1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Good morning from South Dakota. Jazzy Crockett thinks that the 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: election was rigged yesterday. It's too bad that Congress couldn't 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: propose some type of a bill or law that would 4 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: save the controversy. Does everyone have a great day? 5 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 2: Wow? That's kind of interesting because trust me, we don't. 6 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: We do not conspire to on talkbacks. Dragen doesn't tell 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: me why he's going to play. He just he just 8 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 2: you leave him and he plays him, and he has 9 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 2: no idea what I'm going to talk about. I didn't 10 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,840 Speaker 2: even talk to you until about thirty seconds ago. Yeah, 11 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 2: thirty seconds ago, and then you started complaining. I was like, 12 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: all right, I'm done listening. Yeah, well, and won't we 13 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 2: won't go into that right now? How thought you do 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 2: with me? And Dragon? That has time to do everything 15 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: external right now? So it's just, yeah, I'm in a 16 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 2: foul mood. H But what's new? 17 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 3: Right? 18 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: What's new? I found it fascinating to listen to Jasmine 19 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 2: Rocket talk about because she lost the primary in Texas yesterday. 20 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 2: Cornyn and and Paxton what was his name is? The 21 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 2: Attorney General? Kim Ken Paxton are going into a runoff. 22 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 2: So the most expensive race in history is now going 23 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 2: to become even more expensive because well, you got a 24 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 2: bunch of dummies. Look, I'm not a fan of John Cornyon. 25 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: Forget I forget who the third candidate was in the 26 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 2: primary in Texas doesn't make any difference. So I think 27 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 2: he pulls like one point eight percent or something. But 28 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 2: that one point eight percent, or at least having him 29 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: out of the picture, may have given cornn just enough 30 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 2: to get over the hump of fifty percent, so they 31 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: wouldn't have been a runoff. And I'm not saying that 32 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 2: because I'm a supporter of John Cornyn. I'm just saying 33 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: I'm a support of Republicans maintaining control of the Senate. 34 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: And even if you have to have someone like Cornyon, 35 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 2: well then you got to have someone like Cornyon. Would 36 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: I prefer to have Ken Paxton? Well probably so, but 37 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: I'm not in Texas and it's not my choice. What 38 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: I care about is a Senate, which leads me to 39 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 2: what I want to talk about, which is interesting because 40 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 2: of the talk back. Let's go back to February twenty five. Well, 41 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 2: what'll they be like last week? Sometime? This is Senate 42 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: majority loot? Later, John soon a Republican from South Dakota. Well, 43 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 2: we will. 44 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 4: We'll put the Democrats on the record. 45 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: And it's a stark contrast. 46 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 4: I should the Democrats, even in the Chamber last night, 47 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 4: having to sit there and try and defend allowing non 48 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 4: citizens to vote in American elections. That is a losing 49 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 4: proposition for them. So we will get a vote on it. 50 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:37,519 Speaker 4: And we are right now in the middle of a 51 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 4: government shut down, so we've got to try and get 52 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 4: the government opened up first. But in due time we 53 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 4: will get that up on the floor. 54 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 2: We will have a vote on it. 55 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 4: We will make sure that the Democrats are on the record. 56 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 4: Is a stark contrast between Republicans and Democrats about how 57 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 4: they want to handle elections in this country, and this 58 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 4: is going to put them, I think in a very 59 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 4: difficult position. It's an issue if I were running as 60 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 4: a Democrat in the mid from elections in November, I 61 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 4: wouldn't want to have to defend Oh. 62 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 2: So last week, the Majority Leader, who is a Republican, 63 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: says about the Save Act, quote, will put the Democrats 64 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: on the record. There's an old expression in Washington, d C. 65 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 2: If you want to kill a bill, tell somebody you 66 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 2: support the bill, Senator John tun of South Dakota has 67 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 2: elevated that cynical art form to something approaching performance. It's 68 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: like a Broadway performance. Since the Save Act past the House, 69 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 2: Tune has been on Fox News and that press conferences. 70 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 2: He's been all over the place declaring his undying support 71 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 2: for a bill that would require proof of citizenship to 72 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: register to vote and a photo ID two cast a ballot. 