
Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 Today, Fannie Mae watchdogs who were removed from their jobs had been probing if Trump appointee Bill Pulte had improperly obtained mortgage records of key Democratic officials; Republicans added a provision to the continuing resolution to allow the Republican Senators whose call logs were subpoenaed by Jack Smith to each collect $500K in taxpayer money; Greg Bovino and the CBP are packing up and leaving Chicago as the House returns to work; Hakeem Jeffries is whipping no votes in the House for the shutdown deal; Trump has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the E Jean Carroll verdict; a federal judge has struck down a Republican gerrymander and has reinstated the voter approved map; that Marion county Kansas newspaper that was raided by the police - They get a $3M settlement from the government; and Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.
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MSW Media hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Today, Fannie Mae watchdogs who were removed from their jobs had been investigating whether Trump appointee Bill Pulte had improperly obtained mortgage documents of key Democratic officials. Republicans added a provision in the continuing resolution to allow the Republican senators whose call logs were subpoenaed by Jack Smith to each collect $500,000 of taxpayer money. Greg Bovino and the Customs and Border Protection are packing up and leaving Chicago as the House returns to work. Hakeem Jeffries is whipping no votes for the shutdown deal. Trump has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the E. Jean Carroll verdict. A federal judge has struck down Republican gerrymander and has reinstated the voter approved map in Utah. And that Marion County, Kansas newspaper that was raided by the police. They got a $3 million settlement from the government. I'm Alison Gill.
B
And I'm Dana Goldberg.
A
Happy Wednesday, my friend.
B
And to you. Coming to you from the Windy City. So I'm happy to be in Chicago. We've got two events this week. I've got Gender Cool tomorrow, an incredible organization protecting our trans youth and highlighting how incredible they are. And then on Friday, we've got about nine tickets left. Anyone still want to go to Chicago? We got nine tickets left for the 9pm show at the Annoyance. I've got an incredible comedian opening for me who is from Chicago, Katie Kincaid. And it's just going to be a great night. So I love this city. It's one of the most beautiful skylines I've ever seen other than that one building right in the middle of it.
A
Make sure to get a lot of bird watching photos while you're here.
B
I'll definitely send one in for the for the good news.
A
Thank you. And all of the beans, all the laguminati in Chicago to see. Dana, please send us your birdwatching photos along with any photos that you take at the show.
B
Yeah.
A
Also thank you to our patrons for all your feedback on our new video podcast. We're workshopping it with our patrons right now. We're going to be releasing it to the public December 1st, so you can catch that by going to the MSW Media YouTube channel and subscribing for free. That's going to start on December 1st. And if you're a patron, your feedback has been so integral that we put you in the credits.
B
Look at that.
A
Thank you so much for supporting independent media. If you want to become a patron, it's just five bucks a month. You get early Access ad free access to this show. You get to help us workshop the video pod and then you'll get that ad free and early when it starts coming out to the public. You also get unjustified ad free and early. You can sign up by going to patreon.com thedailybeans all our stuff is free. So you know, if you're able, if you've got the means to support us, we really appreciate it. So thank you, thank you, thank you. Also, I'm going to be talking later in the show with Zerlina Maxwell, who.
B
Is just absolutely, she's fantastic peach.
A
I love her so much. She hosts Mornings with Zerlina on SiriusXM progress channel 127. That's weekdays at 7am Eastern. And she also writes the Inner Work Dispatch on Substack, which is really kind of an important sort of self care mental health substack. I absolutely, I'm a huge fan of it. So I get to talk to her later in the show. Also, the House is back in session today and Jeffries is whipping no votes on this shutdown deal. He said House Dems are, quote, focused on dealing with the bill that's coming over from the Senate to the House and we're going to fight hard to defeat it. So hopefully Democrats are unified. They don't have a majority there, but hopefully they're unified over in the House. And by the way, Mike Johnson just announced he's going to swear in Adelita Grijalva Today, Wednesday at 4:00pm Eastern.
B
Okay. Well, I'm wondering what they did to the Epstein files then, if he's willing to do that. Hopefully they didn't do anything to change anything. But that was a whole lot of time to, you know, but people have seen them. So I think if they release the files and there's enough people out there, they're like, that's not what was in there. Yeah.
A
You know how every accusation is a confession. And that Kash Patel, like last month was like, I went in and I saw these burn bags of documents that they wanted to destroy from the Russia investigation.
B
I know.
A
Um, yeah, I bet those were burned bags full of Epstein files. I don't know. I haven't heard anything like that. But if I do, you know, I'll keep you posted. All right, we have a ton of news to get to today, so let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right. First up from the Wall Street Journal, Fannie Mae watchdogs who were removed from their jobs had been probing if Trump appointee Bill Pulte had improperly obtained mortgage records of key Democratic officials, including New York Attorney General Letitia James. And that's according to people familiar with the matter. Fannie's ethics and investigations group had received internal complaints alleging senior officials had improperly directed staff to access mortgage documents of Tish James and others. Wow. The Fannie investigators were probing to find out who had made the orders, whether Pulte had the authority to seek the documents, and whether or not they'd followed proper procedure. I bet you they didn't. That group elevated the probe about the James documents to the more senior Office of Inspector General for Federal Housing and Finance Agency. That's the agency that over oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and that Pulte runs now. The acting Inspector general then passed a report to the U.S. attorney's office in Eastern Virginia. According to some people, that's the office that ended up indicting her. Under the leadership of Trump appointed interim U.S. attorney Lindsay Halligan, they brought criminal charges against Tish James. A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office hasn't responded to requests for comment. And I wonder if they handed over that report from the inspector general about Bill Pulte before or after Eric Siebert was fired as the U.S. attorney.
B
Damn good question.
A
I bet we're going to find out, though. In discovery in the James case. Now, James has called the charges baseless, rooted in Trump's desire for revenge. She pled not guilty. Last month during a arraignment in Norfolk, the FHFA acting Inspector general sent the office report, at least in part because it could be considered material information for James's defense in the case. One of the people said, I'm sure we're going to find any minute now a notice filed on the docket requesting this report. In the wake of the probes and other investigations inside Fannie, about a dozen members of the Ethics and internal investigations unit of Fannie Mae were also fired. Suzanne Libby, Fannie Mae's chief ethics officer, was removed. And Danielle McCoy, who served as general counsel, also stepped down after being pressured by leadership. Huh. Both women. The FHFA's Acting Inspector General, Joe Allen, who sent the internal investigation to the prosecutors, was asked to step down. Down from his role shortly after he sent that report. Oof. This is all really bad for Lindsey Halligan.
