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The Necessary Conversation

Family therapy through politics

https://www.youtube.com/@TheNecessaryConversation

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Yesterday · 1 hr 15 min
A Fine School
This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad, Haley and Mary Lou discuss the week's politics. Plus we just appeared on Katy Tur's show on MS NOW this week, so we talk about that too. 🤦 Trump weighed in on the Cornell University gang rape case — by expressing sympathy for the accused. After Governor Hochul appointed AG Letitia James as special prosecutor to reopen the case, Trump said, "I feel badly for whoever she's looking at, because they won't get a fair shake. Cornell's a fine school, and I'm sure they'll do what's right." He attacked James as "corrupt" — the same AG whose civil fraud case against Trump resulted in a $450 million penalty. We ask Mary Lou: why does Trump feel sorry for the rapists? 📺 Trump spent at least $1.7 million in taxpayer money on propaganda TV ads featuring himself, including one nearly identical to a 2024 campaign ad. The funding was reportedly diverted from Homeland Security. Even Senate Majority Leader John Thune said it shouldn't be paid for with taxpayer dollars, and Republican Thomas Massie mocked it as something seen in banana republics. We ask: are you okay with your money paying for this? ⚖️ Jack Smith returned to Capitol Hill for a four-hour Senate grilling, standing firmly behind his investigation and saying there was "proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump engaged in criminal activity." The highlight came when Republican Eric Schmitt accused Smith of perjury for attending an NBA game in Atlanta — only for it to turn out Smith was at a women's college basketball game in Maryland featuring Caitlin Clark. Smith also revealed that the late Lindsey Graham would likely have been a witness in the 2020 election case. 📺 We simmer down to talk about our appearance on Katy Tur's show and which other shows we'd like to go on. 🎖️ Pete Hegseth delivered a speech to the military's top brass on the 214th day of the Iran war telling troops: "No fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals. Just warriors." He announced Elon Musk will now co-lead a "future of warfare" initiative and ordered a 20% cut to general and flag officer positions — while reports emerge that multiple sailors have attempted suicide aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which Hegseth's planning left at sea longer than any ship in modern history. We ask Mary Lou — she's used that same slur on this show — does she think Hegseth should have said it? ⚠️ A woman filed a lawsuit against Trump alleging he raped her in a Florida hotel room in 1997 with Jeffrey Epstein present. Trump now has over 30 allegations of sexual assault or misconduct, and two separate juries unanimously found him liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll — verdicts upheld by the Supreme Court. We ask: why do no other presidents have 30 sexual assault allegations against them? 🇮🇱 Bombshell reporting revealed that Netanyahu was warned about Hamas's October 7th attack before it happened — by both the UAE and Egypt, with Egypt's intelligence chief flying to Israel on September 26th, 2023 to deliver the warning personally. Netanyahu reportedly made a secret trip to the UAE this week asking them to deny the phone call. He has repeatedly rejected calls for an official inquiry. We ask: did Netanyahu let October 7th happen? This one goes everywhere. Every single segment matters. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #Cornell7 #TrumpPropaganda #JackSmith #Hegseth #SexualAssault #Netanyahu #October7 #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
Wednesday · 47 min
The Cornell Seven
In this midweek episode Chad, Haley and Mary Lou discuss the situation regarding the sexual assault of a student by 7 fellow students at Cornell University in 2024 and what role Donald Trump plays in perpetuating an atmosphere of sexual violence without repercussion in contemporary America. If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 27 · 54 min
Trump Loves China
This week on The Necessary Conversation Chad, Haley, and Mary Lou dig into the following topics, with a special appearance by Bob late in the episode. 🇨🇳 American Dictator Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Chinese Dictator Xi Jinping — forcing U.S. service members onto their hands and knees to smooth the carpet — then hosted a lavish state dinner with billionaire tech overlords. This from the man who said in 2015 he'd give Xi "a McDonald's hamburger" and told Fox News to "forget the state dinners — that cost a fortune." The visit produced zero tangible results. China is Dad's number one enemy. We ask him: does he support Trump wining and dining Xi? 