1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to woga F Daily with 2 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: Meet your Girl Danielle Moody, recording live from our podstream 3 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: studios in Times Square. You know, today, folks, I am 4 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: going to have an interview with a new person to 5 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: woke F Daily, for Nita Toulson. And if you've been 6 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: watching these congressional hearings on voting rights, you have seen 7 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: her now multiple times on Capitol Hill. She's a professor 8 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: at the University of California and she's been working on 9 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: voting rights her entire career. What got me to ask 10 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: for Nita to join woke F was an interaction, an 11 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: exchange actually, that she had with Senator Ted Cruz, which 12 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: you may have seen because I retweeted the clip and 13 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: the clip went viral, where he asked her directly, do 14 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: you think that the Texas voting rights law is racist? 15 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: And she responded, yes, I do, and then went on 16 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: to express why she feels like the voting rights laws 17 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: suppressions targeting of people of color is in fact racist, 18 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: and how race neutral laws have been a thing since 19 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: reconstruction in this country. It is how for one hundred 20 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 1: years black people had absolutely no protection in this country right, 21 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: And you know I will talk to her about whether 22 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: or not she thinks that our democracy can survive, this 23 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: can survive in action by Democrats right now, because, folks, 24 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: I got to tell you that I have reached my 25 00:01:55,680 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: breaking point with this in current administration, with this Congress, 26 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: and where we are headed in twenty twenty two, people 27 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: are so fucking concerned with keeping their jobs, as in 28 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: my favorite line in The American President, that they are 29 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 1: forgetting to actually do their fucking jobs. Right. You have 30 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: one job as an elected official, and it is to 31 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: make sure that you uphold our constitution. It is to 32 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: make sure that all Americans, not just some, not just 33 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: the rich, right, not just the top one percent, not 34 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 1: just white folks, have the ability to live a full 35 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 1: and complete life, right that are able to pursue their 36 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: form of happiness. Right that are able to all be protected, 37 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: to be able to participate as full and complete citizens 38 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: and our fucking democracy. And they are failing, and this 39 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: fucking administration is failing right now. And you know I 40 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: can tell you that I have reached a point right 41 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: where yet you can say to me, Danielle Well, the 42 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: Biden administration, they've only been in power for nine months, 43 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: and you know, we need to give them more time. 44 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: And do you know what I'm going to say to that, 45 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: we don't have any more fucking time to give. Right 46 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: in but a few handful of months, the calendar year 47 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: changes and we go into twenty twenty two, and at 48 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: the beginning of January, you are going to see a 49 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 1: blitz of fucking campaigns and ads and all of these things, 50 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: because within several months we will have midterm elections. And 51 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: right now, if you pay attention to polls, which you know, 52 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: if you listen to me regularly, you know that I 53 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: don't give a fuck about polls because I think that 54 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: they are as good as shaking a magic eight ball 55 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: and kind of seeing what happens. But the reality is 56 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: that in a couple of months we have a consequential 57 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: midterm election that I would argue is even more consequential 58 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: than that of twenty eighteen, because when Republicans get power again, 59 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: not if, but when they get power again, they are 60 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: not letting it go. They are going to be rabid, 61 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: fucking pit bolls with a bone, and they won't let 62 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: it go. They will change every single fucking rule in 63 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 1: the Senate, in the House to make sure that Democrats 64 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 1: never hold that gavel again. And then what Democrats will 65 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: do is get on television and get on radio, and 66 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: get on podcasts and wine and bitch about what Republicans 67 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: are doing to this country. And I will turn around 68 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: and want to verbally bitch slap every single fucking one 69 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: of them who has sat around and thought that, you know, 70 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 1: Republicans who are gonna come around. I will go directly 71 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: to the Joe Mansions and the Kursten Cinemas and say, 72 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: you now will be forever remembered and engraved in the 73 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: minds and the history books of this country as the 74 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: two people that allowed our democracy to fucking fall. This week, 75 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: right now, you have Kirsten Cinema, not at the White House, 76 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: right because this is how much power this bitch has 77 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: not at the White House, but as White House staff 78 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: has decided to go to her in the Senate to 79 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: talk about the reconciliation bill, to go to her and 80 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: beg her to do what is right for this fucking country. 