73 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: Let me repeat that, a bill that we requires proof 74 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: of citizenship to register to vote and then a photo 75 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 2: ID to cast a vote. Fifty fifty Republican senators have 76 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 2: co sponsored it. Now, let me do a little basic 77 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: math for you here. Vice President jd. Vance is waiting 78 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 2: to cast a tie breaking vote because fifty senators is 79 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 2: not enough to pass it, and it's not enough to 80 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: invoke cloture to stop debate. But you could have a 81 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: talking filibuster by Digress. Anyway, this bill could pass. President 82 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 2: Trump and voted at the State of the Union and 83 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 2: he looked soon dead in the eye from the rostrum. 84 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 2: And yet the Save Act is going nowhere. And it's 85 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:53,559 Speaker 2: going nowhere not because of Democrats. It's going nowhere because 86 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: of John Thune. And now checks calendar. I don't know. 87 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 2: Let's see, maybe I should get into workday because I 88 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 2: look around, Dragen, do we have any is this week 89 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 2: some holiday? Do we have a holiday this week that 90 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: I missed? Am? I am? I supposed to be home, 91 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 2: just resting and relaxing. Three to zero? Three day was yesterday? 92 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 2: Oh it was? Yeah? So today is what? Three or 93 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 2: four day? 94 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 3: Sure? 95 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 2: Okay? The Senate's heading out the door for a recess break, 96 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 2: leaving a trail of more than one hundred unfilled presidential 97 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:36,119 Speaker 2: appointments across the entire federal government. And we've now learned 98 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 2: that Thune's procedural maneuvering isn't limited to just one bill. 99 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 2: In fact, I would argue that John Thune's procedural maneuvering 100 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 2: is in fact a governing philosophy. Here is the senators. 101 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: I think most of you probably imagine it. A senator 102 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 2: holds the floor for hours, talking until his voice gets out, 103 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: until he's got to go to a dump whatever it is, 104 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: blocking legislation through sheer stamina. You know, it's Jimmy Stewart 105 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 2: and mister Smith goes to Washington. That's what we call 106 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 2: a talking filibuster, the kind that the founding fathers contemplated, 107 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 2: and the kind that requires something of the people doing 108 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: the blocking. If you really want to block something, get 109 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 2: off your duff and go block something. But here's the 110 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 2: Senate as it actually operates today. A Democrat senator sends 111 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 2: a note to the cloak room indicating his opposition to 112 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 2: a bill. That's it. He in fact, he probably doesn't 113 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 2: even send a note himself. He has he has a 114 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 2: staffer do it. And you know, let me read note, 115 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,359 Speaker 2: let me rephrase that. He probably doesn't even have a 116 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: staffer do it. He has the son or the daughter 117 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 2: of some big ass donor that's serving there as an 118 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 2: intern to get a little experience to here. Take this 119 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 2: down the hallway, take it down to the cloak room, 120 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 2: and tell tell whoever's in the cloak room today that 121 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 2: I'm going to fill a buster this. They don't actually 122 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: do anything. No speech, there's no standing. The bill dies 123 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 2: because it can't muster sixty votes for cloture. That's the 124 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 2: vote to end debate. The debate does not happening. The 125 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 2: debate that's not being stalled because someone's standing up, you know, 126 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 2: Daniel Webster style, talking on and on and on, droning 127 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: on and on and on about something. Now that's not it. 128 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 2: The minority doesn't have to do a single damn thing. 129 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 2: They just have to exist. Just exist. The bill doesn't 130 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 2: die because it can't muster sixty votes the votes in debate. 131 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 2: The minority doesn't have to do a single thing, They 132 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 2: just have to exist, will exist. Senator Mike Lee of 133 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 2: Utah calls this the zombie filibuster, and it is indeed 134 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: the right name for it. Under the real filibuster rules 135 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,239 Speaker 2: still technically on the books, a senator must hold the floor, 136 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 2: and the moment a filibustering senator yields, the debate closes, 137 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 2: and the bill can pass with fifty one votes. That 138 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: does not require a rule change. That is not a 139 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: nuclear option. Let me tell you what it is again, 140 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 2: the real filibuster. A senator must hold the floor. What 141 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 2: does that mean. That means you have to stand up 142 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 2: and talk. You have to stand up and debate, you 143 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 2: have to give speech after speech after speech. You got 144 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 2: to keep doing it. They can pass it off to 145 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 2: somebody else, and each each senator has two shots at 146 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 2: keeping or holding the floor. Not a rule change at all. 147 