B
Good. Yeah.
A
Now, Pulte has pointed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a reason for the layoffs. Around the time of the departures, Pulte and Fannie leaders had grown tired of investigations they viewed as being Too tailored toward allegations related to dei. In response to requests for comment, spokesperson at FHFA said, quote, the anonymous source in this story is attempting to obstruct the criminal justice system by completely fabricating false and defamatory claims. The spokesman declined to elaborate on which claims the statement referred to. So if you're listening, spokesperson for the fhfa, come at me, bro. Sue me.
B
Do it.
A
Do it. Do it.
B
Thanks, Allison.
A
Do it.
B
We're moving on to the next one. A spending package expected to be approved as part of a deal to reopen the government would create a wide legal avenue for senators to sue for as much as half a million dollars each when federal investigators search their phone records without notifying them. The provision, tucked into a measure to fund the legislative branch, appears to immediately allow for eight gop. Why are they all eight GOP senators that are worried about their phones being searched? I don't understand. To sue the government over their phone records being seized in the course of the investigation by Jack Smith. The. Because of the riot on the Capitol on January 6th. These motherfuckers. The provision would make it a violation of the law to not notify a senator if their phone records or other metadata was taken from a service provider like a phone company. There are some exceptions, such as a 60 day delay in notifications if the senators considered the target of the investigation.
A
Oh, God. I know that's so. Because they're just going to go in and if you have to tell them that you're getting their stuff, they're just going to delete everything and destroy.
B
Because the provision is retroactive to 2022, it would appear to make eligible the eight lawmakers whose phone records were subpoenaed by investigators for Mr. Smith as he examined efforts by Trump to obstruct the results of the 2020 presidential election. Each violation would be worth at least $500,000 in any legal claim, according to the bill language.
A
The.
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The bill would also sharply limit the way the government could resist such a claim, taking away any government claims of qualified or sovereign immunity to fight a lawsuit over the issue. Un. Fucking believable. Wow.
A
Pays to be a criminal.
B
Sure does.
A
I was trying to think of how Democrats could exploit this, but, I mean, it's only if they want to break the law, right?
B
So that's exactly it.
A
Oh, good Lord. All right, from CNN. President Trump on Monday asked the U.S. supreme Court to review the $5 million civil case that found he sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll last year. A federal appeals court affirmed the jury's verdict. As we talked about here on this show ruling, the trial judge did not make any errors that would warrant a new trial. In June, Trump lost an effort to have the appeal reviewed by the full bench of judges. They said. Nah, bro. Now, Trump has claimed Judge I. Paraphrasing, Trump has claimed Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw the civil trial, made numerous erro by allowing the jury to hear testimony from two women who alleged Trump sexually assaulted them years ago. His lawyers also said the judge should not have let the juror see the Access Hollywood tape which captured Trump in 2005 on a hot mic saying he gropes and kisses women. The appeal has not yet been formally docketed at the Supreme Court. Now, whether SCOTUS takes this case is yet to be seen, but it likely won't be the last time the justices are asked to review a litigation involving Carroll. There were two E. Jean Carroll cases. A different jury found Trump liable for defaming Carroll for repeating his statements in 2022 and ordered him to pay $83 million in damages. A federal appeals court panel affirmed those damages, too, finding it reasonable in light of the extraordinary and egregious facts and rejected several of Trump's legal challenges. Among them, the appeals court found that Trump had previously waived any claim of presidential immunity and said the Supreme Court's decision last year involving criminal cases did not alter their view. Trump has asked for the full bench of judges to review the case. The Justice Department filed an amicus brief supporting review of whether presidential immunity can be waived from civil damages. Liability predicated on official acts. Carol's response is due in the next few weeks and we'll tell you what it says.
B
How could you. What would your reasoning be to exclude that tape? I mean, come on. That wasn't me in the tape.
A
It's devastating to my case. That's why.
C
That's the thing.
A
That's the thing. But it'll be interesting. You know, I. I think I have no faith in the Supreme Court, but I have utmost faith in Robbie Kaplan and eg I do as well. We'll see how this goes. All right.
B
This is from the Chicago Sun Times. Even though the Trump administration's aggressive deportation campaign in Chicago is expected to ramp up with US Border Patrol, is it really a command? Is Bovino commander?
A
He's Border Patrol commander. Yeah.
B
Got it. Leaving town any day. The federal presence here could return fourfold in the spring.
A
Huh. Huh.
B
That's according to three law enforcement sources. Contact with the Chicago Sun Times.
A
It sounds like it's just too cold for him?
B
I guess so. Or maybe it's too far away from the midterms. One source said Bovino could be gone as soon as Tuesday. Another source with direct knowledge said the number of Border Patrol agents currently operating in the Chicago area is going to go down from 250 to 100, but in March that number could increase to a thousand agents. Why March? Yeah, the news appears to signal for now a downshift in the Department of Homeland Security's Operation Midway Blitz, which brought two months of chaos, fear, tear gas and intense litigation to Chicago Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted on social media Tuesday morning. She said, we aren't leaving Chicago and claimed that the the Fed's campaign lowered homicides, shootings, robberies and other crimes in the city. Is she simply not able to tell the truth, like about anything? That's such bullshit. None of that's true. Still, the Midway Blitz command post is shutting down the two law enforcement officials. That's what they told the Chicago Sun Times. The news comes from the first signs of winter descending on Chicago area, including several inches of snowfall over the weekend. On Monday, a large group of federal immigration agents, including Bavino, posed for a photo in front of the snow capped bean sculpture in Millennium Park Block Club, Chicago reported. One agent yelled, everyone say Little village disgusting after Governor J.B. pritzker criticized the photo op is disgusting. See, I'm just one step ahead of JB Pritzker on social media, bavino replied, feel free to join us in Little Village tomorrow and post on Twitter. The development also comes days after U.S. district Judge Sarah Ellis handed down her historic order restricting the Fed's use of force against protesters and journalists. She recently ordered Bavino to use a body worn camera. The Trump administration is challenging Ellis's broader ruling and asked the 7th U.S. circuit Court of Appeals to intervene. Bovino's departure from Chicago would be particularly significant given that he's the public face of the operation and has drawn particular ire from Ellis, who earlier also handed down a temporary restraining order. Lawyers accused him they accused Bavino last month of tossing tear gas into a crowd in Little Village without justification and in violation of Ellis's temporary order. DHS officials insisted Bavino had been confronted by a hostile crowd. Bavino also said he'd been hit in the head by a rock. None of that happened. The judge forced Bavino into her courtroom and she insisted that he continue to report to her every weeknight over seven days. She was rebuffed by the appeals court, which found that her regular check ins with VIVINO would infringe on the separation of powers. Still, the judge made Bavino sit for a five hour deposition and when she handed down her latest ruling last week, she told the courtroom Vivino, and I quote, admitted that he lied about whether a rock hit him before he deployed tear gas in Little Village. It's unclear where Vivino and his team are headed next, but CNN is reporting that that they're expected to go to Charlotte, North Carolina and then New Orleans though plans are still being finalized. So that's interesting that those are the two cities they are choosing.
