Hair On Fire

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Daily Beans – "Hair On Fire" (November 14, 2024)

Hosted by Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg, "The Daily Beans" delivers a progressive take on the latest political and social developments with a blend of insightful analysis and sharp wit. In the "Hair On Fire" episode, released on November 14, 2024, Gill and Goldberg delve into a series of explosive political moves and their potential ramifications, while also sharing uplifting stories from their listener community.

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1. Donald Trump's Nomination of Matt Gaetz as Attorney General

The episode kicks off with a significant political maneuver: former President Donald Trump has nominated Congresswoman Matt Gaetz as the new Attorney General. Gill highlights the contentious nature of this nomination, noting Gaetz's controversial reputation and the potential impact on the Department of Justice.

Notable Quote:

• Dana Goldberg (01:22): "Rumor has that he actually stepped out of Congress two days before they were about to release damning information on his investigation."

2. Trump's Executive Order to Purge Disloyal Military Leaders

In a bold move, Trump is drafting an executive order aimed at removing disloyal three and four-star generals and admirals. This order seeks to reshape the military leadership by targeting those perceived as not aligning with his administration's values.

Notable Quote:

• Allison Gill (03:02): "It's a trauma response. It is Tulsi Gabbard."
• Dana Goldberg (19:31): "If Donald Trump approves this order, it could fast track the removal of generals and admirals found to be lacking in requisite leadership qualities."

3. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to Dismantle Government Agencies

Trump has appointed tech mogul Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This department aims to reduce government bureaucracy and cut excess regulations, fulfilling Trump's campaign promise to streamline federal operations.

Notable Quote:

• Allison Gill (08:08): "Senate Majority Leader Thune gets the nod. Is it Toon or Thune? You know, whatever."
• Dana Goldberg (16:02): "It is very, very cool."

Key Points:

• DOGE is intended to operate outside the traditional government framework, allowing Musk and Ramaswamy to continue their private sector roles without requiring Senate approval.
• The department’s name, DOGE, references Musk’s association with the meme and cryptocurrency, signaling a non-traditional approach to government reform.
• Musk aims to slash $2 trillion from the federal budget, though specifics remain vague. Ramaswamy proposes mass layoffs within federal agencies to reduce bureaucracy.

4. FBI Arrests Alleged Leaker of Classified US Intelligence

The FBI has apprehended Asaf Rahman, accused of leaking highly classified US Intelligence documents concerning Israel’s retaliation plans against Iran. Rahman, a former CIA employee with top-secret clearance, is facing charges for the willful retention and transmission of national defense information.

Notable Quote:

• Allison Gill (08:08): "They said they wouldn't use it if they did."
• Dana Goldberg (10:12): "I hope you all heard that sarcasm through the one cocktail I've had in three days."

Key Points:

• The leaked documents, shared via a Telegram account named Middle East Spectator, reveal sensitive plans involving Israel's military activities and potential nuclear capabilities.
• The revelations raise concerns about the integrity of US intelligence operations and their implications for geopolitical stability.

5. Senator John Thune Wins Senate Majority Leader Election

In a closely watched Senate leadership race, Senator John Thune of South Dakota emerged victorious over contenders Rick Scott and John Cornyn. Gill discusses the implications of Thune's leadership for the Republican agenda, highlighting his established relationships and ability to navigate Senate dynamics effectively.

Notable Quote:

• Dana Goldberg (07:27): "Do think it stunned most of us."
• Allison Gill (07:29): "Yes, stunning. We're all shocked, but not stunning. Incredible."

Key Points:

• Despite strong endorsements from MAGA figures like Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson for Rick Scott, the secretive nature of Senate ballots favored Thune.
• Thune's track record shows a high alignment with Trump’s policies, voting with the administration 91.4% of the time.
• The election underscores that traditional Senate relationships and collegiality still play a crucial role in leadership selections, even amidst a Trump resurgence.

6. Good News Segment: Listener Submissions

Amidst the intense political discourse, Gill and Goldberg dedicate a portion of the episode to uplifting stories shared by their listeners. These narratives range from personal triumphs to community activism, providing a counterbalance to the heavier news topics.

Notable Stories:

• Devin: Highlights the challenges faced by the transgender community in accessing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and acknowledges local support programs.
• Michelle: Shares a heartfelt story of her husband's survival from a massive heart attack and celebrates his resilience through marathons and symbolic tattoos.
• Ann: Describes the joy of contributing to Democratic victories and community engagement, including assisting voters with ballot issues.
• Anonymous Listener: Reflects on a small personal financial win related to Tesla stock and the purchase of an electric vehicle, juxtaposed against broader political frustrations.
• Heath: Opens up about personal struggles following Trump's election and reaffirms his commitment to supporting his family and fostering resilience.