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 2: Chip Roy, the congressman from Texas wrote it plainly in 148 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 2: a Dear Colleague letter. Dear colleagues, the majority leader quote, 149 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 2: the Majority Leader can proceed to the Save Act, to 150 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 2: the Save America Act with a simple majority vote. Under 151 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 2: current practice, he would call it up, debate it for 152 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 2: a while, and proceed to a sixty vote cloture vote 153 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 2: to shut off debate. That would fail. Republicans would shrug 154 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 2: and say we tried. That is what we call a 155 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 2: fake or a zombie filibuster. Now, Chip Rowley was not 156 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 2: asking Thon to blow up the filibuster. He was asking 157 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 2: him to use the rules as they already exist. After 158 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: Trump called on Thune at the State of the Union 159 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 2: to get to say back done, Thune went on Fox 160 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: News and said he would put Democrats on the record 161 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 2: and we will have a vote. The magaverse briefly erupted 162 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 2: in celebration. That's what you heard as we started out, well, wait. 163 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 4: We will the Democrats? 164 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 2: Is that to tell? Uh? Did you hear? Did you 165 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: hear the laugh in response to the question about bringing 166 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 2: the say back to the floor, while well we will, yeah, 167 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 2: we will. What a lion sacka you know what? Sean 168 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 2: Davis more with the Federals issued an immediate cold splash 169 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 2: of water when he heard that He's soon, Davis wrote, 170 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 2: doesn't want to do the work of forcing Democrats to 171 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 2: maintain a real filibuster, so he's just going to file 172 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 2: cloture on their zombie filibuster, which will fail. Sean calls 173 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 2: it classic failure theater and Seawn's right, we will have 174 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 2: a vote, is not we will pass the bill, because 175 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,559 Speaker 2: remember that's what he said we will. 176 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 4: We'll put the Democrats on the record. 177 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 2: And it's a star contrast. 178 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 4: I should the Democrats, even in the chamber last night, 179 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 4: having to sit there and try and defend allowing non 180 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 4: citizens to vote in American elections. That is a losing 181 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 4: proposition for them. So we will get a vote on it. 182 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 4: And we are right now in the middle of a 183 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 4: government shut down, so we've got to try and get 184 00:10:57,920 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 4: the government opened up first. 185 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,959 Speaker 2: Don't know why why do you have to get the 186 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 2: government open first? You guys are sensibly still you're still 187 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 2: in the payroll, so you're still collecting your big ass checks. Well, 188 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 2: the little tsa you know, do us over here that 189 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 2: I don't like. I would still like for him to 190 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 2: be paid as long as he's got the job, and 191 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 2: as long as we're asking him to do something, then 192 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:27,599 Speaker 2: pay him. You're not paying him, but you are paying yourselves. 193 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 2: I have you ever told you I how to despise 194 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 2: these people? In case you've forgotten, I just want to 195 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 2: remind you I despise these people. 196 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 4: In due time, will have We will get that up 197 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 4: on the floor, we will have a vote on it. 198 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 4: We will make sure that the Democrats are on the record. 199 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 4: Is a stark contrast between Republicans and Democrats about how 200 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 4: they want to handle elections in this country, and this 201 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 4: is going to put them, I think in a very 202 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 4: difficult position. 203 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 2: It's an issue. 204 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 4: If I were running as a Democrat in the midterm 205 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 4: elections in November, I wouldn't want to have to defend Wow. 206 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 2: Wow, you wouldn't have You wouldn't want the midterm elections. 207 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 2: You would not want the Democrats. If I were a Democrat, 208 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 2: I would not want to us to defend my vote 209 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 2: on that bill. Well, so what are you doing? Are 210 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 2: you providing cover for the Democrats? Is that what you're doing? 211 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,679 Speaker 2: So go back to Sean Davis, work with the federalists. 212 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 2: We will not we will have a vote. Is not 213 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 2: the same as we will pass the bill. And in 214 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 2: Senate speak, it means that Thune will bring the say 215 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 2: back to the floor, move to vote, cloture, watch it 216 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 2: fail at sixty votes, and walk out to the cameras 217 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 2: and say, hey, I tried. Democrats will vote no, Republicans 218 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 2: vote yes. And Thune has a campaign commercial while the 219 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:48,079 Speaker 2: bill dies a quiet, pre arranged death. It's it's almost 220 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 2: like it's no assistant suicide, you know, like we have 221 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 2: in Colorado here the maid or whatever it is, medical 222 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 2: assistant induce death or something. By early March, which is now, 223 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 2: he made it official, declaring the Talking Filibuster dead, telling 224 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 2: Fox News that any Senate vote on the Save Act 225 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 2: would be a messaging effort. That's all they ever do anyway. 