1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Hey, guys, thanks for listening to Breaking Points with Crystal 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: and Sager. We're gonna be totally upfront with you. We 3 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: took a big risk going independent to make this work. 4 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: We need your support to beat the corporate media CNN, Fox, MSNBC. 5 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: They are ripping this country apart. They are making millions 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: of dollars doing it to help support our mission of 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: making all of us hate each other, less hate the 8 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: corrupt ruling class more support the show. 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Lots happening in the 18 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: world of cable news, so the business of the news 19 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: side is important to understand. CNN, which was owned by 20 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:00,319 Speaker 1: Time Warner, is now being moved into Discovery Discovery being 21 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: the overall umbrella company which is going to have control 22 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 1: over CNN, the news network. And there are some very 23 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: interesting signs crystal from the very top of Discovery that 24 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: CNN's days could be numbered in the annoying and terrible 25 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: way that is currently structured. The top shareholder of Discovery 26 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:19,839 Speaker 1: making some real news when he was interviewed on CNBC, 27 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 1: Let's take a listen. I would like to see CNN 28 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with. 29 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: And you know, I actually have journalists, which would be 30 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: unique and refreshing. I think Conward's way out would be 31 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: to sell it or spin it off and then sell it. 32 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 1: Do so. John Malone, there is a billionaire businessman. He's 33 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: the largest investor in Discovery, and there have been some 34 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: very interesting signs the head of Discovery himself moving to 35 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. He wants to revamp the entire thing, the 36 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: studio process, WarnerMedia, HBO, all of that, but meeting Jeff 37 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: Zucker and saying that there could be new plans for 38 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: the network. Zucker is the person currently in charge of CNN. 39 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: He's on his way out in twenty twenty one, so 40 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: as this reorganization all continues, You're going to see pressure 41 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: from the shareholders themselves in order to push CNN into 42 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: a different direction. And they have a new CEO of 43 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: Discovery who is willing and perhaps able to make these changes. Zucker, 44 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: by all accounts, was a very big protector of his talent. 45 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: He loved Chris Cuomo and Jake Tapper, which is cringe, 46 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: but listen, you know it's his business, not mine, and 47 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: he went out of his way in order to protect 48 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: them from network hierarchy, especially Time Warner Company and all 49 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: of that in the Trump years. Obviously, they probably couldn't 50 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: have retaliated against them without something happening to them in 51 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: the Biden years. Though, their ratings continue to go down 52 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: and down and down. As Glenn always likes to remind 53 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: us up there on the screen, which is that's pointing 54 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: out three different shows on newsbacks right now, Beat the 55 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: Seat Morning Show and Greg Kelly's show is closer to 56 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: surpassing Don Lemon's prime time CNN show for total viewers. 57 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: Total joke, CNN is a complete failure whenever it comes 58 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: to an actual news company in terms of getting people 59 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: to watch them. But you guys should remember they don't 60 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: make their money that way. The vast majority of it 61 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: comes through subscription cable fees, So they have billions of 62 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: dollars in profits whether people watch them or not. That's 63 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: how the business is structured. But this could be an indication, Crystal, 64 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: that things are moving in a totally different direction at 65 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: the very very top of the organization. It's interesting. So 66 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: a couple things to say about the business model. First 67 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: of all, you're correct that they get more of their 68 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: money from the carrier fees. And part of why CNN 69 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: and Fox and others, though CNN in particular are able 70 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: to get high carrier fees, is because people basically feel like, oh, 71 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: we have to have CNN, got to have the news 72 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: as part of our lineup. So you could imagine over 73 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: time if CNN becomes increasingly viewed as just sort of 74 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: like partisan media, well then it becomes a little bit 75 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: more dispensable. I mean, they also have huge problems. All 76 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: the cable news networks were effectively saved by the Trump 77 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: era because the writing was on the wall for them 78 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: in terms of cord cutters. And if you look at 79 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: all of these networks, their audiences are extremely old. What 80 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: they're getting in the demo is wildly less than what 81 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: they're getting overall because most of their demographic is aging, 82 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 1: so young people are not watching any of these networks. 