Mark Cobb

Jesus follower, Contrarian investor,Libertarian,
Walleye Fisher,Biologist

[Mark Cobb @markacobb]

@TheCalvinCooli1 Matthew 7:15-16

[Clay Travis @ClayTravis]

The and one celebration, not gonna lie, I lost it. This dude is my favorite women’s basketball player ever.

[Clay Travis @ClayTravis]

This bitch can ball. I can’t believe the transphobic @wnba won’t sign this woman.

[Peter St Onge, Ph.D. @profstonge]

"Climate change" boils down to exporting your entire industrial base to Asia, where the emissions don't count.

NGO's get billions to promote the imaginary crisis. Blue-collars get unemployment.

[The Real Mike Rowe @mikeroweworks]

Not the way I planned on spending my afternoon, but 7,600 comments should not be ignored! Bots, trolls and personal attacks notwithstanding, the critics of yesterday’s post were dominated by a large and vocal contingent who rushed to remind me that there’s “a difference between socialism and communism,” an obvious indication that they didn’t actually read the post.

Shelley Armour writes… “Mike! You know there is a difference between democratic socialism and communism, right?”

Hi, Shelley. Yes, I know there’s a difference, and I understand what the difference is. The larger point, and the fundamental flaw with your comment, is that you seem to believe the candidates within the Democratic Socialist Party are both “democratic and socialist" simply because that’s the name of their club. Well, maybe some of them are. I really couldn’t say. What I can tell you for sure is that more than a few have called for the complete dismantling of capitalism, free markets, representative government, property rights, borders, police, prisons, and the Constitution in general. My post referred to them, as well as a number of elected Democrats who have agreed to campaign on their behalf – including Gavin Newsom, who said, "The Democratic Party must accept the DSA in order to take back the Congress.” His words, not mine.

Tracey Steele writes…“Wow! I cannot believe Mike Rowe said this. He has a huge reach, and he is actually spouting the word “communism” like it’s the 1950s! Wow Wow Wow!”

Wow indeed, Tracey, and thanks for noticing the size of my reach! (Contrary to popular belief, size does matter!) To say it again, I am not the one “spouting” communism or conflating socialists and communists. The word is being “spouted” by members of the DSA who are using it to describe themselves. I am not accusing them; I am quoting them.

John Engles… Hey Rowe, what’s the difference between the Communists who want to run the country and the Nazi/fascist who currently is?

Several differences, John, but the only one relevant to this conversation is the fact that the communists currently running for office have clearly identified themselves as such. They do not dispute or reject the label. They embrace it. It is who they are, who they claim to be, and who they want to be. The president, on the other hand, has never claimed to be a Nazi or a fascist. That doesn’t mean he isn't, but it is worth noting he has rejected the accusation outright. Obviously, you are entitled to that opinion and the right to share it publicly, thanks to our Constitution. Unlike in a fascist, Nazi, or communist regime. (Also worth noting, Nazis and fascists are not the same thing.)

Chris Tomaloff writes… “Kinda like how the political right didn’t shout down the extreme rhetoric coming from their candidates?”

No, Chris, not like that at all. In the video I shared, we saw examples of prominent Democrats saying things like, “We need to elect more communists!” (Cea Weaver, Director of the NYC Mayor’s Office.) Mamdani himself literally tweeted, "Each according to their need, each according to their ability." That’s a direct quote from the Communist Manifesto.

But what exactly is the corollary from the right? Are prominent Republicans tweeting, “We need to elect more Nazis! We need to elect more fascists! Eat the poor!” I don’t think so. John Engles may think Trump is fascist and a Nazi, but Trump disagrees, and so do a majority of voters. Communists, on the other hand, say it loud and say it proud. I’m inclined to take them at their word.

Beto Ojeda… “Mike has always leaned to the Trumpian view of things but never states it, so as not to alienate anyone, but we know how to read between the lines. This “communist” talk is McCarthyism 2.0.”

I wasn’t around in the 1950s, Beto, but from what I’ve read, it was indeed a very difficult time to be a communist in this country. Lots of private citizens were dragged before Congress, made to take “loyalty oaths," and blacklisted in their places of work. I can’t justify it or condone it, but I can explain it. We had just fought a hot war against fascism and Nazism and just begun a Cold War against a communist regime. The existence of an organized Communist Party in this country at such a time strained the limits of tolerance. But do you really think we’re less tolerant today than we were seventy-five years ago? Do you really believe my comments about communists who claim to be communists are synonymous with another Red Scare? If you haven’t noticed, Chris, no one in the DSA, including the communists, is being dragged before Congress and made to swear a loyalty oath to the Constitution. Today, a communist in America can run for office…with the endorsement of the governor of California! And the tacit approval of a major political party! Seems to me we’re about as far from McCarthyism as we can get.

