August 15, 2025 • 21 mins
Dave and Jerremy debate Medicaid and SNAP cuts, flagging child food insecurity risks in a rich nation while backing RFK Jr.-inspired tweaks to junk food subsidies for better spending. They slam administrative bloat hitting Trump voters, tie into skyrocketing housing costs and endless tax burdens, and question taxes amid $38 trillion federal debt—pushing numerical fixes and practical ideas like urban fruit trees to curb endless price surges.
Timestamps:
- (00:00) Medicaid and SNAP Cuts: Pros and Cons
- (00:01:23) Food Insecurity and Government Spending
- (00:02:38) Breaking the System for Real Medicaid Reform
- (00:03:06) Chaos Impact on Trump Supporters
- (00:05:46) Urban Fruit Trees: Low-Cost Food Security Solution
- (00:17:39) Housing Crisis Solutions: Google Maps and Realtors
- (00:18:41) Debt-Driven Price Inflation: Doubling Incomes Needed
- (00:19:18) Why Pay Taxes with $38 Trillion Debt?
- (00:19:54) Endless Taxes on Cars, Gas, Roads, and Homes
📢 Solving America’s Problems Podcast – Real Solutions For Real Issues
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Alex (00:00):
“When policy lands at the kitchen table, it stops being abstract.
From healthcare shifts to keeping familiesfed and rethinking education, we dig
into ideas that balance compassion withresponsibility—plus, why a stalled agenda
might be the biggest problem of all.”
Jerremy Newsome (00:16):
Here's an interesting one though.
Like the big beautiful bill, and I'll tryto do that in air quotes as much as I can,
Dave Conley (00:22):
sure.
Jerremy Newsome (00:23):
Would cut Medicaid and snap to trim federal outlays,
Dave Conley (00:29):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (00:30):
of that warn state budget strain and poverty
spikes with a cooling labor market.
Dave Conley (00:36):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (00:37):
Again, I don't think that's addressing overall problem
The challenge there because I doactually, think that there's some
really good opportunity here tocreate something more impactful.
More like a hand up than a handout.
But just cutting it that quickly andthen having no alternative saying hey,
(01:02):
okay, and it is gone, but now do this
And I think there's alot of opportunity now.
For what term do you use policy,wonk nerds to to start stepping up
and say, okay, this is actually,now that we're doing this is what
we can do to make this better.
Because I, I do agree that with a lotof people that the program right now
(01:25):
probably doesn't work as well as we wouldwant it to, and it's not as efficient or
as effective as we would want it to be.
Dave Conley (01:30):
yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (01:31):
that a lot of that's getting cut in certain areas and with
impacting certain individuals, I thinkthis does provide room to at least make
some positive changes in that area.
Dave Conley (01:41):
You know, I'm of like three minds on this one, right?
One of them is Snap.
That's the supplemental nutrition stuff.
That's mainly like children.
And them, getting, food insecurity.
We know that more childrenare going hungrier.
And that's a hard line forme in the United States.
It's like we are wealthynation with way too much food.
No child should ever gohungry in the United States.
(02:01):
That's like period, end of story.
Jerremy Newsome (02:04):
Yep.
Correct.
Dave Conley (02:05):
Other side of this, listening to RFKJ, it's okay, and we're
not going to be paying for garbage food.
And I'm like, okay, I'm down with that.
Right?
We don't need money going to soda.
It's not, we're not sayingyou don't, you can't buy it.
We're just saying that the United Statesgovernment is gonna buy it for you.
Jerremy Newsome (02:22):
Uhhuh.
Dave Conley (02:23):
So like you are welcome to do what you'd like, like it's
going to go to better quality food.
So in a sense, like our outliers are.
Our outlay of money may be lowerbecause it's been cut, but our
outlay to garbage is going down.
So money can be better spenttowards things that are
(02:45):
both, better for you overall.
So I don't, I don't know, man.
On the Medicare Medicaid side, those cuts,we did, you know, long series on this.
Some of this is like money that's goinginto the pocket of administration and
not going to, people actually need this.
And I'm like, I, part of meis saying you gotta break this
(03:05):
system in order to do something.
Part of the chaos of theadministration that I think will.
Develop because like a lot of Trumpsupporters are, of this class that,
that, relies on a lot of these governmentprograms that are getting slashed, right?
Jerremy Newsome (03:23):
Yeah.
Dave Conley (03:24):
So what are they going to be saying on this and
how are they going to be affected?
And part of this is break it andthe legislative body, Congress and
the judiciary are going to have tostep up and actually do their job.
Because so much power has been investedin the executive over the last 25 years.
(03:46):
It's you know what?
This chaos is fine by me because outof the ashes will rise something that's
better because it'll force the Congressto actually do something positive.
Now I, maybe that's just rosecolored glasses on my point.
A lot of people are going to behurting from this, but we also know
that the system doesn't work well now.
(04:08):
Um, so, are we just continuingto feed an extremely expensive
beast without any reform?
Man, I, that's why Imove three minds of this.
It's break it, do something better, butit's gonna cause issues be more efficient.
I'm down with that.
Jerremy Newsome (04:24):
Yep,
Dave Conley (04:25):
Pay for high quality things, not low quality things,
Jerremy Newsome (04:28):
Correct.
Dave Conley (04:28):
do better on the, lowering administrative costs.
And I I don't know what the effectis, is gonna be, I am worried
about like, the doom and gloomersbecause, that has its own power.
I've heard so much doom andgloom around the tariffs.
I'm not exactly sure likewe're an uncharted territory.
You know, is it gonna beeventually better for the economy?
