FiredUp

On this week’s episode, we will: - Take a look back at a few of the key stories that drove the political conversations of 2022 - Look forward to what we can expect in 2023 politically. Will gridlock rule? - Some news coming about the FiredUp podcast in 2023!

Happy Holidays from FiredUp! · This week we recap some stories from my absence due to the Flu: · President Biden signs the Marriage Protection Act into law. · The Jan 6 Committee Report is Released · The Donald comes out with some hokey NFT trading cards and they sell out at $99 each giving Trump $1.2M · Sen Sinema switches to Independent Part · Minneapolis purchases gas station where George Floyd was killed and will convert it into a “Peace Center”

This week on FiredUp: - The Covid numbers are flat for another week, the Biden Administration will phase out its MPox emergency by the end of January. A good report on the health front. - The DNC has proposed reorganizing the Presidential Primary calendar for 2024 and beyond, dropping Iowa as the first primary in favor of South Carolina, citing “a better reflection of the National Demographics” - All eyes are/were on the Georgia runoff. What will the outcome mean for Democrats, Republicans and the Senate for the next two years? - And it wouldn’t be US politics without a Trump bombshell. He is calling for the US Constitution to be “terminated” completely. What would that mean for the country should it somehow come to pass?

Happy Holidays from FiredUp! It seems that the games are on for the holidays… - We look at redistricting once again and the outcomes of the 2022 midterms as well as where it had the most effect on Republican and Democrat races. - As the political games continue, the FL Legislature is considering amending a law they put in place in 2008 to block a Democrat to run fir a national level office. Now they want to reverse that law to allow Republican Gov. DeSantis to do that very thing. - Georgia Supreme Court stays a lower court order that would have blocked Saturday voting in the Senate runoff.

ICYMI new

This week on FiredUp America has survived the 2022 Midterm Elections. What are the lessons learned: · The Democrats will retain control of the Senate. · The House is not yet decided (as of this broadcast). · Abortion was in fact a key voting issue. · Dems risky strategy of backing extreme Republicans they believed they could defeat worked. · 4 of 5 states voted to remove indentured servitude (prison labor slavery) from their constitutions. · Sen Josh Hawley says the current GOP needs to be torn down and a new party built.

. Midterm Elections are tomorrow, Nov 8th, the long campaign season is done. It’s time for those of us who haven’t voted yet to get to the polls and vote in person! 41.9 million votes were cast early and by mail so far. · We will look at three stories that show how the far right will use the power if they gain control of House and/or Senate: · Scotus will be considering a Nursing Home case that would eliminate the filing of lawsuits for mistreatment of residents. · We fact check a Michigan ballot initiative that reportedly would remove the Photo ID requirement for voting, but does it? · We look at a Louisiana effort to exclude mixed race citizens to reduce the numbers of voters that aren’t Black or Black/White mixed race.

This past week Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was brutally attacked by an intruder in their home in San Francisco and suffered serious head and other injuries after being struck by the assailant with a hammer. We will talk about the climate of political violence in our country that leads up to such horrible events. · We are just 9 days from the midterms and over 20 million early votes have already been cast nationwide. We look at the states with the highest vote tallies to date and review the call for all registered voters to GET OUT AND VOTE! · Using the example of a simple Bike Travel Lane bill for Philadelphia PA, we examine how the Republicans are adopting tactics to isolate the State AG and why we so more “poison pill” types of legislation being introduced at the Federal, State and even Local levels.

A Brand new episode of Firedup is available on all streaming platforms! This week on FiredUp - At some point early next year, #Covid vaccines will no longer be free unless you have certain types of medical coverage. What will they cost and what are the choices? - You can’t escape them. They’re everywhere. We’re talking about #polls, political polls. - As we look at polls, recent ones suggest that Republicans are likely to control the #House and could likely gain the #Senate as well. - We will give you the surprising facts on #slavery and #indentured servitude in the USA in 2022. Catch the content on Google Podcasts, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify and Soundcloud! Don't forget to like share and subscribe! #wjmsmedia #firedup #politics #republican #

This week on FiredUp! - More drama over Gov DeSantis shipping asylum seeking immigrants from Texas to Massachusetts. Now a Texas Sheriff is proposing charges against the Florida Governor for transporting them under false pretenses, which could lead to them getting nonimmigrant status visas and remaining in the US until their court dates. - Former President Trump says he would consider appearing before the Jan 6th Committee to testify “if it would be done under his terms”. Specifically, he wants his testimony broadcast live and in real time. Others have testified live only after their taped depositions have been shown during the live hearings. No formal reply has been given by either side in the matter. - The Supreme Court is expected to announce soon when they will hear arguments on the Moore v. Harper case out of North Carolina which will address the legality of the Independent State Legislature Rule which would give the legislature of the State near unassailable control over federal elections and likely lock in one-party rule in the states. - We discuss the Georgia Senate debate between Warnock and Walker and how both candidates did or did not get their (or any) message out.

