The Unbelievable Ways Liberals Spend Taxpayer Money + Michele Tafoya Joins the Progrum

Summary

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Ruthless Podcast: "The Unbelievable Ways Liberals Spend Taxpayer Money + Michele Tafoya Joins the Progrum"

Released: April 17, 2026
Hosts: Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook
Special Guest: Michele Tafoya (Sports Broadcaster, MN Senate Candidate)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Ruthless focuses on what the hosts see as egregious examples of taxpayer waste by liberal policymakers, particularly related to California and Boston spending, and public policies that affect homelessness and immigration. The discussion segues into broader issues of government accountability, generational wealth, and the “war” between Millennials and Boomers. The latter half features an in-depth, candid interview with Michele Tafoya, discussing her Senate run in Minnesota, her views on education, governance, and how she plans to address the state’s challenges.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Liberal Spending and Taxpayer Waste

California Story: Full Medical and Gender Transition Benefits for Homeless Illegal Immigrants

• The show opens with multiple co-hosts highlighting California’s policy that provides gender-affirming surgeries—including breast implants and “bottom surgery”—to homeless illegal immigrants (00:00-06:00).
• Citing reporting from Chris Rufo and a whistleblower, the hosts express outrage that these benefits are extended to non-citizens, contrasting it with perceived underfunding of vital services like fire departments and infrastructure.
• Quote (Host, 00:18): “Your tax dollars are paying for fake boobs for an illegal immigrant. And your fire department is underfunded.”
• The hosts argue that the policy exemplifies liberal priorities that defy taxpayer expectations and escalate border crises.

Boston Story: Wellness Vouchers for Trans and Queer Migrants

• Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s program offering up to $500 “wellness allowances” (for massages, yoga, creative healing) for LGBTQ migrants is discussed (15:20-19:50).
• The hosts cite the city’s $48M budget deficit and criticize the allocation.
• Quote (Co-host 2, 17:41): “This nonprofit isn’t handing out job applications with the massages. Seriously.”
• The segment emphasizes the cyclical nature of funding NGOs and city programs that allegedly perpetuate rather than solve issues.

NGO Incentives & Political Dynamics

• The hosts argue that NGOs and city administrations have an incentive not to solve homelessness because “there’s no money in ending homelessness, only in facilitating it” (11:57).
• The “chain migration” effect and explicit marketing of U.S. benefits is referenced, suggesting that such policies act as magnets for further immigration (14:31).

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2. Political Scandal: The Maine Senate Race

• The show pivots to discuss Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, who was revealed to have a Nazi tattoo and to have previously praised Hamas’s tactics in a 2014 forum.
• Quote (Host, 25:49): “This is a guy who’s running for office, who praised terrorists killing people.”
• Hosts express alarm at the Democratic party’s direction, arguing the situation reflects radicalization within Democratic primary electorates.
• Discussion of the U.S. Senate vote to block the sale of bulldozers to Israel is brought up as evidence of increased anti-Israel sentiment among Democrats (28:19).

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3. Oddball News: The Raccoon Penis Story

• In lighter fare, the hosts discuss a bizarre revelation from a new RFK Jr. biography: as a young man, he once stopped his family car to harvest a raccoon’s penis for study (29:41-34:53).
• The hosts riff on traditional beliefs in healing animal parts, comparing it to Chinese medicine and joking if a future cancer cure will involve raccoon penises (32:03).
• Quote (Co-host 1, 31:28): “HHS comms, if you’re listening, here’s what you do...RFK found a homeless animal and provided gender-affirming care.”
• This leads to humorous speculation on animal part-based traditional medicines.

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4. Generational Wealth and Grievance: Millennials vs. Boomers

Wall Street Journal Analysis

• The hosts debate a WSJ piece examining whether Millennials or Boomers “had it harder,” using data on median incomes, home and education costs, and net worth (40:39-53:51).
• While Millennials sometimes fare better in income-inflation-adjusted terms, the hosts note that millennials face higher housing costs relative to income, burdensome college debt, and different career/technological pressures.
• Quote (Co-host 1, 46:59): “College prices have skyrocketed. You’re entering your adult life saddled with a mind-boggling amount of debt…”
• The friendship and rivalry between the generations is a running theme, with playful jabs, merchandise sales, and an invitation to debate online (57:00-59:20).

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5. Interview: Michele Tafoya on the Minnesota Senate Race

Background and Motivation

• Tafoya enters to discuss her motivations for running in Minnesota, citing collapse in educational standards and widespread government fraud as major motivators (61:56-65:29).
• She tells a story about trying to become a volunteer tutor but quitting due to ideological training requirements.
  Quote (Tafoya, 64:51): “All you want to do is teach a kid to read…and then it came to the point with the salt and pepper stuff. I hit end and I got out of there.”

Minnesota Issues: Education, Fraud, and Out-Migration

• Education is failing, roads are riddled with potholes despite high taxes, and local businesses are leaving due to punitive policies.
• Quote (Tafoya, 66:02): “I pay some of the most punitive taxes in America…and it went to the Leering center and these criminals. And I still have potholes and education’s in the toilet.”

Reaction to State Politics

• Public frustration at fraud and mismanagement is top of mind, but culture-war issues (transgender athletes in sports) and immigration are also significant (68:46-70:20).
• Tafoya positions herself as common-sense, citing her ability to connect with independents and moderate Democrats.

Politics, Media, and Sports

• Tafoya shares experiences from sports journalism and weighs in on ethics and professionalism in both media and politics (76:13-80:14).

Campaign Details

• Tafoya describes campaign stops, grassroots energy, and the hunger among Minnesota Republicans and moderate voters for credible alternatives (86:45-88:14).
• Her fundraising is strong, and she stresses that “we can win this” if people break out of their malaise and show up to vote.

Signature Moment: Gift Exchange

• Tafoya brings Minnesota-made gifts—sports gear, apparel, and bourbon—to the “fellas,” endearing herself and highlighting her local pride (88:24-92:56).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On California Spending (Host, 05:48): “That’s a real thing. Like, you can’t make it up.”
• On NGO incentives (Co-host 1, 11:57): “There’s no money to be in ending homelessness. There’s money to be facilitating homelessness.”
• On the Platner Scandal (Host, 25:49): “This is a guy...who praised terrorists killing people.”
• RFK Raccoon Penis (Co-host 2, 33:32): “It’s like auto zone for animals.”
• On Millennials vs. Boomers (Host, 50:14): “Nobody owes you anything, but it’s cultural, man...people get kind of myopic about these things in media, in politics, because they live in the Acela corridor, and things are incredibly expensive here.”
• Michele Tafoya on volunteering (64:51): “All you want to do is teach a kid to read...and then it came to the point with the salt and pepper stuff. I hit end and I got out of there.”
• On running for Senate (Tafoya, 87:59): “You just want to hug them. That’s—they’re showing you they just want to give whatever they can give.”

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Important Timestamps

• California/TX Spending Section: 00:00 – 15:20
• Boston Voucher Program: 15:20 – 19:50
• NGO/Nonprofit Incentive Discussion: 11:57, 19:44
• Maine Senate Scandal: 22:45 – 29:20
• RFK Dead Raccoon Penis Story: 29:41 – 36:45
• Millennials vs. Boomers—WSJ Segment: 40:39 – 59:20
• Michele Tafoya Interview Start: 61:56
• Education System Anecdote: 64:43 – 65:08
• Minnesota’s Tax & Fraud Issues: 66:02 – 68:15
• Campaign Discussion, Grassroots Energy: 86:45 – 88:14
• Tafoya’s Gift Exchange: 88:24 – 92:56

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Tone and Style

The podcast retains its classic bantering, irreverent, and sarcastic tone—mixing incredulity, humor, and political commentary. Hosts frequently riff off each other, often exaggerating for comedic effect (“$66 million for bottom surgery,” “Raccoon penis cures cancer”), but consistently anchor back to their core critiques of liberal governance and policy priorities. Tafoya’s segment is more earnest, with heartfelt stories, a sense of urgency, and direct appeals for civic engagement.

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For New Listeners

This episode showcases the Ruthless blend of light-hearted, sometimes dark political comedy, critique of progressive policies, and a turn towards substantive, personal political interviews. If you missed this one:

• You'll gain a sense of current conservative anxieties about government spending and policy direction.
• Hear firsthand from a high-profile candidate navigating a tough electoral landscape.
• Enjoy plenty of banter about generational economics, RFK family lore, and some classic “Minnesota nice.”

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Call to Action: Listeners are encouraged to weigh in on “Who had it worse, Boomers or Millennials?”—either by commenting on social media or buying themed Ruthless merch.

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Transcript

[Host]

California provides sex change procedures to homeless illegal aliens.

[Co-host 1]

That's a real thing. Like, you can't make it up.

[Co-host 2]

Like, imagine being a homeowner in the Palisades. Your house has been burned down. You have nowhere to live. And you tune into local news and you find out that your tax dollars.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Co-host 2]

Are paying for fake boobs for an illegal immigrant.

[Host]

Yeah. Right.

[Co-host 2]

And your fire department is underfunded.

[Co-host 1]

And then you're just seeing examples of staggering levels of waste and abuse of money beyond any scope you could have imagined. Yeah.

[Co-host 3]

I thought now only in California are they like, no, you know what? You don't need a house. You need fake boobs.

[Host]

America leads the world in medicine, development.

[Announcer]

It matters.

[Michelle Tafoya]

We get new medicines first. Nearly three years faster.

[Host]

Five million Americans go to work because we make medicines here at home.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And not relying on other countries keeps us safe. But China is racing to overtake us.

[Co-host 1]

Will we let them or will we

[Host]

choose to stay ahead?

[Michelle Tafoya]

When America leads, America cures.

[Co-host 2]

Let's tell Washington to keep us in the lead.

[NetChoice Representative]

Congress must not take away parents control over their kids personal information. The App Store Accountability act forces you to upload your child's sensitive documents like a birth certificate, and it would share that information too broadly. A calculator doesn't need to know how old your child is. A better approach puts parents in control while keeping kids safe online. Parents should decide what of their children's information is shared with an app developer. Prioritize parents and keep them in control. There are better solutions to keep kids safe online. This is America. Parents should be in control of what's best for our children. NetChoice is dedicated to making the Internet safe for free expression and free enterprise. Learn [e-mail] keepappstores safe.

[Announcer]

Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please.

[Co-host 1]

Keep the fate, hold the line and own the lids.

[Co-host 3]

It's time for our main event.

[Host]

Well, it's Friday and you all know what that means. It is fun time for a in. We're gonna have a time here because there's an awful lot of stories that hit the cutting room floor you're gonna want to be a part of. I mean, we've got sex change operations. There's a raccoon penis involved in today's show.

[Co-host 1]

Similar story.

[Host]

There's. Yeah, Graham Plantner's back up to stuff. You know, that's that Senecandi with the Nazi tattoo up in Maine. Still at it. I mean there's great stuff. We're gonna have a fun time here. But we also have Michelle Tafoya, World Renowned sports broadcaster, Senate candidate in the great state of Minnesota. Really have a good time with her, too. And she gets into a whole number of things about her race, and then a little bit of the Vrabel Rossini talk, which is, of course, stuff that we. Everybody's been discussing here over the last couple of weeks, if you're a sports fan. Big news, Big news. All kinds of different stuff. But, you know, of course, if Wolf's putting together a sheet, you got to start with some stupid shit from California.

[Co-host 1]

That's what Wolf likes.

[Co-host 2]

It's California.

[Co-host 3]

Man's proud of his town.

[Host]

Man's proud of it.

[Co-host 3]

A rare thing these days.