Notable Quotes:

• Heath (35:51): "Through that rage I feel your voices are calming on a daily basis..."
• Dana Goldberg (37:13): "I know that some of you are in. We all have different coping mechanisms."

7. Trump’s Plans and Potential Impacts on the Military and Government

Gill and Goldberg critically examine Trump's strategies to influence military leadership and government bureaucracy. They discuss the creation of the Warrior Board, composed of retired military personnel, tasked with recommending the removal of high-ranking officers deemed unfit for their roles.

Notable Quote:

• Dana Goldberg (16:02): "I also think it's hilarious that Marjorie Taylor Greene has not gotten a nod for anything yet."
• Allison Gill (20:14): "One of the keys of authoritarianism is to get your generals to stop swearing an oath to the Constitution and to swear an oath to you."

Key Points:

• The proposed Warrior Board could undermine the traditional military hierarchy and create uncertainty within the ranks.
• Potential targets include high-profile generals like Air Force General C.Q. Brown Jr., known for advocating diversity and expressing concerns about movements like Black Lives Matter.
• The episode emphasizes the risks of politicizing military leadership and the broader implications for US national security and democratic institutions.

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Conclusion

In "Hair On Fire," Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg provide a comprehensive analysis of the latest political developments, underscored by sharp commentary and a commitment to uncovering the truth behind the headlines. Balancing intense political discourse with heartfelt listener stories, the episode offers both critical insights and moments of hope, embodying the podcast’s mission to deliver progressive news with the right amount of snark.

Notable Closing Remarks:

• Allison Gill (38:25): "We're all in this together, and you're not alone."
• Dana Goldberg (37:13): "And everyone take care of themselves during this. No judgment, just, you know, no excess."

For more detailed discussions and updates, subscribe to "The Daily Beans" on your preferred podcast platform or visit mswmedia.com.

Transcript

[Alison Gill]

MSW Media. Thanks to Delete Me for supporting the show. Take control of your data and keep your private life private by signing up for DeleteMe. Get 20% off your Delete Me plan when you go to JoinDeleteMe.com DailyBeans and use promo code DailyBeans at checkout. And thanks to BeamDream for supporting the DailyBeans. BeamDream is a science backed healthy hot cocoa to help you sleep better. There's never been a better time to finally try Dream Shop their Black Friday sale and get up to 50% off when you visit shopbeam.com dailybeans and use code dailybeans at checkout. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. Today, Donald Trump has nominated Matt Gaetz to be the Attorney General. Trump has drafted an executive order to purge disloyal three and four star generals and admirals Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will head up the dismantling of government agencies. The FBI arrested an alleged leaker of US Intelligence documents related to Israel's attack plans against Iran. And Senator Thune wins the election of Senate Majority Leader. I'm Alison Gill.

[Dana Goldberg]

And I'm Dana Goldberg. Mat G. Welcome to the Hair on Fire episode of the Daily Beans. What the actual. And I know we'll get into more of this. Rumor has that he actually stepped out of Congress two days before they were about to release a damning, damning information on his investigation. And the only way that will get out now is with Mike Johnson releasing it. So chances are it will never see the light of fucking day.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, and not just. Rumor has it Jake Sherman from Punchbowl is actually confirming that reporting. Yeah, he. Two days before that report was set to come out, he resigned quietly. Must have made some sort of a deal with Trump. And now Trump can wield that report over his head to make sure he does what he wants him to do as Attorney General. Yeah, I don't think that report will ever see the light of day either. Unless.

[Dana Goldberg]

Jesus Christ.

[Alison Gill]

One of the staffers or Democrats that are on the ethics committee wants to leak it. Leak it.

[Dana Goldberg]

Leak it. And I know that people voted for cheaper eggs. I guarantee they didn't vote for this.

[Alison Gill]

Well, they did. God by proxy. I hope, I hope people. Somebody tweeted. People must really like eggs.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, Matt Gates likes them, but when they're inside a female.

[Alison Gill]

Oh, goodness sakes. They don't have eggs yet. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. If we don't laugh, we will cry. Please Forgive us for.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes, I know some people are like, it's not funny yet. This is what comedians do. This is how we cope.

[Alison Gill]

It's trauma. It's a trauma response. It is Tulsi Gabbard.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's one that terrifies me.

[Alison Gill]

Sitting atop the entire intelligence apparatus, just.

[Dana Goldberg]

Feeding things to Russia.

