Views on the News from the Couch

Send a textIf you live in the modern Western world, your default setting probably ought to be “basically happy.” Not ecstatic, not Instagram‑perfect—just generally okay.And if you're not, at least some of that might be on you.Because look at what we've got.....

Send a textToday's February 19, 2026 Views on the News from the Couch podcast asks the important question: Why do I think the left, littered with smart people and many academics, has more stupid ideas than the right?Not that the right doesn't have its own stupid ideas—we absolutely do. I've voted for Trump three times, but most of my conservative friends and I are unhappy with the tariff situation.  And we could name a few others.  And we express those criticisms.My experience is that conservative bad ideas are more likely to get winnowed out faster, while a lot of bad ideas on the left live much longer, with less criticism, and a lot more social pressure to pretend they're brilliant.I want to walk through why I think that is—using a couple of lenses: capitalism vs. central planning, something called the Abilene paradox, and how elite media and elite psychology help dumb ideas survive.

Send us a textI float a theory I've been working on since 1977, long before Donald Trump came down the escalator and announced he was running for President. It's a theory about pronouns, prejudice, and why the same person can be both charming in private and toxic in public.

Send us a textThe February 1, 2026 episode of Views on the News from the Couch started in a weird way. I basically spent a morning arguing with my AI assistant so I probably should call this one “Questions from the Couch,” but instead let's go with:“I'm pissed my reasonable views are called racist, fascist and Nazi‑ish—and AI helped me understand why.”I'm going to walk you through the conversation, because it actually helped me see what's going on.

Send us a textICE, A few Views from the Couch on What is going on in Minneapolis.  Summary, play with fire, get burnt.

Send us a text I'm back. Not sure for how long or how often, but I just can't let Views on the News from the Couch die. Lay dormant, sure. Not die.  This podcast started a few years ago for me to share views and opinions based on a lifetime of experiences. As you get older, you realize our politics can be a bit like NASCAR: drive fast and turn left. By “turn left” I don't mean liberal; I mean we keep circling. We repeat. Not as much is new as we think… although the last few years might blow a hole in that theory.  What got my juices going to resurrect the podcast was Greenland. And ICE. But today, I want to talk about Trump actively working to acquire Greenland.  This all started with a text I sent some friends sharing a bit of information on Greenland and posing a question. Yeah, I'm that nerdy.  Here's the cleaned‑up version of the text:  “What the Hell is Trump doing with Greenland? That is not the question, just part of the intro. I think we all hate that Trump has made Greenland an issue. We feel Trump should be nice to Denmark, NATO is important, and Trump, don't be a dick. This is an issue he should not have picked.  Second intro thought: Trump is not a can kicker. Many of our politicians kick cans down the road, like the Medicare and Social Security crisis, and for understandable reasons. Politicians are crucified for trying to solve issues before they are a disaster.  Third intro thought: What if some smart people in the government, with access to secret intelligence, have identified that in the next 20 to 40 years Greenland will likely separate from Denmark, and the fear is they might choose to align with Russia or China or both?  Now the question: could Trump be smarter than all the analysts when it comes to Greenland? Could failure to act now be a disaster in 40 years?”  That was the text to four guys.  In a few days we have a breakfast session to discuss it.  And the football championship gameBut you can get my thoughts early in this podcast. 

Send us a textWhy are Republicans asked to confess but not Democrats?  That is it.  That is the subject for today's podcast.

Send us a textApril 5, 2025 edition of Views on the News from the Couch discusses Trump's tariff proposals.  A quick summary?  They suck.

Send us a textI discuss efforts by DOGE and share my thoughts that government debt is crushing us, DOGE is throwing us a lifeline by trying to attack it, and it is awful that those good people are being attacked.https://youtu.be/uX7xFkYt77k?feature=shared

Send us a textThe March 27, 2025, edition of Views on the News from the Couch addresses the not so burning question, Am I MAGA?  Yep, that is the topic for today.  Is Jeff Cross MAGA?

Send us a textThe March 24, 2025, edition of Views on the News from the Couch covers a Brian Kilmeade talk we went to and answers the question why are Democrats supporting 20 percent issues rather than those with 80 percent popularity.  Good stuff.

