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The Botox Rasputin of the Trump Administration · Paging America

0:15
SPEAKER_01: Hello, everybody.
0:16
SPEAKER_01: Welcome back to Paging America,
0:18
SPEAKER_01: where we explore the power,
0:20
SPEAKER_01: profit,
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SPEAKER_01: and politics shaping American health care,
0:23
SPEAKER_01: what you can do about it.
0:24
SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, Myles Baker, along with Dr. Rob Davidson.
0:27
SPEAKER_01: Dr. Rob, how are you doing today?
0:29
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm doing okay.
0:30
Again,
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I feel like we get together pretty much every Thursday morning,
0:34
right?
0:34
And it seems like every Wednesday evening,
0:36
I'm working till midnight or so.
0:38
SPEAKER_00: So I was at work last night till again, till about midnight.
0:41
SPEAKER_00: You know, another crazy summer in the
0:44
SPEAKER_00: ED, yeah.
0:44
SPEAKER_00: I tell you what,
0:45
SPEAKER_00: one of the most compelling patients I saw was someone who wasn't super,
0:48
SPEAKER_00: super sick,
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but was there with a true emergency condition and was able to
0:52
go home but needed
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SPEAKER_00: follow-up and didn't have insurance.
0:55
And it just made me think about exactly one of the main reasons
0:59
we do this,
0:59
right?
1:00
SPEAKER_00: You and I do this podcast,
1:01
SPEAKER_00: why we work with the Committee to Protect Healthcare,
1:03
SPEAKER_00: trying to secure affordable health care,
1:05
SPEAKER_00: health insurance for folks.
1:06
SPEAKER_00: This guy didn't have insurance.
1:07
SPEAKER_00: He works on small engine repair.
1:09
SPEAKER_00: That's the work he does.
1:10
SPEAKER_00: And he had an injury while doing that.
1:13
SPEAKER_00: And couldn't get in anyone, right?
1:14
SPEAKER_00: And so you go to the ER, right?
1:16
SPEAKER_00: We want you to come to the ER.
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We have EMTALA so that we see you,
1:19
we take care of you,
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we provide you care.
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SPEAKER_00: But this guy had talked to like insurance agents about different things.
1:25
SPEAKER_00: And we started getting into some details about his income.
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And I don't know all the exact kind of cutoffs for subsidies
1:32
for affordable,
1:33
SPEAKER_00: you know,
1:33
SPEAKER_00: for the ACA insurance.
1:34
SPEAKER_00: But they're out there.
1:36
SPEAKER_00: Like this guy makes, he said, a little too much for Medicaid.
1:39
SPEAKER_00: And I said, well, you know, you should probably go on.
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And I gave him the website,
1:42
healthcare.gov,
1:44
you know,
1:44
to see what he qualifies for.
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SPEAKER_00: And I said,
1:46
but it's definitely something that's a little concerning right
1:49
now because,
1:49
SPEAKER_00: you know,
1:50
SPEAKER_00: the Republican and I and I went there a little bit.
1:52
SPEAKER_00: I didn't get too political, but it's true.
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The Republican controlled Congress has thus far not extended
1:58
the tax subsidies that
2:00
SPEAKER_00: make health insurance affordable for millions of people.
2:03
SPEAKER_00: And
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He was so thankful just to have somebody direct him on how to
2:08
maybe get some kind of coverage.
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SPEAKER_00: Like this guy probably needs MRI,
2:12
SPEAKER_00: probably might need surgery,
2:14
SPEAKER_00: you know,
2:14
SPEAKER_00: and he cannot do that on the income he makes without insurance.
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So it just I guess it reminded me how important it is on a very
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personal level to
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SPEAKER_00: people where,
2:25
SPEAKER_00: you know,
2:25
SPEAKER_00: that I'm taking care of,
2:26
SPEAKER_00: that people listening to this are taking care of people we all know.
2:29
SPEAKER_00: So,
2:29
SPEAKER_00: yeah,
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SPEAKER_00: that was it was sobering,
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SPEAKER_00: but it was gratifying to know,
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SPEAKER_00: like,
2:32
SPEAKER_00: OK,
2:33
SPEAKER_00: we're fighting for you,
2:34
SPEAKER_00: sir.
2:34
SPEAKER_00: You know, I'm going to do what I can for you in the moment.
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SPEAKER_00: And we're we've got a big fight going on behalf of folks like him.
2:40
SPEAKER_01: I was,
2:40
SPEAKER_01: you know,
2:41
SPEAKER_01: just the cost aside,
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SPEAKER_01: I find I have a complicated job,
2:46
SPEAKER_01: you know,
2:47
SPEAKER_01: like I can navigate adult life pretty well.
2:49
SPEAKER_01: I find navigating basic insurance things.
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to be one of the more frustrating things you have to do as an
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adult human being.
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SPEAKER_01: And that's not even in a crisis.
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SPEAKER_01: That's like, you know, you're uninjured.
3:01
SPEAKER_01: Uninjured and well with like a cup of coffee in the morning.
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SPEAKER_01: Insurance sucks.
3:05
SPEAKER_01: And so I feel for it.
3:08
SPEAKER_01: I feel for people.
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SPEAKER_00: I mean,
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I would say I have an above average understanding of health
3:15
care and probably a
3:16
SPEAKER_00: little bit of health insurance in general.
3:18
SPEAKER_00: And when my wife needed an MRI,
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just navigating where to go and the differences in costs from
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like $200 plus a gift
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SPEAKER_00: card to $2,000 in like a 30 mile radius of our house.
3:31
SPEAKER_00: It's unbelievable.
3:33
SPEAKER_00: And the problem is people, people,
3:35
SPEAKER_00: can't navigate it.
3:36
SPEAKER_00: Right.
3:36
SPEAKER_00: So they get hit with bills.
3:38
SPEAKER_00: Right.
3:38
SPEAKER_00: It's intentionally complicated.
3:40
SPEAKER_00: It is intentionally.
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So anyway,
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as we kick this off,
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kind of back to core principles of why we do what we do.
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SPEAKER_00: Big part of it is that.
3:49
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
3:49
SPEAKER_00: It's like that.
3:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
3:51
SPEAKER_01: How are you doing today?
3:52
SPEAKER_01: I never ask you.
3:53
SPEAKER_01: How are you doing?
3:54
SPEAKER_01: I'm doing pretty good.
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I have a big work day later,
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but excited to be here this morning doing this.
4:00
SPEAKER_01: I'm excited for tomorrow.
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I've been hitting the,
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I've been trying to like steal the last moments of Chicago
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summer.
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SPEAKER_01: And so I'm going to hit the lake with my bicycle.
4:08
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I got a little funny thumbs up.
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SPEAKER_01: We'll have to turn those off on the next one.
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SPEAKER_01: But yeah,
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I'm going to get out to the lake shore on my bicycle and
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looking forward to that
4:16
SPEAKER_01: today.
4:16
SPEAKER_01: Nice.
4:18
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, a big, yeah, always.
4:19
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
4:20
SPEAKER_01: Always, always.
4:20
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
4:21
SPEAKER_01: Big day.
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SPEAKER_01: A lot of stuff to talk about this week.
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We're going to cover Laura Loomer meddling in the White House
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and how silly that is.
