Ep 382: A Canadian Tuxedo Never Looked So Good

Ep. 382 Ken and Dave discuss Tariff handouts, softening economic numbers, Mike Collins makes it official, a new White House ballroom, it turns out ads featuring hot girls sell clothing, the murdering fifth grade teacher, setting a politician on fire, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting closes its doors.

 

------

• Pike County Zoning Issue: Ken Pullin recounted a contentious zoning issue at a county commissioner meeting. Despite public protest, a property was zoned commercial because the county was legally bound by established zoning rules and ordinances, which Pullin referred to as the county's "Bible." He explained that deviating from these rules would lead to lawsuits, and he advocates for private property rights, believing in leniency regarding how people use their land. He also noted that neighbors had the same opportunity to buy the land.
• Atlanta Braves Trade Deadline: The Atlanta Braves failed to make a significant move at the trade deadline, which was disappointing but not surprising given the team's current state. The hosts felt the team was "pretty much done anyway" with "no viable path" to the postseason due to injuries and a lack of interest from other teams in their available players.
• Celsius Energy Drink Controversy: A significant controversy involved Celsius energy drinks reportedly being canned at the same factory as High Noon vodka seltzers. This led to incidents where individuals, including kids, became "tipsy" after consuming what they believed to be only an energy drink. The hosts discussed the significant liability for both the manufacturer and Celsius due to potential allergic reactions to alcohol, the presence of children consuming the drinks, and the general public being misled.
• Delta Flight Turbulence: A Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam experienced severe, unexpected turbulence over Denver, resulting in 25 people requiring hospitalization for injuries. Passengers reportedly hit the ceiling, and the galley was "torn up." The turbulence was unexpected, as it occurred while drinks were being served, not during an anticipated period of rough air.
• Kamala Harris's Political Future: Kamala Harris is reportedly not running for Governor of California, signaling her focus on a potential presidential bid in 2028. The hosts expressed skepticism about her chances, noting her past primary performance (less than 1% last time) and the Democratic party's perceived lack of a strong "bench" outside of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
• New Tariffs and "Tariff Checks": Former President Trump announced new tariffs on European countries and an increase for Canada. In response, Senator Josh Hawley proposed the "American Worker Rebate Act of 2025," which would issue "tariff checks" of up to $2,400 per family. The hosts criticized this proposal, arguing that it suggests tariffs raise consumer prices and that the money should instead go towards paying off the national debt, viewing it as an attempt to "buy votes."
• Economic Downturn: The Dow Jones, S&P, and NASDAQ experienced a significant dive. This was attributed to the new tariffs and "really bad job numbers" for the month (73,000 seasonally adjusted jobs), compounded by sharp downward adjustments of previous months' numbers by a combined 258,000.
• Trump and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): In response to the poor job numbers, Trump accused BLS Commissioner Dr. Erica Mackinarfer of manipulating monthly jobs reports for political purposes. He also called for Jerome Powell to step down as Fed chair, urging the Fed board to "assume control." The hosts debated whether the job numbers were genuinely manipulated or influenced by seasonal factors, and whether interest rates were being kept artificially high. They agreed that "Trump needs to stay in his damn lane" regarding the Fed.
• Mike Collins Running for Georgia Senate: Congressman Mike Collins officially announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Despite being a Republican and having support from Kemp allies in the state legislature, his campaign faced a mishap when they misspelled "Georgia" in a campaign ad. The hosts noted that this mistake, while "stupid" and "funny," was unlikely to hurt his campaign.
• Houston Gaines Running for Congressional Seat: State Representative Houston Gaines announced his bid for Mike Collins' congressional seat, raising over $500,000 in the first 24 hours. The hosts speculated that Gaines's strong reputation and early fundraising success might "clear the field" of other potential candidates for the seat.
• White House Makeover: A 90,000-square-foot ballroom is being built at the White House, replacing East Wing edifices. This "significant transformation" is financed entirely by private donations, not taxpayer money.
• Sydney Sweeney "Good Jeans" Controversy: An American Eagle denim commercial featuring actress Sydney Sweeney generated controversy, with some on the left labeling it "Nazi propaganda" and "eugenics." This was due to Sweeney's appearance and the play on words regarding "good genes" (referring to genetics) and "jeans" (the clothing). American Eagle did not apologize, and the ad was associated with an increase in sales and stock price. The hosts found the criticism absurd.
• Arkansas Teacher Accused of Double Murder: An elementary school teacher was accused of a double murder in Arkansas. He was arrested mid-haircut, with DNA evidence matching blood found at the scene, and brave descriptions from child witnesses.
• Danville City Councilman Set on Fire: Danville, Virginia City Councilman Lee Vogler was attacked and set on fire with an accelerant. While the motive is believed to be personal, not political, the act was described as a "different level of hate."
• "Mule of the Week" - Georgia Southern Professor: A Georgia Southern Professor named Greg Brock was named "Mule of the Week" for suggesting that citizens in Bullet County take out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to afford increased school taxes. This suggestion was made during a school board meeting where an unusual number of people were speaking in favor of the tax increases, which the hosts believed was orchestrated.
• PBS Shutting Down: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced it would begin shutting down after Congress canceled its approved funding. This indicated that donations were insufficient to sustain operations. The hosts expressed little disappointment, arguing that PBS and NPR should be self-sufficient through advertising or donations if their content is truly valuable, and that many shows would likely find new homes on streaming services.