Send us a textSurprisingly, I side with the judge in the Tren de Aragua case.  By surprisingly I mean surprising to me.  https://www.npr.org/2025/03/16/nx-s1-5329777/tren-de-aragua-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-venezuelan-gang https://www.npr.org/2025/03/16/g-s1-54154/alien-enemies-el-salvador-trump https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/03/why-trump-doesnt-want-judicial-review-of-his-deportation-of-venezuelans/https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/17/politics/video/stephen-miller-deportation-halt-venezuela-arena-digvid https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/alien-and-sedition-acts 

Send us a textViews on the News from the Couch March 14, 2025 edition discusses bumper sticker discussions and the Department of Education possible elimination. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Educationhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/richardvedder/2020/05/11/after-40-bad-years-the-department-of-education-redeems-itself-a-bit/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardvedder/2020/05/11/after-40-bad-years-the-department-of-education-redeems-itself-a-bit/ https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2025/02/06/department-of-education-could-be-dissolving-trump-it-means-for-florida-executive-order/78219912007/ https://heytutor.com/how-us-k-12-spending-compares-to-other-countries/

Send us a text The host of Views on the News from the Couch discusses tariffs, the Ukraine war, and the importance for Trump to distinguish between BAM issues and nuanced issues. 

Send us a text More Views on the News from teh Couch of the Oval Office fisticuffs between Presidents Zellensky and Trump. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/uk-prime-minister-lays-out-ukraine-peace-deal-framework-zelenskyy-responds-resignation-calls  https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/international-relations/victor-davis-hanson-10-bad-takeaways-from-the-zelenskyy-blow-up/ar-AA1A58v8 

 I'm back after a 20 month break from offering my Views on the News from the Couch. Could not do it 5 days a week anymore. But I feel I have something to say and have been thinking of jumping back in part time. Nothing like a sh&t show in the Oval office between the US and Ukrainian Presidents to catalyze one to reenter the podcast arena. 

QUICKHITTERS then thoughts on the No Labels movement and on the idea of making misgendering a crime.Jack the Ripper's identity 'revealed' by newly discovered medical records (yahoo.com)https://www.foxbusiness.com/real-estate/san-francisco-real-estate-market-disaster-experthttps://news.yahoo.com/former-equity-chief-sues-antiracist-192222768.htmlhttps://jonathanturley.org/2023/07/16/pronoun-lockdown-almost-half-of-millennials-want-jail-time-for-misgendering/

QUICKHITTERS, more on recent court rulings, and on laws on how minors can be treated with gender affirming therapies, and on the Wagner Group attempted coup in Russia.https://jonathanturley.org/2023/07/09/domestic-abuse-is-a-severe-crime-british-parents-could-be-prosecuted-for-refusing-to-pay-for-transgender-treatments/https://dailycaller.com/2023/06/30/judge-ketanji-brown-jacksons-dissent-debunked-claim-black-doctors/

QUICKHITTERS then thoughts on an ill advised DeSantis video and many thoughts on a District Federal Judge who has placed an injunction on the Biden Administration trying to influence censorship on social media.https://twitter.com/i/status/1674899610379116546https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-appointed-judge-restricts-officials-contact-social-media-giants-rcna92614https://jonathanturley.org/2023/07/06/bidens-orwellian-ministry-of-truth-federal-judge-finds-a-massive-attack-on-free-speech-in-government-censorship-efforts/https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-rules-biden-administration-likely-trampled-on-free-speech-on-social-media-29334362

QUICKHITTERS and then lots and lots on affirmative action.  One argument I make is that the recent Affirmative Action ruling is very similar to the previous 2 SC AA cases including Bakke.https://www.wsj.com/articles/cancer-drug-shortage-chemotherapy-rationing-fc565eb9https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-02/americans-divided-over-landmark-supreme-court-decisions-in-pollhttps://newsone.com/4624577/history-of-affirmative-action-in-america/

The Supreme court rules we should stop making college admission decisions based on the race of an applicant.  Ok on their experiences, just not as a group.  And abortion, I opine on abortion.  Lastly, I vent that I am tired of the overuse of the word fascism.https://www.huffpost.com/entry/supreme-court-affirmative-action-unconstitutional_n_64789e10e4b0047ed77f8fd4

QUICKHITTERS and thoughts on impeachment efforts of AG Merrick Garland, a college biology professor who allegedly was fired for teaching that sex is determined by chromosomes, and many, many comments on the Durham report.  https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2019/06/scotus-justices-rack-up-trips/

Did Hunter get a fair deal?  Was it OK for our government to suppress thoughts on the origin of Covid?  Please listen to today's podcast.  #HunterBiden #CovidInquiry

QUICKHITTERS, then thoughts on the Trump indictment including that Trump may not have had the required intent for 31 of the counts and lots of numbers on the Social Security issue.https://jonathanturley.org/2023/06/16/trump-card-the-use-of-the-espionage-act-against-revives-long-standing-concerns/ The Grim Reality of Joe Biden's 4-Point Plan to Change Social Security | The Motley Fool

QUICKHITTERS then some trans stuff, the Trump indictment and the misuse of the word cap relative to the debt ceiling deal. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/the-left-whines-about-trump-appointee-cannon-after-forum-shopping-to-reliable-democrat-howell/https://www.yahoo.com/news/democratic-leader-accuses-mccarthy-reneging-164303767.html

QUICKHITTERS then more on the Trump indictment, book banning and the Supreme Court Civil Rights Act decision on redistricting in Alabama.

