Transcript
Darwin Kastle: Welcome. to episode 10 of the big swing saving america Part 1. Apocalypse never. Given enough time.
Darwin Kastle: ultraviolet light from the sun could kill everything on the earth. The reason it doesn't... is something called the ozone layer. It's a layer of the atmosphere that absorbs UV light.
Darwin Kastle: Basically... a permanent layer of awesome sunscreen for the whole planet. Hooray for ozone! In the early 1980s, Scientists noticed that the ozone layer was shrinking.
Darwin Kastle: It was thinning so much over Antarctica. that scientists start referring to that part of the stratosphere as The hole in the ozone layer. And the hole was growing. Fast.
Darwin Kastle: Scientists warn that without the protection of the ozone layer, the planet would be in mortal danger. You might have noticed we don't talk about the hole in the ozone layer anymore.
Darwin Kastle: or about the planet dying due to ultraviolet light. Must have been a hoax, right? Nope. We've fixed it Scientists determined that the thinning in the ozone layer was caused by chlorofluorocarbons, which were being used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays.
Darwin Kastle: Based on the way things are these days You might have had manufacturers prioritize their profits Consumers... prioritize their comforts. And after a global shoulder shrug.
Darwin Kastle: everybody would have massive cases of skin cancer. Yet. That's not what happened. In 1987... A global treaty called the Montreal Protocol banned ozone harming substances worldwide.
Darwin Kastle: And it worked. Instead of people calling it a hoax and a bunch of countries just ignoring the situation, Everybody just stopped using chlorofluorocarbons and similar substances.
Darwin Kastle: Mmm! Scientists have determined that the hole in the ozone layer is healing. and might reach. Pre 1980 levels. by 2040. I'm... not sure that the world took the right lessons.
Darwin Kastle: from the issue with the ozone layer. The problem with apocalyptic problems that don't end in apocalypse. Is that there's always people who will say... See? I guess it wasn't a big problem after all.
Darwin Kastle: It's a bit like people who say we don't need vaccines. Smallpox? Polio. Nobody ever gets those. What do we need vaccines for? When a solution works well enough,
Darwin Kastle: Some people want to believe that there never actually was a problem or that the problem just went away on its own. I want people to look at the vaccines and the Montreal Protocol.
Darwin Kastle: and take away. that we need to trust and rely upon science and scientists. They've proven themselves over and over again. We trust science every time we get on a plane. Every time we have surgery, take medication, go on a cruise.
Darwin Kastle: Why do non -scientists get to decide when to trust science. and when to just ignore it. Especially when the future of the world is at stake. We may have solved the ozone layer problem and survived the nuclear proliferation of the Cold War.
Darwin Kastle: but there are plenty more possible apocalypse to come. The most obvious one we're facing is climate change. The new one people are growing concerned about is artificial intelligence.
Darwin Kastle: I'm not a scientist. I don't know exactly how likely the world is to being ended by either of these threads. and I don't know how to nullify the threats either. Well...
Darwin Kastle: That last part isn't totally true. Because as is often the case with potential apocalypse, They are both being driven by human activity. we could Hear me out.
Darwin Kastle: Just stop doing the things that are causing them. Yeah, I don't think so. The reason these two things are happening is economics. Rich people economics.
Darwin Kastle: Oil companies are getting rich. tech companies are getting rich. Investors are getting rich. politicians are getting rich. One of the reasons I'm discussing these two topics together even though they are both worthy of an entire series of books.
Darwin Kastle: is because they're tied together. we had a major climate change disaster happening. before artificial intelligence started to be widely used. But the mega data centers that drive the AI search are making matters Even worse.
Darwin Kastle: There is seemingly little political backlash to most of the things conservatives are doing to make climate change worse. Probably because climate change is happening slowly.
Darwin Kastle: It's a classic boiling frog problem. If the water heats up slowly enough. The frog never realized that it's in mortal danger. thinking it can safely leave at any time. But data centers. are making people miserable quickly.
Darwin Kastle: and in ways that can't be missed. noise pollution toxic emissions, skyrocketing electrical bills, and soaring water bills. We are seeing major bipartisan pushback from voters against data centers.
