Surviving Trump: Your Essential Guide to His Second Term

Closing Out Season 1: A year of truth-telling, and a preview of what Season 2 will uncover.

Send us a textIn this bonus episode of Surviving Trump, Bella Goode closes out Season 1 — a year of straight talk about what’s happening inside our government, who’s driving the agenda, and how those decisions affect everyday Americans. Over 56 episodes, this season broke down Trump’s second-term plans with a singular  mission: expose the unqualified people running his administration and the egregious actions and policies shaping the future.Season 1 covered:the Pillars of Democracy (5 episodes)Donald Trump (6 episodes)Elon Musk (6 episodes)Tariffs (3 episodes)National Security (3 episodes)Trumps first 100 days (4 episodes)Project 2025 (6 episodes)Crypto and Corruption (5 episodes)NOAA and FEMA (6 episodes)Political Violence (3 episodes)ICE (6 episodes)Taxpayer Waste (1 episode)By the end of the year, the pattern was unmistakable: every action-all the chaos- fit into a larger strategy.Season 2 will explore this strategy —digging deep into Project 2025 and its ties to White supremacy. It uncovers the fear motivating the administration and its base: the recognition among many White conservatives that demographic change is about to threaten their political dominance.And, we will  show how this ideology becomes federal power — through redistricting, census manipulation, voter suppression, civil-rights rollbacks, loyalty purges, enforcement tactics, and propaganda built on grievance.Every episode follows the same goal: show how demographic fear becomes policy, from the White House down to local election offices- the very policies aimed at preserving a White America. This is information every American needs to understand.Season 2 premieres January 8th.Until then, Bella takes a break for rest, reflection, and time with family and friends.Thank you for listening, reading, and supporting this work.See you January 8th.Support the showBella Goode is a pseudonym — but the voice, research, and mission are all real. A Republican turned Democrat advocate in 2016, I was raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. I’m a former marketing executive, entrepreneur, and lifelong learner with an MBA from Wharton and a Master’s in Psychology from Penn. I spent decades telling stories in the business world; now I use those skills to connect the dots in American politics. I’m here because the truth matters — and because the stakes have never been higher. Surviving Trump isn’t lighthearted. It’s clarity, evidence, and a fight for the future of our democracy. Follow my blog on Substack bellagoodepodcast.substack.com

Episode 56: NOAA & FEMA — America’s Safety Net Under Siege

Send us a textTrump’s assault on FEMA and NOAA is leaving America weaker in the face of disaster. In this episode, Bella Goode reveals how mass layoffs, budget cuts, and political interference are tearing apart the backbone of our disaster response system. From privatized forecasts to untested AI replacing experts, the safety net we’ve always relied on is being dismantled in real time. Listen now to understand what’s at stake before the next hurricane, flood, or wildfire hits.Key Takeaways To Listen ForWhy NOAA and FEMA’s partnership has historically meant the difference between chaos and coordinationHow mass layoffs, budget cuts, and privatization are crippling weather forecasting and federal disaster reliefThe Trump administration’s push to decentralize FEMA and shift disaster costs to underfunded statesWhy overreliance on AI without human oversight threatens public safety during fast-moving crisesThe real-world consequences of a fragmented systemResources Mentioned In This EpisodeThe Heritage FoundationCenter for Renewing AmericaNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationFEMA Join the CommunitySubscribe to Surviving Trump on Substack to keep me churning. bellagoodepodcast.substack.comKnow someone who thinks Project 2025 won’t affect them? Share this episode. Help them see the full picture.Join me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SurvivingTrump?Join me on X  https://x.com/bella_good3658Join me on Linked In   Https://www.linkedin.com/in/survivingtrumpSupport the showBella Goode is a pseudonym — but the voice, research, and mission are all real. A Republican turned Democrat advocate in 2016, I was raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. I’m a former marketing executive, entrepreneur, and lifelong learner with an MBA from Wharton and a Master’s in Psychology from Penn. I spent decades telling stories in the business world; now I use those skills to connect the dots in American politics. I’m here because the truth matters — and because the stakes have never been higher. Surviving Trump isn’t lighthearted. It’s clarity, evidence, and a fight for the future of our democracy. Follow my blog on Substack bellagoodepodcast.substack.com

Episode 55: Taxpayer Waste Under Trump: Billions Lost to Vanity, Grift, and Mismanagement

Send us a textEight months into Trump’s second term, the price tag of taxpayer waste is already staggering. From a $200M White House ballroom to $21.7B lost through mass layoffs at the Department of Government Efficiency, Trump has turned public service into a personal profit center. Grift, canceled programs, dismantled oversight, and self-dealing are draining billions with little to no benefit for the American people. What does this mean for classrooms, hospitals, and communities left behind?Key Takeaways To Listen ForDefining taxpayer waste: What qualifies, what doesn’t, and why it mattersVanity projects: $200M ballroom, $30–45M parade, $23M+ in Mar-a-Lago trips, $380K ICE “recruitment cars”DOGE’s “Deferred Resignation Program” that wasted $21.7B in just six monthsTrump properties pocketing millions from the Secret Service, foreign governments, and lobbyistsPolicy-induced costs: Tariff bailouts and Guard deployments burning through billionsDismantled oversight risking $93B in annual taxpayer savings once recovered by inspectors generalHow canceled education, health, and VA programs translate into lives, services, and futures lostJoin the CommunitySubscribe to Surviving Trump on Substack to keep me churning. bellagoodepodcast.substack.comKnow someone who thinks Project 2025 won’t affect them? Share this episode. Help them see the full picture.Join me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SurvivingTrump?Join me on X  https://x.com/bella_good3658Join me on Linked In   Https://www.linkedin.com/in/survivingtrumpSupport the showBella Goode is a pseudonym — but the voice, research, and mission are all real. A Republican turned Democrat advocate in 2016, I was raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. I’m a former marketing executive, entrepreneur, and lifelong learner with an MBA from Wharton and a Master’s in Psychology from Penn. I spent decades telling stories in the business world; now I use those skills to connect the dots in American politics. I’m here because the truth matters — and because the stakes have never been higher. Surviving Trump isn’t lighthearted. It’s clarity, evidence, and a fight for the future of our democracy. Follow my blog on Substack bellagoodepodcast.substack.com

