It’s Gonna Be May

Summary

The Daily Beans: “It’s Gonna Be May” Summary

Release Date: May 1, 2025
Hosts: Alison Gill and Dana Goldberg
Produced by MSW Media

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Introduction

In the May 1, 2025 episode titled “It’s Gonna Be May,” The Daily Beans, a progressive news podcast owned and operated by women, delves into a range of pressing social justice and political issues. Hosted by Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg, the episode offers insightful analysis, sharp commentary, and a touch of snark to keep listeners informed and engaged during their morning commutes.

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Main News

1. Immediate Release of Mohsen Madawi

The episode opens with the significant news of Mohsen Madawi, a Columbia University student, being ordered for immediate release by a judge. Madawi was detained amid the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists.

• Alison Gill highlights, “[00:00] …judge has ordered the immediate release of Mohsen Madawi… amid the Trump administration's crackdown on pro Palestinian activists.”
• Dana Goldberg underscores the importance of constitutional rights, quoting Madawi: “I am not afraid of you” ([07:31]).

This development marks a temporary victory for activists, though the administration’s efforts to deport Madawi continue.

2. Abrego Garcia Case Resumes Discovery

The Abrego Garcia case sees renewed activity as Judge Sinis denies the government's request for another delay, allowing the full bench of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to resume discovery.

• Alison Gill notes, “[05:57] …Judge Sinis has resumed discovery in the Abrego Garcia case… the government likely overpromised on their efforts to secure Garcia's release.”

This indicates increasing judicial skepticism towards the government's handling of the case, adding pressure on the administration's legal maneuvers.

3. Venezuelan Detainees Protest ICE Facility

At the Blue Bonnet ICE facility in Texas, 31 Venezuelan detainees orchestrated a human SOS by forming the letters "SOS" in the facility’s dirt yard, captured by a Reuters drone.

• Alison Gill comments, “[07:11] …Venezuelan detainees sent the outside world a message this week. SOS.”

These detainees had faced wrongful accusations of gang affiliation under the Alien Enemies Act, leading to their temporary deportation before Supreme Court intervention halted the process.

4. Trump Admin’s Data Access Restriction

A landmark court decision maintains a bar against the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) accessing sensitive Social Security Administration (SSA) data.

• Alison Gill states, “[10:28] …the court order barring the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive personal information from the Social Security Administration will remain in effect.”

This ruling emphasizes the judiciary's role in safeguarding personal data against overreaching governmental access.

5. Firing of Doug Emhoff from Holocaust Museum Board

In a controversial move, President Trump has fired Doug Emhoff from the board overseeing the Holocaust Museum.

• Dana Goldberg describes the situation, “[12:54] …Trump border pick Rodney Scott has been accused of a cover-up… [following] the firing of Doug Emhoff from the Holocaust Museum board.”

Emhoff defended the integrity of Holocaust remembrance, stating, “Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized” ([13:03]).

6. Termination of Women Peace and Security Program

The Trump administration is dismantling the Women Peace and Security (WPS) program, originally signed into law by Trump in 2017 and supported bipartisanly.

• Alison Gill asserts, “[12:50] …Defense Secretary Pete Kegseth announced the elimination of the WPS program, misrepresenting its origins and bipartisan support.”

This termination reflects a broader trend of rolling back progressive initiatives under the administration.

7. RFK Jr.’s Controversial Statement on Fluoride

RFK Jr. made headlines by claiming a “direct inverse correlation between fluoride exposure and low IQ in children,” sparking debates over public health policies.

• Alison Gill challenges the terminology, stating, “[03:25] …there's no such thing as a direct inverse correlation.”
• Dana Goldberg humorously adds, “[03:39] …if fluoride goes down, stupidity should also go down.”

This statement from RFK Jr. continues to fuel discussions on the safety and regulation of fluoride in public health.

8. VA’s Use of Non-Disclosure Agreements in Workforce Reductions

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reportedly requiring employees involved in Reduction in Force (RIF) talks to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), raising concerns about transparency and oversight.

• Alison Gill summarizes, “[24:30] …the VA is requiring all employees involved in workforce reduction plans to sign NDAs, preventing them from sharing basic information.”

This move has drawn criticism for potentially circumventing whistleblower protections and hindering employee rights.

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Good News

The Daily Beans dedicates a significant portion of the episode to uplifting stories and listener submissions that highlight positive developments and personal triumphs.

1. Strathmore Hosts World Pride Festival

After being dropped by the Kennedy Center, the Strathmore Music Center steps in to host the World Pride Festival, featuring the International Pride Orchestra and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.

• Alison Gill shares, “[12:54] …Strathmore's willingness to host the Pride Celebration concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorsteps of the nation's capital.”

This event underscores community solidarity and the resilience of the LGBTQ+ movement despite political setbacks.

2. Listener Submissions and Celebrations

The hosts engage with their audience by reading and sharing various listener submissions that range from personal achievements to heartwarming stories. Notable highlights include:

• Congratulations to Violet for legally changing her name and embracing her identity ([32:02]).
• Shoutouts to Bear Skull the Amazing, recognized for his community work preparing meals for marginalized groups in Seattle ([35:05]).