Darwin Kastle: If it works in reducing and regulating them, It could be a model for helping us helping you save us from both potential disasters. As I've said I'm not certain what the solutions are.
Darwin Kastle: but I'm certain what's causing the problems. Greed. For big tech, AI has become a prisoner's dilemma. They could slow down work on AI.
Darwin Kastle: or even stop completely. But if other companies continue throwing caution to win. The cautious company will see its value crash. Why should I give up making millions to help save the world if no one else will?
Darwin Kastle: Unlike climate change, the dangers of AI are more nebulous and less researched. Many of the concerns about AI are being dismissed as ridiculous science fiction fear -mongering. But a recent incident in the Middle East showed one all too real possibility.
Darwin Kastle: According to CNN, A U .S. intelligence report indicated that a Chinese ship in the Middle East was carrying components for a nuclear bomb. The U S military launched planes and prepared.
Darwin Kastle: armed troops for a hostile boarding action of the Chinese vessel. As the possibility of catastrophic war with China loomed large, The assault was called off at the last moment.
Darwin Kastle: An analyst had discovered that the intelligence report have been put together by An AI agent? that had falsely determined the intel about the nuclear components.
Darwin Kastle: You might be wondering why The US military is using AI. when AI is still capable of such dangerous hallucinations. It's in part because the military answers to Defense Secretary Hegseth and President Donald Trump.
Darwin Kastle: Trump makes more stock trades than every member of Congress combined. and the stock market is currently doing well largely because of AI companies.
Darwin Kastle: In an effort for those companies to justify their stock values, they're pushing AI into everything. Even before they've had time. to work out the problems with artificial intelligence.
Darwin Kastle: This is what happens when the country is run by old conservative rich men who are in bed with big corporations. The people that should be saving us either won't be alive by the time the world is ending,
Darwin Kastle: or They'll be safely tucked away in their billionaire bunkers. While we're dying. There's more at stake in the next two elections than many. people realize. We need to elect people who will start saving us from potential apocalypse.
Darwin Kastle: not make the end come even faster. Part 2 American Socialism. a Last week... at the republicans midterm convention in Texas.
Darwin Kastle: Well, not last week, but recently at the Republicans' midterm convention in Texas. President Trump said some shocking things, as is always the case with him.
Darwin Kastle: One that stood out for me was his promise of five thousand dollars for every american adult if the Republicans control both the Senate and the House. after the midterm elections.
Darwin Kastle: First. That's not going to happen. Besides the fact that Democrats will take at least... the House of Representatives back. There's the minor detail.
Darwin Kastle: that it would add up to over a trillion dollars. It would cost more than the annual defense budget and Medicare spending. Another empty promise. from the most mendacious president.
Darwin Kastle: Second. It's clearly meant as a bribe to get votes. Which sure seems illegal to this non lawyer The third thing that struck me about it. was how much Republicans like socialism when it suits their purposes.
Darwin Kastle: Spending tax money to directly help taxpayers is one of the big tenants of socialism. Americans love socialism. even Republicans. Some just don't realize it.
Darwin Kastle: That's in part because the GOP have done such a good job obscuring what socialism actually is. to them If they so think something is bad. It's socialism. If we ask the government to spend something spend money on something that directly helps struggling taxpayers... That's socialism, so it's bad.
Darwin Kastle: We'd love to help. but they'd make that would make us socialists, and everybody knows that's bad. To be fair... There are multiple flavors of socialism. which adds to the confusion.
Darwin Kastle: The other thing that adds to the confusion is that many governments combine socialism with other economic and political systems, creating various hybrid systems. The United States is a good example.
Darwin Kastle: because we combine democracy, capitalism and socialism. But if you ask most Americans, they will describe the US as a capitalist democracy. leaving out any mention of socialism.
Darwin Kastle: even though it's the secret sauce that has held America together for years. of course. since the gop are making america into an unregulated capitalist hellscape.
Darwin Kastle: They're against socialism at all costs. Republicans are handling socialism the same way they handle all good things that they don't like. They say it's bad over and over and until people start to accept that it's bad.
Darwin Kastle: hmm A strength of America is its diversity. and the fact that everyone is supposed to be treated equally and fairly. But to Republicans... That's bad.
