The "What's Going On?" Podcast
Think casual, relatable discussions like you'd overhear in a barbershop. Conversations and commentaries from the common-person perspective, a mix of diverse topics and perspectives. The conversations will seamlessly pivot between politics, music, sports, and pop culture. Our goal is to be inclusive and inviting, a broad appeal, non-pundit vibe, and memorable.
The "What's Going On?" Podcast
Deconstructing Hype: Truth and Lies in the State of the Union 2026
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Fellows React to Trump’s State of the Union: Decorum, Lies, Voting Restrictions, and the Fragility of Democracy
The fellows discuss President Donald Trump’s State of the Union as a hype-filled production marked by lies, name-calling, and grandstanding, criticizing Republicans as complicit, fearful puppets who have ceded power to Trump. They debate whether Democrats should maintain decorum or forcefully confront falsehoods, citing past breaches like the Obama-era “you lie” incident and supporting recent outbursts and protest signs such as Al Green’s. The group condemns Trump’s posts and rhetoric, argues he is pushing stricter voting rules and attacking mail-in voting despite numerous failed lawsuits, and warns democracy is fragile, noting claims that 72% of the world lives under authoritarian rule. They express concern over expanded detention and immigration enforcement, urge organizing beyond voting, demand accountability, and emphasize activism and protecting democracy ahead of the midterms.
In this episode, the fellows discuss President Donald Trump's State of the Union calling a hype field production full of lies and name calling. The group argues Republicans are complicit, behaving like fearful puppets, and warns decorum has already been broken historically. They criticize Republican's loyalty as complicit fascistic behavior and debate whether to Democrats, should maintain the decorum or aggressively confront falsehoods the objective ceremony, grandstanding, and argue that Trump is pushing voting restrictions by claiming election, cheating and targeting mail-in voting, despite many failed lawsuits. They warned that democracy is fragile. Cited claim that 72% of the world lives under authoritarian rule and express fears about immigration, detention, expansions, urging organizing beyond voting to resist fascism and stress accountability, activism, and protecting democracy ahead of midterms.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951What's going on? Mike Miller?
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Hey, one battle after another. Tom Corley. How are you sir?
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I'm doing good. What's going on? Keith Pickers,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Everything's good. Tc. How you doing?
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I'm doing fantastic,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010All right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Especially after I, I took my nap for one hour and 48 minutes.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Ooh, that was a, that was a good power
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951That was how long that was. How long his speech was.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Oh,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951All as longest nap in history.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010ah, I got you.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951My nap. My nap before I go to bed.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I hear you. Yeah, you did better than me.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I had to, 'cause I knew we wanted to talk about it and I forced myself. 'cause other than that I wouldn't have gave that, that speech anytime whatsoever.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951would be a good subject course to, to roll back on.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Sounds good.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010because, you know, I, I can't profess to having put any time watching it, but I already knew what was going on and, and I read the cliff notes, so
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right, right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Right, right. Right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951So he entered the chamber and there was conversations about whether or not he was going to. Blast, the Supreme Court justices that were there, you know, for the decision they made, made a week or so ago. But he actually was cordial to them. He shook everyone's hand, but he did say major things about the fact that he was disappointed in what they did and their decision, and they kind of called him out on it, but not ugly. I mean, just his way, you know, the Donald Trump way,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Our Congressman Al Green from Texas. He had his little sign. Black people aren't apes and they, escorted him outta the chamber.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Al Green.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right. Then, then, then he follows that up with, uh, follows that post up. With the one, what he called Michelle Obama a racist.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Donald Trump or,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951oh,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951It's on his, his truth, social thing, his post. And he's not saying he's not apologizing for it. He's not,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951can't say anything, you know,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951he's, he is what he is. He is what he is.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010for anything though?
