1 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: It's that time time time, time, luck and load. So 2 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Michael Berry Show is on the air. 3 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 2: What just happened? 4 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 3: Ram? 5 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 4: That was weird. 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: It's like they pulled the plug on USh. We just 7 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: go on like nothing happened. Okay, yeah, all right, be 8 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: cool like Phronsie. Before we go to our next guest, 9 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: we have firefighters from Texas, including from Houston, who have 10 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: gone to California to help fight the fires. I understand 11 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: that with the rancorous division in this country led by 12 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: the left, the hateful bastards on the left, mostly white liberals, 13 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: but they tend to fire up their constituent groups against 14 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: their fellow Americans. So white liberals who are the core problem. 15 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: That aside, this is our country, these are our people, 16 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: and we're not going to let them destroy the fabric 17 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: of this country. We're not going to let them do it. 18 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:34,559 Speaker 1: But for those firefighters who have gone to California into 19 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 1: a dangerous situation, I could not be more proud to 20 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,839 Speaker 1: be from the same state as those folks. I could 21 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: not be more proud of their efforts, actions, sacrifice. And 22 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: if somebody who is involved with coordinating that can contact 23 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: me by email through the website. Michael berryshow dot com. 24 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: It comes directly to me. I would like to talk 25 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: to somebody about their efforts and what help they may 26 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: need and anything we can do to assist those folks. 27 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: And yeah, if anybody can get me in contact with 28 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: anyone who's out there or anyone who's coordinating that I 29 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: would sure appreciate it. 30 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 4: That is. 31 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: That is heroic, truly heroic and patriotic and good and honorable, 32 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: and I want to make sure that we do anything 33 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: we can to help those guys. So with government, with 34 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: the failures of government that we have seen to such 35 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: an extent, it is good to remember. I had a 36 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: guy email me in one of our California listeners and 37 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: he said, man, I know you're hard on Abbot because 38 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: of all his failings, but at least you got Abbot 39 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: and not Gavin Newsom. At least you got better governance. 40 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: And I said, that's why we have better governance. We 41 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: hold our elected officials to a high standard. We don't say, well, 42 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: at least we're not you Ganda here in America. At 43 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: least we do have a few things going for us 44 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:27,799 Speaker 1: that's not the standard. Standard must be excellence. So Tom 45 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: Ramsey County Commissioner, the last of the good guys left, 46 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: the last Republican left on Harris County's County commission. We 47 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: used to have only one Democrat. Now we only have 48 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: one Republican, and you see what has become of it. 49 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: County Commissioner Tom Ramsey, welcome. 50 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 4: To the program. 51 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 3: Good to be here, Michael, Thank. 52 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: You, Commissioner. I saw something that was posted by common 53 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: Sense Bob, which for those of you who want to 54 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: follow good citizen journalism and guys that just crunch numbers 55 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: and they may not have a newspaper or magazine or 56 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: radio station or TV station behind him. If you email me, 57 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: I'll send you back his address. But he posts under 58 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: Twitter under the name common Sense Bob. His name is 59 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,119 Speaker 1: Bob Schote. He posted something that your office put out, 60 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 1: and I'm just going to scroll through it and stop 61 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: and ask you to comment on one. It's at each 62 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: point it's entitled Wasted Potential, a spotlight on Harris County's spending, 63 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: and then it goes along for a second here and 64 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: it says brought to your attention by Commissioner Tom Ramsey, 65 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: and then it says I'm waiting on it to scroll. 66 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: Here we go Harris County's Office of Administration now costs 67 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: you twenty four million, six hundred ninety seven, seven hundred 68 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: five dollars. The County Administrator's office was created in twenty 69 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: twenty one to serve as an administrator for Commissioner's Court 70 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: Commissioner Ramsey. I think that Rodney Ellis created that because 71 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 1: Lena had Ago is in a constant state of whacked 72 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: out and couldn't possibly run anything, so he created so 73 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: she's the public face, and he created a whole different 74 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: office to run things that he runs. How close to 75 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: the mark am. 76 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 3: I you know the intent was clearly there to creative bureaucracy. 77 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 3: We've never had a county administrator in Harris County. We 78 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 3: have the history of being the best run county in America. 