The David Pakman Show – BONUS: White House in chaos over 50-year mortgage plan, white males overrepresented in podcasting, and more...

Date: November 15, 2025
Host: David Pakman
Guest/Co-host: Pat

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, David Pakman and co-host Pat discuss several topical issues: the controversial proposal for 50-year mortgage loans and the reported chaos it sparked in the White House; new data examining gender disparities among podcast hosts and guests; a Supreme Court case with major implications for mail-in voting; and reflections on Adam Kinzinger's political future. Across these topics, Pakman offers sharp, engaging analysis from a progressive perspective with lively back-and-forths that blend facts with clear personal insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Turmoil Over the 50-Year Mortgage Proposal

• Background: Reports indicate significant internal opposition within the White House regarding a floated plan to offer 50-year mortgages as a means to address housing affordability.
• Main Critique:
  • Extending mortgage terms may slightly lower monthly payments, but ultimately increases the total cost of homeownership by tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  • Longer mortgages could artificially boost housing demand, inflating prices and benefiting banks far more than homeowners.
  • Former President Trump showcased confusion on the matter by referencing a 40-year mortgage that doesn't exist in the mainstream market.

Notable Quotes:

• "It actually creates a snowball debt effect because people can afford, all of a sudden believe they can afford more expensive houses... By allowing lower payments, you fund almost no equity for even more of the initial years of the mortgage." — David Pakman [00:30]
• "If it's a 50 year loan, your monthly payment only goes down 250 bucks... And over the entire course of that loan, you'd end up paying almost $1.3 million for that $500,000 house." — Pat [01:55]

Memorable Moment:
David recounts Laura Ingraham's interview with Trump, highlighting his apparent lack of understanding about standard mortgage terms:

• "He's not going to be able to come up with reasonable ideas." — David Pakman [02:47]

2. Gender Inequality in Podcast Hosting and Guest Selection

• Study Cited: The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s report on Spotify's top 100 podcasts found two-thirds are male-hosted; three-quarters of guests are male. The disparity is especially acute in genres like business, tech, sports, fitness, and comedy.
• Reflection on Their Own Show:
  • The David Pakman Show has faced similar guest pitch imbalances; most offered guests are men, requiring a proactive approach to ensure gender diversity.
  • Audience gender ratios vary by platform (TikTok and Instagram are closer to 50/50).

Notable Quotes:

• "If you just sit back and accept the guests that are pitched to you... not only would this be a male hosted show, most of our guests would be male as well." — David Pakman [05:12]

• "Men are dominating in certain categories and women in others... Is there something that we have to solve when it comes to this?" — Pat [06:05]

• Broader Analysis:

  • David and Pat discuss whether inequality based on interest or structural discrimination should be addressed universally, or only in domains where representation is intrinsically significant (e.g., the U.S. Senate).
  • David draws analogies to other imbalanced fields (e.g., longshoremen) and points out that the expectation for equal gender ratios isn’t applied universally.

Notable Quotes:

• "When I look at the Senate as an example... That, to me, does seem like a problem." — David Pakman [07:07]
• "Politics is one of the few things that we should try to reach some sort of 50/50 ratio... because it inherently has to do with representation." — Pat [08:22]

3. The Supreme Court and Mail-in Ballot Grace Periods

• Context: The Supreme Court is set to hear a challenge regarding state laws that count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day, even if they arrive later.
• Republican Arguments: Push for stricter deadlines under the Uniform Election Day notion, potentially disenfranchising late-arriving ballots.
• Pakman’s Principle: The core of the issue is whether voters should be penalized for postal delays beyond their control; he compares this to in-person votes processed late due to staff or machine issues.

Notable Quotes:

• "If election day is election day and you fill in and submit your ballot by that day, submitting might be sticking it into the machine in person or it might be sticking it into the mail slot. I think you've done your part and you voted by election day." — David Pakman [11:45]
• "Republicans want to make this rule change so that they can disenfranchise those people who are waiting till the last minute." — Pat [12:49]

Memorable Analogy:
David draws a parallel to vote-counting delays at polling stations, arguing against retroactively invalidating votes due to administrative lag:

• "We would all, I think, agree — hold on a second... The fact that it took someone else longer to count it doesn't mean we disenfranchise everybody who voted after six, for example." — David Pakman [13:17]

4. Adam Kinzinger Interview Reflections

• Highlights from the Interview:
  • Pakman appreciated Kinzinger’s candid admission that he may return to public office and his openness about shifting political alignments.
  • Kinzinger indicated he is, for now, more closely aligned with Democrats, although he still differs on some issues.

Notable Quotes:

• "When I asked him if he has aspirations to return to elected office, he goes, yeah, I kind of do... And it was interesting that he also said... I don't think I'll ever vote Republican again." — David Pakman [15:09]
• "He said there are things he would disagree with the average Democrat about, but that he does see himself really as more aligned at this point with the Democratic Party." — David Pakman [15:47]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "It actually creates a snowball debt effect because people... believe they can afford more expensive houses." — David Pakman [00:30]
• "Over the entire course of that loan, you'd end up paying almost $1.3 million for that $500,000 house." — Pat [02:17]
• "He's not going to be able to come up with reasonable ideas." — David Pakman, on Trump [02:47]
• "If you just sit back and accept the guests that are pitched to you... most of our guests would be male as well." — David Pakman [05:12]
• "Politics is one of the few things that we should try to reach some sort of 50/50 ratio... because it inherently has to do with representation." — Pat [08:22]
• "If election day is election day and you... submit your ballot by that day... I think you've done your part." — David Pakman [11:45]
• "Republicans want to make this rule change so that they can disenfranchise those people who are waiting till the last minute." — Pat [12:49]
• "We would all, I think, agree... The fact that it took someone else longer to count it doesn't mean we disenfranchise everybody who voted after six, for example." — David Pakman [13:17]
• "He said... he does see himself really as more aligned at this point with the Democratic Party." — David Pakman, about Adam Kinzinger [15:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 50-Year Mortgage Plan & White House Response: [00:00] – [03:57]
• Gender Disparities in Podcasting: [03:57] – [09:28]
• Supreme Court Mail-in Ballots Case: [09:28] – [14:57]
• Adam Kinzinger Interview Reflections: [14:57] – [16:10]

Summary Tone

Pakman maintains his signature balance of sharp, fact-based analysis and conversational wit. He and Pat bring nuance to debates, are unafraid to acknowledge complexities, and solicit audience perspectives, all while staying rooted in progressive principles. The episode is both informative and engaging for listeners interested in current events, media, and politics.