The Skepticrat

Latest Episodes:

99: Skepticrat099 - Reparations Edition Jun 24, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: Eli proclaims himself a hero ... Another Christian album burning is thwarted by Spotify not being flammable ... And Donald Trump celebrates Juneteenth by announcing his re-election campaign on one of the June teenths.
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Headline Sources:
House of Representatives debates a bill to explore reparations: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/us/politics/slavery-reparations-hearing.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage https://www.theroot.com/ta-nehisi-coates-clapped-back-at-mitch-mcconnell-for-sa-1835674314
Extinction Rebellion protests NYT climate change desk: https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/22/us/extinction-rebellion-new-york-times-arrests/index.html
We’re not at war with Iran yet: https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/20/middleeast/iran-drone-claim-hnk-intl/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/iran-us-tensions-latest-intl/index.html
SCOTUS tells Virginia that they can't re-gerrymander their voting districts: https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_in_Virginia https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/17/us/politics/virginia-racial-gerrymandering-supreme-court.html https://www.npr.org/2019/06/17/733389132/supreme-court-hands-democrats-a-win-on-racial-gerrymandering-in-virginia https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/17/politics/supreme-court-racial-virginia-gerrymandering-case/index.html
People are fighting over whether concentration camps are concentration camps: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/editorial/2019/06/22/tribune-editorial-yes-we/
Petition asks Netflix not to make Amazon show anymore: https://www.latimes.com/books/la-et-jc-good-omens-protest-cancel-neil-gaiman-20190621-story.html

98: Skepticrat098 - Wilhelm Scream 2020 Edition Jun 10, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: [Eli sarcasm voice] Heath will advocate for President Pete because it turns out they're both racist ... [Noah literal truth voice] Noah will cringe at the makeshift studio in our Air BnB ... [Heath angry that this is still even slightly controversial voice] And you should've voted for Hillary Clinton.
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97: Skepticrat097 - Oreo Speedwagon Edition May 27, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: The Supreme Court rules that declaring yourself king is PERFECTLY constitutional ... Fox News viewers everywhere wonder if agreeing with Mayor Pete made them gay ... And Ben Carson hears about REO Speedwagon right before his face explodes.
To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat
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Headline Sources:
Trump tells Barr to declassify whatever makes him look not-guilty: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/barr-could-expose-secrets-politicize-intelligence-with-review-of-russia-probe-current-and-former-officials-fear/2019/05/24/58f822f8-7e2f-11e9-8bb7-0fc796cf2ec0_story.html?utm_term=.0fa8a48a4c61
Supreme Court blocks redrawing of Ohio, Michigan electoral maps: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-gerrymandering/us-supreme-court-blocks-redrawing-of-ohio-michigan-electoral-maps-idUSKCN1SU292
Liz Warren rejects Fox interview; Pete Buttigieg does the opposite: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/14/politics/elizabeth-warren-fox-news-town-hall/index.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/business/media/fox-news-pete-buttigieg-chris-wallace.html
Steve Mnuchin announces that Harriet Tubman twenty not coming any time soon: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/22/us/harriet-tubman-bill.html
Theresa May announces she will resign on 7 Junehttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/24/theresa-may-steps-down-resigns-tory-leader-conservative-brexit
Ben Carson gets led through an easy answer like a slow-witted first grader: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/21/politics/ben-carson-katie-porter-oreo/index.html

96: Skepticrat096 - Wohl E Coyote Super Boy Genius Edition May 13, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: Jacob Wohl runs into a wall he painted a tunnel onto … Eli’s ‘gross, poor person’ character will become official school policy in Rhode Island … And Donald Trump tries weirdly hard to hide a 450-page essay about how innocent he is.

And yes, I'm aware it's actually Josiah "Jed" Bartlet.

