The Commies Snuck In A Plant!

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand Episode Title: The Commies Snuck In A Plant!
Release Date: April 17, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

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Summary

In the April 17, 2025 episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty tackle a mix of compelling topics ranging from a groundbreaking study on smartphones and youth to the escalating feud between former President Donald J. Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The episode is structured into distinct segments, each rich with insights, discussions, and notable quotes that offer listeners a deep dive into current socio-political landscapes.

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1. Smartphones and Kids: Challenging Conventional Wisdom

Timestamp: [01:22 – 06:28]

Jack Armstrong opens the discussion with a focus on a new study from the University of South Florida that counters prevailing negative narratives about smartphone usage among children. Contrary to expectations influenced by Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, this study surveyed 1,500 Floridian children aged 11 to 13 and revealed that kids with smartphones exhibited:

• Higher self-esteem
• Lower depression rates
• Greater social engagement

Jack Armstrong remarks at [01:22]:

"Everything we believe about kids and phones might be wrong."

Joe Getty expresses initial skepticism, considering potential socioeconomic factors:

"I think it's absolutely worth considering this. I already have some contrarian thoughts coursing through my head." [02:17]

They explore whether the benefits are a result of economic disparities, suggesting that children without smartphones might lack them due to financial constraints, thus affecting their social interactions and overall well-being.

Joe Getty adds at [04:44]:

"But the groundbreak. Blah, blah, blah, blah."

Despite acknowledging the study's findings, both hosts remain cautiously optimistic and open to further scrutiny, highlighting the complexity of technological impacts on youth.

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2. News Highlights: Katie Green's Corner

Timestamp: [08:12 – 16:47]

Transitioning to their news segment, Armstrong and Getty introduce various headlines through Katie Green's reporting. They scrutinize media narratives, particularly focusing on the controversial portrayal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Key Highlights:

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Portrayal:
  • Fox News labels him as a violent repeat offender.
  • MSNBC portrays him as a "loving Maryland Little League coach."

Joe Getty finds the inconsistency amusing at [08:26]:

"That's funny. That didn't come up on MSNBC in their description of the loving Maryland Little League coach."

• El Salvador Blocks US Senator Visit:

  • Reflecting on Trump’s immigration policies, they discuss the strained US-El Salvador relations.

• Hamas Financial Struggles:

  • A report from the Wall Street Journal states that Hamas is too low on cash to pay its fighters.
  • Jack Armstrong succinctly approves at [13:07]:

    "Good."

• Bernie Sanders' Private Jet Expenditure:

  • Critique of Sanders spending $221,000 on private jets amid his "oligarchy tour."

• Transgender Miss Maine Contestant:

  • Coverage from Breitbart.com about a transgender Miss Maine contestant facing off against Bill Belichick's girlfriend Jordan Hudson.
  • The hosts express dismissive humor towards the event's legitimacy.

• Laser-Guided Robot Farmers:

  • Satirical take on technological advancements in agriculture, questioning their practicality.

Additional humorous takes include wild golf brawls, promoting comedic segments, and a Babylon Bee health tip mocking unconventional allergy remedies.

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3. The Trump vs. Jerome Powell Feud: Economic Implications

Timestamp: [17:13 – 28:38]

A substantial portion of the episode delves into the intensifying conflict between former President Donald J. Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. This segment examines the implications of economic policies, tariffs, and the autonomy of the Federal Reserve.

Key Points Discussed:

• Jerome Powell's Economic Outlook:

  • From the Wall Street Journal, Powell acknowledges that tariffs may lead to higher inflation and increased unemployment.
  • He states:

    "There's a difficult place for a central bank to be in." [21:01]

• Trump’s Criticism of Powell:

  • Trump publicly denounces Powell on social media, asserting:

    "Powell's termination cannot come fast enough." [24:27]

• Federal Reserve Independence:

  • Joe Getty voices concerns over political interference:

    "I am staunchly against anybody having the power to single handedly reshape the economy in the way Trump is doing." [22:32]

• Impact on Small Businesses:

  • Discussion on how tariffs disproportionately affect small to medium-sized businesses lacking the lobbying power of large corporations like Apple.

• Constitutional Questions:

  • The hosts explore the constitutional implications of Presidential authority over Federal Reserve appointments, pondering the balance of power and due process.

Notable Quotes:

• Jack Armstrong at [17:22]:

  "I wonder what the polling is going to be when that actually happens, if people are going to be willing to ride it out or if people are, you know, it's easier to, it's easy to say when you're not paying it well."

• Joe Getty at [27:07]:

  "I've never wanted to be wrong more."

The segment underscores the volatile interplay between administrative policies and economic stability, raising questions about the sustainability of such measures.

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4. Mailbag: Listener Engagement

Timestamp: [31:16 – 35:33]

In the Mailbag segment, Armstrong and Getty engage with a variety of listener letters, offering responses infused with their trademark humor and critical perspectives.

Highlighted Correspondence:

• Cleaning Up Universities:

  • Listeners provide ideas on reforming the university system, which the hosts plan to address in future discussions.

• Autism Discussions:

  • Viewer input on autism-related topics, reflecting the show's engagement with diverse social issues.

• Chickstronauts:

  • Humorous critiques of recent all-female space flight initiatives, with references to historical figures like Valentina Tereshkova.
  • Robert corrects himself, adding a witty remark about Laika the dog.

• Gene Hackman's Hoarderish House:

  • Kristen from Salt Lake City comments on the infamous actor's living conditions, leading to jokes about house cleanliness and legacy.

• Deporting MS-13 Gang Member:

  • A listener's perspective on immigration and due process.
  • Joe Getty provides a brief constitutional overview:

    "Due process is kind of a vague phrase. It just means the government can't behave arbitrarily." [34:40]

Notable Comments:

• Joe Getty at [35:16]:

  "Yeah. In many, many places. It's clear that if you're under the jurisdiction of the United States, meaning you're here, you will be treated like a human being."

The Mailbag highlights the hosts' ability to navigate complex and often sensitive topics with a blend of seriousness and levity.

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5. Quote of the Day: Embracing Liberty

Timestamp: [29:07 – 30:37]

The episode features a listener-submitted quote from Friedrich Bastiat's "The Law" (1850), emphasizing the importance of liberty and minimal government interference.

Included Quote:

"God has given to men all that is necessary for them to accomplish their destinies. He has provided a social form as well as a human form... May they reject all systems and try liberty. For liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works. Amen." [29:21]

Jack Armstrong praises the quote:

"That's pretty good." [30:35]

The quote aligns with the show's recurring themes of individual freedom and skepticism towards centralized systems.

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Conclusion

In "The Commies Snuck In A Plant!", Armstrong & Getty On Demand delivers a robust mix of social commentary, political analysis, and listener engagement. From challenging established beliefs about technology's role in youth development to dissecting high-stakes economic conflicts and engaging with audience insights, the hosts maintain a balance of humor and critical discourse. Notable quotes and timely news discussions ensure that listeners are both entertained and informed, making the episode a quintessential offering for those seeking a nuanced perspective on contemporary issues.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Foreign.

[Joe Getty]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Gabriel.

[Jack Armstrong]

Busy reading in the hallway again. I gotta quit doing that. I look up the clock, I think.

[Joe Getty]

Jeez, I'm supposed to be on the air. Live from Studio C, senor.

[Jack Armstrong]

Dimly lit room, deeper than the bowels of the Armstrong and Getty communications compound. And yet. Hey, y'all. Today we're under the tutelage of our general manager.

[Joe Getty]

The super heavyweight bout, Donald J. Trump versus Jerome Powell.

[Jack Armstrong]

Who's Jerome Powell?

[Joe Getty]

Chairman of the Federal Reserve, in a heavyweight slugfest that could ruin the economy. Oh, boy. Come on, fellas.

[Jack Armstrong]

And settle down. Okay, I assume you're going to explain that to us.

[Joe Getty]

I will. I will.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know what I was just reading that is blowing my mind. That's why I got so engrossed in it. This new study that's out that is contrary to everything else we've heard about smartphones and kids. Everything we believe about kids and phones might be wrong. A new study says, done by researchers at the University of South Florida who had read the Anxious Generation, that book we've talked about so much and were expecting all kinds of negative results and believed all that sort of stuff. And they found all kinds of things that run completely opposite of that. That kids.

[Joe Getty]

I have questions.

[Jack Armstrong]

I have questions, too. And I have a guest, too. But the groundbreak. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Middle schoolers, in particularly socially benefit from having a phone. They tend to be. Have more friends, more outgoing, spend more time away from the house.

[Joe Getty]

Blah, blah, blah.

[Jack Armstrong]

All these different things.

[Joe Getty]

I think it's absolutely worth considering this. I already have some contrarian thoughts coursing through my head.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, yeah, my immediate. My. My immediate first thought was it's a socioeconomic thing of the kind of people that. Kids that don't have phones.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't think there's that many people not getting their kid a phone because it's bad for them. It should be, but it's not. I think the kids that don't have phones are from families where they just can't afford a phone and they maybe tend to not have as many friends or as good a life.

