The Karol Markowicz Show: Lessons on Reading, Resilience, and Real Life with Mary Katharine Ham

Summary

---

The Karol Markowicz Show: Lessons on Reading, Resilience, and Real Life with Mary Katharine Ham

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Carol Markowicz
Guest: Mary Katharine Ham

---

Overview

This episode marks the two-year anniversary of The Karol Markowicz Show. Carol welcomes her friend, Fox News contributor, and podcast cohost Mary Katharine Ham for a candid, substantive conversation about reading, resilience, parenting, and navigating personal tragedy. Carol introduces new "three questions" for her third-year guests, with Mary Katharine as the inaugural respondent. The episode’s tone is open, reflective, and at times humorous, with both women sharing personal anecdotes and insights.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Concerns About Literacy and the Impact of Education Policy ([03:49])

Mary Katharine’s Worry:
Mary Katharine identifies declining literacy, particularly among younger generations, as her prime concern.

• Why it matters:
  She links a decrease in reading skills and attention spans to broader social issues, referencing the negative impact of poor reading curricula and the pandemic-era school shutdowns.
• Systemic Problem:
  “People can't read good. They really can't read good. That is a concern that I have... the loss of inability to concentrate on reading, the scam about the way kids were taught to read for about 20 years...” (Mary Katharine Ham, 03:49)
• Positive Examples:
  She cites states like Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana for returning to phonics-based methods, urging wider adoption of these programs.

Carol’s Observation:
Carol relates this concern to her personal experience with her children’s education, noting differences in learning to read before and after pandemic disruptions.

• "My older two kids learned to read... My youngest one didn't do that. And it was a real tough road to get him back to where he needed to be." (Carol Markowicz, 05:00)

AI and Literacy:
Both agree the rise of tools like ChatGPT doesn’t diminish the need for strong reading comprehension; in fact, people who can process and communicate information will "eat the lunch" of those who can’t.

---

2. Advice to Their 16-Year-Old Selves ([06:31])

Mary Katharine’s Advice:
She provides heartfelt, lighthearted (yet earnest) tips:

• “Do not pluck your eyebrows.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 06:55)
• “Your mother is lovely and nice. Why are you being mean to her?” (Mary Katharine Ham, 07:26)
  She reflects on her adolescent behavior and only fully appreciates her mother’s support as an adult.
• "Your dad's right about basically everything." (Mary Katharine Ham, 08:11)

Parenting & Empathy:

• They discuss generational cycles, acknowledging both have been “mean teens” and noting the irony of parenting daughters who may (or may not) treat them the same.

---

3. Perseverance Through Personal Tragedy ([10:04])

Mary Katharine’s Pride:
She discusses her greatest point of pride: living with resilience after her husband’s sudden death while pregnant with their second child.

• “...when really bad things happened to me, I was able to persevere and raise my children with a smile on my face most of the time and to give them a good, stable household.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 10:04)
• She walks listeners through her emotional journey, highlighting moments of fear, grief, and determination to not “be a sad trombone in every room” (11:34), a line Carol remembers vividly.

Impact on Others:
Carol shares that Mary Katharine’s open faith and visibility have given her greater freedom to express her own religious beliefs.

• “You talking about your faith and living it so openly definitely had an effect on me... I talk about God more often because of you.” (Carol Markowitz, 12:04)

Faith and Meaning:
Mary Katharine explains that her faith became non-negotiable after loss and helped her make sense of her tragedy, giving her the strength to move forward.

• “I really felt that he [God] was with me and that promises were kept and that made all the difference.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 13:16)

---

4. Five-Year Prediction ([18:12])

American Exceptionalism & Fiscal Concerns:
Mary Katharine’s forecast is sobering:

• “In the next five years we will come nowhere close to figuring out our fiscal issues and that will mean really bad things.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 18:41)
• She critiques complacency among both parties regarding deficit spending, warning, “eventually, like there just isn’t more fake money. Like eventually you hit a wall.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 19:09)

Carol’s Perspective:
Carol underscores the lack of political will to address spending, noting it’s become the GOP’s “climate change”—constantly warned about, never solved.