New content y'all!! We're getting close to the midterm elections! And FiredUp is in their bag!!! In this episode of FiredUp · What qualifications should a Senator or Congressperson have? We question why no one asks candidates “What qualifies you to be a Senator or House Representative?” We look at what the Constitution requires. Is that enough? · Georgia on my mind – We look at Herschel Walker and his baggage. Is what Georgia NEEDS in a US Senator? Voters in the Peach state need to look closely at what they are voting for next month. Catch the content on Google Podcasts, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Soundcloud. Also catch the content on Mintwave Radio, Mondays at 4pm EST / 9pm UK #wjmsmedia #firedup #Georgia #vote #midterm #elections #qualifications #Senator #herschelwalker #november

This Week on FiredUp · Justice Katanji Brown-Jackson takes her seat on the US Supreme Court making history as the first African-American female Supreme Court Justice. · We look at the first round of cases that SCOTUS will take up in the new session starting Oct 3rd. As predicted, the court is taking direct aim at racial admissions to colleges, strengthening gerrymandering and redistricting initiatives, stripping rights to reverse convictions in certain cases and more. · We look at how Florida Rep Matt Gaetz and Sen, Marco Rubio have fought against aid for Florida relief from Hurricane Ian. · We deliver more information on being registered to vote and the critical importance of the down ballot in the upcoming elections in November and in 2024.

ICYMI it's Monday. But don't be sad, we got new content from FiredUp to get you through the day! We are just 43 days away from Midterm elections. Tune in as Steve breaks down the latest and greatest in the political playing field. Episode available on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Soundcloud! Don't forget to like, share and subscribe! And catch the episode airing live on @mintwaveradio today at 5pm EST/9pm UK! #wjmsmedia #firedup #politics #elections #midterm #democrat #republican #vote #mintwaveradio

This week on the FiredUp Podcast · A New voter restriction from Republicans using mailers and low response rates to drive voter roll purges on a national basis. · More details on the asylum seekers shipped from Texas to Massachusetts by Florida Gov DeSantis. Is this legal or another political stunt? · Reports on Bus drivers instructed not to provide any information to New York officials on refugees being transported from the south. · Report from Breitbart News – could Martha’s Vineyard house 6 Million refugees? Steve weighs in based on the many summers he spent on the island.

This week on FiredUp: - Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 on September 8th. We pay our respects to the longest serving Monarch in the history of the United Kingdom. - This past Sunday was the 21st anniversary of the Terrorist Attack on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and the passenger-thwarted attempt that crashed in a field in central PA. We honor the memory of those we lost and the brave souls that foiled the third attempt. - We are focusing this episode on a discussion of Independent State Legislature Theory. A concept promoted by some ultra conservatives as a means to gain and exercise near total control over the voting process in this country. If brought into existence, the State Legislatures would have the ability to select their own Slate of Electors to choose the President and Vice-President of the United States. We look at what it is and where it came from.

This week on the FiredUp Podcast: · The GOP has set its sights in restricting citizen access to launch ballot initiatives at the state lev3el. This action is to roadblock efforts by the citizens to get laws enacted that may not align with Republican beliefs – such as voter access, enshrining abortion rights into state constitutions, etc. · Dallas TX parents are challenging the new law allowing private-funded “In God We Trust” posters, including sending alternate posters that meet the basic requirements of the law but add touches that speak a more inclusive language such as rainbow lettering and subtle stars in the background. Litigation in court is almost certain. · Also, Jim Crow laws are still alive, 130 years later, with initiatives in Florida and Mississippi as voting access restrictions, poll taxes and other methods of disenfranchising voters (primarily Black) continue to this day. · More information about the documents seized from Mar-a-Lago under the DOJ search warrant have come to light, including 43 empty folders with classification markers on them. This is causing great concern among Intelligence Agencies wondering what if anything was in those folders. · It also came to light that The Donald didn’t trust the method of destroying classified documents used by the Pentagon. He resorted to his own methods (remember the clogged toilets?). · Finally we raise the question, looking back at what transpired in the Julian Assange and Edward Snowden situations, Federal arrest warrants and exile in countries without extradition treaties with the US, what will happen with the Donald?

