John talks about Trump's move to prioritize the resettlement of white South African refugees in the United States even as he has turned away refugees from countries including Afghanistan and Haiti has sparked allegations of hypocrisy and a double standard, as well as questions about who is footing the bill for the new arrivals. He then talks about Republicans in the House Energy and Commerce Committee advancing legislation that adds steep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare as part of the big, single budget bill demanded by Trump. To find $880 billion in cuts, they seek to impose work requirements, penalize states that offer Medicaid to immigrants, and shorten the ACA enrollment period. The cuts will drop more than 10 million people from Medicaid and leave more than 7 million Americans completely uninsured. Then, he speaks with Democratic strategist Max Burns about Trump tariffs and his failed trade war. Next, Desimber Rose and Dillon Cruz of the God Squad return to discuss the crossroads between politics and Christian Nationalists. And winding it up, legal analyst Dr. Tracy Pearson speaks with John and listeners about Trump's systematic destruction of our security, Constitution, and way of life.

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John's monologue first discusses Jake Tapper's new book "Original Sin" which blames White House staffers and the media for covering up President Biden's supposed cognitive decline. He also talks about Trump in Saudi Arabia, where he met with Arab business leaders, hoping to land the next great freebie. He also announced an imminent cessation of sanctions on Syria, a major policy shift encouraged by both Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Then, Professor Corey Brettschneider returns to debate about Supreme Court Justice John Roberts' weak Trump rebuke, whether a president can suspend habeas corpus, and birthright citizenship which is now heading to the Supreme Court. Next, John interviews Dr. Anahita Dua - who is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and a vascular surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital. They talk about Trump's choice for Surgeon General: Right-Wing wellness Influencer Casey Means. And then finally, comedian Keith Price is back to joke with listeners about the latest trends and the firehose of dumpster fire news coming from the GOP and "Man-Baby".

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John discusses the Dow jumping 1,000 points after Trump capitulated and backed off a trade war with China, lowering baseline tariffs for a 90 day window. And, he also talks about Trump defending his plan to accept a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar to be used instead of Air Force One while he is president. Then, he interviews the Deputy Director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, Cody Wofsy. They discuss his work focusing on limiting state and local immigration enforcement, asylum access, protecting judicial review, and fighting federal enforcement overreach and abuse. He has litigated numerous cases at all levels of federal and state courts, including blocking asylum bans, limiting the use of immigration detainers, challenging the Muslim Ban, and curtailing unlawful expedited removal practices. They also talk about the attack on birthright citizenship, which he says is just part of a larger right wing effort to weaken civil liberties and radically alter the idea of what a “citizen” can be. Then, John welcomes back comedian Rhonda Hansome to criticize, gossip, and joke about Trump's latest stupidity.

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John discusses Ras Baraka, mayor of Newark NJ and candidate in a June gubernatorial primary, being arrested by ICE agents for trespassing after demanding entrance at a facility in his city. Then, he talks about Trump firing the Librarian of Congress - Carla Hayden saying she is woke, anti-Trump, and promotes trans-ing kids. And, he speaks about a federal judge who ordered the immediate release of Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was arrested off the street and imprisoned for weeks by ICE agents for no clear reason. He welcomes back TV's Frank Conniff to joke with listeners about pop culture and the latest wickedness from Trump's autocracy.

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This week on We’re Still Here: Julie and Simon dig into the significance of Pope Leo XIV—and what his election could mean for Indigenous communities pushing for truth and accountability. They also get real about tribal sovereignty, MMIWG2S, and why tribal license plates are still being questioned in 2025. Plus, don’t miss the fun (and totally unfiltered) back-and-forth as Simon and Julie unpack the centuries-old friendly beef between the Lakota and Ojibway Nations. Spoiler Alert: it’s all love… mostly.

Follow Simon on Blue Sky @ Simon Moya-Smith

Follow Julie @ juliefrancella.com

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John discusses the new American Pope who was chosen after only 4 rounds of Conclave voting. He also talks about Trump giving up on his nomination for Ed Martin as US attorney for Washington DC and selecting Fox's Judge Jeanine Pirro as his second choice. Next, he interviews Charles LeBaron who worked for 28 years as a medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They discuss DOGE scrapping the CDC’s plans to investigate an ongoing lead crisis in Milwaukee’s schools and his new book "GREED TO DO GOOD: THE UNTOLD STORY OF CDC’S DISASTROUS WAR ON OPIOIDS". Finally, John chats with listeners about Trump's latest mishigas and the ramifications of having a woke, progressive American Pope from Chicago.

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The monologue today first discusses the lawyers who rushed to get a judge to block Trump from rapidly deporting Asian migrants to a prison in Libya with no due process. Then, John talks about three former Memphis police officers that were acquitted of all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the death of Tyre Nichols. This verdict stands in contrast to their previous federal trial where they were convicted of witness tampering. Then, he chats with Bob Cesca on the apparent war breaking out between India and Pakistan, the scary reality of Project 2025 coming to life, and of course the latest Star Wars gossip. Next, The God Squad is back - former pastor Desimber Rose and Theologian Dillon Naber Cruz talk about the resistance calling out the hypocrisies of the right-wing Christian Nationalists that think they own religion in America. And finally, John welcomes back Dr. Tracy Pearson to debate and advise listeners on how to handle MAGA and the legal issues of Trump and his administration.

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This time, John discusses the MAJOR MAGA meltdown after GOP Senator Thom Tillis said he would not vote to confirm Ed "Stop the Steal" Martin as Washington’s top prosecutor. He also talks about India launching missile attacks on two targets in Pakistan territories just two weeks after a terror attack killed 26 tourists in Kashmir. Then, Professor Corey Brettschneider returns to wonder about Trump making a jaw-dropping assertion that the presidential oath might not obligate him to uphold the Constitution, a federal court pushing back on Trump’s latest executive order aimed at punishing his political opponents (and their law firms), and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issuing a public rebuke of Trump’s attacks on the judiciary. Next, John speaks with attorney Dina Sayegh Doll about Trump's legal problems. Her legal analysis regarding the Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni litigation is featured in the documentary "In Dispute” currently streaming on MAX. And rounding it out, Comedy Daddy - Keith Price jumps in the mix to joke with the gang about the destruction of democracy and the trending topics of the day.

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John talks about the latest stupid ideas from Trump: tariffs on the movie industry, $1,000 bonuses to immigrants who volunteer for deportation, re-opening Alcatraz as a prison, and an answer of “I don’t know” when asked if it is his job as President to uphold the Constitution. He also discusses Trump's new 2026 Budget proposal which includes heavy cuts to the Dept. of Energy, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development. Next, he welcomes back David Rothkopf. David is the host of "The DSR Podcast" and "The DSR Daily" - plus, he is the CEO of The DSR Podcast Network. They discuss the dumpster fire chaos of the Trump Administration. Then winding it up, comedian Rhonda Hansome jokes with John and listeners about the latest news and pop culture.

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John discusses RFK Jr. (who is now Trump's Secretary of Health and Human Services) saying the MMR vaccine contains aborted fetus debris. He also talks about Trump's continued nose-dive in the polls. Then, he speaks with political analyst Ahmed Baba about Project 2025 coming to life, Trump's tariff tirade, and the constant flow of dark money in the Trump Administration. Then finally, John jokes with comedians Agunda Okeyo and TV's Frank Conniff about the dumpster fire Trump Administration and the current pop culture trends.

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