The Lonely Liberal

Week of Dec 14th: Epstein Files, Airstrikes, and the Patriot Games

This week we’re taking a tour through the corners of American power — from missing files and secret wars to Hunger Games-style patriot pageants for kids.
We start with the latest Epstein document dump and the quiet disappearance of 16 files from the Justice Department’s website, including at least one photo of Trump with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Why did Congress pass a transparency law if DOJ can blow the deadline and yank files with no consequences? We dig into what was released, what mysteriously vanished, and what this says about how the system protects the powerful even when it pretends to expose them.
Then we move to Trump’s big primetime address, where he promises an economic boom, blames immigrants for everything from rent to hospital wait times, and pairs it with a more aggressive foreign policy: bombing ISIS targets in Syria and seizing Venezuelan oil tankers on the high seas. We break down what’s actually happening behind the tough talk — and who pays the price when “peace through strength” looks a lot like forever war and economic brinkmanship.
Back at home, we talk about the Brown University shooting, where the alleged gunman was ultimately found dead — and where an anonymous Reddit user may have been the key to cracking the case. It’s a story about gun violence, online sleuthing, and how a homeless internet stranger did more to protect students than half of Congress. We’ll also hit a rare bit of good news: the Pentagon is finally phasing out shooting pigs and goats for medic training and moving to high-fidelity human simulators. It’s one of those small, quiet stories where science and ethics actually win.
Finally, we zoom out to the politics of wealth and spectacle. Mitt Romney publishes an op-ed basically saying “tax the rich, like me,” calling for higher taxes on people like himself in cities like New York. And in the same news cycle, the White House rolls out the “Patriot Games” — a Hunger Games–adjacent national sports competition for kids, conveniently designed to reinforce the administration’s culture-war line on gender in sports. It’s bread-and-circuses energy for the semiquincentennial, backed by corporate sponsors, at a time when basic democratic institutions are fraying.

Fentanyl: Weapon of Mass Distraction?

This week on The Lonely Liberal, I’m unpacking the fentanyl crisis with one rule: follow the data, not the rhetoric. After the Trump administration designated illicit fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction,” I wanted to understand what that label actually changes—and whether the new Venezuela-centered narrative matches what we know about how fentanyl reaches the U.S. The White House+1
We’ll break down the real fentanyl pipeline: how the U.S. entered the “third wave” of the opioid epidemic in 2013, why illicitly manufactured fentanyl rapidly saturated the drug supply, and what public reporting says about the main supply chain—precursor chemicals, Mexico-linked production, and smuggling overwhelmingly through legal ports of entry. Government Accountability Office+3CDC+3Congress.gov+3
Then we do a hard fact-check: how much fentanyl does Venezuela actually produce or send to the U.S.? Spoiler: the best available public evidence points to Venezuela as not being a meaningful fentanyl source or route—raising real questions about whether “WMD” framing is being used to justify escalation abroad instead of focusing on what actually reduces deaths at home.

Dec 7th News Roundup & Five Things to Be Optimistic/Pessismitc About 2026

On this week’s episode of The Lonely Liberal, Rick and I dig into four stories that say a lot about power, violence, and accountability in 2025 America.
First, we unpack the newest batch of Epstein files and photographs, including tens of thousands of images and a growing list of powerful names. Then we turn to the tragic shooting at Brown University, the first mass shooting in Ivy League history. 
From there, we look at Trump’s new $12 billion farm subsidy package: who really benefits, how it ties back to his own tariff and trade policies, and whether this is relief for farmers or a taxpayer-funded band-aid for self-inflicted economic wounds. Finally, we zoom out to the sanctions chessboard surrounding Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus,  including the economic pressure campaign on Moscow and the recent U.S. move to ease some sanctions on Belarus in exchange for prisoner releases.
Rick and I then break down five reasons to freak out/feel good about where U.S. politics is headed — from democratic backsliding, gerrymandered maps, attacks on the Inflation Reduction Act and the social safety net, to quietly holding a polling edge for 2026, abortion-rights victories even in Trump country, a more organized pro-democracy ecosystem, structural reforms like ranked-choice voting gaining traction, and a Republican Party that keeps overreaching on wildly unpopular issues. 
 
