Everyone Started Laughing (feat. Jordan Wood)

Summary

The Daily Beans – Episode Summary

Podcast: The Daily Beans
Host: Allison Gill (AG) with co-host Dana Goldberg (DG)
Episode Title: Everyone Started Laughing (feat. Jordan Wood)
Release Date: December 31, 2025
Featured Guest: Jordan Wood, Democratic candidate for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into a whirlwind of political developments and social justice issues—from questionable White House appointments and federal agency chaos, to legal battles over free speech and the fallout of renaming the Kennedy Center after Donald Trump. The centerpiece is an interview with Jordan Wood, a progressive candidate vying to become Maine’s first openly gay Congressional representative. True to The Daily Beans’ signature style, the episode delivers progressive news with wit, irreverence, and a touch of hope.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chaotic News Roundup (00:54–20:47)

Tom Homan’s Bribery Allegations & Security Clearance Scandal (07:00–08:18)

• Reporting: Tom Homan, designated as “border czar,” received a $50,000 cash bribe during an FBI sting, yet still managed to secure a top government post under Trump despite warnings from DOJ lawyers.
• Notable Quote:
  • “They were worried that he wasn’t qualified… [but] this crime made him highly qualified to be part of this administration.” — Dana Goldberg (08:01)

Social Security Administration in Crisis (08:18–11:53)

• Backlogs reached historic levels, with 6 million cases pending due to mass firings and resignations under the Trump administration.
• Memorable Moment:
  • “When they told us that, everyone just started laughing...there was just absolutely no way to get it down to that in such a short period of time.” — Social Security employee (quoted by Dana, 11:19)
• Employees forced to work overtime through holidays, sparking further frustration and errors.

Free Speech Lawsuits After “Meme Jail” Arrest (12:18–15:53)

• Retired Tennessee policeman Larry Bouchardt sued after being jailed for an anti-Trump Facebook meme.
• Trend of lawsuits emerging after activists and employees faced retaliation for their posts on Charlie Kirk.

Kennedy Center Renaming Backlash & Artist Cancellations (15:54–20:41)

• After the Kennedy Center was renamed for Trump, artists—including jazz ensembles, folk singers, and dance troupes—cancel performances, citing integrity and political neutrality.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom...Our hope is that this moment will leave space for reflection, not resentment.” — The Cookers (quoted by Dana, 16:39)
  • “I didn’t sign a contract to perform at the Trump Kennedy Center.” — Dana Goldberg, 20:11

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2. Keep It Blue: Interview with Jordan Wood (22:03–50:27)

Introduction and Background (22:03–22:59)

• Jordan Wood, Maine native, shares that his mother is a long-time listener, underscoring the show’s intergenerational reach.

The Uniqueness of Maine’s 2nd District (23:41–25:23)

• Diverse and swingy electorate: has voted for Obama twice, Trump twice, and both independent (King) and Republican (Collins) senators.
• Economy marked by former mill towns, economic hardship, and skepticism toward both parties.

Campaign Philosophy: Listening First (25:23–29:09)

• Wood emphasizes regular town halls and ongoing engagement with every county.
• Commitment: “I will have a town hall in your county every year.”
• Rejects corporate PAC/lobbyist money and pledges no lobbying post-service.

Constituents’ Concerns: Democracy, Corruption, Affordability (29:40–31:31)

• Two top buckets: fear for democracy (corruption, Citizens United) and affordability (childcare, healthcare, housing, heating).
• Shares a personal story: “These issues were crises for my family...but we were still able to get by.” — Jordan Wood (31:11)

The Fight Against Citizens United & Corrupt Money (31:31–34:38)

• Wood co-founded End Citizens United, pushing for campaign finance reform within the Democratic Party.
• “We need to have leaders with the courage to take on those interests on behalf of the American people.” — Jordan Wood (34:18)

Fighting for Working People (34:38–39:01)

• Addresses need for courage in Congress, argues that constituents want representatives to “show up for the fight,” even when the odds are long.
• Congressional oversight as a tool to check the Trump White House—recounts Katie Porter’s grilling of CDC director to secure free COVID tests.

Congressional Oversight: The Power of the Minority (39:01–41:05)

• Explains that House and Senate oversight committees remain critical for accountability, especially under unified GOP control.

Immediate Actions on Affordability (41:32–43:27)

• Focus on restoring ACA premium subsidies, pressuring Medicare to negotiate drug prices.
• Expresses the need for short-term action, “because people can’t wait until 2029.”

Fighting for Structural Change (43:44–46:57)

• Emphasizes fighting for big progressive goals: universal childcare, housing regulation (e.g., limiting Wall Street’s role in housing markets), and more.
• “We have to have big ideals. You have to try for them, and you have to keep trying.” — Allison Gill (45:02)

The Significance of Wood’s Candidacy (47:47–48:36)

• First openly gay Congressional candidate from Maine, potentially among the first gay parents in Congress.
• “Representation matters. We have different life experiences that make us think about these issues differently.” — Jordan Wood (48:22)

Voter Sentiment in Maine: Independent, Issue-Driven (48:57–50:13)

• Reiterates Maine’s tradition of ballot initiatives for gun safety and overturning Citizens United.
• Notes strong public support for “common sense solutions.”

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3. Good News Segment & Listener Submissions (51:35–66:10)

• Listener updates on charity donations, featuring nearly $30,000 raised for progressive causes (Pathways to Citizenship, HRC, and more).
• Humor and humanity from listeners—adorable pet photos, stories about scholarships, human connections in craft stores, teaching trips to shark labs, and more.
• Memorable listener moment: “When they told us that, everyone just started laughing...” — Social Security employee (referenced in audience stories, 11:19)
• Positive shout-outs to communities, activism, and personal resilience.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “[About Trump appointees:] This crime made him highly qualified to be part of this administration.” — Dana Goldberg, 08:01
• “Everyone just started laughing, just like I did on the podcast, because there was just absolutely no way to get it down to that in such a short period of time.” — Social Security employee, 11:19
• “I didn’t sign a contract to perform at the Trump Kennedy Center.” — Dana Goldberg, 20:11
• “Representation matters... We have different life experiences that make us think about these issues differently.” — Jordan Wood, 48:22
• “We have to have big ideals. You have to try for them, and you have to keep trying.” — Allison Gill, 45:02
• “Corporations are people, and they can make dark money donations to huge PACs who aren’t supposed to have any contact with the candidate, but they totally do all the time.” — Allison Gill, 32:02
• “You just cannot expect... her audience to walk into a place that now has the name of a president that’s trying to strip the rights away from a community that she belongs to.” — Dana Goldberg, 19:24

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Important Segments with Timestamps

• Social Security Administration Backlog & Laughter: 11:19
• Pipe Bomber Case & Local vs Federal Grand Jury: 03:21–05:39
• Kennedy Center Renaming and Artistic Cancellations: 15:54–20:41
• Jordan Wood Interview Start/End: 22:03–50:27
• Good News & Listener Submissions: 51:35–66:10

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Tone and Style

True to The Daily Beans, the tone is sharp, irreverent, and humane—mixing incisive political analysis with snark, empathy, and optimism, all while encouraging active civic engagement and progressive activism.

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Final Notes

• The episode is an excellent blend of timely political reporting and grassroots perspectives, driven by a demand for accountability and integrity.
• Jordan Wood’s segment stands out as an instructive case study in how progressive candidates can build trust by rejecting big money and centering constituent needs.
• Endearing jokes and personal connections—the signature “Beans” warmth—thread throughout, from jokes about New Year’s plans (“I’ll be asleep by 9:15,” Dana, 02:31) to lighthearted confusion about days of the week during the weird holiday week.

