They Fled Trump’s America and Now They Want to Come Back

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for October 20, 2026.  We open by asking who will actually show up at the polls before Democrats start measuring the drapes in the Speaker’s office. Enthusiasm makes headlines, but turnout makes winners. We dig into an AARP survey of 43 competitive House districts that shows Republicans leading by 10 points among voters 50 and older, with 83% of them saying they’re extremely motivated to vote. Those voters cast nearly 60% of the ballots in the last midterm, which has us wondering whether this election is headed for a “silver wave.” We also talk about the vanishing enthusiasm gap and redistricting. In the Top 3 Things You Need to Know, more than three dozen members of Congress and several secretaries of state have been targeted with mailed white powder, and the FBI and Postal Service are investigating. The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into how D.C. jails treated January 6th inmates. The Social Security Administration says it has corrected citizenship data on millions of records and added 17 million numbers to its list of the deceased. Then we take on the tyranny of tipping. When did a reward for exceptional service become a ransom, and why is a card reader asking us to tip for grabbing our own bottle of water? Our American Mamas, Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson, join us to answer the question “Are you a grudge holder?” They share stories about Halloween costumes, a two-year-old who forgives in seconds, and the difference between forgiving someone and trusting them. We also look at Jalen Hurts, who played in London with a blood clot in his leg after reportedly being kept awake for 36 hours. Was that toughness or a failure of medical judgment? In Digging Deep, we look at a Wired article about wealthy leftists who fled to Europe to escape Trump and now regret it. They cite expensive living, health care that isn’t free, a different work ethic, and a fear of being shamed if they come home. In our Bright Spot segment, we cover President Trump’s new incentive program that pays a 1% reward to anyone who uncovers taxpayer fraud that leads to recovered funds. We also cover the federal push to revive the Constitution Pipeline, which would bring Pennsylvania natural gas into New York. Finally, a Moment of Whoa. Caleb Giamonco, the good guy with a gun at Silver Rail Elementary School, called his mom after the shooting, and her five-word response will stay with you. We also share the story of a Wisconsin couple who got married a year after a lightning strike and some very timely CPR.  Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.