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You know, Joe, all these years I've been doing this, there have been elections that the candidate of my choice didn't win. And you know what? I didn't go out there and start singing. I didn't start saying F them, F them. I didn't go out there and say we're the resistance, a constitutional crisis. No, you know what? I pointed out their flaws and fought for better ideas.
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Then as Donald Trump talks about conquering Gaza or just taking Gaza and occupying it and forcing all the Palestinians to go into countries that are not agreeing to accept Palestinians and engage in this horrific ethnic cleansing. And Trump's bragging about it and calling it a real estate deal, Fox is trying to get its viewers to be like, yeah, let's do it. So they have Jesse Waters who's like their xenophobe in chief and he starts saying, look, that what makes Palestinians such a threat is that they have far more babies than the people in Israel. Here. Just play this clip. Let's play it.
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But this, this population in Palestine is hostile. It's uneducated. It's even more radicalized than they were at the beginning of this. I mean, now they have no homes at all. They're even more hateful of the Israelis and their birth rate is explosive. The average Palestinian woman has five and a half babies. The average Israeli woman has only two and a half babies. So demographically, they're a threat, not to mention the national security threat. There is no way you can have these two peoples living side by side. Interesting.
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All right, so then they move on to this issue of impoundment, right? This, this is what Donald Trump and his regime is setting up for before the Supreme Court by trying to cut off all government funding to essentially all of the agencies they don't like, which is basically all of the agencies. Impoundment. It is what it sounds like. Trump wants to impound, take the funds that Congress appropriated and keep it for himself. Rule like a dictator. So he gets to decide where it goes. So Fox is starting to talk about. And by, by the way, where do you think it goes? Probably to, he said it, a sovereign wealth fund for him and Elon Musk to buy things for him and Elon Musk. So Trump could rule like a Saddam Hussein or Kim Jong Un or a Vladimir Putin or MbS in Saudi Arabia. I mean, that's what they're saying. That's what Donald Trump wants. So Ted Cruz then goes on Fox and he says the quiet part out loud. He goes, well, I think the Trump administration, they're teeing up a challenge to bring back impoundment. Okay, first off, what do you mean, bring it back? It's unlawful, it's violative of the law here. But play this clip.
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Listen, what President Trump and Elon Musk are doing is they are trying to rein in the out of control spending. And in terms of the Constitution, there is a long history of presidents exercising a power called impoundment. As you know, I do a podcast every week called Verdict with Ted Cruz. Yesterday's podcast does a deep dive explaining what Trump and Elon are doing. But you look at impoundment, Thomas Jefferson first exercised impoundment in 1801. And I think the Trump administration is teeing up a legal challenge to bring back impoundment to turn around spending and debt. And that's a very good thing for American taxpayers.
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So that was one of the messages that they wanted out today. Right? I mean, they have to. Message number one, there shouldn't be opposition. Let's all just kind of get along and let him do it, do his thing. Right? Because Fox knows that resistance is growing. There's protests that are happening. Corporate media is covering it up. We're, we're addressing it here. The other thing is we got to justify Donald Trump saying he's got to conquer Palestinians. So let's just talk about that. They give birth to too many babies, right? So then they do that. Then impoundment boom. They bring on Russ Vote, architect of Project 2025, who runs the Office of Management and Budget for Donald Trump. And here he talks about impoundment again. Here, play this clip.
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If Congress says, build a BR for a billion dollars, and Mr. Trump says, no, no, I can do it cheaper at 500 million, why not impound the unused 500 million? Well, look, Larry, you know, the President has recognized that 200 years of presidents had the ability to impound funds. And as a result, we're able to do a far better job of being able to control costs. And what we see at the end of fiscal year is agencies have the normal bureaucracy approach to use it or lose it. But what the Impoundment Control act does is come on and say, look, if you're trying to save money in the end of the fourth quarter and do things smartly, oh, my gosh, that's something that is a violation of the Impoundment Control Act. And what we see at the end of the fourth quarter is flat screen TVs and copy machines in the halls of every agency because they're just trying to push it out the door. The President is well aware of the authority that other presidents have had, and he has put forward on the campaign trail ideas on that front. We don't have anything to announce today, but this is certainly something. He's well aware of, the power that should exist with the executive branch.
