
Thursday, February 20th, 2025 Today, Judge Dale Ho held a hearing with Emil Bove and Eric Adams lawyers about the DOJ motion to dismiss the charges against the New York City Mayor; Trump is ordering the removal of certain words from VA medical record note templates; the JFK Library closes its doors abruptly after a Trump executive order; the USDA says it accidentally fired people working on bird flu and they’re trying to hire them back; the Trump administration defies a court order by adding transphobic language to the government websites they were forced to restore; over $151M has been taken from soldiers’ paychecks; a new executive order out from the White House amounts to another massive power grab; hundreds deported from the US are being held in a Panama hotel; and Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.
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Alison Gill
MSW Media. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Thursday, February 20, 2025. Today, Judge Dale Ho held a hearing with Emile Beauvais and Eric Adams, lawyers about the Department of Justice motion to dismiss the charges against the New York City mayor. Trump is ordering the removal of certain words from the Department of Veterans affairs medical record note templates. The JFK library closed its doors abruptly after a Trump executive order. The USDA says it accidentally fired people working on the bird flu and they're trying to rehire them back. The Trump administration defied a court order by adding transphobic language to the government websites they were forced to restore. Over $151 million has been taken from soldiers paychecks. A new executive order from the White House amounts to another massive power grab. And hundreds deported from the US Are being held in a Panama hotel. I'm Alison Gill.
Dana Goldberg
And I'm Dana Goldberg.
Alison Gill
Hey, Dana. I have no idea what day it.
Dana Goldberg
Is, actually, when you just said that, I'm like, neither do I. I feel like we're in that weird perineurium. The perineurium.
Alison Gill
The perineum. We're in the taint of the week.
Dana Goldberg
We're in the taint of their area between, like, Christmas and New Year's when everyone's like, I don't know what fucking day it is. I feel like that's going to be for the next four years. We're in the taint of the Trump administration. The second Trump administration.
Alison Gill
Wednesday and Thursday are the taint of the week. I. I woke up this morning. We record on Wednesday. You're hearing this on Thursday, unless you're a patron and you're getting it Wednesday night. Because patrons get these early the night before they come out. But, like, I woke up this morning, Wednesday morning. I was like, I don't even know is. I don't even know what day it is. And it always happens on Wednesday. So it is. It's the perineum of. Yeah, of the week.
Dana Goldberg
And then I also, my head, my brain went, is it a perennial? Like, and then I thought, is that a flower? Like, perennial? Oh, no, that's a perennial. So as I was saying it, it was like a perennial perineum. It's a perennial. I don't even know what came out of my mouth. I'm sober, people. I'm sober. Not always just the taint of the week.
Alison Gill
That's what happens during the week. So, yeah, we should start a segment.
Dana Goldberg
Called the taint of the Week. Just some shitty person that's really not doing Anything but causing annoyance. Just sit there.
Alison Gill
Yeah. Just no function at all.
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
Alison Gill
Yeah. And speaking of taints, the hosts of the but honestly podcast, Dr. Carter and Daniel O'Brien, thank you for that segue. Join me later. We're going to discuss stepping into the gap left by this administration to provide gay sex education. The podcast is on MSW Media. It's called but honestly, there's two T's in but and it's Dr. Carter, Dr. Mayo Clinic, you know, clinician, incredible doctor, and D'Angelo Brian, who's a friend, a community member, and they have a podcast and very important for people to be seen and heard, I think, in the LGBTQ community during this administration. So that's what they're doing. They're filling that gap. But we have a lot of news to get to today on, on the Taint of the Week. So let's, let's do some quick hits. And to make a long story short, first up, Biden appointee Judge Dale Ho held a hearing in New York today, asking Emil Bovet to justify the Trump Department of Justice's motion to dismiss the bribery and fraud charges against Mayor Eric Adams. The judge admitted he didn't have a lot of discretion, the courts. He said we don't have a lot of discretion when the DOJ wants to dismiss a case, but said at the end of the hearing, I'm going take everything you said under careful consideration. It's not in anyone's interest here for this to drag on, and I understand that. But to exercise my discretion properly, I'm not going to shoot from the hip here from the bench. And he ended the hearing without a ruling. But we expect one soon. You might have it by the time you hear this show. But it sounds like he's might allow the Department of Justice to dismiss these charges. The governor also, you know, we've been calling for Governor Kathy Hochle to just fire him. But Lawrence O'Donnell had a really great segment on last night. We should remind everybody it's not just as easy as removing him. She has to call a hear. And Eric Adams can be represented by lawyers and he can call as many witnesses as he want to. And Kathy Hochul has to be there every day because she's the judge and the jury and the hearings. And Adams can appeal the results of the hearing. This can go all the way to the Supreme Court. It could go on for years, according to Lawrence O'Donnell. But I still think she should call that hearing. I don't think doing nothing is the answer. And even though the hearing could take longer than the next election for New York mayor, which happens this year. They ended November, I believe, in November, the end of the year. I think that she should do this. Like it was like when, you know, when we were like, oh, should we impinge President Trump for the Ukraine stuff?
Dana Goldberg
Yes, yes, she should.
Alison Gill
We won't get enough votes in the Senate. Do you know what? Do it. Just do it. I think she should do it. And draw more attention to his corruption.
Dana Goldberg
I agree. I absolutely agree. This next one the US Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that over the weekend it accidentally fired several agency employees who are working on the federal government's response to the H5N1 avian flu outbreak, that is the bird flu. The agency said it is now trying to quickly reverse the firings. As we know, on Friday, the administration tried to notify some nuclear safety employees who were fired last week that they are now due to be reinstated, but struggled to be able to find them because they didn't have their new contact information. So there's gonna be more mistakes like this. I am sure of it.
Alison Gill
And puts us all in danger, frankly. Next up in a Daily Beans exclusive, health providers at at least one location within VISN 2. That's the Veterans. It's like a network of veterans hospitals. They've been instructed to remove certain words in templated notes within the electronic health record. This is health records for veterans. And that's according to an email that I've reviewed. All staff have been instructed to review all templated medical record notes in their remove the following references gender, transgender trans cisgender person when used as an alternative to man or woman, such as in pregnant person and non binary. The instructions don't say whether a healthcare provider can use these terms when manually entering notes into a patient's chart as opposed to using templated notes. Nor do we have any specifics about what percentage of charting is done using templated notes. But I think it's most what I do know is that removing these terms is going to have a chilling impact on provider patient care at the VA and might run afoul of certain questions providers are required by law to ask veterans like questions about sexual assault. So this was an infuriating story, an infuriating email that I read this morning and I wrote it up on my substack militiarote.com it's free.