[Host]

He is beginning, I think, to supersede the Cincinnati nonsense, egregiousness. At the end of the day, it's like every now he has more to work with in that there is something horribly stupid that comes out of California each and every day and so can winnow it down. Like Cincinnati. There's not a lot going on.

[Co-host 3]

All the time we eat chili and complain about snubs, of which there are many.

[Host]

I'm sure. I'm sure there are. I saw Red's little bench clear today.

[Co-host 3]

Look, this Reds ball club is off to a very, very good.

[Host]

We don't need to get into it. I just wanted to. I just. It is what it is.

[Co-host 3]

They're hungry.

[Host]

Okay. All right. So, you know, the fraud discussion, this overall, like, misuse of public funds has been a major component over the discussion over the last few weeks. And then every once in a while, you'll get something that is just so unbelievable. I remember the president's first State of the UN after he was elected, sworn in end of January. A couple weeks later, he does the State of the Union. Of course, Doge was the big topic at that point, so he thought he'd rattle through a couple of them that they found. And, like, it was hilarious, legitimately. His delivery, the president's delivery of all that is exquisite. But, like, the stuff that they were funding, you were like, my God. I mean, it's like, you know, that's

[Co-host 1]

the thing is, I remember, like, years ago, one of the gags that they would have on that show, succession is like, they'd open and there'd be like some headline or like a chyron that's like the most ad libs kind of like. Or mad Libs kind of like, headline of like, trans illegals are entering the country. And it's like, well, actually, this kind of stuff is happening now.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah, it's happening. It's Happening in Cal. By the way, you kind of look like the state of Florida today.

[Co-host 1]

Yeah, well, I mean, the weather's beautiful. I thought I'd wear a shirt that supports Andurl and our warfighters, so.

[Host]

Oh, it's another one. It's another. It's another.

[Co-host 1]

I try to only wear clothes from Defense Contract.

[Co-host 3]

I thought it was from that show Thunder in Paradise. Did you ever watch that with Hulk Hogan?

[Host]

Thunder?

[Co-host 2]

Well, as they say. As they say, dress for the job you want.

[Host]

Yeah, that's what they say. That's what they say. All right, so this is from the city. California provides sex change procedures to homeless illegal aliens.

[Co-host 1]

That's a real thing. Like you can't make it up.

[Host]

Yeah. So Chris Ruffo, who's been on the program a couple of times, surfaced this. What he's written here is totally incredible. Last month we received a report from a whistleblower who claimed that illegal aliens were staying in San Francisco's homeless shelters. Surprise, surprise. Like that just goes with the territory. Following up on the tip, we visited numerous public funded shelters in San Francisco and spoke to the employees and residents about their policies, sometimes through a translator, of course, as one does. As one does, we discover that not only that the shelters were housing illegal immigrants, but they were also apparently housing a population of male to female transgender illegal aliens, naturally, who had hoped to obtain gender affirming care. And to our shock, state and local governments are apparently providing it. Clip 1

[Whistleblower/Reporter]

Illegal immigration is exacerbating San Francisco's homeless drug crisis. The shelters are packed with undocumented migrants from all over the world, and more people like Lysa are confidently coming forward to say they're taking advantage of all the taxpayer funded benefits to meet their unique needs. With the help of a Spanish translator, Lysa says he's staying in a homeless shelter, identifies as transgender, and is undergoing hormone therapy to become more like a biological woman after entering the US illegally from Honduras. In this Manhattan Institute City Journal investigation, a whistleblower with access to city data on homelessness says Lysa's story is becoming more common, especially after California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he's offering full health coverage to illegals through the state's medical program, which includes gender affirming care. We ran into Jacqueline who says he received taxpayer funded breast implants after coming over from Mexico.

[Host]

Taxpayer funded?

[Whistleblower/Reporter]

Free. Yeah, he's now waiting for bottom surgery.

[Host]

Yeah, even bottom surgery, you don't.

[Co-host 1]

You're undocumented. You can get.

[Host]

What do they mean that?

[Co-host 1]

Like literally, that means they're cutting the part off and then doing the other kind of.

[Host]

Oh, it's a bottom means like you cut the, push it inside out all of a sudden your bottom.

[Co-host 1]

Yep.

[Host]

I thought it meant like.

[Co-host 1]

No, but they mean like your top half of the body is when, oh bbl. The bottom half is when they do the chopping and such. But I think, I think it's important to highlight this because the fraud and the waste, which for so long we were told is like such a mind, you know, minuscule part of the budget, like we're talking about just a few pennies of what you're paying. This week was, was tax day and that's like the worst day of the year. It's the day that every American is robbed against their will. And you hope, you know, it's always like, I hope you know this can go towards maybe defending our country. Pay for like some military to keep us safe or you know, the roads, make sure the roads don't have a bunch of potholes or some, some police to keep the neighborhood safe. And then you're just seeing examples of staggering levels of waste and abuse of money beyond any scope you could have imagined. You first see it in Minneapolis when it became clear what's going on there with the like Somali facilities and then now you're starting to hear more about it in California. And it's not just about the brazen theft in California. It's even got the like ideological spin on it where like they are willing to have someone who broke the law enter this country illegally, who should be deported, but instead they're provided better care than citizens.

[Host]

But cutting your peen off that you

[Co-host 1]

could serve in the military, I guess and you're getting better care and you're more of a focus of the government of taking care of you than if you had served in the military in this country makes. It just doesn't make sense. It's an insult and California needs to have a crackdown done on it. I think this midterms issue should be about waste, fraud and abuse because that's something every taxpayer can recognize and oppose. And that's how we go after the Dems. They want a million other things to be discussed. They don't want us to talk about how they've turned this country and taxpayers pockets into their personal piggy bank for their little pet projects. It's the most disgusting thing.

[Co-host 2]

You know what I found sort of unique about this story is to your point earlier, smug. It's sort of the mad libs of the liberal fantasy. But in reading it out, you know, you got homeless, illegal aliens, and the transgender community.

[Host]

Yeah, just chuck it all in there.

[Co-host 2]

Like the three.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Co-host 2]

The three legs of the stool of the liberal NGO nexus. This is like the avengers of liberal NGOs coming together for one mission.

[Host]

Also, like, I mean, look, you could ever have just an honest conversation about government and people voted accordingly with honest conversations, you would be like, well, you know, it turns out, like, homelessness, there's a high correlation with mental health issues. And it would probably make sense if you were dedicating resources to try to rehabilitate people or shelter people or provide, like, the most vulnerable amongst us with something like the. Maybe the mental health component might be something worth thinking about. They're like, no, we want to take that component and then we're going to do surgery on it.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah.

[Host]

And like this, like, the clip was unbelievable. The person's like, yeah, yeah, no, I'm just going to change the. Switch it all up. Like, this one didn't, you know, doesn't work for me, so I'm going to switch it up. The bottoms come. And like, who. But, like, imagine having. I guess my point is, like, having a thought process where you're like, yeah, I'm going to go some more surgery. I guess somebody's going to pick that dime up.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah. I thought the general idea with homeless people was to find them shelter.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Co-host 3]

I thought that was only in California. They're like, no, you know what? You don't need a house. You need fake boobs.

[Co-host 1]

So that's actually like, a really interesting point, is because who cares if it's raining? We've seen numerous studies have been done that at this point, the amount just under Gavin Newsom, just under his governorship, the amount that's been spent on homelessness exceeds the amount that be needed to buy every homeless person a house and a car and furnish that. Because what it's not about that is exactly. The NGOs realized that if we solve homelessness, then we end our funding. So there's no money to be in ending homelessness. There's money to be facilitating homelessness. You want to give these people clean injection sites because if they stop using the drugs, then they might get their act together and they might start getting a job and they might start putting their life together. But, no, why don't we just give them clean injection sites so that then they can not only be on the streets using drugs, remain homeless, but are also a threat to the public?

[Co-host 2]

Like, imagine being a homeowner in the Palisades. Your house has been burned down. You have nowhere to live. And you tune into the local news and you find out that your tax dollars are paying for fake boobs for an illegal immigrant.

[Host]

Yeah, right.

[Co-host 2]

And your fire department is underfunded. There was no fucking water in the reservoir to put out the fire. Your marijuana neighborhood and your tax dollars are being spent for fake boobs.

[Co-host 3]

Are you saying for an illegal immigrant. Are you saying that they wouldn't see that as a feel good story?

[Host]

Well, I mean, but Democratic politics is so fucked up that not only is that not a thing, like they're going to all just be happy to continue the thing, but like the governor who was presided over all of it, is a short list to be President of the United States.

[Co-host 3]

Good point.

[Host]

You know what I mean? Like, it's a. If any other facet of life, you had a CEO that presided over stuff like this, you'd be like, oh my God, like they're gonna run the place on the ground. We gotta get that person out of there. Not democratic politics.

[Co-host 1]

Well, that's also why they hate the private sector so much and why you're seeing so many businesses.

[Host]

Because there's accountability.

[Co-host 1]

Because they hate that.

[Host]

They hate accountability.

[Co-host 1]

They're like, no, we don't want any accountability success. We just want your money.

[Co-host 2]

That's the reason why they're trying to tax people who leave the.

[Co-host 1]

Exactly.

[Host]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, right, right. No, you're entirely right. That joint that you saw, by the way, signed a $66 million service contract with the city. So they're not giving that shit away. It's my point. Like, you know, if you're going to go do the bottom surgery, it's not 30 bucks on a dime store scalpel. I mean, we're talking about big money. $66 million is one facility in one city in California. I mean, it's just. It's incredible, dude.

[Co-host 1]

This, the ending of that one article discussing this just enrages me. It says, apparently word has traveled down the continent to transgender communities in Mexico, Honduras and elsewhere. If you make it all the way to California, the government will pay for your shelter hormones and surgeries, no questions asked.

[Host]

Yeah, I mean, this is the kind of chain migration component that we were talking about all the way back to Trump's first term, where Democrats basically throw open the idea to the international community that free health care, whatever. And that's why you see that huge rush at the border every time it down Democrat is elected to anything. Well, yeah.

[Co-host 2]

And like, look, we work in politics and so you get pretty cynical when The Democrats in 2020 put their hands up and said, I want to decriminalize border crossings. In my wildest imagination, I never thought we would get to this point.

[Host]

No, I mean, this is, this is something else. I mean, sex change procedures on homeless illegal aliens. It's really something. But not to be outdone, the east coast wanted to, to get involved in all of this. And so we go up to our good friends up in Boston who, I mean, they got to preside over some wild stuff. They got a mayor up there that is absolutely insane. Graphic one, please, if you could pop this one up. A woke Boston mayor hands out $500 haircut and massage vouchers to queer and trans migrant and refugees. It's almost the same thing. It's just they're not cutting the peens off, they're just kind of like, welcome. And so this is Boston's mayor, Michelle Wu. She's funding a new program that gives queer and trans migrants up to $500 for massages, yoga classes, and creative healing, despite the city being crushed by nearly $50 million in a deficit. The so called Wellness Allowances. Is this, is this a New York Post? Yeah, I just want to properly cite it because it's all good stuff. The so called Wellness Allowances are being handed out by a nonprofit.

[Co-host 3]

Oh, okay.

[Co-host 2]

Shocked.

[Host]

Called out newcomers. And it's backed by the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement. They've created a program called Immigrant Advancement. And the group revealed all this on Wednesday. We're offering $250 to $500 wellness allowances for LGBTQ migrants in Boston to support their mental health and well being through non clinical care, including yoga, meditation, creative healing, peer support, hair salon, acupuncture. And they've got these advertisements and like, what do you think? Again, this is. You're talking about a population in Massachusetts is happily just vote these people back in. So apparently they don't find a problem with. But imagine living in like, you know, suburban Boston where, you know, somebody in your family's got some kind of an ailment they need to go to some therapeutic thing, whether it's a massage or, you know, some kind of reclamation. And they're going to pay $300 an hour for that thing. And they look downtown and they're like, yeah, well, we do it for the homeless immigrant, where we're, we're free of charge on you, by the way. You're going to pay taxes on that too.