[Joe Getty]

That's interesting. And I fully admit that this is at very first blush. But my scathing indictment of their conclusion, based on practically no information is that I could see that on a very surface level, the kids with smartphones plugged in, social media, etc. Are more popular and more plugged in to the popular zeitgeist. You've spoken about how the kids have to know the catchphrase. You know, if you don't know chicken jockey, you're an outcast, blah blah, blah blah blah. So you are on the surface in the short term more popular, et cetera in a culture, a technical, cult, technological culture that is ultimately terribly unhealthy for you. It's like if you're among the pot smokers in high school, you will be well connected among the pot smokers. You see what I'm saying?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I'm not buying this study at all. But I'm just, you know, my other.

[Joe Getty]

Question is who is, who paid for.

[Jack Armstrong]

It, transferring it to you? Yeah, it'd be worth knowing.

[Joe Getty]

And are you measuring the right things?

[Jack Armstrong]

University of South Florida Justin Martin, the studies leaves researcher who referred to social he, he's a big fan of Jonathan Haidt's book the Anxious Generation. The survey of 1500 Floridians ages 11 to 13. Kids with smartphones reported better mental than those without smartphones on a number of different measures including higher self esteem, being less likely to feel depressed. This finding held across the socio economic differences of the children being surveyed.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Challenges the belief that kids with cell phones are more likely to be shut ins who never leave their bedroom. In fact surveyed kids with smartphones were overall more likely to spend time with friends in person than kids without phones.

[Joe Getty]

Interesting. Yeah, have to dig into it again. I have a number of contrarian thoughts immediately, but it's an intriguing look at one of the most important topics of our time.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I would say yeah, it is one of the most important topics of time. Well, my biggest contrarian thing is just we all have had. I think most of us just intuitively know that it's been bad for us.

[Joe Getty]

Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

That it's bad for me. You know you're talking yesterday about being at the Masters golf tournament. You had to put your phones away and everybody liking it. Every everybody go camping or ends up, you know, in a mountain cabin where you don't have cell phone service. Everybody loves it. So I just intuitively I think we, we know that it's, it's causing problems. So. Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

And I'm just, I'm reminded of what does a drunk want the other guy to do? Drink, get in here in the, the valley of sin with me. I feel better about myself and trust me, that's not coming from a place of sober judgment of others. Again, you know, I'd like to know more about it. My son was, I am highly suspicious they're asking the wrong questions. And short term happiness, slash fitting in versus long term, mental health, et cetera. True.

[Jack Armstrong]

Although as a kid, as you know, the short term fitting in is all that matters in your life for the kid. My son was the last in his group to get a phone, and he. It made him very unhappy. He missed. He missed out, did miss out, and felt like he was missing out on things all the time. All these group conversations and meetups and stuff like that that he just didn't know about because he didn't. He wasn't in on the conversation, and it made him sad and feel like an outcast.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I don't doubt it. The Internet, as we've discussed through the years, is like a big, busy street. And it has a number of the things that are lovely for kids. Ability to connect, services, et cetera. And it also has the most dangerous scumbags they will ever encounter in their lives and the opportunity to develop terrible habits that makes them miserable. It is a big, giant busy city street. I don't doubt for a minute that there are positives to be found on that street. Right.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's the problem. Like, so my oldest son has a smartphone. My youngest doesn't. So when my oldest. My youngest heads out on a bike ride, I know that he can't purchase heroin, see a snuff film, or interact with a murderous pedophile. My son, when he leaves.

[Joe Getty]

You're a child abuser.

[Jack Armstrong]

My older son, when he leaves the house, absolutely has all of those at his fingertips.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

Because he has a smartphone, which is pretty crazy. I never had those at my fingertips when I left the house.

[Joe Getty]

Ugh. Thank God.

[Jack Armstrong]

Let's start the show. Officially, I'm Jack Armstrong. He's Joe Getion. It is Thursday, April 17, the year 2025. We're Armstrong and getting. We approve this program.

[Joe Getty]

All right, then, let's begin. Officially, according to FCC rules and regulations, the show starts at mark.

[Katie Green]

The Democrats and the media in this room have continually and wrongly labeled Kilmar Abrego Garcia as a Maryland father. There is no Maryland father. Let me reiterate. Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an illegal alien, Ms. 13, gang member and foreign terrorist who was deported back to his home country.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, this story is getting a lot of attention in the media. I don't know. I don't have a sense of how many of you actual people are paying attention to it, but, for instance, I flipped on msnbc, Fox, and News Nation this morning. All three of them led with this stuff.

[Joe Getty]

Interesting.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? And the back and forth on whether he's just a Maryland father enjoying his kids little league game or if he's a wife beating, drug running gang member. And which of those is true?

