Views on the News from the Couch

Send us Fan MailThis piece explores how someone open to climate science became skeptical—not of the science, but of how the issue has been communicated. It argues that exaggeration, selective framing, and social pressure have undermined trust, even as legitimate risks remain. The essay calls for a more honest, data-driven conversation and outlines a pragmatic energy path forward that includes nuclear, hydro, and continued innovation.  

Send us Fan MailIn this episode I take on a label that gets thrown around way too casually: ‘far‑right fascist.’ I walk through how mainstream politicians, academics, and media smear conservatives as fascists, starting with Biden’s ‘semi‑fascism’ line and moving through Hillary Clinton, Stacey Abrams, Antifa, the 2020 riots, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I argue that election denial and political violence are bipartisan bad habits, not a one‑sided moral failing. I lay out my three‑axis way of thinking about politics — personal freedom (‘leave me the hell alone’), economic control (capitalism vs. heavy state control), and nationalism — and explain why both fascists and communists fail the ‘leave me the hell alone’ test, why today’s loud progressives sit closer to the authoritarian left than they admit, and why wanting smaller government and strong borders does not make you Mussolini. If being conservative gets you called a fascist, maybe it’s time to stop accepting their definitions — and, if we’re going to trade playground insults, to answer that their mother wears army boots

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I push back on the idea that Boomers “had it easy” and owe their kids a softer life. Starting with the story of Rufus—a kid who walked into an auto shop two weeks before his 14th birthday to ask for a job—I connect three generations: my dad shoveling outhouses, a young hustler running a repair shop in his teens, and today’s grads struggling with housing and work. We talk college degrees vs trades, starter homes then vs now, participation trophies, Sweden and “socialism,” and why, in any era, showing up, doing hard work, and living below your means still beats waiting for the government—or your parents—to fix your life.

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when key institutions in a 50–50 country start operating like one-party systems?Today’s episode digs into the growing imbalance across universities, media, and the legal world—where certain viewpoints aren’t just debated, they’re increasingly pushed out. From commencement speaker controversies to the ideological tilt of organizations like the ABA, the pattern is hard to ignore: the incentive structure rewards one side and penalizes the other.I walk through how we got here, why the pressure keeps moving things further in one direction, and how different protest tactics shape real-world outcomes. We also get into the deeper legal battle—originalism vs. the “living Constitution”—and why that fight ultimately comes down to whether the rules still matter, or just who’s in charge.This isn’t a call to burn institutions down. It’s a case for restoring balance before they lose legitimacy entirely.Because once a system stops allowing real dissent, you may still be able to vote……but you might not be able to vote your way back out.

Send us Fan MailIn an earlier episode I supported Trump attacking Iran.  The last few weeks I got wobbly and played a game where I asked AI If Churchill was was in charge in 2026, what would he do?  For the results, you will to listen to the episode.

Send us Fan MailA walk down memory lane of my golfing memories.  Might be more suited for a diary but I think some may find it interesting.

Send us Fan MailThe April 4, 2026 episode of Views on the News from the Couch looks at the firing of Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey after he criticized the NBA’s Pride Month promotion on his own time, away from the court and team facilities. The Bulls labeled his Instagram post “conduct detrimental to the team,” even though the comments focused on the league’s embrace of Pride Month rather than any teammate or basketball issue. The episode walks through what Ivey said, how the Bulls and the NBA reacted, and why punishing a player for off‑court religious and political speech should worry anyone who still thinks free expression means more than just repeating the current corporate line.This post also offers additional sex themed months the NBA might consider.  Heterosexual month, Virgin month, Not getting enough month, Bondage month, and let's just play basketball month.  Note, I do not have Instagram so I did not listen to Jaden Ivey's entire Instagram post.

