1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Molly John Fast and this is Fast Politics, 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: where we discussed the top political headlines with some of 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: today's best minds. 4 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 2: And welcome to our five hundredth episode, Jesse. 5 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 3: Can you believe it? 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 2: Well? 7 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 4: I could because I keep count Yes, we have such. 8 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 2: A great Joe for you today to the Contrary Newsletter, 9 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 2: author of Charlie Sykes stops by to talk to us 10 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: about how Democrats are dropping the ball opposing Trump. Then 11 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: we'll talk to party chair of the Texas Democratic Party, 12 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 2: who you will love and who will make you feel 13 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 2: really good, Kendall Scudder, about how they're fighting back against 14 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 2: Greg Abbott's unconstitutional Jerry Mander. 15 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 3: But first the news. 16 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 4: So, Mollie, Donald Trump has to avenge his boy big 17 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 4: balls getting nearly carjucked. Now we have fed's walking the 18 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 4: streets of places in DC that never have Eddye crime 19 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 4: and lots of other dumb things. What are you seeing here? 20 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 2: So has like federalized DC? You know these are all 21 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 2: these powagraphs. 22 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 3: Right. 23 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: Trump wants to control democratic cities, He wants to intimidate people. 24 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 2: He wants to be the autocrat he dreams of, and 25 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 2: it is dangerous, it is worrying, it is anti democratic 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: and by the way, it could have all been prevented 27 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 2: were it not for Jill Manchin and Kirsten Cinema who 28 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 2: said no, no, we cannot allow the district to be 29 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: a state. So now the District of Columbia has basically 30 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: no one representing them except Donald Trump, who was at 31 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: war with them. And this is just such a stupid, 32 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,919 Speaker 2: unforced error. We knew this was going to happen. Look, 33 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 2: the problem for MARYO Bowser is that she needs all 34 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: the money for the year and DC was not put 35 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: together in the way it was supposed to. These electives 36 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: are like trying to get Trump to not close their states. 37 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,639 Speaker 2: I mean, this is just such a desperate and instane moment. 38 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: I don't know that there's any great choices here. I 39 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 2: think the good news is that there's no good news. 40 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 2: The good news is that Trump is wildly unpopular and 41 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 2: people can vote him out. 42 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, just a long way. And we have people like 43 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 4: Benny Johnson who saying we have to buldoze whole neighborhoods 44 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 4: of DC and things like this, and his biggest sick 45 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 4: events are just going to keep cheering. 46 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's really scary and bad. 47 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 4: Speaking of bad, disturbing, just telling on yourself. Jislen Maxwell 48 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 4: is going to get work release from prison. 49 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, so here's the thing. 50 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 2: Gilaine Maxwell, sex trafficker, should be in a real prison, 51 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: has been moved to a prison camp, is now getting 52 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: work release. I'm sorry, but this all happened after Todd 53 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 2: Blanche met with her. I cannot think of more of 54 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: a telling on yourself than this, And. 55 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 4: We should remind the people that Todd Blanche is Pam 56 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 4: Bondi's right hand man, who too, yeah, may even have 57 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 4: more scary, scary, stickophantic tendencies than her. 58 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 3: Yeah. 59 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 2: So we don't know what happened in that meeting, but 60 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 2: we do know that now Golaine is in a better prison, 61 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 2: and now Golaine is in a better situation. And maybe 62 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 2: it's just a coincidence that all of this happened after 63 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 2: she met Todd Blanche. 64 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 3: I mean, certainly possible, but. 65 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 2: It's unlikely because the truth is, none of this is 66 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: a coincidence and it's just absolutely really fucking bullshit. 67 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 4: I don't know, Molly, it does seem like a coincidence 68 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 4: that right after he met with her, all these leaks 69 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 4: of things like birthday books, and things like that just 70 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 4: seemed to stop. 71 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 3: That seems like a coincidence to me. Yeah, sure, exactly, 72 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 3: Yeah exactly. 73 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 4: So I don't know if you heard the horrible news, 74 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 4: but I imagine you did because you're pretending you're not 75 00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 4: as online as he used to be. But I know otherwise, 76 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 4: shooting at the CDC by a crazy conspiracy theorist. They 77 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 4: shut up a bunch of windows, and RFK Jr, who's, 78 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 4: you know, the top dog over there. He seemed to 79 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 4: really really just reinforce those bad ideas that get put 80 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 4: into psychopath sets. 81 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, this guy comes into the CDC and says that 82 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 2: the COVID vaccine is making him sick, and he shoots 83 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: up the building and people are scared, and they're like, 84 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 2: we are working for a guy who is spreading lies 85 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: about what we do, which is insane. 86 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 3: And that is how we got here. Look. 87 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 2: RFK Junior has said he wasn't going to do things, 88 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 2: and what he's gone on to do is just, at 89 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 2: every point the worst possible anti vax stuff. Right. He's 90 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: lied about vaccines, he's lied about their efficacy, He's done 91 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: all of the things that he said he wouldn't do. 92 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: And Congress just let him do it. So RFK criticizes 93 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 2: the agency's pandemic response. So basically, people have been doing 94 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 2: bad stuff to the CDC and the people who are 95 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 2: working in it, and instead of protecting the people are 96 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 2: working for him, RFK is basically encouraging them. And this 97 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 2: is such a dereliction of duty and so deeply disgusting. Again, 98 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 2: this is like so many of the things we see 99 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 2: right now, shocking but not surprising. 