Garage Logic Podcast – Ep. 3/7/2025: MN DFL’ers Blame Anticipated Deficit on Trump

Hosted by: Joe Soucheray (“The Mayor”), with Chris Reivers, Kenny Olson, Steven Deaner, Matthew, et al.
Podcast Date: March 7, 2025
Main Theme:
A classic episode of Garage Logic where the hosts dig into Minnesota’s looming budget deficit, push back on local DFL (Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party) attempts to blame Donald Trump, and celebrate the enduring power of common sense in Gumption County. The conversation meanders (as always) through cars, emailers, state spending, political honesty, and colorful anecdotes—from massive cargo planes to Somali-American political controversy.

Table of Contents

1. Classic Cars & Listener Mail
2. Mailbag: Health Stories & Social Media Woes
3. Spotting the Antonov: Cargo Plane Stories
4. Kicking Off the Political Discussion: DFL Deficits & Blame
5. DFL Gaslighting & Media Spin
6. Somali Politicians & Priorities
7. Feeding Our Future Trial Updates
8. Local Color: Eggs, Hockey, Loch Ness, and ‘This Day in Minnesota History’
9. Notable Quotes

Classic Cars & Listener Mail [01:00 – 05:14]

Theme: Celebrating the best year in car history: 1967.

• The crew trade opinions on the “best year” for cars. For Joe, it’s hands-down 1967.
• Listener Jim Schwartz (born after ’67) agrees, citing muscle cars, styling, and the era before invasive safety regulations.
• Discussion of American and British car models—Mustang, Camaro, Firebird, Jaguar, Aston Martin, MGB—reaching their zenith before government rules changed everything.
  • Kenny: “60—I’m never gonna change my mind. ’67 was the best year, and I’m surprised to get emails to that effect.” [02:54]
  • Joe: Remembers the era before safety dashboards, toggle switches: “It was the last year before an onslaught of safety measures.” [02:54]
• Banter about colorful cars (“Now they're pretty much gray”), postal vehicles, and nostalgia for steel dashboards over modern safety.

Mailbag: Health Stories & Social Media Woes [05:48 – 15:27]

Theme: Heartfelt emails and commentary on division in society.

• A listener, Stephanie, recounts surviving three brain surgeries for Chiari malformation, urging others to persist with medical care.
  • Stephanie (email): “Don’t let the doctors give up on you. If I had, I’d probably be paralyzed and living a much different life.” [09:56]
• Another emailer, Lee Stout, claims most Americans aren’t polarized—it’s just that the loudest 10% on each side dominate social media.
  • Kenny: “The problem: 5% of the left and right are 100% of the social media. I do not know how to make people care.” [10:41]
  • Joe: “The 10% would be referred to as extreme on both sides.” [11:06]
• Twitter and online political arguments bemoaned: “A cesspool of political arguments.” [11:20]

Spotting the Antonov: Cargo Plane Stories [15:37 – 16:57]

Theme: Aviation geekery and the misplaced politicization of everything.

• Listeners and hosts discuss the excitement around a massive Antonov cargo plane’s visit to Minneapolis, complete with stories of watching (and boarding) it.
• Amusement (and exasperation) after people turn the event political on Twitter, tagging the governor, Elon Musk, and Trump.
  • Matthew: “Why don’t you just go to my Twitter account and start bitching with the rest of the ass wipes. You are the people that ruined Twitter. I hate all of you.” [13:16]
• The crew marvels at “nerding out” over the plane and note its Ukrainian crew—conversation even swings to language and international aviation logistics.

Kicking Off the Political Discussion: DFL Deficits & Blame [16:59 – 32:13]

Theme: The real source of Minnesota’s deficit; DFL gaslighting; media coverage.

• Joe and the crew reject DFL claims that President Trump is to blame for the (projected) Minnesota state budget deficit.
  • Joe: “They’re trying to blame the fact that there’s going to be a budget deficit in Minnesota on Trump, who’s been in office about 40 days. He’s not responsible for the way these people with a trifecta have spent money.” [16:59]
• Chris & Kenny underscore that nothing Trump has done could impact the state budget so quickly.
  • Kenny: “Republicans didn’t spend the money. You people do.” [17:31]
  • Joe: Plays a clip of Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy blaming Trump:
    • Erin Murphy (DFL) at 18:03: “But never in our history have we had … to do that work up against a president who seems hellbent on crashing the American economy.”
  • The crew mocks this: “She’s lying about the fact that Trump caused this. It’s absolute lie. She’s a gaslighter.” [18:32]
• Joe’s hypothetical on political honesty:
  • “What if Erin Murphy knocked on your door and said, ‘Hi, I wish to continue to be [a legislator] because I believe I can make the state better by spending your money’ … At least that would be honest, right?” [19:10]
• Chris riffs: “OK, I’ll vote for you if you show me how you’re gonna do that. Don’t just say, take my money.” [19:39]
• Discussion of the “fully fund education” trope:
  • Joe: “That’s impossible because there’s no way to know when education is fully funded... more than half the state’s budget goes to education, and as the budget increases, the kids increasingly fail.” [20:04]

DFL Gaslighting & Media Spin [25:51 – 32:13]

Theme: MPR reporting, federal money, and the familiar blame game.