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Nope. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010will not allow him
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010in his mind to any type of apology, because Why would he? 'cause he's always right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951All right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right. You know, oppressors never repent. the recipients of oppression always but the oppressor never repents. Why do we continue to forgive these people? That they're not gonna repent, they're just gonna keep doing it.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951The one thing that, my caught my attention, it was kind of baffling. I don't know if it's baffling, but it was, it caught my attention and I was kind of like, I can't believe all these republicans still follow him in step,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951you know, just kissing his behind.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951And I just, I was like blown away by that.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951It is called. That's what that, that's what fascism looks like.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah, they're complicit.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951what it looks
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010to kiss his ring
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010um, they're fearful. Um, I heard something today that suggested that it really just makes it easy for them to get a, to get a, I'm simplifying it now to get a paycheck because basically they're just,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010showing up.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951yes,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010authority, they've seated their power.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951yes.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010They're really not, um. Uh, representing, their constituents. They're just, uh, whatever he wants, he gets, you know, and, and I, I found it funny that somebody referred to, um, oh, I forgot the cartoon characters, but, but Mike Johnson and JD Vance, the way they were just like puppets just
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010it's just disgraceful that, I mean, we've said it a thousand times about the emperor in those clothes.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010these people continue to, be in denial or to perpetuate these, uh, these blatant, lies. And, and this, this, this whole disrespect of the, of the, of the presidency, man, where before there was a certain protocol, there was a, you know, assemblance of class in terms of when you got that, that, that position, the highest position in the land, and in a lot of cases, the highest position in the world. You had certain expectations for a leader. terms of having some semblance of decorum in class. And this guy, man, he just throws it all out the window. And to your point in time, just, you know, they grin and bear it and they, they, they, they pose for pictures. They wanna get a selfie, they wanna shake his hand.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Um, they kowtow. It's just, it's just incredible. And it's like, when are we gonna wake up? has gotta be a bad dream.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yep. You know, being in the school, I have a kind of a, a sense of when I see a pep rally,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951you know, the school has a pep rally, you know, a couple of times a year, and that was a pep rally last night. That was no meat and substance to what he says, whether or not our state of the union is strong, um, that was nothing but hype.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Hi.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951You know. Yeah. Nothing but hype,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951know,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951you know.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010a production, it was the Donald
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, yeah. Yep. Donald Trump production, you're right. Yep. Giving out awards to people.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951hockey,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951God.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951player gets a, a medal of honor.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951it is. Yeah. For anybody
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951That,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951else who's received that already, that doesn't say much about the, the award right now.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right. My brother almost passed out.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010a, a a Medal of honor. And, uh, uh, the ones that, that they hand out to the military and he's, he, everybody knows he avoided the military. He liked to play. He
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Coming up of, uh, I think he had a foot surgery or, or corns or whatever,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010He needed to do to avoid the, the draft more than a couple of times. And yet he wants to be honored, and lauded like, like he's, participated or he is done something great. And this guy's just, I mean, you talk about a narcissist man, this guy is just incredulous. And, and the fact that we continue to put up with it, nor not to mention, there's some signs there of, of mental, uh, I don't, not clarity. What's the opposite of clarity? Men? A mental fog Man. This guy just, he can't hardly put together a sentence. His, you know, he's just, we're accepting and embracing this guy and he's not a leader. He's far from a leader
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Well, you can tell when he went off, went off his speech, he babbled a little bit and, tried to call out the Democrats for, you know, not stand out. Oh, he even actually called him crazy.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951he called it, yeah, he called the Democrats crazy.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I'm like, what in the world is going on here? When I heard that?
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951name calling from a fascist is part of the playbook. That's, that's part of the psychology. And you don't stop. Once you start, you don't stop. That's why he's not gonna stop with these racist, posts.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Once you start that it is part of the playbook. It's a mental thing where you have to beat down your enemy do it re religiously and you do it viciously you do not stop no matter what anybody says. You don't stop until your enemy is vanquished.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951That is part of this science of war.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Wow.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010It, it is
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Exactly.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010It's, I've said it from the onset. It's, there's a psychology to it, and I almost think that he's so deep into it that, it's no longer him just using it from a psychological standpoint. He's embraced it and he, he literally believes everything he says now. I mean, he's, he's all
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010you
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010was. know, before, just a matter of going by a playbook, which is apparent that, that the party is, the MAGA party is, uh, in his case, man, I think that he's drank the Kool-Aid, a whole gallon of it, and he's 100% in, I believe this man believes everything he says.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951with you.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010'cause who can be the best at everything? We haven't seen it yet.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010geniuses, you've had athletes, you've had, I mean, you name it in different disciplines and there's a, there's a best or a goat in every discipline. In every sport. But to say that you're the goat
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right, right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the greatest
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010lived,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951This is the richest we've ever been,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010it
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951ever, ever. Everything just the greatest it's ever been.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951it's, it's just horrible.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I was kind of, somewhat disappointed because what my understanding was that Hakeem Jeffries, gave, I don't say instructions, but he requested that nobody have these outbursts, and they did anyway. I mean, I, I guess you can't hold back from doing something like that, but I just think it, it takes away from the level of, um, uh, wow. What's the word I'm looking for? The quorum that they have there in the chambers and, the civility.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Right,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951each other. I mean, I mean the, I mean, we already know the thing is divided. The room is divided, but there's no reason for people to have these outbursts like that.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Well.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I think he makes it tough though. Uh, uh, Tom, I think he makes it when you, when you are so blatant, and then was purposely geared towards, the congresswoman because they split the screen. They wanted to see her reaction. Right. And so when he started talking about things, you know, that was pertinent to, to Minnesota, um, when he started talking about, immigration and as it relates to what they were doing there, and I didn't see it. And so I'm going by what I've, you know, what I've read, what I've heard. it inspired her to, you know, basically say you're a liar because you've literally murdered people here in the state of Minnesota
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Uh, you know, you're talking about making it safe, but yet he didn't acknowledge Renee. Good. Um, what's the gentleman's name?
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Uh,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Eric Purdy. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Purdy, Preti,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Pretty
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010pre Preddy.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Freddy.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Preddy.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Freddy.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010He, he did not, he did not acknowledge them at all because he not, did not wanna call attention to, or draw attention to the fact that it has not gone to his expectation. and everybody knows, I mean, it's been on the, on the news for months. but he just, just glosses over things and he baits you. And you're right, Tom, uh, um, Hakeem, Jeffries did suggest that they should be, you know, quiet or just non-participatory and so forth. And, know, that's not how she flow. You know, she, she, she's staunch man. She, you know, she's, in my opinion, she's a good representative.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah. You know?