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For more:

• Jordan Wood’s Campaign
• The Daily Beans
• MSW Media

Transcript

[A]

It's Sunday morning and that wonderfully relaxed feeling of a long, lazy day lingers in the air. If you want to make the moment last, may I suggest the perfect solution? The Martin Sheen Podcast. Join me, your host, Martin Sheen, for beautifully crafted 20 minute programs filled with never before heard stories of my life, along with personal reflections and poetry that inspires. The Martin Sheen Podcast is the perfect Sunday refresh. A chance to take a deep breath, relax, and know that the stress of Monday may be just around the corner, but not here, not now. So make this your weekly moment of calm as we explore faith, hope, love, and what it means to be human. And know this, this journey is ever unfolding as I invite you to see what's next with me, Martin Sheen.

[B]

And thank you, MSW Media. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Today, border czar and $50,000 kava bag bribe recipient Tom Homan didn't receive a normal background check. The retired police officer that was jailed in Tennessee for posting a Trump meme on Facebook is suing a newly unsealed order in the Abrego Garcia case. Includes emails proving Todd Blanche's office had a hand in charging him. Jeanine Pirro indicted the alleged pipe bomber Brian Cole last night using a local grand jury in Superior Court. The Social Security administration is facing record backlogs under Trump. And more artists are canceling their Kennedy center performances since Trump put his name on the building. I'm Allison Gill.

[C]

And I'm Dana Goldberg.

[B]

Hello, my friend.

[C]

Hey, how are you? We. What day is it? It's. We're in that week. I'm telling you, this black hole. I don't know what day it is. I don't know what day of the week it is.

[B]

I think it's New Year's Eve.

[C]

Oh. As they're listening to it is. I guess that one's sort of important.

[B]

Yeah. So I hope everyone has a wonderful time, whatever you're doing tonight. I'm staying home with cats.

[C]

I am staying home without the cats. And I will be celebrating East Coast New Year's and I'll be asleep by 9:15.

[B]

Fantastic, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I might have to set an alarm to get up at midnight for the ball drop, but. Yeah, we have a really great show for you today. We're gonna have a Keep it blue segment with the candidate for Maine's second district. That's Jared Gold seat. He's not running for reelection in Maine's second district. They only have two there. It's going to be Jordan Wood, who's running for that seat. So we're going to talk to him. He'd be the first openly gay congressional representative from the state of Maine, should he win.

[C]

Love to see it. Love to see it.

[B]

Yep. So he's great. He's a great candidate. He's lived, he grew up, was born in Lewiston. He's, he's got a great background and a great platform. So we'll talk to him also. So I've been following this pipe bomber case and it's just been weird.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Apparently, you know, because Brian Cole, who's the alleged pipe bomber, was like, look, you're going to have to let me out if you don't have an indictment from a federal grand jury because you have to show probable cause. So there was a hearing on Tuesday, today, as we record this, for probable cause, but that got postponed because apparently Judge Jeanine Pirro got an indictment from Superior Court. She went to a local grand jury and got an indictment. And that's legally weird because, you know, there was another case where the DOJ did this. They failed to get a federal grand jury indictment against a guy named Kevante Stewart. And so then they went to Superior Court and got it. And Judge Farouki, who's a magistrate judge, was like, that's stupid and messed up. You're trying to get around the process and go to a Superior Court grand jury because they're easier to get indictments because they hear so many cases but.

[C]

Question legally, and I may be asking a stupid question, does that change the charges from a federal crime to a.

[B]

A state crime to a D.C. local crime? Not a state crime.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

D.C. is not a state.

[C]

Right.

[B]

So it's still pardonable by Donald Trump. In fact, the President is the only person who can pardon D.C. local crimes.

[C]

That's going to be embarrassing if they're like, we got the pie bomber. Oh, shit, it's maga. Here's your pardon.

[B]

Yeah. They're trying desperately to hide the fact that he's Maga. They left that 22 day gap of his whereabouts between December 15th and January 5th. They didn't say where he was at all on January 6th because they're trying to hide the fact that he's a Trump supporter. But it's really weird that they went to a local grand jury instead of a federal grand jury. They could have done it to buy more time because they were asking for more time because they couldn't get an indictment from a federal grand jury, or that the pace of the federal grand jury was too slow. So it's just all messed up. It's ridiculous. And I'm going to be talking about this more with Adam Klassfeld on Wednesday today. If you're listening to this on Wednesday over on Substack. So go to mullershirote.com to get filled in on all that. It's bizarre. Also, Abrego Garcia, you know, the judge said that he was going to unseal an order that he gave back on December 3rd. He said he was going to unseal that on December 30th. And he did. And we're going to show you those emails that prove Todd Blanche is a liar. Not that we needed the proof.

[C]

Right. But it's nice to see it in print.

[B]

Yeah, we're going to see it in print over on the Beans Talk today. So go to MSW Media's YouTube channel, look for the Beans Talk. And we'll be talking about the Abrego case. I also will be discussing that with Adam Klassfeld later [e-mail] Fantastic. All sorts of stuff going, going on today. But we do have other news to cover, my friend. So let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right. First up from ms, now formerly msnbc. In early January, several days before Donald Trump's inauguration, a Justice Department lawyer passed an envelope across a desk to top Trump transition officials. Enclosed was a bombshell typed up in a one page summary. And this is according to two people briefed on the meeting. I like how he slides it across like he's a mobster offering you a bribe. As he read the contents of the envelope, the official, Emil Bovey, closed his eyes and grimaced, according to the people who requested anonymity. It revealed that Tom Homan, at the time a frequent companion of Trump's on the campaign trail who had publicly boasted he'd be joining the Trump administration to lead his immigrant deportation strategy was the subject of an ongoing bribery investigation. Undercover FBI agents posing as private contractors recorded him accepting a $50,000 cash bribe in exchange for what they said was Homan's vow to help get border enforcement contracts in the new Trump administration. A small group of career lawyers at the Justice Department felt an urgency to share this sensitive information with the president elect's team as soon as possible, hoping to head off a potential embarrassment. You can't embarrass this administration.

[C]

No.

[B]

And a security clearance problem. Before Trump picked his future cabinet and top appointees, they were like, you might not want to pick this guy. We don't think he can get a security clearance. But justice officials felt sure Homan would not be able to obtain a security clearance based on the evidence gathered in the corruption investigation, which they and FBI agents believed showed Homan unsuitable for a trusted senior role in government service. It remains unclear how Homan was eventually granted a security clearance or whom Bovey alerted after being briefed on the Homan probe. I, I.

[C]

It'S funny how they went from they were worried that he wasn't qualified to this crime made him highly qualified to be part of this administration.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. You can't like, oh, this could be embarrassing. I must be like, nothing can embarrass us, basically.

[C]

Basically. All right, Ag this next one's from the Post. The Social Security Administration, the sprawling federal agency that delivers retirement, disability and survivor benefits to 74 million Americans. It began the second Trump administration with a hostile takeover. We know this. It ends the year in turmoil. A diminished workforce has struggled to respond to up to 6 million pending cases in its processing centers and 12 million transactions in its field offices. This is record backlog that have delayed basic services to millions of customers, according to internal agency documents and dozens of interviews. Long, strained customer services at Social Security have become worse by many key measures since Trump began his second term. Agency data and interviews, they all show this as thousands of employees. They were fired. We know that as well. Or they quit. And hasty policy changes and reassignments left inexperienced staff to handle this aftermath. Commissioner Frank Bisagno. Bisignano. What is Frank's last name?

