Red State Blue Mom

In this stressful and uncertain time, where does one go to find a place to be made whole again? The answer may be found in why the Nordic countries have the highest levels of happiness, equality, and well-being in the world due in part to the concept of hygge, an Old Norse word that meant “protected from the outside world.” Mama B is a blue mom living in a red state and she says, “More Hygge, plea...

In a Special Legislative Session called by the Governor of Tennessee the first week in May, the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee statehouse dismantled the only majority-minority Democratic Congressional District in the state. The goal was said out loud on the Tennessee House Floor by one MAGA Republican: To hand Trump all congressional seats in the state of Tennessee come the November mid...

April is Earth Month and April 22 is Earth Day. . . though on every day of the year, it would be ideal if each of us thought about how we use our planet’s finite resources and then do something positive to facilitate change. Right now, the U.S. is waging a war of choice in Iran that involves the finite resources of oil and gas but could, in a way, also be about freshwater. Tehran and other major c...

(Recorded on March 18 before spring travels, any solution to funding TSA happened, and any end to the Iran War was in sight.) As usual, Mama B discusses what MAGA is up to both in Tennessee and the rest of the world. Look no further than this current war in Iran. Based on living in the Bible Belt, Mama B has opinions about why the U.S. is involved in yet another war in the Middle East, a religiopo...

​“Life under authoritarianism is actually, for the most part, weirdly normal. It’s often even, well, boring. . . it’s easy to think that if you just keep your head down and avoid making waves, you’ll be perfectly fine, thank you very much,” VOX Until you’re not fine. This is the year we celebrate the 250th birthday of our country, the world’s oldest democracy. But we need to ask ourselves, is this...

​(Recorded on 1/14/26 before the escalation of federalized forces and their continuing harm to US citizens in Minneapolis.) Right now, very scary things are going on in this country and in the MAGA petri dish that is the state of Tennessee. It’s entirely possible that by the conclusion of this month’s episode of Red State Blue Mom, and after learning way more than you ever wanted to know about the...

This is a short holiday message with lots of bright hope for the future and in 2026, there is a way to "finally put this MAGA nightmare behind us."

In Part 2 (recorded 11/13/25) of a two-part podcast episode series, Mama B gives listeners her viewpoint on and the counterpoint to comments made by last month’s interview guest, a long-time family friend from Arizona who was at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2020. Having recently been on vacation in Poland, Mama B also wants listeners to be aware of a few similarities between the Nazi occupation...

In Part 1 of a two-part podcast series, Mama B sits down with a dear, long-time family friend to get his viewpoint on a few things they greatly disagree about and a few things they totally see eye to eye on. While Mama B is a blue leaning Independent, this friend went from being a Democrat for (Bill) Clinton in the 1990’s to telling Mama B he is now “more MAGA than most MAGA people.” By the way, h...

(Recorded on 9/8/25 before MAGA political activist Charlie Kirk was killed.) Mama B is a big advocate of free speech rights and does not condone political violence of any kind. Because of Mama B’s recent and unexpected medical event, this podcast episode is very short and concludes with a political endorsement of a candidate running in a special election for a vacated U.S. House seat in Tennessee,...

This month, Mama B. and her Production Manager and Sound Engineer, Landon Skeen, celebrate the fifth anniversary of Red State Blue Mom. Mama B. shares some background and anecdotes behind the podcast’s production. Then she heads straight into this month’s episode as listeners wind their way through the following topics: Comments from Mama B. about her summer reading of How Fascism Works, The Polit...

This month is the 100th anniversary of a historically seminal event that took place in Appalachian East Tennessee in 1925: The Scopes Monkey Trial. This event occurred before the advent of television and was the first time in history a newsworthy trial was broadcast nationwide over the radio. The “trial became a symbol of the larger social anxieties associated with the cultural changes and moderni...

