241: Skepticrat241 - DOGE and Pony Show Edition

On this week's episode: Elon Musk spends infinity dollars for everyone to hate him ... Americans "celebrate" DJT’s first 100 days of the term ... And Trump drove our Chevy to the levy but the levy was high. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: groundnews.com/skepticrat go.privacyhawk.com/skepticrat  (code: SKEPTIC20 [iOS] / skeptic20 [Android]) policygenius.com betterhelp.com/skepticrat factormeals.com/factorpodcast (code: FACTORPODCAST) trustandwill.com/skepticrat bamboohr.com/freedemo mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat Headline Sources: Elon Musk on his way out:  https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-tesla-government-cuts-c47211544c5382a6207779ee95c6060b  https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/02/musk-doge-cuts-congress-budget/  https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/30/business/tesla-board-elon-musk-ceo-search/index.html Anonymous HHS report recommends conversion therapy without consulting any experts: https://ground.news/article/trumps-health-agency-urges-therapy-for-transgender-youth-not-broader-gender-affirming-health-care_577b6d Trump says kids need to take some economic pain: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/us/politics/trump-tariffs-dolls-comment.html Tariff nonsense being claimed as a "winning deal" by Howard Lutnick: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/business/economy/howard-lutnick-trump-tariffs.html Trump celebrates 100 days in office with sycophantic cabinet meeting: https://newrepublic.com/post/194648/maga-far-right-reaction-trump-kim-jong-il-style-cabinet-meeting Apple Violated Antitrust Ruling, Federal Judge Finds: https://ground.news/article/apple-violated-antitrust-ruling-federal-judge-finds_60156e Pete Hegseth is having a really bad time:  https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/22/pentagon-infighting-hegseth-fired-officials-00302709  https://www.npr.org/2025/04/28/nx-s1-5380220/trump-hegseth-pentagon  https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5271365-colin-carroll-pentagon-official-fired/

On this week's episode: A Democratic senator gets to do his very own Taken movie ... The Secretary of Education gets a little saucy ... And Vice President Vance shows off his football skills with a very sad endzone jance dance. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: Get PrivacyHawk and run your FREE privacy scan here:  go.privacyhawk.com/skepticrat Use code SKEPTIC20 (iOS) / skeptic20 (Android) for full access to the Platinum Suite: $1M ID theft recovery insurance, dark web alerts, sensitive info monitoring, and much more—all at a special price! policygenius.com betterhelp.com/skepticrat groundnews.com/skepticrat factormeals.com/factorpodcast (code: FACTORPODCAST) trustandwill.com/skepticrat bamboohr.com/freedemo mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat Another amazing word of the day from Susie Dent: https://bsky.app/profile/susiedent.com Headline Sources: Senator meets with Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/us/politics/abrego-garcia-chris-van-hollen-el-salvador.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/18/nayib-bukele-tweet-margaritas-kilmar-abrego-garcia/ https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-wrongful-deportation-kilmar-abrego-garcia-el-salvador/story?id=120803843 RFK seeks the 'environmental' cause of autism; scientists say it's not that simple: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5366676/autism-cdc-rates-rfk-research SCOTUS keeps hold on Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship but sets May arguments: https://ground.news/article/61859ea0-7270-41a4-a748-faa73998aee4 Trump’s Education Chief Linda McMahon Repeatedly Calls AI ‘A1’ in School Speech: https://gizmodo.com/trumps-education-chief-linda-mcmahon-repeatedly-calls-ai-a1-in-school-speech-2000587329 A.1. responds after Linda McMahon mistakes it with AI: https://www.yahoo.com/news/1-responds-linda-mcmahon-mistakes-181537903.html CNN Data Chief Says Talk About Trump World Is Part Of A 'Fanciful Universe': https://ground.news/article/do-americans-regret-voting-for-trump-here-are-the-facts-worldnetdaily-by-wnd-staff?utm_source=headline-link&utm_medium=share JD Vance drops college football national championship trophy: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/us/politics/jd-vance-ohio-state-football-trophy.html

