1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Molly John Fast and this is Fast Politics, 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: where we discussed the top political headlines with some of 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: today's best minds. We're on vacation this week, but that 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: doesn't mean we don't have an amazing show for you. Today, 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: Florida House Representative Anna Eskimani talks to us about the 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: realities of living in desantiss Fascist, Florida. But first we 7 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: have Ken Martin, the chairperson of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: Labor Party. Welcome to Fast Politics, Ken. 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for having me. I'm glad to be here. 10 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 1: We're delighted to have you. Tell us a little bit 11 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: about what your title is, what you do, and how 12 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: you got this job. 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 3: Well, my day job, so to speak, is as the 14 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 3: chair of the Minnesota DFL, which I've served in for 15 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 3: the last thirteen years. I also serve as the president 16 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 3: of the Association of State Democratic Committees, which I've served 17 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 3: in since twenty seventeen, as well as a vice chair 18 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 3: of the Democrat National Committee. 19 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: You know, I'll tell you in terms of the day job. 20 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 3: My paying job as chair of the DFL thirteen years 21 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 3: ago after helping to elect Governor Dayton as he's handing 22 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 3: out great jobs in the administration. He asked me to 23 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 3: come over and be party chair. My first response was, held, I. 24 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:18,839 Speaker 2: Want a job. 25 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 3: You know, no one really aspires to these types of positions. 26 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 3: In fact, I'd spent most of my career working on campaigns, 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 3: running presidential campaigns here Minnesota to US Senate, gubernatorial, congressional. 28 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 2: Et cetera. 29 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 3: And you know, again, never thought about coming over to 30 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 3: do this important work. But Governor Dateon asked me to 31 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 3: do it. I said, hell no. I went back to 32 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 3: my wife at the time, who's still my wife, I 33 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 3: should say. I went back to her and she said, look, 34 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 3: you just told the incoming governor. Know you better to 35 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 3: get back and tell him. Yes, I will tell you. 36 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 2: You know. 37 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 3: I immediately came in and started to build out a 38 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 3: ten year plan right, a sense. 39 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: Of what we needed to do to rebuild. 40 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 3: And I never thought I'd still be here after those 41 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 3: ten years, or even up to those ten years. I 42 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 3: thought it was going to be a quick sort of 43 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 3: two year gig. And here I am, I'm still doing this. 44 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: You are still doing this, but you're doing it quite well. 45 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: And I mean we have had other state party chairs 46 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: on from Wisconsin. 47 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 2: We love ben Ricklair. Yes, the words, Yeah. 48 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: The best. So I was curious. This seems like, or 49 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:23,639 Speaker 1: at least we're hoping, this is sort of a new 50 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: generation of state chairs who really understand the stakes. Yeah. 51 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 3: Well, I think every state party understands the stakes and 52 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 3: have for years. The reality what we're seeing now is 53 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 3: people within the ecosystem understand the importance of state parties and. 54 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 2: That hasn't been there in some time. 55 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 3: And the reality is is state parties are probably one 56 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 3: of the most important pieces of the infrastructure that is also, 57 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 3: at the same time one of the most forgotten and 58 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 3: underfunded and under resourced. And the fact of the matter 59 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 3: is this is, you know, when you think about the 60 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 3: democratic ecosystem, state parties are the one entity, or one 61 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 3: of the few entities that's really focused on building long lasting, 62 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 3: endurable political infrastructure. Most of the committees, and one of 63 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 3: my complaints about the committees in DC is that they 64 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 3: are myopically focused on just this upcoming election. And that's 65 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 3: true of the DNC as well, and I will say that, 66 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 3: you know, that's been to their own detriment in peril 67 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 3: just focusing on this upcoming election. You know, Wayne Gretzky 68 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 3: a famous hockey player. 69 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: And I may not know a lot about sports, but 70 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: I do know who Wayne Gretzky is. 71 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: There you go well as a Minnesota and I have 72 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 3: to use some sort of hockey analogy here, But what 73 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 3: you know, he said famously once is that you have 74 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 3: to skate to where the puck will be, and not 75 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 3: where the puck is. 76 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: And that's really what state parties have to do. 77 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 3: We have to have an eye not only on this 78 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 3: upcoming election cycle but future election cycles, but really are 79 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 3: superpower within the ecosystem. And the one thing we do 80 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 3: that no one else can do is that we are 81 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 3: uniquely situated to raise both soft dollars and hard dollars, 82 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 3: co mingle those together and coordinate directly with our candidates 83 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 3: and build campaigns around that. And there's no other entity 84 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 3: for pack, no national committee, no independent expenditure group that 85 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 3: can do what state parties can do. And so I 86 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 3: think folks are starting to realize now that you know, 87 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 3: in the past where they would steal from Peter to 88 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 3: pay Paul, that they can't do that anymore. 