Some Troubling Numbers

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "Some Troubling Numbers"
Date: September 8, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts

---

Brief Overview

This episode centers on America’s escalating debt crisis, the politics and spectacle around immigration enforcement in Chicago, recent escalations in Ukraine and Venezuela, and signature Armstrong & Getty banter on current events, culture, and sports. The episode’s driving theme is "buy now, pay later" – both literally, as a troubling consumer debt trend, and metaphorically regarding social and political decision-making.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Buy Now, Pay Later: Debt Crisis on the Horizon

[01:44], [22:36]–[26:19]

• The principal concern of the show: America’s mounting consumer and governmental debt.
• Joe Getty highlights, "Americans are up to their eyeballs in debt, unlike any period except the great crash of 2008. Really? But for no apparent reason." [01:44]
• Discussion of Alicia Finley’s Wall Street Journal article that points to serious credit card and auto loan delinquencies now rivaling post-2008 levels.
  • “Serious credit card and auto loan delinquencies have climbed to the level of the 2008–09 recession.” — Joe Getty [22:55]
  • Armstrong and Getty express their personal unease and generational differences about debt culture.
• The pair note that "buy now, pay later" options are now mainstream — from concert tickets and vacations to groceries.
• Important stats:
  • A recent survey found that “about half of consumers have used a buy now, pay later service.” — Joe Getty [26:08]
  • The percentage of mortgage holders with risky debt-to-income ratios has surged from 28% in 2012 to 69% in 2024. [28:12]–[28:39]

---

2. Chicago, ICE, and the ‘Shipocalypse’

[02:00], [06:07], [21:06–22:06]

• Ongoing political spectacle of Trump's immigration policies and the threat of military or ICE interventions in Chicago.
• Memes and social media “Shipocalypse” references.
• Jack Armstrong on sensationalist politics: “The theme seems to be that the Trump Vance administration thinks that enough people just kind of pay attention to the news that all they’ll hear is I love the smell of deportations in the morning and I don’t give an S about killing drug dealers. …And that is a win.” [10:22]
• News update: surge in ICE activity in Chicago, but likely no National Guard deployment — unless protests turn violent and provide a “pretext.” [21:06–22:06]

---

3. Trump Assassination Attempt Trial

[03:48]–[05:38]

• Discussion of the bizarre trial of a man accused of a second assassination attempt on Trump.
  • Jack Armstrong details his odd demands: “His demands to the court were, I need strippers, I need a putting green… And he challenged the President to an 18-hole golf match… if he loses, the President gets to execute him, but if he wins, he gets the President’s job.” [04:34]
• Armstrong and Getty riff on the circus-like nature of the case, and the challenges of letting a mentally unstable defendant represent himself.

---

4. World Affairs: Ukraine and Venezuela

[07:07], [08:07], [33:42–34:29]

• Largest Russian attack on Ukraine yet, and faltering peace talks. Trump’s administration vows some kind of response but details are unclear.
• Speculation about simultaneous future U.S. conflicts: “When, you know, commentators, including myself, were discussing our ability to take on a two front war, I don’t think the fronts we were thinking about were Ukraine and Venezuela.” — Jack Armstrong [08:07]
• Ian Bremmer’s tweet predicting U.S. escalation against Venezuela. Discussion of recent U.S. military maneuvers in Puerto Rico.

---

5. Senate Debate over Drug Interdiction

[08:19–10:22]

• J.D. Vance and Rand Paul publicly spar over the military’s extrajudicial killing of alleged drug dealers on a boat.
  • Vance remarked, “I don’t give an S. …That was the highest use of our military.” [08:30]
  • Rand Paul called this “an awful thing to say.” — Jack Armstrong [08:28]
• Armstrong and Getty note the political incentives for tough-on-crime rhetoric: “I just wish we were at a little higher level of ‘we have full confidence the military did a legal [strike].’” — Jack Armstrong [09:34]

---

6. Sports Break: NFL Kickoff & the Power of Football

[11:18–13:14]

• Spirited recap of the “game of the season” between the Ravens and Bills, underlining how meaningful early-season NFL games feel to fans.

---

7. Headlines & Media Notes

[15:47–19:00]

• Notable headlines include:
  • The Armstrong & Getty subreddit being banned (speculation: possible “hate speech” or unruly posters). [15:50]
  • Gavin Newsom’s “Predator Patio” jab at Trump. [17:04]
  • Carlos Acutis becomes the first millennial saint, dubbed “God’s influencer.” [17:43]
  • Satirical “renaming” of federal agencies by the Babylon Bee — e.g., Social Security to “Charles Ponzi Memorial Retirement Plan.” [19:31], [27:16]

---

8. America’s Urban Problems: Chicago vs. LA, Portland’s Decline

[22:06–22:19], [37:16–41:22]

• Chicago’s unique challenges are contrasted with LA.
  • Joe Getty jabs: “I would think the people of Chicago would be more concerned with the fact that their mayor has an IQ of 71. And you want to talk about a crisis.” [06:57]
• Listener mail and the hosts’ takes on Portland’s struggles: how progressive city governments and “stand down” policing have enabled public disorder, homelessness, and business closures. [37:16–41:22]

---

9. Consumer & Parenting Anecdotes

[29:32–32:05]

• Humorous discussions about kids, debt, and life lessons.
  • Jack Armstrong: “Christmas might just be here. I’ve wiped off half your debt. Merry Christmas. That would be a lesson in how that whole thing works.” [25:36]
• Jack’s story about his son’s overuse of cologne to “fix” a bad smell: “Now the entire house smells like high school boy cologne. …It smells like you’re on a date with four high school sophomore boys right now." [31:32]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the debt crisis:

  • "The brilliant thing about a financial crash: It includes virtually everybody in misery." — Joe Getty [22:59]
  • "You have to pay for debt later…with interest." — Joe Getty, wryly [24:05]

• On performative politics:

  • "I love the smell of deportations in the morning." — Jack Armstrong, referencing the Trump meme [02:45]
  • “If I was Joe Six Pack…I’d think, great, good. Finally we’re doing something about the border and you got these fricking drug cartels which are scary, and Trump snuffing them. Hooray.” — Joe Getty [10:41]

• On Portland’s decline:

  • "It’s the loudest, angriest, in Portland most violent, young, completely unmoored from reality dreamers and antifa types that drive governance." — Joe Getty [41:06]

---

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:44 — U.S. debt levels compared to 2008 crash
• 03:48–05:38 — Bizarre Trump assassination trial updates
• 06:07–07:07 — Will Trump send National Guard to Chicago?
• 07:07–08:07 — Ukraine, Russia, and Venezuela developments
• 08:19–10:22 — JD Vance vs. Rand Paul over drug boat incident
• 11:18–13:14 — NFL “Game of the Season” discussion
• 15:47–19:00 — Headlines: A&G subreddit banned, millennial saint, Babylon Bee renaming
• 22:36–26:19 — America’s "Buy Now, Pay Later" debt patterns explained
• 28:12–28:39 — Worrying debt-to-income ratio statistics
• 37:16–41:22 — Portland law enforcement and urban decay, based on listener mail

---

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain their trademark sarcastic, irreverent, and conversational style while dissecting serious political, financial, and social news. They balance quick-witted banter (“Eat a bowling ball… then we’ll discuss again whether nothing is impossible.” — Joe Getty [35:40]) with candid concern on topics like debt, government overreach, and urban decline.

---

For New Listeners

This episode is essential Armstrong & Getty: sharp, funny, and topical with their blend of exasperated social commentary and “everyman” perspectives. They tackle financial anxiety, contemporary politics, viral moments, and bitingly humorous observations — all while refusing to take themselves too seriously.

---

For more, catch the full episode on Armstrong & Getty On Demand or at iHeartPodcasts

Transcript

[Joe Getty]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Announcer]

Life's messy. We're talking spills, stains, pets and kids. But with Annabe, you never have to stress about messes again. @washablesofas.com Discover Annabe Sofas, the only fully machine washable sofas inside and out, starting at just $699. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, that means fewer stains and more peace of mind. Designed for real life, our sofas feature changeable fabric covers allowing you to refresh your style anytime. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa effortlessly. Perfect for cozy apartments or spacious homes. Plus, they're earth friendly and built to last. That's why over 200,000 happy customers have made the switch. Upgrade your space today. Visit washablesofas.com now and bring home a sofa made for life that's washable. Sofa offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Jack Armstrong]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio.

[Announcer]

Studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty live from Studio C. Si, senor. Welcome to a brand new week deep within the bowels of the Armstrong E. Communications compound. Oh, this is going to be a big week. And today we are under the tutelage of our general manager, going with buy now, pay later.

[Joe Getty]

Okay. Americans are up to their eyeballs in debt, unlike any period except the great crash of 2008. Really? But for no apparent reason.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, right. Yeesh.

[Joe Getty]

Yeesh is right. Well, and so is the government, for that matter.

[Jack Armstrong]

I want to hear the details on that. And you didn't go with shy Copolix. Shipocalypse. Shipocalypse.

[Joe Getty]

How do you say it? I tried five times and couldn't, so I gave it up. Shipocalypse.

[Jack Armstrong]

Ship apocalypse from Trump's tweet or truth over the weekend.

[Joe Getty]

Feel like you ought to have, like, two syllables from Chicago. Chicagolypse. Chicago lips.

[Jack Armstrong]

It was a takeoff on Apocalypse now with Chicago.

[Joe Getty]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

And somebody aied him into the character from Apocalypse now, where he is very excited.

[Joe Getty]

Great. Robert Duvall, right?

[Jack Armstrong]

With the Robert Duvall character. Yes. I love the smell of deportations in the morning, which is relatively provocative. I'm looking at the picture right now, and underneath it, Chicago's about to find out why it's called the Department of War, which is very provocative. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[Joe Getty]

If anybody took it the least bit seriously, I mean, it would be one of the great crises that have ever confronted the United States. Well, right, but nobody really Does.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, but. So we'll talk about that a little bit later. And whether or not that's going to happen. Yes. Oh, my God, we live in such crazy times.