On this week's episode: The punishment for coming here gets almost as bad as being here ... Even podcasters will be impressed with how long Cory Booker can vamp ... And Heath asks ChatGPT how to fix the country, but he's not allowed to say the answer for legal reasons. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: betterhelp.com/skepticrat groundnews.com/skepticrat policygenius.com factormeals.com/factorpodcast (code: FACTORPODCAST) trustandwill.com/skepticrat bamboohr.com/freedemo mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat Another amazing word of the day from Susie Dent: https://bsky.app/profile/susiedent.com Headline Sources: Trump’s fascist deportations are catching US citizens: https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/04/04/judge-orders-trump-administration-bring-back-md-man-mistakenly-deported/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/04/05/us-citizens-deported-immigration/ Nancy Mace got an activist arrested after he shook her hand - charges just got dropped: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/04/nancy-mace-got-an-activist-arrested-after-he-shook-her-hand-charges-just-got-dropped/ Release of Signal chat leads to SO MUCH LYING:  https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trumps-top-intelligence-officials-claim-no-classified-information-was-rcna197954 https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/gabbard-ratcliffe-senate-hearing-signal-yemen-texts-rcna198047 NSA Director gets fired by Trump on the advice of Laura Loomer: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/04/03/nsa-director-fired-tim-haugh/ Phone numbers, emails, and passwords of Gabbard, Waltz, and Hegseth found online: https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/pete-hegseth-mike-waltz-tulsi-gabbard-private-data-and-passwords-of-senior-u-s-security-officials-found-online-a-14221f90-e5c2-48e5-bc63-10b705521fb7 Cory Booker delivers record setting “are we really letting this happen?” speech: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/nyregion/cory-booker-speech-reactions.html Eric Adams will skip the Democratic primary and run for reelection as an independent: https://apnews.com/article/nyc-mayor-eric-adams-independent-1bfd61ad5d266b030996dfe516c77a17 Trump tariff strategy cites economists - they all said he's stupid: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/04/tariffs-economists-trump-formula/ And he clearly copied his homework from an AI overview: https://www.theverge.com/news/642620/trump-tariffs-formula-ai-chatgpt-gemini-claude-grok

On this week's episode: Federal courts rule on if we can have a deportation catapult ... Trump voters argue that at least he makes the planes crash on time ... And Heath was excited by a headline about the Kennedy assassination but then he realized it's about JFK. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: policygenius.com factormeals.com/factorpodcast (code: FACTORPODCAST) trustandwill.com/skepticrat bamboohr.com/freedemo mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat betterhelp.com/skepticrat Another amazing word of the day from Susie Dent: https://bsky.app/profile/susiedent.com Headline Sources: Judge Appears Skeptical of Trump’s Use of Wartime Law to Deport Venezuelans: nytimes.com/2025/03/21/us/politics/trump-deportations-alien-enemies-act-block.html Mahmoud Khalil got abducted by the US government: apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-immigration-detention-mahmoud-khalil-755774045e5e82849e3281e8ff72f26d Trump tries to dismantle the education department: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/can-trump-dismantle-education-department.html Trump pretends Joe Biden’s pardons don’t count: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/business/media/autopen-biden-trump-conspiracy-theory.html Trump has Tesla sales event on White House lawn: washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/16/elon-musk-tesla-trump-sales-republicans/ DOGE is ridiculously inefficient:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/22/irs-tax-revenue-loss-federal-budget/https https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/lawmakers-fear-doge-cuts-will-drive-away-generation-federal-workers-rcna197085 Were the Kennedy Files a Bust?...Not So Fast, Historians Say: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/politics/jfk-assassination-files-cia.html