 

Trump’s Most Egregious Pardons of 2025

This week I break down five of the most outrageous pardons Donald Trump has handed out this term—from sitting members of Congress accused of foreign bribery, to crypto executives tied to money laundering, to a former foreign president convicted of running what U.S. prosecutors called a narco-state.
But it doesn’t stop there.
We also dig into the honorable mentions—including George Santos, major crypto fraudsters, and mega-donors whose sentences vanished after conviction. In total, Trump has now issued over 1,600 pardons and commutations this term alone.
This episode isn’t about left versus right. It’s about what happens when accountability becomes optional, loyalty becomes legal immunity, and the justice system quietly splits into two different realities.
If you’ve ever wondered whether laws still apply equally in America—this episode answers that question.

NSS Drop, Boat Strike #22, and a Very 2025 Culture War

This week, we sprint through the biggest headlines at the intersection of policy, law, and pop culture. The White House releases its 2025 National Security Strategy, with a sharper focus on great powers. The Pentagon confirms the 22nd maritime strike tied to Venezuela, keeping the region on edge. Trump dubs “affordability” a Democratic scam while also collecting a brand-new FIFA “Peace Prize.” In the states, Gov. Tim Walz is under pressure over a widening Minnesota fraud scandal, Texas makes ivermectin available over the counter, and the Supreme Court lets Texas’s contested maps stand for 2026. On the symbolism front, the Park Service removes MLK Day and Juneteenth from fee-free days and adds Trump’s birthday, cue backlash. The White House tangles online with pop star Sabrina Carpenter, and Hollywood jolts as Netflix moves to absorb HBO/Max’s parent. 
Topics Covered
National Security Strategy 2025: what’s new, what’s recycled, and how it steers budgets and posture
Venezuela theater: the 22nd boat strike, legal authorities, and escalation risks
“Affordability is a scam”: rhetoric vs. real consumer pain and the 2026 messaging chessboard
FIFA’s inaugural “Peace Prize” for Trump: optics, timing, and fallout
Minnesota fraud scandal: why Tim Walz is in political jeopardy
National Parks policy: MLK Day & Juneteenth out, Trump’s birthday in—symbolism vs. access
Redistricting: Supreme Court allows Texas maps for 2026 while litigation continues
Culture war beat: White House vs. Sabrina Carpenter over an ICE promo
Health policy: Texas authorizes OTC ivermectin despite federal guidance
Media megamerger watch: Netflix goes after HBO/Max—what consolidation could mean for viewers and creators
If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and share -- and drop your questions for next week’s mailbag.
 

Is Trump's Net Worth Really Up $3 Billion Since January?

Forbes says Donald Trump’s fortune jumped roughly $3B in 2025, peaking near $7.3B before giving some back into late fall. In this 10–15 minute solo breakdown, I unpack what actually drove the swing DJT stock, a new three-part crypto stack (memecoin, World Liberty Financial, and a USD stablecoin), key legal rulings that removed liabilities, and old-school licensing/golf income, and ask how much of it is real cash versus paper gains.
In this episode:
Baseline → peak → where the estimate sits now
What “net worth” means (and why these tallies are volatile)
DJT vs. crypto drivers, separated: memecoin fees, WLFi token income, stablecoin fee/float economics
The legal piece: how tossing out a large judgment lifts modeled wealth
Licensing/golf cash flow vs. multi-billion market repricing
What to watch next: DJT fundamentals, WLFi traction, stablecoin circulation, and court updates
Bottom line: The “+$3B” headline was true at the peak and fragile in practice—a story about market prices, new crypto businesses, and a few legal breaks inflating (and deflating) a presidential fortune.
 
 
 

Week of Nov 23: DC Shooting, Trump Tantrums, and the Autopen

This week’s rundown hits the biggest flashpoints across Washington and beyond. We start with the DC shooting that sparked a political firestorm and a wave of security and immigration moves. Then we unpack Trump’s rapid-fire posts and policy pronouncements, from autopen “nullification” claims to a call to close airspace around Venezuela, plus an unusual back-and-forth with Caracas that ended with reports of a Trump, Maduro call and possible meeting. We cover the administration’s pause on Afghan visas and asylum adjudications, the FDA’s pivot toward stricter vaccine approvals amid controversy over COVID-vax safety claims, and Northwestern’s $75 million settlement on antisemitism allegations. We close on symbolism and optics: the State Department stepping back from World AIDS Day comms. Clear, quick context on what changed, why it matters, and what to watch next.
Topics Covered
DC shooting & political fallout: security posture, charging updates, and how it’s shaping policy responses
Trump’s social posts: autopen “null and void,” what’s performative vs. legally operative
Afghan pipeline pause: asylum adjudications and visa issuance put on hold pending reviews
Venezuela brinkmanship: “close the airspace,” DHS/State posture, and a reported Trump–Maduro call
FDA’s new vaccine approval stance: bigger trials, longer follow-up, and the evidence fight
Northwestern’s $75M settlement over antisemitism claims: funding implications and campus policies
World AIDS Day: State Department steps back from commemoration—optics vs. substance
If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and share - and send us your questions for next week’s mailbag

