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Host
What is Dadication?
Father
The thing that drives me every day as a dad is Dariona. We call him Dae Dae for short. Every day he's hungry for something, whether it's attention, affection, knowledge. And there's this huge responsibility in making sure that when he's no longer under my wing that he's a good person. I want him to be able to sit back one day and go, we worked together. We did a good job.
Narrator
That's Dadication. Find out more@fatherhood.gov brought to you by the U.S. department of Health and Human.
Host
Services and the Ad Council.
Political Analyst
Wow.
Host
So all hell was breaking loose in the Senate, which barely passed the disastrous budget bill reconciliation package. It's now back with the House of Representatives. Since the Senate version is different than the House version, let me give a few data points of what's going down in the Senate. The disastrous budget bill was deadlocked at a 5050 tie, 50 in favor, 50 against, with MAGA Republican Senators Collins, Tillis, and Paul voting against the disastrous budget bill. So Vice President J.D. vance had to break the tie. So it became 51 to 50. That's how the disastrous budget bill passed. MAGA Republican senator from Alaska who pretends not to be a MAGA Republican senator but pretends to be a moderate. Lisa Murkowski voted in favor of the disastrous budget bill. She could have killed the budget bill. But get this. Murkowski told reporters after she voted for the disastrous budget bill that she didn't like what she voted for. She wants the House of Representatives to send the disastrous budget bill back to the Senate with changes to continue work. So she voted for something she didn't like, and now she says she wants the House to bail her out. And remember my reporting on what the House said. Lots of members of the House said they didn't like the budget bill that they voted on and wanted the Senate to bail them out. The Senate, may it worse, cut more Medicaid, added more to our national debt, and now they want to be bailed out by the House as Donald Trump is out there saying, don't worry, I'm not touching your Medicaid. No tax on Social Security, which is not even in the freaking bill. Direct quote from Lisa Murkowski, quote, my hope is that the House is going to look at this and recognize that we're not there yet. A point that really doesn't matter to me of any moment because I care about the 15 million people who are going to lose their Medicaid, people who are going to lose Medicare, people who are going to lose a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other things. The bill is no longer being officially called Big beautiful bill, which is a stupid name also for it because Chuck Schumer struck the name and the name got removed. But you know, at the end of the day, I care less what it's it's a stupid name no matter what. This is a murder bill that is killing Americans now. Ralph Norman, MAGA Republican Congress member from South Carolina, is telling reporters that based on what he knows about the Senate bill, it is a nonstarter and he will vote against it. He's on the Rules Committee, which is meeting now. We'll see what he does. We this is the shtick that the MAGA Republicans always do where they claim they're going to vote against it and they end up voting for it. When Donald Trump calls him up and is like, I'm going to primary you. I'm going to make sure you don't win election, all right, Daddy Trump, do whatever we want, Daddy Trump. It's so stupid. Lisa Des Jardins writes, norman told me repeatedly that the House needs time to read the bill going the way it's going. I don't see how we pass it this Friday. Norman told the reporter, I don't know why we would rush this. Well, you're going to rush it because your cult leader, your dear leader, Donald Trump, is telling you to rush it because he wants it passed before July 4th. The less people discuss the terms, the easier it is to pass, apparently, because then all of the disastrous provisions won't be analyzed or discussed. MAGA Republican MAGA Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House says the following. The House will work quickly to pass the one big beautiful bill that enacts Trump's full America first agenda by the Fourth of July. The American people gave us a clear mandate and after four years of Democrat failure, we intend to deliver without delay. Explain to me the failure where we had record job growth, record low unemployment, America was leading the world in GDP. Yes, inflation was up, but it was hitting 2%. It was going down with actual affirmative steps taken by Democrats and Biden, like the Inflation Reduction Act. We had stable fiscal policy, interest rates were being cut. The reason inflation was up because Donald Trump did the disastrous budget bill, a small version of it, his first time in office. And then he printed money recklessly during COVID when he gave handouts to all of his buddies and that caused $8 trillion to be added to our debt. That's what happened. And then that caused inflation. Then it had to be dealt with. And now they're going to cause massive. They're already caused a significant inflation. It's up to 2% core inflation in May. And here's what's going down now, folks.