Is it gonna be bad for the economy?
(04:49):
Is it gonna cause depression?
Is it gonna I, there's a lot of like.
Chicken little in this is like, oh,the sky is falling, the sky is falling.
The only thing I do know is that nobodythinks the economy is being managed well.
Nobody thinks that the foreignpolicy is being managed well.
Nobody thinks that that, you know,medical and medical stuff in the
United States is managed well.
Like, I can't think of like a categoryof anything that's being managed well.
(05:14):
So if you're just starve thebeast of this, then great.
You know, maybe we'll getsomething better on the other side.
Eh?
Is that, I mean, isthat am I, I don't know.
Am I just being,
Jerremy Newsome (05:26):
words?
Dave Conley (05:26):
In a sense, like it doesn't affect me.
So like I, I think I'm alsobeing an asshole in this.
Jerremy Newsome (05:31):
Here's a very unique thought I shouldn't say it's very unique,
but in Greece and in Croatia and a fewother places I went in Europe in most
cities they have trees everywhere.
Dave Conley (05:48):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (05:49):
When's the last time you saw fruit trees in the us?
Dave Conley (05:53):
Geez.
I live in a tropicalarea and I don't see any,
Jerremy Newsome (05:55):
Correct.
Dave Conley (05:56):
yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (05:57):
Like why don't we line the roads with orange trees?
Apple trees, cherry trees, like food.
Yeah.
To your point, food
Dave Conley (06:06):
Yeah.
And you grew up with that, right?
The Georgia, Florida border.
Jerremy Newsome (06:09):
dude, where I was.
Yes.
I didn't grow up with it.
Like it wasn't public, it was just there.
Dave Conley (06:13):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (06:13):
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
would grow everywhere.
So I would
Down the road and just eat as I wanted to.
But I've read some briefarticles that say it's just,
it's too much to clean up, right?
All the debris from the trees andthe moldy fruit and the bad fruit.
And I'm over here thinking, have youseen any of the streets in America?
(06:34):
Like our, we're dirty af
Dave Conley (06:38):
Oh my god, it's awful.
Jerremy Newsome (06:39):
are worried about orange peels.
Dave Conley (06:40):
Yeah
Jerremy Newsome (06:41):
I think a lot of the application of this is,
as boring as it might sound, isprobably a relatively easy fix.
Where to your statement, need betterfood, we need better quality of food,
Dave Conley (06:53):
yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (06:54):
the government's gonna pay for your food and you want to,
you wanna buy your own beer and buysome Cheetos Hey, knock yourself out.
That's
Dave Conley (06:59):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (07:00):
Cheetos too.
Are incredible, but thegovernment's not gonna pay for it.
AKA the taxpayers aren't gonna pay for it.
So if you are a tax, anindividual receiving such a, an
assistance, chicken, broccoli
Dave Conley (07:13):
yeah,
Jerremy Newsome (07:14):
right?
Eat great food and you'll feelbetter, and most likely at that
point, your kids will feel betterand everyone's gonna start becoming
healthier and happier, more vibrant.
But that is a fun consideration of asolution is man, can we, in every city,
major city, especially, every capital,
Like every capital shouldbe planting fruit, trees,
Grows in that state, forFlorida, it's gonna be a little
(07:37):
bit different than Michigan,
Dave Conley (07:38):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (07:39):
but Michigan, Hey, apples everywhere.
Go for it.
Like why can't people justget access to apples for free?
They grow that way.
Plant
Dave Conley (07:48):
Let's.
Jerremy Newsome (07:49):
let the trees do the work.
Dave Conley (07:50):
Let's extend this a little bit.
Here's, I got this question from mysister and I'm like, I don't know.
And 'cause I didn't count onthis for the first six months.
So we're in August, right?
Biggest legislation that's gone throughhas been the reconciliation bill.
But that's just, that's movingthings around in a package
that already exists, right?
(08:11):
Like, it's not new legislation.
They're just shakingup what already exists.
Uh, it shouldn't say it's just a spendingbill, but it's not new legislation.
What is the legislate, I don't knowwhat the agenda is for the fall and the
spring, you know, going into the midterms.
I have no idea.
Is there anything inside the United Statesthat the administration's gonna focus on?
(08:35):
Are they gonna betalking about healthcare?
Are they gonna be talking about anythingthat actually matters to human beings?
Or we're gonna just like end up talkingabout, Gaza and Ukraine some more, and
then, deporting people, which, is threeof the most profoundly negative things
for Americans in the United States.
Like, we hate it all.
Uh, like what's going to be the agendafor the administration coming up?
(09:00):
And I, I don't know.
Do you, I, because I'm not seeing anythingthat they campaigned on for God's sakes.
You know, it's like they were talkingabout like, like, or bringing up a
series on voting voting was a hugedeal for the Trump administration.
They campaigned hard on voting reform.
Nobody's talking about it.
There's, you know, all the Maha stuff,and I'm hearing like a little bit
(09:21):
on the edges, but not like the bigreforms that we were looking for.
Like what's the, what's the nexthalf here before the midterms?
I don't know what's, whatare you hearing, if anything?
Or what do you think?
Jerremy Newsome (09:32):
I'm not hearing much.
That's the wild part.
I'm definitely not hearinganything about education reform
which is the thing that we need the most.
And that's the best part, man.
I got friends on allleft right far, right?
They're hanging over the cliff.
got the far left, right?
They're sitting on their.
They're thrown their pedestal.
I got friends on both sides of the aisleand the one thing everyone agrees on
(09:55):
is, man, our education system is broken.
