1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, welcome to the Buck Sexton Show. On this episode, 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: Mark Hemingway is with us of Real Clear Investigations. He's 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: also an editor at The Federalist and the husband of 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: the formidable Molly Hemingway, who is fantastic author and writer 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: in her own right. Mister Mark, how are you doing, sir? 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: How is America? You know America is hanging on, But yeah, 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: I'm doing all right. You know, one thing that I 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: know you get very focused in on is all the 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: school stuff. You've been on the board of a classical 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: school for nearly eighteen years. Want to I want you 11 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: to tell me about that, But then I also want 12 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: to ask about you may have seen, you know, Biden 13 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: is saying that it's cruel now to prevent gender transition 14 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: surgery for kids. That's it's cruel to stop kids from 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: getting surgery that is going to almost certainly ruin their lives. 16 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: But anyway, well we'll get to that first. Telling me 17 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: what is that? What is this classical school you've been 18 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: on the board of for almost twenty years. Yeah, my 19 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,839 Speaker 1: church has had a school in some form or another 20 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: for you know, nearly one hundred years. Like a lot 21 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: of Lutheran churches. But you know, like I think a 22 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: religious education in this country kind of suffered an identity 23 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: crisis in the you know, in the sort of the 24 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: late twentieth century, and you know, our school have gotten 25 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: very small. We were deciding what to do with it, 26 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 1: and you know, you know, the school population have gotten 27 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: so low, like do we close the school or something. 28 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:31,919 Speaker 1: So what we did, and this was you know, gosh, 29 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: eighteen twenty years ago. Now we basically doubled down on 30 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: the religious emphasis of the school and we made it 31 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: a classical school. Now twenty years ago. It's kind of 32 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: funny because you know, talking about classical education like like 33 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: these days. You know, I talked to well educated parents 34 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: and they know exactly what classical educationism and ask me 35 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: questions like are you teaching Saxon or Singapore math? And 36 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: they had like the very opinionated ideas about private schooling 37 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: because they've had to because of the collapse of public education. 38 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: But at the time we did this, we we didn't 39 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:00,639 Speaker 1: really know what we were doing. Were in a gamble, 40 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: and obviously with you know, during the pandemic was sort 41 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: of the culmination. I mean, you know, we have a 42 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: very well regarded classical religious school in a Washington, DC suburb, 43 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: and during the pandemic when all the schools in the 44 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: Northern Virginia were closed, we had to take the application 45 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: off the website at our school, which is crazy. And 46 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: now like getting into private schools in DC in recent 47 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: years has been absolute blood sport, which is just you know, 48 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: amazing to me because you look at how many people 49 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: in the DC area are in somewhere or another, you know, 50 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: responsible for destroying public education, you know, via the Democratic 51 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: Party or teachers unions or whatever it is, and you 52 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: know they're living in an area where you know, nobody 53 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: with any money feels good about sending their kids a 54 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: public school. Um, so you know, education reformance has got 55 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: to be a much higher priority than it's been. You know, 56 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 1: I think that one one constant reality of the public 57 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 1: school system. And I know there are people always they 58 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: always played this game like we can't speak about this 59 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: with any nuance or or you know, it's always oh, 60 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: but you know, I went to a great public school, 61 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: or they're great public schools here me okay, but there 62 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: are also a lot of terrible public schools and they 63 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: never get better. And the fact that the DC Public 64 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: If you're right next to Washington, DC, you live right 65 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: outside of DC, I know where you guys are, and 66 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: I know that city pretty well, having lived there a 67 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: couple of times. They've spent don't they spend something like 68 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: in the twenty thousand dollars range per student. It's like 69 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: the highest in the country, and the public school system 70 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 1: there is is horrible. I remember there was a Washington 71 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: Post story. This is about a decade ago, and so 72 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: I'm sure the figures are certainly much higher now, but Washington, 73 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: DC was spending about thirty thousand dollars per kid. Wow, 74 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: and Washington the Washington DC school district is by several 75 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: objective metrics, the worst school district in the country. I mean, 76 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: it's like constantly competing with school districts and in certain 77 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: parts of New Jersey for like the absolute worst performance 78 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: in terms of dropout rates and stuff like that. You know, 79 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: it's also a situation where they've been a number of 80 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: high profile cases in the last twenty years, like teachers 81 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: union corruption, like actual embezzlement like millions of dollars and 82 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: things like that from the unions and schools in DC. 83 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: So I mean, it's just just bad at every level. 84 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: But what's also interesting though, in this area in particular, 85 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: is that just outside of DC, in Northern Virginia, you know, 86 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: in Loudon County, in Fairfax County, you had, by some measures, 87 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: some of the best public high schools in the nation. 