Political Analyst
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Host
You have Vice President Vance. This is the moment where he cast the tie breaking vote to move the disastrous budget bill forward again. Now the House has to pass the Senate version. If they make changes, it goes back to the Senate. Reconciliation, the word reconcile. They have to be reconciled together. Here's Vance breaking the tie. Play this clip. On this vote, the yeas are 50, the nays are 50. The Senate being evenly divided, the Vice President votes in the affirmative. The bill as amended is passed. And now throughout the day we saw Elon Musk attacking the disastrous budget bill, saying that it would destroy the United States of America. So the MAGA darling Elon Musk, who they all said is the smartest person ever, his algorithms have figured it all out, right? That's what MAGA Republicans were saying about this guy. Here's what Elon Musk posts. It's a picture of Pinocchio that says liar. Anyone who campaigned on the promise of reducing spending but continues to vote on the biggest debt ceiling increase in history will see their face on this poster in the primary next year. And the poster is Pinocchio. It says liar voted to increase America's debt by $5 trillion. Musk then writes, every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame and they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing on earth that I do. Then Justin Amash writes, please support Thomas Massie, MAGA Republican. The establishment is working to primary him because he's a genuine fiscal conservative and opposes the big bloated scam. Musk then says, I will. And then Trump responds, new poll. I don't know which poll this is. Anybody I endorse beats Thomas Massie of Kentucky by 25 points. Get ready. Massie is a very bad guy because he's one of the MAGA Republicans who don't support the two. Doesn't support the disastrous budget bill. Donald Trump. After hearing that Elon Musk was attacking the disastrous budget bill on a number of grounds, Donald Trump threatens to deport Elon Musk and have Doge go after Elon Musk. This is exactly what we see in and oligarchies across the world where the regime uses the oligarchs at first, but then when the oligarchs fall in disfavor, they're one of the first people the regime goes after. Here, play this clip the rest.
Narrator
We got a lot of hostages back, but we're going to talk about that. I don't know. I think we'll have to take a look. We might have to put Doge on Elon, you know. You know, Doge is. Doge is the monster that has to. That might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn't that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies, Peter. But Elon's very upset that the EV mandate is going to be terminated. And you know what? When you look at it, who wants. Not everybody wants an electric car. I don't want an electric car. I want to have baby gasoline. Maybe electric, maybe a hybrid, maybe someday a hydrogen. If you have a hydrogen car, it has one problem, it blows up, you know. So I'm going to give that one to Peter. Going to let Peter.
Host
A reporter asked Donald Trump more questions about Elon Musk. And here's what Trump says. Play this clip into this bill again. Are you concerned that Republicans are going to be swayed by Musk and his money?
Narrator
No, I don't think so. I think what's going to happen is Doge is going to look at Musk, and if those looks at Musk, we're going to save a fortune. Thank you very much, everybody. I don't think he should be playing that game with me.
Host
Guidelines. Donald Trump has been posting on social media as well about Elon Musk. Donald Trump says Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa if we investigated him. No more rocket launches, satellites or electric production and our country would save a fortune. Perhaps we should have Doge take a good hard look at this. Big money to be saved. By the way, doesn't this also undermine the very purpose of Doge and prove that Doge was being used by Musk in order to help Musk? I mean, this cluster f, you know what I'm talking about here is just exposing all of these people as just complete and total liars and complete and total frauds right now. But the bottom line is, who's suffering? We the people are suffering and talking about the big frauds out there. I mean, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, her focus, and I understand she represents Alaska, which has less than 800,000 people who live in Alaska. I care deeply about the people live in Alaska. I think Alaska is a beautiful state. But I think if you spoke to a lot of people in Alaska and said, hey, you may have some of your supplemental nutrition assistance saved and you may get health care, but you are going to do that at the expense of having Americans get killed in other states because they're going to lose Medicaid because they're trying to figure out special Alaska carve outs to get Lisa Murkowski's vote. So you may survive, but your survival is at the death of, of other Americans. Go and ask Alaskans. I think, and I may be naive, that the people of Alaska would not want to see others die. They'd want to see them get the health care and the SNAP and other essential services and other Americans get essential service. Why are we pitting Americans against Americans? That's Trump's tactic. And here it's Alaska over blue states. That's how they see things right here. Here was Lisa Murkowski back on April 17, 2025, where she, she's afraid to vote against Trump because she fears retaliation. You could hear her in her own words saying, here, play this clip.
