A WORLD GONE MAD
A Progressive Liberal News Podcast
Veteran Television, and Radio Broadcaster Jeff Alan Wolf offers his Observations on the issues (many issues) of the week with a fearless liberal bent. His solid delivery, and dry common sense approach sets him apart from other liberals that populate Talk and Commentary Podcasts”
Jeff Does NOT Pull Punches.
He does NOT Make comments that are “SAFE”.
He tells the Truth.
(He Tells It As He Sees It)
He Is Very OPINIONATED!
He says the things Out Loud YOU’RE
already thinking.
Jeff is Unfiltered, Unspun, A little Unhinged, but offers a lot of Common Sense.
This Podcast could make you MAD.
This Podcast could make you SMILE.
Regardless, it WILL make you THINK!
A WORLD GONE MAD
Global Heat, Fear, and Chaos But Silence Kills Democracy!
Democracy is crumbling before our eyes, yet mainstream media remains fixated on spectacle rather than substance. A shocking new poll reveals 76% of Americans—spanning Democrats, Republicans, and Independents—believe our democratic system faces serious danger. This silent crisis unfolds as political violence escalates, intimidation becomes normalized, and public trust in institutions plummets to historic lows.
What kind of society are we creating? Who benefits? And most importantly—what will you do when democracy's alarm bells ring in your community?
Email your thoughts to aworldgonemadpodcast@gmail.com and join the conversation about the world hidden beneath the headlines.
AWorldGoneMadPodcast@gmail.com
This is a world gone mad. This is a world gone mad, mad, mad, mad, mad. It's another day in a world gone mad. I'm Jeff Allen Wolf. I'm back again to give my commentary on the news. Thank you for joining me, letting you know that at the end of this episode I will have a special segment. Democracy in the Crosshairs Is US democracy at a breaking point. Please listen to this full episode for that special segment.
Speaker 1:Now, the previous episode I did a full breakdown on Trump's big, beautiful bill. If you haven't listened, please do and I received some emails with feedback on that episode so I wanted to share a few with you. This one was from Scott, one of the listeners. He wrote thanks, jeff, I was able to listen to the entire cast. Quite an eye-opener. I admire the effort you put into all of the investigative research. Thank you, scott. I try to be accurate. Here's one from Shannon, and she wrote what is wrong with these people that voted for this horrible bill Should be called the big citizen killing bill. This makes me sick. Agreed, shannon. Disgusting is what this bill is. And finally, from Alicia, another listener. She wrote where is the spine from some of the Republicans? We won't have a country left. Thanks, jeff, for your podcast and telling it like it is. Thank you, alicia, and thanks to everyone else who wrote in.
Speaker 1:Ok, let me share with you some news stories from around the world that you won't always see in the mainstream media. So here we go. That you won't always see in the mainstream media, so here we go. Underreported workplace deaths with racial disparities. Now nearly 6,000 US workers died on the job in a single year, and behind those numbers lies a disturbing pattern. Black and Latino workers are dying at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, now Latino workers face fatality rates up to 24% higher, while black workers see a 13.5% increase. In the southern United States, where many service and manual labor jobs are concentrated, black workers accounted for a staggering 87% of on-the-job injury reports. Despite these alarming statistics, the national conversation on workplace safety often leaves these disparities in the shadows. Now this story reveals more than just negligence. It highlights the systemic inequities baked into America's labor structure, with many of these jobs offering low wages, minimal protections and little media attention. The human cost of economic survival is quietly devastating communities of color. It's not just about labor rights. It's about racial justice, economic policy and a long overdue reckoning with how we value the lives of essential workers. This one was buried in the news and is not being shared with all of you EPA's rollback on PFAS Forever Chemicals.
Speaker 1:Rollback on PFAS forever chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency has quietly rolled back key efforts to regulate PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals that contaminate water supplies and accumulate in human bodies. Now, despite growing evidence leaking PFAS exposure to cancer, hormone disruption and developmental issues, the agency recently delayed enforcement of new PFAS limits and slashed $15 million in planned funding to address contamination. Now the rollback is viewed by critics as a betrayal of public trust and a gift to corporate polluters. This move weakens oversight at a time when PFAS are being detected in everything from drinking water to even fast food wrappers. Now environmental advocates warn that the health risks are severe and cumulative and that government retreat from regulation places millions at continued risk. The rollback also raises larger concerns about transparency, influence and whether political convenience is being prioritized over scientific evidence. This is another example where scientific evidence doesn't count among Republicans. They don't give a damn about our health as much as they say they do.