[Michelle Tafoya]

What.

[Host]

What is going on?

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, I noticed this nonprofit isn't handing out job applications with the massages.

[Co-host 1]

You know, Seriously.

[Host]

Seriously. I mean, it's just genuinely unbelievable all the way through. And like, the program which is currently accepting applications was unveiled as the city grapples with a $48.4 million budget deficit. Wu, for her part, has proposed a $4.9 billion budget for fiscal year 27. They reached out to comment from the mayor's office. They didn't have a lot to say about it. I'm shocked they didn't want to elaborate on this innovative new program.

[Co-host 3]

Terrible Mayor.

[Co-host 1]

I mean, that's the thing.

[Co-host 3]

She's a lunatic.

[Co-host 1]

That's the thing is she has already built up a resume of, like, horrible things that she's doing in Boston. She's one of these, like, defund the police types. And Boston is no safer for it. The people of Boston are not benefiting from any of this nonsense. Like I said, these are illegals who are benefiting from this. But they voted for this. And in the same case as with New York City and Mamdani, it will take things getting so dire. I mean, in Mamdani's case, you saw he had that policy where police are no longer allowed to approach homeless people to ask if they want to go to a shelter when there's an incoming blizzard. So you had over a dozen just freeze to death. And that's the whole thing about this whole left wing of how they're being compassionate is they let the homeless rot on the streets and die, that's a better outcome than trying to maybe send them from asylum like we used to do in this country, where you have people with mental health problems who we sent to asylums and things will get worse, and they have to get worse. And things have to get so bad for voters that they decide, oh, man, we need like a Giuliani to clean up the streets.

[Co-host 2]

And if you are asking yourself, why is it that a liberal mayor would promote a program that's going to make things worse and it all comes down to money.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah.

[Co-host 2]

Because these NGOs don't care about solving the problem. They want to perpetuate it to line their pockets.

[Host]

100. I was, you know, just thinking about this, reading through the story and hearing you guys talk about it. I do. I have a way that maybe we could correct this program if you're convicted of some kind of a felony, you know, like a real serious thing, that instead of, you know, you maybe get like five years knocked off your sentence if you provide, if you go and actually be the administer of the Massage to the homeless.

[Co-host 2]

I think that is a brilliant idea.

[Host]

I've never heard.

[Co-host 1]

I think recidivism.

[Co-host 2]

Recidivism would go into the toilet.

[Host]

There is no bigger deterrent than something like that. Can you imagine a homeless transsexual? The smell alone, that is.

[Co-host 1]

That is.

[Host]

That is an illegal immigrant. Like, you're. It's a special population that you're working with there.

[Co-host 2]

I'm just imagining they offer yoga classes. Can you imagine that?

[Host]

Jesus.

[Co-host 2]

Hot yoga.

[Host]

Hey, you got to do with a homeless person. Homeless, you got to go. You got to get in there unventilated, make it happen, right?

[Co-host 2]

Yeah.

[Host]

Oh, my gosh. Like, you name the crime, I'd be like, nope.

[Co-host 3]

I mean, my guess is this place looks a lot like the leering center. Empty as the day is long. But the money keeps flowing.

[Host]

Yeah, they probably just keep filtering all those millions into this place, and they have four or five people that sit around and collect a paycheck, and they don't see a lot of Honduran trannies walk in and ask for acupuncture.

[Co-host 1]

I think it's just wild.

[Host]

All right, so coming up next, more skeletons in the closet for prominent Democratic Senate candidate. You've heard us talk about this cap before. Got another unbelievable story. And then RFK back in the news. We've covered a lot of good things that he's been up to. This one. Well, it cut off our attention for different reasons right after this.

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[Host]

All right, so Graham Platner is the cat, of course, that had the Nazi tattoo on his chest. And he was like, oh, I didn't know what it was. And then there was evidence to suggest he knew exactly what it was. And Then he was like, well, I'll just change it to something similarly adjacent

[Co-host 2]

to some kind of Nordic mythology.

[Host]

Yeah, right. And then. And then subsequent to all of that, then he was like, yeah, well, I was, you know, in the military, and we had weird. So it's like a third explanation for the tattoo. So now that they're going through the Democratic Party, and particularly the progressive element that he's hoping will propel him past the establishment old maid that they've got up there, the former governor, what's her name?

[Co-host 2]

Mills.

[Host]

Mills. Janet Mills. He's got to get in on some of that, which of course is just rank anti Semitism. I mean, it just has to be unfiltered, uncut, just the real McCoy. And so what he's got here is this thing from Jewish Insider. I dig it. Colon. Graham Platner praises hamas tactics in 2014. Graphic video of killing Israeli soldiers. This is just like some of the most wild stuff you'll ever hear. So this Senate candidate, Graham Platner repeatedly praised the tactics used by Hamas terrorists in comments made about graphic video of Hamas raid into Israel in 2014 in which terrorists killed at least five Israeli soldiers. I guess my question, looking at the way that politics is working out here, this feels like a supercharged for a Democratic primary electorate. They're probably like, oh, man, this guy really is on our squad.

[Co-host 3]

It really does. And we talked yesterday about Hasan Piker and the rise of that guy's radical ideology and how Democrats have. Have latched onto it and they're just like taking it hook, line and sinker. I mean, he spoke at Yale, for crying out loud. Remember, he talked about how great the USSR was.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Co-host 3]

And this candidate running in Maine wants to be just like him. I mean, I know the politics in Maine are very independent. You know, they think for themselves, but something tells me they're not like, you know what? Hamas good. USSR good.

[Host]

I don't think they're conflicted. I don't think they're conflicted about who the good guys were in World War II.

[Co-host 3]

I don't think so.

[Co-host 1]

I don't.

[Host]

I don't think so. Right. And I, and I certainly don't think that Hamas or Hezbollah is someone who gathers a lot of sympathy in Portland, Maine. Yeah, you know, it's just a wildly out of touch deal. But this is where, again, it's where the Democratic Party is. So this guy did all this stuff online, talks a lot about all of this stuff. Here's this quote, and this is a, a video that was available of his Horror that Hamas was doing looks like an all around well executed and successful small unit raid to me. Platner wrote in 2014 on a Reddit forum.

[Co-host 1]

I mean, there's going to be some spin that's done by his campaign and Democrats to try to be like, oh, you know, this is like a, this is 2014 or something. This is a guy who's running for office, who praised terrorists killing people.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Just, let's just break this down to the core of what it is.

[Host]

That's it.

[Co-host 1]

And that's right now who Democrats are standing with. That's it.

[Co-host 2]

I think the most horrifying thing about it is like how he's sort of a dispassionate tactician.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Co-host 2]

Evaluating the success of a terrorist attack. It'd be like calling 9 11, like a good landing.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah.

[Host]

You know, I mean, praising the pilot's skill.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah.

[Host]

I mean, it looks like an all around well executed successful small unit raid to me.

[Co-host 3]

And think about the circumstances. He's writing that, he's posting it on Reddit. So he's probably sitting in his bathroom in the middle of the day or something on his iPhone posting something to Reddit and he's like, oh, you know what looks like a good operation. You know what I mean? Like, as flippant is that.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah.

[Host]

Sitting there with his Nazi tattoo. Right, right. I mean, the kind of thing that you would imagine somebody who could post something like that doing, except you would never confuse until this day and age of Democratic politics that somebody who is capable of sitting in their undies, rubbing their Nazi tattoo, talking about how great Hamas was at killing Jews, that they would be basically a mainstream candidate for United States Senate.

[Co-host 3]

Right. And this guy.

[Host]

But that's what it is.

[Co-host 3]

I mean, we've talked about him before. You're going to hear us talk about him again. All kinds of rumors circulating about this guy Graham Platner that I think people are digging into. I certainly hope they get on him faster than they got on air. Swallow.

[Co-host 1]

There's been some, like, late breaking news. It's gonna be out more, but there apparently is like a list of stuff. But here's the thing, is it would not surprise me if a lot of that research was done by the other Democrat in the primary.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

And I mean, polling on this has been all over the place, if I'm being honest. I would not be surprised if he takes down that primary. I would not be surprised. All the energy on the Dem side, that's the state of the Democratic politics. They just want violence and insanity that's what's animating the grassroots and that's what I think their party's gonna look like in this midterm.

[Host]

Dude, you're entirely right. Does this hurt in a primary electorate? In a Democratic primary?

[Co-host 1]

I think there's a sick portion of Dems that this appeals to straight up.

[Host]

It does. I mean we say so this week. We're not going to go into it, but there was a vote in the United States Senate in which Democrats voted in mass to block the sale of bulldozers to Israel. Why? The sale of American bulldozers to Israel. It's not like we were giving them bulldozers. It's not like we were doing it. Just the simple transaction of an American company selling something to Israel. They now have a COD lock in the Democratic Party to try to block the simple sale of a good or service to Israel. Straight faced. Think about that. I mean you had like Fettermans of the world, a couple of others who are like, this is nuts. Like what are you guys doing? But they are very few and far between. The vast majority of them are listening to stuff like this and they're small, little narrow constituency that controls the Democratic primary electorate and they're saying no. Like any kind of anti Semitism is good antisemitism as far as we're concerned.

[Co-host 3]

Wild.

[Host]

It's just not like we're not making this up. This is all stuff that's just. Just look around, just listen. Like this is happening in very real time. I don't know. Rfk?

[Co-host 2]

Yes.

[Co-host 1]

In lighter news.

[Host]

This is lighter news. I think you were the first one to see this dunks.

[Co-host 2]

I was.

[Host]

So New York Post wrote an article that was, I think reacting to a video, maybe some kind of an interview where RFK Jr. Once chopped off a dead raccoon's penis to study it later while on a family road trip. On a family road trip. Gets me every time. So like, look, this guy's led a very interesting life and there was all kinds of bear stuff that popped up in his confirmation hearing and he's got like a. I would say maybe in a kind of an uncomfortable relationship with the great outdoors in a lot of different ways. But this is the one that I haven't heard about.

[Co-host 1]

The bear thing I kind of understood because it was like he found a dead bear.

[Co-host 3]

Right.

[Co-host 1]

I can understand. And you know, you Google up who makes rugs out of these things.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah. You've been long.

[Co-host 1]

That's like a find. Yeah, no, I, I don't know about this one.

[Host]

I'M not sure it's a find to have a raccoon or what's worth studying. But anyway, and on the.

[Co-host 3]

On the family road trip, too. He's in the truckster. Hold on a minute, Russ.

[Co-host 1]

I gotta pull over.

[Co-host 3]

Audrey, how much money you got in your purse?

[Host]

Can we pop. Can we pop up that graphic thing that you guys had earlier?

[Co-host 3]

Oh, man.

[Host]

So he reacted to this because somebody actually asked him about his take on this. Can we play this

[Michelle Tafoya]

secretary?

[Host]

What did you do with the raccoon's dead penis? Where is it now? He loved it. I mean, he was laughing. Yeah. Like he thought it was hilarious. But can you pop that up one more time? Great work on the raccoon, dude. I love the raccoon. Great work on the raccoons. Like, oi, ouch. But anyway, it's according to New York

[Co-host 1]

Post, so I'm just gonna offer some quick advice. HHS comms, if you're listening, here's what you do as you say. Here's the thing is RFK found a homeless animal provided gender affirming care.

