Badlands Daily: July 15, 2025 – Epstein’s Shadow, AutoPen Scandals, and Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill

Hosted by CannCon and Ghost, this episode dissects the week’s whirlwind of stories shaping America’s political landscape. The show opens with reflections on shifting opinions among veterans about America’s endless wars and skepticism toward narratives of good versus evil abroad. The discussion moves to explosive immigration poll numbers showing strong bipartisan support for deporting illegal immigrants, before zeroing in on a DOJ arrest of a taco restaurant owner charged with harboring undocumented workers and possible human trafficking. From there, the hosts cover Biden’s auto-pen scandal, exploring how clemency decisions were signed off in a chain of questionable approvals that may have bypassed the president entirely. Trump’s economic playbook is front and center, with Supreme Court decisions allowing mass layoffs in the Education Department and Trump’s plans to privatize or eliminate federal bureaucracy.

The conversation also delves into Epstein’s murky history, the possibility his files were manipulated, and Trump’s cryptic remark about Epstein as “a guy who never dies.” Finishing with updates on Israeli politics, NATO’s financial squeeze, and the long shadow of state capture, the episode weaves together deep skepticism, historical parallels, and a few moments of wry humor.