Dana Goldberg
All right. And there is more infuriating things happening. The latest White House executive order. Well, it amounts to one of the biggest executive branch power grabs in history. This is from a Post by our law, and they're on Reddit, this executive order does the following 1. All federal agencies, including independent regulatory commissions, are now subject to direct White House control, including the sec, ftc, fcc, and fec. Regulations cannot be issued without presidential approval. The Office of Management and Budget, the omb, can now withhold funding from independent agencies if they don't align with the White House. Priorities. All federal employees must follow the President's and Attorney General's interpretation of the law, eliminating legal independence. This right here is what you would call a constitutional crisis. That's. That's what this is. It's a constitutional crisis. And last thing as a White House liaison is to be installed at every independent regulatory agency to enforce direct presidential control. Every regulatory body, from financial markets to environmental protections, is now politicized. Congress no longer controls federal funding. Agencies must obey the White House or risk defunding. Another point in this post. The President's legal interpretations override all agency autonomy, eliminating independent enforcement of federal laws. The federal bureaucracy, once designed to be resistant to corruption, is now completely subject to presidential loyalty. This is all terrifying. And you all are allowed to be scared. If you're listening to this and you are not overreacting, this is a constitutional crisis.
Alison Gill
Yep.
Dana Goldberg
It has been for a while.
Alison Gill
Yeah. So. And you know, we, when first, when he froze all funding, we were like, wow, he just usurped the power of Congress. Holy shit. This is like to go into the Federal Trade Commission, the fcc, the Feds. Right. That set interest rates now have to answer to the White House. He's going to have people in every agency. No independence, no autonomy, no oversight. He fired all the inspectors general, fired the special counsel, who's been reinstated temporarily, but got rid of them, got rid of the whistleblower protections. It's, you know, after the election, I was like, I'm going to be closely watching the VA Accountability and whistleblower office. But I mean, this is massive. This is just to. To try to seize the power of every autonomous federal agency, particularly the ones that are supposed to be independent, is very frightening. So there are going to be a ton of lawsuits, and we'll obviously give you the results of those lawsuits as they happen. All right, we have more news to get to. We're going to take a quick break. Stick around. We'll be right back after these messages. We'll be right. Hey, everybody, it's ag. As you know, some meal kits overcomplicate dinner. I do not like complicated. I can't do the lengthy recipes. I can't do the Excessive prep. I don't have a lot of time. But Home Chef takes a different approach. They deliver fresh, flavorful ingredients, easy to follow recipes that fit seamlessly into your busy schedule. I love habits that are easy to pick up. The other day I was in a rush, but I still had time for a tasty lunch. Home Chef's teriyaki beef and brown rice bowl with carrots and edamame. It was delicious. Succulent beef flavor was fantastic. Took three minutes to make. Making it quick and delicious. Exactly what I needed. And users of leading meal kits have rated Home Chef number one in quality, convenience, value, taste and recipe ease. 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Customers save an average of 86 bucks a month on groceries and they get to enjoy high quality home cooked meals. So if you're tired of last minute dinner decisions or ending up ordering in and paying a lot of extra fees and stuff, let Home Chef simplify your evenings with meals that are easy, delicious and budget friendly. For a limited time, Home Chef is offering you 18 free meals plus free dessert for life. Yum. And of course, free shipping on your first box. Go to homechef.com dailybeans that's homechef.com dailybeans for 18 free meals and free dessert for life. You heard that right. Must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. Everybody, welcome back. It's time for hot notes. Hot notes. All right. First up from Cecilia Beria at the BBC. In a room at the luxury Decopolis hotel in Panama City, two girls hold a piece of paper to the window with a written message that says, please help us. The hotel offers its clients rooms with sea views. It has two exclusive restaurants, a swimming pool, a spa, private transportation. But it has now become a temporary Custody center housing 299 undocumented migrants deported from the United States. That's according to the Panamanian government. They said that on Tuesday. Some migrants raise their arms and cross them at the wrists to indicate they're deprived of their freedom. Others hang small signs with messages such as we are not safe in our country. The Trump administration has pledged to deport millions of people who crossed illegally into the United States. Those in the Panama City Hotel arrived on three flights last week after President Jose Raul Molino agreed that Panama would become a bridge country for deportees. However, of the 299 undocumented migrants from India, China, Uzbekistan, Iran, Vietnam, Turkey, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, only 171have agreed to return to their countries of origin. The remainder now face an uncertain future, and it is the Panamanian authorities who are in control of what happens next. According to the government, this group will be transferred to a camp in the province of Darien, which has temporarily housed migrants crossing jungle en route to the US On a normal day, tourists can enter and leave the Decopolis Hotel with ease, but now heavily armed members of the Panamanian National Aeronaval Service enforce strict security measures inside and outside the building. After the story of the deportees being held at the hotel was first reported on Tuesday, the security measures put in place were tightened and migrants access to the Internet was cut off. The BBC contacted both the Decapolis Hotel and the Panamanian government to ask about the conditions inside the building, but did not receive a response. However, Panama's Minister of Public Security, Frank Abrego, said migrants are not allowed to leave the hotel because his government must, quote, guarantee the safety and peace of Panamanians. Panama agreed to be the bridge country for deportations after the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the country as tensions simmered over Trump's threat to, quote, recover sovereignty of the Panama Canal.
Dana Goldberg
Thanks, Allison. This is from CBS News. The JFK Library in Boston abruptly closed on Tuesday afternoon after the, quote, sudden dismissal of workers due to an executive order by Trump. The JFK Library foundation, that's what they reported. The National Archives told CBS News the library will reopen on Wednesday. The Library closed at 2pm on Tuesday, and members of the public who were inside had to be escorted out and the doors were locked. Visitors told WBZ TV's Brandon Truitt that staff appeared to Be in shock, quote, due to an executive order concerning, quote, reduction in force or a rif. As we've been talking about, the JFK Library Museum will be closed to the public until further notice. That's a sign that was posted on the door. Library visitor Jen Schaefer said the signs were posted just an hour after she got her tickets online. Quote, we were able to purchase tickets prior to going there. That's what Schaefer said. So we were kind of confused. Former Congressman Joe Kennedy iii, President Kennedy's grand nephew, said the library got a call from the National Archives Tuesday morning informing them all probationary employees are being laid off, effective immediately. In a statement Tuesday afternoon, the National Archives, Public and Media Communications told the staff at CBS News the library will be open again on Wednesday. Quote, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Museum will open tomorrow. And the National Archives staff looks forward to welcoming guests, visitors and researchers. Massachusetts Governor Mara Healey said the JFK Library plays an essential role in history in the local economy. Quote, President Trump and Elon Musk's thoughtless crusade has caused an iconic institution, an economic driver, to close in Massachusetts again. This is the governor. We hope that this closure will be temporary. And urged President Trump and Dodgy to reverse course so that the library can reopen to continue educating visitors in contributing to our economy. Senator Elizabeth Warren said the sudden shutdown of the JFK Library is, quote, part of a retribution tour. And I quote, president Trump is firing American workers who monitor bird flu outbreaks, safeguard nuclear facilities, and now those who promote American history in Dorchester, all to help pay for tax breaks for billionaires and giant corporations. This is my dear. Senator Warren went on to say Trump's shutdown of the JFK Library won't lower egg prices or make housing more affordable, but it's part of a retribution tour designed to distract from his agenda to enrich the wealthy and well connected at the expense of everyone else.
Alison Gill
Man, like, first, you know, they gutted the Kennedy center and now the JFK Library. It seems to me like, it seems like a humiliation tour aimed at RFK Jr.
Dana Goldberg
I mean, a little bit. It does a little bit. I saw a meme today, and basically it said, they have convinced you to fight a culture war, so you're not fighting the class war.
