Refried Beans | Lowering The Price Of Dissent (feat.Miles Taylor) | 4/4/2024

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Daily Beans – "Refried Beans | Lowering The Price Of Dissent" (feat. Miles Taylor) | Released April 5, 2025

Host: Alison Gill & Dana Goldberg
Featured Guest: Miles Taylor, Author of Blowback
Release Date: April 5, 2025

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Daily Beans, hosts Alison Gill and Dana Goldberg delve into a mix of intense political happenings and inspiring stories of resistance and resilience. The episode titled "Refried Beans | Lowering The Price Of Dissent" features a special interview with Miles Taylor, the author of Blowback. Taylor shares his insights on the escalating costs of dissent in today's polarized political climate and discusses strategies to empower individuals to speak out against authoritarianism.

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Section 1: Breaking News Highlights

The episode kicks off with a rapid-fire rundown of the latest political developments:

1. Atlanta FBI Field Office Incident
   Timestamp: [00:45]
   A former Navy submarine technician, Irvin Bolling, was arrested after driving his SUV into the perimeter of the Atlanta FBI headquarters. Authorities have yet to determine his motive, but investigations reveal Bolling's ties to QAnon, anti-vaccine movements, Sidney Powell, and election denialism.

   Notable Quote:
   Alison Gill [04:19]: "We have to tell these MAGA folk to just comply now."

2. Recall of Judd Blev in Oklahoma
   Timestamp: [09:07]
   Judd Blev, an Oklahoma city council member, was ousted by voters due to his associations with white nationalist groups, specifically his leadership in the Oklahoma chapter of Identity Ropa Europa and his participation in the Charlottesville march.

   Notable Quote:
   Dana Goldberg [12:19]: "Kick them all out."

3. Insider Trading Guilty Pleas Linked to Truth Social
   Timestamp: [12:19]
   Florida venture capitalists Michael and Gerald Schwartzman pleaded guilty to securities fraud for insider trading related to the merger between Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC) and Trump Media. Their actions resulted in over $22 million in illicit gains.

   Notable Quote:
   Alison Gill [15:03]: "Insider trading is cheating, plain and simple."

4. Biden’s Call with Netanyahu Amidst Israeli Political Turmoil
   Timestamp: [03:34]
   President Joe Biden is set to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Defense Minister Benny Gantz urges new elections in Israel. The conversation comes in the wake of tragic killings of aid workers by Israeli strikes in Gaza.

   Notable Quote:
   Alison Gill [04:43]: "The story is just heart-wrenching."

5. Trump Sues Co-Founders of Trump Media
   Timestamp: [16:57]
   Former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against Trump Media co-founders Andy Lentinsky and Wes Moss, seeking to void their stock in the company over alleged mishandling of the merger process and attempts to block the public offering.

   Notable Quote:
   Miles Taylor [17:05]: "It's a mess."

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Section 2: In-Depth Interview with Miles Taylor

Timestamp: [20:31] – [58:38]

Miles Taylor, the author of Blowback and former Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff, joins Alison and Dana to discuss the escalating "price of dissent." Taylor emphasizes the increasing barriers individuals face when speaking out against powerful political figures and the importance of making dissent less costly to encourage more voices to come forward.

Key Discussions:

• Lowering the Cost of Dissent:
  Taylor explains the economic principle of reducing the "price" of dissent by increasing the "supply," meaning making it safer and less risky for individuals to voice opposition. This involves creating supportive environments and networks that protect and empower whistleblowers and activists.

  Notable Quote:
  Alison Gill [22:07]: "How do you lower the cost of something by increasing the supply."

• Evolutionary Instincts and Tribalism:
  The conversation delves into how human evolutionary biology predisposes individuals to tribalism, making it challenging to oppose one's own group. Taylor and Gill discuss strategies to overcome these innate tendencies, such as fostering connections beyond ideological boundaries and emphasizing shared human values.

  Notable Quote:
  Dana Goldberg [25:16]: "We're programmed to attach our existence to a tribe for protection."

• Personal Risks and Safety Measures:
  Taylor shares his experiences and the personal risks associated with dissent, including threats and harassment. He advocates for safety in numbers and the importance of community support in mitigating these dangers.

  Notable Quote:
  Dana Goldberg [32:54]: "There is literal safety in numbers."

• Encouraging Whistleblowers:
  Both hosts express admiration for individuals like Taylor and Alison Gill who have taken significant personal risks to expose wrongdoing. They discuss the psychological and social challenges faced by whistleblowers and the critical need for societal support.

  Notable Quote:
  Alison Gill [34:43]: "I would do it again."

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Section 3: Good News Segment

The hosts transition to a lighter segment where they share uplifting stories submitted by listeners:

1. Student Debt Relief and Community Support
   Timestamp: [52:16]
   A listener shares success stories about student debt relief programs and highlights community efforts to support individuals facing financial hardships.

   Notable Quote:
   Alison Gill [52:23]: "Love you guys for elevating equality and love."

2. Election Success in Tulsa Public Schools
   Timestamp: [55:55]
   Kayla from Tulsa recounts the successful election of three pro-student board members who defeated candidates backed by controversial figure Ryan Walters. Her grassroots campaign involved canvassing, social media outreach, and community mobilization, resulting in a significant victory for educational integrity.

   Notable Quote:
   Alison Gill [57:08]: "That is how democracy works."

3. Support for LGBT Families
   Timestamp: [52:16]
   Frank shares his support for Rainbow Families D.C., a nonprofit organization aiding LGBT families, and expresses gratitude towards the podcast for fostering a community of acceptance and equality.

   Notable Quote:
   Dana Goldberg [43:56]: "Thank you for elevating equality and love."

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with a heartfelt appreciation for Miles Taylor and his essential work in advocating for democracy and transparency. Alison encourages listeners to follow Taylor on social media and pre-order his forthcoming paperback release of Blowback. The hosts also invite listeners to share their good news stories, fostering a sense of community and hope amidst turbulent times.

Final Notable Quote:
Alison Gill [58:38]: "Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. Take care of the planet, take care of your mental health, take care of your family."

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Closing Remarks

Alison Gill and Dana Goldberg effectively balance the gravity of current political events with inspiring narratives of courage and positive change. By featuring Miles Taylor’s insights and uplifting listener stories, The Daily Beans delivers a comprehensive and engaging episode that both informs and empowers its audience.

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Stay Connected:
For more episodes and to submit your good news stories, visit DailyBeansPod.com.

Transcript

[Alison Gill]

MSW Media. Hey, everybody, it's Ag. And welcome to Refried Beans, where we play an episode of the Daily Beans podcast from the same week either one, two or three years ago, so we can see how far we've come. So please enjoy this episode from days gone by and note the date in the intro.

[Dana Goldberg]

Refried beans. I like refried beans. That's why I want to try fried.

[Alison Gill]

Beans, because maybe they're just as good.

[Dana Goldberg]

And we're wasting time.

[Alison Gill]

With swearing.

[Miles Taylor]

Jelly beans.