226 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 2: So now you're going to say, oh, well, it would 227 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 2: just be a messaging effort. Those words landed like a brick, 228 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 2: because you know what, it confirms exactly what I've been 229 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 2: saying all along. His exits were carefully constructed. When conservatives 230 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: demanded the talking filibuster, Thune said there wasn't support for 231 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 2: nuking the filibuster. He's confighting two entirely different things, and 232 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 2: he's doing it on purpose. When pressed on the logistics, 233 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 2: he warned the process would eat four time and require 234 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 2: fifty one Republicans to table unlimited Democrat amendments, which is true, 235 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 2: but which also described a fight he never attempted to 236 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 2: even try to win. The damning question is not whether 237 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 2: it was hard, it is whether he even tried. When 238 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 2: Sune said I, as I just said that there is 239 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:14,319 Speaker 2: no support for nuking of filibuster, he is complating, conflating 240 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 2: two entirely different things, and he's doing it on purpose. 241 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 2: And I find it hilarious when he says that, oh, 242 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 2: that process would eat floor time. If you're so damned 243 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 2: concerned about floor time, why did you take a break. 244 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 2: Why did you send everybody home either concerned about floor 245 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 2: time or you're not concerned about floor time? Now, here's 246 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 2: where this story gets as if it's not genuinely rich, 247 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 2: now it is even more genuinely rich. And where the 248 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 2: procedural chicanery reaches a level that I'll make every Republican 249 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 2: voter's blood boil. The Senator just went on recess, a 250 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 2: recess break. Now while most senators head home, Here's what 251 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 2: I want you to realize. The Senate Chamber will hold 252 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 2: very brief what are called pro formast sessions every three 253 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 2: business days. These are sessions that are so perfunctory they 254 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 2: last literally about sixty seconds, with a single senator will 255 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 2: gavel in, gavel out. Those sessions exist for one purpose, 256 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 2: one purpose only, and I want to make sure you 257 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 2: understand that before I tell you what the purpose is. 258 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 2: Republicans control the Senate. The Senate is where presidential nominees 259 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 2: get confirmed. So these sessions exist for one purpose to 260 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 2: prevent Donald Trump from making recess appointments to fill the 261 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 2: more than one hundred positions currently vacant across the federal 262 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 2: government which require a presidential nomination and a Senate confirmation. 263 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 2: John Thune, Oh, I'm not done with you yet, Senator. 264 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 3: Hey Michael Brown, just a quick question in regards to 265 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 3: John Thune, what do the Democrats have to defend their 266 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 3: position for if the Save Act isn't passed. I mean, 267 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 3: he thinks we're dumb, clearly, and he's the one that 268 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 3: gives a stupid befall while he lies ding dong, ding dong. 269 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 2: And it's so frustrating to me because it shows that 270 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 2: people are unwilling to set aside whatever Trump Derangement syndrome 271 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 2: they have for something that is, regardless of whether Trump 272 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 2: supports it or not, is one of these eighty twenty 273 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 2: ninety ten issues. And Clive, if I'd be setting aside 274 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,959 Speaker 2: whether it's an eighty twenty or ninety ten issue, it's 275 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 2: something that if you are a US Senator or a 276 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 2: member of the United States Congress, you know is the 277 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 2: right thing to do for the country, and they won't 278 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 2: do it. I'm just so yes, I'm furious about it. 279 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 2: But it also I think what makes me furious about 280 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:36,239 Speaker 2: it is this is just another confirmation of why I 281 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 2: despise Washington, DC so much. And it's almost like, with 282 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,959 Speaker 2: all due respect to people who truly suffer from PTSD, 283 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 2: for me, it is almost like PPSD because I'm reliving 284 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 2: the damastery that for almost six years of my life 285 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,679 Speaker 2: I witnessed and was in the middle of, you know, 286 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 2: twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, and 287 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 2: it's just us utterly absurd. Now remember just you know, 288 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 2: because I'm going to give you the basics, the facts. 