Valentina Gomez is what happens when “own the libs” becomes a full-time campaign strategy, and the results are as ugly as they are predictable. From performative outrage to targeting powerless groups for clout, this conversation breaks down why that style of politics spreads, who it rewards, and why even other conservatives sometimes flinch at how far it goes.

From there, the focus shifts to the Washington Post’s unraveling, what the layoffs signal about billionaire ownership, and why “appeasing bad faith bias complaints” is not a business plan. The discussion digs into the broader reality of media consolidation and how shrinking choices makes meaningful consumer resistance harder, not easier.

The last stretch turns personal and local: what federal cuts and political theater are doing to Washington, DC’s economy and reputation, how public narratives can damage real communities, and why watching a city get scapegoated can be radicalizing.

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Listen to the full conversation over on Luke’s Substack: https://lthomas.substack.com/

Chapters

00:00 Valentina Gomez explained

00:32 “Own the libs” politics

01:18 Stripes reference and escalation

02:11 Deepak Chopra and Epstein files

02:40 Washington Post layoffs fallout

03:58 Why Bezos let it decay

06:24 Doge cuts and DC damage

08:37 Congress punishing DC budget