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010she, she's, she's, she's doing what she's been, been, been voted in to do,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and that's
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010her people.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right, right. Well, I'm gonna chime in on that.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Go with that, Mike.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951The other side was the first side to break decorum at the State of the Union. When they hollered out, you lie to President Obama
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Oh yeah. Yeah, that's for sure. Yeah. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Therefore, therefore, I do not under any circumstances fault. Um, those that hollered out yesterday, they were right now is not the time to be silent now. It is not the time to be silent. And since the other side started this mess, it's gonna be tit for tack. What makes them think that they can do it and nobody else will? No, that's not how it works. Here's the psychology of that. They started it. We need to be more vicious
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951In the chamber, but in the chambers. Mike,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951That's where it has to happen. Look, decorum is gone. Look, we're talking about life and death here, Tom.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I get that.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951and death then, then you cannot. You cannot, under any circumstances, capitulate to these people in any way. Those that hollered out in those chambers, I support you a thousand percent and I wish more of them had hollered. I wish they had a broken the whole damn thing up.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Rashida did, she spoke out too.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Rashida Ali, yeah. Local from Michigan. Yeah. She spoke out.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951if they had broken the whole damn thing
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Why. You have to be more vicious than your enemy. They started that when they called President Obama. You lie, okay. That's all right. You started it. So don't tell us to be silent. They always want us to be silent and back down after they've already done something. That's not how it works, I don't think in that matter. think in defeating your ass and crushing you like a piece of shit under my foot, you will not, I will not under any circumstances, capitulate to fascism. the fascists wanna holler out in the chamber of, uh, in the chamber during a state of union address, then we should too. fact, we should break it up. We have to be more vicious than our enemy, and believe me, they are our enemy.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. All right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I mean time
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951All.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010in a sense, that's how we got to this place because, uh, the Republicans stopped playing politics
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010ago.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010And, and to Mike's point, they would do things, whether it's yelling out in chamber or just, uh, politically, would do things and then look at us as if to say, how dare you if you do the same thing. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right. It's arrogant.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010to this place where they've stirred the pot so much and we've played prim and proper, and now we're behind the eight ball.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010to Mike's point, to always capitulate, to always give in, it's almost a sign of weakness. I mean, I mean, you can, you can only play that card for so long. I'm all about.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010You know, on an individual personal
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010about being peaceful and turning
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and so forth. I get it. I know how that works. I tell you what, you turn the cheek too many times you gonna be on the floor. You gonna be knocked out. And I'm
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010some of Mike's
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010but
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the F out.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951It is called Death By a thousand Cuts. Death by a Thousand Cuts Uhhuh.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010is, is a little different. And the reason the Republicans are in the position they're in is because they've played that game for so long. It's just like a little kid who, who, who hit you and put a, put a hand back, hit you and pull your hand back. 'cause they figure you know what one you don't know. I hit you. You just, you know I'm here, but, but as long as you don't know I hit you, you're not gonna hit me. But guess what? I'm striking back.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010not going to keep hitting me.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah, I, you know, the, the decorum unfortunately is no longer, it's almost a thing of the past now. I, I, you know, they, they should still hold it to a point where you're not getting in the fisticuffs. But I mean, even when Al Green had his, had his sign, the Republicans trying to snatch the sign out of his hand,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah, they're, they're weak. They're weak. That's what a coward does. They're weak.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Uhhuh,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010it, Tom, like this,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010take it to the street. You in a bar, right? And, and you, your self expression is you, whatever you do, you wearing a hat that just outta this world, but somebody snatch it off your head, you, you just let it go.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951No. No, not at all.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010he's making a significant point around, you know, blacks aren't apes
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010you guys can chant USA or you can do whatever you want around trying to dispute it or to make it seem trivial, but. I am making a point because it's important that here's a president that's gonna stand here and talk for two hours and spew out all of these lies. lies. I mean, he'll tell you something we already talked about how many times up is down and down is up, and going to follow suit by standing up and applauding and whatever. Just to, just to, you know, just to, uh, to get on his good side or to remain on his good side. But we've gotta, what do they say? Speak truth to power?
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010expression? I
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah, we've gotta
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I mean, honest about what's going on and just because the Republicans are of everything he does and says, doesn't mean we have to be now. Now, if people didn't want to show up, which there were several, uh, Democrats who didn't show up,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951All right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Who di didn't want to want to, you know, yell out, that was good. There were people who. Stood up or clap sometimes. That was their individual expression, they weren't all in, you know, in
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951No. No.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010past, you see people, even if it was reluctant, they'd get up in there, would applaud even if they just, or shake their head or whatever. But the game has changed. And
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010going to, if you're going to lie to my face and the American people, they, we don't know what the size of the audience, but we know it was millions and maybe they're not getting their newsfeed from a regular, you know, from, you know, from the
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951From a vetted source, right?
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010just, yeah. So you need to hear the truth. you're gonna say one thing, I'm gonna call you on it. And that's what, what they did. I don't think that when they called out it was necessarily malicious. I just think they were just holding them to account.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right, right. Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951So based on what Mike's been saying about the fall upcoming elections, he made a statement about, how. Voting's been cheating. And there's, there's, of course, there's no record of that. No proof of that. You know, so it is part of the fact checking
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010It
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951there's, yeah. Right so now he's commanding or saying that we need to have, proof of, what is that? Um.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Citizenship,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah. Citizenship, birth certificates or something like that, and some stricter ID requirements,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah, by doing that,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Canceling out mail-in votes.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yep, yep.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I don't
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, can, no, no. Yeah. I forgot about that part. Yeah, that's, yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951that's the stickler.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951That's the, you not gonna look, dude. There've been over 600 lawsuits, The right all, they lost every single one of them
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951that showed that our elections are most, the most secure that they ever have been, ever.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951no funny business going on. You know, you got one or two people here and there who voted twice or something. One person wasn't a, you know, you, you
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Alive.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right. Some you nothing.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010though. I mean
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_1610101%
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951than 1% of 1%.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right. Yeah. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951so it's nothing that is swaying the elections. What he wants to do is put your behind in the line to stand out there for hours
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951and basically have his people in place to harass you.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Challenge you, you know, at the voting, booth.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Number one, you already have to have ID to vote. And last I checked, I had to show my id. I can't tell you how many times I've have if I had to show my ID to vote.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Absolutely,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951So we already have secure elections. We already have voter id.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and it's predicated on a state,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right? And, and since, since the law, the law that even to enter a post office, you're supposed to have a real id. 'cause that's what, that's the letter of the law. Even to enter a post office, just to enter a post office, you're supposed to have a real id. How do you get a real id? You have to show your birth certificate. Right? Right. you've already done everything necessary to show that you are a US citizen. You've already done that. So what, what, what is this? What? What? You
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Well, like you said, to make it to make it more difficult.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right, exactly.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010That's, that's
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010that's what it's about to,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010more difficult. And,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951To even enter a government building.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010The writings on the wall. His approval rating is as low as it's ever been, uh, lower than, after, January 6th. So the different things that he's been trying, they're, they're not panning out. And so the last thing on his list is to have an executive order to, change the voting guidelines and to make it more difficult to vote. And, and the thing is, in this country, we should be about making it easier to vote. We should be more inclusive. We should want everybody to participate because at the end of the day, isn't that the point,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Exactly. Exactly. Exactly, exactly. And and it's pretty easy right now to vote
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Oh my
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951ev everybody. Yeah. Everybody who wants to vote can
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951so,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010last time I went.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010up early in the morning and go to the polls and I'd be one of the first ones there because
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010impatient, I didn't want to deal with those long lines. I'd go before work, I'd be
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010people in line, then when I started and when I was able to vote absentee, mean, that's a beautiful thing.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right, right. Exactly. Exactly. You,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010your time
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010whether it
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Read the issues
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010or
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951and, mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010take your time and do your homework
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010have to feel rushed or compelled to
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Exactly
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the fly. You can,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010about your
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right, right, right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010absentee voting is, is
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Is the best. It's the best. It's the best. It's secure. It's secure. It's secure.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yep.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951is secure. It
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951I sound like my dia. You is the daddy. It is secure. It's secure. It is secure. It is secure.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I was rather disappointed in the grandstanding with the USA hockey team.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Oh my
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Uh,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951yeah. Well that was after the Cash Patel incident.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right. I guess maybe that's their way of trying to clean it up, maybe, I guess. I don't know.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951It got a day. Oh boy. Oh boy.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010clean up a mess when he made that call?
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the US hockey team. He disparaged the women's hockey team who
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah, they do.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010that they would not accept his invitation. And so, I mean, he even f that up
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and, and then you know, it was also suggested was the US hockey team the only ones who got a gold medal? I think not.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010And so you only reach out to the US hockey team.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Oh, he gave, yeah, gave the, what was it, the goalie
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right. That's what I said. Some medal of honor or something like that.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951for putting a stick at his ass and hitting the puck behind him. Come on, man. Not, not people who are really doing the work. What was it? A Medal of Freedom? I think it
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951correct me if I'm wrong,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yep.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951not to, not to Jesse Jackson, somebody who's doing the work,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Oh
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951who have done the work, you know, not to anybody
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Well, Jesse's already got one. I think Obama gave it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I know your, I mean, your point, your point is, like I said, the, for that guy to get it for, based on what he did it, it just diminishes the value of that,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951that award.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951it does.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951really does.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010somehow finding a way to give himself one, I don't think anybody will ever want one. Again,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah. Yeah. Yep,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951at least not from him,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yep.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951you know?