89 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 2: They have to do both. 90 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 3: They have to make sure that the candidate campaigns are 91 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 3: independent and expenditure groups and state parties are well funded 92 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 3: and equally funded so we can win. 93 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: So what does that look like. 94 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 3: Well, I think there's a lot of different ways that looks. 95 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 3: And let me be very clear, there's no one way 96 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 3: to run a state party. Every state is uniquely different 97 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 3: with different set of a sort of cultural electoral expectations. 98 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 3: The reality is is every state has unique challenges and opportunities. 99 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 3: But what I would say is, you know, clearly the 100 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 3: Minnesota DFL is probably, if not one of the strongest 101 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 3: state parties, the strongest state party in the nation. And 102 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 3: people look to this as a model, including Ben Wickler, 103 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 3: who spent a lot of time over here before he 104 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 3: was elected, learning from what we've been able to. 105 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 2: Do successfully here in this state. 106 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 3: And so you know, for us, it is an understanding 107 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 3: that you know, it's a three legged stool. You need 108 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 3: well funded and good candidate campaigns. You need a very robust, 109 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 3: well developed and thought out independent expenditure side of the equation, 110 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 3: and then you need a strong state party, which is 111 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 3: by the way, when Governor Dayton asked me to come 112 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,799 Speaker 3: and do this, why I decided to do it because 113 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 3: we didn't have a strong party went into that twenty 114 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 3: ten election cycle. And so since I've been elected, we 115 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 3: haven't lost a state wide election. We've won two triflectors. 116 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 3: You know, we've won a lot more than we've lost. 117 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 3: And we've built a permanent and durable infrastructure that are 118 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 3: candidates and progressive organizations on the ground here rely on. 119 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 3: And that's ultimately, I think what we need every state 120 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 3: party to be doing, which is to build an organization 121 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 3: that serves as a center of gravity within each of 122 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 3: their states of driving electoral strategy and providing value and 123 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 3: service to all of our progressive partners and stakeholders in 124 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: each of our states. 125 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: And we're certainly doing that here. 126 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 3: I've been very grateful to be able to do this 127 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 3: work and to build it the way we have. But again, 128 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 3: you know, it's not possible in every state, but it 129 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 3: needs to be. 130 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 1: Some of the stuff you're doing is pretty amazing in 131 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: the state. Can you explain to us about some of 132 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 1: the more progressive stuff that's happening in Minnesota. 133 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: Well, there's a lot. 134 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 3: And look, there's been no state in the country that's 135 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 3: used the power that they had in this last legislative 136 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 3: session to pass an agena that's working for their state 137 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 3: like Minnesota has and you know, I would say this 138 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 3: one of the things that I was most disappointed and 139 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 3: ten years ago on the last trifecta, was that there 140 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:38,559 Speaker 3: was so much that was left on the cutting room floor. 141 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 2: Right, my older agent politics. 142 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 3: Now and someone who's been doing this since the early 143 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 3: nineties when I started with Paul Wellstoney, is that you know, 144 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 3: this really isn't about candidates. It's not even frankly about 145 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 3: our party anymore. It's about our values. Issues we care 146 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 3: deeply about. Those are on the ballot every single Psycleary election. 147 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 3: And what has been disappointing to me over the years 148 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 3: is when we work our tails off to get people 149 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 3: elected office in our party and then of course tho 150 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 3: so books disappoint you because they're moving so slowly and 151 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: not using the power that they have when they have 152 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 3: it to make the biggest difference they can. And you know, 153 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 3: shortly after the election in November or this past November, 154 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 3: I sat down with the legislative leaders and the governor 155 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 3: and all of us agree that there's been such a pent. 156 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 2: Up demand for action in this state. We were one 157 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 2: of the. 158 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 3: Few divided legislatures in the nation, as you remember, and 159 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 3: there was such a pent up demand to actually break 160 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 3: through a lot of the gridlock that the Republicans created 161 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 3: and get something done, and that we had to I 162 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 3: wouldn't even say throw caution to the wind, but we 163 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 3: had to move. We had to use the power we had, 164 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 3: and we had to be bold about that. And that's 165 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 3: what our elected officials did. I mean, I want you 166 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 3: to think about this. We passd the Paid Family in 167 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 3: Medical Leave Bill, which is the largest paid family in 168 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 3: medical leave in the nation, twenty weeks of paid leave. 169 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 3: We have the largest child tax credit in the nation 170 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 3: right now, which will cut childhood poverty by a third 171 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 3: in our state, Free college for low income families, free 172 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 3: school meals for all Minnesota children, three billion dollars worth 173 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 3: of tax cuts for working families and low wealth communities, 174 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 3: the largest investment ever in our school system over four 175 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 3: billion dollars over the next four years. Got significant gun 176 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 3: violence prevention measures that passed. 177 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: We codified abortion. 178 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: Right, transgender rights. 179 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 2: Protection, carbon free energy by twenty forty. 