Lisa Murkowski
And I'll tell you, I oftentimes very anxious myself about, about using my voice because retaliation is real.
Host
Now here is Murkowski saying that Trump engages in authoritarian acts. This was an interview she did a little while ago. Play this clip.
Lisa Murkowski
I think the comment that I made was, you know, is it being authoritarian or is it Trump being Trump? I think we are seeing authoritarian acts.
Host
Is there a red line for you?
Lisa Murkowski
I have told people that when it comes to legislating, I don't like to advertise what my red line is because I've got to negotiate. Right. But I think that when you have clearly overstepped that rule of law, when you have defiantly pushed back on the Supreme Court as a president and said I'm going to disregard that, I think those are red lines.
Host
And here's Murkowski on the floor of the, of the Alaska, of Alaska's legislature. And here's what she says about the Trump regime as well. Play this clip.
Donald Trump
Quite honestly, I've been stunned by a turn of events that that would would appear that we might abandon Ukraine and collapse long standing alliances from NATO to norad. And then we've got two close neighbors here in Alaska. We got Russia over here, we've got Canada over here. How we came to a place where we're fighting now with Canada and we're making nice with Russia, it just is beyond me. And as long as we've got to send up fighter jets to chase off Russian bear bombers from our addies.
Lisa Murkowski
I'm.
Donald Trump
Not going to trust Putin here and I'm not going to be quiet about it. I'm going to stand up and say so. Thank you.
Host
Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to incessantly lie about the budget bill. He claims it has no tax on Social Security, which is not in there, by the way, the no tax on tips provision that expires pretty soon. So it's like temporary. And the exemptions and how it's framed, it's providing really no major material benefit as well. It's just a gimmick that's put in there. And the fact that someone who's likely earning their living based on tips, they're going to get screwed by probably losing their health care and they're going to get screwed through the other aspects of this and they'll get screwed vis a vis the billionaires who are going to be the ones getting billions of dollars in benefits as a result of this disastrous budget bill. But here, Donald Trump is just lying and saying no, this bill doesn't even talk about Medicaid at all. Nothing about it when it absolutely does. He is a liar about every single thing here. Play the clip. Concerns about the Medicaid though, cuts though.
Narrator
No, no, we're not going to be playing with Medicaid, only waste run. Yeah, the Democrats have it wrong. Yeah, waste, fraud and abuse. In fact, if you look at what's gone on, we've gone way back. We take care of Medicaid, we take care of Medicare. They will blow Medicare and Medicaid because they have no idea what they're doing. Just like they don't have any idea what they did on the border. They have no idea. Medicaid is in big trouble with the Democrats.
Host
Anyone who loses their health care coverage, that is because of waste, fraud and.
Narrator
Waste only waste, fraud and abuse, which is what everybody wants. Russia has.
Host
So that's where we are now. So what happens next goes to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee votes on it. Then it goes to a full vote in front of the House. We'll see if there are changes that get added or don't get added. That's what we follow. Now if there are changes that get added, has to go back to the Senate. What we look for in the House now is, you know, you have the so called moderate Republicans which I don't think exist. These moderate Republicans, again, I call them just MAGA Republicans. They now have to tell their constituents that the Senate is cutting even more of Medicaid. And then you have, you know, others as well who say that the Senate made things worse when it comes to increasing the debt ceiling by 5 trillion and, and increasing our debt by trillions of dollars more. We'll keep you posted every step of the way. That's where we're at now. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million. We'll keep you posted.