Alison Gill
Yeah, yeah. And. And like, you know how Trump, like, gets off on humiliating people that continue to kiss his ass? Yeah, I realize that the whole.
Dana Goldberg
He just disagreed. Yeah, he just disagreed on him with something else, too, which is not going to go, oh, no, that was a different Kennedy. Okay, go ahead.
Alison Gill
But, you know, I realize the entire Kennedy family has disowned RFK Jr. But it's not like RFK Jr. Has a library or a center that, you know, Trump can go after. But I don't know, it just feels.
Dana Goldberg
It is pretty. It is pretty. And I get. It's got to be a little bit emasculating to him too. Like, especially because he used his family's memory in one of the ads and the whole family was like, go fuck yourself.
Alison Gill
Yeah.
Dana Goldberg
And so it is really interesting that, you know, Trump is doing this and just sort of rubbing it in his face like, I control you. I control your family's history. I can control their memory and what they've contributed to the arts. It's gross.
Alison Gill
Yeah. And it could also be RFK Jr saying, hey, Trump, I hate my family. Fuck em over. You know, who knows?
Dana Goldberg
I mean, okay, there's that. There's that or the.
Alison Gill
I mean, obviously there's. This is just a hatchet job by the federal government and all of these institutions are falling. And a source tells me, even though the public reports here say the library is open again to take that with a grain of salt, they fired all their front facing staff at the library. The library was commanded to take down their closure notice and the library's senior management is actually working the ticket desk. So.
Dana Goldberg
Oh my God.
Alison Gill
Yeah. So kind of take that with a grain of salt. Next up, vote from Steve Banon@military.com this one pisses me off. The army is repurposing more than half the money it collects from junior enlisted soldiers for food. And that's according to Data reviewed by Military.com the numbers suggest that a large portion of these funds are not going toward feeding soldiers. A diversion of resources coming at a time when troops increasingly struggle to find nutritious food on base. The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops taken from their basic allowance subsistence or BAS payments. It's about 460 bucks a month that is automatically deducted from the paychecks of service members who live in barracks and is intended to help cover food costs for junior enlisted troops who earn about $30,000 annually. The cost can be very consequential. 2024 financial records provided by the service from 11 of the Army's largest bases show that more than $151 million of the 225 million collected from soldiers was not spent on food. Given that the army operates 104 garrisons, the true amount of unspent funds is likely far higher. So Quote this is a quote from the story. It's just returned to the big pool of army funds and it's used someplace else. That's what one service official with direct knowledge of the situation said during an interview that was arranged by the Army Public affairs office, referring to redirected BAS money collected from soldiers. At Fort Stewart, Georgia, for example, soldiers contributed $17 million, but the base spent just $2.1 million on food, redirecting 87% of the funds. Schofield Barracks in Hawaii collected 14.5 million but used only 5.3 million. 63% of the money was used elsewhere. All but two bases left more than half of the money for food. Unspent Joint base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska and Fort Bliss, Texas left 41% and 49% of funds on the table, respectively. Now, it's unclear what specifically these additional funds taken from soldiers are being spent on, but they do not appear to be going toward feeding soldiers. My guess? Elon Musk and Doji are getting this money that's supposed to feed our soldiers. That's just a guess, though. Military.com goes on to say major expenses such as dining hall infrastructure and food service worker salaries come from separate funding sources. And when pressed repeatedly by Military.com army officials declined to provide additional financial data. So much for transparency in the government. How to feed the force is an equation service planners continue to grapple with, and in 2023, Military.com reported that Fort Cavazos in Texas, the Army's most expensive base, was barely able to keep its food services running for much of that summer, with only two of its 10 dining facilities open, leaving soldiers struggling to find meals. The army has a nutrition policy on what it's supposed to feed soldiers, though it's rarely followed and in some cases that's outright ignored. The service has invested in so called kiosks, which are cheap alternatives to major dining facilities. Instead of cooked meals, soldiers have access to grab and go snacks and prepackaged sandwiches akin to the quality of prepared meals at a gas station. Quote stealing food money from our soldiers is not how we achieve military readiness. That's Rep. Jill Takuda in Hawaii, whose district includes Schofield Barracks. That's what she said to Military.com when presented with these numbers. Quote the fact that at least 151 million was collected from soldiers and not spent on food as required demands not just an immediate investigation, but swift accountability. That's what she said.
Dana Goldberg
All right, thanks Alison. This one is from the LGBTQ Nation. President Donald Trump has defied a federal judge's order and added transphobic disclaimers to recently restored web pages from the Department of Health and Human Services, the hhs, also the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC and Food and Drug Administration, the FDA. The pages were removed on January 31st to comply with Trump's executive orders against, quote, gender ideology, diversity and equity and inclusion efforts. That's what we're talking about. But earlier last week, U.S. judge District Judge John D. Bates, and by the way, he's an appointee of George W. Bush, ordered the Trump administration to restore the pages to their versions. As of January 30th of 2025. However, Trump administration has defied the order by not restoring the pages to how they appeared before their removal. Rather, the following disclaimer has been added to any pages that mention gender and this is what it is Per a court order, HHS is required to restore this website as of February 14, 2025 at 11:59pm Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from the immutable biological reality Bullshit that there are two sexes, male and female. The Trump administration rejects gender ideology and condemns the harms it causes to children by promoting their chemic surgical mutilation and to women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, well being and opportunities. This page does not reflect biological reality and therefore the administration and this department rejects it. Insane. This disclaimer appears, by the way, on a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration webpage linking to a survey on behavioral health and substance abuse among LGBTQ + youth. This is what Jezebel noted. It also appears on the FDA's June of 2024 guidance document for Diversity Action Plans to improve enrollment of participants from underrepresented populations in clinical Studies. In a January 2025 guidance document for, quote, the Study of Sex Differences in Clinical Evaluation of Medical Products, the disclaimer text is filled with demonizing disinformation that Trump has repeated in his other anti trans executive orders. Biologists agree that one's biological sex doesn't always fall into a simple male female binary, numerous major US Medical associations agree that embracing young people's gender identities contributes positively to their overall well being. While Trump and Republicans have repeatedly referred to gender affirming care as, quote, chemical and surgical mutilation, the medications used in such care, they have been used for decades on Cisco. Gender children and gender affirming surgeries are almost never conducted on youth. Lastly, CIS men and sexist discrimination harm women far more than the mere existence of trans people. Stop using this about your protecting CIS women? I don't need you to protect me. Hurting my trans family does not protect me.
Alison Gill
Not a bit. Not a bit. Oh, that's disgusting. I mean, I. I want to think now back to Judge Reyes, who said. Are you telling me the most lethal armed forces in the world can be taken down because of a pronoun? Are you telling me that? Is that what you're telling me? Trump's Department of Justice. I just keep thinking of Judge Reyes's bench slap over and over in my head.
Dana Goldberg
I hope Judge Reyes also pulls the story we just said. And question for you, lawyer. Question for you, counsel. How does removing $150 million from. From our soldiers so that they're not being fed properly? How does that affect readiness? Or is it the pronoun precisely?
Alison Gill
Precisely. Or not allowing troops to travel for reproductive health care?
