
Tuesday, January 21st, 2025 Today, four lawsuits were filed against DOGE within minutes of Donald’s inauguration; the German ambassador gives a stark warning of Trump’s plans to redefine the constitutional order; President Biden issues preemptive pardons and commutations on his way out the door; Trump has prepared a list of January 6th insurrectionists to pardon; NBC gets some day one immigration executive orders from a policy call; former planned parenthood president and activist Cecile Richards has died at age 67; and Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.
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Allison Gill
MSW Media. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Today, four lawsuits were filed against Dodgy within minutes of Donald's inauguration. The German ambassador gives a stark warning of Trump's plans to redefine the constitutional order. President Biden issues preemptive pardons and commutations on his way out the door. Trump has prepared a list of January 6th insurrectionists he plans to pardon. NBC gets some day one immigration executive orders from a policy call. And former Planned Parenthood president and activist Cecile Richards has died at age 67. I'm Allison Gill.
Dana Goldberg
And I'm Dana Goldberg.
Allison Gill
Hello, my friend. It's Tuesday.
Dana Goldberg
It is Tuesday. That's all we're going to say about that. I wish we had better news today. Like, I feel like we've got heavy stories and I know everyone's probably still in their own feels, if you will, dealing with what happened yesterday as you hear this. And that's okay. We're going to do our best to get through the next however many years together and bring you some joy and obviously some hard stories. And I think that's one of them today. Like, I know we're going to cover it, but just Cecil Richards passing. She was an incredible woman, and I don't know, I had the pleasure of working with her and raising money for Planned Parenthood in several different cities and continue to. And she's just done so much for women's rights and abortion access. And she was a mensch, as they say. So she will be missed.
Allison Gill
Yes, dearly missed. All right, we have a lot of news to get to today, and as you can tell, we're gonna need your good news, so please send it to us dailybeanspod.com and click on Contact. Before we get to the hot notes, we have a few quick hits. And to make a long story short, too late. All right. Just minutes before leaving office, Joe Biden announced a set of sweeping preemptive pardons to members of his family, including his two brothers and his sister, after some on the right suggested that they should face prosecution. Biden's pardons for five family members were among a slew of preemptive pardons he issued as he left office Monday, including for Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, and other members and staff of the committee that investigated the January 6th attack on the Capitol and Capitol and D.C. metropolitan Police officers who testified before that committee. And Harry and I are going to talk about his pardon on tomorrow's cleanup on aisle 40.
Dana Goldberg
Five podcast sounds good. Thank you, Alison. And this is what we touched on earlier. Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood and brilliant feminist activist, she died Monday of an aggressive brain cancer. Her family confirmed that in a statement. She was 67. Richards, the daughter of former Democratic Texas governor who was one of the nation's most prominent advocates of abortion rights. The family said in a statement, quote, this morning, our beloved Cecile passed away at home surrounded by her family and her ever loyal dog, Ollie. Our hearts are broken today. No words can do justice to the joy she brought to our lives. And I would say to the country as well. And again, phenomenal woman.
Allison Gill
Yes, incredible woman. As was her mother. It's just, it's so sad. Glioblastoma is a very aggressive cancer. And it's just she's, she will be dearly missed, as will her, her activism. All right, another story here. President Donald Trump is preparing to issue sweeping pardons for defendants charged in the January 6, 2021 insurrection, the attack on the US Capitol, including commuting the prison sentences of hundreds of his supporters who have been convicted of violent attacks against law enforcement. That's according to sources familiar with the matter speaking to ABC News. So I never want to hear that they back the blue again. And as I said, this is also something that Harry and I will discuss on tomorrow's cleanup and Andy and I will discuss it on the next episode of the Jack podcast, which will be the first episode of the Unjustified podcast. And I just want to note that patrons of the Jack Podcast and the Daily Beans will automatically become patrons of the new podcast Unjustified and the Daily Beans. And it will be in the same feed, so you won't have to subscribe to a new feed. So thank you for, for listening to that. And we released, let's see, part four of the audio version of volume one of Jack Smith's final report on Monday. And part five, the final part will be out tomorrow. All right, that is a long story short. Let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right, first up, from Gerstein and Cheney of Politico. The legal resistance to President Donald Trump has already begun. Within minutes of Trump taking the oath of office, at least three lawsuits were filed in federal court in Washington seeking to shut down Elon Musk's doji dodgy Doge, the Department of Government Efficiency, until it complies with transparency rules related to governmental advisory entities. The lawsuit alleges that the project Trump announced to target government waste violates the federal Advisory Committee act by giving private individual roles in the government to decision making processes without the public access that the law requires. Days after his election in November, Trump pledged to set up doge, headed by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump mentioned the so called department during his inaugural address and AIDS said he plans to issue an executive order later Monday formalizing the efficiency seeking enterprise. Ramaswamy recently stepped back from the project to run for governor. So negative Scaramuccis at dodgy for Vivek. He wants to run for governor in Ohio, but he and Musk previously floated such ideas as large scale firing of government employees called at random from lists of such staffers. I think Vivek was suggesting that they do just the odd people whose Social Security numbers ended in odd numbers.