79 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 3: So now we're paying twenty five million dollars a year 80 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 3: for an administrative office we do not need. The County 81 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 3: administrator makes over four hundred thousand dollars. So that administration 82 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 3: office is managing areas that I think they don't have 83 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 3: expertise in, such as the Health department, such as a 84 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 3: toll road, such as engineering such as flood control. So 85 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 3: it is truly a total waste of twenty five million dollars. 86 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: How on earth did Harris County survive back when we 87 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: used to be a very efficient county. How did we 88 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: survive the dollars without a county administrator. 89 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 3: We had those department had reported directly to the Commissioner's Court. 90 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: So guess what if you're head of the fluck Control 91 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 3: District and you're responsible to the Harris County Commissioners, that's 92 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 3: a pretty high calling. You better get your act together. 93 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 3: If you're responsible to a non elected bureaucraft that doesn't 94 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 3: know anything, you might be able to get away without anything. 95 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: Well, you list among the report the following departments now 96 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: report directly to the county administrator. And one of those 97 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: departments that you list is a new department created under 98 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: the County Administrator's office, the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity. 99 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: What is that? 100 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 3: That is a department that is managing our minority business program. 101 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 3: You know what that is because you saw it at 102 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 3: the City of Houston. So it's replicated that they manage that. 103 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 3: But they've also been given other responsibility which I have 104 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 3: no understanding of. They're responsible for if they weighed the 105 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 3: safety program of a contractor. What does the Department of 106 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 3: Economic Equity and Opportunity Again, another bureaucratic group. What do 107 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 3: they know about safety in the construction world or the 108 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 3: engineering world? Again, it is a bureaucracy, it's a waste 109 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 3: of money, and frankly, it's creating much problems in trying 110 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 3: to get things done. 111 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 1: A county administrator created out a whole cloth we never 112 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: had before four hundred and eighteen four and seventeen dollars 113 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: seventy three employees according to your report, that cost us 114 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: the taxpayers nineteen million dollars at an average salary of 115 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: two hundred and sixty one thousand a person. This is 116 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: just ridiculous. Companies can't operate this way. 117 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 3: I don't. 118 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,119 Speaker 1: County Commissioner Tom Ramsey hold with me for just a moment. 119 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 3: Sure. 120 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: This segment exclusively produced by Hawaiian Chad Nakanishi Aloha bro 121 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: Ha to the Michael Berry Show. 122 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 3: Let me take you out. 123 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: So it's good to ship to give people bite sized 124 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: bits of information in a forum we can understand. So 125 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: when Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the last Republican left 126 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: down there, a stalwart says, this is how much money 127 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 1: they're wasting taxpayers. He says, the twenty five million dollar 128 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: department budget that remember, we didn't have a Harris County 129 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: administration in the past. The departments reported to your elected officials, 130 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: the county commissioners. Well, Rodney Ellis didn't want that. He 131 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: created a whole different department, a new department to oversee them. 132 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: So the department heads wouldn't have to come before the 133 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: county commissioners and answer. They would go to this person 134 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: over here that Rodney put there, and he would tell them, no, no, 135 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: you do this, you do this, because that's how he 136 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: runs things with an iron fist. Well, this twenty five 137 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: million dollars it cost to run this department, as Commissioner 138 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: Tom Ramsey points out, that's equivalent to two hundred and 139 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 1: seventy four deputies which could be used for jail detention 140 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: or safer neighborhoods for you and your loved ones. That 141 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: brings it home to two hundred and seventy four more 142 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: deputies on the ground. That's boots on the ground that 143 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: would make a difference in crime prevention and in crime solution, 144 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: and yet more administrators and creating a layer so that 145 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: the county departments won't report to the commissioners who you elected. 146 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: Commissioner Tom Ramsey. Before I move on from this subject, 147 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: is there anything else about the creation of this county 148 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: Administrator's office that would affect us, the taxpayers and the 149 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 1: service delivery that we expect. 150 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 3: I think it's important to understand, and I think it 151 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 3: ties back to southern California. They lost their way in 152 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 3: terms of the basics. This is a clear indication that 153 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 3: Harris County is not focusing on the basics. In twenty 154 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 3: twenty three, six hundred people were murdered in Harris County. 