83 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: CNN is plowing a whole bunch of money into their 84 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: streaming service, bringing over Casey Hunt plus spare Ahead, and 85 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 1: they wanted to hire Rachel to get Rachel. I mean 86 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: that you could make worse moves than that, because at 87 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 1: least Rachel does have like put the moral and ethical 88 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: judgments aside. There are people who actually show up for her, 89 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: and that's very different than the cable news network model 90 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,599 Speaker 1: is that everybody's interchangeable. Nobody's really stand down. It's on 91 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: in the background as sort of a default. So to 92 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: then switch gears and think in terms of who will 93 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: actually people pay to show up for and intentionally choose 94 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: to watch is very different from what they've ultimately been doing. 95 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: But you know, having lived through one of these or 96 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: gutten fire during one of these transitions at MSNBC, there's 97 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 1: a responsiveness to ratings, even if because it hurts their pride, 98 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: even if it's not that determinative from a revenue level. 99 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: So when I was fired at MSNBC, this was pre 100 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 1: Trump winning the election, and they're thought, oh, we're going 101 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: to shift back. We're going to be more like CNN, 102 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: we're going to get more hard news, We're going to 103 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 1: lean into our NBC news persona rather than you know, 104 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: these people who have opinions, Well, once Trump gets elected, 105 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: then they turn on a dime and change that because 106 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: the people who were getting the most ratings were the 107 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: ones who were will you know, willing to be the 108 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: most opinion and say the most outland just things that 109 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: they possibly could and lean the most into the Russia 110 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: conspiracies and all of that. So then they completely changed 111 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 1: their mind model. So anything that's a plan right now 112 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: in the Biden era could be easily flipped around again, 113 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 1: you know when it comes to if Trump gets back 114 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 1: in the White House, or whatever happens in the next election, 115 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: or some other big story breaks in America that really 116 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: ultimately drives ratings. These things are all ephemeral, and this 117 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: dude who's the shareholder, I'm sure is just looking at 118 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: the rating something and this is not good ultimately for 119 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: my bottom line, not good at all. So we'll see 120 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: interesting new comments. Doctor Anthony Fauci after he was basically 121 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,119 Speaker 1: debased by Senator Rand Paul and has a continually tried 122 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: to redefine gain of function, has a new response when 123 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: he's asked about it. Let's put this up there on 124 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: the screen, which is that Fauci East now says gain 125 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 1: of function is now a quote completely meaningless term as 126 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: he defends the NIH actions. Now that's pretty important, Crystal, 127 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: because gain of function was explicitly defined under his term 128 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: in the United States government to mean something, so that 129 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: they did not do it. And NIA, which has now 130 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: admitted to Congress in a recent letter that they did 131 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: in fact fund gain of function research. They did not 132 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: know or they claimed they did not know that it 133 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: was happening, and they had to correct the record after 134 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: Fauci had gone and testified there. So according to them, 135 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: they did actually fund it. It does have a meaning. 136 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: It had a meaning for a reason because we banned it. 137 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: Fauci actually circumvented and eventually removed that ban under the 138 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: Trump administration. And look, why does it all matter? I 139 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: know it is tiresome in order to get into all 140 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: of these debates. Technically, anything that enhances the virus is 141 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: gain of function, So I get it. I've even heard 142 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: from some people in the scientific community saying, hey, it's 143 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: not all bad. I totally understand. What we're pointing to 144 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: is that in this particular instance, at the Wuhan Institute 145 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: of Virology, they were studying these bat coronaviruses, enhancing them 146 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: in some cases doing it with US government government provided dollars. 147 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: And eventually it's very likely that what we currently know 148 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: is COVID nineteen leaked from that lab as a result 149 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: of this type of risky and dangerous research, of which 150 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: that lab was cited for safety violations multiple times. We 151 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: know all of this. It's totally public record, and it's 152 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: all just about did it come from the lab or 153 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: did it not. It's very basic and if it did, 154 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: let's have a discussion around gain a function, let's set 155 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: some new safety standards, let's maybe not do it at all. 156 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: Maybe I know the scientist will get mad whenever I 157 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: say that, But it turns out, Cristal that if the 158 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: reason Fauci doesn't want to admit any of this is 159 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: because it would disrupt his role as the funneler of 160 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: billions of dollars in scientific aid dollars, which if you 161 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: talk to people in the community scientific community, which I 162 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: have the NIH is like the king maker. They can 163 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: make your lab or break your lab. A grant to 164 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: them employs you. It employs all your people, your tenured 165 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: professor at one of these universities. You need the NIH 166 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: or you need the National Science Foundation. These are the 167 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: major granting institutions. So that's why a lot of people 168 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: in scientific community are also remaining silent about all of this. 169 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: So his claim on this is ridiculous, and we should 170 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: just pair it with the late document leak at this point. 