Episode

10/30 Trump’s Plan To Traumatize Civil Servants w/ Molly Redden & Andy Kroll

October 30, 2024

It’s Hump Day! Sam speaks with Molly Redden, reporter covering national politics at ProPublica, and Andy Kroll, reporter covering voting, elections, & democracy at ProPublica, to discuss their piece of reporting entitled “Put Them in Trauma”: Inside a Key MAGA Leader’s Plans for a New Trump Agenda. First, Sam runs through updates on the final six days to the US election, early voting numbers, RFK’s ballot problems, Trump’s threat to Police over mass deportations, the US economy, Israel’s en masse slaughter of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon, and Elon Musk v. the NLRB, before briefly touching on the role of Kamala Harris’ identity in voters’ support of/aversion to her. Molly Redden and Andy Kroll then join, diving right into who Russell Vought is in the context of Trump’s first administration (Director of the Office of Management and Budget), current campaign (policy director of the RNC platform committee), and the SUPPOSEDLY unrelated Project 2025 (co-author), before touching on the role he played in the evolution of the Trump team’s knowledge of the administrative state, and – more importantly – how to dismantle it. Expanding on that latter element, Redden and Kroll parse through the first Trump administration’s learning process in how to manage (and mismanage) the executive branch, forcing them to rely on career civil servants at the start who, annoyingly, cared about the work they were doing, before slowly pushing them out as Trump loyalists began to understand what they were doing, with a particular focus on the danger Trump’s “Schedule F” poses to any remaining committed civil servants in the executive branch should he return to office. After tackling Russell Vought’s outspoken support for the complete “traumatization” of these workers on their way out, Sam, Molly, and Andy look to the extensive plan Trump’s team (and their Project 2025 buddies) have for a radical executive intervention beginning day 1 (should he become President), including relevant regulations and legal justifications, before they wrap up the interview by tackling what we can do (electorally and otherwise) to stop a second Trump Administration.

And in the Fun Half: Sam reads Kowalski’s reflections on a Nebraska Town Hall, JD Vance takes offense at people taking offense to being called “garbage” before going on to take offense to being called “garbage,” and Sandy from Ontario touches on Canada’s recent elections. Derrick from Virginia objects to how MR has painted his campaign, Bruce from North Carolina on local feelings heading into the election, and Donald Trump discusses why we don’t all have to get along. Hannity runs cover for Trump’s fascist rally, Elon Musk continues to be a tiny sniveling weasel, and Rich from Missouri dives into the GOP’s use of “ballot candy” to mislead and lure voters. Dave Rubin has some election theories, Charles from Virginia explores what an insurrection would look like without Trump in office, Jack from St. Louis on Missouri’s judges, and Mike Johnson says the GOP has a healthcare plan. The MR Crew also watches Robbie Roadsteamer beautifully take the piss out of Steve Bannon and Hulk Hogan, plus, your calls and IMs!

Check out Molly & Andy’s piece here: https://www.propublica.org/article/video-donald-trump-russ-vought-center-renewing-america-maga

Follow Molly on Twitter here: https://x.com/mtredden

Follow Andy on Twitter here: https://x.com/AndyKroll

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