Why Are We Like This?

Florida ain't goin' anywhere! Why Are We Like This is back after an extended break, and we're talking about, well, just a whole slate of goings-on in the Sunshine State during our dark period, picking up with Thomas and David's trip to the Emerge Americas Conference last week and their interaction with some of Miami's new AI hologram ambassadors that will soon be gracing the halls of our finest airport dungeons and half-built soccer stadiums.

From the episode:

Here's the Mother Jones article Thomas mentioned about the death of the Florida Orange.

https...

We're back with a new season of Why Are We Like This?, and the guys play a round of catch-up on various topics, including the impact of good internet on media professionals, the intersection of sports and politics, the Venezuelan crisis, human rights violations in Alcatraz, conspiracy theories related to high-profile crimes, cultural commentary on nepo babies, crisis communications in politics, the rise of charter schools, Trump's presidential library, and the challenges of regulating artificial intelligence. The conversation highlights the complexities and nuances of these issues, providing insights into the current state of affairs in Florida and beyond.

After an extended work/family/pneumonia-driven hiatus the WAWLT Boys are back and we're getting right into it. Among the topics discussed in our comeback episode:

We intended to talk about the so-called Alligator Auschwitz or Alligator Alcatraz Detention Center that opened last week a mere 45 miles from our WAWLT offices at the Dade-Collier Training & Transition Airport in the Big Cypress Preserve. 

The $450 million affront to common decency and humanity was hastily slapped together by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and our old friend Attorney General James Uthmeier.

Already, the reports from the facility are grim. One detainee has shared that there is no no water to bathe, the food is riddled with worms, there is no access to essential m...

Joe Carollo's "Not Involved in Weaponizing City Government" shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by the shirt.

On May 30, Thomas and David attended a special City of Miami commission hearing with commissioners Joe Carollo, Miguel Gabela and Damian Pardo aimed at exploring how Carollo has government resources against his political and perceived enemies, including Gabela. During the meeting, Carollo used government resources against Gabela by showing aerial photos of Gabela's fleet of private watercraft stacked behind his home.

Miraculously, Carollo and Gabela would come together just three weeks later to agree...

You've heard WAWLT episodes before, but have you ever heard a cynically-sold-out-to-a-political-party version of a WAWLT episode? To demonstrate our value and in our effort to chase the "Joe Rogan of the Left" title we played a little game where we transplanted our own opinions with those of the Democratic Party. See, we can play nice when we have to!

But first, we discussed the recent town hall with FIU's police chief organized by Thomas, where attendees peppered the chief with questions about how his police force intended to cooperate with ICE as signees to a 287G...

Today we're tackling the real problems facing our magical home city, discussing the viability of election and political reforms across Miami like a new election calendar and district map, as laid out in a recent Miami Herald opinion piece. Our conclusion? It's all too far gone, and the entire city is no longer viable. What about... disintegrating Miami? Longtime Magic City raconteur and returning WAWLT guest Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys, The U, God Forbid) joins us to imagine a future where the city of Miami can no longer disenfranchise and shake down its residents -- because it no longer...

It's the stupid economy, you stupid idiot. Another week, another spate of economic uncertainty roiling markets and the nerves of our tender tummies. GDP has shrunk (shrank? shrinked?) and while it might SEEM like Florida's favorite president is to blame, it was actually previous president Joe Biden's fault. It just is!

We also hear from Thomas about the end of a legislative session in Tallahassee that wasn't good, but also wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Hope Foundation is a Florida nonprofit that was supposed to help struggling Floridians on government assistance get back on their feet. Instead, the organization -- with profound ties to Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis -- is at the center of the first scandal threatening to affect the DeSantis family's waning political prospects.

Today, we had returning guest Jason Garcia (@Jason_Garcia) to talk about the burgeoning Hope Florida scandal, and the involvement of Governor DeSantis and, crucially, his then-chief of staff James Uthmeier.

We also discuss Thomas' work with the family of Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez...

For our main story this week, we're looking at a brewing scandal plaguing Gov. Ron DeSantis and Casey DeSantis. The Governor's Agency for Healthcare Administration is in hot water for allegedly directing a private healthcare company to shift a $10 million penalty to Hope Florida, a nonprofit with direct ties to his wife Casey.

