March 18, 2025

THE TRUMP EFFECT

Show Notes

Families are drifting apart, friendships are fading, and the political divide feels deeper than ever.

Michael Desrosiers sits down with returning guest Ken Diaz to talk about the personal cost of today’s political climate. Ken, a longtime advocate for workers’ rights and LGBTQ+ issues, shares how his own family relationships have unraveled over politics. What happens when a loved one shuts you out, not because of something you did, but because of who you voted for?

The conversation explores how Trump’s policies have shaped not only government decisions but the way people interact with one another. Ken reflects on the LGBTQ+ community’s fight for recognition and the growing fear that hard-won rights could be rolled back. They also dig into the role of misinformation, the dangers of rewriting history, and how political discourse has turned from debate into something much more personal.

In a time when division feels inescapable, this episode asks an important question: Can relationships be repaired, or is this the new normal?

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 The Trump Effect: 2016 Election

04:36 Ken Diaz’s Background and Personal Life

06:07 Impact of Trump's Policies on LGBTQ+ Community

10:31 Concerns About Future Policies

12:26 Personal Family Struggles Due to Politics

17:00 Personal Anecdotes of Political Division

23:00 Intellectual Debates and Family Division

24:43 Personal Hurt and Misunderstanding

26:26 Hope for Future and Normalcy

30:51 Disheartened by Political Polarization