Out d'Coup | Media Assault Week; Trump Budget; Ben Carson's Poverty Theory; March on Harrisburg; Rep. Daryl "Snowflake" Metcalfe; Space News; and, so much more
It’s Friday, May 26, 2017. Welcome to Raging Chicken’s Out d’Coup podcast. I am Kevin Mahoney, editor, and founder of Raging Chicken Press. I’m back from the West Coast and already neck deep in the insanity once again. Each week I talk to our Capitol muckraker-in-chief, Sean Kitchen, about the good, the bad, and the ugly in state and national politics.
It’s media assault week across the nation. Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs grabbed by the neck and body slammed by Montana Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte. Gianforte charged with assault, but still goes on to win the election. Our own Sean Kitchen thrown out of a legislative office and threatened with arrest for covering civil disobedience in PA State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe.
Trump Russia probe heats up so the Trump Organization gets the hell out of dodge to take awkward photos with world leaders. Trump family photo with Pope Francis, priceless. Melania’s hand slapping skills, high. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is pleased as punch that the Saudi’s know how to suppress protest. Meanwhile, on the home front, Washington State Senator joins growing number of right-wing legislators proposing legislation to criminalize protest. Housing and Urban Development Secretary and former sleepy presidential candidate Ben Carson calls poverty a “state of mind.” That state of mind will become increasingly important as the GOP’s repeal and replace health care plan will throw 23 million Americans off health insurance. In the end, more people will be without healthcare than before Obamacare was passed. And, Trump’s proposed budget leaves Paul Ryan salivating and aroused at the prospect of cutting $3.6 trillion to social programs and delivering billions of dollars to the billionaire donor-class and the military. Several things have become clear with the Trump budget, however. 1) The Trump organization can’t do math; 2) there is no separation between Trump and the Paul Ryan wing of the GOP; and, 3) Budget Secretary Mick Mulvaney may just be the biggest asshole ever to serve in the U.S. government.
If the national picture weren’t enough to sharpen your pitchforks and light your torches, we’ve got enough going on in Pennsylvania to keep your resistance fuel topped off. The March on Harrisburg completed their 100+ mile march from Philadelphia and the civil disobedience began immediately. Activists marched on Harrisburg to demand an end to political gerrymandering; a ban on legalized bribery of public officials; and, automatic voter registration. Three days of action directed at State Government Chair and well-known loopy legislator Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, frightened his little snowflake heart so that he begged for a police escort through the Capitol all week. He did have time for a pizza party with NRA folks while activists occupying his office were being arrested. Makes sense since a pro-guns-in-schools bill still making its way through the PA Senate. Pipeline protests grow. Larry Krazner wins! Oh, and so much more as the budget season heats up in the state Capitol.
In our last segment, we’ll take a break to check in on the latest in space and beer! NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson ties the record for most time spent outside the ISS during her 10th space walk. She’s also set the American record for most time in space 534 days. More to come as the ISS ages. Mars mission still go, but climate projects cut. And Galactic Capitalism on its way as lucrative asteroid mining no longer in the realm of science fiction.
Tune into the Rick Smith Show on Free Speech TV this and every Saturday at 7 pm EST. I’ll be there giving the weekly #Resistance Report. You can stream the show live at Freespeech.org or you can tune in on Dish Network, Direct TV, and with the FSTV app on Roku. If you miss the show, go to the RickSmithShow.com and click on the FSTV icon in the sidebar.
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