11/25/25: GOP Majority At Risk Before Midterms, Dem Sen Threatened With Court Martial, Thanksgiving Advice

Summary

---

Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar

Episode Date: November 25, 2025
Title: GOP Majority At Risk Before Midterms, Dem Sen Threatened With Court Martial, Thanksgiving Advice

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti tackle a tense moment in Washington as the GOP House majority teeters before midterms amidst waves of resignations, internal frustration, and a sense of institutional malaise. The hosts dissect the roots of congressional dysfunction, analyze a provocative court martial threat against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, and wrap up with a candid discussion about the cost of living, the reality of inflation ahead of Thanksgiving, and the politics of airline travel and family gatherings. True to the show’s tone, expect incisive analysis with plenty of pointed asides and humor.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. GOP House in Crisis: Resignations, Dysfunction, and Loss of Majority

Spate of GOP Resignations and Low Morale

• Krystal sets the stage ([01:43]): Citing reports from Jake Sherman, she lays out how several Republican members are considering resignation, describing a Congress plagued by frustration, stagnation, and fear of taking tough votes.
• GOP members complain the White House treats them like “garbage,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson is accused of enabling it.
• Krystal points out: “Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out. That is shocking.” ([03:41])
• Saagar expands ([06:40]): This trend has historical roots post-Iraq, with Congress ceding power to the executive to avoid risk and responsibility. He observes, "They don’t want to take difficult votes... They’re happy to just pass the buck."
• The panel notes how this institutional failure lets the executive grab more power, with Congress left sidelined and frustrated.

Blame Game: Congress vs. White House

• Saagar: “They’re working together to give the executive as much power as possible. Like that's effectively what’s happened here." ([06:40])
• “You can't now turn around and be like, hey, they treat us like a potted plant. ...you asked for that treatment.” ([08:43])
• Both hosts criticize the performative nature of complaints—members enabled the very dynamic they're now protesting.

Legislative Implications and Midterms Anxiety

• Krystal: “The only thing worse than being treated like garbage in a potted plant in the majority is being treated like garbage in a potted plant in the minority.” ([08:46])
• Special elections and retirements could cost the GOP the House before the midterms even arrive, especially with restive constituents and tough special elections even in red districts.

Quotes from the Hill and Response from MTG

• Krystal reads MTG’s lament: “Our legislative majority has been wasted. Our best shot was the first six to nine months. When Republicans lose the midterms... it becomes total and complete political war gridlock.” ([10:27])
• Saagar recalls: “Inside the White House, top advisors joke they are ruling Congress with an iron fist… Steve Bannon likened Congress to the Duma, the Russian assembly that is largely ceremonial.” ([12:04])

---

2. Democratic Senators Targeted: Mark Kelly Court Martial Threat

“Seditious 6/7” and Military Code

• Saagar’s rundown: After a public video by “national security Dems” (Mark Kelly, Slotkin, etc) urging service members to disobey unlawful orders, the Trump administration responds with outrage, labeling them “seditious.”
• The Department of Defense (styled as “Department of War” in their statement) threatens court martial and recall to active duty against Senator and retired Navy Captain Mark Kelly under the UCMJ ([13:32 – 16:24]).

Mark Kelly’s Defiant Response

• Kelly responds:
  “If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’t work. I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..." ([16:50])
• Krystal’s take: Highlights how the administration, in trying to punish Kelly, has inadvertently turned him into “a resistance hero”—"Do you know how much skill it takes to make Mark Kelly compelling as a figure?...But this is the best thing they could have done for him." ([17:14])
• Kelly’s ordeal becomes a grassroots fundraising boon for Democrats.

Context of the Provocation and its Political Utility

• Saagar observes: “These centrists are actually learning a little something. They’ve created this whole conversation around which orders would be unlawful and what are you talking about?” ([17:51])
• Both see echoes of Trumpian political theater and agree the move, meant to intimidate, only bolsters Democratic unity and profile heading into tough elections ([18:18]).

Military Legal Arguments and Criticism of Trump DOJ

• Pete Hegseth, now at the Pentagon, pushes for discipline on Kelly; Krystal and Saagar roll their eyes at the hypocrisy and ineffectual legal posturing.

Fallout from Failed Trump-Era Prosecutions

• Krystal on DOJ’s incompetence: “It just pains me. The judge has now dismissed the case against James Comey and Letitia James after finding the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed... just to show how incompetently they handle the case, because this was one of their flagship ones against Comey....” ([20:51])
• Saagar: “The point of these prosecutions was not even necessarily that they would be successful. They were meant to frighten up the opposition and to send a message… When the prosecutions end up this pathetic and shambolic... it feels a lot less terrifying.” ([22:34])

---

3. Thanksgiving, Cost of Living & Travel: “You Can’t Out-Message Reality”

Inflation Advice and Cost of Living

• Sagar plays Scott Bessant’s clip: Official advice to tame inflation is to move from a blue state to a red state. ([26:41])
• Krystal retorts: “If you're already living in one of those red states and... having your electric cut off, no advice or plans really coming from the administration on that.” ([27:01])
• The hosts lampoon the disconnect: “One of the things that I hate most about those types of messages is what if you don’t want to [move]? ...Policy should be designed to help those types of people in particular.” ([27:22])

The Realities of Thanksgiving Dinner Costs

• Groceries: Main ingredients for Thanksgiving are on average up 4.1% over last year; some items (e.g., cranberry sauce) spiking 40%. Turkey is down 2.3%, pumpkin pie mix down 5%.
• Krystal: "You can't message or chart post your way out of increase in price and malaise and the feeling that not much is happening." ([29:50])
• Both agree: Perceptions of economic malaise and decline are rooted in lived experience, not “messaging gaps.”