Dave Conley (09:57):
Oh, it sucks.
Jerremy Newsome (09:58):
That one needs to be fixed and spent a lot of time energy on.
But to your point, yeah, that'snot gonna get brought up for sure.
It is healthcare gonna be broached?
Probably not.
We do see the RFK is making someshifts and some changes, which is cool.
And I'm, I like that.
I think that's awesome.
But yeah, to your point, man, I'mnot really seeing a whole lot.
(10:19):
That's US center, that's US focused.
'cause like you mentioned earlier,the international policy with
the tariffs not an not epic,
Dave Conley (10:27):
Yeah, nobody, most people don't even understand it and it doesn't
feel like it's a positive thing,it's like where is our energy policy,
besides drill, baby drill, it's like,where is, the nuclear and the EPA and
the, and like where is anything that Iheard, was going to be, I don't know.
He's what?
I can't even imagine what they're gonnabe pushing for the agendas for the fall.
(10:49):
And I'm like what's it gonna be?
It's not spending ourspending's outta control.
So I like what's up?
I can't even imagine.
I don't have anything on my dance card.
What could it be?
Jerremy Newsome (10:59):
We're gonna need some new bingo cards.
Dave, we're running out.
We're running out of bingo cards.
Yeah, it's gonna have to be it.
It'll,
Dave Conley (11:06):
What do you think would make people the happiest?
Because right now I don'thear anybody's really happy.
There might be a little bit ofimmigration that people are pleased
about, but they're not likingdeportation and how barbaric it is.
Even the most ardent MAGA supporters thatI talk to certainly people on the left.
Me who came into this very much,left middle being like, okay, I
(11:29):
don't like the corporate Democratsand I'm not pleased with them.
And I think the things that areimportant to me might be handled
better than Trump, but there'sa whole lot of downside to that.
So I didn't care for either candidate.
But it's ended up being much worse, right?
The things that were actually importantto me, I'm sure a Biden Harris or a
Harris Walls administration wouldn'thave been good at it, but they
(11:51):
wouldn't have been this bad at it.
So I,
Jerremy Newsome (11:54):
I think to answer your question, I think the one thing
that people would probably be wildlyexcited about would be a peace
deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Dave Conley (12:02):
I hear you.
But if it's.
And that's international.
Like frankly, nobody gives a shit.
And there's, Obama had it, right?
Ukraine matters zero to the United States.
Like we don't trade with it.
Like it is, like there ithas no security implications.
It's it matters beyondzero, to the United States.
(12:24):
There's nothing about Ukraine.
That, that literally matters.
And we've made it like themost important thing ever.
And Europe has been crazy about it yet,it's like, what are you guys doing?
So I was like, us being involved with itat all has bothered me from the beginning,
because again, we can't solve this withbullets, but okay let's put that aside.
We've already talked that to oblivion.
Jerremy Newsome (12:46):
But that would be, that'd be
Would go, okay, thankgoodness that's over.
Dave Conley (12:49):
But what, and Gaza, same.
Same, right?
Jerremy Newsome (12:52):
Yep.
Dave Conley (12:52):
Okay, get these solved and stop killing, stop.
You know what, how many times did we hearfrom Trump we ought to stop the killing?
We haven't done any of that.
We've made it much worse.
So great if we handled those two things.
But what would be I'll just narrowit down domestically, like within
the borders of the United States inthe 50 states, what would people be
(13:13):
like, oh, you guys are doing that.
That'd be awesome.
Jerremy Newsome (13:18):
Yeah.
Dave Conley (13:19):
Health, healthcare,
Jerremy Newsome (13:20):
other than educational reform,
Dave Conley (13:22):
education and healthcare.
Jerremy Newsome (13:23):
It's
Dave Conley (13:23):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (13:24):
The thing is okay, in the healthcare space, what would it be?
What would it it's free healthcare
Even that probablywould make people happy.
'cause there's gonna be some peoplelike how are we gonna pay for it?
Like where's that coming from?
The other fun, unique challenges,like how are you gonna make the
majority of people happy ever is alsoa very difficult thing to do as well.
But I think when Trump was trying todo in the big bill, the big beautiful
(13:47):
bill that he was trying to createdid increase spending dramatically.
And I think the one thing that tiesus all together where we would have
a dramatic, like sigh of relief asif internally we all said, Hey, let's
get this government spending down.
Let's get our debt down.
(14:08):
Let's actually come up with a way tostop going $12 million more in debt.
Every hour would be a great start.
And for people to actually, for the, forthis administration to actually do that.
I think that's the big one.
That would be the one that alot of people go, oh, cool.
Okay.
Yeah let's keep behind that.
(14:29):
I think a lot of people get happybecause I think most people know.
I would say probably 90, 90% of Americansknow that we are in a lot of debt.
mathematically, you can't increaseyour debt exponentially forever
without anything happening.
Dave Conley (14:45):
We need a series on this because I, I'm you know, I've also
heard the other side, which is likewe are reserve currency and we can
just, we can really just keep spendingbecause there's no other game in town.
And if you think bricksis gonna be it's not.
This spending and debt.
It's important to you.
It's important to me, but it'snot in the top 10 of most people.
(15:07):
And they're like, I don't care, whatever.
And like the politicians arelike nobody, nobody got elected
to Congress by cutting spending.
And that's how we got to where we are.
So I want to come backto this one as a topic.
I think it's a good onebecause I'm with you,
Jerremy Newsome (15:22):
it might just matter to me.
Dave Conley (15:24):
but I, it doesn't matter to people, like it's
not a kitchen table issue.