[Joe Getty]

And just reading about that, that South Korean plant in Georgia, Savannah area. 375 South Koreans have been not deported. Just ask politely if you might return to your homeland. That would be delightful. Thank you. And what was going on there? Odd story.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, want to hear that? The most interesting thing I've heard today. So the trial starts for the second attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. That was the guy that was laying in the bushes at the golf course. Oh, yeah, thank God it was the Secret Service got him then. And not five minutes later after he'd already put a bullet through the chest of the President of the United States. Horrifying situation. Anyway, that trial starts today. The guy's representing himself because he's completely fruit loops. But his demands to the court were, I need strippers, I need a putting green, which is an interesting combo. I don't know what he thinks a criminal trial is.

[Joe Getty]

Is he taking a guy his trip to Myrtle beach or something? What's happening here?

[Jack Armstrong]

And he challenged the president to an 18 hole golf match in which if he loses, the President gets to execute him. But if he wins, he gets the President's job.

[Joe Getty]

Wow. Seems reasonable. That explains the need for the putting green. Obviously he wants to get his stroke in shape. The strippers, still a bit of a mystery.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it seemed to be like something you just kind of an add in at the end there. And why not some strippers?

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Anyway, so that guy appears to be completely nuts. It'll be quite the circus to watch that unfold, I'm sure.

[Joe Getty]

Wow. I'm surprised the judge is letting him defend himself because usually they say, no, you're too nuts.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, really? I didn't know.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, and then you sit there glowering at the court appointed lawyer.

[Jack Armstrong]

And maybe they will, maybe they will at some point.

[Joe Getty]

Then maybe they can bond over, I don't know, a night at the strip club or something.

[Jack Armstrong]

Hey, Captain Nutso, why don't you sit down and we'll get a lawyer in here. Yeah, could face life in prison if they determine that he actually was attempting to assassinate the President, which I think they probably will. Although he might get some sort of I'm crazy stipulation in there.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I, I would enjoy the putting green if I was in prison, but the strippers, I think I would just get horned up and I'm in prison. Exactly. I might go with a pizza oven. Instead a putting green in a pizza oven and then ingredients, of course. Right, Michael? Right. Something useful. Plus I'd be very popular on the cell block.

[Jack Armstrong]

So here's the question. Since it's being threatened within days, do you think Trump is going to actually send National Guard troops to Chicago?

[Joe Getty]

So far he hasn't.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes, so far he has not gone against any court orders.

[Joe Getty]

Right. He will, I suspect he will find a way. Using threats to federal personnel and or property to be the pretext. What the scenario that a number of folks have pointed out is entirely possible is ICE will go in there and do their jobs and they will be harassed and assaulted and that will be a suitable pretext for bringing the National Guard in to protect federal personnel.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, the protests yesterday, they kept them pretty peaceful. So that helps the argument toward not having troops there if you got peaceful protests. Obviously, when he sent troops into Los Angeles, Los Angeles was completely out of control.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Which is a different situation.

[Joe Getty]

I would think the people of Chicago would be more concerned with the fact that their mayor has an IQ of 71. And you want to talk about a crisis.

[Jack Armstrong]

And the largest attack on Ukraine Saturday night of the entire war from Russia. If you're wondering how the peace talks are going, Putin invited Zelensky to Moscow for a one on one meeting. Zelensky said, how about you come to Kiev? And that's where that stands, right?

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

What the hell. Oh, and so European.

[Joe Getty]

Who is this for? Who's pretending? Why, why are we doing this?

[Jack Armstrong]

European leaders are coming to the White House today or tomorrow to discuss what the next steps are going to be. Trump said he's very unhappy with the attack from Saturday night and vowed something.

[Joe Getty]

Hmm.

[Jack Armstrong]

We'll see if anything happens. Although, you know, with Iran, nothing happened. Nothing happened then. Everything happened really fast. So.

[Joe Getty]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

So who knows? Although maybe we maybe were too busy about to invade Venezuela as we have more and more of a, an armada down there off the coast.

[Joe Getty]

Right. When, you know, commentators, including myself, were discussing our ability to take on a two front war, I don't think the fronts we were thinking about were Ukraine and Venezuela.

[Jack Armstrong]

No kidding. So how about the back and forth between JD Vance and Rand Paul over the weekend over bombing that boat? Did you follow that?

[Joe Getty]

I really didn't know. I just saw a headline.

[Jack Armstrong]

So JD Vance had a post reacting to people who are complaining about killing all those drug dealers in the boat. Part of the argument, of course, is alleged drug dealers. We don't, there was no trial, so we don't know exactly who was in the boat. And there's a possibility that they were not drug dealers. And so JD Vance's pushback to that was. I don't give an S. I think that's what it was. It was an S bomb. And that was the highest use of our military. And then Rand Paul, very unhappy about said, calling it the highest use of our military to extrajudicially judicial without a trial, execute a bunch of people in a boat not knowing who they are is a awful thing to say. So that's a pretty interesting breakdown between two U.S. senators, both Republican former senator for J.D. vance, but.

[Joe Getty]

Right. And some of my favorite conservative thinkers are highly uncomfortable with the, the act of snuffing those fellows from above.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. Yeah. I, I don't know if saying I don't give an S, I mean, performative wise, it probably gets you more votes than it loses. I just wish we were at a little higher level of we have full confidence that the military, you know, did a legal. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. J.D. i think has some pretty well formed, very, how would I put this? Just intellectually carefully developed principles. I also think he understands very well populist politics in this moment and lets it go. Right. He unleashes it.

