In this episode we try to give you a run down of the goings on in the declining empire by starting off with some lighter fare about gruesome Gavin and the weather. We then briefly cover the tepid optimism around the most recent ceasefire and the strange choice of Tony Blair to oversee it.

We also try to put in our final words on that awful thing that happened that everyone’s already done talking about. From there we delve into some of the most annoying characters globally in the Trump orbit and who gets to be on the side benefitting from neocolonialism.

As usual we dog on the democrats although producer Vane must field accusations of having a libbed up algorithm before we get into the ultimate digression.

#releasethefeet #releasethefiles

Check out our “Hell on the beach” series about Florida and check us out Bluesky @brokenwindpod @butlersghost

Our intro and outro theme music are from the song "Sardines" by the band Stella Starfox. You can find them on Apple Music and Spotify, and check out the full song here. https://youtu.be/9kF6N0oA0o4?si=wswiL3WoQ2HCM_AO

Corrections and sources listed below:

(1:01) ARTICLE National Hurricane Center, Seven Day Graphic Tropical Weather Outlook, October 19. A tropical depression is likely to form in the Caribbean https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php

(1:09) ARTICLE the Guardian, A visual guide to the damage caused by Hurricane Milton https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/10/hurricane-milton-maps-charts-graphics-damage

(1:13) ARTICLE Associated Press, a new naming system was implemented by the World Meteorological Organization in 2022 to manage the increasing frequency of large, named storms https://apnews.com/article/no-greek-alphabet-hurricane-names-b504a7326955bb171530777c140103e2

(1:19) ARTICLE ABC News Hurricane Helene Updates: Death toll surpasses 230 as rescue efforts continue https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/hurricane-helene/?id=113931821

(2:01) Trump calls Zohran Mamdani a "Communist Lunatic"

(3:57) ARTICLE CBC News/Associated Press Jimmy Kimmel Live! set to return Tuesday after suspension https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/jimmy-kimmel-return-1.7640407

(4:27) ARTICLE Esquire, There’s Only One Way to Read the Data: Right-Wing Terrorism is an Existential Threat to American Life - 2 mass shootings motivated by right-wing politics within one week, including an attack on a Mormon church in Michigan https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a68115092/right-wing-terrorism-trump-shootings-michigan-north-carolina/

(4:53) ARTICLE Vox, Political violence scholar explains what the furor over Charlie Kirk’s Killing is Missing - what studying hundreds of political assassinations has revealed https://www.vox.com/culture/461857/charlie-kirk-assassination-political-ideology-tyler-robinson

(5:00) ARTICLE NY Post, Tyler Robinson was raised Mormon - and allegedly killed Kirk just moments after influencer praised the church https://nypost.com/2025/09/12/us-news/tyler-robinson-was-raised-mormon-and-killed-charlie-kirk-moments-after-he-praised-the-church/

(6:18) ARTICLE the Guardian, Oklahoma official says all high schools will have Turning Point chapters after Kirk killing https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/24/turning-point-oklahoma-high-schools

(7:16) ARTICLE Journal of Democracy, The Rise of Political Violence in the United States https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the-rise-of-political-violence-in-the-united-states/

(7:39) ARTICLE Ken Klippenstein National Security Directive declares war on those who don’t support Trump agenda, Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7) significantly expands the definition of “terrorism” to apply to “antifa” and “anti-Christianity”, among other things. https://truthout.org/articles/national-security-directive-declares-war-on-those-who-dont-support-trump-agenda/

(12:43) ARTICLE The Independent/Yahoo News ‘I do not work for you’: MTG speaks out on growing rift withTrump’s White House over Epstein files https://ca.news.yahoo.com/not-mtg-speaks-growing-rift-142249981.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIwmk0M0ViqxkSVneKswCZTc_nAUUIOCWA3UOCRzJId81nCVobnmgjYRD-tWlrVREfPRfORYNOZT1luIYlBcyY7gaUFb0MaStuim92q3pW5LczYemyffGKiJJp_886Y0lDQUELvtBD0QqjnkBR5-Tfme2CjcFolxiogMoDQnx4lZ