Dana Goldberg
Yeah, we all know this is. Everyone listening knows this is. And it is all a distraction tactic because every time they do something like this with a culture war that is going to be fought in the courts and we're probably going to win, they have smashed and grabbed some other part of the financial base of this country. It is intentional 100%.
Alison Gill
And it's the cruelty, right?
Dana Goldberg
It is.
Alison Gill
All right, we've got ways to fight back, so let's get to some good trouble. Hey, wanna get into trouble? Yes. All right. This is from a listener. Hello, Beans. Queens. You women are awesome. My name is Amy. I'm from the Seattle area and I have a suggestion for some good trouble. This week I logged on to the SSA Social Security Administration website to download my Social Security statement, as one does these days in case some doge bag meddles with your data. And I found a webpage where you can report Social Security fraud, waste and abuse. Here's a link. It's in the show notes. It gave me great joy to report Elon Musk using this form. I don't have an SSN or contact information of him, but I looked up his birthday. It's June 28, 1971. For my pet tax, I'm including pictures of our extended springer spaniel pack gathered for their Christmas photo. They include Cooper, Waylon, Little B, Willie and Peaches. Pronoun she, her. They're all good trouble. Thanks for all you do to keep us informed and sane. So, everybody, your mission, should you choose to accept it, go report Elon for fraud, waste and abuse@the secure.ssa.gov OIG fraud website again. There will be a link in the show notes. All right, everybody. Stick around. We'll be right back with the But Honestly podcast. Hey, everybody. Welcome back. I'm happy to have on the show today a couple of friends of mine. They host a podcast on the MSW Media Network. It's called But Honestly. The hosts are Dr. Carlton and Daniel O'Brien, and the But Honestly podcast is an LGBTQ+ advice pod about health and social issues. So please welcome Dr. Carlton and D'Angelo. Hi, guys. Hi.
C
Thank you for having us.
D
Yeah, absolutely. This is so nice.
Alison Gill
It's wonderful to see you. And I just want to let everybody know Dr. Carlton's, like, in his scrubs with the embroidered doctor stuff on. It's, like, very important things going on. He's coming to us from the clinic, and so he doesn't have the super fancy microphone that D'Angelo and I have, so I just wanted to give that little caveat. But what he has to say is truly incredibly important. And, Dr. Carlton, tell us why you wanted to start the But Honestly podcast.
C
Well, a lot of us never got sex education in school, let alone gay sex education. So there's a lot of things out there that people aren't aware of. A lot of basic human anatomy, a lot of basic functional stuff, a lot of how to protect yourself properly against STIs, how to get checked properly for STI, how to prevent HIV, how to treat HIV, how HIV is not this to kind of also take away the stigma of hiv, because when someone's undetectable, they can't transmit the virus through sex. So U equals U. So to get all that information out there in a. In a fun, salacious, but educational way.
Alison Gill
Yeah. And, D'Angelo, thank you for that. D'Angelo, why is this type of podcast so important, especially in this particular political environment where we have an administration that's trying to erase the existence of members of the LGBTQ community? Talk about how your podcast attacks issues like that.
D
So what we're doing is we're kind of like, standing in that gap. As Dr. Carlton just mentioned, he's there on the front lines at the hospital, back lines, where he deals with. But when it comes to what we're addressing and what we are looking at right now is the erasure of trans people from the dialogue. And there's so many things and so many progress, so much progress that we have made because of trans people. Things like at Stonewall, where they're trying to take trans identification off of there, you know, so, you know, Marsha P. Johnson was one of the foundations of what pride is, and they're Removing her from the conversation. And so a show like ours where we can kind of step in there and give a little bit of education on those kind of things in the past, we are two CIS gay men who happen to be in our late. I'm in my 40s, Dr. Carlton's in his 50s. And so we've been around the block, we've been in these streets. So we can kind of address things from our own experiences and kind of give a little bit of a road and a path forward and knowing your risk for different things that you're doing, but then also where we can also give a little bit of hope and see that, you know, the numbers are going down when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases because of the progress that's been made. Things like doxy pep and things like prep and that we're putting out there and that we're talking about all the time.
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
Alison Gill
And this administration is really trying to whitewash all that history. Right. They're like, they moved from the National Park Service website, the T and the Q from lgbtq, talking about the Stonewall Memorial. And that blows my mind. But also thinking about from medical terms, Dr. Carlton, maybe you can address this, because today I put out a report where I saw an email received by medical healthcare providers at the Department of Veterans Affairs. And as you know, the VA has long been an ally for the LGBTQ community. I mean, so much so that for decades, we've been treating trans veterans that when we accepted trans people in the military under the Biden administration, the military health services was like, we have no idea how to treat our. Our trans service members. And the VA where I worked at the time was like, we have really great resources for that. So we teamed up with them and the medical health system for the Department of Defense to help create their program for transgender healthcare. But today, they're trying to remove, and I think they're successfully removing from templated notes in the electronic health record, words like gender, cisgender, transgender, they can't be used in electronic health record templated notes anymore. And so that's why, you know, I'm so glad I get to talk to you today, because there's going to be a huge gap just for our veterans and those who receive federal healthcare to get information about LGBTQ +health.
C
Yeah, I. I totally agree. And what's really shocking to me is, you know, the CDC website used to be the go to place for where to get all your information about anything H, HIV, PrEP, trans issues, whatever you need. And, you know, they took everything down that had anything gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer on there at all, period. It was just blank until the courts made them reinstate it on 11:59pm on February 14th. And now if you go to the CDC website under HIV or anything else that's queer related, it says any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from the immutable biological reality that there are two sexes, male and female. The Trump administration rejects gender ideology and condemns it and the harms it causes the children by promoting their chemical and surgical mutilation and to women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, wellbeing, and opportunities. When did this administration begin caring about women?
Dana Goldberg
Right.
C
Really, this page does not reflect biological reality, and therefore the administration and the department rejects it. So they, they have all the information back, but they have this disclaimer, this.
D
Caveat that they want to put on.
Alison Gill
Top of everything on the literal CDC website.
C
Yeah, you go to the CDC website under HIV and, and, and it's at the top of the page.
D
And something that's. That's founded in belief and not the facts and science, that's the bigger thing out here, right? Yeah.
C
And I just posted this on my Instagram five minutes ago because I realized it's happening. And already people are just astounded that, you know, by the. By not only by the horrific quality of this on a government website, but also the lack of knowledge between sex and gender.
Alison Gill
Right. I think we have something. A couple hundred thousand people are born intersex in this country every day. And so what? Just F them, I guess. But trying to just literally erase the existence of these folks and to take it out of a medical record template for charting is going to impact. It's going to put a chilling effect, by the way, on the doctor patient relationship, which should be private and not have anything to do with the government. But here's where we find ourselves now. I also wanted to just focus for a second on the fact that this isn't just a health podcast. Okay. There are other things that you guys talk about. There's a lot of snark, there's a lot of swearing, there's a lot of butt stuff. And tell us how that is also important for the community.
C
Coming from someone like me, who is a Mayo Clinic educated GI doctor. I don't hide my sexuality, and I don't think anybody else should either.
Alison Gill
Yeah. Hear, hear.