These stories emphasize the podcast’s commitment to celebrating individual milestones and community contributions.

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Corrections & Shoutouts

The hosts take time to address listener feedback, correct mispronunciations, and acknowledge personal stories shared by their audience.

• Pronunciation Correction: Susan from Germany corrects the pronunciation of Rolling Stone reporter "Sawin Soisbang" to "Sawin Sang" ([26:17]).
• Listener Anecdotes: Dana and Alison share humorous personal stories about mispronounced street names and grooming habits, adding a relatable and lighthearted touch to the episode ([28:38]).

These interactions foster a sense of community and engagement between the hosts and their listeners.

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Conclusion

Wrapping up the episode, Allison and Dana encourage listeners to continue advocating for social justice, supporting each other, and staying informed. They express gratitude for their audience’s engagement and participation, emphasizing the importance of community and resilience in the face of political and social challenges.

• Alison Gill concludes, “[38:38] …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.”

The episode effectively balances hard-hitting news with positive stories and personal connections, embodying the podcast’s mission to inform and uplift its audience.

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Notable Quotes

• Mohsen Madawi’s Statement: “I am not afraid of you” ([07:31])
• Alison Gill on RFK Jr.’s Claim: “There’s no such thing as a direct inverse correlation” ([03:25])
• Doug Emhoff’s Defense: “Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized” ([13:03])

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For more information and to listen to the full episode, visit mswmedia.com.

Transcript

[Alison Gill]

MSW Media. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Thursday, May 1, 2025. Today, a judge has ordered the immediate release of Mohsen Madawi, the Columbia student detained amid the Trump administration's crackdown on pro Palestinian activists. The Abrego Garcia discovery is back on after Judge Sinis denied the government another delay. The full bench of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has voted to keep Doge out of Social Security Administration data. Venezuelan men who narrowly avoided being imprisoned by Trump in El Salvador without trial, saved by that Supreme Court intervention spelled out SOS with their bodies to a Reuters camera drone observing the Bluebonnet ICE facility in Texas. Trump has fired Doug Emhoff from the board that oversees the Holocaust Museum. The Trump administration is ending the Women Peace and Security program, which was signed into law by Trump. RFK Jr says there is a direct inverse correlation between fluoride and stupid kids. His words, not mine. The VA is forcing some involved in reduction in Force talks to sign non disclosure agreements. Strathmore will be hosting the World Pride Festival that was dropped by the Kennedy Center. And Trump border pick Rodney Scott has been accused of a cover up of the death of a man beaten by U.S. agents. I'm Alison Gill.

[Dana Goldberg]

And I'm Dana Goldberg.

[Alison Gill]

Rabbit. Rabbit. Happy May 1st.

[Dana Goldberg]

Happy May 1st to you. My God, it's. I can't believe it's already May 1st. At the same time, it feels like 400 years since the inauguration.

[Alison Gill]

It's gonna be May today.

[Dana Goldberg]

It's gonna be May Pretty good news.

[Alison Gill]

Day as newsdays goes these days. Go these days. Sorry, that's a big tongue twister. But I think we're still firmly in the taint of the week. I don't think we've gone.

[Dana Goldberg]

I got a text from a friend of mine that was like, dana, you're a lesbian. I can't believe you're talking about taints. Isn't that the space between the balls and the asshole? Men. I'm like, yes, but women also have tains. We just don't normally refer to them in a derogatory way because usually men are the ones behaving like them. Not all men. Hashtag hashtag not all men.

[Alison Gill]

Hashtag not all men. Hashtag not all taints.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, hashtag not all taints. But I. This person's also. And I know you're listening, gator. This person's also in the medical field. And I'm like, women have taints too. We just call them perineum. Right.

[Alison Gill]

I thought we did.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. No, I had to. I Googled it because she made me question myself for a minute.

[Alison Gill]

All right, good. Okay.

[Dana Goldberg]

Perineum. That sounds like a perineum. But that would make sense.

[Alison Gill]

The perineum. But right when you say perineum, it feels like only dudes have those. I don't know. That's not right.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

Anyway, it's just the space between the.

[Dana Goldberg]

Anus and the genitals.

[Alison Gill]

Okay.

[Dana Goldberg]

Okay, everyone. Okay.

[Alison Gill]

All right. And also Wednesday, sometimes Thursday, and sometimes.

[Dana Goldberg]

Wednesday is what it feels like on this podcast. Thanks for joining us. Let's keep it rolling.

[Alison Gill]

Yes. Welcome, new listeners. I know that you're going to continue to listen to the rest of the show now that we've had the anatomy lesson.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

RFK Jr. Oh, my God. Today said at a cabinet meeting, quote, we found that there's a direct inverse correlation between fluoride exposure and low IQ in children. So the more you get, the stupider you are. Unquote.

