Random Schmuck

Episode 1: Driving Drives Me Nuts

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!

Recommended Podcasts - Taking A Break

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
 
 
 
 

Last Season's Losers

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

State Sponsored Kidnapping

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

Cell Phones In Schools

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/
 

I Used To Have A Sense Of Humor

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 Is Who He Is

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

No One Should Be Surprised

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

Well, That Was Tariffying!

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/
 

Elon's Worthless Cheddar

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