• “The spending issue on the right is like climate change on the left. We keep saying it’s going to be doom but it never actually happens.” (Carol Markowitz, 20:05)

Policy Frustrations:
Discussion continues around failed attempts at entitlement reform, and apprehension that missed opportunities today will cost future generations.

---

5. Best Life Tips ([22:50])

Mary Katharine’s Tips:

• For Parents:
  “Read books with your kids … I will read to them and they will read to me. I did it every day... That foundation built their skills for everything else. Plus, it’s a lot of fun.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 22:50)

• She shares that reading challenging or advanced books sparks fun conversations and helps kids learn—her daughters, at 12 and 9, are making jokes about “foreshadowing” in Pride and Prejudice.

• For Everyone:
  “Read stuff and do stuff that is not connected to your phone. And I’m telling myself the same thing.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 24:07)

  • She stresses the importance of analog reading—books, longarticles, the classics—in a digital age.

Carol’s Reflection:
Carol recalls Mary Katharine’s earlier advice:

• “Put one foot in front of the other when you’re going through hard times. And that could just mean literally taking a walk... Surround yourself with parents who enjoy their children...” (Carol Markowitz, 24:13)

---

Notable Quotes

• “People can't read good. They really can't read good. That is a concern that I have...” (Mary Katharine Ham, 03:49)
• “The whole reliance on AI...people who can process information...will be the ones leading the way.” (Carol Markowitz, 05:00)
• “Reading is fundamental, as they used to say in the 80s and everything builds off of it.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 06:07)
• “Do not pluck your eyebrows.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 06:55)
• “Your mother is lovely and nice. Why are you being mean to her?” (Mary Katharine Ham, 07:26)
• “I would not live scared and I would not be a sad trombone in every room I walked in.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 11:34)
• “You talking about your faith and living it so openly definitely had an effect on me... I talk about God more often because of you.” (Carol Markowitz, 12:04)
• “In the next five years we will come nowhere close to figuring out our fiscal issues and that will mean really bad things.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 18:41)
• “Read books with your kids... Read stuff and do stuff that is not connected to your phone.” (Mary Katharine Ham, 22:50 & 24:07)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:49] — Literacy crisis and pandemic’s educational fallout
• [06:31] — Advice to 16-year-old selves: lighthearted and serious
• [10:04] — Personal tragedy, resilience, and faith
• [13:32] — Public expression of faith and its ripple effects
• [18:12] — Five-year prediction: fiscal reckoning ahead
• [22:50] — Best life tip: Read with your kids, unplug, choose analog challenges

---

Final Thoughts

Mary Katharine Ham’s appearance covers more than just headline topics—she and Carol offer personal, actionable wisdom on reading, parenting, resilience, and the value of community and faith. Their conversation is conversational yet substantive, full of useful takeaways as well as reminders of what really builds a good, meaningful life.

A must-listen (or read!) for anyone interested in real-life advice on fortifying oneself and one’s children for the challenges of the modern world.

Transcript

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Tristan Redman]

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[Tristan Redman]

Tristan Redman in London and this is the Global Story.

[Asma Khalid]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Tristan Redman]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mario Lopez]

Hey, what's up?

It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions. With Whether you're a parent, teacher, coach or neighbor, check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to [e-mail] blue campaign.

This October you can earn up to 2% back when you deposit $1,000 or more on Kraken, the crypto platform with over 400 assets to buy and trade. The bonus is uncapped, so if you deposit $50,000, you could earn up to $1,000 back. Download the Kraken app in the App Store or Google Play and deposit by October 31st. Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves risk of loss and is offered to US Customers through Payword Interactive Incorporated. Terms apply.

Mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless, and if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should 1. It's $15 a month.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

2.

[Mario Lopez]

Seriously, it's 15 dol $15 a month 3. No big contracts.

[Carol Markowitz]

4.

[Mario Lopez]

I use it. 5. My mom uses it.

[Carol Markowitz]

Are you.

