Ep. 71 - 12 Step Misstep, Conspiracies Are Big Business, Roots of Our Political Parties

We cover a lot of ground in these next three episodes, with a very general theme of Propaganda, fake news, gossip and conspiracy theories.  The lines get greyer and greyer on where news becomes gossip becomes propaganda becomes conspiracy… but they're all big business and they're all vying for your eyes and ears.  We talk about the rewards of bad behavior.  It just occurred to me that maybe the difference between a personality spinning the news and a personality perpetuating conspiracy theories is a suit, a tie and a three letter Network behind you?  Possible?  Nah… if you're wearing a suit you must be credible right? At one point… The Senator commands me to look up some politician for him as if I'm his personal assistant and I have to remind him that he is actually sitting in front of a computer and is capable of doing his own research.  THEN… We have two separate conversations about two separate republican candidates to run as Joe Biden's VP candidate and naturally neither of us is listening to the other.  Nice work fellas, just like they do on the Political TV shows. The Senator gives us a history lesson on the foundations of the Democratic and Republican parties, President Lyndon Johnson and the signing of the Civil Rights Act and the contribution of Gerrymandering on our polarized political parties.  All through the eyes of a couple of morons.  So don't expect even a sliver of factual accuracy. The recording you're about to hear is at the end of an almost hour long recording session.  We were wrapping up and I hit record one more time "just in case" so… If you've been listening to this Podcast for a while you've probably heard me refer to addiction issues… my latest addiction is varied combinations of chocolate and caramel or any mix of sugar with some more sugar mixed in.  I've had issues with other "substances" and I admit to not being very diligent with a twelve step program I have been a part of for a number of years.  Listen as the Senator makes even my addiction issues all about him.  It's classic Senator on the Modern Moron…  CLOSE: I couldn't even make a straight faced response to that… oh well, I'm not a very good actor.  BUT I'm telling you if Joe Biden had this moron advising him… and why wouldn't he?  I'm one of the smartest moron's I know… I would tell him to make it public that he is considering a republican for his running mate and talk to a couple of them.  Doesn't mean he has to pick one.  But to make it public creates the perception that he's looking to reach across the isle.  I think it would be great to actually do it, but to just announce it to shake things up?... I think its a win win.  Hope you found something in that episode entertaining or informative… in the next two episodes we'll continue to talk more about conspiracy theorists and their platforms, mostly podcasts, and how they are on the spectrum that starts with hopefully reporting the news, then spinning the news which isn't nearly as bad as spreading propaganda about a subject or a person and then to conspiracy theories: how wild the conspiracy versus how well a particular individual or group can sell the conspiracy.