The kitchen table issue is pricesand job and safety and education and
healthcare and the general feelinglike the biggest one, if, look, if they
solve this, the Republicans will bein, will have a luck at the midterms
(15:47):
if they solved affordable housing.
And if young people could actuallyafford a house and think that they
had a better life than their parents.
Like I, I just go on rantabout the baby boomers and how
they've just bankrupted us.
They've created this, they've hoarded allof the wealth and they've made sure that
all of the debt, goes to, my generation,the Xers and the millennials, and it
(16:12):
makes me wanna take anybody who's overthe age of 65 and punch 'em in the face.
It's what have you done?
You've made the world more unsafeand you've driven us into debt.
How dare you?
Like I just, the baby boomershave made the world much worse.
So I'm, there's a generationalseries that I want to do too.
It's ah, I couldn't be
Jerremy Newsome (16:31):
a, that would be a fun solution.
And again,
Dave Conley (16:32):
what up?
Jerremy Newsome (16:33):
prob I think I'm probably on the stance of you where
you were of the, the debt where itis a kitchen table topic, again, from
what I am seeing is it as affordable?
obviously not.
However, there's probably.
900,000 houses in America right now
Dave Conley (16:55):
Yeah,
Jerremy Newsome (16:56):
less than $200,000.
Dave Conley (16:58):
I know.
We've had this discussion with folks,we had a whole series on this, and
it's there's so much housing onthere, but it's too expensive, right?
So what's keeping it so sticky?
Jerremy Newsome (17:07):
$200,000 or less.
You could slash should be able toafford that with a job, minimum wage.
Dave Conley (17:12):
Yes.
And is there a job anywhere near it?
I don't know.
I don't know.
Jerremy Newsome (17:16):
know.
Dave Conley (17:17):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (17:17):
know, but we could find out.
That'd be the fun part, man, like forme as an administration I want to put
education at the forefront of, America,here's how we can solve these issues.
Let's
Dave Conley (17:30):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (17:30):
out.
Dave Conley (17:31):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (17:31):
If you are 19 years old and you don't feel
like you can afford a house, call
Dave Conley (17:35):
Yep.
Jerremy Newsome (17:36):
Have a conversation with a realtor,
Dave Conley (17:38):
yep.
Jerremy Newsome (17:38):
discussing your options and your choices.
Dave Conley (17:41):
Yep.
Jerremy Newsome (17:41):
at some numbers, run the budget, figure it out
because it is available, it's there.
Again, what job is gonna be near there?
I'm not entirely sure, but there'sprobably something, and again that's
that a realtor can help you get someoneto do a little bit of legwork for you.
Do a little bit of Google, doa little bit of Google Maps.
It's available.
But if you as a nation, if we continueto just pour in this kerosene over
(18:05):
everyone saying that, Hey, we gotthis huge problem and we don't tell
people how to fix it, it's justgonna continue to drive people mad.
And I think that there isdefinitely some solutions out
there to a lot of these challenges.
But ultimately, man, that's what I thinkwe're doing a continually great job on.
It's not only educating our listeners,but just educating ourselves on,
(18:25):
Hey, these are actual real topics,these are real policies, these are
real problems, and these are gonnabe some of the solutions that we can
not only come up with, but continueto talk about, continue to champion,
continue to think through because Idon't think it's gonna go anywhere.
And I think both of those uniquely arevery tied, The fact that America is in
a crazy substantial amount of debt andthat prices are increasing, the reason
(18:47):
prices are increasing is so that we canmake more money in taxes so that we can
pay our debt down, but we're not, soit's a double-edged sword that's not
really going anywhere and it won't goanywhere until it does go somewhere.
And so someone has to get downthis like financial abacus of,
Hey, this is gonna be a problem.
We gotta fix this problem.
This numerical issue is a challenge.
(19:08):
And until that numerical issue isfixed, we're gonna have higher prices
on everything continuously, forever.
So 25 years from now.
What cost 500,000 presently will cost 1.2
million.
And unless you have also doubledyour income over the next 20
years, you as that person aregonna feel that inadequate pinch.
Dave Conley (19:28):
Hey, I am failing to understand the logic why we pay taxes
at all if we have 38 trillion in debt.
Jerremy Newsome (19:35):
There we go.
Dave Conley (19:37):
We have 38 trillion in debt and debt doesn't matter.
Then why does anybody pay any taxes?
I like, like then make it, makewhatever is after a trillion.
If it doesn't matter, it's likeI, if it doesn't matter, don't
pay taxes because I'm failing tounderstand why any money coming from
the population would make any sense.
Because just,
Jerremy Newsome (19:58):
anything with it properly and adequately now.
Yeah,
Dave Conley (20:00):
alright,
Jerremy Newsome (20:01):
the best part, that, the best part is if I buy a car, right?
The person that I buythe car from is taxed.
Dave Conley (20:10):
right,
Jerremy Newsome (20:11):
bought it with money that
Dave Conley (20:14):
there's tech,
Jerremy Newsome (20:14):
in order to drive it, I'm gonna go get gas, which is taxed.
In order to drive it legally,I have to have both insurance
and registration, which is taxedand illegal to drive without it.
And then I'm gonna bedriving on roads paid for
Dave Conley (20:34):
Buy taxes.
Jerremy Newsome (20:35):
by taxes.
Dave Conley (20:36):
Oh.
And then certainly around here youpay a lot of tolls, which are tax,
Jerremy Newsome (20:40):
It's, I'm like, and what we have?
And then you're driving it to yourhouse and parking in your garage
Dave Conley (20:48):
which is taxed.