Send us Fan MailWhen I first started to think about the No Kings subject, I have to admit the No Kings rallies bothered me. How dare they insinuate we have a king—particularly when aimed at a Republican. Republicans believe in less government, not more.But then it dawned on me, I have been celebrating No Kings Day for years. Maybe the liberalss just want to celebrate it more often.  That is a good thing.Repeat after me: America does not have a king.  And let's party on the Fourth of July.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Views on the News from the Couch, Jeff walk's through why he  believes there really was a “deep state” — and how it targeted Donald Trump. Drawing on newly declassified ODNI material, House and Senate findings, and Jonathan Turley’s reporting on the Florida grand jury, he argues that senior Obama‑era officials and their allies helped manufacture and sell a Trump–Russia collusion narrative they knew their own intelligence did not support. Jeff traces how that story was laundered through intelligence assessments, rewarded with Pulitzers, and used to justify years of investigations that crippled Trump’s presidency, while warning President Trump not to answer one abuse of the security state with another.

Send us Fan MailOn this episode of Views on the News from the Couch, I start with the age‑old question: am I Team Mary Ann or Team Ginger—and what does that say about how I handle politics? Using a light, nostalgic argument over two sitcom icons, I dig into why not every disagreement is a moral emergency and why reasonable people can see the same reality differently. From The Office’s “Is Hilary Swank hot?” debate to today’s online political pile‑ons, I argue that grown‑up politics means I can argue hard, accept when my “girl” loses, and not burn down relationships—or the country—every time my side doesn’t win.

Send us Fan MailFor many years I have said I’m for single‑payer healthcare—mostly because we’ve screwed up the system we have but that does not mean I understand the issue.  Today I am exploring what “socialized medicine” actually means, what it would cost, and what we’d have to give up to have it.  And a bit on what I recommend.

Send us Fan MailToday’s podcast was a journey. Lot’s of rewrites. Lot’s of probing questions. I did not start with an answer and try to explain it; I started with some questions, and did a lot of thinking.It started with a simple question: If you thought bombing Libya in 2011 was at least a close call, maybe even defensible, how on earth do you turn around in 2026 and say bombing Iran is beyond the pale?Today I want to trace that question through Libya versus Iran, Obama versus Trump, and how the media and political class have twisted themselves into knots to justify one and denounce the other—and then I’m going to tell you where I actually land on the current Iran strikes.

Send us Fan MailIn the early part of this millennium, 2006 or so, from a race standpoint it felt like we were on a roll—more mixed neighborhoods, more interracial marriages, more boring, everyday life together. Then somewhere around the Obama era, we took a hard turn. Suddenly every dispute was racial, and every outcome gap was “systemic racism.” And it seemed the answer to everything was to reengineer the scale until the numbers came out equal. Not enough of one race in top colleges? Lower the test bar for some groups. Too many Black people being arrested for crimes? We told cops to back off and ignore that some groups, for socioeconomic reasons, commit more crimes.And worse, we told kids that their category mattered more than their choices. And crazily, we built an industry that needs racism more than it wants to solve it—needs it—because there’s money and power in keeping the wound open. Today I want to do two things: confess how I’ve been wrong about the word “social justice”—and then explain why I’m ready to embrace social justice, but only in a rational way.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Views on the News from the Couch, I take apart the fantasy that we can fix America’s $35‑trillion‑plus debt and multi‑trillion‑dollar deficits just by “taxing the rich.” We run a thought experiment: what if we confiscated all billionaire wealth, then everything from people worth over $100 million, then over $10 million? Even after blowing up the entire top of the wealth pyramid, the debt isn’t gone—and the economy that generates future tax revenue is wrecked.Then we look at Sweden, a country that actually does big government honestly. Swedes pay high taxes at almost every income level, not just at the very top, and they accept that broad burden in exchange for broad benefits. Americans, by contrast, want Swedish‑style social benefits with U.S.‑style taxes on everyone except “the rich.”Finally, we talk about waste, fraud, and abuse—why it’s not a magic fix, but why both big‑government and small‑government folks should be serious about rooting it out if we care about what we’re handing to the next generation. If you want an adult conversation about taxes, spending, and reality, this one’s for you.

Send us Fan MailMy goal is to explore subjects that interest me – and might interest you – with some occasional humor and less partisan spin.  I call myself a conservative at about the 40‑yard line for Republicans but even that gets confusing given how far crazies and the media have moved the goalposts.  My aim is simple: call out the crazy on all sides and pull the conversation back toward a sane middle.  AND encourage people to read the actual source material instead of just repeating headlines or relying on the media to tell us what we need to know.If that sounds like your lane, give Views on the News from the Couch a try – and if you like it, share it. Be safe, and wear sunscreen.

Send us Fan MailLet's add one more historical piece to this discussion that a lot of listeners will think of: the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Send us Fan MailWe love to say, “If I’d been around in the 1930s, I would have stopped Hitler early.” We curse the people who appeased him, who let him tear up treaties, who watched him send a few battalions into the Rhineland in 1936 and did nothing while his army was still relatively weak. We sit here with perfect hindsight and ask, “Why didn’t somebody move when the cost was still low, before the tanks rolled into Poland and France and Russia and the death camps lit up Europe?”Well, we have our own modern day similar decisions.  And Iran may be one.  It is complex.  I explore the decision to attack Iran with hindsight from Hitler, the Iraw wars, note that is plural, and Gunsmoke.

Send us Fan MailIf you live in the modern Western world, your default setting probably ought to be “basically happy.” Not ecstatic, not Instagram‑perfect—just generally okay.And if you’re not, at least some of that might be on you.Because look at what we’ve got.....

Send us Fan MailToday’s February 19, 2026 Views on the News from the Couch podcast asks the important question: Why do I think the left, littered with smart people and many academics, has more stupid ideas than the right?Not that the right doesn’t have its own stupid ideas—we absolutely do. I’ve voted for Trump three times, but most of my conservative friends and I are unhappy with the tariff situation.  And we could name a few others.  And we express those criticisms.My experience is that conservative bad ideas are more likely to get winnowed out faster, while a lot of bad ideas on the left live much longer, with less criticism, and a lot more social pressure to pretend they’re brilliant.I want to walk through why I think that is—using a couple of lenses: capitalism vs. central planning, something called the Abilene paradox, and how elite media and elite psychology help dumb ideas survive.

Send us Fan MailI float a theory I’ve been working on since 1977, long before Donald Trump came down the escalator and announced he was running for President. It’s a theory about pronouns, prejudice, and why the same person can be both charming in private and toxic in public.

Send us Fan MailThe February 1, 2026 episode of Views on the News from the Couch started in a weird way. I basically spent a morning arguing with my AI assistant so I probably should call this one “Questions from the Couch,” but instead let’s go with:“I’m pissed my reasonable views are called racist, fascist and Nazi‑ish—and AI helped me understand why.”I’m going to walk you through the conversation, because it actually helped me see what’s going on.

Send us Fan MailICE, A few Views from the Couch on What is going on in Minneapolis.  Summary, play with fire, get burnt.

Send us Fan Mail I’m back. Not sure for how long or how often, but I just can’t let Views on the News from the Couch die. Lay dormant, sure. Not die.  This podcast started a few years ago for me to share views and opinions based on a lifetime of experiences. As you get older, you realize our politics can be a bit like NASCAR: drive fast and turn left. By “turn left” I don’t mean liberal; I mean we keep circling. We repeat. Not as much is new as we think… although the last few years might blow a hole in that theory.  What got my juices going to resurrect the podcast was Greenland. And ICE. But today, I want to talk about Trump actively working to acquire Greenland.  This all started with a text I sent some friends sharing a bit of information on Greenland and posing a question. Yeah, I’m that nerdy.  Here’s the cleaned‑up version of the text:  “What the Hell is Trump doing with Greenland? That is not the question, just part of the intro. I think we all hate that Trump has made Greenland an issue. We feel Trump should be nice to Denmark, NATO is important, and Trump, don’t be a dick. This is an issue he should not have picked.  Second intro thought: Trump is not a can kicker. Many of our politicians kick cans down the road, like the Medicare and Social Security crisis, and for understandable reasons. Politicians are crucified for trying to solve issues before they are a disaster.  Third intro thought: What if some smart people in the government, with access to secret intelligence, have identified that in the next 20 to 40 years Greenland will likely separate from Denmark, and the fear is they might choose to align with Russia or China or both?  Now the question: could Trump be smarter than all the analysts when it comes to Greenland? Could failure to act now be a disaster in 40 years?”  That was the text to four guys.  In a few days we have a breakfast session to discuss it.  And the football championship gameBut you can get my thoughts early in this podcast. 

