The Daily Beans – Episode Summary: "Shadow Hearings (feat. Dr. Perry Halkitis; Yasmin Radjy)"

Release Date: April 3, 2025

Host: Alison Gill
Co-host: Dana Goldberg
Guests: Dr. Perry Halkitis (Dean of Admissions, Rutgers School of Public Health) and Yasmin Raji (Executive Director, Swing Left)

1. Current Political Climate and Election Outcomes

Alison Gill opens the episode with a comprehensive rundown of recent political developments:

• Wisconsin Supreme Court Race:

  • Susan Crawford defeats Brad Schimmel, a significant victory for Democrats. Alison remarks, "She scoped him. Scoped. I've never used that before to say, you know, that she smashed it 10 points" [00:00].
  • Elon Musk played a pivotal role, contributing $20 million through controversial tactics, including issuing $1 million checks to Republican voters and paying individuals to sign petitions.

• Florida House Elections:

  • Democrats have made inroads, with Republicans facing reduced margins in two key districts.
  • Notably, in Florida’s 1st District, Escambia County flipped blue for the first time since 1960, a historic change Alison highlights: "It went blue in an historic flip on Tuesday night" [19:52].

• Trump’s Tariff Plans and Market Impact:

  • President Trump is set to impose substantial tariffs on major trading partners, including China (34%), the EU (20%), India (26%), and Japan (24%). Alison warns, "These are import taxes. It will raise our prices. It will tank consumer confidence" [00:00].
  • Rand Paul criticizes Trump's approach, stating, "one person is not allowed to raise taxes. The Constitution forbids it" [00:00].

• Tesla’s Decline:

  • Tesla reports a 13% drop in sales for the first quarter. Dana quotes analyst Dan Ives: "the brand crisis issues are clearly having a negative impact on Tesla. There is no debate" [19:52].

2. Legal Developments and Government Actions

• Eric Adams Case:

  • Judge Dale Ho dismisses bribery and fraud charges against Mayor Eric Adams with prejudice, following recommendations from Paul Clement, the amicus curiae [00:00].

• Mike Waltz’s Signal Chats:

  • Reports reveal that Mike Waltz utilized over 20 Signal chats to coordinate government work on sensitive issues like Ukraine and China, raising concerns about national security [19:52].

• Social Security Fraud Allegations:

  • Elon Musk publicly alludes to a planned Social Security fraud arrest, causing unease among law enforcement. Musk states, "someone's going to be arrested tomorrow" without providing evidence, which ABC reports has disturbed top officials [19:52].

3. Impact on Public Health and Marginalized Communities

Interview with Dr. Perry Halkitis

Dana Goldberg interviews Dr. Perry Halkitis, who delves into the severe repercussions of recent federal funding cuts:

• Cuts to Public Health Programs:

  • Five grants have been terminated at Rutgers, impacting crucial research and services. Dr. Halkitis emphasizes, "Public health is under attack. Healthcare is under attack" [22:32].
  • The dismantling of the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) threatens the nation's ability to respond to outbreaks effectively. Dr. Halkitis explains, "without this, we don't have the knowledge base, and we don't know how to approach disease in our country in an effective way" [25:17].

• Removal of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives:

  • DEI programs, essential for addressing disparities in healthcare and research, are being defunded. Dr. Halkitis argues, "Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not this bad term... it's about tailoring and doing precision medicine" [28:21].

• Impact on LGBTQIA Community:

  • Cuts disproportionately affect LGBTQIA individuals, compromising healthcare and support systems. Dr. Halkitis warns, "it is doing a way of diminishing people's lives and their identity" [39:43].

• NIH Funding and Scientific Research:

  • Approximately 1,000 NIH grants have been terminated, undermining scientific progress and public health initiatives. Dr. Halkitis states, "we are going to chip away at cancer research and... all of it" [35:39].

4. Swing Left's "Three to Win" Initiative

Interview with Yasmin Raji

Alison Gill engages with Yasmin Raji from Swing Left to discuss their strategic initiative aimed at flipping key House seats:

• Mission and Strategy:

  • Swing Left's goal is to win just three additional seats in the House to secure a Democratic majority. Yasmin highlights, "We just need to win three seats. That's 7,309 voters that we need to turn" [51:48].
  • Emphasis is placed on data-driven campaigns targeting the most flippable districts to maximize the impact of donations and volunteer efforts.

• Addressing Voter Suppression:

  • Yasmin recounts past experiences with voter suppression and underscores the importance of robust organization to combat ongoing efforts to undermine election integrity. "Voter suppression isn't new. There is never going to not be an onslaught of Republican attacks on voting rights" [62:58].

• Maintaining Volunteer Morale:

  • Acknowledging the challenges of long-term activism, Yasmin stresses the need for face-to-face community engagement alongside digital organizing to sustain momentum. "Face to face engagement is going to be essential even to the online digital advocacy" [55:46].

• Overcoming Digital Fatigue:

  • To combat digital fatigue and loneliness, Swing Left encourages local, in-person activism, fostering stronger community ties and more effective organizing [55:46].

5. Community Good News and Activism

Good News Segment

Alison Gill and Dana Goldberg celebrate victories and positive actions from their listeners:

• Bird Watching and Community Activism:

  • Anne Marie shares photos of Canadian Geese near her car, symbolizing resistance against Trump’s policies. "These beauties are amazing. They are flipping off Trump because just buy up their existence" [66:04].

• Empty Chair Town Halls:

  • Listeners organize and participate in empty chair town halls when elected officials decline to hold traditional town halls, fostering accountability and transparency [65:10].

• Success in Local Elections:

  • Donna reports a significant win in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where a qualified candidate defeated a Christian nationalist opponent by 75%, marking another victory against dark money [65:10].

• Preservation of Mail-In Voting:

  • Joan shares success in Oregon, where efforts to maintain universal mail-in voting were successful after a surge in public submissions and testimonies nearly broke the government website [65:10].

6. Closing Remarks

Alison Gill concludes the episode by encouraging listeners to participate in activism, support community initiatives, and continue fighting for democratic integrity. She emphasizes the importance of unity and resilience in the face of ongoing political and social challenges.

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Perry Halkitis on Public Health Attacks:
  "Public health is under attack. Healthcare is under attack." [22:32]

• Yasmin Raji on Winning Three Seats:
  "We just need to win three seats. That's 7,309 voters that we need to turn." [51:48]

• Alison Gill on Tariffs Impact:
  "These are import taxes. It will raise our prices. It will tank consumer confidence." [00:00]

• Dr. Halkitis on DEI:
  "Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not this bad term... it's about tailoring and doing precision medicine." [28:21]

Conclusion

This episode of The Daily Beans provides a thorough examination of the current political and social landscape, highlighting significant election outcomes, legal battles, and the alarming impact of federal funding cuts on public health and marginalized communities. Through insightful interviews with Dr. Perry Halkitis and Yasmin Raji, the podcast underscores the urgent need for comprehensive activism and strategic organization to safeguard democracy and public health. The uplifting Good News segment serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts and victories within the community, fostering a sense of hope and resilience among listeners.