81 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: How does that look to me? It looks like Joe 82 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: Biden doesn't know what the fuck he's doing, and it 83 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 1: certainly doesn't look like he has the strength and the 84 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: mustard and the fortitude to get shit done that he 85 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: told the American people he was going to deliver on 86 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,919 Speaker 1: day one. Now, I understand that there is a big, 87 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: big gap between the campaign promises that folks make on 88 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: the trail and then what it comes to get done 89 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: in order to get things executed into reality. I know 90 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: that the gap is big. But here is a thing 91 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: you don't get any more time. You knew the urgency 92 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: of the moment when you were campaigning in twenty twenty, 93 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: as you were campaigning against an open white supremacist right, 94 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: an open fucking fascist. You knew, good god damn well 95 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: that the Republican Party wasn't just under the spell of 96 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: Donald Trump. No, No, Donald Trump gave them permission to 97 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 1: take their hoods off and be exactly who they have 98 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: always wanted to be. You know what I saw this 99 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: week that also turned my goddamn stomach, which was a 100 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: New York Times article do democrats will democrats muster the 101 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: same amount of courage as Liz Cheney ding ding ding 102 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: New York Times, Liz Cheney doesn't have any fucking courage. 103 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: It doesn't take courage a decade after your gay sister 104 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: gets married and has kids to come out on sixty 105 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: minutes and now decide that, oh, you were totally wrong 106 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: about same sex marriage. You know, six years after the 107 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: Supreme Court passed same sex marriage in this country and 108 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: a decade after her own fucking father, Darth Vader, came 109 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: out in support of same sex marriage. Right, you don't 110 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: get a trophy for that. You also don't get a 111 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: trophy for recognizing reality and the fact that Donald Trump 112 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: did indeed lose the twenty twenty election. It is not 113 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: courage to come out and acknowledge the truth, then, my god, 114 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: I must have so much courage to come out every 115 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: day and acknowledge that gravity fucking exists. I am so 116 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: tired right of turning these fucking people into heroes and 117 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: heroines and martyrs for acknowledging reality. That is how far 118 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: the goddamn bar has fallen. You know, Joe Mansion and 119 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: Kursten Cinema, they might as well be the president and 120 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: the vice president of the United States right now with 121 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: the amount of fucking power that they're wielding, Which is 122 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: why to me, it was important to bring Professor Fernita 123 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: Tulsin on to talk about the fact that, yeah, you know, 124 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: what Congress really does have power. You know, there are 125 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: things that Congress can be doing right, because by virtue 126 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: of the Constitution, you have the power to get things done. 127 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: You are a coequal branch of governments. And yet they 128 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: are walking around and asking for fucking permission or expecting 129 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: Republicans to turn into what exactly moral bound patriots. I 130 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: don't know how many goddamn times that people have to 131 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: show you who they are for you to believe who 132 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: they are. Right, not one god damn Republican voted in 133 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: the House of Representatives to pass the John Lewis Voting 134 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: Rights Act. Many of those fucking disgusting human beings worked 135 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:48,959 Speaker 1: alongside John Lewis, listened to his stories of being beaten 136 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: and jailed for the right to vote. They worked alongside 137 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: this man for decades, and upon his death, he had 138 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: one ask, which was to get this done. And those 139 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: Republicans spit in his face and spit in the face 140 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: of every goddamn American in this country, regardless of party, 141 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: when they decided to vote against our democracy. So tell 142 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:17,479 Speaker 1: me again what we are waiting for here. I don't 143 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: understand how much more Democrats need to see before you 144 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: look fucking dumb, and you recognize how dumb you look 145 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: to the American people. You want to go out now 146 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,959 Speaker 1: and campaign on what exactly because you haven't done dick 147 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: and frankly, if you thought that you were going to 148 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: be campaigning on the vaccine rollout alone, well, we've reached 149 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: our what our cliff right now in terms of how 150 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: many Americans are actually going to get vaccinated? And now 151 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: it's private industry that is doing more work, more heavy 152 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: lifting by having their mandates that this administration doesn't want 153 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: to do. Why, oh, we don't have the power to 154 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: do it. It's funny to me that when Democrats are 155 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 1: in control, they want to talk about what power they 156 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: don't have, but when Republicans are in control, all we 157 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: feel is the weight of their fucking foot on our necks. Right, 158 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: Mitch McConnell didn't have the power to appoint three Supreme 159 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: Court justices and stall the appointment of Merritt Garland, but 160 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: he did it. And guess what, and he did so 161 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: unfucking opposed. Right. No one decided to sue Mitch McConnell. 