155 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 3: Six one hundred, five hundred and thirty three people died 156 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 3: on our roads in Harris County. We need safer roads, 157 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 3: we need safer neighborhoods. That's where we need to spend 158 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 3: the money. And unfortunately that's not the priorty currently within 159 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 3: Harris County. 160 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,839 Speaker 1: Why don't you well, you know what, before we get 161 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: to that, because I'm glad you brought up California, but 162 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:29,120 Speaker 1: I want to address this issue. I'm getting rumors from 163 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: Commissioner's Court and bureaucrats and folks who do business down 164 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: there and other folks that Lena is on the verge 165 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:44,079 Speaker 1: of retiring resigning, and then we can talk about who 166 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: that replacement would be, but that Rodney is currently actively 167 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: working on that. Would you like to speak to that? 168 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 3: Well, just you, I hear what you hear, and all 169 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 3: I know is last year more than thirty percent approaching 170 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 3: for percent of the time she was not in Commissioner's Court. Now, frankly, 171 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 3: we worked very well. The four commissioners were able to 172 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 3: get through agenda's pretty quick and get through it. So 173 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 3: I clearly, clearly there's not the desire to be at 174 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 3: Commissioner's Court like you would expect someone in an elected position. 175 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: And my understanding is that Ed Gonzalez is the choice 176 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: if Sheila Jackson, Lee's daughter chooses not to take it. 177 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: Would you like to comment on that? 178 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 3: Well, you know, this is what I understand about the process, 179 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 3: and I think people better pay attention to the process. 180 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 3: Because Lena resigned, she doesn't get to vote, so to 181 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 3: be the four commissioners voting on whoever's replaced, right, So 182 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 3: I'm one of those four. So there'll be somebody looking 183 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 3: for a third vote, whether it's Rodney looking for a 184 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 3: third vote or or somebody else looking for a third vote. 185 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 3: They'll be people looking for a third vote. If in 186 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 3: fact it gets to that, they'll be they'll be a 187 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 3: desire to try to get three votes. Well, I'm one 188 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 3: of those three, so we'll see how that works out. 189 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,599 Speaker 1: Well, the rumor I'm hearing is that Ed Gonzalez is 190 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: the front runner, and unless you want to speak to that, 191 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:29,439 Speaker 1: I'll leave that there. Uh, long time engineer, You've dealt 192 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: with public infrastructure for longer than some folks have been alive. 193 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 1: You have years and years, have experienced a lot of 194 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: big projects. I'm gonna make you King of La for 195 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: a moment. What could be done to solve the problem now, 196 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: and then we'll unwind how we got into the mess 197 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: therein already. 198 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 3: I mean, when you have one hundred mile an hour 199 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 3: Santa Ana wins coming through there, that's gonna that you got, 200 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 3: you got a fire going, that's gonna be a problem. 201 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 3: Their problem was they did not have They did not 202 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 3: manage the underbrush at all. They eliminated all the grazing 203 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 3: that was going on with cattle, so all the things 204 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:18,199 Speaker 3: that would have helped mitigate the extent of this disaster 205 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 3: they've eliminated. They did not have reservoirs. They removed some 206 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 3: reservoirs to allow fish that they don't need to get 207 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 3: to the ocean. So there was probably one hundred things 208 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 3: from an infrastructure standpoint that they could have done to 209 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 3: prepare themselves for what they're experiencing now. And you know, 210 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 3: if you can get you and I remember what happened 211 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 3: in Bastrop, and we saw how fast that fire blew 212 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 3: through there, but we also saw how quickly it was contained. 213 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 3: And even though it was devastating to the Bastrop County, 214 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 3: I think in many respects it was contained. The They 215 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 3: could have done a lot more clearly on their water, 216 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 3: their water use, their UH, their management of their their 217 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 3: their their forests, their wood that that all of that 218 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 3: underbrush in there. There's very logical common sense you can 219 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 3: things you can do, and they didn't do any of them. 220 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: How concerned are you if let me ask you, what 221 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: is the public health or public emergency that scares you 222 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: the most? If it's not wildfires or earthquakes, because we're 223 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: not Los Angeles, what is the biggest issue here? Would 224 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: it be crime that you think our government is failing at. 225 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 4: Well? 226 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 3: As much as I'd like to talk about infrastructure. In 227 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 3: seventy five percent of the unincorporated area is in my precinct. 