171 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,959 Speaker 1: Put this up there on the screen, please. New documents 172 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: show that the Wuhan lab was studying a viral strain 173 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: found in bats which is quote near identical to COVID 174 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: nineteen in latest lab leak, I'm sure has nothing to 175 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 1: do with it. Zagera Crystal Posters. As you and I 176 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: have pointed to, the natural explanation for COVID is that 177 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: this bat flew one thousand miles from Laos. Well, it 178 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: turns out that the people who were investigating gain are 179 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: doing in Gaina function research on bats got some of 180 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: their bats from Laos, which is exactly where something called 181 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: banal fifty two, a Laotian bat virus which shares ninety 182 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 1: seven percent of its genome with stars Kobe two just 183 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: happens to be from. So now we even have evidence 184 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,839 Speaker 1: linking the Liotian one thousand mile away back to the 185 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: actual research which was happening at the lab. I mean, 186 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: do you need much more people? Roll Jack, roll the 187 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: clip ou Steward. I mean, the Fauci thing is just 188 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,079 Speaker 1: it's just obviously he doesn't want to get blamed for 189 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: a pandemic. I trying to cover his ass like that's 190 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: obviously it's going on. And his new comments, which credit 191 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 1: to Mehdi Hassen for pushing on this and bringing up 192 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: this was based on an intercept report. They got their 193 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: hands on link documents, and so he was pushing him on. 194 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: You know what those documents revealed about the type of 195 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: research that was going on, the type of experiments that 196 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: they were considering doing. And this is different than what 197 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: Fauci has said in the past in those exchanges with 198 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,719 Speaker 1: Rand Paul, he has tried to craft his own definition 199 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,839 Speaker 1: of gain a function and then say therefore what we 200 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: were doing was not gain a function. So now to 201 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: just say, well, it's it's a meaningless term. Let's just 202 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: not even talk about it at all. As you point out, 203 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: I mean it is. It is a term that has 204 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: a definition. It does have meaning. It is specified in 205 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: terms of the regulatory code about what it is and 206 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: what it is and what's permissible and what's not. So 207 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,719 Speaker 1: it does in fact have meaning. You just don't want 208 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,560 Speaker 1: to acknowledge that it has meaning because it's very inconvenient 209 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: for you and it makes you look kind of bad. 210 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: So it's very obvious what's going on here, But you 211 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: don't hear a lot of willingness to question Saint Fauci 212 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: in a lot of quarters of the media. Yeah, well 213 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: you're asking about this bat and see what he thinks. Yeah, 214 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: the natural origin still makes a whole lot of sads. 215 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: I would be interested in hearing that. Okay. So some 216 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:36,479 Speaker 1: fairly major developments in the ongoing mystery of who actually 217 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:42,479 Speaker 1: killed Malcolm X. So for a long time now, scholars 218 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: and his family have not believed the official story of 219 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: the two men that were ultimately convicted that they actually 220 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: killed him. And now those two men, Khalil Islam and 221 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: Muhammad Disease, have been officially exonerated. This is after the 222 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: Manhattan twenty two month reinvestigation of the case. And there's 223 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: a few reasons why no one ever thought that these 224 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: were the two guys that actually did it. The biggest 225 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,679 Speaker 1: one is that one of the actual assassins was caught 226 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: by Malcolm X's security detail on the way out, and 227 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: he always said, and so they knew that that guy 228 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: did it, And he always said that there were other 229 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: assailants and that these two guys had nothing to do 230 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: with it. And he was consistent about that the whole time, 231 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: eventually even giving an interview giving the names of those 232 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: who he said had actually perpetrated the crime. So that's 233 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: one thing. There were a lot of also suspicious things 234 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: regarding the government's involvement. Of course, the FBI very interested 235 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: in Malcolm X trying to foment tension and division amongst 236 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: members of the Nation of Islam, and then on that 237 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: particular night when he is murdered, normally there would be 238 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: massive police security because there had been previous threats on 239 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:03,719 Speaker 1: his life and attempts on his life, very minimal police security. 