[Dana Goldberg]

Jelly beans.

[Miles Taylor]

Jelly beans. Jelly beans.

[Alison Gill]

Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Thursday, April 4, 2024. Today we have more information about the man who rammed his vehicle into a barrier at the Atlanta FBI field office. Jack Smith has filed a scathing rebuke of Judge Cannon in the espionage obstruction documents case in Florida. Judd Blev is recalled in Oklahoma for his association with white nationalists. Two more people have pled guilty in the insider trading thing with the Russian porn bank guy that associates with Putin in the Truth Social case. I can't make this up, Dana.

[Miles Taylor]

Wow.

[Alison Gill]

President Biden will speak with Netanyahu today as Benny Gantz calls for new elections this fall. And Trump is suing two Trump Media co founders to void their stock. I'm Alison Gill.

[Miles Taylor]

And I'm Dana Goldberg.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, you can't make these headlines up.

[Miles Taylor]

Sometimes I try and stay quiet because obviously the intro is you. I'm not supposed to interject, but every once in a while you say something where I'm like, wow. Okay. Wow.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, yeah, we're going to talk about that a little bit today. It's pretty involved. And you know, we've reported on that rush, those Russian ties before with, with True Social. And this is all sort of coming to a head right now. Also later in the show, I'm going to talk with Miles Taylor. His book Blowback comes out in paperback this Tuesday, April 9th. It's available for pre order now. We have a really good conversation and so I'm looking forward to that. So, I mean, other than that, besides all the news we have to get to, do you have any opening thoughts?

[Miles Taylor]

Do I have any opening thoughts? Well, people, did you hear what she just did to me on Wednesday? Hump day, you'll hear on Thursday. I wasn't expecting any of this. My opening thoughts are like, we have a lot of fucking news to. But before that, we've got some hot notes. Is that what it's called? No, before we got on news to. Before we do that, we've got some quick hits.

[Alison Gill]

All right, first up, Jack Smith has submitted his response to Judge Aileen Cannon's bizarre order asking both parties, Trump and Jack Smith, to write hypothetical jury instructions based on a complete misinterpretation of of the law. Now, I've written a full analysis of this filing on post and of course, Andy and I'll discuss it on this weekend's Jack podcast. But basically, this is probably the most important filing Jack Smith has made to date in the espionage and obstruction case in Florida because he's demanding a decision from Judge Cannon on her misinterpretation of the Presidential Records act now before a jury is impaneled at trial, because that's when double jeopardy would attach. And he also threatens what's called a writ of mandamus to the 11th Circuit if she doesn't get her shit together. So I really look forward to breaking this down with Andy over the weekend.

[Miles Taylor]

I can't wait. This one's from Reuters. Israel, Israel War Cabinet member Benny Gantz called for national elections in September. On Wednesday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the government faces pressure at home and abroad over the war in Gaza. We must agree on a date for elections in September, he said setting such a date will allow us to continue the military effort while signaling to citizens of Israel that we will soon renew their trust in us. I don't think it's going to happen that easily. Ag and from NBC News, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to speak by phone today, according to a US Official with knowledge of the call. It's going to be their first direct communication since seven aid workers were horrifically killed. By the way, the story is just heart wrenching. They were killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza this week. That's the World Kitchen, World Central Kitchen. Thank you. Yes. I'm still really upset about this story. This is going to be their first call since the Biden administration led a UN Resolution on a permanent ceasefire pass. So we'll let you know the readout from the call once it happens.

[Alison Gill]

All right, thank you very much, Dana. We have more news. Let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right. First up, Dana, I'd like to play a brief clip from Monday's show about the man who rammed his car into the entrance barrier of the Atlanta FBI field office. That's the way I always do it. I am really interested to see they're not ascribing a motive at this point, but but I've got some feelings about who might have been driving the car.

[Miles Taylor]

Just want to check their search history that's all I need to do.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, pretty much.

[Miles Taylor]

I mean, I'm just saying.

[Alison Gill]

Well, Dana, they checked his search history and guess the what? This guy has social media ties to QAnon, anti vax stuff, Sidney Powell, election denialism, and of course, Donald Trump.

[Miles Taylor]

All roads lead back.

[Alison Gill]

This is from David Gilbert at Wired. A former Navy submarine technician was arrested after law enforcement says he drove an SUV into the FBI headquarters near Atlanta on Monday afternoon. It's still unclear why the suspect, Irvin Bolling, attempted to force entry into the headquarters. But research conducted by the nonpartisan public interest nonprofit Advanced Democracy Group and shared exclusively with Wired, has found that accounts believed to be associated with Bowling share numerous conspiracy theories on social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook. Just afternoon on Monday, Bolling rammed his burnt orange SUV with South Carolina plates into the final barrier at FBI Atlanta's headquarters. That's Matthew Upshaw, an FBI agent assigned to the Atlanta office, talking about it in a sworn affidavit on Tuesday. Upshaw added that after Bolling crashed the suv, he left the car, tried to follow an FBI employee into the secure parking lot. When agents instructed Bolling to sit on a curb, he refused and tried again to enter the premises. The affidavit also stated that Bolling resisted arrest when agents subsequently tried to detain him. How many times do we have to tell these MAGA folk to just comply now? Bolling was charged on Tuesday with destruction of government property, and that's according to court records. Advanced Democracy researchers identified an account on Twitter with The handle Aloha Tiger11, a reference to the Clemson University mascot, which Bolling has expressed support for on public Facebook groups. The handle is similar to usernames on other platforms like Telegram and Cash App, and also bears similarities to a Facebook page with Bolling's name. The profile picture used on the Twitter account also resembles a picture of the same man shown in Bolling's public Facebook profile. The Twitter account is currently set to private, but dozens of its old posts are still publicly viewable through the Internet archive. In December 2020, the Twitter account responded to a post about federal government stimulus bills that stated, wonder what it will take for people to wake up? The Twitter account believed to be associated with bowling responded, I'm awake, just looking for a good militia to join. Around the same time, social media accounts seemingly associated with bowling repeatedly boosted QAnon content and interacted with QAnon promoters, including by posting a link to a now deleted QAnon associated YouTube channel alongside the comment quote, release the Kraken in direct reference to Sidney Powell's failed legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. On what's believed to be Bolling's Facebook account, there were various posts related to anti vaccine memes. The accounts also posted in support of former President Donald Trump in December 2020 quote I love you was posted in response to a post on Twitter from Trump that falsely claimed the election had been rigged by Democrats. Courtney Bolling, who is the suspect's wife, at least on Facebook, did not respond to requests for comment via phone or messages sent to her on social media profiles. No legal counsel is listed on record for bowling. It is so far unclear how Bolling came to espouse these beliefs, but far right groups and extremists have for decades used social media platforms as a way of spreading conspiracies and radicalizing new members. In recent years, there have been numerous examples of far right groups making online claims or threats that have been quickly followed up by real world violence.

[Miles Taylor]

So there were signs and lots of signs.

[Alison Gill]

Good job calling it out.

[Miles Taylor]

My God. All right, this one's from Brandy Zadrosny at NBC. Voters in Enid decided by a nearly 20 point margin Tuesday to remove a city council member over his ties to white nationalist groups. There's good stuff happening. Judd Blevins lost his seat on Enid's six member city council by 200, according to unofficial results from the Oklahoma State election board. Nearly 1400 people turned out about a quarter of Ward 1's registered voters and hundreds more than voted when Blevins first elected. When he was first elected, more people came to get him removed than actually got him into office, which is pretty hysterical. Blevins is going to be replaced by Cheryl Patterson. She's a former teacher and longtime Republican who campaigned on return to, quote, normalcy for this small city nearly 100 miles north of Oklahoma City, which was divided by the furor over Blevins, quote, we won. This is what Connie Vickers, a Democrat and conservative Enid who was among the first to publicly confront Blevins over his white nationalist ties. She said Blevins lost. Hate lost. Blevins faced the recall vote after local activists learned that he had marched alongside neo Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 and led an Oklahoma chapter of white nationalist group Identity Ropa Europa, but there's.

[Alison Gill]

A V for the U like so many cults put in.

[Miles Taylor]

Ah, Europa. Thank you AG Blevins has denied that he has ever been a white supremacist. But as. But I know. But at a candidate forum last week, he defended marching in Charlottesville and said his activism was motivated by, and I quote, the same issues that got Donald Trump elected in 2016. So racism and anti Semitism and misogyny. Okay. Spotted holding a sign on a corner near his polling place, Blevin said he thought voters would rally to save his seat. Quote, I'm pretty confident I'll come out on top. That's what he said. And if not, I fought the good fight. Did you? The results reported Tuesday night are unofficial until they are certified by the Garfield county government, which is expected to happen as soon as Friday. As voters trickled into polling stations Tuesday, many said they didn't vote in that race and had no idea back then that Blevins, a former Marine who now works for his family's roofing business, had been active in white nationalist groups. Nearly everyone said they didn't want their city to be known as a place that tolerates hate. That's a good sign. Quote, it doesn't matter what you've done, who you've associated with, said Paul Martin, a cattle farmer and Democrat who said he votes for candidates regardless of party and learned of Blevins white nationalist ties only after his election. Quote, it didn't come to light until after the vote. That's what Martin said. I was really upset. Now Enid's city council can turn back to other items on its agenda this month. Sewer repairs, changes to traffic patterns, and six new police cars. So they're getting back to business as usual now that the white supremacist Nazi sympathizer is gone.

[Alison Gill]

Kick them out. Kick them all out. Vote them all out. All right.

[Miles Taylor]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

I mean, Jesus, like, well, yeah, I marched in Charlottesville and I said, you know, no blood or soil. And I, you know, said, you know, you know, Jews will not replace us. But I'm not, I'm not a racist. Not a Nazi. Okay, next up from cnn, Florida venture capitalist Michael Schwartzman and his brother Gerald Schwartzman pled guilty on Wednesday to participating in an insider trading scheme linked to the blockbuster deal that brought former President Donald Trump's social media business public. Each of the brothers pled guilty in New York to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The two brothers were arrested in June and charged with illegally trading on non public knowledge of a shell company's secret plan to buy Trump Media and Technology Group, that's the parent company of the struggling social network Truth Social. Quote, Michael and Gerald Schwartzman admitted in court that they received confidential inside information about an upcoming merger between dwac, and that's Digital World Acquisition Corp. And Trump Media and use that information to make profitable but illegal open market trades. That's Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. In a statement, the indictment accuses the brothers and a third individual, Bruce Garolich, of Together making more than $22 million in October of 2021 by trading on their inside knowledge. Shares of the shell company Digital World Acquisition Corp. Spiked after the blank check Company publicly announced an agreement to merge with Trump Media. Insider trading is cheating, plain and simple. That's what Damian Williams said. And today's conviction should remind anyone who may be tempted to corrupt the integrity of a stock market that it will earn them a ticket to prison. According to prosecutors, the Schwartzman brothers, which Marcy Wheeler refers to as the Schwartzmen and Garlic. At that point, he was a director on DWAC's board, tipped off friends and colleagues about the impending deal allowing them to buy securities in the S PAC before the Trump Media deal became public. The defendants passed the secret information about the impending Trump Media deal to friends on a trip to Las Vegas, to Michael Schwarzman's neighbors and to Gerald Schwarzman's employees at a furniture supply store. Now don't forget, Dana, we reported way back in the day that Anton, let's see. Postalnikov, he's the owner of a Caribbean bank that caters to the porn industry and he reportedly loaned $8 million to Trump's media company. And he also owns a few residences on Exclusive Fisher island in Miami. And he's also the nephew of a former high ranking Russian government official who at one time was a staffer for Vladimir Putin.

[Miles Taylor]

Good Lord.

[Alison Gill]

And one of the Schwartzman has ties to this guy. Quote, the startling revelations about Postolnikov were included in government documents filed by defense attorneys for Garlic and Michael Schwarzman in their efforts to get evidence collected by federal investigators thrown out of the case. Now one of the affidavits, Dana, in the case includes an email that Garlic sent to Postalnikov on June 24, 2021, about four months before the merger was announced. It says, anton, good times last night following up on that Trump Media Group S pac we mentioned the deal is going to finalize this week. Please let us know if you're interested in investing. Gerelick wrote that in the message, which was also copied to Michael Schwartzman. The FBI affidavit also said that Postolnikov communicated by phone with Gerald Schwartzman and Patrick Orlando, the former chairman and the chief executive officer of Digital World Acquisition, as he was Purchasing shares ahead of the merger announcement. Oops. I expect more to come out once the feds get the proffers from the Schwartzmans.

[Miles Taylor]

I hope all of this just tanks. I hope this all implodes and Trump doesn't get a fucking dime. Yeah. All right. More truth social news, by the way. This is from Associated Press. This time, Donald Trump is suing. Shocked. Shocked. He's suing people he went into business with. He's suing two co founders of Trump Media and Technology Group, the newly public parent company of his true social platform, arguing that they should forfeit their stock in the company because they set it up improperly. The former U.S. president's lawsuit, which was filed on March 24 in Florida. Of course, the state court follows a complaint filed in February by those co founders, Andy Lentinsky and Wes Moss. Their lawsuit sought to prevent Trump from taking steps the two said would sharply reduce their combined 8.6% stake in Trump Media. The pair filed their lawsuit in Delaware Court of Chancery.

[Alison Gill]

Okay, so wait, so these two guys sued him, saying he's trying to dilute their stock? We reported on that. Now he's suing them back, saying they.

[Miles Taylor]

Have their properly set up incorrectly and.

[Alison Gill]

He wants their stock back.

[Miles Taylor]

Oh, man, it's a mess. Trump's lawsuit claims that Latinski and Moss, who were both contestants on Trump's reality TV show, the Apprentice.

[Alison Gill]

I didn't know that.