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We're going to talk a little bit about the attacks prescribing
4:33
abortion pills and
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SPEAKER_01: sort of the ongoing conversation around mifepristone.
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SPEAKER_01: And then we're going to wrap up with
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RFK,
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a whole battery of silliness coming out of HHS this last little
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bit,
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this last week.
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SPEAKER_01: But let's get into Laura Loomer,
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SPEAKER_01: because for those who are unfamiliar with Laura Loomer,
4:50
SPEAKER_01: she is a social media provocateur who,
4:53
SPEAKER_01: for some erroneous reason,
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has what seems like an endless direct access to the president
5:00
of the United States
5:01
SPEAKER_01: of America.
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SPEAKER_01: She is, even in her own circles, even in
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SPEAKER_01: MAGA fever swampland is not regarded as a serious person.
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SPEAKER_01: In some dynamics,
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SPEAKER_01: she's been described as,
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SPEAKER_01: like,
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SPEAKER_01: not perfectly like the shadow chief of staff,
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SPEAKER_01: but has certainly overruled the chief of staff to the president.
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SPEAKER_01: And her main function seems to be sort of the loyalty enforcer,
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where she'll launch sort of online attacks against perceived
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enemies of the
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SPEAKER_01: president of the United States,
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SPEAKER_01: be that real or be it not real.
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But why she's in the news this week is she has succeeded in
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getting the U.S.
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State Department to halt medical humanitarian visas for people
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from Gaza,
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including children.
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SPEAKER_01: This is a segment from NPR.
5:45
SPEAKER_01: On August 4th,
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SPEAKER_01: Heal Palestine announced,
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SPEAKER_01: which is an Ohio-based humanitarian group,
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SPEAKER_01: announced the arrival of 11 critically injured children ages 6 to 15,
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SPEAKER_01: along with their siblings and caregivers,
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SPEAKER_01: to major cities,
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SPEAKER_01: including Boston,
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SPEAKER_01: Atlanta,
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SPEAKER_01: Dallas.
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SPEAKER_01: They come in for medical care.
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SPEAKER_01: The news of their arrival led...
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far-right actress Laura Loomer to claim without providing any
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supporting evidence
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on social media that heal Palestine as mass-importing Gazans
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into the United
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SPEAKER_01: States.
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She also demanded that the Trump administration needs to shut
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this abomination down
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ASAP before a family member of one of these Gazans goes rogue
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and kills Americans
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SPEAKER_01: for Hamas.
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Obviously,
6:21
all of that was extraordinary speculation without any basis in
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reality.
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SPEAKER_01: Rob, you wrote a substack of
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SPEAKER_01: article titled, Every Individual in the World is Our Patient.
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And you were pretty pissed off that we were stopping the
6:33
medical care to these
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SPEAKER_01: functionally war refugees.
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SPEAKER_01: What are your thoughts on Laura Loomer and the Fiat Department?
6:40
Yeah.
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SPEAKER_00: Well, I am pretty fucking pissed off.
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So if she wants to just exist on Twitter or X or whatever you
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call it and sort of
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be in the ear of Trump and sort of enforce loyalty tests in
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some ridiculous
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SPEAKER_00: fashion,
6:55
SPEAKER_00: go for it,
6:56
SPEAKER_00: right?
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SPEAKER_00: She's now impacting U.S.
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SPEAKER_00: policy from the State Department.
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Little Marco Rubio,
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right,
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the National Archivist slash NSA slash Secretary of State.
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SPEAKER_00: I think he has one more job.
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SPEAKER_00: I forget what else he does.
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SPEAKER_00: That guy,
7:10
SPEAKER_00: right,
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SPEAKER_00: he caved,
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SPEAKER_00: he buckled to Laura Loomer without any evidence said,
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SPEAKER_00: well,
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SPEAKER_00: these people may have association with terrorists,
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SPEAKER_00: right?
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SPEAKER_00: These 6 to 15-year-olds and their families, they're concerned parents.
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SPEAKER_00: And so one of the things she said,
7:25
SPEAKER_00: all caps,
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SPEAKER_00: I believe,
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SPEAKER_00: on X was,
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SPEAKER_00: we are not the world's hospital,
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SPEAKER_00: right?
7:29
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
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SPEAKER_00: Like she has any idea what it means to like care for people,
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SPEAKER_00: care about people,
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SPEAKER_00: you know,
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SPEAKER_00: be a hospital,
7:34
SPEAKER_00: work in a hospital.
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And so my response and a shameless plug for Paging America
7:38
Substack on our Substack
7:40
SPEAKER_00: kind of title,
7:41
SPEAKER_00: the world is our patient.
7:42
SPEAKER_00: Right.
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SPEAKER_00: And that's that's how I look at it.
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SPEAKER_00: That's how every doc I know who took an oath.
7:46
SPEAKER_00: Right.
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We don't take an oath to treat people who are in a place where
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we work and who can
7:51
SPEAKER_00: prove that they belong in that place.
7:52
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
8:08
That person who didn't speak English and interpreting through
8:11
the pilot like three
8:13
SPEAKER_00: different languages certainly didn't come to my hospital.
8:17
SPEAKER_00: Right.
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SPEAKER_00: But in that moment,
8:19
SPEAKER_00: because this is what you do when you take that oath,
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SPEAKER_00: these folks don't understand.
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SPEAKER_00: Laura Loomer never took any oath, but Marco did.
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SPEAKER_00: You know, Trump did.
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SPEAKER_00: They don't get what that means.
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SPEAKER_00: And so, yeah, I mean, I think it's just it's sick.
8:33
SPEAKER_00: It's cruel.
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SPEAKER_00: Like she's a kooky character.
8:36
SPEAKER_00: She's bizarre.
8:37
SPEAKER_00: Like if you don't know her, maybe don't go find out about her.
8:39
SPEAKER_00: Just like digest what we're saying and then move along.
8:43
SPEAKER_00: Right.
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SPEAKER_00: But, you know, Marco, we know little Marco.
8:45
SPEAKER_00: We know Trump.
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SPEAKER_00: The way these folks like bend and cave to just absolute fucking lunatics,
8:52
SPEAKER_00: like they are lunatics in their own right,
8:54
SPEAKER_00: but they are lunatics with the power to do this.
8:57
SPEAKER_00: But the way they bend to these people is just unbelievable, right?
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Another example of those folks in power just being absolutely
9:05
beholden to just
9:06
SPEAKER_00: like,
9:07
SPEAKER_00: as you said,
9:07
SPEAKER_00: the fever swamp.
9:09
SPEAKER_00: And so I think it's terrible, disgusting.
9:12
SPEAKER_00: We should be for taking care of children.
9:14
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I agree with that.
9:15
SPEAKER_01: We should be for taking care of children.
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SPEAKER_01: That's like a good baseline American thing.
9:20
there you go value i think take right let's take care of them
9:24
kids so loomer is
9:25
like it's hard to understand what space she occupies because
9:29
she's so she has such
9:30
proximity to power and is in addition to that such an unserious
9:34
person i was i was
9:35
listening to some analysis about how how campy the whole
9:39
fascist experiment has
9:40
become like the far right really descends into like some very
9:44
campy silliness and
9:45
SPEAKER_01: she seems to be like example number one sort of
9:48
SPEAKER_01: You know, the outrageousness is sort of the point.