[Dana Goldberg]

Okay, then I'd like to know how much fluoride RFK Jr has ingested in his life if he thinks that's that correlation.

[Alison Gill]

I couldn't get past direct inverse correlation. Because let's. First of all, what the fuck is a direct. And we have a direct correlation, which means, you know, one thing goes up, the other thing goes up. We have an inverse correlation like the number of dwindling pirates with the global temperature.

[Dana Goldberg]

Or in this case, okay, that. Or in this case, if fluoride goes down, stupidity should also go down, meaning kids should be smarter, according to his little rule of law here.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, but there's no such thing as a direct inverse correlation. You know, I just.

[Dana Goldberg]

You can find direct inverse correlation in the dictionary right next to reverse racism.

[Alison Gill]

Right. Also. And you can find it in Schrodinger's dictionary.

[Dana Goldberg]

Although now we're going to get a correction from someone that's like, no, direct inverse correlation is what I did my thesis on.

[Alison Gill]

No, I swear I didn't. I. You know what? I've done a dissertation and I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as a direct inverse correlation. It's one of the other. The inverse correlation is the opposite of a direct correlation. I could. You know what, send in your corrections. Let's hear them. And we will get to those in the good news section of. Of the show, which is going to come after a special B block about the Department of Veterans affairs and non disclosure agreements. But first, we have to get to the hot notes. Hot notes. All right, first up, Judge Sinis has resumed discovery in the Abrego Garcia case. After refusing to extend the government's request for another week. Long delay. Apparently whatever it was Trump promised was a load of shit. And, you know, because a week ago, he filed under seal asking for a week. And Abrego Garcia's lawyers and the judge was like, okay, we'll give you a week to do whatever that is. We still don't know what it is. But you know how I've been saying, I think that the government was, like, probably promising they would try to release Abrego Garcia. Well, the New York Times is reporting today that the government sent Bukele a note asking about his release, Abrego Garcia's release, and that Bukele said no, quote. It remained unclear, though, whether the diplomatic effort was a genuine bid by the White House to address the plight of the immigrant. You think?

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, this sounds like that whole, like, Putin, stop when it comes to the bombing. Text stop to Putin.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. Oh, man. So here's my beans. Trump told the judge he needed a week to try to get Abrego Garcia out. And then she and Abrego Garcia's lawyers agreed, like, yeah, good. Go do it. But then Trump came back and said, oh, we asked. But he said, no, we need another week. And the judge realized she was being jerked around.

[Dana Goldberg]

So, yeah, I think your beans are pretty accurate.

[Alison Gill]

I think that's probably what happened. We're gonna cover this a lot more in detail on this weekend's Unjustified podcast. So give that a listen.

[Dana Goldberg]

Sounds good. Thanks, ag. This one is. Federal court on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of a Columbia University student who was detained by immigration author and targeted for deportation over his involvement in a pro Palestinian protests. Now, Mohsen Madawi was arrested as part of a crackdown on foreign students who were legally studying in the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invoked a rarely used provision of immigration law to target some of the students for deportation by declaring that their continued presence in the country harms America's foreign policy interests.

[Alison Gill]

I feel like we warned about this before the election.

[Dana Goldberg]

I think we did. Yeah. And I quote, I am saying it clear and loud. This is what Madawi said outside of the federal courthouse shortly after U.S. district Judge Jeffrey Crawford, who happened to be an Obama appointee, ordered his release. He said to President Trump and his Cabinet, I am not afraid of you.

[Alison Gill]

Wow.

[Dana Goldberg]

He also said a lot of other incredible things. And basically what I watched in the video is, we. The Constitution means something, and we are going to uphold it in this country and fight for it to be upheld. Now, Crawford's order does not end the Trump administration's effort to deport him. It simply allows him to remain free while his case proceeds.

[Alison Gill]

Well, that's so good. I'm so, I'm so glad that he was released, albeit temporarily. We'll see what, what happens. We'll keep following the case. This next story is from Reuters. Detainees at the Blue Bonnet Immigration Detention center in the small city of Anson, Texas, sent the outside world a message this week. SOS. With a Reuters drone flying nearby, 31 men formed the letters by standing in the shape of SOS in the dirt yard of the facility, the Blue Bonnet facility, on Monday. Now, 10 days earlier, dozens of Venezuelan detainees at the center were given notices by immigration officials that alleged they were members of the Venezuelan gang Trend Aragua and subject to deportation under the Alien Enemies Act. And that's according to documents shown to Reuters. According to recorded video calls also and court proceedings, the families of seven detainees interviewed by Reuters said they were not gang members and that they refused to sign that document. Good. Yeah, exactly. Nevertheless, hours later, on Friday, April 18, they were loaded onto a bus bound for the Abilene Regional Airport. And that's according to the American Civil Liberties Union and family members before the bus was turned around and sent back to the detention center. And that's when the Supreme Court came in at one in the morning and said, stop.

