Two big stories on the docket today:

First, Thomas has new reporting on TruthOut.org about how Miami and wide swaths of Florida have become a show-me-your-papers state, where fishing-while-Latino can get you stopped, frisked, and maybe detained. The proliferation of so-called 287(g) agreements with law enforcement, state agencies, municipalities and all manner of other organizations has become almost a virtue signal from those groups to let the most petty, vindictive governor in the country know that they're definitely on his side. Meanwhile, some cities have resisted signing onto these agreements, and somehow the sky didn't fall.

After that, we dive into the wrongheaded notion espoused by many in the Miami tech, real estate, finance and commercial sectors that a bunch of billionaires buying mansion and moving their wealthy retinue of flunkies here to take advantage of our tax code is a boon for our city. We use surveillance monster Palantir and its CEO Alex Karp's announcement of their "move" to Miami as the exemplar, but they're far from the only ones sheltering their vast wealth in a city that's just happy to cede soft power and influence in exchange for a few shekels.

Also, come stop by the City of Miami Commission meeting on May 14 at City Hall and let them know you don't support the Miami Forever Bond redux, and that these agencies should DEFINITELY not get bond money while signed onto these 287(g) agreements with ICE and DHS.

You can also let your voice be heard on May 14 at 9 a.m. at Miami Dade College Wolfson Compus where the Florida Department of Education will hold a hearing into a state rule aimed at banning undocumented students from Florida public colleges.

Here's Thomas' article from TruthOut:

https://truthout.org/articles/miami-police-have-become-a-show-me-your-papers-patrol-despite-public-opposition/

Florida ain't goin' anywhere! Why Are We Like This is back after an extended break, and we're talking about, well, just a whole slate of goings-on in the Sunshine State during our dark period, picking up with Thomas and David's trip to the Emerge Americas Conference last week and their interaction with some of Miami's new AI hologram ambassadors that will soon be gracing the halls of our finest airport dungeons and half-built soccer stadiums.

From the episode:

Here's the Mother Jones article Thomas mentioned about the death of the Florida Orange.

https://www.motherjones.com/environme...

Here's the weird Florida 529 Plan AI commercials that David mentioned.

Florida Prepaid | Detective

We're back with a new season of Why Are We Like This?, and the guys play a round of catch-up on various topics, including the impact of good internet on media professionals, the intersection of sports and politics, the Venezuelan crisis, human rights violations in Alcatraz, conspiracy theories related to high-profile crimes, cultural commentary on nepo babies, crisis communications in politics, the rise of charter schools, Trump's presidential library, and the challenges of regulating artificial intelligence. The conversation highlights the complexities and nuances of these issues, providing insights into the current state of affairs in Florida and beyond.

Time Codes:

00:00 Introduction and Internet Woes

02:49 Political Commentary and Sports Media

05:41 Venezuelan Boat Attacks and Military Intervention

08:24 Alcatraz and Human Rights Concerns

11:09 High-Profile Criminal Cases and Conspiracy Theories

16:37 Cultural Commentary on Nepotism and Celebrity

22:05 Corruption in Politics and Education Reform

26:29 Charter Schools and Privatization in Florida

35:08 The Miami Mayoral Race: Candidates and Predictions

49:21 Artificial Intelligence: Regulation and Implications

After an extended work/family/pneumonia-driven hiatus the WAWLT Boys are back and we're getting right into it. Among the topics discussed in our comeback episode:

• Open-carrying in Publix
• Charlie Kirk memorial campus streets
• Fort Myers' Madison Cawthorne infestation
• Miami mayoral race
• Eric Adams update
• Dominion Voting out, Liberty Voting in
• Argentina-Puerto Rico soccer match out in Chicago, in in South Florida

We intended to talk about the so-called Alligator Auschwitz or Alligator Alcatraz Detention Center that opened last week a mere 45 miles from our WAWLT offices at the Dade-Collier Training & Transition Airport in the Big Cypress Preserve.

The $450 million affront to common decency and humanity was hastily slapped together by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and our old friend Attorney General James Uthmeier.

Already, the reports from the facility are grim. One detainee has shared that there is no no water to bathe, the food is riddled with worms, there is no access to essential medication or religious observation materials.

We're joined by political director for Florida Student Power Network, Laura Muñoz, who helps us peer into the possessed souls of our state and federal leaders. This one goes out to Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Follow Laura Muñoz by following Florida Student Power Network, or on Twitter @LauraEMunoz.

Joe Carollo's "Not Involved in Weaponizing City Government" shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by the shirt.

On May 30, Thomas and David attended a special City of Miami commission hearing with commissioners Joe Carollo, Miguel Gabela and Damian Pardo aimed at exploring how Carollo has government resources against his political and perceived enemies, including Gabela. During the meeting, Carollo used government resources against Gabela by showing aerial photos of Gabela's fleet of private watercraft stacked behind his home.

Miraculously, Carollo and Gabela would come together just three weeks later to agree on permitting Miami Police to partake in so-called 287(g) agreements, which will allow cops in South Florida's biggest city to coordinate with ICE and DHS.

We also got into the latest news from the Middle East, the specter of war on the horizon, and South Florida's deep roots with the state of Israel.

You've heard WAWLT episodes before, but have you ever heard a cynically-sold-out-to-a-political-party version of a WAWLT episode? To demonstrate our value and in our effort to chase the "Joe Rogan of the Left" title we played a little game where we transplanted our own opinions with those of the Democratic Party. See, we can play nice when we have to!

But first, we discussed the recent town hall with FIU's police chief organized by Thomas, where attendees peppered the chief with questions about how his police force intended to cooperate with ICE as signees to a 287G agreement, empowering them to apprehend undocumented students and got... not great... answers.

Hosts: Gerald Doherty, Thomas Kennedy, David Quiñones

Producer: David Quiñones

Video Production: David Quiñones

Music: David Rosen

Email Us: wawlt@allpointswest.agency

Visit Us: wawlt.com

Watch us on YouTube: @WhyAreWeLikeThisFL

Follow us on Twitter/X: @WAWLTshow

Follow us on Instagram: @WAWLTshow

Today we're tackling the real problems facing our magical home city, discussing the viability of election and political reforms across Miami like a new election calendar and district map, as laid out in a recent Miami Herald opinion piece. Our conclusion? It's all too far gone, and the entire city is no longer viable. What about... disintegrating Miami? Longtime Magic City raconteur and returning WAWLT guest Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys, The U, God Forbid) joins us to imagine a future where the city of Miami can no longer disenfranchise and shake down its residents -- because it no longer exists.

But before that, a quick check-in with some of Florida's gubernatorial hopefuls and their steps (or missteps) toward the governor's mansion in 2026.

You can follow Billy Corben on Twitter @billycorben.