(12:51) ARTICLE Daily Beast, MTG rips Trump’s ‘America Last’ Moves https://www.thedailybeast.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-rips-trumps-america-last-moves/

(12:57) MTG acknowledges insurance premiums likely to double

(13:31) Polling shows public blaming Republicans for shutdown

(18:41) ARTICLE BBC News, Trump says ‘war is over’ in Gaza as he flies to Israel for release of hostages https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn409y125v3o.amp

(19:05) ARTICLE BBC News, Tony Blair would help oversee Gaza transition under Trump Plan https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5j989107lo

(20:55) CORRECTION Brian Schatz is a Democratic Senator representing Hawaii

(21:08) ARTICLE The Independent, Trump was so desperate for MTG to drop Georgia Senate run he ordered a poll showing she’d get crushed. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-senate-poll-b2752499.html

(21:23) So Lindsey Graham is cut out for the senate, but MTG isn't?

(21:30) Ted Cruz gets to be one, but not MTG?

(21:38) Thune behind Mike Johnson. He gets to be in charge of the senate, but MTG can’t even be a senator?

(22:09) ARTICLE the Guardian, Burning down the house: Milei plays rock star as Argentina economy collapses https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/07/javier-milei-argentina-economy

(22:32) Leaked Bessent text reveals inner circle knows Trump got played by China in trade

(22:39) Bessent text contents

(22:54) CORRECTION: the text was sent by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins

(23:00) ARTICLE Washington Post, How China weaponized soybeans to squeeze U.S. farmers - and to spite Trump https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/18/us-china-soybean-trade-war/

(23:11) ARTICLE Expana Markets, U.S. soybean window narrows as China buys big from Argentina https://www.expanamarkets.com/insights/article/us-soybean-window-narrows-as-china-buys-big-from-argentina/

(23:19) ARTICLE ABC News, What to know about the Trump administration’s $20B bailout for Argentina https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administrations-20b-bailout-argentina/story?id=126513232

(23:28) ARTICLE Investor’s Chronicle, Argentina’s libertarian experiment is already unraveling https://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/content/62926760-5645-4230-9cb0-a6146f46dfac

(23:52) Value of Argentinian peso has plummeted

(24:07) ARTICLE BBC, Argentina president accused of fraud after crypto crash https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp9x9j89evxo

(24:28) President Milei headlines a rock concert while Argentina burns

(24:59) ARTICLE Common Dreams, American soybean farmers sold out by Trump while Argentina gets bailed out https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/us-soybean-farmers-argentina-bailout

(25:09) ARTICLE Midland Daily News, ‘Farmageddon’ can’t be solved with a bailout alone https://www.ourmidland.com/opinion/voices/article/farm-tariff-trump-21097914.php

(25:15) ARTICLE BBC, U.S. farmers being squeezed - and it’s testing their deep loyalty to Trump https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjedvwed1xgo

(25:20) ARTICLE Christian Science Monitor, Soybean bailout? Hard-hit farmers want China trade more than Trump aid https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2025/1015/soybean-farmers-trump-bailout-china

(25:38) China soybean sales have plummeted

(26:50) ARTICLE Democratic Socialists of America, the case for a state-owned airline https://www.dsausa.org/blog/big-ideas-the-case-for-a-state-owned-airline/

(26:57) ARTICLE CNBC, Spirit Airlines on track for a $475 million bankruptcy lifeline https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/spirit-airlines-bankruptcy.html

(27:08) ARTICLE NPR, Intel will give the U.S. government a 10% stake, Trump says https://www.npr.org/2025/08/22/nx-s1-5509673/trump-says-us-government-will-take-stake-intel

(27:23) Trump announces the government will be nationalizing part of Intel

(27:37) ARTICLE NY Times, After U.S. takes stake in Intel, Trump pledges ‘many more’ deals https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/us/politics/trump-intel-economy-strategy.html

