Centered From Reality

The Freedom Convoy is Complicated, Tales from Trump’s Toilet & Is Trumpism Waning?

In this episode, Alex starts with the ridiculous yet concerning revelations about Trump’s eating and flushing of important documents down the toilet. This comes after the National Archives went to Mar-a-Lago to get 15 boxes of government documents. Then Alex discusses the Freedom Convoy in Canada that some think is about vaccines, others think is about freedom, and others think is about extremism and destabilizing the state. Alex finds that this is a complicated issue and the US media has been genuinely covering them. He mentions that COVID has led to worse inequality and many people that couldn’t stay home are angry and lost. He thinks that we need to address the root of why these protests are happening instead of condemning them. Finally, Trump is down in the GOP and Ron DeSantis is closing in on him for 2024 polling. Some are optimistic that the GOP is moving on from Trump, Alex thinks that it is worse. The party doesn’t need Trump, but they still have Trumpism. 

Beware of the Gazpacho, STEM in West Virginia & Crucial Elections in India

In this episode, Alex talks about how Marjorie Taylor Greene’s fear of the mighty Gazpacho means that she has learned nothing from her required trips to the Holocaust museum. Then he discusses how Biden’s popularity has dropped below 40% and many states are (finally) removing mask mandates. Later in the episode, Alex discusses how California’s Congressman, Ro Khanna, may have a way to alleviate the digital divide in the US that has intensified the culture war and may have led to Trumpism. Congressman Khanna basically wants to expand the tech industry into areas that have missed out on the economic boom of the digital age (imagine tech manufacturing in West Virginia or microchips being produced in Iowa). He discusses how this could help make America more independent from China and help alleviate issues in our supply chain. Finally, Alex goes into the local elections in Uttar Pradesh, India, which are the largest in the world. Currently, Prime Minister Modi’s  BJP party has flourished on Hindu nationalism, ethnic division, and law and order. The party is slowly devolving into illiberal policies. This election seems to show some weakening of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. If the BJP can lose enough seats, it may stop the divisive rhetoric of the BJP.  

Gaslighting About Ukraine, the Republican Civil War & An Olympics of Contradictions

In this episode, Alex goes over a new movie he watched about World War 2 and the strategy of appeasement. Then he goes into some updates on the growing issue between Russia and NATO over Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron met with Vladimir Putin and has said that there is no immediate risk of a conflict. This seems to contradict the constantly growing buildup of troops and equipment on the border. Then Alex discusses the recent news that the RNC has censured Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. The internal conflict in the GOP may be good for Democrats, but it is not good for the country. Alex ends by going over the Olympics. He discusses how he has a few friends in the Olympics and has been watching them. However, he can’t ignore the problematic propaganda about Taiwan and the Uighurs that China is pushing forward. And he has heard reports of awful conditions for the athletes and a potential cover-up of COVID cases in the country. 

Joe Rogan, Whoopi Goldberg & Rudy Giuliani Walk Into a Bar

In this episode, Alex decides to finally address his thoughts on the Joe Rogan/Neil Young/Spotify controversy. Then he does a quick discussion around Whoopi Goldberg’s ignorant and potentially harmful comments about the holocaust. Later, Alex laughs about Rudy Guliani showing up on FOX’s “The Masked Singer.” It seems like "America's Mayor" is in his final form!

 

• Alex is torn on Joe Rogan, the podcast is fascinating, inspiring, and can challenge one’s perspective. Alex’s issue with Rogan is that he is a great listener but not always a great interviewer. He claims to be curious and wants a good conversation, but he clearly has his own blind spots and can become an activist with some issues. By bringing on Dr. Malone and Dr. McCullough, Rogan has given them a platform and has given credit to their fringe views on the COVID-19 vaccine. Alex gives examples as to why Rogan clearly agrees with both doctors and isn’t just having them on for a different perspective.

 

• Whoopi Goldberg claimed on The View that the Holocaust wasn’t about race. This was an ignorant comment that goes against any historical understanding of the holocaust. Alex doesn’t want to cancel Goldberg and doesn’t think this is a bad person, he just thinks she is looking at the holocaust through her lens of race in the United States. He discusses an article from The Atlantic that mentions that “the Nazi Holocaust in Europe and slavery and Jim Crow in the United States are outgrowths of the same ideology—the belief that human beings can be delineated into categories that share immutable biological traits distinguishing them from one another and determining their potential and behavior.” 

