Since January, Americans have had serious concerns about Elon Musk’s DOGE (the “Department of Government Efficiency”) and the privacy of our personal data.

The government used to have careful guardrails in place to protect our information. Only certain people, after careful background checks, were given access. But DOGE was given unprecedented access to all of our data, across departments and agencies. And because Trump fast-tracked DOGE with an executive order, employees didn’t have to go through the same background checks and screenings. Many were teenagers, including the now infamous 19-year-old hacker whose online name is (sigh) “Big Balls.”

Okay, but Elon is gone now. So does that mean DOGE is over?

Unfortunately, no. DOGE was never an official government agency (it just hijacked the existing US Digital Service), and Elon Musk was never officially in charge of it, so even without Elon, the work continues. A former DOGE employee is now the chief of staff at the Department of Energy, for example, and two former DOGE members are now senior officials at the Environmental Protection Agency. “Big Balls” himself is now working at the Social Security Administration.

Meanwhile, Peter Thiel—another billionaire and the founder of the tech company Palantir—has been working to build a massive, government-run database of Americans. The goal is a one-stop shop with all of our information, from tax returns to medical records, all in the same place. You know, exactly the thing the government has always known not to do.

Privacy used to be nonpartisan. Back in the 1970s, Republican Senator Charles Percy said, “I hope that we never see the day when a bureaucrat in Washington can use his organization's computer facilities to assemble a complete dossier of all known information about an individual.” Even in the past few years, data privacy has been an issue that transcends political parties.

So reach out to your representatives, no matter where you live, to let them know that you don’t want billionaires to have your data. And if all of this feels too overwhelming, try getting involved in your local community. We might not be able to do much about what’s happening with our information, but we can make things better for our neighbors.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

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Climate change is a lot of things: big, scary, scientifically-accurate. And as we just saw in Texas, it’s not just a matter of principles or talking points. It’s causing tragedies in our own country and around the globe.

In the face of such an overwhelming issue, it can be hard to know what we as individuals can do. Of course we can donate to environmental causes and vote for leaders who prioritize climate policy, but there’s something else that’s as close to home as our own backyard. Gardening!

By expanding our backyard gardens to include plants for native pollinators, we can make a difference in our own local ecosystem. Bees and butterflies are some of the most common pollinators, but hummingbirds, moths, beetles, and even bats can also be part of the process. Unfortunately, many parts of the world have been seeing declines in pollinator populations. A 2017 report done for the Center of Biological Diversity found that nearly 1 in 4 species of native bees are now at risk of extinction. Monarch butterflies, meanwhile, have declined more than 80% in the last 30 years.

And that’s a big deal! At least 75% of all flowering plants on Earth are pollinated by insects and animals, including almost all of the food we eat. In fact, farmers estimate that pollinators are responsible for 1 out of 3 bites of food we take every day.

And yet, the Trump administration seems intent on making the situation worse. Since the start of Trump’s second term, his administration has fired hundreds of climate and weather scientists. He wants to start drilling for oil on pristine lands full of native plants and animals and roll back protections for migratory birds. And he wants logging companies to be able to cut down some of our National Forests. He even named a lobbyist for the logging industry, Tom Schultz, as the new head of the U.S. Forest Service.

There’s no denying that this all feels overwhelming. But “think global, act local” doesn’t only apply to your community’s school board or city council. You can make a difference just by planting more native species that are good for pollinators. Not only are the beauty and fresh air good for your mental health, you’ll be directly improving the environment in your area.

And that is why your garden matters!

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

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Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

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This week is the 4th of July, which means we’re celebrating American independence. But what exactly is it that we’re celebrating? What’s so special about American democracy, and how does it work? And with everything going on in politics, should we be celebrating at all?

In a word: yes. America was founded on the principles of liberty, justice, and freedom from the tyranny of kings. And those ideals are as revolutionary today as they were in 1776.

This week’s episode of Okay, But Why takes a step back into history and examines the founding of our nation, from indigenous cultures to European colonies to the Declaration of Independence. The documents drawn up by the Founding Fathers created the rules for the democracy we have today. They shouldn’t be partisan; they’re as American as… well, the 4th of July!

We cover some things you may have already heard about — like the Boston Tea Party — alongside some lesser-known things like the fact that the first man killed in the Revolutionary War was a Black man, Crispus Attucks. Did you know that Georgia sat out the first Continental Congress? Or that Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship violates the 14th Amendment of the Constitution?

What we celebrate on Independence Day is about more than a document. It’s about a change in mindset – that people deserve the right to determine their own future, rather than one powerful man sitting on a throne. Simply being elected to office doesn’t give a president the right to violate the Constitution.

Look, is a document from 250 years ago perfect? Of course not. White land-owning men were the only ones who got to have those “unalienable rights,” for starters. That’s why Congress has updated it with amendments in the years since, starting with the 1st Amendment granting us the freedom of speech in 1791. But as the foundation of our democracy, the Constitution is a powerful thing. That’s why people called June 14th “No Kings Day” and it’s why we’re celebrating the 4th of July.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

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There’s a lot to be stressed about right now. We’re seeing the dissolution of our democratic norms and ideals before our very eyes.

But extremists don’t want us thinking about democracy. They want us thinking about the 5 trans kids who wanted to play soccer this year.