(28:00) S&P Capital IQ: U.S. airline bailouts since 2020

(28:41) WIKI Alaska Permanent Fund is used to pay out recurring checks to Alaskan citizens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund

(29:48) ARTICLE The New Yorker, Trump’s Putinization of America - Trump is copying the "Putin method" of nationalization/privatization of public infrastructure https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/trumps-putinization-of-america

(31:46) Gavin Newsom is “too smart by half”

(35:38) LBJ quote about white men:

(36:20) MLK quote about white “moderates”:

(37:52) ARTICLE NBC News, Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is projected to add 3.4 trillion to the debt, budget office says https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-add-3-trillion-debt-cbo-says-rcna220004

(38:01) ARTICLE Brennan Center for Justice, Big budget act creates a ‘deportation-industrial complex’ - BBB gives ICE at least 170 billion in funds https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/big-budget-act-creates-deportation-industrial-complex

(38:44) ARTICLE CNN, Trump budget proposes $1 trillion for defense, slashes education, foreign aid, environment, health and public assistance https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/02/politics/trump-budget-proposal-defense-spending

(38:55) ARTICLE Daily Kos, Does ICE’s new ‘big beautiful budget’ make it the third largest military in the world? https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/6/2331519/-Does-ICE-s-new-big-beautiful-budget-make-it-the-third-largest-military-in-the-world

(41:14) ARTICLE Politico, FDR creates WPA, May 6, 1933 - created with an executive order https://www.politico.com/story/2010/05/fdr-creates-wpa-may-6-1933-036824

(42:22) ARTICLE Bureau of Labor Statistics defines “full employment” as “an economy in which the unemployment rate equals the nonaccelerating inflation rate of unemployment (NAIRU), no cyclical unemployment exists, and GDP is at its potential. The full-employment assumption links BLS projections to an economy running at full capacity and utilizing all of its resources.” https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2017/article/full-employment-an-assumption-within-bls-projections.htm

(42:31) ARTICLE Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, The Fed and the Dual Mandate, in plain English https://www.stlouisfed.org/in-plain-english/the-fed-and-the-dual-mandate

(42:54) “The purpose of a state is to distribute resources wherever influence concentrates” - a recurring mantra on BWP and ChapoTrapHouse https://www.chapotraphouse.com/

(43:45) DOCUMENTARY Mussolini: Son of the Century https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19386538/

(45:07) ARTICLE Teen Vogue, the Pinkertons have a long, dark history of targeting workers https://www.teenvogue.com/story/who-were-the-pinkertons

(46:34) WIKI Gabriele D’Annunzio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriele_D%27Annunzio

(47:25) ICE pointing guns at innocent civilians

(47:39) ARTICLE NPR, Chile doubles down on prosecutions for Pinochet-era crimes https://www.reuters.com/article/world/chile-doubles-down-on-prosecutions-for-pinochet-era-crimes-idUSKCN0SQ2D1/

(49:22) LINK TrueAnon https://podcast.trueanon.com/

(49:28) TrueAnon rule: “if you don't pay your guys, they're not your guys anymore”

(50:47) ARTICLE WSJ, Historic crypto selloff erased over $19B, but two accounts made $160 million https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/a-historic-crypto-selloff-erased-over-19-billion-but-two-accounts-made-160-million-3144cccd?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfu0F5wI_Btel9gZxLUy4yYnjt1zAtiVSjQz1vHAW1PGIn-eHqC-OpsvARqYYI%3D&gaa_ts=68f642ab&gaa_sig=RSvccFrPxaX0NY97p6GMwxImo37Usxjq4c1OenDEDktxi5cUlBRKKTvI7YhgwYDiyS1rEjgQLkrKHj4-b-i7bg%3D%3D

(50:55) ARTICLE WSJ, Stock market news, Oct. 10, 2025: Nasdaq falls 3.6% https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-10-10-2025?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqc8SGURcD6Lni8IJEabfpGvIVjqlUNlgwEEVfYEZQNzFAH6q1nPp5q7FcrDiQI%3D&gaa_ts=68f643c4&gaa_sig=TJ1PJMQu1ULrVp9R9KcLWrT-PeSmb-gzYUvzvef8JbZYzMwUSBWr5BL8-zuRtNaNJetyFd-oNxLI5O1sBDc-rQ%3D%3D