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951And that's why he doesn't, that's why probably he'll never get a Nobel Peace Prize.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Oh
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010didn't you
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah. Didn't hear he got one.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010he
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Oh. I mean, a, uh, along, along with the million dollar check. I, yeah, he got one. But it,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951uh, it's not, not, not as official.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah. His speech was one big, beautiful lie.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010And I
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yep.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010really wasn't beautiful, but I'm just
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Th
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010off of his
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951that, that's a good one. That's a good one, Keith. Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010One big beautiful lie
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951was. It was one life after another. Yes, it was.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951didn't, he, he didn't touch.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I got a bingo card. I'm wanna say this
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I got it from you, Tom, if I'm not mistaken. And. it had
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I sent it out yesterday. Yeah,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010had it on a fb and, and, and 17 of the squares were covered. 25 squares all eyes
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010of 17 of those
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Wow.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010So he made good use of that hour and eight minutes, or, I mean,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_16095148 or 48 hour 48. Yeah. Yeah. Yep.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951So he never, he never got around to talking about the economy. Well, he did talk about the economy in the sense that he made it better, but it is not really better. It is just, you know, uh, back to where we should have been, you know, with the fact that yeah, the tariffs
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010improved at 1.7%.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010It's 2.6%. It's higher than what he, what he said his numbers. He just come off the top of his head.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, he'll
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Uh.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Inflation is still much higher than the target, by the Fed to really do something about interest rates. And in fact, it, inflation did tick up a little bit, uh, the last quarter by a quarter percent or half percent, whatever it was. But the point is, the economy is not, it's two economies. It's economy of people that make $250,000 and more and everybody else.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right, right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951That's, that's what it is. So if you're making two 50 or more, you doing good,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951but if you're not making at least two 50, ain't nothing you can do. They going to tear your butt up.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951supporting every, you supporting everything. Everything. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951question or Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951up. They made that up.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010It's all, all a hoax.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951all folks.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951all.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010it's all a
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951So I guess, I guess the thing is, is that do we, do we come away with the economy or the state of the union better than it was a year ago?
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Absolutely not.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010way.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951No. The union is fragile.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Oh
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951250 years into The union is fragile,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951That's very good, Mike. That's a good point. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951you know all this other how the economy, no, the union is fragile.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010That's the
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951So that's a state of our
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951uh, 250 years in. And do we wanna give up on democracy after 250 years? know? don't think so. 72% of the world is under authoritarian rule right now.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_16095172%
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_16095172% of the world live under authoritarian rule right now.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Land base you looking at? Are you about uh, uh, uh, human, human count, or you talking about land base like China, Russia,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951China, Russia. Where, where, where? Where? Wherever. Correct.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951The, the biggest concentration of humans
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Okay.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951are under authoritarian rule.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Okay.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_16095172%
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Wow.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Of one. Right. US is the last bastion of democracy. As we know. As we knew it. As we knew it,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010terms of a balance,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right? Correct.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I mean,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right, correct. If we go down, that's it. That's it. You'll just have a world full of authoritarians and all they gonna do is what war with each other. That's what they do. Look at, read history. Read history. Don't take my word for it. Read history when all these authoritarians people, turn to authoritarian rule. Then at some point these people start fighting each other. Mussolini, and Hitler fought each other. Um, I can't remember who was in charge of Russia at the time, but Russia and,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Stalin, is that Stalin? No. Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Is
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. They fell out. Hitler and Stalin fell out.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951then Russia was on our side in World War II at the beginning, uh, you
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951we entered in, in 42. So, you know, it, it is what it is.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951That's, that's eye opening. Mike, that information you just gave us, you dropped a bomb on me because I had no clue.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I'm thinking, I'm thinking all these co democratic democracies are around the world, democratic countries.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951small,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Wow.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Small. Most of the world is under some form of authoritarian rule. we, that's why we are so, um, sought after as a place to live, as a place where you can express your religious belief and work hard and make money and feed your family. And you don't bother anybody and nobody bothers you. And you go to school and you just live in peace
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951When you say authoritarian, just for clarification, you're talking to countries that have kings and queens.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Even not just a king or queen. And we know Russia and China are authoritarian,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Look at Iran is authoritarian. Iraq is authoritarian, Syria is authoritarian. North Korea.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Basically we're, are we talking places that don't have elections? 'cause Russia has elections,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, they have something called an election,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Something's called election. Yeah. Right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Uh, where, where, where the same, the, the same person always wins.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Uh, is that an election? Who's voting, who's counting those votes,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Well, in Africa, they have, they have some countries that have votes, but, but they still, like you said, but they still have authoritarian
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951my
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951leadership. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010sure.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951All right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I was just trying, just trying to understand it. But the 72% just threw me back. It, it blew, yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951when I first saw that, I was like, is this for real? Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951yeah. It's true of some sort of authoritarian rule. So, you know, we are the last, uh, bastion of democracy and if we go down, that's it. So I don't know what to tell people. Um, you know, if, if that's what you guys want, man, that's what you do. Uh.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the polls are, are, are representative of. How people truly feel, you know, even though I don't, I can't imagine what the sample sizes are, but they always typically, be the e close, if not on point. then there are people, whether they be independents, 'cause I understand a lot of the independents are kind like crossing back over or finding someplace to land looking for someplace to land. it's just, I mean, that's just incredible me. Um.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I don't know, man, that's, I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that, that we're in a place where we are right now.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right?
