The Daily Beans – “The Year To Get It Done”
Episode Date: December 26, 2025
Host: Allison Gill (MSW Media)
Guests: Nate Blouin (Utah State Senator/Congressional Candidate), John Fugelsang (Author/Comedian)
Episode Overview
This episode features two major segments:
- An extended "Flip It Blue" interview with Utah State Senator and congressional candidate Nate Blouin, focusing on progressive politics, redistricting in Utah, key policy challenges, and Blouin’s campaign platform for 2026.
- The final Fugalsang Friday segment of the year with author and comedian John Fugelsang, offering a highly topical and sardonic rundown of the week’s—and year’s—political turbulence, Supreme Court decisions, the Epstein files, and conservative infighting.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Nate Blouin – Flipping Utah’s 1st Congressional District Blue
The Landscape of Utah Politics and the New District
-
[00:00-03:12] Nate, a progressive Democrat, describes Utah's new 1st Congressional District:
- Redistricting, after a legal fight, radically changed district demographics; Kamala Harris would have won by 24 points on the new map.
- Youthful, progressive electorate; multiple universities; strong environmentalism and outdoor recreation sentiment.
- School funding, affordable housing, and cost of living are urgent local concerns.
-
Quote:
"We have an electorate that is very excited about outdoor sports and outdoor recreation ... People want to see our deserts and our mountains, our forests protected, not sold off like Mike Lee has been trying to do."
— Nate Blouin [06:06]
GOP Conservatism vs. Utah’s Culture
-
[03:12-04:34] Utah historically values kindness, but conservative leadership often doesn’t translate words to action.
- Current GOP leadership uses softer rhetoric but supports regressive policies, like Supreme Court packing and resisting actual reform.
-
Quote:
"If you condemn the rhetoric, but you endorse the guy, which is what happened with our current governor, that, to me, is just totally empty."
— Nate Blouin [04:23]
Progressive Agenda – Why 2026 is the Year to Run
-
[07:08-10:15]
- Recent special elections and national shifts show large swings toward Democrats—even in deep-red areas.
- Utah’s shift mirrors Georgia’s, where down-ballot races saw progressives flipping seats with double-digit swings.
-
Quote:
"If you're a progressive candidate and you are thinking about running for something, this is the year to do it."
— Allison Gill [07:09]
Energy Policy, Climate & Affordability
-
[07:51-14:20]
- Energy costs are skyrocketing due to corporate utility monopolies (e.g., Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns Rocky Mountain Power).
- Supports major investment in grid infrastructure, clean energy (especially geothermal, wind, solar), and breaking up monopolistic practices via reforming FERC and public utilities.
-
Quote:
"Shareholders are benefiting, but not ratepayers ... Warren Buffett likes to invest in utilities because he gets a guaranteed like 10% ... that's easy money for them."
— Nate Blouin [11:36]
Tax Reform: Holding the Wealthy Accountable
-
[17:12-20:52]
- Proposes taxing millionaires more, refunding Earned Income Tax Credit for working families.
- Federal reform: Raise marginal tax rates back to 50-60% for the ultra-wealthy, rebalance burden from workers to billionaires.
-
Quote:
"Billionaires are paying like what, 8% or something, where the rest of us are paying 20, 30%. They should be paying more and we should be paying less."
— Nate Blouin [18:32]
Affordability: Health, Education, Housing
-
Medicare for All: [20:52-23:18]
- Universal health care would save billions/trillions; end insurance middlemen & third-parties inflating costs.
-
Public Education: [23:54-26:33]
- Public colleges, trade programs as affordable options.
- Utah lags in K-12 funding, with voucher programs draining public resources.
-
Housing Crisis: [26:33-29:22]
- Corporate landlords, algorithmic price-fixing, Airbnbs driving up prices.
- Seeks federal controls on corporate ownership and short-term rentals.
-
Quote:
"The biggest specific thing ... is the algorithms that are basically causing us to bid against ourselves when it comes to housing ... artificially increasing rents and home prices by digitizing everything."
— Nate Blouin [27:45]
Veterans & Social Contract
-
[29:25–31:49]
- VA access crisis: appointments backlog into 2026.
- Socialized health care for veterans works—why not everyone?
- Must support not only veterans but also those with disabilities, families, and low-income workers.
-
Quote:
"We can provide for veterans and immigrants and folks struggling with disabilities and everyone else as well. There's no reason if..."
— Nate Blouin [31:46]
Campaign Ethos & Call to Action
- [32:28-33:43]
- Nate refuses all corporate PAC and AIPAC money; campaign powered by small-dollar donors.
- "It's so important to have support from a wide range of folks because we are not taking corporate PAC money ... These are the promises that we need to take into Congress."
— Nate Blouin [33:04]
2. Fugalsang Friday with John Fugelsang
Surrealism of 2025 Politics and Supreme Court Rulings
- [34:08-38:12]
- End-of-year fatigue with the “fire hose” of national Trump-era scandals and chaos.