Kitchen Table Politics & What Americans Talk About

• Saagar jokes he’d prefer Thanksgiving talk about Epstein conspiracies; Krystal says even among relatives, Epstein is the go-to discussion over more polarizing topics ([30:51-31:36]).
• Krystal’s optimism: “I do actually feel like there are a lot of issues now... where you could find some common ground. Healthcare, cost of living, wars, data centers, Epstein...” ([32:18])

---

4. Thanksgiving Travel: “Dress Better, Get Treated Better?”

Secretary of Transportation’s Manners Appeal

• The Secretary urges travelers to “maybe dress a little better,” decrying the spread of pajamas in the airport ([33:14]).
• Krystal: “He’s right: No pajamas at the airport....But the airlines have treated us like shit for 20 years...Their decline in standards is then reflected in the way people think about travel. My grand bargain is: the airlines have to treat us better, and in exchange, we will show up better to the airport.” ([33:49])

Air Travel Real Talk

• Sagar: “Thanksgiving travel, you’re talking about traveling with your kids, you know, at some ungodly hour, everyone is miserable. The least you can do is try to be a little bit comfy. ...The only people who really dress up for air travel at this point are like gay men and Instagram models.” ([34:43])
• Krystal: Shares experience dressing up for long-haul India flights, “I've changed diapers in a suit—it’s been an unfortunate situation.” ([35:11])
• Both riff on the unglamorous reality of travel, especially for parents, and agree comfort will almost always trump style these days.

Social Norms and Public Spaces

• Krystal reminisces about the high standards of public spaces in Japan: “When things are like that, then you don’t feel bad about dressing nicely...I really think it's not just that. It's that everything there is nice.” ([36:46])

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Krystal Ball ([03:41]): “Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out. That is shocking.”
• Sagar Enjeti ([06:40]): "They’re working together to give the executive as much power as possible… they’ve co-signed Trump’s executive power grab from the beginning."
• Marjorie Taylor Greene Statement ([10:27]): “Our legislative majority has been wasted. Our best shot was the first six to nine months. When Republicans lose the midterms... it becomes total and complete political war gridlock.”
• Krystal Ball ([17:14]): “Do you know how much skill it takes to make Mark Kelly compelling as a figure?... this is the best thing they could have done for him.”
• Mark Kelly ([16:50]): “If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs... it won’t work. I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution.”
• Krystal Ball ([29:50]): "You can't message or chart post your way out of increase in price and malaise and the feeling that not much is happening."
• Sagar Enjeti ([34:43]): “The only people that really dress up for air travel at this point are like gay men and Instagram models.”
• Krystal Ball ([36:46]): “When things are like that, then you don't feel bad about dressing nicely and you don't feel filthy like subway clothes for New York.”

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:43 – 12:12] GOP Resignations, Loss of Majority, Dysfunction in Congress
• [13:27 – 24:55] Mark Kelly Court Martial Threat, Fallout of Failed Prosecutions
• [26:26 – 32:56] Thanksgiving, Inflation, Cost of Living
• [33:14 – 37:48] Thanksgiving Travel, Airline Etiquette, Social Norms
• [37:48 – End] Closing banter, Thanksgiving pie preferences, and sign-off

---

Conclusion

This episode offers an unvarnished look at Washington’s current dysfunction, with Krystal and Saagar unafraid to poke at both parties’ failures and hypocrisies. The show’s signature is its blend of deep institutional knowledge, populist skepticism, and irreverent, human banter—especially in the Thanksgiving send-off. For any observer of U.S. politics looking for clarity, humor, and some hard truths (with a side of pie talk), this is essential listening.

Transcript

[Advertisement Voice]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Jacob Goldstein]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at O D O o dot com. That's O D O o dot com.

[Advertisement Voice]

Want Black Friday prices without the crowds? Lowe's gets it. Shop their early Black Friday deals and beat the rush. $99 is all you need to grab a select 7 foot pre lit artificial Christmas tree for the holidays. And don't sweat what gifts to get dad. They have up to 40% off select tools and accessories going on now. That's how Lowes celebrates Black Friday. Early selection varies by location while supplies last.

[Starbucks Advertiser]

The holidays are back at Starbucks. So share the season with a peppermint mocha, Starbucks signature espresso, velvety mocha and cool peppermint notes topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls together is the best place to be at Starbucks.

[Krystal Ball]

Hey guys, Sagar and Krystal here.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Independent media just played a truly massive role in this election and we are so excited about what that means for the future of the show.

[Krystal Ball]

This is the only place where you can find honest perspectives from the left and the right that simply does not exist anywhere else.

[Sagar Enjeti]

So if that is something that's important to you, Please go to BreakingPoints.com, become a member today and you'll get access to our full shows unedited ad, free and all put together for you every morning in your inbox.

[Krystal Ball]