A
I've also heard Baltimore could be next or soon. And so yeah, he's, he deployed that tear gas lying about being hit in the head with a rock. That was Little Village. That's why it was so disgusting that they posed in front of the bean in Millennium park and said everybody say Little Village.
B
He really is a piece of shit.
A
He's a Nazi. All right, some sumi, some better news. Better news from democracy docket. In a sweeping victory for voters, a Utah court struck down Republican controlled legislature's congressional gerrymander and a companion law designed to entrench partisan power. The court also approved a new map for the 2026 elections which is likely to give Democrats one of the states four congressional seats. All that fight for one, I know.
B
But they're fighting back.
A
Judge Diana Gibson ruled Monday that both the legislature's new map, known as Map C and the accompanying law SB011, violated Proposition 4, the voter approved constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering. That's why these propositions and these state laws are so important, y', all, because we administer our own elections. This decision ensures Utah 2026 congressional elections will proceed under a court ordered fair map drawn according to the neutral criteria that demanded. So congratulations Utah. I'm sure they'll appeal and there'll be more litigation on this. But as it stands, that map now will be used.
B
Good. I'm glad. From Kansas, we have an update on a story we've been following since the beginning. Now the county involved in a small town Kansas newspaper raid in 2023 will pay a cumulative $3 million to three journalists and a city councilor and to the four agreements. The Marion County Sheriff's Office also crafted a statement admitting regret and I quote, the Sheriff's office wishes to express a sincere regrets to Eric and Joan Meyer and Ruth and Ronald Herbel for its participation in drafting and the execution of the Marion Police Department search warrants on their homes and the Marion County Record. This likely would not have happened if established law had been reviewed and applied prior to the execution of the warrants. The Marion County's Board of Commissioners approved agreements Monday with Eric Mayer, he's the owner and editor of the Marion County Record, and Ruth Herbel, the Maring city councilor whose home was raided in tandem with the newspaper office, and two other journalists. The agreements coincide with consent judgments expected to be submitted in their federal cases against the county. The county was a secondary player in the raids in mayor's eyes, but the agreements could play a big part in the paper's ongoing cases against the city. And I quote, everybody involved in this is 100% convinced we are going to go to trial with the city. That's what Mayor said. This will make that easier in some regard. The county's agreements with Deb Groover and Phyllis Zorn, local journalists whose lives were upended by the raids, are more akin to settlements and don't include admissions of regret.
A
All right, so yeah, we've started talking about this. Gosh, two years ago.
B
This is wild. Two years ago. My God.
A
Yeah. And so they're finally getting some restitution for those raids and we'll keep an eye on that trial if it goes forward. All right, everybody, we want you to stick around. We're going to be right back with Zerlina Maxwell. And after that, we're going to go over your listeners submitted good news. If you have some good news you want to submit to us, just head to DailyBeansPod.com and click on contact. Stick around. We'll be right back after these messages.
B
We'll be right back.
A
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C
Hi Alison. I'm so happy to be here.
A
I am so excited to talk to you because I follow you on mornings with Zerlina. I also really am enjoying your substack. It's called Inner Work Dispatch and I want to talk about that as well. But first, can we please, can we please spread. I'm calling all my friends and interview prospects and say, could we just please vent for a minute about what happened in the Senate this past Sunday night. Talk a little bit about that and where you see us as a party.
C
So I have, I'm of two minds because I am a host that facilitates a conversation with callers every single morning and I know that they need a space to vent. So I'm usually facilitating their venting sessions and I'M you know, cultivating a two way conversation with them when they're really upset about something. But often I cannot necessarily express how mad I personally am. But when I saw that news on Sunday night, I was pretty pissed off. And the reason why is because I feel like we didn't even get a full week to really marinate on and celebrate the wins from the recent elections, not just in blue states, but purple states and red states. And I feel like Democrats often do this where they shoot their own selves in the foot when they could have utilized that election momentum and the message that was sent by actual voters to them that they want to support Democrats. They, the message that they were utilizing about cost of living all over the country, New York City, Virginia, New Jersey, and really utilized all the momentum from actually winning elections after really almost a year of licking their wounds. But instead it was like a self own or like own goal in soccer because, you know, we didn't even get a full week to celebrate. It was like we're gonna own goal when we didn't even need to do that. It wasn't even necessary to do that. I understand the shutdown is painful for people. I understand that people are on lines at airports. I understand people are going to work without paychecks. I understand that SNAP benefits were expiring and people were really struggling to make ends meet and standing on lines for food. But all of those things are consequence of Republicans inability to govern. And Democrats do not have to help Republicans govern when the Republicans are in charge. So it felt like a own goal. They didn't need to do it and they did it anyway.
A
Yeah, actually from the beginning I was like, let's not push for any policy change or anything. Let's let them own this, own the shutdown. Tell them, hey, you have a majority in the Senate to change the rules. You can change the rules any old time. You've done it twice in the last three months to push through hundreds of Trump appointees. Go ahead and do that. We're not going to give you a dime.
B
Right.
A
But what the Democrats went with was with funding the ACA subsidies, which I'm also a huge fan of, but we didn't even get that. And so it was just. And you know, I speak to tons of federal workers trying to help folks navigate the Merit Systems Protection Board. I am a former government employee. I was pushed out in the first Trump administration, litigation pending. And all of the federal workers I was talking to who are furloughed, who are not getting paid, who are having to go to credit unions and get no interest loans to carry their families through this time, were also very upset. I can tell you, Zerlina, I know you have your finger on the pulse of what a lot of people think, because you've got that amazing call in show and you're doing your substack and you're on social media, so you kind of get the.
B
The.