As for my desire not to alienate anyone, I suppose I am guilty of that. I run a foundation that is open to people of all political beliefs, and we’ve assisted lots of Americans who lean to the left. I also know for a fact that many Democrats have supported mikeroweWORKS historically, and I have no desire to run them off. But do you really have to “read between the lines” to understand where I’m coming from?

True, I’ve never endorsed a candidate or publicly encouraged people to vote. But I’ve been very transparent about the fact that I’m a registered Independent who favors policies and programs that often align with conservative principles. Obviously, I would not characterize those conservative principles as “Trumpian,” because a) they were around long before him, b) Trump is not a conservative, and c) I do not agree with or support everything the President says and does. So, is it possible, Beto, that your accusation is rooted in the fact that I have never publicly denounced the president to your satisfaction? Is it possible you think I'm a Trumper, simply because I've never called him a fascist, or a Nazi, or a liar, or a conman, or a traitor, or whatever else you believe him to be?

Gretchen Seipp… Mike, the fact that you still act as though you’re not political after all this time is a bit ridiculous. I still support your work and foundation because I believe in it, but the folksy act has worn thin.

Aw, shucks, Gretchen. Folksy? Lil' ole me?
Honestly, how am I acting as if I am “not political?” This entire conversation is the very definition of “political.”

Christopher Pugh… I would have voted for Mike Rowe and Freddie a few years ago before he went full-on MAGA, and I’m all in favor of his project, but it’s pretty clear the political direction that he’s moved in and the money trail that has influenced it.

It’s Freddy, not Freddie. (I don’t much care, but he’s a terrier and particular about such things.) As for the “full-on MAGA” moniker, is there something I did specifically to earn that designation? Is there some kind of general definition you can share? Or, are you coming from the same place as Beto? Is calling me “Full-On MAGA" your way of saying that I’ve failed to condemn Trump to your satisfaction?

For the record, MRW is supported by liberals and conservatives alike. I have no idea what “money trail” you are referring to. Also, regarding my personal politics, think about the implications of what I wrote. I said that the Democrats have been given a gift – an opportunity to appear reasonable by speaking the truth to their own party, just as Bill Maher has done. All they have to do is distance themselves from candidates who have called for the complete dismantlement of our Constitution. All they have to do is say, “Hold on, comrade. Our tent is not that big. We respect your right to hate America, but we don’t want you in our party, and we will not support your candidacy.”

If they say that, I think a lot of Independents would see them as they see John Fetterman, who has, in the eyes of many voters, become the most “rational” Democrat currently in office. If they don’t – if they actually welcome communist candidates into their party – then I’m afraid the Democrats, by default, will offer the American people a very simple choice in November – a party that disavows communism vs. a party that doesn’t. I think such a choice would be very positive for Republicans because I don’t think most Americans want to align themselves with a Democratic Party that welcomes communists. The question for you, Chris, is why would a “Full-On MAGA” like me encourage Democrats to act in a way that would disadvantage the Republican Party? And the answer is simple – it’s because I support the existence of a Democratic Party that believes America is still a fundamentally good place.

I think there’s a lot of room for improvement in our country, and I believe the best way to realize those improvements is for Democrats and Republicans to have continuous, robust and public debate about all the issues. But if one of those parties is affirmatively determined to transform our democratic republic into a communist state, then we’re no longer debating the various ways to make our country better; we’re debating the merits of destroying it. And really, what’s the point of tolerating that?

America is already a big tent, filled with hundreds of millions of people with wildly differing views and lots of political parties that represent those views. We’ve got the Green Party, the American Freedom Party, the Socialist Workers Party, the Constitution Party, and of course, the Communist Party USA, as well as the Democratic Socialist Party. America’s tent is so big, we can even tolerate fringe parties like the KKK, the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and so forth. Why then, does Gavin Newsom want to make room in the Democratic tent for socialists and communists? There’s only one reason, and he’s already spelled it out for us – he believes the Democrats need them to win back the Congress. I think it’s a bad bet for the Democrats and for America. And if a prominent Republican reached out to the KKK with the same “big tent” offer, you’d better believe my vote would be in play.

Michael Tillman… When are you going to throw your hat into the ring, Mr. Rowe?

Ha! When it no longer fits my head!

[Todd Spence @Todd_Spence]

While filming SEINFELD's "The Marine Biologist" episode, the writers felt the ending didn't work, and last minute realized they could connect Kramer's storyline of hitting golf balls into the ocean and George's storyline of attempting to save a beached whale. At 2AM, they wrote Jason Alexander's speech that would close out the episode, and handed it to him the following morning, thirty minutes before the scene would have to be taped. Alexander said "No problem", quickly memorized the dialogue, and nailed the scene in one take 🔥 it's still absolutely insane he never won an Emmy for playing George Costanza

[Afshine Emrani MD FACC @afshineemrani]

@CoachDanGo https://t.co/5CohpFxots

[Mark Tepper @MarkTepperSWP]