Dana Goldberg
Yeah, just some rock, paper, scissors, you know, just you know, real official business.
Allison Gill
Right now the President does not have the authority to create official government departments without Congress passing a law to do so. But Trump seems intent on calling the anti bureaucracy project a department regardless. One of the suits filed by Public Citizen, the State of Democracy Defenders Fund and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington contends that DODGY has breached the faca, which the lawsuit says is intended to prevent such efforts from quote, turning into vehicles for advancing private interests in the federal decision making process. The other cases were brought by National Security Councilors and Democracy Forward and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. A fourth lawsuit filed Monday by the center for Biological Diversity seeks all records from the omb, the Office of Management and Budget related to doge. To Doge. There are signs that the incoming Trump administration was expecting legal challenges to the money saving effort. In December, Trump announced that Washington election lawyer William McGinley would serve as general counsel for the project. Trump has previously tapped McKinley to serve as White House counsel, but later decided to hand the position to David Warrington, a lawyer who has represented him in civil suits stemming from the violence at the Capitol on January 6th. Suits that still survive.
Dana Goldberg
Thanks Alison. This one's from Reuters. Germany's Ambassador Germany's ambassador to the United States has warned that the incoming Trump administration will rob U.S. law enforcement and the media of their independence and hand big tech companies, quote, co governing power. And that's according to a confidential document seen by Reuters. The briefing document, dated January 14 and signed by Ambassador Andreas Michaelis, described Donald's agenda, Donald Trump's agenda for this, his second White House term, as one of quote, maximum disruption that will bring about a redefinition of the constitutional order, maximum concentration of power with the president at the expense of Congress and the federal states, quote, basic democratic principles and checks and balances will be largely undermined. The legislature, law enforcement and media will be robbed of their independence and misused as a political arm. Big Tech will be given co governing power. Trump's transition team had no immediate comment on the ambassador's assessment. On Sunday, German Foreign Minister Annalina Baerbock said Berlin would, quote, continue to work closely together with the US but of course we also want to continue to stand up for our own interests. As to explain the ambassador's stance on Trump on German public broadcaster zdf, Baerbock said Michaelis was merely doing his job and that Trump had openly stated much of his agenda. The outgoing government of Chancellor Olaf Schultz has largely refrained from direct public criticism of Trump since the election. But the ambassador's confidential assessment offers a blunt view from a senior German official. Ambassadors are not replaced automatically with the formation of a new government unless a change is deemed necessary for diplomatic or other reasons. And that other reasons is what makes me nervous. The document cites the judiciary and especially the US Supreme Court as central to Trump's attempt to further his agenda, but says that despite the court's recent decision to expand presidential powers, quote, even the biggest critics assume that it will prevent the worst from happening. I do not give them that much credit. Michaela sees control of the Justice Department and FBI is key to Trump reaching his political and personal goals, including mass deportations, retribution against perceived enemies and legal impunity. He says Trump has broad legal options to force his agenda on the state, saying, quote, even military deployment within the country for police activities would be possible in the event of a declared, quote, insurrection or invasion. In 1878, the Posse Commutatis act that bars the federal military from participating in domestic law enforcement with exceptions. Now Michaelis also foresees a redefinition of the First Amendment, saying Trump and billionaire ex owner Twitter owner Elon Musk are already taking actions against critics and non cooperating media companies. Quote, one is using lawsuits threatening criminal prosecution and license revocation. The other is having algorithms manipulated and accounts blocked. That's called state run media. People must repeated endorsement of the far right alternative for Germany. The AfD ahead of the February 23rd national election has drawn iron Berlin, but the government has stopped short of unanimously leaving his platform. Again, this is talking about Twitter. Berlin endured a particularly difficult relationship with the United States during the first Trump administration, facing costly tariffs and criticism over its failure to meet the NATO target on defense expenditure.
Allison Gill
Did you see? You know I didn't watch any of the inauguration coverage, but saw some clips online of Elon Musk doing the highest fuck on ketamine, but also the see Kyle salute twice. Did you see it?
Dana Goldberg
Yeah, I did not see that, but Jesus Christ.
Allison Gill
Yeah. And after saying that, you know, trying to get the AfD party to win, it's pretty blatantly clear what's going on.
