Centered From Reality

Tucker is Fox’s Sacrificial Lamb, Don Lemon is Out & AI Made the Best Drake Song in Years!

In this episode, Alex starts with an update on the chaos going on in Sudan; recent reports show that the Wagner Group has been highly involved with helping the paramilitary fight the military. Next on the episode, Alex is excited to announce that both Fox News and CNN had chaotic days. First, Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News; Alex argues that Tucker was fired as the sacrifical lamb for all of Fox’s current issues. Second, Don Lemon was fired from CNN and he is not happy. Alex thinks that Tucker will do just fine without Fox; however, Lemon is likely done. Finally, Alex talks about AI generated songs, how AI generated music may involve the uncanny valley of audio, and why there are many issues with this form of “music.”

Newsom Should Focus on California, Little Marco’s Odd Blame Game, The Moral Complexity of Gun Ownership & Centrists are Misunderstood

In this Saturday episode, Alex catches up on some topics he could not get to during the week. He starts by going through an odd video that Marco Rubio (Little Marco) put out on Twitter. Rubio seems to blame others for his own state’s fuel crisis and says that “they” are not doing enough. Next, Alex argues that governors should focus on the issues in their own states instead of nationalizing their issues and going on political rhetoric tours. He notes that Governor Gavin Newsom should focus on using his supermajority in California to solve the state’s many issues. Instead, Newsom has been going around the country attacking Republican states where he has no influence. Later, Alex goes into the moral dilemmas that many Americans feel about gun ownership in a heavily armed society. Finally, Alex argues that centrists are misunderstood. As a centrist himself, he argues that centrism is not a political ideology that is a midpoint between two extremes. Instead, centrism is more of a practical way to engage in politics and use nuance and pragmatism to be open-minded. 

A Chilling Recording in Oklahoma, DeSantis’ Can’t Be MAGA-Light, A Cultural of Paranoia Worstened by Guns & SCOTUS Protects Access to Abortion Pills

In this episode, Alex covers a range of topics that focus on domestic politics. First, he looks into Ron DeSantis’ new battle with Disney, and why he is once again losing it. Alex also looks into how donors and Republicans in Congress are turning on DeSantis and going towards Trump or even people like Glenn Youngkin. It seems like DeSantis has a real problem as many donors find his recent actions to be too radical and divisive. Alex argues that DeSantis needed to be an establishment alternative to Trump, not a more extreme version. Next, Alex responds to the breaking news around the Supreme Court protecting access to mifepristone, a widely used abortion drug. Later, Alex looks into a racist, violent, and unsettling recording that was leaked in Oklahoma. The recording features a sheriff, deputies, and a county commissioner. The recording includes plans to attack a local newspaper, plans to threaten a district attorney, and it features the public officials reflecting on the days when public lynchings were acceptable. Finally, Alex reflects on the culture of paranoia and rage that has made no one safe from gun violence in the United States. 

Trump Will Run Again, Again in 2028, RFK Jr. Announces His Bid & Dianne Feinstein Is Obstructing Democracy

In this episode, Alex starts by discussing his concerns around Trump running AGAIN in 2028. He goes through different opinions around this issue and why it makes sense since Trump is morally corrupt, struggles to move on after losses, and has nothing better to do. Alex also notes that the Republicans should have convicted him during the impeachment back in 2021. Next, it looks like Robert Kennedy Jr. is running for president on the Democratic side. Alex discusses why he is saddened about RFK Jr.’s fall from grace, why his vaccine views are dangerous, and why he is more appealing to the right than the left. Finally, Alex finally shares his thoughts on Dianne Feinstein and why it is insane that Senate Democrats are defending her and turning criticism towards her remaining in the senate into attacks on her gender and age.

War in Sudan, Increasing and Persistent Global Conflicts, Fox News Settles & TruthGPT

In this episode, Alex starts by going through Tucker Carlson’s new interview with Elon Musk. He focuses on the parts about artificial intelligence and how Elon Musk has plans to create a more open and uncensored AI Chatbot. Next, Alex is somewhat disappointed to learn that Fox News has settled its defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems. Fox News has already lost credibility and its reputation is in shambles; however, Alex wishes that people like Tucker Carlson had to testify under oath. Finally, Alex dives into the recent violence and devastation in Sudan as two militarized factions are fighting over power. 