Speaker 1:Cop 30 climate conference chaos. The recent climate preparatory talks in Bonn, germany, meant to lay the groundwork for the upcoming COP30 summit devolved into logistical chaos. That's right. Delegates reported hotel shortages, broken infrastructure and disorganization that undercut serious policy negotiations. Now, with time running out to form binding agreements on carbon targets and financing for vulnerable nations, the conference instead became a case study in how poor planning can derail progress. Observers noted that critical conversations on climate adaptation and emissions were often overshadowed by complaints about transportation failures and missing accommodations. It's a jarring reminder even well-intentioned global efforts can collapse under weak infrastructure and management, and if world leaders can't organize a meeting, can they be trusted to manage a global crisis?
Speaker 1:Europe faces deadly heatwave and wildfires. Now Europe is in the grip of a record-shattering heatwave, with temperatures soaring past 115 degrees in Spain and Portugal. The extreme heat has triggered wildfires that have already cleaned lives and scorched vast forests. France, germany and Italy are scrambling to contain the crisis, closing schools, banning outdoor labor and bracing for power grid overloads and wealth systems strain. This crisis isn't just seasonal. It's a snapshot of the new climate reality. The heat wave has laid bare the fragility of modern infrastructure and public health preparedness. Now, for Americans, the question isn't if this kind of extreme weather is coming, it's when, and with much of the US already facing drought, fire and rising temperatures. This European crisis may be a preview of our own summer headlines. And for those that still deny a global warming, I can only offer you the story and my personal experience where my girlfriend and I yesterday had to deal with 113 degrees in Arizona. That's right, 113. And we didn't even hit the heart of the summer yet, with much more to come in the next six weeks.
Speaker 1:Thailand Prime Minister suspended amid crisis. Thailand is facing a political earthquake after Prime Minister Shinawatra was suspended by the country's constitutional court following a leaked phone call scandal. The ruling party, already navigating a fragile coalition, is now on the verge of collapse. The suspension opens the door to impeachment proceedings and delays key trade and defense agreements. This political turmoil arrives at a sensitive time in Southeast Asia, as tensions between the US and China continue to mount. Now. Thailand's instability could upset regional economic forecasts, complicate military cooperation and weaken one of America's key strategic partnerships in the region. The future of democratic governance in Thailand also hangs in the balance as protests begin to swell. You know this actually sounds like a mirror image of our situation in America Trump and his bill that was now passed and all our rights being taken away and protests all over our country. It's not just us everyone, it's the world at large that's in trouble. That's in trouble.
Speaker 1:Tesla launches robo-taxi pilot in Texas. Tesla has officially entered the robo-taxi race with a limited pilot program in Austin, texas, select users are now able to summon Tesla vehicles that drive autonomously, though safety drivers remain on board. Now this marks Tesla's first step into a human-free ride hailing future, setting the stage for disruption across the transportation industry. The launch raises urgent questions about the future of work, urban infrastructure and legal accountability. Will cities be ready for full-scale autonomous fleets? How will insurance and liability ship when there's no driver? And, perhaps most personally, will the public trust AI enough to hand over the steering wheel? The pilot is not just a test of technology. It's a test of public comfort with a rapidly approaching future. So, wolfpack, listeners, how do you feel about this? The robo-taxis would you use one, would you not? Because it makes you nervous.
Speaker 1:Ai is expanding everywhere, people, and we are smack dab in the middle of it. And speaking of AI, ai can now access 2 million plus news articles. Artificial intelligence has just crossed another threshold. Major models can now directly query a massive archive of over 2 million news articles from the Guardian. This development allows AI systems to summarize, analyze and even remix journalistic content at unprecedented scale and speed. For developers, it's a breakthrough.
Speaker 1:For journalists and newsrooms it's a dilemma. This evolution challenges the definition of authorship, truth and news itself. If a machine can repackage and reframe current events faster than a newsroom, who controls the narrative and what happens when AI starts pulling from biased news sources or reinforcing echo chambers? As journalism and automation intertwine, society must grapple with whatever news remains, or whether news remains a civic service or becomes a synthetic product. Now, as for me, as a journalist and a podcaster, I use AI only to find facts of a news story that I want to share with you, the listener, but it's up to me, jeff, to frame that story from my viewpoint and my voice, and not let AI take over. Okay, here's my special segment that I promised you at the start of this episode.
Speaker 1:Democracy in the crosshairs is US democracy at a breaking point. This week's most urgent and most underreported story isn't about legislation. It's about the soul of the country. A brand new NPR-PBS NewsHour Marist poll, conducted in late June 2025, reveals that 76% of Americans believe democracy is in serious danger, with concerns cutting across party lines. The growing anxiety is tied to political violence, extreme rhetoric and the ongoing influence of Donald Trump, now back in office for a second term. Now, according to the data, 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents and even 57% of Republicans agree American democracy is under threat. Events fueling this sentiment include the recent shootings of elected officials in Minnesota, ongoing attacks on the legitimacy of courts and elections, and the normalization of political intimidation at every level of government.