180 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: Driver's license for undocumented, restoration of voting rights. 181 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 2: That's right. 182 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, we made Juneteenth the state holiday. 183 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 3: We banned conversion therapy. We've legalized adult use cannabis. I mean, 184 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 3: you can go down the list of things that were 185 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 3: accomplished here, automatic voter registration. 186 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 2: There's so much that was done right. 187 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,079 Speaker 1: One billion dollar investment, affordable has in. 188 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 2: That's right. 189 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 3: It's funny you're listing some of these because in some 190 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,439 Speaker 3: ways a governor and I were just sort of laughing 191 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 3: the other day because you oftentimes forget all the things 192 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 3: we did. Open scale of it is just tremendous. And 193 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 3: really what drove that, to be honest with you, was 194 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 3: a not only an alignment amongst our legislative leaders and 195 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 3: our rank and file legislators, but frankly, this again, this 196 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 3: notion that power is fleeting and if we don't now 197 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 3: in new years, we could be out of power and 198 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 3: have missed the opportunity. And I don't say this in 199 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 3: a cavalier way, but sometimes if you lose, you still win. 200 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 3: And that's something I said, which is if we lose 201 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,719 Speaker 3: because we passed all this legislation, which by the way, 202 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 3: I don't think we will, but if we lose, we 203 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 3: still win because generations of Minnesota's are going to feel 204 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 3: the positive impacts of this legislation for years to come. 205 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: In should you be talking to National Democrats. 206 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 2: I do all the time. I'm a vice nial the DNC. 207 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: So you know, we're in June July, which are the peak. 208 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: You know, will have just finished all of these insane 209 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: Supreme Court decisions, many of which were not as insane 210 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: as they could have been, but still quite out of 211 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: what everybody seems to want it? Does hearing you say 212 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: this teams really relevant, especially because there's such anxiety about 213 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: Democrats messing with the courts. 214 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:06,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, let me just say this. 215 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, clearly I would say President Biden 216 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 3: and Vice President Harris also have taken the same sort 217 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 3: of zeal to their work. Right, There's been no president 218 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 3: president who's done more in their first two and a 219 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 3: half years in terms of legislation and significant legislation passing 220 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 3: and improve people's lives and than Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. 221 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 3: So I think Americans overall are just frustrated with inauthentic 222 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,960 Speaker 3: politicians who promised them the world and then get into 223 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 3: office and don't do anything to really push to deliver 224 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 3: on that. 225 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 4: Right. 226 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 3: And you know, I'm often reminded of my friend and 227 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 3: mentor Paul Wellstone, who people Minnesota didn't agree with him 228 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 3: on every issue, but one of the reasons they supported 229 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 3: him is because he always stood up and fought for 230 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,439 Speaker 3: what he believed in. Right, even when they disagreed with 231 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 3: them on those issues, they gave him the benefit of 232 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 3: the doubt because they knew that he believed in what 233 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 3: he was doing and he was willing to fight for it. 234 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 3: And that's what people are starting to see with the 235 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 3: Democratic Party again, right president and vice president who are 236 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 3: standing up and willing to fight for what they believe in. 237 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 3: And here in Minnesota a governor and our legislative leaders 238 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 3: and others who are willing to stand up and fight 239 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 3: and use the power they have to actually help make 240 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 3: a difference in communities throughout this state. I think in 241 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 3: the end that's so not only the right thing to 242 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 3: do right, it's always the right time to do the 243 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 3: right thing, but it's also politically the right thing to do. 244 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 3: I think we will win because we're actually making a 245 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 3: difference in people's lives. 246 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: So I want to ask you about this carbon free 247 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:35,599 Speaker 1: electrical grid. Hottest summer ever. It's June, and Texas and 248 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: Florida are both experiencing the beginning of a malaria outbreak. 249 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: Hopefully the end too, but we are having malaria in 250 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: this country for the first time and whatever long time 251 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: and or maybe ever. I'm not a malaria historian, but 252 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: obviously there's that there's this extreme heat wave, we've got fires. 253 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: You know, we can't go for walks outside I live 254 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: in New York because of the air quality. So talk 255 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 1: to me a little bit about this carbon free electric 256 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 1: grid by twenty forty. How does that work? 257 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 3: Well, it's really important because what you're referencing there are 258 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 3: all symptoms of the problem we have in this world 259 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 3: right now, which is we have had such a negligence 260 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 3: to pollution into greenhouse gas and to climate change and 261 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 3: aversion to actually addressing this the right way that you know, 262 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 3: we're seeing many parts of this country becoming uninhabitable right 263 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 3: in many parts of the world, and so there is 264 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 3: an urgency of now, right at this moment, that we 265 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 3: actually address this, and that requires every state to do 266 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 3: their part right. And when I'm proud about Minnesota is that, 267 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 3: you know, we put forward this proposal to have all 268 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 3: of our public utilities be carbon free by twenty forty 269 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 3: and we're well on our way to doing that. 270 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 2: This comes on the heels of Governor Walls. 