88 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: Fairfax County in particular, you know, it was always upheld 89 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: as a model. And what happened. A bunch of woke 90 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: people got elected to the school board and like within 91 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: a span of a few years, it's become a national 92 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: news story what's happened with Loudon County schools with the 93 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: trans bathroom stuff. And then in Fairfax County they had 94 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: this famous magnet school for science and technology, that Thomas 95 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: Jefferson High School. It's when you know, it was an 96 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: Ivy League feeder school and it was a public high school, 97 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: and the Vade School Board has basically tried to destroy 98 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: merit based admission to it. You had to test into it, right. 99 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: But what happened was is because there were a ton 100 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: of Asian immigrants in me in the Northern Virginia, you know, 101 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: and again these are historically discriminated against immigrants. We're taking 102 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: up all the spots in the stem schools. So all 103 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: of a sudden they had to do away with the 104 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: merit based admission to the school, and that this has 105 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: been a big fight. Um as that school gets you know, 106 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: fallow starts to fall apart. Um. There's a recent scandal 107 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: where they didn't inform several students because of what looks like, 108 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: because they were you know, white or Asian, that they 109 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: had won national merit scholarships. You know, I mean like 110 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: they're just they're just waging war on people. And it's 111 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: it's it's absolutely sounding to me to watch this just 112 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: implode and and everyone's sort of standing around, powerless, you know, 113 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: to do anything about it. And I've been screaming for 114 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: the twenty plus years. Republicans need to make an education 115 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 1: reform a much bigger political priority. How do they do that? Well, 116 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: for one thing, they need to start talking about it. Um. 117 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: You know, obviously there's you know, a war on meritocracy 118 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: in this country. Um, you know, right now in advance 119 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: for an advance of what looks like there's a potential 120 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: of the Spreme Court to basically you know, take away 121 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: from of action in this country. Ivy League schools even 122 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: have announced they're no longer going to be using SAT scores, 123 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: you know, and I'm sorry, but SAT scores and standardized tests. Look, 124 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: we all have issues with them. You know, maybe we 125 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: didn't enjoy them. But the fact of the matter is 126 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: is SAT scores, for instance, we're a great equalizer. I mean, 127 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: it was a you know, if you were an Asian 128 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: immigrant who spends you know, I don't know, twenty hours 129 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: a week or whatever outside of school, working in your 130 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: family restaurant, you don't have time to burnish your resume 131 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: doing all these fancy extracurriculous that look good on an 132 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: Ivyleague school application. But if you go in and you know, 133 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: you pull a fourteen fifty on the SAT, then you 134 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: got a shot at getting in an IVY League school. Well, 135 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: they do away with the SAT all of a sudden, 136 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: What's all that's going to do is empower you know, 137 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:43,799 Speaker 1: the kids who have the money and time and resources 138 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: go out and burnish their resume with you know, charity 139 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: work and you know, higher education consultants and all that 140 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: other nonsense that is involving schools these days. So that's 141 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: like one issue right there, you know, talk about like, 142 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: you know, why are we doing away with merit based 143 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: admission to you know, like STEM School, Stem High schools, 144 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: now and colleges. You know, just go out there and 145 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: talk about that. I wonder as well, you know, you're 146 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: so you're on the board of this school having for 147 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: a long time of your school attached to your Lutheran church. 148 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: Are there parents who show up at any of the meetings? Now? 149 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: I know it's it's a pre selected group in so 150 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: far as these are people that are choosing to go 151 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: to this school and it's you know, Christian affiliated, But 152 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: is anyone showing up and saying, hey, you know, I 153 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: really think we need to expand gender ideology for the 154 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: kids starting around the third grade? I mean, do you 155 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: come up against that? Uh? I always I find it 156 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: remarkable trying to figure out where does this begin, because 157 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: we know what happens in a lot of different schools 158 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: across the country where they start the very sexualized books 159 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: for young kids and the LGBTQ plus indoctrination stuff at 160 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: a very young age. Obviously in Florida that calls to 161 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: Hughes fight a huge fight. Do you know, do you 162 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: come across any parents who feel like there's not enough 163 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: of the left wing stuff going on for the kids. 164 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: Do you know what I mean. I mean that they're 165 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: not being LGBTQ, play's friendly enough or something. There's stuff 166 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: like that, but it's very much confined to the margins. 167 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: M One reason why religious schools are good for this 168 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: sort of thing, and if I were, you know, a parent, 169 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: I'd be out there looking for religious that cares about 170 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: these issues. I'd be looking at religious schools is because 171 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: most religious schools are actually controlled by the church. In 172 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: order to be on the board of the school or whatever, 173 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: you also be a member of the church. And then 174 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: you know that board ensures that nothing that the school 175 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: does is going to go against the doctrine of the church. 