The Rob Carson Show
Episode: "Free Groceries & Flowing Sewage"
Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Rob Carson (Newsmax)
Episode Overview
On this episode, Rob Carson dives humorously and critically into recent failures of progressive policies in major Democrat-run cities and states, focusing on the abrupt closure of a "free grocery store" in New York City and a massive sewage spill in the Potomac River. Carson connects these events to broader topics such as mismanaged budgets, soaring taxes, government corruption, and the outflow of citizens from blue states. Also featured: a dose of musical parody, political satire, and pointed critiques of the Democratic party’s strategies at national and state levels.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Collapse of the Free Grocery Store (NYC)
- "Socialist paradise" fails fast: Carson mocks the free grocery initiative spearheaded by Zoran Mamdani, noting it lasted less than a week, not the six months he'd cynically predicted.
- Quote [01:00]: “I expected it would last six months. It lasted a... This is so delicious. Oh, my God. This is better than, I don’t know, crumble cookies.” – Rob Carson
- Underlying critique: He reiterates Margaret Thatcher’s line, “socialism succeeds until you run out of other people’s money,” tying the store’s failure to wider issues with progressive fiscal policies.
- Impact on public trust: Carson claims even Democrat voters are starting to question leadership: “Democrats in New York are realizing what a crap hole that they've made New York.”
2. Sewage Disaster in Washington, D.C.
- Raw sewage in the Potomac: Highlights 200 million gallons spilled, with Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore deflecting blame onto Donald Trump.
- Quote [03:30]: “He's blaming Donald Trump for the spillage while Donald Trump's trying to... end the war... flatten inflation... bring $18 trillion new investment... And Wes Moore says that, oh, no, he's responsible for our sh too.”
- Diversity, Equity & Feces Satire: Carson satirizes a DC Water manager’s focus on organizational diversity, facetiously linking the color of feces to hiring policies.
- Quote [04:00]: “Why should [DC Water] have so many white people when feces is brown?” – Rob Carson (parodying DC Water manager)
- Environmental and public health concerns: River keepers, fish kills, local warnings – all mostly ignored by officials and media.
3. Parody & Musical Satire
- Musical interlude: Carson shares a satirical song about the Potomac River disaster and Governor Moore’s incompetence.
- Memorable lyric [07:30]: “Potomac’s a disaster. Westmore is the problem. Sewage keeps on flowing, yeah it’s spilling, spilling, spilling in the river.”
4. Democrat Policies, Budget Gaps & Tax Hikes
- NYC property and wealth tax dilemma: Zoran Mamdani proposes either a wealth tax or a 9.5% property tax hike, prompting outcry even among traditional allies.
- Critique of political promises and leadership: Carson suggests Mamdani will inevitably betray campaign promises, targeting both rich and middle-class homeowners.
- Quote [15:50]: “He’s not going to fulfill any of the promises that he promised. Everything is nonsense.”
5. Urban Decay & Quality of Life Decline
- Snow and Trash: Observes snow left unshoveled and garbage piled in NYC, likening city governance to “giving the keys to the first grader driving the school bus.”
- NYC vs Other Cities: Compares Maryland’s polluted river with New York's dirty streets, as emblematic of Democrat-led urban dysfunction.
6. Outmigration from Blue States
- Data and sarcasm: Carson points out that the states people are fleeing (NY, CA, WA) are Democrat-run, while growth is seen in Republican-run states with lower taxes.
- Quote [19:40]: “Every time that socialism wins in a city, people leave. Every time socialism wins in a state, people leave.”
7. Voter ID and Democratic Shifts
- Double standards: Points out Chuck Schumer’s shift from demanding ID (“driver’s license and Social Security card”) to opposing voter ID, claiming it’s about enabling illegal voting.
- Quote [12:00]: “If Democrats didn’t have double standards, they’d have no standards at all.”
8. “Death Spiral” of Progressive Fiscal Policy
- Washington State’s Budget Woes: Massive spending, tax hikes on ‘millionaires’, raiding of pension funds, and constitutional end runs.
- Quote [47:02]: “If this were a private corporation, yeah, we’d be screaming bloody murder that they were raiding their employees’ pension funds.”
9. California Corruption & Fiscal Fraud
- Steve Hilton’s audit project reveals $250 billion in fraud: Not enough spent on homelessness or infrastructure; “fraud industrial complex.”
- Quote [55:00]: “Our estimate is that the total amount of fraud in California [is] $250 billion.”
- Newsom’s delusions: Contrasts official boasting (“fourth largest economy in the world”) with citizens actually fleeing the state.
- Quote [57:30]: “More people leaving a state, California... Good luck with that.”
10. Callers & Audience Engagement
- Caller Ann from Annapolis: Bemoans Maryland’s corruption and the enrichment of politicians in both parties beyond their public salaries.
- Quote [41:20]: “Everyone sees the corruption, and it’s just amazing... they all live way, way above what their means are.”
- Carson’s response: “We gotta drain the swamp. And what did they do? We started draining the swamp. They filled it up with crap.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------------|-------| | 01:00 | Rob Carson | “I expected [the free grocery store] would last six months. It lasted a... This is so delicious. Oh, my God. This is better than, I don’t know, crumble cookies.” | | 03:30 | Rob Carson | “He's blaming Donald Trump for the spillage while Donald Trump's trying to... bring $18 trillion new investment... And Wes Moore says that, oh, no, he's responsible for our sh too.” | | 04:00 | Rob Carson (as DC Water mgr) | “Why should [DC Water] have so many white people when feces is brown?” | | 07:30 | Musical Parody | “Potomac’s a disaster. Westmore is the problem. Sewage keeps on flowing, yeah it’s spilling, spilling, spilling in the river.” | | 12:00 | Rob Carson | “If Democrats didn’t have double standards, they’d have no standards at all.” | | 15:50 | Rob Carson | “He’s not going to fulfill any of the promises that he promised. Everything is nonsense.” | | 19:40 | Rob Carson | “Every time that socialism wins in a city, people leave. Every time socialism wins in a state, people leave.” | | 41:20 | Ann (Caller) | “Everyone sees the corruption, and it’s just amazing... they all live way, way above what their means are.” | | 55:00 | Steve Hilton | “Our estimate is that the total amount of fraud in California [is] $250 billion.” |
Segment Timestamps (approximate)
- 00:00-02:00 – Intro; Manhattan’s free grocery store debacle
- 02:00-07:00 – Potomac River sewage spill; DC Water leadership controversy
- 07:00-10:00 – Musical parody: “Spilling in the River”
- 10:00-18:00 – NYC’s tax threats, budget holes, and failed progressive promises
- 18:00-22:00 – Urban decay in NYC: garbage, snow, mobility
- 22:00-26:00 – Rob Schmidt clip: Mamdani’s backpedaling; property tax hikes
- 26:00-33:00 – National view: why citizens are fleeing blue states, voter ID hypocrisy
- 33:00-42:00 – Caller Ann on Maryland/US corruption, political self-enrichment
- 42:00-48:00 – Washington State's pension raiding, millionaire tax, infrastructure failings
- 48:00-59:00 – California’s budget fraud, homelessness, Newsom’s talking points vs reality
- 59:00-end – Show wrap; further blue state woes, tease for hour two
Tone & Takeaway
The tone throughout is biting, sarcastic, and irreverent, blending political commentary with parody and robust listener engagement. Carson mocks what he sees as the inevitable failure of progressive solutions, painting a bleak (and comedic) picture of Democrat-run local and state governments in fiscal and ethical crisis. For listeners, this episode provides both entertainment and a pointed, polemical take on recent political and cultural news.