[Co-host 2]

That's right.

[Co-host 1]

And he's being attacked in California. He'll be funded.

[Host]

That's worth $66 million in San Francisco.

[Co-host 3]

And if you get that raccoon to the right place in Boston, it can have a massage and a free gym membership.

[Co-host 2]

We're gonna find out in 18 months that we've harvested some new revolutionary peptide from raccoon penis.

[Host]

See, and that's the thing, because we don't really get to the bottom of what it is that he was looking for.

[Co-host 2]

Well, apparently, this is from a new book about RFK that is by the post Isabel Vincent, that's forthcoming.

[Host]

It's RFK Jr. The fall and Rise.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Could this be some kind of, like, you know, because, like, especially during COVID you heard about all the, like, Chinese wet markets. But then there's also, like, oh, you know, they, like, cut off tiger penises and they, like, grind it up. And that's like a fucking, like a healing thing, you know, of like all these kind of.

[Co-host 2]

I mean. No, seriously. Could this be that maybe. That maybe it is? We're gonna find the cure to cancer in a raccoon penis. It's gonna.

[Co-host 1]

All these different things.

[Co-host 2]

Can I please.

[Co-host 1]

You haven't heard. You haven't heard about this. It's all across China. Yeah. Like, oh, you know, this has, like, ginseng and then, like, a tiger's paw. And they're like, it's good for your liver.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah. It's just Full of antioxidants you haven't heard about.

[Co-host 1]

They do this kind of thing.

[Host]

The raccoon penis.

[Co-host 2]

Well, I don't know.

[Co-host 1]

All kinds of animals. They're like, oh, it's got.

[Host]

Can I store the healing qualities in the penis?

[Co-host 1]

They're like, it's got a pangolin's eyes, you know, Like, I'm serious.

[Co-host 2]

That's why the whole Covid story was sort of believable.

[Co-host 1]

That's the thing is, that's why. And then they're like, no, no, no. It's, it's, it's. The lab is a racist thing. Being like, you could show up and get any animal part under the sun. That's not, that's, that's no problem there, homes. Like, dude, you can roll up into one of these places and be like, name the animal. Name the part. They, they got it. You want like a pickle, they got it. You name it.

[Co-host 3]

It's like auto zone for animals.

[Co-host 1]

Seriously, I need a, I need a 78 Cobra. And the guy thinks you're looking for a mustang. You're like, no, no, no, you don't understand.

[Host]

I'm looking for a pickled raccoon penis.

[Co-host 1]

Please, I have it.

[Co-host 2]

Holmes, can I please, can I please read the excerpt from the book? I really want to read it.

[Co-host 1]

Okay.

[Host]

Yes.

[Co-host 2]

Okay. All right. So this is from this, this book. I was standing in front of my parked car on I684 cutting the penis out of a road killed raccoon, thinking about how weird some of my family members have turned out to be. Now think of how fucked up the Kennedy family has to be that you're literally chopping off raccoon penis and you're like, they're weirder than me.

[Host]

Yeah. Geez, what's wrong with these people?

[Announcer]

Hu.

[Host]

Anyway, grab that sack. It's full on the antioxidants. So he says, yeah, it's a surreal passage that they had here. He was reportedly lamenting his rocky relationships within his family. My kids waited patiently in the car, he noted.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah.

[Host]

Later telling People magazine he collected the raccoon's genitals so he could, quote, study them later. And I think that's where the jumping off point is, that we've expressed our interest.

[Co-host 2]

I look forward to reading the study.

[Host]

I look forward, I look forward to the findings.

[Co-host 1]

I hadn't heard about this one. I had never heard about this one. It said, upon learning a whale carcass had washed ashore on nearby Squaw island, the elder Kennedy made a beeline for the beach and Proceeded to decapitate the beast with a chainsaw. Did you know this?

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, I did.

[Co-host 2]

Covered it at some point.

[Co-host 1]

A trophy, dude.

[Co-host 3]

Right? That's a real trophy.

[Co-host 1]

On your fishing trip, you caught, you know, good size. Like, I referred to it in the tech. I was like, that's like a whale. You, like, harpoon that damn thing. He legit could put up a whale trophy. Be like, I had to extend the living room. Yeah, like, how do you fit the damn.

[Host]

He always transport. All of his great ideas come from the car. Yeah.

[Co-host 2]

Where is he driving?

[Host]

Yeah. I don't know. But he strapped the whale's enormous noggin to the roof of the family minivan with a bungee cord, intending to once again bring it home to study, grossing out the family in his dogged pursuit of knowledge. You know what?

[Co-host 3]

I don't know how many road trips you guys have taken with your kids. They're still pretty young. But if you're taking a long enough road trip, the kids start getting bored, okay. And if they're not looking at iPads, they start playing the license plate game

[Co-host 1]

and they start asking you, when are

[Co-host 3]

we going to be there?

[Host]

Yes, are we there yet?

[Co-host 3]

Maybe he's simply trying to alleviate the boredom in his family mobile. And he's found a very unique way to do it.

[Co-host 2]

Charitable reading. I like that.

[Host]

You ever played with a raccoon penis before? It's full of antioxidants.

[Co-host 3]

Nobody's gonna ask, are we there yet? After that episode, the post kindly notes.

[Co-host 1]

Also, if they're in the van with the beheaded, like, the whale head is on that thing and you're rolling, like, remember all the. All the grief that Romney got for putting the dog up there? And apparently the dog shat. It was like flying. But we're talking about now beheaded whale, so you've gotta go.

[Host]

There's shit coming out of that whale.

[Co-host 1]

Blood running down the back window, dude.

[Host]

And probably some blood, you know, if

[Co-host 3]

you got a sunroof, you know, inside of it. It's incredible. Inside of that whale head could have been one of the most valuable substances known to man.

[Co-host 1]

Oh, that's right. Oil.

[Co-host 3]

Well, not just oil, but inside of a whale, we dunk.

[Host]

This is cut so far off the

[Co-host 2]

rails, the pure ambergris.

[Co-host 1]

Wait, what?

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, yeah, it's what they use to make perfumes.

[Co-host 1]

Really?

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, Very valuable.

[Host]

Wait, did it come from the head?

[Co-host 2]

It comes from the blubber overall.

[Host]

Oh, so you can get it anywhere.

[Co-host 1]

Oh, so it's not like whale brain?

[Co-host 2]

Well, it might be the purest form located in the head I support.

[Co-host 3]

I think it's generally, it depends on the species. I don't know if you've read Moby Dick. It depends on the species, but it's generally closer to the front. Yeah, you take it out, it's gold.

[Host]

It's like cherry.

[Co-host 2]

It's like the tenderloin. It's like the tenderloin, except you can

[Co-host 3]

sell it and you don't need to be in China.

[Host]

Do you think that they also make perfume out of raccoon penises?

[Co-host 3]

You know what, Maybe he's onto something.

[Host]

Maybe it's he's just a perfumer. Maybe that's what it is.

[Co-host 1]

He's been attacked.

[Host]

He's just in constant search of the next scent.

[Co-host 3]

Something tells me they wouldn't name that one after it's main ingredient.

[Host]

Oh, my gosh. Well, if I was to do any of that, I'd have to do an awful lot of drinking first. But if I do.

[Co-host 1]

That's how you do it.

[Host]

But if I do, I certainly look into Zbiotics. We've got them here in the office and we take them anytime. We're gonna have a big night out as a pre alcohol drink because this thing is backed by science. And I'm telling you, it works, doesn't it? Smug.

[Co-host 1]

That's right. So let's get a shot of that right there. So zebiotics, if you have not tried it, I encourage you to do it. Because here's how it works. Before you have a big night out, before you have a drink with the fellows, you have a Zbiotics because the reason that you can feel terrible the next day is not because you're dehydrated, drinking a Gatorade, drinking a bunch of water, that's not going to change anything. When you drink alcohol, it breaks down to these toxic byproducts that stay in your stomach. And that's what's making you feel terrible. If you drink zbiotics first, it knocks it right out.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah. And with the weather getting nice and people having cookouts, and maybe you're imbibing during the day, watching some great golf on the weekends, or maybe some baseball. You know, it's nice to put a Zbiotics first before you have those activities you do.

[Co-host 3]

And that's why we always say there's no tomorrow without Zbiotics today.

[Host]

That's exactly right. So all of your raccoon penis studies can be done with a glass of something nice. But before you do, Zebiotics is where you head. And to go there you go to zbiotics.com ruthless to learn more and get 15% off your website first order when you use Ruthless at the checkout, Z Bionics is back with a hundred percent money back guarantee. That's how you know they mean it, fellas. So if you're unsatisfied for any reason at all, the refund your money, no questions asked, you gotta head to zbiotics.com ruthless and use the code ruthless at checkout for 15% off. All right, so one of the things that we love to do here on the Variety program is enter into generational warfare. You recall we did one month or two ago where there's this constant sort of tug and pull with Gen Alpha, Gen Z, millennials and boomers and there's just it's a hot war. And if you notice online like this is it goes back and forth. And the Wall Street Journal waded into this because you know, they pay attention to trends and who's interacting with what and you just can't miss it. It's everywhere. They did a big story on this that was entitled did Millennials or Boomers have it Harder? We went searching for answers. Now I was fascinated by this and I think you may have even flagged it first smash because we've entertained this same discussion. But they actually the Wall Street Journal went and did a little research.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, they have the math, got down into the numbers.

[Host]

They did a little research. They lead with Millennials like to say that their generation got the short end of the economic stick. Baby boomers like to push back saying they didn't have it themselves. Well, who is right? They go in to say the question is next to impossible to answer, but we can still try. Older millennials graduated in the 07 to 09 recession. That is a time period that are the old man Michael Duncan likes to bring up from time to time. And most of the generation was in their 20s and 30s during the COVID 19 pandemic, which again is difficult to deal with economically. Boomers weathered an oil crisis and high inflation and high interest rates as they got their start in the 70s and 80s. To see how these finances of the two of the biggest generations in American history stack up, we looked at some key data points. So they went through and they put like throw up graphic three. Now I don't know if these things made a ton of sense to me, but like the explanation of it sort of did in many ways in that millennials medium incomes at these ages.

[Co-host 1]

I'm happy to explain.

[Host]

Oh yeah, do you want to do that?

[Co-host 1]

So this is another great reason of why you should subscribe to the YouTube and the Journal. Did a great job with these graphics. Subscribe to the YouTube and you'd see right there, the graphic. This is about the median income levels. Right. And so in red, you have the baby boomers, and blue, you have the millennials. And it's all been normalized, adjusted for inflation, for 20, $24. Okay. And that's by age group, as you can see along the Y axis. This is basically showing you that millennials, essentially for their entire generation, regardless of whether you're on the older side of the millennials or the younger side of millennials, you basically have had a higher median income between the ages of 25 to 34 than the boomers did when they were 25 to 34. Well, that's not exactly.

[Co-host 3]

But that is interesting. Smug. And at the same time, I wondered, that chart doesn't show it here, but what were the interest rates that boomers were paying in the 70s versus what millennials?

[Co-host 1]

I'm glad you asked.

[Co-host 2]

We get to that point in another graphic.

[Host]

It's a long story.

[Co-host 2]

Affordability, but go on. Smug.

[Co-host 1]

So can you get that graphic back? Who's back there pulling it down? I wasn't done. And then among the ages of when they were 35 to 44 is the graphic on the right where it shows that boomers, their median income is essentially lower, you see there in the red, than the millennials who are earning more. That's essentially what this is saying. For the most part, along those ages, among the same age cohort, all normalized in 20, $24, millennials were making more than boomers were at the same age.

