The Mad Centrist

Episode 83: Social Security Check-In

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2079783/fan_mail/new] Changes are a foot in the Social Security benefit. Regardless of where you are on your professional journey, you probably need to pay attention to what awaits you at the end of your working career.  In this episode we hit on a few news stories, then dive right in! SHOW NOTES: The Original Social Security episode! https://www.themadcentrist.com/2079783/episodes/16261719-tmc-episode-37-ss-fix-it Tourism slowdown: https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/tourism-plummets-first-time-20-37204310 [https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/tourism-plummets-first-time-20-37204310]  Different news story on the auto industry: https://www.ebc.com/forex/why-new-car-buyers-disappeared-us-auto-market [https://www.ebc.com/forex/why-new-car-buyers-disappeared-us-auto-market]  (No click through!) Social Security changes: https://financebuzz.com/painful-social-security-changes [https://financebuzz.com/painful-social-security-changes]  The political podcast for everyone!

Episode 82: Voting Rights: Cheat or Lose

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2079783/fan_mail/new] Splitting the nation in two is going very well these days. Texas rams through a redistricting effort.  California puts redistricting on the ballot and wins.  Then something happened that brought the Gerrymandering Wars to new heights: Louisiana challenged the Voting Rights Act, and after losing, and losing again on appeal, the Supreme Court heard the case - and this episode was born. Learn about the Voting Rights Act, some history and a little bit about the Constitution and the Southern States that tried to ignore it - successfully for some time.  What changed, what got better, and how it stands now. Notes: Article on the little DC shootout: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/04/secret-service-shoots-armed-man-near-white-house-00905911 [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/04/secret-service-shoots-armed-man-near-white-house-00905911]  Episode 64 on the National Guard: https://www.themadcentrist.com/2079783/episodes [https://www.themadcentrist.com/2079783/episodes]  Lyndon B. Johnson, fact check: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2014/apr/14/barack-obama/lyndon-johnson-opposed-every-civil-rights-proposal/ [https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2014/apr/14/barack-obama/lyndon-johnson-opposed-every-civil-rights-proposal/]  Government Archives on the Voting Rights Act: https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/voting-rights-act [https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/voting-rights-act]  Shelby v. Holder case: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/570/529/ [https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/570/529/]  AP Article with Justice Alito's writing: https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2026/supreme-court-weakens-the-voting-rights-act-and-aids-gop-efforts-to-control-the-house/ [https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2026/supreme-court-weakens-the-voting-rights-act-and-aids-gop-efforts-to-control-the-house/]  The Guardian article on the wrong data used to strike down the Voting Rights Act: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/08/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-misleading-data-doj?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/08/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-misleading-data-doj?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other]  The political podcast for everyone!

TMC - Episode 81: (Almost) War Powers

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2079783/fan_mail/new] Defense Production and War Powers.  What do they have to do with the economy and Spirit Airlines?  And honestly, what are they anyway?  That is what this episode is about - along with a bit of coincidental news and events. Join in! Show Notes: Pope Leo sets a Trump Trap? https://www.thedailybeast.com/pope-leo-launches-scarcely-concealed-attack-on-donald-trump-prompting-evelio-menjivar-ayala/ [https://www.thedailybeast.com/pope-leo-launches-scarcely-concealed-attack-on-donald-trump-prompting-evelio-menjivar-ayala/]  What Trump thinks about gas prices: https://www.thestreet.com/economy/trump-has-a-blunt-message-on-gas-prices-for-the-rest-of-2026 [https://www.thestreet.com/economy/trump-has-a-blunt-message-on-gas-prices-for-the-rest-of-2026]  What is really happening with gas prices: https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/americans-spent-125-million-more-on-gas-friday-than-they-did-a-week-ago-0038690c [https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/americans-spent-125-million-more-on-gas-friday-than-they-did-a-week-ago-0038690c]  Spirit Airlines bailout? https://apnews.com/article/spirit-airlines-trump-bailout-bankruptcy-37a4818e1b71c0905d022f669d85948c [https://apnews.com/article/spirit-airlines-trump-bailout-bankruptcy-37a4818e1b71c0905d022f669d85948c]  Europe feeling the airline squeeze to: https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/2192630/european-airports-jet-fuel-shortages-strait-of-hormuz [https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/2192630/european-airports-jet-fuel-shortages-strait-of-hormuz]  Trump's lie making us pay? https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/27/trump-keeps-trying-reassure-oil-markets-some-analysts-think-he-making-it-worse-00894257 [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/27/trump-keeps-trying-reassure-oil-markets-some-analysts-think-he-making-it-worse-00894257]  Trump fleeces MAGA: https://dnyuz.com/2026/05/01/trump-scam-cost-maga-devotees-over-4b-expert/ [https://dnyuz.com/2026/05/01/trump-scam-cost-maga-devotees-over-4b-expert/]  Inflation is up: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/10/business/inflation-cpi-report?unlocked_article_code=1.Z1A.lWpq.orQQtv3FjXv5 [https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/10/business/inflation-cpi-report?unlocked_article_code=1.Z1A.lWpq.orQQtv3FjXv5]  Fed gossip! https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/after-months-of-debating-rate-cuts-fed-shifts-toward-mapping-out-hikes-db850f74 [https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/after-months-of-debating-rate-cuts-fed-shifts-toward-mapping-out-hikes-db850f74]  Consumer Confidence way down: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/10/consumer-sentiment-inflation-fears-iran-war.html [https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/10/consumer-sentiment-inflation-fears-iran-war.html]  Write up from Congress on War Powers Resolution: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-1508/pdf/COMPS-1508.pdf [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-1508/pdf/COMPS-1508.pdf]  The political podcast for everyone!