240 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,839 Speaker 1: And then what they found here is that exculpatory evidence 241 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: was hidden both by the FBI and the NYPD. So 242 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: nobody for a long time had really believed that these 243 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: two guys who were wrongfully convicted and served many, many 244 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: years in prison. Were the actual assassins getting to those 245 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: root questions of how involved was the government, because I 246 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: think there's little doubt that the government was involved, at 247 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: least in a cover up, if not, you know, directly 248 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: fomenting this assassination. Those questions of how much the FBI 249 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: and the NYPD were involved still, you know, still big 250 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: question mark, and the actual identities of the real killers 251 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: still unknown. Most scholars believe they came from a mosque 252 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: in Newark, is what they think. Yeah, I did not 253 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: know the NYPD literally had an undercover agent inside Malcolm 254 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 1: X's security team in the ballroom at the time of 255 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: the assassination, and that the FBI had blanket surveillance on 256 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,679 Speaker 1: Nation of Islam and Malcolm X, and actually fomented hostility 257 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: between Malcolm X and Nation of Islam leaders at Chicago headquarters. 258 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: I mean, look, I watched the Malcolm X movie with 259 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: Denzel Washington. Amazing movie. I actually highly recommend because we're 260 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: watching it. I think it's American Airlines which has it 261 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: for the in flight So if you ever on your 262 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: way to California, like I was, sit back and enjoy 263 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: the ride. Highly recommend it. That actually led to me 264 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: reading a little bit more about Malcolm X and the 265 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: break of him and the Nation of Islam and Elijah 266 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: Muhammad and you know the alleged you know, by Elijah 267 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: Muhammad exploitation of young girls and like, that's kind of 268 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: what led him to speak out and eventually break with 269 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: the organization, which obviously caused major incentive because Elijah Muhammad 270 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: was considered the prophet within the Nation of Islam, and 271 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: that schism was considered really problematic for a lot of 272 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: the movement back in the nineteen sixties. But what has 273 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: always remained unclear is about the actual who pulled the trigger, 274 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: the amount of planning that actually happened, how much the 275 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: Nation of Islam was involved in that, how much of 276 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: it was stoked by the FBI and then also with 277 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: the NYPD, And there really remains no real you know, 278 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: there's no closure on any of this. I think it's 279 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: very important. I think Malcolm and his life is one 280 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: of the most extraordinary Americans who's ever lived. I mean, 281 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: the autobiography of Malcolm X is one of the craziest 282 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: things they'll ever read. It's very accessible. I really recommend 283 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: anybody through out there, especially if you're a young guy, 284 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: go out and read that Malcolm has some real struggles 285 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: in his early youth. And if you're trying to get 286 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: disciplined or try to change your life, reading that book, 287 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: no matter how you feel about racial issues, because it's 288 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: really not what he's been about at all, it is 289 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: going to be really important to you. So you know, 290 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: his story and kind of the lack of closure that 291 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: we ever got on it in many ways with a 292 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: lot of these assassinations. Yeah, it's still like an open 293 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: wound in US history. Yeah, And I mean it also 294 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: really matters just in terms of what the hell was 295 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: the US federal government doing. I mean, we know, and 296 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: this was under Jaeggar Hoover. We know he had this 297 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: fear of a black messiah who could unite all of 298 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: the black militants, black nationalist movements and you know, lead 299 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: some sort of an insurrection or a revolution. And so 300 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 1: the aggressive links that they went to, they had people 301 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: reportedly highest levels undercover within the organization, phones tapped, I mean, 302 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: they followed what he was doing and what he was saying, 303 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: and the conversations he was having every single day work 304 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: to foment these divisions which were over both the allegations 305 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: of sexual improprieties but also also over politics and also 306 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: potentially over corruption and grift within the Nation of Islam 307 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: as well. So in any case, the biggest question for 308 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: me is how involved was the government, you know, did 309 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: they just look the other way? Did they actually give 310 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: the okay? You know, did they help craft the plot? 311 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: What did the cover up look like? Those questions still 312 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: largely unanswered, but at least, you know, a modicum of 313 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: progress here in the official exoneration of the two men 314 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 1: that people have long known really had nothing to do 315 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 1: with this plot. And one of the things that people 316 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: at the scene said at the time is that listen. 