[Dana Goldberg]

So, well, I'm glad that that happened with the bus. My God. I guess they can turn buses around, but not airplanes.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. This one's from the Guardian. Rodney Scott, that's Donald Trump's nominee to lead Customs and Border Protection. The CBP has been accused by a former top official of orchestrating a cover up over the death of a man detained while trying to enter the country from Mexico. That's according to a letter obtained by the Guardian. Scott, he's a former US Border Patrol chief and he has supported the president's vow to build a wall along the border with Mexico. And of course, he crit Joe Biden's handling of immigration. As commissioner of cbp, Scott would lead one of the largest federal law enforcement agencies, which encompasses the Border Patrol and staff ports of entry into the United States. Well, the Senate Finance Committee is going to consider Scott's nomination on Wednesday before the hearing. James Wong, and he is a former Deputy Assistant Commissioner of CBP's Office of Internal Affairs. He wrote to the committee's top Democrat this week with, quote, concern about Scott's handling of the investigation into the 2010 death of Anastasio Hernandez Royes. In San Diego. Excuse me, Roy has. I don't want to mess up his last name in San Diego after he was beaten and tased by CBP agents who were preparing just to deport him.

[Alison Gill]

So he tried to cover this up and somebody wrote the Senate Finance Committee a letter. So we'll let you know whether or not this guy is confirmed, but that's terrifying. Yeah, I have another court loss for Trump here. A court order barring the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive personal information from the Social Security Administration will remain in effect. That bar will remain in effect pending appeal. That's according to a split en banc appeals court ruling on Wednesday. The record showed that Doge's unrestricted access to Social Security data, quote, exceeded that, allowed to all but the few most experienced and trusted SSA employees and demonstrated that there's, quote, no need for such access. That's Judge Robert B. King of the U.S. court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in his opinion, denying the government's request to stop the lower court injunctions. That's very good news. Although I kind of think that Doge already has our Social Security Administration information.

[Dana Goldberg]

We might be a dollar and a day late.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. Well, we're obviously going to keep you posted on all of these stories with Doge as they come in, but this next one's from the post. Defense Secretary Pete Kegseth on Tuesday announced that the department would eliminate an initiative created to increase women's participation in national security spaces, despite the program's bipartisan support from Congress and full backing from President Trump. Well, the bill establishing the Women Peace and Security program was co sponsored by two Trump Cabinet officials, Department of Homeland Security Cosplay Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who previously served, as we know, in the House and Senate respectively. It was signed into law by Trump in 2017, by the way. In a post on Twitter, Kegseth derided the program, suggesting that the quote woke initiative does not contribute or align with the Defense Department's mission of war fighting, and incorrectly tied it to the Biden administration. I hope he got fucking trolled. And this is the tweet this morning I proudly ended the Women Peace and Security, the WPS program inside the Department of Defense. That's what Kegseth wrote on Twitter. All incorrect. Ended a program that was started by Trump and backed bipartisan support. Why the fuck aren't more Republicans speaking up when their own work is getting erased?

[Alison Gill]

Co sponsored by Gnome and Rubio.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yep.

[Alison Gill]

What a bunch of dick Bags. Next up from NBC, President Trump has fired former second gentleman Doug Emhoff.

[Dana Goldberg]

This is so fucking petty.

[Alison Gill]

I know from the board that oversees the Holocaust Museum, quote, today I was informed of my removal from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. That's what Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a vice president, said in a statement Tuesday. Let me be clear, he continued, Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicized. To turn one of the worst atrocities in history into a wedge issue is dangerous and it dishonors the memory of 6 million Jews murdered by Nazis that this museum was created to preserve. The firing was first reported by the Times, which said that in addition to Emhoff, other high profile board members appointed by Biden had also been fired, including former Biden Chief of staff Ron Klain and Susan Rice, who was Biden's domestic policy chief. Presidential appointments, by the way, at this post, are supposed to be for five years, according to the museum's website.

[Dana Goldberg]

He's just a petty.

[Alison Gill]

He's a petty, petty.

[Dana Goldberg]

Disgusting. Yeah. All right. This one is from Bethesda Magazine. The Music center at Strathmore. This is wonderful. They are going to host a World Pride Festival performance that was originally scheduled to be held at the Kennedy center in Washington, D.C. until it was recently canceled following Trump's takeover of the venue. Well, the International Pride Orchestra, a San Francisco based nonprofit group of LGBTQ musicians from all around the world, they're going to perform a concert at the North Bethesda Performing arts venue at 7:30pm on June 5 as part of the World Pride Festival being held in the District in June. That's according to Strathmore's website. This event will also feature the Gay Men's chorus of Washington, D.C. and I quote, we were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center. And this is from Michael Roost, founding artistic director of the orchestra. He said that on February 25's press release. He went on to say, however, we are profoundly grateful that the Strathmore Music center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration concert ensures that our message of love, pride and resilience will be heard on the doorsteps of the nation's capital. And this is not part of the good trouble. But I'm just going to throw this out. Alison doesn't know I'm doing this, and that's okay. If you're in Washington, D.C. on June 5th, please be safe. It's part of World Pride. I don't know if this is going to be in a restricted area that you would have already had to buy tickets just to go into. But I don't think so. So I think a human chain, because there is going to be protesters, there's going to be assholes. But like a human chain of pride, LGBTQ + people and their allies. Just keeping these people out of view would be such a beautiful thing. So if you feel safe to do it, I would suggest going and just holding up a sign. And you know what, if our, if our pal who loves his pride flags happens to be listening, I bet that is going to be a great place to be able to be there and support. So just be safe when you do it. But just a thought.