We need your help to build the future of independent news media and we hope to see [e-mail] all right, let's get to Congress. Turning now to Congress, interesting story. So in the wake of Marjorie Taylor Greene's resignation, there's been a discussion about Congress in particular and Republicans who are in Congress. What do they do all day? Do they even really wanna stay there? There's been a spate actually of a number of people in Congress who are resigning. What was his name? Jared Golden? Is that his name in Maine? Who said he would resign? He had Marjorie Taylor Greene who said, or he said he wouldn't run for reelection. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she's gonna resign. But people broadly are just fed up with the institution and they feel like they waste their time and they don't do anything. Let's put this up here on the screen from Jake Sherman. He's one of these inside the Beltway reporters who really, you know, he speaks to everybody and reports some of the inside gossip. So here's what he says. A few other GOP members have messaged us over the weekend saying they too are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here is one exercise. Senior House Republican. This entire White House team has treated all members like garbage. All. And Mike Johnson has let it happen because he wanted it to happen. That is the sentiment of nearly all appropriators, authorizers, hawks, doves, rank and file. The arrogance of this White House team is off putting to members who run roughshod and threatened. They don't even allow little wins like announcing small grants or even responding from agencies. Not even the high profile, the regular rank and file random members are more upset than ever. Members know they are going into the minority after the midterms or more explosive early resignations are coming. It's a tinderbox. Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out. That is shocking. Now remember, I flagged this, that MTG resigning was a big problem for Mike Johnson because that was, I mean, what is it? Two votes, they're in the House of Representatives. You lose two more. Take a look at an actuarial table if you might. For the average age for a number of people in Congress, you're hanging on there by a real thread. And I mean, I think what's interesting about the whole White House treating them like garbage thing is you could blame the White House, but you could also blame Congress. And that's the part where I get a little bit annoyed, where I'm like, well, nothing's stopping you from being like MTG and trying to stand up. It's you're who afraid of standing up, quote unquote to Congress or standing up to the White House or you know, getting on their bad side. You're the ones who live in fear of a Trump truth social or who go around the Capitol and say, well, I haven't seen the tweet or I'm not aware of what it is, or I'm not aware yet of what the President has said, but always praising him on the other side, even though behind the scenes you totally disagree. So it's kind of, it's a revealing story in the way that they act, but it also, it's on them And I think that's really what I wanted to make this about, is, look, I think it's sad that MTG is leaving. I really do wish that she would stay. At the very least just to use her voice and salience to make other people uncomfortable, stand up to the White House. But you know, nothing has stopped them from standing up on even issues like Venezuela, for example. I mean, they refuse to take control over their ability to declare war and to exercise some oversight over the United States military, which is their constitutional. One of their obligations right is to review, especially appropriations and the literal right to declare war. They refuse to exercise any power over that. They refuse to exercise any power, let's say, over weapons shipments and the Leahy Law. They pass laws into office or they pass laws on the books and then they refuse to actually ensure or try to ensure that those laws are being followed. And this isn't just a Trump story. It's really a story of post Iraq. Is that ever since Iraq, when congressmen and senators or when senators voted to support the war in Iraq and then Hillary basically lost in 2008 because of the Iraq war vote, they just don't want to take any difficult vote and they're happy to just pass the buck to the executives so that they own all the political consequences. And that's really the case on everything. I mean, even if you remember, Crystal, Obamacare not when it was passed, but when the Republicans tried to repeal it. Many Republicans who lost in 2018 blamed their vote on Obamacare, on trying to repeal Obamacare for the reason they lost. I remember Martha McSally specifically talking about that in the state of Arizona and multiple others who actually ended up losing in that election. They don't want to take difficult votes. That's why they put things in big bills and they just kinda like shunt it once a year so that they can recover later on if they need to, from the political consequences. So I blame the institution much more than I blame just the White House in this way. They're acting like most White Houses do when it comes to Congress.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Yeah, I mean it's, you know, they're working together to give the executive as much power as possible. Like that's effectively what's happened here. I mean, they've co signed Trump's executive power grab from the beginning. Even if you think about Doge, right? Oh yeah, out of the gates. Doge is now, by the way, finished after having, you know, decimated parts of the federal government but achieved negative cost savings and, you know, wrought a lot of havoc in people's lives and degraded government services, et cetera. So congratulations to all involved. And now the. The DOGE boys who were part of it are apparently afraid that they're going to be prosecuted for, you know, not following the law while they were there. But in any case, you know, out of the gates, all these Republicans were so excited about DOGE and all this cost cutting and, you know, completely on board with the executive branch just unilaterally deciding what funds were going to be spent, what programs were going to be cut. They didn't assert their authority as a legislative body, you know, because, I mean, this is the way this is supposed to work, as everyone knows, is Congress appropriates funds, and then the executive has discretion over exactly how Congress's wishes are fulfilled. But the constitutional understanding is that Congress has the power of the purse, and the executive branch doesn't just get to say, hey, we're just not doing the Department of Education anymore. No, that was congressionally mandated. So if you're a Republican and you have control of the House and the Senate and you want to decimate USAID or you want to decimate the Department of Education, okay, those are congressionally mandated authorized agencies. You go through a process, or if there are individual programs that you're like, you know what? I'm not on board with this subsidy to green energy or whatever it is. Again, you can pass legislation to roll back what was done in the past. Instead, they were happy to hand it off to Elon and his chainsaw and President Trump. So you can't now turn around and be like, hey, they treat us like a potted plant. They treat us like garbage. Or another quote was, they act like we're the Duma, which is, you know, the Russian parliament. That's just like a rubber stamp for. For Putin. Like, they treat us like that. It's like, yeah, you asked for that treatment.

[Krystal Ball]

You.

[Sagar Enjeti]

You handed all of this power. You went along with this whole executive power grab. You celebrated, you were in support of it, and now you're like, where's my consultation on this and that? Like, get out of here. But, you know, I think the. I think the sense of frustration and disgust has set in after the 2025 election results, where it is now incredibly clear that they are going to lose the majority. So the only thing worse than being treated like garbage in a potted plant in the majority is being treated like garbage in a potted plant and being in the minority and having to deal with. Deal with the Democrats and whatever subpoenas and investigations they're going to do as well. So, you know, it wouldn't surprise me if this comes to pass that enough say, forget it, I'm out of here before the midterms that Johnson loses his gavel. You know, they, a lot of these like they'll go to special elections. The timing of those varies by state. You know, I'm not sure exactly what will happen in Florida. It's a very red district. You're likely to get another Republican, but in the meantime there'll be a vacancy for a while that will make their, you know, holding on to the majority more difficult. And keeping everyone together will require Mike Johnson to keep literally everyone together on every single priority. And then you look at something like, you know, in Tennessee, there's this special election going on right now and in district Trump won by 22 points. I think the Republicans are probably gonna win it, but they're a little bit nervous. They're having to spend money. That shows you how dangerous this situation is, especially in special elections where, you know, Democrats high turnout base now shows up for these things. And Republicans, you know, base which has shifted and become more working class and is less likely to turn up for these elections may not be paying attention.

