Blockades, Bad Faith & the Bears Ears Chainsaw Massacre

This week on The Final Word, we are holding onto our wigs, our snacks, and our last thread of patience as the United States decides to resume its naval blockade of Iranian ports — and then follows it up with four straight days of strikes like they’re trying to win a medal in Unforced Escalation. The ceasefire didn’t just collapse; it evaporated, ghosted, and left a “new phone, who dis?” message on the way out.Then ACE director Tom Homan announced that ICE will “pause” most vehicle stops nationwide after agents fatally shot two immigrants who weren’t even the intended targets. We dig into how “pause” is doing Olympic‑level gymnastics here, and why accountability shouldn’t require a tragedy to get anyone’s attention.Over at the Supreme Court, Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett asked Congress for $14.6 million to expand their security details due to credible threats and information that those threats would get worse.Darline Graham Nordone was sworn in to finish the Senate term of her late brother, Lindsey Graham, becoming the first woman to represent South Carolina in the chamber. Because nothing says democracy quite like appointing siblings to elected positions.And then Trump took a chainsaw — metaphorically, but also spiritually — to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante, slashing more than 90% of their protections and opening the land to mining, drilling, grazing, logging, and motorized recreation. Because nothing says “leadership” like turning sacred land into a strip mall for extractive industries.A federal judge also ruled that Trump filed his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS in bad faith, calling it an attempt to “manipulate the judicial process.” We discuss the audacity, the creativity, and the sheer commitment to the bit.And finally, Mitch McConnell released a statement saying a fall left him briefly unconscious and hospitalized for nearly a month. We unpack the timing, the questions, and the very loud silence around the details.It’s a week of war, whiplash, and wild‑eyed nonsense — and we’re here to break it down with intelligence, humor, and the kind of side‑eye that should be preserved as a national monument.Become a Frangela patron at Patreon.com and get three exclusive Micro Idiot podcasts each week as our thank you for your support. Now in video!Frangela swag available at https://www.zazzle.com/store/frangela! Book a personalized video shout-out from Frangela at Cameo.com/frangeladuo.Check out Frangela every Friday https://sexyliberal.com/Looking for Idiot of the Week? Frangela: Idiot of the Week - Podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@Frangela2024 Cash App: $frangeladuoVenmo: @frangeladuoOur Sponsors:* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy