WEBVTT - DNC Shorts: Ted James & Rep. Gregory Meeks

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<v Speaker 1>Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership

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<v Speaker 1>with Reason Choice Media.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.

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<v Speaker 3>Hey bam, You're about to hear a replay of one

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<v Speaker 3>of our interviews from our live stream at the Democratic

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<v Speaker 3>National Convention. Now. If you want to listen to or

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<v Speaker 3>watch the full stream, be sure to check out links

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<v Speaker 3>in the episode description. You can also find a full

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<v Speaker 3>list of all the guests we've interviewed. Welcome home, y'all.

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<v Speaker 2>Our dear friend Ted, Ted James has joined us. Ted

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<v Speaker 2>James has been a State Rep in Louisiana. He has

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<v Speaker 2>worked for the Small Business Administration in this administration. He

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<v Speaker 2>is running for mayor and Baton Rouge, and he is

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<v Speaker 2>he's a dear friend of ours. My favorite thing to

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<v Speaker 2>say about Ted is when the people need something, they're done.

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<v Speaker 2>They do one thing and.

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<v Speaker 4>It's two words, paull Ted.

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<v Speaker 3>That is why your brother just left the set.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, I love it.

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<v Speaker 5>They didn't have to do it out for the kappas.

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<v Speaker 1>They don't need anything.

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<v Speaker 4>No introduction given too much.

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<v Speaker 3>VE been talking about the D nine and the comments

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<v Speaker 3>are all shouting you out, So let.

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<v Speaker 6>Me tell you something. It was such an honor to

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<v Speaker 6>walk up and see my three dear friends and thank

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<v Speaker 6>you all for always elevating our voices. And I'm honored

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<v Speaker 6>to be here. But to see the next peak of

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<v Speaker 6>the house, Yeah, a good Kapa man was also heartwarming.

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<v Speaker 5>Yeah, I bet I bet I bet tad you you

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<v Speaker 5>you've been at the legislative level making moves. Your reputation

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<v Speaker 5>is far outside of the state of Louisiana, outside of

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<v Speaker 5>Baton Rouge, but we know that that community has shaped

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<v Speaker 5>the person that you are, the wonderful public servant, and

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<v Speaker 5>I know we've got listeners and viewers down there, y'all

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<v Speaker 5>show ted some great love.

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<v Speaker 1>You're going from the legislature now back to the local.

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<v Speaker 5>Now, I'm welcoming you because I'm I'm a man of

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<v Speaker 5>the tell us. Tell us what has animated your desire

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<v Speaker 5>to make your way from the state level of governing

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<v Speaker 5>on behalf of your community to now big mayor.

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<v Speaker 6>You know, Andrew, I'll tell you it's the opportunity in

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<v Speaker 6>their administration to travel across the country. And I watched

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<v Speaker 6>other mayors do what I watched you do, raise the

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<v Speaker 6>quality of life through investing in small businesses there Baton

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<v Speaker 6>Rouge is very similar to talent has and that the

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<v Speaker 6>two major universities, one Southern University. How to amplify that

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<v Speaker 6>HBCU culture through making sure that those young people have

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<v Speaker 6>entrepreneurship opportunities where they decide to stay in Baton Rouge

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<v Speaker 6>and I leave for opportunities other places.

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<v Speaker 4>I love that.

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<v Speaker 5>I love that, And so tell us what's the shape

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<v Speaker 5>for those who don't know, give us the lay of

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<v Speaker 5>the land. What when's the primary? When's the general? What's

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<v Speaker 5>the what's the Louisiana? We have open primers. We call

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<v Speaker 5>them jungle primiers.

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<v Speaker 6>So we are all running on November fifth, and the

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<v Speaker 6>top two vote getters will go December seventh, and less

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<v Speaker 6>one of us received fifty percent of the vot plus one.

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<v Speaker 6>I'm working to receive fifty percent plus one, but if not,

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<v Speaker 6>we go to a runoff in December.

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<v Speaker 5>So I didn't realize, y'all. So y'all go beyond the November.

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<v Speaker 3>That's right, Okay, okay, you all saw Angela Leaf said

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<v Speaker 3>she went and grabbed us. Another member of Congress. We

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<v Speaker 3>are joined now by Congressman Gregory Meeks out of New York.

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<v Speaker 3>He serves on the Foreign Relations Committee and Angela in

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<v Speaker 3>her capacity as a former executive director of the Congressional

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<v Speaker 3>Black Caucus, work very closely with Congressman Gregory Meeks, so

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<v Speaker 3>it's wonderful to be doing by you.

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<v Speaker 2>He's also the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Pack.

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<v Speaker 4>He walked by yesterday.

