This week on The Lonely Liberal, Rick and I cover a whirlwind of headlines that span the outrageous, the authoritarian, and the just plain bizarre.

In the news:

• Elon Musk finally turns on Trump—so naturally, Steve Bannon wants to deport him.
• Trump signs a proclamation to restrict student visas and ban entry from 12 countries.
• A new investigation into Biden’s cognitive health is underway,
• The administration says federal jobs will now go to “Patriotic Americans” first
• The National Guard is deployed to LA to crack down on ICE protestors.
• The Trump administration moves to remove Harvey Milk’s name from a Navy ship.
• Louisiana passes a bill banning chemtrails (yes, those chemtrails).
• A 22-year-old named Thomas Fugate is now apparently leading terror prevention efforts.
• Chuck Schumer starts calling the GOP bill the “we are all going to die” bill.
• Democrats launch the SAM Project to study young men
• And Hong Kong’s health chief wants people to stare at smokers until they stop.

It’s a week that perfectly encapsulates our new political era—equal parts dystopia and parody. Let’s break it all down.

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In this special cross-border episode, we are joined by the wonderful Delia, Canadian energy and supply chain maestro, to unpack the complicated, often overlooked dynamics between the United States and Canada. From Trump's past and present jabs at America’s northern neighbor to the surprising ways U.S. politics influence Canadian elections, we ask: What’s really going on here?

We explore:

• Trump’s shifting relationship with Canada: trade wars, pipeline politics, and “blame Canada” rhetoric
• How U.S. political chaos spills across the border — and what that means for Canadian elections
• The clean energy connection: How Canadian hydro, offshore wind, and critical minerals tie our economies together
• Plus: Why Canada is watching the 2028 U.S. election just as closely as we are

Whether you’re American, Canadian, or just curious how global neighbors influence each other, this episode dives deep into one of the world’s most important — and strained — partnerships.

Email us at thelonelyliberalpodcast@gmail.com

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This week, Rick and I break down the chaos in Trumpworld and beyond:

Serious Headlines

• Trump’s tariffs ruled illegal — then reinstated by an appeals court.
• Trump claims he lowered China tariffs to protect them from civil unrest.
• Steel tariffs are set to double, prompting fears of a trade war rerun.
• “TACO” — Trump Always Chickens Out — goes viral (and he’s not thrilled).
• Lobbyists reportedly charging for help securing Trump pardons.
• Trump cancels a $766 million Moderna bird flu vaccine grant — during an actual bird flu outbreak.
• The MAHA report cites studies that don’t exist (including one that links to a dog food site).
• The State Department considers an “Office of Remigration” — a term borrowed from European far-right parties.
• PBS sues the Trump administration, just days after NPR did the same

Weird and Funny Stuff

• Trump retweets a conspiracy theory that Biden died in 2020 and was replaced by a robot.
• Elon Musk allegedly did so much ketamine while advising Trump it affected his bladder.
• A newspaper publishes an AI-generated summer reading list with totally fake books (we’d still read The Invisible Canoe).
• Trump might pardon Diddy.
• Senator Joni Ernst, asked about Medicaid cuts, says: “Well, we’re all going to die.”

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It’s called the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’—but it might just be a big betrayal. In this episode, we break down the GOP’s new budget and how it slashes healthcare, food assistance, and clean energy investments that overwhelmingly benefit red states. If you live in rural America, you might want to tune in—because you’re footing the bill.

This week on the Lonely Liberal, Rick and I break down all the major news. From billion-dollar defense bubbles to billion-dollar visas, we break down the Trump administration’s latest flurry of announcements, controversies, and cartoonish chaos. We also bring you the best of the ridiculous: AI mishaps, polygraphs at the White House, and Marjorie Taylor Greene fighting with a bot.

• Golden Dome Missile Defense: Trump unveils a $175B next-gen missile shield.
• "White Genocide" Video: Trump shocks South African President with fake footage.
• GOP Reconciliation Bill: Mike Johnson declares Trump the “most respected modern president.”
• Qatari Jet Becomes Air Force One: A $400M gift raises Emoluments Clause alarms.
• TrumpCard.gov: “Gold Card” visa program launches for wealthy foreign investors.
• Harvard Ban: International students blocked from enrolling, citing CCP “concerns.”
• Supreme Court Ruling: Allows president to fire independent watchdogs at will.

• White House Polygraphs: Staffers undergo lie detector tests to plug leaks.
• Lutnick Tariff Flop: Asked if Americans are feeling the pain—crowd yells “Yes!”
• “Gold Standard Science” EO: Trump signs a bizarre executive order reshaping federal research.
• Farewell to Pennies: Treasury says goodbye to the one-cent coin by 2026.
• Russian Orthodox Surge: U.S. men flock to church in search of “manliness.”
• MTG vs AI: Marjorie Taylor Greene gets into a theological argument with Grok, Musk’s AI bot.
• Kid Cudi vs. Diddy: Rapper claims Diddy broke into his house and unwrapped Christmas gifts.

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Donald and Melania Trump have officially turned crypto into a family business — and maybe a political strategy. From $TRUMP and $MELANIA memecoins to the family-backed USD1 stablecoin powering billion-dollar Gulf investments, this episode of The Lonely Liberal unpacks the meme coin presidency, the ethics of crypto deregulation, and what happens when the First Family goes full Web3.

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In this week’s episode of The Lonely Liberal, Rick and I break down the latest whirlwind of serious policy updates and absurd political theater. From billion-dollar budget cuts to bacteria-filled PR stunts, here’s what you need to know—and what you wish you didn’t.

News:

• Medicaid cuts buried in Trump’s $4.9 trillion tax plan

• U.S. denies plan to relocate 1 million Palestinians to Libya

• U.S. and China agree to pause on escalating tariffs

• Trump signs executive order slashing prescription drug prices

• April sees surplus thanks to tariffs, but U.S. spending still up 13% YTD

• Global poll shows China now more popular than the U.S.

• Moody’s downgrades U.S. credit rating due to rising debt and deficits

Ridiculous Headlines:

• Biden reportedly didn’t recognize George Clooney at fundraiser

• Oklahoma adds 2020 election conspiracies to high school curriculum

• RFK Jr. swims in a bacteria-infested pond: “Don’t take my medical advice”

• Commerce Secretary Lutnick: “Started at 10, ended at 10”

• Utah senator introduces bill to criminalize pornography

• DHS considers immigration reality show where contestants compete for U.S. citizenship

Tune in for the full breakdown, some laughs, and a few sighs.

Shoot us an email at thelonleyliberalpodcast@gmail.com

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The U.S. national debt just crossed $36 trillion — but what does that actually mean? In this episode of The Lonely Liberal, we dig into how we got here, who and what is really driving the debt, and whether it's the crisis some politicians make it out to be.

From trillion-dollar interest payments to pandemic spending, tax cuts, and entitlement programs, we break down the numbers, the myths, and the politics. Is investor confidence cracking? Could rising debt limit future government action? And how do other countries — like Japan — manage even bigger debt loads?

Whether you're debt-pilled or debt-skeptical, this episode gives you the facts, the context, and the insight to understand one of the biggest (and most misunderstood) issues in American politics.