Just so far this year, over 900 anti-trans bills are under consideration across the country. The majority apply to kids, particularly in school. Some of the laws are frankly terrifying, like one in Florida that requires genital inspections for any kid suspected of being trans. Genital. Inspections. Of Kids.

But even anti-trans organizations can’t find more than five trans kids playing on girls’ sports teams. And at the college level, NCAA president Charlie Baker said that there are fewer than 10 transgender athletes who currently compete in college sports. That’s less than 0.002 percent!

There’s a lot of well-meaning concern for trans kids out there, but doctors are not giving children gender-affirming surgery. A Harvard study in 2019 found zero cases of gender surgery in kids under the age of 12. And for the small number of teenagers who were given surgery (2.1 per 100,000 teens), the vast majority are breast reductions for boys who aren’t trans. 97% of gender-affirming surgeries on minors are for boys who were born as boys and identify as boys and just want a smaller chest so they can continue to feel like boys.

Somehow that statistic rarely comes up when politicians are out there making speeches and passing bills against trans kids. By scaring people with fake information, politicians can drum up support while passing laws that actually harm Americans – not just trans kids, but all of us.

If you’re feeling burned out on bad news, or even burned out on empathy, we understand. But this Pride Month, we have to let trans kids know we’re paying attention and we care.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

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Thanks for listening to the Red Wine & Blue podcast. This week, instead of an episode of Okay But Why, we’re sharing a virtual event we recently held with a former Republican named Courtney. She used to be a Trump voter, but now she leads a TroubleNation group in Pennsylvania.

Courtney shared with us what changed her mind and how we can reach other MAGA voters. We always say that it’s never too late for someone to change their mind, and Courtney is proof that it really is possible.

We hope you enjoy this conversation.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

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Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

The federal minimum wage right now is $7.25. For someone working full-time, that translates to $15,060 per year, just $20 over the national poverty line.

The US minimum wage has been hotly debated since its beginning, so this week, we’re taking a closer look at its history, exactly who is making it, and dispelling some misinformation.

In 2023, almost a million hourly workers in the United States made minimum wage or less. And contrary to popular belief, they’re not all teenagers — many are moms earning half of their family’s total income. They’re working jobs you might expect, like retail and food service, but also jobs you might not have expected, like home healthcare workers. And here’s something important to know: the minimum wage doesn’t automatically increase with inflation. It has to be intentionally raised by Congress, something that hasn’t happened since 2009. Think about how much prices have gone up since then!

It doesn’t have to be this way. If we look at other countries around the world, or even America a few decades ago, we can see that wealth inequality has never been this bad. It’s not a fact of life; it’s not a necessary evil to have a good economy. It can change if we all talk to our friends and neighbors… and vote accordingly.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

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Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

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Kids today have a lot to worry about. Getting through adolescence was hard enough in generations past, but these days, kids have more anxieties than ever. And who can blame them? There were 83 school shootings in 2024 and gun violence is now the number one cause of death for kids.

In 2023, 40% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and that increases to 53% when you just ask girls. And if you ask LGBTQ kids, that number goes all the way up to 65%. Even sadder, suicide has become the second-leading cause of death for kids between 10 and 14.

There’s a lot of concern about kids’ phone use, especially social media, and that certainly plays a role. But some experts believe that just two things are primarily to blame for most mental health crises: poverty and violence. And of course the Trump administration has been making both of those issues worse, catering to the NRA and cutting programs that support working families. He closed the White House Office for Gun Violence Prevention and, just last month, approved the sale of “forced reset triggers” that allow normal guns to fire like machine guns.

Trump also cut $1 billion in funding for student mental health services. Yes, one billion dollars taken away from helping kids with their mental health.

There’s no lack of internet opinions about parenting, and when it comes to things like social media, you know your own kids best. But we know how to improve outcomes for kids across the country: funding for mental health services, better gun safety laws, assistance for families who need help with food or housing, and protection for kids who live with domestic abuse. The Trump administration has been moving us backwards on every one of these issues and it’s on us to speak up for kids.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA

Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA

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Few issues polarize this country like abortion. Most Americans believe these intensely personal decisions should be made by families and doctors, not politicians. But even those who call themselves “pro-life” usually believe some exceptions should be made — in the case of rape, when it’s a matter of saving the mother’s life, or when doctors determine the fetus has no chance of survival.

But we’ve seen time and time again that “exceptions” don’t work.

Right now, in Georgia, a tragedy is playing out before our eyes. A young woman named Adriana Smith suffered multiple blood clots in February and was declared brain dead, but because she was 9 weeks pregnant at the time, the hospital is keeping her hooked up to machines until doctors believe her fetus can survive on its own.

It’s important to know that Adriana isn’t in a coma or even a vegetative state — legally and medically, she’s dead. Her body is being kept alive by more machines and medicines than you can imagine, all because of Georgia’s 6-week abortion ban. Imagine being Adriana’s mother. Watching your daughter’s body hooked up to all those machines, kept in this horrible middle space between life and death, not for days or weeks but for months. In interviews, she’s called it “torture.” And her family was never given a choice.

If Adriana, or Amanda Zurawski, or a ten-year-old rape victim aren’t exceptions to abortion laws, who is? And why should politicians get to decide? We can’t change the Dobbs decision, but we can push for an end to state abortion bans. We’ve already seen it work, like a 2023 constitutional amendment in Ohio. It isn’t easy, but we owe it to Adriana, Amanda, and all of the women whose stories have yet to be written.

For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue.

You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media!

Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA

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