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
Allison Gill
Next up from Julia Ainslie at NBC. Donald Trump will sign at least a dozen executive orders soon after he's sworn in as president Monday, looking to quickly implement his agenda, including declaring a national emergency on the U. S. Mexico border, ordering construction on his border wall to resume, and terminating diversity programs in federal agencies. And Dana, you were just talking about the German ambassador, how he brought up the idea of using extreme, you know, executive powers by declaring a national emergency. Another of Trump's executive orders seeks to bring an end to birthright citizenship. According to transition officials, birthright citizenship has been understood to be required under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which states all persons born or naturalized in the United States and sub to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States. Democrats and some legal groups have vowed to challenge in court any Trump attempt to do away with birthright citizenship. The orders are part of a broad plan that's expected to include more than 50 items in total signed by the new president following inauguration as he seeks a quick day one start with these actions, quote, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It's all about common sense. That's what Trump said. Trump's other executive orders on immigration would reinstate the remain in Mexico policy from his first administration for those seeking to enter the US Through Mexico, while another is set to designate cartels and migrant gangs, specifically Ms. 13 and Trend Aragua, excuse me for the pronunciation there, as foreign terrorist organizations. Mexico's Foreign Ministry told NBC News that Trump was making the move on his remain in Mexico policy unilaterally without the country's agreement, which could be a hurdle for implementation. Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the border would allow the Defense Department to deploy the US Military and National Guard to the border. Asked what the rules of engagement would be for the military deployed to the border, the Trump transition officials said that would be up to the Department of Defense. And by the way, Pete Hegseth's nomination just went through. The committee still has to have a final vote in the full Senate. We have to set our country on the proper course, Trump said. By the time the sun sets tomorrow evening, the invasion of our Borders will come to a halt, and all the illegal border trespassers will, in some form or another, be on their way back home. Not all the executive orders are on border and immigration. Another one will say it's the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female, including on all government documents such as passports and visas. In 2022, the Biden administration had allowed US citizens to be able to select a gender neutral X as a marker on their passport books. As previously announced, Trump will also sign an order creating the Department of Government Efficiency, which will have a mission of cutting government spending. According to Caroline Leavitt, the incoming White House press secretary, Trump is also signing executive orders designed to spur energy production. One order will declare a national an energy emergency in order to reduce bureaucracy and allow more drilling, while another will allow more energy production in Alaska. He's also signing another order changing the name of Alaska's Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, back to Mount McKinley. Then President Barack Obama renamed the mountain in 2015 at the request of native Alaskan tribes and politicians, a move that sparked anger in McKinley's home state of Ohio. Another order like get your own mountain, Ohio.
Dana Goldberg
Jesus Christ. Also, you weren't here first. I just want to point that out.
Allison Gill
Fuck. Another order would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, although it's not clear if a US President has the authority to rename an area that's considered international waters. The scope and number of orders Trump is expected to sign far exceeds what he did on his first day in office in 2017, when he signed one executive order targeting the Affordable Care Act. It also goes beyond the number signed by Joe Biden. On his first day in office, Biden signed nine executive orders on topics ranging from ethics commitments for executive branch personnel to combating discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, while also signing orders reversing Trump directives on immigration and deregulation. Biden also signed off on seven other executive actions that day in 2021, including directives aimed at halting funding of Trump's border wall and reversing his decision to pull the US out of the international Paris Climate Agreement. But on Monday, Trump will sign an order reversing Biden's reversal on the Paris Climate Agreement.
Dana Goldberg
It's gonna be a long few years, everyone. So again, self care. This one's from Colleen Long at the Associated Press. Just moments before leaving office, President Joe Biden commuted the life sentence of indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, who was convicted in 1975's killings of two FBI agents. Peltier was denied parole as recently as July and wasn't eligible for parole again until 2026. He was serving life in prison for the deaths of the agents during a standoff the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He will transition to home confinement. This is again from a statement from Biden. Biden issued a record number of individual pardons and commutations. He announced on Friday that he was commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. He also gave a broad pardon for his son Hunter, who was prosecuted for gun tax crimes. I would say targeted for sure. On Monday, Biden also pardoned Gerald Lundergan. He's a Democratic politician from Kentucky who served in the state House of Representatives. He was convicted of making illegal campaign contributions to his daughter's failed U.S. senate campaign. Ernest William Cromartie, a former Columbia, South Carolina city council member, was convicted of tax evasion. He was pardoned. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Emory Nelson said after Biden's commutation that Peltier remained incarcerated Monday at USP Coleman. That's a high security prison in Florida. Florida, the fight for Peltier's freedom, it's entangled with the Indigenous rights movement. Nearly half a century later, his name remains a rallying cry. An enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota, Peltier was active in the American Indian Movement, which began in the 1960s as a local organization in Minneapolis that grappled with issues of police brutality and discrimination against Native Americans. It quickly became a national force. The movement grabbed headlines in 1973 when it took over the village of Wounded Wounded Knee in Pine Ridge, the Oglala Lakota nations reservation, leading to a 71 day standoff with federal agents, tensions between the movement and the government they remained high for years. On June 26th of 1975, agents went to Pine Ridge to serve arrest warrants amid battles over Native treaty rights and self determination. After being injured in a shootout, agents Jack Kohler and Ronald Williams, they were shot in the head at close range. This is what the FBI said. American Indian Movement member Joseph Stuntz was also killed in the shootout. Two other movement members and Peltier's co defendants, Robert Robideau and Dino Butler, they were acquitted of killing Kohler and Williams after fleeing to Canada and being extradited to the United States. Peltier was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and was sentenced in 1977 to life in prison. Despite defense claims that evidence against him had been falsified. Biden's actions Monday followed decades of lobbying and protest on Peltier's behalf by Native American leaders, human rights activists, liberal lawmakers and celebrities who maintain he was wrongfully convicted. Amnesty International has long considered Peltier a political prisoner. Advocates for his release have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, actor and director Robert Redford, musicians Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte and Jackson Brown. Law enforcement officers, former FBI agents, their families and prosecutors have strongly opposed a pardon for any reduction in Peltier's sentence for just as long as the others have been fighting for him. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama rejected Peltier's clemency requests and he was denied parole in 1993, 2009 and 2024. Shortly before Biden commuted Peltier's sentence, the non parole Peltier association, led by former FBI agents, posted a statement celebrating the fact that he hadn't been pardoned. Quote, president Biden certainly recognized the unrepentant act of a cold blooded murderer and denied Peltier's clemency application. This is what the group posted before Biden commuted Peltier sentence. The group didn't respond to a message seeking comment after Peltier's sentence was commuted. Peltier supporters, they pushed Biden to act because Peltier is 80, has health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart trouble and an A aortic aneurysm discovered in 2016. That's according to his lawyers. His backers worry that he would not get another chance at parole or a compassionate release before dying behind bars.
Allison Gill
Thank you. Thank you for that bit of good news.
Dana Goldberg
Absolutely.
Allison Gill
We needed that today. All right, everybody, it's time for some good trouble.
Dana Goldberg
You guys doing.
Allison Gill
All right? Your mission, should you choose to accept it. And let me just preface this by, I am not a conspiracy theorist, as you well know, but I think it's time to write to the Pennsylvania Attorney General, Michelle Henry, and file a complaint regarding Trump's recent remarks about Elon Musk. He said, quote, he knows those computers better than anybody, those vote counting computers. And we won Pennsylvania, like in a landslide. It was pretty good. Thank you. To Elon, unquote, that.
Dana Goldberg
I saw that and I was like.
Allison Gill
What the that, like, I'm not crazy.
Dana Goldberg
Feel like a confession. You can.
Allison Gill
It sounded like a confession, right?
Dana Goldberg
Nope, I watched that. There was also another clip talking about the Olympics and the World cup and he said that basically he didn't think he was going to be there and Then I think were the words they stole the election or something. So now he gets to be there and stay. Like there's been two announcements so far that are probably his infidel voice coming out that it sounds like he is admitting that there was an election interference.
Allison Gill
Yeah. In Pennsylvania at least. And then that weird Tucker Carlson interview with Elon Musk where his kid came in and said SpaceX, we just do things quiet. Hahahee. And Elon's like, yeah, Pennsylvania and his kids like don't tell anybody. It was really weird, you know, and I was just like, ah, it's maybe just a weird kid. But this, those vote counting computers, I don't know. I don't know. I would ask the Attorney General if that statement is enough to at least open an investigation, you know. But let's be clear. Even if the Attorney General were to investigate and found something, winning Pennsylvania would not be outcome determinative. It would not change the outcome of this election. But I think it's worth looking into. And you know, the Department of Justice can't do it anymore because it's being run by Pam Bondi or will be in a minute. So I think that's something that maybe Pennsylvania should take a look at again. You know me. I'm going to put a link in the show notes that takes you to the page where you can file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Attorney General. You don't have to if you don't want to. If you think that this is ridiculous. I don't know, I just feel like, I feel like I did in 2016 when I was like, am I crazy? Is Russia interfering in our elections? I feel crazy. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. So I don't know, but I think it's at least worth looking into. And maybe there's nothing. And then you will know, then we'll know it's nothing. Know what I mean?
Dana Goldberg
I do. I agree with you 100%. A couple of these videos I've seen and these are his rallies that, you know, he's giving out these public, public showings. He's just talking and they think that they can get away with anything. And unfortunately, the way everything's set up now, I can't necessarily say they're wrong, but I sure would love to see them be investigated.
Allison Gill
All right, well that's your, that's your good trouble for today. And again, if you have any suggestions for good trouble or some good news you want to send to us, you could do it@dailybeanspod.com click on Contact. We'll be right back with the good news. Stick around after these messages.
Dana Goldberg
We'll be right back.