A
The larger picture. But all of the feds who have been sacrificing for 40 days are also upset at this deal. They wanted the shutdown to continue without. Unless we got the ACA benefits we were promised. So I can. I can report that at least the federal workers I'm talking to, which I know are a small. You know, it's a small sampling, but 100% of them are very upset with this. I haven't talked to anybody yet who was like, oh, I'm sure glad that we're, you know, getting back to work. And I think that, you know, as far as Tuesday goes, what the Senate did for, you know, you're right. We just didn't have a chance to celebrate anything. It felt like January 5th when Ossoff and Warnock won, and we were all just on cloud nine. We got the Senate, we just won the White house, and then January 6th happened. But that was orchestrated by Republicans, not our own selves. So it's just. It's very, very frustrating. But, you know, like, I posted on social media that I'm not gonna let them take away my 2025 election, Joy. Because what we actually voted for was for people to fight for us, and that didn't include these eight senators. And I was like, you are what we voted against last Tuesday. So I'm gonna hang on to that. I'm not gonna let you take away my election, Joy. And then to find out that a lot of these. Well, all of these eight senators have taken a lot of money from airline lobbies. I found very interest to wonder, like, what is it that's making these people want to open the government so badly? It seems like a lot of rich people are about to lose a lot of money over the holidays. What are your thoughts on that?
C
That's the first thought I had when I saw that there was a deal. I was like, you know what? Maybe I should go on open society and figure out who the donors are. Because when I saw that they made a deal, I was like, oh, this is because of those lines at the airports and the fact that Thanksgiving and Christmas travel is coming up. And it's always the answer is Always structural. Right. It's not a personal failing, so to speak, of these individual senators who are, quote, unquote, bad people. It's always structural. And one of the things that I honed in on on Monday morning is I let people vent. But I reminded them that Tuesday and Monday, going forward, they, they needed to exercise the power that they have as voters and as, as constituents to these people. And one of the things that happens that I don't think people realize is that when we're making these calls to our congresspeople, they actually make a difference. And Congress people come on my show all the time and say, keep making those calls. I just talked to Senator Jeff Merkley recently. Keep making the calls. You know, put up a fight so that we can fight on your behalf and make it make us uncomfortable. I mean, that's something that Senator Merkley said repeatedly. Make us feel uncomfortable with not fighting hard enough for all of you. And one of the lines that that's, that I just kept repeating to our callers is the Democrats need to hear more from their voters than their donors. And what was so clear about the deal on Sunday, in my opinion, is that they were hearing from the donors. They were hearing from those donors. I mean, probably the voters were like, we won on Tuesday. And we were like in the middle of the celebrating, and then we were in the middle of the weekend. But those lines in airports, the holiday season, travel coming up, cancellation of flights, I mean, all of that has an impact on certain industries and rich people's pocketbooks and bottom lines. And so they were making those calls, right? Those donors were making those calls, and these senators were reacting to that. They need to hear more from the people. They need to hear more from the voter. And these senators in particular are not on the ballot in 2026. And this is why they were free to make this decision that they probably knew would generate a large amount of backlash. You see the comparison between how these eight senators made this deal and someone like a John Ossoff who is on the ballot, Right. It's very clear that everyone involved knew there was going to be a backlash to them making this deal without getting anything for other than a prom of a vote that's not going to pass anyway without a promise in the House that they're even going to vote on it on ACA subsidies at all. And so they, they're not on the ballot. So they didn't fear the backlash, but they should fear those calls coming in. They should fear those tweets and social media posts and emails coming in because the donors are making contact with their elected officials that they want to push and lobby on certain issues. And so the voters have to lobby their congresspeople as well.
A
Yeah. And I mean, how many times did the donors have to screw the Democratic Party for them to realize that maybe we shouldn't listen to the donors, we should listen to the voters? And I think that's what Tuesday showed us, when people listen to the voters. Mamdani Prop 50 landslide Here we had more people turn out to vote for Prop 50 all by itself than we had in the 2022 midterms, the Wisconsin Supreme Court races that people can beat money. People power beats money every time. And if it weren't for the donor class, who was trying to push out and switch our candidate 100 days before the election in 2024. Thank you so much, donor class. You know, everybody can have debates on, you know, Kamala Harris versus some sort of a jungle primary or whatever, to pick some other person, whatever. Everybody has fights about that. But the idea that you want to switch candidates 100 days before an election because the donor class is threatening you, you can get those donations from the people. The people will do you right if you stand up and fight for them. And what we showed on Tuesday, and they still ignored it. They still ignored it.
C
It's because they're not on the ballot next year. So they don't have to worry about the voters. Right. They don't have to worry about answering to the voters. And that's really a sad part of the system, the way it's set up. Right. The incentivization of money in politics, big money donor and donors in politics, as opposed to small money donations, grassroots campaigns, and what voters actually want and what they actually think. The other thing, too, is that one of the undercovered pieces of the story on Tuesday is that everybody had the same message, whether they were running in New York City or whether they were running in Virginia. They talked about the economy, they talked about the cost of living. They just talked about it in different ways. They tailored that message to where they were running. And for all of the prognosticators and the pundits and all of the media analysts who say the Democrats don't have a message, they figured out what a winning message sounded like, and it proved true on Tuesday. And also it was the same message that Trump ran on. It's just that he didn't have any intention on actually doing any of the things that are necessary to lower the cost of living. But the cost of living is what people are caring about right now. Unfortunately, the cost of living has not gone down, and people are really struggling. But that goes back to my point. If people are really struggling and they want the Democrats to fight on their behalf to make their lives easier, they have to participate and engage and make these calls and, like, be. So one of the things my life coaches all the time, because I complain a lot, and I'm working on that. She says that you, Zerulina, you have to be more annoying so that you're less annoyed. And so it's like that.
A
Turn it around on everybody else.
C
Yeah, like, turn it around. Put it on them. Be so annoying that they're like, oh, my God, if these voters, like, won't stop calling me, like, I'm gonna lose my mind. Like, we haven't gotten to the point where Democrats are like, okay, like, the base of the party is really pissed, and we can't. We're not.
B
We.