This week on FiredUp - The DOJ released a heavily redacted copy of the Affidavit used to secure the Mar-a-Lago search warrant used by the FBI to search and seize additional documents improperly removed from secure storage at the White House by former President Trump and his staff. We take a look at the Affidavit to see what can be learned. - Some pundits are predicting that FPOTUS Trump may well be indicted over the documents seized at Mar-a-Lago. The Daily Beast has an interesting article on what may be facing the former President. - Its been two months since the Dobbs decision by the SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade and made abortion largely illegal in many parts of the country. Since then several states have enacted their “trigger laws” banning abortion at the state level. We look at the latest information. - We also revisit a story we brought you last week where the state of Texas signed a law into effect that allows for private donations of signs or money to purchase signs is being challenged. Why the issue? The signs are only allowed to display the American and Texas flags, and have the words “In God We Trust”. A Florida man is testing the law by producing signs that have the American Flag, the Texas flag and the words “In God We Trust”. So what you say? Werll the words are written in Arabic. You see there is no prohibition on what language the words must be printed in…

In this episode of FiredUp: - Congresswoman Liz Cheney lost her primary election to a Trump-backed newcomer. What will she be doing going forward after her term, and role on the Jan. 6 Committee end? We examine what she has told of her plans, and it may not be exactly what you’d expect. - Will the US become a Christian country? There is an effort to make this country a Christian Nationalist nation including the efforts we discussed about a 2nd Constitutional Convention aiming at dramatic revisions or a re-writing of our founding document. We will examine what this means and how it might come about. - The Biden administration got another win on the legislative front: The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will dramatically lower health costs for those on Medicare or covered under the ACA. What does it mean and how will it help? Of course, the Republicans are not happy about it. - New details and facts are coming to light regarding the Trump legal team hacking into voting machines in three key swing states after the 2020 election. Can we expect more in 2024? I wouldn’t vote against it.

This week on FiredUp: Sen. Kirsten Sinema (D-AZ) received over $1.5M dollars in campaign contributions from investment and hedge fund companies while she worked to strip tax increases on those super-high worth companies and individuals. Sounds like bought and paid for to me. What say you AZ Democrats? While at a campaign rally this week, Beto O’Rourke dropped the MF bomb in a clapback to an Abbott supporter at the rally who laughed when O’Rourke described what an AR-15 does to a human child’s body. The video of the response has gone viral with some criticizing the choice of words O’Rourke used. The big news of the week is the FBI serving a search warrant at the Mar-a-Lago residence of one Donald J Trump. The warrant cites criminal violations of three Federal Laws, most notably The Espionage Act. Reports are circulating that there were a dozen or more files marked Confidential, Secret and the highest classification Top Secret/SCI in the files seized. We look at the story and the warrant. In response to the raid on Mar-a-Lago, Sem. Rand Paul (R-KY) is now calling for the repeal of the Espionage Act Law. We talk about this, although sources say it is unlikely to gain any traction.

On this episode of the FiredUp Podcast, we are going to open up a discussion on the efforts underway by conservative leaders and others toward a singular goal: a new Constitution for the United States, We look at the organizations and individuals working to get the 34 State Legislatures needed to call a constitutional convention to order. We will discuss the potential talking points and what they might mean. · What does that mean for the rights of the people? · What Constitutional protections will be gone and what might stay? · Will the strategy work? This effort could reshape this country going forward forever. Is this another effort to elevate the rich and powerful over the masses? We will start the conversation on this show.

On this episode of FiredUp, Steve has a full plate as he discusses - Tribute to Nichelle Nichols, iconic and ground breaking actress form Star Trek. - The FBI investigates Russian political interference through a possible link to a St, Petersburg FL group - More GOP election games reported where primary elections in 3 states were being refused certification. - Republican Senators (24 in total) renege on votes to pass the PACT act, which would provide extended and expanded benefits to veterans exposed to toxic fumes and waste in overseas burn pits during the Iraq war and Afghanistan conflict. - Teaser Alert – A Constitution Convention plan by conservative/Republican politicians has surfaced. The goal is to write a new American Constitution. Much more to come on this. Catch the content on Google Podcasts, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify and Soundcloud! Like, Share and Subscribe #wjmsmedia #FiredUp #politics #nichellenichols #Constitution #PACT #Russia

MONDAY FUNDAY! We got new content from FiredUp available now on Google Podcasts, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify and Soundcloud! And catch the content airing on Mintwave Radio at 5pm EST / 9pm UK via Streema! Today's episode covers a laundry list of topics including: - The Republican Party political platform and what they should be doing as 2022 looms closer. - Matt Gaetz as he has made a public statement that has republican women furious and drawn wide ranging condemnation. - We look at Donald as the real poster child for RINO. He doesn’t care about party, he leaves his “friends” and “supporters” hanging out to dry. - Lastly we look at an Axios article that paints a pretty detailed picture of what a second Trump administration would look like, and it isn’t pretty. Like, share and subscribe! #wjmsmedia #firedup #politics #axios #Trump #rino #mattgaetz #republicanparty