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<v Speaker 2>I was like, today, we're snatching him. I'm probably gonna

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<v Speaker 2>get in trouble to staff, but I was like, I

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<v Speaker 2>need it. For three minutes. I just wanted mister Meeks

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<v Speaker 2>in the middle of Ted talking about the importance of

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<v Speaker 2>electoral politics running for overs himself. Mister Meeks, you fight

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<v Speaker 2>every day to ensure that our numbers increase. We are

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<v Speaker 2>a strong sixty Now, CBC members, I want you to

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<v Speaker 2>talk about why it's so important to invest in entities

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<v Speaker 2>like the Congressional Blas Corcus Pack. Shameless plug. I sit

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<v Speaker 2>on the board.

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<v Speaker 4>No.

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<v Speaker 7>Look, what we're talking about is having real power in America.

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<v Speaker 7>What we're talking about is making a game change. And

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<v Speaker 7>this is why this is a historic moment. You talk

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<v Speaker 7>about sixty, Now, what happens with that sixty. We're going

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<v Speaker 7>to have at least five members when we take back

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<v Speaker 7>to the majority in the House. We're going to have

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<v Speaker 7>five members of the CBC that will be chairs of

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<v Speaker 7>full committees. You look at people like Bennie Thompson from

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<v Speaker 7>Mississippi being Chair of Homeland Security. We talk about education

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<v Speaker 7>and we want to make sure that we got real history.

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<v Speaker 7>Bobby Scott from Virginia will be Chair of Education and Labor.

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<v Speaker 7>We talk about how black farmers have been robbed and

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<v Speaker 7>no justice.

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<v Speaker 4>David Scott from.

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<v Speaker 7>Georgia will be Chair of the Agriculture Committee. We talk

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<v Speaker 7>about financial services, which is really important.

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<v Speaker 4>You talk about all the finances of the world.

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<v Speaker 7>Sister Maxine, Now Maxine will be chair of the Financial

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<v Speaker 7>Services Committee, and your little brother here I will be

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<v Speaker 7>Chair of the House Foreign Fans Committee. And over thirty

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<v Speaker 7>one members of the CBC will be chairs of major subcommittees.

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<v Speaker 7>So we are talking about investing in the CBC. We

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<v Speaker 7>are talking about setting the policies for the United States

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<v Speaker 7>of America and getting justice for many people across. You know,

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<v Speaker 7>we're talking about if we're talking about voting rights, if

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<v Speaker 7>we're talking about criminal justice reform, if we're talking about

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<v Speaker 7>creating wealth and reducing the wealth gap.

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<v Speaker 4>That's what this is all about.

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<v Speaker 7>And making this, you know, a statement that then turns

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<v Speaker 7>into reality.

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<v Speaker 4>But to me, this is doctor King's dream. It's a

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<v Speaker 4>good time.

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<v Speaker 7>To be alive today, right now when you look at

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<v Speaker 7>the fact, you know, I can tell you at me

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<v Speaker 7>and my age, many individuals did not think that we

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<v Speaker 7>would see another person of color being president. So one

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<v Speaker 7>thing that I will say that Don Da Khan was

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<v Speaker 7>right about. You know when we look at when I

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<v Speaker 7>see Barack Obama and now let's see Kamala Harris.

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<v Speaker 4>I know where black job is this president black job.

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<v Speaker 4>It's about real power and making a difference.

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<v Speaker 2>Black jobs do not have it without blackpecks. So I

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<v Speaker 2>just wanted to get you on here first shout out.

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<v Speaker 2>So thanks. Maybe he has to run right now.

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<v Speaker 3>I want to ask one quick wife.

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<v Speaker 6>Sorry, Congress want to hear another member from Ben Rouge

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<v Speaker 6>and Clo Field.

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<v Speaker 4>Him and quite easy. You know they bring a lot

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<v Speaker 4>of history.

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<v Speaker 3>Congressman, I want to ask one quick question. We had

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<v Speaker 3>your colleague, Congressman Bennie Thompson on yesterday, the ranking member

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<v Speaker 3>on Homeland Security, and he spoke about how oftentimes foreign

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<v Speaker 3>policy issues are not the top of the list of

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<v Speaker 3>priorities for people, especially in our community, who are juggling

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<v Speaker 3>so much from how to pay the mortgage to keeping

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<v Speaker 3>their kids safe to you know, sending kids to school.

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<v Speaker 3>And I'm just curious because you serve on the Foreign

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<v Speaker 3>waces to make it is crucial, a crucial committee because

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<v Speaker 3>what happens overseas very much impact what happens here from

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<v Speaker 3>a budget standpoint to policy. What would you say going

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<v Speaker 3>into this new cycle, this election cycle is the chief

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<v Speaker 3>issue when it comes to foreign policy.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, there's a number of them. First and foremost.