Before that, we look to the north and explore the de-Canadafication of the Sunshine State, as our northern snowbird neighbors swear off Florida en masse. We also talked about SB 7030, another Republican-approved assault on public schools which aims to significant reduce how much funding...

We marked our first Liberation Day with a breakdown of the special election results in Wisconsin and Florida. We also checked in on some of our favorite mayors, NYC's Exonerated Eric Adams and Miami-Dade's belt-tightening Daniella Levine Cava.

We talked about the intersection of scamming, regulation, and public corruption against the backdrop of a recent petty scandal where Miami-Dade health inspectors were caught extorting restaurants for clean reports.

After that, we get into recent news including more tariff chaos, DOGE moves, and the latest from Tallahassee.

We check in with our roving reporter Thomas Kennedy on the latest bile pouring from the state capital and try to figure out exactly where the priorities lie. It's a short one folks, enjoy it!

On January 1, the so-called HALO Law went into effect across Florida, limiting and in many cases criminalizing citizens' ability to record police in public. The law is part-and-parcel with an ever more reactionary and authoritarian drift in a state that purports to support freedom but is, in practice, one of the least free places in the country.

We were joined this week by journalist Carlos Miller, a Godfather of the First Amendment Auditor movement and creator of Photography Is Not A Crime. He shared his story of an almost 20-year fight to record police and the effects...

He's back, and boy does he have some opinions about how to Make America Great Again. That's right, we're once again talking about our favorite invented demographic cohort, the Miami New Guy, who has spent the past few

Joining us is author, amateur mangrove trash collector, and professional Cuban Andrew Otazo, who shares his own experience growing up among Miami New Guys before they became Miami New Guys.

Also: Thomas brings us on a deep-dive into the struggle in Tallahassee between Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature's proposals to make life miserable for undocumented people...

When's a rug not a rug? When it's pulled right out from under ya, ya dummies. Fans of Javier Milei recently learned that hard lesson when they dropped millions of dollars of (presumably not) hard-earned cash into a meme coin fraud sponsored by the famously sister-curious Argentine president. We invited Andres Fidanza, editor-in-chief of El Observador USA, to talk about the curious case of South America's most prominent Milton Friedman acolyte and discuss how it affects the perception of a cunning, brass-tacks, no-nonsense economist when they out themselves as financially incompetent.

You can read more of Andres...

"Nothing Ever Happens" is a classic shit-poster meme about the phenomenon of crisis-based media hype cycles and how we ingest them as people who might not be on the immediate frontlines of the crisis. It's a useful lens for us to examine the onslaught of this month's top headlines, so that's what we do!

Happy MLK Jr. Day!

Happy Inauguration-They're-Gonna-Write-About-In-History-Books-But-For-All-The-Wrong-Reasons Day! The WAWLT Boys return from a protracted break to bring you up to date on America's speed-run into full Florida status.

We talked about the spasmodic, seemingly hourly new developments surrounding the TikTok ban and its implications for a Democratic Party left holding the bag and looking like enormous losers. We went in depth on the "Sunshine Cabinet", a cheery phrase we coined to describe one of the most repulsive collections of depraved animals to take executive power in U.S. history. Finally, we got into some Florida...

So it turns out Florida -- and every swing state -- wasn't in play after all. Following a tectonic collapse that saw Florida Democrats somehow lose even more ground, we discuss the fallout and what it means for the future of our state, our nation, and the world.

Over the summer, Redfin released a report analyzing rent trends across the country and while the national average ticked up 1%, analysts were surprised to find many major metros across Florida cratering due to increased inventory, slowing migration, and myriad other factors. In this episode, we examine whether this is good news, bad news, or maybe a good news-bad news combo.

We also got into the drama surrounding one of South Florida's weirder State Representative races in Miami Beach and discussed other items on the ballot.

There is a cognitive dissonance when trying to pin down exactly what constitutes a “quality” education in Florida. Is it a critical understanding of the world imparted during your most formative years? Is it technical training and job placement, ensuring your economic well-being into adulthood? Is it a ranking in a defunct magazine that few people actually believe? Or is it the byproduct of a system of patronage designed to reward political allies?

Depending on the day of the week in Florida, it could be any of these.

For this year's deep dive into education, we ch...