271 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 3: Last year signing one of the largest electric vehicle requirements 272 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 3: in the country. You know, Minnesota, of course is a 273 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 3: climate refuge place as well, because we don't have the 274 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 3: type of extreme weathers. Albeit our winters are pretty extreme, 275 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 3: but we don't know the type of extreme weather patterns 276 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 3: that other parts of the nation are having. But that 277 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 3: doesn't mean we don't have a responsibility to be leaders 278 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 3: on clean energy and making sure we're doing our part 279 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 3: to address climate change in this world. And so Governor Walls, 280 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 3: our legislative leaders made it a priority to once again lead. 281 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 3: And you know, one thing that folks are referring to 282 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 3: this legislative agenda Minnesota as as a Minnesota miurclob part 283 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 3: two right and part one was really in the fifty 284 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 3: years ago, in the early seventies, Minnesota was really leading 285 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 3: the way on so many quality life pieces, really leading 286 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 3: the way in terms of progressive policy. And now once again, 287 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 3: I would say, based on the last two legislative sessions 288 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 3: here in Minnesota, Minnesota once again is a national leader 289 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 3: on so many different issues, including on addressed and climate 290 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 3: change in this world. 291 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 1: Why do you think Minnesota I mean, I live in 292 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: a blue state of New York State. We don't have 293 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 1: these kind of progressive things past. I'm a Democratic senators, 294 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: democratic governor, Democratic mayor. Why do you have that? And 295 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: I don't. 296 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 3: Well, I think there's a couple of pieces here. One 297 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 3: is I think culturally Minnesota. You know, we have a 298 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 3: lot of Scandinavians, We have a lot of folks from 299 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 3: Eastern European countries who came over here in their late 300 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 3: eighteen hundreds to mine in northern Minnesota. 301 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 2: It's a very progressive state. It always has been. 302 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 3: Even the Republican Party here over the years, not in 303 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,119 Speaker 3: recent years, but over the years was fairly independent and progressive. 304 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,239 Speaker 3: And so culturally, I think that's one thing that contributes 305 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 3: to Minnesota being a state that's led on these issues. Right, 306 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 3: we believe in government. We always have the highest voter 307 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 3: turnout in the nation. Right, people participate in our civically 308 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 3: engaged and so you start with the cultural peace. I 309 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 3: think the second piece is and I was just talking 310 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 3: to someone about this, because you do have long standing 311 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 3: blue states like New York and Illinois and California as examples, 312 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 3: who I think because they have baked in try effect 313 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 3: as and maked in power. It's created a reverse effect 314 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 3: of people not feeling an urgency of moving. 315 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 2: Quickly to address these issues. 316 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 3: And so, you know, in some ways, you know in 317 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 3: New York, people just believe, look, we can take this 318 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 3: up at some other point. Why do we need to 319 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 3: ruffle people's feathers now? Why don't we take a more 320 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 3: incremental approach on this? And that's fine. You know, our 321 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 3: government was set up to take an incremental approach, right, 322 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 3: that's the founders of this country structured it in such 323 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 3: a way that you want a deliberative thought, you know. 324 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 3: But what I would say is sometimes that sort of 325 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 3: mentality allows gridlock to set in even in states where 326 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 3: you have pretty well established democratic control. And I don't 327 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 3: sense a type of urgency in a state like California 328 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: or New York or Illinois like you do in a 329 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 3: state like Minnesota. 330 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: California has done a lot of really progressive stuff. Yes, 331 00:15:55,720 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: and Illinois also that governor is pretty like I would 332 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: say New York that we are actually sort of the 333 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: least well off in that crew. And remember our state 334 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: lost Democrats the House this election cycle. 335 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think there's a larger point about New York 336 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 3: that is definitely distinct and unique from Illinois and California. 337 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 3: Part of it is the role and function of the 338 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 3: party there, right, And I've talked a lot. 339 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: About this day and Jay Jacob should resign. I'm sorry 340 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: I can say that because I'm an opinion writer. 341 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, Here's what I would say, which is true, is 342 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 3: that for years the Democratic Party in New York has 343 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 3: been run out of the Capitol. 344 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: In Albany, and it's been sort of fake liberal. I'm 345 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: going to say that. 346 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 3: No, I'm not going to say, But what I would 347 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 3: say is this is that the party has been somewhat 348 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 3: of the state. Party has been somewhat of a instead 349 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 3: of being a center of driving electoral strategy, right, it's 350 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 3: really beat on the sidelines trying to peek in, and 351 00:16:56,360 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 3: so you don't have a statewide operation as a Resultually, 352 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 3: one of the reasons you have a very strong Working 353 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,199 Speaker 3: Family Party and others is because that party, instead of 354 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 3: bringing people in, has pushed people out right to try. 355 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:11,160 Speaker 2: To hold on to power. 