President Trump is building a new ballroom at the White House, and predictably, everyone has lost their minds. Some people see it as a practical addition for official events. Others see it as an extravagant monument to Trump's ego being permanently installed in the people's house. Today, we're talking about why a ballroom has become yet another flashpoint in American politics, and whether maybe we're all just exhausted and looking for things to be angry about.

I (Jolene) get why people are upset about this, but honestly, the ballroom doesn't bother me. Here's why: it's being funded by private donations, not taxpayer money. Every president leaves their mark on the White House - renovations, updates, changes that reflect their time in office. Trump sees this ballroom as his legacy project, and since he's not using public funds, I don't see the problem. Having a dedicated space for official events instead of constantly setting up temporary solutions is actually practical.

Nicole's reaction wasn’t too dissimilar as far as understanding the need for a larger space for events, but from a Liberal’s perspective, the ballroom feels like Trump literally building a monument to himself in the White House. It's not just about the money; it's about what it represents. At a time when Americans are struggling financially, when budgets are tight and people are worried about making ends meet, building an opulent ballroom feels tone-deaf and dismissive.

The ballroom will get built and Trump will leave office eventually. But the way we treat each other, the way we engage with people who disagree with us, the way we choose dialogue over dismissal - that's what will determine whether we can actually function as a country.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

White House Information: White House Official History: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/the-white-house/

News and Analysis: Jessica Yellin (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQK8_hUEluJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link The Hill - 5

Takeaways from East Wing Construction: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5570860-trump-white-house-ballroom-east-wing-takeaways/

The Hill - White House Releases Donor List: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5569197-major-companies-fund-whitehouse/

Good for the Soul:

Monica Lewinsky's Reclaiming Podcast: https://wondery.com/shows/reclaiming-with-monica-lewinsky/

Ken Colman (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOOLHvZhzxX/?igsh=MXBiaHA1ZGpjM3MzaA==

LINKS

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole

President Trump did something remarkable in the Middle East. I (Nicole) can barely believe I'm typing this, but credit where it's due - he got hostages home and negotiated a ceasefire in a conflict that's been bleeding for decades. Whether you love Trump or hate him, what happened this week deserves acknowledgment. And that's exactly what we're talking about today.

We're not declaring Trump a hero or pretending this solves the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We're also not ignoring what he accomplished because we disagree with his politics. We're doing what we should all do more often: recognizing when someone does something significant, even if we didn't think they could.

Every step toward peace matters, even if it's small, even if it's imperfect, even if it comes from someone you didn't expect. The hostages are home. People who were separated from their families are together again. That's real. That's worth celebrating. And that's also just the beginning of a much longer, messier process that will require sustained effort from everyone involved.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

BBC News Article:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgr71z0jp4o

Good for ths Soul:

https://youtu.be/RP8Oxe6OxJc?si=sP7k_V4g9R-CYCLs

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

We recorded this episode seven days into the government shutdown, and honestly, we were both furious. Not the performative outrage you see on cable news, though. Actual, bone-deep frustration at watching our government play chicken with people's livelihoods while collecting their own paychecks without interruption. TSA workers are showing up to keep us safe without knowing when they'll get paid. FAA controllers are managing air traffic on empty stomachs and maxed-out credit cards. And Congress? They're posting memes.

The government shutdown isn't just about budget negotiations or policy disagreements. It's a symptom of a political system that's fundamentally broken, where the people making decisions face none of the consequences while the people suffering the consequences have no power to make decisions.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

News and Media: Straight Arrow News: https://san.com/ Straight Arrow News Podcast: UCuL3xV8AqD3sekKOhhyZqOA

Government Resources: HUD Website: https://www.hud.gov/#close US Senate Phone List: https://www.senate.gov/general/resources/pdf/senators_phone_list.pdf Contacting Congress: https://www.coausphs.org/COA/COA/Advocacy/Contact-Congress.aspx

Good for the Soul: Honestly with Bari Weiss: https://youtu.be/sqZ7E_Mx-K4?si=H-VNxG2twZPVnNB1

Film Reference: The Post (Movie): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6294822/

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

When was the last time you had a real conversation about what government is actually supposed to do? Not a screaming match about specific policies, but a genuine discussion about the fundamental role of government in America? I (Nicole) and Jolene have been friends for almost 40 years despite living on opposite sides of the political spectrum, and recently we realized we'd never actually tackled this most basic question: What should our government be doing, and how much should it be involved in our daily lives?

The answer, it turns out, is a lot more complicated than either of us expected. And surprisingly, we found more common ground than we thought possible.

The role of government in America has been debated since the country's founding, and it will continue being debated long after we're gone. The tension between federal power and states' rights, between individual liberty and collective responsibility, between free markets and social safety nets - these tensions are what keep our democracy dynamic and responsive.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Founding Documents: The U.S. Constitution: https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/drafting-table/item/drafting-the-united-states-constitution

The Declaration of Independence: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Political Reference: Mamdani Reference: https://x.com/jimfornyc/status/1972443061021233220?s=46

Good for the Soul Content: Bill Maher: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPFyqBOjhij/?igsh=Z2k4MG96aW1pMm96

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

Jimmy Kimmel got pulled off ABC after making comments about Charlie Kirk's assassination, and honestly, it's left us both feeling unsettled about where America is heading. Whether you thought his jokes were inappropriate or not, the speed at which he disappeared from television should concern everyone.

Today we're talking about what this means for free speech, why comedy matters in a democracy, and whether we're crossing lines we can't uncross.

