Random Schmuck

The first in a series of unscripted podcast episodes where I reflect on things that affect us all and my observations on them. This first episode is about the nuttiness of driving on roads nowadays, the perils of the "strode" and the finer points of toasted sesame seed bagels with cream cheese and lox. Send me your funny stories about driving to randomschmuck@gmail.com and I'll read them on the next episode!

I am going to be taking a break from scheduled episodes, but I will be back when the need arises. In the meantime, I discuss the list of podcasts I listen to every week. Thank you for being a listener! The Al Franken Podcast Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams Big Picture Science The Bulwark Podcast Citation Needed Cleanup On Aisle 45 Cognitive Dissonance D&D Minus The Daily Beans The Economics of Everyday Things Freakonomics Radio Geologic Podcast George Conway Explains It All (To Sarah Longwell) Justice Matters with Glenn Kirschner The Know Rogan Experience The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell Law and Chaos Lawful Assembly Lovett Or Leave It Main Justice The Moth No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen No Stupid Questions Ologies with Alie Ward On The Media Opening Arguments Pod Save America Political Gabfest Rachel Maddow Presents: Deja News Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra The Rachel Maddow Show The Reality Check Savor The Scathing Atheist The Skepticrat The Skeptics’ Guide To The Universe Stay Tuned with Preet Strict Scrutiny Stuff You Missed In History Class Stuff You Should Know Talking Feds Thank God I’m Atheist The Thinking Atheist True Stories with Seth Andrews Trump’s Project 2025: Up Close And Personal Trumpland with Alex Wagner UnJustified The Weekend Show The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart What’s Next | Daily News and Analysis Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast You’re Dead To Me        

Remember The Running Man? Well, it's relevant again. References: https://www.scripts.com/script/the_running_man_17257/4 https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250418-us-senator-says-el-salvador-staged-margarita-photo-op https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-el-salvador-prison https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/03/11/mel-gibsons-domestic-violence-conviction-highlighted-in-firing-of-trump-doj-official/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/04/17/trump-advisor-suggests-deportation-critics-are-breaking-the-law-by-aiding-and-abetting-terrorism/ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/business/trump-harvard-letter-mistake.html https://www.facebook.com/feministnews.us/posts/pfbid023QgT2WdSVZoqwoHV6ssVwwSGT5ysmTXdTCKpajF55XX6fnf14Vfbgt8F6pANvUttl

Just bring the guy home already!!!! References: https://www.civiced.org/quotations-about-democracy https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9 https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-5/ https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-floats-legally-questionable-proposal-deport-us-citizens-rcna201183 https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/16/politics/kilmar-abrego-garcia-maryland-senator-el-salvador/index.html https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-administration-lies-kilmar-abrego-garcia-explained-1235318906/ https://www.foxnews.com/video/6371538926112 https://www.npr.org/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5366178/trump-deport-jail-u-s-citizens-homegrowns-el-salvador https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/us/trump-abrego-garcia-deported-hearing.html

They were one huge reason I retired from teaching. References:   https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/nyregion/school-cell-phone-ban-nyc.html https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/24/24252235/police-unlock-phone-password-face-id-apple-wallet-id https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/21/border-control-phone-search/82594653007/  

The REAL reason why Blazing Saddles would never be made today. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law https://www.newsweek.com/trump-administration-monitor-immigrants-social-media-antisemitism-2057562 https://forward.com/opinion/657036/trump-jews-antisemitism-republican-party/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/07/trump-el-salvador-amercian-prisoners/82982777007/ https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5241423-house-passes-bill-district-court-injunctions/ https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-insider-trading/

Trump's psychological makeup explains everything you need to know bout his tariff war. References https://apnews.com/article/panama-us-mulino-hegseth-canal-33b7e18a1e879706712309118c3ad8c0 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/08/musk-navarro-tariff-trump/82989175007/ https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/04/09/us/immigrant-rights-deportation.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/opinion/trump-tariffs-rationale-power.html

The stock market doesn't much care for the tariffs, does it?   References: https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/07/business/jamie-dimon-tariff-warning https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/06/treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-markets-tariffs-recession.html https://www.thestreet.com/personalities/scott-bessent-net-worth https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/speaker-johnson-cuts-deal-rep-luna-parental-proxy/story?id=120545742 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doj-argues-judge-cant-order-return-of-kilmar-abrego-garcia/ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/10/who-is-russell-vought-trump-office-of-management-and-budget https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/07/peter-navarro-says-vietnams-0percent-tariff-offer-is-not-enough-its-the-non-tariff-cheating-that-matters.html https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueaddedtax.asp https://www.newsweek.com/don-bacon-tariffs-spurred-worst-depression-ever-had-2056024 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/opinion/black-americans-trump-politics.html

The tariffs hit, the economy goes in the toilet and the Senate is about to use one weird trick to give billionaires a huge tax cut while pretending it won't blow a $5 trillion hole in our deficit. References: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/a-timeline-of-trumps-tariff-actions-so-far https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/trump-fake-tariff-rates-1.7501604 https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-says-things-going-very-220759324.html https://trumpgolftrack.com/ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/us/politics/republicans-senate-rules-tax-cuts.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/04/social-security-layoffs-trump-musk/  

Wisconsin demonstrates that Elon's money does not win elections. Hopefully, other Republicans will start to take note. References: https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/01/politics/johnson-luna-proxy-voting-parents-house-gop/index.html https://www.wisn.com/article/wisconsin-voters-approve-constitutional-voter-id-amendment/64357959 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/us/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-crawford-schimel.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/us/politics/elon-musk-tesla-wisconsin.html https://newrepublic.com/post/193424/elon-musk-doge-usip-nonprofit-seize-building https://www.newsweek.com/doge-cuts-update-today-contracts-cancelled-2052525 https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/eric-adams-case-dismissed-new-york-trump-doj.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/opinion/trump-ice-immigrants.html