[Host]

Yeah. So it's basically what they say is it's on par. Right. Because it's a big argument the millennials have made forever, that there's this huge gap and that it turns out from the data, there's not a huge gap. It's basically on par. But here's a quote that I thought stuck out that sort of gives another perspective. Let's say you're an American who expects that as our country gets richer, your income should be going up proportionally. Said millennials rightly perceive that that has not been the case, at least in the early part of their careers, which is the data that you have up to this point. One major source of tension, which is what you see play out online all day, every day, is buying a house, an area where boomers and millennials both have a point, which I, again, I learned something from this Graphic Force mug.

[Co-host 1]

So what this is showing, again, is it's saying, how affordable is the house? This is the median price of a new home in 20, $25. So again, it's adjusted for affordability based on median household income. So if you're seeing here on the left is what the boomers underwent, it's over the same time period. This is an insane spike in prices. Where it hits above 600,000, we're talking about the median home. And that's when you had the interest rates spike so high. You had interest rates for mortgages peaking at 18%.

[Co-host 3]

That's pretty high.

[Co-host 1]

That's over twice. That's like 250% of current levels. That was a tough time. And you see, basically, it was elevated through the entire time that the boomers were buying houses. You see, millennials also got a small benefit of when we had essentially zirp, which is zero interest rate policy, where Federal Reserve essentially set the rate at 0% for the longest time.

[Co-host 2]

Wait, wait, those millennials, they, they, they were reaping the benefits of those policies in 2010 when they were in high school and college? Or were those for the beach houses for the boomers?

[Co-host 1]

So here's the, here's the interesting thing is the journal included the age group where it says millennials making up 25 to 34 age groups. So this is not high school students. I don't think there's high school students that are 25 unless they're illegals in Virginia who are sexually harassing girls there. But that shows 25 to 34. You saw that dip because of zero interest rate policy. But then you saw.

[Co-host 2]

But the millennial line starts in 2006, right?

[Host]

Yeah.

[Co-host 2]

Right. So a lot of millennials in that generation were in high school at that time.

[Co-host 1]

This is the 25 to 34 age group. As the boomer ages, this is covering 25, 34.

[Co-host 2]

I see what you're saying. But like, but like, that is only accounting for maybe like 30, 40% of the millennial cohort. A lot of millennials, especially the younger millennials, feel less left behind by all of this. And when you look at things like the home cost relative to income, the disparity is larger. I don't care what the math here says, but you can look at any evaluation of it. And though the interest rates were higher for the boomers when they were buying those houses, 15, 18%, their income ratio to the cost of the home was much more manageable than it is today. That's just simply a fact.

[Co-host 1]

No I like how you point that out is you had Duncan say that like, well, it feels like it doesn't feel like anything. And I know the math is saying

[Host]

one thing, but, well, to wit, older and younger boomers started buying homes under very different conditions, just as older and younger millennials did. That said, this is one area where millennials definitively have it harder than boomers. And they go into the cost of education. The cost that's a huge college in particular is shot up, which helps helped make student debt a ballooning line item on the millennial balance sheet.

[Co-host 1]

This is what I. So this Wall Street Journal article was great. And I'm so happy that they put this graphic and they went into this look at how insane the price of college has skyrocketed. Skyrocketed. I mean, it is insane. And what that does financially to this individual is you are entering your adult life saddled with a mind boggling amount of debt that will follow you no matter what. It's essentially you have a weight attached to your leg. This is a tremendous part of the problem that we're seeing in affordability. And this goes back to how colleges have ballooned in cost. Not because the education outcomes are getting better, not because they're preparing their graduates to earn an income that they can buy a house and have a family. They're adding administrators, they're adding all these ridiculous perks and classes to the curriculum, this left wing nonsense, because it's all part of that cash grab nexus.

[Co-host 2]

And then also think about you're coming out of college with all of this debt. And the competition in the labor market is far different than the boomers had at their time, frankly, because we live in a more globalized market, right, where more jobs have been outsourced. And so that competition, plus the fact we all carry around a computer in our damn pocket. And so you're never really out of the office. And so there are other stressors. I think a lot of young people and people in the millennial generation, Gen Z and younger people feel like it's like, man, we're in a real rat race and we're drowning in debt.

[Co-host 3]

Okay, well, I'm glad you brought up college. And far be it from me to accuse the Wall Street Journal of being anything less than comprehensive, but I'm looking at these graphs and I don't see anything about public sentiment. When the boomers were returning from Vietnam, which was around the time that they would have been in college or around college age, how were they treated when they came home? Terribly.

[Co-host 2]

Well, I would just throw

[Host]

absolute non sequitur.

[Co-host 1]

And there's a reason the boomers are called the greatest generation. Oh, my God. First of all, they're not so ridiculous.

[Co-host 2]

But this analysis mentioned the 2008 financial

[Co-host 3]

crisis blew right past the Vietnam line. Because he has no answer.

[Co-host 2]

No, no, I'm gonna. I'm gonna address.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, they gotta carry a fund,

[Co-host 1]

so I'm feeling kind of bad.

[Co-host 2]

I'm gonna address it. You know, there was this little thing called 911 where the millennial generation decided to serve. We have Lee Wolf back there, our executive producer, and Eddie P. Great point. And in five times as many millennials fought in the global war on terrorism than boomers fought in Vietnam.

[Host]

20 long years.

[Co-host 1]

And then the millennials in New York City elected Mamdani. So you know what?

[Co-host 2]

Those are the.

[Co-host 1]

Lots to be said about that, too.

[Co-host 2]

I don't want.

[Co-host 1]

And then the boomers went and they elected Donald Trump.

[Co-host 2]

So, I mean, here's the one thing. Here's.

[Co-host 1]

Here's.

[Co-host 2]

Here's. Here's the one thing I would. I would say on behalf of the millennial generation. I think they have it harder, but, like, we also got to suck it up, too.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Co-host 2]

And I. I think so much of this is, like, nobody owes you anything, but, like, it's cultural, man. It's people on Instagram wanting to live the life of everybody that's at Coachella right now, you know, And I also think, like. Like, people get kind of myopic about these things in media, in politics, because they live in the Acela corridor, and things are incredibly expensive here. They're incredibly expensive in New York. But you can make a damn good living in a lot of places across the country as a millennial. Don't give up hope, I guess, is

[Co-host 1]

what I would say. I think so. I've thought about this a lot. Is what leads to this ceaseless conflict that you see online.

[Co-host 2]

Envy.

[Co-host 1]

Envy. And I think a ton of it is that because you imagine what it was for the boomers when they were like, okay, what do I see as an incredible, glamorous life? You see Zeppelin Plant, and they're drinking beers and they're playing rock, and you're like, you know what? I can hang out with my buddies, and we can have some beers in the garage and pick the guitar, and that's it. But now what young people are subjected to on Instagram is like, day of my life on a yacht as an influencer. I wake up to a massage, and then a helicopter. Helicopter takes me to my yacht. And so like, that's. They're like, why don't I have that? You know what I mean? Like, yeah, like, in comparison, they are fed all day long and women are fed all day long. It's like, well, unless you have this lifestyle, you know, a matcha latte that's prepared first thing in the morning from your skyscraper as you have a view of the city, and then you have. You go on your shopping spree and I own 500 bags and here's my closet with them. When you're bombarded with that, your understanding is like, so why don't I have that? And I think that envy leads to this toxic cycle of if I don't have those things, it can't be because that's someone trying to make money and make other people envious of them. I see this as I must have had someone rob me. And who's responsible? Who's holding the wealth? The graphic right here, graphic 6 is just showing average household net worth in 20, $25. And this is what I think has led to a lot of anger and I'd say resentment towards the boomers is because you see writ large, the boomers end up with a higher household net worth. And a significant part of that is because they didn't enter their adult years saddle with a tremendous amount.

[Host]

Yeah, I agree with you.

[Co-host 1]

But also along the lines of envy is the yardstick for being successful or achieving the American dream of home ownership. Wasn't I have to have a five bedroom, 4,000 square foot house. If you look at the houses that were the first family homes that were bought by boomers, it was like a thousand square feet.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Two bedrooms. All the kids share a bedroom.

[Host]

Yeah. Oh, totally.

[Co-host 1]

Yeah.

[Host]

If you're a successful professional at the elder end of the millennial thing, and it takes a long time to save up for a house, no question about it. But your starter home looks a lot different totally than it did for the boomer generation.

[Co-host 1]

And also along those lines, the houses being built are to accommodate the demand out there now of boomers can buy houses, they've had a long, successful career, they've saved up, the stock market's done great. The ones who've saved for their retirement. And so they can go and they can buy a house and they see

[Host]

the one thing that I think is missing from this, that at least was my experience, I imagine most of yours is there's no graphic here on rent, because there's a huge discrepancy on when boomer generations actually purchase their first home. When millennials purchase their first homes. But in renting terms, you could get a one bedroom apartment for a can of pickles in the 80s. And now if you're living in a major metropolitan area in any real way, you're talking about at least the price of a mortgage, if not more, just to simply pay for somebody else's property.

[Co-host 2]

And then think about the tax treatment. You know, there's been some consternation here recently with it being tax day this week, that with this new, you know, no tax on Social Security, basically we just raise the standard deduction if you're over the age of 65 in this country.

[Host]

So if you're the same income, if

[Co-host 2]

you're a millennial and you're making $150,000 a year and you're over the age of 65 and you have the same income, you're going to net out like 3,000 more dollars just by simply being a boomer. Yeah, and that younger family has way more expenses, as we all know.

[Host]

See, I think in addition to everything, you guys did a great job of laying this out, but I think in addition to everything you were talking about, the envy, the differences and all of that, I think a big part of the angst that younger generations have is the fact that since 1990, we've been operating under boomer governance, where almost everything you get out of your political, whether it's policy or campaigns, is related to the most reliable demographic that votes, which is boomers. And so therefore, you get a discussion, do the big beautiful bill. A lot of great stuff in there, but included in it is what you just said.

[Co-host 2]

Well, I mean, look to the boomers out there who are very angry at me during this segment. God love you. I'm angry at me too sometimes. But when I was six years old, this country elected the first boomer president, Bill Clinton. I now have a six year old and we still have a boomer president.

[Host]

I just skipped through two generations.

[Co-host 2]

Okay, that's it.

[Host]

They will say, though, it's because we showed up and did our patriotic too. We cast ballots. You can count on us.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, look, and they're not wrong about that.

[Host]

They're not wrong.

[Co-host 2]

They're not wrong.

[Host]

They are not wrong. They've held political power in this country for three or four times longer than any generation before them.

[Co-host 2]

It has a palate cleanser here. I would just like to point out, generational warfare aside, and I do think millennials had it harder than boomers. I'm sorry, Boomers. We live in the United States of America.

[Host]

Yeah, Greatest Country.

[Co-host 2]

We all have it, actually. Pretty fucking great.

[Host]

You still have that opportunity, provided you don't vote Democrat, because they're working pretty hard to do. Take all that away in places like New York City, San Francisco. Good God.

[Co-host 1]

In Virginia.

[Host]

Well, now, Virginia. Yeah. Just a disaster. Well, but, you know, like, we like to lead these divisive debates. And the last time we did it, we got a lot of feedback where we had to make a T shirt.

[Co-host 1]

Yeah. I called on our merch team, which is Michael Duncan, to make a shirt called Think a Boomer. And it was a wonderful shirt. Even my mother has one. It's a wonderful shirt and it celebrates the greatest generation. Because what you've done enough. What we didn't bring up is when the boomers were young, the Soviet Union still exists.

[Host]

For real.