📺 After banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House last week, Trump launched "Trump TV" — a 24/7 YouTube livestream of his speeches. It opened with 8,000 viewers, dropped to 2,500 within two hours, and bottomed out at 427 by Wednesday morning. Comments were disabled and the promo video used copyrighted clips from Friends and Breaking Bad. A Trump-appointed judge ordered press access restored, but reporters were still being turned away days later. We ask: why did Trump think he could get away with violating the Constitution? ⚠️ A report from The Atlantic revealed that Trump loyalists are pushing him to declare martial law to seize control of the midterm elections — including stationing military at polling places, confiscating ballots, or declaring the election invalid. Trump hasn't said he'll do it, but he did share a column calling the plan "foolproof." We ask the family: would you be okay with this? 💪 We simmer down with our favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movie — and everyone has to do an impression. ⚖️ The Supreme Court handed Trump a 6-3 win allowing states to batch-check entire voter rolls against a citizenship database — despite experts noting the database returns faulty results and audits consistently show noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare. Justice Jackson warned the ruling puts lawful voters, including naturalized citizens, at risk of being wrongly flagged. We ask: how many citizens getting turned away is worth one noncitizen vote? 🔍 A ProPublica investigation revealed that the FBI was close to launching a bribery probe into Senator Susan Collins' super PAC receiving $150,000 through a shell company from a government contractor — but after Trump took office, the DOJ's public integrity unit was gutted and the investigation died. Meanwhile, Trump has made over 28,700 stock trades in 17 months — more than all members of Congress combined. We ask: is he corrupt? 🏠 And this one's personal. ICE launched operations in our hometown of Great Bend, Kansas — population 14,700. Agents targeted meat plants, feed yards, and Hispanic-owned businesses across western Kansas. Mexican restaurants closed their doors. Legal residents and citizens are afraid to leave their homes. On Thursday, residents rallied in the rain in support of their neighbors. Mary Lou was born there. Bob was born there. Haley was born there. We all lived there. We ask: how does it feel watching Trump invade your hometown? Dad's back and this one hits home — literally. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #TrumpChina #TrumpTV #MartialLaw #SCOTUS #FreePressUnderAttack #ICE #GreatBend #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 23 · 47 min
Mary Lou's X's
In this midweek episode Chad takes Mary Lou through a website made by a member of the Necessary Conversation community that lists all of her "X's" against Trump to see if a visual representation of over 40's issues helps get her closer to finally denouncing him. If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 20 · 1 hr 8 min
Trump Bans Press From The Whitehouse
This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad is joined by Haley and Mary Lou, who are together in Oklahoma. Bob is still out recovering. 🚫 Authoritarian Dictator Donald Trump banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, confiscating reporters' press badges — something not even Nixon did during Watergate. Trump offered no specific examples of "fake news" and said the ban could be lifted if outlets provide more favorable coverage of him. No Republicans spoke out against it. We ask Mary Lou: is freedom of the press important? 🏛️ A federal judge ruled again that Trump's name can't go on the Kennedy Center. Trump's response? He threatened to "rip it down." Photographers caught him aboard Air Force One examining a placard reading "Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED." The Trump-aligned board voted to close the building for up to two years. Thousands formed a human chain around the center in protest. We ask: why is he so obsessed with putting his name on this building? 👊 Two 17-year-old U.S. citizens from Texas — on their way to a Marine recruiter's office to enlist — were violently beaten by ICE agents after they stopped to record agents detaining people outside an elementary school. One had his wrist broken. An agent told him, "I don't give a damn… Your parents can't help you now." DHS called them "anti-ICE agitators." Both teens say they no longer plan to enlist. We ask: what message does this send? 🌾 We simmer down to talk about our favorite memories from Amarillo, Texas, where the family used to live — and the massive new data center being built there. ⛽ We're losing the war in Iran. Attacks hit Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline — the last workaround after the Strait of Hormuz was shut down — forcing a complete shutdown. Iran and its allies now control all three major oil transport routes in the region. The International Energy Agency called it the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. We ask Mary Lou: does she think Trump knows what he's doing? ☠️ Trump's EPA is repealing limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas power plants and moving to scrap the 2009 endangerment finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health. Preliminary analysis projects the added pollution could cause over 80,000 additional premature deaths and more than $1 trillion in health costs through 2047. Many of the power company CEOs benefiting are major Trump donors. We ask: is Trump willing to poison us so his friends get richer? 