[Alison Gill]

I love that thought. Thank you so much, Dana. And thanks to Strathmore for doing this. And fuck you, Donald Trump.

[Dana Goldberg]

Right?

[Alison Gill]

And in that vein, time for some more good trouble. What are you guys doing? All right everybody, we have another snitch link. That's right. At Secretary Rollins direction, the USDA is launching a new web portal for potential victims of ongoing lawfare originating from the Biden administration to submit their concerns and experiences. The site is [e-mail] lawfare take it away everybody. Stick around. We'll be right back with more news about the Department of Veterans affairs, plus the good news after these messages.

[Dana Goldberg]

We'll be right back.

[Alison Gill]

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The new formula has been clinically shown to help fill common nutrient gaps even in healthy eaters, ensuring that we get the essential vitamins, minerals and probiotics that our bodies need. It's not just about adding more ingredients, it's about enhancing the quality and efficacy of what's already working. Incorporating AG1 next gen into my daily routine has been a game changer. I start each morning with a single scoop mixed in cold water. It sets a positive tone for the rest of the day. I feel a huge boost in energy, better digestion and more confident than ever knowing that I'm giving my body comprehensive nutritional support. It is a simple habit that pays massive dividends. Now clinically backed with an advanced formula, this is the perfect time to try AG1 if you haven't already. I've been drinking AG1 for several years now and I'm happy to be partnering with them. So subscribe today and try the next gen of AG1. If you use my link, you'll also get a free bottle of AG D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and five of the upgraded AG1 Travel Packs with your first order. So make sure to check out drinkag1.comdailybeans to get started with AG1's next gen and notice the benefits for yourself. That's drinkag1.comdailybeans. You'll be glad you did hey everybody, welcome back. I wanted to take a special segment to read this story from the Government Executive. It's written by Eric Katz the Veterans Affairs Department is requiring all employees working on its plans to slash tens of thousands of workers from its roles to sign non disclosure agreements, an unusual move that has prevented supervisors from sharing basic information with staff. VA has begun holding meetings with representatives from across the department to discuss its workforce reduction plans after standing up a Reorganization Implementation Cell, Senior Executive Service and general schedule. Fourteen and 15 employees serving in those roles have signed NDAs, according to five employees briefed on the situation. Government executives first reported that VA plans to cut its workforce down to fiscal 2019 levels, leading to cuts of around 80,000 employees. Senior leaders throughout the VA appear to be taking their NDAs seriously. In a recent meeting, a recording of which was obtained by government Executive Colleen Richardson, executive director of VA's Caregiver Support Program, told employees she had answers to their questions but couldn't disclose them. Richardson said. For example, she could not disclose how many employees had signed up for the department's deferred resignation program that has enabled some staff to remain on paid leave until they separate from the agency Sept. 30. Employees were eager to know that information, as more people signing up will result in fewer employees being laid off. Quote I just want to let people know a majority of senior leaders have been asked to sign non disclosure agreements NDAs, Richardson said. Quote I have been asked to sign an NDA, so we are very, very limited on what information. We can also share NDAs for issues such as personnel matters are highly unusual in the government, where such agreements are typically limited to procurement sensitive discussions and national security settings that include classified information. One senior human resource official in another part of the government called the agreements strange, technically unnecessary and redundant. Federal employees already agree not to disclose deliberative matters to the public as part of their jobs, and therefore the substance of the NDA is already implied and expected. The official speculated VA was seeking to limit what employees can say about those discussions in the event that they are themselves part of a reduction in force, as the NDA would likely extend beyond their termination. VA did not respond to a request for comment. I also have to wonder if this isn't to keep them from testifying in wrongful termination lawsuits. Rep. Mark Takano of California, top Democrat on the House Veterans affairs committee, said the NDAs could illegally circumvent whistleblower protection laws. He encouraged employees to come forward to help lawmakers shed light on the process. Quote the use of NDAs in this context looks like a deliberate effort by the Trump administration to silence VA employees and block oversight. That's what Takano said. Quote Secretary Doug Collins has failed to answer basic questions from Congress and now his department is doubling down on secrecy. Members of both parties have expressed apprehension about the VA's large scale workforce reduction plans. One VA employee who has discussed the NDA subjected meetings with attendees said senior leaders like having to sign the agreements but are being cautious not to create chaos. Quote these are all really good, talented and caring leadership being thrown in the middle of this scuffle and they're doing their best to protect us and our programs, the employee said. I feel for them and I know they're bruised and tired. Another VA employee said a senior executive told 200 staff in a town hall that they were restricted by the NDA. The leadership team of that office has, quote, been open with us, as open as they can, but have offered up few details of the workforce reduction discussions. A third VA staffer briefed on the meetings found some comfort in Unlike other agencies, the department involving career staff in the workforce meeting Virginia will review the suggestions from individual components in May and release its reorganization plan in June. RIFS will take place by September. The discussions to date have focused on which positions VA will shed, according to one official familiar with them, though they have not yet begun contemplating which actual individuals will lose their jobs. The meetings have also involved the impacts of the hiring freeze and requests for additional exemptions. The leadership teams are reacting constantly to updates from top levels of the department as, quote, the rules of the game seem to be changing by the day. Another VA employee said the meetings have also honed in on reductions to the department's call centers. VA currently has many call centers, including one at each of its regional offices for scheduling appointments. The most recent plan, the employee said, is to cut that down to two call centers, one for scheduling appointments and another for matters such as billing, pharmacy and community care. VA's 988 crisis line would also remain separate. This is personal to me. I helped set up the entire nationwide VA hub and spoke call center program. That was one of the main things I did at the va. I also initiated something called First Call Resolution where I made all the call center employees GS6s from GS5s and allowed each individual call center representative to be able to do anything that the veteran needed, whether it's refilling prescriptions, leaving a message for their doctor, or scheduling appointments. And now they want to split it up and put it into two call centers instead of one for each veterans network. Richardson, the caregiver support program executive, told employees she had to withhold details from them. Quote, there are certain things I can't discuss even if I knew them, she said, my sincere apologies, but that's the truth behind it. So this is frightening. NDAs are now in the mix and it makes me wonder what other agencies are having their reduction in force task forces sign non disclosure agreements. Heartbroken about the call center thing. There's so many good employees working in those call centers and we got the wait time from an hour down to 10 seconds nationwide because of the communications overhaul that we did in 2010, 2011 and it was working anyway. That is the story from Government Executive. And now after that I definitely need some good news. So stick around. We'll be right back. Back everybody. Welcome back. It's time for the good news everyone then good news everyone. Good news. And if you have any good news confessions, corrections, we might have a lot of corrections today. We're like making declarations about science and mispronounce.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's hysterical. Yeah. If everything we said on the podcast was bullshit, we'd appreciate your letters and emails right now.