On this week's episode: Al Green is the only guy with those glasses from “They Live” ... The US will raise its ticket prices just when nobody wants to come anymore ... And Hillary Clinton's pizza and ping-pong dungeon remains a secret...for now. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: factormeals.com/factorpodcast (code: FACTORPODCAST) trustandwill.com/skepticrat bamboohr.com/freedemo mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat betterhelp.com/skepticrat policygenius.com Another amazing word of the day from Susie Dent: https://bsky.app/profile/susiedent.com Headline Sources: Trump’s Joint Address to Congress is filled with insane lies: https://www.npr.org/2025/03/04/g-s1-50488/trump-congress-joint-address-fact-check https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/03/06/trans-mice-claim-false-donald-trump-transgenic/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/03/yes-biden-spent-millions-on-transgender-animal-experiments/ U.S. and Ukrainian Officials to Meet Next Week About Path to End War: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/us/politics/ukraine-zelensky-trump-russia.html Trump plans to offer "gold card" visas for $5 million: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-gold-card-eb5-visa-5-million-immigration-oligarch-cbs-news-explains/ Trump seems to be falling out of love with Musk: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/06/trump-musk-cabinet-federal-worker-cuts/ https://mashable.com/article/tesla-cybertruck-mardia-gras-new-orleans-boo https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/03/04/congress/gop-town-halls-richard-hudson-00210024 Luigi Mangione pleads with fans to stop sending him so many photos: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/luigi-mangione-court-update-fan-mail-b2706446.html Released "Epstein Files" disappoint anticipators; a Republican rickroll didn't help: https://time.com/7262658/epstein-files-released-reactions-disappointment-republicans-rickroll/ https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-pam-bondi-trump-1a6af3e9fa1cfb6d267985a971a4929a https://www.nj.com/politics/2025/03/maga-already-calling-on-trump-to-fire-ag-pam-bondi-heres-why.html

On this week's episode: We cover the heilz and lows of CPAC ... The AP will ask us what we heard about Trump’s latest presser ... And in addition to an apanthropist, Heath is also a misanthropist based on REALLY hating 49.8% of the people. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: bamboohr.com/freedemo policygenius.com factormeals.com/skepticrat50off (code: skepticrat50off) trustandwill.com/skepticrat mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat betterhelp.com/skepticrat Another amazing word of the day from Susie Dent: https://twitter.com/susie_dent Headline Sources: CPAC highlights including Elon Musk waving a chainsaw and Steve Bannon doing a nazi salute: https://apnews.com/article/musk-chainsaw-trump-doge-6568e9e0cfc42ad6cdcfd58a409eb312 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5156631-elon-musk-cpac-5-takeaways/ https://apnews.com/article/steve-bannon-cpac-nazi-salute-gesture-wave-43a06de6184fe58940c8ae3d743bc6ba Fox News, CNN, and Other News Outlets Urge White House to Drop Ban on The AP: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/business/media/ap-white-house-ban-cnn-fox.html Trump parrots Russian propaganda about Ukraine: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/world/trump-putin-russia-ukraine.html DOGE fires nuclear safety staff, then has to unfire them after deleting their email accounts: https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/climate/trump-nnsa-nuclear-staff-reinstated/index.html New Kennedy Center President Says Trump Wants to “Make Art Great Again”: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/kennedy-center-changes-trump-christmas-show-1236143238/ Chris Kluwe arrested for protesting MAGA library installation: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-nfl-punter-chris-kluwe-arrested-anti-trump-protest-city-council-rcna192978

On this week's episode: The first month of Trump's second term is awfully tarrific ... Noah reminds Canada that they’ve got more experience burning down the White House than anybody ... And hot tea is good sometimes...I like chamomile. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: factormeals.com/skepticrat50off (code: skepticrat50off) trustandwill.com/skepticrat policygenius.com mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat betterhelp.com/skepticrat Another amazing word of the day from Susie Dent: https://twitter.com/susie_dent Headline Sources: Trump tries to tariff and it goes very badly: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/trump-tariffs-what-concessions-from-mexico-canada-really-mean-rcna190784 https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/usps-resume-accepting-china-shipments-after-initial-pause-rcna190766 Trump claims he ordered ‘obliteration’ of Iran if he’s assassinated in chilling warning: https://nypost.com/2025/02/04/us-news/trump-claims-he-ordered-obliteration-of-iran-if-hes-assassinated/ No, the USAID didn't fund a transgender opera in Colombia: https://www.notus.org/foreign-policy/white-house-keeps-insane-usaid-spending-not-usaid Three states sue Trump for EO targeting trans care: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/07/trump-transgender-care-lawsuit/ Waffle House is passing along the sky high cost of eggs to diners with a 50 cent surcharge: https://apnews.com/article/waffle-house-eggs-bird-flu-89025262684f051bdf8f7350dcf1613a More Super Bowl conspiracies and Trump telling obvious lie about Patrick Mahomes: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2025/super-bowl-logo-conspiracy-theory/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-tommy-tuberville-patrick-mahomes_n_67a42526e4b064daf3a783c9