317 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: They they immediately then YPD wanted to point the finger 318 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: at members from the Harlem Mosque, and they said, these 319 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: people didn't come from New York because we would know them, 320 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,880 Speaker 1: you know, we would have known who it was if 321 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: it was people who came from New York. So people 322 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: who were there never bought the official narrative. The family 323 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: never bought the official narrative, and scholars who have looked 324 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: into this never bought the official narrative either. So the 325 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 1: fact that these two men have been exonerated, one small 326 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,920 Speaker 1: step forward, but a million questions still remain, which you 327 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: are important for how all of us understand our history, 328 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 1: and of course Malcolm X serving as a hero and 329 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 1: an icon for millions throughout his life and also throughout 330 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: his death. True, we've had some pretty hilarious cringe moments 331 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: on MSNBC and NBC News lately, Stephanie Rule of course 332 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 1: just saying, inflation's fine. You know, these people all got raised, 333 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: they can afford it. Who cares. Actually, Inflation's not even 334 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: a real problem. My favorite is inflation is actually good. 335 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,879 Speaker 1: The best take. Now, they've got some new advice to 336 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: families out there who are dealing with higher prices, specifically 337 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: a higher food cost for Thanksgiving dinner, on to how 338 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 1: to avoid the perils of inflation. Let's take a listen 339 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,199 Speaker 1: to this Today Show segment and while we are on 340 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: the topic of something that could be controversial, perhaps forego 341 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: the turkey. Bear with me. I know that is the 342 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: staple of the Thanksgiving meal. However, some people think turkey 343 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 1: is overrated and so it tends to be the most 344 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: expensive thing on the table. Maybe you do an Italian 345 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: feast instead. And I will say this, if you tell 346 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: everyone you're having a Thanksgiving with that turkey, some guests 347 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: may drop off the list, and that's a way to 348 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: cut costs, to cut off the kicker there, don't have 349 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: the turkey, and also disincentivize people that your family doesn't 350 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: actually show up, where your family doesn't come, make it 351 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: unpleasant enough of a meal that your family doesn't I 352 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: hate ta so cards on the table. Yeah, lowkey, She 353 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 1: is right. The turkey is overrated. I agree. I mean 354 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: I don't like it, but I'm also you know, look, 355 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: you know people like it. It's tradition, all of that 356 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,640 Speaker 1: deep fry is the only way it seemed permissible to me. 357 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: But it's like, you know, the way that they offer 358 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: this is some sort of like family friendly mom advice 359 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: like pinchers. Just oh, just don't have the turkey. That's 360 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 1: an easy way to cut costs, and that way it'll 361 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: actually deter people from God. That's the part that's the 362 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:50,719 Speaker 1: most amazing to be. I have actually never had a 363 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,360 Speaker 1: fried turkey, so I don't know how that is the 364 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,880 Speaker 1: dangerous I was gonna say, I think you're the one 365 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: who's showed me a bunch of the like people blowing 366 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: themselves Thanksgiving thanks hearing tradition is going on YouTube and 367 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: watching compilations of people screwing up the turkey. It's sitting around. 368 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 1: Definitely terrified me for ever attempting my own fried turkey. 369 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: I do like, if I'm gonna have turkey, I like 370 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 1: the smoke turkey more, but I'm more of a I 371 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: lean more heavily into the ham. In terms of the 372 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: Thanksgiving meats, does your family? Is this racist for me 373 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: to ask? My parents are immigrants, do you guys lean 374 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: into the like normal? My parents a vegetarians. It's like 375 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: they don't eat stuffing stuff my parents, so they don't 376 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: eat meat. But so it's like, yeah, I mean they 377 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: would do generally when I was growing up, It's like, 378 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: you know, the families like whatever, get together and it 379 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: would be like a mix of Indian food, and then 380 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 1: the Indians who did eat meat would definitely eat turkey 381 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: and all that. I've been to enough of these places 382 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: or enough traditional Thanksgiving meals and stuff that I honestly 383 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: it's not for me. Real thing, Yeah, all of it. 384 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 1: I mean the stuffing is good, that's about it. I 385 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,439 Speaker 1: don't like cranberry sauce. I do not like turkey. Like 386 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: I said, even had the right cramber. Maybe you have 387 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: another even ham, maybe cranberry. It was so good with 388 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: the other stuff. Sure, okay, chocolate pie or what are 389 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 1: the pumpkin pie? Those things, those are actually pretty good. 390 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: Sweat potatoes sweet I can do with sweet potato. You know, 391 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: this is maybe a controversial take. I love sweet potatoes. 