[Krystal Ball]

Yep, I think you are definitely correct. And for Mike Johnson, let's put MTG's response D2 up there on the screen. She says fact check. It's true, but it's worse than people inside the bubble know when you talk to real Americans about the wicked snow globe of Washington D.C. love that. Myself and many of my colleagues have come courageously roaring into 2025 with legislation that matched the election mandate, only to be totally sidelined by Johnson under full obedience of the White House. Executive orders are temporary. Q memes have not obliterated the deep state. My colleague constantly trying to pass loyalty tests instead of demanding what is right won't help Americans pay their rent, stop corporations from buying home, buy groceries, provide good paying jobs and more. Passing effective legislation that gets signed into law is permanent and actually solves problems. Now the House members are switching gears into campaign mode and will be fighting for their lives. Our legislative majority has been wasted. Our best shot was the first six to nine months. When Republicans lose the midterms, it becomes total and complete political war gridlock. Once again, the Union party always wins. What is a convincing message for 2026 and likely 2028? It will be the American people asking candidates, what tangible thing have you done for me? How did it? Or will it make my life any better? I think she's right. It Also demonstrates some of the issues that we have right now with Congress broadly. And there's also a joke, apparently. Let's put this next one up here on the screen. Inside the White House, top advisors joke that they are ruling Congress with an iron fist, according to people who have heard the comments. Steve Bannon, the influential Trump ballot, likened Congress to the Duma, the Russian assembly that is largely ceremonial, which is.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Yeah, I forgot. It was Bannon who was the one who said that.

[Krystal Ball]

He said it was the Duma. Which Duma? That's the question. Real Russia watchers will know.

[Jacob Goldstein]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out odoo@o d o o.com that's o d o o dot com.

[Advertisement Voice]

Want Black Friday prices without the crowds? Lowe's gets it. Shop their early Black Friday deals and beat the rush. $99 is all you need to grab a select 7 foot pre lit artificial Christmas tree for the holidays. And don't sweat what gifts to get dad. They have up to 40% off select tools and accessories going on now. That's how Lowe's celebrates Black Friday. Early selection varies by location while supplies last.

[Starbucks Advertiser]

The holidays are back at Starbucks. So share the season with a peppermint mocha, Starbucks signature espresso, velvety mocha and cool peppermint notes topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls together is the best place to be at Starbucks.

[Krystal Ball]

All right, let's go to the, let's go to the next part on sedition, shall we?

[Sagar Enjeti]

Yeah. So you guys have been probably following the story. We covered it on the show. Alyssa Slotkin, Mark Kelly and some other Democratic members of Congress, like National security Dems who either come out of the CIA, former CIA, or former military, put out this video saying, hey, if there are unlawful orders, you should not follow them, not specifying which unlawful orders, et cetera. And I think it was meant to provoke and it certainly got that response. Trump started calling them the seditious 7. He retweeted a comment that, you know, George Washington would have had them hanged. He said they were traitors, et cetera. Well, we have a new escalation in this battle. We can put E1 up on the screen. This is the Department of Defense statement. Here they say the official statement. The Department of War has received serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, retired, in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military justice and other applicable regulations. A thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions which may include recall to active duty for court martial proceedings proceedings or administrative measures. This matter will be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process and impartiality. Oh yeah, okay. Further official comments will be limited to preserve the integrity of the proceedings. Department of War reminds all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the UCMJ for applicable offenses and federal laws such as this particular code prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale or good order and discipline of the armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels. All service members are reminded they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and orders are presumed to be lawful. A service member's personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order. We can put Mark Kelly's response here up on the screen as well to get what he was saying. So he says. When I was 22 years old, I commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy and sworn oath to the Constitution institution. I upheld that oath through flight school, multiple deployments on the USS Midway, 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, Test Pilot School, four space shuttle flights at NASA and every day since I retired, which I did after my wife Gabby was shot in the head while serving her constituents in combat. I had a missile blow up next to my jet and flew through anti aircraft fire to drop bombs on enemy targets at NASA. I launched on a rocket, commanded the space shuttle and was part of the recovery recovery mission that brought home the bodies of my astronaut classmates who died on Columbia. Did all of this in service to this country that I love and has given me so much. Secretary Hegseth's tweet is the first I heard of this. I also saw the President's post saying I should be arrested, hanged and put to death. If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution. Sagra, I'm curious for your view on this. I mean in some ways, I mean what they said is basically on its face uncontroversial that like hey, if There are illegal orders. You don't have to follow them, and you actually shouldn't follow them. Which is just Ryan was saying, it's basically like, hey, don't commit crimes. You know, it's very on its face, very uncontroversial. But because of the context around it, it was obviously meant to provoke. And they did that very effectively. I mean, it reminded me of a sort of a Trumpian tactic. I was like, these centrists are actually learning a little bit of something. And now they've created this whole conversation around, okay, well, which orders would be unlawful and what are you talking about? And a whole fur around this with the Trump freakout and overreaction here. So I wonder what you make of it.