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<v Speaker 7>You know, when you talk about the situation that's happening,

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<v Speaker 7>whether it's the Middle East, it is really important that

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<v Speaker 7>we deal with that to deal with what we're.

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<v Speaker 4>Talking about with the challenges with China.

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<v Speaker 7>But I'll tell you what we don't talk about enough

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<v Speaker 7>that should be on the front burner.

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<v Speaker 4>What's happening in Sadan.

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<v Speaker 7>Yes, you know where you have more people dying every

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<v Speaker 7>day and it's not anyone's talking about it. And so

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<v Speaker 7>when I become the chair again, that becomes on the

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<v Speaker 7>front burner to talk about what's happening in Haiti? Is

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<v Speaker 7>you know something that's really important that look like us,

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<v Speaker 7>that makes a difference when you look even at brisk

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<v Speaker 7>going on where there's more black people than any place

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<v Speaker 7>else in the world other than the continent of Africa

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<v Speaker 7>is Brazil and how they are affected with reference to

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<v Speaker 7>dealing with the issues in Venezuela, and then you talk

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<v Speaker 7>that deals with this migrant crisis that you're talking about,

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<v Speaker 7>so we've got to deal with those. It's those issues

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<v Speaker 7>are on the on the front burder and it's all

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<v Speaker 7>interconnected because when you have the war like in Ukraine,

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<v Speaker 7>a lot of people don't understand what happens there is

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<v Speaker 7>when you talk about uh food and food.

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<v Speaker 4>Shortages with the Black Sea because of that war.

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<v Speaker 7>Is blocking some of the passage, which brings up the

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<v Speaker 7>price of food and thereby causes inflation. It's all interconnected

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<v Speaker 7>because the world now is much smaller than it used

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<v Speaker 7>to be, and we are living with a global economy.

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<v Speaker 7>We're talking about the fact that each you know, when

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<v Speaker 7>you talk about food chains which gets in if they're

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<v Speaker 7>shut down, it affects us. You talk about energy, that's

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<v Speaker 7>a global issue of which we got to deal.

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<v Speaker 4>In traffic in the cost of gain.

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<v Speaker 7>That is you know, some people look at it as

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<v Speaker 7>just something that's far away, but it is domestic because

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<v Speaker 7>it affects us domestically.

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<v Speaker 4>Each in every day.

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<v Speaker 7>And that's why you got to consider looking at foreign

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<v Speaker 7>policy and it's even and it's harder to talk about

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<v Speaker 7>diplomacy as opposed to going to war. And what we

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<v Speaker 7>try to do is to try to make sure that

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<v Speaker 7>we're talking about doing things in a diplomatic way because

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<v Speaker 7>then it is cheaper than having to go to war

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<v Speaker 7>that costs American people.

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<v Speaker 5>And that's what that's why you are in form relations.

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<v Speaker 5>That's why you've about to be the chair again, because

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<v Speaker 5>that was one of the most accessible explanations I've heard

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<v Speaker 5>as to why when folks say, all I see is

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<v Speaker 5>all our money going overseas someplace else, and that's what

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<v Speaker 5>they summarize foreign policy to be. But when you talk

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<v Speaker 5>about gas prices and you talk about the prices serial

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<v Speaker 5>because we can't be ex that's right. Or you talk

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<v Speaker 5>about blockades that then raise the costs because of the shortages,

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<v Speaker 5>low supply, high demand, high your prime.

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<v Speaker 4>In place what it is.

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<v Speaker 5>So these are the I hope that we continue to

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<v Speaker 5>talk about it in that way because folks large in

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<v Speaker 5>our community, when you when you have need yourself, it's

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<v Speaker 5>very hard to then see what are your tax dollars

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<v Speaker 5>being used to fill another need when in fact what

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<v Speaker 5>what looks obvious may not be so obvious.

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<v Speaker 7>Absolutely, and what we learned from the pandemic, if somebody

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<v Speaker 7>is sick someplace else in the.

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<v Speaker 4>World, that come here.

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<v Speaker 7>So it's important to make sure that we are working

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<v Speaker 7>with others so that it keeps us safe and healthy

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<v Speaker 7>because they are safe and healthy. So all of that

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<v Speaker 7>is interconnected, and that's why we've got to make sure

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<v Speaker 7>that we stay involved and understand what's taking place in

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<v Speaker 7>a final fan situation and what you're doing on.

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<v Speaker 3>We wish you well, but I just want to shout

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<v Speaker 3>how Alpha by Alpha for third.

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<v Speaker 5>Shouted them out the rest of the week.

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<v Speaker 2>We are so grateful to your chair for being here.

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<v Speaker 4>Thank you.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey, y'all, thanks for listening. Remember to rate, review, subscribe,

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<v Speaker 2>and tune into our regular episode that drops every single Thursday,

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome Home, y'all.

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