[Alison Gill]

Send them to us. If you have a shout out to a loved one or maybe a small business in your area or your small business or a self shout out or a shout out to a government program that's helped you or a loved one like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, WIC, SNAP, Section 8. Great VA health care you've received, student debt forgiveness, any government program that's Helped you send it to us. And all you got to do to get your submission read on the air is pay your pod pet tariff, which means attach a photo of your pet. If you want us to guess the breeds in your shelter pup or your adopted pet, we can try it. We're terrible at it, but we love to try.

[Dana Goldberg]

We do indeed.

[Alison Gill]

If you don't have a pet, you can send an adoptable pet in your area. We'll see if we can find him a home. If you don't have that, you can send any animal photo. Really, just go grab an animal. We love today. We love capybaras and otters and frogs and pandas. All kinds of pandas.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

But really, any animal will do. And if you don't have that, bird watching photos, which can be an actual photo of a bird or a photo of an actual bird. Actual photo. It's been a day. Sorry. I'll get it together. I will. Before the end of the show. The second to last sentence of the last good news submission, I will get it together. Or you and your family and friends flipping the bird to Trump and Musk Properties. And then, of course, we don't have any of that. Baby photos always work. Send it to us dailybeanspod.com click on contact. Oh, my God, this kitty cat. First up from Susan. Greetings from Germany. I listened to Monday's episode this morning and I've been humming the Animaniac song all day and my colleague loves it. She just can't express it properly. Minor correction. I think of every time you read the name, you pronounce it differently every time. There's a reporter at Rolling Stone with the name Sawin Soisbang and it's pronounced as when sub sang. You see, I've been doing it wrong. To be fair, I only know because of his former podcast Fever Dreams, where he said it dozens of times. I probably could have looked that up. Susan Subang, thank you for that. My bod. Pet tax is a cat I saw this morning. Here's one of the dozens of photos I took. Have a great day.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's a good picture.

[Alison Gill]

Beautiful kitten. Thank you so much.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, I'll take these. Couple small ones. This is Christy. It's a pronunciation correction. Good morning. The name mentioned on Wednesday's episode Stein Gems is pronounced Sten gem.

[Alison Gill]

Ah, I was saying sten.

[Dana Goldberg]

I think we were doing stenahem or something like that. So it's sten gem.

[Alison Gill]

Stenum.

[Dana Goldberg]

Thank you, Christy. And Simon has some super space beans. Yep. No pronouns given how much you Want to bet that the ice agents wearing ski masks are actually released J. Sixers.

[Alison Gill]

I've thought about this. Like, when's he gonna employ all of these like Stewart, Rhodes and Tario A holes that he pardoned?

