This week, Josh and David dive into the blatant hypocrisy surrounding Donald Trump's presidency, from breaking his promise to "end wars" by bombing Iran to the cult-like devotion of his followers who ignore every lie. They explore the dangerous intersection of religion and politics in the Middle East and how it reflects the erosion of religious freedom debates here at home.

Then, in a rare and extended interview, they sit down with the CEO and Tribal Chair of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Stephanie Bryan. She shares the incredible story of the tribe's journey from poverty to a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, her philosophy on leadership and giving back, and what's really holding up a gaming deal in Alabama.

Finally, the show closes with a tragic and infuriating "Right Wing Nut of the Week": a Florida lawmaker who championed a restrictive abortion ban, only to find her own life at risk because of it when she suffered a medical emergency.

👇 JUMP TO A TOPIC (YOUTUBE CHAPTERS) 👇
00:00 Intro: Trump's Broken Promises & MAGA Hypocrisy
09:46 The Iran Bombing & The Politics of Fear
14:54 Freedom of Religion vs. Religious War
23:05 GUEST: Stephanie Bryan, CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians
56:38 The Tribe's $4 Billion Impact & Giving Back
1:07:58 The Future of Gaming in Alabama
1:19:18 Post-Interview Breakdown & The Power of Exposure
1:24:33 Right Wing Nut: The GOP Lawmaker Who Needed an Abortion

GUEST IN THIS EPISODE

➡️ Stephanie Bryan: CEO and Tribal Chair of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, the only federally recognized tribe in Alabama. In a wide-ranging conversation, Stephanie details the tribe's history, their business diversification beyond gaming into federal contracting and hospitality, and their guiding principles of community investment and partnership. She offers a behind-the-scenes look at the political fight over gaming in the state and shares her vision for a better Alabama.

RESOURCES & SOCIALS

🔵 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alpoliticsthisweek.com
⚫ X/Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/alathisweek
🔵 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alathisweek

SUPPORT THE SHOW

👍 Like this video and SUBSCRIBE to our channel!
⭐ Leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
📧 Send us a question or a voice recording to apwproducer@gmail.com. We take a bit of time each week to answer questions from our audience about Alabama politics. Make sure you include your name and the city or county where you live.

ABOUT OUR SPONSOR

Alabama Politics This Week is sponsored by Wind Creek Hospitality. Gaming is the heart of Wind Creek Hospitality, but they offer so much more. Wind Creek's 10 distinct properties in the U.S. and Caribbean — including four in Alabama — provide world-class entertainment, dining, hotel stays, amenities and activities. As the principal gaming and hospitality entity for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Wind Creek continues to grow and offer guests luxurious destinations and opportunities for escape.

Music courtesy of Mr. Smith via the Free Music Archive.

This week, Josh and David tackle the rampant hypocrisy and political rot festering in Alabama and beyond. They kick things off with a fiery breakdown of the right-wing media's reaction to the political assassination of a Minnesota lawmaker, exposing the cynical machinery that fuels lies and deflects blame.

Then, they dive into the shamelessness of modern politics, exploring how Donald Trump's presidency has normalized cruelty and why so many voters have been duped by a con man who preys on their worst instincts.

To get a ground-level view of what it takes to fight back, they bring on a fantastic guest. Minister and community activist Ryan Cagle joins the show to discuss his race for the State House and his courageous fight for justice in Walker County, where a corrupt sheriff's department has been plagued by scandal, abuse, and the death of Tony Mitchell.

Finally, the show closes with a look at the emerging GOP primary for the U.S. Senate, asking if Bruce Pearl is a better choice than Steve Marshall, and crowns a new "Right-Wing Nut of the Week": a Supreme Court Justice who praises a convicted felon while lying about crime statistics.