Jerremy Newsome (20:50):
tax like
It's, and we in the Revolutionary Wargot really pissed off over a 2% T tax
Dave Conley (20:57):
Okay.
Jerremy Newsome (20:58):
going?
So yes, that would be a phenomenal topic.
What would that look like from aneconomy if we didn't pay taxes?
How much more economy ande-commerce would we actually have?
Alex (21:06):
“Fruit trees in city streets, education reforms everyone agrees on,
and the moral weight of cutting safetynets—this is where it gets personal.
Next, we raise the stakes with debtcrises, crypto wild cards, and the
files that could rock the White House.”
“When policy lands at the kitchen table, it stops being abstract.
From healthcare shifts to keeping familiesfed and rethinking education, we dig
into ideas that balance compassion withresponsibility—plus, why a stalled agenda
might be the biggest problem of all.”
Jerremy Newsome (00:16):
Here's an interesting one though.
Like the big beautiful bill, and I'll tryto do that in air quotes as much as I can,
Dave Conley (00:22):
sure.
Jerremy Newsome (00:23):
Would cut Medicaid and snap to trim federal outlays,
Dave Conley (00:29):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (00:30):
of that warn state budget strain and poverty
spikes with a cooling labor market.
Dave Conley (00:36):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (00:37):
Again, I don't think that's addressing overall problem
The challenge there because I doactually, think that there's some
really good opportunity here tocreate something more impactful.
More like a hand up than a handout.
But just cutting it that quickly andthen having no alternative saying hey,
(01:02):
okay, and it is gone, but now do this
And I think there's alot of opportunity now.
For what term do you use policy,wonk nerds to to start stepping up
and say, okay, this is actually,now that we're doing this is what
we can do to make this better.
Because I, I do agree that with a lotof people that the program right now
(01:25):
probably doesn't work as well as we wouldwant it to, and it's not as efficient or
as effective as we would want it to be.
Dave Conley (01:30):
yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (01:31):
that a lot of that's getting cut in certain areas and with
impacting certain individuals, I thinkthis does provide room to at least make
some positive changes in that area.
Dave Conley (01:41):
You know, I'm of like three minds on this one, right?
One of them is Snap.
That's the supplemental nutrition stuff.
That's mainly like children.
And them, getting, food insecurity.
We know that more childrenare going hungrier.
And that's a hard line forme in the United States.
It's like we are wealthynation with way too much food.
No child should ever gohungry in the United States.
(02:01):
That's like period, end of story.
Jerremy Newsome (02:04):
Yep.
Correct.
Dave Conley (02:05):
Other side of this, listening to RFKJ, it's okay, and we're
not going to be paying for garbage food.
And I'm like, okay, I'm down with that.
Right?
We don't need money going to soda.
It's not, we're not sayingyou don't, you can't buy it.
We're just saying that the United Statesgovernment is gonna buy it for you.
Jerremy Newsome (02:22):
Uhhuh.
Dave Conley (02:23):
So like you are welcome to do what you'd like, like it's
going to go to better quality food.
So in a sense, like our outliers are.
Our outlay of money may be lowerbecause it's been cut, but our
outlay to garbage is going down.
So money can be better spenttowards things that are
(02:45):
both, better for you overall.
So I don't, I don't know, man.
On the Medicare Medicaid side, those cuts,we did, you know, long series on this.
Some of this is like money that's goinginto the pocket of administration and
not going to, people actually need this.
And I'm like, I, part of meis saying you gotta break this
(03:05):
system in order to do something.
Part of the chaos of theadministration that I think will.
Develop because like a lot of Trumpsupporters are, of this class that,
that, relies on a lot of these governmentprograms that are getting slashed, right?
Jerremy Newsome (03:23):
Yeah.
Dave Conley (03:24):
So what are they going to be saying on this and
how are they going to be affected?
And part of this is break it andthe legislative body, Congress and
the judiciary are going to have tostep up and actually do their job.
Because so much power has been investedin the executive over the last 25 years.
(03:46):
It's you know what?
This chaos is fine by me because outof the ashes will rise something that's
better because it'll force the Congressto actually do something positive.
Now I, maybe that's just rosecolored glasses on my point.
A lot of people are going to behurting from this, but we also know
that the system doesn't work well now.
(04:08):
Um, so, are we just continuingto feed an extremely expensive
beast without any reform?
Man, I, that's why Imove three minds of this.
It's break it, do something better, butit's gonna cause issues be more efficient.
I'm down with that.
Jerremy Newsome (04:24):
Yep,
Dave Conley (04:25):
Pay for high quality things, not low quality things,
Jerremy Newsome (04:28):
Correct.
Dave Conley (04:28):
do better on the, lowering administrative costs.
And I I don't know what the effectis, is gonna be, I am worried
about like, the doom and gloomersbecause, that has its own power.
I've heard so much doom andgloom around the tariffs.
I'm not exactly sure likewe're an uncharted territory.
You know, is it gonna beeventually better for the economy?
Is it gonna be bad for the economy?
(04:49):
Is it gonna cause depression?
Is it gonna I, there's a lot of like.
Chicken little in this is like, oh,the sky is falling, the sky is falling.
The only thing I do know is that nobodythinks the economy is being managed well.
Nobody thinks that the foreignpolicy is being managed well.
Nobody thinks that that, you know,medical and medical stuff in the
United States is managed well.
Like, I can't think of like a categoryof anything that's being managed well.
(05:14):
So if you're just starve thebeast of this, then great.
You know, maybe we'll getsomething better on the other side.
Eh?
Is that, I mean, isthat am I, I don't know.