[Joe Getty]

Yeah.

[Jack Armstrong]

And does it make any difference? Because if you're in the United States, you get due process no matter what.

[Joe Getty]

Yes, but what processes do One of the more interesting questions to arise from this having let in millions of illegals, do the old processes live up to the moment or do we have to reassign them? It was it an intentional overloading of the system by the lunatics around the senile mummy Joe Biden in the cloud piven strategy of overwhelming the system to break it. Once you break it, you reform it to Marxist principles. It sure looks like it, doesn't it?

[Jack Armstrong]

I don't know if it was on purpose, but it did overwhelm the system.

[Joe Getty]

Well, given the politics, given that the politics are so horrible, I mean it's an 8515 issue to throw the borders open to murders and scumbags and hardworking folks just trying to improve their lives. But to let in millions and millions and millions of people, the politics are miserable of it. And many times you asked, I asked why don't they see that? I think the answer might be there were actual radicals around Biden who talked the senile old fruit into keeping the borders open for their own nefarious radical purposes. If somebody has a better explanation, I'm willing to entertain it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, well we got a lot more on that story which could could end up being a really big deal as a court has said that the Trump administration is denying them and looking for contempt charges and all these sorts of things. So we got that to get to get Katie's headlines on the way. Here's our text line 415295 KFTC arm strong and Getty. So China said some jumpy things about tariffs and Trump.

[Joe Getty]

People fired back.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh yeah, it might be 245. 245.

[Joe Getty]

Oh boy.

[Jack Armstrong]

So there you go.

[Joe Getty]

This reminds me of the whole parent and defiant child. You're grounded for a day. Now it's two days, three days. You're going to keep going. Now it's a week and you just wait for the kid to think, wow, this is not going in a good direction. And China finally decides it doesn't want to be grounded for six months. Oh boy. I tell you what, I get the whole Tariff Jerome Powell feud. It's a trade thing. I got a bad feeling about all this. It does not feel like a plan.

[Jack Armstrong]

I Hope you're wrong.

[Joe Getty]

I'm. I will be thrilled and humbly contrite if it turns out that I am wrong.

[Jack Armstrong]

Be awesome.

[Joe Getty]

Trust me, I have every interest in being wrong. I want desperately to be wrong, which is kind of an odd position to be in. Anyway, a lot to get to today. I mean, just seriously, there's so much to talk about. It's so interesting. Hope you can stay around. Right now, let's figure out who's reporting what. It's the lead story with Katie Green. Katie.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

Well, starting with Fox News, Maryland man exposed in police records as violent repeat wife beater.

[Joe Getty]

That's funny. That didn't come up on MSNBC in their description of the loving Maryland Little League coach.

[Jack Armstrong]

Dad, does it make any difference, though?

[Joe Getty]

No and yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay.

[Joe Getty]

It depends. Depends on politically.

[Jack Armstrong]

I mean, legally. Politically, it makes a difference.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, yeah. It makes a huge difference. And I was going to get there. Good point. But I don't know specifically what the due process looks like for a non citizen illegal alien with a final deportation order and his status vis a vis the law. I don't know the answer to that question.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

From Reuters. El Salvador blocks US Senator from visiting. Quote, wrongly deported Salvadorian man.

[Jack Armstrong]

I'm sure the Trump people are getting to El Salvador and saying, here, here's how we want you to handle this. And they're saying, no problem, whatever you want.

[Joe Getty]

Well, and old President Bukele, I'm sure saying, oh, I would be delighted to help you with your Democratic publicity stunt. Yoink. No, I'm not.

[Jack Armstrong]

Get out. Yoink.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

From the Wall Street Journal. A depleted Hamas is so low on cash that it can't pay itself. Fighters.

[Jack Armstrong]

Good.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. That was going to be part of a multi tiered report about the situation in Israel.

[Jack Armstrong]

I want to hear there.

[Joe Getty]

And yeah, Dire Straits from the Free Beacon.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

Bernie Sanders spent $221,000 on private jets amid fighting oligarchy tour.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, we got to play that montage again of him saying we live in an oligarchy every year since 1992. It's hilarious.

[Joe Getty]

It's absolutely fabulous. The longer Bernie and AOC can remain the face of the Democratic Party, the longer Republicans have to get their act together and do the good stuff.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

We're all rooting for from Breitbart.com transgender Ms. Maine contestant will face off against Bill Belichick's girlfriend, Jordan Hudson.

[Jack Armstrong]

What is Belichick's girlfriend? Beauty pageant person.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, she is. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. So I'm sorry, who is he facing off with? I was reading something relevant.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

Transgender Miss Maine contestant. So it's a trans. It's a dude.