Speaker 1:With Trump once again in power, his base continues to test the boundaries of democratic norms, from dismissing court rulings to undermining election certification processes. The echo of January 6th is far from gone. It still lingers and Americans are still listening. What makes this story different is how little attention it's getting. Cable news is locked on spectacle, chasing big bills and explosive headlines, but ignoring the deeper erosion of civic trust happening across the country. The data shows declining confidence in every branch of government. Congress holds just 27% to 35% approval, depending on the polling sample. President Trump's approval rating sits at 43 percent. I don't know why so high, but the GOP remains tightly aligned behind him, heading into the 2026 midterms. Former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy recently warned democracy is at risk when the public no longer respects the judiciary what Kennedy said. And yet many Trump-aligned candidates are continuing to win primaries while defying subpoenas or spreading conspiracy theories, all while promising to reshape the justice system in Trump's image.
Speaker 1:This isn't just a moment, it's a movement, and what we're not hearing enough of in the mainstream media is what this looks like at the street level Poll workers quitting in record numbers due to harassment, death threats aimed at secretaries of state and election officials, coordinated pressure campaigns targeting state courts and legal authorities. This is a wake-up call. The system isn't just cracking at the top, it's splintering from underneath, and if we're not paying attention now, we may not get another chance to fix it. So I ask you, the Wolfpack listener what signs do you see of Democratic decay? Are your local institutions safe? Are voters being silenced, intimidated or disengaged? What will you do if your local officials are targeted for simply doing their jobs? This is your democracy. The alarm bells are ringing. Are we listening?
Speaker 1:If you care to share your comments, email me please, aworldgonemadpodcast at gmailcom. Okay, last episode I was concentrating on Trump's big bill, the beautiful big bullshit bill. I was concentrating on Trump's big bill, the beautiful big bullshit bill that, by the way, did pass. The Republican backbone stood up and two Republicans joined the Democrats, so we fell two votes short from the Republicans. Way to go. Republicans caring about the frigging citizens of America. Anyways, I didn't do an uplifting story that episode before, so I'm bringing it back for this episode.
Speaker 1:It's time to talk about the trucker who became an inadvertent hero. It was supposed to be just another delivery. Jose Hernandez, a long-haul trucker originally from El Salvador, had been on the road for 11 hours, headed toward a warehouse in suburban Houston. Now the sun was beginning to set, painting the skyline in amber and rust, when Jose saw something he would never forget a second-story apartment on fire just across the street. Smoke billowed from the windows. A crowd had begun to gather. Panic buzzed in the air.
Speaker 1:A man, trapped on the second floor, leaned out of a window, coughing, waving his arms and crying for help. There was no fire truck in sight. Jose knew he didn't have time to wait. He gripped the wheel of his truck, revved his engine and steered his 18-wheeler into position, parking it directly beneath the burning apartment unit. I thought maybe they could use it to reach him. He later said, and they did. When first responders arrived, they found Jose's trailer had created a perfect platform for ladder access. Within moments the man was pulled to safety. Firefighters used the elevated base to rescue two more people and contain the fire from the outside. Jose stayed until the scene was secured, sipping water quietly by the curb.
Speaker 1:He didn't want recognition, but it came anyway. Local news hailed him as a hero. Children in the neighborhood made him thank-you cards. The man he helped rescue was an Army veteran who called Jose his guardian on wheels. Jose doesn't consider himself a hero. I just did what I hoped someone would do for my family, he said. But in a world too often filled with division, jose's act of selfless courage reminds us that heroes don't always wear uniforms or badges. Sometimes they wear trucker hats and carry a thermos. Sometimes they just stop and act when it matters most. Jose the trucker who became an inadvertent hero.
Speaker 1:I want to let you know that this episode normally would have been recorded Wednesday night and got to you by Thursday morning this morning. But because we were down with the internet in our neighborhood for 17 hours no internet for 17 hours I couldn't record this episode then. So you're not losing your mind, I'm not forgetful. I just couldn't do it last night, so I'm doing it this night, thursday night. You'll get it Friday morning. Now, because of all of this and because of 4th of July is going to be Friday, I figured a lot of you are going to be partying 4th of July Friday night and Saturday Sunday, on the weekend, but I'm going to do an episode anyways, friday night late. It'll be uploaded Saturday morning. So this next episode will be Saturday morning. It'll be a shorter episode, but please listen, that's going to be a special edition for Fourth of July on our democracy and Trump and the Republicans. Okay, so I appreciate this and hopefully you'll listen to that over the weekend.
Speaker 1:Hope you enjoyed today's episode. This is A World Gone Mad. I'm Jeff Allen Wolfe Again. Like I said, I'll be back again Saturday morning with that special 4th of July episode commenting on the madness happening. Please keep your emails coming. We'd love to hear from you and, as I say over and over again in all my episodes, without your comments and feedback, I'm sitting in a room talking to myself. Stay hopeful. There is chaos in the world, can't you see? And we need to stand up and preserve. Thank you.