🧟 Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate after 92 days out of public view, casting a deciding vote on Monday. But by Thursday he was filmed being loaded into an SUV staring into space, seemingly unaware reporters were speaking to him. We ask: what other job lets you disappear for three months and come back like this? 🌍 And we close with a World War 3 update. European governments are escalating civil defense preparations amid intelligence that Russia may be planning a major escalation. This morning Ukraine fired over 1,000 drones at Russia, including hundreds toward Moscow, in what Moscow's mayor called the biggest drone attack ever on the capital. No Bob this week but this one covers everything from the First Amendment to the end of the world. Buckle up. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #FreePressUnderAttack #KennedyCenter #ICE #IranWar #OilCrisis #ClimateChange #McConnell #WorldWar3 #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 16 · 51 min
Kash Patel's Stance On Bestiality
In this mid-week episode Chad and Mary Lou show one another clips from across the aisle that address a wide range of topics including Kash Patel's public support of bestiality, Mitch Mcconnell's return to public and Mamdani and AOC's behavior at the 911 memorial service. If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 13 · 1 hr 12 min
Trump Sleeps While America Mourns
This week on The Necessary Conversation, it's Chad, Haley, and Mary Lou. Bob is still out recovering. 💵 Trump held the first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, dubbed "Trump-a-palooza," where he promised every American adult $5,000 if Republicans win the midterms — a pledge that would cost $1.2 trillion with zero details on how it would be funded. He claimed the arena was "sold out" despite thousands of empty seats and even asked people not to use the bathroom so photos wouldn't show the gaps. He also asked the audience to raise their right hands and pledge an oath — not to the country, not to the Constitution, but to him. Then he told voters to "cheat like hell." This is now the fourth time Trump has promised Americans cash they've never received. ⛽ Gas prices hit their highest level ever for this time of year — $4.15 for regular, nearly $6 for diesel. Trump promised during his campaign to cut gas prices by 50% within 12 months. Now he says prices will only drop after the war he started ends, and claims gas will eventually fall below $2. We ask Mary Lou: does she still believe him? 📺 Trump's FCC threatened Jimmy Kimmel, his show, and ABC's affiliates over an interview with Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico. Kimmel pulled it from ABC to protect the network's local stations and posted it to YouTube instead — where it got 6.8 million views, nearly triple Trump's RNC speech viewership. We ask: do we still have freedom of speech? 🤔 We simmer down with a fun one — if you could ask Trump one question and he had to answer truthfully, what would it be? 🤖 A wave of AI developments this week. Over 1,200 OpenAI test agents launched a coordinated cyberattack on another AI platform. A researcher resigned from Anthropic saying AI companies are "gambling with our lives" and could "kill us all by the end of the decade." Anthropic's own alignment lead put the odds of AI killing all humans at over 10%. Then Anthropic's CEO published an essay urging the industry to slow down — and even Sam Altman and Elon Musk agreed. Trump still has no plan for AI regulation. We ask: should we be afraid? 🔒 A Washington Post report revealed that at least four European countries — Poland, Norway, Latvia, and Britain — have sought U.S. help investigating Epstein-related leads and Attorney General Todd Blanche has ignored every single request. Poland is examining links between Epstein and Russian intelligence. Norway has already charged three prominent figures. Latvia identified a victim. Britain is investigating a former ambassador. All requests unanswered. We ask: why is Blanche protecting pedophiles? 😴 Trump attended the 25th anniversary September 11 memorial at the Pentagon — and fell asleep. Multiple times. He slumped in his chair with his eyes closed as the names of the 184 victims were read aloud, during Hegseth's remarks, and while a choir sang. The White House called anyone who noticed a liar. We ask Mary Lou: is falling asleep at a 9/11 memorial acceptable for a president? No Bob this week but the three of us didn't hold back. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #TrumpRNC #GasPrices #Kimmel #AI #Epstein #ToddBlanche #September11 #SleepyDon #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 11 · 39 min
Special Guest: Beto O'Rourke
Haley, Mary Lou and Chad have a conversation with Texas Democrat Beto O'rourke in which they discuss his run for President in 2020, current issues with voting in America, gun control and much more. Will Mary Lou like Beto as much as she likes Hasan Piker? If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 9 · 53 min
Mamdani
Mary Lou and Chad show each clips from opposite sides of the aisle pertaining to 911 and Mamdani's first 9 months as Mayor of New York City. If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 6 · 1 hr 15 min
How Close Is Trump To Dying?