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010You
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Correct.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Correct.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010think that, you know, the writing seems to be on the wall again, as I was saying, if you go by the polls, all of the special elections or most of the special elections have gone to to Democrats. Um,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951across the board.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010across the
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010appears that, you know, when the midterms come, um, because these Republicans are still sitting on their hands, there could and should be some accountability. And I think that, that it's so critical once we get to the midterms and if don't gain some leeway control. at that point I may even start to worry. because at that point the American people are speaking that is, unless Trump is success, is able to successfully take over the voting by sending in the FBI and the CIA and everything else he's been trying to do to, to get control of, uh, the vote count or the vote. Um, but if. If things bear out and the polls, uh, uh, are, as has been suggested in terms of Trump's popularity, these Republicans are going to, be on out, or at least quite a few of 'em should be on the outside looking in.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Oh, absolutely. I mean, they've, they've completely.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Go ahead. I'm
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah. They, they've completely lost the middle, which is the independence.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951The independents have, have jumped that ship and they're back on, you know, the side of the Democrats.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I mean, much as they probably don't want to be, but I mean, the thing is, is that they're not going with Trump in the next, or anybody who is in that category of being a maga, they're, they're jumping that ship. They're not going that in the direction
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951based on the polls.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right. Correct.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010So, um, Be, that would be telling if, if.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right?
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010don't
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951I
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and vote.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951how they always talk about a tsunami, you know, or a blue wave or whatever they call it.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951that's what's gonna take place in November. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951I certainly hope that it's allowed to take place.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah. Yep.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951I keep saying that I'm not gonna change from that.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951I, whatever funny business is gonna happen, it's gonna happen.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Any type of funny business that you can imagine, it's gonna happen.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I hope that, I hope that.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951I.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the different states are trying to get out in front of it because if you and I know, uh, and, and the pundits are, are suggesting that there's gonna be some mess in the game, uh, hopefully the different state authorities, can come together and try to, uh, get in front of it because, because if they respond after the fact, it's too late. Right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Well, yeah, the first primary is kickoff on Tuesday of next week.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Okay.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, so we'll, we're going down, we're going down that road, so we'll, we'll be, we'll see. See you here soon.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Uh.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the Supreme Court of stepped up, uh, to the plate recently,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951They
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, they did.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010tariffs. And
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010You know, maybe at some point they'll continue to embrace the fact that, you know, this is not a nation, that embraced kings. that the Constitution is still the rule of the land and that, you know, if they interpret it, you know, as it should be interpreted, then they'll conclude that, you know, there are certain things that this guy can't do because he continues to say, basically what he said in the last couple of days is, I don't need Congress, I don't need the Supreme Court. I can do whatever it is I want to do.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010that sounds like a. Yeah, or two things. A king or a dictator.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010uh, know,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951i'm gonna say two things
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951one, to Keith's point, correct the US legislative body.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Collapsed in the first hundred days
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951the US legislative body just collapsed. They capitulated all their power right to the president in the first hundred days. It looked like the Supreme Court was going that way also. and now they've kind of like, whoa, wait a minute. You know, you can't tell us what to do. And, you know, gave him a little slap on the wrist on this tariff thing. Uh. But the bottom line and really, really ultimately it's, the bottom line is that this fascist has permeated our government all, all the way down to pass your local, uh, and county and. Municipal bodies. leg, this fascist infestation, goes all the way down to your local HOA, your homeowners association.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010100%. He's right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951And there's only one way to eradicate fascism. It must be eradicated. And there's only one way to do that, and voting is not it. So we are gonna go through the process. We, we have to let the process play out. We have to let the process play out.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Ask anybody Jewish. If you ask anybody Jewish, and if you go to the Holocaust museums, and if you look and you say, well, why didn't you guys fight sooner? Why did you let it get this bad? And the response is always the same. The reason that Jewish people didn't fight earlier is because they knew that if they killed one fascist. The fascists would kill a thousand of them, so they did nothing. And by doing nothing, 6 million were killed. So would you rather fight? And because some of it, it, it is what it is. Would you rather fight and lose a few thousand or would you rather do nothing and just get wiped out? United States government, they don't buy buildings for temporary purposes. When the government buys a building, they buy it to hold it at least 20 years. It's gonna take 20 years to get detainees, to get illegal aliens out of the country. it's not that many left now. So if you're buying a building. Buildings all over the country. Who do you plan on putting in these buildings?