C
And so I do the same thing that everybody else does. I go out to clubs, I wear a harness, I wear a jock strap. You know, I Have sex. And I take prep, and I take doxy PEP to prevent hiv, and I take doxy PEP to prevent, you know, syphilis and chlamydia. So these are things that I wanted to. To share with other people that, hey, I'm not just some stuffy guy in a white coat telling you what to do. I'm living from my experience and Angelo's experiences, too. How to best navigate and protect yourself through this world, you know, that we are currently living in.
D
Yeah, that's. That's part of it. And then also we're getting questions from people who. We had a guy who emailed us, and he's in his 60s, and he lost his husband, and now he is trying to figure out how to be social in a world that feels so scary, because a gay club can feel very scary to a lot of boys, to a lot of girls, to a lot of thems. You know that when you go in and finding your way and navigating the social situations and just kind of giving him the advice that maybe if. If you're going to be going out there and you don't want to be the person who's in the middle of the dance floor, maybe you want to volunteer and maybe work a certain part of the party, those sorts of things. So it's navigating through life and just kind of giving a little bit of insight on from what our experiences have been, you know?
Alison Gill
Yeah. And I think that I'm a huge proponent of bringing lived experiences into. Into reporting into the work that people do. I remember, I think I. I gave a. A lecture at Believe it or Not. They. They actually let me give a lecture at Loyola Marymount Law School. Like, if you have. If you had any advice to give, what would it be? And I said, I know that some old dead dude said that law is free of passion. Right. And. And I said, but. But never check your lived experiences at the door. Always bring them with you because they're so important to help other people feel like they're not alone. So talk a little bit about how, Dr. Carlton, what you all are doing on this podcast can help people feel like they're not alone. Because once you bring people into a fold, into a group and show them that they're not alone, it gets hard to gaslight them at that point. Right?
C
Absolutely. I agree. So I think, like I said earlier about making people feel like there are other people out there that do just the same things. They do. They're able to hear about it. They're able to hear their Lives on a podcast. They're able to ask questions that nobody talks about or that are. That it feels tabooed. Those are things that I think make people feel included. And inclusivity is definitely important when it comes to learning about your health and. And even maintaining your mental health as not feeling like an outsider.
D
It's that. And then I think, so Dr. Carlson is a doctor. He has went to medical school, and he has learned about bodies. Bodies are weird, y'all. Okay? My body's weird. It does weird things. Your body does weird things. And what we're doing is. Is what we're showing. Like, everybody has these weird bodies that do different things. And your reaction to a certain element may be, you know, you may find something pleasurable. Somebody else may can be completely turned off by it. But the thing is, is you may be turned off by it, but there's 10 other people who are completely turned on. You know, So I think it's that kind of a thing that we're, you know, I come at this, you know, from that side of things, is that I don't have the medical thing. I'm asking him how to say. How do I say this word? Gastroenterology was the hardest word for me to learn how to say at the beginning.
Alison Gill
And then mass chromatograph, Mass gas chromatograph, mass spectrometer was the one that it took me a long time to figure out.
D
We had an episode called Mask for masculine. Okay, like. And I don't even think I said that right just now when I said it.
Alison Gill
Okay, Carl, just like, no, you did not say that right at all.
D
So that's why you have, like, you have me, the live experience, then you have him, the medical. Who has also lived. Lived, you know?
C
Yeah, yeah. So I think. I think giving people an outlet for this kind of discussion. I mean, we have people that. That call in and say, hey, listen, you know, I was topping a bottom the other day, and they didn't have an erection. And I was wondering, is that normal? Or how many people out there experience the same thing? And then we talk about it, and we're like, oh, dude, that's totally normal. When, you know, when I bottom, I don't necessarily have an erection.
D
That's totally.
C
That's fine. Don't take it as an insult. That's just the way people are, you know?
D
And then we also had another person who has written to us multiple times now. We have, like, a saga going, trampage. And it started off that this person was dating somebody and they were doing A long distance relationship, meeting up in clandestine places. And. But he wasn't getting the emotion back from this guy when they weren't meeting out. And then we gave our advice. He broke up with that guy on his own. You know, we kind of gave our insights. You know, they have all these red flags. Make a scarf bitch. But, you know, like, he, he made that scarf, wore it, said, we're done, found somebody else. And then he was dating somebody that was younger than him. And then his also, he was just coming at us from a place that he lives, somewhere where he had businesses he couldn't move. Because a lot of times I think people always want to be like, well, you're lgbt. Go move to New York City. Go to San Francisco. And that's not the reality that people can be living in. You know, you. Or sometimes you're planted where you are. And so you need to figure out a way to bloom there.
Alison Gill
Yeah. And find your community there. Like, Salt Lake City has an amazing community. Des Moines, Iowa, has amazing community. And not everybody can afford San Francisco and New York.
D
Absolutely.
Alison Gill
And I, you know, that's important to know.
D
Yeah, take those things. Go get in these streets when you can, but if you can't, then, like, figure out how to live your life at home.
Alison Gill
Right.
C
And we've been really, we've been really surprised at the international response to the podcast. We, we have a, we talk about San Diego all the time. But if you go back and look at like the top 30, the last 30 days, the top 10 countries and that. Listen to your sexuality podcast, you know, we were like, we're number two in Saudi Arabia, you know, and, you know, certainly we're serving as an outlet for people to get information where it's hard to get.
D
One of those questions we were getting often from people in the Middle east was, can my doctor tell if I've had sex with a man? And so we, you know, answered that in our first two episodes. You know, these are the ways that a doctor could possibly tell that you did. But the thing is, is he was going to London for some of his health care, and it was like, put that stuff in London because you can afford to, and the rest of your healthcare, make sure that you deal with that at home. Because in the territory this person was in, it was illegal to be gay.
Alison Gill
Yeah. That's so important for people to have that connection and that resource. And, you know, you bring up, our bodies are weird. And that is especially true as we go through different stages of life as our bodies change. And a Lot of. I wish we had a menopause. Can you guys do a menopause podcast? Probably not, but, like, there's just so much out there.
D
We should bring you on to help. Help with that because we do have CIS women who listen to the pod.
Alison Gill
Why don't you think I'm in menopause Dangerous.
D
I don't think you are, but we need a woman to come through.
Alison Gill
Oh, no, I totally am. We can all together hormone replacement therapy for the win, if you're able to get it. But I always counter with the. Oh, you know, gender affirming care. I'm like, I take gender affirming care. I'm on hormone replacement therapy so that I could feel more like the gender that I identify with. So, like, F off. I could say fuck off. It's my own podcast.
D
Well, how about these, like, Mar a Lago faces with, like, all, like, the lip injectors and the cheek fillers and that's gender affirming care, girl.
Alison Gill
Come on. But, you know, and I also think it's. It's so wonderful that, like, because, you know, for a long time I had a PhD and a bunch of tattoos and piercings, and a lot of people are like, you know, I was like, I don't feel like that goes together, but there's so many of us out there. So, like, you know, Dr. Mayo Clinic, you know, who also wears harnesses on the weekends. You know, it's that. It's that kind of thing. Like, you bring your lived experience to the table. And I think it's so important. Are there any final words from you that you. So you first of all, tell people where you can get it. And also, just a final thought. If you have one Dr. Carlton and.