[Jack Armstrong]

But, like, in Miss America.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

In Miss. In Miss Maine.

[Jack Armstrong]

In Miss Maine.

[Joe Getty]

So I'm siding with the legit hottie. Just, you know, if I have it.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I was looking at the Belichick. Belichick turned 74, so.

[Joe Getty]

Because he can. Jack. Because he can.

[Jack Armstrong]

It was 74. 75. Anyway, she got him all these birthday gifts and did all this stuff and everything like that. So they're. They're official. I think they're officially 50 years apart now.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

From study finds.

[Joe Getty]

I'm sure he's thinking, I only need one gift, and it's under your clothes. All right. Honestly, we're adults.

[Jack Armstrong]

And you don't believe in love, do you? Good. Joe doesn't believe in love.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

No. Look at how proud of yourself you are. From study finds. Laser guided robot farmers offer hope for shrinking labor force.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, I'd like to actually read that.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. Intriguing.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

It's up at our hot links today.

[Jack Armstrong]

Cool.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

From the New York Post. Wild golf brawl erupts over slow play. Ends with shirtless man getting pummeled.

[Jack Armstrong]

I watched that.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

I made it. I made a Katie's. A Katie's Corners Post today. And it's up there.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Joe Getty]

That is the description of roughly every golf brawl I've ever seen online. And as a golfer, it's a. It's a favorite genre of mine. Whether it's slow play or somebody hit into somebody else or whatever, somebody always ends up shirtless and getting pummeled. Yeah. Good, good, good idea throwing dogs on the golf course. But boys will be boys.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

And finally, from the Babylon Bee health tip. To beat those spring allergies, try diving headfirst into a volcano.

[Jack Armstrong]

I have felt various times the last week or so that I would have been willing. Yes, my kids, too. We look out the window and we're like, oh, my God, look at it out there. It's sunny and, oh, looks horrible.

[Joe Getty]

Sneezing, wheezing, and itchy eyes are the sweet embrace of death, right? Yes.

[Jack Armstrong]

Dang it. So rough. And apparently all over the country, there's got to be some new plant that China snuck in. We were talking about that on Friday. That'd be pretty clever. You know, you figure out some plant that, you know, the westerners. Americans aren't used to bad allergies. Get it in here and plan it all over the place.

[Joe Getty]

I just appreciate your good, solid, cold warrior attitude toward everything. If there's a problem, it's probably the commies.

[Jack Armstrong]

You know what it is that's funny. You know what it is? I'm reading, I'm reading that Tinker Taylor soldier spy book. Oh yeah, which I'd never read before. And it's all about, I mean loosely about Kim Philby, the world's greatest spy, cold worst buying stuff like that. So that is on my mind, that sort of thing.

[Joe Getty]

So yeah, it's beautiful.

[Jack Armstrong]

The commie's snuck in a plant so we're all sneezing all the time. That's what happened.

[Joe Getty]

Stay ever vigilant. Sergeant Jack so why was Jerome Powell.

[Jack Armstrong]

Our general manager today? Joel explained that coming up, the battle between Trump and the Federal Resource briefly.

[Joe Getty]

Tad Dry Armstrong and Getty.

[Jerome Powell]

The new administration is in the process of implementing substantial policy changes in four distinct areas. Trade, immigration, fiscal policy, and regulation. These policies are still evolving and their effects on the economy remain highly uncertain. Inflation is likely to go up as tariffs find their way, and some part of those tariffs come to the come to be paid by the by the by the public.

[Joe Getty]

Slow down, Jerome. Too much energy.

[Jack Armstrong]

So I'm wondering, does do you end up in a job like that because your personality is the sort that would talk like that, or do you feel like you have to talk like that when you're in that job? There's no show biz in anybody that's in the Fed.

[Joe Getty]

Is anyone expecting inflation? Anyone?

[Jack Armstrong]

Bueller, just a stroke person that would get into that for a living tends to talk like that.

[Joe Getty]

Or maybe it's just cultural. It's expected of him to be very dry and sober. I mean, he's not going to talk like a gay fashion designer at the next Fed meeting. My God, these rates are outrageous. They're outrageous. I mean, that just wouldn't work. Inflation.

[Jack Armstrong]

Am I right?

[Joe Getty]

So yes, Now Hanson producer Hansen said he finds him very calming and reassuring in these turbulent times.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's not the vibe. The vibe I got from him was I am scared to death. This is coming off the rails and buckle up. Because I went into it thinking that.