289 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,719 Speaker 2: John Thune, who promised before he was elected Majority leader 290 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 2: that he had all options on the table, including recess appointments, 291 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 2: is now running the same play against his own president 292 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 2: that Democrats used against Republican presidents for nearly two decades. 293 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 2: Little history. Senate democrats invented this modern pro forma session 294 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 2: as a weapon against George W. Bush back in two 295 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 2: thousand and seven. So rather than allow my old boss 296 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 2: to fill vacancies that Democrats were blocking, Harry Reid kept 297 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,199 Speaker 2: the Senate gabbling in every three days, so there was 298 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 2: never a recess long enough for the president to act. 299 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 2: The Supreme Court blessed that in twenty fourteen, in a 300 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 2: case National Labor Relations Board versus nol Coming, they ruled 301 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 2: that pro forma sessions legally count as the Senate being 302 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 2: in session even if no business is conducted. So Democrats 303 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 2: then use that tool against Trump in his first term, 304 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 2: and then Democrats obstructed him again in the second term, 305 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 2: and rather than call that bluff, soon scheduled the pro 306 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 2: forma sessions himself. All of you goobers listening in South 307 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 2: Dakota get rid of this yahoo. So the Republican, the 308 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 2: Republican majority leader of the United States Senate is personally 309 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 2: scheduling the sessions designed to block a Republican president's constitutional 310 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 2: authority to staff his own executive branch. Let it sink in. 311 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 2: I know how badly I despised the Colorado Republican Party. 312 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 2: That's how badly I despised the National Republican Party. And 313 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 2: I is a Republican. I guess I have a lot 314 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 2: of self hatred. These consequences, though, are not abstract. According 315 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 2: to the Senate Republican Policy Committee's own analysis, Democrats have 316 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,719 Speaker 2: blocked Trump nominees at a rate so extreme that at 317 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 2: the current pace, it would take eleven years to confirm 318 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 2: all of them. At the current rate, So for a 319 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 2: four year presidency, eleven years the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 320 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 2: lost its quorum. They cannot approve any energy infrastructure projects. 321 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 2: US attorney's offices operate on interim authority that can be 322 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 2: challenged in court, and all that creates instability and active 323 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 2: criminal cases. More than one hundred vital positions. There are judges, 324 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 2: agency heads, inspectors general, all sitting empty. One what I 325 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 2: would call it really sharp eyed analyst, but it precisely. 326 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 2: The Senate is not saying no to Trump's nominees. It's 327 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 2: refusing to say anything at all, while blocking the one 328 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:25,679 Speaker 2: constitutional workaround that exists for moments when the Senate won't act. 329 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:30,400 Speaker 2: That is not advice and consent under the sabotage under 330 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 2: the Constitution, it is sabotage by procedural inertia. Now here's 331 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 2: what ties the Save Act and the Recess Appointment fight 332 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 2: together into a single picture of what is actually happening. 333 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 2: John Soon is protecting an institution, specifically the really comfortable. 334 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 2: The deliberate never into much of a hurry. Senate that 335 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:02,359 Speaker 2: all of these career legislators who have spent decades and 336 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 2: decades have been building up and maintaining for decades and decades. 337 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 2: The Senate that moves at its own pace, values its 338 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 2: own prerogatives, its own perks, over the president's agenda, and 339 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,479 Speaker 2: they would rather test a ceremonial yes vote on a 340 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 2: bill that it knows will fail that in dear weeks 341 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 2: of floor debate or chaos, or actually having to show 342 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 2: up for work. If there's one thing that out of 343 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 2: all of this that I think, despite that I despise 344 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 2: more than anything else. You know, when I came into 345 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 2: work today, I was I wasn't running later early, I 346 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 2: was pretty much on time, but the traffic was horrible. 