[Co-host 1]

The Soviet Union still exists. And we still have the threat. They grew up in the threat of nuclear war, brother. And they continued building this country into what it is today.

[Host]

Notable boomer, Ronald Reagan,

[Co-host 2]

everybody. The greatest generation. Yeah.

[Host]

No, I mean, but look, we like to host both sides of this debate. And there were some people who were sort of miffed about the thank a boomer thing. So we would like to provide, as we just did, both sides of the coin, both sides of the argument, but also both sides of the opportunity, if you will. And so can we pop up this graphic? You now have the opportunity to take your side here on the Ruthless Variety Program. We have a new merch. If you go to store. Ruthlesspodcast.com I'm telling you, these are going to go off the charts.

[Co-host 2]

Think a boomer and blame a boomer.

[Host]

This is how you register vote.

[Co-host 2]

They're going to be so mad at us.

[Host]

I know, but this is how you register your vote with the Ruthless Variety Program. You can tell us, do you blame a boomer or do you thank a boomer? And I'm telling you, my vote's for sale. I love it. I'm going to be very persuaded by who buys more T shirts. I'll just tell you. So that's an opportunity out there for all of you. And it leads to our question of the day, when you like and subscribe. By the way, thank you for everybody who's been listening and watching. I know we've had spring break, but we've got record numbers going on and people have been downloading this podcast and watching on YouTube and so thanks for all of that. But when you like and subscribe and please do that and suggest to your friends, because that's kind of the only way that other people get exposed to this. And our finding is when people hear it and have a fun time that we're talking about, they stick around. They, they stick around. They stick around. So, like subscribe and leave a comment to our question of the day, which is who had it worse, boomers or millennials? And then check out that merch while you're there. We're going to read all of them. We're going to get back to you next Tuesday on all of it. My sense fellows, this is going to be a lively online discussion.

[Co-host 3]

Can't wait.

[Co-host 1]

Looking forward to it.

[Host]

Cannot wait. All right, so transitioning here. We told you earlier, we're going to have Michelle to foy on. I'm a huge fan of this lady for so long, many reasons, not the least of which is she was a very successful person who has a career, family, incredible life and decided to get into the ring, something she didn't need to do when she saw a state, her state in trouble, Minnesota, and decided to become a Senate candidate. Because where I fell in love with Michelle Tafoya, as I know you guys all did, as a sideline sports commentator, one of the absolute best to ever do it at your NFL football game, Sunday Night Football, all of this stuff. And we saw her every week, loved every second about it. And just the opportunity to meet her. When we first talked to her, I was like, you know, very rarely do I get really super psyched about it. I was super psyched to meet her. So when she decided she was running for Senate, we said we had to come back and recall in graphic 3 this is part of a series that we're doing where we're going to interview all the candidates here in your respective states so you know who to cast the ballot for because you just don't get the kind of information and the ability to get to know a candidate like you do when they come talk to the Ruthless Variety program. So check out all of that.

[Co-host 1]

It's@ ruthlesspodcast.com map Yep, exactly.

[Host]

So now without further ado, Michele Tavoya. For over two decades, the Tunnels to Towers foundation has been there for our fallen and catastrophically injured first responders, military and Gold Star families born from the tragedy of 911 tunnel to towers provides mortgage free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and builds specifically adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. The foundation also offers scholarships for college trade school programs and for children of Gold Star families, fallen first responders and catastrophically injured veterans and Tunneled to Towers is committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America Never forget September 11th. To learn more about the foundation's mission and their impact and how you can support the Nation's heroes, visit t2t.org Listen, I'm really excited for this interview. You've heard her here before. But for all the reasons that I've been just taking to the face in Minnesota politics, well deserved if you look

[Co-host 3]

at what's happened in Minnesota.

[Host]

But I mean, it's been heart wrenching. I've held out this one beacon of light for as long as I possibly can. And she now joins us. Michelle Tafoya, how are you?

[Michelle Tafoya]

Hi. Thanks for having me. I know how you feel and I know how you feel and you're making us feel how we, we feel. But it's, it is deserved. It is.

[Host]

I hear he does have, you know, there's some Cincinnati sympathy with this in Midwestern town. Smug's really the problem. But, but you know, like, look, we've all watched what's happened here over the last couple of months. But, but being as somebody who's followed the news in Minnesota, you know, since I was born, this has been a trend that has happened since the Democratic Party has had the state of and they stop serving the people of Minnesota and the people that you grew up with, the well intentioned folks, there's another generation that have never known it any other way and they really haven't had the opportunity to cast a ballot for somebody who's thoughtful, competent, on the Republican side in a very, very long time. And when we talked to you last, I mean, you were just sort of felt like you needed to be heard, heard on a bunch of things because you were a notable national figure and you wanted to be a part of the conversation. Then all of a sudden when I heard you're interested in getting into the actual politics, I was like, oh, thank God, thank God there's somebody that's interested in doing this.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Thank you. I, you know, look, that was a big part of this, the understanding that not a lot of people are interested in doing this and there's a good reason for that. And both of you know the re there are multiple reasons, reasons. It's hard work, it's unforgiving. You will always have shots taken at you no matter what you do. Right. And some of them are miserable to take. But at the same time, I look at my kids who are now 20 and 17 and I think I want their life to be good. I want all our lives to be Good. I just want kids everywhere in Minnesota to be able to read. And we're not even providing that. Josh, you know this. Less than 50% of our kids can read at grade level.

[Co-host 3]

That is wild to me.

[Host]

This is a state in Minnesota who

[Michelle Tafoya]

prides itself on this, prides itself in education. And quick anecdote. I thought at one point a couple years ago, you know what I'll do? I'll give some time, I'll tutor kids to read. I just want to help kids out. Well, you kind of got to get cleared and go through these processes. So I was asked to sit on a 90 minute Zoom call to be trained. And what I was told was that I had all kinds of inherent biases, that I needed to make sure that when someone said salt and blank, I didn't say pepper because that would show my implicit biases. Just saying salt and pepper. Yeah. No, there's a whole list of those. I can go through them with you on the break.

[Host]

Salt and pepper.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah. No, salt and man. And you know, don't, don't say woman. No, I'm not kidding. And that, you know, you need to be able.

[Host]

Just sent you through the moon.

[Michelle Tafoya]

It's, it was one of those. I immediately, I got, I kept going through this zoom call going, it's for the kids, it's for the kids. You can do this. Just get through. All you want to do is teach a kid to read. And then it came the point with the salt and pepper stuff. I hit end and I got out of there.

[Host]

You're like, I gotta get, I gotta

[Michelle Tafoya]

get out of there. Yeah. Because these people are nuts, you know, and they're not, they don't care about the kids.

[Co-host 3]

Right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

They care about indoctrination. And, you know, this whole implicit bias, all this stuff, the activism that is going on in education. So education's a big one for me. But certainly the fraud and the leering centers in Minnesota were enough to set up.

[Host]

Well, I mean, in juxtaposition to the story that you just told, that's the most amazing part. Right? I mean, you would think, you'd like to think that if you're a state manager of something that help out kids, that you'd be like, I don't know, a four time nationally renowned sports journalist who's known to every person in this state who wants to sit down and help, maybe that would be something that we should facilitate.

[Co-host 3]

Sounds pretty good to me.

[Host]

It's like, nah, we'll just send another couple mil to the leering center, which is literally what we're talking about here.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And by the way, there wasn't really anyone at the Leering center, which was why no one leered.

[Host]

Right? No one knew.

[Michelle Tafoya]

No one leered. So yeah, there was just empty buildings. So the fraud was certainly. And it is still, as you might imagine, really, people are so angry when you drive out of your driveway and you, you land in 900 potholes in a row. And you think, so I paid taxes and I pay some of the most punitive taxes in America and it went to the Leering center and to these criminals. And I still have potholes and educations in the toilet. And what are we doing here? And this is Minnesota, you know, my husband born and raised, born in Wichita, but raised in Minnesota. Can't believe it.

[Host]

I mean, I feel the same way. I'm sure you do. It's tough because you grow up. I mean, first of all, people are the most generous, nice, thoughtful, well intentioned folks that you can come up with. But then you surround it with 20 years plus of governance that's just completely unfitting for any of the generosity that they've provided. And it just pollutes the whole environment, the whole thing.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And I was downtown in Minneapolis, which to me, when I first moved there, this was over 30, it was 33 years ago I moved there. So I've been there a long time and I remember thinking, gosh, because I'm originally from Southern California and LA is kind of a pit. And so I was thinking how nice this city is clean, these people are nice. We've got skyways. I feel safe down here. I'm by myself. I was in Minneapolis yesterday. It was a ghost town. Yeah, people just don't want to be down there. The buildings are empty, they're selling for pennies on the dollar. The real estate downtown, totally, it's. And businesses are frustrated. They're like, hang on a second. When I started my business 25, 30, 50 years ago, I had nine employees. Now I've got 9,000.

[Host]

But I'm the problem.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You're sending me out of here, you're taxing me to the hilt and you're telling me I'm greedy and I don't belong here. Fine, I'll go to Florida, I'll go to South Carolina, I'll go to Nashville, I'll go to Texas, I'll go to Arizona. And they all leave and we're losing all of this. Not only the wealth, but the philanthropy, the people, the spirit, the actual Minnesota flavor that built the state.

[Host]

Well, go ahead, John.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, well, you know, I was just gonna ask you, I mean, you mentioned education, you mentioned, obviously everybody's been paying attention to the fraud and you were talking about the people leaving the state, but it is a gigantic state. I know you're traveling all around and I wonder what is it that you're hearing most from people? Is it, is it the need for improvement in education? Is it like, you got to crack down on the fraud because we're sending these tax dollars. Here we are a couple days after tax day. You know, what are you hearing most?

[Michelle Tafoya]

Well, you hear the fraud first and foremost, but everyone's sort of like, yeah, okay, we all agree on that. Okay, now what's next? The boys and girls sports. As you may recall, a softball team won the state championship with a biological male as their pitcher. There are dads who are livid, there are moms who are livid. And yet just recently in St. Paul, they tried to pass legislation saying we have to have, go figure. Wow. Two divisions. The thing that we fought for with Title ix, Right? Yeah, we gotta have two divisions. In the Democrats to a person voted no, let's leave it. No, we can't have two division. We gotta let people play as they identify. I, you know, look, and what they do is they try to, they call you names, they call you transphobe and homophobe and all these things. It's like, no, that's not the issue. The issue is fairness and safety.

[Host]

Right.

[Co-host 2]

Period.

[Michelle Tafoya]

The end, you know, and protecting girls. What about the girls? And all these women's groups that they're there for, they're for women. Megan Rapinoe, where are you? You know, it's just insane. So that's there, the education and also I think immigration. Look, we're right there on the, on the northern border and we've seen, I think people are, are very attuned to the fact that the, so much of the fraud was the money was given to the Somali community. That's not xenophobic, that's in the paperwork. Right. That's fact. And so I think people are rightly concerned who are the hard working Minnesotans and who are the ones stealing from us?

[Host]

Yeah. And I mean, the big challenge in a new line of work that you've got now is to try to break that malaise that so many people who are just normal human beings, I'm not, I hesitate to say they're conservative, they're certainly not Republican, but they're just normal people who want to live their, their lives. And they look around, they're like, man, it's just not worth me being part of the process. And what you get in a midterm election is that dipped turnout with not a presidential drive. And so you've got to sort of re engage at a personal level on that. I imagine you've been basically everywhere in Minnesota, talk people directly about, hey man, grab a neighbor, like we can do

[Michelle Tafoya]

this this time because the margins really aren't that big.