392 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: I do not like the cast roles that have marshmallows 393 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: on them as gross grows. I don't like that. I 394 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: like my sister makes, probably pissing off the entire audience here. Yeah, 395 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 1: I really definitely a hot take. My sister makes a 396 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: sweet potato castrole that has like a lot of butter 397 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: and brown sugar and like a nut, like a crushed 398 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: nut topping. And because it has the sweet and the salty, 399 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: that thing is incredible. That is gone. That's like the 400 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 1: first thing that's gone everything. I don't mind the green 401 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,679 Speaker 1: bean castrole, but that's more of like a traditional Southern 402 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 1: dish as opposed to, you know, something that's on every table. 403 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 1: We definitely do green bean castle. Sure, the cream mushrooms, 404 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: christy onions on top of that's good. That's good stuff. Anyway, 405 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: This is what real media should be talking about it's 406 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: actually a travesty that you guys can't afford your turkey 407 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: or their food cost is going to be higher, and 408 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,199 Speaker 1: to just try and interject any seriousness into the segment. 409 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 1: The reason why is because we had a drought which 410 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: has made it so that food cost has gone up. 411 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: We also have increase in fertilizer cost because Europe's natural 412 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,439 Speaker 1: gas prices are much higher. That is one of the 413 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: things that increases the price of nitrogen, which is increasing 414 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:40,199 Speaker 1: the cost of our fertilizer. Fertilizer goes up means the 415 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 1: price of corn goes up. And unfortunately, and this is 416 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: another reason why you should avoid these types of corn 417 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,640 Speaker 1: fed meats, is because the vast majority of the turkeys 418 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: that we fatten up are fattened up based on corn fed, 419 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: you know, unhealthy stuff that makes them as big as possible. 420 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 1: And so when the inputs into the turkey are more 421 00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: expensive than the turkey itself is going to be more 422 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: expensive whenever it hits your plate. And that's pretty much 423 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 1: the same case for a lot of the other food 424 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: that's going to be on your table, everything from actually 425 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: wine as well. We've seen an increase in the price 426 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,880 Speaker 1: of to a lot of the other ingredients which rely 427 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: on the input costs of fertilizer, ranching, drought shortages, everything 428 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 1: that we've seen. That's why it's costing more this year. 429 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: All right, guys, this is actually kind of a big deal. Yeah, 430 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 1: some good news for you this Thanksgiving. Let's go ahead 431 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: and throw this up on the screen. Target stores say 432 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: that Target will be closed on Thanksgiving Day for good, 433 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: so not just this year. They say, what started as 434 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 1: a temporary measure driven the pandemic is now our new standard. 435 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: Thanksgiving store hours are one thing we will not get 436 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 1: back to when the pandemic finally subsides. And this might 437 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:55,400 Speaker 1: feel like a small thing, but for these workers this 438 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:59,199 Speaker 1: is huge. That means we can enjoy Thanksgiving and be 439 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 1: with their friends, family, and to me, you know, one 440 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: of the things that we've talked about a lot is 441 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:07,200 Speaker 1: the divide between workers who are treated like actual human 442 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 1: beings with ONTs and needs and desires and friends and families, 443 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: et cetera, and workers who are not treated in that way, 444 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: who are just treated as like automatons to be plugged 445 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 1: in to serve their corporate masters. This is one small 446 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:26,280 Speaker 1: indication that Target believes their workers are actual human beings 447 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 1: who might want to spend Thanksgiving with their families instead 448 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 1: of behind a cash idges. Well, I don't think Target 449 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 1: believes a damn thing about their employees. I think there's 450 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: a tight labor market and so they can screw over. 451 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: It's their employees. It's not just Target, it's Walmart too. 452 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: They're staying closed. They're not like Targets saying they'll never 453 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 1: open on Thanksgiving again. But there's a lot of stores 454 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:46,479 Speaker 1: that are not going to be open on Thanksgiving, and 455 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: I say thank god. I remember when I was a kid, 456 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:54,879 Speaker 1: the first transition from Black Friday to Thanksgiving hours, and 457 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: everybody at the time this is like a big story. 