Chad and Mary Lou reconvene for a midweek episode in which they show each other clips of ICE assaults on U.S. citizens.

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This week on The Necessary Conversation, Haley abandons her family as the electorate sent Donald Trump a message louder than any poll: America is tired of MAGA. In one of the biggest Democratic sweeps in modern history, voters across the nation delivered a crushing rebuke to Trump’s authoritarian movement.

And while Haley is away on vacation this week, the rest of us break down everything happening in this wild political moment — from Trump falling asleep on camera again to Steve Bannon openly admitting Republicans need to seize the government to avoid prison.

🌊 THE BLUE WAVE IS REAL

Democrats won every major race this week — and by landslide margins:

✅ Virginia: Abigail Spanberger wins governorship by 14–15 points
✅ Democrats sweep Lt. Gov & AG races
✅ Democrats expand their House majority
✅ New Jersey: Mikie Sherrill wins by 13 points
✅ New York City: Zohran Mamdani crushes Cuomo + Sliwa combined
✅ California Prop 50: 10 million people vote — and Newsom wins big to redraw districts

Trump blamed the losses on “not being on the ballot” and the shutdown.

💬 Are voters rejecting Trump’s leadership?
 💬 What happens next in NYC under Mamdani?
 💬 Can Republicans recover?

😴 SLEEPY DON STRIKES AGAIN

Trump literally fell asleep during a live Oval Office press conference about weight-loss drugs — head drooping, eyes closed, drifting off for almost 20 minutes while Dr. Oz and RFK Jr. talked.

This adds to a long list of public nod-offs:
 – At his criminal trial ✅
 – At the GOP convention ✅
 – In Saudi Arabia ✅

💬 Is Trump just as “sleepy” as Biden?
 💬 Should his age and stamina be a concern?

🔥 BANNON SAYS THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD

At a conservative event, Steve Bannon openly said Republicans must “seize the institutions” or many of them will “go to jail.”

He literally told the crowd the authoritarian part out loud.

💬 Why does he think he’ll go to jail?
 💬 What “structural barriers” does he want to “put aside”?
 💬 Is protecting democracy even part of the plan anymore?

🥫 SNAP NIGHTMARE: 42 MILLION AMERICANS IN LIMBO

Two federal judges ordered Trump to restore SNAP (food stamp) benefits during the shutdown — but Trump appealed to the Supreme Court to block it.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily sided with Trump.

💬 Why is Trump fighting so hard to keep Americans from getting food?
 💬 Do you still like Ketanji Brown Jackson?

✈️ GROUNDED: AMERICA’S AIR TRAVEL COLLAPSES

Day 38 of the longest shutdown in history is wrecking air travel:
 – 700–800 flights canceled in a single day
 – 2,300+ delayed
 – FAA reducing schedules at 40 major airports
 – Airlines losing millions and hinting at bailouts

💬 Is this “making America great again”?
 💬 Will holiday travel collapse?

And for the simmer down - we all discuss a time when someone helped us that we'll never forget.

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#BlueWave #TrumpShutdown #SleepyDon #SNAP #GovernmentShutdown #Bannon #TheNecessaryConversation #Politics #MAGA

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In this episode of Busting the Maga Bubble, Chad and Mary Lou react to some clips from Trump's appearance on 60 Minutes this Sunday. Mary Lou also supplies a clip from Candace Owens discussing Charlie Kirk's murder. 

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This week on The Necessary Conversation, we're in full Halloween costumes but the news coming out of America is scarier than anything we could wear.

From starving families to ICE violence to wild JD Vance & Erika Kirk rumors, this is truly one of the most insane weeks yet under Trump’s second term.

🍽 42 Million Americans Lose Food Aid

The GOP-led shutdown has cut off SNAP benefits, leaving 1 in 8 Americans — including millions of children — without money for food.
Republicans claim emergency USDA funds can’t be used. States say they must.
Meanwhile, Trump is throwing parties and selling merch.

💬 Should the U.S. government be responsible for feeding its people?
 💬 Do MAGA voters care about starving Americans?

🪖 “More Than the National Guard”

Speaking aboard the USS George Washington, Trump vowed to send military force into American cities, saying he'll deploy more than the National Guard if needed.

💬 Are we becoming numb to soldiers in our streets?
 💬 What kind of countries use their military on their own citizens?

💋 JD Vance & Erika Kirk Rumors Explode

After Erika Kirk introduced JD Vance with a very emotional tribute to her late husband Charlie Kirk — and a suspiciously affectionate hug — the internet is spiraling.

Is JD Vance positioning himself for 2028 by… marrying Charlie Kirk’s widow? 👀

💬 Is this real or just right-wing palace drama?

🚨 ICE Brutality Goes Viral

A horrifying viral video shows ICE agents violently slamming a mother to the ground in front of her teenage daughter — even after she showed legal paperwork and ID.