This week’s show really does own up to its name as we get Fired Up over some important stories from the past week: We examine a couple of stories that illustrate where the Political Right and its partisan Supreme Court look to move the country toward. First we will look into a case that could “blow up our election law”. SCOTUS rejected an earlier case that challenged the States election process as “insufficient” but in a groundbreaking move called on proponents to go back, do more homework and bring a more solid case for them to consider. Not the first time this has been stated, but as the case would essentially federalize the states election processes, it is one with wide ranging consequences for elections in this country. Next we will go back onto the scorched earth of the post-Hobbs decision and discuss a ruling in Idaho that eliminated all exceptions for terminating a pregnancy EVEN to save the life of the mother. Also, we look at a report from the National Right to Life Organization which stated that the 10-yr old girl who was pregnant by means of a rape and had to travel to Indiana to receive medical care. The NRLO wrote that the girl should have had the baby, and that she at 10-yrs old would “understand the reason and the benefit of having the child”. We also look at the expected proliferation of election challenges by Republicans that lose elections, ala Trumps big lie, that will impact final election outcomes and generate an unknowable number of court cases to settle elections. Potentially overturning Democratic wins in the process. We will look at so-called Model Legislation, pre-written legislative bills distributed to all 50 state legislatures for adaptation or inclusion wholesale into state law. This long standing practice, which leads to identical or nearly identical legislation adopted across many states poses a new posture for some types of restrictive bills.

ICYMI available now on all streaming platforms we have be content from FiredUp! Tune in on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, Google Podcasts and Soundcloud! This week’s FiredUp Podcast focuses on: The role the conservative Supreme Court will play as a backstop for Republican attacks on rights and freedoms post overturning Roe and Casey. Will the Court continue to seemingly be another political arm of the conservative right in this country? Does this new right-wing reality pose threats? We discuss a proposed bill and a letter sent to a Texas law firm regarding their assisting women seeking abortions by reimbursing costs incurred. A not veiled at all threat to sue, disbar and impose other sanctions spells another tool for other red states to follow to enact their will over our liberties. In Arizona, a new law will make it a crime to photograph or video record police activities in public spaces from closer that 8-feet. Georgia State Reps demand that the Univ. of GA cease providing resources to a liberal group that has been publicizing the locations of so-called “Crisis Pregnancy Centers”, essentially anti-abortion advocate and pressure groups, where Pro-Life advocates can try to influence women who show up thinking these are medical procedure offices. Finally we will give the first set of our tips on actions to take to communicate with your elected officials on the key issues coming in elections across the country.

This week on the FiredUp Podcast: We look at the historic swearing in of SCOTUS Assoc. Justice Katanji Brown-Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. We give a little background and reaction to her groundbreaking appointment. We also examine one of the final decisions from the 2021-2022 SCOTUS term that substantially undermeins and weakens the nearly century ols Miranda Rights law requiring law enforcement to advise individuals of their rights. Further, failure to provide Miranda is no longer a violation of the Constitution. We once again visit a Texas decision by the Texas State Board of Educators that, if adopted, would have changed the term "Slavery" tyo "Involuntary Relocation". Another example of the dismantling of American history. Finally, we look at a breaking news story about a 10 yr-old girl who is pregnant and was denied medical procedure to end the pregnancy in Ohio and was forced to travel to Indiana to get treatment.

On this episode, we focus on the top 2 stories (in our opinion) of the week: Highlights from the Jan 6th Insurrection hearings. Donald Trump tries to put his puppet at the top of the Department of Justice, and gets faced with 146 Deputy AG's threaten to resign because his choice candidate is "incompetent". He had to back down on his plan to avoid a DOJ calamity. Rep Mo Brooks sends an email to Trump's Office Coordinator requesting a pardon for 6 House Members for anything and everything they did on Jan 6th. He also included All Reps and Senators that signed the Texas lawsuit against other states as well as those who voted to reject the electorial college submission from Arizona and Pennsylvania. We present a special message from a young lady who graduated from The Univ. of Texas at Austin who has a powerful response message regarding the SCOTUS decision.

In this week’s FiredUp Podcast: Happy Father’s Day to all of the Dads out there! And Happy Juneteenth as well. June 19th is the federal holiday signed into law by President Biden one year ago that commemorates the Union Army informing the enslaved Africans that they were freed by President Lincoln on June 19, 1866. We will take a look at the traditions and celebrations that celebrate that freedom, along with the accomplishments and meanings of Juneteenth today Next, we recap a few of the high points of the Jan. 6th Committee’s first three hearings where they unveil their findings to the American public. We will also talk about how the public feels about whether former President Trump should be held to account for the insurrection We will discuss the upcoming verdict from the Supreme Court on the fate of the Roe vs Wade decision and the battles forming as the future of women’s reproductive rights come into question. We examine some of the state-based efforts to provide some form of protection or to reinforce the high court decision.