9:51
SPEAKER_01: I was reading up on her, Robin.
9:52
SPEAKER_01: So I did go find out a little bit about her.
9:55
SPEAKER_01: Oh, no.
9:55
And there is like a there is a lot on the Internet that a lot
9:59
of people on the
10:00
Internet that think Laura Loomer has having an affair with the
10:03
president of the
10:03
SPEAKER_01: United States.
10:04
And since and I don't know if that is because they actually
10:07
think she is or if
10:08
they're just like her proximity to power is so insane that they
10:12
have to come up
10:13
SPEAKER_01: with some other rationale.
10:15
And I was reading that she's suing Bill Maher for suggesting
10:18
this very point,
10:19
that she is suing him saying that she lost a job in the White
10:23
House because he made
10:25
SPEAKER_01: that joke on his show.
10:26
So I'm going to just say I don't think Laura Loomer is sleeping
10:30
with the president
10:31
SPEAKER_01: because I think the president is too old to have an affair.
10:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
10:36
SPEAKER_00: I mean, if you watch South Park—
10:40
SPEAKER_00: Some real problems with that.
10:42
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
10:43
SPEAKER_00: So what is the discovery in that kind of a lawsuit?
10:45
SPEAKER_00: Right.
10:46
SPEAKER_00: How does she how does one prove one is not sleeping with?
10:49
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
10:49
SPEAKER_00: I don't.
10:50
SPEAKER_00: Right.
10:50
Like it's such for the folks who call those of us who give a
10:55
shit about people snowflakes.
10:56
SPEAKER_00: Right.
10:56
SPEAKER_00: Who care about like norms and customs.
10:59
SPEAKER_00: Right.
11:00
Snowflake,
11:00
like,
11:00
it is the biggest butthurt crowd I've ever seen in my life.
11:03
SPEAKER_00: Like, oh, you said this thing about me.
11:05
SPEAKER_00: I'm going to sue you.
11:06
SPEAKER_00: Like, that is just the knee jerk reaction.
11:08
SPEAKER_00: I mean, that comes right from Trump, right?
11:09
SPEAKER_00: That's his MO, his entire adult life, it would seem.
11:13
SPEAKER_00: I didn't read up on Laura Loomer.
11:15
SPEAKER_00: I've seen enough.
11:16
SPEAKER_00: Like, all I had to see was a little string of tweets.
11:18
SPEAKER_00: So, you know, you can be our resident expert.
11:21
But,
11:21
yeah,
11:22
I guess it's interesting that she,
11:24
again,
11:24
does have such access and proximity.
11:27
SPEAKER_00: But it is even that.
11:28
SPEAKER_00: It's like being,
11:29
SPEAKER_00: like,
11:29
SPEAKER_00: the spirit animal of the president is one thing and,
11:31
SPEAKER_00: like,
11:31
SPEAKER_00: whispering in his ear.
11:33
SPEAKER_00: But,
11:33
SPEAKER_00: like,
11:33
SPEAKER_00: directing an entire department,
11:36
SPEAKER_00: the State Department,
11:37
SPEAKER_00: to alter,
11:38
SPEAKER_00: you know,
11:39
SPEAKER_00: its practices and to,
11:41
SPEAKER_00: like,
11:41
SPEAKER_00: leave sick and dying children hanging out to dry and abandon them.
11:46
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
11:46
SPEAKER_00: That's a whole other level that...
11:49
SPEAKER_00: Probably never seen.
11:50
SPEAKER_00: I don't know how we advocate against that,
11:53
SPEAKER_00: except that if Marco Rubio has any shred of decency,
11:57
SPEAKER_00: maybe public pressure works against him.
12:00
SPEAKER_00: Haven't seen evidence of that.
12:02
SPEAKER_00: I don't know about you.
12:03
SPEAKER_01: I unfortunately do follow all of these right-wing characters,
12:05
SPEAKER_01: and I am mad that I know most of their names.
12:08
SPEAKER_01: Like, that is...
12:10
SPEAKER_01: He's in my life that I like,
12:12
if I could go back and get it and like not follow all these
12:14
guys and read all and
12:15
SPEAKER_01: gals and read all about them,
12:17
SPEAKER_01: I would be better for it.
12:19
SPEAKER_01: But I'll tell you what is, is anytime Botox, Rasputin or Lumers.
12:27
SPEAKER_01: enters the chat and starts messing with health care.
12:30
We're going to bring it to you right here and we're going to
12:31
stay up to date on it.
12:32
SPEAKER_00: I mean,
12:33
we built this entire platform for Miles to be able to tell us
12:37
about the right wing
12:38
SPEAKER_00: kooks that he has unfortunately become so accustomed with.
12:41
Because in your real life,
12:42
I imagine nobody wants to hear this shit,
12:44
right?
12:46
nobody nobody wants to hear this right yeah it's like back when
12:49
i used to do
12:50
triathlons nobody wants to hear people who do triathlons talk
12:53
about triathlons if
12:55
if you know you know it's uh it's like that only a slightly
12:59
more toxic just a
13:00
little yeah that's right like and it'll get worse like like nfl
13:04
is not happening
13:04
right now so like you can talk a little bit more about politics
13:07
but like once the
13:08
SPEAKER_01: nfl starts
13:09
Most spaces where there are like 50% men or more are going to
13:15
be like,
13:15
all right,
13:15
chill out.
13:15
SPEAKER_01: We don't want to hear about Laura Loomer.
13:17
SPEAKER_01: What's going on with the Bears?
13:18
SPEAKER_01: Okay, well, let's move on.
13:20
SPEAKER_01: I'm sure Laura Loomer will be back and we'll have to talk about her.
13:23
SPEAKER_01: So there are ongoing attacks now, Rob.
13:26
SPEAKER_01: We've talked a little bit about this on the show,
13:28
SPEAKER_01: ongoing attacks about the prescribing and use of abortion pills,
13:31
but it does seem like the attacks on Mifepristone and
13:34
medication abortion are
13:36
SPEAKER_01: ratcheting up,
13:37
that this is becoming very clearly the next sort of front for
13:42
the far right to go
13:43
SPEAKER_01: after people's bodily autonomy,
13:44
SPEAKER_01: to go after reproductive rights.
13:46
Fox News reports that 22 Republican state attorneys general are
13:49
continuing the
13:50
SPEAKER_01: effort to stop the use of abortion pill Mifepristone.
13:53
SPEAKER_01: The move is based on a report
13:55
SPEAKER_01: The Atlantic calls a junk science paper from a Washington,
13:57
D.C.-based think tank focused on pushing back against the
14:00
extreme progressive
14:01
SPEAKER_01: agenda.
14:02
SPEAKER_01: So that's not medicine, just for the listeners.
14:05
SPEAKER_01: Extreme progressive agenda, not medicine.
14:07
SPEAKER_01: Last year,
14:07
the Supreme Court unanimously rejected a challenge to the FDA's
14:11
approval and
14:12
SPEAKER_01: regulation of mifepristone,
14:13
SPEAKER_01: preserving access to the abortion pill.
14:15
SPEAKER_01: However,
14:15
they did not rule on whether the FDA acted lawfully when it
14:19
moved during the Obama
14:20
SPEAKER_01: and Biden administrations to ease the rules for mifepristone's use.
14:23
SPEAKER_01: So it seems like they're coming for medication abortion.
