Rod and Karen respond to listener feedback.
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The results left me so sick to my stomach. I’m hoping Dump’s ineptitude will keep him from pulling of some of his most heinous plans. Maybe in next two years Dems can reclaim the house and senate otherwise it’s going to be a long ass four years.
Well, at least y’all taking the week off gave me a chance to catch up: I’ve been a week behind for almost three months now.
Rod, I heard you tell one of your other listeners that the ads we hear are determined by the algorithm. To which, I say that the algorithm is a god damned lie. I be hearing ads for shit that I don’t look up on the internet, don’t use, and in some cases, ain’t never even heard of. Meanwhile, I ain’t heard naan ad for Arby’s yet, which tells me that the algorithm be bullshittin’.
Switching gears to something less funny, one of the things that annoys me most about how this election went down was a continuation of the bullshit they tried to feed us in 2016. In this specific case, I’m talking about how Kamala was the perfect candidate, until she BECAME the candidate. When I was on active duty, one of the things I used to hear all the time was that the only perfect duty station is your next duty station. I’m old enough to remember when people were out here saying that they wouldn’t vote for Hillary, “… Oh, but I’d vote for Kamala, though!” Word? It’s like you and Karen keep saying, these motherfuckers will grasp at straws to find any reason for why they wouldn’t vote for her, except for the obvious racism and sexism; they’ll even obfuscate by naming some other woman that they say that they “would” vote for, IF she were running, just so that they can continue to play in our face like misogyny wasn’t a factor. And it’s usually someone who’s never accomplished anything in their political career…
… Which, in a roundabout way, brings me to Jill Stein. The frustrating thing about populism is its tendency to undermine and flat-out disregard competence. Not even just disregard but actually penalize you for it. What people seem to want, or at least what they claim they want, is someone who talks cash shit about the things they would do, like Jill Stein, without having anything on their résumé that would support the idea that they could actually get any of that shit done. Jill Stein has never held elected office: she ain’t been nobody’s governor, she ain’t been nobody’s senator, she ain’t been nobody’s congressman, state assemblyman, mayor, surgeon general, court clerk, nothing. Not even dog catcher. And what makes me angry is that that seems to be part of what they like about her: the fact that she HASN’T ever done anything, which I guess is supposed to mean that her hands are clean, which is an ass-backwards way of looking at politics, from my point of view. It feels like the only people who can be elected president in today’s America are people who ain’t got no fucking business being the president. Kamala was one of the most competent, most qualified, most accomplished presidential candidates of my lifetime, and people went out of their way to nitpick her career and hold her accomplishments against her. And that’s going to happen again to the next candidate that’s not a white male, and the next one, and on and on and on. And maybe the most maddening thing about THAT is that a Black woman who was less accomplished than Kamala Harris couldn’t even GET nominated! There is no Black equivalent to Jill Stein that could make it out the primary. Hell, there isn’t even a white WOMAN equivalent of Jill Stein that could make it out the primary: only white men are allowed to be that mediocre and unaccomplished and still win, in this country.
My comment was running long, so I decided to split it up:
Something else that’s been bothering me for years is the notion that we should rise up en masse and “Leave the Democratic Plantation™.” First of all, as if there’s any political party that’s better for us than the one we’ve spent sixty years as the backbone of. Second of all, the only thing that would accomplish is guaranteeing GOP rule for the next two hundred years, because conservatives are always going to be united under the common cause of upholding white supremacy. If we organized some sort of “Blexit” fuck shit and left the Democratic Party, even if we actually WERE a monolith, and one hundred percent of Black people in this country all joined the same independent political party, that party would not have the numbers to get anything done, ever. And instead of general elections being 55 percent versus 45 percent (with voter suppression making it seem like it’s closer to 50/50), it would then become 15 percent versus 40 percent versus 45 percent, with voter suppression making it end up being more like 10 versus 30 versus 60. But at least we would have all of the power in a completely power-LESS political party; is that really what some of these niggas want?
Wonderfully said by the two of you. Loved this episode. Wish things were better, but like you said on Pregame about being sober-minded about this country, I’m right there with you. I feel much better after November 5th, but it’s still hard to just get out of bed and perform my job & I just hate it. Again, loved this episode & keep it up.