356 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,880 Speaker 3: And you know, when you look at the DFL makes 357 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 3: us unique is that the nature of the DFL, the 358 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 3: Democratic Farmer Labor Party, right, we are a coalition party, 359 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 3: and we believe that you win through addition, not through subtraction. 360 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 3: And when you create a tent that's big enough for 361 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 3: everyone's voice, guess what, you don't have people from the 362 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 3: outside trying to take you on and challenge you. You 363 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 3: have a zeal of working together. We are a very 364 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 3: big tent in our state. I've got ilhan Omar in 365 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 3: the fifth district, and i had Colin Peterson, one of 366 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 3: the most conservative Democrats in the district over right. 367 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 2: It's a very diverse and unique state. 368 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 3: But one of the things we do here is we 369 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,199 Speaker 3: play well together because we realize this is about building 370 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,640 Speaker 3: power around the issues we care about, and to do that, 371 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 3: we have to be smart and strategic, and most importantly, 372 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 3: we have to work together. 373 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 1: What you're saying is this is all Andrew Cuomo's fault. 374 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 2: I am not saying that. 375 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 3: What I am say saying is is that the party there, 376 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 3: there's there's great upside and an opportunity right for the 377 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 3: party to play that role. 378 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: They would have to actually do it right. 379 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 3: And some of the elected officials there don't want the 380 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 3: party to have that much power or to be that 381 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 3: central to the operations because they want to control it, 382 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 3: and you know I don't. 383 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 2: I don't blame j Jacobs or anyone necessarily. 384 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 3: But you should, though I will say culturally, something's got 385 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 3: to change there because it's not working. 386 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, So Minnesota nice and I'm just 387 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: New York in trying to get you to be New 388 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:40,160 Speaker 1: York mean, we're working on it. Thank you. And Eskamani 389 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: is a member of the Florida House of Representatives. Welcome 390 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 1: to Fast Politics, Anna. 391 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 5: Thanks so much for having me. It's good to be here. 392 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: Explain to our listeners who you are and what you 393 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: do well. 394 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 5: My name is Representative Ana Viskamani. 395 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 4: I'm a State House rep here in the Sunshine State 396 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 4: in Florida, and today I feel like the line between 397 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,880 Speaker 4: freedom and fastistom in our state as we've seen erosion 398 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 4: of our democracy and laws that have stripped away our 399 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 4: bodily autonomy and individual freedoms. But I'm border raised in 400 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 4: Orlando and grew up as a daughter of working class immigrants. 401 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 4: I went to public schools and University of Central Florida. 402 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 4: I have a background and not just community organizing, but 403 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 4: I actually worked at Planned Parenthood of Southwest Central Florida 404 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 4: for six years. Before I ran for office. I was 405 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 4: a planned parented patient before that. And when I made 406 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 4: the decision to run for office as a first time candidate, 407 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 4: I was a part of that wave of women running 408 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 4: at twenty eighteen, and I flipped my seat from Republican 409 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 4: to Democrat. 410 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 5: Who've kept it that way since. 411 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 1: So your state has been sort of like used by 412 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: your governor as a kind of testing ground for all. 413 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: He's sort of pansased your state past all the conservative 414 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 1: legislation he can in order to try to run to 415 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: the right of Is your state going to have a 416 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 1: Kansas like backlash? Are you seeing that or are people 417 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: unhappy with it? Or are they delighted with fascism? 418 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 4: Well, to echo your point, you know, Florida has been 419 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 4: grad zero for a lot of fascism, and I'm sure 420 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 4: folks have seen the images of Nazis outside Walt Disney 421 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:24,399 Speaker 4: World and just the rise in homophobia and trisphobia. But 422 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 4: I will say that overwhelmingly the people of Florida do 423 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 4: not like the direction that our state is going. It's 424 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,199 Speaker 4: not even just on social issues, it's also on the 425 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 4: economic issues. I mean, we have a foble housing crisis 426 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,399 Speaker 4: here in this state, We've seen homelessess increase dramatically, especially 427 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 4: in our cities. 428 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 5: We have property insurance crisis where folks can't afford. 429 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 4: Their homes, are losing their loans because they can't afford 430 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 4: the proper insurance rates. And of course, on top of 431 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 4: all of that, you know, we don't see mitigation when 432 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 4: it comes to the effects of climate change, that it 433 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:59,679 Speaker 4: comes to the exodus of educators from our schools, and 434 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 4: so so we're starting to see, you know, more and 435 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 4: more a political people get involved, and especially more moderate 436 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 4: Republican voters express opposition to Destantus, especially as it pertains 437 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 4: to corporate decision making. His attacks of what Disney Worlds 438 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 4: have really turned off a lot of people. 439 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 5: I mean, Disney's one of the most popular brands in 440 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 5: this state. 441 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: The happiest place on Earth right and one of the 442 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: largest employers correct. 