[Krystal Ball]

Yeah, they're doing this guy the biggest favor they ever could. Mark. Do you know how much skill it takes to make Mark Kelly compelling as a figure? This is one of the most boring guys I've ever seen in my look. No offense to his service record, not saying anything bad, just saying it's like, I've seen the guy in person. There's not a lot going on there. But this is the best thing they could have done for him. In fact, the Democrats have already sent multiple fundraising emails with that exact same thing. When the headers are all like, he wants to throw me in prison. They're gonna turn this guy into a resistance hero. Recall him for court martial, by the way, given the conduct now currently of the way, like the judicial system, that they have, their track record, let's say, for example, in the Comey case, Letitia James, sandwich guy, multiple of these other cases they've brought. I wouldn't be so confident, you know, that they can come.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Oh, I mean, it's obviously ridiculous if you're allowed to, like, just state the obligations that they have under the Constitution. There's nothing illegal about that.

[Krystal Ball]

What are they going to turn this into?

[Sagar Enjeti]

A Few Good Men.

[Krystal Ball]

You know, they're gonna turn into A Few Good Men. Literally, they're gonna be the most televised court martial in U.S. history of cameras outside of the courtroom and all that. Turn him into a goddamn hero. Literally. You just save his election down there in Arizona, and my God, the amount of fundraising and profile, I mean, there's nothing else that these guys could want. And again, that's the irony is that this is Mark Kelly we're talking about here.

[Sagar Enjeti]

It sort of rescues them with the Democratic base, too. I know, it's so annoying. These, like, centrist types. And it's like. I mean, they were. Yeah, they were Clever. And then it's Ann, me too. Like, Slotkin got asked about, okay, well, are there unlawful orders? And then she's like, oh, I'm not saying that. It's like, you know what? If you're gonna do this and flirt with us, like, just freaking come out and say, you can at least raise questions about the Venezuela shit we just did in this show. You know, certainly you can speak to that as well. But they can. They're getting away with raising questions and, like, provoking Trump without actually having to be against any of the specific actions, some of which, you know, the Venezuela stuff. A bunch of Democrats, they may not like how Trump's going about it, but they're not out and out opposed, which is why a lot of Democrats have been very quiet about the possibility of regime change in Venezuela. But. But, yeah, I mean, it's completely rescuing them in their standing with the Democratic base, making it appear like they're fighting. And I think it was sort of a clever and Trumpian tactic, frankly. Here's the Pete Hegseth response that Mark Kelly had alluded to. He, quote, tweeted that original Department of War statement. He says the video made by the seditious Six was despicable, reckless, and false. Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their commanders undermines every aspect of good order and discipline. Their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion, which only puts our warriors in danger. Five of the six individuals in that video do not fall under Department of War jurisdiction. One is CIA for our former military, but not retired, so they're no longer subject to ucmj. However, Mark Kelly, retired Navy commander, is still subject to ucmj, and he knows that, as was announced, the department is reviewing his statements and actions, which were addressed directly to all troops, while explicitly using his rank and service affiliation, lending the appearance of authority to his words. Kelly's conduct brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately. So. So, yeah, I mean, this is just. I don't know, it's just ridiculous. I mean, and also for these guys to. To wax about the. The order, especially Pete Hegseth. I mean, the one thing we know about his leadership at the Pentagon is it's been nothing but, like, ch. Absurdity the whole time, which is why he's relegated to these Twitter fights rather than doing, like, the big boy negotiations that are going on right now.

[Krystal Ball]

I mean, to this point about. Let's go to the next one here. Just about the. This. It just pains me. The incompetence. It just pains me the judge has now dismissed the case against James Comey and Letitia James after finding the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed. The judge ruled that Lindsey Halligan was appointed after Trump urged Japan Bondi to prosecute. And the New York Attorney General Bondi said Monday the DOJ will appeal the judge's ruling. So these charges against Comey and against Letitia James were dismissed, quote, without prejudice. So that means that it could be recharged and potentially overturned. All of that on appeal, obviously, you know, even with appeal and all of that is there, but it's not looking so good considering the way that Halligan handled the case, considering the grand jury stuff that we'd revealed there previously. And, I mean, it's just going the same way of so many of these others, where they stand up, they make a big show of it, and then it hits the judicial system and they're like, yeah, I don't think so. So there you go. It's a big story, though, just to show how incompetently they handle the case, because this was one of their flagship ones against Comey. And I'm saying it drives me nuts. I don't wanna sit here and defend James Comey. I can't stand the guy. I want him to be prosecuted, to be honest. But the way that they've done it, it's just the most incompetent, foolish, ridiculous way. And then when they lose too, of course, it just devalues any potential future argument they have. And of course, Comey, he has rights and he's multimillionaire who were able to contest to his defense. And his lawyers already pretty effectively took this one down. They were the ones who pointed out all of the ineptitude originally in the case.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Yeah. And just as a reminder to people, the way this went down, you know, the original prosecutor in that district said, you know, basically was like, we, there's nothing here to indict on. And he's pushed down. Then they put in Lindsey Halligan, and that's what this ruling centers around. As they say, she was inappropriately appointed. She's never been involved in a criminal prosecution before, ever. And now you're in charge of this incredibly high stakes, high profile, prosecution of Jim Comey. She screws everything up about it, you know, doesn't present the grand jury with the final indictment, so was likely to get thrown out for that as well. Then you also have Trump, you know, just out and out talking about how he wants this retribution about against Comey, which also could have gotten the case thrown out as well. The Letitia James one was just utterly absurd. This claim of mortgage fraud, really? No, there, there. She had apparently, you know, checked the. Her real estate broker had checked the wrong box. Tish James had, had emailed the broker, it said, like, no, this is not my personal home. This is meant to be for someone else, et cetera. Bill Pulte is this apparatchik within the Housing Administration in, in the Trump administration is the one who's been pulling these mortgage fraud cases to try to make something out of nothing. But in any case, both of them get tossed because of Lindsey Halligan's inappropriate appointment. And, you know, I mean, it matters a lot because the point of these prosecutions was not even necessarily that they would be successful. They were meant to frighten up the opposition and to send a message. Right? I mean, this was, if we think about the Trump admin administration coming out of the gates, coercing media, coercing law firms, coercing universities. This was part of that strategy to strike fear in the hearts of anyone who would dare oppose them. And so when the prosecutions end up this pathetic and shambolic, I'm not going to say that this has been a fun experience for Jim Comey, but it feels a lot less terrifying to be in the sights of this administration when you see the way these things get laughed out of court and on multiple fronts are just like pathetic and ridiculous and shambolic and don't even stand up to the slightest bit of scrutiny. So it doesn't exactly send a fearsome message to your opponents that you better not step out of line when they fall about when the prosecutions fall apart in such a dramatic and pathetic way.