Darwin Kastle: because it doesn't favor white people. So they just keep saying that DEI is bad until people start believing them. Repetition of bullshit is a core skill for conservative media thinkers donors, and politicians.
Darwin Kastle: Among Democrats holding office in the US, There's only one kind of socialism gaining broad support. Social democracy. According to Merriam Webster,
Darwin Kastle: Social democracy. quote combines a mostly capitalist market economy with strong government regulation, high taxes, and public services. such as free healthcare care and education.
Darwin Kastle: to reduce and they they do this in order to reduce inequality. Countries like Denmark and Norway use this model. Unquote. It's worth noting that Denmark and Norway are near the top of the annual happiness index ratings pretty much every year.
Darwin Kastle: In 2025, Denmark was number two and Norway was number seven. a key thing they have in common with other. happiest countries. is a strong social support network.
Darwin Kastle: It might be nice to live somewhere with universal health care. free college education, strongly regulated corporations, and rich people having to pay their fair share of taxes to support these things.
Darwin Kastle: If we had that system in the U .S. It would be broadly popular. And we'd move upwards from our perch at number 24 on the happiness index. That's the problem.
Darwin Kastle: As we know, the GOP is the party of rich people and wealthy corporations. they don't want to be taxed at rates that rival the rest of us They pay low taxes. and they want to keep it that way They don't want their corporations to be well -regulated, and they want to extract as much profit from universities and healthcare care as possible.
Darwin Kastle: Social democracy isn't scary enough, however. because it's actually kind of awesome. So instead... The GOP want you to believe that Democrats favor a more radical form of socialism, one that eliminates capitalism entirely.
Darwin Kastle: where all property is publicly owned. Americans love owning stuff. Telling them that Democrats want to take it all away is scary stuff. Yet these same rich conservatives don't even want you to own stuff anymore. They just want you to.
Darwin Kastle: subscribe to things that only they can own. The kind of socialism that Democrats like is a kind that America has practiced for years.
Darwin Kastle: using our tax dollars to help American people. Things like... Social Security. Medicare and Medicaid. Food stamps. public schools.
Darwin Kastle: public roads, bridges, water systems, sewer systems the U .S. Postal Service. public transport. public libraries, public parks. Minimum wage.
Darwin Kastle: child labor laws. Great stuff. These things are so American. that we take them for granted. They are also the types of things that make socialism such an important part of a successful democracy.
Darwin Kastle: I mean... Who doesn't like these things? Oh, yeah wealthy conservatives. They want to cut government funding for these things That's for two reasons. One...
Darwin Kastle: they want more tax cuts and two they only want government money being given to rich people and corporations socialism for their companies but not.
Darwin Kastle: for you. As usual. If rich conservatives don't like something, That's because it's great for everybody else. So just ignore Republicans when they try to make socialism sound scary.
Darwin Kastle: Whatever candidate they're fear -mongering about is probably someone you should be voting for. Hmm. Part 3. GOP math. The math isn't mathing.
Darwin Kastle: Republicans are experts at inflation. They're constantly making little things seem like big things. They're also pretty good at making big things seem like little things. This is how they're trying to survive a challenging electoral landscape in the upcoming midterms.
Darwin Kastle: Zero. This is the number of transgender athletes in the WNBA. It's also the number of individual Olympic medals won by transgender athletes. out of the 500 ,000 college athletes in the United States.
Darwin Kastle: Less than 10 of them are transgender. According to US News and World Report, Experts estimate. that less than half a percent of high school athletes are transgender.
Darwin Kastle: Oh. There's that number zero again. I could get into the scientific and moral reasons to allow transgender girls and women to compete. But... Even if you are someone I could never convince of that.
Darwin Kastle: I think we can agree. that this is hardly a plague that's overwhelming the country and worthy of urgent federal legislature legislative action. based on these numbers.
Darwin Kastle: Yeah. Republican politicians are out here telling us that we need to elect them to Congress so they can protect us from this supposed scourge. I mean...
Darwin Kastle: If every other thing... in country is going smoothly i guess we can talk about it i mean things are going great Right? $4 .15. That's the average price per gallon of gas currently.