Allison Gill
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And right now, IQ Bar is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQ Bar products plus free shipping. To get your 20 off, just text the word daily beans all one word to 64,000. That's daily beans. Text daily beans to 64,000 daily beans to 64,000. Messenger data rates apply and see terms for details. Everybody, welcome back. It's time for the good news. Good news everyone. Then good news everyone. And if you have any good news confessions corrections. You want to play an animal guessing game like what the mutt Find the cat opine on the bovine? What the heck Wine? What the hell's in that shell? Dana's brilliantly named what's the model of your axolotl? And it could be Model M O D E L or Mottle M O T T L E. They both work. How do you like that? You can send that to us as well. You just pay your pod pet tax. You can send us a photo of your pet or an adoptable pet in your area, animals mentioned, or any other animal. If you don't have animal photos, you can send us baby pictures. If you don't have any of that, you can send us bird watching photos which is you and your loved ones flipping off Trump properties or Donald Trump on television or whatever. We love those. We love those very much. Especially the double barrel middle finger bird watching photos.
Dana Goldberg
Those are good.
Allison Gill
And also shout outs. Whether it's to a loved one or yourself or a small business or your small business or a government program that's helped you or a loved one like the Affordable Care act or Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, snap, wic, Head Start, free lunch for kids, school lunches like Tim Waltz did up in Minnesota, and of course student debt relief. We love to hear those student debt relief stories. Send it all to us dailybeanspod.com click on contact if you if you've always been like One of these days I'm going to send in some good news. Today is that day. We need your good news. Send it to us please. First up from Lynelle, not Lynette, pronoun she and her first of all, Happy Birthday Ag. I'm writing this from Portland, Oregon on your birthday and incidentally my half birthday. I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating you and cheese. I started listening just before the election and I officially subscribed last week. Mostly because I wanted to see everyone's pod pet tax. And I appreciate getting my news from you. Dana with swearing. I don't know if this qualifies as a self shout out, but after the election when you encouraged us to start something new or make art or start a new hobby, I was inspired to start working on a quilt. This does count by the way. Linnell I already sew and knit, but I wanted to find a project I could start specifically and work on long term as a sort of countdown or check off the days. Very good. I'm sharing a picture of the cut out quilt blocks. There are 756 triangles.
Dana Goldberg
Wow.
Allison Gill
Ready to be sewn together. I plan to sew one seam a day and I'll send you a yearly update. This is so cool. Just the initial sewing of the blocks should take me through two years. I love this. For my pod Pet tax I'm sharing a photo of my beloved mut Della AKA Bella Della or Bella Della Dog. I got her from the Oregon Humane Society. Your guess as to her breeds are as good as mine. OHS listed her as Australian Cattle Dog a mix and I actually think she's at least part McNabb which is a little known Northern California cattle dog. McNabs are known for cat like agility and Della was very paw oriented, always touching you with a paw. She also walked on her toes which led to an additional nickname, Princess Toes. She was originally named by the shelter, but I chose to believe she was named after D Street of the old Perry Mason shows. Sadly, Della crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2017. Weirdly, almost six months to the day after Barbara Hale, the actress who played Della Street. But I had almost 10 years with her, and I still miss her. Look at beautiful Della. Oh, what a good girl.
Dana Goldberg
Beautiful indeed.
Allison Gill
And then these quilt squares. What a cool idea. Like one stitch a day. Just sewing the blocks will take me through two years. I love this. It's a countdown clock with an art project that happens at the end. That's so cool.
Dana Goldberg
All right, this next one is from Carl. Pronouns, he, him, hello, Beans, Queens. I'm a relatively recent addition to your crowd, and even more recent Patreon. Patreon. Like many, I started listening around mid November. Gee, I can't imagine what could have happened then. And y'all provided a lovely way for me to keep up some headlines, but not feel crushing despair while doing so. Ag. Your little quote, your knee, knee, nee, nee near at the end of the Good news jingle puts a smile on my face every single time. Thank you for that little bit of whimsy.
Allison Gill
That was actually B roll. That was like just between I was just making sounds and they actually put it in the official good news. That's very funny.
Dana Goldberg
I actually knew this correction was coming because I was kidding when I said it, but I knew this was coming. I do have a sort of correction, maybe more of a request, and I can accept this. DG, when you were talking about the spectacular failure of SpaceX rocket the other day, you refer to the quote chemtrails visible in the sky. Chemtrails is a word that conspiracy minded wackadoodles use for the alleged mind control drugs that airplanes are continually spraying on us mid flight. Those are properly called contrails. Condensation trail. Condensation trails. And they are nothing more than water vapor and ice crystals, a byproduct of burning jet fuel. I knew that. By the way, I'm not sure if there's a proper term for what streaming behind the wreckage of a rocket. Maybe debris trail. But I would like to respectfully ask that we retire the word chemtrails for future podcasts. No need to give the conspiracy twist any more legitimacy than we have to. I am fine with that.
Allison Gill
Carl.