• 00:00 Intro: The President Without Shame
• 13:30 The Right-Wing Lie Machine & The Minnesota Assassination
• 31:00 GUEST: Ryan Cagle on the Fight for Walker County's Soul
• 1:16:30 DEBATE: Is Bruce Pearl the GOP's Best Hope for Senate?
• 1:24:40 Right-Wing Nut: The Supreme Court Justice Who Can't Google

➡️ Ryan Cagle: Minister, community advocate, and Democratic candidate for Alabama House District 5. Ryan details his grassroots campaign and his frontline efforts to demand accountability for the death of Tony Mitchell and expose the corruption within the Walker County Sheriff's Office. He discusses the need for new approaches to mental health crises and what it means to fight for change in a deep-red district.

➡️ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alpoliticsthisweek.com

➡️ X/Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/alathisweek

➡️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alathisweek

👍 Like this video and SUBSCRIBE to our channel!

⭐ Leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

📧 Send us a question or a voice recording to apwproducer@gmail.com. We take a bit of time each week to answer questions from our audience about Alabama politics. Make sure you include your name and the city or county where you live.

Alabama Politics This Week is sponsored by Wind Creek Hospitality. Gaming is the heart of Wind Creek Hospitality, but they offer so much more. Wind Creek's 10 distinct properties in the U.S. and Caribbean — including four in Alabama — provide world-class entertainment, dining, hotel stays, amenities and activities. As the principal gaming and hospitality entity for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Wind Creek continues to grow and offer guests luxurious destinations and opportunities for escape.

Music courtesy of Mr. Smith via the Free Music Archive.

This week, Josh and David are fired up about the disconnect between Alabama's real problems and its political theater. They kick things off with a blistering critique of the recent ICE raids in LA and the hypocrisy surrounding immigration.

Then, they dive into the devastating numbers from the new Kids Count data book, which ranks Alabama 43rd in the nation for child well-being. Why is the legislature focused on banning books when 82 percent of 8th graders can't do math and thousands of kids are going hungry?

To get answers, they bring on two fantastic guests. First, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Will Boyd shares his strategy for reviving Alabama and why he believes this election will be different. Then, Apreill Hartsfield of Voices for Alabama's Children walks them through the shocking data and discusses what it will take to create real change.

Finally, the show closes with a heated debate over ABC's firing of reporter Terry Moran, forcing the question: In an era of misinformation, what are the true ethics of journalism?

Key Topics & Timestamps:

00:41 - Rant: ICE Raids & Immigration Hypocrisy
29:45 - GUEST: Dr. Will Boyd on His Plan to Revive Alabama
50:05 - GUEST: Apreill Hartsfield on the Shocking Kids Count Data
1:22:15 - DEBATE: Media Ethics & The Terry Moran Firing

Guests in This Episode:

➡️ Dr. Will Boyd: Democratic candidate for governor of Alabama. Dr. Boyd discusses his platform, the challenges of running as a Democrat in a deep-red state, and his message-driven strategy to connect with voters on kitchen-table issues.

➡️ Apreill Hartsfield: Alabama Kids Count director at VOICES for Alabama's Children. Apreill breaks down the sobering statistics from the 2025 Kids Count Data Book, highlighting the urgent crises in education, health, and economic security facing Alabama's children.

Resources & Socials:

➡️ Kids Count Data Book: http://www.alavoices.org
🔵 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alpoliticsthisweek.com
⚫ X/Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/alathisweek
🔵 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alathisweek

Support the Show:

👍 Like, Rate, and Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.
⭐ Leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
📧 Send us a question or a voice recording to apwproducer@gmail.com. We take a bit of time each week to answer questions from our audience about Alabama politics. Make sure you include your name and the city or county where you live.

About Our Sponsor:

Alabama Politics This Week is sponsored by Wind Creek Hospitality. Gaming is the heart of Wind Creek Hospitality, but they offer so much more. Wind Creek's 10 distinct properties in the U.S. and Caribbean — including four in Alabama — provide world-class entertainment, dining, hotel stays, amenities and activities. As the principal gaming and hospitality entity for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Wind Creek continues to grow and offer guests luxurious destinations and opportunities for escape.

Music courtesy of Mr. Smith via the Free Music Archive.