The Fifth Column How Much Benevolence Can You Take? - #540
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Jan 15, 2026 The hosts dive into their surprising movie confessions and COVID trauma, blending humor with serious reflection. They dissect Trump's fascination with rare minerals and the political quirks around tariffs. A heated discussion on the reckoning of pandemic policies ensues, alongside calls for transparency from intelligence agencies. They analyze ICE's tactics and recent public sentiment against aggressive enforcement. The conversation wraps up with poignant critiques of media sensationalism and the implications of U.S. support for Iranian protesters.
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Stifling Emptiness Of COVID
- The pandemic created a
Demand A Policy Reckoning For Pandemics
- Investigate policy failures to avoid repeating them in future pandemics.
- Hold hearings and analyze decision chains rather than only using electoral outcomes as a reckoning.
Surge Hiring Erodes Enforcement Quality
- Rapidly surging enforcement hires degrade training and performance.
- Shortened ICE training and mass hiring explain many procedural failures and public backlash.