162 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: No one decided to bring this to federal court in 163 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 1: order to get action done. Barack Obama didn't decide to 164 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: do a recess appointment and get things done because he 165 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: had the right. No, because Democrats are too fucking concerned 166 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: with keeping every goddamn person happy, as opposed to actually 167 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: doing what needs to be done and understanding that you're 168 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 1: not going to keep everyone happy, that everyone isn't going 169 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: to like you, and being liked isn't your fucking job. 170 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: I don't need a comforter in chief. I need to 171 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: commander in chief, and right now, with Joe Biden, we 172 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: don't really have either. Coming up next, folks, is my 173 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: interview with Professor Fernita Tulson. I'm very excited to have 174 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 1: this conversation with regard to voting rights and whether or 175 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: not she thinks our democracy is going to survive. That 176 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: is coming up next, folks. I am so happy to 177 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: welcome to woke af Fernia Tulson, who is the Vice 178 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs and Professor of Law 179 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: at University of Southern California Gold School of Law. Thank 180 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: you so much for making the time to join woke 181 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 1: a F. We are in one of the most i 182 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: would say arguably the most precarious times for our democracy, 183 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: and our democracy hinges on our ability to have free 184 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: and fair elections, and as we have seen since the 185 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 1: twenty twenty election and the spreading of the Big Lie, 186 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: we have witnessed a barrage of over three hundred plus 187 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: voting suppression laws that have happened across the country. Texas, however, 188 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: Texas is like hold my beer to every other state 189 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: so that they can show up as the absolute worst. 190 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: Which is why you were at the Senate testifying about 191 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 1: the Texas law. You were asked, very clearly, is a 192 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,839 Speaker 1: Texas law racist? I mean, I screamed that my television 193 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: and I said, hell, yes it is. I don't know. 194 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: You have a lot more decorum than I do, so 195 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: please recount for woke ap audience. You know your answer 196 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: to that question. Is the Texas voter restriction voter suppression 197 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: law racist? In my opinion, it is, and importantly it's 198 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: not just me right. One of the points I made 199 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: in the hearing is that a fellow district court had 200 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: found that the law had been enacted with discrimine tory 201 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: intent and discriminatory effect, and so Texas basically litigated the 202 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: law of the course of the decade, and then they 203 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: passed a new version in order to cleanse the law 204 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: of the discriminatory effect that it had on minority populations. 205 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: And so they exchange with Senator Crews. I think he 206 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: was a little surprised, but you know, arguably the fact 207 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 1: that Texas consistently litigates its election law, so not just 208 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: the voter ID law, it's redistricting plans they litigate. So 209 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,079 Speaker 1: we have redistrict in every ten years, and Texas pretty 210 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: much spends the bulk of the decade litigating their redistricting 211 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: plans against allegations that the plan was adopted with racially 212 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 1: discriminatory intend in an effect. And this has been true 213 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: for pretty much the last two decades. And so Texas 214 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: their record on this is just really awful. If you 215 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 1: were sitting in if you were sitting not just in 216 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: the chair testifying, but sitting in a chair with the 217 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: direct ability to enforce the power that democrats have right now, 218 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: what should what can they be doing? I saw? I mean, 219 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: because here's the thing, the filibuster. We have two people 220 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: that are the issue, right. We have Kirsten Cinema and 221 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 1: Joe Manchin who believe in this racist relic right and 222 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: and and want to believe that, Well, what if we 223 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: get rid of it, how will Republicans act down the road? 224 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: And I'm like, I don't think you understand that we're 225 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: we are at the end of the road, Like this 226 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: is it? There is no They're like, we're at the 227 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: cliff right now for our democracy. And what is it 228 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: that Democrats can do to fortify in their minds the 229 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: sense of urgency that I swear that everyone else seems 230 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: to have. But these two members of the Senate, that's 231 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: say that they're supposedly Democrats. So I think part of 232 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: the problem is American exceptionalism, right, Like, even that's that 233 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: is that is the that is the whole problem. But please, 234 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: even Democrats believe that, right, Democrats