Am I just being,
Jerremy Newsome (05:26):
words?
Dave Conley (05:26):
In a sense, like it doesn't affect me.
So like I, I think I'm alsobeing an asshole in this.
Jerremy Newsome (05:31):
Here's a very unique thought I shouldn't say it's very unique,
but in Greece and in Croatia and a fewother places I went in Europe in most
cities they have trees everywhere.
Dave Conley (05:48):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (05:49):
When's the last time you saw fruit trees in the us?
Dave Conley (05:53):
Geez.
I live in a tropicalarea and I don't see any,
Jerremy Newsome (05:55):
Correct.
Dave Conley (05:56):
yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (05:57):
Like why don't we line the roads with orange trees?
Apple trees, cherry trees, like food.
Yeah.
To your point, food
Dave Conley (06:06):
Yeah.
And you grew up with that, right?
The Georgia, Florida border.
Jerremy Newsome (06:09):
dude, where I was.
Yes.
I didn't grow up with it.
Like it wasn't public, it was just there.
Dave Conley (06:13):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (06:13):
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
would grow everywhere.
So I would
Down the road and just eat as I wanted to.
But I've read some briefarticles that say it's just,
it's too much to clean up, right?
All the debris from the trees andthe moldy fruit and the bad fruit.
And I'm over here thinking, have youseen any of the streets in America?
(06:34):
Like our, we're dirty af
Dave Conley (06:38):
Oh my god, it's awful.
Jerremy Newsome (06:39):
are worried about orange peels.
Dave Conley (06:40):
Yeah
Jerremy Newsome (06:41):
I think a lot of the application of this is,
as boring as it might sound, isprobably a relatively easy fix.
Where to your statement, need betterfood, we need better quality of food,
Dave Conley (06:53):
yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (06:54):
the government's gonna pay for your food and you want to,
you wanna buy your own beer and buysome Cheetos Hey, knock yourself out.
That's
Dave Conley (06:59):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (07:00):
Cheetos too.
Are incredible, but thegovernment's not gonna pay for it.
AKA the taxpayers aren't gonna pay for it.
So if you are a tax, anindividual receiving such a, an
assistance, chicken, broccoli
Dave Conley (07:13):
yeah,
Jerremy Newsome (07:14):
right?
Eat great food and you'll feelbetter, and most likely at that
point, your kids will feel betterand everyone's gonna start becoming
healthier and happier, more vibrant.
But that is a fun consideration of asolution is man, can we, in every city,
major city, especially, every capital,
Like every capital shouldbe planting fruit, trees,
Grows in that state, forFlorida, it's gonna be a little
(07:37):
bit different than Michigan,
Dave Conley (07:38):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (07:39):
but Michigan, Hey, apples everywhere.
Go for it.
Like why can't people justget access to apples for free?
They grow that way.
Plant
Dave Conley (07:48):
Let's.
Jerremy Newsome (07:49):
let the trees do the work.
Dave Conley (07:50):
Let's extend this a little bit.
Here's, I got this question from mysister and I'm like, I don't know.
And 'cause I didn't count onthis for the first six months.
So we're in August, right?
Biggest legislation that's gone throughhas been the reconciliation bill.
But that's just, that's movingthings around in a package
that already exists, right?
(08:11):
Like, it's not new legislation.
They're just shakingup what already exists.
Uh, it shouldn't say it's just a spendingbill, but it's not new legislation.
What is the legislate, I don't knowwhat the agenda is for the fall and the
spring, you know, going into the midterms.
I have no idea.
Is there anything inside the United Statesthat the administration's gonna focus on?
(08:35):
Are they gonna betalking about healthcare?
Are they gonna be talking about anythingthat actually matters to human beings?
Or we're gonna just like end up talkingabout, Gaza and Ukraine some more, and
then, deporting people, which, is threeof the most profoundly negative things
for Americans in the United States.
Like, we hate it all.
Uh, like what's going to be the agendafor the administration coming up?
(09:00):
And I, I don't know.
Do you, I, because I'm not seeing anythingthat they campaigned on for God's sakes.
You know, it's like they were talkingabout like, like, or bringing up a
series on voting voting was a hugedeal for the Trump administration.
They campaigned hard on voting reform.
Nobody's talking about it.
There's, you know, all the Maha stuff,and I'm hearing like a little bit
(09:21):
on the edges, but not like the bigreforms that we were looking for.
Like what's the, what's the nexthalf here before the midterms?
I don't know what's, whatare you hearing, if anything?
Or what do you think?
Jerremy Newsome (09:32):
I'm not hearing much.
That's the wild part.
I'm definitely not hearinganything about education reform
which is the thing that we need the most.
And that's the best part, man.
I got friends on allleft right far, right?
They're hanging over the cliff.
got the far left, right?
They're sitting on their.
They're thrown their pedestal.
I got friends on both sides of the aisleand the one thing everyone agrees on
(09:55):
is, man, our education system is broken.
Dave Conley (09:57):
Oh, it sucks.
Jerremy Newsome (09:58):
That one needs to be fixed and spent a lot of time energy on.
But to your point, yeah, that'snot gonna get brought up for sure.
It is healthcare gonna be broached?
Probably not.
We do see the RFK is making someshifts and some changes, which is cool.
And I'm, I like that.
I think that's awesome.
But yeah, to your point, man, I'mnot really seeing a whole lot.
(10:19):
That's US center, that's US focused.