[Miles Taylor]

I don't either. Mishandled. I don't recognize either of those names, by the way. Mishandled. An attempt to take Trump Media public several years ago. They fucked that up, apparently, several years ago, alleging putting the whole project on ice for more than a year and a half. It also targets the pair over their Delaware suit against Donald, saying that it was one of several attempts they made to block Trump Media's ultimately successful plan to go public. Trump Media accomplished that goal by merging with a publicly traded shell company called Digital World Acquisition, which we covered so much, and that happened in March.

[Alison Gill]

Two people have pled guilty and a couple others are indicted.

[Miles Taylor]

So. Good watch. Trump Media shares have fluctuated. Yes, they have. Wildly. Since its stock market debut on Tuesday, the Stock closed at $51.6. 60 cents, just up 6%, valuing the entire company at $5.9 billion.

[Alison Gill]

And they only made, like, they lost $58 million in a year. They only have, like. It's ridiculous how this company has that much value. It's just.

[Miles Taylor]

I was gonna say the same thing. I don't even understand how any social media company holds. I guess it's from like, like Spot.

[Alison Gill]

Sponsor Ad Rev users. They're losing users.

[Miles Taylor]

Well, also, if they're taking our data, sure there's some money to be made there.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, I, I suppose. But not 5.9.

[Miles Taylor]

I know.

[Alison Gill]

Seriously.

[Miles Taylor]

Well, I guess it depends who you're selling it to.

[Alison Gill]

Well, yeah, there is $8 million of Russian investment.

[Miles Taylor]

Also, we know he likes to, he likes to overvalue things. So chances are that company is not worth $5.9 billion.

[Alison Gill]

No, it's, he soon is going to.

[Miles Taylor]

Come out and be like, I undervalued it. And we're like, that's not legal either.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, because so he can, so he can get the board to vote him off the short sell block so he can just short himself and then make more money on how much true socials were.

[Miles Taylor]

10, $10 billion. 10 billion. I only said it was $5.9 billion.

[Alison Gill]

Man, I wish I could make money off being a loser.

[Miles Taylor]

Like that would be right.

[Alison Gill]

Anyway, thank you for that story. And we'll keep an eye on, on DWAC s PACK or SPAC or whatever they're called and all of the criminals involved, regardless of what country they come from. And we'll, we'll tell you all about it on the beans. All right, next up that I'm going to get to talk to the author of Blowback. He was the lodestar anonymous author of the Washington Post op ed way back in the day, speaking out against Trump blowing the whistle. And now he's his book is going to paperback this Tuesday, April 9th. Miles Taylor, right after this break. Stick around. We'll be right back. Hey, everybody, welcome back. I'm super happy today to be joined by my friend, former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff in the Trump administration, author of the book A Warning to Save Democracy from Trump's Revenge, which is going to be out in paperback this coming Tuesday, April 9th.

[Dana Goldberg]

Tuesday. People are gonna be lining up at the stores, Alison, like it's the eighth Harry Potter book. I think there'll be people at midnight. They'll be dressed up, you know, in their red neckties and their big wrinkly blue suits, you know, like Trump. And they'll spray paint their hair orange. That's just what happens every time a book of mine comes out or like.

[Alison Gill]

Perfectly coiffed hair and that collarless leather jacket that you have. I think that's what we'll see. They'll all be dressed up. And I can't wait for this to come out in paper. You know, I already have it in Hardcover, but it's coming out in paperback April 9th. Everybody, please welcome my friend, Lodestar Miles Taylor.

[Dana Goldberg]

Love you, Alex. Thank you.

[Alison Gill]

How are you, Mike?

[Dana Goldberg]

Thank you for having me. It's great to be with you. I know this entire time we're only gonna talk about positive, optimistic things. Cause that's what's going on in American politics. So, folks, if you're ready for an upper, you're in the right place.

[Alison Gill]

Well, actually, I kind of wanted to put a little bit of a positive spin on something that you said in blowback, which I tell everybody about all the time. We are seeing a lot more people speak out against a second Trump term. We saw it. We Nipsey John Bolton today. Took you long enough. Half man, half mustache. Mike Pence came out, failed to endorse Trump. Esperance is not gonna vote for Donald Trump. And I could go back to when I interviewed you for your book on C Span Book tv. And we talked about something that really stood out to me in the book, and that was the price of dissent.

[Miles Taylor]

Right.

[Alison Gill]

And you use this whole economics 101 thing saying, how do you lower the cost of something by increasing the supply. And so that's how we make it safer for people to come forward and speak out against a second Trump term, is by increasing the supply of dissent. And that seems to now finally be happening in earnest. And I was hoping you could talk a little bit about that, because I know you addressed it a lot in your book.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. I don't think it was a foregone conclusion that this was gonna happen. And I suspect if you had asked both of us a few years ago what our predictions would be, they might have been kind of cynical predictions about whether courage was going to be contagious. Because at that point, it really seemed like cowardice was more contagious than Covid. And thankfully, we have seen folks, even if it's on time delay, start to understand the seriousness of all of this and come forward. I mean, all the way back in year two of the Trump administration, when I started to sound the alarm within Republican circles, it was a pretty lonely place because a lot of the Republicans who had opposed Trump before he got elected, a lot of them fell off once he won the White House, because it was like, well, we're toast. We're on the outskirts of the party. And so it was a pretty lonely place. I would have never imagined in a moment like now we'd have folks like Liz Cheney leading the effort. And that's remarkable, but it's also encouraging because it has made it easier for other people to come forward. Now, that said, there is still a really, really sizable group of folks that worked for Donald Trump and people who might be tapped to go into a second Trump administration who, again, are saying privately they think the man's unstable. They wish we were past this period. I'm astounded and at the same time, not surprised that we have those folks still not coming forward. But I still think there's the opportunity to get more of those folks out of the shadows. And you and I have conversations with a lot of the same people about efforts that are happening behind the scenes to make that possible. It's actually one of the reasons why today I'm in New York. I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but I'm going to try to have some meetings here, meetings that maybe will help create an opening to get more of those people to come forward. So, anyway, all of that to say, I do think it is encouraging how many folks from within the tribe you are seeing turn against Donald Trump, and that is going to be, in my opinion, the most effective weapon in denying him a second term.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. And talk a little bit about why people don't like to leave the tribe. I remember you sharing an anecdote from a comedian, I believe, about how they'd rather do one thing than the other. And it sort of paints a perfect picture about why folks are so reluctant.