I believe that all that needed to be said has been said & extra love to both of you for putting words to the rage within me. However, I just wanted to give a shout-out to TBGWT nation for showing love to my BlueSky “tweet” introducing myself to those streets as a TBGWT fan. Almost everyone who loved, responded, & followed me had a PhD. I got to cook PhD levels of hustling, a Pre-PhD unleashed.
Dear Karen,
Same girl. Same.
Even if VP Harris had a stack of evidence, there is nothing she could do because the Dems have not given us any indication that they would do anything about it. And when he refuses to hold what should be the next election, I have 3% faith that this country, including the folks who voted for him, will do a single thing. And on the off chance he takes his last breath, I doubt Just Dumb Vance won’t install himself.
I cackled when Rod said “we will not have it, O!” a la Mbaku. I absolutely LOVE IT when I see my culture (Nigerian) make an appearance in American pop culture. I feel seen. I think this goes perfectly with your point about cultural appropriation. We should be happy to see our stuff in the zeitgeist, unless it’s being disrespected.
Also, I apologize for insinuating that y’all didn’t say enough about the election stuff on the show from election night. (My comment about needing Karen’s seething furnace of rage) I realize how it comes off now, like I want you to be my own personal anger translator. I was just so in my feelings and looking for you right minded folks to discuss it. I appreciate you taking time to really sit with it for a couple of days before fully going in during the feedback show.
At first I was despondent and everything felt pointless. I didn’t even feel motivated to make art, like why even bother. Then I went back into my art studio after about 2 days, and released all my emotions onto that canvas. That piece sold within 2 days of me finishing it. So I guess I’m saying the terrible election results was good for my art, haha! No, really, I’m saying all that to say, please Keep doing what you do! We need your voice now more than ever!
Thank you for saying this about culture.
I wanted to comment also, but this is a minefield for a white lady. I agree with Rod here, again.
People want to immitate what they see on TV or hear in music. This is normal, this is the way people learn.
They don’t ask first, is it OK to want to sound as cool and this person on TV, it’s what the brain does. And would it be helpful to have fully divided cultures, it not like the world isn’t divided enough?
I wouldn’t want to be only allowed to consume German or Polish culture, just because I was born here. And I’m sure I learned some expressions from this podcast alone, like welcome to the cookout.
Hello Rod and Karen,
Karen was fukking cooking at the 1:24:00 to the 1:27:52 mark of this. She is me at this moment. I put my hands together and screamed AMEN!!!
Karen is right… just because you think you’re “safe” in a blue state, no one is free. No one is free till everyone is free. Racism and radical conservative politics is a disease and it’s infecting so-called safe states. My blue state was not blue by a landslide like it usually is, it was blue by a small margin. That is frightening.
Karen is outraged at going back to baloney sandwiches after she’s been spoiled by Chef Rod’s gourmet meals. Very justified rage.
Whoever this Earl guy is on Youtube…sir, you are hilarious. The way I full-belly laughed in front of my computer while doing work. Perfect show title. NEVER LOST!
Also, people should check Reddit for the Project 2025 discussion. There are spreadsheets explaining what each part of the plan means and how it might be implemented. Best case scenario, we spend four years in hell with a bad economy. Worse case, we become a dictatorship that resembles Russia. Keep in mind that the Russians have been immigrating to American to escape Russia.
Or maybe don’t. Can you change it ? No.
Can you absolutely destroy your mental health? Yes.
You forget about trump’s one redeemable quality. He is absolutely inept. Even with the support he is likely to receive, his presence makes their success less likely. Yes, we are likely to see a second trump recession, but whenever you start catastrophizing, just remember, neither trump nor Vance have shown any competence in their overlong time on this earth. They have the confidence of mediocre hwite men (because they are that or slightly less), but like mediocre hwite men they are also completely inept at everything they say they are competent at.
It will be bad, there will be an increase in racist attacks (probably), the economy will likely go to shit (it always does under republican presidents, but the people put in power by a bunch of fucking morons who haven’t learned the proper way to wipe their asses are by their very nature inept, which should protect us from much of their worse inclinations.
Project 2025 has been the plan since Reconstruction. They never wanted to change this country. Ironic that the person responsible for this plan succeeding is an African born German man married to a man with children born via surrogate. Guess he feels safe.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel
Karen, I felt all that rage. I agree with you & Rod, America wanted this.
I know I don’t live in the US and I’m very happy about it especially now, but I was very depressed the morning after, and I had to take a train to Berlin for a Kongress for 3 days.
Away from home, on an extremely important work meeting.
