Summary

In this episode of Crayon Box Weekly, hosts Carl and Vanessa discuss various news stories, focusing on Texas SB 8, the Women's Privacy Act, and its implications for transgender rights. They also delve into the recent designation of fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, exploring the drug epidemic in America and the political motivations behind these legislative actions. The conversation highlights personal anecdotes, societal issues, and the importance of understanding different perspectives in political discourse.

In this episode of Crayon Box Weekly, Carl and Vanessa discuss various topics ranging from holiday shopping experiences to political identity and party switching. Carl shares his journey of switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party, reflecting on his core values and how they align with the Democratic platform. The conversation shifts to current events, including political commentary on the state of the nation, racial profiling, and the implications of recent Supreme Court decisions.

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In this episode of Crayon Box Weekly, hosts Carl and Vanessa discuss their recent personal experiences, including accidents and political engagement. They delve into the dynamics of political groups on social media, highlighting the stark differences in reception between conservative and progressive communities. The conversation shifts to the impact of hate speech and division in politics, the spread of misinformation, and current geopolitical tensions, particularly between China and Taiwan. They also touch on military actions and the implications of international relations, concluding with plans for future episodes and community engagement.

Release Date: Monday, November 10, 2025Hosts: Carl Able & VanessaSeries: Crayon Box Weekly – News Review Edition⸻Episode SummaryThis week’s news roundup swings from science that makes you laugh (and then think) to politics that makes you question reality. Carl and Vanessa kick things off with a look at Japan’s latest clinical breakthrough — intestinal oxygen absorption, better known as “butt breathing.” What starts as comic disbelief turns into a serious conversation about medical innovation and emergency care.Then the focus shifts stateside, where Election Day confusion hit new levels. Some voters in Kentucky tried to cast ballots in an election that didn’t exist, while political tensions flared nationwide over mail-in voting, state aid, and Trump’s increasingly erratic influence on upcoming races. From coin shortages to the end of the penny, the hosts close with a grounded (and surprisingly costly) look at the tiny details shaping our economy.⸻In This Episode • 0:08 – Welcome to the new two-part format: News Review & In-Depth • 1:00 – Japan’s “butt breathing” research enters human trials • 5:45 – COVID’s legacy and the search for alternative oxygen methods • 10:30 – Election Day confusion: Kentucky voters show up for the wrong race • 13:00 – Trump’s threats, state aid politics, and the Mamdani election • 18:00 – The Department of War? Trump’s “fit or fired” military directive • 25:00 – The penny’s demise and why rounding up could cost you • 30:40 – What losing Lincoln means and how small change adds up⸻Key Takeaways • Science meets absurdity: “Butt breathing” could save lives — and egos. • Politics remains performance art: Even off-cycle elections can reveal major 2026 energy. • Every cent counts: The penny’s removal could quietly raise costs for cash users.⸻Listen & Engage📩 Submit your news stories: contact@crayonboxpolitics.com🎧 Listen to past episodes: www.crayonboxpolitics.com/podcast💬 Join the discussion: “64” Community on Facebook

This episode kicks off the “States’ Rights” arc of the Chaos or Unity series — exploring how American governance walks the line between independence and interdependence.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Carl and Vanessa peel back the layers of what it actually means to be a “state” in the United States. From the Articles of Confederation to the 10th Amendment, they trace how state sovereignty evolved — and how that independence continues to collide with federal power today. Through humor, history, and a few well-timed tangents (including undercooked military meals and Trump’s platform shoes), they make sense of one of America’s most misunderstood foundations: the balance between chaos and unity.

Key Topics:

• The origins of the states and the Articles of Confederation

• How the Constitution redefined the balance between state and federal power

• The 10th Amendment and the Supremacy Clause explained (without the legal jargon)

• Texas v. White (1869) and why states can’t legally secede

• Federal vs. state authority — from SNAP benefits to National Guard deployment

• Everyday examples: marijuana laws, taxes, and the gray area between local and federal control

• Why the U.S. system confuses the world — and sometimes, us too

Takeaways:

• A “state” is both sovereign and bound — independent within, united without.

• The Constitution intentionally left room for friction; it’s what keeps democracy alive.

• Federal authority may trump state law, but local governance remains the engine of everyday life.

• Understanding these dynamics is key to understanding how—and why—America governs itself the way it does.

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Carl and Vanessa close out the Vote or Be Ruled series with a grounded discussion on why voting still matters—even when it feels futile. They explore voter apathy, political longevity, age in leadership, and how personal participation keeps democracy from decaying into complacency.

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Key Topics & Corrections

Voting Frequency and Civic Power

• There’s always an election happening somewhere in the U.S.—federal, state, or local.