14:26
SPEAKER_01: And it seems like that this is this is sort of the next fight.
14:30
There's not a lot of wiggle room for them in the states where
14:33
in the sort of
14:34
northern states or West Coast states where by ballot initiative
14:37
advocates have
14:38
SPEAKER_01: secured rights.
14:39
But it does seem like they are going to go after Mifepristone
14:42
sort of all over the place.
14:43
SPEAKER_01: What do you think, Rob?
14:44
SPEAKER_00: Yeah,
14:44
SPEAKER_00: I mean,
14:45
SPEAKER_00: and some of the most concerning developments,
14:48
I think just the last couple of days out of Texas reporting
14:50
that Texas is now,
14:52
SPEAKER_00: you know,
14:52
along with their gerrymandering and picking up five seats and
14:56
threatening to arrest
14:57
SPEAKER_00: Democratic lawmakers down there.
14:59
They're looking in this special session to push through a bill
15:02
that will allow...
15:04
Texas and entities in Texas to sue doctors in other states who
15:07
prescribe abortion
15:08
SPEAKER_00: pills,
15:09
SPEAKER_00: you know,
15:09
SPEAKER_00: over the Internet,
15:10
SPEAKER_00: over telemedicine,
15:11
SPEAKER_00: in places where it's perfectly legal,
15:13
SPEAKER_00: New York,
15:13
SPEAKER_00: California.
15:14
SPEAKER_00: They're basically saying, we're going to come after you.
15:16
SPEAKER_00: Now,
15:16
SPEAKER_00: I think it's 18 states have shield laws that protect in various ways,
15:21
SPEAKER_00: protect physicians or other providers who do prescribe,
15:25
SPEAKER_00: you know,
15:26
SPEAKER_00: and protect them from litigation,
15:28
SPEAKER_00: civil and criminal laws.
15:30
SPEAKER_00: charges coming from other states.
15:33
SPEAKER_00: You know,
15:33
it may be that if you're a doctor in New York and you prescribe
15:36
mifepristone via
15:37
SPEAKER_00: telemedicine,
15:38
you can't go to Texas because I guess Texas would probably have
15:42
jurisdiction over
15:43
SPEAKER_00: you if you entered their state.
15:45
SPEAKER_00: But it seems at least we have 18 states that are willing,
15:48
SPEAKER_00: that have either through legislative action or through executive order,
15:53
SPEAKER_00: protected those doctors doing that.
15:55
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
15:55
SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, this is going to go to the highest court, right?
15:57
SPEAKER_00: I think this has to go there eventually.
16:00
SPEAKER_00: And the Supreme Court, it's pretty scary, right?
16:02
SPEAKER_00: The Supreme Court that overturned Roe v.
16:04
SPEAKER_00: Wade,
16:05
the Supreme Court that gave us Dobbs is going to eventually
16:07
have to rule on this.
16:08
SPEAKER_00: And can states like Texas reach into states like New York,
16:12
California and others and pull doctors out and sort of compel
16:16
them to face their
16:18
SPEAKER_00: bullshit charges?
16:20
SPEAKER_00: Where do you think,
16:22
SPEAKER_00: you know,
16:22
you're the politics expert really on this podcast and in a lot
16:26
of circles.
16:27
SPEAKER_00: Where does this go in that realm, right?
16:30
SPEAKER_00: Overwhelmingly, the Dodd decision had an impact on the politics.
16:34
SPEAKER_00: Does this reach that level or should it reach that level?
16:38
So I'm going to talk about what I know and then I'm going to
16:40
speculate a little bit
16:42
SPEAKER_01: on the future.
16:42
SPEAKER_01: But like things that we do know, things that we know for certain.
16:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
17:04
SPEAKER_01: It is also true that sort of all those folks,
17:06
SPEAKER_01: plus everyone who is like on,
17:08
SPEAKER_01: you know,
17:08
SPEAKER_01: that agrees with us on reproductive freedom,
17:11
that they find the idea of like using law enforcement against
17:14
doctors to be insane.
17:16
So we also know that Louisiana is trying to extradite a doctor
17:20
from New York for
17:22
over accusations that she mailed abortion pills into the state
17:24
from from a state
17:25
SPEAKER_01: with shield laws into a state that has an almost complete ban.
17:28
SPEAKER_01: So they're trying to extradite her.
17:29
SPEAKER_01: So that is using state violence, extradition, right?
17:33
SPEAKER_01: That is the power to like move someone's body.
17:35
SPEAKER_01: That is state violence by definition.
17:37
Like that is like they are trying to use the power of the state
17:40
to enforce across state lines.
17:42
SPEAKER_01: And it raises all sorts of crazy questions on where this could head.
17:46
SPEAKER_01: Like, are there versions of the future where...
17:49
SPEAKER_01: Obviously in Texas and,
17:50
SPEAKER_01: you know,
17:50
SPEAKER_01: Texas is going to do this more,
17:51
SPEAKER_01: you know,
17:52
SPEAKER_01: everything's bigger in Texas.
17:53
SPEAKER_01: Texas is going to do this more aggressively than Louisiana.
17:55
Do we get into a situation where we're like,
17:58
you have,
17:59
well,
17:59
here's one scenario.
18:00
SPEAKER_01: One of the states with shield laws folds and gives up a doctor.
18:04
I don't think that's a likely scenario,
18:05
but that,
18:06
that could be something.
18:07
SPEAKER_01: Two, Texas tries to reach across state lines with law enforcement.
18:11
SPEAKER_01: So they send some enforcement situation into the law.
18:14
So breaking the laws of the state of California in order to
18:18
enforce the laws of the
18:19
SPEAKER_01: state of Texas.
18:20
SPEAKER_01: I think you would have an I think there would be a big uproar about that.
18:23
SPEAKER_01: But I also thought, you know, I thought troops in L.A.
18:25
SPEAKER_01: would cause a bigger uproar than it did.
18:27
SPEAKER_01: Right.
18:28
SPEAKER_01: And then the third one, and this is scary.
18:29
SPEAKER_01: So say like you're driving from California to New York.
18:33
SPEAKER_01: You're one of these doctors and Texas has it out for you.
18:36
SPEAKER_01: Could they intercept you in a state that,
18:38
SPEAKER_01: you know,
18:39
SPEAKER_01: abortion is legal,
18:39
SPEAKER_01: but they don't have shield loss.
18:41
SPEAKER_01: So and they could they could like intercept you.
18:44
So I think there's like a bunch of crazy scenarios where which
18:48
shows why it's just
18:49
such an unworkable situation to have draconian reproductive
18:52
rights laws in
18:53
SPEAKER_01: Louisiana and normal.
18:55
Health care and medicine in California and New York and why
18:58
that's just like an
18:58
SPEAKER_01: untenable position in the long term.
19:00
SPEAKER_00: On that third point,
19:01
SPEAKER_00: I mean,
19:01
SPEAKER_00: I think like not tongue in cheek,
19:03
we're going to have to start pushing for shield laws in states
19:06
with major airport
19:07
SPEAKER_00: hubs.
19:08
SPEAKER_00: Right.
19:08
It'd be great if there was I don't know if there's a shield law
19:10
in Illinois.
19:11
SPEAKER_00: I had the map pulled up earlier.