[Alison Gill]

Direct line to Putin I remember when Robert Mueller indicted Concord Management, Yevgeny Prigozhin and some American lawyers came in and started demanding all this discovery, including all of our spy craft going back to 1942. And Mueller was like, I'm dropping this case. We're never going to extradite these Russians. We're never going to, you know, I'm just going to dismiss the indictments because this is ridiculous. They're trying to get at our secrets. Well, now Putin has a direct line through Tulsi Gabbard to all of it, all of our tradecraft for as long as we've been doing it. It's frightening, but that's where we are.

[Dana Goldberg]

Sorry we don't have better news in the beginning we're going to get to at the end of the episode. So just make it through. If you feel like your brain's going to explode and your heart can't handle it, you can fast forward to the good news. But we do have some good stories to talk about. They're important, I should say not good.

[Alison Gill]

Important, better than they could have been, some of them specifically talking about Senate Majority leader. But we'll get into that right now. Let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right, first up, from Jim Gy at the Post. Something odd happened in the run up to the Republican Senate leadership election Wednesday. The leader of each party in the Senate is chosen shortly after US Elections behind closed doors with secret ballot. The Senate is all about relationships and a few senators want to be on lasting bad terms with any colleagues. They don't want to be, let alone their leader in the chamber. But a whole bunch of MAGA influencers treated the Senate leadership race like a traditional election with in your face public campaigning. Sen. Insisting that President elect Donald Trump's agenda depended on the election of Rick Scott of Florida as an ex GOP majority leader, as opposed to Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota or John Cornyn of Texas. Elon Musk backed Rick Scott on Twitter. So did RFK Jr and Vivek Ramaswamy, Charlie Kirk and others in the Magaverse. Tucker Carlson fumed, quote, two of the three candidates hate Trump and what he ran on. One of them, John Cornyn is an angry liberal whose politics are indistinguishable from Liz Cheney's. The election is Wednesday, he said it's by secret ballot and it will determine whether the new administration succeeds. Rick Scott of Florida is the only candidate who agrees with Donald Trump. Call your senator and demand a public endorsement of Rick Scott, end quote. Carlson's contention that Scott is the only one who agrees with Trump is ironic considering how John Thune voted with the Trump's administration's positions 91.4% of the time. Coryn voted with Trump 92.2% of the time and Rick Scott only voted with him 84.1% of the time, quote. You could argue that in the Biden years, Cornyn and TH were a bit more cooperative with Democrats. TH voted with Biden administration and his positions about 35% of the time, Coryn about 48 and a half percent and Rick Scott only 13%. Lo and behold, Scott's high profile endorsements and public pressure campaign from the online MAGA world did not work with a secret ballot. Plenty of senators didn't fear the consequences of a vote for Thune or Cornyn with Thune getting the nod. Is it Toon or Thune? You know, whatever. Thune seems right, not he's super liberal. I should know not every established rule, custom and norm in Washington will be revoked as Trump returns to the Oval Office. Time will tell how John Thune performs in the role of Majority leader. The job is not primarily focused on ideology and it isn't the place for a bomb thrower as Mitch McConnell showed during his 17 year stint as Republican leader in the majority and minority. The main task is to know your conference and know what each member can and can't vote for without endangering his or her reelection bid. Susan Collins of Maine won't always be able to vote for the same legislation as Mike Lee of Utah. A majority leader wants to make life as easy as possible for the conference and when the opportunity arises, as difficult as possible for the opposition. There's little reason to expect any Republican Senate Majority Leader to butt heads with Trump much. He just won a stunning victory. I don't know if I'd call it stunning. It's a couple million votes, so I.

[Dana Goldberg]

Do think it stunned most of us.

[Alison Gill]

Yes, stunning. We're all shocked, but not stunning. Incredible.

[Dana Goldberg]

Agreed.

[Alison Gill]

And Republicans are eager to enact as much of Trump's agenda as possible while they have the opportunity. But Scott's stumbling in the leadership race is a small demonstration that not all of the Washington or the GOP will be Trumpified. It appears that gentle favored trading, relationship building and collegiality are still the way to become leader of your party in the Senate. Go figure. Effusive endorsements from the likes of Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson just don't carry that much weight in the halls of the Senate. So again, not good news, but could have been worse news.

[Dana Goldberg]

Fair. I'll take it. This one's from Hannah Rabinowitz at cnn. The Justice Department has charged a man for allegedly leaking highly classified US Intelligence about Israel's plan for retaliation against Iran. Nope. Iran. Should I edit? Probably. You got it. You sure?

[Alison Gill]

Self cont.