228 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 3: That's what we have statue to a responsibility to take 229 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 3: care of. And five hundred and thirty three people died 230 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 3: on our roads. But I've got to say crime is 231 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 3: still the number one issue. It is we still don't 232 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 3: have enough officers on the street. We still don't have 233 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 3: enough officers and the detention facility. And if Edgunzalees wants 234 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 3: to be County judge, I wish he would begin by 235 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 3: taking care of his jail, which he has not done. 236 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 3: And we have approved everything he's brought to Commissioner's court. 237 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 3: So if there's anything else that needs to be done 238 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 3: at the jail, which there is, he hadn't brought it there. 239 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 3: But I would say safe neighborhoods remains our number one problem. 240 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: I would agree Harris County Commissioner Tom. 241 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 3: Rands asking no body for nothing. 242 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: Michael Berry Show continues all strode it ass on mainstream, 243 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: walked down a fly stairs. Kevin, you're on the Michael 244 00:16:59,000 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: Berry Show. 245 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 4: Go ahead. I mean, I know it's a rhetorical question, 246 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 4: but you know who elected Rodney as king of Harris County. 247 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 4: To be able to make all these backwards backroom deals. 248 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 4: What qualifications does Shila Jackson Lee's daughter have other than 249 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 4: her stupid name? Not one? But yet we allow people 250 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 4: like Rodney Ellis, who's been a crook all his life, 251 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 4: who didn't pay his bar tabs when he would come 252 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 4: into Downy Street pub, and yet we let him just 253 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 4: run the county like it's his own deal. Why vote? 254 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 4: This is why people don't want to vote, because they 255 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 4: know that idiots like this are just gonna make all 256 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 4: the damned decisions. All right, now I'm done. 257 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: Kevin, I will let you answer your own question. When 258 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: Rodney Ellis didn't pay his tab at Downing Street, why 259 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: didn't y'all prosecute him for it? 260 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 4: Because we knew that the repercussions that would come from 261 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:12,400 Speaker 4: that same thing with the what's the state farm guy 262 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 4: that's uh oh, what's his name starts with a B? 263 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 4: He used to never pay his tab either either way, 264 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 4: I'll think of it. He's a state rep. But you know, 265 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 4: we didn't want the repercussions of what would come, you know, 266 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 4: from us doing that. I didn't agree with it, but 267 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 4: you know, ownership didn't want to do it. 268 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: Oh, Uh, well, I guess my point is, I'm not 269 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: blaming you for the problems of the county. We don't 270 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: know that there would be problems until we do prosecute him. 271 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying it was your decision. You weren't 272 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: the owner. I know that, But realistically, Rodney has risen 273 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: to dominate the count for the very same reason that 274 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 1: the owners of the place you worked at did not 275 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: prosecute him. Because nobody wants to be the tip of 276 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: the spear, nobody wants to confront evil. They simply say, oh, 277 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:21,679 Speaker 1: nothing could be done, we'd get in trouble. That's the 278 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: way things are. As a result, it becomes the way 279 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: things are. And you know that was true of Sheila 280 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: Jackson Lee. People used to ask me, how does Sheila 281 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:41,120 Speaker 1: Jackson Lee get away with bullying these preachers and bullying 282 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: all these various people. And I would tell the story 283 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 1: of my friend Tim Belton. Tim Belton was chairing some 284 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: black tie gala fundraiser for some disease cancer society or something, 285 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 1: and Sheila Jackson Lee comes in late and my friend 286 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 1: Tim Belton, who is no shrinking Violet, is up and 287 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,199 Speaker 1: he's welcoming the guests and of various people when they 288 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: moved on to this, and he gets a note handed 289 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: to him by one of her staffers said, call Sheila 290 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: Jackson Lee, call Congress. Why not up to speak? She 291 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: wants to speak. And he turned and said, we're not 292 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: having speeches by politicians into the microphone and he gets 293 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 1: another note. It says, well, can you please recognize or 294 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: it just tells him recognize. We recognized elected officials who 295 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 1: were here earlier, who had responded to our request to 296 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: let us know if you were going to be here. 297 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: So no, we won't be recognized anyone else. Well, she 298 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: was humiliated. I mean, if she had any shame, she doesn't. 299 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: She is shameless. But everyone there knew what had happened 300 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,360 Speaker 1: and they couldn't believe it. And there were people there 301 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 1: at a black tie gala who are CEOs of companies 302 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: who were scared to death that was going to cause 303 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: the organization problems. 304 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 3: This is. 305 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: This is be careful what I say on this one occasion. 