C
Then D'Angelo, well, you can find our podcast anywhere. You get podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music. When it comes to our Instagram pages and our blue sky, it's the. But honestly, so the, you know, final thoughts. You know, this podcast is great. It's funny, it's salacious. D'Angelo is hysterical. He makes me laugh every single episode. He's also knowledgeable in the fact that he's. He's lived. He's lived these. He's been on these streets, like you said, you know, he's done things, and I've done things, too. And I love his tagline as I'm a gay guy who's done stuff, lots of stuff. And I think we all can identify with that and identify from that experience. So, you know, if this podcast is not for everybody. It's a. We definitely are completely uncensored, and we talk about our own lives and the things that happen in our lives, and sometimes that's pretty raucous, so just be aware. But we also have great guests on. Like, we've had Dan Savage, you know, who's one of my heroes, and sexual.
Alison Gill
Education, Health in Ugly, Crying, reading Dan Savage's quote about dancing. Yeah.
D
It was one of our five love languages recently. Our words of affirmation was that.
Alison Gill
So thanks. Thanks for that. Yeah. But, yeah, yesterday I was like, let's dance. I was. You know, because, you know, we laugh on our podcast and we try to, you know, so we don't cry. And so I thought that that was a real important point. So thanks for that. D'Angelo, any final thoughts?
D
Yeah, I just. Thank you so much in MSW media, like, you guys are such a great home for us, and it's just been so nice being part of the family here, but having this long leash to be as, you know, crazy sometimes gross and weird as we are. And, yeah, like, as Dr. Carlton is saying that, you know, we kind of. We can. We can kind of give insight and advice on a bunch of different things. But then at the beginning of our episodes, we have this open chat where we talk about. We were both out this weekend on Saturday night, and we saw what was going on, you know, and so we can come at it and have these fun stories like that. And then we also have these serious moments, moments in the pod where we are addressing somebody who just lost a loved one, and they're trying to figure out how to get their libido back and those sorts of things. And we have our guests. You know, we have a lot of episodes where it's just the two of us kind of going back and forth. And producer Tony, who's also in there, who also can lend his insight. He's another gay man. I'm the short one out of these, and I'm six one in the room. But we've also had trans guests like Courtney Johnson, who is a drag queen here in San Diego, who just has a huge reach and gives us insight onto her journey with, you know, taking hormone replacement and that sort of a thing. And we've also had conversations with, like, a model recently, Chase Carlson, and just kind of seeing what his experiences are. So we get this opportunity and with our podcast that we can kind of reach out. And then there's, you know, other people who have. Are, you know, we're gonna. We'll Call one name out right now like Carson Kressley. This is for you that we are going to get you on the show because he wants to come through. And then we have some other people like that that are just right now looking at, wanting to impart their advice as well. Yeah.
Alison Gill
It's an honor to, to have your podcast on the MSW Media Network. I'm, I'm honored to be able to help you all provide the space for people who need it and, and hold that space, especially under this administration where they're just, they're trying to erase people out of existence and take away their resources. And so again, it's not for everybody, so just want to put that out there, but it's always for somebody. So I really, really appreciate the work that you do and I'm honored to be able to have it on the network.
D
Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
Alison Gill
It's great to talk to you. Dr. Carlton D'Angelo Bryan, hosts of But But Honestly, there's two T's and but you want to check it out wherever you get your podcast. I appreciate your time today. Thanks fellas.
D
Thank you.
Alison Gill
Thank you everybody. Stick around. We'll be right back with the good news, everybody. Welcome back. It's time for the good news everyone. Then Good news everyone. Good news, good news. And if you have any good news confessions, corrections, you want to give a shout out to somebody that you love self shout out a small business in your area that could use a boost your small business shout out to a government program that's helped you or a family member. Anything from the big ones like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care act, all the way down to the little ones like WIC, Snap, Head Start, Section 8. Anything at all, send it to us including student debt relief. We would love to hear all of your good news stories and you can send in your Good trouble ideas to us. Now we've added Good Trouble to our drop down menu in the contact portion of the DailyBeansPod.com website. And all you got to do to get your submission is pay your pod pet tax. That means attach a photo of your pod pet. If you want us to guess the breeds in your shelter pup or your kitty, we're happy to try to do that. We're not very good at it. If you don't have a pod pet, you can share an adoptable pet in your area. If you don't have that, you can send any animal. Really just random animal photos on the Internet. My favorite, I love the secretary birds. I love those. And speaking of birds, if you want to send any bird watching photos, whether it's an actual bird or you and your loved ones and family and friends flipping off trump properties or musk joints, you can send that to us as well. If you don't have any of that, you can send us your baby pictures because we love those too. You should just send those regardless. Even if you don't have a good news story to attach it to, it just send us your baby photos because they really bring us a lot of joy.
Dana Goldberg
They do.
Alison Gill
All right, first up, I'm just admiring the picture from the good trouble of. Of this. This pack of dogs that are posing on Christmas. And I don't know how she got. How Amy got all of them to stand still and look beautiful, seriously, but she did.
Dana Goldberg
I imagine their treats involved. Yeah, I love this next picture and submission so much.
Alison Gill
See what that. See what the dogs are looking. They're all looking at something thing. So it could be like a hamburger. I'm not sure. But yeah. This next one is from Gio. He and him. My therapist recommended your show to me. Oh, my God.
Dana Goldberg
Awesome. By the way, that's what I read while you were looking at the picture. And I'm like, therapists are recommending us.
Alison Gill
O, M, F, G, dg. They're recommending AG in therapy. That's amazing. I'm not sure. I don't know. I don't know if I trust this thing.
Dana Goldberg
Oh, I 100 approve this message.
Alison Gill
Love it. But I've trusted her for a couple years now, and she did not steer me wrong. What is happening to our country fills me with anxiety for my family's future. But I have to say that the swearing helps keep encouraging us that better days are ahead. I'm sharing a picture of Stella, our Bernadoodle, and Mosley, our cat.
Dana Goldberg
This is what I'm telling you. This. This picture. I mean, come on, look at Mosley.
Alison Gill
Just curled up there in that giant bernadoodle.
Dana Goldberg
So good.
Alison Gill
Gio, this is fantastic. All therapists everywhere, if you're listening, definitely recommend the shout out to Gio's therapist. Hell yeah.
Dana Goldberg
Because you are listening. All right, this next one's from Hal. Pronouns, he and him. As a former fed contractor who took hours and hours of training on information security and is appalled at the cavalier attitude of you know who doing you know what, I find your swearing and anger refreshing. Thank you too, for cleaning up your advertisers and showing us that all that taking a stand is the right thing to do. My good News is that my dog Echo has a Pluto like heart on his tush and thus always tells us he loves us as he's walking away. Border Collie Lab mix, by the way, with the energy of the former and the brains of the latter.
Alison Gill
Oh my God. Wonderful. I hate to see you go, but I love seeing you walk away because you got a heart on your butt and you love me.
Dana Goldberg
Cute. I also have a heart on my butt. My butt.
Alison Gill
I'm so with you this that they're. That their fingers in our. Just makes me angry.