176 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: And if the church that's running the school is you know, 177 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: a solid, you know church with traditionally Christian, biblically centered beliefs, 178 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: you're not going to encounter any of that stuff because 179 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: the moment the parents, the parents sort of raise these issues, 180 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: then you know they can be you know, pretty much 181 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: dismissed because you know, it's it's they don't have any 182 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: sort of direct input in it. It's a private school. 183 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: You can need to choose to send your kids there, 184 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: are choose not to. Then the other thing that's happened 185 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: simply is like I said, you know, it's become basically 186 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: would suppost pandemic become blood sport in a lot of 187 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: you know, fluent areas to get your kids into a 188 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: private school, um, and the demand to get into private 189 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: schools is really really high. So that for once, you know, 190 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: if you if you have a private school where there 191 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: isn't a lot of pressure to get kids into the school. 192 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: And in fact, as is the case in a lot 193 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: of private schools, you know they're turning people away because 194 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: they're waiting less in every grade. Then parents aren't in 195 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: in a position whatever to So I should say, parents 196 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: who have ideas contrary to with the school wants in 197 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: terms of values, you know, are not in position to 198 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: tell schools what to do, which is very different obviously 199 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: than public schools where you have all these you know, 200 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: massive political factors going in to things and really sort 201 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: of upsets things. Do you think that they because you're 202 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: you're a Virginia resident. You mentioned Loudon County as well. 203 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: That was clearly a big part of Governor Younkin's victory. Right, 204 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: there's the frustration with the schools because of COVID, but 205 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: also the you know, trans student attacking the other student 206 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 1: in the bathroom, and the policies are a lot of this. 207 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: Does that frustration continue and do you think that that'll 208 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: play a role in how Virginia goes just politically in 209 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: general in twenty twenty four. I think it, honestly, you know, 210 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 1: continues because it very much affects the Northern Virginia area 211 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 1: where there are a lot of affluent people and in 212 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: a huge population hub that determines a lot of the 213 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: voting in the state essentially, And so what happened in Virginia, 214 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: it's really interesting and instructive and why I think that 215 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: Republicans need to go out there and talk about this 216 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: a lot more because you know, it really worked for 217 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: young can basically have a situation where, yes, most of 218 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: the residents in Northern Virginia are you overwhelming Democrats, and 219 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: they vote overwhelming Democrat. But having said that, they're not 220 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: like urban progressives. They're you know, like they tend to 221 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: be much more moderate Democrats, unlike say the voters that 222 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: live in DC or big cities. And these are people 223 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: that you know, care about certain things a great deal, 224 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: you know, and with the pandemic basically two things happen. 225 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: One is that the see completely fell apart as a city, 226 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: like a lot of other urban centers. It just it 227 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: had been falling apart for a while, but it got 228 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: really really bad. Now, like the homeless problem, all these 229 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: other things are exploding in DC in ways that wasn't before. 230 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: And so young kid is running, you know, post pandemic, 231 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: and the people in northern Virginia are looking over the 232 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: bridge and they're seeing all this crime that they're worried about, 233 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: you know, coming over into their neighborhoods. And then the 234 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: other thing was Virginia had one of the worst pandemic 235 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: responses of any state in the nation. I mean, it 236 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: basically just completely shut down schools for eighteen months, you know, 237 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: deferred to the teachers' unions on everything. You know, these 238 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: are high achieving parents with jobs, and they were frustrated 239 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: beyond belief with you know, having to take care of 240 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 1: their kids and you're having all the problems that come 241 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: with doing school from home and seeing what their kids 242 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 1: woke curriculum was like for the first time, and all 243 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: these other things, and you know, I'm sorry, you know, 244 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: with a lot of Democrats around the country, especially the 245 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 1: affluent ones. If you do two things. You know, if 246 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: you threaten their property values a crime and you you know, 247 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: ruin their kids' ability to get into a top flight 248 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: ledge because you're messing with their education, Well then God 249 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: have mercy on your political soul. I mean, it's just 250 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: such a losing message for Democrats across the board. You know, 251 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: those two things, and that's how young can one basically, 252 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: I think messaging very effectively on both of those issues. 253 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: But education in particular was just huge because you had 254 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,839 Speaker 1: all those human national scandals and Karen McCulloch just took 255 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: for granted that the national press in Washington, DC was 256 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: going to run interference for him, and it didn't work 257 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: out that way because you know, Junkin was relentless about 258 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: hammering the education issue and it resonated with enough Northern 259 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: Virginia voters to peel them off. It was very effective strategy, 260 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: as we saw. I want to ask you, speaking about 261 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 1: how cities are doing. You are a native Portlander, Is 262 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: that correct? Well, my mom my, Max, I'm a native 263 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: organ Well, my mother is. My mother grew up in Portland. 