[Dana Goldberg]

I think you're talking about Jerry Seinfeld. And I always loved this Seinfeld joke, is he talked about a real survey at the time. This was probably in the mid-90s when he was doing this in his standup race routine. And the survey was that Americans reported being more afraid of public speaking than they were of death. And so Seinfeld goes up there and says, so let me get this straight. That means your average American would rather be in the casket than delivering the eulogy. And he gets great laugh lines for that, and he deserves those. But I think we all kind of see that truth, not just in our politics, but, I mean, we see it in our own lives. People are so chicken shit when it comes to speaking up. They'd often rather be caught dead than turning against folks in their tribe. Whether that tribe is a club, they're in a family, a political party. It's really hard for people. And I think the answer to that. Well, the real answer is somewhat scientific in nature, and it's evolutionary biology. And we're sort of programmed to attach our existence to a tribe for protection. And that tribal Instinct, though I don't think we ever imagined it being magnified into political parties the way it has been. Now I say we haven't. But our founders actually did anticipate that as a worry. Madison and others worried about our tribal instincts, and that's why they wanted to play factions against each other. But we could go down the academic road. But suffice to say, I think that at the end of the day, people worry that if they turn against their tribe, their whole life is gonna blow up. And so what's the point of living after that if that's the case? And to some extent, they're a little bit right. Look at all the folks who turned against the GOP tribe. Mark Esper's not gonna have another job in today's Republican Party. Liz Cheney's not gonna run for Congress and win again. Mitt Romney's out. And you could just go on down the list of the folks who turned against Trump. I'm certainly, at least in this Republican Party, have no future. And a lot of us have built our entire careers around this institution, so it's intimidating to turn against it now. I think the important thing for people to know, though, is your life doesn't end when you turn against the tribe. I'm happier than I've ever been in my entire life because the biggest, heaviest, most daunting moral weight that was on my shoulders is off. And I get to say what I actually believe, and I don't give a shit what other people think. That is real freedom, and it doesn't just apply to politics. I think that applies in life. And, Alison, you know that better than anyone. You blew the whistle in a very difficult circumstance, and I suspect it cost you a lot. I also suspect you feel freer than you've ever felt in your entire life, and you can't put a price on that.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, no, it cost me my career in the government, which I was going to retire from at some point. I went to school to get an entire PhD in health administration for that particular career. But, no, you're right. Things are better than ever. But I wasn't in the Republican tribe, so I was in the government tribe, but not in the. Not in the Republican tribe. But there's also this whole aspect of when you leave the tribe and you feel like your life blows up. There's also, with this particular former president, an element of violence and threats. And not just violence to your money and your bank account and your job, but threats against you physically or things that could cut, like, I'm Thinking of Matt Schlapp and that poor guy who was paid off by a third party insurance company to drop his lawsuit. And then they came out and said, ah, he made it all up and like, basically lied and rewrote the settlement agreement statement. But like, folks like that who feel like. Because when you're going through it, you know, I've gone through some hit pieces and when you're going through it, it just feels like your life is over, but then you emerge from the other side and realize that it's actually just kind of beginning. And, you know, I wonder if you attribute this, like, I guess, more group bravery to the fact that there's safety in numbers. As you said, with the cost of dissent, they are increasing the supply. And I think people feel safer. He can't come after all of us. I mean, he can, but not as easily. But I'm wondering if you attribute it to that.

[Dana Goldberg]

Well, there's literal safety in numbers. The metaphor extends into the reality of the moment, which is that you're absolutely right. The threats, they are higher than they've ever been. I know folks hear us talking about that all the time, but I mean, it's important to put a personal face on that. I think you faced it. I faced it. This is really real. When your family gets death threats, you don't know if it's the guy seven states away who's just spouting off and it's a joke, or if it's someone 20 miles away that's en route to you to do something. And if you care about your family, then you feel this urgent need in the moment that that awful text message or email comes in to hunker down to protect them. The upside, I will say to the point about strength in numbers, is that as more people have come forward and had these experiences, folks are connecting with each other, they're sharing ways to be safe. The threats are becoming a little bit more diffuse. You know, you have a better sense of what's real and what's not. You also get early warnings from friends. I mean, there is this sort of strength in numbers. And I will say that because I'm several years deep into it, I've kind of got a mini career moonlighting as a, you know, pro bono security advisor. For people who go into this circumstance, I give them thoughts on how to protect their digital identity, how to protect their physical assets, how to protect their families if they go out there and do this. And again, that's not necessarily just politics. I mean, there's a lot of different places in people's lives where they may consider blowing the whistle. I, I, I'm a board member on an organization called Whistleblower Aid and they work with whistleblowers from a lot of different walks of life. But in this day and age, it's really easy for people to crowdsource threats against you if you go public, whatever that is. And so, but again, there is now a lot of pattern recognition among people who are willing to speak out about how to handle those types of threats. But I would, you know, I don't want to put rose colored glasses on because that's, it's still a challenge. I mean, I will say that, you know, my wife and I are currently, you know, building a new place that we're going to be moving into that's, that's totally off the grid and away from all the other places we've lived in the past because we want to have somewhere that's just folks don't know where to reach us. Folks don't, you know, know where we are because it just gets, it gets too intense after a period of time. And for us it's, you know, Maga Looney Tunes who, you know, want to call and show up and, and do things that, that makes you want to just go be somewhere safe. So, and I'm not saying it's like that for everyone, but it's a, it's a really ugly, scary environment right now. And so for folks that do come forward, there is some comfort that you're not alone.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. And feeling like you're not alone is one of the most powerful, empowering feelings that, that you can have. You know, and I think that everyone on some level can relate to this, even if they're not a former Republican or a Republican trying to get out of Magaland, you know, because I mean, it's akin to being in an abusive relationship, you know, where they isolate you and make you feel like you can't live without them and they're your only lifeline. And at some point you learn that you aren't crazy and you've been gaslit and you're not alone. For me personally, it was for years and years trying to tell my story about military sexual trauma and then being in a documentary about it. And that documentarian being the only other person I told besides my therapist because I thought I was nuts because of the job they did on me mentally. And then I go and see the movie and I'm in a montage of dozens of other people who are saying that the exact Same thing happened to them, the same things were said to them. They were treated the exact same way. And immediately I was like, I am not alone here. And that sort of gives you the bravery to first of all believe yourself and then you know that you're doing the right thing. And second of all, that you, you know, you're not alone. You can come forward and tell your story and not feel so isolated or endangered anymore, or if you've been in an abusive personal relationship. So whether the abuser is personal or institutional, I think at some level we can all relate to how difficult that can be. You know, everybody who says, well, if you're an abusive relationship, why don't you just leave? Well, if it were that easy, everyone would just leave.

[Dana Goldberg]

It's so true. I mean, I actually want to ask you one follow up question to that, Alison, which is, would you do it again?

[Alison Gill]

Which part?

[Dana Goldberg]

Would you step forward?

[Alison Gill]

I mean. Yes.

[Dana Goldberg]

Would you step forward again?

[Alison Gill]

Absolutely. I wouldn't change anything that I've done.