[Mario Lopez]

Are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a try. @mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of 45 for.

[Asma Khalid]

Three month plan 15 per month equivalent required New customer offer first three months only, then full price plan options available.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com when you wanna grow your list size Pop up like it's hot Pop up like it's hot Pop up like it's hot and when you gotta boost your revenue Pop up like it's hot Pop up like it's hot Pop up like it's hot Pick your favorite template you can tailor to your brand. They're mailchimp erific. You're gonna be a fan mailchimp your.

[Mailchimp Advertiser]

Marketing with our new customizable pop ups.

[Carol Markowitz]

Hi, and welcome back to the Carol Markowitz show on iheartra. My guest today is Mary Kathryn Hamm, Fox News contributor and my co host at the normally podcast, also right here on iHeart. Hi, Mary Katherine. How are you doing?

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I am doing pretty good.

[Carol Markowitz]

I feel like you and I talk sometimes, you know, now and then. No, we're sometimes on the air together. This episode marks two years of the Carol Markowitz show. And I do this thing on the Carol Markowitz show where I ask my guests a set of three questions. And I wanted to bring you on to ask you the three questions from my second year and to be the first person to answer the three questions. Actually, it's just two new questions. One stays the same into my third year. I should also note that you were on in my first year. So you answered my first set of three questions when I used to ask what's our largest cultural or social problem? And also, do you feel like you've made it those two you've already covered. So let's get into it. My first question in my second year was what do you worry about?

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

What do I worry about? I would say recently, but I would say in the past couple of years, the thing that I've started to worry about a lot is that people can't read good. They really can't read good. That is a concern that I have and I, I'm being silly about it, but it is very serious. And this is something that you and I sort of on a gut level recognized about the school shutdowns could be a problem in the future. But I think the sort of loss of inability to concentrate on reading, the sort of scam about the way that kids were taught to read for about 20 years, that we have to work out of the system now and then get them back on phonics, which thankfully has happened in places like Mississippi and Alabama and Tennessee and everyone should, in Louisiana as well. Everyone should take note and run with those plans. But I do think there's a real gap in there where a lot of people weren't learning to read and beyond reading, not building that skill, not building attention span, not building critical thinking skills. And then that's why you get people in your mentions just totally misunderstanding everything you say.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. And I think that there's this feeling among people that they don't need it anymore, that you don't need to learn how to be a strong reader anymore, that ChatGPT will just do it for you. But I still think the people who are able to read text and understand, understand what they've read and repeat it back and make it, put it in layman's terms or any of that is going to defeat chatgpt any day of the week. They're going to eat the lunch of people who can't do that. In fact, I think that the whole reliance on AI, it's going to be people who can process information, who will be the ones leading the way with AI. And I think that this idea that we don't need to read and reading is kind of something they did in the old fashioned days is silly and ridiculous. And I fully agree with you. We saw this coming. We knew that the closures of the schools were going to be problematic in a lot of ways. And look, I saw it in my own kids. My older two kids learned to read. They didn't even care what the memorization techniques were at school. My youngest one didn't do that. And it was a real tough road to get him back to where he needed to be.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Yeah, and it's just like reading is fundamental, as they used to say in the 80s and everything builds off of it. And even, even other seemingly unrelated subjects. There are studies that show that these correlate. If you're building your reading skills, you're building a bunch of other skills that help you to build everything in your life. So I do worry about losing that and I hope we get back on track.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. Well, my second question is, what advice would you give your 16 year old self yet?

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Let's see, 16 year old self. I don't, I don't have a ton of regrets in life, so I don't know if there's any, any part of my past that I would change in major ways, but I would tell my 16 year old self this and she probably would not listen. Oh, wait, no. Two things. Two things.

[Carol Markowitz]

All right, two things.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

One, do not pluck your eyebrows.

[Carol Markowitz]

You had such a great article about that. I think it was in the Federalist maybe. Yeah, I remember sending that to my daughter and being like, don't pluck your eyebrows.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

It was an open letter to my eyebrows. And I have to say that now I, I must live through the humiliation of an envy of watching my exact perfect brows grow on my daughter's face.

