The Social Contract with Joe Walsh

Tariffs. Tax increases on Americans, plain and simple. And Trump’s tariffs are going to devastate the lives of working class Americans. And when people bring up these facts, what do Trump and his people do? They whine, and they’re cry, and they play the victim. Pathetic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

Every week, I’m siting down with and having conversations with Americans. Of ALL political stripes. Recently, I sat down with a group of Los Angeles progressives. We talked about understanding the other side. They weighed in on why they think people are drawn to Trump. Interesting stuff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

Trump is selling ball caps that read “Trump 2028,” and MAGA thinks it’s hilarious. No. It’s wrong, and it’s dangerous. Also, most of America isn’t MAGA and most of America isn’t the Bernie/AOC left. Most of America is in the big middle. So why do the extremes dominate? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 April 2025

A conversation with Jonathan Allen, who wrote an amazing inside look at the craziness of the 2024 presidential campaign with Amie Parnes - “Fight: Inside The Wildest Battle For The White House.” What was really going on behind the scenes, most especially with Biden and Harris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

Way too many Americans have lost faith in way too many of our institutions. And when that happens, it’s fertile ground for demagogues to come along and spread lies & conspiracies, dangerously furthering that distrust. Awhile back, I went to central PA and found out most folks I spoke with there believe it is possible to steal an election in America today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025

California governor Gavin Newsom said the other day that talking about due process for Abrego Garcia is a “distraction.” A distraction that team Trump wants. No. Fighting to defend due process, to defend civil liberties is never a distraction. And Democrats, if you won’t fight to defend due process, then don’t bother fighting to defend anything. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

Every week I’m out on the road having conversations with Americans, with regular folks, of all political viewpoints. Listening to their take on America. Today a clip from a conversation with 6 left of center Americans in Los Angeles. Their biggest worries and their biggest fears for this country they love. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

we’re both very pro Israel. We both abhor antisemitism. Yet we differ strongly in what the government should or should not do to combat antisemitism. We differ strongly in what Trump is doing in the name of combating antisemitism. So we sat down to listen. And discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025

One of Trump’s henchmen said yesterday that to advocate for due process for Abrego Garcia is to “aid & abet terrorism.” Screw that. And make no mistake what this is. It’s an attack on free speech. It’s the latest effort of the tyrant in the White House to silence private individuals, to chill & censor speech. We must not allow it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

Every day it continues, Trump wreaks havoc on our institutions, ignores the Constitution, and attacks who and what America is, and every day Democrats hem and haw and hesitate and huddle to maybe figure out how to possibly respond. Huh? Dammit Dems, wake the hell up and fight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

If what Trump said in the Oval Office yesterday doesn’t send a chill up your spine, then you’ve forgotten what America is. Or you’re way too dangerously partisan. And once you throw due process out the window for anyone, you throw it out the window for yourself. And one more problem…we’re not even speaking off the same basic fact sheets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

We’re snatching up innocent people because of what they believe. We’re sending innocent people to foreign prisons. This isn’t what America is. Right? Also, Trump only says what Putin allows him to say. Finally, why are we at each other’s throats? A different theory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025

The Trump administration admitted they made a mistake when they grabbed him, put him on a plane and sent him to a prison in El Salvador. They acknowledged he’s an innocent man. The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the Trump administration to bring him back here. Pronto. But will they? Also, an interview with the brother of an Israeli hostage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

He commits acts of corruption right out in the open, he goes after his political opponents right out in the open, and we just think oh this is no big deal. We are so lowering the bar with Trump. We will regret it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

These tariffs are different. Trump has been able to survive and thrive politically because he lies about everything - January 6th, Haitian migrants - but he can’t lie about the economy. People know if the economy is good or bad. Trump can’t lie his way out of layoffs and rising prices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025

He’s an American citizen, he’s a lawyer, his family came back to America from vacation. And they detained him. For no reason other than to intimidate him. And to be cruel. This is wrong. This is not America. Also, no single person should have the power Trump has. Shame on Republicans for giving it to him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025

As markets here in the U.S. and around the world crater, and as the entire world economic order borders on crisis, it's easy to blame just that madman in the White House for all of this. Nope. He's not alone. Also...millions and millions took to the streets two days ago to say "hands off!" It was a sight to behold. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2025

good week politically for Democrats, but I gotta be honest. I’m sad and angry because we put such a stupid person back in the White House. And that stupid person in the White House is going to hurt so many people. It’s going to get much worse. And sadly, way too many Americans are going to have to feel the pain before they wake up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