[Joe Getty]

And I don't need him to be a cheerleader. But he is a bit of an energy suck, isn't he? There's one more clip I wanted to play. Michael, I'm told clip 64 he does show the show biz.

[Jack Armstrong]

Okay, here's the show. Bring the show biz.

[Jerome Powell]

As that great Chicagoan Ferris Bueller once noted, life moves pretty fast. For the time being, we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity before considering any adjustments to our policy stance. We continue to analyze the incoming data. The evolving outlook in the Balance of risks. We understand that elevated levels of unemployment or inflation can be damaging and painful for communities, families and businesses. We will continue to do everything we can to achieve our maximum employment and price stability goals.

[Joe Getty]

That's great, Jerry. That's great. Honey. I told you we shouldn't invite him to the dinner party.

[Jack Armstrong]

So now Trump wants him to go. Right. So Trump didn't like. Trump didn't like Powell coming out and saying inflation's going to go up. We don't know how this is going to turn out. Trump's angry now and wants him to go.

[Joe Getty]

There's too much uncertainty and the plan seems to be evolving. Yes, which is what virtually everyone is saying. But Trump has lashed out at Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in a post on social media. Powell's termination cannot come fast enough. The post read, though Trump appointed the guy. Powell is always too late and wrong. Many, many capitals and exclamation points, etc. Now a number of folks, and that number is like a lot of people are a little concerned at the idea that the chairman of the Federal Reserve would be a day by day helper of the current administration to achieve their specific goals. As opposed to the sober, to the point of, oh God, when's he going to be done? Protector of the nation's fiscal health.

[Jack Armstrong]

Wall Street Journal's view of this. Powell said that he saw a strong likelihood that consumers would face higher prices and that the economy would see higher unemployment as the result of tariffs in the short room, short run. So higher prices and higher unemployment. This would create a challenging scenario in quotes for the central bank because anything it does with interest rates to address inflationary pressures could worsen unemployment and vice versa. He said it's a difficult place for a central bank to be in. Yeah. So we could end up in a bad spiral. Maybe one of the reasons that I have not made this sort of economics my area of interest, I just never have in my life. It's just, it's amazing to me that so the president, one guy has the ability to unleash these tariffs on America and on the world. And then I've always been amazed that the Fed chairman, a guy, I mean with input from other people, but still one guy decides to raise or lower interest rates. It just it seems so not democratic republic on that issue. So I guess there's no other way to do it.

[Joe Getty]

But I would, I would quibble with the characterization that one guy can raise the interest rates like that because they. There's a board of governors of the Fed from all over the country that get together and they're all like super smart, dry eggheads like Jerome Powell and they cook up the policy together. But that's not like a Congress.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right.

[Joe Getty]

So you know, the truth is somewhere in between. Yeah. I am staunchly against anybody having the power to single handedly reshape the economy in the way Trump is doing because I know the shoe will be on the other foot. And I think the Democrats are capable of enacting some of their most ludicrous, you know, borderline to full fledged Marxist ideas and tanking the economy for a very, very long time. I just, you know, I'm sorry if my principles annoy you because I just, I fear if this sort of power to manipulate the economy becomes routine, we're going to see wild, insane swings and the sort of, and this is what bothers me about the current day, the sort of crony capitalism that we should be working to get rid of. Like Tim Cook is rich and powerful and connected and Apple's super important so they can get car for their, the tariffs that would hurt them. The average schmuck, the small to medium businessman does not have that sort of connection. They don't have lobbyists, so they will get hammered by the tariffs.

[Jack Armstrong]

Guy that was a drummer in the band I was playing in, he was a drum maker and he, he, his drums were made in China. He was always traveling to China. He made carbon fiber drums. Cool idea. I don't know if it's still a thing or not, but anyway, they're made in China. I'm sure he's not getting a carve out as a tiny, tiny businessman with his drums coming, stuff coming in from China because you don't have the connections that Tim Cook has, which is your point.

[Joe Getty]

And I know everybody's saying, joe, bring up Humphrey's executor. Okay, kids. It's a Supreme Court precedent. It has to do with can the President fire certain federal officials for purely political reasons or should they be more independent and finish out their terms? It's a really interesting constitutional question.

[Jack Armstrong]

How long is a Fed term song? Right.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. He's got several more years. I couldn't tell you specifically. I'll look.

[Jack Armstrong]

But Trump wants him to go.

[Joe Getty]

Yes. Yeah. If I may quote the, the potus, Powell's termination cannot come fast enough.

[Jack Armstrong]

Termination as in I'm gonna fire him?

[Joe Getty]

Yes. He's not gonna snuff him. I didn't think that. Yeah, certainly firing him.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, wow.