[Carol Markowitz]

Oh yes, totally.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

And I go, had those and I spurned them. Okay, so that's number two. And I also probably wouldn't listen to this and I guess that's just part of growing up. But Mary Catherine, your mother is Lovely and nice. Why are you being mean to her?

[Carol Markowitz]

Your mother is lovely and nice. She's a really nice lady.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Yeah. And your. Your whole life, you're going to learn just how nice she is. Because other people have very fraught relationships with their moms. Other people have. And I. You know, that's tough on folks. And I didn't realize that this large part of my life was just taken care of by my mother. Being this lovely, selfless woman. Yeah. And. And smart and driven and creative and all these cool things. And she really put up with a lot with my brothers and me, but particularly me, probably as a teenager that she. That she didn't deserve. Yeah, absolutely.

[Carol Markowitz]

And moms are so good.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

One more that. One more to that. Your dad's right about basically everything.

[Carol Markowitz]

Turns out your dad's correct. I also met your dad. He is actually right about everything. Not all dads are right about everything. I'll just say that.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

But in my case, those. Those two insights, had I had them earlier, might have helped me.

[Carol Markowitz]

Did you feel from your daughters the same kind of pushback that you gave your mom?

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

We'll see. They're. They're getting into that territory. And I will say I deserve someone being mean to me a lot more than my mother did. I am much meaner than my mother. Yeah. My mom's just, like, coming in my room as a. As a teenager to, like, gently wake me up in the morning, like, hey, hon, time to get out of bed. I'm like, get up.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right? I like to call down to my kids, like, get up.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I do hope that as I grow older and there is some indication of this that, like, a lot of people become more like their mothers. And for that, for me, that just means, like, sunnier and nicer. Although my husband is like, I mean, you could be a lot nicer.

[Carol Markowitz]

You could be a lot sunnier.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

He's like, when are you going to be your mother? I would love to see that.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's amazing. Yeah. You know, I sometimes see people post on the Internet, like, what kind of people they would be if they had more love from their moms. And I'm like, oh, wow. I totally had that. And that's a nice thing to have. Obviously. I have a teenage daughter, and she's way nicer to me than I was to my mom. So I almost feel like I didn't get punished enough for it. But, you know, maybe my boys. Who knows? Boys could be bad, too, you know?

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Yeah. Well, we appreciate it. To both our moms. From your former mother's day. Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

All right. So my third question stays the same. So we'll stay. We'll keep that for a little bit later. But the new questions of the third year of the Carol Markowitz show is what are you most proud of in your life?

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Well, that's an easy one. What I am most proud of in my life is that when really bad things happened to me, I was able to persevere and raise my children with a smile on my face most of the time and to give them a good, stable household. So. And many people know my story. And if you've listened to me on the Carol Markowitz show before, I'm sure you've heard it, but my husband passed away when I was seven months pregnant with my second child in 2015 in a bicycling accident. And obviously sudden, obviously unexpected. Just a, you know, Lifetime movie of a. An event in your own lifetime. And I, you know, never knew that I had built skills to live through that or that I had the personality or the faith necessary to get through that. But I found out the hard way that I did. And, look, there's tons of times when I was drinking too much wine, when I was being too angry at the world, when I was discombobulated and a little bit falling apart. Some of it's a blur. But in general, I had my baby two months after he died. She was just a gift from God, like the loveliest, sweetest newborn. And those two gals and I, for the next couple of years, until I met my husband and remarried in 2020, we just had a blast. And we lived well. And I had told myself that I would not live scared and that I would not be a sad trombone in every room.

[Carol Markowitz]

I walked in the sad trombone line. I remember that. It really stayed with me.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Yeah. I asked people not to react to us that way because I think, you know, that is a thing that can happen. Like, I'm a pregnant widow. It's very sad.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

But asking people out loud not to treat me that way, I think changed the trajectory of what my life became.

[Lear Capital Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

So that's. That's what I'm most proud of, is, like, holding it together.