On the latest FiredUp Podcast - This episode we review the very busy week that just ended, starting with the powerful presentation from the White House Press Room by Matthew McConaughey responding to the Uvalde elementary school shooting. His speech was impactful, emotional and he called out to our leaders to take action. He told the stories of a couple of the children that were killed, highlighted by a pair of green Converse sneakers like the ones worn by one of the victims, barely holding his emotions in check. He concluded by reciting the litany of things our lawmakers need to do NOW to curtail the violence. - We also reported on the first hearing from the Jan 6 Committee, highlighting the presentation, testimony from a Capitol Police Officer injured in the line of duty and a videographer embedded with the Proud Boys on Jan 6 who recorded startling video of their actions on that day. - The Right has been spending a lot of time, money and words blaming the Biden Administration for inflation, gas prices and gun violence. We will look at the gas price explosion in this country and break down the real facts about what drives gas prices (and it isn’t the President). - In late breaking news, a bi-partisan Senate committee has put forward a proposed gun safety package which we will examine. Just in case you missed it, here is a link to Matthew McConaughey’s speech from the White house on Jan. 7th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP27AXVNaeg

On this episode of FiredUp we discuss: Republicans adopting diversionary strategies to deflect and deflate the anti-gun movement. Inflation and Biden-bashing lead strategies. Matt Gaetz grabs #1 spot in the dumbest idea of the year with support and suggestion that people going to the polls should be allowed to carry guns with them. WTF #1 The GunViolenceArchive.com website provides some scary numbers for gun related deaths and injuries in the US. (And we still have half a year to go!) Congressman Louie Gohmert whines to NewsMax that it’s unfair that Republicans can’t lie to Congress or the FBI without getting into trouble. He says this is a two-tiered justice system. Umm Louie, lying to Congress or the FBI is a Federal Crime and no one should be above the law. WTF#2 HBO Max is streaming a documentary movie about the Move-9 group and their battle with the Philadelphia Police in August 1978. The film tells the story of the siege and destruction of the Move house/HQ and the 42 year struggle to get parole for the 9 people arrested. This is worth a watch and could easily be a story set in 2022 instead of 1978.

the latest FiredUp Podcast: We examine the emerging epidemic – the Monkeyvirus. Where does it come from, how is it spread and what is the US response. Believe it or not, a State Rep from Oklahoma is proposing legislation to institute mandatory vasectomies for all young boys entering puberty. Are they serious?? We will take a hard look at Replacement Theory. Is this the latest right-wing conspiracy theory or are there real facts behind it. What will happen if and after Roe v Wade gets overturned? We look at other objectives of the conservative right.

In this weeks podcast: We continue our discussion on the aftermath of the released SCOTUS memo. We examine the impact that overturning Roe v. Wade could have on Republican chances in the upcoming mid-terms. How could the Court overturning Roe backfire on the Republicans? Will there be a massive She-wave at the polls with women flexing their political muscle? Have the Republicans declared war on their own party's female voters? Alas, what about the Democratic response to the strong attack front the Republicans have put in place. (Spoiler Alert: It's weak!)

On this episode of the FiredUp podcast: We are taking a look into the outcomes from the leaked opinion memo from SCOTUS Justice Alito on the decision the court appears to be taking to overrule Roe V. Wade and by extension Casey V. Planned Parenthood on abortion rights in this country. Aside from the fallout from the document leak itself, we are looking at what a decision to overrule Roe et. al. means. We examine reactions from key Senators and what the possible impacts will be.including: > States that have "trigger laws" that will immediately ban abortions once Roe is overturned. > Democratic strategies to keep protections in place once Roe is gone. > Impacts on other privacy based protections in a post-Roe America

In this episode of FiredUp Covid - Dr. Fauci creates a stir by saying the pandemic is over. What he meant is that the pandemic is ending but covid is NOT. Are contraceptives coming under attack as part of the abortion battle in the US? At least one state is looking at restricting or outright banning the use of contraceptives. Also, should vasectomies and male contraceptives be regulated or restricted like abortions? Why do men get a pass? Proposals surfacing on a fairer way to forgive college loan debt. Raising the question if we are forgiving one type of debt, why not others. Should there be means tests or income limits on who qualifies?. Finally, with the mid-terms and 2024 looming, Democrats need to take a firmer, more vocal stand on the issues. Learn the lesson from MI Sen, Mallory McMorrow.

On this episode of FiredUp We hear a speech given by Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow (D) who gives a powerful response to false allegations about her used in a fundraising ad. Her words should be a Democratic strategy lesson in how to respond to right-wing, Qanon propaganda in the campaign sphere. We explore the motives behind FL Gov. DeSantis and the FL Republicans with their new law targeting the Disney Corp as punishment for their public opposition to the “Don’t Say Gay” education reforms bill and the repeal of two laws giving Disney self-rule over the area they occupy. We also dive into Critical Race Theory again with aa more expansive explainer article from the Assoc. Press. Lastly, we will talk about the Republicans pulling out of the Presidential Debates leading up to the 2024 general election. We offer an interesting response for the Democratic party to take. AP Explainer on CRT: https://apnews.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory-08f5d0a0489c7d6eab7d9a238365d2c1 DeSantis signs Bill against Disney https://apnews.com/article/travel-business-arts-and-entertainment-florida-donald-trump-81eb6eccb4354fc6bae6e20a59cf5c90 DeSantis revokes Disney self-rule law as punishment for public opposition by Disney https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/22/desantis-disney-special-status-dont-say-gay-00027302 Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow rips Republican Colleague https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLWo8B1R0MY

