In this episode of the PBD Podcast, the hosts delve into a range of political scandals and controversies, including Kristi Noem's false claim of meeting Kim Jong-un and the graphic details of Stormy Daniels' testimony about her alleged encounter with Donald Trump.
They also examine election integrity, discussing allegations of fraud in the 2020 election, efforts to improve voting processes, and the impact of inflation on the economy. Other topics covered include immigration and border security, with a focus on Biden's comments on illegal immigrants and the surge in border crossings. The hosts further explore TikTok's lawsuit against the U.S. government over the potential platform ban, providing insights into the complex issues at hand.
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Kristi Noem falsely claimed in her book to have met North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, per Rob Finnerty. She faced scrutiny over euthanizing a puppy, canceling media appearances, and losing composure when questioned on Fox News.
Stormy Daniels provided graphic details about an alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump, including her discomfort and his suggestion to meet again. She maintained her motivation was to share her story, not financial gain.
Concerns were raised over missing ballot images in Georgia, discrepancies in Wisconsin vote tallies favoring Biden, and allegations of fraudulent absentee ballots by election officials in Milwaukee.
Patrick Bet-David highlighted calls to serialize ballots for accountability and questioned the security of voting machines like Dominion's, alleging potential for manipulation.
Biden claimed lowering 9% inflation inherited from Trump, but data indicates 1.4% when he took office, peaking at 9% in June 2022 under his presidency. Neil Kashkari signaled uncertainty on immediate rate cuts.
Rising mortgage rates make homeownership challenging for renters. Tom Ellsworth suggested high interest rates limit construction despite lower competition for developers.
Biden faced backlash for characterizing illegal immigrants as "model citizens" amid an alleged case of a newly arrived illegal immigrant kidnapping and raping an 11-year-old girl.
Reports indicate 8.5-15 million illegal immigrants since Biden took office, with 3.2 million apprehensions in 2023 alone, per U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. Hosts discussed societal impacts and the complexities of mass deportations.
TikTok claims the U.S. platform ban violates free speech and due process, demanding evidence of alleged data/propaganda risks. The lawsuit may give the government access to TikTok's internal data and communications during discovery.
1-Page Summary
Political figures Kristi Noem and Stormy Daniels have recently been the focal points of controversial and scandalous media attention, each with different implications.
In her book "No Going Back", Kristi Noem made a controversial statement claiming to have met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, which was proven to be false. Rob Finnerty questioned her about this claim, to which she responded unsatisfactorily, neither confirming the meeting nor discussing her experiences with world leaders. She later insisted that she had requested the content be changed once it was brought to her attention, with Vincent Oshana suggesting that Noem should admit to the fabrication and move on. Adam Sosnick also highlighted her claim of having conversations with world leaders which did not occur.
Further scrutiny came upon Noem with the admittance of euthanizing a puppy, intensifying the criticism against her. The situation escalated with Noem's media appearances becoming more contentious, leading to the last-minute cancellation of interviews with media outlets like Fox News and CNN, who were openly skeptical about the reasons for her cancellation. The "Valuetainment" post criticized how Noem lost her composure over questioning on Fox News regarding the dog incident.
Stormy Daniels has made headlines following her explic ...
Political scandals and controversies
Concerns are raised as the hosts discuss issues relating to election integrity and challenges that became apparent during and after the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
The conversation brings up several issues, highlighting the tension surrounding the legitimacy of the 2020 election results.
The Georgia State Elections Board hearing revealed concerns over missing digital ballot images, a significant issue given Georgia law dictates these images are necessary for validating vote counts. In Georgia, during the recount, it was found that images for over 300,000 votes were missing, leading to reliance on digital tabulations without the ability to compare with physical ballots. Similarly, Wisconsin faced challenges, including reports of ballot dumps favoring Joe Biden and emails joking about flipping the state's vote margin.
In Milwaukee, Claire Woodall was fired and her deputy, Kimberly Zapata, was found guilty of fraud for misconduct in obtaining fake absentee ballots. Independent journalist Peter Berniger alleges Woodall printed and distributed 64,000 ballots for unlawful completion, offering specific timing details of these occurrences.