[Host]

Yeah, they're not.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Some of these statewide race have been lost by 8,000 votes. And you consider that statewide that's a very small margin. So you're talking about going precinct to precinct. Can we get 10 more people in each precinct, whatever it may be? We also had, I think about 200,000 Republicans who sat out, did not vote in the last cycle. Where are you? So, yes, I finished pretty much every meeting or every stump speech with folks, we can win this. We can, can win this. And I would contend too, Josh, I think you would agree with this. There are a lot of independents in Minnesota that I think will come over. And I even know a few Democrats who are ready to break ranks and come over. Well, that's great to hear because they're tired of this.

[Host]

Well, not only that, but you're a reasonable individual. It's me much harder to sort of frame up a case against Michelle Tafoya that she's some psychopath that you just so happen to know for the last 30 years and see seem perfectly reasonable to you on a day to day basis. You know, and now she's part of your community and talking about the things that you care about. And then you can see, you know, at least if not in the Star Tribune because they don't print this stuff, but you can see in the national news you got some problems going on and they're fixable problems.

[Michelle Tafoya]

They are.

[Host]

And, and this is the kind of environment that you engage in.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, yeah. These are fixable. I, I see any and all problems as fixable. And it's interesting too. We know, as you just said, we've got a media narrative that is telling people one thing, but I go out and I talk to so many voters, whether it's right there in the cities or in greater Minnesota, who say, what I see on the news doesn't represent who I am as a Minnesotan. And they feel as though they're again being sort of pushed to the sides and that they don't matter. So again, it comes back to you've got to believe and you've got to want to matter because we're gonna Lose this state if we don't fix stuff. And it starts with the governor's race all the way down. Look, I'm running against Peggy Flanagan, who's our lieutenant governor, who is as left as you can. Just crazy, you know, and then. And then Angie Craig, who's a congresswoman, who is one of those who very much like Abigail Spamberger, likes to present as middle of the road. There's no such thing in Minnesota. So she's not.

[Host]

And of course, like the establishment that is. They're like, we love the Spam burger model. That's. That's what we want. We want them.

[Co-host 3]

And then get what you want.

[Michelle Tafoya]

We're reasonable.

[Host]

And then they're mamdani the day that they're inaugurated. Right. I mean, that's it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You kind of hope that those serve as examples for what could. What could possibly go wrong if we nominate or elect a reasonable middle of the road Democrat. Well, the thing is, they're not.

[Host]

They're not.

[Michelle Tafoya]

They're just not anymore. And so, because in that Democrat side of the. The primary, and you've got this Peggy Flanagan, who's. I'll let you use the words.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Extremely left. And then you've got a career politician in Angie Craig who has gotten booed at some of her own conventions by Democrats, of course.

[Host]

Yeah. No, because she doesn't say the thing that they want her to say.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So. But now she's starting to. And she's starting to tack to the left because that's who she's got to compete with and that's who she's got to try to bring out.

[Host]

So it's got to be kind of fun to watch this.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Well, you know, let them have at it.

[Host]

They. They eat their own. No question about it. But there isn't a dime's worth of difference between the two in terms of what they would do when they're up here. The only difference is that there is a touch of intellectual honesty out of Peggy Flanagan. Whereas Angie Craig's gonna do the same darn thing.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right, Right. She's gonna just look you in the face and tell you that I am for all of these normal things. And then you find out the hard way that she's not. Whereas, yes, Peggy Flanagan shows you every day. One of the most famous things is her dressing up in a hijab and being flanked by two of our Somali neighbors and saying, somalis built Minnesota.

[Host]

Yeah, that's going to come as a lot of news to my people. We did. I don't. I don't Remember? I mean, we were. I was there before. They were like, so were a lot of people. Like, there was stuff.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah, there was stuff got built.

[Co-host 3]

I thought ice hockey was a big deal. Realize that's playing second fiddle.

[Host]

Relatives of Bud Grant are really rolling your eyes over that, right? I mean, can we talk sports for a second?

[Co-host 1]

Sure.

[Michelle Tafoya]

My voice went really cranky on that. Maybe. I'm really excited to talk sports for a second.

[Host]

I imagine you are, because, look, you're surrounded by all this stuff. You're doing a great job, and we're going to talk more about it here in a second. But sports, sports, look. Minnesota big. Vikestown.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes.

[Host]

Windsor now doing well. You know, I grew up with two World Series titles, and so we're. Was a soft spot for the Twins. Although the ownership situation's been a little shaky. I'm not going to ask you to weigh in on anything that Timberwolves in the playoffs. It's working well. You look at the landscape of sports from. You're really sort of a pioneer in the coverage of sports and particularly women journalists and whatnot. And you just look at the whole situation that we've been exposed to over the last couple of weeks. And I know Johnny brought this up with the Diana Rossini. And we had a conversation before you came in where we were like, man, I can't even imagine Michelle, in the era of Michelle Tafoya having this discussion at all. Do you have any reaction to that?

[Michelle Tafoya]

The landscape has changed a little bit. I think the closest that I ever came to being in a similar situation

[Host]

was, yes, this is good. I didn't mean to go this route, but.

[Michelle Tafoya]

All right, you go to the NFL owner's meetings. Right. And they're at a resort. I just wouldn't. I was. I wasn't wearing a bathing suit.

[Host]

You're a journalist, you mean.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I was covering the stuff. And if I was gonna put on a swimsuit, I went off with my husband on some corner of the beach.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So I don't know Diana Rossini. I know Mike Vrabel. I covered him as a player. I've covered him as a coach, and I like Mike. I think, you know, it's hard to just look at these snapshots that I'm sure people have seen that look pretty, pretty close. Right? The holding hands kind of thing. And it's hard to look at that and say, I could never have found myself in that position. I don't think. Now, look, I hugged coaches. Andy Reid was someone who looked after me and kind of hugged me. Now and then. And how you doing, kid?

[Host]

And a good working relationship. We know because we were on the political side where we had friends that were reporters. I give hugs to people who cover what it is that we. But it's a. There's a professional boundary, there's a distance,

[Michelle Tafoya]

there's a shug or, you know, or. So I. I was willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt here. Maybe these are just really snapshots that were taken out of context. Okay, let me be fair about this. At the same time, like I said, it's just not the way that I would cover a coach is to go lay in a. Like a B on a Chase lounge in the water next to him.

[Host]

It's not the perfect spot to me.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I get my best interviews done when we're sitting across a table or something and I've got a pad of paper

[Host]

in my hands and I'm taking notes,

[Michelle Tafoya]

and then I put my pencil down when it's off the record, and then I pick my pencil back up again. So that's not the way that I would work. And I really hesitate to come off judgmentally. But she has resigned now from the Athletic. And so it does make you wonder if there was more to this that the New York Times, who owns the Athletic, saw that there was more to this story. I don't know for sure. I wasn't there, but it's just not the way I would have conducted this.

[Co-host 3]

You know, it's not just sports journalism. This is running through the ringer this week. We are talking on the heels of this big Eric Swalwell story and a lot of criticism being levied at political journalists for overlooking that story for a number of years. I know you've worked in the business for a very long time, and I just wonder if you think it's fixable. Do you think there's a path back to normal journalism as we sort of

[Michelle Tafoya]

grew up with, you know what? I'm playing ping pong in my mind of what that would look like. Can we go there or are we stuck here? And unfortunately, with the clickbait and the way that people generally eat up the news. And this is a tale as old as time, right? With the pamphlets back at the Revelation, Evolution and you. The. The more kind of fiery you wrote things, the better. That caught people's attention. I don't know if it's fixable. I would like to think that we can fix. We can say, hey, if you're in Congress, right? How about you? How about you? Don't touch Your people.

[Co-host 3]

There are some basics.

[Michelle Tafoya]

How about you just don't sexually harass people, you know, just don't.

[Host]

And, and if you be careful with the attachment on the text message.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So. And listen, we've known of players in the NFL who've gotten caught in those things. Part of it is just, it's humanity. And we have these players in humanity.

[Host]

Right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

These people who choose these lanes or can't control themselves and find themselves in these lanes. And then everyone goes, oh, all athletes are bad or all congressmen are bad.

[Host]

That's exactly right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And that's not right.

[Co-host 3]

And I'll get made fun of for this. Or saying all journalists are bad because there are plenty of people out there still trying to do an honest day.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Absolutely. And I know a bunch of them.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And we, you know, they don't. We don't want to be misrepresented. But that's why I've always been about, let's look at the individual and how they're doing. But in terms of, you know, just the media in general and what people are going to. I am encouraged that a guy like Nick Shirley can saunter into Minnesota with

[Host]

an iPhone and his dad, new opportunity

[Michelle Tafoya]

and break out this story that was there. Actually there. It was there. There's a guy named Bill Glahn with the center for the American Experiment, a think tank in Minnesota, who had done tons of work on this. Right.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, we talked to him, but.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So, right. You know, but he worked for the center for the American Experiment.

[Host]

They're like, oh, it's that right wing thing.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yes. And he's a, he's a guy who's, you know, conservative. So that we don't pay attention. Some 21 year old with an iPhone shows up and suddenly it is worldwide news.

[Host]

Yes.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So those opportunities, I think, are encouraging. Like, people want to know the truth. Yeah, they really do want to know the truth. So it's going to come from some interesting places, I'm afraid. I don't think media will ever look like it looked when we were growing up.

[Host]

Yeah, I'm afraid you're right about that. It's a shame because it was, it was fun while it lasted.

[Michelle Tafoya]

It's nice while it lasts.

[Host]

It was nice. All right, so. So look, you're traveling around the state. This is a new line of work. You're talking to people. Like I said, I do think your normalcy is something that we haven't had in the Republican Party in Minnesota in a long time and that you can sit across the table from virtually Anybody. I don't care if you're in.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And I'm willing to. Yeah.

[Host]

North Minneapolis or Minnetonka or up north in International Falls, you have things that you can relate to. I think the whole thing is about whether we can get everybody off the bench to believe again, because it has really been. I mean, the last Senate seat we won was 2002. I know, right? I mean, that's like a demoralizing thing if you're right. A Senate, you know, it's like, man, how many rug pulls can I get? But I genuinely believe that this is the first opportunity that we've had since 2002.

[Michelle Tafoya]

There are signs, too. Are you guys into signs?

[Host]

We love signs.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Okay, here's one sign. The Indiana Hoosiers won a college football national championship for the first time ever in 2026. A friend of mine who swore, swore, swore he would never get married again is getting married. We won both gold medals in hockey.

[Host]

Yes.

[Michelle Tafoya]

The first woman figure skater to win gold in how many years? A couple decades. There are signs.

[Host]

There are signs.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I don't know. You know, in all serious seriousness, it is about getting people off the couch.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Michelle Tafoya]

If Minnesotans aren't motivated now, I don't know when they ever will.

[Co-host 3]

That's a great point.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, I mean, seriously, from businesses to people who've lived there for generations who don't want to leave, but they gotta believe it's worth fighting for. And they gotta go to michelletafoya.com yes. And volunteer. You know, we'll take people in and join our team because we can win this.

[Host]

Well, this is the beauty about the Senate. Right. It's six year terms, and so you've got three different classes that are built out. So not every state has got a Senate race every two years. I mean, you've got two thirds of the map that doesn't.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Right.