[Jack Armstrong]

My point was gonna be, the theme seems to be that the Trump Vance administration thinks that enough people just kind of pay attention to the news that all they'll hear is I love the smell of deportations in the morning and I don't give an S about killing drug dealers. We got to kill them. And that that is a win. And it might very well be politically.

[Joe Getty]

If I was Joe Six Pack. Literally, my name is Joe and I drink beer. I would react that way if I wasn't particularly paying attention. I'd think, great, good. Finally we're doing something about the border and you got these fricking drug cartels which are scary, and Trump snuffing them. Hooray.

[Jack Armstrong]

All right, cool. Yeah, there you go. That's interesting. I'm Jack Armstrong. He's. We're going to start the show officially before we get droned from the sky for not following the FCC regulations. I'm Jack Armstrong, he's Joe Getty on this. It is Monday, September 8th, the year 2025. We're Armstrong and Getty and we approve of this program.

[Joe Getty]

Let's begin then, officially, according to FCC rules and regulations. Here we go at mark.

[Jack Armstrong]

As the clock runs down, Prater lines up for a game winning field goal from 32 yards. PR cannot and the Bills open Their final season in this stadium with a stunning comeback win. So that has been declared already the game of the season between maybe, maybe the two best teams in all of the NFL, the Ravens and the Bills. And a very exciting ending there and comeback. So there you go.

[Joe Getty]

That's certainly maybe true. Having the game of the year already over is a bit frustrating as a fan.

[Jack Armstrong]

Happened last year. Bill. Bill's ch. Bill's Jeeps was the game of the year. And it was like in the third week of the season last year.

[Joe Getty]

You know, it's, you know, it's funny, I had a conversation about football with a buddy of mine who said, you know, I, I was watching the US Open, he's a 49ers fan like I am. And he said, you know, it's the first game of the year. So I just blah, blah, blah. You know, those Bills fans there that you could hear are fully cognizant of the fact that that was the first day, first game of the year and they went absolutely ape nuts with joy and an exhilaration and craziness. The. The NFL is something.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, it's because the season's short enough that the game actually matters. It makes a difference whether you win the. It's not like baseball or basketball where it really, absolutely freaking doesn't matter. It matters in the NFL.

[Joe Getty]

You can, you can lose 13 in a row in Major league Baseball and end up winning your division. Going the World Series.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes.

[Joe Getty]

Mike the field go kicker. He had just joined the team and didn't even know most of his teammates names and all of a sudden he go kick a game winner.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. He had just joined the team like 10 hours ago.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's a certain position in all of sports in the world where you just, you are, you're a lonely man out there.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. Speaking of which, and this will be my final football note, if that guy hasn't signed a contract yet, perhaps the 49ers could call him only 49ers one, right? Yeah. Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Your first place San Francisco 49ers, as opposed to me rooting for a last place Chiefs team.

[Joe Getty]

Well, as I said, we're out of time. That's my last comment. But it was a, a shaky win, although it was on the hostile green of the Seattle Seahawks stadium.

[Jack Armstrong]

We do have headlines on the way and a bunch of other stories to catch you up on. It's going to be a lot of fun. I hope you can stick around. Stay here.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Announcer]

There's nothing like sinking into [e-mail] you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom starting at only $699. The stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply this episode is brought.

[Joe Getty]

To you by prizepix. We all make decisions every day, right? But on Prize Picks being right can get you paid man. Don't miss any of the excitement this season on Prize Picks where it's good to be right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Everybody's excited about the football. Prize Picks is the best way to get action on sports in more than 40 states including California, Texas and Georgia. It's simple to play. You just pick more or less on 2 to 6 player stat projections and if you get your picks right, you could win cash.

[Joe Getty]

It really spices up watching the games too. And you can mix and match teams, even different sports to have your two to six player stat projections. It's seriously is easy. And Prize Picks even offers injury reboots if one of your players leaves the game, the first half doesn't return Prize Picks won't count it as a loss. That's cool.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yep, Prize Picks is the best place to win cash while watching sports. And football season is upon us. Join millions of users and sign up today.

[Joe Getty]

You can double your money even if one of your picks doesn't hit with Prize Picks is Flex Play. Download the app today. Use the Code Armstrong to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That's the code ARMSTRONG to get $50 in lineups AFTER you play five prize picks. It's good to be right.

[Jack Armstrong]

Here's the major headline.

[Joe Getty]

Jensen, what did you just tell me?

[Jensen Raider]

I was trying to go on to the Armstrong and Getty subreddit page and it has been banned.

[Jack Armstrong]

Our Reddit page has been banned. Anybody have any idea why?

[Joe Getty]

Hate speech Racism, anti Semitism, I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

There's a lot of lunatics on there. Every once in a while I check it out, right? A tremendous amount of normal listeners that you all are, and then some real lunatics. But I don't know why Jeff dances.

[Joe Getty]

Who would, who would ban it? Reddit itself, I don't know. God, the Senate. Two thirds vote. I don't even know how that works. Wait a second.

