A (Dear John) Letter to Elise

Julie and Simon join John to unpack the ICE raids in L.A.—why they’re not just an immigration issue but an Indigenous one. They dig into the disturbing forced removal of Senator Alex Padilla from a Kristi Noem event and what it says about power, race, and who gets silenced. They also break down the White House’s budget cuts to Tribal colleges, while the Yurok Tribe makes history reclaiming over 47,000 acres of stolen land. Plus, Julie shares the story behind her latest Substack essay and her online run-in with “Three Grumpy Bastards.” Spoiler: it’s a classic case of deflection when Indigenous folks speak hard truths. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Juni 41min

John's monologue focuses on Sen. Alex Padilla who was forcibly removed and handcuffed at a press event held by DHS Secretary and unfortunate hat-wearer, Kristi Noem. He also discusses Trump's speech at Fort Bragg where he carefully selected good looking Republican officers to be in the audience cheering and jeering and obeying all his commands. Then, democratic strategist Ameshia Cross returns to speak about Israel striking Iran's nuclear sites and killing some top military officers. Also Trump's big, costly birthday parade. Next, democratic strategist Max Burns is back to chat about the latest protests against ICE which have spread to nearly 20 other US cities, leading to more arrests and escalating tension. And finally, listeners call in to talk about John's Substack and this weekend’s NO KINGS protests.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

13 Juni 1h 24min

John remembers legendary Beach Boys creator Brian Wilson who passed away at age 82. Brian was a pioneer in music, known for his creative control and use of the recording studio to create unique sounds. He also discusses Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth being grilled as he testified before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the armed forces. Then, he jokes with Bob Cesca about the lame excuses from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about their treatment of ICE protesters in L.A. and what proof Trump has that they are being paid to protest. Next, John welcomes back former pastor Desimber Rose and theologian Dillon Naber Cruz (AKA the God Squad) and they discuss what the bible says about being gay and the treatment of foreigners. Then lastly, he chats with legal analyst Dr. Tracy Pearson about the legality of the ICE protests and the difference between martial law and habeas corpus.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

12 Juni 2h 5min

John talks about the continued ICE Protests and overreach from Trump. As 700 Marines enter Los Angeles, a federal judge has blocked Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency motion to stop Trump's deployment of thousands of national guardsmen. He also discusses RFK Jr. who fired the entire CDC panel tasked with providing vaccine guidance, calling the move a necessary step to restore trust in American medicine. Then he interviews Phyllis A. Coven who served as the seventh Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) from 2021-2023. Previously, Ms. Coven served as District Director for the two largest U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) District Offices located in New York and Los Angeles. She also served as Director of the Office of International Affairs under the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), where she was responsible for the operations of the INS’s overseas offices and refugee and asylum divisions. Next, John speaks with the Executive Director of the Muslim Community Network - Husein Yatabarry on Donald Trump’s latest travel ban. Twelve nations now face full travel bans for their citizens: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. And finally, Comedy Daddy Keith Price jokes with John and listeners on Trump's latest mishigas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

11 Juni 1h 38min

John remembers the life of musician Sly Stone who passed away at the age of 82. Then he discusses the clashes between Los Angeles protestors and law enforcement which is now into a 5th day - delighting Trump with TV shots to scare the rubes. At least 500 Marines have been deployed into Los Angeles, joining a large number of National Guard who are already on location with nothing to do. Then, he welcomes back legal analyst Dina Doll to give her perspective on the LA protests and the White House response. Next, comedian and primatologist Natalia Reagan checks in to give her first hand account of what happened to her at the L.A. protests. And then finally, comedian Rhonda Hansome chats with John and listeners on current news and trending stories.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

10 Juni 1h 28min

John talks about the ongoing breakup of Elon and Don. He also tells the story of Luka Strobel - a transgender man in South Carolina who reported experiencing harassment and being arrested after using a women's restroom at a bar. Despite having permission from the bar to use the women's restroom and having an ID that matched his gender marker, he reported being spied on, called anti-trans slurs, and forcibly removed from the bar. He was charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct, although he stated he was sober and did not resist the police. Then, he interviews Dr. Anahita Dua and they chat about RFK Jr's demolition of science and health in government programs. And winding it up, John jokes around with comedy panel Frank Conniff, Frank Vignola, and Agunda Okeyo on trending topics, pop culture, and the insanity of the government at large. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 Juni 1h 31min

In this episode, Simon and Julie sit down with John to talk about the murder of Jonathan Joss, a two-spirit Indigenous actor who was shot and killed on his own property. They say he deserved better. This wasn’t just homophobia—it was also about race, and ignoring that - erases part of what made him a target. They also dig into the Department of Education calling New York’s Native mascot ban “discriminatory.” At the same time, the military is renaming ships that honored brave people like Harvey Milk and Dolores Huerta—while racist mascots are somehow still on the table. And they close with Leonard Peltier’s call to change the “American Indian Movement” to the “Indigenous Movement,” and what that shift could mean for first peoples.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7 Juni 40min

Dems can't eat enough popcorn as John jokes about the huge fight between Musk and Trump. Each of them own and operate their own social media network, and today they used those networks to bitch and moan about each other in an epic clash of douchebags. Trump threatened to pull Musk’s government contracts, Musk named Trump as part of the Epstein files and the sole reason for its delayed release. Then, he interviews John Della Volpe who is the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics, where he has led research initiatives on American youth since 2000. His work focuses on understanding the attitudes, values, and behaviors of young Americans and their impact on politics and public life. A contributor to NBC, MSNBC, and The New York Times, John is the author of the critically acclaimed book Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America. He has launched the Speaking with American Men (SAM) Project, a first-of-its-kind initiative to re-engage young men who feel increasingly alienated from civic life and abandoned by civic institutions. It was borne from post-2024 election data showing a dramatic 12-point shift, from 2020, to Republicans among young men (18-29) and a clear warning that too many feel unheard, unrepresented, and culturally dismissed.The launch includes the release of an urgent new report titled Young Men in America Today: New Research on Their Opinions, Media, Challenges, and How Progressives Can Win them Back.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 Juni 1h 31min