[Dana Goldberg]

And that is what has been so surprising for me in asking that question to folks who've spoken out. And most of my sample size are people who have spoken out politically against the Republican tribe, not, I think in a lot of ways as traumatic as physical abuse. But I universally get the answer to that question of, yeah, I would do it again. And I think that's important for people to hear whether they're in a horrible, dangerous relationship in their home or a horrible, dangerous relationship with Donald Trump and the MAGA Republican Party is that the people who have broken away, 99% of them say they would do it all again. And so when you're looking at that fear, which is very intimidating, you have to see that on the other side of that fear is the confidence to say, I would do it again. And that's important for folks to know and hopefully it gives them the courage to do the things they need to do. I mean, in my case, and not to go, well, we should invite listeners. We're on the therapist couch. Get now, guys, there's plenty of room. Just come on and sit with us. We're going to trauma dump as a team. But a long time ago, I was in a very, very weird and abusive relationship. I would like to think that that experience actually made it easier for me to do something politically that would have otherwise been impossible or I would have considered impossible. Because once you go through gets a little bit easier each time to go take on the really hard decision and to refuse to let someone else hold you hostage. So look I hope that's resonant. I mean, we always talk about this in the context of Trump, but you've hit the nail on the head, Alice, and it's far beyond that. It's one of the harder lessons in life, but one of the more powerful ones.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, agreed. I mean, how many times can you be betrayed by your employer or an agency or the federal government before you start saying, all right, well, fine, fuck you here. And, you know, that's. I mean, and, you know, it was the reverse for me. One government betrayal made a personal relationship easier to get out of as opposed to vice versa. But you really start to trust yourself more. I wish people didn't have to go through those kinds of whistleblowing enterprises multiple times to get comfortable with it. Nobody should have to. But I think you're right. I think it does make it easier. But the message is definitely, yeah, I wouldn't do anything differently in any of those scenarios, to be perfectly frank. And I think that once you can explain that, maybe to the folks that you're about to meet in New York, can you tell me who. Can you break some news, who you're gonna try to talk to?

[Dana Goldberg]

I would like to. I thought about it for a half second. I'm like, I'd be sending those. Sending them down the river. And that's. That's my goal is to do the opposite.

[Alison Gill]

But.

[Dana Goldberg]

But I will say there's. There's a frustration that I have. I'm sure you have and others have with some of these folks who are too scared to come forward. But I think the frustration is not an effective way to go into those conversations. Because let's take the example of someone who's in a really, really bad, maybe violent marriage. When you're a friend and you see that happening, it makes you mad. But if you go to the person and say you're an idiot for doing this, they're inclined to double down and feel under siege from you. You're not actually helping them get out of it. And I see that with friends who will privately admit how fucked up their lives in the Republican Party have gotten. I'm talking senior advisors to top Republican members of Congress right now. Hell, members of Congress, although a lot of them that are my buddies, that are Republicans have either recently resigned, are going to be resigning, like they're finally coming out of the party and leaving the Congress. But folks who are still in there, they're in on the joke, but it's actually a real scary joke to them. And I could approach them with anger and say, what the hell are you doing? You're an idiot. You know better than this. I think it's more effective to approach these people by saying, look, I get that right now you feel like if you separate from all of this, your whole career's over and your life's over. Let me just tell you it's not. And here's what it can look like on the other side. And I'm going to be there to help you every step of the way. Now, that may sound inaccessible to most people. Most people listening right now don't have to go convince a member of Congress to break away from the Republican Party. But this same thing applies to people in your community, people in your family who you're trying to help find the off ramp from Trumpism and the MAGA version of the Republican Party. And you gotta do that from empathy and meeting them where they are and admitting, hey, this is probably tough and scary because it's so core to your identity. I mean, you know, Alison, you and I have had great conversations about this. I am a deep rock, ribbed, libertarian conservative. Like you're in. My politics are like, totally. We have a lot of areas where we agree, but we've got some really different politics, like where we could headbutt on that stuff and, and it'd be wild. But we align on really important things about our country. And I think, folks, you can approach conservatives in your life and still let them be a conservative and say, but we agree that this guy's real bad, isn't he? Right. He doesn't make you proud. You know, you're not proud to go support him and help them find that off ramp. So I think that's possible. In fact, I think that's the only way we beat this guy this go around is taking that approach.

[Miles Taylor]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

I've long said we can't ask people to change and then give them no grace to do so. Before I let you go, you just mentioned members of Congress. Are any other House Republicans gonna resign besides Gallagher and Buck?

[Dana Goldberg]

I hope so. I've had a couple of conversations with folks. I don't know if that's newsy. I've been trying to nudge. It's not a very big number. You could probably guess who they are because there's not a ton of people you would identify as like traditional Bush Republicans that are left that would maybe consider taking off early. But I think there's a real opportunity here to shine a light on how bad things have gotten within the GOP by those Republicans who still Have a conscience saying, I'm done and leaving. Because a couple more of them defect and the balance of power will completely shift in the House. And I think nothing would send a more powerful signal right now to the extremist MAGA wing. Then you guys can't even hold on to a majority. And that should show the voters we got to kick these bums out because they've completely destroyed the party. And we're real close to something like that happening. I don't want to predict that it's going to Allison, but I think there's just enough Republicans in the House kind of flirting with a conscience to make it possible.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. And it's not just, I'm done, I'm leaving, it's I'm done, I'm leaving. And you, I'm not leaving till April 19 and you can't refill my seat or I'm done. And fuck you. I'm in Colorado's fourth district where Lauren Boebert is in fifth place, and she tries to leave the third district and leave that seat vacant. It's like a little extra, a little turning of the knife, which pleases me.

[Dana Goldberg]

Well. And if people are watching, I would just say there's a window over the next six weeks or so where interesting things like that could happen again. I'm not saying folks will take that opportunity, but I can tell you people are thinking about it. So we'll see what happens. It could be, you know, could be historic, but we'll wait and see.

[Alison Gill]

All eyes on you, McClintock. All right. Thank you so much for being here today. I really appreciate your time. Everybody. All, all of the things that we've talked about today are covered in the incredible book Blowback. If you loved Anonymous and you loved all of that stuff, come and read Miles Taylor now with his name attached to it. And I think that you will be extremely moved by what he has to say. And there's a lot of interesting thought provoking things in there. There's a lot of stuff on the va. I encourage you to read. If you haven't read this book already, obviously, but now it's out in paperback April 9, Tuesday. You can pre order it now so you can make sure that you will get your copy because these things will go fast. I have a feeling, my friend, and.

[Dana Goldberg]

Like Alison said at the top end, and it was her, not me, that said, line up at midnight, you know, get in your outfits, you know, you can buy this denim jacket I'm wearing at Levi and, you know, just be there for it. No, that would be a real cool day if people did that. But no, all joking aside, I do want to say, Alison, immensely grateful for you. As far as whistleblowers go, you're like the big microphone for people who want to blow the whistle about the urgent threats we're facing in this moment. So thank you for all that you do. I really appreciate it.

[Alison Gill]

That is very kind of you, my friend. Follow him on social media, get his book. It's called Blowback. Miles Taylor, thank you so much, everybody. Stick around. We'll be right back with the good news after these messages. We'll be right back, everybody. Welcome back. It's time for the good news, everyone.

[Miles Taylor]

Then.