Send us Fan MailWhy are Republicans asked to confess but not Democrats?  That is it.  That is the subject for today's podcast.

Send us Fan MailApril 5, 2025 edition of Views on the News from the Couch discusses Trump’s tariff proposals.  A quick summary?  They suck.

Send us Fan MailI discuss efforts by DOGE and share my thoughts that government debt is crushing us, DOGE is throwing us a lifeline by trying to attack it, and it is awful that those good people are being attacked.https://youtu.be/uX7xFkYt77k?feature=shared

Send us Fan MailThe March 27, 2025, edition of Views on the News from the Couch addresses the not so burning question, Am I MAGA?  Yep, that is the topic for today.  Is Jeff Cross MAGA?

Send us Fan MailThe March 24, 2025, edition of Views on the News from the Couch covers a Brian Kilmeade talk we went to and answers the question why are Democrats supporting 20 percent issues rather than those with 80 percent popularity.  Good stuff.

Send us Fan MailSurprisingly, I side with the judge in the Tren de Aragua case.  By surprisingly I mean surprising to me.  https://www.npr.org/2025/03/16/nx-s1-5329777/tren-de-aragua-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-venezuelan-gang https://www.npr.org/2025/03/16/g-s1-54154/alien-enemies-el-salvador-trump https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/03/why-trump-doesnt-want-judicial-review-of-his-deportation-of-venezuelans/https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/17/politics/video/stephen-miller-deportation-halt-venezuela-arena-digvid https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/alien-and-sedition-acts 

Send us Fan MailViews on the News from the Couch March 14, 2025 edition discusses bumper sticker discussions and the Department of Education possible elimination. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Educationhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/richardvedder/2020/05/11/after-40-bad-years-the-department-of-education-redeems-itself-a-bit/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardvedder/2020/05/11/after-40-bad-years-the-department-of-education-redeems-itself-a-bit/ https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2025/02/06/department-of-education-could-be-dissolving-trump-it-means-for-florida-executive-order/78219912007/ https://heytutor.com/how-us-k-12-spending-compares-to-other-countries/

Send us Fan Mail The host of Views on the News from the Couch discusses tariffs, the Ukraine war, and the importance for Trump to distinguish between BAM issues and nuanced issues. 

Send us Fan Mail More Views on the News from teh Couch of the Oval Office fisticuffs between Presidents Zellensky and Trump. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/uk-prime-minister-lays-out-ukraine-peace-deal-framework-zelenskyy-responds-resignation-calls  https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/international-relations/victor-davis-hanson-10-bad-takeaways-from-the-zelenskyy-blow-up/ar-AA1A58v8 

Send us Fan Mail I'm back after a 20 month break from offering my Views on the News from the Couch. Could not do it 5 days a week anymore. But I feel I have something to say and have been thinking of jumping back in part time. Nothing like a sh&t show in the Oval office between the US and Ukrainian Presidents to catalyze one to reenter the podcast arena. 

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS then thoughts on the No Labels movement and on the idea of making misgendering a crime.Jack the Ripper's identity 'revealed' by newly discovered medical records (yahoo.com)https://www.foxbusiness.com/real-estate/san-francisco-real-estate-market-disaster-experthttps://news.yahoo.com/former-equity-chief-sues-antiracist-192222768.htmlhttps://jonathanturley.org/2023/07/16/pronoun-lockdown-almost-half-of-millennials-want-jail-time-for-misgendering/

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS, more on recent court rulings, and on laws on how minors can be treated with gender affirming therapies, and on the Wagner Group attempted coup in Russia.https://jonathanturley.org/2023/07/09/domestic-abuse-is-a-severe-crime-british-parents-could-be-prosecuted-for-refusing-to-pay-for-transgender-treatments/https://dailycaller.com/2023/06/30/judge-ketanji-brown-jacksons-dissent-debunked-claim-black-doctors/