[B]

Yeah, I think you got it. I think it's Bisignano.

[C]

All right. Mr. Frank Bisignano has authorized millions of dollars in overtime pay to employees in a race to clear the bottlenecks, which worsened dramatically after nearly 7,000 employees, 12% of the workforce were squeezed out early the year. The agency said it's made improvements. For example, it reduced the processing center backlog by 1 million cases this fall. It cut pending disability claims by kept the website live 247 after a series of outages earlier in the year. Well, at the start of September, one benefits authorizer in a processing center was called into an all staff meeting with her colleagues. This is what she said there. In that meeting, management explained that the backlog at the time, which was 6 million cases, was unacceptable and that everyone would have to work overtime in an attempt to drive it down to 2 million cases by Christmas. And this is a quote when they told us that, everyone just started laughing, just like I did on the podcast, she said, because there was just absolutely no way to get it down to that short period of time. Still, she and her colleagues, they've been hustling, that's what she said, processing cases as fast as they can, even as they can see, their haste sometimes causes errors. Oh, no time to fix them. This is that she has decided best to just keep on moving. Well, just before Thanksgiving, Bizignano said that starting next year, he hopes to slash field office visits by half. More than 31 million people visited field offices in the last fiscal year, or they tried to, at least. Critics say the change will dismantle the fail safe for those who cannot use computers, no matter how imperfect. Now, at the same time, in recent weeks, hundreds of employees who transferred to customer service operations, they've been recalled to the roles that they were originally hired to fill. Others have been reassigned to a new digital engagement office. During Christmas week, the grind continued for most Frontline staff. And after Trump signed an executive order last week closing most federal offices on Christmas Eve and Friday, Bisignano told his staff in that office, teleservice centers, processing centers, and more operations that they were all going to remain open. I'm sure those are very fucking happening employees right now.

[B]

They just, they cut 12 of the workforce and they're like, we can't figure out why we have this backlog. Everyone come in on Christmas and fix it, please.

[C]

Yep, you making mistakes. And they're like, let's just power through.

[B]

No time to fix the mistakes. Oh, man, I feel so bad for the people working at Social Security Administration, people trying me to get their claims processed. So just hurtful. All right, next up from the Post, and remember this story, we covered it, Phil Williams covered it at News Channel 5. That, that there was that guy who posted a meme after Charlie Kirk's death and he got arrested and put in jail for it.

[C]

Yep, yep, yep.

[B]

All right, this is an update. A retired Tennessee policeman who spent more than a month in jail over an anti Trump Facebook post is suing the authorities responsible for his arrest. Attorneys for Larry Bouchardt, who's 61, filed a lawsuit in federal court Wednesday against a sheriff, an investigator, and Perry county, which lies about halfway between Nashville and Memphis. The suit alleges that they violated Bouchard's first and Fourth Amendment rights when they ordered his arrest in September and held him for five weeks on charges of threatening mass violence, all in response to what Bouchard contends was a harmless social media meme. Quote, in America, we do not jail people for political speech, the lawsuit says. Yet Larry Bouchardt spent 37 days behind bars simply for speaking his mind. It took a national uproar about his detention for Perry county officials to drop the charge against Mr. Bouchardt, a charge officials knew from the outset was unfounded. The lawsuit is Bouchard's bid to turn the tables on local authorities in a deep red corner of rural Tennessee, where his prolific anti Trump Facebook posting had annoyed some neighbors and amused others. I'd be one of the others, yep, until the day officers showed up at his house. He joins a growing number of liberal activists around the country who are pushing back on what they view as an overzealous crackdown on speech in the wake of the September killing of Charlie Kirk in a local Facebook group. Bouchard had commented on a post about a local vigil held the day before. Kirk, the charismatic organizer who helped lead the conservative youth movement in American campuses. Bouchard replied with a pre existing meme, one that's already been shared a million times, that depicted Trump and a quoted remark Trump made saying we have to get over it. And he said that after the deadly January 2024 shooting at Perry High School in Iowa. The post includes the phrase this seems relevant today. That's what Bouchard said. That's what he captioned it. Now. Weems said some people in Perry County, Tennessee interpreted the meme as a threat to their local high school, which is named Perry County High School. He told Nashville's News Channel 5 multiple people had complained but did not specify how many. Bouchard was arrested on a charge of threatening mass violence at a school, according to his arrest affidavit, which said his post was such that, quote, a reasonable person would conclude could lead to serious bodily injury or death of multiple people. When asked if he and his deputies knew that Trump's quote was referring to a past shooting at a different high school in another state 700 miles away, Weems told the station. Yeah, we know, but the public didn't know.

[C]

Oh my God.

[B]

Bouchard also lost employment, according to the lawsuit, after a 34 year career in law enforcement. He was working at a post retirement job in medical transportation, but lost it because he was in jail for 37 days. Bouchard is among a small but growing number of people who have filed lawsuits challenging punishments they received for Kirk. Related Social Media Posts Last week, Fire F I R E filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Monica Meeks, a US army veteran who was fired from her Tennessee state government job in September after she posted a comment referring to Kirk as a white supremacist on Facebook. He is, Yeah. A spokesperson for the agency that fired her declined to comment Wednesday, saying they don't comment on active litigation. In another case, a federal judge in September ordered the University of South Dakota to reinstate Michael Hook, a tenured art professor who'd been placed on leave for a Facebook post that derided Kirk on the day he was killed.

[C]

Just free speech.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

[C]

Oh, shit. All right. And speaking of people that are actually exercising their rights, this one's from NBC. More artists have canceled their upcoming performances at the Kennedy center after the board voted to rename the performing arts venue to include President Donald Trump's name. Well, the canceled performances to date include shows previously promoted for Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, January 4th, April 24th, and the 25th. The cookers, which is a jazz band that was scheduled to perform Wednesday night. It didn't cite a specific reason in announcing their decision, but their statement hinted at politics. And this is the quote. Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and of the full human voice. Some of us have been making this music for many decades, and that history still shapes us. This is what the statement read, went on to say, Our hope is that this moment will leave space for reflection, not resentment. What a beautiful statement. Christy Lee, who I actually have met, I know great, great performer, was scheduled to perform January 14, announcing her cancellation on Instagram, saying canceling shows. It hurts, but losing my integrity would cost me more than any paych.

[B]

Well said.

[C]

Yep. When American history starts getting treated like something you can ban, erase, rename, or rebrand for someone else's ego, I can't stand on that stage and sleep right at night. This is, again, Christy Lee, who described herself as, and I quote, just a folk singer from Alabama. Yep. She said that instead of playing at the Kennedy center next month, she would play a live show from her home. In a separate statement on her website, Lee said the cancellation was due to concerns for the center's institutional integrity. She said she believes publicly funded spaces must remain free from political capture, self promotion, or ideological pressure. So this decision is not directed at the center's dedicated staff, the artist, or the patrons whose work and commitment to the arts remain deeply respected. Rather, it's a statement in defense of the center's founding purpose and the ethical responsibility shared by artists who grace its stage. Amazing. Reached for comment, her representative, Tana Pierce, confirmed that the artist's decision to withdraw was a response to renaming the center with Trump's name. She said Christie's decision to withdraw came from concern about how the Kennedy Center's legacy is being reshaped. Canceling the show carried real cost, but she felt compromising her integrity would cost more. There's a dance group called Doug Varone and Dancers. They announced Monday that they would be canceling their April 24th and 25th performances. Citing the name change, they said with the latest act of Donald J. Trump renaming the center after himself, we can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution. Well done. The Kennedy Center's interim president. I hate myself. Richard Grinnell, who also serves as a special envoy to Trump, said Monday in a statement on Twitter that the artists canceling shows, and I quote, were booked by the previous far left leadership. Their actions prove that previous team was more concerned about booking far left political activists than artists willing to perform for everyone, regardless of their political beliefs. Boycotting the arts to show you support the arts is a form of derangement syndrome. Multiple shows and performers have canceled events, by the way, at the center since Trump's takeover began, including the musical Hamilton and Issa Rae because she's fucking awesome. You just cannot expect. First of all, Christy Lee is from Alabama. She also happens to be a lesbian. You can't expect her audience to walk into a place that now has the name of a president that's trying to strip the rights away from a community that she belongs to. You've got jazz that started off in the black community. You expect people who are fans of this to walk into a building with the name of a man that is deeply racist and has been his entire life. The other thing is, if I was an artist, I signed a contract to perform at the Kennedy Center. I didn't sign a contract to perform at the Trump Kennedy Center. I have every right to get out of that contract. All these guys can go fuck them up.