This week on The Necessary Conversation, it's Chad, Haley, and Mary Lou. Bob is still out recovering but getting better. We miss you, Dad. ❤️ 🤒 How close is Trump to death? Photos from a White House Rose Garden dinner went viral showing Trump sweating excessively and looking visibly ill — the latest in a long string of swollen ankles, bruised hands, and constantly falling asleep on camera. Then two days later he stepped off a plane with freshly dyed brown hair in what appears to be a desperate attempt to look younger. We ask Mom: does she think Trump is healthy? 💣 Day 190 of Trump's war with Iran and now Trump and Vance are both claiming it's not a war. Vance said "there is no active shooting" — despite three consecutive days of U.S.-Iran exchanges of fire that same week. Trump called it "small potatoes." Then on Saturday, the U.S. struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two Navy ships. Eighteen U.S. service members are dead. We ask Mom: is sending 18 Americans to their deaths "small potatoes"? 🗳️ Trump is trying to kill mail-in voting before the midterms. A new USPS rule would force states to redesign ballot envelopes, upload voter data to a federal portal, and get pre-approval — or USPS will refuse to deliver their ballots. A federal judge blocked it in 23 states, but it's headed to the Supreme Court. Mail voting was 43% of all ballots in 2020. And of course, Trump himself votes by mail. We ask: why is he trying so hard to make it harder for people to vote? ✈️ We simmer down to hear about Haley's latest galavanting. 🌍 The UN announced the world will breach the 1.5°C Paris climate target "within the next few years." Earth is already at 1.4°C above pre-industrial levels. The goal has officially shifted from preventing climate change to surviving it as a species. Meanwhile, Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, repealed the EPA's Endangerment Finding, and cut funding for NOAA weather monitoring and climate research — during one of the worst climate disaster years on record. We ask Mom: do you think global warming is real now? 📞 Reporting revealed that inmates at four Oklahoma prisons are being used to make political telemarketing calls for Republican candidates, paid $2 an hour while the state collects $10. The calls are funded by a conservative super PAC that paid roughly $600,000 to the vendor. Some inmates say the scripts go beyond polling into outright campaigning. We ask: why aren't inmates campaigning for Democrats too? 🎖️ Army Secretary Dan Driscoll — the youngest ever to hold the position and a close friend of JD Vance — resigned after clashing with Pete Hegseth over the firing of senior generals and the blocking of modernization efforts. His exit leaves the Army without Senate-confirmed civilian or uniformed leadership during an active war. The U.S. has a $900 billion defense budget. Iran's is roughly $15 billion. We ask the obvious question: why can't we beat them? No Dad this week but Chad, Haley, and Mom covered a lot of ground. Bob will be back. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #TrumpHealth #IranWar #MailInVoting #ClimateChange #PrisonLabor #MilitaryExodus #Hegseth #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
September 2 · 52 min
J.D. Vance Says He's Okay With Ushering In The End Times
Mary Lou and Chad dig into clips from JD Vance’s recent appearance on a podcast in which he said he is willing to usher in the biblical end times. Clips From Today’s Show: Mary Lou’s Clips: El-Sayed: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DcuI3jTP0Qa/ Children Saved: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DcuODpYu877/ Chad’s Clips: JD Vance on Endtimes: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcxKnuJFDea/ Peter Thiel on Antichrist: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLbg-bgOV9H/ Maga Reacts To Data Center Trump Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DctjH7QAQYk/ If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 30 · 1 hr 2 min
Trump Tries To Rename Lake Ontario
This week on The Necessary Conversation, it's just Chad and Mary Lou holding it down. Bob is still out recovering — getting better every day — and Haley is off galavanting again. 🇨🇦 Trump escalated his trade war with Canada, slapping 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods with more levies on vehicles and steel coming January 1. Canada matched it "dollar for dollar, rate for rate" and pledged CA$7.5 billion to support affected workers. Then Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America." Canada's response? Their leaders called Trump a "loser," a "dictator," and the "king of bankruptcies." Estimates project the average American household will pay about $2,512 in tariff costs this year. We ask Mom: is this helping anyone? 🎖️ The number of U.S. service members seeking conscientious-objector discharges has skyrocketed — roughly a 10,000% increase over normal levels. Troops cite ethical and legal objections to targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran and killing civilians in Operation Southern Spear. In a normal year there are about 50 inquiries. March alone had 429. We ask: are Trump and Hegseth making our military stronger or destroying it? 👶 ICE detained 5-year-old Liam Tadeo in Austin after pulling his father over on the way to a soccer game. The father had no criminal record. Both were sent to the Dilley detention facility. Trump has detained more than 6,200 children in his second term — ten times the number under Biden. At least 500 were babies and toddlers age 3 or under. ✈️ We skip the simmer down as Haley is in parts unknown. 