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010There
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951they're saying, and they're, and they're saying they're supposed to, they're supposed to have, um, employ like 17,000 people or something. Some crazy number.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951To
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951know, right? I hear you, Mike. I hear you.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010They bought a building in Romulus,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951To do what? Who, who, who, who do you plan on housing in these prisons? Basic.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951All right. Well,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Come on now. We, we are not stupid. You're not gonna insult my intelligence anymore. Um, saying that this is immigration enforcement. You are not enforcing any immigration anymore. That's the, the, the, the worst of the worst are gone. They've been gone for a long time.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951of the people being arrested are have zero criminal record. what this, the statistics show. 75% of these people, we, he's calling violent criminals
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951record at all.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951So what are we doing here? These are people that have jobs and that are paying taxes, paying taxes for your roads, paying taxes for social security. Mm-hmm. That they'll never collect
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951kind of a form of slavery, don't you think?
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Okay.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951You know, you, you, you forced to pay something that you will never collect a dime from. Uhuh. But we, we are gonna collect. We all collect social security. No, they won't. And our pay, they're, they're subsidizing us. They're subsidizing everyone in this country.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951I have.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010We're subsidizing their wealth.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, right, right. Yes. Correct. So,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010The Robinhood
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Make no mistake about what's going on here,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and give to the rich
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Correct.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010man.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951no mistake about what's going on here. We can, you know, and I know the, the, the, um, news media. things in a certain way, and now I'm talking not to the panelists here, but to everybody listening. They present things to you in a certain way, and you just wanna believe it because at the end of the day, you just don't want problems. You wanna go to work, come home, relax, and not have to worry about everything we're talking about right now. Not have to worry about being shot, not have to worry about the price of milk and eggs. You just wanna live free. You just wanna express your religious belief. You just wanna go to work and make money for your family and just live, and some people just can't stand that if, if they see you succeeding, you working hard and living that to them, that means that's something that they can't do that an opportunity that they didn't have. you have the opportunity. The
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Had had a start.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right? You had a big head start. The whole system is is geared for you. these people have to work three times as hard to have three times less than what you have, and you still mad at that. That is unbelievable to me. This our country is ours. Now this going back to the founding fathers and all this bullshit, that's gone. That's done. We are here now. We are the ones that live here now. We will interpret the constitution the way we want it to be interpreted, not the way some fascist wants to, uh, uh, say that no, this, this was meant for slaves and this was meant for this, and this was meant for that. Dude, I don't give a rats patootie what you think. I would never capitulate to your ass. You don't tell us. How we are going to interpret the Constitution right now? You, your interpretation is not everyone else's interpretation. And since we are here now, we're the ones in charge. The only people that have power, and this is again, to everybody listening, the only people that have power over you are the people that you give it to.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Here, here.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Stop giving him power. Stop saying his name. Notice I said his name. I try not to say his name at all. Because every time you say his name, you give it legs. You give him power. Take that away. Don't even say his name. Refer to him as something else. Dehumanize him. rule of warfare. Dehumanize your enemy. Dehumanize your enemy. It's much better to, it's much easier to deal with them that way because believe me, they're dehumanized. They're they're dehumanizing. You, aren't they
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010100%.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Uhhuh? So do not capitulate the fascism. Dehumanize them. They don't belong in the United States. I'm done.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Well, with that said, I guess we were wrap it up. I don't, I can't think of anything else I wanna say after that. I mean, I can think of some things, but I, I'll, I'll save it to another episode.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010That'll be Hey, Mike. Mike.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010the cherry on top, my friend. Well
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I, I get, I get a little heated. I get a little heated.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951But when it comes to fascism, I, I'm not gonna capitulate, I'm not gonna do it.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Uhuh, I worked that. Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010against fascism as they are for it.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah, exactly. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Thank you, Keith. You, that was excellent. Yes. Yes, yes.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010uh, your point is well taken and certainly eye-opening on a lot of levels uh, we just have to stay woke 'cause they don't want us to, they think
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951No.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010is a bad thing,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010We have to stay woke.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951My thing in the, my back of my mind is that I'm worried about people waiting on it to come to their doorstep.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951That's what, see, that's the problem
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951is.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951nobody wants to go and put it on the line. I get that. I really do. do. But if we wait for it to come to your doorstep, it's
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951is too late. It's too late. Yeah, it's too late. Yeah. Yep.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010you
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010a good point. But you know, I think that. When we personalize it, I mean, when I say we really per personalize it, uh, it's up to us, all of us to
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes. Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010'cause we can talk about it on a podcast. I mean, we talk about it with our friends, family, and neighbors. when there's a call to come together or call to order, per se, uh, whatever your passion is, whether it's participating in the No Kings Rally or whatever that may be, obviously we all need and have to vote. but we can't just sit around, you know, wring our hands, looking at everybody else to do what we are required to do, and that's
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Uh
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010And so we can either relent, give into it, or we can do what we're doing, uh, here. And go above and beyond by, by making sure that whatever we can do, uh, personally, uh, sometimes it might even require us, uh, uh, financially supporting the cause that we strongly believe in, that it, that's anti-fascist. but just like you said, Tom, waiting for it to come to our door is not, is not the answer.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Now, I'm prepared if it comes to my door,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right, right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010wait till I