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
Alison Gill
Anyway, all right, next up, Meredith T. Pronouns. She and her Good afternoon beans Queens. I heard that Thorl Ravenscroft mentioned on the pod and it sounded to me like you weren't familiar with him. He did voiceover work for decades in countless animated movies. I know him best as the guy who sang you're a mean one, Mr. Grinch from how the Grinch Stole Christmas misattributed to Boris Karloff and Tennessee Ernie Ford. And now you're like, oh yeah, Meredith, you're right. Oh yeah. Cyril Ravenscroft.
Dana Goldberg
Well done by the way, on the singing of that.
Alison Gill
Oh, thank you.
Dana Goldberg
Yes.
Alison Gill
I'm also sending a bird watching photo that I took at home while watching msnbc. They were showing a clip of the King Dickhead douchebag on Fox Snooze. And that's why. That's why it says Fox on the tv. But I'd obviously never watch that for myself. I mentioned in a previous good news submission that I was going to start leaving post it notes in central Florida bathrooms. Oh yeah, I've got two oh yeahs now out of your submission. And stores and restaurants with miscellaneous things that I want to say to Trump supporters. That's going very well. I love imagining people finding them and either loving them or hating them. I feel I'm making a difference in both scenarios. Love you both. I do. I love this post. Its just randomly in public. Look at this great bird watching photo.
Dana Goldberg
So good. Thank you for the submission as well. All right, this is from Anonymous. No pronouns given. Hey beans Queens, Blue dot and a red sea southern bean doctor here. Otherwise known as a nephrologist or kidney doctor.
Alison Gill
A bean doctor. Kidneys. I get it.
Dana Goldberg
Very cute. Love the show. I usually listen on the way to work shout out to my local Latinx art association. Art is my stress relief and they recently asked local artists to produce a surrealist work of art. What is more surreal than the current administration? I'm sharing my submission titled Photus Felon of the United States of America. Sometimes the best therapy is to put all your frustrations on the easel. Lots of details with not so subtle meaning. For my pet tax, I give you Salty, our Manx kitty with no tail and a bad attitude. Yes, he's judging you. Keep up the good trouble.
Alison Gill
Look at this painting. I love.
Dana Goldberg
This is very cool.
Alison Gill
Oh, that's so great. He's got a little tiny crown, a hat, a maga hat that says hate tariffs, an upside down bible. Everything's in here. Because he's got like eight arms.
Dana Goldberg
I know.
Alison Gill
This is a really cool Tiny hands stepping on a pride flag. Got cracked egg on the bot. This is. You got. You got every. You squeeze a lot in here. Anonymous My bean doctor. I love this.
Dana Goldberg
See what that tiny little Twitter says by his penis because it's probably something about it being tiny. I can't. I tried to zoom in. It's blurry.
Alison Gill
Does it just say tweet executive order? E O? Oh, the tweet by his penis. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I see. Yeah, I don't know.
Dana Goldberg
Small dick. Small dick energy.
Alison Gill
I have no idea. But yep, there's the judgy cat. Love it.
Dana Goldberg
Oh, yeah, definitely judging.
Alison Gill
That's great. What a great kitty. I wonder, does he cuddle? I bet he cuddles. Anonymous Anyway, thank you so much and thanks for your service as a doctor taking. Taking care of people's kidneys. Mr. Nephrologist. Love it. Or miss did I get. I didn't get any. I didn't get any pronouns. So apologize.
Dana Goldberg
Anonymous.
Alison Gill
Anonymous Next up, Rose. They, them. Hello, beans, Queens. Around the new year, one of my headmates wrote in to share good news and give yes, I love Rose. Yes. Because I had just gotten a poem accepted for submission in the online journal Many Worlds pronounced many worlds. Y'all read their submission during one of your first shows of the new year, I think maybe January 3rd. I remember I wanted to give an update which will also double as an opportunity for learning because you expressed interest in plurality as a framework for describing life with dissociative identities. Our poem A Personal Primer went live on February 15, and we'll share a link here in the show Notes. I also recommend reading other pieces published in issue 7. The journal centers writing by marginalized authors, which is extremely necessary during these times. Oh, you're so right, Rose. And if you want broader perspective on plurality, I highly recommend pluralityresource.org, a site written by plurals, for a wide audience, including plurals, our loved ones and anyone interested in Learning more. I want to thank you for the good work you do and for sharing my headmate's shout out. Usually we share everything with each other, but they did everything they could to keep that a surprise and it made my day when I heard it. They're generally anxious and I don't like centering themselves, hence not sharing their name. But I wanted to make sure they get the credit they deserve. So thanks to Apollo for finding a way to bring a little extra joy to my life and to our collective as a whole. So amazing. For potbet tax, I'm sharing a photo of three cats. Piper, our family's 11 year old, stretching out on the stairs. Bubba, our sister's four year old in a box. And Angelica, our collective's 11 year old. Very much not wanting to be disturbed during a nap. I want to pet the belly.
Dana Goldberg
Seriously. So cute.
Alison Gill
Aw. Angelica's lovely bub is great. I love that. Void boxes. I just have boxes around my house for them.
Dana Goldberg
As you should.
Alison Gill
People are going to break down that cardboard.
Dana Goldberg
I'm like, no, no, don't touch it.
Alison Gill
Belongs to the cats.
Dana Goldberg
That's right. And we are closing the good news segment with a double good news submission. Because it's good news and it's fucking great news. Here we go. This is from Robin Pronoun. She and her I wrote yesterday telling you about the small town county in North Carolina I live in. I went to the board of commissioners meeting where they were trying to implement the county police to be deputized by ICE to quote, round up illegal immigrants. The meeting was packed and the majority ruled. We killed the resolution.
Alison Gill
Woo hoo.
Dana Goldberg
That is fucking awesome. Robin, you were part of something big. Big. No matter how many other counties said yes to this, you were part of your county saying fuck no.
Alison Gill
Amazing. I'm glad it was packed. That is such good news. It's these just these little things that we do right. It's the tiny things that add up to giant wins. Congratulations, Robin. That's so cool. Thank you all for your good news submissions, if you have any. You want to let us know what you're doing for good Trouble. You want to give us your good news stories? You want to just send pictures in? We would love to hear from you. Dailybeanspod.com click on Contact. We've updated our drop down menu so there's more choices there for you. We really appreciate it. We'll be back in your ears tomorrow with Fugal saying, Fridays, don't forget. There's a new episode of cleanup on aisle 45. With Harry Dunout. You can listen to that for free wherever you get your podcasts. Do you have any final thoughts today my friend?
Dana Goldberg
If you happen to be in Cincinnati, Ohio, I'm going to be in your fine city. This Saturday I'll be performing at the Human Rights Campaign Gala to raise some money to help fund these lawsuits against the federal government. So if you're in Cincinnati and you happen to be at the gala, come say hi. I love when my Beans listeners come say hi. I'm easy to find. I got off stage, you know where I'm at.
Alison Gill
Love the work you do my friend. So proud of it and honored to to just work with you. So everybody, we will be back in your ears tomorrow with Fugal saying Friday. Until then, please take care of yourselves, take care of each other, take care of the planet, take care of your mental health and take care of your family. I've been AG and I've been DG and them's the Beans. The Daily Beans is written and executive produced by Alison 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 mswmedia.com commsw media.
