Informed Takes Podcast

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This week we talk about the media's portrayal of Biden, the shocking revelations from Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson's new book, Original Sin, and the wild—or maybe not so wild—idea of repealing the Civil Rights Act. They also tackle healthcare industry woes, government spending, and Elon Musk's short stint in politics. Plus, don't miss their take on Canada's media censorship and other hot-button issues. Grab a drink, get ready to laugh, and to think!00:00 Introduction and Greetings04:30 Hot Topics in the News05:28 Discussion on Joe Biden's Presidency08:18 Megyn Kelly's Interview Style10:52 Drinks and Casual Chat12:49 Media Bias and Jake Tapper22:14 Biden's Health and Media Coverage39:45 Kamala Harris and Identity Politics53:53 Bernie Sanders on Democratic Process54:33 Alex Thompson's Insights57:33 Biden's Decline and White House Dynamics01:00:53 Personal Anecdotes and Observations01:08:19 Media Manipulation and Cover-ups01:23:13 Civil Rights Act Debate01:32:39 Government Spending and Political Challenges01:51:25 Financial Crisis and Government Entitlements01:52:08 Legislative Challenges and Building Movements01:53:33 Healthcare Industry and Insurance Issues01:54:48 Proposals for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security01:56:24 Regulation and Competition in the Insurance Industry02:02:07 Congressional Spending and Political Realities02:07:12 Cultural Movements and Political Influence02:10:54 Canadian Government and Media Censorship02:14:52 Political Bias and Populist Movements02:36:17 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode we talked about the Qatar trip, the big Qatar plane, and the potential ethical quandaries of accepting it. We also talk about trade with China, and the low down on the Afrikaner refugees: why did we accept them? What’s really going on in South Africa? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe

In a clear referendum against Donald Trump, Canadians went to the polls and chose the Liberal Party candidate, Mark Carney over Conservative Party candidate, Pierre Poilievre. Despite 10 years of economic stagnation under Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party, voters chose to double down on the same failed policies. Listen as we discuss what role Donald Trump played in Poilievre losing a 20 point lead in the polls and how corruption in Canada’s political system leaves many young voters on the outside looking in.You’ll hear how:- Trudeau lost public trust but orchestrated a soft landing- Carney became PM without an election- Trump’s “51st state” comments reshaped the campaign narrative- Canadian media funding affects public perception- Economic stagnation was overshadowed by sovereignty panic- A generational split is redefining Canada’s political future📚 Book of the WeekExtreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink & Leif BabinA leadership must-read on taking total responsibility and driving results in high-stakes environments.🔗 Buy on Amazon⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Welcome & the mission of Informed Takes02:10 – Trump’s antics and the four-year meltdown fatigue05:44 – May the Fourth memes and Kevin’s cocktail of the night08:53 – Tonight’s topics: Canadian elections, Trump’s impact, and grading the White House10:12 – Meet Shopé Adeyemi: artist, entrepreneur, Canadian politics observer13:03 – How Shopé and Devin met (and bonded over nuanced conservatism)15:05 – Initial reactions to the Carney win and Trudeau’s resignation18:00 – What went wrong in Trudeau’s 10-year run: crime, housing, and economic stagnation21:15 – The finance minister’s public resignation and internal revolt26:00 – Carney’s quiet rise: proroguing Parliament and avoiding elections30:00 – Trump’s “Canada is the 51st state” narrative and its national backlash34:01 – Why the Liberal Party rebounded: optics, media, and Trudeau’s swan song36:00 – Canada’s state-funded media: CBC’s influence and bias40:00 – Demographics and division: how age and media shaped the election42:00 – Can Carney escape Trudeau’s shadow? What’s next for Canada?45:00 – Book of the Week: Extreme Ownership48:00 – Final thoughts and shoutout to the audienceSubscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InformedTakesFollow us on X: https://x.com/informedtakesxSubscribe on Substack: https://kevinbriggins.substack.com/Informed Takes is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe

Does America need Christianity to survive? The New Atheist movement of the nineties aggressively claimed that we did not need Christianity to have a functioning, free society. Now, an unlikely voice—a gay atheist of Jewish descent named John Rauch—says America cannot survive without Christianity! Kevin and Devin react to this surprising, but thoughtful conversation between John Rauch and Bari Weiss in this episode of Informed Takes! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the very first episode of Informed Takes! We’re Kevin and Devin—two recovering hot-takers who finally decided to launch the rational conversation we’ve been yelling about for years. Today we lay it all out: who we are, where we stand politically (spoiler: we’re both conservatives, but we’re not here to play team sports), and why this show exists.We talk about growing up Democrat by default, getting mugged by reality (and Scripture), why we left the mainstream news bubble, and how we somehow got to a 2024 where both presidential candidates make us want to sigh loudly.Grab a drink (Devin had fancy Portuguese cognac, Kevin had sad vodka water) and let’s talk about how America went from “E pluribus unum” to “every man for himself.”What We Cover:Why we started Informed Takes (it’s not because we needed another hobby)Our political journeys (hint: Thomas Sowell is involved)Why “I’m in the middle” is a cute lie we all tell ourselvesOur beef with both the left and the right (fair is fair)How Marxism crept into your news, your school, and your brunch tableWhy the 1960s ruined everything (except the music, maybe)How we actually read news (spoiler: not by doomscrolling Twitter)Setting the tone: Fair takes, no strawmen, no screaming into the voidChapters:00:00 - Welcome to Informed Takes!01:00 - Why We Needed This Show04:00 - Our Political Origins (and Growing Up Default Democrats)10:00 - How Faith Changed Our Politics16:00 - Dealing with Family and Political Differences24:00 - Are We Republicans? (Short answer: kinda, not really)30:00 - MAGA, Trump, and Hero Worship38:00 - How Did America Get So Polarized? (Blame the ’60s)46:00 - The Marxist Playbook in America53:00 - Why We’re Sick of Hot Takes58:00 - Where We Get Our News (Hint: Not Cable News)01:05:00 - Final Thoughts: Call Balls and Strikes This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe

Join me for my next live video in the app This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe

Join me for my next live video in the app This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe

Join me for my next live video in the app This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kevinbriggins.substack.com/subscribe