Dana Goldberg
Welcome to the family. For my pod pet tags, here's a photo of our good boy Max at a charity dog wash. He's been gone for over a decade now, but I swear I still hear the dog tags jingling around the house sometimes. Even though we've moved home since he left us. Us. He made it 16 and a half years. So I suppose that's about as much as anyone could ask to spend with our little furry friends. I particularly like this photo because of the self satisfied look on Max's face as if he's thinking, you know, I'm cooler than you are, right? And he was. Keep up the great work that you do. And again, thank you for bringing some lightness to the dark and seems to settle over us all sometimes. You are both appreciated very much. And Carl, I will say this because I know she doesn't listen to the podcast. I have a neighbor that believes that there's are actually chemtrails in the sky and I laugh at her every time and I have to talk her off the ledge. So please know that I do not believe that those. That's what those were. But I do appreciate the suggestion to not pass any more conspiracy theories on this podcast.
Allison Gill
Do you remember that viral video of that woman in her backyard with her sprinklers? And it was like making a rainbow. And she was like, look at this. What's the government putting in our water that it's making rainbows?
Dana Goldberg
We're like refraction. It's putting refraction in the sun and the water.
Allison Gill
Goodness sakes. All right, next up from Darcy Pronoun. She and her Hi AG and dg. I want to share my good news. Last week I received my last cancer treatment and I'm officially cancer free.
Dana Goldberg
Woo hoo.
Allison Gill
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 23 and went through surgery. Chemo, radiation, the whole enchilada. I'm grateful to my wonderful family and friends for helping me through this time and I really enjoy listening to your pod every day knowing that you bring light to these dark times. For my pod pet tax, I'm including a picture of our new beautiful girl, Yuki. Yuki is about 1 1/2 years old. She's a German shepherd, which you probably could guess. My daughter Steve, you know, I don't know that Darcy that we could necessarily guess. We aren't good at this at all. But yeah, she does look like a beautiful German shepherd. My daughter started volunteering at a local animal shelter when she went to college last year and works with dogs to help them become more adoptable. Yuki was in the shelter for over a year and was three days away from being euthanized. She had lots of anxiety being in the shelter. She wasn't eating properly and they even put her on tranquilizers to keep her calm. But all she needed was a warm, loving home where she can run around and herd us as she sees fit. I'm proud of my daughter for recognizing that Yuki was a great dog who just hadn't been given a fair shake at life and that we could save her. It's a good lesson to not judge a dog by its cover than to give problem dogs a chance. Problem is in quotes. You may just find a great one if you're patient. Look at the beautiful baby.
Dana Goldberg
So sweet.
Allison Gill
That's so great.
Dana Goldberg
Thank you, Ag. Thank you. All right, this is from Joe H. Pronoun. She and her. Hey. Loving the shout outs to the Scots last week. We are an awesome, cheerful lot for the very most part. Pronunciation. Oh, thank you. Of lock Lebnag. Lock, not lock. You really need to get the phlegm out. And it's lube. Ho. Hold on. You need to get the flim la. There we go. It sounds so German with a hard G. Got it. Love my queens. My mom just messaged to say quote, did you watch the speech? I replied with that guy. I'm going to the movies with my ladies, so it. Excuse text errors. I don't want to be late. Your excellent podcast is helping me get 10,000 steps in a day. Massive hugs. They're still free. Pet taxes. Me and Murphy having naps, which is all need to stay healthy and happy. Oh, very sweet.
Allison Gill
Naps are good.
Dana Goldberg
Yeah, I. I spent some time in Scotland. I did the Fringe Festival when I first started comedy in 2003. And there's something that happens called the tattoo at the castle. And every night at 10 o'clock, a very loud shoot cannon. Loud cannon. Get shot off. And it scared the out of me every time it happened, even though we all knew it was gonna happen. The tattoo is this very cool military exercise that all of the tourists go to watch at the castle. And it's pretty extraordinary.
Allison Gill
So Edinburgh.
Dana Goldberg
Many drunken nights at the Fringe Festival.
Allison Gill
Edinburgh Fringe is so great. I love it. All right, thank you so much for that, Joe H. Next up, Anonymous. No pronouns. Hi. Amazing women for January 20th. I was having a rough day. The orange monster and some family and work drama. But to honor the day, I wore a beautiful black sweater and my full strand of pearls, a gift from my grandmother. These are things I don't usually wear while working from home, but I felt RBG would do the same thing. Here's an F bomb I crocheted.
Dana Goldberg
Nice.
Allison Gill
I might need to make more to cope.
Dana Goldberg
You could sell these and sell out in a heartbeat. Anonymous these are very cool.
Allison Gill
These are incredible. I love your F bomb. It's like this beautiful crocheted bomb with flames coming out of the top, made of yarn and a big red F on the front of it. Fantastic F bomb. So good. Thank you.
