Red State Blue Mom

This month, the “B” in In Mama B. stands for brief because this podcast episode is short and to the point. She feels listeners need to relax, recharge, and get ready for the year ahead. Whether one is celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Festivus, a Native Deity, or just having time off from the daily grind. . . from her kitchen table in Appalachian East Tennessee, Mama B. wishes everyone a fabulous holiday season!

What an election this has been. After all votes have been tabulated, America has learned we’re pretty much a 50/50 country with the election for President having been within the statistical margin of error. While Donald J. Trump will be President for the next four years, not quite half of this country voted to kick him to the curb forever. In the immediate aftermath of this historic election in which Republicans will control all aspects of the U.S. government for at least the next two years, Mama B. and most Red State Blue Mom listeners are looking to the very near horizon and are in a state of shock and mourning over the possible loss of our democratic norms. While those listeners who voted for Trump are crowing that he has a mandate from heaven and the American people to do whatever he wants, the Democrats are wondering why they lost and are playing the blame game as they regroup for the fights ahead. In this month’s podcast, Mama B. and Progressive Democrat Aftyn Behn (Tennessee House Representative for District 51 - Nashville), have an interesting and opinionated post-election discussion. . . so grab a cup of coffee or a glass of something stronger and find a comfortable place to have a listen. A word of advice: From now on be sure to emotionally buckle up because with Trump in charge of steering America, it’s probably safe to say it’s going to be a very chaotic and bumpy ride. (Recorded on Nov. 10, the Sunday after the election.)

​Hurricane season this year has not brought out the best in MAGA world and there’s still more than a month to go until November 30 when the season ends. Mama B. tells stories of life in the Appalachian South of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene’s devastation wrecked-havoc and has upended life for far too many people. MAGA leaders have not helped alleviate the stress and pain hurricane survivors have experienced but have caused great upset and harm as a result of big lies and manufactured, untrue stories. This can also be said about MAGA world’s tall tales of voting fraud. Based on listening to an episode of another podcast she found interesting with its recommendation of a documentary to watch and a voting rights website to get familiar with, Mama B. urges listeners to take heed, be prepared, and learn what might have happened to your vote before you even go to the voting booth this election. What she has learned is a must know for listeners of Red State Blue Mom and everyone who believes in and wants our democracy to survive into the future.

​Since she lives in the reddest parts of one of the reddest states in the Union, Mama B. knows what’s in store for this country if Trump wins the election in November. She has seen many aspects of Project 2025 already implemented in her state of Tennessee, which has been one of the red petri dishes, an incubator in miniature, for how Project 2025 can be implemented and will work at the national level. Because of AI, listeners can now get the cliff notes version of the 922-page Project 2025. Just google 25and.me and you will see a question, “How will Project 2025 affect me?” Click on this question shown in bright blue and you will see the word “Everything” at the top in red. If you want to read everything about Project 2025 then click on “Everything.” If you have a particular topic you are interested in then look below the word “Everything.” You will see every topic in Project 2025 categorized for easy reading. Just know that every state will be affected, even deep blue ones if Project 2025 goes into effect. Like the majority of Americans, Mama B. . . Does. Not. Want. To. Go. Back.

Due to summer travel schedules, this episode was recorded on 8/13/24 before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. After adopting three kittens, Mama B. gives Trump, JD Vance, and the Republican party what for because she is now an official cat lady. Take that JD Vance. . . CAT LADIES UNITE!!! This will be her mantra this election season as she becomes a “joyful warrior” working alongside others of the same mindset with an eye to helping Trump’s cult of personality write its own elegy for the annals of history.

This episode was recorded on July 11, before the assassination attempt on Trump, the Republican National Convention, and any other big-time news prior to the posting date listed. Regardless and as always, Mama B has plenty to say as she regales her audience with stories of summer weekends spent in Nashville. In Mama B’s story of a Kentucky incest survivor, you will hear why having options inspires hope and truth telling. You will hear why this past June might be the last month the LGBTQ+ community openly celebrates Pride. You will hear why if you are talking the talk, you better be walking the walk. With a seminal election on the near horizon, what would any political podcast be without mentioning Nazis, Fascists, Dominionists, Christian Nationalists and their manifesto for taking control of America? As the heat and humidity continue to rise everywhere, not just in the south, grab an iced sweet tea or lemonade and head to your porch or your quiet place to have a listen. . .

As Mama B. says, “Excuses are like belly buttons, everyone has one.” Here are a few of her excuses for the much-needed pause she is taking before writing and recording “The Devil is in the Details, Part 3” to be posted next month in May.

In Part 2 of a three-part episode series, Mama B. gives a shout out to the ladies with a nod to Women’s Herstory Month, past and present. Never one to withhold an opinion, this episode does not disappoint. Mama B. also gives her cliff notes answer to the question, “How did Tennessee become such a bright red Republican supermajority state after having been one of the Democrat led Confederate States of America?” This episode concludes with the mention of Part 3 coming up next month in April, when Mama B. will let you in on something happening right under our noses that may cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end.