443 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:32,359 Speaker 4: And I'm someone who definitely challenges corporations, especially context of 444 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 4: corporate greed. Like I don't raise money for corporations. I 445 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 4: want to see corporations pay their taxes. But even I 446 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 4: know that it's foolish to demonize and belittle and attack 447 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 4: a company like Walt Disney World. It just does not 448 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 4: make sense. So there are backlashes. Now, will that translate 449 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 4: to electorate wis? That's my goal, right, I need to 450 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 4: make sure this energy is sustained, that people ren to 451 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 4: themselves to vote, that young people are engaged in the process, 452 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 4: and that we see a shift in the electorate when 453 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 4: it comes to voting. Because if we can't translate the 454 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 4: energy in that direction, then we are going to be 455 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 4: stuck with the SaaS quo, which at this point is 456 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 4: a super majority Republican legislature that has no spine and 457 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 4: advocates their responsibilities to the governor, who then uses the 458 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 4: state for his bully pulpit to appeal to an extreme 459 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 4: base of conservative voters in other states. 460 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,680 Speaker 5: And that is why Florida is where it is today. 461 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 4: I'm committed to shifting that direction and getting us to 462 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 4: a place of collective prosperity. 463 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 1: Let's talk about abortion. Your state had a pretty it 464 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: was restrictive, but not insanely restrictive. Desantus went in and 465 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,960 Speaker 1: change that. Can you talk to us about that? 466 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, you got it. 467 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 4: I mean Florida was an outlier in the South because 468 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 4: we have a strong right privacy in our state constitution 469 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 4: that's been there around nineteen eighty that voters approved in 470 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 4: a bipartisan way, and then nineteen eighty nine a Spring 471 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 4: Court case in Florida deed that right to privacy apply 472 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 4: to abortion rights. So with that president, we were able 473 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 4: to fight back against a nonslaught of anti abortion policies 474 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 4: over the years. But of course, with the Kotas decision 475 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 4: overruling Row and the ripple effect across the country has 476 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 4: come to Florida. So our legislature has since banned abortion 477 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 4: six weeks. That abortion ban is not effect yet because 478 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:37,160 Speaker 4: it's privy on ligation impacting the previous fifteen week abortion ban. 479 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 4: And of course we are very concerned that due to 480 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 4: the Spring Core United States overruling president, that our say 481 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 4: Supreme Court will do the same, especially since they're now 482 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 4: majority appointed by Descantus. With that said, we are on 483 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:54,160 Speaker 4: the path of codifying abortion rights and our state constitution. 484 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 4: We can't wait for the courts to save us. We 485 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 4: sorely can't wait for legislature to change. So we are 486 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,640 Speaker 4: taking this battle or astly to the voters this coming 487 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:02,920 Speaker 4: November in twenty twenty four. 488 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: What does that look like? Taking the vote to the 489 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: voters in twenty four. 490 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 5: It's a huge grassrooms operation. 491 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 4: We need to collect upwards of one point three million 492 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 4: signatures and of course go through approval of the Florida. 493 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 5: State Supreme Court. 494 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 4: They have to look at your language and approve it 495 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:24,199 Speaker 4: to go to print, which is always an uncertain process. 496 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 4: But we have already collected enough petitions to start that process. 497 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 4: We've actually collected this point close to two hundred and 498 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 4: fifty thousand petitions. 499 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 5: And keep in mind this campaign. 500 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 4: Only went live on May eighth, so we're doing incredibly 501 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 4: well with huge momentum. But it's also going to cost 502 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 4: us money, millions of dollars, not only in collecting the petitions, 503 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 4: but then in leading a persuasive campaign to get voters 504 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 4: to vote yes, because we have to actually reach sixty 505 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 4: percent threshold for this to happen. Fifty percent will not 506 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 4: be enough, and of course the legislators try to change 507 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 4: that the sixty six percent. 508 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 1: Of course, Republicans not so big democracy, Yes, yeah. 509 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 5: I guess not. 510 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 4: You know, from insurrection to you a voter suppression to 511 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 4: make changing the goalpost. 512 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, that is a cut of theme for us in 513 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 5: Florida too. 514 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 4: With that said, though, we're excited for something proactive only 515 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 4: because you know, as you've seen, especially the context of 516 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,159 Speaker 4: Florida the South in general, so many of our fights 517 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 4: are defensive, right, we're fighting back against something or responding 518 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:25,719 Speaker 4: to something. This is the first time in a lot 519 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 4: of time. Well, we're giving our community something to fight for, 520 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 4: not again. So we're really excited about that and our 521 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 4: full speed ahead and trying to make this a reality exactly. 522 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 1: Think about this twenty twenty election where Ron DeSantis, he 523 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 1: has advertised that he swept the electorate, he killed it, 524 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:47,160 Speaker 1: so to speak. But a lot of people think, including myself, 525 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: that what really happened was the Democratic Party the wheels 526 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: kind of came off in Florida. So can you explain 527 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 1: to us what that looked like and why this Desanta's 528 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 1: victory is is really not actually what he's pretending it. 529 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 4: Is, absolutely Well, the first thing you have to realize 530 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 4: is just the huge disparity among infrastructure and among resources. 