💬 Is this protecting America — or terrorizing innocent families?
 💬 Did ICE’s practice of hiring recruits with criminal records lead to this?

🎤 PLUS: Simmer Down

Chad writes a letter to Mary Lou about how their parenting and has her read it.

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 👨‍👩‍👧 The Kultgen Family Podcast
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#MAGA #GovernmentShutdown #SNAP #ICE #JDVance #ErikaKirk #StarvingAmericans #TheNecessaryConversation #HalloweenEpisode

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In this episode of Busting the Maga Bubble, Mary Lou provides video evidence to support her claim that Trump will not attempt a 3rd term. Chad counters her argument with his own clips from Trump himself as well as Steve Bannon literally saying they have a plan in place for Trump to win in 2028.

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This week on The Necessary Conversation, we start by asking the question: What is MAGA?
 

From there, the conversation spirals through one of the wildest weeks yet — as Trump literally tears down part of the White House, pardons criminals tied to terrorism and child exploitation, and demands hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for himself.

🏛 Goodbye, White House

Trump has demolished the East Wing to build a 90,000-square-foot, $300 million private ballroom, funded by Big Tech donors like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Meta.
💬 Should the President be allowed to destroy a piece of American history?
💬 Is this corruption in plain sight?

🧾 Pardon Disaster

Trump’s new pardons spark outrage:

• A Jan 6 rioter who threatened to kill Hakeem Jeffries
• Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, whose crypto platform facilitated money for terrorism and child exploitation
  💬 Why would Trump pardon them both?
  💬 Is loyalty more important than morality?

🗳 Adelita Grijalva Lawsuit

Arizona AG Kris Mayes sues Speaker Mike Johnson for refusing to swear in Adelita Grijalva, who won her special election a month ago.
💬 Is this about politics — or silencing a vote that could release the Epstein files?

❤️ Simmer Down

We take a break from politics to get personal with the question:
 💬 If you could change one thing about how you raised us — what would it be?

⚓ Venezuela Escalation

Trump orders his 10th lethal strike on Venezuelan boats accused of trafficking drugs — without proof. Legal experts warn he’s skirting Congress and invoking the laws of war to expand his powers.
💬 Is he provoking Venezuela to cancel the 2028 election?
💬 Should presidents be allowed to order killings without oversight?

💰 Trump Wants $230 Million

Trump files claims demanding the DOJ pay him $230 million in damages for “violations of his rights.” He says he’ll donate the money — but it’s the same amount his new ballroom costs.
💬 Should a sitting president be allowed to pay himself with taxpayer money?

🚨 ICE Criminals

A new report shows ICE hired recruits with failed drug tests and criminal records to meet White House quotas.
💬 Can a law-enforcement agency still have integrity if it hires criminals?

📅 New full episodes every Sunday
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Bob is back! After missing last week’s episode, he returns just in time for one of the most chaotic weeks in Trump’s America — and things get heated fast.

😇 “I Won’t Get Into Heaven” — Trump Says It Out Loud

We open this week with Trump claiming he “might not get into heaven.”
 💬 Was it a joke — or the truth slipping out?
 💬 Do you think Trump is going to heaven?

✊ No Kings Protest — 7 Million Americans Take to the Streets

The largest protest in U.S. history — over 7 million people in 2,600 cities — peacefully rallied against Trump’s authoritarian rule. Republicans tried to rebrand it as the “Hate America Rally,” while Trump responded by posting AI-generated videos of himself as a king dropping feces on protestors.
💬 Do you think these protestors hate America?
💬 Were all 7 million of them Antifa?
💬 Did Trump prove the protesters’ point by posting AI propaganda?

📰 Free Press Walks Out

At the Pentagon, ex-Fox host Pete Hegseth tried to force journalists to publish only government-approved stories. Every major outlet — even Fox News and Newsmax — refused and walked out. Only OANN agreed.
💬 Do you think Trump should control the press?
💬 Did Fox finally take a stand?

💵 George Santos Gets a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card

Trump commuted George Santos’s 7-year prison sentence after just 3 months, calling him a man of “Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence.”
💬 Why do you think Trump freed him?
💬 Is there anyone Trump could pardon that would change your mind?

☠️ The Republican Nazi Party

Leaked 2,900 pages of Telegram messages show state-level Young Republicans joking about gas chambers, praising Hitler, and using slurs. VP J.D. Vance defended them, saying “it’s just what kids do.”
💬 Do you think neo-Nazis are part of the Republican base?
💬 Is this just “kids being kids”?

🗣 Democrats = Hamas?

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Democrats are made up of “Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.”
💬 Do you agree with her?

❤️ Simmer Down:

Bob is asked to remember what it felt like when he first held Haley and Chad as babies.