[Dana Goldberg]

Everyone, I've had a cocktail. Iran. And that's according to court documents. And only one. You all should be proud of me after the week we've had. Well, that's according to court documents and a person familiar with the case, Asaf Rahman, was indicted last Thursday for willfully retaining and transmitting national defense information. That's according to court documents. He was arrested Tuesday in Cambodia and will first appeal in court in Guam, though the department has asked a federal judge to move him to Virginia to stand trial. Rahman was employed by the CIA, and that's according to a person familiar with his employment. Court documents indicate he was employed by the US Government. Rahman held a top secret security clearance. He could access sensitive compartmentalized information. The New York Times first reported Rahman's indictment. Now, documents were posted by a telegram account in mid October called Middle East Spectator. They are marked top secret and have markings indicating that they are meant to be seen only by US and its, quote, five eyes allies. Those are Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. CNN previously reported that one of the documents which says it was compiled by the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, discussed a plan involving Israel moving munitions. The other, which says it's sourced in the National Security Agency, outlines Israel's air force exercises involving air to surface missiles. One of the documents also suggests something that Israel has always declined to confirm publicly that the country has nuclear weapons. The document says the US has not seen any indications that Israel plans to use that weapon against Iran. But this is. Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

So they didn't say, oh, they don't have any.

[Dana Goldberg]

Nope.

[Alison Gill]

They said they wouldn't use it if they did. Okay.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. And you know you can trust everything Bibi says, right?

[Alison Gill]

Of course.

[Dana Goldberg]

I hope you all heard that sarcasm through the one cocktail I've had in three days.

[Alison Gill]

Next up from David Ingram and Von Hilliard at NBC. President elect Donald Trump named Elon Musk And Vivek Ramaswamy on Tuesday to head up a new Department of Government Efficiency, fulfilling a campaign pledge to give Musk sweeping oversight of government spending. Trump said in a statement on Truth Social Media that the department will help, quote, dismantle government bureaucracy and slash excess regulations. The name of the agency, D O G E for short, is a reference to a meme and a cryptocurrency associated with Musk, because why not, quote, this will send shockwaves through the system and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people. That's what Musk said in a statement released by the transition team on Twitter. He said, threat to democracy. Nope, threat to bureaucracy. Musk had said he wants to cut 2 trillion from the federal budget, which is more than the discretionary budget of 1.7 trillion. He has provided few details about what he would like to cut, though he has attacked relatively small recipients of federal money like the Department of Education and npr. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to get rid of the Department of Education. Musk has said the cuts would mean temporary hardship for some people. Yeah, hundreds of thousands, many of which are veterans. So Ramaswamy has called for mass layoffs at federal agencies, a tactic that could sidestep legal protections that otherwise insulate the federal civil service from targeted political cuts. He said on Twitter this week with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that, quote, if you simply mandated federal employees to work Monday through Friday 8 to 6, like most Americans, you'd see a mass exodus, probably a 25% thinning of the bureaucracy right there. Completely untrue. Everybody I knew who worked in the government worked 40 hours a week. Ramaswamy campaigned for president in the Republican primaries. As we know, he campaigned on eliminating federal agencies, and his initial targets include the FBI, eliminating the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, the Education Department, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Food Nutrition Service with the Agriculture Department. Trump said Tuesday the new department would exist. This Department of Government Efficiency would exist, quote, outside of the government giving advice to those in the White House about overhauling federal agencies. The arrangement would also be likely to allow Musk and Ramaswamy to continue working in the private sector and serve without Senate approval. That's how he's getting around that. Trump said he wanted the department to help deliver drastic change, and he compared his ambitions to those of the World War II project to develop atomic weapons. Quote, it will become potentially the Manhattan Project of our time. Trump said Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of the Department of Government Efficiency for a very long time. He gave a deadline of 4 July 2026 for the Department to conclude its work. So expect all of the dismantling of our agencies to be complete by July 4, 2026. In his broader efforts to pare down the government, Trump could seek to ask Congress to give him presidential reorganization authority under Presidential Reorganization act to permit him to consolidate, reorganize or eliminate agencies within the executive branch. The last time Congress gave a president such authority was during the Reagan administration. Trump could also take steps to eliminate federal worker jobs by resigning his Schedule F executive order, which would reclassify tens of thousands of federal civil workers as political at will positions as a means of either installing politically aligned workers or removing a chunk of the federal workforce altogether. Trump signed that executive order in October of 2020. President Joe Biden rolled it back. The Government Accountability Office, the gao, that's the main federal government watchdog, indicated it would provide any necessary information to Trump's new entity. Quote, GAO has cooperated and shared information in the past when presidential or congressional commissions have been established to address the federal government's programs and operations as well as fiscal and other challenges. We will take the same approach with any new commissions formed and stand ready to assist the new Congress and the Executive branch. That's Gene L. Doro, United States Comptroller General and head of the gao, in a statement, quote. As the investigative arm of Congress, GAO continues to examine how federal dollars are spent and provide lawmakers and agency heads with objective, nonpartisan, professional, fact based recommendations to help the government save money and work more efficiently. That's what Dodaro added during an interview with NBC. RFK Jr. Said last week the guy who could play a key role in overseeing public health issues said he intends disband numerous health departments in the executive branch. He's singled out the nutrition departments at the Food and Drug Administration. The saying they have to go. Trump's announcement Tuesday brings together two of Trump's highest profile surrogates in the tech industry with vastly different backgrounds. We know Musk is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and Twitter, even though he's a newcomer to electoral politics. His super PAC spent more than $152 million to elect Trump and Republicans this year. SpaceX has a $3.6 billion contract or multiple contracts totaling 3.6 billion with federal agencies just this year alone. That's according to government data. It's not clear whether that spending is on the table for possible cuts. Probably not. Ramaswamy ran for the 2024 Republican nomination against Trump and dropped out In January after he finished fourth in the Iowa caucus. He's the founder of a biotech company, Roy Vant Sciences. I don't know. Now, Trump didn't immediately provide details about how the two men would work together, might pay for the operations of the department if it operates outside the federal government. And I just want to say I think it's fucking hilarious that they have to pick two people to run a government efficiency department. Just a little weird.