Allegations further detail incidents where ballot images went missing, such as in Fulton County, Georgia, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, both described as taking place under unusual timing, intensifying doubts about the vote-counting processes.
Patrick Bet-David and fellow hosts discuss the need for more in-depth investigations to uncover the full extent of the election concerns. Details emerge about various lawsuits, including 18 brought by Peter Berniger against election clerks, all aiming to address potential irregularities.
The hosts suggest measures to enhance the transparency and accuracy of election processes in the wake of these concerns.
Election integrity and voting processes
The podcast discusses economic challenges faced by Americans, especially the issues of inflation and housing affordability, and delves into policies and responses by the Federal Reserve and government officials.
President Biden's claims about inflation levels when he took office are discussed among the hosts, with attention to their accuracy based on actual data.
President Biden claimed that inflation was at 9% during Trump's presidency in 2020 and that he has since lowered it. Polling data that captures American consumer sentiment is examined, with the overall basket of goods reported to be 20 percent more expensive since March of 2020.
Actual figures, however, indicate that inflation was 1.4% when Biden took office, with inflation reaching 5% by June 2021 and peaking at 9% in June 2022, during Biden's presidency. The hosts discuss changes in the measurement of inflation and how these changes may affect perceptions of inflation's severity.
Federal Reserve president Neil Kashkari has signaled uncertainty about immediate rate cuts, emphasizing the need for multiple positive inflation readings before deciding on interest rate changes. There is a discussion about the potential shift in labor market dynamics and how that might affect interest rate decisions. Markets are anticipating a Federal Reserve rate cut, but leaked CPI data indicating higher inflation rates than expected adds uncertainty to this expectation. Additionally, there's a debate regarding the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act versus Federal Reserve actions on inflation and interest rates.
Housing markets are grappling with rising mortgage rates and their impact on renters and homebuyers, at a time when Americans are accumulating "phantom debt" due to economic pressures.
Renters fear they'll never be able to afford their own home amid these economic press ...
Economic issues and policies
In the realm of U.S. politics, immigration and border security remain at the forefront, with President Joe Biden’s comments on illegal immigrants and the challenges of border crossings and enforcement sparking intense discussion.
President Joe Biden’s characterization of illegal immigrants as “model citizens” has stoked controversy, especially as his administration promotes the idea of amnesty. Amid this backdrop, a disturbing criminal case has emerged, where a newly arrived illegal immigrant is alleged to have kidnapped and raped an 11-year-old girl. This heinous crime has intensified concerns over the potential for illegal immigrants to commit serious offenses.
Under President Biden’s administration, the United States has seen record-high numbers of illegal border crossings.
Patrick Bet-David references reports stating that since President Biden took office, the number of illegal immigrants has ranged from approximately 8.5 to 8.8 million, with some estimates alleging figures as high as 15 million. U.S. Customs and Border Protection data reflects an escalating trend in apprehensions each year since 2020, escalating to 3.2 million in 2023.
Adam Sosnick emphasizes the broader societal effects, explaining how the surge in numbers – potentially between 5 million to 10 million – impacts supply and demand, with the most socioeconomically disadvantaged suffering job loss, financial hardship, ...
Immigration and border security
The social media company TikTok has initiated a lawsuit against the U.S. government, claiming that a ban on its platform infringes upon free speech rights and due process.
TikTok asserts that the U.S. government's ban on its platform is an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment, interfering with Americans' right to free speech by barring their participation in the online community it provides.
The legal challenge by TikTok questions the legitimacy of national security arguments made by the government, demanding concrete evidence of the alleged data security risks or potential to spread foreign propaganda. Adam Sosnick highlights the possible claim of free speech infringement by TikTok, emphasizing the lack of American apps allowed in China as an irony within the situation. He also hints at an implication of gaslighting by the U.S. government's actions. Moreover, TikTok emphasizes that the ban violates due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, as it is akin to declaring a crime without proper judicial proceedings.
Commentators like Patrick Bet-David and Tom Ellsworth discuss the potential advantages for the U.S. government during the discovery phase of the lawsuit. Bet-David speculates that the gover ...
Government actions and lawsuits
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