264 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: I lived in Portland for a time. I've got a 265 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: ton of relatives growing there. Yeah, I want to we 266 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: want to talk Portland and what has happened to that city, 267 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: specifically in justice. But first I want to ask everybody 268 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: who's listening, how's your energy level these days? 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All right, Portland, 295 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: Can I just tell you I've been to Portland once. 296 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: It was two and ten, and I remember thinking to myself, 297 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: this city is amazing. It's beautiful, the food is great, 298 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: It's got a really interesting vibe to it. Obviously great coffee, 299 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: like so much going for it. It wasn't very expensive 300 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: then either. It was starting to get more expensive to city. 301 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: But I remember also talking to people who were there 302 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: and I was like, when I'm at a place for 303 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: the first time it's been They said, yeah, you know, 304 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: the downtown and we got a lot of a lot 305 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: of vagrants that it was. It was just beginning to happen, right, 306 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: and you could kind of see that the the Democrat 307 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: left was becoming more assertive in its craziness, you know. 308 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: And I think this really happened to Austin in the 309 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: last you know, five to seven years. You know, these 310 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: cities go through, all these people moved there, they realize 311 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: how great it is. But then also the Democrat reality 312 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: starts to creep in more and more. What happened to Portland, man, 313 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: I mean it is it is hemorrhaging people. It had 314 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: I think in twenty twenty one a thousand shootings, which 315 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: some crazy number, which for a city of that size, 316 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: just means that there are areas where there are shootings 317 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: going on all the time. What happened? What happened to 318 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: and why isn't Why aren't Oregonians up in arms? Yeah, 319 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: this is a good question. I mean the answer is 320 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: Oregonians are up in arms, which is to say, um, 321 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: business owners in Portland and almost everyone outside of the 322 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: city are, you know, incredibly frustrated by what's going on. 323 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: And I'll sort of get to why that why that 324 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: is in the moment in a moment, But basically, what happened. 325 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: Is one of my favorite Portland anecdotes is as that 326 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: starting in the late nineteen nineties, Portland became known as 327 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: a very trendy city. And as evidence of that, I 328 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 1: like the site that they didn't they didn't mark. They 329 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: did this elaborate market research. I remember reading about this 330 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: New York Times. They were trying to pinpoint what started 331 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: the Paps Blue Ribbon revival in the nineteen nineties, Like 332 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: while of a sudden, hipsters started drinking Paps Blue Ribbon, 333 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: and they found out that for whatever reason, it started 334 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: as an organic trend in Portland, Oregon. Like you know, 335 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: like Portland was like hipster or central, like that's where people, 336 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: you know, they had a great music scene, it had, 337 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: you know, this burgeoning restaurant scene that you mentioned that 338 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: was like really sort of flowering and started in late 339 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: nineteen nineties, and it became trendier and trendier until right 340 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: around the time when you were there in twenty ten. 341 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: That was the height of Portlandia fame. Remember the TV 342 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: show about that or whatever. The sort of like made 343 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: fun made sort of gentle fun of right about it. 344 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: They didn't want to eat the chicken in like the 345 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: chicken kebab or whatever until they knew the chicken's name 346 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: and what the chickens hopes and dreams were and all 347 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: I remember that from Portlandia. Yeah, right. Funny thing about 348 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: that sketch was that Portlandia was like it was the 349 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: reality of Portland at the was so much actually crazier 350 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: than the sort of sketch show. There was like an 351 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: actual There was a local culinary competition right around the time, 352 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 1: I want to say, a year or two before the 353 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: show aired with that sketch, and you just described about, 354 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: you know, meeting the heritage breed chickens where there was 355 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 1: a local culinary competition where two chefs got into a 356 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: fight and one of them had a fractured tibias result 357 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: with mug shots because one of them wasn't using locally 358 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,360 Speaker 1: sourced pork at some culinary competition. I mean, that's how 359 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 1: crazy Portland was in terms of all that stuff. But 360 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: it was right around that time that, like, because it 361 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: became trending the nineties and people started moving there and 362 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 1: moving there. And the situation with Oregon is it's like 363 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: a lot of Western state it's kind of this way, 364 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: but Oregan is kind of an extreme example, where Oregon 365 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 1: has about four million people, and it's it's a large state, 366 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: you know, it's like the size of Germany and has 367 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,199 Speaker 1: four million people. But of the four million people, just 368 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: over about half those the population lives in like two 369 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: or three counties that make Portland metro area. So what 370 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: happens is is that once there's this even greater influx 371 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: of population into Portland, then all of a sudden, whatever 372 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 1: is going on in that city, no matter how crazy 373 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: it is, it's going to like basically ruin the politics 374 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: the entire state. And in this case, basically it was 375 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of Californians and you know, people from 376 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 1: around the country that lived in urban environments that had 377 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: gotten too expensive or you know whatever, they were just 378 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: sick of dealing with, you know, the traffic and smog 379 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: in La or whatever it was, all moved to Portland, 380 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: and they brought with them their progressive politics, thinking that 381 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: while I can just have my progressive politics somewhere where 382 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 1: it's cheaper and easier to live, and then almost immediately 383 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: started voting for all these you know, sort of radical 384 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: ideas and progressive policies that you know, basically completely ruined 385 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: the city and why is it the heartland of antifa? 