19:12
SPEAKER_00: I don't know if you.
19:12
SPEAKER_00: There is, right?
19:13
Okay,
19:14
so as much as we had issues with United flying recently,
19:18
I mean,
19:18
it's a United hub,
19:19
right?
19:19
SPEAKER_00: Maybe doctors are going to have to fly United.
19:22
SPEAKER_00: So they're always in a state.
19:23
SPEAKER_00: It's really sad that people would have to plan their itinerary.
19:26
I mean,
19:26
if you go on Expedia,
19:28
you can do one-way,
19:29
you can do round-trip,
19:29
you can do multi-state.
19:31
They're going to have to have a fourth tab for avoid the
19:33
fucking crazy people from
19:34
SPEAKER_00: Texas coming to snatch you up and put you in a gulag.
19:37
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, I think that's all pretty scary, pretty dark, but
19:42
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
19:42
SPEAKER_00: Not outside the realm of possibility, the lengths they'll go to.
19:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
19:48
SPEAKER_01: I think that can sound,
19:49
SPEAKER_01: sometimes in the Trump administration,
19:51
saying a thing that is actually happening with precise language
19:55
can make you feel a
19:56
SPEAKER_01: little crazy or sound a little crazy.
19:59
SPEAKER_01: But in this case, I don't think any of this is crazy.
20:01
SPEAKER_01: I think it's pretty clear this is where we're headed.
20:03
We are headed for Southern states using the state violence in
20:08
including like
20:08
SPEAKER_01: extradition and including imprisonment.
20:11
SPEAKER_01: and including suing people and,
20:12
SPEAKER_01: like,
20:12
SPEAKER_01: also,
20:13
SPEAKER_01: like,
20:13
SPEAKER_01: you know,
20:14
SPEAKER_01: on the financial side,
20:15
SPEAKER_01: like harassing people.
20:16
SPEAKER_01: We're headed for,
20:16
SPEAKER_01: like,
20:17
SPEAKER_01: the southern states doing things that are sort of unprecedented,
20:20
SPEAKER_01: at least in the modern era,
20:21
SPEAKER_01: at least in the post-World War II era,
20:23
SPEAKER_01: against states that are,
20:24
SPEAKER_01: you know,
20:24
SPEAKER_01: in the north or in the west.
20:25
SPEAKER_01: Right.
20:26
SPEAKER_00: Right.
20:26
SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, stay tuned.
20:27
SPEAKER_00: Right.
20:27
SPEAKER_00: This is this is coming to a head.
20:29
SPEAKER_00: I mean,
20:29
SPEAKER_00: there's other attacks besides these states trying to act,
20:33
SPEAKER_00: you know,
20:33
SPEAKER_00: other attacks at the FDA that,
20:35
SPEAKER_00: you know,
20:35
SPEAKER_00: potentially unfolding.
20:37
SPEAKER_00: I think we have to be vigilant.
20:38
SPEAKER_00: I think getting to the medicine of it.
20:41
SPEAKER_00: Right.
20:41
This is clearly safe and effective medication been proven over
20:45
decades and decades of use.
20:47
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
20:47
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
21:13
SPEAKER_00: But then on the political side of things,
21:15
SPEAKER_00: like if they're going to do this,
21:16
SPEAKER_00: these unpopular things,
21:18
SPEAKER_00: these what should be criminal actions that they're going to try to take,
21:23
I think it is like back to the streets and back to the airwaves
21:27
that we have to be
21:28
SPEAKER_00: pounding the drums so people understand that.
21:31
Dobbs falling and all the work and fights people did with
21:34
ballot initiatives in 22,
21:36
24.
21:36
SPEAKER_00: We were involved in a lot of that.
21:38
SPEAKER_00: We're not done.
21:39
SPEAKER_00: Right.
21:39
SPEAKER_00: This just sort of keeps on giving.
21:41
And these guys just aren't going to give up until they can try
21:45
to control as many
21:46
SPEAKER_00: people's bodies as possible in this decision.
21:49
SPEAKER_00: So I think,
21:50
SPEAKER_00: you know,
21:50
we're going to have to come up with some creative ideas and how
21:53
to get people
21:54
engaged and how to get people to understand and really care
21:57
about this and act on
21:59
SPEAKER_00: it,
21:59
SPEAKER_00: you know,
22:00
SPEAKER_00: electorally at some point.
22:02
Yeah,
22:02
I just because while you're chatting there,
22:03
Rob,
22:04
I looked it up in January.
22:08
2023,
22:08
Illinois enacted an interstate shield law protecting providers
22:10
and patients.
22:11
SPEAKER_01: Maybe we can get a,
22:12
SPEAKER_01: we probably won't have it when this posts,
22:14
SPEAKER_01: but down the line,
22:15
SPEAKER_01: we'll get a write-up on the different,
22:17
SPEAKER_01: I know we have that somewhere at the Committee to Protect.
22:19
SPEAKER_01: We have a write-up of the different shield laws state by state,
22:21
and we'll just post that in the show notes if folks are curious
22:24
about that.
22:25
SPEAKER_01: One last thing on this, Rob, on just the, you know,
22:29
SPEAKER_01: Corporations being cowards.
22:31
SPEAKER_01: I guess that would be the genre.
22:32
SPEAKER_01: Costco announced that it will no longer sell abortion pills,
22:34
SPEAKER_01: bowing to pressure from anti-abortion zealots.
22:37
Costco claims that the decision was based on a lack of demand
22:40
from our members and
22:41
SPEAKER_01: other patients.
22:41
SPEAKER_01: Not pressure from conservatives, but...
22:44
SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
22:45
SPEAKER_01: Weird timing.
22:46
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, really.
22:47
SPEAKER_01: Weird timing.
22:49
Democrat Senator Patty Murray slammed the decision deeply
22:52
alarmed by news reports
22:53
SPEAKER_01: that Costco is refusing to sell safe,
22:55
effective and legal medication for no other reason than to
22:58
appease the politics of
22:59
SPEAKER_01: anti-abortion fanatics.
23:01
SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I think that's right.
23:03
SPEAKER_01: They shouldn't do that.
23:04
SPEAKER_01: Costco, be better.
23:05
SPEAKER_01: What do you think?
23:06
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
23:06
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
23:06
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think, yeah, that's it's really troubling.
23:10
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I have to admit, I like Costco.
23:12
SPEAKER_00: I like going there.
23:13
SPEAKER_00: I like Costco.
23:14
SPEAKER_00: Big, big packs of toilet paper.
23:16
SPEAKER_00: You know, that's all good.
23:18
SPEAKER_01: They like have to put politics in everything.
23:20
SPEAKER_01: I just want to have my little morning egg bites.
23:23
SPEAKER_01: I want to be able to buy oranges in enormous quantities.
23:27
I want to be able to go get my spindrift and I want it to come
23:30
in a case that it
23:31
SPEAKER_01: will never run out.
23:32
I don't want to have to think about religious zealots teaming
23:36
around Costco when
23:38
SPEAKER_01: I'm there to get my egg bites.
23:40
SPEAKER_01: Damn it.
23:40
SPEAKER_01: Stop it, guys.
23:42
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
23:42
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
23:43
SPEAKER_00: Like, can we just have like the normies, right?
23:45
SPEAKER_00: We even got Costco amongst the normies.