531 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:11,439 Speaker 4: But as you noted, there really is no Democratic Party. 532 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 4: I mean, we are the process of rebuilding, but as 533 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:18,119 Speaker 4: of the twenty twenty two cycle, no Democratic Party whatsoever. 534 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 4: I mean, I look at you know, my district, of 535 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,640 Speaker 4: my neighborhoods, I mean, the only Democrats out there were 536 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 4: part of my team, right, and of course actual process 537 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 4: team during the primary. But really was I kind of 538 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 4: a fend for your self environment, which is why you know, 539 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 4: as a state house candidate, like I raised the funds, 540 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 4: I run the campaign, we do the field, we do 541 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 4: everything ourselves. And we saw an eleven percent greater turnout 542 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 4: in my district compared to the rest of Orange Kint 543 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:47,120 Speaker 4: Florida because of the work and what do we put 544 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 4: into it. But that was the case across the state 545 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 4: of Florida. Across the state of Florida, you saw all 546 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 4: of these hot Democratic voters, voters who typically vote during 547 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:56,920 Speaker 4: election seasons not come out. 548 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 5: Right. 549 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 4: You also heard folks say, well, the only as I 550 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 4: see are DeSantis ads, Like where all the Democrats? 551 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 5: And the answer is there's no money, right, and candidly the. 552 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 4: Funding deficit, I should say, the spending deficit. 553 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 5: Right, it's not even funding. 554 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 4: How much money was spent between the Republican Party and 555 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 4: their political arms compared to the same infrastructure of Democrats 556 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 4: was upwards of two hundred fifty million dollars. So in 557 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,439 Speaker 4: a state the size of Florida, if you have a 558 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:29,680 Speaker 4: spending deficit between you and your opponent two hundred fifty 559 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:30,399 Speaker 4: million dollars. 560 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 5: There's just no competition, right. 561 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 4: I also want to make sure folks know that if 562 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 4: you were in Florida seeing the ads, DeSantis was never 563 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 4: campaigning on banning abortion. He never campaigned on his most 564 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 4: extreme policies. I mean, his ads were about his military background. 565 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 4: He was taking credit for the diaper tax break, which 566 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 4: is a Democratic bill, by the way, that's my bill. 567 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 5: But he never. 568 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 4: Campaigned on those extreme positions because he knows that's not 569 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:59,719 Speaker 4: popular if that's what you lead on. Right, So of 570 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,880 Speaker 4: course we should take responsibility for police losses, right. I mean, 571 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 4: it is the lack of democratic infrastructure, which is ten 572 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 4: twenty years in the making of why we're in this 573 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 4: current situation. But I'm very hoping for the future and 574 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 4: especially just seeing the activation where everyday people we need 575 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:20,679 Speaker 4: good leaders to plug the energy into constructive steps, and 576 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,879 Speaker 4: that's what I do every single day. But we definitely 577 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,680 Speaker 4: are trying to scale that up so other people can 578 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 4: do the same. 579 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: So you have a new head of the Democratic Party 580 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:34,919 Speaker 1: in Florida, Niki Freed. I think of like twenty twenty 581 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 1: as a time when Florida Democrats, they made some bad choices, right. 582 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:42,080 Speaker 1: The winner of the primary was a guy who had 583 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: run as a Republican, Charlie Chris, who lost, and Nicki 584 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 1: Freed was right there, you know. But it seems in 585 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: my mind like putting Nicki Freed in charge of the 586 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: party in Florida was a good move. 587 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 4: I mean, I will say it was pretty contentious is 588 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 4: that election in general, because we had some really strong options, 589 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 4: which is a good problem to have, right. But I'm 590 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 4: hopeful not just with Cherylwin Freed, but also then our 591 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 4: new executive director. He actually comes from the Trial christ campaign, 592 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 4: because there are a lot of political spaces and he's 593 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 4: a really smart young man, and so I'm hopeful too 594 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 4: with that kind of combination. We can't move on from 595 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 4: like past tensions right in the state of Florida among 596 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 4: Democratic spaces. But I will say, like our biggest challenge, 597 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 4: candidly art consultants. We have been a state that is 598 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 4: so reliant on the consultant culture. Somebody's consultants they work 599 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 4: for the other side, right, I mean, you just you 600 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 4: have to be really thoughtful and who your vendors are 601 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 4: and do a competitive process, not just pick your friends. 602 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:44,560 Speaker 4: And we've had a huge problem in Florida of the 603 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 4: same consultants getting the same contracts and not winning. But 604 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 4: they win because they get paid, right, and we just 605 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 4: we contract out. And of course, you know when you're 606 00:29:53,960 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 4: talking to vendors, their specialties usually communications, not field. There's 607 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:04,719 Speaker 4: also been this emphasis on ads or media and nothing 608 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 4: on field. And if we're just not on the ground 609 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 4: talking to voters, building relationships, regi people to vote, helping 610 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 4: them come out to town halls and direct actions and 611 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 4: you know, and helping them with their lives, like helping 612 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 4: address their economic challenges. Right, if we're not doing that 613 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 4: all the time, then we're not going to win. Because 614 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 4: the Republican Party is doing that. They have so many 615 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 4: all the time, like they're hosting a kid you not 616 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 4: citizenship trainings and small business workshops like I mean, it's 617 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 4: so insidious, right because they're popping up in places without 618 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 4: wearing the GOP label, if you will. 619 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 5: But that's their angle, right. 