306 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: How best to say this? There are a lot of 307 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: white people who are scared to death of black pullice 308 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: and they won't dare speak out against them because they 309 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: are black. Rodney has these people so scared, and for 310 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: the same reason that the ownership of Downing Street, as 311 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 1: you noted, for the same reason they wouldn't prosecute him, Oh, 312 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: because that would have hit the newspapers, and that would 313 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: have caused him so many problems. You see a famous 314 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: person that gets arrested for DWI and they're clearly smashed, 315 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,399 Speaker 1: and it makes the news and the persons humiliated, and 316 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 1: terrible things happen, And well, do you know that for 317 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:20,400 Speaker 1: every time that happens, there's three times at the same 318 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: guy doesn't get arrested because an officer says, man, if 319 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: I arrest him, I'll get in trouble. Because they're afraid 320 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 1: to do their jobs. The reason Rodney gets away with 321 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: what he gets away with is because he's a bully 322 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: and because he's very smart. There are also people with 323 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: whom he is very close, friends who run interference for 324 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: him for a long time. He and Jeff Cohen, who 325 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:51,959 Speaker 1: used to be the publisher of the Houston Chronicle. He 326 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 1: now has his own little operation going. He works for 327 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: the Arnold family and they're billionaires and everybody thinks that, 328 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: you know, because they're billionaires and they're so important. But 329 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: he has made Look, I've said this for years. I've 330 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: known Rodney a long time, twenty five years. He is 331 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 1: an extraordinarily smart guy. He didn't get to be fabulously 332 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 1: wealthy as a state representative that pays seventy two hundred 333 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: dollars a year. He didn't get to be fabulously wealthy 334 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: off of that salary. He didn't get to be a 335 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: guy who travels to multiple states. People tell me all 336 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: the time they were in Africa and they saw Rodney 337 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: they were in I told me the other day that 338 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 1: they were on a trip to Bangkok and there they 339 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 1: were in this nice hotel, the top hotel in Bangkok, 340 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: and there's Rodney Ellis and he's checking out and he's 341 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: there on some sort of a work trip. Because the 342 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: guy's around him, Well what's he doing? Or people will 343 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: say they saw Rodney in Beaumont with the top Planet's 344 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: attorneys in Beaumont. He doing there is what does that 345 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: have to do with the county business? I don't know. 346 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: He's a very smart guy, extraordinarily smart, extraordinarily conniving, extraordinarily 347 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 1: good at at at seeing pockets of government money and 348 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 1: finding ways to get that spent. He's the one who 349 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:25,199 Speaker 1: hand picked Lena Hidalgo. He's the one who hand picked 350 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: Leslie Brionez. Brionis, by the way, was working for the 351 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: Arnold family, which is where Jeff Cohen has set up shop. 352 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: They brought him over from being the publisher. And you 353 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: want to know how inter they seen this whole thing 354 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: is or incestuous. Jeff Cohen, who was the publisher of 355 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: the Houston Chronicle, his wife was the attorney representing Lena 356 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: Hidalgo during all that mess. Another way that Rodney Ellis 357 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 1: runs things and things just keep managing to go his 358 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,679 Speaker 1: way is that his wife. You look at all the 359 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 1: affordable housing that's being built with this guy, Lance Gillian, 360 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: another one of the white you know, kind of the 361 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: Jeff Cohen type, the powerful white guys that enable Rodney go. 362 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: Look at how many boards Rodney's wife serves on, and 363 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: how many scandals there are associated with that Tonight tonight 364 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: when you need to escape from the every day escaped 365 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: of the Michael Arry Show. So Greg Abbott just sent 366 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: a press release out today from his office. Anyway, on 367 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: his letterhead says Governor Abbott orders flags to full staff 368 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: in honor of Inauguration Day. And I thought Okay, why 369 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 1: were they not at full staff? Already? Reminder, because people 370 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 1: seem to get this wrong a lot on land, a 371 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: flag is at full or half staff. On a ship, seriously, ramon, 372 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: we're trying to do a serious show here and be 373 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,399 Speaker 1: considered serious people, and you got. 374 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 3: To do that. 375 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: On a ship, it flies at half masted or full mast. 376 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: But Governor Greg Abbott today ordered all flags to be 377 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: raised to full staff. Now when I read that, my 378 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 1: immediate reaction was, why were they at half staff? They're 379 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:58,719 Speaker 1: to fly at full staff except in extenuating circumstances. Governor 380 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 1: Greg Abbot today ordered all all flags to be raised 381 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: to full full staff at the Texas Capitol in all 382 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:14,199 Speaker 1: state buildings on January twentieth. So he announced today that 383 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: a week from today, we're gonna go ahead and put 384 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 1: them up to full staff. So why were they at 385 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 1: half staff? Governor Abbott said, quote. Texas continues to mourn 386 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: with our fellow Americans across the country over the passing 387 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:53,400 Speaker 1: of former President Jimmy Carter. Here's the next part. President 388 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: Carter's steadfast leadership left a lasting legacy that will be 389 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 1: felt for generations to come. Which together as a nation, 390 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: we honor by displaying flags at half staff for thirty days. Okay, 391 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: that is absurd. You know there's something in this country. 