🏙️ The 25th anniversary of September 11 is coming up, and Trump pulled out of the Ground Zero ceremony because they won't let him speak. The memorial has barred politicians from speaking since 2012 to keep the event focused on the victims. Every other president has honored the day regardless. Trump will go to the Pentagon instead — where he can have the microphone. We ask Mom: does this bother her at all? 🏔️ Trump has been quietly pressuring the National Park Service to hand over a strip of land inside Yosemite National Park to a private real estate developer — a Trump campaign donor whose associates include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The developer wants to build a private road through the park for a potential luxury resort or residence. We ask: should Trump's donors be able to buy land in our national parks? ⛪ Reporting revealed that ICE ran covert surveillance operations inside churches, libraries, parks, and gyms in Minnesota, placing undercover agents in activist meetings, recording conversations, logging names, and collecting license plate numbers. At least five Midwest churches were named. ICE arrested two activist leaders connected to a St. Paul church. We ask Mom: should ICE be allowed to go undercover in churches? Just Chad and Mom this week but the conversation went deep. Dad and Haley will be back soon. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #CanadaTariffs #LakeAmerica #ConscientiousObjector #ICE #September11 #Yosemite #ChurchSurveillance #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 26 · 50 min
Project 2025 Plans For America's Food Supply
In this midweek episode Mary Lou and Chad show each other clips from opposite sides of the political spectrum including clips about Iran threatening Baron Trump's life and clips about how the current food problems in the U.S. are all part of the republican playbook. If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 23 · 1 hr 8 min
Trump Is Slaughtering Horses
This week on The Necessary Conversation, it's Chad, Haley, and Mary Lou. Bob is still out but getting stronger every day — we're hoping to have him back soon. Hang in there, Dad. ❤️ 🐴 A New York Times investigation revealed Trump's Bureau of Land Management has sold over 6,300 federally protected wild horses — many for as little as $25 — to buyers who appear to be slaughterhouses or brokers flipping them for meat. That's more than double the historic average. Once sold, the horses lose all federal protection. We ask Mom how she feels about Trump selling America's wild horses for slaughter. 👀 New details emerged about Natalie Harp, Trump's 35-year-old executive assistant who follows him everywhere with printouts, once climbed into an SUV trunk to stay near him, and was photographed sprinting after his golf cart in Scotland. Two letters she wrote to Trump were published this week — filled with apologies, begging forgiveness, calling him her "Guardian and Protector," telling him he has "the absolute right to cuss me out," and saying "You are all that matters to me." We ask: is this a healthy working relationship or is this a cult? 🇨🇦 Canada suspended trade negotiations with the U.S. after Trump slapped 50% tariffs on hockey sticks, building materials, liquor, and clothing — roughly $28 billion in Canadian goods. Canada vowed to match the tariffs "dollar for dollar." We ask Mom: have tariffs made the economy better yet? 📰 We simmer down to talk about our appearance in the New York Times this week. 🥬 America's food supply is falling apart. A massive lettuce recall sickened nearly 11,000 people across 17 states. Over 19 million eggs were recalled for Salmonella. Frozen blueberries were pulled for E. coli. Trump cut over 7,000 FDA and CDC employees, slashed 20% of FDA staff including food inspectors, and removed Cyclospora — the exact parasite behind the lettuce outbreak — from routine screening. We ask: is Trump making our food safer? 📷 The pushback against Flock surveillance cameras is exploding. At least 100 cities have deactivated cameras or canceled contracts. Citizens are cutting them down, taping over lenses, and spray painting them. Halloween is being promoted online as "De-Flock America" night. Meanwhile, one California city found Flock misread license plates in 71% of stolen vehicle alerts, and an innocent driver was surrounded by armed police after his car was misidentified. There are now roughly 130,000 Flock cameras on American streets — up from 6,200 in January 2025. We ask: are you okay with living in a surveillance state? 🚨 ICE arrested 51,000 people in July — the largest single month in DHS history — to meet Trump's 2,000-per-day quota. Independent reporting found 67% of those arrested had no criminal convictions, and nearly 40% had no convictions or pending charges. ICE has put over 6,200 children in their detention facilities, some under one year old. We ask Mom: if they've been doing this for a year and a half, shouldn't they have gotten most of the criminals by now? 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #WildHorses #NatalieHarp #CanadaTariffs #FoodSafety #FlockCameras #ICE #Surveillance #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 19 · 53 min
What Does Maga Still Like About Trump?
