The RTWJ Podcast

We’re back after a two-month break, having left just as widespread immigration enforcement actions ordered by the Trump administration, and the resulting protests, were beginning in Southern California. Now we return to an America that feels increasingly unrecognizable, where on the very day of this recording the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Obergefell v. Hodges , the landmark case...

In this episode, we unpack the growing political crisis in the U.S., sparked most recently by ICE raids right here in Southern California. As the situation continues to escalate, we share our personal reactions and growing concerns about the rise of authoritarianism, and how these national developments are showing up in our own communities. We draw connections between Trump’s upcoming military par...

In this episode, we reflect on Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration and share our thoughts on the blend of nostalgia and missed opportunities. While we genuinely enjoy the return of beloved shows like Wondrous Journeys and Paint the Night , their reuse without any new offerings created specifically for this milestone raises questions about Disney’s current creative direction. We discuss the c...

Just over 100 days into Trump’s second term, the political and economic landscape is shifting rapidly, with aggressive tariff policies causing a projected 35% drop in imports at Southern California ports, raising fears of supply chain disruptions and shortages. In this episode, we unpack the immediate domestic effects, declining global perceptions, and economic instability marked by reduced touris...

After celebrating John’s birthday, we’re back to address recent feedback from our March 22nd episode, particularly claims of “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” As public servants, our concerns stem from direct experience with the impact of erratic policies. Sudden tariff shifts, for example, disrupt planning and create instability, not out of partisanship, but because effective governance matters. We a...

Following our discussion on the Trump administration’s attack on DEI initiatives in our last episode, we now shift our focus to recent economic policies, such as tariffs, that contradict campaign promises to tackle inflation and lower the cost of living starting on day one. We also examine the administration’s sweeping executive actions, including efforts to dismantle the Department of Education,...

In this episode, we reflect on how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives have increasingly become a target for the Trump administration, with recent policy shifts and administrative actions designed to dismantle progress achieved in promoting equity in the workplace and education. As two individuals who are part of several groups which benefit from DEI initiatives, we share our personal per...

It is officially the five-year anniversary of John and Marcus hosting The RTWJ Podcast, having proudly first started pre-pandemic in February 2020! And to celebrate the occasion, it'll be one of our classic mixed topic episodes. We will start by covering the radical developments in U.S. politics since we last joined you on January 19th, now that Donald Trump is President of the United States...

With John still away on vacation and enjoying the life of luxury, Marcus is holding down the fort for The RTWJ Podcast with today’s episode. We’ll touch on a few current “hot topics” for the month of January, starting with a brief mention of the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, followed by some reflection about what have been the most catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles his...

We’re back with our first episode of 2025, where after some housekeeping we start off with reflecting on what concerns us with upcoming major political transition activities as we approach Inauguration Day in just two weeks. But after taking that moment to reflect, we then have some fun focusing on a positive upcoming event for the year, which is John’s first visit to Walt Disney World in Orland F...

We’re taking a break from discussing politics and news headlines, and instead are reflecting on what this current holiday season means to us, where we’ve been during 2024, and the direction we’re headed in 2025. No matter which holiday(s) you celebrate, we wish all our listeners a happy holiday season, as well as a safe and happy new year. We look forward to returning on January 1, 2025! December...

As President-elect Donald Trump continues to name appointees to his upcoming administration and shares bold plans for his first day in office, we question what policies he will actually be able to implement after Inauguration Day, as well as the extent to which such policies will impact American democracy and society. Based on what we have seen and heard so far, we are more concerned than ever wit...

After a busy October and a delayed episode release schedule, we are happy to be back on track with a new release for November 15th! Having been away during the most critical moments of the race for the White House, we're reflecting on the results, our disappointment with the Harris-Walz ticket not being successful in winning the race, and the initial concerns we have as we approach Inaugurati...

We’re back with a brand new episode, and we start off with a throwback to our days being branded as The Real Talk with JAM Podcast, followed by allowing ourselves to dive into some tangents, including trying to understand why credit card companies sell gift cards. We then briefly reflect about the first presidential debate earlier this month between Harris and Trump (having delayed the release of...

For our Labor Day weekend episode, we’re diving deeper into the race for the White House as Election Day is just a little more than two months away. And as the Harris and Trump campaigns continue pushing along this final stretch, one question we explore is whether the electoral college is still the best way to elect the President of the United States, or if it’s time to consider transitioning to t...

As John and Marcus bring The RTWJ Podcast back to life, they take on new chaos that has recently come up related to the 2024 presidential election, from the first Biden-Trump debate to today's SCOTUS ruling providing Trump with immunity as it relates to official acts he carried out during his first term as President.  July 1, 2024

After being on hiatus for several months and delaying the relaunch date, The RTWJ Podcast returns just in time for Pride Month 2024, a topic that is close and personal for the show. BOTH John and Marcus are together again to host this relaunch episode, with discussion of the current state of LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion, as well as a response to those who dismiss the necessity to celebrate LGBTQ Pr...

We're introducing the political platform of The RTWJ Podcast, which promotes human and civil rights, as well as the inclusion of people from all backgrounds. We strongly reject the Make America Great Again (MAGA) political movement, which only promotes freedom for those who adhere to strict political and society values, and rejects those who don't check all of the boxes. 

We’re glad to be back as Marcus’ voice continues to recover slowly. We both recently completed reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, and are reflecting on our key takeaways from the book, including how our society is losing its sense of humanity.  April 20, 2023

We're excited to be returning to the air with the grand relaunch of The RTWJ Podcast (previously known as The Real Talk with JAM Podcast). In our grand relaunch episode, we're introducing several topics of interest that we plan to explore more in future episodes.  April 2, 2023