C
We haven't stopped hearing from them. Republicans do. I mean, historically, before the second Trump administration, they. They did respond to some of that pressure. I mean, that's one of the reasons why John McCain did the famous thumbs down is because that was grassroots and, you know, organized grassroots efforts and organizing and activism that led to that thumbs down. That didn't just happen all by itself in a vacuum. That was a lot of people putting in effort, showing up the Capitol, getting arrested, you know, participating in, you know, public protests, peaceful protests. And I think that, you know, after the no kings being gigantic again, and then the wins on Tuesday, I feel like, like, for a moment, I thought Democrats were like, okay, we get it. This is what the voters think. They're on our side. The vast majority of the countries on our side. Trump does not have a mandate, but again, the. The donors that called these senators and. And pressured them into negotiating on this is, I think, speculation, but I think based on insight, experience, and knowledge of how politics works these days, you know, it just shows that when you're not on the ballot, you can be influenced by people that are not your voter. And that's why the voters have to continue to make their voices heard. I mean, I know it's hard because it's like this just happened right after election. And so a lot of voters are like, all right, we did our part. But it's an, you know, democracy is something you have to participate in probably every day for it to function properly, especially in the system that is not functioning properly at all.
A
No. And that's the message that we need to continue to send. That we are you. You listen to donors over us at your own par. And I think that the primaries are going to really show that. I think we showed that on Tuesday. And, you know, that message of affordability, the way that they figured it out, folks like Mamdani and the people who figured out the messaging, they did this really weird thing, Zerlina, where they asked people what was bothering them. They did this super weird thing. And I was like, even if Schumer, Jeffrey's eventually endorsed, but even if you don't endorse maybe the policy, you have to endorse the plan. The idea of going out and finding what is on people's minds and in their hearts. And I think that's why President Obama called Mamdani and said, I'm in your corner, I'm in your corner, and I am a sounding board for you going forward. And I think that I was very hopeful with that and that maybe the Democratic establishment would start getting the message, but they kind of just took all the wind out of our sails. So now it's up to us, right? Because we always kind of think politics. And the government is. The government is something that does something to us when actually it is our government. And we need to remember what we did on Tuesday and bring that forward with us to create the government and the party that we want so we can have nice things. I think that's the message that I'm going with, at least.
C
Yeah, they work for us. This is something I tell our listeners every single day. They work for us. They are there doing their jobs because we put them there and we have the power to replace them and put different people in those positions of power. I mean, the structure makes it difficult, sure, but not impossible. Right? Kevin McCarthy was the speaker of the House, and now he's not in Congress. Right. I. I always think about, you know, those. It's usually Republicans that find themselves in this situation, like Eric Canor back in the day in leadership, and then all of a sudden, he's not in Congress at all.
A
Trey Gowdy.
C
There's so many of them. There's so many of them. And, and we have the power to be able to do that. Now. It may not happen in one election cycle, but it, But I think sometimes we. We don't give ourselves enough credit for the power that we actually have. And it's not just voting. It's not actually just voting. These calls actually make a difference. That's why I cited Senator Jeff Merkley, make it make us uncomfortable. Some of these folks are way Too comfortable.
A
Yeah, I agree. And all of that work, because it's a lot of work. Democracy is a lot of work, especially in days like this when we have a burgeoning autocrat in the White House. It's a lot of work. And that's where your substack comes in so handy to me. Inner Work Dispatch. Talk a little bit about that and the purpose and the goal of what you write over there on substack.
C
So a couple years ago on my radio show, I recognized that I, and probably all the folks listening needed a segment where we were talking about mental health. So we started a segment called Mental Health Mondays, where I talk to folks about meditation, about ways to find joy every single day, the things that we can actually do in our lives to thrive as opposed to just survive. So the Mental Health Monday segment has been going on for a couple of years, and the inner Work dispatch is something that I started when I moved to Europe and also wanted to talk about my journey because my mother passed away in 2022. And I have been really on a journey of looking inward and healing from that trauma. But also trauma that happens to you when you're a public person in the media space and your career doesn't go exactly how you had hoped, and it changes. And you sort of have to navigate a journey where you're trying to really think about and reimagine again, like, what does. What matters. And for me, inner work is something that is inspired by my late mother. She was a psychotherapist, and she had a Ph.D. in pastoral counseling. So for me, it's like. Like it doesn't even matter what was happening externally. I could get all the awards and the accolades, but if I'm not actually happy when I'm sitting by myself at home alone, then there's still work that needs to be done. So I talk about my journey to, you know, unlearn hustle culture, because I'm living in Sicily, where they're not hustling, they're not hustling. They. They work very hard, but when they're not working, they are not working. And they are very much in the present moment, they're not on their phones as much as us. I'm not saying they're not at all. That's, you know, phones are a problem everywhere around the globe. But I think that the things that I've learned just in observation of living here, spending, you know, three months on, three months off in Rome last year, it really led me to a place where I had to reevaluate how I actually wanted to show up in my life and live my life because I'm somebody who is like, working all the time around the clock and then was really, really burnt out. And so the Inner Work Dispatch, it's sometimes, you know, a little behind the scenes of my move abroad and living as an expat, AKA an immigrant here in Sicily, but also talking to mental health experts and therapists and life coaches and people who focus on wellness and all the different things that you need to do in your life to actually thrive. Because politics, while it is all consuming, especially right now, to your point, I think we also need to not let it break us. Because if we can't actually be whole human beings and actually enjoy our lives, then we. What's the point? What's the point of any of this? You know, like, if I'm fighting for nice things, miserable all the time.
A
We need to enjoy the nice things. Yeah, exactly. Well, thank you so much. It's been so wonderful to meet you finally. Everybody, please check out the Inner Work Dispatch on Substack. You can subscribe to that. It's super helpful. Also, make sure to listen to Mornings with Zerlina on SiriusXM progress channel 127. That's weekdays at 7am Eastern. It's been truly an honor to get to speak with you and I hope we get to do it again. Maybe we'll do a sub stack live here and there.
C
Yes, I would love to do that. So I'll be in touch about that in the future. It was so great being on. I think the work that you do is so important and I am a big fan, so I am always tuning in. And thank you so much for having me.
B
Me.