386 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: Like how did that have because that's even a level 387 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: beyond you know, people say, oh, you know, they'll call 388 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: them hippies. I'm if these are not hippies. There's these 389 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: are people. There's a lot of white dudes with face 390 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: and neck tattoos, putting black balaclavas over their heads, acting 391 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: like they're fighting fascism by throwing rocks at cops and 392 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: immigration you know, enforcement officers and like bad stuff going on. Yeah, 393 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 1: that's actually a really interesting question. Um so, I don't 394 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: you know how familiar with the history of this sort 395 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 1: of stuff. You probably are more so than most people. 396 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: But you know, there's this issue of anarchism, which was 397 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: an actual sort of you know, prominent current in the 398 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: late nineteenth century. I remember, well the late nineteen I 399 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 1: think you could say the late twentieth century when they 400 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 1: did all that stuff in Seattle. Remember it went they 401 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: went crazy and they shouted all the Starbucks windows, right yeah, right, yeah, No, No, 402 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 1: that wasn't that was Seattle too. It was the Pacific Northwest. 403 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: But in the late nineteenth century, remember was the person 404 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: that assassinated was at McKinley was an anarchist. There was 405 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 1: all this anarchist violence in the early part of the 406 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: twentieth century. Well, for whatever reason, the anarchists were actually 407 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,360 Speaker 1: you know, there was a there was a strong sort 408 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,360 Speaker 1: of bunch of anarchists enclaves that were in the Pacific Northwest. 409 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: I mean it was always looming. I mean like there 410 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: are towns in Washington State that existed this day. They 411 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: were founded specifically as like anarchists, like communes or whatever. 412 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: And so there was always that sort of current and 413 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: then you built on top of that with this sort 414 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: of weird hippie fringe that was always attractive Pacific Northwest, 415 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 1: you know, like there was like some extreme ideology, you know, 416 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: in terms of the hippies. There was a guy named 417 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: John Zerzan that was a living in Eugene, Oregon when 418 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 1: I was going to school there in the mid nineties, 419 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 1: and he had a radio show, right and he was 420 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: this anti technology anarchist. He was a close associate of 421 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: Ted Kazinski, the Uni bomber or whatever, and he was 422 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: going around in Eugene, Oregon when I was there in 423 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: the mid nineties basically like preaching to you know, these 424 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: gutter punks that were like homeless kids skateboarding on the 425 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,680 Speaker 1: streets and preaching anarchism to them. And when I was 426 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: in high school, when I was in college, there are 427 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: all these stories of like the you know, these anarchists 428 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: breaking into like city council meetings and all this other 429 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:05,800 Speaker 1: stuff and causing a ruckus and like all the local 430 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: stuff in Eugene, Oregon University of Organism. And then like 431 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: three or four years after that, I turn on the 432 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 1: television during the WTO riots and I look up and 433 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, my gosh, it's all the same gutter 434 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 1: punks you know that I was seeing in Oregon, um, 435 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,239 Speaker 1: you know, uh, just a couple of years earlier. And 436 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 1: so I mean, I really think that there was there 437 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 1: was this sort of weird, underground ideological thing that had 438 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: been happening for a long time in the state that 439 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: sort of created this, but but it didn't really become 440 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: a problem until it certainly grew around in twenty ten 441 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: with the with the Occupied Wall Street movements, right gave 442 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: some fuel to that. But what really happened would really changed, 443 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: was all of a sudden, with all these progressive anti politics, 444 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: basically there was no longer any political will to reign 445 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: any of these people in and all of a sudden, 446 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 1: like Portland became like an Antifa theme park. Basically, well, 447 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: these people could go out, you know, and do all 448 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: this stuff and they would never be, um, you know, 449 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,640 Speaker 1: sort of attacked or you know, you know, he's going 450 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: back ten years ago and the cops are afraid to 451 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: do too much or else they'd be you know, accused 452 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 1: of attacking you know, homeless kids. Um. Never mind that 453 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: they were basically violent. They were organizing themselves into terror cells. Um. 454 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: And they were just going around like on random Wednesday nights, 455 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: breaking the windows and restaurants and this totally insane, and 456 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: they just allowed this to continue to this day. I mean, 457 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: you know you may have seen this. Actually, Ted Wheeler, 458 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 1: the mayor who I think it's tough. There's some really 459 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 1: bad mayors, but certainly one of the worst mayors in 460 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: America in terms of our results, and it's kind of 461 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: funny to see him. I remember during the pandemic where 462 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 1: he went down to talk to Antifa and they just started, 463 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 1: you know, f bombs and you know, you're the worst. 