I've Had It – "Silence of the Liberals"

Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie "Pumps" Sullivan
Guest: David Hogg (Co-founder of March For Our Lives, Leaders We Deserve)
Date: September 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode mixes the hosts’ trademark political ranting and comedic laments about everyday frustrations—ranging from passwords to Uber—and pivots into a passionate and candid discussion with activist David Hogg. Anchored around recent headlines and the state of U.S. politics, the conversation delves into themes of gun violence, political leadership (or the lack thereof), intergenerational activism, and the disappointing “silence” or inadequacy of current liberal leaders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Petty Grievances: Passwords & Uber Woes

• Passwords:
  • Angie ("Pumps") vents about the endless cycle of forgotten passwords, passkeys, and identity verification hurdles.
    • “I can't remember my passwords. I have had two passwords in my life, and every time I sign in, they say, oh, no, this isn't your password...I'm sick of it. I've had it.” (02:31)
  • Jennifer hilariously recounts managing Angie’s digital life, highlighting generational divides with technology.
• Uber Issues:
  • Jennifer rails against misleading Uber arrival time estimates.
    • “You can't rope me in by saying that this car is one minute away...from the beginning to the twelfth minute, what it does to me and my serenity is not good.” (05:51)
  • Angie shares her frustrations with Uber drivers who ignore her "quiet and cool" preferences.
    • “I just wanted to say, shut the fuck up. And I could see on the thing, it said cool and quiet...but he just couldn't help it.” (07:42)
  • Both criticize tech companies for their lack of accountability, especially regarding fair wages for gig workers.

2. Forced Religious Participation as Child Abuse (Japan News Segment)

[10:00–15:20]

• Jennifer introduces new Japanese legislation classifying forced religious participation as child abuse—leads to a raw discussion about American evangelical culture and its abuses.
• Angie immediately identifies with the examples cited—hellfire threats, isolation from kids of other faiths, etc.—as formative traumas.
  • “That's my childhood. That's exactly what happened. You're going to hell if you don't do this. And it fucked me up. So this, this is a good thing.” (11:05)
• Both highlight how U.S. right-wing religious culture isolates children and stifles critical thinking, drawing lines to later susceptibility to MAGA manipulation.
  • Jennifer: “Evangelical Christians are primed for this. ...the people that are in the MAGA movement are broken. These are emotionally stunted people who have been discouraged to use their brains to critically think.” (15:16)
• Memorable anecdote: Jennifer celebrates learning that her first French kiss (Billy) grew up to be a Democrat—a tongue-in-cheek victory in the Bible Belt.

3. Blue Dots in Red States: Listener Community & Challenges

[16:24–19:04]

• Kylie reads heartfelt 5-star reviews, emphasizing how their liberal-leaning podcast builds community for listeners isolated in conservative states.
  • “It's such a daunting thing being an American right now… I'm just happy we have this place where our friendship is expanding for other people like-minded that feel the same worry, that feel the same humor, that have the same sense of wanting a sense of community to get us through this.” – Jennifer (17:07)
• Both hosts address the isolation and difficulty of being “blue dots in red states,” and the moral rot they're witnessing in local and national politics.

4. Interview with David Hogg: Guns, Political Cowardice, and Leadership

[22:59–74:26]

About David Hogg and His Work:

• David shares his origin story as a Parkland survivor and activist:
  • “...after the shooting at my high school in Parkland…17 of my classmates and teachers were murdered...we did what our parents told us we couldn’t and…ended up raising the age to 21 to buy a gun in Florida and passing a red flag law...” (23:54)
• On broader activism: Co-founded "Leaders We Deserve" to back young, progressive Democrats who refuse corporate money and support gun reform.