[Dana Goldberg]

I also think it's hilarious that Marjorie Taylor Greene has not gotten a nod for anything yet. And I think it would be even funnier if they put her in charge of the Department of Education and then abolished it. I could see Trump actually being like, congratulations. Never mind. Hopefully she's not anywhere near the government because this whole thing is horrifying. But we are going to move on to the next story. This is from the Wall Street Journal. The Trump transition team. I guess we're not moving on. The Trump transition team is considering a draft executive order that establishes, quote, a warrior board of retired senior military personnel with the power to review three and four star officers and to recommend removals of any deemed unfit for leadership. Holy shit. If Donald Trump approves this order, it could fast track the removal of generals and admirals found to be, quote, lacking in requisite leadership qualities. I guess they're defining those in the next administration. That's according to a draft of the order reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. But it could also create a chilling effect on top military officers, given the President elect's past vow to fire, quote, woke generals, referring to the officers seen as promoting diversity in the ranks at the exp expense of military readiness. And it's not at the expense, by the way, of military readiness. As commander in chief, Trump can fire any officer at will. But an outside board whose members he appoints would bypass the Pentagon's regular promotion system, signaling across the military that he intends to purge a number of generals and admirals. Now, the warrior board would be made up of retired generals and non commissioned officers who would send their recommendations to the President. Those identified for removal would be retired at their current rank within 30 days. Caroline Leavitt, the Trump Vance transition spokeswoman, declined to comment on this draft executive order, but said, quote, the American people reelected President Trump by a resounding margin. No, they didn't. Given him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver. The establishment of the board would be in line with Trump's calls for purging what he views as failed generals, including those involved in the chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he fucking set up before he left office the first time. That's according to people familiar with the policy discussions. Trump has said he would ask all generals involved in withdrawal to resign by, quote, noon on Inauguration Day. The President elect previewed the move during a campaign event in October, telling the audience that he would create a task force to monitor the woke generals. And rid of any diversity training in the military. They're gone. That's what Trump said to those generals without naming specific officers. One feared potential target of Trump's threatened purge could be Air Force General C.Q. brown Jr. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That's according to two defense officials. During the 2020 George Floyd protests, Brown spoke about the impact that movement had on him and what it was like to rise through the military ranks as a black fighter pilot. The executive order, which has been reviewed by the President Elect's transition team, may be presented to Trump when he takes office, and its implementation depends on whether he chooses to sign it in its current form. That's according to a person familiar with its drafting. On Tuesday, Trump announced his intention to nominate Pete Hegseth. Is that how Pete says his last name?

[Alison Gill]

Hegseth.