On this week's episode: Donald Trump runs the country the way he ran his businesses ... With some economic advice from the Hawk Tuah girl ... And Elon Musk convinced him to send out poop emojis instead of tax returns. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: policygenius.com mintmobile.com/skepticrat acorns.com/skepticrat trustandwill.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) incogni.com/skepticrat betterhelp.com/skepticrat factormeals.com/skepticrat50 (code: skepticrat50) Headline Sources: Trump's insane list of executive orders: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/trump-executive-orders-list.html Trump's Pardon Palooza: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_granted_executive_clemency_by_Donald_Trump#Trump's_Second-term_use_of_executive_clemency Trump purges the people who are supposed to make sure he’s not a crook: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/24/trump-fire-inspectors-general-federal-agencies/ Donald and Melania launch meme coins:  https://www.vox.com/technology/396352/trumps-coin-crypto-bitcoin-regulation Lauren Boebert Tries to Evict a ‘Guy’ From Ladies Room in Capitol: https://www.thedailybeast.com/boebert-tries-to-evict-a-guy-from-ladies-room-in-capitol/ Elon Musk is a fake gamer: https://kotaku.com/elon-musk-poe2-diablo-4-paid-boosting-fake-controversy-1851743670

On this week's episode: Trump proposes ruining even MORE countries ... This simulation’s comic relief needs to stop saying “at least social media couldn’t get any worse” ... And we learn how a mysterious new sonic weapon could affect your weekend. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: acorns.com/skepticrat trustandwill.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) policygenius.com incogni.com/skepticrat betterhelp.com/skepticrat mintmobile.com/skepticrat factormeals.com/skepticrat50 (code: skepticrat50) Headline Sources: Trump wants to take over Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal: https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/08/politics/trump-greenland-canada-panama-analysis/index.html TikTok ban goes before Supreme Court: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/09/us/politics/tiktok-supreme-court-national-security-free-speech.html Meta backtracks on fact checking and allows hate speech against trans people: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/10/meta-facebook-to-drop-fact-checkers-what-does-this-mean-for-social-media https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/meta-new-hate-speech-rules-allow-users-call-lgbtq-people-mentally-ill-rcna186700 Meta scrambles to delete its own AI accounts after backlash intensifies: https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/03/business/meta-ai-accounts-instagram-facebook/index.html Trump gets deferred sentence, because there is no law if enough stupid people like you: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/10/trump-sentencing-hush-money-conviction-merchan/ Biden Officials Say the Truth About Havana Syndrome Is Still Unknown: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/us/politics/havana-syndrome-causes.html

On this week's episode: Our nation prepares for a second Trump insertion ... 77 of the smartest people in the world are standing like that disappointed cricket guy meme with their hands on their hips ... And you can smell like steak and ketchup for one easy payment of $199. To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars Get great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors: trustandwill.com/skepticrat auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT) policygenius.com incogni.com/skepticrat betterhelp.com/skepticrat mintmobile.com/skepticrat factormeals.com/skepticrat50 (code: skepticrat50) Another amazing word of the day from Susie Dent: https://twitter.com/susie_dent Headline Sources: FBI Director Chris Wray to resign: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/11/politics/fbi-director-chris-wray-steps-down/index.html Kash Patel set to take over FBI: https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/02/politics/who-is-kash-patel-trump-fbi-director/index.html Amazon and Meta donate $1M each to Trump's inauguration fund: https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-zuckerberg-inauguration-donation-c540bf7c638def11b8428e633965c718 John Fetterman joins Truth Social and calls for Trump pardon: https://www.newsweek.com/john-fetterman-truth-social-donald-trump-pardon-1999420 Trump Backtracks On Campaign Pledge To Bring Down Grocery Prices: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-walks-back-prices-down_n_675af8f3e4b04606476ba6cd Rep. Nancy Mace says she was 'physically accosted' on Capitol grounds: https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/10/politics/nancy-mace-says-she-was-physically-accosted/index.html More than 75 Nobel laureates urge Senate to reject RFK Jr: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5031298-nobel-laureates-oppose-rfk-jr/ Why Google’s Quantum Computer Chip Willow Is A Game Changer: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timbajarin/2024/12/13/why-googles-quantum-computer-chip-willow-is-a-game-changer/ Trump uses photo of himself with First Lady Jill Biden to announce new fragrance line: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fragrance-jill-biden-fight-fight-fight-perfumes-cologne/