Long-Term Impact of Gun Violence:

• David on enduring communal and personal trauma:
  • “...several of our classmates have taken their own lives in the time since the shooting. ...it creates a lot of long lasting pain and scars that… many have to learn to live with, unfortunately.” (27:26)
• Jennifer shares a personal loss—her “podcasting son” Javi, murdered at random—a haunting reminder that “if you live in America long enough, somebody you love will get shot.” (29:15)

Arming Teachers—Industry Cynicism and False Security:

• Angie asks why anyone would advocate for arming teachers.
• David responds, cutting through NRA talking points:
  • “Guns are not like iPhones...when you're a gun company...when you’ve already militarized the police, you've already armed the military, then you have to figure out other parts of our society to arm. ...it helps them to fund these politicians more. And it gives people a false sense of security.” (33:40)
• Jennifer lampoons the idea, citing her “mean nun” teacher who should never have had a gun.
• David: “Anybody who says that teachers should be armed clearly did not have some of the teachers that I had growing up…” (34:46)

‘Thoughts and Prayers’ – an Empty Response

• Angie is infuriated by political platitudes after shootings.
• David: “Jesus didn’t just pray, he also flipped tables...Prayers without works is dead...if you have faith, that's fine. Pray all you want, but do the work too.” (40:28)

Democratic Leadership and Why the Base Is Disenchanted:

• Jennifer rants about Dem leaders’ cowardice, corporate ties (especially to AIPAC), and inability to take clear stances:
  • “If the leadership came out and said, we're done with corporate donors...we could actually win.” (49:08)
• David affirms that bold policies and backbone—not endless compromise—are what voters crave:
  • “If you compromise your values to get to power, you don't actually win. Somebody else does.” (55:24)

Gen Z and the Future:

• David expresses both frustration at political inertia and hope in his generation's ability to activate:
  • “...great generations are not born...they’re made in the crucible of awful circumstances and real challenges...we as a generation have never truly seen our country united in any true sense or form...But...with the right leadership, we can get through this. But it's going to take new people, it's going to take new blood.” (70:37, 73:49)

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Passwords, Tech, and Scam Culture

• “Isn't there an option for people that can't remember their passwords that says, I can't remember my password? Instead of sending me a new link, just say, honey, we'll just let it slide.” (02:56, Angie)

Gun Policy & The Culture of Cowardice

• “These cops...when the moment actually counts, when lives are on the line, they prove only to be cowards with guns.” (37:21, David)
• “Thoughts and prayers is not gun control. It is not a policy to prevent death. It makes me crazy.” (39:28, Angie)
• “We need to elect more fighters and less folders in this party.” (61:38, David)

Democratic Party Criticism

• “The message, I feel like we're telling the American people, especially young people, is like, hey, guys, we know, like, you're 10ft underwater right now. We're gonna bring you nine feet underwater...I want to actually have my head above water.” (49:09, David)
• “Cory Booker can be a very impassioned...speaker...Then it's silence on Gaza. ...nothing that comes out of his mouth is credible to me because I think we have to have credible messengers in our part[y].” (62:33, Jennifer)
• “On Gaza, we have nothing to stand on because people don't want to pick between, oh, well, they supported a genocide and the other side tried to overthrow the government and also supported a genocide.” (64:38, David)

Hope for the Future

• "I really like everything you have to say. I like you a lot. I like how feisty you are. ...I love that your generation has been done dirty, truly by so much of the American policies. And I'm glad that you're going to ringlead..." (73:49, Jennifer)

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Topic | Timestamp | |---------|-------|-----------| | Petty Grievances | Passwords & Uber | 02:31–09:11 | | Religious Trauma | Japan’s new law & US Evangelicalism | 10:00–16:10 | | Listener Love | Blue dots & reviews | 16:24–18:58 | | Gun Violence, Movement-Building | David Hogg Interview (start) | 22:59 | | Impact of Gun Violence | Trauma & survivor activism | 27:26 | | Arming Teachers | Reasons & industry ties | 33:40–37:21 | | 'Thoughts & Prayers' | Critique of political response | 39:28–41:12 | | Democratic Party Woes | Corporate money, leadership critique | 43:06–49:09 | | Gen Z’s Vision | The future of activism | 70:37–73:49 |

Episode Tone & Takeaway

Jennifer & Angie’s “I’ve Had It” blends exasperated humor with unfiltered cultural and political criticism, acting as catharsis for like-minded listeners. This episode’s centerpiece—the interview with David Hogg—ramps up the political indignation while also offering hope, agency, and a mandate for new leadership. The message is clear: liberals need to be louder, bolder, and less afraid to hold their own to account—or risk losing to authoritarianism. The show’s candid storytelling, rants, and mutual support emphasize solidarity for “blue dots in red states”—and optimism that activism, not silence, is the cure for a broken system.