[Dana Goldberg]

I think Hegseth now Pizza veteran. And more importantly to. I'm sure Donald Trump, a Fox News host, to be his next Secretary of defense. I've seen videos of this guy on Instagram. He's a lunatic. If confirmed by the Senate, Hegseth could be key in implementing the findings of the Warrior Board's review. Some former officials believe the incoming Trump administration is looking to politicize the military. Of course they are. And the last quote in the story, do they start wearing MAGA hats in formation to signal who's where? That was asked by former senior Pentagon official and he closed with, the potential for this to go wrong is infinite.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. One of the keys of authoritarianism is to get your generals to stop swearing an oath to the Constitution and to swear an oath to you.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

And that's what we're looking at here, so obviously we'll keep you posted. We have to take a quick break, but we'll be back with the good news. Please, please, please, please send in your good news. Please. We need it so badly. Send it to [e-mail] and click on contact. We'll see you on the other side of this break after these messages.

[Dana Goldberg]

We'll be right back.

[Alison Gill]

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If you don't have a pod pet photo, you can submit a pet a picture of any animal or an adoptable pet in your area. And if you don't have any of those, you can submit a baby photo. That's how you get your good news submission in. And it's okay if you don't want to submit a picture too. We'll still take your good news. We need all the good news we can get. We also love shout outs, whether it's to a loved one like a spouse or a kid or a parent or family member or a BFF or somebody's doing great work in your in your community. Some activism. Because that's what it's going to be all about now, right? Local grassroots activism to protect our communities. So send that into us. Also shout outs to government programs that that have helped you or a loved one, whether it's Social Security or Medicare, Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, Head Start, the Section 8 housing vouchers, the Affordable Care act, and of course student debt relief. Send it all to us [e-mail] click on contact. First up from Devin. Pronouns, they and he it's a noble goal to provide funds for people to stock up on hrt, but unfortunately for our trans brothers and siblings, testosterone is a controlled substance, so it's not possible for those of us on T to stock up on our medication.

[Dana Goldberg]

Makes a lot of sense.

[Alison Gill]

I didn't think of that. They they only give it to like 30 days or 90 days at a time. Despite the devastating blow to trans rights, we continue to fight on, and I believe that community is our biggest resource. That's why I'd like to shout out Central Floridians for Social Equality and our Volusia Queer Peers program. We host a monthly group therapy program run by a licensed mental health counselor for the queer community in and around Volusia county in Florida. We had put the program on hiatus because sadly, nobody was showing up. We're hoping to expand our reach and reopen the program in the new year. Our website is CF and we'll have a link in the show notes for you and we would love to see new faces in the program. Devin, thank you for that reminder. I didn't consider that and thank you for the work that you're doing in.

[Dana Goldberg]

The community, especially in Florida. Devin, thank you. This one's from Michelle Pronoun. She her hi. My husband and I are avid listeners and as many have said, this past week has been rough. We do have some good news to share though. On October 4, 2022, my husband went out for an early morning run. Just after six days, he called to tell me that he was walking back home. That's about a half a mile with chest pains and to get dressed to take him to the hospital. By the time he walked through the door, I was up and dressed and horrified at the state he was in. When he walked in, he immediately called 911 and was soon on his way. He was having a massive heart attack and I'm so thankful that he knew the signs and is with us today. A year after his heart attack, he got the reset button tattoo. Oh my God. That's awesome. We just got home from another cath lab where they do didn't find any blockages. He's been skipping beats. He. Yeah, he's been skipping beats and this was the first step in fixing that issue. So to sum it up, our good news is that he's healthy. Runs about two and a half marathons since the heart attack. Wow. And still with us, the good fight with me and the two kiddos for Pod Pet Tax. This is an awesome tattoo for Pod Pet Tax. I'm submitting A picture of his kick ass tattoo. Yep. A family picture, including our pup, Zion. She's a rescue that we adopted three years ago. She's a mix of 19 breeds, so your guesses will be at least partially correct. Thank you both for all the good that you do and that you are. Oh, my God. Well, there's definitely husky. You can tell by the eyes. I'd say there's pit bull. There's probably some Australian shepherd, a Chihuahua.

[Alison Gill]

German shepherd. Chow healer.

[Dana Goldberg]

Boxer.

[Alison Gill]

Hallahuda town. Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Your family is adorable. All right, what do we have here?

[Alison Gill]

This family.

[Dana Goldberg]

American pit bull. Yep. Yep. Stafford terrier. Chow chow.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Husky.

[Alison Gill]

Yep. Didn't get the samoyed.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

German shepherd.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yep. Yep.

[Alison Gill]

Cattle dog. Yep. Australian shepherd. Yep. Miss the border Collie.

[Dana Goldberg]

Weimariner lab. Cocker spaniel. Golden retriever. Iris Setter. Dalmatian. Got the Dalmatian. Chihuahua. Got the Chihuahua. Poodle and Keisha.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

And shih tzu. 1% shih tzu. Somewhere way down the line, one of those dog fucks a shih tzu.