'cause like you mentioned earlier,the international policy with
the tariffs not an not epic,
Dave Conley (10:27):
Yeah, nobody, most people don't even understand it and it doesn't
feel like it's a positive thing,it's like where is our energy policy,
besides drill, baby drill, it's like,where is, the nuclear and the EPA and
the, and like where is anything that Iheard, was going to be, I don't know.
He's what?
I can't even imagine what they're gonnabe pushing for the agendas for the fall.
(10:49):
And I'm like what's it gonna be?
It's not spending ourspending's outta control.
So I like what's up?
I can't even imagine.
I don't have anything on my dance card.
What could it be?
Jerremy Newsome (10:59):
We're gonna need some new bingo cards.
Dave, we're running out.
We're running out of bingo cards.
Yeah, it's gonna have to be it.
It'll,
Dave Conley (11:06):
What do you think would make people the happiest?
Because right now I don'thear anybody's really happy.
There might be a little bit ofimmigration that people are pleased
about, but they're not likingdeportation and how barbaric it is.
Even the most ardent MAGA supporters thatI talk to certainly people on the left.
Me who came into this very much,left middle being like, okay, I
(11:29):
don't like the corporate Democratsand I'm not pleased with them.
And I think the things that areimportant to me might be handled
better than Trump, but there'sa whole lot of downside to that.
So I didn't care for either candidate.
But it's ended up being much worse, right?
The things that were actually importantto me, I'm sure a Biden Harris or a
Harris Walls administration wouldn'thave been good at it, but they
(11:51):
wouldn't have been this bad at it.
So I,
Jerremy Newsome (11:54):
I think to answer your question, I think the one thing
that people would probably be wildlyexcited about would be a peace
deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Dave Conley (12:02):
I hear you.
But if it's.
And that's international.
Like frankly, nobody gives a shit.
And there's, Obama had it, right?
Ukraine matters zero to the United States.
Like we don't trade with it.
Like it is, like there ithas no security implications.
It's it matters beyondzero, to the United States.
(12:24):
There's nothing about Ukraine.
That, that literally matters.
And we've made it like themost important thing ever.
And Europe has been crazy about it yet,it's like, what are you guys doing?
So I was like, us being involved with itat all has bothered me from the beginning,
because again, we can't solve this withbullets, but okay let's put that aside.
We've already talked that to oblivion.
Jerremy Newsome (12:46):
But that would be, that'd be
Would go, okay, thankgoodness that's over.
Dave Conley (12:49):
But what, and Gaza, same.
Same, right?
Jerremy Newsome (12:52):
Yep.
Dave Conley (12:52):
Okay, get these solved and stop killing, stop.
You know what, how many times did we hearfrom Trump we ought to stop the killing?
We haven't done any of that.
We've made it much worse.
So great if we handled those two things.
But what would be I'll just narrowit down domestically, like within
the borders of the United States inthe 50 states, what would people be
(13:13):
like, oh, you guys are doing that.
That'd be awesome.
Jerremy Newsome (13:18):
Yeah.
Dave Conley (13:19):
Health, healthcare,
Jerremy Newsome (13:20):
other than educational reform,
Dave Conley (13:22):
education and healthcare.
Jerremy Newsome (13:23):
It's
Dave Conley (13:23):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (13:24):
The thing is okay, in the healthcare space, what would it be?
What would it it's free healthcare
Even that probablywould make people happy.
'cause there's gonna be some peoplelike how are we gonna pay for it?
Like where's that coming from?
The other fun, unique challenges,like how are you gonna make the
majority of people happy ever is alsoa very difficult thing to do as well.
But I think when Trump was trying todo in the big bill, the big beautiful
(13:47):
bill that he was trying to createdid increase spending dramatically.
And I think the one thing that tiesus all together where we would have
a dramatic, like sigh of relief asif internally we all said, Hey, let's
get this government spending down.
Let's get our debt down.
(14:08):
Let's actually come up with a way tostop going $12 million more in debt.
Every hour would be a great start.
And for people to actually, for the, forthis administration to actually do that.
I think that's the big one.
That would be the one that alot of people go, oh, cool.
Okay.
Yeah let's keep behind that.
(14:29):
I think a lot of people get happybecause I think most people know.
I would say probably 90, 90% of Americansknow that we are in a lot of debt.
mathematically, you can't increaseyour debt exponentially forever
without anything happening.
Dave Conley (14:45):
We need a series on this because I, I'm you know, I've also
heard the other side, which is likewe are reserve currency and we can
just, we can really just keep spendingbecause there's no other game in town.
And if you think bricksis gonna be it's not.
This spending and debt.
It's important to you.
It's important to me, but it'snot in the top 10 of most people.
(15:07):
And they're like, I don't care, whatever.
And like the politicians arelike nobody, nobody got elected
to Congress by cutting spending.
And that's how we got to where we are.
So I want to come backto this one as a topic.
I think it's a good onebecause I'm with you,
Jerremy Newsome (15:22):
it might just matter to me.
Dave Conley (15:24):
but I, it doesn't matter to people, like it's
not a kitchen table issue.
The kitchen table issue is pricesand job and safety and education and
healthcare and the general feelinglike the biggest one, if, look, if they
solve this, the Republicans will bein, will have a luck at the midterms
(15:47):
if they solved affordable housing.
And if young people could actuallyafford a house and think that they
had a better life than their parents.
Like I, I just go on rantabout the baby boomers and how
they've just bankrupted us.
They've created this, they've hoarded allof the wealth and they've made sure that
all of the debt, goes to, my generation,the Xers and the millennials, and it
(16:12):
makes me wanna take anybody who's overthe age of 65 and punch 'em in the face.
It's what have you done?
You've made the world more unsafeand you've driven us into debt.
