"Maybe We Like a Dictator," Trump Says & The Cracker Barrel Fiasco Reveals MAGA's Anti-Capitalism
September 2, 2025
What I’m Discussing Today:
Kareem’s Daily Quote: A quote from the business world can benefit all of us.
‘Maybe We Like a Dictator’: Trump Suggests Many Americans Would Prefer Autocracy: You’re kidding yourself if you don’t think he wants to run for a third term—but only after he’s rigged the elections because he knows he can’t win otherwise.
Scientists give harsh grades to Trump administration work aimed at undoing a key climate finding: Trump’s efforts to erase history and science, replacing them with laughable lies, will leave us politically and economically vulnerable.
Republican Nancy Mace criticized for falsely identifying man as campus shooter: She put a man’s life in danger without doing any due diligence. Then she gave us excuses instead of an apology. You know, like a child would.
Fuming Trump Lashes Out at Embarrassing Polls in Bonkers Rant: Trump’s approval rating is the lowest of his presidency. Yet, he and his trolls deny the facts and, as usual, attack the messengers.
Kareem’s Video Break: If every dad had this kid waiting for him, the world would be perfect.
Kareem’s Kvetching Korner: Cracker Barrel Faces a Loony MAGA Backlash (Loonier than Usual): In one of the most irrational attacks yet, MAGA has proven that they are anti-capitalism and anti-business.
What I’m Watching on TV: The second seasons of Wednesday, Severance, and Peacemaker are just as good as or better than the first seasons, and that’s a rarity.
Kareem’s Magical Moments in Sports: This quarterback stroll into the end zone made me laugh and cheer.
James Taylor Sings “Copperline”: There’s something about this song that always leaves me feeling calmer and more content. Maybe it will do the same for you.
My Big Beautiful Announcement
Finally! My new graphic novel, Champion, is out today and I hope you’ll take a peek at it and decide this might be a good read for you, or a gift for someone you know. Or both! First and foremost, this is a mystery story in which Monk Travers, the star basketball player on his high school team, needs to find out who seems to be sabotaging his life. Second, it recounts some of the major dramatic events in my life that put me on the road in service of social justice. In fact, I even appear in the story at different ages as a spiritual guide for Monk. Sounds crazy, but it’s also pretty funny.
Mostly, I hope it entertains and maybe even inspires the reader to better see their place in their community and country. Here’s a sample page in which the Old Wise Kareem (in the cap) argues with Young Brash Kareem (in the hat) about why he didn’t play for the U.S. Olympic team—much to Young Brash Kareem’s disbelief. Guess who wins!
Kareem’s Daily Quote
What would my replacement do?
Intel President Andrew Grove
In 1985, Intel was in the midst of a business crisis. They had to choose whether to continue to focus on memory chips or redirect their efforts toward microprocessors. To help them decide, Grove asked the simple question: “If we were replaced, what would our replacements do?”
Since reading about this historic event, I’ve thought a lot about that question. It’s become a popular lesson in business management because it forces the person asking the question to do an honest evaluation of themselves regarding their performance. What would a new person eager to take my job tell my employers that they would do better than I? What cracks are they seeing that I’m not? Thinking that way can inspire a person to be better at their jobs.
The question is also relevant to professional athletes. I think I intuited that question when I was with the NBA without knowing the exact words. If you underperform as an athlete, you will be quickly replaced. So I had to think about what players out there had skills that would make them more valuable in my position—then I would focus on developing those skills.
But I also think it applies to our daily lives. Stephen Colbert once said, “Folks, I don’t trust children. They’re here to replace us.” Actually, that’s the good news. At some point as we age, we can shrug off the weight we’ve been carrying and pass it along to them. Our job is to make sure we’ve given them the strength and sense of purpose to carry that weight. Too often parents will dismiss the opinions and suggestions of our replacements because we fear being relegated to the garbage heap, no longer relevant or needed. Instead, we should be listening to what they have to say because that can improve our own performance, extending our necessity, and make the transition from us to them smoother and more amiable.
Imagine what qualities your children would give your replacement as a parent. Imagine what qualities your friends and colleagues would give your replacement as a friend and colleague. Then try to be that person.