This week's FiredUp episode: We touch on the new Breathalizer test for Covid that has received EUA approval from the FDA. We devote the first segment of our show to updates on the Abortion Rights battle and the Kentucky law that practically places a total ban on abortions past the 15-week viability threshold. We also look at what if any discussion is being held on what will become of children born under these new rules. Will the States step up? Will the families be somehow "encouraged" (aka forced) to raise these children? In the second segment, we revisit the battles over gun control and what the states are or are not doing with the proliferation of guns in the US. We also will look at the so-called "Ghost Guns" and what unregistered weapons available by mail mean in the discussion.

On the Covid front, the impacts of Republican led funding cuts are impacting the number of tests and tracing resources available to continue to give us a clear picture of the impacts of Covid. Headlines: The Senate confirmed Judge Katanji Brown Jackson as the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The Republican Senate contingent save three who voted in the 53-47 bi-partisan vote, all walked out after casting their votes. How childish… The Ukraine defense force continued to out fight the Russian invasion force, ousting them from Kyiv and other major cities. It is reported that they have pulled back to re-supply. Inflation has moved to the top economic concern of the American people according to news polls. More states are quietly proposing laws that will restrict abortion rights. SCOTUS is considering a Mississippi law that is before it that many argue will effectively end the protections of Roe V. Wade in this country. Redistricting is almost complete here in the US but the Republican gains do not look to be nearly as high as originally projected. Democrats will gain more seats than they thought. But most observers still predict a flip in both houses. According to a Pew Research poll, Republicans are more likely to say Partisan control of congress really matters than are Democrats.

Another interesting political week examined on FiredUP! We look at the progress of the Covid pandemic as the latest variant continues to spread. News from the UK on nine additional symptoms identified by British medical may give us worries here in the States. Where do Democrats and Republicans place their trust for news and information? We discuss the most trusted sources for the R's and D's based on a Vox survey. We have a brief update on the Judge Katanji Brown Jackson SCOTUS confirmation and what is likely to happen. We also update political news on Florida's signing of the "Don't Say Gay" law and CRT legislation. Also in Florida, a Federal Judge has placed the state on a 10-year probation on discriminatory voting practices. Will it stand or be appealed?

This episode FiredUp takes on the anti-abortion debate from a very different perspective. We pose the question "What happens to the children that will be born if there is no Federally protected right to abortion?"Withe more than 350,000 abortions performed in the US on average per year, what happens to the percentage of children that are NOT raised by their mothers or family? Will they be placed into the adoption system? There are already over 117,500 children currently waiting to be adopted in this country every year. What if another 100-150,000 children are added into the system? Steve brings his perspective as an adopted child into the discussion. Do we "assign" parents for these children? Perhaps the people who spend there energy protesting abortion should have a child assigned to the,. Interesting thoughts from the perspective of an adopted child noe grown up. We also review the confirmation hearings for Judge Katanji Brown Jackson focussing on the political theater that played out live. How did this confirmation compare to the hearings for the prior three Justices (Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett). The Republican members showed their hypocrisy, on one hand heaping praise for Judge Jackson then proceeding to rake some of her past opinions and positions over the political coals. While her confirmation is likely considering the Democrats have all of their caucus on board, the hope is for a bi-partizan approval if 4 or 5 Republicans join them.

On the latest FiredUP podcast: We open up a discussion of how states are taking a cue from the Texas Abortion law – specifically the civilian lawsuit authorization segment, to sue Teachers and school departments that are teaching subjects that present LGBTQ or related subjects to their elementary students. This comes as FL Gov. DeSantis signs the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law and the ongoing CRT battle continues. We introduce the subject of Letters of Marque and Reprisal: The Constitution of the United States grants Congress the power authorize the President to assign “agents” to go outside of the borders of the US and seize assets. We refer to Article 1 Section 8 where foreign assets and accounts can be seized outside of US borders. France and Italy have used similar authorization under their Laws to do the same. What is this meme and the stickers showing up on gas pumps that depict President Biden and the slogan “I Did This” or similar referring to the rising cost of gasoline. We look at whether or not the President actually has the authority to set the price for gas. It’s been 2 years since Louisville Police broke down the door to Breonna Taylor’s apartment. Based on information that was proven to be incorrect. When her boyfriend fired a single shot at the police because he believed they were criminals breaking in and because this was a “no knock” warrant they did not announce themselves as Police, they fired back. Breonna was fatally wounded and died five minutes later. We will look at how her death, along with that of George Floyd two months later and the aftermath of the Trevon Martin murder led to the creation of the BLM movement. We also note the result of the verdict for the officer that shot her. Link to the Ballotpedia website: https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page