464 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 1: They they they despise him, just like they despise everybody 465 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 1: else because they're spiteful, angry little idiots who aren't accomplishing 466 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 1: anything other than just destroying property and making people's lives, 467 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,399 Speaker 1: you know, more difficult and miserable. Um, you know, the 468 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: surrounding community. But I think it's interesting is that finally 469 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: now Portland has started to have a little bit of 470 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: a conversation about, hey, maybe we can't just have the 471 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 1: whole downtown be an open air homeless shelter, Like maybe 472 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: maybe that's actually a bad idea. And Ted Wheeler has 473 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: started to try to move in that direction. And there 474 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: are stare is still this this left wing vanguard there 475 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: that is like that the city has been destroyed, and 476 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: they're like, how dare you try to turn things around? 477 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 1: And they're still they're still pushing. Oh no, yeah, I 478 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: mean as bad as Ted Wheeler is, and he's horrendous. 479 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: He very nearly lost the Democratic primary in the last 480 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: election to a woman who was literally antifa. It's like 481 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: publicly declaring she was antifa, and he won like a 482 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: few percentage points over this one. Um. I mean, so, 483 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: I mean that's the political reality that you're you're dealing with. 484 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: But you're right, they don't make any distinctions between say 485 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 1: you know Ted Wheeler, the guy that you know constantly 486 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: is attacking the police unions on their behalf and the 487 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 1: overall you know, sort of fascist structure or whatever they're fighting. 488 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 1: He's just part of it. But but part of the 489 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:11,640 Speaker 1: reason why that you know, they're able to do this 490 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: is because they have a demonstrated history of pushing Ted 491 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 1: Wheeler around. Portland has this you know events the city 492 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 1: of Roses, they have a Rose Parade every year or 493 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: whatever it was this gosh, it was like I want 494 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 1: to say, it was about four years ago they Ted 495 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 1: Wheeler canceled like the entire Rose Parade because Antifa threatened 496 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:32,159 Speaker 1: violence against the parade anonymously, by the way, and the 497 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: reason why they were threatening violence was because the Multnoma 498 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 1: County Republicans wanted to march in the parade. Like, if 499 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: he's going to cancel an entire parade because you sent 500 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: him an anonymous threatening letter about this, why wouldn't you 501 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: keep pushing it. I mean, he's just you know, a 502 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: read in the wind, you know, as far as you know, 503 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: ending fascism in America, So you know, why not push 504 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 1: him in till he breaks. It's also fascinating because in 505 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 1: the case of Portland Antifa, you had people who were 506 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: trying to burn out of Federal Courthouse who you could 507 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: see were almost all white guys. There were some women, 508 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: but they were white, and they were doing this in 509 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: the name of BLM, and the whole thing just struck 510 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: me as, Oh, so they're just you just choose whatever 511 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,400 Speaker 1: cause suits the moment so that you can throw your 512 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: molotov cocktails that act like you're some kind of hero 513 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,919 Speaker 1: against fascism, right, And they'd already burned like a police 514 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: facility and a bunch of other stuff around town at 515 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:28,399 Speaker 1: the time that happened, and they, you know, they won't 516 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 1: even do anything there. The Wheeler was joining the protests, 517 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 1: and the national media was basically one hundred percent behind it, like, 518 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: oh well, this is just a peaceful protest with a 519 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 1: few agitators. I mean it, it was totally insane. Seattle 520 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: is just just as bad, right, pretty much. I mean 521 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: that's Seattle had the chatz or the chop or whatever. 522 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: They were calling it a Capitol Hill zone. Are they 523 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: turning things around? I just wonder I haven't spent much 524 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 1: time to the Pacific Northwest. I told you, I've really 525 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: just been out there that one time I went to 526 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: Cannon Beach, which is beautiful though, and it strikes me 527 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 1: as it should be this great place. But you've got 528 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,479 Speaker 1: two cities that should be the jewels of the Pacific 529 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: Northwest that are just turning into crappy places to spend 530 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: spend too much time, certainly in the downtowns. Oh yeah, 531 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 1: I know right now. Seattle is actually there was just 532 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,719 Speaker 1: a big story recently about Seattle's facing a ton of 533 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: lawsuits from business owners in the Chazu as they should. Basically, 534 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: they just completely surrendered law and order and you know, 535 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: left these business people and people lived in an area 536 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 1: at the mercy of these you know, like literal war lords, 537 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: you know, running the city. So yeah, they're still dealing 538 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 1: with that Amazon. And Amazon is going to occupy an 539 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: entire skyscraper in downtown Seattle and they just moved the 540 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: whole project outside of the city because they weren't going 541 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,360 Speaker 1: to begin to deal with that. And you know, these 542 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:47,880 Speaker 1: things keep happening, and yet somehow, you know, there isn't 543 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,479 Speaker 1: the political reform movement that you'd think would be happening, 544 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: um in the last mid term, right. Phil Knight, the 545 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 1: founder of Nike, dumped millions of dollars into the candidacy 546 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,640 Speaker 1: of a tough on crime independent candidate and then later 547 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,919 Speaker 1: switched to dumping millions of dollars into the Republican in 548 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:07,880 Speaker 1: the Oregon governor's race, and in a three way race, 549 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: Republican came very close to winning UM but ultimately didn't. 550 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: And then they ended up with yet another like crazy 551 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: progressive UM governor and Oregan's governor prior to that, Tina Cotech. 