[Dana Goldberg]

You know, just let him run wild.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, that's a, that's a that. Those are good space beans, Simon. Next up from Deborah Pronoun. She and her hi AG and dg. I'm hitting your call for emotional support. Canadians. Yay.

[Dana Goldberg]

Nice.

[Alison Gill]

I'm actually a dual U.S. canadian citizen, having just become a Canadian citizen last year. This was my first time participating in a Canadian federal election. To understand my absolute relief at the results of Monday's election, consider that when Trump was reelected in November, hell, even a hundred days ago, it was all but a foregone conclusion that the Conservative Party would win in the next Canadian election. The huge swing in sentiment has been crazy to watch. Huge sigh of relief for my podpet tariff. A twofer. I'm sharing a picture from my daughter's First Halloween in 2015. Dressed up with our dear Scruffy as eggs and bacon.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh my God.

[Alison Gill]

Oh my God. You can see that Scruffy was not too pleased with dressing up. He'd rather eat the bacon than be the bacon.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes, but look how happy eggs is in this picture.

[Alison Gill]

I know right now, Scruffy passed last year at age 17 and we miss him deeply every single day. 17. Oh, feel free to guess his breed mix, but he was a true mystery to us. That baby is now a wonderfully sweet 10 year old girl who, along with her younger brother, fills my heart with joy and gives me hope for the future.

[Dana Goldberg]

Little eggs in this picture is freaking adorable. Deborah.

[Alison Gill]

Yes. Bacon and eggs. That looks like a little multipoo with some terrier mixed in.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, maybe a little chihuahuaha. Woohoo.

[Alison Gill]

We must be. We must be, right? Because Deborah doesn't know either. So.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, I dated someone who was a real estate appraiser for a little while and I remember we were trying to find a house and I was like, take a left here. No, she. I was driving and she was giving me maps. She goes, take a left on Chua Hua. And I looked at it and I said, I'm pretty sure that says Chihuahua.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. When I first arrived in San Diego, I had to. The first apartment I looked at, I had to exit on El Cajon Boulevard and I'm like, el Cajun. Okay, we're going to be on El Cajun Boulevard. Yeah. It was very embarrassing. Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Those are my fame. The like the little person in my car, take a left on Supple Vida. I'm like Sepulveda.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Supple Vita. Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

We have a Upas street named after the upas tree. And my guidance always calls it Underpass. And I always think it says underpants, which makes me very happy.

[Dana Goldberg]

All right, that was just a little segment for us, everyone. This next submission is anonymous.

[Alison Gill]

Just feel free to send in your fun weird subtitles and GPS guidance. Mistakes.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's right. Pronouns she and her. On Anonymous said like ag. Hello. Bringing you a gentle correction from Canada. French can be a tricky language when you're not used to it. So I wanted to share how to properly pronounce the name of the Conservative candidate who just got his ass handed to him at our election. Polio. Wait, hold on. Poliev is how I've been saying it is pronounced like this. Wait, that's hysterical. Big gut. It sounds like bigot. I was like, wait a minute, I can't be that far off. And a little bonus info. Our Liberal Party is a lot like your Democrats. They do the occasional good thing, but they are not nearly progressive enough. Our NDP part party is further left, but still don't have the broad public support to win either a majority or a minority government.

[Alison Gill]

That's pretty much the same here. We have about 20% progressives.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

In the electorate. So yeah, very similar.

[Dana Goldberg]

In other good Canadian news, I am trans and I just got my legal name changed in my new id. Congratulations, Anonymous. I am officially. Never mind Anonymous. I am officially Violet. Violet, Congratulations. I've heard about the shenanigans with ID and gender markers in the US and all I can say is that it's oppressive and bigoted. Yes, it is. I've been applying for jobs and having to give them my dead name while it was still my legal name. It was just gutting. No one is entitled to that information or to have that kind of power over me. Well said.

[Alison Gill]

Love it.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's all for now. Love you both and all you do. After scaling back my news consumption, yours are some of the only US politics pods I kept. Photo tags is just me in my power as a proud trans woman. And Violet, that art is fucking gorgeous.

[Alison Gill]

Gorgeous, gorgeous. You're beautiful.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, great picture too.

[Alison Gill]

I'm jealous of your eyebrows. And wow, to that ink. That is just incredible.

[Dana Goldberg]

I am also jealous of your very perfect eyebrows.

[Alison Gill]

I know, right? Like, stop. Live in your power.

[Dana Goldberg]

Live in your power.

[Alison Gill]

Minor.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, I don't even want to talk about it. Yeah, for a long time I was like, Frida, when I was younger and now I'm just like, how do I control these? And menopause has done crazy things to my skin anyway.

[Alison Gill]

So I've always had, like, very not big, like full eyebrows. And now that they're turning gray, they look clear and they aren't even there in some places.

[Dana Goldberg]

It's just I'm also at the age now where I think I'm getting everything with the tweezers. And then I look in a magnifying mirror and I'm like, why didn't anyone say anything? Because everyone else I'm hanging out with is also close to 50 and no one can see very close without their readers. So no one can see my eyebrows anyway.