[Alison Gill]

Good news, everyone. Good news, good news. And if you have any good news, confessions, corrections. You want to play what the fark is in your ark, which includes what the mutt cat? Me, if you can. What opine on the bovine? What the hecwine? What's the model moxle? What's the moxle of your oxaloxal?

[Miles Taylor]

You heard her. Just, we'd like to know, actually.

[Alison Gill]

Just send an animal. We'll just make up a name for the animal. Apparently that's that good.

[Miles Taylor]

Just send an animal. We're going to try and guess what it is.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah, that's. I think we're really good. I think we've got it down to guess what color the animal is, but you can send that to us. Dailybeanspod.com click on Contact and send us any good news story that you have. Please let us know about your student debt relief, a small business in your area, pod pet tax. If you don't have pod pets, you can send us an adoptable pet in your area. Or just draw us a picture like the Massachusetts library that's taking pictures of cats to pay your late fees. I love that.

[Miles Taylor]

I do, too.

[Alison Gill]

And apparently you can draw 1. Great VA stories, thesis titles, dissertation titles, anything at all. Again, that's DailyBeansPod.com click on Contact. All right, first up from astrologer pronouns, she and her. All right, she's writing us back. After hearing your concerns about Mercury Direct on April 25 and the SCOTUS hearing on Trump's immunity, here's the good news, which I think was missed. Mercury goes direct at 8:54am Eastern before the hearing starts at 10:00am all right, sweet. And it's in kick ass Aries, standing high in the sky right next to the protective north node of the moon. Though invisible Mercury while still in the quote unquote shadow of the retrograde will now have the courage to shout, let there be no shadow of doubt about no immunity for Trump. Thank you so much. I love this. We're getting astrology predictions on court proceedings, and I think that that's fantastic. Thank you, astrologer.

[Miles Taylor]

So good. I love that we have all these people listening. This one's from Marcia. No pronouns. Giving love, love, Love your show. I do have one minor correction. Oregon is pronounced Oregon.

[Alison Gill]

Oregon.

[Miles Taylor]

No, she said they're saying Oregon like.

[Alison Gill]

Big E. Well, I think she's just emphasizing that there's a E sound in there.

[Miles Taylor]

How do you think? Well, then what. What did we say to get the correction? Oregon. Oh, maybe one of us sounded like we were saying Oregon.

[Alison Gill]

Well, it's. It's Oregon. But it's. Maybe.

[Miles Taylor]

You look so serious. Right.

[Alison Gill]

Well, Dana, listen, those of you don't.

[Miles Taylor]

Realize we do this over video. And Allison looks really upset at the moment.

[Alison Gill]

I think she capitalized the E just to emphasize there's an U sound in the middle of Oregon.

[Miles Taylor]

Okay, got it. Okay.

[Alison Gill]

And not just organ.

[Miles Taylor]

Okay. Oregon. It's pronounced Oregon. Say it fast so it doesn't sound stupid. Lol.

[Alison Gill]

I'm trying. Oregon.

[Miles Taylor]

I'm an Oregon transplant living in California with my radical left daughter and her husband. The nut hasn't fallen far from the tree. Love you all. Keep making me smile.

[Alison Gill]

Thanks, Marcia. For Marcia.

[Miles Taylor]

Thank you. From Oregon.

[Alison Gill]

Oregon.

[Miles Taylor]

Yeah, you do sound dumb, Dana, when you say it that slow. Oregon.

[Alison Gill]

Fantastic. Thanks, Marcia. Next up, from Sue. O pronoun. She and her greetings. Beautiful in this world and the next. Bean, ladies. Oh, it's a lovely greeting. Thank you. Thank you for Tuesday's wonderful podcast, both for sharp, succinct coverage we can use and for giving me an opportunity to nudge your pronunciation of a chapter of recent world history important to democracy lovers everywhere. The people's popular revolt still ongoing in developing a true democracy and vibrant civil society. And chopping Putin's ass in Ukraine is said Maidan. Oh, not Euromaiden Maidan or Euro Maidan. Or the Maidan. I had no idea. Thank you, Sue. Oh, cannot face another day without y'all. And when a clip from Stephanie Miller with AG or DG pops up, I get happy.

[Miles Taylor]

Oh, nice.

[Alison Gill]

Thank you.

[Miles Taylor]

I love that. All right, here we go. Here we go. All right. Oh, this is from Michelle.

[Alison Gill]

Yep.

[Miles Taylor]

Michelle wrote back in with no pronouns given, so I'm not going to use any. Regarding special counsel Jack Smith, the feline from yesterday's Good News. This is his full name. We got him from Our rescue about a year ago after losing our beloved Flame Point pirate, Himalayan Esteban. I love this family so much. The rescue told us his breeder name was John Fitzgerald Kennedy, AKA Jack. However, we felt the special counsel moniker was more fitting. While he can have Jack Smith, human sleeve. Steely gaze. Steely gaze. He is likely more derpy in general. I love that word. When he goes into the tub and screams, we ask him if he's doing his indictment.

[Alison Gill]

Are you doing your indictment, Special Counsel Jack Smith.

[Miles Taylor]

He's a funny boy who brought much joy into a very saddened house. And he's even cuter in person. He re. This is really great. And I can actually see why you named him this.

[Alison Gill]

I know. This is like my cat named Bruce Willis. Remember Bruce Willis? I miss him, but he looked just like Bruce Willis when he stared at you like that. So I love this. Side by side of Jack Smith and special counsel Jack Smith. Look it. Oh, I want to pet him, but. And I love. I. I love the phrase. Are you doing your indictments?

[Miles Taylor]

No. That's cute.

[Alison Gill]

Thanks, Michelle. Next up, Anonymous. He him. Love the beans, Queens. Keep up the good work. So I'm retired and my wife still works as a nurse, saving America one patient at a time. Well, it's the 1st of April, and I'm on the computer setting up my bills for the month, and all of a sudden I break into a cold sweat. Is it Covid? Is Trump derangement? Is it Trump derangement syndrome? No, it's zero balance on the student loan I've been paying for years.

[Miles Taylor]

Oh, nice.

[Alison Gill]

$46,000 later, you could have smacked me upside the head with a double sided dildo. It wasn't an April Fool's joke either.

[Miles Taylor]

Have we got an episode for you.

[Alison Gill]

Thank God for Joe Biden and thank God for the Supreme Court for showing the country it's time to wake up and vote. Very well put.

[Miles Taylor]

Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

And yes, we all vote blue over Q and I'll take everyone with me. You go, girls. Here's my son and grandpuppy.

[Miles Taylor]

Oh, look how adorable, baby. Anonymous. This is awesome. I'm so glad. Another story. You know what's really interesting? I was talking to a friend of mine last night at dinner, and I was talking about the podcast and how we keep hearing all these loan forgiveness stories. And she said to me, so it's really happening. And I was like, yeah, like, to hundreds of thousands of people the general public doesn't even know. I mean, she's an educated political person. She had no idea this was Happening. Yeah.

[Alison Gill]

Wow.