QUICKHITTERS and the Trump indictment.https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-allies-cite-clinton-email-170539657.htmlhttps://bwcentral.org/2016/09/hillarys-oh-shit-moment-wiping-her-server-with-bleachbit-despite-subpoena/

QUICKHITTERS and then thoughts on California Governor Gavin Newsom's call for a constitutional amendment limiting guns and on the PGA LIV golf merger.

Swing and a miss.  I mistakenly uploaded an episode from a week earlier.  This is the May 31 episode.  QUICKHITTERS, a bit on the Ukraine/Russian war and a deep dive into the debt ceiling deal.

QUICKHITTERS, thoughts on Memorial Day, the possible impact of high youth unemployment in China and India, and more on liberal craziness.https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/us-china-cold-war-deepening-on-collision-course-by-nouriel-roubini-2023-05

QUICKHITTERS, then more views on the debt limit and related proposed work requirements, thoughts on the outrageous requirement that students fund a professor's political views, and too much detail on a Supreme Court ruling on what constitutes navigable waters and the effect that has on use of private property.

QUICKHITTERS, disappointment in a democratic governor who I thought was a moderate but may use emergency powers to try to thwart the legislature on school choice, and more on how we nominate presidents and the abysmal nature of our press and the stories they peddle.https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1660302778093252608.html

QUICKHITTERS, a bit on the Ukrainian war, and more on the NAACP travel advisory issued for  Florida.  I attribute that more to politics and Democrats fear that Governor DeSantis would win the election if he gets the Republican nomination.https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/05/democrats-cook-the-fbis-books-on-domestic-terrorism/https://naacp.org/articles/naacp-issues-travel-advisory-floridahttps://www.cnn.com/2023/02/05/politics/desantis-florida-ap-history/index.html

QUICKHITTERS and then a bit more on the Durham report.  Finally, I take head on the Democratic argument that section 4 of the 14th amendment could be used to violate the debt limit.  My take is it does not say that.  It says if the debt limit is not raised that interests on the national debt HAS to be paid from the revenue and other things will go unpaid.  This puts a lie to Administration arguments that if the debt limit is not raised then we will default on our national debt.  #debtlimit  #14th amendment.

QUICKHITTERS then thoughts on Ukraine, on the Canadian province of Alberta considering seceding and lots and lots on Special Counsel Durham's report.https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/15/politics/durham-report-takeaways/index.htmlhttps://jonathanturley.org/2023/05/16/raw-unanalyzed-and-uncorroborated-durham-releases-report-on-the-russian-collusion-investigation/

QUICKHITTERS and then brief comments on the Trump verdict and lengthy comments on the debt ceiling impasse including strong opinions that we need to cut spending. 

QUICKHITTERS, views on Title 42 and a lot of thoughts on recent presidential candidates and which ones would pass the have a beer with you test or the watch my puppy for the weekend test.  Recent candidates do not fare well.

QUICKHITTERS, then views on Senator Joe Manchin running for Senator or President and I even posit that maybe neither Biden Nor Trump will be on the ticket.  And then lots of views on raising the debt ceiling and how words are bandied about untethered to underlying facts.  https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/gop-wants-keep-pretending-debt-ceiling-real-rcna81798https://rollcall.com/2023/04/26/house-passes-1-5-trillion-debt-limit-increase-spending-cuts/

QUICKHITTERS then a scary bill that might get Minnesotans on a bias registry for normal speech and a lengthy screed on the gobbledygook media relentlessly and mercilessly pushing false narratives.https://nypost.com/2023/04/26/arguing-covid-came-from-china-could-land-you-on-minnesotas-government-bias-registry/https://www.racket.news/p/eleven-minutes-of-media-falsehoods https://youtu.be/xV80AJjfLm0https://flvoicenews.com/duval-county-shuts-down-congressmans-false-claims-that-rosa-parks-book-banned/

QUICKHITTERS then comments on:·       suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story that affected the 2020 election and an article by Jonathan Turley saying the media was compliant.·       a compact to move us closer to a national popular vote for President·       comments on woke.  Lots of comments on woke.  It wanders and gets into trans surgeries for children, gun control, and abortion. https://jonathanturley.org/2023/04/24/antony-blinken-and-the-made-men-of-the-biden-administration/#more-204076https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/woke-conservatives/story?id=93051138

