The Mad Centrist

The Mad Centrist

"A sane person to an insane society must appear insane." ― Kurt Vonnegut Jr.Not Mad as in Angry, Mad as in Insane. And in an insane world, the sane are simply Mad.  I am The Mad Centrist.You can be too!The Mad Centrist podcast is a middle ground, pragmatic, politically polite, and irreverently independent show.  Pulling the rug out from beneath Democrats and Republicans alike, while respecting democrats and republican citizens (the distinction between Party and people is critical!).  Amusing anecdotes of the crazy world we find ourselves in, how to maybe get along better, and pull the world back towards sanity, and do so while having some fun!

  1. May 18

    Episode 82: Voting Rights: Cheat or Lose

    Send us Fan Mail Splitting the nation in two is going very well these days. Texas rams through a redistricting effort.  California puts redistricting on the ballot and wins.  Then something happened that brought the Gerrymandering Wars to new heights: Louisiana challenged the Voting Rights Act, and after losing, and losing again on appeal, the Supreme Court heard the case - and this episode was born. Learn about the Voting Rights Act, some history and a little bit about the Constitution and the Southern States that tried to ignore it - successfully for some time.  What changed, what got better, and how it stands now. Notes: Article on the little DC shootout: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/04/secret-service-shoots-armed-man-near-white-house-00905911  Episode 64 on the National Guard: https://www.themadcentrist.com/2079783/episodes  Lyndon B. Johnson, fact check: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2014/apr/14/barack-obama/lyndon-johnson-opposed-every-civil-rights-proposal/  Government Archives on the Voting Rights Act: https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/voting-rights-act  Shelby v. Holder case: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/570/529/  AP Article with Justice Alito's writing: https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2026/supreme-court-weakens-the-voting-rights-act-and-aids-gop-efforts-to-control-the-house/  The Guardian article on the wrong data used to strike down the Voting Rights Act: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/08/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-misleading-data-doj?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other  The political podcast for everyone!

    41 min
  2. May 6

    TMC - Episode 81: (Almost) War Powers

    Send us Fan Mail Defense Production and War Powers.  What do they have to do with the economy and Spirit Airlines?  And honestly, what are they anyway?  That is what this episode is about - along with a bit of coincidental news and events. Join in! Show Notes: Pope Leo sets a Trump Trap? https://www.thedailybeast.com/pope-leo-launches-scarcely-concealed-attack-on-donald-trump-prompting-evelio-menjivar-ayala/  What Trump thinks about gas prices: https://www.thestreet.com/economy/trump-has-a-blunt-message-on-gas-prices-for-the-rest-of-2026  What is really happening with gas prices: https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/americans-spent-125-million-more-on-gas-friday-than-they-did-a-week-ago-0038690c  Spirit Airlines bailout? https://apnews.com/article/spirit-airlines-trump-bailout-bankruptcy-37a4818e1b71c0905d022f669d85948c  Europe feeling the airline squeeze to: https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/2192630/european-airports-jet-fuel-shortages-strait-of-hormuz  Trump's lie making us pay? https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/27/trump-keeps-trying-reassure-oil-markets-some-analysts-think-he-making-it-worse-00894257  Trump fleeces MAGA: https://dnyuz.com/2026/05/01/trump-scam-cost-maga-devotees-over-4b-expert/  Inflation is up: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/10/business/inflation-cpi-report?unlocked_article_code=1.Z1A.lWpq.orQQtv3FjXv5  Fed gossip! https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/after-months-of-debating-rate-cuts-fed-shifts-toward-mapping-out-hikes-db850f74  Consumer Confidence way down: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/10/consumer-sentiment-inflation-fears-iran-war.html  Write up from Congress on War Powers Resolution: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-1508/pdf/COMPS-1508.pdf  The political podcast for everyone!

    41 min
  3. Apr 20

    Episode 80: Hope Springs

    Send us Fan Mail Can you feel the tide shift?  Maybe a little? Ukraine, Orban in Hungary, Georgia, Russia, and now...the USA too? A lot of little things are adding up to big things, and I feel the change happening, join me in this episode as I explain what I am feeling to you! Show Notes: Russian economic news: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/putin-finally-admits-russia-s-economy-is-in-trouble-and-grasps-for-answers-after-warnings-about-a-financial-crisis-have-been-piling-up/ar-AA21dDka?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=69e4f95022014979af3d25fd71795431&cvpid=69e4fd2e24e44a348d981a4bc723629d&ei=47  Alex Jones bails on MAGA? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/alex-jones-in-disbelief-as-trump-s-ceasefire-collapses/ar-AA20rTqC?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=69d6ea8e68b148989a93106a76df294d&ei=26  Trump "wins" a poll in Massachusetts? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-celebrates-poll-win-over-critics-but-the-numbers-tell-a-different-story/ar-AA21flL1?ocid=hpmsn&cvpid=69e4fd2e24e44a348d981a4bc723629d  Empty seats in AZ: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-greeted-by-empty-seats-at-arizona-rally-leaving-supporters-totally-shocked-report/ar-AA21boqT?ocid=hpmsn  Staffers abandoning ship: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/top-trump-aide-flees-white-house-as-exodus-spirals/ar-AA20R5Tc?ocid=hpmsn  Pope feud! https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/19/trump-feud-pope-leo-divides-catholics/89667533007/?tbref=hp  The political podcast for everyone!

    31 min

About

"A sane person to an insane society must appear insane." ― Kurt Vonnegut Jr.Not Mad as in Angry, Mad as in Insane. And in an insane world, the sane are simply Mad.  I am The Mad Centrist.You can be too!The Mad Centrist podcast is a middle ground, pragmatic, politically polite, and irreverently independent show.  Pulling the rug out from beneath Democrats and Republicans alike, while respecting democrats and republican citizens (the distinction between Party and people is critical!).  Amusing anecdotes of the crazy world we find ourselves in, how to maybe get along better, and pull the world back towards sanity, and do so while having some fun!