23:47
The normies just kind of do the thing that is the right thing
23:50
based on the
23:51
SPEAKER_00: medicine,
23:51
SPEAKER_00: the science,
23:52
SPEAKER_00: the laws.
23:53
SPEAKER_00: Like, I don't know.
23:54
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
23:55
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, that's the thing.
23:56
It's really sad how deep the reach has become of the zealots
24:00
and how a very small
24:02
fraction of individuals gets to have an outsized impact on the
24:06
lives of us normies.
24:07
SPEAKER_00: It's really depressing.
24:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for that.
24:09
SPEAKER_01: Bummer.
24:11
SPEAKER_01: Thanks, guys.
24:11
SPEAKER_01: All right.
24:12
SPEAKER_01: Well, let's go to a lighter topic.
24:13
SPEAKER_01: RFK Jr.,
24:17
So RFK had what I guess counts as a scandal inside a Trump
24:22
world because people
24:24
SPEAKER_00: thought he was –
24:26
SPEAKER_01: Well, it's the scandal, right?
24:28
A scandal might be,
24:29
you know,
24:29
back in the day,
24:30
like allegedly sleeping with Laura Loomer.
24:33
SPEAKER_01: That might have been a scandal back in the day.
24:35
SPEAKER_01: But the scandal now,
24:36
SPEAKER_01: what constitutes a scandal in today's world,
24:39
is considering running for president after the term-limited
24:44
Donald Trump would be
24:45
SPEAKER_01: done with his presidency,
24:47
SPEAKER_01: we assume.
24:48
SPEAKER_00: Right.
24:48
SPEAKER_01: So RFK,
24:49
because there were reports that basically said like he was
24:53
considering running for
24:54
SPEAKER_01: president,
24:54
SPEAKER_01: he's like obviously there.
24:57
His like whole project is building a constituency and like
25:00
grifting off of it.
25:01
SPEAKER_01: So like maybe he is running for president.
25:03
SPEAKER_01: So he had a big tweet.
25:04
SPEAKER_01: Let me be clear.
25:04
SPEAKER_01: I am not running for president in 2028.
25:07
SPEAKER_01: My loyalty is to President Trump and the mission we've started.
25:10
SPEAKER_01: I don't do an RFK voice and I won't do one.
25:12
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
25:13
SPEAKER_01: No, no, no.
25:14
SPEAKER_01: The swamp is in full panic mode.
25:16
SPEAKER_01: D.C.
25:16
lobby shops are laboring fiercely to drive a wedge between
25:20
President Trump and me,
25:21
hoping to thwart our team from dismantling the status quo and
25:24
advancing POTUS's
25:25
SPEAKER_01: Make America Healthy Again agenda and a lot more.
25:29
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, I don't believe him.
25:30
SPEAKER_01: I think he's running.
25:31
I think he's certainly putting together things to try to run if
25:35
for some reason he
25:35
SPEAKER_01: gets a chance to.
25:37
SPEAKER_01: Right.
25:38
SPEAKER_01: I don't think he's a viable general election candidate either,
25:41
SPEAKER_01: though,
25:41
SPEAKER_01: because he's I mean,
25:42
SPEAKER_01: people he's an odd character.
25:44
SPEAKER_01: What do you think, Rob?
25:45
SPEAKER_01: What a sad state of affairs.
25:46
That's what that's what's a scandal now as opposed to cutting
25:50
health care from so many people.
25:52
SPEAKER_00: Well,
25:52
SPEAKER_00: first,
25:53
SPEAKER_00: on being an odd character,
25:55
SPEAKER_00: being disqualifying for being a good,
25:57
SPEAKER_00: a general election candidate that can win,
25:59
SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure,
26:00
SPEAKER_00: man.
26:00
SPEAKER_00: I think we dipped in that well a few times.
26:03
SPEAKER_00: And I think we've had quite a few 2 a.m., 3 a.m.
26:06
moments of crisis in November of presidential election years,
26:10
kind of proven otherwise.
26:12
SPEAKER_00: But yeah,
26:12
SPEAKER_00: like what a sad state that as the head of,
26:15
SPEAKER_00: you know,
26:16
SPEAKER_00: second biggest agency after defense,
26:18
SPEAKER_00: Big agency, right?
26:19
SPEAKER_00: Overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, Medicaid cuts, right?
26:21
SPEAKER_00: Potential Medicare cuts, you know, FDA politicized against Mifepristone.
26:25
All of this shit going on that you would have to pledge loyalty
26:30
to a person,
26:31
right?
26:32
SPEAKER_00: To the guy in the Oval Office rather than loyalty to your agency,
26:36
loyalty to the people of this country you're supposedly trying
26:39
to protect and
26:40
SPEAKER_00: trying to,
26:41
SPEAKER_00: you know,
26:41
SPEAKER_00: improve their health.
26:42
loyalty to your principles of supposedly why you might be there
26:46
like the first part
26:48
of his statement is a loyalty to President Trump but it isn't
26:51
surprising right
26:52
every cabinet meeting that we've seen where they had the spray
26:55
like every it's the
26:57
dear leader kind of mode that people go into when they're in
27:00
the room with this guy
27:02
SPEAKER_00: is uncanny I mean it's uncanny
27:04
SPEAKER_00: how they understand, right?
27:06
SPEAKER_00: I mean, world leaders understand that.
27:07
SPEAKER_00: After his disastrous meeting with Putin in Alaska,
27:11
SPEAKER_00: all the world leaders got together and they said,
27:13
SPEAKER_00: OK,
27:14
SPEAKER_00: well,
27:14
SPEAKER_00: if we're going to protect Ukraine and our interest in having the U.S.
27:17
SPEAKER_00: be part of this, we have to suck up to this guy.
27:19
SPEAKER_00: And so Bobby knows that.
27:21
SPEAKER_00: He knows that for sure, right?
27:22
SPEAKER_00: At least he knows it or the worm knows it.
27:24
SPEAKER_00: Whoever's in charge of his
27:25
of his Twitter account understands how you stay in the good
27:29
graces of Trump.
27:30
SPEAKER_00: And it's flattery.
27:32
SPEAKER_00: It's loyalty above all else, above anything else.
27:36
SPEAKER_00: I mean,
27:36
that's coming out in the leaked parts of the Make America
27:40
Healthy Again report
27:42
SPEAKER_00: where,
27:42
SPEAKER_00: you know,
27:43
SPEAKER_00: Kennedy and the Maha movement have been very against pesticides,
27:46
SPEAKER_00: you know,
27:46
as a part of kind of the childhood chronic disease elimination
27:50
they're supposedly
27:50
SPEAKER_00: going to try to enact.
27:51
SPEAKER_00: And it looks like,
27:53
SPEAKER_00: at least in the leaked parts of the report,
27:55
SPEAKER_00: that big agriculture and pesticides like they've won out.
27:59
SPEAKER_00: Right.
27:59
The interest of all that money for Trump has won out over
28:03
Robert F.
28:04
Kennedy and his influence.
28:06
SPEAKER_00: And so he just has to keep trying to pledge his allegiance to Trump,
28:10
pledge his loyalty to Trump to try to enact the grift and those
28:14
policies that he
28:15
SPEAKER_00: came there trying to push.
28:16
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
28:18
SPEAKER_01: There's a little more Kennedy news.
