Centered From Reality

Bend the Knee or Risk Your Safety (with Martin Benes)

In part two of his conversation with Martin Benes, Alex and Martin talk about why it is chilling that Trump has removed security protection for Anthony Fauci, Mike Pompeo, and John Bolton. They talk about this is the worst time for Trump to send a message like this as he has pardoned violent criminals, shown militias that he has their backs, and has radicalized some in his movement against people like Fauci. 

Trump Rewarded the Performers (with Martin Benes)

In the first part of Alex’s conversation with Martin Benes, the two allow reality to take the driver’s seat as they talk about everything that has happened over the last week. They talk pardons, J6, hiring freezes in the government, performative deportation, foreign policy blunders, and some desires for people to realize this is bad. They also reflect on John Boehner smoking stooges with Barack Obama. 

Trump Purges Over a Dozen Inspectors Generals & Lab Leak is Back in the News!

In this episode, Alex gives a few quick updates. Trump has purged around 17 inspectors general in the federal government. They are seen as important, nonpartisan watchdogs. Also, Alex talks about how the Lab-Leak Theory is back in the news, after a CIA report has been released stating that it was the most likely cause for the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Little Marco Makes Big Foreign Policy Moves, Trump Strips Security Detail for Fauci & Eric Adams Turns to MAGA (+ Roseanne Barr Spits Bars)

In this episode, Alex laments that Roseanne Barr is featured in a rap song and can’t believe that Trump has only been president for a few days. Then he spends the podcast talking about how Marco Rubio has made some bold (and dangerous) policy decisions in the State Department, how Eric Adams has made an (unsurprising shift towards MAGA), and why it is chilling that Trump has removed security protection for Anthony Fauci, Mike Pompeo, and John Bolton. 

From Carl’s Jr CEO to EU Ambassador, The Stargate Project Builds, Marco Heads to Panama & Project 2025 Has Arrived!

In this episode, Alex tries his best to keep everyone updated on what is going on in the Trump 2.0 Administration. Trump has sent troops to the border, practically threatened disloyal government workers, reassigned nonpartisan national security experts to non related departments, and has rescinded the ability of thousands of approved refugees to come to the country. At the same time, Israel is involved in a new conflict in the West Bank as Marco Rubio is heading to Panama after Trump’s conspiracies over control of the Panama Canal. Alex also talks about the Stargate Project. The Trump Administration is looking to give over $100 billion to OpenAI and Oracle to help build data facilities for AI. These events come as Trump is looking to deregulate the AI field and compete with China. 

The Frog Has Been Boiled: Unpacking the Last 24 Hours

In this episode, after taking a week off of podcasting, Alex tries to make sense of what has happened over the last 24 hours. Since the second inauguration of Donald Trump, he has renamed the Gulf of Mexico, pardoned over 1500 J6 insurrectionists, declared an emergency at the Southern Border, frozen hiring in the federal government, and so much more. Alex argues that the country has changed since 2017, as the Overton Window has surged rightwards. He thinks that we are no longer the frog in boiling water, the frog is dead, it has been cooked, and the water has mostly evaporated. 

Musk’s European Vacation, Biden Misread the Moment & Bizarre Wildfire Theories Hinder Reflection!

In this episode, Alex talks about loneliness and how it can radicalize our politics. Then he talks about some of the crazy theories around the LA fires that try to blame everything from DEI hires to our involvement in Ukraine. Alex thinks that these fires are going to get worse and finger pointing will get in the way of finding public policy solutions. Later, Alex talks about how Elon Musk has headed to Europe to try to put pressure on European governments. After he helped Trump get elected, it seems like he wants to find the same success in Europe. Finally, Alex reacts to an interview Biden did with USA Today and is enraged that he still thinks he could have won the election. He also talks about how Biden failed to realize the moment, failed to recognize that the two parties were facing a political realignment, and that he was a late regime president right before a big change. 

'Hell Fire' in LA

In this episode, Alex focuses on the tragedy and destruction caused by the multiple fires in the Los Angeles area. Dry conditions, rough terrain, the Santa Ana winds, and infrastructural issues have led to historic fires that have destroyed houses and historical locations in the area. Alex talks about the politics of this issue, first hand accounts from friends, and how climate change is clearly driving this issue even if some politicians want to blame California’s leadership.

Selling Greenland: Performative Imperialism, Annexing Canada & Renaming the Gulf of Mexico!

In this episode, Alex talks about Mark Zuckerberg doing a complete 180 in regards to how Meta will deal with disinformation and fact checking. It seems like he is also bending the knee to Trump after calculating the situation. Later, Alex talks about the performative rhetoric of Trump entertaining the ideas of buying (or taking) Greenland, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, Annexing Canada, and taking back the Panama Canal. 

The Coup Makers Won & The Internet Hid the Body

In this episode, Alex reflects on January 6th on its four year anniversary. He truly believes that the “coup makers” have won and that most of Trump’s allies, foreign leaders, and the opposition will need to memory hole J6 because everyone will need to do business with the Commander-In-Chief. Alex talks about how it seems like a lot of people just want their views justified and not challenged through social media. He also talks about how right-wing misinformation perfectly helped retcon a tragic day in US history. He worries that by 2028, Donald Trump will be completely normalized, with J6 retconned into the void.