Dana Goldberg
That was awesome. All right, this one's from Lynette Pronoun. She and her I rarely take the time to share my personal journey, but listening to the daily beans inspired me. I learned about you from Blue Sky. Woohoo. I originally joined to connect with all of my fellow bookish and good trouble making folks. Since I began tuning in, I've joined three Democratic organizations and I'm thrilled to be learning how to start to make a difference in my very red and very backward state of Indiana.
Allison Gill
That's so cool.
Dana Goldberg
It is. This weekend, my father oh honey, I'm sorry. This weekend my father passed away after an arduous battle with liver duct cancer. Before he passed, he held my brother's hand and my hands and told us how proud he was of us and how we came from nothing and made something of our lives. My dad was a humble man. He struggled with reading and worked as a mechanic for the same small business his entire life. He didn't have much, but he found joy in what he did have. His words reminded me that if it weren't for the programs and support systems that helped us climb out of poverty, we wouldn't have been able to build the lives we have today. So here are just a few of the lifelines that shaped my story. If it weren't for the National School Lunch Program, I wouldn't have had enough to eat as a child at school. If it weren't for the WIC or SNAP programs, I wouldn't have had food to eat at home. If it weren't for the Medicaid program, I wouldn't have survived. Henoch, can you help me here?
Allison Gill
Henoch Schnoling purpura, A rare disease I.
Dana Goldberg
Had as a child. If it weren't for the Indiana Workforce Development Program, I wouldn't have found my very first job, a great one, with the Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau in my small hometown. That taught me skills I still use today. If it weren't for the 21st Century Scholarship Program for low income families, I wouldn't have been able to go to college to get my degree. If it weren't for Indiana unemployment Insurance, I wouldn't have been able to keep the lights on. When I was laid off in 2010. Obama's first homebuyer program provided $8,000 in down payment assistance. That money allowed me to buy my first home, renovate it, and build equity. Without it, I wouldn't own the home I live in today. I've never taken for granted the hand up these programs gave me. I love hand up. I still remember being two years old, standing in a food line and watching my mom cry as she said, don't ever let this happen to you. That moment was burned into my memory almost as much as the taste of powdered milk and government cheese back in the 80s. Lynette. My goodness. Today I'm a director of communications and a magazine editor and publisher. I've been writing for 25 years. I'm proud to share that I started working on my first book, a deeply personal memoir about my journey as my Republicans will try to cut these programs that fed, housed, educated, and kept me healthy as a child. I know that compassion and helping people get back on their feet to build their lives on a solid foundation. It works. I am living proof. Lynette, this is a fantastic submission. Thank you for this. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Allison Gill
And I'm taking. I take it, Lynette, this is your pod pet tax ace. And you called. Absolutely. Beautiful photo of this void kitty.
Dana Goldberg
Oh, thank you.
Allison Gill
Incredible story. Thank you so much for sharing all of that. My goodness. All right, finally, from Josh. Pronouns. He. It just says he. Today I'm choosing to think about a different person named Donald. My grandfather. A man who lied to get in the military. Hiding that he was colorblind so he could join the Navy during World War II instead of lying to stay out. A man who designed and built houses rather than a wall. A man who was faithful to his wife. An actual person of faith rather than only pretending to be. He was my confirmation sponsor. A man who gave rather than only took. My late grandfather, may he rest in peace. One of the reasons I fight on is for his memory. That was beautiful, Josh. Thank you. Thank you. And thanks to everybody for sending in your good news. If you've been thinking about sending in some good news, today's the day.
Dana Goldberg
You can do it.
Allison Gill
Dailybeanspod.com click on Contact. We will have more for you and more news tomorrow. And we will also have part five of the audio. Jack Smith, report the final part and clean up on all 45. Do you have any final thoughts before we get out of here today, my friend?
Dana Goldberg
Not today, my dear.
Allison Gill
All right, we'll see you tomorrow. Until then, everybody, 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 msw media.com msw media.
Podcast Summary: The Daily Beans – "We Fight On"
Episode Details:
a. President Biden’s Preemptive Pardons Timestamp: [00:00 – 02:48]
In the wake of leaving office, President Joe Biden issued a series of sweeping pardons and commutations. Notably, Biden pardoned five family members—his two brothers and sister—amid right-wing calls for their prosecution. Additional pardons included prominent figures such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, and several members associated with the January 6th Capitol attack investigation.
Notable Quote:
“Biden’s pardons for five family members were among a slew of preemptive pardons...”
—Allison Gill [02:48]
b. The Passing of Cecile Richards Timestamp: [02:48 – 03:27]
The podcast pays tribute to Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood and a staunch feminist activist, who passed away at the age of 67 after battling aggressive brain cancer. Dana Goldberg shares personal anecdotes about working with Richards and highlights her immense contributions to women’s rights and abortion access.
Notable Quote:
“She was an incredible woman... she was a mensch, as they say. So she will be missed.”