[Alison Gill]

Somebody fucked a shih tzu. Somebody fucked a shih tzu. Oh, my God.

[Dana Goldberg]

But, like, 80 years ago.

[Alison Gill]

By the way, this is one of the coolest looking dogs I've ever seen.

[Dana Goldberg]

It is very, very cool.

[Alison Gill]

Perfect mix of all 19. And thank you for sending in that photo. It's fantastic. And congrats on 2 and a half marathons. Love your reset tattoo. All right, next up from Su, like booze or news pronoun. She and her. After deleting my Twitter account from 2009 Last Wednesday, I was fully prepared to quit social media for good, But Dana gave me the pep talk I didn't know I needed and got me set up on Blue Sky. Thank you, Dana. The animal pics alone are like therapy. Yeah. And reconnecting with familiar faces from the past 15 years feels like coming home. Here's a baby pic, quote unquote, of my recent college grad, since he'll always be my baby.

[Dana Goldberg]

Love you both.

[Alison Gill]

Let's never give up. And look at this devil. What an incredible handsome devil this is. Look at this.

[Dana Goldberg]

Nice, nice, nice.

[Alison Gill]

Congrats on graduating too.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know this sounds crazy, but I'm gonna let you take the next one, because the way this turns out, I want you to close out the show. So you take the next one, and then I'll go after you, all right?

[Alison Gill]

Deal. This is from Ann. She her. Hi, AG and dg Love laughing and crying with you. Thanks for the beautiful and inclusive community you're building. I'm writing to let you know about the little glimmers of hope I'm catching like fireflies in a jar. The thing that's bringing me joy is phone banking for Democrats. On Monday night we got the great news that George Whitesides flipped his district in LA county, bringing us one seat closer to a possible House majority. I made phone calls to likely Dem voters on for Georgia on Election Day. I felt such a surge of joy when I heard he was about to win. Also on Monday, I helped two voters in Pennsylvania cure their ballots for Bob Casey. Hundreds of people were making calls. If we have any spare time, I can't recommend enough making some calls. Ballots in California can be cured until December 10th, and there's virtual phone banks so volunteers can make calls from anywhere For Pod Pet Tax. Here's a photo of my sweet 16 year old kitty Ziggy. He's my snappy snuggly cuddle buddy. Thanks again for all you do. And Ann, thank you. I was lucky enough to host a fundraising event in Orange county for all of our candidates there, and Whitesides is just incredible. It's just an amazing group of people running for the House here in California. So thank you for that.

[Dana Goldberg]

Nice. All right, this is from a non no pronouns given. Anonymous an extremely minuscule personal silver lining after Trump's election victory barfed in my mouth typing that. By the way, I bought a few shares of Tesla stock in early 2022 because I figured electric cars and clean air were the future and it was something I wanted to invest in for the better world. Unfortunately, shortly after I bought them, the stock price took a dive. No biggie. I was holding it for a long time investment. Anyway, over the last few years, as Elon Musk got louder, weirder and Trumpier, I vowed to sell my stock as soon as I was out of the red. My good news is that after the election, Tesla stock shot up and finally reached a point where I was able to sell my shares and not take a loss. I even made a couple hundred bucks. I'm not glad for Elon that the stocks are doing well, but I do feel a sense of relief knowing I never have to see Tesla in my portfolio again and I'm no longer supporting his company. I also purchased an electric car this year, a Nissan Ariya. Aria. Aria for Dana. Oh that's great. They know that I'm reading this and then I need the pronunciation correction. Aria Nissan Aria. Hi Dana. Love you. This is from Anonymous so that I can lower my carbon footprint. Jesus Christ people. Well this is again a very small silver lining to the outcome of the election. You have to look for the positive and a sea of negative to be able to keep your head above water. I also had to laugh after election day. In my misery and despair. The thought crossed my mind how absolutely fucking pissed Melania must have been after Donald won and that put a brief smile on my face. Thanks ladies for all you do. For I listen every morning on my way to work since the kitchen table days and Anonymous I actually thought that as well that Melania was like, are you kidding me? I thought I was going to get out of this because he was going to go to prison.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. Nope, you're stuck with them too babe.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh man.