347 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 2: Now I had plenty of time, because I, you know, 348 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 2: I build I built in time. Because one I don't 349 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 2: want you know, I don't want Gina or Ross. I 350 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 2: have to sit here and you know, bluster for a 351 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 2: while while I'm trying to fight traffic to get here. 352 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 2: Plus I like to get here, and I like to 353 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 2: settle into my little, you know, my spacious cubicle and 354 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 2: kind of get things ready to go. Think about what 355 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 2: I'm going to say. Put my pos in the order, 356 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 2: put my tabs and my documents in the order that 357 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 2: I think I want to do this morning. You know, 358 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 2: maybe run to the restroom, see if the urine will 359 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 2: still work, you know, just kind of you know, say 360 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:31,919 Speaker 2: good morning dragon. You know, listen to dragon. You know me. 361 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 2: All of those people trying to go to work today, 362 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 2: that pay the taxes to keep the country hunting, that 363 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:50,119 Speaker 2: do the yeoman's work that makes this the greatest economy 364 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 2: in the entire effing world, that make us the greatest 365 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 2: nation ever to exist in history of mankind, have to 366 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 2: do that to pay their bills, and to pay the 367 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,239 Speaker 2: bills of people who are here illegally, to pay the 368 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 2: bills that Congress just keeps piling on generation after generation 369 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 2: after generation in the future, not in the past, in 370 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 2: the future, and now they're going on a break because 371 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 2: they're just so tired. You know, they're worn out. They 372 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 2: had a lot to do. Don't you feel sorry for them? 373 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 2: So they'll get on a commercial flight. Or maybe they'll 374 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 2: just stay in DC and they're really nice condo somewhere, 375 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 2: or maybe they've got their own home out in Georgetown 376 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 2: or out in Alexandria, and they'll go to a really 377 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 2: nice dinner tonight. Because they're making, you know, a lot 378 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 2: more than you are. They'll you know, maybe do a 379 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 2: few TV hits. They'll raise a little bit of money 380 00:24:54,680 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 2: by having a little cocktail party somewhere. Won't do their jobs, 381 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 2: they won't do what we sent them there for. If 382 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 2: we took what their attitude is and put it here 383 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 2: in the private sector, we'd have fired their asses years ago. 384 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 2: The turnover would be beautiful, and all this streaming about 385 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 2: term limits, which I oppose for a very substantive reason, 386 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,640 Speaker 2: would never be even a discussion anymore, because you would, 387 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 2: you would get elected, you would do what you're supposed 388 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 2: to do, you'd work your tail off, and you'd be 389 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 2: so tired at the end of six years or twelve years. 390 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 2: If you were a Senator that you wouldn't want to 391 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 2: run for election, you'd want somebody else to do it. Well, 392 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 2: if you're a House member, you get tired of every 393 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 2: two years, say for you know, a A for a, 394 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 2: let's give them four terms, so four times to his eight, 395 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 2: give them eight years that you'd be like, hey, you know, 396 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 2: I'm going to go back and get a real job 397 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 2: because this is just too much. I want to get 398 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 2: a real job where I work page to five. The 399 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 2: zombie filibuster and the pro form of sessions are tools 400 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 2: of the same Senate establishment. Democrat and Republican both benefit 401 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 2: the institution. Doesn't make any difference, regardless or irregardless. In fact, 402 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 2: I think irregardless might be a better word, because it's 403 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 2: absolutely a horrible word. It's not even a real world, 404 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 2: just a real word, just like they're not real senators. 405 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,639 Speaker 2: And it doesn't make any different. Switch party controls the 406 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 2: White House, absolutely no different. Switch party controls the White House. 407 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:41,679 Speaker 5: I remember John Dune at a school assembly when I 408 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 5: was in sixth grade running for Congress, and I graduated 409 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:49,199 Speaker 5: in two thousand and five. I guess, what do we 410 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 5: expect different from Mitch McConnell's right hand man. These are 411 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 5: just rhinos, swamp creatures looking after themselves. 412 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:04,359 Speaker 2: They truly are. And you know I I let me 413 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 2: tell you why I'm not. They are rhinos. But let 414 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,920 Speaker 2: me tell you why I don't like that, Moniker and 415 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 2: and and maybe somebody can talk me out of this. 416 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 2: I don't want to invent a new party because that 417 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 2: takes well, look at what's going on in Iran right now. 418 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 2: So you got the diaspora over here, and you got 419 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 2: the courage, which I'm going to talk about later. You 420 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 2: get all of these things going on, and somehow they're 421 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:35,640 Speaker 2: going to have to coalesce and come together and form 422 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 2: a new government, and that is going to be an 423 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 2: incredibly difficult task that is fraught with all these pitfalls. 424 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:44,959 Speaker 2: The same is true, take it on, take take it 425 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 2: down from you know, an international you know, regime change 426 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 2: down to the Republican Party. If you want to have 427 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 2: regime change in the Republican Party, that's full of pitfalls. 