[Krystal Ball]

Yes, I totally agree. It's quite a joke.

[Jacob Goldstein]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? Business software is expensive. And when you buy software from lots of different companies, it's not only expensive, it gets confusing. Slow to use, hard to integrate. Odoo solves that because all Odoo software is connected on a single affordable platform. Save money without missing out on the features you need. Odoo has no hidden costs and no limit on features or data. Odoo has over 60 apps available for any needs your business might have, all at no additional charge. Everything from websites to sales to inventory to accounting, all linked and talking to each other. Check out Odoo at O D O o dot com. That's O D o o dot com.

[Advertisement Voice]

Want Black Friday prices without the crowds. Lowe's gets it. Shop their early Black Friday deals and beat the rush. $99 is all you need to grab a select 7 foot pre lit artificial Christmas tree for the holidays. And don't sweat what gives to get dad. They have up to 40% off select tools and accessories going on now. That's how Lowes celebrates Black Friday. Early selection varies by location while supplies last.

[Starbucks Advertiser]

It's the season to come together over your holiday favorites at Starbucks. Warm up with a creamy caramel brulee latte, get festive with an iced gingerbread chai, or share a velvety peppermint mocha Together is the best place to be at Starbucks.

[Krystal Ball]

All right, let's go to our last segment, Thanksgiving.

[Sagar Enjeti]

All right, here we go. So let's start with this sentiment from Scott Bessant, who has some holiday advice for everyone about how to deal with inflation. Let's take a listen to that, Chris.

[Scott Bessant]

And I can tell you that the Council on Economic Advisors has a study. You know the best way to bring your inflation rate down? Move from a blue state to a red state. Blue state inflation is half a percent higher and that is because they don't deregulate. They keep prices up. Energy is higher.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Sagar, if you're struggling with health care costs, struggling with, with rent, if you're struggling with electric bills because of the data center, build on, just move. Just move. Now if you are already living in one of those red states and are struggling and having your electric cut off, no advice or plans really coming from the administration on that. But I don't know, I'm getting some Ben Shapiro vibes off of it.

[Krystal Ball]

A very Ben Shapiro vibe that we got there from the secretary. Not usually a winning message. Look, I'm all for people moving if they want to, but you know, one of the things that I hate most about those types of messages is what if you don't want to? A lot of people don't want to move. And I like that, you know, a lot of people want to stay exactly where they grew up or near their parents. And I think that's great. And I think they should have though I think they have the right to do so. And more importantly, I think policy should be designed to help those types of people in particular. And so that's one of the things that really disgusts me about this type of ideology of like, yeah, who cares about where you live in your community and where your parents are if you want to, you know, if you just move because you're a widget and that's really what a place of living is. I think anybody who understands the concept of home, that's why they find it really offensive when Ben Shapiro or a Scott Besant says something like that. So that is the winning message ahead of Thanksgiving. I wonder, you know, I mean, we talked about politics at the table. If you think about, you know, everyone always talks about kitchen table issues, which is such a trite phrase, but there's obviously something to it. What are people gonna be complaining about whenever it comes to Thanksgiving? I think they will be complaining about housing. I think they will be complaining about, like you talked about data centers, but cost of living, about inflation. In one of the pieces we're about to get. Actually, let's just get to enough F3. Let's put the store prices in terms of what Thanksgiving dinner is actually gonna cost. There has been some modest decrease in some elements of the Thanksgiving dinner. However, consumers are paying more for some now. We have jellied cranberry sauce. We have homestyle gravy stuffing mix, buttermilk biscuits, party pie shells, russet potatoes, sweet corn, green beans, and whipped toppings. Those have all increased in price by a couple percentage points. Or in the case of cranberry sauce. Not sure what going on with cranberry market, it's up by 40%. You will, however, be playing some 2.3% less whenever it comes to Turkey and some 5% less for pumpkin pie mix. So if you put it all in the aggregate, it does look like it's gonna cost a little bit more than it did last year or at the very basket of it ingredients for Thanksgiving. Some 4.1% more than last year, but not a horrible increase whenever it comes to the main staples. It did say, though, that you're pretty lucky that the mainstay meal of Thanksgiving is not beef, because that's up some 15% year over year. In particular, if you go and you look at the steak section. So it's one of those where this. What gets me is, you know, the, the. It's not just about mess because right now there's all this talk in the White House. It's about messaging. It's about. No, it's not messaging. I used to say this about Biden. It's a reality problem. You can't message or chart post your way out of increase in price and malaise and the feeling that not much is happening.

[Sagar Enjeti]

That's it.