***Here's the Change.org petition we mentioned***

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-great-outdoors-initiative-save-florida-s-state-parks-from-harmful-developments?source_location=tag_

Rising costs associated with so-called special assessments and maintenance have always been a sore spot for Miami homeowners, but add in the recent spate of ill-considered post-Surfside collapse regulations and challenging market trends, and you don't need a named Hurricane to foment a perfect storm.

Fines, evictions, foreclosures, fewer and fewer places for normal people to live. Who will win out in the end? Hedge funds and private equity vultures, feasting on the remains.

***ALERT...

Today, the WAWLT fellas get to the bottom of the AI bubble roiling the all-important Dow Jones Industrial Average, what makes a nepo-politico heir endeavor to mistreat a bear cub, and (briefly) discuss the failed disaster that was the season finale of the Dragons and Houses show.

As our main story, we dive into the, well, weird proclivities of GOP VP pick J.D. Vance, and the one weird trick that Democrats are hoping the word "weird" can do for them (win an election).

A lot has happened since last we met, dear listeners. With a maelstrom of political upheaval, a historic Republican National Convention, a Presidential assassination attempt gone awry, and more, we make the choice to devote the lion's share of this episode to JD Vance's fasc-adjacent, off-putting interpretation of JRR Tolkien's classic series, The Lord of the Rings.

Before that, we devote some time to President Joseph Robinette Biden's decision not to run for a second term, his anointed successor Kamala Harris' prospects at winning the big seat, and the Secret Service's role in foiling (??) the attempt on...

The WAWLT Boys reviewed that devastating Biden debate performance and what the seemingly rudderless Democratic Party could or should do faced with a leader who resembles the Benadryl Hat Man. We also dived into the outrageous recent Supreme Court decisions that threaten to undermine democracy as we know it, unleash heretofore unseen environmental degradation, and shield corporations from any liability from bad acts.

Pretty awesome week all around.

We’re talking congestion pricing this week and we refuse to kowtow to the powerful, influential diner lobby that has place New York Governor Kathy Hochul firmly in its pocket. To help us clear the congestion, we welcome back our very own antihistamine Jordan Zakarin (@JordanZakarin), publisher of Progress Report (www.progressreport.news). 

But before that, we talked about the implications* of Joe Biden’s immigration executive action and how it reflects the worst parts of his predecessor’s ghastly policies.  

*Here’s the article Thomas wrote for Truthout that we mentioned: https://truthout.org/articles/b...

In this jam-packed summer spectacular we have two interviews that tell the story of Florida governmental ineffectiveness and evil, first on the state level and then locally.

First, we welcome back McKenna Schueler (@SheCarriesOn), staff writer for the Orlando Weekly, who shares her recent reporting on Florida’s legislation doing away with local municipalities’ ability to make their own rules around wages and labor conditions. We also explore the enormous hole in equity and justice for workers created by Florida’s lack of a state labor department and the danger that presents as outdoor workers face down what p...

The guys talked about the recent proposed fair increases on the Brightline train system, which has been the source of much controversy in its brief tenure as Florida's de facto rail transit system. Along with the hefty price tag that taxpayers mostly carried, the private company that began as a patronage project for former-Gov. Rick Scott has been marred by a decade-plus of missed deadlines, diminished , safety concerns, flagging ridership, unanticipated costs, and now dramatically inflated pricing.

But maybe worst of all, Brightline simply doesn't work. Billed as a way to connect the entire state while providing...

This week we are reviewing the latest film from Alex Garland, Civil War, and considering what it would take to get this wonderful, fully functional, definitely real country to descend into the kind of madness where violent rural weirdos embrace guns as a cultural identity.

We also touched on friend of the show Billy Corben's brief run to lead the Miami-Dade DEC, among other topics.

Beginning in May, abortion will be effectively banned in Florida with a strict new law making the six-week mark the limit for those seeking care. However, voters will have the chance to vote on Amendment 4 in November to codify abortion throughout the state, and organizers are amping up to get the vote out.

Dani Martins, a reproductive rights advocate and expert, helps us break down the implications of the ballot amendment from a services and political standpoint.

For those seeking abortion care or support for their procedure ineedana.com.

The "Yes on 4" campaign...