428 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 2: I'm much more of a hostile takeover kind of guy. 429 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 2: I see a company or an organization or something that 430 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 2: I think is not operating at maximum capacity, not returning 431 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:21,200 Speaker 2: shareholder value. As well as it could. Rather than blow 432 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 2: it up, I'd rather go in and take it over. 433 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 2: And I kind of think that's what we need to 434 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 2: do with the Republican Party, and it's going to take 435 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 2: again risks. I tend to think, let's take Texas for example. 436 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 2: I don't think there really is much chance in hell 437 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 2: of Texas electing Tallerico as their next US Senator. So 438 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 2: doesn't make much difference to me as an outsider whether 439 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 2: John Cornyn, who I do believe is a rhino, wins 440 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 2: or Keim Paxton does, who does have a really kind 441 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 2: of storied and questionable background. He has been successful as 442 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 2: an attorney general. But the Democrats are going to take 443 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,320 Speaker 2: all of his dirty laundry and they're going to air 444 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 2: public and it's going to be very expensive to get 445 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 2: him elected. Now again, I don't care which one as 446 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 2: long as one or the other gets elected. If you 447 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 2: could elect a true Maga style Maga person to be 448 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 2: the next US Senator from Texas, then I would sing 449 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 2: the hallelujah course and say that's great. But I'm not 450 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 2: that steeped in Texas politics to tell you what I 451 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 2: think the outcome of that runoff's going to be. I 452 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 2: do think in the general I do think in the 453 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: general election, either one of them can beat Tall Rico, 454 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 2: and that will help us preserve a Senate majority. So 455 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 2: I'm kind of neutral or agnostic about that race. The 456 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 2: easier thing to do is to slowly and methodically, just 457 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 2: like progressives do, just like they did in Colorado over 458 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 2: you know, a couple of decades, you turned Colorado from 459 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 2: a solidly red state to a solidly blue state. We 460 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: have to we have to over time, solidly turn the 461 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 2: Republican Party into a true conservative party. And and and 462 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 2: the dinosaurs have to be eliminated at some point. But 463 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 2: let me give you this a little bit of no, 464 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 2: not so much history, but the bottom line. Let me 465 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 2: give you the bottom line. John Thune made a commitment, 466 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 2: and that commitment was to protect the legislative filibuster. When 467 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 2: he ran from majority leader, he pledged and I quote, 468 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 2: all options on the table for recess appointments because why 469 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 2: because he wanted Trump's support for that race to be 470 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 2: the majority leader. And then he made a commitment to 471 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 2: House Conservatives to use the talking filibuster to pass the 472 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 2: Save Act in exchange for their votes on the funding package. 473 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 2: He has honored zero, none, zil to those commitments. In 474 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 2: other words, let me tell you what they won't say 475 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 2: politely in the news media. He lied. He absolutely, unequivocally 476 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 2: lied to the faces of Republicans, and he lied to 477 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 2: the people of South Dakota. He lied to his colleagues 478 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 2: in the Senate, or at least those that ought he 479 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 2: was telling the truth. Maybe those that were really, you know, 480 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:31,000 Speaker 2: pushing for him, like John Brasso up in Wyoming. He 481 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 2: lied to them. And I don't take that. You can 482 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 2: argue with me all day long, but just don't lie 483 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 2: to me. He has honored none of those commitments. And 484 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 2: what has he done. He's deployed procedural language that's sophisticated 485 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 2: enough that most voters out there in voter Land never 486 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 2: realized what's really happening. And that's why, that is why, 487 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:59,959 Speaker 2: that's why I'm here. A bill supported by eighty five 488 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 2: five percent of Americans sits in a procedural glob of amber. 489 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 2: More than one hundred diferent positions are now vacant. The 490 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 2: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FIRK can't approve an energy project, 491 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 2: and John Thune is scheduling the pro forma Sessions himself. 492 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 2: That's the two step. That's the Thune two step. Declare 493 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 2: your support loudly, engineer your failure quietly, and then count 494 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 2: on the public, not knowing about cloture rules and recess 495 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 2: appointment law to notice the difference. Now you know the difference, 496 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 2: and whether you're in South Dakota, North Dakota, you're in Colorado, 497 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 2: what's you gonna do about it? What's you gonna do 498 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 2: about it?