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951right, right. Don't wanna get to that point. Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010more than a, it's not just about me,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010of us who believe in democracy and the constitution and the way of life that we've had prior to
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010uh, and so I, I agree with you 100%, uh, waiting for it to come to our doors, not the answer.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951No, I If this. Roll out and if November the house and the Senate flips, I have in back of my mind that we're gonna waste our time trying to impeach everybody, not get anything accomplished for the people.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010I think there's more work to be done beyond that. I think that there's gonna have to be people who are held to account because obviously, uh, to a certain extent the Supreme Court has given the president a pass. Uh, and even so, I think that we still need to dig in deep and look at some of the things that he's done, he's done, because not all of it has been in, uh, the name of, or under the guise of the executive branch or the president of the United States. Um, particularly as it relates to, uh, uh, the wealth that he and his family is accumulating through the office. Um, but beyond that, all of those who have embraced, everything that he's doing, those congressmen and senators who are sitting there and applaud and look the other way, uh, we've gotta find a way to hold people to account. at the same time, we've got some fixing to do because, you know, in, in less than two years, this man has. Chipped and chipped and chipped away at democracy to the extent that it's really not something to, shy away from. I mean, it's a reality. if we'd have talked about this five years ago without project 2025, I don't think any of the three of us would've even thought that this was possible. here we are, we're on the fringe, and as Mike stated, if we do nothing and, and if the votes, if, if the people don't turn out for the midterms. could be headed towards, you know, uh, authoritarianism. And I don't think that's the place any of us want to be. I know the way the lifestyle that we've had, that we've managed for the years that we have in terms of, or under the guise of freedom been, you know, it hasn't been 100, 100% in terms of how us as a people have had to respond to it. But yet we're much better off now than we were even. know, 30, 40, 50 years ago. Right.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Right, right,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010we certainly don't wanna see that rolled back. But this, uh, uh, president has done all he can when he says, to make America great again, to roll it back as far as he can. that means, uh, excluding you and me and anybody who's black or brown.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, we're on the light side of, of what we, what we're familiar with because slavery was, what, 400 years
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah. Yeah.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951and here we are, just 50 years not far from Jim Crow.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Jim Crow, Jim, Jim Crow wasn't a joke. I mean, you
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010man, you look back to the sixties and you see dogs jumping at our people and fire hoses and, and the, just the blatant disrespect because somebody said it just recently on a newscast that, know, the, the, the, uh, the police, the, the, the officers of the peace, so to speak, they just have a little bit too much authority because if. I'm not acting aggressively towards you, if I'm not trying to beat you down and put my hands on you, why? What's the, why is the first thing you do is you pull out a, a billy club or spray and you want to, uh, inflict harm on me or on my child or my brother or my sister? uh, I can see, I don't, I don't necessarily say defund the police. But I can see where some of the rules need to be changed because I know when it's said and done back to your original point in Tom, some of you know as far as impeachment and, and holding people to account a lot of those guys that are a part of ICE right now and some of the things they're doing, and I know they have on mask, but there should be a way to find out who they are because they need to be held to account. So if, if it flips, a large order of things that have to be done. And yes, we probably need to find a way to impeach some, but we need to figure out what we can do to restructure, to build back we've lost and to go beyond, because we need to find a way to make sure that this never happens again. And I think Mike May have suggested it during one of our podcasts that we need our own project, but there should be continual projects.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010building towards making sure this, a democracy never has to undergo this threat again.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah. Yeah.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010crazy.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yep. Yep. That's, that's excellent, Keith. Yep. You said you hit it right on the head. Yes, sir. Yes,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951sure this never happens again. Just like the Jewish people said. Never again. Never
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Again, yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951to say about well, the never again, never again, make, make it so that this never happens. Put ourselves in a position
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Yeah,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951so that this won't happen to us again.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951you go. Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010yeah. This guy has pushed the envelope. He has tested the limits of the constitution,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010and I mean, it was bound to happen, right?
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951That's true. That's true. Yep.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010it's the time to address it and build better so that we don't have to deal with it again.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Absolutely.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951That's what I hope that happens in the fall. Then once they get into the office the house and the Senate changes. I hope they don't waste any time on a bunch of, uh, hearings. I hope they take action on some things and get some things accomplished because they're not there very, they're not there very long. They don't spend much time working. Uh, um,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010if you're
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951the.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Johnson, you put him on vacation for 280
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, come on now.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010then the end of hypocrisy.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010you get 2030, uh, Democrats who don't show up for the State of the Union, and that's an affront, but you, you guy, you send,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010for almost 300 days,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010give a break.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951yeah. That's
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010is in and of itself, man is sickening.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951so the, they worked a third of their time there.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm. Correct.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010sir.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951That's, that's ridiculous. Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Mm-hmm.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951All right guys. That was a, that was a good one, especially from Mike Miller. A lot of, a lot of passion there,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Mike is strong, man.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951No,
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010is
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951no, no.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010we've had a two, three week buildup too,
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951right?
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010that powder keg had to explode
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Yeah.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Oh
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951All right, guys. Until next time.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Alright,
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Yes sir.
keith-pickens_1_02-25-2026_161010Peace.
mike-miller_1_02-25-2026_160951Okay.
thomas-corley_3_02-25-2026_160951Peace.
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