[Jack Armstrong]

Two thirds of the states. I'm on Reddit a lot. There's some crazy, disgusting, violent, horrifying crap all over Reddit. What happened on our page to get it banned? I can't even imagine. That's wild.

[Joe Getty]

Does anybody know or have a, a serious theory? Please drop us a note mailbag@armstrong yeti.com let's figure out who's reporting what. It's the lead story this morning with Jensen Raider. Jensen. Hey.

[Jensen Raider]

Yeah, good morning. We're going to start with the New York Post. Trump goes off on reporter for asking if he's going to war with Chicago.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, well, he said he was basically so that's why they asked him. But he's not, right?

[Jensen Raider]

And number two, HuffPost. Gavin Newsom torches Trump's Rose Garden club with a vicious two word nickname, Predator Patio.

[Joe Getty]

What now? Patio.

[Jensen Raider]

This is from the press office parody account that tries to mimic and make fun of Trump's social media presence. They did a bunch of memes over the weekend with Hunger Games style Memes admission prove you're on the Epstein list. Making fun of.

[Jack Armstrong]

So the Predator patio is an Epstein shot.

[Jensen Raider]

Yes, because he held that rose Garden club. So that's what Newsom's calling it now.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, that's interesting.

[Joe Getty]

Right?

[Jensen Raider]

And number three from cnn, Carlos Acutis is now nicknames God's influencer becoming the first millennial saint.

[Joe Getty]

Oh yeah, I saw that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Our first snarky saint who can tweet and have memes. The first saint with memes.

[Jensen Raider]

And this coming from page six. Jessica Simpson confuses fans with tight face at VMAs. 2025 people saying she looks like she had an allergic reaction.

[Jack Armstrong]

I saw way too many clips of things from the VMAs last night as I was going to bed. I didn't even know they were on number one.

[Joe Getty]

The VMAs are still on number two. Jessica Simpson name just came up. How odd. Number three, what's to be confused by? She had too much work. Clearly.

[Jensen Raider]

And lastly, I got some departments that are being renamed this according to the Babylon Bee. I'll hit you with one first, the Social Security Administration is going to be rechristened the Charles Ponzi Memorial Retirement Plan.

[Jack Armstrong]

I love that.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I want to hear all of those. I came across kind of a cerebral version of that. I think it was the National Review or something like that, but I'd like to hear the Babylon Bees version.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's very good. Thank you, Jensen.

[Joe Getty]

Thank you.

[Jack Armstrong]

I actually heard an explanation of. So it was the Department of War up until roughly after World War II. Then they change it to the Department of Defense, and I heard an explanation for why that happened, which is kind of interesting. Actually way more interesting than just changing a name. It became a completely different department, but it's back to the Department of War kind of. They put up the signs on Hegseth's door and letterhead and all that sort of stuff, even though Congress has to declare it for it to be official.

[Joe Getty]

Right, right. I'd like to hear that. I mocked the idea of it being the Department of Defense last week since virtually every reference to everything it does all the time includes the word war or warrior or that sort of thing, as opposed to, you know, the US Put five new defense ships out to sea today. I mean, people just don't say that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? That's a very good point.

[Joe Getty]

They're warships.

[Jack Armstrong]

There's a fair amount of news for us to get to, and we will. If you miss a segment, get the podcast Armstrong and Getty on Demand.

[Announcer]

Armstrong and Getty Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? WashablesOfAs.com has your back, featuring the Annabe Collection, the only designer sofa that's machine washable inside and out. Where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slip covers made with performance fabrics. Experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Check out washablesofas.com and get up to 60% off your Anna Bay sofa backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[News Reporter]

Border czar Tom Homan saying that Chicago should expect a surge in ice enforcement operations and adding that using the National Guard to protect these kinds of missions. While it's not off the table, DHS confirming ICE operations will expand in Chicago. And already we're seeing activity. On Sunday evening, News Nation cameras captured this ICE van returning to the Broadview ICE facility, unloading six detainees. At least one man was detained over in the Archer Heights neighborhood by federal agents and unmarked cars.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, we'll talk more about that later, but there you go. I don't think there are going to be National Guard troops. There'll be a surge in ICE agents. Trump will get all the credit among voters who just kind of pay attention for sending troops in everywhere without defying any court orders.

[Joe Getty]

And again, it's possible if things get ugly there against the ICE guys, then, you know, then you might send in troops to protect them.

[Jack Armstrong]

Then you'd have a reason. Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Getty]

I don't. I don't see that happening.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't either.

[Joe Getty]

Chicago is a very different place than LA in terms of the ethnic mix and just the feel of the place. So. Interesting story. We will hit that later. Also, why do I verbally abuse Brandon Johnson so much? I will explain.

[Jack Armstrong]

And coming up, the rest of the Babylon Bees. Listen. Of the departments that have changed names in addition to the Department of War.

[Joe Getty]

Love it. Kind of funny from the Department of. Why does nobody recognize we're driving toward a cliff at 100 miles per hour?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

Alicia Finley of the Wall Street Journal pointing out that America's buy now, pay later economy is showing signs of an emerging debt crisis everywhere.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't like this story. I'm not doing that. I'm a I don't buy it until I can afford it sort of guy.

[Joe Getty]

But.