552 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: I think right now, Tina Gotech's the current governor, Camera 553 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: Brown Brown. Yeah. Um, she she had the lowest approval 554 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 1: ratings of any governor in the country. And first and 555 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 1: you still can't get rid of these you know, progressives. 556 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: They just elected basically an acolyte of Brown essentially to 557 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: run the state. Um. It's it's like so far gone. 558 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:41,199 Speaker 1: I don't know what it's going to take to fix it. 559 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,120 Speaker 1: Part of the problem is is that you know, people, Um, 560 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: you know, all of the people that are sick of 561 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 1: what's going on in Portland are just moving to Boise. 562 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: And this is you know, I think a big warning 563 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 1: for everyone else. Um. You know, Boise is the only 564 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,479 Speaker 1: big population anchor in Idaho, and you know, twenty year. 565 00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: Twenty five years ago, Boise was one of the the most 566 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: provincial cities in America. Now there's got a tech sector 567 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,360 Speaker 1: in a microburry in every corner. I wouldn't be surprised, 568 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: you know, if the BIDO isn't careful that that state 569 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: goes the way of Oregon in another twenty years. So 570 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 1: people really need to be thinking hard about this. I 571 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 1: think the good news is after people saw what happened 572 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 1: to Portland and Austin in particular, people are a lot 573 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: more wary about, you know, people moving into your state. 574 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: You know, they don't just necessarily see it as an 575 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: unalloyed economic good. They have to understand that there's a 576 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: culture that's very much they're worth preserving. And let me 577 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: tell you, you know, as a third generation Oregonian, I 578 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,919 Speaker 1: am really really sad. I love that state. I mean 579 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: it was gorgeous. I mean it was a real privilege 580 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: to grow up there in terms of like just an 581 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: unreal natural beauty of the place and not just that, 582 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: like a wonderful local culture. You know, for years growing 583 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: up it was run by a bunch of liberal rockefellow Republicans, 584 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: but they are mostly libertarian, leaving me alone types who 585 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: did a really good job of managing competing interests. And 586 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: more than that, they were just competent people. You know, 587 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: they balanced budgets, they did the right thing. They were 588 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: good on an vironmentalist issues in a very positive way 589 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 1: that unfortunately, I think the Republican Party is a little 590 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 1: too captive to special interests on um, you know, nationally. Um. 591 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 1: It was just it was a it was a good 592 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 1: state to be from, and I was really really proud 593 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:14,800 Speaker 1: of it. And like now you mentioned, oh I'm from Oregon, 594 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: and people literally roll their eyes in your face because 595 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: Portland is that bad. I mean, I've got whatever. People, 596 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: I guarantee you whatever you heard about Portland, it's worse. 597 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: I mean it's it's downtown is a really really scary place. 598 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: And it's not just downtown. All of the violence and 599 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: all the antife and all the crazy homeless people you know, 600 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: yelling obscenities in the street corner that's spread that basically 601 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: the entire city. And anyone that tells you different is 602 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: lying to you. Yes, you can live there. Yes it's 603 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: not always violent. You know, you can get around this. 604 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: But like people that live there and say, well it's 605 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: not so bad and they have Stockholm syndrome. They don't 606 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 1: know what like an actual functioning city looks like any 607 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: I mean I was I was in Baghdad for a 608 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: while during the war, and there were people who were 609 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: going out and you know, getting like milk and eggs. 610 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: But it was bad, right, I mean, it's you know, 611 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: people are still living in these places. They're just bad 612 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: things are happening, so you know that's they're they're quiet there. 613 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: You can find quiet in any place at any time 614 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: if you look for it. But if there's too much 615 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: of the other stuff going on, that's the real problem. 616 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: I want to ask you about elections, by the way, 617 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: in election security, because I know you've done a lot 618 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: of research into well the most important thing, which is 619 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: how do we fix things for twenty twenty four instead 620 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 1: of people just walking around screaming at me and others 621 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: we won. I look at them and I'm like, not 622 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: not really. I don't know what else to say. Like, 623 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: you know, we can sit around and talk. You can 624 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: tell me that they cheated, and but we got to 625 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: fix the cheating, not just stand here and shout that 626 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: we won, right. I mean, it's like if the other 627 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: team goes home with the trophy. You can say the 628 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 1: ref fix the game as much as you want, but 629 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: you got to figure out how you're gonna win the 630 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 1: next game. Let's talk about that in a second. 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Remember to use my name as the promo 650 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 1: code buck or call eight hundred seventy nine two three 651 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 1: two six nine. That's eight hundred seven nine two three 652 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: two six nine. Get some Geeza dream sheets, all right? 