In this midweek episode, Chad and Mary Lou play clips for one another from the opposite side of the aisle as Chad asks Mary Lou what she still likes about Trump. These are the clips: Newsmax/Truth Social Abortion Clip: https://www.instagram.com/reels/Db7YA1hjllm/ Trump’s Effect On Venezuela Clip: https://www.facebook.com/reel/961406986355625 U.S. Military Mocks Trump Clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcG_a3FJ-ta/ Liz Oyer on Todd Blanche Clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcJxvhFIKcu/ Most Corrupt Administartion Clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/DbahsUwxn3i/ Trump Attacks Female Reporter Clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcKaZkjDqNd/ If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 16 · 1 hr 13 min
Lost At Sea
This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad, Haley, and Mary Lou dig into the biggest political issues of the past 7 days. 🚢 The USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea for over 260 days — more than 200 without a port call — the longest continuous deployment in modern history. Reports describe exhaustion, rationed food, suicidal thoughts, and at least one sailor who attempted to jump to his death. Nearly 200 family members confronted Navy leadership in San Diego over conditions and fears their loved ones will harm themselves. When asked if the deployment was too long, Trump said it hadn't been nearly long enough. We ask Mom and Dad: does Trump care about these sailors at all? ⚡ ICE is spending $20 million on electric shock gloves that deliver intense pain when pressed against a person's skin. The manufacturer's own manual warns they can cause serious injury or death. We ask: should ICE be given yet another way to kill people? 🏛️ Trump's hand-picked Kennedy Center board voted 20-3 to put his name back on the building — in direct defiance of a federal judge's order that only Congress can rename it. After being forced to remove the letters, Trump had the facade covered with a tarp that's been up for months. If he can't have his name on it, apparently nobody gets to see it. We ask: why is he spending time on this while we're at war? 🔮 We simmer down to discuss the big question — do you think we come back after we die? 🤛 Republican congressional candidate Max Miller is refusing to drop out of his race despite his ex-wife accusing him of attacking her with boiling water and breaking their daughter's collarbone, plus abuse allegations from two other women including former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham. Meanwhile, the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine dropped out after sexual misconduct allegations and pressure from his own party. We ask: why do Republicans and Democrats treat these situations so differently? 👋 Karoline Leavitt announced she's leaving as White House press secretary, citing family. Her tenure was widely characterized as combative and dishonest. Trump says she'll stay on as a top outside advisor. We ask Mom: did you actually like her? 🌹 Democratic primary turnout is surging to levels not seen in decades — nearly 800,000 in Wisconsin, 1.5 million in Michigan. And democratic socialists are winning big: Zohran Mamdani in New York, Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Melat Kiros toppling a 27-year incumbent in Denver, and more than 30 socialist primary wins across the country. They're running on Medicare for All, affordable housing, and higher taxes on the wealthy. We ask Mom: do you like the democratic socialists? Do you think they can win? This one covers everything from the ocean to outer space to the afterlife. Buckle up. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #USSAbrahamLincoln #ShockGloves #ICE #KennedyCenter #KarolineLeavitt #DemocraticSocialists #MaxMiller #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses. If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 12 · 45 min
Trump's Cowardly Escape
In this midweek show, Chad and Mary Lou show each other clips about Fauci, Blanche, Trump's Catering Cart Escape and more. Fauci and miscarriages: https://www.instagram.com/reels/Db6HlTExyJL/ AOC Freezing Her Eggs: https://www.instagram.com/reels/Db7NckwOKmX/ U.S. Marine Freed: https://www.tiktok.com/@abcworldnews/video/7672954148240755981?_r=1&_t=ZT-98ovJYxXJCo Todd Blanche's First Act as AG: https://www.instagram.com/p/Db6or5OPPjt/ Trumps Cowardly Escape: https://www.instagram.com/p/Db5d2b5pKnO/ Trump's response: https://www.instagram.com/p/Db8UXWXxDDI/ If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 9 · 1 hr 4 min
Todd Blanche Confirmation Means Trump Is Above The Law
