Bringing back the 4/11/2025 episode in this Best of TMI presentation!

Bill McKibben's recent blog post tackled brilliantly the fact that while the Trump regime has been announcing emergencies everywhere, the ones that legitimately need to be addressed are only made WORSE by the corporate-friendly "solutions", and the rest of these EXCUSES only benefit a VERY few tied directly to Trump - we review it. Then, we look at Ezra Klein's book "Abundance" (co-authored by Derek Thompson) and how it falsely frames problems in doing good things for people as the fault of those who created the solutions, rather than expose the sinister actions of monopolies that don't want their profits harmed. Finally, we briefly note that, likely for the first time ever, Trump issued a full Presidential Pardon for a corporation. All this and more on TMI for Friday, May 02, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

Pope Francis passed away this week, leaving behind a legacy that many outside the Catholic Church don't realize. We look at a tribute by John Nichols from The Nation which helps shed a light on how the departed pontiff fought to make the world better for those who are marginalized by capitalism. Then, we review how Governor Tony Evers' memo to Wisconsin State agencies and facilities on how to deal with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents caused a stir, despite it being fairly standard advice on how to keep your rights intact in the face of overzealous enforcement. Finally, we examine how the tide has shifted in the Democratic Party, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez seems well positioned to ride it into leadership of the Party. All this and more on TMI for Friday, April 25, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

Ian Bremmer of GZeroMedia.com is known for solid, factual analysis, so when he posted his examination of the effect Trump's tariffs are going to have on the USA and the world, I knew I had to share it with you. How a topic so widely talked about has had so many details go unreported is a mystery to me, but that's why you listen to the Cure for the Common Media. Next, we look at how bills originally aimed at stopping trans youth from receiving the gender affirming care they deserve are now halting that same care for trans adults - funny how the party of "small government" gives that up the moment BIG government will cause suffering for those they hate. Finally, we look at France's new high-speed rail system, and how the responses to its unveiling from Americans are steeped in envy. All this and more on TMI for Friday, April 18, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

Bill McKibben's recent blog post tackled brilliantly the fact that while the Trump regime has been announcing emergencies everywhere, the ones that legitimately need to be addressed are only made WORSE by the corporate-friendly "solutions", and the rest of these EXCUSES only benefit a VERY few tied directly to Trump - we review it. Then, we look at Ezra Klein's book "Abundance" (co-authored by Derek Thompson) and how it falsely frames problems in doing good things for people as the fault of those who created the solutions, rather than expose the sinister actions of monopolies that don't want their profits harmed. Finally, we briefly note that, likely for the first time ever, Trump issued a full Presidential Pardon for a corporation. All this and more on TMI for Friday, April 11, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

You've heard that ICE raids and sweeps have sent many people to horrific confinement and even brutal violence in El Salvador, but did you hear about the US Citizen that was swept up and sent along? We examine why he likely won't be coming back, and then we hear the firsthand experience of Leslie "Uber Girl" James with two women who had the heartbreak of self-deportation, escaping the nightmare the USA has become for hopeful future citizens.

Next, we aim to give fresh insights into the horrible losses suffered by Elon Musk, Donald Trump and the GOP in general this past Tuesday. Yes, its all over the common media, but there are parts to it that they aren't talking about. Finally, we wrap up with some GOOD news for trans and intersex people. All this and more on TMI for Friday, April 4, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

Canadian actress and entrepreneur Jasmine Mooney spent a nearly two week span this year detained by ICE. She gives a harrowing firsthand account of how, despite being assured by the intaking officer “You didn’t do anything wrong. You are not in trouble, you are not a criminal," she was literally imprisoned with hundreds of others, many of whom were there before her and remain in captivity to this day. You need to hear what happened if you want to understand how dire the situation is.

Next, we go over how Trump wants to make a long narrow military base at the border between Mexico and New Mexico to act as a "buffer zone" run by the US Military, in order to skirt the Posse Comitatus Act. Then we check out reports that a French scientist heading for Houston was refused entry to the USA because his phone contained mean texts about Trump. Finally, we go over how it is a mistake to refer to MAGA-voting people as "stupid", when the unfortunate truth is far darker. All this and more on TMI for Friday, March 28, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

In case you haven't paid much attention to the statewide election coming up on April 1st here in Wisconsin, then you aren't thinking like a billionaire. And not just ANY billionaire, either: Elon Musk has put over $13 million into our little State Supreme Court race between Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford. Usually you'd be excused for not worrying about what Elon might know that you don't, but in this case, you might want a quick primer. Next, we keep our sights on Mr. Musk as YouTuber (and engineer) Mark Rober puts his Tesla Autopilot through a series of tests to see if it is safe. It becomes rapidly apparent why Musk has DOGE going after Executive Branch departments like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Then we review how Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (of Kamala Harris running-mate fame) came to Eau Claire this week to not just rally the faithful, but to so what Representative Van Orden has refused to do: hold a town hall meeting in his district and LISTEN to the constituents. Finally we look at how Minnesota's most MAGA-devoted State Senator, Justin Eichorn, got himself into some "minor" trouble that forced him to resign his seat in the Senate. All this and more on TMI for Friday, March 21, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

Progressives often feel unwelcome in concealed carry classes or out on the practice ranges, as stark political differences can be heightened in the presence of firearms. Enter Blake Alvarenga, Executive Director of The Forward Initiative or "TFI" (https://www.theforwardinitiative.org). TFI is devoted to not JUST making sure progressives can be comfortable in exercising their Second Amendment rights, but also offers the "Stop the Bleed" program (https://www.stopthebleed.org), affiliated with the American College of Surgeons, to instruct people on how to stop a severely injured person from bleeding out. We discuss TFI's goals and classes.

Next, despite political protests being one of the most protected forms of expression by the First Amendment, the Trump Administration is threatening to cut all Federal funding for 60 institutions of higher learning, including UW-Madison, over the protests of the genocide in Gaza that went on last year. Finally, we talk about how judges have been pushing back against Trump's attacks on transgender people, and how even in the very-red State of Montana, the legislature has had Republican Representatives cross the aisle to stand with Democratic Representatives there against heinous anti-trans bills. All this and more on TMI for Friday, March 14, 2025 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!