[B]

Yeah, like we're going to sue you for a million dollars for canceling your jazz concert. Go ahead. I dare you. I win this on breach of contract.

[C]

I don't have a contract with the Trump Kennedy Center. I've got a contract with the Kennedy center, thank you very much.

[B]

100% boycotting the arts is derangement syndrome. Really? The guy who told everyone to not watch the super bowl halftime show. Really? Okay. What a bunch of.

[C]

With an American citizen, by the way. I cannot wait. I cannot wait till the super bowl halftime.

[B]

We have to deport him back to Puerto Rico, which is in the United States, which is the United States territory.

[C]

So dumb.

[B]

We're talking about bad Bunny.

[C]

By the way, I'm getting rid of my Obamacare. I've got the aca. I'm going to be fine.

[B]

Keep your government mitts off my Social Security. Yeah. Yeah. All right, everybody. I'm going to talk to candidate Democratic candidate for Maine's 2nd district in the Keep it Blue segment right after this quick break. Stick around. We'll be right back after these messages. We'll be right back.

[A]

It's Sunday morning and that wonderfully relaxed feeling of a long, lazy day lingers in the air. If you want to make the moment last, may I suggest the perfect solution, the Martin Sheen Podcast. Join me, your host, Martin Sheen, for beautifully crafted 20 minute programs filled with never before heard stories of my life, along with personal reflections and poetry that inspires. The Martin Sheen Podcast is the perfect Sunday refresh. A chance to take a deep breath, relax and know that the stress of Monday may be just around the corner, but not here, not now. So make this your weekly moment of calm as we explore faith, hope, love and what it means to be human. This journey is ever unfolding as I invite you to see what's next with me, Martin Sheen. And thank you.

[B]

Hey everybody, welcome back. It's time to keep it blue. And joining me today, born and raised in Lewiston, Maine, where his dad was a pastor, his mom was a teacher, graduated Calvin College. We are now going to talk to a candidate for U.S. congress in Maine's 2nd district, a seat currently held by Democrat Jared Goldin, who has said he is not seeking re election. So please welcome Jordan Wood. Jordan, hello. Welcome to the Daily Beans.

[D]

Thanks so much for having me. Allison.

[B]

Yes. And I just want to say hi to your mom before we get going. Thank you. You told me something offline before we started talking here about your amazing mother.

[D]

She is a longtime listener of the podcast and fan of yours. And so I've known about you and your work not, not just from personal, but from my mom.

[B]

That's so cool. Well, hello, mom. Thank you so much for listening all the way back to the the Mueller She Wrote days. Appreciate you, but we have a lot of important stuff to talk about here because Maine's second district is a very interesting district. It went for Obama twice, it went for Trump twice. They vote for Senator King and independent and they vote overwhelmingly for Senator Collins, believe it or not. So it's a very interesting mix of very independent minded voters. Can you talk a little bit about the demographics in this district and how that's going to impact this election for Jared Goldin's Congressional seat.

[D]

Yeah. So for those that don't know Bain that well, we have two congressional districts. And the first district is sort of the greater Portland area, which is the largest city. And the second district is most everywhere else. So it's very. One of the most rural districts in the country. And we're the largest by land congressional district east of the Mississippi. And the point you raised about voting for Obama and then voting three times for Trump is a really important one.

[B]

Three times?

[D]

Yeah, because there's 11 counties in the district, 10 of them voted for Obama twice. And, and almost every single one voted for Trump. And it has, this is, our state has the highest percentage of those counties. And that's really what the, who the people of the district are, is a lot of, a lot of former mill towns, a lot of, of communities that have been hit very hard by the free trade deals, NAFTA and other of the other deals that have really, by and large benefited the wealthiest Americans and corporations at the expense of working people. And it is many voters who feel left behind by both parties. And it's not a Republican district. It really is unenrolled independent voters who are just looking for representation in Washington, in Congress for people that are on their side and that they can trust to help improve communities like them, help improve the economy, bring health care, bring down the cost of healthcare, but also expand access to it and so many other things. So that, that's, that's our district.

[B]

Yeah. And this is what I love about your campaign is instead of trying to walk a line to see how to get voters that the, you know, the Obama to Trump voter, you're going around and asking the people what matters to them and how they want to be represented in Congress. And I think that we've learned that that kind of voter engagement, asking the constituents what they want rather than telling them what they need, as we saw in. And I think that beats money. Every time. We saw it in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, when Elon came in and dumped millions of dollars there, they were like, let's find out what the people want. We saw it with Mamdani in New York. Whether you agree with his policies or not, he went around to his constituents and said, we what is your number one concern? By and large, right now it seems to be affordability and the wealth gap and that billionaires are the ones that are taking advantage of the economy and that the rest of us are being left behind. And that leaves certain people either voting for folks like Obama or voting for Trump. You know, Trump obviously Promised that that's what he was running on. But we have found that to be kind of, well, an act, a ruse to get those voters, and I think they're feeling it now. So talk a little bit about the importance of speaking to the constituents, meeting the voters where they are and finding out what matters to them, and then tell us what matters to the voters in the second District.

[D]