 

• Finally, according to Deadline “Rudy Giuliani was unmasked as an exiting costumed contestant in last week’s taping of the first Season 7 episode of Fox’s popular primetime series The Masked Singer. Deadline hears that as soon as they saw Giuliani, judges Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke quickly left the stage in protest.” Alex finds this story ridiculous. Parody and satire have been killed. Who thought it would be a good idea to bring Guliani, the guy who tried to overthrow democracy, onto a family primetime show? Maybe wait a few years!

Biden’s Blindspot in Afghanistan, Trump’s Dangerous Promise & Bomb Threats on HBCU Campuses

In this episode, Alex discusses Trump’s dangerous speech in Texas where he encouraged extralegal actions to secure the election. Then he discusses George Packer’s scathing article with new revelations about Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Finally, he discusses some recent bomb threats at HBCUs across the United States. 

 

• In Texas, Trump told supporters at his rally that “If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from January 6 fairly ... And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons." Alex discusses how by telling his supporters that he would pardon some of them, he basically is saying that anyone who commits violence for his bidding over the election or whatever it may be, will be protected if he is back in power. This is a worrying trend - when one side thinks that the other is existentially dangerous, they may have the rationale to throw out the democratic rule book.

 

• George Packer’s new article in The Atlantic discusses Biden’s moral blindspots in foreign policy involving both Vietnam and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The article looks at the complete failure to properly get out of the country combat interpreters, embassy support staff, intelligence informants, and simply allies that had aided the United StatesThe alarming part is that many of these people had the proper visas to be evacuated out, but because of the chaotic situation in Kabul during the withdrawal, many were left behind. Biden seems to have a history of not supporting aid to allies after a military withdrawal and that may pose some questions about his leadership style. 

 

• To start off Black History Month, over twenty historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) received bomb threats that forced them to cancel classes on Tuesday. The FBI and Homeland Security are looking into these serious threats. Alex discusses how this escalating polarization and violence in the US may lead to domestic terrorism that usually impacts minorities and people of color. 

The Good & the Bad of Biden’s Nominations: SCOTUS, Federal Judges & Ambassadors

In this episode, Alex starts by going into the recent news that Justice Breyer is going to be retiring from the Supreme Court, and President Biden may finally get the chance to nominate someone to the highest court in the land. Alex argues that Biden’s promise to nominate an African-American woman is a great idea considering the SCOTUS needs a body that represents the American people. One of the front runners for the nomination is Ketanji Brown Jackson, a highly qualified D.C. judge who was unanimously confirmed by the senate. She was also a public defender, which Alex thinks could add a needed perspective to our justice system.

 

Alex then goes into the good and the bad of Biden’s nominations up to this point. President Biden has done a great job of appointing federal appeals judges, yet he has done an atrocious job of getting ambassadors to many key countries confirmed by the senate.  

• Involving the federal judges, Biden has gotten 40 judges confirmed, which is the most at this point in a presidency since Ronald Reagan. He also has gotten more black judges confirmed than ever before and 80% of the appointed judges are women. Alex discusses how this is a lesser-known part of the Biden administration but it is an important one that will leave a legacy long after Biden is out of office. 
• Involving the State Department and ambassadorships, there still is no confirmed envoy to Ukraine and no ambassadors to Berlin, London, and Rome. Also, according to The Economist, there are “no assistant secretaries for the Near East, for international security and non-proliferation, or for arms control. Nor is there a counter-terrorism coordinator or a legal adviser.” Alex mentions that this issue is due to political fighting in the senate, as well as transparency issues between the administration, the State Department, and lawmakers. 

Will the Real Demagogue Please Stand Up?

In this episode, Alex looks at the United States’ continuous problems that involve providing a sufficient amount of “at-home” COVID tests. Later he goes over his worries regarding Biden’s “Trump-like speech” in Georgia, and why it may alienate a slim majority that Biden is holding onto. Finally, Alex looks into the Trump vs. DeSantis feud and why it is more important than some may acknowledge. Alex mentions that everyone focuses on DeSantis’ COVID policies, but DeSantis could be worse than Trump. Alex is more concerned about his calls for a “civilian-military” that reports to the governor, not the pentagon. He also is worried about DeSantis’ “anti-riot law” which was a response to the George Floyd protests, yet completely ignores the January 6th situation. DeSantis could be a good alternative to Trumpism, but instead, he seems to be accelerating the authoritarian tendencies of Trump.

