Punching Up: Gen Z guys...WTF?

In Chapter 11, set in November in Tallahassee, fictional Florida, Governor Buck Bryce confidently addresses the press regarding Hurricane Timothy, initially predicted to be a manageable Category 1 storm. However, the hurricane unexpectedly strengthens to a devastating Category 4 upon landfall, causing widespread destruction and significant loss of life. The governor, previously assured by Washington that all preparations were sufficient, is confronted with the reality of inadequate storm forecasting due to recent cuts to federal meteorological services as proposed by Project 2025. As emergency response efforts falter, Bryce grapples with the new federal policies under Trump that make it difficult to declare emergencies and provide immediate assistance to affected businesses and citizens. The narrative highlights the consequences of disregarding climate science and federal data, resulting in death and destruction As always, the series author, David Pepper ties the fiction to the facts in Project 2025 and Trump’s own words. We'd like to thank all the artists who volunteered their time to make this episode: Mark Ruffalo who read the chapter and others who contributed character voices. Sound design by Jonathan Moser. Trump's Project 2025: Up Close and Personal is written by David Pepper and produced by Pepper, Melissa Jo Peltier and Jay Feldman and is a production of Ovington Avenue Productions and The Bill Press Pod.

Mark Jacob writes, "Instead of carping about TikTok, news outlets need to fix themselves".

Gen Z is all in for Kamala! That was the message from Santiago Mayer, founder of Voters of Tomorrow. With VP Harris at the top of the ticket, Gen Z voters are tuned-in and flooding to volunteer to get her elected. Has the mood of young voters changed? For sure. Does that guarantee a win? It increases the chances, but there are no guarantees. And, as Santiago points out, the right is decades and billions of dollars ahead of Democrats and sane centrists in building the political infrastructure to create a strong, educated, active, voting base. We've all got our work to do!

Rick Wilson interviews Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, on a range of critical topics. They discuss the tech industry’s support for Donald Trump, America’s and Congress’s readiness for artificial general intelligence (AGI), the necessity of antitrust regulation in Silicon Valley, the future of TikTok, and the impact of disinformation on politics.

Rick Wilson speaks with Lauren Kunis, the Executive Director of VoteRiders, a national nonpartisan organization dedicated to voting rights. VoteRiders focuses on voter ID assistance, offering free direct help to eligible voters and running voter education programs across the country. With 38 states now enforcing voter ID laws, these regulations disproportionately impact underrepresented groups, including young people, Black and Hispanic voters, low-income individuals, and those with disabilities. VoteRiders aims to ensure that voter ID laws do not disenfranchise eligible voters and that everyone has access to the ballot box.