Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: They Have Gotten What They Wanted & Now We'll Be Punished For It
Date: November 5, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty

Episode Overview

This episode delves into reactions to recent political developments, focusing on the outcome of key elections—particularly the election of Zoran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City—and what these results mean for the future of local and national politics. Armstrong and Getty critique the rise of leftist and socialist politics, the increase in voter anger, and the growing tendency of people—especially young people—to define themselves and their lives through political engagement and outrage. The hosts oscillate between sharp political analysis and a broader reflection on the role of politics in American identity, expressing both cynicism and concern over increasing polarization and “race to the bottom” politics.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Election of Zoran Mamdani

• The episode is bookended by discussion of Zoran Mamdani’s surprising win as Mayor of New York City, symbolizing the “rise of Democratic socialism and Islamism” in major American cities.
• Armstrong sees Mamdani as emblematic of a dangerous leftist shift:
  • “I guess the communist...Zoran Mumdani, the guy who presided over New York's descent into filth, crime and horror.” (01:05)
  • Predicts increases in crime, rent, and areas “where you shouldn’t go”—comparing New York’s potential future to problematic neighborhoods in European cities. (01:50)
• Both hosts refer to the historic quote from former NYC mayor Ed Koch:
  • “The voters have gotten what they want and now they will be punished for it.” (01:15)
• They comment on how Mamdani proudly brands himself as a Democratic Socialist and a Muslim, and assert that much of the young electorate identifying as socialist likely doesn’t fully understand what the term means (11:23).

2. Wider Election Results and National Trends

• Armstrong and Getty express skepticism about the significance of most elections outside one's own locale, arguing that national media overstate the impact in places far removed from listeners’ everyday lives.
  • “I don't find it entertaining to talk about races 3,000 miles away that don't mean anything...I don't think it means anything.” (03:35)
• Joe Getty highlights Prop 50 in California (increasingly partisan gerrymandering) and its worrying implications for representative democracy.
• They lament the election of politicians with extreme or scandalous backgrounds, referencing the Attorney General race in Virginia where a candidate described as a “sicko” with inflammatory rhetoric was still able to win due to party-line voting (06:24).

3. Rising Anger and the Normalization of Outrage in Politics

• The hosts reflect on how anger has become an asset in political campaigns:
  • “Anger used to make party elders nervous. Now it's the entry ticket to all politics...People want someone who will rage against a system they believe has failed them.” (Mark Halperin, quoted at 21:30)
• They discuss the way both far-right and far-left leaders channel and fuel this anger—Trump being an early master, with AOC and Gavin Newsom now adopting the style.
• They fear that “channeling anger is now our politics, and it's the only sport in town” (25:52).

4. Cynicism Toward Politics and Its Central Role in Life

• Repeatedly, Armstrong and Getty bemoan Americans’ obsession with politics at the expense of more nuanced or joyful engagement with life, warning of the dangers of living vicariously through partisan conflict.
  • “I can't imagine living my life through an individual house race somewhere on the other side of the country and watching the analysis all day long and getting upset or happy either way about it. That's not what life is.” (23:38)
• Armstrong pushes back, noting the stakes are now much greater than in previous eras, as the two parties have diverged dramatically on core issues like education and economic freedom (24:08).

5. Generational Differences and Media Diets

• They express concern that younger voters (under 30) overwhelmingly get their news from TikTok (34:42), making it difficult for the older generation to even understand the basis for their beliefs and political decisions.

6. Affordability and Political Messaging

• Armstrong argues that Democrats may gain ground by framing issues around affordability, which cuts across party lines and speaks to broad economic anxieties. (36:36)
  • Listener comment: “You can't chant ‘four more years’ when you can't afford four more eggs.” (36:40)

7. Marxism, Socialism & the “House of Operatives”

• Listeners are quoted worrying about socialism and Marxism taking deeper root in America, especially as AI automates more jobs.
• Armstrong reads a listener’s quip: “We're going from a House of Representatives to a House of Operatives.” (39:06)
• The prospect of blasphemy (hate speech) laws and further suppression of dissent are also raised as worries in cities under new ideological leadership (37:23).

8. Silver Linings and Countertrends

• Armstrong points to the growing strength and financial support for alternative educational institutions (like the University of Austin) that champion free inquiry and resist ideological uniformity. (32:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Armstrong on NY Politics:
  “They have gotten what they asked for and now will be punished for it.” (12:34)
• Joe Getty:
  “How Americans being taken hostage by Hamas didn't become a bigger news story is a bit of a mystery to me.” (15:56)
• Armstrong on Mamdani supporters:
  “My hope is they don't know what [socialist] means. That's my hope.” (11:43)
• Mark Halperin, quoted:
  “Anger used to make party elders nervous. Now it's the entry ticket to all politics...” (21:30)
• Armstrong on generational divide:
  “For people under 30...more than 40% say they get the bulk of their news from TikTok. So I don't even know what they're seeing.” (34:59)
• Armstrong, referencing Prop 50:
  “It's 100% designed to rig elections. Hypocrisy at its finest.” (39:06)
• Listener email:
  “You can't chant ‘four more years’ when you can't afford four more eggs.” (36:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:05 — Armstrong declares Zoran Mamdani the "communist" mayor and invokes Ed Koch’s “get what you want, now you’re punished” logic.
• 02:19 — Discussion of crime, rent, and New York’s future.
• 03:35 — Getty on national vs. local election relevance and disdain for overhyped political drama.
• 06:24 — Virginia Attorney General race and the “race to the bottom.”
• 11:09 — Mamdani audio clip: “I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this.”
• 15:05 — Lead story headlines and Katie’s news update.
• 20:24 — More from Mamdani’s victory speech and crowd reaction.
• 21:30 — Mark Halperin quoted on anger as political currency.
• 23:38 — Getty’s reflections on disengaging from obsessive politics.
• 25:52 — Armstrong laments channeling of anger in politics: “Channeling anger is our politics, and it’s the only sport in town.”
• 34:42 — Young Americans’ TikTok-based news consumption discussed.
• 36:36 — Listener feedback about affordability and Democratic messaging.
• 39:06 — Concern about the growing “House of Operatives” and listener outcry over new laws.

Tone & Style

The episode is imbued with Armstrong & Getty’s trademark mix of sardonic humor, rapid banter, skepticism, and occasional exasperation about the state of American politics and media. Both hosts lambast ideological excess and what they see as the decline of civil society, while poking fun at the more absurd elements of the news cycle. Their commentary is laced with pop culture references, asides about sports, and playful self-deprecation about the futility and repetitiveness of political analysis.

Summary

This episode powerfully captures Armstrong & Getty’s deep unease about the continued polarization and radicalization of American politics, the rise of anger as a political tool, and the “punishment” Americans may face for recent electoral choices. The hosts urge listeners not to make politics the center of their lives, warn about growing gerrymandering and loss of representation, and worry about the impact of ideological echo chambers—especially among youth consuming news via TikTok. Despite their rampant cynicism, the episode ends on a slightly hopeful note, spotlighting grassroots trends in education and free inquiry as seeds of potential renewal.