The Electoral Count Act of 1887 Led to January 6th!

In this episode, Alex takes a deep dive into understanding the Electoral Count Act of 1887. The act was passed by Congress in reaction to the Compromise of 1877, and some argue that its existence actually paved the way for the 2020 election chaos and the storming of the capitol on January 6th. 

 

After President Grant ( a Republican) decided not to run for a third term, the 1876 election cycle was composed of Governor Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio (Republican) and Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York (Democrat). The results of this presidential election between Tilden and Hayes became one of the most contested in US history. Tilden was winning the electoral college count with 184 electoral votes to Hayes's 165, yet there were four states that remained unresolved. These four states were Oregon, Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina. Each of these states responded differently to this situation, each party reported that their own candidate had won, and Oregon even replaced their electors. Eventually, a compromise was made in which Hayes became president and Tilden conceded. The Compromise of 1877 said that all of the remaining 20 electoral votes were given to Hayes. In return, “the Republicans agreed to withdraw federal troops from the South. This is credited with ending Reconstruction.” Ten years later, the Electoral Count Act of 1887 was passed. Unfortunately, it created an environment where if there was a contested election, no matter what the electors of the state determined, congress could make the final decision. Now there was a designated period that allowed contesting electors to make their case and if there was an issue, the Vice President and Congress would make the final decision. 

 

Alex argues that this act was poorly created and has existed in limbo ever since this period. Unfortunately, the 2020 election was also close and opportunistic lawyers and state officials used it to their advantage. Alex believes that this act needs to be overturned or reformed (at the least) so that there is a clear understanding of who will determine the legitimacy of an election, even if it is contested. 

Chaos in Kazakhstan & What Does Putin Really Want?

In this episode, Alex goes into why there are major protests occurring across Kazakhstan. Are they about oil or something bigger? Later he looks into Putin’s fixation on Ukraine and why he is furious with NATO. In Putin's eyes, in the post-Cold War era, the West has humiliated Russia. What does he want?

 

Over the last week, what started as mainly peaceful protests in a western city in Kazakhstan called Zhanaozen, now have turned into nationwide protests and riots. The protests started over close to a 60% rise in gasoline prices in this oil-rich country, but now they have tapped into a deeper rage about the country’s political structure. The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has requested that Russia send in troops to help quell the violence and Russia is sending paratroopers. The US has condemned these actions and now it looks like Russia may have a two-front issue in the region (Ukraine and Kazakhstan). Alex goes into the history of Kazakhstan since the fall of the Soviet Union. Freedom House rated Kazakhstan as a "consolidated authoritarian regime", stating that freedom of speech is not respected and "Kazakhstan’s electoral laws do not provide for free and fair elections. Even after the former president, Nursultan Nazarbayev resigned in 2019 after decades of rule, he still is behind the scenes. The population seems to want change.

 

Later in the episode, Alex asks the question - why is Putin always acting out? And why is he opposed to NATO? After the end of the Cold War, there were guarantees that NATO would not expand into Eastern Europe (though this changed later). However, over time, NATO has expanded in appeal and many former Soviet nations have joined the bloc. The Economist notes that “A bloc that once shared only a slender border with Russia, in Norway’s northern fringes, now encompasses the Baltic states, former Soviet territories within 200km of St Petersburg and 600km of Moscow. Seven of the eight former members of the Warsaw Pact have become part of nato.” Alex discusses how Putin feels betrayed in the post-Cold War era and he seems to be holding onto Ukraine. In Putin’s eyes, Russia has been humiliated and he wants a seat at the table. Will the west let him?

Thoughts on the Anniversary of 1/6, the Tonic Accord Throwback on 1/7/21 & Alex’s Experience With COVID

It has been a year since the storming of the capitol on January 6th. In this episode, Alex keeps it short due to low energy after contracting COVID in the last few days. He gives his story on COVID testing chaos and why he thinks people may not be doing the right thing for getting proper testing results. Then for the bulk of the episode, Alex gives his thoughts on the anniversary of January 6th. Finally, the episode ends with a segment from a year ago on the “Tonic Accord Podcast” in which Drew and Alex reacted to the capitol riots. Some of their predictions came true, but they were too optimistic about the GOP… 

The full episode from a year ago can be found here - https://thetonicaccord.podbean.com/e/trump-concedes-after-chaos/