SpaceX is a great company. That doesn’t automatically make it a great investment. Valuation matters. Right now, Anthropic looks far more compelling based on the revenue run-rate and what it could become. Great companies and great stocks are not always the same thing. #IPO

[Afshine Emrani MD FACC @afshineemrani]

I'm a cardiologist. Senator Lindsey Graham is dead at 71, and I'll be honest with you — my gut had a reaction before my training did.
A fierce fighter for this movement. A relentless hawk on Putin and Iran. A true friend of Israel. Dead within a day of flying home from a war zone. In an era when we've watched two attempts on President Trump's life, when we buried Charlie Kirk, when political violence stopped being hypothetical — you'd have to be asleep not to feel the question rise up.
So I'm not going to insult you by pretending the thought doesn't cross a reasonable mind. It crossed mine.
But I owe you the truth from both halves of who I am — the citizen and the cardiologist. Let me give you the medicine, straight.
The preliminary finding is aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Here's what that means. The aorta is the largest artery in the body — the grand highway out of the heart, five liters a minute under enormous pressure. After decades of high blood pressure and hardening arteries, the wall weakens. One day the inner layer tears, blood rips through at full force, and it splits like a pipe delaminating under pressure. A Type A dissection kills up to 1-2% of its victims every single hour. When the first symptom is collapse, even perfect CPR usually loses.
For a 71-year-old man with a long cardiovascular history, this is not exotic. It is one of the most common catastrophic deaths in all of medicine. It killed John Ritter. It kills thousands quietly every year. And the cruelest part — a lethally enlarged aorta usually causes zero symptoms until the day it tears. No pain. Normal EKG. A time bomb with no ticking.
So the cardiologist in me says: the likeliest story, by far, is that his own aorta took him. Occam's razor points hard at nature.
And the citizen in me says something too: let it all come out. The final death certificate is still pending toxicology and microscopic testing — that's routine for every case like this. So let that process be complete, transparent, and public. Not because I have evidence of anything — I don't, and I won't pretend to. But because in a moment this raw, the antidote to suspicion isn't silence. It's sunlight. Full findings, out in the open, so no family and no citizen is left to wonder.
That's not weakness. That's how you honor a man who spent his life demanding accountability from everyone else.
Here's what I refuse to let get lost in the noise — because it's the part that can actually save your life.
Whatever the final report says about Graham, the disease that's listed already is coming for people you love. Aortic dissection is driven by high blood pressure and hardened arteries — and it builds in silence for years. But it can be SEEN. An echo, a CT, or an MRI measures the aorta in minutes. A widening aorta can be watched and repaired electively, before it ever tears, with excellent outcomes. We do it all the time. The tragedy is almost nobody gets the picture taken until the autopsy.
So do this, today, in his memory:
Get your blood pressure under 130/80. It's the number one driver, and most people who have dangerous levels feel completely fine.
Know your family history. Aneurysm, dissection, Marfan, bicuspid valve — they run in bloodlines. If a relative had any of them, or died suddenly and unexplained, demand a screening echocardiogram and don't let anyone wave you off.
If a loved one dies suddenly, ask for an autopsy. Whatever took them may be written in your DNA too.
Grieve the man. Demand the full, transparent findings — that's fair, and it's American. And then go check the one artery you've never once thought about, before it stops respecting you.
Rest in peace, Senator. We'll take it from here.

[Adam Taggart @adamtaggart]

To those saying "But diversity of thought is always a strength, right?"

I say, not always

Having spent a lot of time in meetings during my years in corporate America, I think this demotivational poster nails it:

[Steve Inman @SteveInmanClips]

Slick

[Franklin Graham @Franklin_Graham]

"The world can be changed.
The country can be changed.
A state can be changed.
A family can be changed.
A person can be changed.
You can be changed."
—@BillyGraham #WednesdayWisdom

[Libertarian Party @LPNational]

HOW TO STOP INFLATION?

TURN OFF THE PRINTER

[96.5 The Fan @TheFan965]

The Drive with Carrington Harrison https://t.co/FXqEex4W7G

[Chiefs Focus @ChiefsFocus]

Mitch is a national treasure

No one does it like Mitch

[Mark Cobb @markacobb]

@Jimfrombaseball Higher mound and larger strike zone.

[Robert F. Kennedy Jr @RobertKennedyJr]

How the U.S. government's disinformation enterprise is destroying liberal democracy. I’m not exaggerating. Read this monumental article.

https://t.co/C6ekruYshy

[Mark Cobb @markacobb]

https://t.co/9TXnLV2RSu

[Mark Cobb @markacobb]

Legend!🔥

https://t.co/KaYAeV80JP

[Peter St Onge, Ph.D. @profstonge]

Sanity in Sweden as government abandons “renewables” for nuclear.

“The Swedish people wish to ground their economy in an energy source that is physically sound and secure, unlike renewables which are neither.”

https://t.co/RSI5WY8N8j