Yeah, so when I got in, I was running for Senate, announced that campaign in April and made this change in November after Jared's decision not to seek reelection. And one of the, one of the things that really drew me into this is that Susan Collins is not at a town hall in Maine in 25 years. And, and I said the, the number. The first goal for any campaign for office, if it's a Democratic district for Hull, like you're a swing district like ours, is to earn voters trust. They need to believe that, that you are going to Congress to serve and represent them to your best, to the best of your ability, and improve their lives. And that starts by listening. So we've already had town halls in every county in our district. We'll have town halls again next year in every county. And I've committed to voters that as your member of Congress, I will have a town hall in your county every year. And I think that is something. This idea that politicians in Washington don't need to listen to their constituents is part of that breakdown of trust we've seen with voters in Washington. And we've got to start by restoring that. So having these town halls listening, but that, that trust goes far beyond that. I this campaign, we don't take contributions from corporate PACs or lobbyists. And that's not to say all lobbyists are bad. Some of them lobby on behalf of human rights and other good things. But voters have become so distrustful that to prove whose side you're on and who you're working for, they need to see you reject that money. I've committed to never become a lobbyist after serving. That's from experience of talking to voters and working in Washington and this view that a lot of voters have where politicians go to Washington and then they go become lobbyists and make as much as a million dollars a year trading off of their service. And that is a very well founded problem that voters have because half of members of Congress do it. And so I want to reassure voters that, that I'm not here to make money. I'm not here to have some lucrative job or serve on boards after. I'm just here for you. And that's part of what I think. This is not partisan. This is just step one in a campaign is I'm going to do everything possible to make sure that, you know, this is why I'm here.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think what's come out of those town halls and going to every county and speaking with the voters and meeting them where they are and promising them that you'll continue to do that and not hide as some untouchable person, person that's not answerable to the people. Out of that, you have developed the Making Washington Work for Maine agenda. This is based on your interaction with the voters. So talk a little bit about. First of all, one of the objectives here is to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. So talk a little bit about that.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, I would say the two sort of buckets of issues that is brought up the most from voters, first is a fear of the future of this country and our democracy and the Constitution and corruption in Washington, a frustration, just sort of politics. And then the other is affordability. And I would say that the three ways that comes up the most are childcare, healthcare and housing. And as we go into the winter here too, heating, energy costs. And these are not new issues for our district and for so many Americans. And I was born and raised in Lewiston to a family that lived primarily paycheck to paycheck. My dad had two jobs. My mom was a teacher, he was a pastor. I went to college off need based student loans. I started work at 16 in construction. I worked through college. And when I was three years old, my mom had to get a new job and couldn't just take care of us full time because the church, my dad sort of couldn't afford health care for our family. And these issues of healthcare, childcare, housing, heating costs, they were crises for my family. I mean, we were still able to get by. I was still able to go to college. I was still of a generation that my parents believed rightly, that their kids could have a more successful future than them. And the fact that we are now in a worse place than I was in college. And so many from healthcare costs, housing, college, all of these things are becoming unattainable. And I think that that is tied to this feeling of hopelessness, despair about our future. And that is what comes out in these town halls and voters, trust me, that these are priorities because they're lived experience.

[B]

Right? Yeah. And I think one of the big problems with the corruption in Washington or with PACs or something like Citizens United is We continue to get the people in charge with the money making the rules, and that keeps us from being able to afford heat, afford healthcare, afford childcare and things like that. Citizens United is one of the, I mean, talk about a tipping point in American politics. Corporations are people, and they can make dark money donations to huge PACs who aren't supposed to have any contact with the candidate, but they totally do all the time. And that is antithetical to helping working families and giving people what they need.

[D]

Yeah, and I got into politics around these issues of affordability. And I come from a family that has always voted Democrat because we were middle class and we saw the Republican Party as on the side of wealthy, entrenched business interests and Democrats being on the side of unions, working families, giving us opportunities that we need. So those were really the driving issues for me getting into politics. But Citizen United, which was in 2010, I graduated college in 2012. And just after several years of working in that new political environment, the first member of Congress I worked for lost his reelection in part because Decisions United. And so I helped start a group called Ansys in United States in 2015 that we built into the largest anti corruption, pro campaign finance reform political group electing Democrats that were going to make this issue a priority because one did not exist. You know, we've had pro choice groups, Planned Parenthood, environmental groups, LCV and others, but there was no group that was going to prioritize this issue for Democrats and elevate it. And so. And that work has been very successful in making it a priority in the Democratic Party, which it was not before. And you mentioned this, I mean, this vast growing wealth inequality and a government that has done so much to help the wealthiest and corporations, and it's absolutely tied to the rise of money in politics. And I think it affects us in ways that we don't even know when. We have candidates running for office who have to raise, you know, we'll have to raise over $10 million for this house raise. You spend so many, so much time in meetings and on the phone with the people who can write larger checks. And that's, I believe, why so many politicians in Washington have not had the courage to talk about raising taxes on the wealthy. I support a wealth tax. I believe that we need universal health care and we need to increase revenue to do it. But. But politicians so often, I think they have not had the courage to lead on these issues because they're afraid of scaring away wealthy donors and corporations. And that is a huge problem. And Democrats we need to have leaders with the courage to take on those interests on behalf of the American people.

[B]

Yeah, let's talk about that courage, because even though Dems right now are enjoying a 16 point lead on the general ballot, they have the lowest Dems in Congress, have lowest approval rating in, I think, history. And I think it's because they don't stand up and fight, they don't file impeachment articles, they don't get in the ring because they know they'll lose and they don't want to get that black eye. But I think what the people are looking for is somebody who'll step in the ring and take the black eye, just show up for the fight. So let's say, let's say you win the seat, you're in Congress. Let's say we get the majority. I'm assuming you still have Republicans in charge of the White House. So legislation, maybe, you know, even budget resolution, even if we get the Senate, is going to be tough to do. What are the ways you fight back as a majority, as a Democrat in Congress against Trump's White House? How do you fight back, at least for the next two years, at least until we can flip the White House again? What are some of the ways you can do that?

[D]

And I would say, Allison, dude, that is a question I get probably at every town hall. And I love it because it's one I think about all the time. And I. I was served as chief of staff for Katie Porter, who was elected in 2018 to represent a district that has always had a Republican congressman. And she served on the Oversight Committee and the Financial Services Committee. And we worked on this. Trump was in the White House for most of the time I served as her chief. And is that these, this oversight of the government has a tremendous amount of power, and it's one that freshman members of Congress, there's not much that is sort of fair in how the House of Representatives works, but one area that is that every member on a committee gets five minutes to question people brought before the committee, and the majority is able to decide who comes forward. And Katie, I mean, there's so many examples of how she used that five minutes to both inform the public about what was going on, but also get policy changes and commitments out of the people that she was questioning. And I remember early in the pandemic, Orange county actually had one of the first cases of COVID So it was an issue that we were sort of ahead of the curve on what was coming. And Robert Redfield, who was the CDC director under Trump was before the Oversight Committee. And Katie got him in that hearing to commit to use an authority he already had that the Trump administration was not using to make COVID testing free for all Americans. Because if you didn't have insurance costs but $500 to get a COVID test. And so we're asking the public to test if they think they have this. But for lower income, you just don't have $500 laying around to get a COVID test at the doctor's office. She got him to commit to do that. I don't know how many lives that saved, but she did this as a freshman member of Congress, threw her seat on a committee. And we would spend so much time working on how do we use that five minutes to make change. And we spend more time on that than we did on fundraising or so many other distractions that members of Congress have. But it is absolutely connected to the corruption, the money and politics issue, because so many people, you know, when you're regulating Wall street and the banks and you. We had Jamie Dimon one time in front of the Financial Services Committees and just called him out at how low they pay people that work at Chase bank and unaffordable. It's unaffordable to live based on what their entry payment is about $35,000 a year. Jamie Dimon is used to facing a Financial Services Committee of which he and Pax and Wall street contribute to everybody on it. And so they don't get called out because they have this financial connection to Katie doesn't take their money. And so she really scares them because they don't they. And so that. That is just, I think, such an important lesson of. Of members of Congress can all use these positions on committees, especially when Trump is still in the White House, to conduct oversight and inform the public of what Trump is doing and this administration is doing that is hurting working families, that is violating our democracy and our Constitution and bring change. And I wish we had more Democrats with the courage to do that, but that's how I will approach this job from day one.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Thank you. Thank you so much. Because I think oversight, a lot of people overlook it. They think, well, we need to get a majority in the Senate and we need a majority in the Congress so we can pass bills, so we can pass legislation, but it's also a check on the executive branch. And right now, Congress is pretty kneecapped by this administration and by Mike Johnson and the Republicans that are in Congress who have ceded their power, the power of the purse, the Power of appropriations, the power of oversight, because they're in charge and they don't want that type of, type of microscope coming down on them. But oversight is so important. Everybody's like, well, when are we going to get our tribunals? When are we going to help hold these people accountable? Ice, when are we going to do, you know, hold this administration accountable for what they're doing? RFK Jr Whatever it is, Pam Bondi, it's through congressional oversight. We aren't signatories on the International Criminal Court, so we can't send these people to the Hague. We don't have the Attorney General spot right now, and we can't until 2029 at the earliest. So the only accountability that this administration and the corruption that is going on, the only accountability they'll face is through oversight in Congress.