I sat down with a young conservative who worries about/wonders why a conservative like me sounds basically like a Democrat these days. We had a great, respectful conversation about why we each have taken the stances we’ve taken. I enjoyed this conversation with Will Murphy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2025

Musk and Trump have had ten weeks to wreak havoc, chaos and mayhem. And last night in Wisconsin & Florida voters had the first opportunity to punch back. And they did. Also, people will die because of what Musk & Trump are doing. Finally, if Trump wasn’t such a coward, he’d make one simple phone call. But he won’t, because he’s a coward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2025

Every single day in this country right now, people are being detained and deported without due process. This is illegal, this is unconstitutional. Every day in this country right now, this administration is “accidentally” putting innocent people on airplanes and sending them to foreign prisons. Without any due process. This isn’t America Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2025

I’m obsessed with the political divide in this country. A divided I helped create. So I sat down with two experts in the field. To discuss how to have conversations with people with whom you disagree. They’ve developed a project called “Waging Dialogue.” Their website is wagingdialogue.org. Check the site out and Have a listen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2025

Elon Musk is paying people to vote in next week’s Wisconsin Supreme Court Race, Trump just admitted that WE pay for his tariffs, the White House doesn’t believe in separation of powers, and the Attorney General has made it official: she is Donald Trump’s personal lawyer. Here we are America! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025

Right now, people are being grabbed from their homes, snatched off of streets, and denied entry into this country. All because of the views these people hold. This isn’t America. We don’t penalize people because of their views, their beliefs, Right? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

Hegseth, Waltz, et al just dared the Atlantic reporter to put out the information he was privy to on that group chat security breach. And so he did put it out. And if the information on that group chat isn’t classified, then nothing is. Heads should roll for this. But remember, in Trump world, it’s a cardinal sin to admit wrongdoing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2025

The attorney general of the United States is the top law enforcement officer in the country. Sherry is America’s top cop. Her job is to defend the Constitution and the law. She does not work for the President. She works for us. All of us. So she shouldn’t be going on Fox News every day getting political. That’s wrong. That’s not normal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

So the Attorney General of the United States, who seems to spend her entire day and night on Fox News, went on Fox News over the weekend and said that we gotta be careful how we criticize Elon Musk. Somebody needs to remind the Attorney General that we have free speech in this country. And she should re read the First Amendment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2025

Charlie Sykes is joined by Tom Nichols of The Atlantic to discuss the growing normalization of authoritarianism and the failure of America's institutions to push back. They cover everything from Trump’s war on the judiciary to Elon Musk’s growing influence, the alarming capitulations by law firms and universities, and Vladimir Putin's manipulation of global power dynamics. It’s a wide-ranging, sobering, and often darkly funny conversation about why, even after all this time, we’re still capable of being shocked. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 March 2025

She grew up loving & admiring America, she spent time here as a 13yr old exchange student and worked in NYC as a young woman. But that America, from her perspective, is no more. Trump & Vance beating up Zelensky in the White House a few weeks ago made that clear. A poignant conversation with a friend from the U.K. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

I sat down with political scientist @leedrutman to talk about the current state of our politics and our two parties. He believes we have system wide problems and the only solutions to our broken politics are system wide solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

From day one, I’ve believed that Musk & Trump didn’t have the constitutional authority to do damn near everything they were doing. A Federal Judge yesterday affirmed that belief when he ruled that Musk & Trump did not have the constitutional authority to shut down USAID. Let’s hope similar rulings follow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2025

The mad, cruel, dishonest tyrant in the White House lashed out this morning in a social media post complaining that because he won by a "mandate" no judge or court should be able to stop him from doing what he wants. Now Trump is an idiot and a narcissist, so no surprise he feels that way, but…do the American people agree with him? That he can do WHATEVER he wants? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2025

He's doing what he said he would do. He's moving fast, he's acting like a king, and he's defying the law. His party and his followers are applauding him, and the so called "opposition party" is utterly lost. The two remaining questions are: Will the courts hold? And will the American people rise up and oppose him? We shall see. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2025

Schumer said he’s voting for the GOP spending bill. What a wussy. In a moment with a radicalized Republican Party led by Donald Trump and that calls for a real FIGHT over the Constitution, Schumer thinks he’s back in the 1990’s dealing with Republicans like Bob Dole. I know I’m a broken record, but Democrats need to fight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2025

Decency and tolerance. Most Americans still side with basic human decency and tolerance on most policy issues. And Especially when it comes to the issue of transgender men & women. Most Americans oppose how House Republicans are treating their transgender Democratic colleague from Delaware. So come on Democrats, don’t shy away from the issue. Fight on this issue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