—Dana Goldberg [01:05 – 01:53]
c. Trump’s Planned Pardons for January 6th Insurrectionists Timestamp: [03:27 – 07:33]
Donald Trump is gearing up to issue extensive pardons for individuals convicted in connection with the January 6th Capitol insurrection. This includes commuting the prison sentences of hundreds of his supporters involved in violent confrontations with law enforcement. The hosts express deep concern over these actions, emphasizing the potential undermining of justice and accountability.
Notable Quote:
“I never want to hear that they back the blue again.”
—Allison Gill [03:27]
Timestamp: [07:33 – 11:05]
Immediately after Trump’s inauguration, at least three federal lawsuits were filed aiming to dismantle Elon Musk’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DODGY). Critics argue that DODGY violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act by incorporating private individuals into government decision-making without the required transparency. The department, initially announced by Trump and led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, faces legal challenges spearheaded by groups like Public Citizen and the Center for Biological Diversity.
Notable Quote:
“The lawsuit alleges that the project Trump announced to target government waste violates the federal Advisory Committee act...”
—Allison Gill [07:33]
Timestamp: [11:05 – 15:00]
Germany’s Ambassador to the United States, Andreas Michaelis, issued a grave warning regarding Donald Trump’s second-term agenda. He warned that Trump plans to concentrate power excessively in the presidency, undermining democratic principles and the independence of the judiciary, law enforcement, and media. Michaelis also highlighted Trump’s intentions to grant co-governing power to big tech companies, potentially reshaping the constitutional order.
Notable Quote:
“Basic democratic principles and checks and balances will be largely undermined...”
—Andreas Michaelis, German Ambassador [11:05]
Timestamp: [15:00 – 16:02]
Donald Trump is expected to sign a multitude of executive orders on his first day back in office, surpassing his initial day’s actions in his first term. These orders include:
Trump’s aggressive agenda reflects his intent to swiftly implement his policy objectives, which have substantial implications for immigration and civil rights.
Notable Quote:
“By the time the sun sets tomorrow evening, the invasion of our Borders will come to a halt...”
—Donald Trump, via Allison Gill [15:00]
Timestamp: [16:02 – 20:37]
In a significant move, President Biden commuted the life sentence of Leonard Peltier, an indigenous activist convicted in 1975 for the killings of two FBI agents during a standoff at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Peltier’s commutation followed decades of advocacy from Native American leaders, human rights activists, and celebrities who argue his conviction was unjust. Despite opposition from law enforcement and past rejections from Presidents Clinton and Obama, Biden’s decision marks a pivotal moment in the fight for Indigenous rights and justice.
Notable Quote:
“Biden’s actions Monday followed decades of lobbying and protest on Peltier's behalf...”
—Allison Gill [16:02]
Timestamp: [20:37 – 23:56]
Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg urge listeners to engage in "good trouble" by taking proactive steps against Donald Trump’s controversial statements and policies. Specifically, they encourage writing to Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry to file complaints regarding Trump’s remarks about Elon Musk and the integrity of vote-counting systems. The hosts emphasize the importance of holding leaders accountable and ensuring that allegations of election interference are thoroughly investigated.
Notable Quotes:
“Your mission, should you choose to accept it.”
—Allison Gill [20:43]
“I think it's worth looking into.”
—Dana Goldberg [21:20]
Timestamp: [After 23:56]
The "Good News" segment highlights uplifting stories and personal achievements from listeners. Contributions include:
Lynelle from Portland, Oregon: Celebrates starting a quilt project inspired by the podcast and shares a heartfelt story about her late dog, Della.
Notable Quote:
“Listening to the daily beans inspired me... I plan to sew one seam a day and I'll send you a yearly update.”
—Lynelle [38:29]
Darcy: Announces being cancer-free after a battle with breast cancer, expressing gratitude for support systems and shares her adoption of a rescued German Shepherd named Yuki.
Notable Quote:
“Last week I received my last cancer treatment and I'm officially cancer free.”
—Darcy [34:23]
Carl: Reflects on the positive impact of the podcast during challenging times and shares a nostalgic memory from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Notable Quote:
“Your excellent podcast is helping me get 10,000 steps in a day.”
—Carl [31:53]
Josh: Shares a heartfelt tribute to his late grandfather, contrasting him with Donald Trump, and underscores the personal motivation behind his activism.
Notable Quote:
“One of the reasons I fight on is for his memory.”
—Josh [41:20]
Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg conclude the episode by reiterating the importance of community support and collective action. They invite more listeners to share their good news, corrections, and shout-outs, fostering a sense of camaraderie and positive reinforcement amidst the complex political landscape.
Final Quote:
“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.”
—Allison Gill [42:37]
Final Notes: The episode of "We Fight On" by The Daily Beans masterfully intertwines critical political analysis with personal stories and community engagement. By addressing significant national issues, honoring influential figures, and uplifting listener contributions, the podcast maintains a balance between delivering impactful news and fostering a supportive listener community.