who screen positive will have transient problems, not mental disorders. Mislabeling stigmatizes and subjects them to unnecessary treatments while misdirecting very scarce resources away from kids who desperately need them. Don’t do it.” (Travis, quoting DSM-IV editor, 42:34)

  Memorable Quote:
  “If you haven’t spent a lot of time around kids, you don’t know this. Kids are wildly suggestible, especially where psychiatric symptoms are concerned.” (Travis, 39:54)

4. Social Commentary: Braces & Cultural Norms in America

[47:24–51:15]

• The hosts reflect on the cultural expectation that all children should have straight, gleaming white teeth, noting that 70% of U.S. children receive orthodontic treatment, though only about a third clinically require it.

• They compare this to shifting social pressures, status norms, and the parallels between minor physical imperfections and social exclusion.

  “If you watch a movie from the 90s, all the actors like not bright white teeth...John Travolta’s got kind of yellowish teeth…People have normal colored teeth.” (Rodney, 47:48)

  “If indeed it is a barrier to achievement, acceptance, dating, whatever, certain relationships...are you gonna die on that hill, as people like to say, far too candidly.” (Travis, 51:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Party Leadership:
  “Somebody could emerge and say, as a Democrat, we gotta get control of our borders and dudes can’t be in girls’ sports and…there’d be all the, like 90% of regular Democrats and a whole bunch of people that are uncomfortable with Trump that would join onto that immediately.” (Rodney, 09:55)

• On Social Contagion and Kids:
  “If you introduce gender dysphoria into a peer group and a swath of seventh-grade girls are likely to decide they were born in the wrong body. Introduce testing anxiety or social phobia or suicidality to them and many teens are likely to decide, ‘I have that too.’” (Travis, 40:44)

• On Societal Pressure for Braces:
  “That’s like the modern day missing tooth. And that’s because nobody’s missing teeth anymore. So are you really setting yourself aside as you can’t be part of even mid-level or above society if you didn’t get your teeth straightened.” (Rodney, 48:32)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Democratic Party crisis and voter loss:
  [04:00–10:19]
• Five takeaways from the New York Times analysis:
  [10:19–16:30]
• Discussion about Elon Musk and third-party speculation:
  [16:28, 24:23]
• Home Depot/Trump’s tariffs impact on business:
  [28:39–29:21]
• Personal stories about ADHD diagnosis and medication:
  [29:21–32:57]
• Debate on mental health screening in schools:
  [33:29–43:00]
• Social norms: braces and expectations in the U.S.:
  [47:24–51:15]

Memorable and Humorous Moments

• On the failed Democratic candidates:
  “You tried to run a mummy and then when people caught on to the fact that you had a mummy, you put in an idiot. I mean, that's a bad look." (Rodney, 12:04)
• Tongue-in-cheek reflection on party resilience:
  "One advantage of being old is you have seen both parties declared dead a handful of times... and then they control all three branches, like within a cycle or two." (Rodney, 10:42-11:06)
• Joke referencing Sarah Jessica Parker:
  “Authorities intervened when they realized it wasn’t a pony at all, but a confused and very lost Sarah Jessica Parker.” (Travis, 20:43)

Conclusion

This episode offers a classic Armstrong & Getty blend of news analysis, cultural critique, and dark humor. From a hard look at shifting party politics and the echo chambers of American media to worries about the mental health-industrial complex and social pressures on kids, listeners are treated to a brisk, insightful, and occasionally irreverent conversation that never shies away from controversial opinions or the quirks of American society.

For further thought: The episode prompts listeners to question not just what’s happening in the culture and political parties, but why—and at what hidden costs to identity, community, and the next generation.