[Carol Markowitz]

Absolutely. You're also. I have to tell you that your open faith then and in other times is just inspiring to me. I think. I. I've always been in Judaism. I say I'm religious, but not observant. Like, I feel very close to God. I feel very religious. You talking about your faith and living it so openly definitely had an effect on me. Doing the Same. I feel like I talk about God more often because of you. I feel like not embarrassed about it because of you. And I think you should know that your faith, your open faith has helped me live my faith more openly.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Well, I'm really glad. I think I was not as open about it until this happened to me. I had worked in ministry in the past, but it was very compartmentalized. Right. And then this happening to me gave me. Well, I really didn't feel like there was a choice. Like it was the only thing that I could use to make sense of it. And some people will be angry at God and turn away from God and that's a totally understandable thing. I have experienced some of that myself. Right. But to me it was like, oh, we're going to do this. Yeah, you got to hang with me for that, Lord, because I, I cannot do this by myself. And I really felt that he was with me and that promises were kept and that that made all the difference. So I try, I try now, actually inspired somewhat by Charlie Kirk to remind myself that you don't need a reason to talk about it. It doesn't have to be some giant tragedy. It's just how you live your life.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. It could be you being happy and you being fulfilled and it could be anything having a good day and you're thanking God for it at the end of it. I think it's such an important thing to do. But also, but in times of trouble, turning to God, I hope to give my kids that kind of impulse to, when you are in a, in a dark time, turn to God and he will help you through it. We're going to take a quick break and be right back on the Carol Markowitz Show.

[Lear Capital Advertiser]

Can you believe since 1913 the dollar has lost 96% of its purchasing power and it's still losing down 10.8% this year. So ask yourself, what are you doing to protect your wealth? Today, many people are turning to gold and silver for protection. This year alone, gold and silver have risen an impressive 29%. And since 1913, they've risen more than 6,000%. Can gold and silver help protect your hard earned savings? Call lear Capital at 800-786-8500 and request your free Wealth Protection kit. Discover how gold and silver could help your retirement dreams come true. You can even own them in your IRA. With over 3 billion in transactions and thousands of 5 star reviews, Lear is your leading source. Call 800-786-8500 and with a qualified purchase, get up to $15,000 in bonus gold or silver. Call 8007-8681-0080-0786-8500. Keep in mind that any investment has a certain amount of risk associated with it, and you should only invest if you can afford to bear the risk of loss. Before making investment decisions, you should carefully consider and review all risks involved.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Tristan Redman]

But what's happening in America is isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[Tristan Redman]

Tristan Redman in London, and this is the Global Story.

[Asma Khalid]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Tristan Redman]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[BambooHR Advertiser]

Hey, what's up?

[Mario Lopez]

It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions. Whether you're a parent, teacher, coach or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report [e-mail] blue campaign when you're in HR.

[BambooHR Advertiser]

It can feel like nothing is easy. From payroll to pto, from onboarding to benefits and everything in between. It's a constant juggle of tasks, systems and spreadsheets. But your HR software? That's the easy part. Meet Bamboohr. Trusted by over 34,000 companies, it handles all your HR tasks, payroll, benefits and time tracking so your team and your company can grow as fast as well. Bamboo and BambooHR software is actually easy to use. One simple system that pulls all your people data together in one place. So you can ditch scattered systems and wasted hours on tasks that should only take minutes. Because when HR is easier, you can focus on what matters most. Your people. HR is hard. Bamboohr is easy. Ready to simplify all your HR tasks for a limited time? Get a 100 Visa gift card when you complete a free [e-mail] giftcard Again, that's bamboohr.com giftcard terms and conditions apply.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Ugh.

[Carol Markowitz]

Come on.

[Asma Khalid]

Why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient.

[Lenovo Advertiser]

Still using yesterday's tech Upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultra Light, Ultra Powerful and built for serious productivity with Intel Core Ultra processors, blazing speed and AI powered performance that keeps up with your business, not the other way around.

[Asma Khalid]

Whoa, this thing moves.

[Lenovo Advertiser]

Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech [e-mail] Unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon powered by Intel Core Ultra processors so you can work, create and boost productivity all on one device.