Florida Passes an Insidious Anti-Immigration Bill as Tim Scott’s Tries Out to be VP & Nikki Haley Outperforms Expectations

In this episode, Alex focuses on three of the different people (likely) running against Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. He looks at how Tim Scott has announced his exploration campaign to consider running for president. Alex thinks that Scott could never win and is merely trying out to be Trump’s VP. He then looks at how Nikki Haley is killing it at fundraising so far and is effectively appealing to women; Haley also is chipping away at DeSantis support and is starting to attack Trump. Alex also looks at how Ron DeSantis has been influential in passing another controversial bill, this time it is a radical anti-immigration bill that will send shockwaves of fear through the migrant community. The bill is similar to the abortion ban and the “Don’t Say Gay” bill as it limits freedoms and targets citizens in the process. Alex wonders why DeSantis is trying to pass these messaging bills. 

Clarence Thomas (Bohemian Grove, $500,000 Trips to Indonesia & Fishing Fun), Trump on Tucker & Legal Mudslinging (feat. Trump, Cohen, Bragg & Jordan)

In this episode, Alex starts with breaking news regarding the arrest of an individual associated with the leak of classified Pentagon documents. Next, Alex goes through some highlights from a recent Tucker Carlson interview with Donald Trump. Unsurprisingly, Trump is more deranged than ever and Tucker just sits back and shows that he is back in Trump’s good graces. Later in the episode, Alex goes into the ProPublica report that exposed problematic gifts, trips, and adventures between Clarence Thomas and Harlan Crow. Alex goes into who Crow is, why Thomas, a Supreme Court Justice, should not take these gifts, and why judges need more ethics oversight. Finally, Alex looks a chaotic string of lawsuits in New York City. Trump has sued Michael Cohen, Alvin Bragg has sued Jim Jordan, and everything is just entertaining to watch. 

A Looming Federal Fight Over Water Usage on the Colorado River, Abortion Bans Backfire & A Tale of Two Judges

In this episode, Alex starts by ranting about airline etiquette and why he is done giving up a seat for someone. For the next segment, Alex goes into a tale of two decisions involving an abortion pill called Mifepristone; it is responsible for almost half of abortions in the United States. One judge, the conservative one from Texas, has denied the FDA and has said the drug should be banned. The other judge, a liberal in Washington, has said the federal government should maintain support for the drug. Alex discusses the contradictions of a conservative judge challenging the FDA for approving something and why this precedent is bad for other ideologically charged drugs. Later, Alex looks into the Florida bill that has passed that Florida Senate and would ban most forms of abortion at only six weeks. It seems like DeSantis has gone too far and most Floridians support access to abortion, even most Republicans. Finally, Alex goes into a new story about how the US Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation has released a plan that looks at two different scenarios for how to cut water usage if the levels in Lakes Mead and Powell continue to drop. Basically, the federal government is looking to cut water usage in the West because states have been slow to do so. Cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, will all be impacted. Alex believes this will begin a new legal battle between states and the federal government.

A Bad Breach for Ukraine, Fox News Hosts Melt Down Over Guns, 146 Mass Shootings in 2023 & Another America Detained in Russia

In this episode, Alex starts by going through a Fox News video where Martha MacCallum clashes with Brian Kilmeade over guns and some of her arguments actually make a lot of sense. Next, Alex gets into the recent shooting in Kentucky and why he is getting more and more irritated with lawmakers that constantly say nothing can be done. For the rest of the episode, Alex goes into the recent intelligence leaks that have the United States and its allies scrambling for answers. The leaks are not only bad for the United States and its national security, they are also detrimental to Ukraine and could give Russia information on how to change its strategies. Alex also worries that the data leak could harm our intelligence gathering practices and help Russia go around them. Finally, another American journalist has been detained by Russia.  In this case, it is a Wall Street Journal reporter named Evan Gershkovich. Alex discusses how the United States has designated him as wrongfully detained and this will allow the government to get more funding and it will get more attention to this situation. 

The (Un)Constitutional Sheriff Movement, Looming Sectarian Violence & Tennessee Madness

In this episode, Alex starts by discussing why Tennessee has recently been in the spotlight for political chaos. This week, there was an explusion of two Democrats from the state’s House of Representatives for breaking the rules and speaking out against policies related to the recent school shooting near Nashville. While three Democrats came together in solidarity, the two black members were part of the expulsion and the white member survived the vote. Alex gives some takeaways on why this whole thing is a mess. For the rest of the episode, he looks into why he is concerned about decentralized violence, sectarian chaos, and looming threats of institutional breakdowns that could lead to minority oppression, coups, and voter intimidation.  Alex notes that the Constitutional Sheriff Movement is a far-right movement that argues that sheriffs have power over state and federal government policies and can use their own interpretation of the constitution. This movement’s founder was a board member of the Oath Keepers and there are growing worries that this movement is illiberal, nativist, and extreme.