How dare you?
Like I just, the baby boomershave made the world much worse.
So I'm, there's a generationalseries that I want to do too.
It's ah, I couldn't be
Jerremy Newsome (16:31):
a, that would be a fun solution.
And again,
Dave Conley (16:32):
what up?
Jerremy Newsome (16:33):
prob I think I'm probably on the stance of you where
you were of the, the debt where itis a kitchen table topic, again, from
what I am seeing is it as affordable?
obviously not.
However, there's probably.
900,000 houses in America right now
Dave Conley (16:55):
Yeah,
Jerremy Newsome (16:56):
less than $200,000.
Dave Conley (16:58):
I know.
We've had this discussion with folks,we had a whole series on this, and
it's there's so much housing onthere, but it's too expensive, right?
So what's keeping it so sticky?
Jerremy Newsome (17:07):
$200,000 or less.
You could slash should be able toafford that with a job, minimum wage.
Dave Conley (17:12):
Yes.
And is there a job anywhere near it?
I don't know.
I don't know.
Jerremy Newsome (17:16):
know.
Dave Conley (17:17):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (17:17):
know, but we could find out.
That'd be the fun part, man, like forme as an administration I want to put
education at the forefront of, America,here's how we can solve these issues.
Let's
Dave Conley (17:30):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (17:30):
out.
Dave Conley (17:31):
Yeah.
Jerremy Newsome (17:31):
If you are 19 years old and you don't feel
like you can afford a house, call
Dave Conley (17:35):
Yep.
Jerremy Newsome (17:36):
Have a conversation with a realtor,
Dave Conley (17:38):
yep.
Jerremy Newsome (17:38):
discussing your options and your choices.
Dave Conley (17:41):
Yep.
Jerremy Newsome (17:41):
at some numbers, run the budget, figure it out
because it is available, it's there.
Again, what job is gonna be near there?
I'm not entirely sure, but there'sprobably something, and again that's
that a realtor can help you get someoneto do a little bit of legwork for you.
Do a little bit of Google, doa little bit of Google Maps.
It's available.
But if you as a nation, if we continueto just pour in this kerosene over
(18:05):
everyone saying that, Hey, we gotthis huge problem and we don't tell
people how to fix it, it's justgonna continue to drive people mad.
And I think that there isdefinitely some solutions out
there to a lot of these challenges.
But ultimately, man, that's what I thinkwe're doing a continually great job on.
It's not only educating our listeners,but just educating ourselves on,
(18:25):
Hey, these are actual real topics,these are real policies, these are
real problems, and these are gonnabe some of the solutions that we can
not only come up with, but continueto talk about, continue to champion,
continue to think through because Idon't think it's gonna go anywhere.
And I think both of those uniquely arevery tied, The fact that America is in
a crazy substantial amount of debt andthat prices are increasing, the reason
(18:47):
prices are increasing is so that we canmake more money in taxes so that we can
pay our debt down, but we're not, soit's a double-edged sword that's not
really going anywhere and it won't goanywhere until it does go somewhere.
And so someone has to get downthis like financial abacus of,
Hey, this is gonna be a problem.
We gotta fix this problem.
This numerical issue is a challenge.
(19:08):
And until that numerical issue isfixed, we're gonna have higher prices
on everything continuously, forever.
So 25 years from now.
What cost 500,000 presently will cost 1.2
million.
And unless you have also doubledyour income over the next 20
years, you as that person aregonna feel that inadequate pinch.
Dave Conley (19:28):
Hey, I am failing to understand the logic why we pay taxes
at all if we have 38 trillion in debt.
Jerremy Newsome (19:35):
There we go.
Dave Conley (19:37):
We have 38 trillion in debt and debt doesn't matter.
Then why does anybody pay any taxes?
I like, like then make it, makewhatever is after a trillion.
If it doesn't matter, it's likeI, if it doesn't matter, don't
pay taxes because I'm failing tounderstand why any money coming from
the population would make any sense.
Because just,
Jerremy Newsome (19:58):
anything with it properly and adequately now.
Yeah,
Dave Conley (20:00):
alright,
Jerremy Newsome (20:01):
the best part, that, the best part is if I buy a car, right?
The person that I buythe car from is taxed.
Dave Conley (20:10):
right,
Jerremy Newsome (20:11):
bought it with money that
Dave Conley (20:14):
there's tech,
Jerremy Newsome (20:14):
in order to drive it, I'm gonna go get gas, which is taxed.
In order to drive it legally,I have to have both insurance
and registration, which is taxedand illegal to drive without it.
And then I'm gonna bedriving on roads paid for
Dave Conley (20:34):
Buy taxes.
Jerremy Newsome (20:35):
by taxes.
Dave Conley (20:36):
Oh.
And then certainly around here youpay a lot of tolls, which are tax,
Jerremy Newsome (20:40):
It's, I'm like, and what we have?
And then you're driving it to yourhouse and parking in your garage
Dave Conley (20:48):
which is taxed.
Jerremy Newsome (20:50):
tax like
It's, and we in the Revolutionary Wargot really pissed off over a 2% T tax
Dave Conley (20:57):
Okay.
Jerremy Newsome (20:58):
going?
So yes, that would be a phenomenal topic.
What would that look like from aneconomy if we didn't pay taxes?
How much more economy ande-commerce would we actually have?
Alex (21:06):
“Fruit trees in city streets, education reforms everyone agrees on,
and the moral weight of cutting safetynets—this is where it gets personal.
Next, we raise the stakes with debtcrises, crypto wild cards, and the
files that could rock the White House.”
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