Episode 80: Hope Springs

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2079783/fan_mail/new] Can you feel the tide shift?  Maybe a little? Ukraine, Orban in Hungary, Georgia, Russia, and now...the USA too? A lot of little things are adding up to big things, and I feel the change happening, join me in this episode as I explain what I am feeling to you! Show Notes: Russian economic news: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/putin-finally-admits-russia-s-economy-is-in-trouble-and-grasps-for-answers-after-warnings-about-a-financial-crisis-have-been-piling-up/ar-AA21dDka?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=69e4f95022014979af3d25fd71795431&cvpid=69e4fd2e24e44a348d981a4bc723629d&ei=47 [https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/putin-finally-admits-russia-s-economy-is-in-trouble-and-grasps-for-answers-after-warnings-about-a-financial-crisis-have-been-piling-up/ar-AA21dDka?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=69e4f95022014979af3d25fd71795431&cvpid=69e4fd2e24e44a348d981a4bc723629d&ei=47]  Alex Jones bails on MAGA? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/alex-jones-in-disbelief-as-trump-s-ceasefire-collapses/ar-AA20rTqC?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=69d6ea8e68b148989a93106a76df294d&ei=26 [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/alex-jones-in-disbelief-as-trump-s-ceasefire-collapses/ar-AA20rTqC?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=69d6ea8e68b148989a93106a76df294d&ei=26]  Trump "wins" a poll in Massachusetts? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-celebrates-poll-win-over-critics-but-the-numbers-tell-a-different-story/ar-AA21flL1?ocid=hpmsn&cvpid=69e4fd2e24e44a348d981a4bc723629d [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-celebrates-poll-win-over-critics-but-the-numbers-tell-a-different-story/ar-AA21flL1?ocid=hpmsn&cvpid=69e4fd2e24e44a348d981a4bc723629d]  Empty seats in AZ: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-greeted-by-empty-seats-at-arizona-rally-leaving-supporters-totally-shocked-report/ar-AA21boqT?ocid=hpmsn [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-greeted-by-empty-seats-at-arizona-rally-leaving-supporters-totally-shocked-report/ar-AA21boqT?ocid=hpmsn]  Staffers abandoning ship: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/top-trump-aide-flees-white-house-as-exodus-spirals/ar-AA20R5Tc?ocid=hpmsn [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/top-trump-aide-flees-white-house-as-exodus-spirals/ar-AA20R5Tc?ocid=hpmsn]  Pope feud! https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/19/trump-feud-pope-leo-divides-catholics/89667533007/?tbref=hp [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/19/trump-feud-pope-leo-divides-catholics/89667533007/?tbref=hp]  The political podcast for everyone!

Episode 79: Iran into Trouble

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2079783/fan_mail/new] The previous Iran Nuclear Deal was effectively ended by Donald Trump in 2018. But, what was the deal? Why did so many world powers sign on to the deal?  And how did removing the United States of America make it fall apart? Today, the Iran, or Epstein Files, War is now on a pause after threats, a deadline, and more - horrific - threats from the President of America.  Iran provided a 10-point plan, and Donald Trump seemed to suggest it was a good starting point. In this episode, we cover the Original Iran Deal, and the New Iran Deal, and give you all the details to decide which deal was better. HINT: It is not even close. Details on the old deal: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/node/328996 [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/node/328996]  Details on the new deal: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/world/middleeast/iran-10-point-proposal-trump-us-ceasefire.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/world/middleeast/iran-10-point-proposal-trump-us-ceasefire.html]  The facts on Nixon: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/yes-nixon-scuttled-the-vietnam-peace-talks-107623/ [https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/yes-nixon-scuttled-the-vietnam-peace-talks-107623/]  The political podcast for everyone!