• Correction: “California Proposition 50” is a fictional placeholder in the conversation; no such 2025 measure exists. However, the point stands: local and state propositions often decide key policy shifts.

• Voting is the direct mechanism for accountability. Calls for “term limits” often ignore that voters already have that power—they just don’t use it.

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Career Politicians and the Age Debate

• Carl and Vanessa discuss longevity in office, using examples like Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and President Biden.

• Correction: Pelosi is a representative, not a senator. She has served in the House since 1987.

• The conversation expands to the cognitive and generational gap in leadership—how older politicians may struggle to represent younger constituencies.

• Correction: No sitting U.S. president has died of old age in office; several have died from illness or assassination, but none solely from advanced age.

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Informed Voting and Breaking Tribalism

• Blind party loyalty keeps entrenched incumbents in power.

• Educated voting—based on candidate background, policy record, and lived impact—creates real change.

• Correction: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) did not die in office; he is still serving as of 2025. (Carl was referring to another member of Congress who passed earlier that year.)

• Abstaining from uninformed voting can be better than supporting a candidate whose platform contradicts your values—but it’s not a substitute for civic engagement.

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Local Elections: The Real Power Base

• Local offices—mayors, school boards, city councils—affect zoning, policing, education, and representation far more immediately than the presidency.

• Correction: In North Carolina and many other states, local election schedules can shift when municipalities vote to align with federal cycles, often to improve turnout or reduce costs.

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2024 Election Breakdown (Corrected Data)

• U.S. population: ~336 million

• Registered voters: ~174 million

• Ballots cast: ~154 million

• Donald Trump: ~77.3 million votes (49.8%)

• Kamala Harris: ~75.0 million votes (48.3%)

• Margin: ≈2.3 million votes

• Trump won via Electoral College, not popular mandate—his total represents roughly 23% of the total U.S. population, not “half the country.”

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Takeaway: The “Why” of Voting

Voting isn’t about believing your single ballot will swing a presidency—it’s about building the conditions that make accountability possible.

Democracy isn’t self-cleaning; if voters don’t show up, the system calcifies under those who do.

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Crayon Box Politics Update: Politician Baseball Cards

Carl announces the upcoming Politician Baseball Cards project—a quick-reference tool for voters to see who represents them, what they’ve done, and how they’ve voted.

A pilot release is planned for summer 2026, with public feedback rounds in early 2026.

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Next Episode Preview

November kicks off the State’s Rights series—exploring how state power, federal limits, and historical battles still define American freedom today.

Carl and Vanessa dissect America’s democratic mythos—how the Electoral College, primary system, and party elites shape outcomes long before voters step into a booth. The discussion threads from the Founders’ elitism to the 2024 Democratic transition, revealing how much “representation” is managed behind the curtain.

• Correction: The Electoral College originated in 1787—not to deny democracy, but to reconcile state power under the Constitution.

• Each state’s electors = total number of senators + representatives.

• “Faithless electors” can occur, but most states now legally bind electors to the state’s popular vote.

• Correction: Five presidents (not two) have won the Electoral College while losing the popular vote—most recently Trump in 2016.

• The system gives smaller states disproportionate weight, meaning a Wyoming vote counts more than a California vote.

• Before 1972, party leaders—not voters—chose nominees in conventions.

• The 1968 Democratic Convention (Hubert Humphrey’s nomination despite poor primary support) led to reforms giving states more power.

• Correction: Kamala Harris did not “appoint herself” or “receive no votes.”

  • After Biden’s 2024 withdrawal, pledged delegates and superdelegates reallocated under DNC succession rules.

  • This process was legal and procedural, though it appeared undemocratic to many.

• Correction: The four notable 2024 Democratic challengers—Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, Jason Palmer, and the “Uncommitted” protest vote—did compete in early primaries before the race collapsed.

• Pop culture and wealth distort civic engagement.

• Correction: Elon Musk’s “lottery for voters” story is unverified; however, similar celebrity-driven or financially-incentivized turnout efforts have skirted the ethical edge of electioneering.

• Concerts, endorsements, and influencer campaigns reflect how political messaging now thrives on entertainment, not policy.

The American system wasn’t rigged by accident—it was built to balance control and chaos. Reforms like primaries and campaign laws tweaked the process, but power remains concentrated among elites, donors, and party insiders. Democracy, in practice, is still a managed performance.

In this episode of Crayon Box Weekly, Carl and co-host Vanessa explore the evolution of voting rights in America, discussing key amendments such as the 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. They delve into historical contexts and legal frameworks that shaped voting eligibility, including age requirements tied to the Vietnam War draft, women's suffrage, literacy tests, and poll taxes. The discussion also covers the significance of the Voting Rights Act, federal vs. state law dynamics, and the inclusion of multilingual support for voters.

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