392 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 1: There's something about, first of all, the worship of elected officials. 393 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: How many great Americans do we do that for veterans? 394 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: Do we do that for service members who go into battle, 395 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: risking it all and die? Do we do that for 396 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: good Samaritans who die? We have a new show sponsor 397 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: coming on and his father is a story you read 398 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: in the news a few years ago. His father saw, 399 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: I believes a bel Air police officer being attacked by 400 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: a turd, and his father jumped in to try to 401 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 1: help the officer. The officer was murdered, and his father 402 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: was murdered being a good samaritan. That's the ultimate. If 403 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 1: you see something, say something. Did we fly the flag 404 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 1: at half staff? We didn't create monarchy because George Washington 405 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 1: believed when they offered it to him, that true self 406 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: governance meant that you didn't have classes of men, including royalty. 407 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: This idea that a president is better. You got these 408 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: people who wank off on university faculties to being a 409 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: presidential historian and all this respect fact that is due 410 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 1: to the president it's too much. It's too much. What 411 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: about the everyman? What about the people who fight the wars, 412 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: fight the fires, fight the criminals? What about those guys 413 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: thirty days for Jimmy Carter, bunk. I'm not mourning the 414 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 1: death of Jimmy Carter. That just be very clear. I 415 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: am not mourning. 416 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 3: Ramon. 417 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: Can we get Jimmy Carter again? Saying that Donald Trump 418 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 1: was an illegitimate president, Tell me again, how well? You know, 419 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 1: he might not have been a good president, but he 420 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: was a great ex president. You know, he was the 421 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 1: longest he was an ex president, a former president, longer 422 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 1: than anybody in American history. And he did good work. 423 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: He nailed a hammer while the camera was there and 424 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 1: went home. He was a good man. He was a 425 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: decent man. A lot of Republicans love to tell you 426 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 1: this because that way when they criticized Democrats for their 427 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 1: awful policies, they can go. But I don't dislike all Democrats. 428 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: I will admit Jimmy Carter was a good man. 429 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 2: You found out that the Russians did interfere in the election, 430 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 2: and I think the interference, although not yet quantified, if 431 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 2: fully an investigator would show that Trump didn't actually win 432 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 2: the election in twenty sixteen. He lost the election and 433 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 2: he was put in the office because a Russians interfere 434 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 2: on his behalf. 435 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: So do you believe President Trump is an illegitimate president? 436 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 2: Face on? What I just said was, I can retract. 437 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: That is the ultimate election denier. That was in January. 438 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: That was in December of twenty sixteen, eight years ago. 439 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: So he wasn't in the full dementia and he wasn't 440 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: in the shape as when they rolled out his dead 441 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 1: body for the one hundred one hundredth birthday flyover, and 442 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 1: all the Republicans had to gush. Republicans cannot gush enough. 443 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: They love the opportunity, love the opportunity to tell you 444 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: what a good man. Jimmy Carter was such a good man. 445 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: He declared that Donald Trump, who lawfully won the election 446 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 1: with your votes, was an illegitimate president. He denied your vote. 447 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: He's the ultimate election denier. That's not good man, that's 448 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:51,240 Speaker 1: a threat to democracy. I just read that the Webster 449 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: Food Town, which used to be the Randalls Ramon, has 450 00:32:56,120 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: closed its doors, and that was the grocery store that 451 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: Boris Yeltsen went to. That he said, I knew that 452 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 1: communism would fail. I knew the Soviet state would fail. 453 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 1: When I saw how many oranges and apples and bananas 454 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: you could, I knew that we couldn't keep the Soviet 455 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:22,120 Speaker 1: people from learning about the Russian people from learning about 456 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: all these options. And when they found out what an 457 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 1: American grocery store looked. That was the Randalls in Webster, 458 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,320 Speaker 1: which later became Webster Foodtown and that has now closed.