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So then Fox has to pivot to their next message, which is that this is, by the way, all out of the fascist playbook. You see, I'm going through the fascist playbook right now, one by one. So then they have to go to Donald Trump needs to defy court orders because Republican courts, Democrat courts, meaning judges who have been appointed by Democratic presidents, judges who have been appointed by Republican presidents, including judges appointed by Donald Trump. They've ruled against Trump over and over and over again. Trump keeps losing in court. So as he keeps losing. And these judges are issuing nationwide injunctions because what Trump is doing is so unlawful. Now they attack the judges. So now Fox pushes the message, okay, these judges are defying the Constitution and we should start not following what courts do.
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Watch, these judges are getting silly I don't know how and when this is going to be resolved, but there's a certain, you know, it's a preposterous notion that political appointees can't see it. And that says it's preposterous that outsiders or now employees of the government like Elon Musk can't do their job and search for fraud. I do not understand this. And I think a lot of people are scratching their heads. Russia, well, it defies common sense. It defies the Constitution. But the reality is this has been a key pillar of the Democrats administrative state. And one of their principles is that career individuals and not political appointees are the ones that they want to rely on making decisions and shielding those of us who are political appointees from the actual information that we need to make decisions based on what the President would do if he was in our shoes. And you can't do that if you don't have access to the information and you don't have the tools at your disposal to make sure everything's going across your desk that you need to know to be a sound representative of the President. Yeah, I mean, it seems to me an intrusion into presidential authority and executive authority.
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Just enacting your agenda and looking for waste is now something that requires a nationwide injunction to stop. Congress has got to step in on this nationwide injunction issue. I think that should be, that's like right up there with election integrity. Well, let's keep in mind, I've got to be quick here. The president beat lawfare when it was going after him when he was a candidate. The President's going to beat this. In my opinion, yes. I think he should take a page out of Andrew Jackson's playbook at some point. J.D. vance is right. When J.D. said, Hold on, you can't have a judge step in when the President is exercising his constitutional authority. Imagine if A judge said, Mr. President, as commander in chief, you can't bomb this particular city or this certain area. You can't do that. You got to give the President the ability to be the chief executive. I hope we'll continue to do that. Congress, by the way, we need to make his executive orders permanent. We need to pass laws to back up his agenda. We need them quickly to do that. And then we can stand behind the President. But the President's right to say he'll follow the law. But the Constitution matters too, and he could do his job.
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And then they bring in Cruella, I mean, Alina Haba. And Alina Haba goes, there's a separation of powers for a reason. The executive branch is the ultimate authority on federal issues. Of course, you can see the internal contradiction right there. The separation of powers means that there are three CO/ government. Let me repeat that because I know MAGA has gutted civics. 3 co. Equal branches of government. The executive branch, Congress, the House of Representative and the Senate, two chambers, and the judiciary. Under the judiciary, there is judicial review, where federal courts with the highest level, the Supreme Court, rules on the constitutionality of acts, Executive branch acts. They interpret the Constitution and make sure that things are conforming to it. But now, what Alina Haba saying here is that the separation of powers means that the executive branch has ultimate authority. That's literally the opposite of separation of powers. Co. Equal. Co Equal. Equal. Played this clip.
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Creation of powers. It's a really novel idea, but our founding fathers created a document, the Constitution. There's a separation of powers for a reason. The executive branch is the ultimate authority on federal issues. And we have rogue judges who are trying to stop members like Doge Team Besant from doing their job. And that's to protect taxpayer dollars, to look at what we're doing with spending, and to run the federal government under President Trump. So here's what.
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And then here is Alina Haba again. And here she attacks Democratic Congress member Ted Lou for saying that court order should be followed. And Alina Hop is like, ha, this guy's not a lawyer. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Democratic Congress member Ted Lou went to the law school that I went to, Georgetown University Law Center. He was the editor of Law Review. He was a lawyer in the military with the Jaguar. He was a member of jag. He received lots of distinguished honors for his job as an advocate in the military. He was an accomplished lawyer, unlike Alina Haba, who was, no offense to parking lot lawyers, because then there may be some good parking lot lawyers out there, but that doesn't qualify them to be doing this at the White House. I'm sure parking lot lawyers would agree. Yeah, we'll just stick to the parking lots. She was a parking lot lawyer who basically lost all of Donald Trump's cases, and then Donald Trump elevated her to the top, and now she's his main advisor. Play this clip.
