Centered From Reality

In this short episode, Alex reacts to the USDA Secretary talking about how it is great that Americans are reacting to high egg prices by wanting to buy chickens to raise and lay eggs. Alex argues this is against microeconomics and will lead to higher prices all around. Alex also talks about the miracle of egg production and why the industrialization led to the situation we are experiencing with bird-flu and other issues. Republicans have stopped talking about egg prices as much because it is becoming clear that the issue may be hard to reverse. 

In this episode, Alex talks about Marco Rubio (Little Marco to some) shrinking into his chair during the heated Oval Office bullying of President Zelensky. Then, for the rest of the episode, Alex asks his listeners if the Trump Administration is just trying to fuck everything up at this point. The stock market plummeted today as Trump promised new tariffs on Mexico, China, and Canada. Alex talks about how Canada can respond and why it will mobilize our neighbors to the north. Later, He also talks about Trump’s promise to create a cryptocurrency strategic reserve. Is this a scam? Is crypto stable enough for this? Do enough Americans even own crypto? 

In this episode, an angry Alex reacts to Trump and Vance bullying President Zelensky at the White House as it seems clear that the United States doesn’t care about helping Ukraine anymore. 

In this quick episode, Alex talks about the spreading measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico that has killed one school-aged child and has infected hundreds. Heath and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. has downplayed the outbreak has vaccine skepticism is on the rise. Alex roasts the Make America Healthy Again movement and argues that it is contradictory at best and dangerous at worst. 

In this episode, Alex mainly focuses on Amazon purchasing the creative rights to the James Bond franchise. He is mad because the Broccoli family served as strict but important gatekeepers for the Bond franchise; they were long term protectors for the Bond series and how it evolved over the decades. Now Amazon will be able to change anything it wants and expand the Bond universe. Alex thinks it could now follow other struggling franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and Lord of the Rings. 

In this episode, Alex starts by talking about why he isn’t surprised that Dan Bongino has been tapped to be the Deputy Director of the FBI. Bongino is unhinged, distrusts the FBI, is an election denier, and is a loyal podcast host that loves Donald Trump. Next, Alex gives an update on the German elections that happened Sunday. Finally, it has been three years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the United States has finally made a total shift to neutralize culpability on the global stage. Alex talks about a troubling UN vote, why it matters, and why Trump is falling for Putin’s trap. 

In this episode, Martin Benes returns to the podcast for part two of their conversation. The episode is foreign affairs focused. They talk about the German elections, Trump’s chaotic global nationalism, why the American Right likes El Salvador, what is next for Ukraine, and much much more! 

In this episode, Alex brings back friend of the pod, Martin Benes, to talk about the hostile government takeover that is happening. They talk about the recent wave of firings in the federal government, Elon Musk becoming a living meme, whether voters will turn on the Trump-Musk alliance, and why this purge isn’t about efficiency. They also talk about the legacy of Mitch McConnell, Steve Bannon’s criticism of DOGE, and much more! 

In this episode, Alex starts by talking about Mitch McConnell’s legacy, whether there is a need for moderate Republicans anymore, and why CPAC has become an absolute clown show. For the rest of the episode, Alex takes a deep dive into the federal elections that will take place in Germany on Sunday. These elections could be historic, not because the Christian Democratic Union (center right) is expected to win the most seats, but because the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) may get 20% of the vote. This is insane considering that this party went from a fringe, far-right party a decade ago, to (potentially) the second most popular in Germany. Alex talks about the party’s contradictions; it has a semi-moderate leader but also has ties to Neo-Nazis and holocaust downplaying politicians. It also is listed by German authorities as an extremist organization. Alex talks about Germany’s extremism firewall in which establishment parties won’t form a coalition with groups that are seen as dangerous or far-right. Is this antidemocratic if an antidemocratic party wins seats through democratic means? 

In this episode, Alex worries that the United States is handing Russia and Putin everything they want, as Trump’s diplomatic envoy met with its Russian counterparts in Riyadh earlier today. Ukraine was left out of the negotiations as the Trump team allowed its Russian counterparts to parrot propagandist talking points and many in Europe worry that the American side already gave Putin everything he’s wanted. Alex worries that the United States has switched sides as Europe is divided on how to respond and Trump is now blaming Ukraine for starting the war.