📅 New full episodes every Sunday
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & everywhere you get your shows
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This week on The Necessary Conversation, it’s just Chad, Haley and Mary Lou. Bob's resting. But we break down another wild week in America under Trump’s second term.

🏛 Shutdown Day 12

The U.S. government shutdown hits day 12 with nearly 1.6 million federal workers either furloughed or working without pay. Trump is using the shutdown to push through Project 2025, firing thousands of government employees and dismantling departments like the CDC, Department of Education, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
💬 Should government workers be forced to work without pay?
💬 Should 21 million Americans really see their healthcare costs triple?
💬 Why is Trump selling $500 watches during a shutdown?

🏙 Chicago Under Siege

Trump launches “Operation Midway Blitz,” sending ICE and 500 National Guard troops into Chicago without state approval. Residents describe raids involving Blackhawk helicopters, flashbangs, and naked children dragged into the street.
💬 Should ICE be allowed to detain U.S. citizens without warrants?
💬 How far will this go before people fight back?
💬 Is Trump trying to start a civil war?

💸 America Last

Pete Hegseth announces Qatar will build a military base inside Idaho—after Qatar gifted Trump a $400 million luxury jet. MAGA loyalists are furious, calling it a betrayal of “America First.”
💬 Is Trump selling out to foreign interests?
💬 How can a president accept luxury gifts and still claim patriotism?

🕊 The Gaza Deal

Trump’s new Gaza peace plan exchanges 20 Israeli hostages for 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, but violations began almost immediately.
💬 Will Trump’s “Board of Peace” plan actually end the conflict?
💬 Or is this just another branding opportunity—“Trump Tower Gaza”?of their lives.

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This week’s episode of The Necessary Conversation gets heated after a brutal argument about Trump’s government shutdown and ICE’s military-style raids.

🏛 Shutdown Showdown

It’s Day 5 of the government shutdown and Trump is blaming Democrats — even hijacking federal worker emails to say so. We break down who’s really at fault, what Project 2025 has to do with it, and how Russ Vought’s meeting with Trump could reshape America’s social safety net.
💬 Should every American have access to healthcare?
💬 Are Republicans using the shutdown to consolidate power?

🎖 Hegseth’s Quantico Speech

Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth scolded America’s top generals for being “fat” and “woke,” while threatening demotions and suggesting U.S. cities be used as military training grounds. The silence in the room said it all.
 💬 Is this patriotism — or authoritarian theater?

🧊 The American Gestapo

ICE raids in Chicago looked more like a military invasion — helicopters, flashbangs, and naked children zip-tied in the street.
 💬 Is this still America?
💬 Should ICE have the right to detain citizens without warrants?

💰 $20 Billion for Argentina

Trump’s plan to buy Argentine bonds rewards a foreign Trump ally while hurting U.S. farmers.
 💬 Where’s the “America First” promise now?

🪖 Troops in Portland

Trump moves to deploy troops to Portland; a judge blocks him (for now).
 💬 Is this the start of nationwide militarization?

⛪ The Pope vs Trump

The Pope calls climate change “the moral issue of our time” and slams Trump’s policies toward migrants and war.
 💬 Who do you agree with — the Pope or Trump?

📺 PLUS: Haley and Chad try to hold it together as Bob storms off mid-episode after losing it over Trump’s leadership. And Taylor Swift's new album serves as the Simmer Down

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This week on The Necessary Conversation we dive into one of the wildest news cycles yet:

⚖️ Comey Indictment

For the first time in U.S. history, a former FBI director has been indicted. James Comey faces two counts tied to his 2020 Senate testimony. Trump is celebrating the charges, calling Comey “a dirty cop” and “one of the worst human beings this country has ever been exposed to.” We break down what’s actually in the two-page indictment, whether it will hold up in court, and who Trump might be coming for next.

🎖️ Hegseth’s Military Meeting

Trump’s Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has ordered nearly every U.S. general and admiral to a mass meeting at Quantico. Is this a loyalty test? A military purge? Or the beginning of something bigger? We compare the move to Hitler’s 1934 loyalty oaths.

🌍 Trump at the UN

Trump’s speech at the UN turned into a spectacle: an escalator mishap, a broken teleprompter, and claims of “triple sabotage.” Was this incompetence or conspiracy? And what did the world think when he went off script with a rambling tirade against Europe, green energy, and the UN itself?

💊 Trump vs. Tylenol

Backed by RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz, Trump told Americans—especially pregnant women—“Don’t take Tylenol,” repeating it over a dozen times. The FDA responded, clarifying there’s no proven causal link between acetaminophen and autism, while also warning that untreated fevers can cause serious risks during pregnancy. Tylenol’s parent company saw a stock dip, and the medical community is furious.

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👉 What do you think—will Comey’s indictment stick?
 👉 Should presidents be making medical claims like this?
 👉 Was Trump sabotaged at the UN—or just exposed?

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