[Joe Getty]

That's enough Fed talk certainly for a while.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, but it's not enough I mean that there's plenty of worry talk. I just, I don't know. Nobody knows how this is going to turn out, but say two months from now, inflation's the highest it's been since back when we hated inflation. During COVID you're noticing every day prices being higher than you're expecting. Like during COVID What's the political mood gonna be?

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, and that's my concern. Nobody really has for many, many, many months ever accused us of being, you know, never Trumpers or anything like that. Because that would be ridiculous. My official stance is the only thing that can derail the great stuff the Trump administration is doing is the silly stuff the Trump administration is doing. And I just wish they could be a little more disciplined and focused and prioritize.

[Jack Armstrong]

But the scenario I just laid out though, that you can't call that never Trump. That's what Trump says is going to happen, isn't it? Inflation and high prices. There's going to be. What was the term he used on Friday that we played over and over? There's going to be. He had a term for it. It was like transitory, but that sort of thing. It's just, you know, it's going to hurt for a while.

[Joe Getty]

Short term fame.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, he's saying that's going to happen. So is Jerome Powell. So.

[Joe Getty]

So he must be fired.

[Jack Armstrong]

I just wonder what the polling is going to be when that actually happens, if people are going to be willing to ride it out or if people are, you know, it's easier to, it's easy to say when you're not paying it well.

[Joe Getty]

Right. And here's my big objection, especially to the tariff thing. Not only that it's been kind of haphazard in his crony capitalism, but the President's argument is if you put up with the short term pain, we will have a long term resurgence. Manufacturing, fewer imports, fairer trade relationships. Now the fairer trade relationships part, I believe, I think they can happen. But there will be no long term restructuring of American manufacturing. He doesn't have long enough. If J.D. vance succeeds him for two terms, that still, that'll be like scratching the surface, getting started. Long enough maybe. So we're gonna have the short term pain without the long term. I just don't see how the long term payoff materializes.

[Jack Armstrong]

I looked it up from Friday. You weren't here at transition cost. That's what he called it in the big cabinet meeting on Thursday. There will be transition costs with some inflation and higher prices.

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I've just read so Many stories of various small to medium sized businesses and what their supply chains actually look like and how the tariffs and everything will affect them and how long it would take for them to onshore their supply chains, whether the whole thing or damn near the whole thing and what they would do to the prices of their products. And it's just, it doesn't look to me like it can work. And again, I pray either Trump adjust his sales or I'm dead wrong. I've never wanted to be wrong more.

[Jack Armstrong]

In my life and I'm perfectly happy if this turns out great a year from now.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, I will feast on crow on the air.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, I'll just be the praise. Trump is brilliant and wow, he was the only one who really understood this and blah blah, blah. Again, love to say that. That would be awesome. Nothing would make me happier than saying that. Oh, I just wonder politically though, even with that outcome that the transition period that he's talking about, the transition costs, what are the polls going to do when everything's more expensive and people start buying electronics, cars, whatever it is?

[Joe Getty]

Yeah, I don't know. There, there have been a number of poll results recently that have kind of rekindled my, my faith in the American people to be smart and reasonable and think long term. Ish. So I don't know.

[Jack Armstrong]

We'll see. We got Mailbag on the way. Want to dig into a little more into that study. New study out saying smartphones are good for kids.

[Joe Getty]

Brought to you by Samsung.

[Jack Armstrong]

All that on the way. Stay here.

[Joe Getty]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

I just read an article about AI that makes me think the in terms of information. Anyway, the whole thing is going to be a bust. It's never going to get off.

[Joe Getty]

Really?

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Huh. I don't know how they're going to overcome this problem. Can explain that later.

[Joe Getty]

I am surprised. I am intrigued. I will stay tuned. Just a quick note. Well, maybe I'll save that. Here's your freedom loving quote of the day sent along moments ago by Dan in Arkansas. It's from Friedrich Bastiat his classic the law written in 1850 and it's a little longish but it's absolutely brilliant. And it dovetails a little bit with our conversation last segment. I quote from Bastiat. God has given to men all that is necessary for them to accomplish their destinies. He has provided a social form as well as a human form. And these social organs of persons are so constituted that they will develop themselves harmoniously in the clean air of liberty away then with quacks and organizers away with their rings, chains, hooks and pincers. Away with their artificial systems, away with the whims of governmental administrators, their socialized projects, their centralization, their tariffs, their government schools, their state religions, their free credit, their bank monopolies, their regulations, their restrictions, their equalization by taxation and their pious moralizations. And now that the legislators and do gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun. May they reject all systems and try liberty. For liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works. Amen.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's pretty good.