In the first half of this episode we catch up with our friend Jordan Zakarin and talk about the media narrative around squatting, the eclipse, Florida's future, and more.

Then, we talked with another friend, Yareliz Mendez Zamor from the Florida Immigrant Coalition about the Florida Supreme Court's ruling that will put abortion on the ballot this year, and how women's health issues intersects with immigration.

Don't forget to subscribe to Jordan's Newsletter at progressreport.substack.com. Also, visit FLIC at floridaimmigrant.org.

It’s a familiar story: Haiti is currently experiencing extreme social strife, and the opportunists are lining up to take advantage. We talked with Florida Immigrant Coalition co-executive director Tessa Petit about her home country’s history as a target for the Western powers and how Florida and Ron DeSantis are using the current conditions as a pretext for even more anti-immigrant legislation. 

You can visit Haitians Who Blog to stay updated on the latest, and follow FLIC on Twitter for more updates.

We spent this week talking about the endless supply of disarray that the Florida Dems seem almost preternaturally capable of concocting around their wheezing party, this time in the form of a completely manufactured controversy wherein our state party has suspended the chairmen of three county parties, including Democrat strongholds Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. Among those suspended is friend of the show Robert Dempster. We talked about what a disastrous strategic move this represents for any Democrat prospects in Florida as we stare down an election cycle that looks less and less hopeful for the party.

From...

We welcome back Jason Garcia (@jason_garcia), the publisher of Seeking Rents, for a discussion about State Sen. Linda Stewart's recent scandal wherein she was caught advancing industry-written legislation that would prevent Orlando being able to rein in taxpayer spending on Visit Orlando.

Jason stuck around to guide us through the Florida legislative session and we wrapped up talking about the FII Priority Miami conference.

The WAWLT Boys analyzed President Biden and Democrats' controversial immigration bill, what it gets wrong, why it's good that it's doomed, and how it represents a negative shift in the Overton Window, acquiescing to the far-right at the expense of real people's lives.

We also touched on Ron DeSantis' (ahem) beef with lab-grown meat and where the Florida abortion ballot amendment stands after a judicial challenge.

Folks, they're calling it the Worst Run Campaign in History, and we had a front row seat to its demise. Joined by Ryan Ray (@RyanRay_fla) we joined in with the rest of America in celebrating and ridiculing the death of Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, discussed what went wrong, and tried to chart a future for Florida's 46th governor.

We're joined for this episode by longtime friend and guest Ryan Ray (@ryanray_Fla) who talked through the latest spates of Miami corruption and local politics, the changes afoot at New College of Florida, and Iowa caucus predictions. Ryan stuck around as we talked with Ida Eskamani (@Ida_v_e) to preview the toxic legislative calendar coming out of Tallahassee and threatening to afflict our state.

Along with his podcast Tropical Depression, Ryan is also starting up the Florida Signal, a news site that will cover the Sunshine State, so stay tuned!

The WAWLT Boys begin today's episode sharing their culture by taking the listeners on a tour through history of Santa's Enchanted Forest, a uniquely Miami-Dade working class holiday experience. From there, we dive into the release of the Jeffrey Epstein flight log list and what was really happening there.

We then head to Argentina to check in on how newly minted president Javier Milei's nascent Libertarian project is going (not great) and finally make our predictions for Governor Ron DeSantis ahead of the Iowa caucuses (even worse).

The WAWLT boys catch up ahead of the holiday and discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding Miami City Attorney Victoria Mendez, who faces the chopping block on January 11th for her and her husband's rampant, blatant, predatory corruption.

Don't worry, of COURSE we talked about Christian and Bridgette Zielger's recent throuple issues and the sexual assault charges they are facing, as well as what it means for the Florida GOP and Moms For Liberty.

Plus: Movie and TV recommendations!

We talked with Adrian Madriz of Struggle for Miami's Affordable and Sustainable Housing Incorporated (SMASH Miami) about their new campaign to overhaul the unfair and predatory practices of Homeowners Associations and insurance companies in Florida.

Be sure to sign their petition and learn more by visiting SMASH Miami.

Afterwards, the boys get into a pair of recent crypto-focused newly released books, Zeke Faux's "Number Go Up" and Michael Lewis' "Going Infinite". We also talk about whether a Joe Manchin presidential campaign would have any actual, uh, support.