620 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 4: And at the same time, we have had this farsation 621 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:49,160 Speaker 4: with so many my local Democratic Party folks and you know, 622 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 4: other elect officials. It's like those are a reason why 623 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 4: we can't do that same type of community outreach right, 624 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 4: my office does every single day. But I get frustrated 625 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 4: because you know, we see what they're doing. It's not 626 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 4: not a secret. And yet the ability to you know, 627 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 4: glap back and out works. 628 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 5: It's it hasn't been there. 629 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 4: So I am hopeful moving forward that you know, we 630 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 4: can establish that type of presence and infrastructure. 631 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 5: That's why it takes to win. 632 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: Right, And I think that's a really good point. So 633 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: just talk to me a little bit about what you're 634 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: seeing on the ground. 635 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 4: On the ground, folks are struggling. That's so important to remember. 636 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 4: I mean, you have families that can afford run so 637 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 4: you have folks that are becoming homeless, house and secure. 638 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 4: You have students that are LGBTQ that are scared to 639 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 4: be themselves. 640 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 5: You have trans people can access healthcare. 641 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 4: So you know, a lot of what I end up 642 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 4: doing every single day, honestly, is just responding to this right, 643 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 4: Like I we have so much propaganda be spewed everywhere, 644 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 4: from union busting to Nazis you know, throwing their garbage 645 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 4: on people's lawns like it's it's it's pretty bad on 646 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 4: the ground, just day to day, right, and responding to 647 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 4: community crises. But I will say that when it comes 648 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 4: to organizing and the political realm, there's a. 649 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 5: Lot of good momentum. 650 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 3: You know. 651 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 4: I mentioned already the abortion bou initiative for the for 652 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 4: the one year mark of the fall Row. Instead of 653 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 4: hosting a typical protest like a lot of people do, 654 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 4: we actually hosted the largest canvass ever. We had one 655 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 4: hundred people come out to go collect petitions, and that 656 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 4: is so exciting because we can't just have people hold 657 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 4: a sign, so gis you got to put that signed 658 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 4: down and pick up a clipboard and get to work courts. 659 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 4: I've been so excited to team up with Congress and 660 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,960 Speaker 4: Maxwell Hendra Frost, who's my congressman. I endorse him and 661 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 4: his race, and we work really closely together because we 662 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 4: both believe the same philosophy of not did twenty four 663 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:44,040 Speaker 4: seven organizing, but of the inside outside strategy, where you 664 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 4: fight like hell inside your chamber. You do what you 665 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 4: can to defend your community, but then you also invite 666 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 4: people to join you and you find opportunities to engage 667 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 4: with your constituents in a more meaningful way, to show 668 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 4: up at a neighborhood level, to get folks side to 669 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 4: build efficacy. So you know, we're finding those partnerships everywhere, 670 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 4: whether it's with the faith based community, you know, the 671 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 4: business community. 672 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 5: So many small businesses have put a. 673 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 4: Clipboard, you know, in their register at the front desk 674 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 4: from folks who buy coffee to also get abortion on 675 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 4: the ballot. 676 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,200 Speaker 5: So we're just seeing so much. 677 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 4: Really exciting momentum on the ground of folks who want 678 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 4: to fight back and they just need guideos on how 679 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 4: to fight back. But honestly, I think our biggest challenge 680 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:28,480 Speaker 4: is when folks are struggling economically, they don't have the capacity. 681 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:28,720 Speaker 5: To do anything else. 682 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 4: And I think that's part of the republic employee right, 683 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 4: because if they keep people low wealth, that they keep 684 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 4: people strapped to a middle wage job and they don't 685 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 4: have the ability to get engaged or to change their 686 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:44,760 Speaker 4: economic stars right to achieve mobility. So we are also 687 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 4: up against a really broken system that has failed people. 688 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 4: That makes it even more challenging to build political efficacy. 689 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 4: But with those obstacles in mind, we're not slowing down. 690 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 4: We're focused long term and very very hopeful for the future. 691 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:02,920 Speaker 1: I hope you will come back talk to us about 692 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:05,880 Speaker 1: what you guys need in Florida and the way you're 693 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: rebuilding the Democratic Party there. 694 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 5: Absolutely thanks so much for having me. 695 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,960 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of Fast Politics. Tune in 696 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 1: every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to hear the best minds 697 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,440 Speaker 1: in politics makes sense of all this chaos. If you 698 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:23,240 Speaker 1: enjoyed what you've heard, please send it to a friend 699 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:26,840 Speaker 1: and keep the conversation going. And again, thanks for listening.