Beer and Conversation with Pigweed and Crowhill

In this episode, we dive deep into the controversies surrounding Joe Biden and his family, tackling some of the most debated topics in American politics today. From Hunter Biden’s infamous laptop to allegations of corruption involving Ukraine and China, we examine the key evidence, media coverage, and political fallout that have fueled questions about accountability at the highest levels of government.We break down the sequence of events, starting with Hunter Biden’s connections to Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company operating in one of Europe’s most corrupt countries. How did Hunter secure a lucrative position despite his lack of industry experience? What role did Joe Biden play when Ukrainian investigators began looking into Burisma’s activities? We explore the widely circulated video of Joe Biden admitting to pressuring Ukraine to fire a prosecutor investigating Burisma and discuss what this means for the integrity of American foreign policy.But the story doesn’t stop there. We also look at Hunter Biden’s financial ties with Chinese companies, the IRS whistleblower allegations that claim the Department of Justice slow-walked investigations into Hunter’s taxes and foreign dealings, and the bank records that raise questions about where the money went. Did Joe Biden benefit from these business ventures? And what about the emails referencing “10% for the big guy”? We discuss Tony Bobulinski’s claims that Joe Biden was aware of and involved in his family’s business dealings, as well as the broader implications for government transparency and ethics.Beyond the allegations themselves, we analyze the media’s response and why so many mainstream outlets seemed reluctant to investigate these stories. Why did 51 intelligence officials label Hunter Biden’s laptop as having “all the hallmarks of Russian propaganda”? Was this a coordinated effort to shield Joe Biden during a critical election cycle?

We explore the role of social media platforms, government pressure on tech companies like Twitter and Facebook, and the broader issue of censorship and free speech in the digital age.Finally, we discuss what happens next. With allegations of corruption, shell companies, and suspicious financial transactions, should there be further investigations? Or, as some argue, should the focus shift to more pressing national issues like government waste, military reform, and economic stability? And what about the political precedent—should former presidents and their families be subject to legal scrutiny after leaving office, or does that risk further dividing an already polarized nation?Tune in for a no-holds-barred conversation that cuts through the noise and examines the facts. Whether you think Joe Biden is above the law or believe the allegations are politically motivated, this episode will give you plenty to consider.👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes like this!📢 Share your thoughts in the comments—should there be further investigations into the Biden family?#JoeBiden #HunterBiden #PoliticalCorruption #BidenFamily #GovernmentAccountability #Ukraine #China #HunterBidenLaptop #MediaBias #FreeSpeech

The boys drink and review a pilsner, then discuss the English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes.

Hobbes is best known for his characterization of life in the state of nature as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."

Pigweed sets the historical context with some dates and the very consequential events that occurred during Hobbes' life -- including the English civil war, the execution of Charles I, and the restoration.

Hobbes wanted to know who gets to rule, under what circumstances, and within what limits. He starts by reflecting on human nature, which he says is a horrific state of war where people live in a constant state of fear. People can make agreements with their neighbors, but Hobbes says there's a need for a sovereign who makes sure people keep their agreements.

In Hobbes's mind, the state of nature is so awful that any sovereign, no matter how awful, no matter how tyrannical, is better.

The boys drink and review a robust porter then discuss "abusive empathy."

Abusive empathy is when you turn empathy into a weapon or a tool to manipulate.

Some examples would include ...

* Telling college age kids they're too fragile to face other views

* Passing kids to the next grade rather than hurting their feelings

* Prioritizing emotions over facts

* Infantilizing people rather than allowing them to become strong

* Silencing dissent by labeling other opinions as cruel or unfeeling

It's similar to the Jungian concept of the "devouring mother," where mom protects the kids from the natural consequences of their actions, doesn't allow them to face struggle or failure, in an effort to keep them dependent.

Examples in media would include Danny Kaye in White Christmas, or Eddie Haskall in Leave it to Beaver.

Then the boys entertain a question from a listener about whether Elon should apologize for his alleged "Nazi salute," which leads to a discussion about when an apology is appropriate.

Which in turn leads to a discussion of the social media meme that "no matter how much you hate the media, you don't hate them enough."

The boys drink and review an Irish Cream Stout from Southern Tier, then discuss slavery around the world and throughout history.

From the earliest records of mankind there has been slavery. From Hammurabi, the Bible, Aristotle, records from Egypt -- slavery was assumed to be a part of life. The Bible didn't outlaw slavery, but it set limits on it. Later, we see a similar pattern in the Koran.

Slavery continues into the Roman Empire, where we see several different types of slaves, from gladiators, galley slaves, and miners, to easier roles like body slaves, household slaves, and even slaves who ran businesses. You might have become a slave from debt or from committing a crime. Slaves might have made up as much as 30 percent of the population.

The "slavs" are so called because so many of them were forced into slavery. American Indians had slaves. Europeans, Africans, and Asians all enslaved one another. Vikings took slaves. Everybody everywhere took slaves.

The whole concept is brutal and unthinkable to a modern man, but in a world where life was nasty, brutish, and short, sometimes slavery was better than the alternative.

The first U.S. war was fought against the Barbary pirates, who were capturing and enslaving Americans and Europeans.

Up until about 300 years ago, almost nobody questioned slavery.