This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad, Haley, and Mary Lou cover the biggest stories in American politics. ⚖️ The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche — Trump's personal criminal defense lawyer — as the permanent Attorney General by a single vote. Mom was told Blanche was just an interim replacement. That was a lie. Blanche has already withheld over 3 million Epstein documents, doxxed victims including their nude photos, and negotiated the deal that made Trump and his family permanently immune from paying taxes. We ask Mom: do you see the conflict of interest now? ⛽ Iran published its list of demands to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed since February: end the war permanently, lift the naval blockade, withdraw U.S. forces, lift sanctions, release frozen assets, and pay war reparations. Trump and Rubio are unlikely to agree because it would mean admitting they lost. We ask: should Trump just meet the demands and get gas prices back down? 💸 Court filings revealed Trump has quietly given about $100 billion in tariff refunds to giant corporations — $2.2 billion to Apple, $1.3 billion to Ford, $600 million to Amazon. These companies passed tariff costs on to shoppers through higher prices, and most aren't lowering them now. We remind Mom that Trump promised every American a $2,000 check from tariff revenue. She hasn't gotten hers. 🌽 We simmer down to revisit a legendary piece of family lore — the can of corn — from three different perspectives. 🏦 Court filings revealed Capital One closed roughly 385 Trump-affiliated bank accounts in 2021 for suspected money laundering, including accounts tied to the Trump Organization and Eric Trump. We ask Mom why she thinks a bank would shut down that many accounts. 💀 New reporting revealed the true toll of Operation Southern Spear — Trump's strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean that have killed approximately 220 people. Relatives say the dead were mostly laborers and fishermen. A top Pentagon official admitted the very first strike may have killed human trafficking victims. Cocaine prices have actually dropped since the operation began, and fentanyl mostly enters the country by land. Cost to taxpayers: $4.7 billion. We ask Mom if she thinks all 220 were drug dealers. 🗳️ Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, defeating the establishment-backed candidate despite a $65 million onslaught of outside money — much of it from AIPAC. He's running on Medicare for All, getting money out of politics, and affordable housing. Mom wants universal healthcare. So does he. We ask if she supports him. 📉 The economy lost 23,000 jobs in July — the worst month since the pandemic — against projections of 83,000 new jobs. We ask Mom if she still thinks Trump is making the economy better. 🚨 Reporting from The Guardian revealed ICE is force-feeding hunger-striking prisoners — inserting tubes through their noses and into their stomachs against their will. One Kurdish asylum seeker was force-fed for nearly eight months. Prisoners are striking to protest overcrowded conditions, worm-infested food, inadequate medical care, and physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. We ask Mom: are you okay with this? Every week it gets worse. And every week we talk about it. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #ToddBlanche #StraitOfHormuz #TariffRefunds #CapitalOne #SouthernSpear #AbdulElSayed #ICE #ForceFeeding #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
August 2 · 1 hr 1 min
Trump Caught Lying About The Reflecting Pool
This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad, Haley, and Mary Lou discuss week 23 of Trump's illegal war with Iran, and the possibility that it could be the beginning of World War 3. 🌍 Saudi Arabia joined U.S. strikes on Iran-backed militants in Iraq, killing at least 20. Jordan and Kuwait reported incoming Iranian strikes. Egypt was hit by a drone attack of unclear origin. China and Russia are openly providing Iran with intelligence on U.S. military positions. Only 28% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the war. Trump is threatening fresh strikes on civilian infrastructure this weekend. We ask Mom and Dad — you were always worried Biden would start a world war. How worried are you now? 🟢 Remember when Trump said vandals cut a 300-foot gash in his reflecting pool? The DOJ dropped the felony case against the 67-year-old three-time Olympic canoeist they arrested, admitting the damage came from a botched contractor installation rushed to meet Trump's deadline. Trump rejected his own DOJ's findings and chastised U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for dropping the charges. The pool has been drained for the second time in three months. Total cost so far: $16 million. 🏥 Mitch McConnell's office released another "proof of life" photo — widely believed to be AI-generated or digitally altered. He's been hospitalized since June 14, missed 38 consecutive Senate votes, done zero media interviews, and made no public appearances. The deadline for declaring him unfit for office is tomorrow. We ask: is Mitch McConnell alive? 