believe that America is exceptional. Um. 235 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: But one thing that is true among democracies generally is 236 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: that they don't last at long. And so you know, 237 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: I'm not alarmist generally, and you know, I believe in 238 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: this country and this is why I do this work. 239 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: I want us to get over this. But there's no 240 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: guarantee that will survive this. Right, our democracy is over 241 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: two centuries old now, and unless it's something that you're 242 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: willing to fight for it could very well go away. 243 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: There's nothing exceptional about America in that sense, then that 244 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: we that somehow our democracy is so revered that it 245 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: could survive anything that is not true. This is why 246 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: consequences for January sixth is very important, because if we 247 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: don't have consequences for you know, political elites who are 248 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: pushing this big lie and who you know, I mean, 249 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: the whole notion of Trump running for reelection again in 250 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four is just insane, right, But that is 251 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: entirely possible because our system has become one in which 252 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: bad actors are not punished for their behavior and their 253 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: actions are corrosive to democracy. And because of that, we 254 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: might not survive this. But until people except that that 255 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: is a possibility, right, then it's entirely likely that you know, 256 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: Democrats will just kind of sit and wait and expect 257 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: Republicans to come around. Let me make one other point, 258 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: because I actually think the historical point is important. After 259 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: reconstruction in this country, for almost a century, black people 260 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: didn't have any voting rights, they didn't have any political power. 261 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: I was telling my children, and I promised, they're young. 262 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: I don't like scare them, but you know, it was 263 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: really common for you know, black people to go missing 264 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: and just never be heard from again because they had 265 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: no protections. They have no way, they had no way 266 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: of petitioning the government for protection, they had no protection 267 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: from the police anything. Right, It was just it was 268 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: a horrible state of affairs. But one of the important 269 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: things that people fail to realize, but I think that 270 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: they kind of realized in the forties, fifties and sixties, 271 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: is that we're all in this together. Right. You can't 272 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: have you know, minority communities of any strife who feel 273 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: like second class citizens in this country and think that 274 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: people that sort of view themselves as being at the 275 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,679 Speaker 1: top tier can enjoy their rights too. It's only a 276 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: matter of time before people in the majority find themselves 277 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: as a part of the minority, right, So it's really 278 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: important to protect rights for all people. So just because 279 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: minority voting rights are under assault right now does mean 280 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: does not mean that people in the majority are protected either. 281 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: We are literally all in this together, and if we 282 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: don't fight for it collectively, it will go away. Until 283 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: the Democrats realize that, then they're just going to sit 284 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 1: there and wait for a party who is essentially a 285 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: minority party and will do anything to preserve their power. 286 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: They're gonna wait for them to come around when they 287 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,959 Speaker 1: have no incentive to come around, you know. And the 288 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: reality is that, you know, after a certain point, you 289 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: reach a certain point where the top can only squeeze 290 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: people so much before they push back. I mean, you 291 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:54,199 Speaker 1: can only push people down so much and assume that 292 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: the reaction is just going to be like, okay, boss, 293 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: whatever you say, Boss, That's what I'm gonna do. Right, 294 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: four people get into the streets before there is revolutionary action, right, 295 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: that is taken because I don't see I think that 296 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 1: what troubles me now. And I want to ask you, 297 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:14,360 Speaker 1: because you are a professor of law. You are guiding 298 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 1: the next generation of people that are supposed to, you know, 299 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 1: hopefully in some way, shape or form, safeguard right our constitution, 300 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:27,679 Speaker 1: safeguard our laws. But what I've realized over you know, desperately, 301 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: over the past four year, the four years under Trump, 302 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: is what I thought. And this is I'm an educated person, 303 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: you know, undergrad graduate school, worked on the hill. What 304 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: I thought were secure laws in this country. I recognize 305 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: under Trump we're just suggestions, We're just handshake deals that 306 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: we're kind of done in back rooms, whether you're gonna 307 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: I thought presidents presidential candid I thought they they were 308 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: required to provide their taxes. I thought that you were 309 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: required to let go of your businesses or put them 310 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: in a trust that