I sat down with freelance opinion writer Kimberly Ross. She doesn’t belong to either side right now. She will rightly criticize both sides. We discussed what it feels like to not belong to a political team these days. And even though I help Democrats because I consider MAGA a unique threat, truthfully, I’m in the same lonely spot Kim is in Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2025

Trump was handed a great economy. And he’s destroying it. Nothing but chaos, confusion, and tariffs. And btw Democrats, do not bail Republicans out. They created this mess, let them deal with it. And what happened over the weekend happens in authoritarian regimes. It should not happen here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

Trump is suppressing speech, and he’s using immigration enforcement to suppress speech. He’s cracking down on international students who are here on student visas and who are protesting in support of Palestinians. He’s trying to arrest and deport them. I’m hugely pro-Israel, but that’s not right. And we should be bigger and better than that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2025

Ten democrats joined every Republican in the House to vote to censure the Democratic Congressman who interrupted Trump’s address the other night. That’s ten Democrats who don’t get how unprecedented and scary these times are. Decorum & civility ain’t gonna cut it Dems. You wanna preserve our democracy? You gotta put decorum & civility in the rear view mirror for awhile. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

A Hispanic Member of Congress gave the Spanish language rebuttal to Trump’s address. The official House Republican Twitter account called him an “illegal immigrant.” Disgusting, cruel, ignorant…but hey, in today’s Trump era, that tweet will get a bunch of high fives. Trump has made it permissible for people to be their very worst. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2025

Trump gave a speech last night to a joint session of Congress. It was his first time in the House chamber, in the Capitol, post-January 6th. Remember January 6th? 4yrs and 2 months ago, Trump sent a mob into that chamber, into the Capitol to overthrow an American election. And last night he gave a speech there and people were supposed to listen to him and pay him some sort of respect? Never. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

House Republican leaders have told their members not to hold any more in person town halls. Because voters at these town halls have made clear they’re not happy with what Trump & Musk are doing. And some of these confrontations with Republicans have gone viral. We must not let House Republicans get away with this. We must demand they sit in front of their constituents and hear their concerns. That’s their job. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

Trump stands with Putin. He always has. But because that’s such a horrible truth, most of the world has understandably had a really difficult time accepting that truth. Until Friday. Friday made it crystal clear for all to see. And now the world knows that, as long as Trump is in the White House, America is not on the side of the free world. So damn sad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 March 2025

Mike Madrid and I got together on Substack Live to discuss the current political landscape in America, the importance of engagement, strategic messaging, and the need for the Democratic Party to refocus its efforts. We also talk about the challenges posed by figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 March 2025

Democrats need to learn from Trump. Trump puts himself in front of a camera every day. Because this is all just a show to Trump. And Trump had always been about the marketing. That’s it. And when he’s in front of the camera, he lies. All the time. But Democrats have missed the boat here. They’re still playing by the old, cautious politician rules. They’re afraid of the open give and take. That’s gotta change. Fast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

I’m so sick and tired of the old establishment media putting these old establishment Democratic consultants on to bestow us with their old establishment wisdom. Fuck that. These guys are out of touch and Democrats need to stop listening to them. Democrats shouldn’t “roll over and play dead right now as Carville said. They should fight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2025

I sat down with progressive writer and thinker Jeet Heer to discuss what Democrats need to do to pull together an anti-Trump majority and win again. Trump didn’t win by a lot, but Democrats have real issues and need to make real decisions. Jeet and I don’t really agree on the direction Dems must go, but we agree Dems need to win. Because MAGA is a real threat to this country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

Because Trump believes our FBI, and DOJ, and Military, and intelligence community are all the enemy, he’s put people in charge of these agencies & departments who want to destroy them. From Trump’s perspective, it makes all the sense in the world. But from America’s perspective, it makes us way less safe and less secure. But we shouldn’t be surprised. He told us he’d do this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2025

Earlier this week, JD Vance criticized our European allies for getting weak on protecting free speech. Two days later, JD’s administration sent a threatening letter to a Congressman hinting at a DOJ investigation into his criticisms of Elon Musk & Trump. This is ugly government free speech intimidation. Hey JD, what about free speech in America? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

Trump lies almost every time he opens his mouth. And I stopped saying shame on Trump for lying a long time ago. Now I say shame on his supporters for allowing Trump to lie to them. Trump’s lying is on them, not him. And btw, We Americans will never get back a healthy democracy if we don’t demand a semblance of truth from the politicians who represent us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2025