People choose hate over hope.
On the train ride I felt all the feelings and tried to think how to handle the future best.
Again. I know, I don’t live in the US.
What I will not do is doomscrolling and following his every move and feel terrible every time.
He will do crazy things and there will be no consequences.
But I also had to unsubscribe to a podcast that called it the same as Germany in 1933. This is also not it. Hitler wanted to create living space in the east for example, and for that kill the people who already lived there and was voted on it. I’m not great in geography but I don’t think lacking space is a problem for the US. You have lots of space! I’ve seen it! Hey, something positive. Not like our highly populated Europe.
Making it even worse than it already is ( it’s bad enough) only increases the panic and I can’t deal with it. Sounds so soft, can’t deal with it, I really can’t, I can bring myself to the edge of a panic attack and who does this serve?
Probably the media.
No thanks.
I try to be the best human in my live I can be and nice, helpful and loving to others as my opposition to evil.
That’s the best idea I have,
Apia.
Overall it was good to be away in hindsight.
My work is pretty a non political, there was lots of new science in the treatment of multiple sclerosis presented, a disease that attacks people, no matter the political views, and even if more women are effected, there’s lots of new development and people effected can pretty much live normal lives ( if they can get the medication, and even for them, the drugs will be generic in maybe 7 years and the prices will go down a lot for everyone)
There was so much happening on the congress in Berlin, 6000 people, and almost noone talked about the American election.
When my colleagues started doom -talking in the cab on the first day ( Noone is pro DT here) i asked them to stop, because it made me extremely sad and they did.
So thats good.
I’ve been planning to get behind the paywall for months, but Rod sharing his good, yet embarrassing rap made me spend that dough.
One of us, one of us, one of us…
❤️
A million thank yous for everything you do! Since 2020 I’ve had to make some big changes in how I get information, and a big part of that has been cutting down on social media and getting more information from podcasts, radio, news articles, and talking to people IRL instead. Your podcast has been a big part of that for me and has helped me keep my head on straight and informed without going crazy, and it’s helped me a lot be a much more effective activist and organizer. I’ve been able to put in a lot more work in my local community lately and thank you for helping me get to that point. Please for the love of all that is good take care of yourselves, and you should be proud. I refuse to believe that any of the work you’ve put in has gone to waste, even if this election went bad. I can at least say you’ve had a positive influence on my life and therefore my community, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
On a personal note, I was surprised at how surprised I was with the results, I hadn’t realized until I checked the results how much I was expecting Kamala to win. I’m a white woman and most of my social circles are other white women and I truly got the sense that most of us were going to do the right thing, people I knew and the people around them, even those who leaned conersevative or didn’t vote for Hillary seemed like they were going to flip this time. But, I guess my circles aren’t as representative of the country as I thought which is extremely disappointing and frustrating. I feel like I should’ve known better but at least I know that I did everything I could. Sounds like you have similar feelings about having done your part, and hearing you express that was pretty validating for me. We’ll just have to keep on keeping on I suppose.
-Landorf
Hi Rod and Karen,
Thank you for another insightful show, even during this devastating time.
I’m in Canada and the news of her loss hit me very hard, I was in a daze on Wednesday I had to watch old episodes of Sex and the City as a form of escapism.
I was speaking to my sister who lives in a blue State and City and voted in the election, and I think your point about people living in a bubble has a lot of credence. I was shocked when she said that people were not scared of a 2nd Trump presidency but were more upset about inflation under Joe Biden, and that that Kamala being his “Black” vice president hurt her chances.
She has always been a bit conspiratorial so I’m not surprised she fell for the Kamala disinformation campaign. This was the first time I heard her say it. I know she most likely voted for Kamala, but the fact that I have to even wonder worries me.
Wishing you both love and light during these times.
B
I live in a blue state too, like your sister. But maybe because I’m an attorney, I can appreciate how the federal government takes precedent over the states. I know my governor will do his best to insulate us from the effects of this man’s administration but that can only last so long and go so far. We will all feel the effects of his incompetence, nationwide.
Thanks yall. I know we’re all feeling a lot of emotions right now, I woke up to catch the final hour of this live and relistened later. His first election took me out, I was down REALLY bad, like Karen. This time, I was very worried because I know how deep racism and misogyny runs here but let myself be hopeful after seeing all the Zoom calls and the joyfulness at the DNC.
Now, we will all reap what half of this country has sowed.