you we would know that you're 311 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: working on behalf of the American people. I didn't realize 312 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: that that was just oh everything. I realized that Trump, 313 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: it's just a political norm And so I mean, what 314 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 1: opportunities if any, with this very lackluster and very spineless 315 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: Democratic party that we are witnessing right now, if we 316 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: had a party with strength and backbone and fortitude, what 317 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: should they be doing to move these political norms that 318 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: were very easily broken? Right, No one is going to jail. No, 319 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: there's no accountability whatsoever for the things that have been 320 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:40,679 Speaker 1: done to turn them from political norms to actual laws. Like, 321 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: what power, if any, does the legislative body have in 322 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: order to in order to make that happen? They have 323 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: to go all the way, right. I think the problem 324 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: is moderation. They're trying to figure out some way to 325 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: keep everybody happy while getting something done. And you can't 326 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: do that, Um, you have to go all the way. 327 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 1: You have to pass HR one, you have to pass 328 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 1: HR four, you have to put everything on the line. 329 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: There's too much focus on twenty twenty two. Right. People 330 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: are concerned about getting primary, people are concerned about keeping 331 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: control of the House of Representatives. But this is all 332 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: happened in the context of UM, you know, the prospect 333 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: of losing control of the House anyway. So my question is, 334 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: do you do nothing in order to try to keep 335 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: control of the House and not sort of use the 336 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: power to that that the House gives you and you know, 337 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: as as a part of your majority status, or do 338 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: you do everything that you can and then run on 339 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 1: your record? Right. So that's why I just you know, 340 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,959 Speaker 1: it's better to have something to run on UM than 341 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: to have nothing to run on, right. And and that's 342 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: what I what I what perpetually confuses me because I 343 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: feel like we're always here, right, We're always at this 344 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: crossroads where you know, we're trying to convince our elected 345 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: officials to use the power that they have. I'm working 346 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 1: on a book project right now that is about that 347 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 1: that very thing, right, I'm sort of chronicling Congress's exercises 348 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: of authority in the space of election since the founding, 349 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: so that Congress understands that it does have this authority. 350 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: The only problem is use it right, just right, You 351 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: just have to use it. But instead I think, you know, 352 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 1: it's like all eyes on twenty twenty two. But because 353 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,439 Speaker 1: of that, that means that the Republicans can craft the 354 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: narrative right because they are also up for re election 355 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two, right, and they can paint this 356 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 1: Congress as or do nothing. Congress who you know wants 357 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 1: to enact all of this liberal legislation when in reality, 358 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: the liberal legislation what would benefit people from all walks 359 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: of life, even Republican voters. I'd rather run on that 360 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 1: than run on no record and let the Republicans craft 361 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: the narrative about my record. So I don't I don't 362 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:55,239 Speaker 1: get it. But I'm also not an elected official, so 363 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: maybe I don't fully understand the political implications. But I 364 00:21:57,840 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: do do election law, so I think I have a 365 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 1: pretty good grasp on what's going on. I don't think 366 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: that you need to be an acted official to recognize that, 367 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,120 Speaker 1: like either you're going to be elected to do something 368 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: other than have this title and line your own pockets 369 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: with corporate interests or you're not like I like there, 370 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: we're not. You know, I wonder too, do you think 371 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: that because every election we always say the same things, 372 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 1: elections have consequences. You know this election is going to 373 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 1: be historic, or you know it's urgent, And because we 374 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 1: use this language all the time, do you think that 375 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 1: we have just kind of been a series of folks 376 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: crying wolf? And so now that we are at this 377 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: critical juncture that people don't recognize, including our elected officials, 378 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 1: just how consequential this moment is? I think that's entirely possible. Right, 379 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: But part of it is, you know, it's not that 380 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 1: the messaging is wrong, it's just that, So imagine saying 381 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: this is the most consequential election in a generation every time. Right, 382 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: we said that in twenty eighteen, we said that in 383 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 1: twenty twenty. Undoubtedly that was true, though, right, imagine what 384 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 1: would have happened on January sixth if the Republicans control 385 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: both houses of Congress. Right, twenty eighteen turned out to 386 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,440 Speaker 1: be an awfully important election for giving Democrats