discourZing

Slush Fund Summer (It's Only May)

This week Hailey and Michele break down Trump's DOJ slush fund — the most blatant corruption in recent memory, and that's saying something. They get into Massie's primary loss, what it might mean for his political future, and whether Republicans will actually kill the fund or just put a bow on it. Also on the docket: the US poking Cuba while the press looks away, cyanide bombs making a comeback (yes, really), Gen Z's political disengagement, male loneliness as a structural problem rather than a feelings problem, Bulgaria beating Israel at Eurovision, and why swing voters want AI regulation but keep voting for the party that won't give it to them. Fasten your seatbelt.

Beijing Boys Trip & the Abortion Pill Apocalypse

Trump's first China visit since 2017 produced a lot of vibes and very few verifiable wins — Xi took him to the exclusive garden, the Boeing jets may or may not be real, and Taiwan's $11 billion arms deal is still just sitting there unsigned. From there: the Fifth Circuit ruled that mailing mifepristone violates the Comstock Act, the Supreme Court paused it, and Thomas and Alito dissented because of course they did. We get into why mifepristone being restricted is a women's health crisis far beyond abortion access, and why the people pushing disinformation about it sound plausible enough to be dangerous. Then a Florida judge justified a no-parole murder sentence using the phrase "sweat equity" in open court, which tells you everything you need to know about who the prison system thinks it's for. We close on the phonics crisis going viral, Gen Alpha projected to be the first generation to score lower than the last, and what it actually takes to use AI without becoming dependent on it.

He Said He's Not a Pedophile (Unprompted): Manifestos, Softballs, and a Ballroom He Really Wants

Hailey and Michele break down the attempted assassination at the White House Correspondents' Dinner — the manifesto, the conspiracy theories, and why the shooter is drawing Luigi Mangione comparisons. Then: Trump's 60 Minutes interview and why the reporter should have gone harder. Plus, Melania vs. Jimmy Kimmel, Trump's profiteering and Clark Construction ties, the Iran situation and our depleted arms stockpiles, soldiers eating "ambiguous slop," the National Science Board firings, ChatGPT refusing to criticize Israel, don't ask don't tell history, and USAID workers who still can't find jobs. A lot happened. It always does.

No Strategy, No Guardrails: Iran, RFK, and AI's Accountability Gap

The exhaustion is real. This week Hailey and Michele dig into the Iran war's stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz — tankers seized, jet fuel prices spiking, allies absorbing billions in losses — and what it means that no one in this administration had an exit strategy. Then: the ongoing leadership exodus and Trump trying to hold the House by swapping out whoever's polling badly. RFK Jr. walks back his anti-vax legacy while measles makes a comeback. FIFA tourism is cratering. Tariff refunds are going to corporations, not people. And then there's the ChatGPT-assisted shooting at FSU — which opens a real conversation about AI guardrails, complicity, corporate liability, and why Claude refusing to work with an abusive user is actually the right call. We end on the anti-AI movement, who's really opting out, and why they won't be able to for long.

DoorDash Grandma, Trump Jesus, and JD Vance: 18%, 0 Wins, and a Trip to Budapest

This week, Hailey and Michelle are back to make sense of a week that truly did not make sense. Trump staged a DoorDash photo op with a grandmother who delivers food in retirement to pay for her husband's cancer treatment — and somehow thought asking her about trans athletes was the move. Then there's the AI Jesus post, JD Vance's 18% approval rating, and a Iran ceasefire trip so disorganized that Vance had to keep calling Trump mid-negotiation while Trump and Rubio watched UFC. We also get into Swalwell's resignation, Pam Bondi dodging a subpoena on a technicality, and what it actually looks like when people start quietly walking away from MAGA. As always, it's a lot — but we're here for it.