[Jack Armstrong]

We all get brought down by a financial collapse. We all realize that. Right?

[Joe Getty]

Right. The word inclusive is very hot these days. There certainly was a couple of years ago. That's the brilliant thing about a financial crash. It includes virtually everybody in misery. So anyway, so she points out that serious credit card and auto loan delinquencies have climbed to the level of the 2008. 09 recession.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, so housing right after that giant crash.

[Joe Getty]

Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Not surprising that lots of people all of a sudden were in trouble and not quite making their payments on time and that sort of stuff. What is the reason now?

[Joe Getty]

Nobody's sure we like spending money. She says the housing market shows cracks while the labor market is weakening. But you wouldn't know it from the buoyant stock market and consumer spending. America's buy now, pay later economy and police increasingly fueled by leverage as consumers, investors, businesses and the government are all taking on more debt, which she points out. And there's always one person like this at the party. She points out, you have to pay for debt later with interest.

[Jack Armstrong]

Thank you for that.

[Joe Getty]

What a drag, man. As Americans max out their credit cards after years of inflation, buy now, pay later, offers are popping up everywhere. From concert tickets to vacations to grocery stores.

[Jack Armstrong]

Boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I could see how it'd be appealing if I'm 21 year old Jack and they'll never tour again or whatever.

[Joe Getty]

It's their farewell tour, man.

[Jack Armstrong]

Do not buy your concert tickets on I can't afford it now but I'll magically have more money six months from now. No, don't do that.

[Joe Getty]

I guess there are now apps where you can split the cost of your purchases into installment payments over weeks or months. Some are template currently interest free for now just include fees.

[Jack Armstrong]

Here's what you do. You borrow against your used car. Is that still a thing that people are doing where you take out equity from your used car? Yeesh.

[Joe Getty]

Right? Yeah. And unlike credit cards, a lot of these services don't report the loans to the credit bureaus. So folks are in much more debt than their credit rating might indicate.

[Jack Armstrong]

But so these, all these different entities that are giving people these deals must feel like they're going to get paid back.

[Joe Getty]

Oh yeah, yeah. Certainly in the short term. And they, they, they have carefully calculated their default rates and you know, price their services. Excuse me, accordingly. And, and you know, if somebody ends up not being able to pay, they just put them their name on the blacklist.

[Jack Armstrong]

And boy, my, my oldest son has got a, a life lesson coming on. I don't even remember what it was now it's been so long. And something he really, really wanted and kind of fronted him the money. Kind of fronted him the money on that. With the idea that you will owe me and I will be keeping track of it and I have been keeping track of it and he still owes me and Christmas might just be here. I've wiped off half your debt. Merry Christmas. That would be a lesson in how that whole thing works.

[Joe Getty]

That would be a great gift in a way.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, sure.

[Joe Getty]

Not to be appreciated at the. According to recent survey, about half of consumers have used a buy now, pay later service. This is not a niche, this is half.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wow.

[Joe Getty]

Heavily skewed toward the young concert tickets.

[Jack Armstrong]

Your vacation. I mean everybody kind of does that on vacation, right? Because you put everything on your credit card whether you pay it off that month or over a couple of months.

[Joe Getty]

Good point. Yeah. Let's see. Federal Reserve paper last December found such users are more likely to have low credit scores, carry a balance on credit cards, have incurred checking overdraft fees, and have more delinquent credit accounts. Financially vulnerable consumers may be overextending themselves. Let's see. One of the bigger buy now, pay later services announced an ipo, which is expected to be one of the biggest of the year. Such services make money by capitalizing on financially stretched consumers, especially young people who don't want to tighten their belts. Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

According to the Babylon Be, as we told you, the Social Security Administration is going to be renamed the Charles Ponzi Memorial Retirement Plan, which I like.

[Joe Getty]

That is great.

[Jack Armstrong]

The Department of Justice will be changed to the Department of Revenge on All Losers and Haters. I don't think that's appropriate.

[Joe Getty]

And yet somewhat accurate in these days of lawfare.

[Jack Armstrong]

This is the one that hurts. The Department of the treasury will be changed to the Chinese Loan Office.

[Announcer]

Oh, oh.

[Jack Armstrong]

One more that I liked. Housing and Urban Development will retitle as Department of the Poors. The Poor Pores.

[Joe Getty]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

By the way, we got a text from somebody who said they always appreciate when I do my Porky Pig routine not being able to pronounce a word.

[Joe Getty]

Hey, I got another statistic for you. That's enough fun. Back to the misery. So in 2012, mortgage, you know holders had debt to income ratios considered risky, right? 28% of people had a debt to income ratio that was pretty risky. 28% last year, 69.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh my God.

[Joe Getty]

For Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac it was 38% up from 16 in 2012.

[Jack Armstrong]

Seven out of 10 of ya. Yeah, I don't think. I do have a risky debt to income ratio.

[Joe Getty]

And if I haven't driven you to buy gold and bury it in your backyards yet. How much? How about one more? The FHA Federal Housing Association. Do we have a fancy new name for them from the Babylon Bay? Too bad. They've waived or reduced monthly payments on 1.2 million mortgages over the past two years. That's about 15% of the total that they hold. And without that forgiveness passed during the Biden administration, delinquencies would be near the level of the 2008.09 meltdown. Fannie and Freddie have also been slashing and deferring payments on hundreds of thousands of mortgages.