(51:16) ARTICLE Bloomberg, Top 10% account for nearly half of all consumer spending https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-16/top-10-of-earners-drive-a-growing-share-of-us-consumer-spending

(51:28) WIKI Thorstein Veblen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorstein_Veblen

(51:33) WIKI Veblen goods https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good

(52:49) Current Market Valuation, The Buffet Indicator is currently at 217%! Warren Buffet’s rule says market is fairly valued at 1:1 price to earnings, or a 100% https://www.currentmarketvaluation.com/models/buffett-indicator.php

(53:02) ARTICLE Fortune, The ‘Warren Buffet indicator’ has surged above 200%, meaning the market’s price is far ahead of the economy’s size https://fortune.com/2025/09/30/warren-buffett-indicator-surge-markets-economy-what-it-means/

(53:07) Chart of ‘Buffet indicator’ since 1950

(53:18) ARTICLE Associated Press, Warren Buffet shocks shareholders by announcing his intention to retire at the end of the year https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-shareholders-annual-meeting-a421061233f99859673fb131ce020d4d

(53:26) ARTICLE Observer, Over 80% of companies embracing A.I., see no real gains yet, McKinsey finds https://observer.com/2025/06/mckinsey-study-business-ai-productivity/

(56:07) ARTICLE Reuters, With Moody’s downgrade, U.S. loses treasured AAA credit rating https://www.reuters.com/business/view-with-moodys-downgrade-us-loses-treasured-aaa-credit-rating-2025-05-16/

(56:21) ARTICLE Huffpost/Yahoo, Trump accidentally insults himself: ‘who would ever sign a thing like this?’ https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-accidentally-insults-himself-142955248.html

(57:14) Trump says he’s surprised by how China is behaving

(57:35) Trump announces 100% tariff on China

(58:55) ARTICLE The Register, Skilled workers, not cost, lured Apple to China says Tim Cook - “you can take every tool and die maker in the United States and probably put them in a room that we're currently sitting in. In China, you would have to have multiple football fields.” https://www.theregister.com/2015/12/21/apple_60_minutes_interview/

(1:00:05) ARTICLE SF Standard, Citing fear of Democratic ‘vengeance’, Curtis Yarvin says he may flee the U.S. - the far right blogger doesn’t think Trump admin has done enough to dismantle democratic institutions https://sfstandard.com/2025/10/07/citing-fear-democratic-vengeance-curtis-yarvin-says-may-flee-u-s/

(1:00:40) ARTICLE the Nerd Reich, panicked Curtis Yarvin, JD Vance Guru, plans to flee U.S. https://www.thenerdreich.com/panicked-curtis-yarvin-jd-vance-guru-plans-to-flee-usa/

(1:01:57) ARTICLE CNN, ICE has deported nearly 200,000 people since Trump returned to office, on track for highest level in a decade https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/28/politics/ice-deportations-immigrants-trump

(1:02:03) ARTICLE WSJ, How China secretly pays Iran for oil and avoids U.S. sanctions https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/how-china-secretly-pays-iran-for-oil-and-avoids-u-s-sanctions-b6f1b71e?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqePgShzSGOyidLyxHj4uBcZFio5oAEHZa1Q21RqgK31TDJ3t-7SDrJQtimp9lU%3D&gaa_ts=68f65602&gaa_sig=9TSDIrWp0vabSMLbHtN64t_wWLOerc_8OVq3GodSs5PbS4M-BRPp0Fyg5B6tUZ163sDsw0YpYa81h95YpVzuwA%3D%3D

(1:05:50) ARTICLE Politico, ‘I’m going to punch you in your f*cking face’: Bessent threatens an administration rival (Bill Pulte) https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/09/08/scott-bessent-bill-pulte-blowup-00549956