458 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: It was like two thousand and five or something like that, 459 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: and people were like, hey, this is screwed up because 460 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: now those people have to go to work. And then 461 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: it just became the standard, and it was like, oh, no, 462 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: if you work here, you're coming to work. Screw you, 463 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,360 Speaker 1: screw your plans, don't make any plans. Next thing you knew, 464 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: people were lining up out the stores the morning of Thanksgiving, 465 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 1: which doesn't make any damn sense, and everything was just 466 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: open twenty four hours a day because of the pandemic. 467 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: They actually didn't They had to be closed on Thanksgiving, 468 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: they didn't have the staff and all that. And now 469 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: some people are saying, hey, actually it's not such a 470 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: bad thing. In order to keep this and the staff, 471 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: you know, they can just quit and go work somewhere else, 472 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: as we covered with the Great Resignation. So if there 473 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: is one good thing that comes of the labor market, 474 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 1: people are being treated like humans once again. I think 475 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: I told the story before. I was at a Patagonian 476 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 1: store in Georgetown here in Washington, DC, and they were like, hey, 477 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: we're closing for an hour so the employees can have 478 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: a lunch break. And I was like, whoa, that's crazy 479 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: if it's literally never happened before. And those sorts of 480 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,959 Speaker 1: moves reset also cultural expectations because we've come we had 481 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 1: been trained to just assume that everything, what do you 482 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 1: mean work Sunday, that everything would be available for as 483 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 1: twenty four to seven, And that's not the case in 484 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,639 Speaker 1: all countries. If you go to other countries, they have 485 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: different social norms where it's like, oh, no, stores are 486 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 1: going to close at six because people need to go 487 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: home and have dinner with their families. So it's a 488 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 1: lot of societal norms, and so this is an indication 489 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: like when a big retailer like this sets a new expectation, 490 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: that also helps to shift the societal norms. So I mean, 491 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 1: you're one hundred percent correct to say this doesn't like 492 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:32,200 Speaker 1: come out of the heart. I think it's It's also 493 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 1: you know, during the pandemic, a lot of shopping even 494 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: more moved online, so having you know, the store presence 495 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:42,360 Speaker 1: is less important to these companies' bottom line. But yeah, 496 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: it certainly fits in with that bigger picture that we're seeing, 497 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: and you don't want to overstate it, but there are 498 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: some encouraging shifts, more workers feeling like they can join 499 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: a union, more workers going out on strike, more workers 500 00:26:55,119 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: just up and quitting, mass resignations across sectors that especially 501 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: have been sort of abuse, low wage sectors that either 502 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: the job prospects are extraordinarily volatile during COVID, so like 503 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 1: in the restaurant or hospitality industry, or people like nursing 504 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,159 Speaker 1: home workers who were shoved onto the front lines of 505 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,719 Speaker 1: this thing and had their lives put at risk also 506 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: finding ways to shift industries. So this is part of 507 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: that bigger picture of workers having a little bit more 508 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 1: power in the country, of workers forcing employers to treat 509 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: them a little bit more as human beings rather than 510 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: just like replaceable widgets, because ultimately, right now they're not 511 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: so easily replacement. That's right. They have the power and 512 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 1: they should keep the power. We're getting a new window 513 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: into just how extensive the government's use is of paid informants, 514 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 1: and also just how many crimes these is wild, These 515 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: taxpayer funded informants are authorized to commit. Let's throw this 516 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:58,879 Speaker 1: Ken Vogel tweet up on the screen. This is actually 517 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: from a report that was in Forbes. Federal agencies paid 518 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: two hundred and ninety four million dollars to confidential informance. 519 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: That was from twenty eleven to twenty eighteen. The DEA 520 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: paid an Amtrak employee nine hundred and sixty three thousand dollars, 521 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: which the IG called a substantial waste of government funds. 522 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: Oh you think. In addition, this was maybe the part 523 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: that was most stunning to me. The FAI authorized informants 524 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: to commit twenty two thousand, eight hundred and twenty three 525 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,199 Speaker 1: different crimes in just four years between twenty eleven and 526 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen. As part of their work. And I mean 527 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: this really gets to some of the questions that we've 528 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 1: raised on this show about the overuse of informants. How 529 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: oftentimes the incentive for the government and for these informants 530 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: is to create crime that they can be involved then 531 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: in quote unquote disrupting acts that may never have been 532 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: plotted or executed on if you didn't have government agents 533 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: involved every step of the way saying hey, you should 534 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: do this, and let me help you and let me 535 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: push you, and why don't we make it a bigger plot? 536 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: Why why are the incentives in place? First of all, 537 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 1: sometimes these informants they only get paid if they're out there, 538 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: you know, helping to foment crime. But in addition, from 539 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: the government's perspective, a lot of times the actors involved, 540 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: you know, they get to have the big press conference, 541 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 1: political careers are made after over big, high profile terror 542 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: plot disruptions and those sorts of things. So their incentive 543 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: also is to help foment plots that then they can, 544 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: with much money fanfare, disrupt. So the numbers here, ultimately 545 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 1: in just a few years are pretty stunning to look at. 546 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 1: And what's funny is that because this is a non 547 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: political report. They point to the Gretchen Whitmer plot and 548 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: January sixth as areas where we have seen government informants 549 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: who have been authorized to commit crimes or at the 550 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: very least have not been charged because of their role 551 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 1: in the actual crime itself and then reporting it to 552 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: the higher ups and possibly testifying, providing evidence and all 553 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: of that. So we know that in some cases these 554 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: people are confidential informants were not getting paid, and in 555 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: many cases though they're getting paid a lot, like a 556 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: lot of money. An airline employee half a million dollars, 557 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: Amtrak a million dollars, DEAs paying average twenty six thousand 558 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: dollars over a five year period, which you know, it's 559 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: not that much money, but it's also not nothing. So 560 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 1: you're seeing here hundreds of millions of dollars being spent 561 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: on these informants and twenty two thousand crimes, which, once again, 562 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 1: according to their law, it's actually kind of crazy. They're 563 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: allowed to authorize people to commit crimes as long as 564 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: they're reporting on other crimes. And look, I get it, 565 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: you know it's complicated. Sometimes you need that, but there's 566 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: not a lot of oversight here. The fact is is 567 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: that this didn't even come from an IG report. It 568 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: came from a bunch of guys who had to go 569 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: through the federal court system and compile as much of 570 00:30:57,440 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: the data. The government hasn't released any of the data 571 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: as recently. Twenty two thousand crimes in four years, I mean, 572 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: what's that on average? Something like? I mean, look, that's 573 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: like six thousand crimes a year, you know, something like that, 574 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: and maybe even higher in recent years. We don't know. 575 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: There's no data that's really publicly available, yeah, in terms 576 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: of recent times. So this stuff is being done in 577 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: our name. It's a real corruption of the Justice Department. 578 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: That is exactly right. They call them otherwise illegal acts, 579 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,960 Speaker 1: otherwise known as well as a crime crime. Yeah, And 580 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 1: to give you a sense of how much abuse there's 581 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: been within this program, a court released some reading from 582 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: this report. A court released testimony of one confidential informant 583 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: in Atlanta who received two hundred and twelve thousand dollars 584 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: from the DEA. DEA has so many of these informants, 585 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: by the way, from twenty eleven to twenty thirteen. She 586 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 1: testified she wasn't sure why she was paid. That was 587 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: her testimony. She also testified to a sexual relationship with 588 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 1: the DEA Group supervisor who allegedly convinced the subordinates to 589 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: fall five reports to justify those payments. That case currently 590 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: under review by the Inspector General. So you have, you know, 591 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 1: just zero accountability about how these funds are actually being 592 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: used and very little investigation into whether this has actually 593 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 1: been effective at preventing more crime than it's creating. And 594 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: some of the tactics have been wildly abusive, of entrapment, 595 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:37,040 Speaker 1: of helping create these plots and radicalizing individuals. We covered 596 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 1: back on rising the Herald Square bomber quote unquote who 597 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: wasn't didn't subscribe to any sort of radical ideology. The 598 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 1: FBI in foremant who was involved, showed him. Let me 599 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 1: show you, Abu Grave, let me talk to you about 600 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 1: how America is evil, let me encourage you to be 601 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: involved with this bombing plot. And so it's things like 602 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 1: that that you just wonder, like, you know, is what 603 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: exactly is being authorized in our name? What are our 604 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 1: taxpayer dollars actually being used for? And so one of 605 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:17,400 Speaker 1: the rare glimpses into just the astonishing numbers behind how 606 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 1: many of these informants exist, how much they're getting paid, 607 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 1: and how much criminal activity they themselves are actually committing. Yeah, 608 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 1: that's right. All right, guys, enjoyed the day. We'll have 609 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: more for you later