[Krystal Ball]

That's politics, period. You can never convince somebody that what they feel is not correct. You just can't. You really can't. Especially whenever it comes to cost of living, which is where the vast majority of people feel a lot of precarity and they feel as if the basics are not attainable, or if they are attainable, you have to work much harder and get by in a way that you did not necessarily have to when your parents were growing up. And that's the essence of the overall American dream. So if anything, I feel like that might be a topic of conversation at Thanksgiving. And I think it should be. I think it should be. Because that's really what I mean. When I bond with a lot of people, that's usually what it comes down to. Like, man, can you believe the cost of this? Can you believe that? I don't think that's how most people should wanna spend their leisure time, but that's what it ends up being.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I think for most people, I wanna be at the Thanksgiving dinner tables where they're talking about Epstein personally.

[Krystal Ball]

You know what's funny? You know what's funny when this guy goes. Cause I, you know, I don't generally try to talk about politics or anything. Cause I get it. You know, it's like, this is my job and all of that. And so most people don't necessarily want to get into it. But Epstein, people are always asking, no matter where I go and relatives they love. That's the Epstein question, is the one. And I'm always like, sit down, grab a drink or something. Let's talk. We're going to go back. I'll be like, let me tell you about the dalton School in 1978. And they're like, man, I'm like, yeah, we're going to go. We're going together. Buckle up for the ride. So that's what. That's what Thanksgiving with me is like.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I saw someone on Twitter saying that Zoron with Trump pulled the classic leftist Thanksgiving move of talking about how much you hate liberals and then just leaving everything else vague.

[Krystal Ball]

That's true. Yeah, I like that.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I think there's a lot to that. Especially if you probably like, you know, railed against the media. There were some allusions to that in the media. In the meeting of, like, oh, that one. The media did actually get right about me saying that. So I think he had previously talked about how the media says that says these things about me. They're not really true. Just the way the media mischaracterizes you is the same way they mischaracterized me. So if you're on the left and you're looking to bond with the conservative, that's always a statement. I actually feel. Sagar, I understand the country is very divided, but I do actually Feel like there are a lot of issues now that would be places where, whether you're left liberal, you know, right, maga, whatever, where you could. You could find some common ground. I think you could talk about health care. I think you could talk about cost of living. I think you could talk about wars. I think you could talk about data centers. I think there. I think you could talk about Epstein. I think there are a lot of areas where you probably, unless you have someone who is just an absolute, you know, psycho ideologue, which is never worth talking to those people anyway, where you could actually have a reasonable conversation, exchange of ideas. And I do support that. I think that's healthy for people to be able to.

[Krystal Ball]

I totally agree. All right, last page. I had to get this in here. The Secretary of Transportation. So Thanksgiving travel right now is a shit show, right? Airline travel has been horrible ever since the shutdown. The secretary of Transportation after my heart and only my heart, because nobody else wants to hear this message. Here's what he had to say.

[Secretary of Transportation]

We have to think about how do we do a better job? How do we, you know, maintain maybe some of that frustration we have as we travel this Thanksgiving season. Maybe we should say please and thank you to our pilots and to our. To our flight attendants. I think, again, I call this just maybe dressing with some respect. You know, whether it's a pair of jeans and a decent shirt. I would encourage people to maybe dress a little better, which encourages us to maybe behave all a little better. Let's try not to wear slippers and pajamas as well. We come to the airport.

[Krystal Ball]

He's right. No pajamas at the airport. He is absolutely right. Now, that said, because people are going to get mad. I. Here is my. Here's my nuanced take on this. Is the airlines have now treated us like shit for 20 years. And by immiserating people, by nickel and diming, by making cattle boarding and treating everybody like shit, and then also by, you know, oh, the beverage costs, creating the smallest seats and all of that ever. Their decline in standards is then reflected in the way people think about travel. So if travel is going to be an immiserating, you know, horrible experience, then yes, nobody is going to dress up to go to the airport. And so my grand bargain is the airlines have to treat us better, and in exchange, we will show up better to the airport. Airport. That is my grand bargain.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I'll take that. Yeah, I'll take that. I mean, I will also say, like, listen, Thanksgiving travel, you're talking about usually traveling with your kids. You Know, at some ungodly hour, everyone is miserable. Like, the least you can do is try to be a little bit comfy. So no judgment there. I feel like the only people that really dress up for air travel at this point are like gay men and Instagram models.

[Krystal Ball]

No, that's, that's absolutely incorrect. That, that's a direct shot at me. No, I'll tell you.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Do you really dress up for the Air Force?

[Krystal Ball]

I mean, I don't, I don't wear a full su. But I, you know, I'm trying to think. I think I maybe flew in sweats once and that was, that was India to us. You know, in my, in my defense, it was a 16 and a half hour flight Delhi to JF.

[Sagar Enjeti]

But you. Delhi to JF you've flown, you haven't flown a lot with Priya yet.

[Krystal Ball]

No, only once. Yeah. Only once.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Yeah.

[Krystal Ball]

I will say it would be difficult because, you know, do I really want spit up all over this thing like nothing?

[Sagar Enjeti]

Yeah, baby's puking on you and drooling on you and you know, you're changing diapers and whatever. You're gonna be dressed up for that.

[Krystal Ball]

I've changed, I've changed diapers in a suit and it's been an unfortunate situation.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Which I had to do what you gotta do. But I'm just saying, you know, the, when you're dealing with a baby or toddler or young child, like that just totally changes the calculation. You're just in survival mode, you know, and if, if you're, if your comfort is gonna make things like 1% easier, then I say absolutely, go for it.

[Krystal Ball]

That's true. I defend the rights of new parents to dress.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I'm definitely a comfort and ease airport dresser. Right. I'm going to have shoes that are slip ons. So it's easy to get through security because I don't have tsd.

[Krystal Ball]

Security does complicate this.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Fancy like that.