QUICKHITTERS then thoughts on Chile nationalizing Lithium production, framing in headlines, bad management of remote workers and a lot on should the United States defend Taiwan.https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/chiles-boric-announces-plan-nationalize-lithium-industry-2023-04-21/https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/ceo-says-many-remote-workers-182557422.html

QUICKHITTERS, views on press reported problems with Clarence Thomas disclosure forms, teachers who opposed DEI required training, the unintended consequences of Norway's wealth tax, and on the arrest of the alleged leaker of classified information. https://www.foxnews.com/media/teachers-ordered-obama-appointed-judge-pay-300k-opposing-dei-training-unprecedented-rulinghttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/10/super-rich-abandoning-norway-at-record-rate-as-wealth-tax-rises-slightlyhttps://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/02/26/698057356/if-a-wealth-tax-is-such-a-good-idea-why-did-europe-kill-theirs

Today's podcast includes snarky pro choice abortion comments, bad fact checking, and a review of an article that says raising the retirement age is my morally suspect and then solving the social security deficit.  Yep, I took a stab at it.https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/11/opinions/social-security-medicare-retirement-age-howard/index.html

QUICKHITTERS then views on ChatGPT, the war on Ukraine and a broader comment on the dangerous world in which we live. 

Thoughts on my 1 year anniversary of this podcast and then QUICKHITTERS, the Trump indictment, and the Chinese weather balloon. https://www.bizpacreview.com/2023/03/19/manhattan-da-alvin-bragg-is-known-for-reducing-felonies-to-misdemeanors-flips-script-on-trump-1342240/

A review of the Trump indictment and I do so with comments about Maine lobster rolls. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/04/indictment-donald-trump-new-york-bragg/https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/04/politics/takeaways-donald-trump-indictment/index.htmlhttps://rumble.com/v2g7ktq-my-legal-analysis-of-the-indictment.htmlhttps://jonathanturley.org/2023/04/05/yielding-to-temptation-why-the-trump-case-is-a-test-for-not-just-for-the-president-but-the-legal-system/https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/04/braggs-indictment-even-fails-as-an-indictment/https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/04/04/documents-read-trump-indictment-manhattan-das-statement-of-facts/

QUICKHITTERS, thought on a job offer being withdrawn because he used the term ladies when referring to ladies and a rambling thought that framing or context is key to understanding situations.https://amgreatness.com/2023/04/02/indict-one-and-all/https://jonathanturley.org/2023/04/04/microaggression-goes-macro-in-massachusetts-superintendent-loses-job-after-referring-to-two-individuals-as-ladies/#more-203134

A special Sunday edition of my podcast.  Pretty much all on the Trump indictment.  I'm pissed.  And I don't care about Trump.  I don't want him to run for President.  I want a campaign between two good people neither named Trump, Biden or Clinton.https://jonathanturley.org/2023/04/02/comeys-good-day-how-political-prosecutions-became-ethical-leadership-in-the-pursuit-of-trump/https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/30/politics/clinton-dnc-steele-dossier-fusion-gps/index.htmlhttps://nypost.com/2017/11/14/rep-says-congress-paid-out-15m-to-silence-sex-harassment-victims/

QUICKHITTERS then I make fun of Homeland Secretary Mayorkas over his knowledge of guns and share my a proposal for a constitutional amendment for gun control and abortion, share thoughts on fact checking relative to a story that Fox news leadership did not want Trump fact checked, and on a drug used to trans children that may not be backed up by studies.https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-kennedy-surprises-mayorkas-interrupting-testimony-shoulder-pat-handshake-tense-exchangehttps://www.mediaite.com/news/this-has-to-stop-now-new-bombshell-emails-show-fox-news-ceo-warning-fact-checking-trump-is-bad-business/https://thefederalist.com/2023/03/30/pumping-gender-bending-drugs-into-kids-is-even-more-dangerous-than-we-thought/https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p382

Lots of QUICKHITTERS and then a bit on Nikki Haley and her views that we have a bipartisan problem of wasting money.https://thefederalist.com/2023/03/29/twitter-bans-federalist-ceo-sean-davis-for-reporting-on-trans-day-of-vengeance-following-nashville-shooting/https://www.nationalreview.com/news/nikki-haley-our-republicans-added-to-our-debt-crisis/?utm_source=recirc-desktop&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=river&utm_content=featured-content-trending&utm_term=first

QUICKHITTERS then thoughts on the New England Patriots, the Trump Manhattan possible indictment, some in the education field saying that parents should have not involvement in what is taught, and the idiocy of teaching that 2 +2 =4 is a form of white supremacy.https://thefederalist.com/2023/03/24/new-mexico-school-boards-association-administrator-parents-have-no-rights-in-public-education/ https://www.nationalreview.com/news/22white-supremacy-how-woke-ideologues-corrupted-canadas-math-curriculum/