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS then thoughts on an ill advised DeSantis video and many thoughts on a District Federal Judge who has placed an injunction on the Biden Administration trying to influence censorship on social media.https://twitter.com/i/status/1674899610379116546https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-appointed-judge-restricts-officials-contact-social-media-giants-rcna92614https://jonathanturley.org/2023/07/06/bidens-orwellian-ministry-of-truth-federal-judge-finds-a-massive-attack-on-free-speech-in-government-censorship-efforts/https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-rules-biden-administration-likely-trampled-on-free-speech-on-social-media-29334362

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS and then lots and lots on affirmative action.  One argument I make is that the recent Affirmative Action ruling is very similar to the previous 2 SC AA cases including Bakke.https://www.wsj.com/articles/cancer-drug-shortage-chemotherapy-rationing-fc565eb9https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-02/americans-divided-over-landmark-supreme-court-decisions-in-pollhttps://newsone.com/4624577/history-of-affirmative-action-in-america/

Send us Fan MailThe Supreme court rules we should stop making college admission decisions based on the race of an applicant.  Ok on their experiences, just not as a group.  And abortion, I opine on abortion.  Lastly, I vent that I am tired of the overuse of the word fascism.https://www.huffpost.com/entry/supreme-court-affirmative-action-unconstitutional_n_64789e10e4b0047ed77f8fd4

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS and thoughts on impeachment efforts of AG Merrick Garland, a college biology professor who allegedly was fired for teaching that sex is determined by chromosomes, and many, many comments on the Durham report.  https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2019/06/scotus-justices-rack-up-trips/

Send us Fan MailDid Hunter get a fair deal?  Was it OK for our government to suppress thoughts on the origin of Covid?  Please listen to today's podcast.  #HunterBiden #CovidInquiry

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS, then thoughts on the Trump indictment including that Trump may not have had the required intent for 31 of the counts and lots of numbers on the Social Security issue.https://jonathanturley.org/2023/06/16/trump-card-the-use-of-the-espionage-act-against-revives-long-standing-concerns/ The Grim Reality of Joe Biden's 4-Point Plan to Change Social Security | The Motley Fool

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS then some trans stuff, the Trump indictment and the misuse of the word cap relative to the debt ceiling deal. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/the-left-whines-about-trump-appointee-cannon-after-forum-shopping-to-reliable-democrat-howell/https://www.yahoo.com/news/democratic-leader-accuses-mccarthy-reneging-164303767.html

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS then more on the Trump indictment, book banning and the Supreme Court Civil Rights Act decision on redistricting in Alabama.

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS and the Trump indictment.https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-allies-cite-clinton-email-170539657.htmlhttps://bwcentral.org/2016/09/hillarys-oh-shit-moment-wiping-her-server-with-bleachbit-despite-subpoena/

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS and then thoughts on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s call for a constitutional amendment limiting guns and on the PGA LIV golf merger.

Send us Fan MailSwing and a miss.  I mistakenly uploaded an episode from a week earlier.  This is the May 31 episode.  QUICKHITTERS, a bit on the Ukraine/Russian war and a deep dive into the debt ceiling deal.

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS, thoughts on Memorial Day, the possible impact of high youth unemployment in China and India, and more on liberal craziness.https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/us-china-cold-war-deepening-on-collision-course-by-nouriel-roubini-2023-05

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS, then more views on the debt limit and related proposed work requirements, thoughts on the outrageous requirement that students fund a professor's political views, and too much detail on a Supreme Court ruling on what constitutes navigable waters and the effect that has on use of private property.

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS, disappointment in a democratic governor who I thought was a moderate but may use emergency powers to try to thwart the legislature on school choice, and more on how we nominate presidents and the abysmal nature of our press and the stories they peddle.https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1660302778093252608.html

Send us Fan MailQUICKHITTERS, a bit on the Ukrainian war, and more on the NAACP travel advisory issued for  Florida.  I attribute that more to politics and Democrats fear that Governor DeSantis would win the election if he gets the Republican nomination.https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/05/democrats-cook-the-fbis-books-on-domestic-terrorism/https://naacp.org/articles/naacp-issues-travel-advisory-floridahttps://www.cnn.com/2023/02/05/politics/desantis-florida-ap-history/index.html