[Carol Markowitz]

All right, my second question of the third year of the Carol Markowitz show. Give us a five year out prediction. It could be about the country, the world, music, anything.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I'm giving.

[Carol Markowitz]

I sent you these questions in advance. I just want to.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I know because I want it noted. I know because I love this about you.

[Carol Markowitz]

You're like, no, no, I got this.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I'm making that face because I couldn't really think of a sunny one. So we went. We went sunny and uplifting with some other stuff.

[Carol Markowitz]

Because my.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

No, my prediction is that in the next five years we will come nowhere close to figuring out our fiscal issues and that that will mean really bad things. Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yep.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Like I there, there's a thing where we get so caught up in the idea of American exceptionalism, which I very much agree with.

[Carol Markowitz]

Same. Yeah. That we assume, we just think it'll.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Work out, we're so exceptional that it'll just happen. But we actually have to do things. And so we should be proving our exceptionalism by doing hard things. And I do not currently see a path toward doing that. And eventually, like there just isn't more fake money. Like eventually you hit a wall. And that concerns me for both myself and especially my kids.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's interesting because on two recent episodes I've had guests say the what do you worry about? Answer was our fiscal situation and how nobody seems to be worrying about it or caring about it and how it used to be Republicans at least used to talk about it and it's like not mentioned at all that we're spending ourselves into oblivion. And culture has this thing where she says that the spending issue on the right is like climate change on the left. We keep saying it's going to be doom, but it never actually happens. But I do think we're a lot closer to doom because of the spending than the left will tell us we are on climate change. I don't know what we do about that. It's a really tough one because there's no great solution that we're. We're going to have to live in a completely different way. We're going to have to make some serious changes. We're recording this in the middle. You know, the shutdown is still ongoing about a tiny issue with Obamacare they can't get to the bottom of that. I don't have a lot of faith.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

And that in and of itself is like $400 billion of totally superfluous spending on subsidizing rich people's Obamacare like this. There's no income cap on it.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Even, even that. We're like, oh, can we, can we actually do away with that at the expiration date? Yes, you can. Yes, you can.

[Lear Capital Advertiser]

Absolutely.

[Carol Markowitz]

And we should. Yeah. The fact that it just is. Is off the table. I don't know. I don't even know. I'm looking ahead to 28. Can't think of any candidate who's going to take up that issue. And that person's going to lose anyway because nobody wants to hear it.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

There's no constituency for it.

[Lenovo Advertiser]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I used to say that on cnn, where I would like occasionally bring up the fact that we were spending ourselves to death. And I'd be like, I know nobody cares about this but me. But I would like to point out once again, right.

[Carol Markowitz]

Well, sometimes people will say to me, how come you don't talk about spending? And I'll be like, nobody wants to hear it. Nobody wants to hear it. I feel like I lost that conversation. I lost that battle. So now we're like, let's see what happens with all this spending. And I hope it's not too bad. You know, it's interesting that you think it's in the next five years. I still think it's a little bit further down the road. The fact that you think it's in the next five years is, well, really concerning, actually.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I'm not sure that disaster. I don't want to be the next Al Gore on the spinning thing. I'm not sure that disaster is five years down the road, but I am sure that in five years we will have lost another chance to act that would have made things better. Like if we had done the Social Security reforms in 2005, which I will never be mad at George W. Bush for pitching.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Because it was so responsible to do so. Paul Ryan tried some of his own stuff. Like, these were all. These were all valiant attempts.

[Carol Markowitz]

They really were.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

That illustrated. No one's interested, but they are going to be interested when they have to pay the price later on. And if we'd done it 20 years ago, man, we'd be in a better place now.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Social Security money, right?