[C]

Yep.

[D]

And the other power that Congress has in the Constitution is around taxing and spending. And so just taking ISIS an example, the lawlessness that this administration is engaged in around immigration is something that Congress can decide that they are not going to fund these parts of the government until there is change. Until there is change. And they have that power. And Democrats just need to use it effectively in the majority, because Trump is trying to circumvent this constitutional power that Congress has around taxing and spending, and they need to hold a firm line against it. And that, that is just something that we have seen, I think Democrats really drop the ball on.

[B]

Yeah. And it's also hard when you don't have the majority, which I think we might be able to overcome in 2026. Fingers crossed. Right? 16 point general ballot lead. But we got to keep the pressure on through this exact kind of campaigning that you're doing. One last question for you in the immediate future. How do you help affordability when you win this seat? You know, people can't wait until 2029, obviously. So what are some immediate things you can do? Taxing and spending is one of the things. What are some other things?

[D]

Yeah, I mean, I go right to health care in Maine. You know, we could have tens of thousands of people could lose health insurance coverage due to the cuts of Trump's budget bill that he passed over the summer. The failure of Congress to renew the Obamacare tax subsidies for the marketplace is driving up the cost of premiums for so many people. They will lose insurance as many of five hospitals in rural counties could close. So it is a. We are dealing with a decline in access, rising in the cost. I believe that we need to get to a Medicare for all single Payers system that will be the best system for regular people. But in the short term, we've got to do everything possible to restore the tax credits to bring down the cost of premiums. Another way, you know, oversight can be used in this way too. Is, is, you know, we got Medicare to be able to negotiate drug prices, something that Biden signed into law. I would have preferred a more expansive number of prescription drugs that Medicare can negotiate with, but that is going to have a meaningful impact on people's lives. It's going to save Medicare money, is going to lower the cost, but it's something that that oversight helped make possible by having pharmaceutical executives be brought for the committee and explain why this drug that cost $300 last year is now costing $500 when the drug's exactly the same. So why are you raising. And so there's a lot of work that Congress can do in the short term as we work towards getting to a place of universal coverage, a Medicare for all system, which is where this country needs to go. But healthcare is brought up all the time. We have the oldest population in the country in Maine. And so it is, it is a, an issue that just everybody is worried about.

[B]

Yes, but, but I have reduced drug prices by 700%, which means that if you buy a drug, we actually pay you for it. I, I can't with, with whatever's coming out of this administration's mouth on health care. Yeah, it's the most ridiculous, backwards.

[D]

But I would just honestly want to just on. You mentioned Mamdani or I think came up in the conversation, but you know, voters, you know, maybe Mamdani is not able to deliver on certain things that he promised around total free buses and freezing the rent, but they want someone fighting for those things because if you are fighting for it, then you get closer than if you didn't. And I believe very adamantly in, in creating a system of universal childcare like we do for public education in this country, where you can move anywhere in this country and know your child starting in kindergarten up through high school is going to have a place to go to school. We can do that with childcare. It should not be such a burden to have families and children in this country and we can get to that system. And I can tell you, if I just gave up and said, you know, it said it'd be too hard to create universal, affordable childcare. I believe in capping it at $10 a day, then we really wouldn't get anywhere. But if we fight for this, we'll get Somewhere that starts us in that direction. And that's what voters are looking for. They're not looking for us to just sort of give up before we start the fight.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Imagine if someone had said, we'll never get marriage equality, that we'll never get it through. Why bother fighting?

[D]

Exactly.

[B]

You have to have big ideals. You have to aim high.

[C]

Right.

[B]

You have to try for them and you have to keep trying for them. And, you know, hopefully, eventually we get them. Like Medicare for all, public option, universal child care, these things. School lunches for everybody. I mean, these are. These are attainable goals. It just, it would be weird to say, I don't want you to tell me what you're into unless you can definitely get it past this White House. Like, that just seems like a stipend.

[D]

I mean, housing is another huge issue in Maine, but across the country, and a huge problem in that is Wall street, banks and private equity buying up single family homes as investments, buying up mobile home parks and raising lot fees. Congress can stop that. Congress has the power to regulate private equity and hedge funds to stop them from driving up the cost of housing and having a mobile home. We can do that change. And that's what I'll fight for. And I'll fight for historic investments in building new affordable housing. But there's a lot that we can do that we don't hear talked about or fought for very often by members of Congress.

[B]

Well, yeah, no, because we know where some of their bread is buttered and where they get a lot of their. A lot of their money. Which is, again, brings us back to PAC money and Citizens United and, you know. Yeah, taxing and spending the control in the Congress there to, you know, I think that was actually part of Harris's campaign platform was to tax penalties for corporations to gobble up property and tax benefits for individual families to buy them. It happens here in my neighborhood, half of my neighbors are actually Airbnbs now because corporate landlords have come in, fixed the prices, hiked up the rent bottom on cash offers that no one else could compete with, and it's. They've turned it into a business for themselves. That's the kind of stuff that we definitely can and should fight in Congress.

[D]

And, you know, and just one last thing I'll say on housing is, is that we still have policies in place from when Ronald Reagan was president where they stopped HUD from actually building houses. They could only refurbish and improve existing housing stock. That's absolutely a crazy policy. And why it's still in place when we actually have an entire department that we as taxpayers pay for that can be building housing. And we choose not to. We choose not to.

[B]

Yeah. A lot of this is choice, unfortunately. And so tell everyone. First of all, you know, before we get into like, where your website is and how people can support your campaign, there's a bit of an historic element to this. You would be the first openly gay representative in Congress from the entire state of Maine.

[D]

Yeah, that's right. In Maine is exactly this. It's surprising that there has not been one, actually, because we're the first state that passed marriage equality through a ballot initiative. It's a very welcoming place. I think I would also be one of the early gay parents. And I have a one year old daughter, Ella. You know, I don't think about that. That's not why I'm running. My daughter is a big part of why I'm running. But that idea of breaking that historical barrier is not that motivating for me. But representation matters. This is why it matters to have more young people in Congress from a different generation, having more gay LGBT members of Congresses. We have different life experiences that make us think about these issues differently. And that's what matters.

[B]

Yeah, I agree, my friend. Thank you so much for joining us today here on the Daily Beans. Please let everybody know your website so people can find, follow, and support you for getting Jared Goldin's seat there in Maine too.

[D]

Yeah. Electjordan.com we're on almost every single social media platform. Ordanwood, me or Jordan would. Maine.

[B]

Awesome. I appreciate your time today. Thank you so much. I love Maine. Maine is like one of those states where the red voters are actually just more independent. It's kind of like I've got a sister state here in Arizona where they, the Republicans are more like, stay out of my life. Let me be gay, Let me grow weed, Let me have my gut, it'll just leave me alone kind of a vibe. And I pick up that vibe every time I visit Maine too. They're like, just very independent. Don't want money in their politics, want to be able to afford things, want to work hard and earn decent pay for decent work and have that dignity. And I think that that's exactly what your platform brings.

[D]

We have ballot initiatives every election, just a couple. And to me, that's. You can see exactly where voters are when they have these questions. And citizen. An amendment to overturn Citizenship United was on the ballot in the 2024 election. It passed with 75% of the vote. We just had a red flag law pass across the state. But even in the second congressional district to implement new gun safety laws passed. And so these, you know, this is voters looking for common sense solutions that are going to make their state and their communities better, safer and work for them.

