Ruthless Podcast Mugged By Reality: Mamdani Is Already In Trouble + Todd Ricketts Joins The Progrum
Feb 20, 2026
Todd Ricketts, Cubs owner and entrepreneur, talks baseball, stadium development, and the new FreeSpoke search engine. He previews the Cubs’ season, debates MLB salary-cap ideas, and explains modern stadium financing and real-estate strategies. He also outlines FreeSpoke’s independent index and privacy-focused approach.
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Big Budget Politics As Power Play
- New York Mayor Brandon "Momdani" Mamdani's $127B budget shows Democrats pushing big government as power consolidation rather than efficient service delivery.
- Hosts argue this model will spread nationally, forcing higher taxes or local property tax hikes if unchecked.
Education Spending Flows To Unions
- Mamdani earmarked $50 billion for NYC public schools, which the hosts say flows to teachers' unions not students.
- They use this to argue massive education spending often enriches political actors rather than improving outcomes.
Question Tax Hikes Before Accepting Them
- Voters should demand smaller government and question whether services must cost more rather than just raising taxes.
- The hosts recommend scrutinizing budgets before accepting tax hikes as the only solution.