• Kenny reads from an MPR report to underscore that the current deficit is pre-Trump budget impact.
  • “1/3 of the state’s overall budget is propped up by federal money, and that hasn’t been impacted yet.” [26:00]
• DFL leaders keep blaming “Trump’s chaos.” Quotes from Melissa Hortman and Erin Murphy are shared and dissected.
• Republican leaders quoted pushing back (Sen. Minority Leader Mark Johnson, Speaker Lisa DeMuth):
  • “[DFL] throw out the boogeyman of Trump... It’s like Chicken Little right now, running around saying the sky is falling, but when it comes to state issues, they become ostriches.” [30:13]
• Joe: “Don’t spare me this BS. DFLers. Trump has nothing to do with it and I’m sure they know that. It’s part of their agenda.” [31:30]

Somali Politicians & Priorities [34:10 – 47:12]

Theme: Somali-born legislator's remarks and a broader conversation about immigrant priorities.

• The hosts discuss Maine State Rep. Deqa Dhalac, who made headlines stating (in Somali) that Somalis abroad should prioritize Somalia.
  • Transcript (36:19): “We Somalis living outside of Somalia must always prioritize our country, which is Somalia... This must be done especially by those Somalis abroad, such as in the United States.”
• Dhalac is further criticized for suggesting new Americans should get better treatment than US veterans, citing language difficulties.
  • Joe: “If I was a resident of Maine... I’d be a little disgruntled, I think.” [36:54]
• The discussion explores immigrant assimilation, accusations of xenophobia and racism, and the “bulletproof” nature of certain political ideologies.
  • Kenny: “No one has figured out this more cleverly than the Somalia people among us. They are really, really bold… and they think nothing of getting their hands on as much money as possible, however, illegally—or legally.” [45:26]
• The Feeding Our Future scandal is referenced, noting that it was a Somali whistleblower who tipped off authorities.

Feeding Our Future Trial Updates [81:03 – 85:26]

Theme: The latest on the biggest food fraud in Minnesota history.

• Prosecutors wrap their case against Amy Bock, accused of masterminding the “Feeding Our Future” scam.
• FBI forensic accountants found Bock’s records, uncashed checks, and wild meal-count claims:
  • Fraud detail:
    • “Twenty-one meal sites (on a 1.8 mile stretch of Lake Street) claimed to serve 1.7 million meals a month, which comes out to around 59,000 meals per day, at a time when Minneapolis schools enrolled 36,000 students.” [83:30–83:56]
• The hosts summon their trademark sarcasm at the scale and obviousness of the scam ("two meals per kid, okay"), lampooning the likelihood of consequences.

Local Color: Eggs, Hockey, Loch Ness, and ‘This Day in Minnesota History’ [59:00 – 90:15]

Theme: Winding down with classic Garage Logic miscellany.

• The conversation swings to egg prices, why they’re so high, and how many eggs you get for $5.97/dozen.
• Sports talk: High school hockey tournaments, speculation on the Gophers basketball program, and local sports nostalgia.
• Loch Ness Skipper job: Joe spins a daydream about running a Nessie-hunting boat in Scotland, complete with imagined cottage accommodations.
• This Day in Minnesota History:
  • 1882: Formation of state butter and cheese association.
  • 1913: Cops bust a secret card game at the St. Paul Hotel.
  • 1954: Lakers play a game with 12-foot-high baskets.
  • 1967: Fran Tarkenton traded by the Vikings.
  • 1988: Gophers athletic program sanctioned.
• Classic Garage Logic banter about butter, eggs, and the evolving economic landscape.

Notable Quotes

On DFL Blaming Trump:

• Joe Soucheray (16:59): "They’re trying to blame the fact that there’s going to be a budget deficit in Minnesota on Trump, who’s been in office about 40 days. He’s not responsible for the way these people with a trifecta have spent money."
• Kenny Olson (18:32): "She’s lying about the fact that Trump caused this. It’s an absolute lie. She’s a gaslighter."
• Joe Soucheray (19:10): (Imagining political honesty) “Hi, I’m Aaron Murphy…because I believe I can make the state better by spending your money. And I’m very in favor of spending as much as possible. At least that would be honest, right?”

On Social Division & Media

• Chris Reivers (10:29): "Most people are not polarized…our leadership is or acts like it."
• Lee Stout (Email, 10:41): "The split is 50% paying no attention, 30% common sense middle, 10% left, 10% right. The problem: 5% of the left and right are 100% of the social media."

On Immigrant Priorities

• Joe Soucheray (36:54): "If I was a resident of Maine, of course I have to put up with Ilhan, who thinks the same thing. I’d be a little disgruntled, I think."
• Kenny Olson (45:26): "No one has figured out this more cleverly than the Somalia people among us. They are really, really bold, and they think nothing of getting their hands on as much money as possible, however, illegally—or legally."

TL;DR

Garage Logic’s 3/7/2025 episode is a full-throated pushback against Minnesota DFL leadership blaming Trump for the anticipated state budget deficit. The hosts emphasize the DFL’s spending record, lampoon their rhetoric as “gaslighting,” and cover related political, social, and local news—from controversial Somali-American legislators to feeding program fraud. Packed with trademark humor, listener stories, nostalgia, and practical common sense, it’s a quintessentially Garage Logic blend of news, skepticism, and Midwestern banter.

For more segments, check timestamps above. For the full spirit, listen to the entire show (minus the ads).