[B]

Yeah, Agreed. Thank you so much, my friend. It's been great to talk to you.

[D]

Thank you, Allison.

[B]

And we'll talk soon. I'd like to check in again. When is your primary?

[D]

The first week of June. Yep.

[B]

Excellent.

[D]

And we start collecting signatures to get on the ballot at the end of the week, January 1st.

[B]

Wonderful. Get out there in the snow. Yeah, it's cool. Somebody's in our dooryard. We got somebody here in our door yard. Thank you so very much, everybody. Stick around. We're going to be right back with the good news.

[A]

It's Sunday morning and that wonderfully relaxed feeling of a long, lazy day lingers in the air. If you want to make the moment last, may I suggest the perfect solution, The Martin Sheen Podcast. Join me, your host, Martin Sheen, for beautifully crafted 20 minute programs filled with never before heard stories of my life. Along with personal reflections and poetry that inspires. The Martin Sheen Podcast is the perfect Sunday refresh. A chance to take a deep breath, relax, and know that the stress of Monday may be just around the corner, but not here, not now. So make this your weekly moment of calm as we explore faith, hope, love, and what it means to be human. And know this, this journey is ever unfolding as I invite you to see what's next with me, Martin Sheen. And thank you.

[B]

Hey everybody. Welcome back. It's time for the good news. Who likes good news? Everyone?

[D]

Then good news everyone.

[C]

Good news.

[B]

And if you have any good news you want to share with us, please send it in to us by going to the DailyBeansPod.com website and clicking on Contact. It can be anything small or big that's happened recently or in the distant past. Maybe a fun story that you normally share with friends while you're sitting around and and hanging out. Maybe you want to share that story with us or you have a shout for a loved one or yourself or a non profit you'd like to shine some light on. Maybe a small business in your area that could use a boost. We'd love to hear about that. Maybe you have a shout out to a government program that's helped you or a loved one. Maybe have a funny joke, your favorite street joke. Maybe tell us who your favorite comedian is and what their favorite, your favorite joke of theirs is. We would Love to hear from you. Send it all to us dailybeanspod.com and click on Contact. And to get your stuff right on the air, you just got to attach a photo. You can pay your POD pet tariff by attaching a photo of your pet or an adoptable pet in your area. If you don't have that, you can just grab a random photo of a cute animal on the Internet and send it to us. If you don't have that, any photo will do. It can be a family photo. Awkward family photos. Holiday family photos. Tell us. Show us what you did on New Year's. Send us your New Year's kisses or.

[C]

You know, maybe resolutions or goals.

[B]

Yeah. Your intentions for the new year. We would love to hear about that.

[C]

Intentions. That's the good word I want to use.

[B]

That's what I like to use. Or, you know, some signs you've seen at a rally or an overpass or some great community organizing. Photos of your garden, what you're making, what you're creating. We have so many great fiber artists.

[C]

If there's anything in your photo album on your phone that seems to now.

[B]

Qualify, so just send it bird watching. Do you have a photo of you flipping the bird to a Trump building? Send it in DailyBeansPod.com click on Contact. First up, we have a good trouble update. All right, so current totals of matched charity donations. You'll recall a couple weeks ago on Giving Tuesday last month, I think I announced that I was going to donate my entire annual veterans benefits to communities that this administration specifically puts in harvest.

[C]

Because you're amazing.

[B]

Thank you, my friend. So I said I was going to donate all of that money to. I think we went to five organizations. Three of them had matching links that we included for the Leguminati to send in matching donations. And I'd like to announce that Pathways to citizenship has added $5,700 for more than 40amazing human rights campaign. $10,190 and 202 donations.

[C]

Incredible.

[B]

It gets better. You guys raised an additional $13,125. So we've got almost $30,000 in matching donations from y'.

[C]

All.

[B]

That's just incredible. We'll have those links to donate in the show notes for you if you want, because they're dedicated daily beans l Just for you to donate. So we'll have those in the show notes for you. Thank you so much, everybody, for, you know, opening up your wallets and helping people out, especially the communities that this administration wants to put in harm's way.

[C]

Yeah, absolutely. All right. This is from Kiki. No pronouns given.

[B]

Ugh.

[C]

I was reminded that there's one day to the shitty year left when AG said that she plans to make stop apologizing her thing in the new year. Of course, that reminded me when she said that at the beginning of this year that she was going to start Pilates. She also suggested we find something to take our mind off what is happening around us. Or something along those lines. Well, it's been a year and I do have menopause brain. At first I couldn't think of anything and figured I would get back to it. Well, guess what, here we are. And I'm realizing that I never did get back to it. I need to start thinking of 2026 and maybe set reminders in my phone. Happy New Year and thank you both for keeping me laughing insane throughout this year. For my pod pet tags, I've added two pics. The first of our son is a toddler, age 1 and a half. He's now 16. The second is of our current dog in just one of her happy places, the car with her ears flapping in the wind. Okay, pageboy, hats on babies. I just can't. They're so cute.

[B]

Yes. In fact, this little gentleman. What, 16? Age one and a half. Yeah.

[C]

Is 16 years old now. I can't wait to see him. I hope he's still wearing those hats.

[B]

Yes, look at this young. He said very. He's a very dapper gentleman, I must say.

[C]

And the Weimaraner in his car seat.

[B]

And the Weimaraner sticking his head out the sunroof.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

Fantastic.

[C]

So good.

[B]

Thank you so much, Kiki. I totally understand you on menopause brain. Next up from Anonymous. Pronoun she and her hello my beans queens. I am a science teacher in Wisconsin in a very small, small red town. Thank you Anonymous for your service. But I want to tell you about a scholarship I received to the Bimini Shark Lab. I was one of 28 educators that was picked and the only one from Wisconsin to learn more about lemon sharks. Canada, USA and the Bahamas were all in for the scholarships. Around 200 applicants. Wow. You have to understand that while here in Wisconsin we have lakes galore. I had to learn how to snorkel in the pool. Going there to meet the most fabulous people. All who just wanted to learn more about the ecosystem and sharks. This place was amazing. Many of the guides were young students learning about sharks, rays and mangroves. Lifelong friendships have been made with everyone from Canada, the Bahamas and the United States. They have so much to share and factual information about our oceans that the 60 hours of learning was the tip of a lifetime of research set for me and my students. Included are pictures of a kitten about three days old brought to me by a student to quote, unquote, raise. I of course did. Both pictures of her are at three weeks and just yesterday thinking she could run fast enough to tackle my other clan of cats. Best wishes to you all. P S. If I didn't have my animals, I would never make it through.

[C]

This fucked up world. I am so with you, Anonymous. Look at the sweet kitten, is so damn cute.

[B]

That's a hell of a glow up there. Beautiful cat.

[C]

All right, this is from Mary Jo. No pronouns given. Hi, Allison and Dana. Just a quick note about our Minneapolis mayor. His name is Jacob Fry. It's pronounced Fry like French Fry or Glen fry. Also, love your show. It's my lunch hour. Listen, I'm including one of our cats, Kitkat.

[B]

Mary Jo, the reason that I did that, and I knew that, but I think it's because I just finished watching Game of Thrones and the phrase Walder Frey and I was just like, I just read it as Frey. Thank you for that correction. Look at the beautiful orange ginger baby.

[C]

So sweet.