🎒 We simmer down to hear about some galavanting. ⚰️ Trump altered the official death toll of American soldiers in Iran. The Pentagon's casualty count dropped from 18 to 14 overnight, with four deaths disappearing from the system. The Pentagon called it a "temporary data disruption." Three military officials told the New York Times the count was deliberately changed. We ask: if they're lying about the number of dead, how many have really been killed? 📷 A Texas deputy used Flock Safety's AI-powered camera network to hunt a woman suspected of self-administering an abortion, sweeping 83,345 cameras across 6,809 networks — reaching into states where abortion is legal. Under Trump, the number of Flock cameras in the U.S. has exploded from 6,205 to over 116,000. People are sawing them down, throwing paint on them, and ramming trucks into them. We ask: should anyone have access to cameras that track all of us? 🦠 Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before the Senate for nearly three hours and invoked the Fifth Amendment over a hundred times. Republicans tried to goad him into statements about COVID's origins. Democrats called it an entrapment hearing. Fauci holds a pardon but his legal team concluded that answering new questions could expose him to new charges. We ask Mom and Dad what they really think about Fauci and COVID. The walls are closing in on everything. This one's intense. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #WorldWar3 #TrumpIran #ReflectingPool #McConnell #FlockCameras #Fauci #Casualties #Surveillance #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com
July 26 · 1 hr 8 min
Trump 2028
This week on The Necessary Conversation, Chad, Haley and Mary Lou dig into day 149 of Trump's war with Iran. 18 American soldiers dead. And the bill just keeps climbing. 💣 If you support Trump, you support the war in Iran. Thirteen consecutive nights of strikes. Four U.S. soldiers killed since July 17th. Nearly 500 injuries. Hegseth says the $37.5 billion we've already spent isn't enough and is requesting $67.1 billion more. The House passed a resolution urging Trump to end the war 214-208. The Senate killed the binding version 47-49. Trump never got congressional authorization. We ask Mom point blank: do you support this war? Do you still support Trump? ⚽ Trump crashed the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, inserting himself onto the victory stage with Spain's team and refusing to leave — even as the FIFA president tried to nudge him out of the celebratory photo. The stadium erupted in boos that never stopped. A new poll shows Trump at 31% approval and -37 net approval, his lowest ever. We ask: how does the rest of the world see us now? ☢️ Trump signed a 30-year agreement giving Saudi Arabia — the country responsible for 9/11 — a pathway to enriching nuclear fuel. The deal is loaded with Trump family financial ties: Brookfield, which owns Westinghouse, bailed out Kushner's 666 Fifth Avenue. Kushner's firm got $2 billion from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. Kushner is currently serving as Trump's Middle East envoy. We ask: why are we helping the country that attacked us get a nuclear program? 🐾 We simmer down to talk about which pet we'd bring back from the dead. 🔗 The House passed a bill to permanently merge U.S. and Israeli defense technology — counter-drone systems, AI, cyber warfare, quantum computing — embedding Israeli tech into the U.S. defense supply chain in a way that bypasses the annual appropriations process. This as much of the world considers Netanyahu a war criminal. We ask: what does this merger say about us? 🎤 Trump returned to the White House Correspondents' Dinner three months after the original was cut short by a gunman. He gave a rambling hour-long speech attacking journalists, mocked Kaitlan Collins for winning an award, shrugged when reporters were honored for their Epstein coverage, wore a "Trump 2028" hat, and told the room: "When I'm not around, you're going to be broke." 📈 The New York Times revealed Trump Jr.'s investment firm has ballooned to over $3 billion with returns of roughly 200% — fueled by bets on companies that directly benefit from his father's government decisions, including Polymarket, which went from $300 million to $15 billion after Trump loosened regulations. Meanwhile, a watchdog report found over $50 billion in new government contracts went to corporate donors of Trump's White House ballroom. We ask: at what point is this just open corruption? This one goes hard from the jump. Every minute counts. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we read them all. #TrumpIran #WorldCup #SaudiNuclear #TrumpJr #Corruption #Ballroom #WHCD #IsraelMilitary #TheNecessaryConversation #FamilyPodcast #PoliticalDebate #MAGA #Liberal If you have a question for anyone on the show, record it in a 1 minute or under audio or video clip and send it to: thenecessaryconversationpod@gmail.com

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