To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat

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Headline Sources:

A decade of Trump's tax records confirm he's bad at everything: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/07/us/politics/donald-trump-taxes.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

Rhode Island lunch law co-opted by yogurt company charity: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/10/us/rhode-island-lunch-debts-warwick-chobani-trnd/index.html

Giuliani plans/cancels trip to Ukraine for dirt on Joe Biden’s son: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/trumps-interest-stirring-ukraine-investigations-sows-confusion-in-kiev/2019/05/11/cb94f7f4-73ea-11e9-9331-30bc5836f48estory.html?utmterm=.ec02b1f1dc75

Jacob Wohl trolls himself wrong while trying to frame Mayor Pete for sexual misconduct: https://www.thedailybeast.com/jacob-wohl-tried-to-create-a-fake-counter-protest-to-his-own-press-conference https://www.thedailybeast.com/far-right-smear-merchants-jacob-wohl-and-jack-burkman-try-to-slime-pete-buttigieg-with-bogus-sex-assault-claim

Nick Di Paolo triggers Eli with new album on YouTube: https://www.nickdip.com/breath-of-fresh-air

Donald Trump pardons another evil person: https://www.npr.org/2019/05/07/720967513/trump-pardons-former-soldier-convicted-of-killing-iraqi-prisoner

95: Skepticrat095 - Endgame Edition Apr 29, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: Twitter finds out the Nazis were calling from inside the government ... Eli will misunderstand the assignment and think “Avengers came out” is a news story ... And Sophocles and Freud have NOTHING to do with Heath's adoration of Liz Warren.

To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat

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Headline Sources:

Trump seeks to keep everyone from testifying about everything: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/24/how-trump-congress-subpoena-fight-is-likely-play-out/?utmterm=.ea751870f288 and https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-approves-officials-testimony-after-contempt-threat/2019/04/27/ec8cbbea-68f5-11e9-83df-04f4d124151fstory.html?utm_term=.591656283fc9

Twitter can’t ban white supremacists because Steve King would get banned: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/a3xgq5/why-wont-twitter-treat-white-supremacy-like-isis-because-it-would-mean-banning-some-republican-politicians-too

Trump says DJIA beats collusion, praises Robert E. Lee, and plans to hire misogynist for Fed: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/04/donald-trump-impeachment-rebuttal https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/us/politics/stephen-moore-women.html?module=inline https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/04/26/what-trump-gets-wrong-about-robert-e-lee/?utm_term=.306b4dcade5f

North Korea presents US with $2 million bill for Otto Warmbier’s medical treatment: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea-warmbier/trump-approved-payment-of-2-million-north-korea-bill-for-care-of-warmbier-report-idUSKCN1S124E

Avengers series wrap-up (no spoilers): https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/28/media/avengers-endgame-box-office-record/index.html

Liz Warren has actual policy plans to make shit better for average people: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/24/18196275/elizabeth-warren-wealth-tax https://www.vox.com/2019/4/11/18305108/elizabeth-warren-real-corporate-tax

94: Skepticrat094 - Political Pseudoscience Edition Apr 15, 2019

Show notes

Disclaimer: Anything that sounded like a suggestion of genociding anti-vaxxers was 100% sarcastic regardless of how offensive that target group might be.

On this week's episode: President Trump sure hopes nothing bad happens to Ilhan Omar ... New York will get constitutionally protected measles ... And Donald Trump holds interviews for the Acting Acting Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, just to be thorough.

To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat

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Headline Sources:

Two more high-ranking officials leave the Trump administration: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/04/08/politics/randolph-tex-alles-secret-service-director/index.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/homeland-security-secretary-kirstjen-nielsen-leaving-trump-administration-amid-surge-of-migrants/2019/04/07/97d20358-597d-11e9-b8e3-b03311fbbbfestory.html?utmterm=.bd46c4b11976

Trump threatens to release immigrants into ‘sanctuary cities’: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/12/712760676/trump-threatens-to-send-detained-immigrants-to-sanctuary-cities

Anti-vaxxers using Holocaust symbols to promote their murderous cause: https://nypost.com/2019/04/08/anti-vaxxers-slammed-for-using-star-of-david-to-promote-cause/

Thomas Massie questioning John Kerry: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/4/12/18307727/thomas-massie-john-kerry-video-political-science

93: Skepticrat093 - Redacted Edition Apr 01, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: Alex Jones calls Alex Jones psychotic ... The GOP points to an apple surplus as evidence we no longer need affordable healthcare ... And we learn that unlike Congressman Mo Brooks, Hitler at least had the integrity to be honest about his "big lie" propaganda.