28:19
So they've announced that they're reviving the task force on
28:22
safer childhood vaccines.
28:23
SPEAKER_01: So just like more American tax dollars and craziness at a fake problem.
28:30
SPEAKER_01: But it's a move long called by anti-vax activists.
28:33
SPEAKER_01: The vaccine policy experts are pretty worried.
28:36
RFK will use the task force to legitimize his false claims
28:39
about vaccine safety,
28:41
which will then be used to manipulate the vaccine injury
28:43
compensation program,
28:44
SPEAKER_01: said Paul Offit,
28:45
SPEAKER_01: director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of
28:48
SPEAKER_01: Philadelphia.
28:49
He will do nothing to make vaccines safer,
28:51
but that's not really his goal.
28:52
SPEAKER_01: His goal is to lessen their use, Offit said.
28:55
SPEAKER_01: So I agree with I agree with him.
28:57
SPEAKER_01: I agree with Paul Offit.
28:59
I think that's the one thing that he seems to actually it's all
29:03
such a grift.
29:03
SPEAKER_01: Right.
29:03
SPEAKER_01: But like,
29:04
SPEAKER_01: yeah,
29:05
SPEAKER_01: I can't tell if Bobby really does want vaccine,
29:09
like if he's just really good at the grift or if he really
29:12
believes like he's
29:13
SPEAKER_01: convinced himself that vaccines actually do have a dangerous element.
29:18
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think both can be true, right?
29:20
SPEAKER_00: I think he was swimming in it for the grift for so long, right?
29:24
SPEAKER_00: Profiting off of lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers.
29:28
So he was swimming there for so long and his pickled brain was
29:32
kind of marinating
29:33
SPEAKER_00: in that soup of the anti-vax rhetoric that he was pushing seemingly,
29:38
SPEAKER_00: you know,
29:39
SPEAKER_00: initially for the monetary gain.
29:42
SPEAKER_00: Eventually, like if you're around it too long, I mean, it
29:45
SPEAKER_00: It happens in a lot of people's lives.
30:09
SPEAKER_00: It didn't take long, right?
30:10
And so if you're swimming in that soup with all these
30:13
anti-vaxxers and benefiting
30:14
SPEAKER_00: from it,
30:15
SPEAKER_00: I think he's a believer now.
30:17
SPEAKER_00: I don't think it's at all.
30:18
SPEAKER_00: And again, I think both can be true.
30:19
SPEAKER_01: Fox News can ruin your grandpa in 12 weeks.
30:21
SPEAKER_01: That sounds like the right time.
30:22
SPEAKER_00: 12 weeks.
30:23
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that sounds like a podcast title at some point.
30:25
SPEAKER_00: I think we got to go there.
30:27
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, pretty sad.
30:28
SPEAKER_00: Pretty sad.
30:29
SPEAKER_00: And we don't have anything commensurate for deprogramming, right?
30:32
SPEAKER_00: If I could direct someone 12 weeks, detox.
30:34
SPEAKER_01: It takes a lot longer to deprogram, right?
30:36
SPEAKER_00: The detox is a lot longer.
30:37
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
30:38
You got to you got to you got to make you got to make some
30:40
friends that don't look like you.
30:42
SPEAKER_01: It's not just about the price of eggs or the price of gas.
30:46
SPEAKER_00: That doesn't do it.
30:47
SPEAKER_01: All right, Rob.
30:48
SPEAKER_01: I just one last one last thing,
30:50
because I know we can we can leave on this end on Trump
30:54
administration acts on
30:55
SPEAKER_01: criminalizing homelessness and mental illness.
30:57
SPEAKER_01: The Trump administration's homeless camps.
31:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we're going to just do dark all day today.
31:04
SPEAKER_01: We'll be a little lighter next week.
31:06
Trump administration has begun cracking down on homeless camps
31:09
in Washington,
31:09
D.C.
31:11
SPEAKER_01: You know,
31:11
SPEAKER_01: this is essentially clearing out homeless camps in Washington,
31:15
SPEAKER_01: but they're not really providing any space for folks.
31:19
SPEAKER_01: But this is,
31:19
SPEAKER_01: like,
31:19
SPEAKER_01: also in addition to,
31:20
SPEAKER_01: like,
31:21
SPEAKER_01: the misuse of the military and the misuse of the National Guard,
31:24
where you're seeing these images of just soldiers sitting
31:27
around doing jack shit in
31:29
SPEAKER_01: Washington.
31:30
SPEAKER_01: It's,
31:30
SPEAKER_01: like,
31:31
SPEAKER_01: babysitting the monuments and,
31:33
SPEAKER_01: like,
31:33
looking at tourists that they've become sort of living statues
31:37
around D.C.,
31:39
SPEAKER_01: but they are using some law enforcement—what would we call them,
31:42
SPEAKER_01: platoons?
31:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
31:43
SPEAKER_01: These amalgamated law enforcement teams to clear out homeless camps,
31:47
SPEAKER_01: which seems like interesting use of these guys' time.
31:50
SPEAKER_01: What are you thinking?
31:51
SPEAKER_00: I mean,
31:51
and I think like the way this certainly intersects with the
31:55
work we do and what
31:56
I've done in my life is so many of these folks who end up
32:01
homeless have mental
32:02
SPEAKER_00: health issues,
32:03
SPEAKER_00: right,
32:04
SPEAKER_00: that are not treated adequately.
32:06
SPEAKER_00: So many have addiction issues that aren't being treated properly.
32:12
SPEAKER_00: You have an administration and an entire Republican Party,
32:15
SPEAKER_00: on the one hand,
32:16
cutting Medicaid to decrease the ability to fund behavioral
32:19
health treatment and
32:21
SPEAKER_00: addiction treatment,
32:22
SPEAKER_00: particularly in very poor populations.
32:24
SPEAKER_00: On the one hand.
32:25
SPEAKER_00: And on the other hand, you have this debacle.
32:27
You have Caroline Levitt saying either people will go to the
32:30
hospital or they will go to jail.
32:32
I think I think that was a paraphrasing of her kind of
32:35
dichotomous view of what the
32:37
SPEAKER_00: options are for people who are homeless.
32:39
SPEAKER_00: And I heard an interview by a guy,
32:41
I think that he called himself John because he didn't want to
32:44
be identified,
32:44
SPEAKER_00: so he wasn't targeted,
32:45
SPEAKER_00: who found himself homeless.
32:47
He's worked a job of manual labor and was having a lot of
32:52
physical issues related
32:53
to that job and just couldn't do it anymore and couldn't afford
32:56
anywhere to live.
32:57
SPEAKER_00: And that's how he ended up in that place.
32:58
SPEAKER_00: So why don't you fucking make housing more affordable, right?
33:01
Make addiction treatment more affordable,
33:03
make mental health treatment more affordable.
33:05
SPEAKER_00: Guess what?
33:05
Most people who end up on the street who are homeless aren't
33:09
reveling in that choice.
33:11
SPEAKER_00: That wasn't a decision they made saying,
33:12
SPEAKER_00: hey,
33:13
I don't like the constraints of four walls and a roof and
33:16
healthcare and food
33:17
SPEAKER_00: security.
33:18
SPEAKER_00: I'd rather be out here.
33:19
SPEAKER_00: Like it's such, yeah, it's somewhat dispiriting.