653 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: Mark The election in twenty twenty four is going to 654 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: be hard for Republicans to win in terms of processes, 655 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: vote counting, and tactics unless we do what how do 656 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 1: we fix this? Though? That's that's really tough. But I 657 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:05,360 Speaker 1: mean there are two sort of basic things here I 658 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 1: think need to be addressed. One is that I was 659 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:12,479 Speaker 1: somewhat heartened to see that Trump came out and sort of, 660 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 1: you know, moderated his position on vote by mail. To 661 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: be clear, I think vote by mail is terrible. It's 662 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: obviously more rife for fraud than almost any other form 663 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 1: of voting, and I'm not a fan of it. I 664 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 1: wish we could all come together society vote you know, 665 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: from sun up to sundown on a single day and 666 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 1: know the results right away. I think that is the 667 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 1: way that democracy should be run. But the fact of 668 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 1: the matter is is that's not the way it's been 669 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 1: run for a long time. And even a lot of 670 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: Republicans are really you know, accustomed to vote by mail, 671 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 1: So publics need to come up with a strategy to 672 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: sort of address that. So we don't have you know, 673 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: two months of Democratic organizers running around, you know, maximizing 674 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: vote totals, where Republicans are sitting back on their hands, 675 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: as we saw on the last mid term, basically hoping 676 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 1: that Republicans turn out big on election day to overwhelm 677 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 1: that effort. Again, I'm not a fan of vote by mail. 678 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: I think it's righted by fraud. But as a friend 679 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: of mine put it, you can't have arms control unless 680 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:11,120 Speaker 1: both sides have news, right, and so intel Republicans prove 681 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: that they can sort of you know, equalize the playing 682 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 1: field in terms of organizing for vote by mail or whatever, 683 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: they're not going to be in a good position or 684 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 1: whatever to sort of push back against a lot of 685 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 1: these other sort of you know, dodgy ways that they're 686 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 1: trying to sort of expand the vote and open it 687 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 1: up to the hoping up the process to abuse. So 688 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: that's one thing I think that needs to happen. And 689 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,760 Speaker 1: the other thing is that one of the things that 690 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 1: came out when I worked with my wife on her 691 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: last book on election security issues called Raked have a 692 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: copy of And one of the things that really sort 693 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: of shocked the heck out of me was, and I 694 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,239 Speaker 1: think most people don't even realize this, which was that 695 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 1: there were some shenanigans in a gubernatorial election in New 696 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 1: Jersey and like the early nineteen eighties, and a federal 697 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: judge put the entire Republican Party under a consent decree, 698 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 1: which basically meant they couldn't do any sort of election 699 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 1: day monitoring or other in all the traditional activities the 700 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: party would do on election day. And that federal judge 701 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 1: literally he retired from the bench, and he kept senior status. 702 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 1: I don't know if you know what that is. That's 703 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: like a way for retired judges to sort of like 704 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: stay active in the profession while actually being retired. And 705 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:32,759 Speaker 1: he kept senior status just for for for like decades, 706 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 1: just to just to keep this injunction in place basically, 707 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 1: and that injunction wasn't lifted until that judge died and 708 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: an Obama appointed judge looked at what he had done 709 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: is basically hamstring the Republican Party for forty years and 710 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: keep them from doing any election day you know, monitoring 711 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:56,720 Speaker 1: another activity. And in twenty twenty was the first election 712 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:59,120 Speaker 1: where the Republican Party since it was nineteen eighty or 713 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: eighty two Puck and Party had you know, the ability 714 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 1: to go out there and send organizers out in the 715 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,239 Speaker 1: field or whatever and do poll watching and all that 716 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:08,560 Speaker 1: stuff that the party would normally do the first time 717 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,520 Speaker 1: in nearly forty years. And so the party itself didn't 718 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 1: have a lot of muscle memory in terms of like 719 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 1: how to go about doing those things, having the trained 720 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,920 Speaker 1: lawyers out there that do that sort of thing. So 721 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:21,279 Speaker 1: I think what needs to happen now that like your 722 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,440 Speaker 1: plug and Party can go back and do this. Um, 723 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 1: you know, we need people at the ground level. You know, 724 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 1: we need party precinct people you know going in and 725 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 1: volunteering to do the election day stuff. We need the 726 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: and we need the party apparatus to go in and 727 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 1: you know, make sure that there are people in place 728 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: to like watch these things and prevent any sort of 729 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 1: shenanigans that are going on, because I guarantee there are 730 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 1: shenanions going on, making accusations about widespread fraud or anything 731 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,960 Speaker 1: like that. But people are very much abusing the process 732 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 1: and in all sorts of ways and getting away with it. 733 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:52,440 Speaker 1: And we need to be much more sort of vigilant. 734 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:54,319 Speaker 1: And that you know, comes down to the listeners. You know, 735 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: the volunteer. He is himinature on Twitter. Highly recommend you 736 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 1: follow him Mark Hemingway everybody and also look for his 737 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:06,880 Speaker 1: work on Real Clear Investigations and over at the Federalist 738 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: dot com market. Has been an honor, a privilege, and 739 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:11,320 Speaker 1: a privilege, my friend. Thank you for being here with this. 740 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:13,279 Speaker 1: We hope you come back. It's great to be on here.