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Every president, including Donald Trump, in his.
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First term, comply with court orders.
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If this administration is going to start ignoring court orders, they're essentially eliminating entire judicial branch, because why even have judges if you're not going to follow their court orders? So we expect this administration to follow the court orders. And then what JD Vance said was just clearly insane. If he really wants to eliminate the third branch of government, government, I think there's gonna be enormous pushback from both Republicans and Democrats. What's your legal take on these arguments, Elena? What a spin, Martha. What a spin. That guy should get a degree in spinning. Number one, he's probably not a lawyer because that made zero sense to me. Number.
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All right, so you see the different things that Fox is doing, right? Attack the Palestinians, attack the courts, promote impoundment, say there shouldn't be opposition. Now let's add just some spicy propaganda. Let's just start talking about Gulf of America. America, right. Let's just, let's fire up our Fox base. America. Here, play this clip.
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American energy production, Larry. Finally opening up from the Gulf of America in my district all the way up to Anwar and Alaska and every point in between, America is ready to produce more energy.
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All right, and now it's the evening hour. So what do you do on Fox after doing all of those things that I just mentioned? Fear. Fear. You gotta scare your viewer. You gotta scare him. So how do you scare him? Bring on Tom Holman, who looks pretty scary in and of itself. But he goes, and again, he's the border czar. It's like a made up position. And he goes, I don't sleep well at night because I'm afraid of the people walking the streets here. Play this clip.
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I'm taking this seriously. I don't sleep well at night because I'm afraid of the people that are walking the streets here every day because sanctuary cities will protect them. Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals, bottom line. So we're going to do everything we can to find them regardless of what it takes. We got a strong president in the White House that's giving us all the authority we need. We're coming.
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Let's think about it. He's saying that he doesn't sleep well at night. He's afraid to walk around the country because of the people walking the streets. That he doesn't want to walk. That he's. The borders are so alpha. So alpha. I'm being sarcastic. Hit subscribe. Help us get to 4 million subscribers. Thanks for watching and have a great day. Can't get enough Midas? Check out the Midas plus substack for ad. Free articles, reports, podcasts, daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski and more. Sign up for free now@midasplus.com Marketing is hard, but I'll tell you a little secret. It doesn't have to be. Let me point something out. You're listening to a podcast right now and it's great.
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You love the host.
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The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Fox News in Complete Panic as Trump Screws Them"
Release Date: February 12, 2025
Host(s): Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Episode Title: Fox News in Complete Panic as Trump Screws Them
In this compelling episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the Meiselas brothers—Ben, Brett, and Jordy—delve into the tumultuous relationship between former President Donald Trump and Fox News. Titled "Fox News in Complete Panic as Trump Screws Them," the episode explores the intricate dynamics of media support, political maneuvering, and the broader implications for American democracy. Through insightful discussions, clips, and sharp analysis, the brothers shed light on how Trump's actions are unsettling Fox News, challenging their editorial stance, and disrupting their traditional support mechanisms.
The episode opens with the brothers asserting that Fox News is experiencing significant turmoil due to Trump's increasingly provocative rhetoric. According to them, Fox News is in a “spiral” as Trump continues to make “dangerous and psychotic” statements. The hosts argue that Fox feels compelled to protect Trump, leading to biased reporting that aligns with his agenda.
Notable Quote:
Brett (At 00:31): "Fox is just in a spiral right now as Donald Trump keeps saying more dangerous and psychotic things. Fox has to be state-run regime media. They got a cover for him, right?"
The Meiselas brothers highlight Fox News' strategy to downplay opposition to Trump. They suggest that the network is attempting to normalize Trump's actions by minimizing resistance and portraying him as a leader who should be accepted without question.
Notable Quote:
Ben (At 01:33): "All these years I've been doing this, there have been elections that the candidate of my choice didn't win... I pointed out their flaws and fought for better ideas."
A significant portion of the discussion centers around Trump's attempts to impound federal funds—a move the brothers describe as authoritarian. They explain that impoundment involves the president withholding funds appropriated by Congress, thereby gaining unilateral control over federal spending.
Notable Quotes:
Brett (At 03:13): "Trump wants to impound, take the funds that Congress appropriated and keep it for himself. Rule like a dictator."