A
Oh, back at you. I'm fangirling this whole time, so thank you so. So if I sounded a little odd, it's because of that. But thank you all so much. I really appreciate it. And everybody else, stick around. We'll be right back with the good news. Hey, everybody. Colder weather and holiday travel wrecks my skin. My skin gets tight, it gets flaky, dry, crepey. And it's just. It's like it's as stressed out as I am. I lean on one skin. OS one Eye is my hero right now. And that simple daily step keeps delivering powerful skincare and longevity results I rely on through the season. It's called OS1 Eye. It's amazing. And at their core, their patented OS1 peptide, the first ingredient proven to target senescent cells, the root cause of all wrinkles Crepiness and loss of elasticity, all key signs of aging by the way. The results have now been validated in five different clinical studies. Bodies we are loving Oneskin and we want to thank them for sponsoring this episode. So we have a discount for you. Go to OneSkin Co DailyBeans and use code DAILYBEANS for 15 off. And what I like most about One Skin is how their products layer seamlessly or even replace extra steps. So my routine feels smarter, more efficient and I expected basic moisture but instead by week two my skin actually looked calmer and a little firmer. It had a little bit of snap back to it and it was more even as well. My makeup sat better on my skin. I stopped reaching for emergency hydrating masks for gifts. Their limited edition nightly rewind gift set is the way to go. It adds a touch of luxury without complicating anything inside. You get the best selling face moisturizer, the new peptide lip mask and a sculpting Gua Sha tool in each piece is designed to work together as your body shifts into natural nightly repair, helping you renew the skin at the cellular level for stronger, smoother, more youthful looking complexion. So personally I appreciate that Oneskin keeps my routine short, efficient and consistent while still delivering progress week after week. It feels like thoughtful self care that actually lasts through winter months. So for a limited time, try OneSkin for 15% off using code DAILYBEANS at OneSkin Co DailyBeans after your purchase they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support the DailyBeans and tell them we sent you. Everybody, welcome back. It's time for the good news. Who likes good news?
B
Everyone.
C
Then good news everyone.
A
And if you have any bit of good news, big or small, if it happened yesterday or if it happened 50 years ago, we want to hear about it. We want to share in your joy because we are, you know, kind of desperate for it. So send, send us your good news stories please. You can also include a shout out out to a loved one or maybe a non profit small business in your area, a group of organizers or activists that are doing something amazing. Maybe some makers or creators that you're working with. We had a maker group that wrote in a couple of days ago. I thought that was really wonderful. Share with us what you're making and creating to, you know, pass the time between now and the midterm elections. That's the next, that's the next bus, you know, stop on this ride. You know, whether you're painting or knitting or crocheting or growing something in your garden. We would love to see and hear about that. Maybe you have thesis and dissertation titles you want to share with us. We'll do our best to muddle through the pronunciations on those and you can always send pronunciation corrections into us as well. We also would love to hear shout outs about government programs for posterity. I want to get it all on the record how much they help people. So all you got to do to get your good news read on the air is submit your POD pet tariff, which we would pay back to you in $2,000 at a time and actually no we won't. But just attach a photo of your pet. We'll try to guess the breeds in which breeds we're watching in your shelter pub. And then if you don't have a pet, you can send an adoptable pet in your area or just grab a random photo of an animal on the Internet, anything works. Photos of rallies and signs, a Tesla takedown that's coming up. Maybe you have signs of postcard writing parties or food bank. Maybe you're working at a food bank, helping handing hand out food right now. We would love to see any of those photos. Send them to us dailybeanspot.com, click on Contact. First up is your good trouble. And here it is. It says we saw you're covering the court's decisions on SNAP benefits. If you're looking to offer your audience a way to help families missing benefits, letting you know that GiveDirectly is delivering emergency cash in real time to the lowest income families. We've paid 130,000 plus since November 1st. You can go to GiveDirectly.org for more information. And also just kind of an ancillary good trouble. Start calling your representatives. Jeffries is whipping those no votes on this government shutdown deal. And now that we know that those eight Republican senators are going to get $500,000 each of our taxpayer money because their phones were call logs were subpoenaed by Jack Smith because they were, you know, doing a coup.
B
Yep.
A
Call your representative, whether it's a Republican or a Democrat, call them them and let them know that you want a no vote on that deal. Unless you don't. Maybe you want. Maybe, you know, if you aren't into that, by all means, I'm not. I'm not judging.
B
All right, next up, we've got from Jerome, pronouncing him not exactly a correction, but it's the closest category. Allison and Dana were humorously shortening and shortening the name of an Ohio Town. Important mention in Pigtown. Although I don't think I said Pigtown. I said P Town. But that's maybe what it sounded like. In truth, Pigtown is already a nickname for Cincinnati. Cincinnati is more famous as the Queen City. Yes, it is. But it was known as Pigtown for the hog slaughter houses that were common back in the day. Love you both and cheers. Picture an otter crocheted by my lovely wife. This is adorable.
A
Is that a baby otterer?
B
It sure is, Jerome. Thank you so much for the education. Now I know what the nickname was for two different towns.
A
Yep, yep. I'm from Cleveland and I didn't know that, so excellent. Pigtown, Cincy. Good to know. Next up, from Howard. Happy Veterans Day. You really deserve to see the new babies. They're three months old and are one litter. Honest. And also, I didn't get a VA loan that was ongoing in January when that guy was sworn in as president. The process continued until I was deemed the owner of a brick ranch in the suburbs of Atlanta, complete with a feral cat colony in the crawl space. The real story here is the kittens. Thank you for what you do. Look at all these kittens from one litter.
B
They're so cute.
A
Grand white moo cat. Avoid a dark gray Tuxi. You got a tortie. Oh, my gosh. Now, sometimes. And I. You know, I didn't know this before, but cats can get pregnant by two dudes and what, have different babies from different dads at in the same litter? No, that's what I heard. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe that's an old.
B
Let's Google that.
A
Yeah, or you can send in a correction if you're listening that I'm stupid. Send it to us. Let us know if you have a.
B
Correction on Allison's cat Gang Bang effect. We'd like to know.
A
Put that in the subject line, please, so that our producers who might not have heard this particular part, we'll get to see Cat Gang bang correction in.
B
A. Yeah, we'd appreciate that. All right.
A
And you should just do that anyway, even if you don't have a correction. This one's from Anonymous.
B
No pronouns given. With snap being attacked and people going hungry. I want people to remember pets when they're making donations to food banks. I'm a volunteer dog walker at the Animal foundation here in Las Vegas. There was a pop up pet food pantry this weekend. The line to get food was long. With all the things that are happening right now, people in Vegas are suffering and so are their pets. More pets will be surrendered or picked up as strays when people don't have the means to take care of their pets. God, this is such a. A good point. I love you guys. You had me at swearing the Beans is my first podcast each day for my pet tariff. I love this picture. I'm including a pic of one of my favorite dogs at the shelter. This dog is up for adoption, you all. Her name is Modelo, and she was an owner surrender. She's been at the shelter for a while. She's energetic and loves squeaky balls and zoomies in the play in the play yard. She also loves to be pet. I'm hoping she finds a good home soon. This looks like a beautiful pit bull. There could be other things in here, but my God, Modelo's adorable. We're gonna have a link to the this adorable dog in the show notes if you happen to be in the Las Vegas area.
A
Do they. Does the. Does Modelo come with the punkin jammies?
B
I would hope so.
A
I would hope so, too. If not, you gotta give me a link to those pumpkin jammies.
B
That's right.
A
All right, next up from M. Pronoun. She and her hello beanstresses. Oh, I like that. I'm a new listener and Patreon member, and I'm so grateful to have found a way to stay up on the news without wanting to hide. Must be the swearing. The F word is my favorite. I thought I would share my master's thesis title. Excellent, Em. I'm excited about this. And also, welcome to the Leguminati. I have a degree in historic preservation from Goucher College in Tosin, Maryland. I probably pronounced half of those words wrong. Go gophers. And when I asked, remember if I pronounced any of that wrong? Send in an email, but put cat gang bang correction in the subject line. And when I asked if I could look look at historic speedways as historic landscapes, I thought I would be smeared out of the office instead. Quote, don't they just turn left? NASCAR's Heritage racetracks and preserving Stock car culture became a reality.
B
Oh, my God.
A
Her thesis title is don't they just turn left? NASCAR's Heritage racetracks and Preserving Stock Car Culture.
B
Oh, I love this.
A
Though reading it now is hard. The errors are just too much. So I think of it fondly and try not to open it. That's right, I am Was a speedway historian. Turns out trying to break into that good old boys club as a California gal is hard, so it's a side gig. All right, Em, I'm gonna ask you to Tell me everything that you know about the El Cajon Speedway. It's closed now, but it was it's advertised as the fastest 58 oval in the west and I used to go there all the time for demolition derby night, but it is now close.
B
I love that fact.
A
However, it did lead me to my current project working with the grandson of Harold Brassington, the man who built Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, the first paved speedway in the us. Someday we'll finish that book. I'll share it when we do em. I will read it also. Nothing like the pressure of telling others. It helps motivate. That's so very true. I should have been working on it a little bit more recently as I work for the federal government and I'm patiently waiting for them to turn the government back on. I'm mad as hell at the Chuckle. Fuck turncoat Dems. Truly, I have a lot of opinions on the current state of things, but since I haven't been riffed yet, I guess I'll keep them to myself for my POD pet tariff. Even though I have four cats. Frodo Freya. Of course I'm serious. Don't call me Shirley and Beetle. I'm sending a picture of my mom's cat, Pebbles and one of her dear pals. My mom's house is a safe haven for the deer and they bring their new fawns every spring. She often finds them nestled in the flower beds munching on mulberry trees. She also gets mountain lions and we have at least two bears that come and swim in the pond. Keep up the amazing work. Keep up the swearing. Keep spilling those beans.
B
Nice.
A
Em Em. Welcome to the fam. Look at the cat with the deer. Oh my God. That is adorable.
B
It is so sweet.
A
Thank you so much.
B
All right, up next we have Anonymous pronoun She and her Some good news from my interface with the Social Security Administration. My husband Neil died unexpectedly in 2018. Anonymous I'm so sorry.
A
So sorry.
B
He had been forced to retire at 64 and he had only had two years to collect the benefits from Social Security that he had paid into all his working life. When he died, I went to the SSA office in my community to try and apply to receive his benefits as his widow. Because I was retired public school teacher whose pension exceeded the sum of his benefits, I did not qualify to receive the money he had paid during his lifetime. But the agent was wonderful, helped me apply Neil's SSA eligibility to paying a lower Medicare premium. So that documentation was in the SSA system That was nice of them. In 2024, the Biden administration signed into law the Social Security Fairness act, which qualified me to receive Neal's benefits. I received a lump sum for 2024, and I'm now getting monthly payments which consider a gift from Neal to me in his absence. I'm telling you the story to emphasize the good customer service I received every time from SSA personnel and to alert others whose spouses died early not being able to receive the benefits paid for in a lifetime of work. If you did not apply at the time of your spouse's death, try it now so you can. I hope you reap what Mr. Biden's administration sowed. I don't know if others will qualify, but it can't hurt to try. For my POD pit tariff, I offer a picture of my friend's golden who stays with me when they travel. Charlie's a gift to me every time she retrieves a dirty sock or underwear and carries it out to the main part of the house to show me she knows her job. She is an expert at holding me down on the couch and watching for criminal squirrel activity. Oh, look at that face. Thanks for everything you do to help me keep myself centered. I could not stop laughing at the greyhound watched. Love to you both.
A
Look at the baby do.
B
Oh my God. Every once in a while, a good one, A good one comes flying out of my mouth.
A
Yeah, yeah. All right, next up, Greg with two GS, just not in a row pronouns he and him.
B
That was very good.
A
That's. Why is that so funny? It's just hilarious.
B
I don't know, it just is.
A
A follow up shout out to the coach and owner of Fortitude Strength and Conditioning in Oak Grove, Missouri. We'll have a link in the show. Notes she's taken it upon herself to collect money, buy groceries and distribute them in Oak Grove while the shutdown continues. She received a message of need, but the person had no way of getting to her. So she let that person know that her husband could deliver. And when he knocked on the door with a box of food, they were surprised and very appreciative. Soon he realized he had the wrong apartment. He explained the mix up and reassured that they should keep the food though, and that they would gather another box for the family that called. It really illustrated to me how our neighbors might be going hungry and in need, but sometimes can't or don't reach out. There's no better time than now to reach out to those around you and see how everyone's doing. Even if the government opens back up, it's going to take time for the relief to reach those that need it. Thanks for your wit and wisdom and the positivity you spread. That's such a good point, Greg. Because a lot of people, even with the government open, who are eligible for benefits, don't apply for them because they don't feel that they deserve them.
B
That's true.
A
And so it's always good to check up on our neighbors. Alison, I have an 80s quote I want to see if you can name that movie. I bet you never smelled a real school bus before. I absolutely can. That's Ferris Bueller's Day Off. That's the little girl who offers him gummy bears and says, they're real warm and squishy. They've been in my pocket. Pocket attached is Shasta sleeping on the only couch she's allowed on. She's 14 and lost her friend Molly back in August. And we spoiler as often as we can shout out to a loved one. Look at the baby. So very cute. Yep, the movie. Select text to show.
B
Yep.
A
Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Look at that. It's even redacted. I like what the producers have done here. I know they've what I call pulling a Manafort. Remember when Paul Manafort filed a redacted document on the court docket, but they redacted it by highlighting it in black? So I just clicked on it and it revealed all.