[Joe Getty]

That's good. There's a lot there. Maybe we'll reconsider that another time. Dig into it, mailbag. There were a number of topics that dominated the correspondence in the last 24 hours. Jack, this won't surprise you. We asked for ideas and points of view of how to actually clean up the university system in this country. Got some great answers. We'll get into that later. Bunch of folks weighed in on the autism discussion. Well, that also the question of due process for illegals. All of those things we will dig into at the correct time as determined by our whims our way. Drop us a note mailbagarmstrongygetti.com that means I don't know when we'll try as.

[Jack Armstrong]

Determined by our whims.

[Joe Getty]

On the topic of phallic travel, John writes, I'll keep this short. Oh, that was the other people are still weighing in on the chickster knots. I mean, just like crazy. I'll keep this short. If a five minute excursion into space and a phallic object makes these ladies astronauts, you can start calling me a gynecologist. Oh Lord, John.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh no.

[Joe Getty]

Kscis keeps shooting celebrities into space.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, no kidding. I can't believe that Gayle King actually said people who think this was frivolous and unimportant.

[Joe Getty]

Yes, yes, that's precisely what we think. Yes. Thank you for summarizing it. Loyal listener Robert writes. Guys realized this morning that the chickstronauts of this week did not constitute the first all women space flight. That honor belongs to Valentina Tereshkova. She was the first woman in space on a solo flight. The biggest difference is she was actually the crew of the craft. Nice try, ladies. Celebrate the consolation prize of best coif to all female crew. And then he wrote back three hours later. I caught my mistake. Laika the dog took the first female only space flight. This ends my report on beaches in space. Robert. Oh, he's here. All week. Try the veal. Let's see. Kristen from Salt Lake City writes, speaking of Gene Hackman's hoarderish house with all the rat fies.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, man.

[Joe Getty]

And the hantavirus is what got his wife, right? He says, guys, I always deep clean my house before a trip. Not for peace of mind, but so if I die, people will think I live like a classy put together adult and not a feral laundry monster.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's pretty funny.

[Joe Getty]

And she signs off scrubbing for legacy, not hygiene. Kristen from Salt Lake City, scrubbing legacy. That is brilliant.

[Jack Armstrong]

That is good. I thought that before too. Various scenarios. If I died right now, what would this look like? Fecal matter.

[Joe Getty]

The ladies continuing to weigh in. It's Charlotte and Santa Clara writes, guys, in regard to the. That's what you do in a driveway clip. You're right. It's one of the funniest clips you' played. It should get its own category in clips of the year, by the way. Is it in the links? I couldn't find it. I need to see these people now. Can we make sure that's in today's hot link? Hot links, guys. Katie, is that doable?

[Unnamed News Reporter]

Yeah, I'm. I'm gonna have it in Katie's corner, so you'll be able to watch it right on the website.

[Joe Getty]

Go ahead. A commission for Katie's Corner. Why. Why are we so. Well, nya. We'll have a meeting later.

[Jack Armstrong]

Go ahead, Michael.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

You sit here, you drive in, you drive out.

[Joe Getty]

You have junk cars all over. What do you do?

[Jack Armstrong]

You drive in and you drive out.

[Joe Getty]

That's what people do in their driveways, you moron. Well, and what's. That's the short version because we got to keep moving. But keep in mind the long. The, the preamble. The overture to that is. Did you put mashed potatoes on my Tesla? So, wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

You drive in, you drive out. That's what people do.

[Unnamed News Reporter]

You sit here, you drive in, you drive out.

[Joe Getty]

You have junk cars all over. What do you do?

[Jack Armstrong]

You drive in and you drive out.

[Joe Getty]

That's what people do in their driveways. You. I swear, it gets funnier.

[Jack Armstrong]

I know it.

[Joe Getty]

Oh, Matt in Palm Desert, writing on the topic of deporting the MS.13 gang member. Love youe Show. Just thought, because he's an illegal alien, not an actual citizen, and doesn't he have no rights, legal or otherwise, for any defense of any kind? No, I'll give you the very, very short constitutional version. No, it's all people in the United States are protected by due process. But what process is due? It depends on the area of the law you're talking about. Due process is kind of a vague phrase. It just means the government can't behave arbitrarily.

[Jack Armstrong]

But it does say persons, not citizens, correct?

[Joe Getty]

Yeah. In many, many places. It's clear that if you're under the jurisdiction of the United States, meaning you're here, you will be treated like a human being, which is a beautiful and awesome part of our country. Just gets a little inconvenient at times.

[Jack Armstrong]

Especially if you let in the biggest migration in world history.

[Joe Getty]

Right. Armstrong and Gettysburg.