P&C drink and review a dark lager from Jack's Abby Brewing then discuss week one of the Trump administration.

Trump's changes are coming so fast and furious that the left and the media can't keep up.

They boys start with three criticisms.

1. Trump's pardon of the violent J6 people.

2. Crowhill isn't thrilled with RFK Jr. Yes, we should question the role of Big Food and Big Pharma, but he's not sure Bobby is the right man.

3. The postponement of the TikTok ban.

Then they review the rest of his executive orders, which they generally approve of, with some minor exceptions.

* Putting the military at the border

* Sanctuary cities

* Remain in Mexico policy

* Ending birthright citizenship

* Using Gitmo to house illegal aliens

* Energy-related changes

* Ending DEI

* Pulling out of the WHO

* Reinstate military members who refused to take the COVID jab

* Designate Houthis as terrorists.

* Revoking security clearance of politically biased intelligence officers

* Declassify JFK, RFK, and MLK documents

* Defunding UNWRA

* Pausing loans and grants

* Starlink

* Allowing Trump to serve 3 terms

And on and on. Trump has been very busy with executive orders.

The boys drink and compare a Scotch and a Scottish ale, then discuss the end of western civilization. There are some disturbing signs.

* Feminism and the destruction of gender roles

* The death of masculinity

* The celebration of obesity

* Identity politics

* The porn pandemic and OnlyFans

* Replacing faith with materialism

* The isolation in post-war suburbanism

* Wokeness

* The declining birth rate

* The erosion of free speech

* The crisis of meaning

* Political polarization and tribalism

* Consumer culture and the loss of authenticity

* Overdependence on technology

* The attack on childhood innocence

Most of this is not from external threats. It's a rot from within.

Why does the west hate itself so much?

The boys drink a "Golden Age" cocktail and celebrate the end of the national nightmare.

Are we celebrating the end of Biden / Harris, or the beginning of Trump?

Let's start with the horrors of the Biden administration.

Biden promised the rule of law, a return to norms, and a smooth transition. He did none of those things. He weaponized the justice department against his enemies (mostly Trump), shattered norms, and tried to sabotage Trump during the transition.

Which only added to the rest of his sins, including ...

* The Afghanistan withdrawal

* Promoting wokeness, with DEI, trans-ing the kids, Title IX changes, and pushing wokeness on the military.

* His shaky support for Israel

* His catastrophic policies on immigration

* His mental incompetence (who was running things?)

* The antics of the Biden crime family

* Ukraine

... and more.

Trump is a sharp (and welcome) contrast.

The boys discuss. And drink.

The boys drink and review Baltimore Breakfast from Oliver Brewing, then discuss a few issues from the mail bag, including two-tier policing, the soft bigotry of low expectations, and education.

MarxH8tr asked about the Notting Hill event in England and why the police didn't treat bad behavior at that event the way they would at a football game. Are we supposed to hold people to different standards based on the culture they're from?

If we have to accept that people from different cultures can't follow the same rules as the natives, maybe we don't want people from that culture.

In response to the show on universities, GoRedskins challenged the boys to say what classes students should be taking in university.

P&C discuss what a well-rounded education should look like.

The boys drink and review a red ale from Evo, then ask why so many of the rich and powerful seem to be engaged in some form of perversion.

Are perverts attracted to positions of power, or does power and privilege create conditions that lead people into perversion?

What happens when there are no consequences to your actions? What happens to your moral compass when you can cut in line, be rude, skip the bill at the restaurant, and people still think you're cool?

There are so many examples of people in power who seem to do horrible things.

* The Catholic Abuse Crisis

* Other religious organizations (Jehovah Witnesses, Southern Baptists, ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities)

* School teachers may be worse

* Jeffrey Epstein

* Harvey Weinstein

* Pedophilia in Hollywood

* Perversion in the music industry

* Bill Clinton

* Diddy (Sean Combs)

* Larry Nassar

* Jerry Sandusky

It seems there are a few ways to look at this.

1. People who are abusive are drawn to positions where they can abuse.

2. Once a person is in a privileged position he's more likely to give in to temptation because he doesn't fear the consequences.

3. There's a culture of "we're above the rules" among the elite.

4. On the other hand, maybe everybody is a pervert and it's just not reported among the poor and powerless.

The boys drink and review Lucky 7 Porter from Evo, then discuss the purpose and role of universities.

Why do we have so many majors in university? Why not have a basic education, then specialize at the masters and doctorate level?

Early on, universities were "finishing schools for nobility." They taught how to think critically, how to communicate, how to be a cultured person, and how to fit in with the rest of European society.

There is a cultural good to having an educated population, which is why we provide publicly funded education.

Many of the universities were originally founded to train preachers and pious, civic-minded people. They've changed their emphasis over time. They still want to train people to be good citizens, but they've lost the concept of virtue and a common culture with common values. Often the universties are a hotbed of hostility towards our culture. They've become "subversities."

There used to be a common understanding of "the good." There isn't anymore.

The boys then discuss the recent changes, where students are protected from ideas that might make them uncomfortable. They're given "trigger warnings" and cry rooms.

We're note producing free thinking, emotionally mature grown-ups who can go out into the world.

Jon Haidt recommends that universities focus on "anti-fragility," which requires stress and pressure.