Episode 54: Resistance — From Local Action to National Pushback

Send us a textICE’s expansion has fueled unprecedented resistance across the country. In this episode, Bella Goode traces how communities, courts, and coalitions are fighting back—from shutting down Alligator Alcatraz in Florida, to months-long protests in Portland, to a small-town uprising in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania. What emerges is a movement that proves resistance can win—whether in court rulings, workplace walkouts, or grassroots solidarity. This is the conclusion of our six-part series on ICE, and a reminder that collective courage can redraw the boundaries of what’s possible.Key Takeaways To Listen ForHow lawsuits by tribes, environmentalists, and immigrant advocates shut down Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention projectWhy Portland and Seattle became symbols of urban resistance, linking direct action to measurable drops in ICE arrestsThe rise of workplace defense networks in New Jersey and sanctuary protections in New York as part of regional pushbackPhillipsburg, Pennsylvania’s unlikely uprising: locals and immigrants uniting against GEO’s secretive detention centerThe death of detainee Chao Feng Ji and how his story galvanized a movement for accountabilityHow grassroots resistance forced congressional debates, court challenges, and the introduction of the bipartisan Dignity Act of 2025Resources Mentioned In This EpisodeCenter for Biological DiversityFriends of the EvergladesThe GEO GroupMiccosukeeSeminole Moshannon Valley Processing CenterHenry M. Jackson Federal BuildingAlligator AlcatrazJoin the CommunitySubscribe to Surviving Trump on Substack to keep me churning. bellagoodepodcast.substack.comKnow someone who thinks Project 2025 won’t affect them? Share this episode. Help them see the full picture.Join me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SurvivingTrump?Join me on X  https://x.com/bella_good3658Join me on Linked In   Https://www.linkedin.com/in/survivingtrumpSupport the showBella Goode is a pseudonym — but the voice, research, and mission are all real. A Republican turned Democrat advocate in 2016, I was raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. I’m a former marketing executive, entrepreneur, and lifelong learner with an MBA from Wharton and a Master’s in Psychology from Penn. I spent decades telling stories in the business world; now I use those skills to connect the dots in American politics. I’m here because the truth matters — and because the stakes have never been higher. Surviving Trump isn’t lighthearted. It’s clarity, evidence, and a fight for the future of our democracy. Follow my blog on Substack bellagoodepodcast.substack.com

Episode 53: The War of Words - How Rhetoric Shapes Immigration Policy

Send us a textImmigration policy isn’t just written in laws or enforced at borders—it’s fought in the language that defines who belongs and who doesn’t. In this episode, Bella Goode unpacks how words like illegal alien, dreamers, border invasion, and keep families together shape perception, drive policy, and normalize extremes. From Congress to cable news, ICE press releases to family stories on the ground, rhetoric decides what feels like common sense—and what cruelties the public will accept.Key Takeaways To Listen ForHow dehumanizing labels like illegal alien criminalize people before facts are consideredWhy Republicans frame immigration as a threat and Democrats reframe it around dignity and traumaThe CBS/Kristi Noem controversy and what it reveals about political pressure on media narrativesICE’s official messaging: why raids risking billions in trade are reframed as patriotic victoriesHow psychological research shows repeated rhetoric reshapes public opinion and justifies harsher lawsCase studies of powerful phrases and the policies they enabledResources Mentioned In This EpisodeGallupCBS Face the Nation Fox News ACLUThe National Immigration Law CenterRAICES Homeland Security ICE Join the CommunitySubscribe to Surviving Trump on Substack to keep me churning. bellagoodepodcast.substack.comKnow someone who thinks Project 2025 won’t affect them? Share this episode. Help them see the full picture.Join me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SurvivingTrump?Join me on X  https://x.com/bella_good3658Join me on Linked In   Https://www.linkedin.com/in/survivingtrumpSupport the showBella Goode is a pseudonym — but the voice, research, and mission are all real. A Republican turned Democrat advocate in 2016, I was raised by middle class parents in Pennsylvania. I’m a former marketing executive, entrepreneur, and lifelong learner with an MBA from Wharton and a Master’s in Psychology from Penn. I spent decades telling stories in the business world; now I use those skills to connect the dots in American politics. I’m here because the truth matters — and because the stakes have never been higher. Surviving Trump isn’t lighthearted. It’s clarity, evidence, and a fight for the future of our democracy. Follow my blog on Substack bellagoodepodcast.substack.com