We kick off this episode with a description of what exactly “Practice Activism” means as we provide information to you with each episode. We will still be issuing our “Calls To Action” to get you motivated on an issue informationally, but now we will be bringing steps to take to make that change real. We take a brief look at the 2020 election results as our callout to activism, bringing up the fact that although Biden got 8 Million more votes than Trump in the popular vote, the Electoral College vote was decided for Biden by roughly 70,000 votes overall. Who controls the elections? We look at the process and the actors that run the state elections along with what conservatives are trying to do to change the rules. The President gave his first State of the Union address this past week. We look at some of the key points. We also open up the Republican response and compare and contrast the statements made and we factcheck both sides, looking at strengths and weaknesses of the arguments and rhetoric. We talk briefly about historic Supreme Court Justice nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson being the first Black Female nominated to the High Court. March 7th marks the 57th anniversary of the Civil Rights march across the Edmund Pettus bridge in Alabama, also known as the “Bloody Sunday” march where marchers, including a young John Lewis, were pushed back, beaten and arrested by state police and National Guard. Here are links to source materials: https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-address-fact-check-db71cb899a6235748be83a49c342d195 Harris marks ‘Bloody Sunday’ anniversary in Selma - POLITICO

This week on the FiredUp Podcast! · Latest Covid Pandemic numbers and thoughts as we close in on 1 Million deaths from the disease. · Biden Names SCOTUS pickPresident Joe Biden on Friday nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the U.S. Supreme Court, elevating an African American woman for the first time to a seat on the high court bench. It will remain to be seen if a bi-partisan vote will be recorded for the Judge, but Democrats can confirm her to the bench with their majority if 100% of the Democrat Senators vote in favor, thanks to the rule put in place by McConnell and the republicans to get their nominees appointed. · It has been 10 years since George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin (2/26/2012). Martin was not the first Black young male killed by gun violence and he hasn’t been the last either. We look at how his murder may have become the straw that started the break in the camel’s back. We look at Martin, Floyd, Taylor and discuss the long history of Black deaths since Trayvon. · We also look at the question: Who is Mehmet Oz and is he qualified to be the Senator from Pennsylvania? The answer may not be what you think. · And Steve will close out Black History Month with a Call To Action and Activism. It is past time for people of color in this country to take back OUR NARRATIVE from those who would try to disappear us from history.

This week on the FiredUp Podcast: We explore the continued downward trend in Covid hospitalizations and deaths, slowly driving the numbers to a manageable level. We are tired of Covid and its impacts. No arguments. We are making progress but still have a good way to travel. Compare with Australia at 97% vaxxed, Israel 90+ %. We need to remain diligent in our effort to combat the virus, but we have a good start. We take a look at some of the elements of Black History and its influence on American History. Individuals like Granville Woods, Lewis Latimer, Garrett Morgan and Elijah McCoy among others. Many of these inventions were things that improved everyday tasks and processes mostly through automating processes that were performed by African American and other workers, usually tedious jobs. We are announcing an addition to our show goals and direction. You know that we have so-called “call to action” segments on our show, now we are adding “Practicing Activism” to our tools. Actionable procedures that we need to do to promote real change. More to come, stay tuned. What do you think of when you hear the name “The Black Panther Party”? Did you know that they provided early-childhood education, free breakfast to children, second-hand clothing, health care, free clinics and other social services? Look up the history of the Black Panther Party and check it out. African American Inventors https://www.aip.org/sites/default/files/history/teaching-guides/african-american-inventors-work/African%20American%20Inventors%20in%20History_Patents%20List.pdf African American Presidential Candidates in History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African-American_United_States_presidential_and_vice_presidential_candidates

We ask the question in three different ways: What have we become with our political system? We look at what is happening with Russia and Ukraine, we check in with one of my favorite places to get pissed off at, Florida where Gov DeSantis posted a question about the constitutionality of Rep. Lawson's seat with the FL Supreme court. The court returned the question unanswered. We ask the question - why can't the two parties truly find common ground and serve the people? Ronald Reagan and Tip O'neill did it as did manny others over the years. We ask the question why our national level elected officials seem to be unreachable and unresponsive to the wishes of the country (all those 70% polls we talk about here) All that and more on FiredUp!