- SCOTUS rules 6-3 against Trump’s use of the National Guard for domestic law enforcement, siding with legal consensus on "regular forces".
- "This is a pretty obscure statute ... they claimed, regular forces means whoever we say ... Two of these people got jobs from Trump. And they said this is untethered to facts."
— John Fugelsang [38:59]
Supreme Court, the Insurrection Act & Political Cynicism
- [40:16-41:57]
- Fear: administration now may try Insurrection Act/repeal of Posse Comitatus for domestic crackdowns.
- Roberts Court doesn’t want legacy of extreme servility to Trumpism.
- "At this point all of this is just a gut wound that is bleeding out ... all over these poor Republican bastards who are trying to run for reelection in the midterms."
— John Fugelsang [41:28]
The Epstein Files & Government Cover-ups
- [41:57-44:30]
- DOJ stalling, prioritizing redactions, and protecting names in Epstein documents.
- "What we're witnessing here is not justice for the victims. This is information laundering."
— John Fugelsang [44:01]
GOP Splinters: Heritage Foundation Exodus & Conservative Realignment
- [46:20-48:16]
- Heritage Foundation insiders leaving post-Trump; major realignment in conservative nonprofit world.
- Satirical commentary on who will pick the next far-right Supreme Court justice.
Schadenfreude & the Cautionary Tale of Turning on Trump
- [49:24-51:08]
- Elise Stefanik and other former Trump loyalists left “frozen out.”
- Career caution: “If you sell your soul for power, make sure the buyer plans to keep you. Donald Trump does not do loyalty. He does obedience.”
— John Fugelsang [49:54]
End-of-Year Reflections & Closing Notes
- [51:08-54:21]
- John’s gratitude for the community; optimism for 2026 despite dire times.
- Book recommendation: “Separation of Church and Hate.”
- "I'm not an optimist. I'm a recovering cynic, but I really do believe that ... 2026 is going to be a much better year because A, Trump is bleeding all over the place. B, these polls aren't going anywhere. C, Diane Keaton can’t die twice."
— John Fugelsang [51:55]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Redistricting:
"Kamala Harris would have won by about 24 points last year if [this map] were in effect."
— Nate Blouin [05:18] -
On Utilities & Energy Reform:
"Our major utility ... is owned by Berkshire Hathaway ... Warren Buffett likes to invest in utilities, because he gets a basically a guaranteed like 10%."
— Nate Blouin [08:48] -
On Public Education:
"Our teachers are not paid enough. Our per pupil funding is like 47th in the country ... we've seen hundreds of millions getting pulled out of public schools and going to private schools in recent years."
— Nate Blouin [24:45]. -
On GOP Loyalty:
"If you sell your soul for power, make sure the buyer plans to keep you. Donald Trump does not do loyalty. Loyalty goes two ways. He does obedience."
— John Fugelsang [49:54] -
On Optimism:
"I'm not an optimist. I'm a recovering cynic, not an optimist. But I really do believe that 2025, as bad as it was, 2026, is going to be a much better year..."
— John Fugelsang [51:53]
Timestamps: Important Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------|--------------| | Nate Blouin introduction/Redistricting | 00:00–07:08 | | Progressive policy/energy reform | 07:08–14:20 | | Antitrust, tax/billionaires | 14:49–20:52 | | Medicare for All/health affordability | 20:52–23:18 | | Education/housing/veterans | 23:54–31:49 | | Blouin’s campaign ethos/call to action | 32:28–33:43 | | John Fugelsang joins/SCOTUS & Trump | 34:08–41:57 | | DOJ & Epstein files | 41:57–44:30 | | GOP inner turmoil/Heritage Foundation | 46:20–48:16 | | Loyalty, Stefanik cautionary tale | 49:24–51:08 | | Reflections/2026 optimism | 51:08–54:21 |
Tone & Style
- Language: Candid, energized, savvy, progressive, with healthy doses of sarcasm and dark humor.
- Noteworthy: Both Gill and Fugelsang blend hard news with comic relief, making for a brisk but thorough commentary that doesn’t lose sight of big structural issues.
Summary Takeaways
- Utah’s 1st is poised for a major political shakeup, with the new district map creating a rare opening for a progressive congressional pick-up, championed by Blouin’s small-donor, anti-corporate PAC candidacy.
- Progressive policy solutions—on energy, climate, health care, and education—are not only popular but increasingly electorally viable, especially against the broken record of GOP governance.
- Nationally, political fatigue is met with dry-witted resilience as grifters, enablers, and cover-up artists in the GOP face internal splintering, legal setbacks, and what may become a cascade of failed loyalty tests as Trump’s political fortunes wane.
- Despite mounting challenges, there’s a note of resolve (if not outright optimism) about left/progressive coalition-building and the potential for material wins in the year ahead.
For more on Nate Blouin’s campaign:
Website/socials: nateforutah.com
For more John Fugelsang:
Book: “Separation of Church and Hate”
Podcast: The John Fugalsang Show
Radio: Tell Me Everything, Sirius XM 127 (9pm ET, 6pm PT weekdays)