The Kimmel situation isn't really about one comedian or one set of jokes. It's about whether we still believe in the principles that made America different from everywhere else. It's about whether we trust citizens to make their own decisions about what to watch and hear, or whether we think government officials should make those decisions for us.

We don't have to agree with everything comedians say to defend their right to say it. We don't have to find their jokes funny to recognize that their freedom to make those jokes is essential to our democracy. And we don't have to like their politics to understand that silencing them makes all of us less free.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Primary Content: Jimmy Kimmel Full Monologue: https://youtu.be/c1tjh_ZO_tY?si=PE5hOO6xlCo-IuBO

News and Analysis:

The Guardian - Pentagon Journalist Restrictions: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/20/pentagon-journalists-restrictions-pledge?CMP=share_btn_url

Ted Cruz The Verdict: https://youtu.be/l6KYixCBTJc?si=YUdU5Lp0R2QqwTLt

FOX News 9 Minneapolis/St Paul - Amy Hockert: https://youtu.be/8-koyY2Zoxc?si=i5vhmKdE4ui0f931

Podcast Content:

The Katie Miller Podcast with Pam Bondi: https://youtu.be/4LRPHxSrLTE?si=4rb_p3k1YzU9z7bf

Articles and Opinion:

Builders Movement - Free Speech Double Standard: https://buildersmovement.org/2025/09/24/free-speech-double-standard/

The Progress Network: https://theprogressnetwork.org/electrotech-child-poverty-mobile-money/

Good For The Soul:

Good for the Soul - AOC and Chip Roy Restore Trust In Congress Act: https://youtu.be/ag2N9QpioWg?si=NpQQA7ZSBavtHlyT

Rep Chip Roy on Congressional Stock Trading Ban and US Gov't stake in Intel: https://youtu.be/tHrSNy7YklI?si=h4kLr0EWkoUkuiBw

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole

Gun control debates usually end with people screaming past each other about the Second Amendment and dead children. But what happens when you actually sit down and try to understand why people feel so strongly on both sides? Today we're tackling America's most polarizing issue, and honestly, neither of us walked away feeling like we had all the answers. Maybe that's the point.

The conversation about guns in America isn't going to end anytime soon. But maybe it could get more productive if we stopped assuming the worst about people who disagree with us and started looking for solutions that address everyone's legitimate concerns.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Gun Control Organizations: Brady United: https://www.bradyunited.org/ Giffords: https://giffords.org/ Everytown for Gun Safety: https://www.everytown.org/

Data and News Sources: USA Facts: https://usafacts.org/ Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/ Time Magazine Gun Control History: https://newsfeed.time.com/2013/01/16/a-history-of-violence-gun-control-in-the-pages-of-time/slide/july-1989-death-by-gun/

Video and Podcast Content: YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/DeRSMgFCmUE?si=kkB7nG6FXFozCbHl The Daily Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000722487869

Products and Services: Byrna (Non-lethal Defense): https://byrna.com/?pb=0&srsltid=AfmBOorHhS0lPW63kYakRXDPm5uEmUPy_MgnJPHDpJyYp7D-baQ6UkUe

Social Media/Commentary: Diaper Diplomacy: https://www.instagram.com/diaperdiplomacy/?hl=en America the Possible: https://www.instagram.com/americathepossible/?hl=en

Historical Reference: Chicago History Museum - Tylenol Murders: https://www.chicagohistory.org/tylenol-murders/

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

When Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Utah, the immediate response from both political parties revealed something deeply broken about American discourse. Instead of mourning a human life, social media exploded with celebrations, blame, and calls for revenge.

We’re processing this tragedy as friends from opposite sides of the political spectrum, sharing their heartbreak over how quickly Americans turned a murder into political ammunition. This episode examines the cruel responses that followed, the systemic issues creating isolated and radicalized young people, and why political violence should terrify everyone regardless of party affiliation.

A deeply personal conversation about what we've lost as a country and what we need to find our way back to each other before it's too late.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Polls and Data: YouGov Poll on Political Violence: https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/52960-charlie-kirk-americans-political-violence-poll

Political Responses: Governor Spencer Cox: https://youtu.be/PVYqYCHDqHA?si=74Eo3-Uh1uyu9ySy

Senator Bernie Sanders Statement: https://youtu.be/EUPgz8Q05o4?si=9IUVwsRoMAzo-WK5

Media Coverage: The Free Press: https://www.youtube.com/live/Nzachq_DqmQ?si=lDbYBpNkH1TXTF5K

Tangle Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tangle/id1538788132?i=1000726756203

Social Media/Commentary: James Talarico: https://www.instagram.com/jamestalarico/?hl=en

Dan Lanning: https://x.com/albertbreer/status/1967214250449047912?s=42

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

Everyone's noticed it, but nobody wants to say it out loud: Americans have gotten meaner. Or at least, that’s what David Brooks believes. Today we're discussing an article that David wrote for The Atlantic, “How America Got Mean”. His explanation for our national cruelty crisis left Nicole feeling defeated, and Jolene a little more optimistic.

Regardless of whether the article was perhaps a little over dramatic, both Nicole and Jolene agreed there is something very wrong with the way Americans are treating each other. And it seems to have gotten worse over the last 20 years.

So how did we get here?

In this episode, we take a look at what we’re doing wrong and what might help us get back to a kinder America.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

How America Got Mean

Ground News

The Progress Network

We Haven’t Given Up On Gen Z

The Music Bar

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/