100 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 4: Speaking of shocking and not surprising, thing, that's awesome. 101 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 2: By the way, I'm really excited about this next door. 102 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 3: You know that. I'm like, so he said it just 103 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:39,799 Speaker 3: a short year ago. 104 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 4: When we were making our documentary on what was the 105 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 4: COmON Project twenty twenty five, I think you and I 106 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 4: would often discuss to let the viewers see behind the curtain. 107 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 4: Is one thing that will lead to the Republican's electoral 108 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 4: route is banning pornography. But don't worry, Senator Mike Lee 109 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 4: is here. 110 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 3: To do it. Yeah. 111 00:05:57,839 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 2: You know what's so funny is like, I remember when 112 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 2: we were doing that is that documentary and you were 113 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 2: like banning pornography and I was like no, and You're. 114 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 4: Like yeah, you literally were like I don't believe this 115 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 4: isn't it up like page eight sixty four. 116 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was like, there's no way they'd banned pornography. 117 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: Why that's wildly unpopular. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's. 118 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 4: Not just Marjorie Taylor Greening anymore. It's Mike Lee too. 119 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 3: Mike Lee wants to ban pornography. The law would alter 120 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 3: the Miller test, which. 121 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: Was established in nineteen seventy three Miller versus California decision 122 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 2: to determine obscene speech is not protected by the First Amendment. 123 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 2: Oh yes, The test defines obscenity as material that appeals 124 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 2: to perient interests judged by the average person, depicting sexual conduct. Oh. 125 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 3: I am very excited for them to ban pornography. That 126 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 3: is going to be great. 127 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 2: You know, I'm so pleased that the podcast bros voted 128 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: for this guy, because those guys don't like pornography at all. 129 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, they never have porn stars never never never. 130 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, they don't. I don't think they believe in it. 131 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 3: So a good job, guys. 132 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 2: Congratulations, You guys will love in America without pornography. 133 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 3: Yes, good luck, enjoy. 134 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: Charlie Sykes is the author of the newsletter to the 135 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 2: Contrary and the book How the Right Lost Its. 136 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 3: Mind Welcome to Fast Politics. You'd be as cranky as 137 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 3: you like, Charlie Sykes. You don't want to see that, 138 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 3: you really don't. I love a cranky Charlie Sykes. I'll 139 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 3: take it, man. 140 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, so Charlie Sikes talk to me. 141 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 3: It feels like things are not going well. No, things 142 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 3: aren't going well. And part of the problem is what 143 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 3: do we focus on here? Do we focus on the 144 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 3: police state? The mass roots squads? WO focused on Trump's 145 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 3: war on statistical reality? The fact that Donald Trump, the 146 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 3: man who's never read a book on history, is going 147 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 3: to review the Smithsonian Museums. All this displays to make 148 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 3: sure that you know they have his view of Americanism. 149 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 3: I mean, and I'm leaving stuffed found. You know, the 150 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 3: attacks on science, on public health, on the rule of law. 151 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 3: I don't know. You know, how's your day going? I mean, 152 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 3: I think the statistics stuff. 153 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 2: I think we should talk about the Bureau of Labor 154 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 2: statistics because the Wall Street the wocos over at the 155 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 2: Wall Street Journal said, don't make America Argentina up, Please 156 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 2: don't hire a sycophan and what did Donald Trump do? 157 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 3: Oh? He would He went way beyond Sicka Fan. I 158 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 3: mean he hired this Maga chowed from from the Heritage Foundation, 159 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 3: who's economic credentials are, shall we say, a little bit 160 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 3: thin on the ground, and you know, raise the possibility 161 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 3: they won't even be issuing the job statistics anymore. So 162 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 3: whatever your worst case scenario is, I think Trump's shot 163 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 3: past it. And you know what, I'm gonna write my 164 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 3: newsletter about this, and I think my opening line is 165 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 3: going to be the Senate's going to confirm this Chowede, 166 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 3: aren't they. I mean, the Senate's going to go ahead. 167 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 3: They're they're ribbing their hands and Tom Tillison, I don't 168 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 3: know who else is going to fall in line, and 169 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 3: then no vote to confirm him. This is your bls. 170 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 3: This is your bls. Not stupid. It's woke Mass is 171 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 3: it woke Math? I don't know We're going to unwoke everything. 172 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 3: So you know, I said to you, I was a 173 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 3: little bit cranky. You know. Part of it is is 174 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 3: this this problem of prioritizing what you focus on. I 175 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 3: was on a brief program earlier today and they were 176 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 3: talking about the the d n C apparently has plans 177 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 3: to stage rallies all around the country about Jerrymanderprain, which 178 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 3: is fine. I mean, I want to make it very 179 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 3: very clear. I think that Democrats cannot unilaterally disarm. I 180 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 3: think they need to fight fire with fire. However, of 181 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 3: all the issues to choose to have public rallies about, 182 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 3: I don't know. There seems to be a lot of 183 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 3: other things. You know, how about you know, ice arresting 184 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,199 Speaker 3: kids outside of schools. You know, how about the troops 185 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 3: on the streets of American cities. You know, how about 186 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 3: what we're talking about with these jobs numbers, how about 187 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 3: the old one vaccines. