1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. You're listening to the 2 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast. Catch us live weekdays at 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: noon Eastern on Applecarplay and then Broun Auto with the 4 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business App. Listen on demand wherever you get your podcasts, 5 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: or watch us live on YouTube. 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 2: In Washington, a lot of the focus here from the 7 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: White House and from Capitol Hill is instead on activity 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: we are seeing in many places across the country, from 9 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 2: the West coast at UCLA to north of US in Manhattan, Joe. 10 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: As we've seen these pro Palestinian protests roiling college campuses 11 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: and ultimately last night police having to get involved in 12 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: New York. 13 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 3: That's for sure. Look, no one knew exactly how that 14 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 3: was going to go. Students who had occupied the hall 15 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 3: on Columbia's campus, who were many of which were chanting 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 3: live as we were in the late edition of Balance 17 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 3: of Power yesterday, were cleared out. They said they would 18 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 3: not leave without being forced to, and they certainly were. 19 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 3: It was just after nine pm. If you're with us 20 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 3: on Bloomberg TV, you can see images of police at work. 21 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 3: They entered the building on a second floor there and 22 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 3: dozens were arrested, Kaylee led away by bus to their 23 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 3: next destination. They're trying to clear out the campus for 24 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 3: a May fifteenth graduation ceremony, and it's unclear they're going 25 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 3: to have the cooperation of all students on them well, and. 26 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: The university has asked the police to stay present on 27 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: the campus until May seventeenth try to get through all 28 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 2: of those And this just really underscore is a great 29 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 2: political problem for this administration, as you have seen a 30 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: Republican lawmakers, especially taking this opportunity to go to Columbia 31 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: University to speak about this issue, taking action just today 32 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: on anti semitism we expect in the House of Representatives. 33 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: And at the same time you have representatives of this 34 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: administration in the Secretary of State in the Middle East 35 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 2: trying to work on a East fire deal, which may 36 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: be the only thing that could help ease this tension 37 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: abroad end at home. 38 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 3: It's pretty remarkable and Jordan Fabian from our White House 39 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 3: team is framing it perfectly in his piece today talking 40 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 3: about the make or break moment for Joe Biden right now, 41 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 3: and he joins us at the table. Jordan, it's always 42 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 3: great to have you. Thanks for being here. This is 43 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: a fine line that Joe Biden is walking here. Of course, 44 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 3: Democrat needs young people to show up to be elected. Clearly, 45 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 3: he's dealing with the strife overseas that Kayley mentioned and 46 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 3: it's playing out on campuses. Now. How is the White 47 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 3: House responding to questions of free speech versus security for 48 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 3: Jewish students. 49 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 4: So they've issued statements through spokespeople condemning things like the 50 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 4: seizing of the building at Columbia, any kind of violence 51 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 4: or anti Semitic rhetoric. Of course, there's been pressure for 52 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 4: Joe Biden himself to come out and address this, both 53 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 4: of Jewish groups and from Republicans in Congress. It's a 54 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 4: tough line, as you mentioned, Joe for him to balance though, 55 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 4: because on one hand, he has these young voters who, 56 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 4: you know, it's not all young voters, but a very 57 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 4: vocal segment who've been out there protesting his approach to 58 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 4: the Israel Hamas conflict. On the other hand, you have, 59 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 4: you know, Jewish Americans a lot of other people who 60 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 4: are very concerned about this, and so threating the needle 61 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 4: and sort of putting out some kind of nuanced message 62 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 4: is something very difficult right now. So it seems like 63 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 4: the White House is hoping that the conflict resolves itself 64 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 4: during these as He's fire talks this week, and that 65 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 4: really takes a pin out of the protest we're seeing 66 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 4: across college campuses well. 67 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 2: And it also is worth noting, Jordan that a lot 68 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 2: of this, frankly, is not actually in the hands of 69 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 2: the president. It is up to these universities whether or 70 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: not they're going to meet demands of students in terms 71 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 2: of divesting from Israel, for example, And it's up to 72 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 2: other parties, namely Israel and AMAS as well as the 73 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: Egyptians and cutteries as to whether or not ultimately a 74 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 2: ceasefire agreement is reached. There's only so much that the 75 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 2: president is able to do, that's right. 76 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 4: And you make a good point, Kaylee, which is that 77 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 4: these protests aren't about Joe Biden, and then not really 78 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 4: even about the US government. It's about what the universities 79 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 4: are doing. And so whatever he says might not call 80 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 4: the concerns. And you know, the Biden campaign will tell 81 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 4: you that while we're seeing a lot of a protest activity, 82 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 4: a lot of intense feeling, this is only a you know, 83 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 4: small sliver of not only the US electorate of young 84 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 4: voters and young voters while they support a ceasefire, they 85 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 4: support the end of the war, they don't rank this 86 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 4: too highly. So there's other issues like the economy where 87 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 4: that's going to speak more to how they're casting their 88 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 4: ballot in November than what we're seeing on televisions with 89 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 4: the protests right now. 90 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 3: Is this his primary focus right now? When you look 91 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 3: at Joe Biden's day, if you look at the length 92 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 3: of time he can spend on an issue. We finally 93 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,239 Speaker 3: got through this whole funding process with Ukraine and Israel, 94 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 3: we have fund at the government. Obviously he's got a 95 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 3: campaign running, but when he's in the West wing, is 96 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 3: this occupying his full attention at the moment? 97 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:55,799 Speaker 5: Absolutely? 98 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 4: I mean he said in public speeches that oversees conflicts. 99 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 4: I mean not just but Ukraine, the funny package you 100 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 4: just mentioned, that's occupying the majority of his time. And 101 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 4: it's interesting because we're in this election year. Usually you 102 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 4: would see a president a presidential candidate out of the road, 103 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 4: and you're seeing him out on the road. But a 104 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 4: lot of is mental energy, a lot of the time 105 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 4: spent behind closed doors is clearly spent on resolving this conflict. 106 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 4: He's been on the phone with the leaders of Israel, 107 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 4: of Arab nations who are helping broker the ceasefire talks, 108 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 4: and it's clearly weighing heavily on his mind. 109 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 2: All right, Jordan Fabian, who covers the White House for 110 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 2: us here at Bloomberg, thank you so much. We want 111 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 2: to turn this now to our political panel, our signature 112 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 2: political panel, Rick Davis and Jeanie Shanzano Bloomberg Politics contributors 113 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 2: are with us now. Genie, as Jordan is just describing 114 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: here a president that has been on the road where 115 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 2: he has not been to this point, is actually on 116 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 2: any of these campuses that we're talking about. Does the 117 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 2: president need to make a trip to one of these 118 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 2: schools to talk to these students. Is he able to 119 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 2: address this issue from Afar? 120 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 6: You know, I think he can address it from Afar. 121 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 6: You know, these are issues for the college campuses themselves. 122 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 6: When the protests get out of hand and they turn violent, 123 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 6: or they are anti Semitic, or they are bigoted, if 124 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 6: they are, you know, in any way impeding somebody's ability 125 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 6: to get an education, and police are called in. Absolutely 126 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 6: the government comes in, but that is the police, the president, 127 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 6: the speaker of the House. They do not have a 128 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 6: role on this. College campuses have many things to address. 129 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 6: They've done somethings right on this, They've done something's wrong. 130 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 6: We all know that. But the reality is the president 131 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 6: doesn't need to be on a college campus to say 132 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 6: I denounce anti Semitism, I support peaceful protests, and that 133 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 6: is something that he should be saying forcefully. But he 134 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 6: should leave it to the officials at the college to 135 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 6: do what we do, which is teaching students. And if 136 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 6: the students need to have a lesson as it pertains 137 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 6: to peaceful protest, if they need to have a lesson 138 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 6: as it pertains to any sort of thing, that is 139 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 6: up to the university, the board of chancellors, or whoever 140 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 6: is in control. So I don't think the president needs 141 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 6: to go there except to give a commencement dress when invited, 142 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 6: as you will at Morehouse in a few weeks. 143 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 3: Well, I wonder, Rick Davis, if we're in for many 144 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 3: more larger protests. Knowing that it was congressional testimony that 145 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 3: really got this started. We remember, of course Harvard and 146 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 3: MIT more recently Columbia's leader, and now we understand that 147 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 3: a House committee will be summoning three more university leaders Yale, UCLA, 148 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 3: University of Michigan. That's May twenty three, assuming they all testify, Rick, 149 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 3: what will this story look like by then? 150 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 7: Yeah, I think that this is going to continue on 151 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 7: through the red hot summer, right. I mean you would 152 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 7: have thought, oh, everybody go home after school. You know, 153 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 7: this is final week in many of these institutions. Maybe 154 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 7: just take a breather from this. But look, I mean, 155 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 7: this isn't really about whether or not the universities are 156 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 7: investing in Israel. I mean, for heaven's sakes, it's just 157 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 7: such a tiny issue in the grand scheme of things. 158 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,239 Speaker 7: It's what's happening on these campuses that have the President 159 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 7: engaged and others around the country, including Congress, and that 160 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 7: is rampant anti Zionism, rampant attacks on Jewish students in 161 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 7: the you know, and the harassment that they have to 162 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 7: go through. I mean, this is a cultural issue that 163 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 7: needs to be addressed. It is unacceptable behavior in virtually 164 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 7: every single instance of these protests. They are fueled by 165 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 7: this kind of bigoted behavior. And it is the president 166 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 7: of the United States. It sets the standard for our 167 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 7: society to live together, and this is not the way 168 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 7: to do it. And the universities have failed universally. If 169 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 7: you have a protest where they've taken over your campus 170 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 7: or your office buildings, you've by definition failed in your 171 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 7: ability to create a positive environment for all students to 172 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 7: learn and to get along. And so yeah, I think 173 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 7: this is something the president should deal with. I think 174 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 7: Congress legitimately should try as hard as they can to 175 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 7: fight back the spread of anti Semitism that's been well 176 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 7: reported in our country. And I think this is a 177 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 7: legitimate topic to be discussed, especially in the summer of 178 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 7: a presidential election year. 179 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 2: Okay, So Rick, from your point of view, if this 180 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: is really a cultural issue, this is not something that 181 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 2: would would have a geopolitical solution in any sense a 182 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 2: ceasefire agreement would it bring an end to the kind 183 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 2: of behavior or language that you are talking about that 184 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 2: has been on display here. This actually, in your mind, 185 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 2: is more of a domestic issue in this country, even 186 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 2: if it if it originated from something that happened abroad. 187 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 7: Sure, Look, there's no question that any improvement in the 188 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 7: condition on the ground in Gaza would would help calm 189 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,719 Speaker 7: things down within our country and other countries around the 190 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 7: world are affected by this. But the reality is we 191 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 7: also know that ceasefires haven't lasted, and this one is not, 192 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 7: even if they get it, not planned to. 193 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 3: Be last forever. 194 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 7: Bibnt Yahoo, the Prime Minister of Israel's made it perfectly 195 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 7: clear that regardless of ceasefires, he still plans to root 196 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 7: out the balance of Hamas and that means ground troops 197 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 7: from the Idea in Gaza killing Palestinian Hamas agents. And so, yeah, 198 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 7: this isn't going away anytime soon. And yeah, we all 199 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:54,319 Speaker 7: hope and pray for a ceasefire, but I don't think 200 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 7: anybody in this administration or in the region believes that 201 00:10:58,400 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 7: solves all the problems. 202 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 3: Rick and Jeannie Kayley is pointing me to a tweet 203 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 3: right now from an official at the White House, the 204 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 3: Deputy Communications Director, that the President will deliver remarks next 205 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 3: week on anti Semitism, what they call a sacred duty 206 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:16,959 Speaker 3: to remember in more than the six million Jews who 207 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 3: were systematically murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. He 208 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 3: will deliver a keynote address at a Holocaust memorial ceremony. 209 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 3: Genie is this more what you had in mind. 210 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 6: It's absolutely he is doing the right thing. He needs 211 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 6: to denounce forcefully as he always has, anti Semitism in 212 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 6: any form. There is no question. He needs to denounce violence, maltreatment, 213 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 6: mistreatment of anyone. He also needs to support the right 214 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 6: to peaceful protests. And I think he needs to remind 215 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 6: people what the heart of what these young people who 216 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 6: are out there aren't there about is a war that 217 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 6: is going to last. As Rick just talked about. They 218 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 6: fear for the large amount of their future and they 219 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 6: don't feel like their government is doing enough about it. 220 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 6: Should they do that peacefully, absolutely, but let's not forget 221 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 6: this is a devastating and awful war that is going 222 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 6: on down there out there, and they are asking for 223 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 6: a cease fire now. Protests, as they are and have 224 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 6: always been, have a lot of different voices in them, 225 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 6: but that is at the heart of this, and that 226 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,199 Speaker 6: is also something that the president and the administration are 227 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 6: pushing for. So, you know, I think we have to 228 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 6: give credit to young people. Anybody who has sent a 229 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 6: child to college in the last ten twenty years, as 230 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 6: I have, and I teach it at college. The motto 231 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 6: at almost every one of these American universities is changed 232 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 6: the world. That is what we teach the students to do, 233 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 6: to think, to act, and so when people go out 234 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 6: to make a change in their world peacefully, we support that. 235 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 6: When they get out of line, they have to accept 236 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 6: those consequences, and absolutely they should. What happened in New 237 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 6: York overnight had to happen. But this is the reality 238 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 6: we're living in. And the President is right to speak 239 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 6: on anti Semitism, just as I hope he speaks about 240 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 6: the right to peace believe protests and does his job, 241 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 6: which is pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza and helping 242 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 6: the civilians over there who are suffering enormously on both 243 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 6: sides of the of the aisle and including and most 244 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 6: importantly the hostages. 245 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: Ginny, we have less than a minute left. But as 246 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 2: you talk about young people changing the world, the world 247 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 2: also can change depending on the way people vote in November. 248 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 2: From your vantage point, is it more likely that these 249 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 2: young voters will just not vote at all, or that 250 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 2: they actually would be willing to turn out and vote 251 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 2: for Donald Trump rather than Joe Biden. 252 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 6: On this issue? You know, they don't see, at least 253 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,079 Speaker 6: as far as we can tell so far Donald Trump 254 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 6: as a viable option, because of course he's somebody who 255 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 6: just you know, last weekend went out and talked about 256 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 6: the context of Charlottesville and the Nazis that were out there. 257 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 6: So they don't see him as a option, so they 258 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 6: may just stay home. But you know, this is something 259 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 6: that we have to wait and see. It's still not 260 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 6: the most important issue on the minds of most people 261 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 6: in this young age group. That remains the economy. 262 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 3: Genie Shanzino and Rick Davis. This is why they are 263 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 3: our signature panel. Thank you for the insights. 264 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast kens 265 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: just live weekdays at noon Eastern on Applecarplay and then 266 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: rod Oro with the Bloomberg Business App. You can also 267 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: listen live on Amazon Alexa from our flagship New York station, 268 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: Just say Alexa Play. Bloomberg eleven thirty. 269 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 3: Welcome you. Because we saw it coming. It was right 270 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 3: at this time yesterday. Nathan Dean was sitting in this 271 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 3: chair and we were talking about the possibility of rescheduling 272 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 3: cannabis being announced maybe even that day, And it happened 273 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 3: about five minutes after Nathan walked out of the room, 274 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 3: and here we are this morning, on this first of 275 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 3: May afternoon, forgive me watching. Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, 276 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 3: announced plans to reintroduce the Federal Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act. 277 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 3: This would be to full blown legalize marijuana in this country, 278 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 3: removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, which is something 279 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 3: that polling shows a majority of Americans actually support, but 280 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 3: no one sees happening quite yet. We're going to go 281 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 3: one step at a time here because what happened yesterday 282 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 3: is very important. You can read about it on the 283 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 3: terminal the Justice Department recommending cannabis be reclassified as less risky, 284 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 3: a very important step for cannabis businesses here who are 285 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 3: also waiting for the Safe Banking Act they can't use 286 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 3: banks either. To pass and this is of course a 287 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 3: bunch of states now that have done this, that have 288 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 3: legalized marijuana. One Congressman who was ahead of the curve 289 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 3: on this issue, and it was way ahead, is Earl 290 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 3: Blumenauer of Oregon. Of course, was also ahead on this issues, 291 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 3: the founder and co chair now of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, 292 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 3: and he was out with a statement on rescheduling yesterday, 293 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 3: marijuana was scheduled more than fifty years ago, he writes, 294 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 3: based on stigma, not science, and Congressman joins us now 295 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 3: live from Capitol hillster, I appreciate your being with us. 296 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 3: I suspect this is a major development for you and 297 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 3: the work that you've put into this. But I'd like 298 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 3: to start at the beginning here. If it was based 299 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 3: on stigma not science, where did that come from? As 300 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 3: we hear tobacco companies, Was it racism or was it both? 301 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 8: It is the aftermath of Richard Nixon's failed War on drugs. 302 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 5: He weaponized cannabis in an. 303 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 8: Effort to gain political advantage, jamonizing young black men, young 304 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 8: people generally, and being able to beat the drum of cannabis. 305 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 5: It launched this fifty year war on. 306 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 8: Drugs that had drugs terrible consequences for a million young 307 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 8: black men. It has stimied efforts to be able to 308 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 8: move it forward, but the people insisted that they were 309 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 8: going to take it in their own hands. 310 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 5: We've now seen. 311 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 8: Thirty eight states have legalized medical cannabis. We have twenty 312 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 8: eight states that have fully legalized adult use. Many of 313 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 8: these are by a vote of the people. We now 314 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 8: have over seventy percent of the public that thinks that 315 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 8: cannabis should be completely legalized. 316 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 5: This decision by. 317 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 8: The Biden administration to deal with reality and schedule it 318 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 8: as Scheduled three rather than Schedule. 319 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 5: One is really extraordinarily important. 320 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 8: It's going to allow state legal cannabis businesses to deduct 321 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 8: their business expenses for tax purposes. Right now they pay 322 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 8: two three times more than typical. So this is going 323 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 8: to be earth shattering. It's going to lead, i think, 324 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 8: to the Safe Banking Act through the Senate in near future, 325 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 8: and it's starting the revolution. 326 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 3: All of those would be big developments here. Your colleague 327 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 3: Steve Scalise, the Majority leader, sees things rather differently, as 328 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 3: of course, you know, Congressman. He had this to say 329 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 3: after the development on rescheduling, we need to be reducing 330 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 3: the number of people that use drugs and not increasing 331 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 3: that number. We should not be making matters worse. He said, 332 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,880 Speaker 3: where's the disagreement here? Because you're talking about the war 333 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 3: on drugs and he is as well. Congressman, how would 334 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:45,919 Speaker 3: you respond to, Steve Scalise? 335 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 8: The states that have the most draconian drug laws have 336 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 8: not reduced the use. In fact, states that don't have 337 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 8: a system like we have in Oregon actually. 338 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 5: Puts more risk for youngsters. 339 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,679 Speaker 8: Somebody who's getting their marijuana from a corner drug dealer, 340 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 8: Nobody checks ID, nobody deals with a license that they lose, 341 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 8: and it's available in every state. 342 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 5: Steve is just in the ozone. 343 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 8: In fact, the majority of people in his own state 344 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 8: support legalization, and having more draconian enforcement is not going 345 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 8: to make a difference at all, other than it will 346 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 8: disrupt some lives. This is an industry that now has 347 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:38,120 Speaker 8: almost a half million people. The industry is forty billion 348 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 8: dollars and that's just the legal business. So people like 349 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 8: Steve are just out in the ozone. They haven't been 350 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 8: able to stop it. Sessions, I'm sorry, not at all. 351 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 3: It's just funny that we know. I'm talking to a 352 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 3: lawmaker about this. Usually you say it's the people smoking 353 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 3: potter in the ozone. But you're on the Ways and 354 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 3: Means Committee congres This is a cultural issue, it's a 355 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 3: business issue, and I think you're making the point here. 356 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,640 Speaker 3: This is also a taxation issue. As Chuck Schumer floats 357 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 3: this federal legalization effort here, I know that's not about 358 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 3: to happen. I'm just curious what would it mean. Do 359 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 3: you have a number? What would it mean for revenues 360 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 3: into the federal government if you legalize pot. 361 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 8: Well, first of all, having the reschedule to schedule three 362 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 8: means that it changes the equation for people with these businesses. 363 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 8: They're not going to pay two, three, four times the 364 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 8: typical text. It means it's going to be easier to comply. 365 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 8: It's going to take money losing propositions and make them money. 366 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 5: Making propositions. 367 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 8: This is going to mean hundreds of billions of dollars 368 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 8: in the foreseeable future if we get this right. And 369 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 8: of course, the health benefits are undeniable. That's why we 370 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 8: have thirty eight states that have not waited for the 371 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 8: federal government. They've taken medical marijuana in their own hands. 372 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 8: So this is going to be revolutionary. 373 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 3: Talk about the amount of support that this has around 374 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 3: the country, Congressman, and apparently in your own chamber, is 375 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,640 Speaker 3: this something you talk about with your fellow lawmakers? 376 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 8: Yes, I mean I've gone and beaten the drum. For example, 377 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 8: in the Safe Banking Act, we had three hundred and 378 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:32,119 Speaker 8: twenty one representatives in both parties that voted for it twice. 379 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 5: In fact, it's past the House seven times. 380 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 8: What's going to happen with what Chuck Schumer, Ron Wyden, 381 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 8: Corey Booker shared Brown Congressman Danes are Senator Danes from Montana. 382 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 8: They're going to be putting this forward and you're going 383 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 8: to see that it will get probably sixty sixty five votes. 384 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 8: This is the most significant whip count that you're going 385 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 8: to get. I think it's going to asher in a 386 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 8: whole new era of rational drug policy. 387 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 3: Earl bloominare Congressman from Oregon's third congressional district. We thank 388 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 3: you for being with us, sir, and we'll have more 389 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 3: details as this raps. It could take the rest of 390 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 3: the year, based on what we understand as a comment 391 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 3: period and a final approval that needs to take place. Here, 392 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 3: let's assemble the panel for their take on this and 393 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:23,119 Speaker 3: some of the other stories popping today in Washington. Rick 394 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 3: Davis is here along with Genie Shanzino, our signature panel, 395 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 3: just like that Bloomberg Politics contributors. Rick, this is not 396 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 3: a Republican issue typically, and I just referenced what Steve 397 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 3: Scalise said in the wake of this news here Chuck Schumer, 398 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 3: Corey Booker, and others. Right now, Ron Wyden Democrats in 399 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 3: the Senator talking about their bill to legalize marijuana. But 400 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 3: this seems to be something that might be a bridge 401 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 3: too far for your party. What do you think about 402 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 3: what's happening right now. 403 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,360 Speaker 7: Yeah, there's still quite a few Senators and congressmen Republicans 404 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 7: who agree with Steven Sclave, which is, we should be 405 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 7: not encouraging drug use in America. We should be encouraging 406 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 7: less drug use in America. And I don't think anybody 407 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 7: who lives in a state that has legalized marijuana, either 408 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 7: for recreational purposes or for medicinal purposes, don't think that 409 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 7: that hasn't increased the risk on the road. That's pernicious 410 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 7: effect of walking down the street and getting a secondary 411 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 7: high just to go on from meeting to meeting in 412 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 7: New York City these days. And the reality of it 413 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 7: is is no one has really done empirical studies around 414 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 7: the long term health effects of marijuana. And so I 415 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 7: just think for the purposes of the debate, sure, if 416 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 7: it's going to be happening before it it's an age 417 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:45,719 Speaker 7: old Washington slogan, But the reality too, Is that just 418 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 7: because a lot of wrong has been done through marijuana 419 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,919 Speaker 7: policy in the past doesn't mean that it expunges the 420 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 7: record in the future. 421 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 3: Well, we're talking about a couple of different things here, Genie. 422 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 3: Rescheduling is one. Safe banking is an whether you know, 423 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 3: in the case of rescheduling, you're allowing these existing companies 424 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 3: that do have employees to actually take those tax deductions, 425 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 3: allowing them through safe banking, which has not yet passed, 426 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 3: to use the banking system. Both of those different than 427 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 3: what Chuck Schumer is talking about now, and actually legalizing 428 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 3: this on the federal level. This is something that Joe 429 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 3: Biden promised though on the campaign trail. Is this good politics? 430 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 3: Rich's painted the picture for us. You walk out the door, 431 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 3: god knows you're in New York, and you get punched 432 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 3: in the face by cannabis smoke wherever you go. This 433 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 3: is I guess this is the new reality. Should this 434 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 3: the government need to catch up with it? 435 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,400 Speaker 6: Yeah, you know, I think Joe Biden is one of 436 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,439 Speaker 6: the most moderate Democrats out there on this issue. He 437 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 6: obviously has a personal tie to the issue of drug abuse, 438 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 6: and it's something that helps explain, although not fully why 439 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 6: he has long been against de Krimlin decriminalization or legalization, 440 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 6: but he also wants to take steps, which is what 441 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 6: the administration is doing now to reduce penalties. 442 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:00,360 Speaker 9: Right. 443 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 6: So you know, these are the sort of small steps 444 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 6: that he is taking and trying to thread this needle, 445 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 6: and we have to see where it goes. But you know, 446 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 6: the reality here is that there's only so much the 447 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 6: President and the administration can do. If you want to 448 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 6: get real traction on this, it's got to come from Congress. 449 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 6: Just what you're showing in terms of Chuck Schumer, the 450 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 6: Controlled Substance Act that's got to be changed by Congress. 451 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 6: The criminal Code got to be changed by Congress. And 452 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 6: so there is going to be a I think a 453 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 6: really heated, interesting debate on this issues for some of 454 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,159 Speaker 6: the reasons you just laid out and Rick was talking about, 455 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 6: because we've heard a lot from the pro legalization side 456 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 6: so far and a little less from the anti so 457 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 6: I think that's going to be happening. But again, Joe Biden, 458 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 6: these are small, important steps, but they're still small and 459 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 6: allow him to walk this more moderate line. 460 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:57,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. 461 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 3: Well, and the word though, Rick, is that you know 462 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 3: the data here are stubborn. Most research shows that legalizing 463 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 3: marijuana has not actually increased usage. Joe Biden just doesn't 464 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 3: like the ideas from a different generation, and this just 465 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 3: doesn't seem to be something that he wants to speak 466 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 3: about in the way that people expected during the campaign. 467 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 3: Does he need to be consistent on this? Does he 468 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 3: put Kamala Harris in front of the issue? What do 469 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 3: you do in a re election campaign? 470 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 7: Yeah, I think it's the difference between being the president 471 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 7: United States and having a set of trend and a 472 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 7: moral center for the country, versus being a candidate and 473 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 7: frankly needing to shore up the base vote he's got, 474 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 7: especially within the party of young people. And when you 475 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,439 Speaker 7: pull young people, this is a lopsided issue, right. They 476 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 7: don't see the harm, they don't see the foul, they 477 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:55,920 Speaker 7: haven't been historically damaged by it, and so for them 478 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 7: this is a no brainer. And anybody gets in a 479 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 7: way of this is just thinking about the past, not 480 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 7: the future. And so it's a real hard line that 481 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 7: president has to pass through. And I'd say, you know, 482 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 7: this is not a surprise to me that the administration 483 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 7: would be changing the classification of this drug. You know, 484 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,120 Speaker 7: six months before presidential election. Not saying it's a quid 485 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:23,679 Speaker 7: pro quo, but it certainly does soften up that eighteen 486 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 7: to twenty five year old base within his party who's 487 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 7: been reluctant to be enthusiastic about his presidency. 488 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 3: I do wonder about that genie and our remaining couple 489 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 3: of moments here you're on campus, and the story on 490 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 3: campus most recently has been a not good one for 491 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 3: Joe Biden. As we watched police break up another encampment 492 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 3: last night, three hundred people arrested at Columbia University. Are 493 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:47,919 Speaker 3: you hearing talk about this? Is this a front burner 494 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 3: issue for college students right now or are they looking 495 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 3: at the war in Gaza. 496 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,479 Speaker 6: You know, when you look at the polls, the younger 497 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,959 Speaker 6: people are, the more supportive they are about making marijuana 498 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 6: or cannabis accessible decriminalizing it. There's no question there a 499 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 6: lot of support, but it's not something we've seen where 500 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:12,439 Speaker 6: people go out and vote on. Certainly when it's on 501 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,359 Speaker 6: a state level ballot, we've seen people who don't traditionally 502 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 6: go out vote on it. But it's not a federal 503 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,399 Speaker 6: level something that we've seen really make a change. So 504 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 6: I am not convinced that this is something that will 505 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 6: help an awful lot. Do they support it absolutely? Will 506 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 6: it get them out to vote? 507 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 9: No? 508 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 6: The economy reigns stream when it comes to young people, jobs, inflation, 509 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 6: the economy. There's a lot of interest in GAZA, but 510 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 6: even that is lower when you look at the most 511 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 6: important issue goals. 512 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,720 Speaker 3: I just think that's fascinating, after you know, so many 513 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,479 Speaker 3: years of people speculating on what the impact of something 514 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 3: like this would be, it's still just young people want 515 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 3: to be able to buy a house, right. It's pretty 516 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 3: simple sometimes when it comes to politics. 517 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: If you're listening to the Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast, 518 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: catch Just Live weekdays at noon Eastern on Appo, CarPlay 519 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 1: and then Proud Otto with the Bloomberg Business app Listen 520 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 1: on demand wherever you get your podcasts, or watch us 521 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 1: live on YouTube. 522 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 2: Here in Washington, just a little ways down the road 523 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 2: from where Joe and I right now, we're getting ready 524 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 2: to breed a statement from the Federal Reserve and ultimately 525 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 2: have a press conference from Chairman Powell. Joe and there's 526 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 2: a real possibility that despite what we heard just weeks 527 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 2: ago after a hot CPI report from President Biden who 528 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 2: said there will be rate cuts this year that the 529 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 2: Chairman could indicate in fact there very well may not. 530 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 3: Be, yeah, or could there be a hike this year 531 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 3: still to come. I think they're thirty percent odds on 532 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 3: that at the moment, as we wait to hear from 533 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 3: what we're told will be a much more hawkish j. 534 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 3: Powey's got a point to prove today, Kaylee, and it's 535 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 3: based on the data. It's very hard to deny what's 536 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 3: happening here in this economy, and it's something we wanted 537 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 3: to spend some time with Lindsay Owens to talk about 538 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 3: before we turn things over to our special FED coverage. 539 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 3: Lindsay is an economist the Groundwork Collaborative where she's executive 540 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 3: director and Lindsay, it's great to have you back. How 541 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 3: concerned are you, knowing your background in economics here you 542 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 3: have a slightly more progressive view and the idea of 543 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 3: a more hawkish FED at this stage when you consider 544 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 3: the impact that these rates have had higher for longer 545 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 3: on the housing market, creating a higher barrier for entry 546 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 3: for young people, more potential risk for the job market. 547 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:33,240 Speaker 3: What are we about to hear? 548 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 9: Yeah? 549 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 10: Absolutely, I mean, I think it's pretty clear that AL 550 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 10: is unlikely to veer off his higher for longer strategy, 551 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 10: you know, holding rate study for now, but potentially coming 552 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 10: off some of the earlier projections for September rate hikes. 553 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 10: But you know, the question I think we have to 554 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,240 Speaker 10: ask ourselves here is what are the benefits of a 555 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 10: higher for longer strategy and what are the risks? And 556 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 10: I do I think given the areas where we're seeing 557 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 10: sticky inflation, it's really unclear that the higher for longer 558 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 10: strategy has a lot of payoffs. You know, when it 559 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 10: comes to the housing market, when it comes to energy costs, 560 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 10: when it comes to auto insurance, which is another one 561 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 10: of the areas where we're seeing more inflation than we'd like, 562 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 10: none of those are really responsive to the Fed's interest 563 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,120 Speaker 10: rate policy. And in fact, when it comes to the 564 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 10: housing market, you know, it may well be the case 565 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 10: that the federal reserves policies are exacerbating some of the 566 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 10: pricing that we're seeing in the housing market. So I 567 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 10: think the evidence that the higher for longer strategy is 568 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 10: going to sort of bring down the last mile of 569 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 10: inflation is thin. 570 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 9: And I think the evidence that the higher for longer. 571 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 10: Strategy is starting to post some considerable costs, is getting 572 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 10: stronger by the day. 573 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 2: Okay, Lensy, your point is well taken that a lot 574 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 2: of the stickiness is where you see most directly, interest 575 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 2: rate polony policy transmitting as in higher rates, higher mortgage rates. 576 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 2: That has ripple effects throughout the housing market for example. 577 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 2: But isn't the risk of not keeping rates higher for 578 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,959 Speaker 2: longer that rates going down or the expectation that they 579 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 2: will go down further fuels demand, gets people out there spending, 580 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 2: and all of those different areas of the economy where 581 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 2: we're not talking about inflation getting sticky. Suddenly do start 582 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 2: to see prices spiking higher again, isn't isn't that really 583 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 2: the concern? 584 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 5: Yeah? 585 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 9: Absolutely. 586 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 10: The Fed is trying to you know, handle the upside 587 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 10: risk of inflation sort of you know, picking back up 588 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 10: considerably right then they're worried about that. 589 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 5: You know. 590 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,800 Speaker 10: I think we've seen a lot of inflation come down 591 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 10: because of transitory factors and also because. 592 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 9: Of supply coming back online. I don't think. 593 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 10: There's huge risk of you know, a big increase in 594 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 10: consumption here that's going to have inflation sort of unmooring 595 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,719 Speaker 10: and sort of spiraling out of control. So I'm definitely 596 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 10: in the camp of someone who actually thinks coming off 597 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 10: interest rate hikes at this point, you know, is smart. 598 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,239 Speaker 10: You know, I would like to see cuts frankly, you know, 599 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 10: given given where we are in the cycle here, but 600 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:12,720 Speaker 10: you know, we'll have to see sort of where Pal 601 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 10: is at two o'clock. But you know at the end 602 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 10: of the day, and he's signaling that he's going to 603 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 10: stick with the higher for longer strategy. 604 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 9: And I think. 605 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 10: You know, we're all sort of watching this experiment play 606 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 10: out in real time of the FED trying to chase 607 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,800 Speaker 10: inflation down to two percent, and you know, hoping that 608 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 10: they'll be successful. But increasingly, you know, when we parse 609 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 10: the individual data, it really doesn't look like this last 610 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 10: mile is going to be responsive to interest rate hikes. 611 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 9: And so I think we're in a real predicament here. 612 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:45,280 Speaker 3: Does that last mile last through November? Because we've talked 613 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 3: a lot about the political implications of interest rate changes 614 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 3: around the election, and Joe Biden's got his eyes on 615 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 3: about six months from now, where are we? Where are 616 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 3: we in the cycle? 617 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 9: Then lindsay, yeah, I mean, you're absolutely right. 618 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 10: The political consequences of this really punishing interest rate environment 619 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 10: are considerable. American's top concerned about the economy right now 620 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 10: is high prices, but they're also concerned about high borrowing costs. 621 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 10: They're concerned about mortgage rates, which are incredibly high right now. 622 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 9: I mean, look, you know, I think sometimes. 623 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 10: We get you know, focused on sort of watching mortgage 624 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:21,640 Speaker 10: rates tick up and down. But you know, let's think 625 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 10: about what this means in real terms for families. I mean, 626 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:27,840 Speaker 10: I myself would be paying twice as much per month 627 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 10: in today's interest rate environment then in the interest rate 628 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 10: environment in which I bought my home. That is a 629 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 10: considerable difference, right, Twice twice the monthly mortgage payment. Right, 630 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,359 Speaker 10: So this is pushing folks, you know, out of home 631 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 10: ownership for years, right, Folks not being able to jump 632 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:49,400 Speaker 10: in to the mortgage market. So the effects of this 633 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:52,279 Speaker 10: are considerable on the economy. Of course, the economy is 634 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 10: top of mind as folks head to the ballot box 635 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 10: in November, and we also have to look at some 636 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 10: of the other things that are influenced by the high 637 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,400 Speaker 10: interest rate environment. I mean, you know, Americans are holding 638 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 10: a huge amount of debt right now. Aprs on credit 639 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,759 Speaker 10: cards are sky high, and credit card companies are you know, 640 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 10: really in some ways hiding behind high federal fund. 641 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 9: Rates to keep aprs really higher than they need to be. 642 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 10: So I think this is affecting consumers, you know, most consumers, 643 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:25,160 Speaker 10: many consumers in America every day the high cost of borrowing. 644 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 10: And it's absolutely the case that getting some relief on borrowing, 645 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 10: you know, I think would be really helpful for President 646 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 10: Biden before November. 647 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 2: Lindsay, we have just about a minute left before we 648 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 2: hand things over to our special coverage, in about an 649 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 2: hour until Chairman Pal walks up to that podium to 650 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 2: deliver the press conference. If you had one question to 651 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:45,200 Speaker 2: ask him today, what would it be? 652 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 10: I mean, look, the question I have is, you know, 653 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:53,640 Speaker 10: are we really getting payoff from higher for longer? What 654 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 10: is your evidence that higher for longer is going to 655 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:58,279 Speaker 10: get that last mile of inflation down, that is going 656 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,000 Speaker 10: to get housing costs down, is going to get energy 657 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 10: costs down, that is going to get auto insurance premiums down. 658 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 10: I think you've really got to ask yourself, you know, 659 00:36:08,719 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 10: sort of as the juice worth of squeeze here in 660 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:12,520 Speaker 10: the high interest rate environment. 661 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 9: And then if I got a follow up question. 662 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 10: You know, I would sort of be interested in hearing 663 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 10: him articulate the consequences of higher for longer, because I would. 664 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:25,279 Speaker 10: I hope he's well aware of the consequences here for 665 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 10: American families. 666 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:31,279 Speaker 2: All right, Lindsay Owen's Groundwork Collaborative executive director, former Senior 667 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 2: economic policy advisor to Senator Elizabeth Warren. Thank you so 668 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 2: much for joining us. It's an excellent question, Joe, about 669 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 2: the way that monetary policy is transmitting in this economy, 670 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,360 Speaker 2: whether we can actually get down from three percent to 671 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 2: two percent, or maybe the question Chairman Powell would like 672 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 2: to answer least of all, is two percent still achievable. 673 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening to the Balance of Power podcast. Make 674 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 3: sure to subscribe if you haven't already an Apple, Spotify, 675 00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,799 Speaker 3: or wherever you get your podcasts, and you can find 676 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 3: us live every weekday from Washington, DC at noontime Eastern 677 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 3: at Bloomberg dot com.