[Miles Taylor]

All right. This one's from Frank. The fed pronouns he, him. I have super fabulous news to share. I just secured two tickets to the DC show in August. Our son is 11 years old and often listens to the beans on our daily drive to school. Admittedly, I love every bit of your show. And our son laughs at the cussing because it reminds him of words he hears his other dad say when he's in the car. We are as 2 dad family shout out to our awesome kid and his other dad, Larry, who works for a hey, hey. Small but mighty D.C. nonprofit called Rainbow Families D.C. which serves to help build and support LGBT families. Thanks to you both for elevating equality and love. Help spread the word about Rainbow Families. Well, we will. And we did pics from last week's vacay in Ag City, and we loved the zoo and our boy, the human. Aw.

[Alison Gill]

Okay, so this is, in fact, the capybara enclosure at the San Diego Zoo, and it's one of the best.

[Miles Taylor]

Oh, my God, Your son is adorable too. Frank and Larry, I want to meet you guys one day.

[Alison Gill]

And I tell you what, Frank and Larry, thank you so much because we hear, you know, especially on news programs like this, all of the white nationalist, bigoted assholes that are in the military and government and in our agencies and institutions. And it's so nice to be reminded of the amazing and wonderful people that work for the government. So thank you so much. Thank you, thank you. And thanks for the capybaras and this cute son. That's amazing. Next up, Brian Pronouns. He and him. A couple days ago in Michigan, they passed a law making it illegal to pay for surrogacy and protecting ivf. It seems like it's only getting a bit of press, but it's another in a long term stream of bills that the Democrats have passed since taking the legislature that have. That have had the strange aim of making life better for people. I know this is an issue that a lot of particular significance to the LGBTQ community, like my lovely trans daughter, and send all the love in the world to them and their families that they'll be able to start with this new law. I'm hoping for even more good news as the Michigan Republican Party works hard on eating themselves alive. I think we should get an even wider Democratic majority in the next term. And we have a link that we'll put in the show. Notes about Governor Gretchen Whitmer signing the Michigan Family Protection Act. Thanks, Brian.

[Miles Taylor]

Awesome. All right, this one's from Kayla Pronoun she and her. I am the mother of a Tulsa public school student. I'm writing to you on the night of a huge school board election here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As you know, our public schools are under the dark cloud of Ryan Walters, that son of a bitch. I just added that his administration. For months, Tulsa Public Schools have been his number one target. He accused our district of failing our students and loves to refer to us as woke. He used social media to stir up hate against the district and those who work for it, which has led to bomb threats in our schools and homes. He has also threatened the unprecedented step of taking away our accreditation. Our Tulsa superintendent even sacrificed her career to resign in order to give our district more time to meet Walter's ridiculous demands.

[Alison Gill]

I remember that.

[Miles Taylor]

Yeah, fuck him. This year, there were three districts up for election on our Tulsa public's school board. In each of those districts, we had a clear good guy and a bad guy. The good ones were made up of moms, coaches, candidates who actually cared about our students in schools. The bad guys. They were Ryan Walters supporters and backed by the local Moms for Liberty chapter. As a parent with a child in Tulsa Public Schools, I knew how detrimental this race could be if we let Ryan Walters cronies win. A grassroots coalition was formed, and we got to work. We banded our three candidates together and rallied supporters from all districts. We hand wrote postcards, canvassed thousands of homes, and created social media campaigns for Tolson's to share. Tonight, the labor of our efforts came to fruition. All three of our candidates won. I'm incredibly proud of the work we put into these campaigns, and I honestly cannot believe we pulled it off. Good triumphs over evil times three for pet tax. Here's a family photo with my husband Andrew, our daughter, and our three stinky dogs. Daphne's the big, chunky white one. We got her from the Humane Society, and she's now 16 years old, living her best life. The other two dogs are Laverne, the black corgi, and Dory, the basset hound.

[Alison Gill]

Laverne. Like Laverne and Shirley. I love it.

[Miles Taylor]

That room is awesome, by the way.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. Okay, there's a T. Rex head coming out of the wall.

[Miles Taylor]

Amazing. You know what? I just. I can't thank you enough, Kayla. For those of you that don't know and aren't connecting the stories, this is also an area where next, Benedict ended up getting bullied and got into a fight in the bathroom and ultimately ended up dying the next day. There's obviously conflicting stories and reports of what was the cause of that. We all have our opinions, of course, but that is what we're talking about. Ryan Walter is evil. He's also very close and he appointed the libs for TikTok, the person who's behind that.

[Alison Gill]

Superintendent, right?

[Miles Taylor]

Yep. To the school board. She doesn't have children in the area. In fact, I don't think she has children at all. She has nothing to do with education. It's just a little. It's right now. It's a. It's a big problem of hate in. In this area. And the fact that you made sure three more people that support Ryan Walter did not become part of this school board. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Kayla, for everything. You did everything.

[Alison Gill]

Yeah. Just incredible. Three candidates together. They did postcards and just thousands of homes.

[Miles Taylor]

That's how it happens.

[Alison Gill]

And social media campaigns. Incredible. Well done to see it. Yes. That is how it is done. That is how democracy works. That's for the people, by the people. And I appreciate all that hard work so, so very much. And I appreciate all of you sending in your good news. If you have good news you want to send to us, please do so by going to DailyBeansPod.com and clicking on contact. Do you have any final thoughts, my friend?

[Miles Taylor]

I think we covered it. You threw me off at the beginning. I was prepared for. For the ending and now I have nothing to say.

[Alison Gill]

Do you have any pre thoughts?

[Miles Taylor]

No, no, don't have any post thoughts either today.

[Alison Gill]

Well, I know in what, eight days is your birthday show.

[Miles Taylor]

Yep, in my birthday and my birthday show. If you're in southern Florida and you're hearing about this for the first time, tickets are still available. It's going to be at the Fort Lauderdale Sunshine Cathedral, a beautiful place and a really great local comic to Miami who is getting a lot of national attention named Britney. Brave is going to be opening. Whenever I go to a city, I really try and find a local opener to give them some stage time and the opportunity. And so Brittany Brave is going to be opening for me in Fort Lauderdale. So if you already have tickets, you're going to get an extra treat. And if you haven't gotten tickets and you're in the area, go to danagoldberg.com to appearances. Grab them there. And I would love to see you and celebrate my birthday with you. Beans.

[Alison Gill]

That's so amazing. Wonderful. And if y'all haven't been to a Dana Goldberg show, you must go. You must.

[Miles Taylor]

I appreciate you.

[Alison Gill]

All right. And thank you everyone again for listening and sending in your good news stories. And thanks to my friend Miles Taylor for that wonderful discussion again. His book is available now in paperback. Blowback. Actually, it's available April 9th on Tuesday, but you can pre order it and we'll be back on 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, take care of your family.

[Miles Taylor]

Vote blue over Q and take your entire family with you.

[Alison Gill]

I've been AG and I've been dg and them's the beans.

[Dana Goldberg]

Refried beans. I like refried beans.