[Host]

And there's a way to help out. And what I would say to our listeners, and I genuinely mean this, is you don't want any state in the union to have to go through what Minnesota's gone through over the last 20 years. Really. But really, in the last four months, everybody has become aware of it. And there is a way to fix it, because it is a huge part of every state in our union. It's a huge part of our country. But if you want to fix it, if you feel like that is the way to go, you got to go help Michelle Tafoya. You just absolutely have to do it, because there is no message. There's a big One on Tuesday in Virginia with this redistricting thing. But after we get through that, I can't imagine a better brush packed pitch to the progressive left than taking Minnesota back.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I can't either. And listen, if people in Minnesota really want change, they want improvement, they want schools to be better, they want all these things to improve again and to be proud of their state and happy there again and safe. Yeah, don't look to the same politicians who got us into this crap in the first place. These Democrats have had run of the show and they are just nothing right now but resistance and more of the same and worse. We have people saying, you know, car registration just we can quintuple that price. It's already one of the highest in the country and they want to just keep taxing you more and more. That's not gonna fix the problem.

[Host]

Totally.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That is not gonna fix the problem. You need outsiders who can think and who have world experience. And I've got a lot more than people realize. It goes well beyond the football field. I have traveled all over the world. I have a master's in business. I have an undergrad degree from Cal, which I sent back because they weren't allowing speakers that were conservative. There are things to my background that have built me for this. Not the least of which is dealing with an angry Bill Belichick at halftime.

[Host]

Yeah, I mean, so you know that

[Michelle Tafoya]

that's a tough deal.

[Host]

You can stare down anybody after you get that done.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You go through that for enough years and you are strong like ox. So that's the thing. We can't just keep going back to voting for these people because you feel safe. You can't feel safe right now in Minnesota.

[Host]

No, I think it's very well said. Last point. This is Minnesota is well renowned. Part of the reason we've had no success at a general election level. Trouble is because of a very quirky primary process. Of course you're going through all that right now. I was telling Michelle before we started the last primary, they have these conventions in Minnesota. The last one I went to was in 2002 where Tim Pawlenty, two term governor ran for president. Sort of like, you know, everybody loves Tim Pawlenty in Minnesota was so controversial. Took 21 ballots for the Republican party to nominate. Right. And so like we can't get out of our own way on that front to actually get candidates who can have an estate wide appeal, which has been my great frustration forever. I know you're going through all of that, but I know you're just Going to run as hard as you possibly can on both sides. And you've got, look, I've watched your stuff save. Act like you're checking every credential on the conservative side of this stuff. Tell me about how that's going.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I mean, it's going really well. Look, it's amazing to go into a room of people and one is coming to mind because it was in this one room of a pizza parlor. And I went in there and I really just like to have people ask questions. I want to have face to face, one on one conversations. And a gentleman sitting to the side, can picture it, raised his hand and he said, I want to thank you for running. This is the first time. And I'm not kidding. He started to weep. He said, I haven't felt like we've had a Republican who's really going to fight for me. And I have all these kids and grandchildren that I'm worried. And he was like crying and I went over and I hugged him. And there is an element of Minnesota that so desperately wants to fix it. So, yes, we are putting our head down. We are fighting. Our fundraising numbers were great first quarter. Great work.

[Host]

Great work.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, $2.2 million more than all of the other Republican candidates combined, more than Peggy Flanagan. And so we feel very strong that there are people who want to help and you know, which donations I love the ones where you're going through and it's 35 cents or 50 cents or someone comes up to me at an event and hands me a five dollar bill.

[Host]

You're like, I believe in you.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah. And you just want to hug them. That's like, like that's. They're showing you that they just want to give whatever they can give.

[Host]

Totally.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know, so we feel good. We're just going to keep. We're working like crazy, man. I've never worked so hard in my life and. But I love it.

[Host]

That's great. I can see it. I can see it. You are definitely committed. And you know, you kind of have to be in that line of work, get exposed pretty quickly if you're not.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's right.

[Host]

I understand you brought something.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I brought somebody. I have to say, you folks, folks are genius. You have managed to make it a thing so that all your. Now bring them over here. Bring them over here so that all of your guests bring you presents. I mean, I don't.

[Host]

It's very. It was well cultivated over a series of years that we had to, you know, sort of talk this through.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I'll try to do this quickly because I brought quite a few. Heritage Gear is a company. These are all made in Minnesota.

[Co-host 2]

Okay.

[Host]

All right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Heritage Gear makes bags and keychains and stuff. And so what I brought you folks, look at.

[Co-host 3]

We got a.

[Host]

This a largess. Oh, you kidding me? No way.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Broncos. That's for smog, right? Did you get the Viking one yet? Is it in? Don't worry, it's in here somewhere.

[Co-host 2]

I'm sure.

[Host]

Oh, my gosh.

[Co-host 1]

I. I can't believe.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Oh, here it is. Here's yours.

[Host]

Fellas are going to be thrilled by this. Look at this.

[Michelle Tafoya]

That's just the beginning. But wait, there's more. Okay.

[Host]

Okay.

[Michelle Tafoya]

There's another company in Minnesota called WSI Sports. This is cool. They make all the cold weather gear for like, the NFL and Major League Baseball team.

[Co-host 3]

Oh, do they really?

[Michelle Tafoya]

So I had a game that I was doing a seven below a kickoff, so they helped me with gear.

[Host]

Yeah. So you've known these people for a while.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Known them for a while. Minnesota, they created for Tom Brady his hand warmer thing that he wore during NFL games.

[Co-host 3]

Really?

[Michelle Tafoya]

And so.

[Host]

This is incredible. You have any idea what you've done to our camaraderie here in football season? This is gonna be.

[Michelle Tafoya]

They also made these shirts. There's Vikings, there's Colts. Thank you. WSI Sports is Minnesota. There's Bengals.

[Co-host 3]

Michael, you've missed out.

[Co-host 2]

Here he comes.

[Host]

He showed out.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Now he comes in.

[Co-host 2]

I'm really sorry I missed the interview.

[Host]

Oh, my God.

[Co-host 2]

I heard Colts and I had to come in. Look at that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

And here's your. Here's your cold shirt. I mean, look at this. And here's your.

[Co-host 3]

Your.

[Michelle Tafoya]

This is unbelievable.

[Host]

So we've had gifts, but not like this. Yeah, like this. You know, the.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Then I would have been stupid to come without bourbon. So there's also a bourbon that's made in Minnesota.

[Host]

This is a 10 of 10 deal. This is a 10 of 10 deal. I mean, look at this.

[Co-host 2]

This is showmanship.

[Host]

The showmanship.

[Michelle Tafoya]

You know what? Packaging had to pack it in the luggage because you can't carry it on the plane.

[Host]

So you actually had to take this on the.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I. I checked it.

[Host]

Oh, my Lord. Jake Harver. This is fantastic. Made in Minnesota, handcrafted in Minnesota. Okay. Sourced corn, which we. Everybody knows is the best corn.

[Co-host 3]

Oh, I believe it.

[Host]

Everybody knows it.

[Co-host 3]

I believe it.

[Host]

We've all settled on that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I also have warm socks for you too.

[Host]

But obviously out in the Wilmer area, I got family. We just out in Wilmer doing the corn thing.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I'm going to be curious to hear how you like that.

[Host]

I'm going to try it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I'm heard it's very good. I don't.

[Host]

Can't wait. If you stick around a little bit, you can watch.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Watch. You guys just knock it back.

[Co-host 2]

You are the best.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So there you go.

[Host]

All right.

[Michelle Tafoya]

So. So Tom Brady loves those swears by them and they are the company that provided them directly for Tom. So there you go. WSI Sports.

[Host]

It is a soft under is. I mean get out, take care of those delicate hands. And it feels like this. This is the right way to do that.

[Michelle Tafoya]

There you go.

[Co-host 3]

This one says super bowl on the back.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Does it now?

[Host]

She's running to Minnesota, pal. You gotta keep it. You gotta keep it. This is so awesome. You are the best.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Oh, I was so fun to shop for you.

[Host]

Oh, it's just. It's great. It's so nice to see you.

[Michelle Tafoya]

It's great to see you.

[Host]

Like I said, I have all my hopes and dreams involved in this race. If people around the country want to help out.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Oh, I'd love any help. Michelletafoya.com all one term. There's one L and Michelle but I bet if you spell it with two it'll get you there event you'll find it. Michelletafoya.com yeah, we would love. Look, we're keeping our pedal to the metal as far as fundraising goes and volunteer whatever anyone wants to do to help. We gotta keep the Senate, man. And this is a seat we can win even in this down year because Minnesota voters, even though you gotta work to get em off the couch, they vote.

[Host]

They can do it.

[Michelle Tafoya]

They can do. We can do this.

[Host]

We can do this. Michelle Tafoy, everybody go to that website, check it out. I cannot stress it enough. If you do one thing for me. Help this lady out. Help this lady out. Thank you.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Thank you for coming in. I loved every minute of it. Thanks.

[Host]

Great to see you.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Great to see you. Great to see you. Just in time for the gift.

[Host]

He's just here for the gifts.

[Michelle Tafoya]

I know we're all here for Smug too, so.

[Co-host 3]

Well, she's obviously a very, very talented candidate. Super familiar with competition at the highest level and I think she brings a unique perspective to the race, background in journalism and everything else. And I'm very excited to see what she does in Minnesota and I'm very

[Co-host 2]

excited for all that merch.

[Host]

I mean, I don't think we've ever been inundated with such a.

[Co-host 2]

What tribute.

[Host]

What? Such a tribute even brought you stuff.

[Co-host 1]

Yeah, I mean, I was already ready to endorse again.

[Host]

Very much for sale.

[Michelle Tafoya]

Yeah.

[Host]

But that was pretty good Broncos gear, especially that keychain.

[Co-host 1]

And like Holmes said, tremendous candidate, very gifted person. And I think Minnesota could really use that dose of common sense.

[Host]

I think that's. And one of the three lines that we are attempting to ferret out for all of you. But I really think in places that are more difficult to win, like Minnesota, where we haven't had a lot of success, what translates here in terms of what your reaction is to the conversation that we just have with these candidates matters. If you like this person, chances are people will like this person. Minnesota is not a place where you can roll in and just be an ideological asshole. I love that. I wish we had all of that within a Senate Republican conference because I'm a pretty conservative guy, as all of you and probably most of you listening. But you have to have candidates that mix and match with an electorate where they know they can sit with you, reason with you, and they're just intellectually curious human beings. And that's what she is. And it has been an awfully long time since Minnesota has fielded anything like that in a statewide election. So, you know, we'll see. Tough state.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, it is. And you know, we've been talking ad nauseam about how there's no such thing as a moderate Democrat. These Democrats running for office all over the country, including in Minnesota, are absolute radicals. But you know what? There are an awful lot of regular Democrats out there who aren't famous people who are just voters who dislike that side of their party as much as anybody else. And I do think that some of them could be open for business. I mean, it's a great way to put a check and balance on the lunatics that have taken over their party by voting for somebody like Michelle to Foya, who's there for everybody.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah. No question about it. So we got a little something for everybody. Remember our question of the day? When you like and subscribe to the ruthless variety program, you can respond. And when you do, we read every single one of them. And you're going to get all over this one. Our question is, who had it worse, Boomers or millennials? Get on there and give us your thoughts. Give us a little twist. Like just try to be. I mean, you know what? It's just. There's gonna be some hot anger.

[Co-host 3]

I want to do it.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, I like it.

[Host]

Yeah. Yeah. So anyway, do your worst on all of that, like, and subscribe to the channel and check out that merch. Check out those T shirts with that. Fellas, it's been a hell of a week. I think we did it.

[Co-host 1]

I think so. Absolute banger of an episode. Gentlemen, thank you so much to our guest, Michelle Tafoy, and thank you to listeners. Remember, if you have not yet, go to the YouTube and hit that subscribe because it's more fun and video. So until next time, minions, keep the faith, hold the line, and own the lids. We'll see you on Tuesday. Stay ruthless,

[Host]

Sam.