To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat

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Headline Sources:

Mueller Report being teased like next Avengers Movie: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-29/barr-promises-congress-redacted-mueller-report-by-mid-april-jtugkss9

Alex Jones calls Alex Jones psychotic: https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/30/us/alex-jones-psychosis-sandy-hook/index.html

Alabama congressman quotes Mein Kampf to describe Democrats: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/03/mo-brooks-mein-kampf-quote-big-lie.html

Trump administration decides American healthcare can go fuck itself: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/03/26/trump-administration-asks-court-totally-repeal-obamas-affordable-care-act/?utm_term=.430108fc065f

Purdue Pharma settles opioid lawsuit: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/purdue-pharma-state-of-oklahoma-reach-settlement-in-landmark-opioid-lawsuit/2019/03/26/69aa5cda-4f11-11e9-a3f7-78b7525a8d5fstory.html?noredirect=on&utmterm=.cd4e68a5f8f3

92: Skepticrat092 - Varsity Blue Lives Matter Edition Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: Donald Trump had no idea someone was gonna follow that recipe he kept tweeting out ... Mario Cuomo’s kid opens his primetime CNN show by telling us nepotism might be a problem in the US ... And Mitt Romney removes his birthday candles one at a time to blow em out like a serial killer.

To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat

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Headline Sources:

Rich people cheating their kids into college: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/arts/huffman-loughlin-college-scandal.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/us/college-admissions-cheating-scandal.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage https://twitter.com/gokpkd/status/1105501340581744640

British House of Commons votes to delay Brexit: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47576813

Trump fails to call out white supremacy in wake of NZ attacks: https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/16/politics/donald-trump-new-zealand-white-supremacy-muslims/index.html

Trump claims he said "Tim Apple" to save time: https://www.vox.com/2019/3/11/18259996/trump-tim-cook-apple-tweet-time-and-words

US grounds Boeing 737 max (eventually): https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/13/boeing-shares-fall-after-report-says-us-expected-to-ground-737-max-fleet.html

House votes unanimously to release Mueller report; Graham blocks senate vote: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/15/house-voted-release-mueller-report-so-why-is-lindsey-graham-blocking-it/?utm_term=.a94714ad31ab

91: Skepticrat091 - Baby Cheesing Edition Mar 04, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: We replaced Noah with our other smart guy ... We manage to do half as many headlines but take twice as long now that I’m here ... And we learn that Spike Lee can't read, which is why he knows nothing about the abolition of civil rights.

To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat

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Headline Sources:

Mark Harris will not be running the new election for NC's ninth district: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/us/mark-harris-north-carolina-election.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/us/mark-harris-nc-voter-fraud.html?module=inline

Michael Cohen describes giant pattern of Trump lies at hearing: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/27/us/politics/michael-cohen-trump.html

Baby cheesing is a real thing that people are doing: https://nypost.com/2019/03/01/why-people-are-throwing-cheese-at-babies/?utmsource=NYPTwitter&utmmedium=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=SocialFlow

Trump/Kim summit collapses with no progress made: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/world/asia/trump-north-korea-nuclear-sanctions.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

90: Skepticrat090 - Art of the Green New Deal Edition Feb 18, 2019

Show notes

On this week's episode: The green new deal is both of those things ... Eli will lose an old friend ... And Virginia abolishes abolition during the intro. And now they're all doing soft shoe.

To support our show on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/skepticrat

To hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here: https://www.facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMars/?fref=ts

Headline Sources:

Green New Deal resolution gets officially submitted: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/02/11/whats-actually-green-new-deal-democrats/?utm_term=.b149e2fde390 https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/sites/ocasio-cortez.house.gov/files/Resolution%20on%20a%20Green%20New%20Deal.pdf

Trump declares national emergency to build wall: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-border-emergency-the-president-plans-a-10-am-announcement-in-the-rose-garden/2019/02/15/f0310e62-3110-11e9-86ab-5d02109aeb01story.html?utmterm=.56fe2bd78687

Mueller recommends 25 years for Paul Manafort: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/15/us/politics/paul-manafort-prosecutors.html

So much more follow-up on blackface stuff and Liam Neeson hate crime stuff since last time: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-atty-gen-herring-appears-in-blackface-in-photo-from-college-days/2019/02/06/9aa4aff8-2a26-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81story.html?utmterm=.ecef10832d41 https://www.essence.com/news/virginia-police-sergeant-on-paid-leave-after-antifacist-group-exposes-alleged-white-nationalist-ties/

Mars Rover breaks down; people are weirdly emotional about it: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-record-setting-opportunity-rover-mission-on-mars-comes-to-end

Payless is closing and I’m deeply sad: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/15/payless-shoesource-all-u-s-stores-liquidating-and-closing/2885949002/