[B]

All right, next up from Bob. Pronouns, he and him. I just heard Dana looking at baby pictures saying, oh, my ovaries. And I wondered what an equivalent response from a man might be. Oh, my balls. That might get a few strange responses. For bodpet talks, I've attached a pic of a mama Carolina wren tending to her nest she made in one of our chairs on the back.

[C]

Oh, my porch. How sweet. Oh, look at this tiny little baby. So sweet.

[B]

Bob. Thank you. Oh, my God, you have the next one. This is hilarious. I love this picture. This is beautiful.

[C]

She's so good. Okay, this is from Jennifer. Pronouns she and her. Hey, beans queens. I'm an atheist because I believe in the power of human beings to change the world as well as their own lives. You and all the Leguminati are just a few of the confirmations of my faith. I love that reason for being an atheist. Thank you all for being amazing humans. I found myself singing the daily beans song the other day and it came out, navy beans. Navy beans. And then I laughed myself silly for bodpet tax the photo of baby gin that my grandpa had in his wallet for 35 years. Also, our little stinker babe. We don't know what her breed mix is, and I'm sure your guess is as good as ours. P.S. she has a full tail, but it's stirring up a breeze because she wants a treat.

[B]

Oh, my goodness.

[C]

Pincher Jen.

[B]

Okay. I have been making the same face Jen since I was that age as well. I hope you all could see the photo. She's like, what?

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

All right, so this dog, it looks adorable.

[C]

It snows. Her Corgi mix or schnauzer Dachshund. Right? It just depends how tall he is. It's hard to tell from this or she is from this angle.

[B]

Oh, my God. Adorable puppers, though, for sure. Oh, my God, Jennifer, thank you. I love that photo so much. All right, next up from Anonymous, Pronouns they and them. Hi. Ag&Dg love you both and all you do. I agree with Allison that Martin Sheen's new podcast on MSW is a source of great joy. For my POD pet tariff, I'm sending you more joy in the form of a chicken. This six week old joined the big kids in the cookhouse yesterday. On the top perch, that's Mum, blank, and dad. On the perch next to Junior. Okay, so mom looks like a. Well, I don't know which one is Mom. Is it the red or the gray? Because I would just be calling their breeds gray and red.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

That'S mom, an Andalusian. Oh. And dad a Sussex. Okay. He's very handsome and she's very beautiful. Andalusian.

[C]

Hey, Andalusia.

[B]

Okay, so that's a pixie song and has nothing to do with chickens. Anyway, thank you so much, Anonymous.

[C]

All right, moving on. This is from Tiffany, and as a mom who's been missing her son who died from brain cancer at 9, pronoun, she and her says fuck you, trump elon and worm brain for gutting childhood cancer research. That's how we're starting this. Hi, Tiffany. Hello, fellow latchkey beanies. Not the point of my submission, but I wanted to share that on December 14th, I joined Dana in a 27th anniversary celebration of turning 21. Aging is the mindset, as I guess. Unless you're AG who somehow seems to look younger than the older she gets. I want to give you a couple of shout outs. One, to my employer, who I won't name, but let's just say they're the national craft store that's not Hobby Lobby. I don't know if they have an official DEI hiring practice or if LGBTQ and folks with autism are just attracted to work that revolves around being artistic and crafty, but I think as a heterosexual woman, I'm a minority at my store. And it's been wonderful. I love getting to know my co workers, but especially the transgender young man who just I've shared so many laughs with as we shared our hot flash stories and how we've learned to cope. I love that my other shout out is to the 85 year old lady who decided to make the trip to our store last Saturday and pick me to help her because as she said, At 85, it was time to become crafty. I spent about half of an hour walking and talking with her as we gathered everything she needed for her project. I'll admit I keep finding reasons to show her more simply because I love spending time with her. That day will always be one of my favorite five top days working there. And she proved that you're never too old to pick up a new hobby. My pod tacks are pictures of my two boys. Although they aren't rescues. I bet you won't guess their breed makeup. Jack is white and brown one and Joey is the wiry black and brown. Random white patches. They're both terriers.

[B]

Blank. But they share the same mom but have different dads. Oh, all right, Mom. Go mom.

[C]

Oh, my God. They're like Chihuahua with terriers. They're so cute.

[B]

Okay, so Jack Russell terrier and I don't know, they're. They're both the same combo.

[C]

Interesting Terrier beagles.

[B]

Let's see. Jack Russell Zolo mixes. I've never heard of a Zolo.

[C]

Have you? Me either. No, that's a new one for me.

[B]

I'm gonna have to look more into Zolo. They're both adorable.

[C]

So cute.

[B]

All right, next up from Kathleen Pronoun. She and her Happy New Year Beans Queens shout out to my friend Melissa, who introduced me to your show last year, which is awesome in and of itself, but not the reason why I'm singing her praises. Melissa is a licensed massage therapist who followed her dream and opened her own spa so she could help make people's lives better through clinical massage therapy. While three years later, BE Wellness is thriving. Not only that, but they just got word that their application to the VA's Community Care Network was approved. Starting January 1st, veterans will be able to receive clinical massage therapy with them as part of their VA benefits with a referral that was something near and dear to her heart, as both her dad and husband have served. Melissa doesn't know this yet, but my Christmas present to her is making her a Patreon member of the Daily Beans. Oh, if you'd be so kind as to tell her on the air Done. While we both agree that sometimes the news of the day is too much, there are days even the beans can't make things bearable. But I thought she could really benefit from the access to the daily POD pet tariffs along with the other bonuses of membership. Speaking of tariffs, I submit my two furry companions. No breeds are given here. According to our producers, Isabel and Sammy both are rescues. Isabel, the black and white one, was my Covid dog that I convinced my husband we needed. And Sammy came two years later when my husband convinced me that Isabel needed a friend. My Hope is that 2026 brings some more sane news to the headlines. But if it doesn't, I know where to turn to get my daily dose of news with just the right amount of profanity. Thank you ladies for all you do. Melissa, Merry Christmas. Welcome to the Patreon family.

[C]

My goodness.

[B]

Oh, I know. Oh, geez. These are adorable doggos.

[C]

So cute.

[B]

That golden one looks so soft.

[C]

They're both sleepy. Sleep.

[B]

Oh, they seem like little angels. Thank you, Kathleen. And thanks, Melissa for introducing Kathleen to the Beans. And thanks, Kathleen, for giving Melissa a Patreon subscription. By the way, if you want to buy a one year full one year premium subscription to the beans, it's just 36 bucks for the whole year. It's amazing and you can do [e-mail] just scroll down and look for patrons helping patrons. Oh my goodness. What a great set of good news and good photos. It really was.

[C]

Yeah, rains are coming back to la.

[B]

Yes. Thank you all so very much. Really appreciate it. We're gonna do our best to record the Beans Talk today. Our video editor is out, so we might have to do that video editing by ourselves. So go easy on us over on the Beans Talk. There won't be any professionals.

[C]

There are no professionals. Mommy and Daddy are not home.

[B]

Yeah. So wish us luck and we'll see you there. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back in your ears tomorrow. Until then, please take care of yourselves, take care of each other, take care of the planet, take care of your mental health and take care of your family. Please have a wonderful and happy New Year. I'm AG And I'm dg. And them's the Beans. The Daily Beans is written and executive produced by Allison Gill with additional research and reporting by Dana Goldberg. Sound design and editing is by Desiree McFarlane with art and web design by Joelle Reader with Moxie Design Studios. Music for the Daily Beans is written and performed by they Might Be Giants. And the show is a proud member of the MSW Media Network, a collection of creator owned podcasts dedicated to news, politics and justice. For more information Please visit msw media.com msw media.