This week on FiredUp… This week is the first week of Black History Month here in the USA and we will be looking at how the celebration of Black History month is fueling deeper debate over the already controversial Critical Race Theory (CRT). We will be looking at the definition of CRT as it applies to American social and political systems. We look at how the title of CRT has become an umbrella term for broader inter-racial discussion, debate and argument. CRT has become the lightning rod of social discussion since the murder of George Floyd started an intense triggering event for discussion, protest and legal aspects of race relations in this country. We will look at what laws are being proposed, debated and passed that restrict the sharing of knowledge on our common history. We will ask the question “does CRT only apply to African-Americans or will it be applied to other ethnic groups such as the Italian, Irish, Asian, and other contributors to the history of America. Take a look at the article from Education Weekly we talked about: https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/heres-the-long-list-of-topics-republicans-want-banned-from-the-classroom/2022/02

On the latest episode of FiredUp we look at President Biden’s Supreme Court pick now that Justice Breyer is retiring from the Court. Specifically, we look at and ask about WHY are we getting pushback from the Conservative Right when the individuals named to the current short list are superbly qualified to sit on the SCOTUS bench. Maybe it is the fact that all of the candidates are Black Women? President Biden promised as a candidate for the Presidency, that if he got the opportunity to nominate a SCOTUS justice, it would be a Black female. We also look at the debate in the Senate this past week over restrictions, proposed as well as presently in force, to voting rights that was held by the only three black Senators presently in the Senate, 2 Democrat and 1 Republican. Senators Warnock (D-GA), Scott (R-SC) and Booker (D-NJ). What made this debate distinctive from prior debates was that 1 it lasted 10 hours; 2 it was a civil debate; and 3 it showed exactly what the value of diversity is in a deliberative body. Finally as we prepare to enter Black History Month we have a list of first contribution and contributors to American culture and history by Black Americans #wjmsmedia #firedup #areufiredup #politics #media #blackhistorymonth #vote #supremecourt #justice #bidenharris

This episode of FiredUP we talk about: US Covid report. Cases show some downward trending with Omicron variant but numbers in certain areas are still surging. We look at the Biden Press Conference (2 Hours!!) and compare and contrast his content and style with Trump's. Biden made it through a 2 hour press conference with only a couple of small gaffs, for the most part it was frank and to the point. Contrast that to what was typical for the former President. We take a look at the Democrat and Republican Platforms as part of our backgrounder on the 2022 Mid-Terms. Democrats, in our opinion, have mostly failed strategically and Tactically in their Infrastructure bill approach. We will look at why sending 2 super-size bills to a divided and polarized congress might prove a fatal flaw. We will also re-visit the on-going congressional redistricting efforts and the states where plans have been submitted. The battles continue! Find the FiredUp podcast on Soundcloud, Spotift, Sticher, iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we will focus on the MLK Holiday as we celebrate what would have been his 93rd birthday. - What does the holiday mean in today's terms? Are there still issues that would have been at MLK's center of action list? Where would he be on the election issues of 2020? - We will look at how we got the holiday in the first place and what we need to do to continue to honor MLK's legacy. We need to go beyond the Dream speech and consider what King stood for in today's terms. - We call to re-learn the messages from the Letter From A Birmingham Jail and other writings from Dr King - We will also formally launch the election 2022 messaging ( I know, seems like we just put the messaging away after the 2020 election...) Catch FiredUp every Monday on WJMS Media and at 9pm UK on Mintwave Radio

On this episode of FiredUp, we pay respects to the legendary, Academy Award-Winning actor Sidney Poitier who passed away ay 94 years old on Jan. 7th. Likewise, we pay respect to Harvard Law Prof and former Justice Dept Civil Rights nominee under the Clinton Administration Lani Guinere. Nominated by President Clinton to head the civil rights division at the Department of Justice in 1993. That ill-fated nomination sadly defined her career after she was regrettably rejected by Senate Republicans who accused her of pushing racial quotas on affirmative action and said her views on voting rights were too extreme and radical. Covid-19 numbers climbed at a faster rate than last week, and we look at a report of another "variant " that has showed up. Reported to be a hybrid of the Delta and Omicron variants, scientists are currently debunking its existence as a variant rather labeling it as a product of laboratory contamination. The Jan 6th Insurrection is still making news, while some Trump loyalists are claiming that there were "no republicans involved" or that it was a "Black Ops operation run by the FBI". We also look into ongoing vote suppression efforts through control of the election offices themselves.

This week we take a look back (fondly??) at 2021 and the top 10 political news stories from the main stream media. Including the Insurrection, Covid, the Big Lie...all the hits. We also look at the stories covered here on WJMS' FiredUp! Finally, we take the covers off of what you can expect from FiredUp now that we are integrated into the WJMS Media Platform. We're very excited about where our show is going and I think you will be too!

On this episode of FiredUp, Steve wishes us a happy holiday while he discusses:- Covid update and the new variant "Omicron" that has begun to show up here in the US. We discuss some of the early things we have learned. - The SCOTUS heard oral arguments on the Mississippi court case that might just overturn Roe V Wade. What would this mean? - We look once more at strategy vs tactics when it comes to the Senate debate on infrastructure. Change needs to happen on how our elected leaders process laws. Catch the content on Mondays on WJMS Media!