[Alison Gill]

Or I have that one hair under my chin that grows 10 miles a day.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

And I have to pluck it every day. Just the one. And it's. I've named him Arthur.

[Dana Goldberg]

Arthur. That's a good one.

[Alison Gill]

He's there.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

All right. Next up from Anonymous pronoun she and her hello, Australian. Here we have our federal election this weekend between the current government and what we'd like to call Temu Trump. He's also known as Spud Thug or Voldemort. When you see the picture, you'll get it. Fingers crossed we don't fail this IQ test and vote for a kind and progressive government. I am so with you. I will. I will be on the edge of my seat like I was when the Canada results were coming in. My tax is my little doggo, Marley Moo. This photo is. He's wearing a little hat that he didn't love. I. I love this. Anonymous. My best friend's dog's name is Marley Moo and this episode is dedicated to that Marley Moo because we lost him this week.

[Dana Goldberg]

Sweet baby.

[Alison Gill]

Thank you for sending in this Marley Moo and bringing a little sunshine into the good news. Look at this baby.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

Adorable. Thank you so, so much.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes. This is from Dawn Pronoun. She and her so proud to be a Canadian.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

We chose a qualified subject matter expert over a chirping incel who has been on the government dole for 20 plus years without passing a single piece of constitutional legislation. We are all hoping you guys will effect regime change soon before the rest of us have to join forces and do it for you. Prime ministerial bird watching pick attached.

[Alison Gill]

Hey, Donald, it's Mark Carney flipping the bird.

[Dana Goldberg]

I love it.

[Alison Gill]

Have the day you voted for. Yeah, I've been saying. Next up from Joey Pro. Joey Pronoun C. Did you see what I Just did. It's Joey. C. No pronouns.

[Dana Goldberg]

You don't know. Maybe Joey's pronouns.

[Alison Gill]

C. Okay, DB Team. My good news is that I'm approaching five years in June without drinking. It has been transformational, albeit challenging. My reason for writing is because Dr. Allison Gill. Love this. Made a GWAR reference on the show today, April 30, and that is just awesome. I love GWAR and I have a tattoo on my arm from them.

[Dana Goldberg]

Joey.

[Alison Gill]

Awesome. I actually knew Odorus unus, so that's incredible. Anyway, love what you do in delivering the news and the truth. Attached is my bestest buddy and Big Toe Dash.

[Dana Goldberg]

Aw.

[Alison Gill]

He's been by my side for a long time now, and he comforts me in times of need. Cuddle. Bug extraordinaire. And look, he's got a medal. Adorable.

[Dana Goldberg]

Sweet.

[Alison Gill]

A gritty metal. That's amazing. Thank you, Joey.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes. This one is from Lipscratch. Pronoun. She and her. I hope that's correct. Hello. Leguminatis. Leguminatis. I'm shouting out my husband, Bear Skull the Amazing, in recognition of his work on the neighborhood church preparing meals for the community. It's a meal that supports marginalized folks in the Seattle area. His fruit platters are legendary. He's just such a simple thing. It's just such a simple thing that makes such a big difference. To have food made beautifully and with care. The folks are so grateful. Bear skull just turned 71. I love this. He could just be sitting around watching YouTube videos of RV vans, build outs, but this is something he really loves doing, and it's so important to him. I'm so fortunate to have the best husband ever. Podpet tax is a pick of a hummingbird. Snatching. Excuse me, Snatching. Snacking on flowers in our backyard. Pretty amazing. Yes. That is a beautiful photo.

[Alison Gill]

Amazing that you got, like, the hummingbird wings.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know, right? Right?

[Alison Gill]

It's awesome. Thank you. And thanks, Bearskull the Amazing for your amazing fruit platters. Incredible. It is. There's something different, right, About. About something that's presented like, you know, a lot went into it. A lot of care and a lot of love. There's just something about that that's.

[Dana Goldberg]

I love making platters. Like, I draw and I paint, and when I'm working with food, I'm very particular. And I like to make art. You know what I mean? Because food is art and it's so beautiful. And I love that Grayskull does this. It's awesome. Awesome.

[Alison Gill]

Yes. There I. I agree, like, with the Shuterie board or whatever. There's an art to it. There's definitely an art to it. So thank you for that and thanks to everyone for your amazing, amazing good news submissions. Please send us all your good news. And I know we're going to have a ton of corrections, so send those in too. And if you have any funny subtitle mishaps or GPS mishaps, love to hear about that as well. Yeah, send it to [e-mail] and click on contact. We got one more day to go for the end of the week and so we're going to it. We're gonna make it. Do you have any final thoughts?

[Dana Goldberg]

No, not for today.

[Alison Gill]

All right, rabbit rabbit. May 1st, everybody. We'll see you 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. I've been AG and I've been 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 Joel Reeder with Moxie Design Studios. Music for the Daily Beans is written and performed by they Might Be John Science 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 mswmedia.com.msw media.