[Alison Gill]

All right, our final submission. Heath Pronouns he and him Longtime listener. Love you both. First time ever reaching out. I'm actually ashamed I'm not a Patreon member, but but I will fix that diapers and daycare are expensive. My life is very anomalous, unconventional, however you prefer to describe it. I'm white, straight, raised as a Southern Baptist, but I'm very liberal. My wife and I are Christians but don't go to church. I work for a major oil and gas company but drive an electric car. I love my parents and my four siblings but find myself disgusted with them following the election last week. I have all the appearance of a prototypical maga, but I'm absolutely throttled with what good Christians, quote unquote, have allowed to corrupt their beliefs. I think a big moment for me came last week after my 18 year old niece, who's attending her first year of college, posted on her Instagram story a picture of Donald Trump and his sycophants gathered around him, praying. I think at that moment, more than any other, I realized how much of a cult this is and I'm filled with so much hate that my family has succumbed to it. Through that rage I feel your voices are calming on a daily basis and even when they're not as tranquil and showing vulnerability or sorrow, it's usually right in line with how I'm feeling. I have a two year old daughter and all of this is just hitting way harder than I ever thought it could and a lot of those feelings come out when I listen in. I was so hopeful and optimistic when my wife brought our daughter into this world and now I feel that she's going to be routinely surrounded by a mentality of her body. My choice. I'm already reconciling with the fact that I'll always know. She'll probably find out her grandparents Aunts and uncles all voted for an adjudicated rapist and a fraud over a woman of color. And it's been a really tough week. And while all I want to do is be alone in a dark room. Well, fuck that shit. Fuck it all. I'm turning this into a good news post. I'm going to be the dad she can be proud of and snap out of this bullshit. I'll tell her how it is that there's shitty people in this world that we can give the middle finger to and that there's good people that have been manipulated that we can't give up on. That she'll have me and my wife to lean on, as well as her godfathers, our gay friends Victor and Andy. Not exactly family approved to lean on. And at the end of the day, good is going to win out. Yes, two shall pass. And until then, we've always got each other. As I remember singing in church back when I believed it to be a safe place. It is well with my soul. Thank you for everything that you do. Would love to chat sometime and if you ever find yourself in Houston, I'd love to buy y'all some beers, barbecue or Tex Mex and Marg. Here's a picture of my beautiful daughter. Thank you.

[Dana Goldberg]

She is indeed beautiful. I usually get to Houston once a year, so. Tell you right now. Heath, I'm taking you up on this. Bring the godparents. Let's go have some fun.

[Alison Gill]

Do you want to have beers and barbecue or Tex Mex and Margs? Can we just do two days and do both? Why not both?

[Dana Goldberg]

There you go. How about barbecue and Mars?

[Alison Gill]

Barbecue and Margs? I was just going to say that works for me. I'm down. Tex, Max and beer. Let's do it.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, my goodness. That baby in that watermelon. My goodness, everyone. I know, sweetie.

[Alison Gill]

It's like she wants me to have a bite.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know.

[Alison Gill]

I love it. Thank you so much, everyone, for all of the kind words and sending in your good news. We need it now more than ever. Please send it into us, even if it's the smallest little thing. People find hope and joy in the little things right now. Send it to us dailybeanspod.com and click on contact. We'll be back in your ears tomorrow, of course. And as you, I think, have heard probably by now, Jack Smith is going to be resigning before he's fired. Which, if you listen to the Jack podcast this week, you know why. That's a good decision, in our opinion. So again, send us your good news and hang in there. We have each other and you're not alone. That's so important. Thank you so much. Dan, do you have any final thoughts today?

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. I just want to say, you know, I know that some of you are in. We all have different coping mechanisms. And if some of you may feel like now's not the time for jokes, this is my and Allison's coping mechanism. It truly is one of them. And it, trust me, it's a healthier coping mechanism than we could be doing. I know there's a lot of people out there that are sober, and I'm so impressed. And to be honest with you and Mary Trump, I had a conversation with Mary Trump a long time ago, and she was talking about how people who are sober actually cope with this stuff better because they have the tools to do it. And that you've been basically doing this for many more years than those of us who have maybe not the same tools. And so for the sober people out there, I'm sure that you could teach us a thing or two. And for those people that do in imbibe or smoke or anything like that, moderation. But everyone take care of themselves during this. No judgment, just, you know, no excess. Everyone just please take care of yourself through this because it could be easy to go over the edge, especially when things are this bad.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. And if us cracking a joke is hurtful to you, let us know gently.

[Dana Goldberg]

Because this is truly the way I cope. It truly is the way I cope.

[Alison Gill]

It is. It's not personal. Know that.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

Know that. All right, everybody, 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.

[Dana Goldberg]

I've been AG and I've been dg.

[Alison Gill]

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 McFarland with art and web design by Joel Reeder with Moxie Design Studio. 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.