The Daily Beans – Episode: Taint Of The Week (feat. Dr. Carlton, D'Angelo)
Release Date: February 20, 2025
Host/Author: MSW Media
Hosts: Alison Gill & Dana Goldberg
In this episode of The Daily Beans, hosts Alison Gill and Dana Goldberg dive into a series of pressing political and social issues under the current Trump administration. They introduce the recurring segment "Taint of the Week," a playful yet critical take on the administration's controversial actions, setting the tone for a blend of progressive news and sharp commentary.
The episode begins with an update on the legal challenges facing New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Alison Gill reports:
“Biden appointee Judge Dale Ho held a hearing in New York today, asking Emil Bovet to justify the Trump Department of Justice's motion to dismiss the bribery and fraud charges against Mayor Eric Adams” (00:00).
Judge Dale Ho acknowledged the limited discretion courts possess when the DOJ seeks to dismiss a case but indicated a careful consideration of the arguments presented, leaving the outcome uncertain.
Dana Goldberg adds perspective on political maneuvers:
“I still think she [Governor Kathy Hochul] should call that hearing. I don't think doing nothing is the answer” (05:00).
The hosts discuss the implications of Governor Hochul's potential decisions, highlighting political complexities and the prolonged nature of legal battles, as emphasized by Lawrence O'Donnell.
Alison Gill highlights a disturbing development within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):
“Health providers... have been instructed to remove certain words in templated notes within the electronic health record” (05:47).
The removal of terms like "gender" and "transgender" is criticized for potentially undermining patient care and violating legal requirements to inquire about issues like sexual assault.
Dana Goldberg reports on the USDA’s mishandling of personnel:
“The US Department of Agriculture... accidentally fired several agency employees who are working on the federal government's response to the H5N1 avian flu outbreak” (05:47).
This administrative error exacerbates challenges in managing critical public health responses, reflecting broader inefficiencies within the Trump administration.
One of the most significant segments addresses a new White House executive order:
“All federal agencies... are now subject to direct White House control... Regulations cannot be issued without presidential approval” (07:00).
Dana emphasizes the gravity of this move, labeling it a constitutional crisis:
“This is a constitutional crisis” (07:00).
The hosts dissect the order's implications, noting the elimination of agency autonomy and the politicization of regulatory bodies like the SEC, FTC, FCC, and FEC. They express concern over the potential for increased corruption and unchecked presidential power, anticipating numerous lawsuits and long-term governmental instability.
Alison Gill reports the abrupt closure of the JFK Library in Boston due to a Trump executive order:
“The JFK Library closed its doors abruptly after a Trump executive order” (00:00).
The shutdown is portrayed as part of a "retribution tour" aimed at punishing institutions that hold historical and political significance contrary to Trump's agenda. Senator Elizabeth Warren condemns the move, arguing that it distracts from pressing issues like tax breaks for the wealthy.
Alison and Dana speculate on the motives behind targeting institutions like the Kennedy family’s legacy:
“It could also be RFK Jr saying, hey, Trump, I hate my family. Fuck em over” (17:22).
The hosts view these actions as attempts to undermine democratic institutions and erase significant historical narratives.
Cecilia Beria from the BBC reports on the plight of 299 undocumented migrants housed in the Decopolis Hotel in Panama:
“The Trump administration has pledged to deport millions of people who crossed illegally into the United States” (14:12).
The migrants, hailing from various countries, face uncertain futures as Panama enforces strict security measures, effectively turning a luxury hotel into a temporary detention center. The report underscores the humanitarian crisis and the administrative challenges in managing mass deportations.
Dana Goldberg covers a critical issue where the Trump administration defies a federal judge's order:
“President Donald Trump has defied a federal judge's order and added transphobic disclaimers to recently restored web pages from the Department of Health and Human Services” (21:53).
The added disclaimers on HHS, CDC, and FDA websites aggressively reject gender ideology, undermining previously established medical guidelines and support for the LGBTQ+ community. Dana and Alison express outrage, emphasizing the harmful impact on transgender individuals and the broader LGBTQ+ population.
Alison reflects on the judiciary's role:
“Are you telling me the most lethal armed forces in the world can be taken down because of a pronoun?” (24:57).
This rhetorical question highlights the absurdity and danger of politicizing identity language, suggesting a deliberate strategy to distract from more substantial governance issues.
In an exclusive segment, Alison and Dana welcome Dr. Carlton and Daniel O'Brien from the But Honestly podcast. The discussion centers on the importance of filling informational gaps for the LGBTQ+ community, especially under adverse political climates.
Key Points from the Interview:
Sexual Health Education: Dr. Carlton stresses the lack of comprehensive sex education in schools, particularly gay sex education, and the importance of providing accurate information on STI prevention and treatment.
Community Support: Daniel emphasizes the role of their podcast in offering support and education, helping listeners navigate social challenges and maintain mental health amidst societal erasure of LGBTQ+ identities.
Governmental Actions Impacting Healthcare: Alison brings up the removal of LGBTQ+ terminology in VA medical records, linking it to the administration's broader agenda to marginalize these communities. Dr. Carlton and Daniel agree that such actions create significant barriers to quality healthcare and exacerbate mental health issues.
Inclusivity and Representation: The hosts discuss the significance of including lived experiences in discussions about health and social issues, fostering a sense of belonging and resilience within the LGBTQ+ community.
The Daily Beans concludes with their uplifting "Good News" segment, featuring listener submissions that highlight positive actions and personal achievements amidst the turbulent political landscape. Highlights include:
Community Activism: Robin from North Carolina shares her success in stopping a county resolution to deputize police for ICE raids, celebrating collective civic engagement.
Creative Achievements: Rose reports her acceptance of a poem in an online journal, showcasing marginalized voices through art.
Pet Love and Personal Wins: Various listeners contribute heartwarming stories and photos of their pets, reinforcing the importance of small joys and personal connections.
Alison Gill and Dana Goldberg wrap up the episode by reaffirming their commitment to providing incisive, snarky, and socially conscious news coverage. They encourage listeners to engage with their content, participate in segments, and stay informed about the ongoing political and social battles affecting marginalized communities.
“We're here to keep you informed and sane” (58:43).
The Daily Beans remains a vital source of progressive news, blending serious analysis with relatable banter, ensuring listeners are both educated and entertained.
Notable Quotes:
Alison Gill:
“It puts us all in danger, frankly.” (05:47)
Dana Goldberg:
“This is a constitutional crisis.” (07:00)
Senator Elizabeth Warren:
“President Trump is firing American workers... to help pay for tax breaks for billionaires and giant corporations.” (16:47)
Alison Gill on Executive Orders:
“He just disagreed with something else, too, which is not going to go...” (17:22)
Dana Goldberg on Transphobic Disclaimers:
“This is a constitutional crisis.” (21:53)
Final Thoughts:
This episode of The Daily Beans effectively navigates through a myriad of urgent topics, presenting them with clarity and critical insight. Alison and Dana provide a platform for marginalized voices, challenge governmental overreach, and maintain a balance of informative content with engaging dialogue. For listeners seeking a nuanced perspective on progressive issues, this episode serves as a comprehensive and thought-provoking resource.