33:23
SPEAKER_00: I think it's just cynical of them to think this is...
33:26
SPEAKER_00: This is their cure for the problem of homelessness,
33:28
SPEAKER_00: right,
33:29
is just sweeps and displacing people out of sight of tourists
33:34
going off to brunch.
33:35
SPEAKER_00: So...
33:37
SPEAKER_00: Yeah,
33:37
SPEAKER_00: I think,
33:38
SPEAKER_00: again,
33:38
SPEAKER_00: we've got to...
33:41
SPEAKER_01: I heard an argument that...
33:42
SPEAKER_01: This is on a Bloomberg podcast where they were talking about how they're
33:46
SPEAKER_01: essentially using the military to be almost like Disney.
33:49
If you go to Disney,
33:50
you'll see Goofy walking around or you'll see Donald Duck
33:52
walking around.
33:53
And they've essentially turned the military and some of the law
33:55
enforcement into
33:56
SPEAKER_01: character actors in the city of Washington,
33:59
SPEAKER_01: D.C.,
34:00
SPEAKER_01: that you go up and get photos with them and all of this.
34:03
SPEAKER_01: And it's like the clearing out of the homeless camps...
34:06
SPEAKER_01: I'm not giving a shit what happens to all those folks.
34:08
SPEAKER_01: The placement of like the placement of military around the city,
34:14
SPEAKER_01: not actually doing anything or fighting any crime,
34:17
SPEAKER_01: but just simply as props.
34:18
SPEAKER_01: It all feels like it all feels like fascist theater.
34:23
SPEAKER_01: Like we are we're we're going to show off.
34:26
SPEAKER_01: This is all for the cameras and we're going to show off how we are.
34:29
SPEAKER_01: We're sticking it to the left.
34:31
SPEAKER_01: You know, we're owning the libs.
34:32
We're going to show off and we're going to provide
34:34
opportunities for you to then go
34:35
SPEAKER_01: put that in your newsfeed on the Internet.
34:39
SPEAKER_00: Yeah,
34:39
it's gross because it's gross because there's not a lot of
34:41
people to like go stick
34:42
SPEAKER_01: up because it's it's for their political theater.
34:45
And there's just not you know,
34:47
there are folks who are working hard working at it.
34:48
But there's not a lot of people out there to stick up for
34:51
people who are mentally
34:52
SPEAKER_01: ill and unhoused in Washington.
34:55
SPEAKER_01: So.
34:55
And guaranteed without a shred of evidence at some point in the
34:58
near future,
34:59
SPEAKER_00: they will make claims of decreased crime.
35:02
SPEAKER_00: Right.
35:02
Even though violent crime is at a 30 year low in D.C.,
35:06
they're going to make claims.
35:07
SPEAKER_00: Right.
35:07
SPEAKER_00: Of that.
35:07
They've already I've seen them lying and like reporting from
35:12
OpenTable where people
35:13
SPEAKER_00: make reservations for dining,
35:15
SPEAKER_00: how those numbers are down 30 percent in D.C.
35:18
SPEAKER_00: right now.
35:18
But totally the claims being made by Trump on the right is that
35:22
those are up 30 percent.
35:24
SPEAKER_00: Right.
35:24
SPEAKER_00: So up is down.
35:25
SPEAKER_00: Down is up.
35:25
SPEAKER_00: You know, they're looking they're going through the looking glass.
35:28
SPEAKER_00: They'll say whatever they want.
35:29
SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately,
35:30
SPEAKER_00: Fox News,
35:32
SPEAKER_00: One American News,
35:32
SPEAKER_00: the right wing goons on Twitter,
35:35
SPEAKER_00: Laura Loomer and company.
35:36
SPEAKER_00: They'll they'll put it out there as well.
35:38
SPEAKER_00: And they have a huge reach.
35:40
And that will become sort of that mainlining Fox News talking
35:43
point that grandpa is
35:44
SPEAKER_00: going to be getting fed every single day.
35:47
SPEAKER_00: And then they'll just keep repeating it and they'll believe it.
35:49
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
35:50
SPEAKER_00: I mean,
35:50
I think our channels of information need to to continue to
35:54
increase and need to
35:56
SPEAKER_00: push back against this with kind of the reality of what's going on.
36:00
SPEAKER_00: But I agree.
36:00
SPEAKER_00: It's sort of cosplay.
36:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
36:02
SPEAKER_00: fascism on the streets of D.C.
36:04
SPEAKER_00: because he has a legal authority to do that.
36:06
SPEAKER_00: Like, what happens next, right, in Philly, in Chicago, in New York?
36:11
SPEAKER_00: I guess we'll see.
36:12
And those are places I think that there's going to be the
36:14
ability to legally fight
36:15
SPEAKER_00: back against this.
36:16
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
36:17
SPEAKER_01: I feel bad.
36:18
SPEAKER_01: I keep coming back to this.
36:19
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, I like America.
36:21
I think someone who signs up for the National Guard is,
36:24
like,
36:24
doing an honorable thing.
36:26
And then to have your life upended,
36:28
to go menace brunch on behalf of the president—
36:31
SPEAKER_01: Fuck that.
36:31
SPEAKER_01: That's so annoying for that person.
36:33
SPEAKER_01: And like maybe some of those folks are like mega diehards,
36:37
SPEAKER_01: but like the vast majority,
36:38
SPEAKER_01: I bet,
36:39
SPEAKER_01: are pretty apolitical and sitting there like,
36:41
SPEAKER_01: what the hell are we doing here?
36:43
You know,
36:43
clearing out homeless encampments and menacing brunch near the
36:47
mall.
36:47
SPEAKER_01: Stupid.
36:48
SPEAKER_01: Anyway, stupid, stupid.
36:49
SPEAKER_01: Maybe we could call it for the day, Rob.
36:51
SPEAKER_01: What do you think?
36:52
SPEAKER_01: Should we read it out?
36:53
SPEAKER_01: I think you should read it out for us, Miles.
36:55
SPEAKER_01: All right, great.
36:56
Today's episode is written by Chris Savage,
36:57
Dr.
36:57
Rob Davidson,
36:58
and me,
36:58
Miles Baker.
36:59
It was produced by Amelia Dillenschneider,
37:01
Aslan Ibrahim,
37:01
and Joel Bryson.
37:02
SPEAKER_01: Our music is by Annette Somerset at Duneflower Productions.
37:06
SPEAKER_01: If you enjoyed today's show,
37:07
SPEAKER_01: please subscribe and leave us a rating at YouTube,
37:09
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37:09
SPEAKER_01: Apple Podcasts,
37:10
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37:11
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37:13
SPEAKER_01: You can also follow Paging America on Substack now.
37:16
SPEAKER_01: Please do that if you're listening on one of the other platforms.
37:19
SPEAKER_01: And then physicians, your voice matters.
37:20
Join the fight for better American health care by becoming a
37:23
member of the
37:23
SPEAKER_01: Committee to Protect Health Care.
37:24
You can visit www.committeetoprotect.org to learn more or you
37:28
can email us and
37:29
SPEAKER_01: we'll get back to you.
37:30
SPEAKER_01: So, OK, Rob, great chatting today.
37:33
SPEAKER_01: We'll see you later.
37:33
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
37:34
SPEAKER_00: See you next week.