Ben (At 04:26): "President Trump and Elon Musk are trying to rein in out-of-control spending... He has put forward on the campaign trail ideas on that front."
The brothers critique Fox News for supporting Trump's impoundment efforts, arguing that it undermines democratic checks and balances.
The episode delves into the friction between Trump and the judiciary. The Meiselas brothers assert that Trump’s disregard for court orders is an attempt to erode the judicial branch’s authority, likening his actions to those of authoritarian leaders.
Notable Quotes:
Brett (At 06:48): "Trump is trying to eliminate the entire judicial branch because why even have judges if you're not going to follow their court orders?"
Ben (At 07:42): "The separation of powers means that there are three co-equal branches of government... But now, what Alina Haba is saying here is that the executive branch has ultimate authority. That's literally the opposite of separation of powers."
The brothers emphasize the importance of maintaining judicial independence and criticize Fox News for promoting narratives that encourage Trump to defy legal norms.
Another focal point is Fox News' coverage of Trump's foreign policy, specifically regarding Gaza and Palestine. The hosts argue that Fox is attempting to justify Trump's controversial stance by framing Palestinians as a demographic and security threat.
Notable Quotes:
Brett (At 01:57): "Trump talks about conquering Gaza... Fox is trying to get its viewers to be like, yeah, let's do it."
Ben (At 02:34): "The average Palestinian woman has five and a half babies. The average Israeli woman has only two and a half babies. So demographically, they're a threat."
The brothers critique this narrative as fearmongering and an attempt to rationalize extreme measures against Palestinians.
The Meiselas brothers analyze how Fox News employs fear to manipulate its audience. By presenting threats—both domestic and international—they aim to instill a sense of urgency and danger, thereby justifying Trump's aggressive policies.
Notable Quotes:
Brett (At 16:52): "I'm afraid of the people walking the streets here every day because sanctuary cities will protect them."
Ben (At 16:08): "American energy production is finally opening up... America is ready to produce more energy."
The hosts argue that such tactics are designed to create a sense of fear, pushing viewers to support Trump’s hardline policies as a means of protection.
Highlighting a recurring theme, the brothers assert that Fox News is following an "authoritarian playbook" by aligning with Trump's attempts to centralize power and undermine democratic institutions. They argue that Fox is facilitating Trump's move towards authoritarianism by suppressing dissent and promoting undemocratic practices.
Notable Quotes:
Brett (At 08:53): "Trump should just rule like a dictator. That's what they're saying here."
Ben (At 15:11): "If this administration starts ignoring court orders, they're essentially eliminating the entire judicial branch."
In wrapping up, the Meiselas brothers express deep concern over the implications of Fox News' alignment with Trump's authoritarian tendencies. They stress the importance of media responsibility in upholding democratic values and warn against the dangers of media entities supporting undemocratic actions.
Final Notable Quotes:
Ben (At 15:11): "We expect this administration to follow the court orders. If he really wants to eliminate the third branch of government, there's gonna be enormous pushback from both Republicans and Democrats."
Brett (At 17:12): "He's the border czar... sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals, bottom line."
The episode serves as a critical examination of the symbiotic relationship between media and political power, urging listeners to remain vigilant in preserving democratic integrity.
Media Complicity: Fox News is portrayed as being in a state of panic due to Trump’s unpredictable actions, leading to biased coverage that favors his agenda.
Authoritarian Tendencies: Trump's attempts to impound funds and defy judicial rulings are likened to authoritarian playbooks, with Fox News complicit in supporting these moves.
Fearmongering: The use of fear tactics, particularly concerning immigration and foreign threats, is a strategic move by Fox News to manipulate viewer perception and justify aggressive policies.
Separation of Powers Undermined: The episode underscores the critical role of judicial independence and warns against efforts to erode the checks and balances fundamental to American democracy.
Call to Action: The brothers advocate for media accountability and encourage listeners to critically evaluate the information presented by major news outlets.
The MeidasTouch Podcast episode "Fox News in Complete Panic as Trump Screws Them" offers a thorough and incisive critique of Fox News’ coverage of Donald Trump. Through a blend of factual analysis and compelling commentary, Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas highlight the troubling implications of media alignment with political power, emphasizing the need for an informed and vigilant citizenry to safeguard democratic principles.