control of 387 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: the House and stopping some of that. Right, twenty twenty 388 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: was also super important. We were we are in the 389 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: middle of a global pandemic and we had an administration 390 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: that wasn't doing enough to combat it. Right, So, you know, 391 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,360 Speaker 1: these elections, when we say that these are the most 392 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: consequential elections in our lifetime, that actually means something. The 393 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: problem is that when elected officials get into office with 394 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: that mandate and they don't run with it. And that's 395 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 1: why it seems like we're just sort of beating the 396 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: drum and saying these things, and that it doesn't feel 397 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:45,160 Speaker 1: true to people because they're not seeing the change that 398 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: is behind that is basically behind the message. Right, We're 399 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: urging them to turn out and to vote and to 400 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 1: participate because it's so important, and then they do that 401 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: and nothing happens, or the every day haven't hasn't changed, 402 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 1: or you know, it's it's hard. I think the elected 403 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: officials the power needs to match the message because the 404 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: message is true, you know. On wok F I try 405 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: not to be the consistent bearer of bad news, but 406 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: that is where I am these days and have been 407 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 1: for you know, for years. At this point, I want 408 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: to ask you to read the tea leaves for me 409 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,440 Speaker 1: in the best way that you can, given the fact 410 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 1: that you have sat before members of Congress now three 411 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: times in the last ten weeks, and each time you 412 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: are laying out the urgency of this moment and the 413 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: responsibility that they have. There's only a couple of them 414 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: that I believe get it. Which one of them is 415 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: Representative Jamie Raskin, who has come on this show, who 416 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: I appreciate so so much for the work that he 417 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,880 Speaker 1: has been doing over the past couple of years. Where 418 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: do you see us going if no action is taken, 419 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 1: if we have no executive order, no passage of these bills, 420 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: like I mean, forget twenty twenty two. I mean, what 421 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: does America look like? I think we'll be a country 422 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: on the decline right. If you look at the course 423 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: of history, you know, they've always been superpowers and then 424 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 1: they decline in power. We will be a country on 425 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: the decline right if we are not committed to democracy 426 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: as a principle. Now, don't get me wrong. We have 427 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,400 Speaker 1: been committed to democratic norms. You know you mentioned norms early. 428 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: The problem with a norm, though, is that it's not 429 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: necessarily long standing, and it could be disturbed quite easily. 430 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: I mean, we really learned that from twenty sixteen to 431 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 1: twenty twenty how easy it is to a row democratic norms. 432 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: I think left federal legislation and in fact, perhaps a 433 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: federal constitutional amendment that explicitly protects the right to vote 434 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: will go a long way towards preserving our status as 435 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: the world's preeminent democracy, which is a title we can't 436 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: claim anymore. And so if nothing happens, then I just 437 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: view that as our accepted acceptance that we are a 438 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: democracy in decline and that America doesn't want to be 439 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: a leader in this next chapter of world history. But 440 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 1: let me be clear, like it's not too late, right, 441 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 1: there are things, you know, It's what September twenty twenty one, 442 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: we still have a while for the midterms. There's a 443 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 1: lot that Congress can do in this space, and Congress 444 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: needs to do it. If Congress does not do it, 445 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 1: then I could easily imagine a situation where we still 446 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,679 Speaker 1: have high turnout in elections, but it doesn't move the 447 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: powers you need to at all, because of partisan gerry 448 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: manderin because of you know, other barriers that are put 449 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 1: in place that inhibit turnout in state elections, because of 450 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: you know the fact that local elections are not getting 451 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:40,600 Speaker 1: the type of attention that they need because people feel 452 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:43,679 Speaker 1: that the system isn't working. So everything that's happening in 453 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: the context of federal elections bleeds over rented these state 454 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 1: and local elections that are also of equal importance, in 455 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: some cases more important, and so eventually participation will decline 456 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: and you'll have perpetual elected officials who do whatever they 457 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: want because they won't race any challenge at the ballot box. 458 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 1: That's it for today's Woke a F Daily podcasts to 459 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:11,159 Speaker 1: hear more from today's show, including my full interview with 460 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: Professor Fernita Toulson. Support me on Patreon at patreon dot com. 461 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 1: Slash Woke a F. Power to the people and to 462 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,680 Speaker 1: all the people. Power, get woke and stay woke as fuck.