Darwin Kastle: It was. $3 .12 per gallon when Biden left office. Donald Trump was elected in part because he promised to dramatically lower the price of gas. Mission accomplished.
Darwin Kastle: Not so much. Perhaps this affects more Americans than transgender women in sports? Maybe this should be a more urgent concern for Congress? 674.
Darwin Kastle: That's the number of illegal immigrants in the US that are sent to prison. out of every 100 ,000 according to the Cato Institute.
Darwin Kastle: Compare that to the 1 ,195 out of every 100 ,000 native -born Americans that get sent to prison. According to the American Immigration Council,
Darwin Kastle: immigrants are significantly less likely to commit crimes than native -born Americans. Welcoming immigrants into your community has been shown to reduce levels of crime. Yet Republicans want you to vote for them.
Darwin Kastle: so they can keep protecting us from the supposed surge of immigrant crime? 8 .5%. That's how much the price of groceries has increased since 2023, according to the USDA.
Darwin Kastle: This was another issue Republicans ran on in the last election. they made such a big deal out of the fact that they were going to lower grocery prices that you had Trump out on the campaign trail sounding like he'd invented the word groceries.
Darwin Kastle: But instead of fixing things They've made them worse. But I suppose we better focus on getting immigrants detained and policing genitalia in sports since nobody really cares about grocery prices. Right?
Darwin Kastle: Right? 500 million dollars. That's Donald Trump Jr.'s net worth. In 2024... He was worth.
Darwin Kastle: Fifty million dollars. But by receiving stakes in several companies with connections to the White House and the federal government, his net worth has increased tenfold Every time another country tries to buy influence with the president by buying crypto coins from World Liberty Financial.
Darwin Kastle: It puts money in Junior's pocket. Oh, and then there's the defense contracts and the venture capital maneuvers. Apparently, Republicans don't think it's a big deal. I guess that's why they never cared about anything Hunter Biden got up to, right?
Darwin Kastle: Right? 0 .0001%. That's the percentage of votes in the US s by non -citizens since 2000. There have been just... 68 cases of non -citizen voting in the last 26 years.
Darwin Kastle: That's less than three per year. But according to Republicans, this matter is so urgent. that the most important thing for Congress to be working on is the SAVE Act. which is designed to prevent non -citizen voting.
Darwin Kastle: Are we sure there isn't anything more important they could be focusing on? 9 ,000 Plus. This is the number of people that have died in the ongoing war with Iran.
Darwin Kastle: This includes... 18 US military personnel and thousands of civilians around the Middle East. If you're like me. This is enough reason for Congress to stop funding this war that Trump chose to start.
Darwin Kastle: But if that's not enough... How about the devastating economic damage being caused to the whole world as a result of attacking Iran? Zero. There's that number again.
Darwin Kastle: That's the number of communists running as Democrats for Congress this year. Don't like comments Great. There aren't any communists. And there aren't any running as Democrats.
Darwin Kastle: at least. so you can safely vote blue. Yet for some reason Republicans are telling voters that you need to vote for the GOP because otherwise America will become a communist shithole.
Darwin Kastle: first Republicans are the ones forcing private companies to sell portions of their companies to the federal government. which is what communists do. But second, The reason we're supposed to heat...
Darwin Kastle: time is is because they'll wreck our economy and install an authoritarian leader. Isn't that exactly what it's been like under the current unified Republican government?
Darwin Kastle: These examples are typical of Republican math. Take an issue that doesn't affect everyday voters, like communism. Immigrant crime Transgender sports.
Darwin Kastle: then make it seem like the most important thing in the world and the thing you must do. base your vote on. It's because of matters that do affect everyday voters. like cost of living, quality of life.
Darwin Kastle: Republican policy sucks. It would be one thing if Republicans were earnestly working hard to improve our lives. But they're not. And they know it. They know that they will keep lowering taxes on the rich.
Darwin Kastle: and doing other things that are terrible for us. So they have to just try and distract us with bullshit to try and win elections. But we can all do the math now. And we know it doesn't add up.
Darwin Kastle: It's time to start changing things starting with these midterms. Thanks for listening to The Big Swing. The Big Swing Saving America is written and read for you by me, Darwin Castle.
Darwin Kastle: Please be sure to like and subscribe.