B
Oh, my God. That's funny.
A
There it is. Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Producers, from now on, do this with the dog breeds, too. That's incredible.
B
Seriously, the next one's pretty short. You want to take it?
A
Sure. From Eminem's godmother regarding Saccharomyces cerevisae. Is that why you wanted me to take it?
B
Yes.
A
Allison, you got really close. Per the dictionary, it's Saccharomyces cerevisi. Saccharomyces cerevisae. Okay, I'm pretty close, though I barely get it right. Saccharomyces cerevisae is better known as baker's yeast. Well, why didn't you just say that in the first place? Is it because baker's yeast doesn't sound as cool and technical in your thesis and dissertation titles is because you want to be all sciencey, because you're majoring in science? Okay, fine. Probably that makes sense.
B
Thank you for taking that. I think it's funny. I think sometimes people can't tell the difference between our voices because every once in a While you get a correction for a story I read. Anyway, this one's from Hodad del Vichio, pronouncing him. On my way to work today, November 11th, my birthday. Happy birthday. I was given the gift of absurdist humor while listening to AG&TG talking about the latest episode of Beanstalk. It was at that moment I realized that Dr. Gill was involved with both Jack and the Beanstalk. I blew a snot bubble, laughing so hard for my pot pit tariff. I present the newest member of our family, Jif, also known as Baby Baby. He is mischievous red kitten who was found in the middle of the highway near my work. He won't leave me alone, as you can see. Thanks for doing the Lord's work, ladies. Your curated news keeps me informed and without the stress corporate news induces. And this little kitten, can you tell.
A
Where that cat is right now?
B
Yes, I can. And I'm glad the camera's not pointing the other way.
A
Oh my goodness.
C
Goodness.
A
Look at that little baby. Oh, I. I say that every time. Look at the baby. That's. I don't know. That's my instant reaction to most animals. I love this.
B
Yeah.
A
By the way, we were. I was actually considering doing a pod, like a separate podcast about Jack and the Beans. And we were going to call it Jack and the Beans Talk. And that's kind of where Beans Talk came from, by the way. Just a little nice background there, Hodad Del Vecchio.
B
We got there eventually.
A
I did. Next up from Britta Pronoun. She and her hi Beans Queens. I wanted to give a shout out to Doney Ko Pet Clinic in Seattle. The clinic is the first no cost veterinary clinic in the nation dedicated to serving individuals experiencing homelessness and low income. I'm reminded of why I became a veterinarian when I volunteer there. Seeing the love and support these animals give their owners and the lengths people will go to to take care of their companions. I also wanted to shout out the Washington State Veterinary Medical association for supporting diversity, equity and inclusion. We're not afraid to have DEI committees and recognize that veterinarians can and must do more to reach the underserved community. The photos. One is a group of veterinary and licensed veterinary technician volunteers for the Saturday clinic in Seattle. A pit bull and a chiweenie that received treatment.
B
What a great looking group of people. And the puppy and the pit bull.
A
Look at the puppy and the pit bull. This is so amazing that they just have a free veterinary clinic for unhoused people's pets and that it's Just veterinarians volunteering in their spare time. What a great.
B
That's awesome.
A
Oh, I love it. We'll have a link to that in the show notes. By the way, if you want to help and support. Done Eco and everybody, thank you so very much for your good news. We needed it today and we need it every day. So send it to us@dailybeanspot.com, click Contact. Make sure to put in the subject line correction, cat gang bang and and producers. Our producers. I love that new redaction, the Manafort redactions that you're doing. Please continue that because then, you know, we can't catch sight of it or anything like that. It's like the true we all, we always go by the honor system and we're honorable, but sometimes we accidentally catch a peek of something we're not supposed to see. And I think, you know, I think I love this. All right, everybody, thank you so much. Patrons look forward to seeing you on the Beans. If you want to join and become a patron again, just five bucks a month, 60 bucks a year to support independent media and you get all that extra free stuff and premium feeds and stuff, you can do it@patreon.com the DailyBeans and everybody will 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. I've been ag.
B
I've been dg.
A
I didn't ask if you had any final words.
B
I got nothing to say to you.
A
Got them. The Beans. The Daily Beans is written and executive produced by Allison Gill with additional research and reporting by Dana Goldberg. Sound design and editing is by Desiree McFarlane with art and web design by Joelle Reader with Moxie Design Studios. Music for the Daily Beans is written and performed by they Might Be Giants and the show is a proud member of the MSW Media Network, a collection of creator owned podcasts dedicated to news, politics and justice. For more information, please visit MSW media. Com MSW Media.
Date: November 12, 2025
Hosts: Allison Gill (A.G.), Dana Goldberg (D.G.)
Featured Guest: Zerlina Maxwell
Podcast Theme: Progressive, women-led political news with keen analysis and signature snark.
This episode dives into busy midweek headlines, from political shakeups and legal maneuvering in Congress to new fallout from government actions under both previous and current administrations. It features a timely, insightful interview with progressive commentator Zerlina Maxwell about Democratic strategy, how to hold elected officials accountable, and practicing self-care in activist spaces.
Fannie Mae Watchdog Firings & Trump Connections ([04:24])
Republican Provision for Surveilled Senators ([07:50])
Trump Appeals E. Jean Carroll Civil Verdict to Supreme Court ([09:46])
Border Patrol Commander Exits, Chicago Update ([11:53])
Utah Court Strikes Down GOP Gerrymander ([15:55])
$3 Million Settlement for Kansas Newspaper Raid ([17:04])
Introduction to Zerlina Maxwell ([21:43])
Venting on the Senate's Shutdown Deal “Own Goal” ([22:12])
Frustration Among Federal Workers ([24:44]-[25:29])
Donor Influence vs. Voter Demands ([27:05]-[30:16])
Election Messaging Success—and Establishment Resistance ([30:16]-[33:01])
Participatory Democracy and Ongoing Organizing ([33:17]-[36:09])
Mental Health & Activist Well-Being: Zerlina’s “Inner Work Dispatch” ([37:07])
Listener Good News, Corrections, and Uplifting Stories
Calls to Action
Big Themes:
Final Message:
You—listeners, voters, activists—have more power than you realize, both in politics and in your own well-being. Stay loud, get involved, and don’t forget to practice self-care along the way.
For more:
Episode summary by PodcastGPT. For the full discussion—including all the snark and warmth—listen to The Daily Beans wherever you get your podcasts.