Political Analyst
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The MeidasTouch Podcast: Episode Summary
Title: All Hell Breaks Loose in Congress After Major Vote
Release Date: July 1, 2025
Host: MeidasTouch Network (Ben, Brett, Jordy Meiselas)
In this episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the Meiselas brothers delve into the tumultuous developments in Congress following the passage of a controversial budget bill. Combining sharp political analysis with their signature humor and brotherly banter, Ben, Brett, and Jordy dissect the implications of the bill, the maneuvers of key political figures, and the broader impact on American democracy.
The episode opens with an in-depth analysis of the Senate's passage of a contentious budget bill, described by the hosts as "disastrous."
Vote Breakdown: The bill faced a deadlock, resulting in a 50-50 tie. Vice President J.D. Vance exercised his constitutional duty to break the tie, tipping the scale to 51-50, thereby securing the bill's passage.
Lisa Murkowski's Controversial Vote: Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, identified as a MAGA Republican masquerading as a moderate, voted in favor of the bill despite personal reservations. Post-vote, she expressed regret and urged the House to revisit the legislation.
The episode highlights the fractious stance of MAGA Republicans amidst the bill's passage.
Ralph Norman's Stance: Congressman Ralph Norman declared the Senate bill a "nonstarter" and indicated opposition, though skepticism remains about his commitment.
Speaker Mike Johnson's Push for Rapid Passage: MAGA Speaker Mike Johnson vows to expedite the bill's passage to fulfill what he claims is the "America First" agenda by Independence Day.
Ben provides a retrospective on economic indicators and fiscal policies, attributing current inflation rates and national debt increases to previous administrations and the newly passed bill.
A significant portion of the episode discusses entrepreneur Elon Musk's vocal criticism of the budget bill and Donald Trump's aggressive response.
Musk's Critique: Musk labels the bill a "liar" enterprise, accusing lawmakers of betraying promises to reduce spending and increasing the national debt by $5 trillion.
Trump's Threats: In retaliation, Trump threatens to deport Musk and utilize the cryptocurrency Doge against him, showcasing authoritarian tendencies.
Host's Commentary: The hosts criticize Trump's threats as emblematic of authoritarian regimes targeting oligarchs once they fall out of favor.
A critical examination of the bill's provisions reveals significant cuts to essential social services, contrary to some public claims.
Host's Concerns: Ben argues that the bill will lead to the loss of Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP benefits for millions, painting it as a "murder bill."
Trump's Contradictions: Despite claims that the bill doesn't affect Medicaid, the transcript reveals provisions that do impact these services.
Narrator's Points: The narrator reinforces the narrative that Medicaid is under threat, attributing mismanagement to Democrats.
The podcast sheds light on Senator Murkowski's apprehensions about opposing Trump, highlighting the potential for authoritarian backlash.
Murkowski's Anxiety: Murkowski admits to feeling anxious about using her voice against the regime due to fears of retaliation.
Authoritarian Acts: She acknowledges witnessing what she perceives as authoritarian behavior from Trump, particularly in his opposition to the Supreme Court's decisions.
The hosts outline the next steps in the legislative process, emphasizing the role of the House Rules Committee and the potential for the bill to return to the Senate for reconciliation if amended.
Host: "What happens next goes to the Rules Committee. Then a full vote in the House. If there are changes, it goes back to the Senate." [17:00]
Potential Amendments: Discussion on how amendments could alter the bill's impact, particularly concerning Medicaid and the national debt.
The episode concludes with the hosts urging listeners to stay informed and engaged as the legislative process unfolds, emphasizing the importance of understanding the bill's ramifications on everyday Americans.
The MeidasTouch Podcast provides a comprehensive and critical examination of the latest congressional developments surrounding the controversial budget bill. Through incisive analysis, the hosts highlight the political maneuverings, the human impact of legislative decisions, and the underlying tensions within the Republican Party. As the situation evolves, the Meiselas brothers commit to keeping their audience informed and engaged.
For more insights and updates, subscribe to The MeidasTouch Podcast and join the MeidasMighty community.