[Jack Armstrong]

I walked into the studio, Jensen was in here and it smelled nice. I hope that doesn't get me in trouble with hr, but it reminded me of how bad my house smells, which I'LL tell you about after a note here. Maybe if somebody broke into my house, they'd think this place stinks. Too bad, I'll leave. They won't break into my house because I've got the whole Simply Safe system with everything that goes with it. And I love when I drive away from my house knowing I got the cameras, the sensors, the everything that goes with the Simplisafe situation. Situation. I joined more than 4 million Americans who trust Simplisafe with their home security every day.

[Joe Getty]

And one of the most notable differences between Simplisafe and the old systems is that the old systems, an alarm goes off after somebody breaks into your house and smashes stuff up and is probably long gone with your stuff. That's a reactive approach. But with Simplisafe, their system is designed to be proactive. Smart AI powered cameras identify threats lurking outside your home. Immediately alert Simply Safe's professional monitoring agents and they intervene in real time before the break in even begins. Holy cow.

[Jack Armstrong]

Two way audio to confront the person. Siren spotlights I mean this is something.

[Joe Getty]

Get out, scumbag. Get out. Visit SimpliSafe.com Armstrong to claim 50% off a new system that SimpliSafe.com Armstrong there's no safe like Simplisafe.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I go into my son's room last night to talk to him, which is one of the grooviest high schooler bedrooms I've ever seen in my life. He's put a lot of effort into it and it's very cool and dark. It's always very dark in there. But anyway, I go into my high schoolers room last night it did not smell pleasant. I said, what is the deal in here? An aggressive scent. And he must have taken that to heart because now the entire house smells like high school boy cologne. And what did you do? And he said we used to sit at smell bed, so I sprayed around some of my cologne. I thought that would help. Some of your cologne? Oh, it smells like you're on a date with four high school sophomore boys right now in my house.

[Joe Getty]

Wow. Way too much important to ascertain the source of the funk first.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's funny. I don't know what it is about the scent, but it just, it smells like if you had to name the smell, you'd say I'm on a date with a boy who's about old enough to get his driver's license. That's what it smells like. Its own scent.

[Joe Getty]

You wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

Axe bedroom spray or something like that.

[Joe Getty]

Yikes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Among the stories you bought it for.

[Joe Getty]

Cash and didn't borrow the money or, you know, break up the payments.

[Jack Armstrong]

Among the stories we have to get to is a terrible attack on a bus in Jerusalem by somebody who hates Jews shooting up a bunch of people which ain't going to help any peace negotiations or the two state settlement or any of that crap is Netanyahu is rolling through Gaza trying to wipe out the last Hamas. So that's yet another story we get to talk to you about. And again, European leaders coming to the White House today to talk about Ukraine. We've got a mailbag on the way and a bunch of other stuff. Stay here.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Announcer]

Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? WashablesOfAs.com has your back. Featuring the Annabe Collection, the only designer sofa that's machine washable inside and out. Where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slipcovers made with performance fabrics. Experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Check out washablesofas.com and get up to 60% off your Anna Bay sofa backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back. Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Jack Armstrong]

Ian Bremmer on his Twitter feed, friend of the Armstrong and Getty show has been pretty accurate so far on what's going on in Venezuela and he says that the United States is prepar preparing to escalate against Venezuela. Okay, we will see.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, you got the dirty commies running countries that ought to be successful and happy in our hemisphere. It's our turf.

[Jack Armstrong]

We did a beach landing exercise in Puerto Rico over the weekend. Like we're getting ready to, you know, invade a country.

[Joe Getty]

And maybe more on that to come. Here's your freedom moment quoting today, continuing our series of Brits based on Mer inspired by my recent trip to England. Audrey Hepburn, who apparently is British, I guess.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't know.

[Joe Getty]

Here's it.

[Jack Armstrong]

She was an actress back a hundred years ago.

[Joe Getty]

That's true. Skinny, cute. Anyway, here, here's Audrey Hepburn.

[Jack Armstrong]

I was thinking of Katherine Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn. Very cute.

[Joe Getty]

Yes, yes, yes. Anyway, nothing is Impossible. The word itself says I'm possible. Now, if you hear something like that and you think, wow, that's great.

[Jack Armstrong]

Changed my life.

[Joe Getty]

You're just a soft head. That is not.

[Jack Armstrong]

Audrey Hepburn is the Breakfast at Tiffany's girl.

[Joe Getty]

Yes. Correct. Yeah, that's the woman right there. Let's see. So I. I decided to.

[Jack Armstrong]

Weighed about 90 pounds.

[Joe Getty]

I decided to go with this instead. Jay Shetty. Pronounce his name carefully. Knowledge is power, and it can help you overcome any fear of the unexpected. When you learn, you gain more awareness through the process. And you know what pitfalls to look for as you get ready to transition to the next level. Cool. Knowledge is power.

[Jack Armstrong]

I like that.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. Mailbag.

[Jack Armstrong]

Mailbagarmstrongetti.com Instead of saying impossible, just say I'm possible.

[Joe Getty]

You're right. If you're.