In Tennessee, the city of Nashville is ground zero for ICE arrests, detentions, and deportations. Mama B. has a few stories to share regarding what her progressive state politician daughter (who represents Nashville), has experienced during this crazy, turbulent time. As protests against ICE operations are still ongoing all over the U.S., Mama B. shares some historical examples as she gives her op...

Many listeners may not be aware that, along with other red states like Texas, Tennessee has been a red state incubator for the Heritage Foundation’s plans for this country as most recently stated in their Project 2025 agenda. My state’s role as both an incubator and implementer of Project 2025 has been going on for almost a decade now but especially since Trump regained office this past January. I...

(Recorded on Sunday, April 13, 2025.) CORRECTIONS: The University of Tennessee has been informed that 9 international student visas have been revoked, for a total of 15 in the entire state so far. As of this episode’s posting, an immigration judge has determined Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported but his case is on appeal. Mama B. has thoughts on and concerns over this mont...

This episode was recorded on 3/10/25. . . before Trump said to Laura Ingraham on Fox News [3/19/25], “One of the nastiest countries to deal with is Canada.” What an appalling statement from one of the most shameless men, if not THE MOST shameless man, in the United States today. Considering history along with some current events, Mama B. wonders why Trump treats Russia and Putin with deference but...

Though Trump’s first month of his second term as President has been as chaotic, destructive, and nerve jangling as many of us thought it would be, there have also been a few very unexpected surprises. Mama B. talks about these unexpected surprises, the historical context of what’s going on in our country right now, and what else may be planned by MAGA world in the very near future. Many of you may...

After recording last month’s episode of this podcast, Mama B., took her own advice to relax and recharge before Trump is sworn in as President and the Project 2025 agenda starts being implemented on January 20. Along with her family, she spent the holiday break in southern Italy. After her trip, it was easy for Mama B. to make both historical and modern-day comparisons of Trump to the famous and i...

This month, the “B” in In Mama B. stands for brief because this podcast episode is short and to the point. She feels listeners need to relax, recharge, and get ready for the year ahead. Whether one is celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Festivus, a Native Deity, or just having time off from the daily grind. . . from her kitchen table in Appalachian East Tennessee, Mama B. wishes everyone a fa...

What an election this has been. After all votes have been tabulated, America has learned we’re pretty much a 50/50 country with the election for President having been within the statistical margin of error. While Donald J. Trump will be President for the next four years, not quite half of this country voted to kick him to the curb forever. In the immediate aftermath of this historic election in wh...

​Hurricane season this year has not brought out the best in MAGA world and there’s still more than a month to go until November 30 when the season ends. Mama B. tells stories of life in the Appalachian South of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene’s devastation wrecked-havoc and has upended life for far too many people. MAGA leaders have not helped alleviate the stress...

​Since she lives in the reddest parts of one of the reddest states in the Union, Mama B. knows what’s in store for this country if Trump wins the election in November. She has seen many aspects of Project 2025 already implemented in her state of Tennessee, which has been one of the red petri dishes, an incubator in miniature, for how Project 2025 can be implemented and will work at the national le...

Due to summer travel schedules, this episode was recorded on 8/13/24 before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. After adopting three kittens, Mama B. gives Trump, JD Vance, and the Republican party what for because she is now an official cat lady. Take that JD Vance. . . CAT LADIES UNITE!!! This will be her mantra this election season as she becomes a “joyful warrior” working alongside...

This episode was recorded on July 11, before the assassination attempt on Trump, the Republican National Convention, and any other big-time news prior to the posting date listed. Regardless and as always, Mama B has plenty to say as she regales her audience with stories of summer weekends spent in Nashville. In Mama B’s story of a Kentucky incest survivor, you will hear why having options inspires...

What is it like to be a Progressive Democrat in a southern state legislature with a Republican supermajority? With her first legislative session behind her, Tennessee State Representative Aftyn Behn (District 51, Nashville) sits down with Mama B. at her family’s kitchen table to discuss her unique experience. This episode is guaranteed to be interesting and informative so stay calm and listen on....