(1:06:06) ARTICLE Times of India, ‘Like a rugby player’: Elon Musk hit Bessent’s ribcage after being called a ‘fraud’, Trump called it ‘too much’ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/like-a-rugby-player-elon-musk-hit-scott-bessents-ribcage-after-being-called-a-fraud-trump-called-it-too-much/articleshow/121700494.cms

(1:06:43) ARTICLE New Republic, Photographer captures Pam Bondi’s notes - and they’re a doozy https://newrepublic.com/post/201475/photographer-pam-bondi-senate-hearing-notes

(1:07:01) ARTICLE Reuters, Trump aide Homan accepted $50,000 in bribery sting operation, sources say https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-aide-homan-accepted-50000-bribery-sting-operation-sources-say-2025-09-21/

(1:08:30) ARTICLE Daily Beast/Yahoo, Trump biographer Michael Wolff reveals he was shown the lewd photos by Epstein himself https://ca.news.yahoo.com/trump-biographer-michael-wolff-reveals-020230864.html

(1:09:34) Not uncommon to see barefoot presidents in the 21st century

(1:09:59) We've definitely seen Bill Clinton's piggies

(1:10:49) Trump hands and swollen ankles

(1:11:04) ARTICLE Miami New Times, Miami DJ says he watched Donald Trump slap his son in college - Trump reportedly slapped his son for being under-dressed for the occasion of a baseball game https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miami-dj-says-he-watched-donald-trump-brutally-slap-his-son-in-college-8900500/

(1:12:27) #release the feet, along with the Epstein files

(1:12:58) Trump is hiding something about his feet!

(1:14:07) ARTICLE Black Alliance for Peace, Mamdani Parrots CIA lies to justify sanctions and war against Cuba and Venezuela https://blackallianceforpeace.com/movement-news/zohran-mamdani

(1:14:43) ARTICLE Public Citizen, Democracy champions join Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse against Citizens United-fueled corruption https://www.citizen.org/news/democracy-champions-join-sen-sheldon-whitehouse-against-citizens-united-fueled-corruption/

(1:16:57) see article above at 1:06:43

(1:19:32) ARTICLE CATO Institute, The (Supreme) Court went too far on presidential immunity https://www.cato.org/blog/court-went-too-far-presidential-immunity?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23055576880&gbraid=0AAAAADusmudEyQp6hd3RGNenUZPYmXFgq&gclid=CjwKCAjwu9fHBhAWEiwAzGRC__Hc9Yghd7DDXeaHriRBHZT5ICYZyszsxQv4bHJYsoI2_WNbjFZutBoCrkUQAvD_BwE

(1:19:57) ARTICLE Constitution Center, The Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson’s constitutional gamble - Jefferson opted not to pass a constitutional amendment even though he knew his actions actually required one. “The General Government has no powers but such as the Constitution gives it, he wrote to John Dickenson in 1803. “It has not given it power of holding foreign territory, and still less of incorporating it into the Union. An amendment of the Constitution seems necessary for this.” https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-louisiana-purchase-jeffersons-constitutional-gamble

(1:23:56) ARTICLE Bloomberg, Bondi has been failing Epstein victims for years https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-07-27/bondi-has-been-failing-epstein-s-victims-for-years

(1:24:17) ARTICLE Palm Beach Post, Could Bondi have prosecuted Epstein as Florida’s top legal advisor? - yes, legal experts say. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/trump/2025/07/18/could-pam-bondi-have-prosecuted-jeffrey-epstein-as-florida-ag/85239431007/

(1:24:39) LINK Conservative episode of BWP https://www.patreon.com/posts/conservative-23-140089180?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

(1:24:48) “Bourbon and stogies, brother!”

(1:25:49) Follow us on Bluesky - brokenwindpodcast and butlersghost https://bsky.app/profile/brokenwindpod.bsky.social and https://bsky.app/profile/butlersghost.bsky.social

(1:25:56) Butlersghost Sex and the City rant (link below) https://bsky.app/profile/butlersghost.bsky.social/post/3m2hrvnzmtk2k

(1:26:16) Topical discussion on the subject of liberalism will be coming soon!