Welcome to Specifically for Seniors! Today we’re delighted to introduce Tony McMullen, affectionately known as “Tony the Democrat.” His story is one of those rare grassroots adventures that begins small and blossoms into something extraordinary. Back in March of 2017, Tony invited just five friends over to handwrite postcards reminding…
Editorial cartoons distill political complexity into a single, unforgettable image. By exaggerating flaws, contradictions, and absurdities, they make power visible—often more effectively than prose. In this episode of Specifically for Seniors, we sit down with the legendary Steve Brodner, whose fearless illustrations have chronicled American political theater for decades. From…
In this episode of Specifically for Seniors, host Larry Barsh sits down with Dr. Lee Tannenbaum, a physician and healthcare leader whose career has been devoted to improving addiction treatment across the lifespan. Together, they confront a growing but often invisible crisis: substance misuse among older adults. While addiction in…
A powerful story of maternal resolve, inclusive design, and civic imagination. In this episode of Specifically for Seniors, we welcome Drew Ann Long, the visionary inventor behind Caroline’s Cart—a specially designed shopping cart that revolutionized accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Inspired by her daughter Caroline, who was born with Rett…
Welcome to Specifically for Seniors, the podcast that celebrates the wisdom, wit, and willpower of older adults who refuse to sit quietly on the sidelines. Today’s episode is a rich opportunity to spotlight the civic firepower of senior activism and the strategic brilliance behind We the Seniors—a grassroots movement that’s…
One day, Narcissus caught sight of his own reflection and thought, “Finally—someone who gets me.” Fast forward a few millennia, and Donald Trump, in a moment of mythological cosplay, gazed into the Capitol Reflecting Pool and saw not the dome of democracy, but the shimmering image of his own magnificence.…
Join us on our Substack page (https://specificallyforseniors.substack.com)where satire meets substance and storytelling sparks civic engagement and where we comment several + times a week. Let’s keep the conversation sharp, smart, and unapologetically bold. In the August 14, 2025 episode, Larry welcomes Dr. Sophia McClennen. Sophia is a professor of international…
I don’t usually invite a sponsor on to a podcast, but today I’m going to do just that because I think its important for you to hear what my guest has to say about his product. Regular listeners to Specifically for Seniors realize that I have accepted a sponsor for…
I don’t usually invite a sponsor on to a podcast, but today I’m going to do just that because I think its important for you to hear what my guest has to say about his product. Regular listeners to Specifically for Seniors realize that I have accepted a sponsor for…
With the appointment of Robert F Kennedy, Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Trump administration has systematically targeted the next generation of scientists and public health leaders. He has cut science funding to its lowest level in decades. More than 20,000 jobs were eliminated, billions of dollars…
We’re going to take a break from politics and the voices of older adults on today’s podcast and talk with the younger generation that keeps us inspired. I was recently introduced to a compelling new voice in filmmaking, a bold young screenwriter and director whose creative vision and storytelling instincts…
A Fact Sheet at whitehouse.gov is entitled President Donald J. Trump Keeps Promises to Our Veterans and Establishes New Center for Homeless Veterans. Fact Sheet Link https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-keeps-promises-to-our-veterans-and-establishes-new-center-for-homeless-veterans/ On this page is the statement “President Trump strongly believes that every veteran deserves our gratitude, and that the federal government should treat…
A FACT CHECK at the White House website proclaims “President Trump will always a protect Social Security and Medicare.” It goes on to quote Elon Musk saying “The waste and fraud in entitlement spending — which is most of the federal spending is entitlements — so, that’s, like, the big…
A recent space tourism flight on the Blue Origin capsule featuring an all-female crew including Katy Perry and Gayle King sparked some controversy over whether it was a publicity stunt to promote Jeff Bezos’ space tourism business or whether it had some scientific purpose. We were curious about humans’ venture…
A free ranging discussion of freedom of the press. Dictators hate a free press. Victor Orbán in Hungary built his own media universe while simultaneously dismantling the free press. The Nazis smashed printing presses of opposition newspapers. One of Trump’s first actions was to dictate who would cover him in…
A recent article in the Washington Post described the current administration's attempts to cancel leases for many National Park Service buildings saying that it could save taxpayers millions of dollars. This move came after the firing of about 1000 probationary workers. I wanted to learn more about the National Park…
I was 6 years old when Voice of America first broadcast during World War II. It was established in 1941 initially focused on countering Nazi and Japanese propaganda during World War II and later played a significant role during the Cold War broadcasting to communist countries. Very recently, however, the…
In a late night rant on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump posted "NPR and PBS, two horrible and completely biased platforms (Networks!), should be DEFUNDED by Congress, IMMEDIATELY. Republicans, don’t miss this opportunity to rid our Country of this giant SCAM, both being arms of the Radical Left Democrat…
INDIVISIBLE.ORG ACTION LINKS HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS if you have a Republican senator or representative, send them a message now and tell them that they will be held accountable for supporting Trumps’s assault on public schools. The link to this, with a script is in the…
The news that the Trump administration plans to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency's offices and the future implications of Trump's energy policies on the environment and climate led to my concern about how it will affect my children and grandchildren and yours. Because I didn't understand what all the implications…
One cannot turn on the news on TV or read a newspaper without hearing the words - Constitutional crisis. There's so much confusion about whether we are in a Constitutional Crisis or not, Professor Alexandra Keyssar rejoined the podcast to help us understand what a Constitutional crisis is and whether…
ACTION LINK Tell your Reps what you think about their vote to cut Medicaid and SNAP https://5calls.org/issue/budget-safety-net-cuts-wealthy-tax-breaks/?utm_source=5calls&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=every-republican-just-voted-to-cut-medicaid Today’s ActionCast is from the app 5 Calls. 5 calls is an app available in IOS and Android that makes it easy for you to call your representative and senators and make your…
ACTIONCAST FROM THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS\ LINK: Tell Congress to protect the American People https://www.americanprogress.org/take-action/tell-congress-defend-america-against-trumps-power-grab/? THREE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS COMMENTED ON SEVERAL ISSUES FROM TRUMP’S 2025 JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS CAIT SMITH ON THE NEW POLICY THAT AMERICA WOULD RECOGNIZE ONLY TWO GENDERS INSERT BOBBY…