[Krystal Ball]

Yeah, security does complicate this.

[Sagar Enjeti]

There are going to be layers involved because, you know, the airplane is either going to be like 20 degrees or 100 degrees. So you either need to be able to like take off the jacket or put the jacket on or the blanket or whatever you got. So hair is going to be in a ponytail. That's the way it's gonna be. So.

[Krystal Ball]

All right.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I mean, listen, if you're right, if they up the standards, maybe that would change.

[Krystal Ball]

We all need mutually better standards.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Personally. That's the reality.

[Krystal Ball]

My thing is, I remember in Japan everyone is dressed incredibly and I was thinking about it And I go, you know, I really think it's not just that. It's that everything there is nice. When the subway system is nice and it's clean and everything is, you know, is either upgraded or very well kept, then you yourself wanna feel welcome when you're taking or using that. There are all these viral videos I encourage people to go watch of people walking around Tokyo with white socks. And then they look at the bottom of their feet and it's like, pristine. They'll walk through the busiest streets of Tokyo wearing white, clean white socks. There's barely any black on there. Another person, you know, the escalator, black thing, like when you're going up the escalator, the handrail. They compare the New York City subway 1, which is pitch black by the time they get up to the top, to the Tokyo subway. Barely any residue. When things are like that, then you don't feel bad about, you know, dressing nicely and you don't feel filthy like subway clothes for New York. So, anyway, that's my overall take. You could talk about that at Thanksgiving there, if you.

[Sagar Enjeti]

There you go. Well, Sagar, Emily has. We've learned during the course of the show, we got some more information about this Baja Blast Pie that you're going to be trying. Apparently, Taco Bell already discontinued it. I guess it was not much of a hit.

[Krystal Ball]

So she handmade it.

[Sagar Enjeti]

She handmade. She sent us pictures of her boiling the Baja Blast on her.

[Krystal Ball]

That pot will never be the same. It will never be the same, that pot. So, yes.

[Sagar Enjeti]

What would. What would RFK Jr say? You know, it's just going to be. Just going to be shaking his head. I'm. I'm a little sad that I won't be there to try. You'll have to tell me how it is. I am a little bit concerned. Emily is trying to take you out and take your slot. But, you know, I think you can. I think you probably wants.

[Krystal Ball]

For the. She can have it. As long as I get my Baja Blast Pie. All right. I'll be honest. I'm not a big pie guy. I hate to say it. I know I'm from Texas. Pecan pie. Everyone's like, oh, pecan pie. You know, pecan pie, it's too sugary. It's kind of gross. I hate to say it. I'm a fan.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Sorry, Texas. I am a fan. I can have a bite. Do you have a whole.

[Krystal Ball]

Twice.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Okay. But if you're gonna eat a pie, what's your favorite pie like?

[Krystal Ball]

Pumpkin pie? Because it's got that Cinnamon in it. It's not too sweet. You know, anything that's sugar bomb. That's fine.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I'm an apple pie fan. That's probably my number one. I mean, I do enjoy all of. I like a cherry pie. I like a pe pie. I like a pumpkin pie. I'll take it all. But probably my number one is classic apple pie a la mode with some whipped cream as well. That's. You can't go wrong with that.

[Krystal Ball]

Yeah, that sounds pretty good. That sounds good. I wouldn't put the vanilla ice cream, though. You got to put the whipped cream. That's in my opinion. Okay.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Why choose?

[Krystal Ball]

I don't.

[Sagar Enjeti]

I'm doing that.

[Krystal Ball]

I don't have a big sweet tooth. You know, I'm not. I'm not a big sweets guy, but we'll see. We'll see. I do like Baja Blast diet. Maha Blast. It's good. All right, let's get to the AMA Live. Producer Mac and I will be eating the Baja Blast pie live on camera. So that's why you should sign up breakingpoints.com Yep.

[Sagar Enjeti]

And happy Thanksgiving to everyone. And Sagar and I will see you guys next week.

[Krystal Ball]

Safe travels, everyone. We'll see you all on Monday.

[Sagar Enjeti]

You know what a girl's best friend is? Not diamonds.

[Krystal Ball]

Her lawyers. From executive producer Ryan Murphy comes a fiery new legal drama.

[Starbucks Advertiser]

It's our own boutique women representing women.

[Krystal Ball]

You can't afford to miss.

[Sagar Enjeti]

Make it, Ray. Showtime, ladies. Stand up straight and breeze into that room like a storm no one saw coming.

[Krystal Ball]

Hulu Original Series All's Fair now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney for bundle subscribers terms apply.

[Jay Shetty]

Some moments in life stay with you forever. In a special segment of On Purpose, brought to you by ebay, I share a story about a book that changed my life early in my journey and how I was able to find the same exact edition on ebay. It was more than just a purchase. It was a reconnection with a memory that shaped my purpose. There are certain books that don't just give you information. They shift the way you see the world. I remember reading one when I was younger. That completely changed me. Years later, I found myself thinking about that book again. I wanted the same edition back, Not a reprint, that exact one. So I started searching. And that's when I found it on ebay. That's what I love about ebay, where you can rediscover the pieces of your past that still inspire your present. Shop ebay for millions of finds, each with a story. Ebay things people love. Listen to On Purpose on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Running a business is hard enough. Don't make it harder with a dozen apps that don't talk to each other. One for sales, another for inventory, a separate one for accounting. That's software overload. Odoo is the all in one platform that replaces them all. CRM, accounting, inventory, E Commerce, hr. Fully integrated, easy to use, and built to grow with your business. Thousands have already made the switch. Why not you try Odoo for [e-mail] odoo.com this is an iHeart podcast.

[Advertisement Voice]

Guaranteed human.