Week of Nov 16: Epstein Files to be Released, Trump & Zohran

This week, we cover a whirlwind of headlines spanning transparency, tech, city–federal politics, national security, immigration, and the 2026 landscape. Congress green-lights the release of the Epstein files. Larry Summers steps off OpenAI’s board. NYC’s new mayor meets President Trump in the Oval—yes, there’s outfit discourse—while the short-lived “DOGE” department quietly shutters months early. We break down Operation Southern Spear in the hemisphere, the administration’s push to pare back the Endangered Species Act, and Laura Loomer’s viral claim that the GOP has a “Nazi problem.” Plus: ICE plans stepped-up operations in New York City, and Republican senators balk at Trump’s proposed $2,000 “tariff checks.” Clear context, crisp stats, and what to watch next—no fluff.
Topics Covered
Congress votes to release the Epstein files: what’s actually supposed to be made public and the 30-day clock
Larry Summers resigns from OpenAI’s board: why governance and reputational risk matter for AI labs
Zohran Mamdani meets Trump in the Oval Office: optics vs. outcomes on public safety, housing, and federal dollars (and yes, the suit-and-tie chatter)
The DOGE department disbands 8 months early: what happens to the promised “efficiency” savings and projects
Operation Southern Spear: targets, authorities, and escalation risks in the Western Hemisphere
ESA rollback proposal: what changes, who’s affected, and why litigation is a near-lock
Laura Loomer’s “Nazi problem” warning for the GOP: intra-right fault lines and 2026 candidate vetting
Border czar says ICE will ramp operations in NYC: sanctuary politics, legal flashpoints, and resources
GOP senators uneasy about $2,000 tariff rebates: fiscal hawks vs. populist transfers—and the path (or lack of one) through Congress

Is U.S. Tourism Getting Crushed?

Visa waits, new fees, thin long-haul flight capacity, and a steep Canada pullback are weighing on international travel to the U.S.—even as domestic trips hold up. In this 10–15 minute solo breakdown, I cut through the noise with a quick industry primer, the latest arrivals/spend trends, and what’s driving 2025’s underperformance vs. 2019 and 2024.
In this episode:
How the tourism engine works typically (≈3% of U.S. GDP; $1T+ in traveler spend; who the top source markets are)
The scoreboard: arrivals vs. last year and 2019, spend trends, and air/visa friction
What’s dragging inbound: consulate queues, added visa costs, limited China flight capacity, strong-dollar stretches, and “border vibe” effects
Canada deep-dive: multiple late-2025 months showing ~20–30% YoY declines, with border states feeling it first
Who’s most exposed: long-haul metros (NYC, SF/LA, LV, Honolulu) and drive-market corridors (NY/MI/WA/VT/ME)
What to watch next: NTTO monthly prints, visa-wait improvements, China capacity decisions, and high-frequency spend data
Bottom line: Domestic travel is fine; international inbound is the pain point. Unless visa friction eases, fees stabilize, and long-haul capacity improves, inbound will lag until the event tailwinds of 2026 kick in.

Week of Novermber 9th: Government Opens and the Epstein Files Get Real

This week’s rundown moves fast: Democrats end the 43-day government shutdown, a new tranche of Epstein files heads for daylight, and the White House floats a 50-year mortgage option that has economists split. We break down what actually changed at the grocery store as the administration rolls back tariffs on dozens of food imports, and we talk through a viral (and bizarre) moment from the Syrian president’s White House visit, the cologne clip. Plus: new State Department guidance that raises alarms about visa denials tied to health conditions like obesity, and a sweeping U.S. designation of several European antifa groups as terrorist organizations. 
Topics Covered
Democrats end the federal shutdown: what’s funded now, what’s punted, and the real economic hit
Epstein files: what’s new vs. recycled, and how the next release could land
50-year mortgages: modest monthly savings vs. big lifetime interest—who wins, who doesn’t
Food tariff rollback: which categories are affected and how soon prices might reflect it
The cologne moment at the White House: protocol, optics, and whether any policy came out of it
Visas & health: how new guidance could change consular decisions and who’s at risk
Antifa designations: legal implications (sanctions, immigration bars, material-support laws) and likely pushback