[Jack Armstrong]

If that makes a difference in your life, your head is soft.

[Joe Getty]

Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible. Okay. Eat a bowling ball. I'll give you every dime of my impressive net worth if you can ingest a bowling ball right now. Then we'll discuss again whether nothing is impossible. Andre. Little thingy, drop us a note, would you? All right. Got this. Saw this meme, wanted to pass it along. I'm sure the March of Dimes needs a new cause. It's a new ribbon. It's an orange ribbon with a shock of yellow hair. And it says, find a cause. Trump Derangement Syndrome.

[Jack Armstrong]

No.

[Joe Getty]

Which is good. It also resets the fact that charities, whether it's the March of Dimes or the NAACP or Southern Poverty Law center or whatever, after they've satisfied what they were originally built to do, they just find a new cause and morph. The point is, they collect money. That's why they exist. Not that the March Times hasn't done wonderful things, but it's kind of interesting how they've evolved. Uh, let's see. Jonathan from San Diego, regarding California schools and equity in education, which we were discussing last week. The school board's really onto something, if you think about it. Math is rife with inequities. It's always bothered me that 6 is less value than 7. It isn't 6's fault that it will never equal 7. The answer seems clear to me. All numbers should be the same. I like one because it is so sleek and easy to write. For those who don't know how to write cursive, from now on, only use one for all numbers. That's what equity is all about. Problem solved. That's beautiful. What? How much time do we have? I start this.

[Jack Armstrong]

I sensed sarcasm.

[Joe Getty]

Very, very, very well observed. This is Chris, who will lead us, interestingly, oddly, into a discussion of Portland, Oregon and why the cops have been standing down there, in spite of the 80 some nights of violence in a row and noise and law breaking. But Chris writes, good morning. We escaped California three years ago, moved to a small city in the north Georgia mountains. It's in the heart of Trump country, former Cherokee lands. The only comment you'll get wearing a MAGA hat here is, did you get that at the Trump store? Yes, we have a Trump store in our schools. They don't teach teach about the genderbred person pronouns or any woke garbage. They have a moment of silence for reflection and prayer, then recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. You aren't asked to write land statements. You're taught that America is the greatest country on earth, et cetera. Our Walmart does not have anything locked up, no scales on self checkout and they don't bother checking the receipts, etc. These places still exist in America. The fight now is to keep the lefties from bringing what they're running from here. Yeah, that is the fighters.

[Jack Armstrong]

That is the fight.

[Joe Getty]

Yes, policy matters. Now onto the topic of Oregon. The pos. That's an unfortunate acronym there. The POS Portland DA won't prosecute any arrest the Portland police make. It's been doing that for years, effectively neutering local law enforcement. Okay, Portland PD and riots. This is Justin. Been a listener since 2018. Thanks, Justin. From what I've been hearing, the Portland PD wants so badly to go and help diffuse the insanity and chaos in the city neighborhoods. The mayor and the city council. Council just won't let. Won't let them. And if they do, then not only get fired, but the Portland city brass has threatened to take away their pension benefits. If I were a Portland cop, I'd be looking for employment opportunities like so many cops in other places got. Got this.

[Jack Armstrong]

I can't imagine doing your job as a cop if you arrest bad guys and then they're never prosecuted and they're let out right away and then you see them committing other crimes. That'd be so disheartening.

[Joe Getty]

Why would you literally risk your necklace?

[Jack Armstrong]

I think in a lot of cases you stop.

[Joe Getty]

Right? Right. Eff it. You think? Let's see. This is from T. I live in Portland. What's even more infuriating than the police just letting the riots continue is that this is in a very nice, expensive area of town, about 10 years or so ago, the city decided to develop an undeveloped portion of land along the river. They changed zoning laws, built it, put up high rises with beautiful multimillion dollar condos. There were views of the river. Many restaurants opened on the main floors of these buildings. It was meant to be a walk, neighborhood area. I've actually spent time there. There are paths all along the river. You could take a short half mile walk into town for more restaurants, blah, blah. Now after all this money's been poured into the neighborhood, it's become a hellhole because they will not control the junkies that camp out along the river steps away from these condos. The ICE building is just blocks away from some of these buildings. Quite a few of the restaurants have had to close. Nobody can sell their condos if they want to leave Portlandia.

[Jack Armstrong]

There you go.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. And then here's Jeff, who's been traveling to and working in Portland for decades. Talks about when I first visited, it blew me away. It was one of my favorite places on earth and it's just awful. And he's interviewed through his work Portland cops, many retired because of frustration, overwork, et cetera. Employers, business owners, downtown workers, even a few homeless folks. It's so interesting and there's more to this and I wish we could get to it, but. But you would think those constituencies would be in charge of city governance, but in lefty cities it's not. It's the loudest, angriest in Portland. Most violent, young, completely unmoored from reality. Dreamers and antifa types that drive governance.

[Jack Armstrong]

You should find the episode of the show where I described what the woman did on the street in front of me and my son in Portland. That was disgusting.

[Joe Getty]

Like a horse. Armstrong and Getty.

[Announcer]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. @washablesofas.com you'll find the Annabe sofa, which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699, the stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off storewide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Joe Getty]

This is an iHeart podcast.