[Carol Markowitz]

George Bush was like, what if people could invest 1% of their Social Security? And people were like, that's insanity. Absolutely not. And like, Those people, if they invested, would be so much better off today than they are maybe collecting Social Security, which, you know, who knows if that'll still be around when, when we get to it.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Going to be trouble.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. So my third question stays the same and you've been on the show before, so I'm going to ask you, and then I'll tell you what you said the last time that you were on end here with your best tip for my listeners on how they can improve their lives.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I would say, well, there's a parent specific one and then I can broaden it to everyone read books with your kids. Yeah, it's so. Because it's obviously related to the thing I'm worried about. But when I was stuck in 2020 and 2021 trying to teach my kids to read, I simply said to myself, I will read to them and they will read to me. I will read to them and they will read to me. And I did it every day and I didn't worry about the rest of the stuff. And what I saw in my life is that that foundation built their skills for everything else. Plus, it's a lot of fun. Right. We are now, we are currently reading Pride and Prejudice, which is over there. It's over their heads. So they're 12 and nine. It's over their heads. The prose is too much for them. But we talk through it. They learn some new words. They're using the word countenance now, which is very funny.

[Carol Markowitz]

And then I'm not sure I could use that in a sentence.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

And then you get like the funniest observations about like, I mean, mom, I think Mr. Darcy's gonna show up. It's called foreshadowing. So it's very fun. You can get them into stuff that is above their level by reading it to them, whatever their level is. And in general, I would just say for everybody, read stuff and do stuff that is not connected to your phone. And I'm telling myself the same thing because I read way too much on my phone and not nearly enough offline.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

And read long stuff and read challenging stuff and classics.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. I'm reading the outsiders with my 9 year old right now and he's enjoying it. It's a little over his head also, but it's my favorite book from my childhood, so that's awesome. Or giving it another go. So the last time you were on, you gave two answers to that and they were put one foot in front of the other when you're going through hard times. And that could just mean literally taking a walk and surround yourself with parents who enjoy their children because it's not that hard to be a parent when you're with other joyful parents. And if you're going to have struggle, have struggle with people around you. I really like both of those. Those are all three, I think. Fantastic tips for living.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

I'm not mad at them.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, take a walk, read a book, be around happy people who parent their kids in a similar joyful manner to you. I love it. Thank you so much for coming on Mary Kathryn Hamm and previewing my new three questions for the Carol Markowitz show third year. Thanks to everybody for listening. Catch Mary Kathryn on normally on Tuesdays and Thursdays and see her making really smart points on Fox News. Thank you mk.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Thank you. Congrats on three years.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Tristan Redman]

But what's happening in America isn't just the cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[Tristan Redman]

Tristan Redman in London and this is the Global story.

[Asma Khalid]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Tristan Redman]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[BambooHR Advertiser]

Hey, what's up?

[Mario Lopez]

It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to [e-mail] blue campaign.

Big deposits deserve big rewards. Kraken is offering up to 2% back on crypto and cash deposits made this October. Deposit $1,000 or more and watch your reward grow as the Kraken community deposits reach 500 million. Opt in through the app and start stacking. Get Kraken in the App Store or Google Play Store today. Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves risk of loss and is offered to US customers through PayWord Interactive, Inc. Terms apply.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

Ugh.

[Carol Markowitz]

Come on.

[Asma Khalid]

Why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient.

[Lenovo Advertiser]

Still using yesterday's tech Upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultra Light, ultra powerful and built for serious productivity with Intel Core Ultra processors, blazing speed and AI powered performance that keeps up with your business, not the other way around Whoa, this thing moves. Stop hitting Snooze on new tech Win the tech [e-mail] Unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, powered by Intel Core Ultra processors so you can work, create, and boost productivity all on one device.

[Mailchimp Advertiser]

Saks off 5th is your secret to fashion's most wanted deals at up to 70% off on the hunt for designer steals that'll turn heads and leave a trail of envy. Uncover Gucci, Valentino, Versace, Stuart Weitzman, and more. With new arrivals dropping weekly at prices too good to stay confidential, Luxe Layers, statement boots and tailored essentials From Saks Off 5th will put your wardrobe on the most wanted list. Head to saksoffith.com or a Saks Off 5th store near you for a style lineup you won't want to miss.

[Mary Kathryn Hamm]

This is an iHeart podcast.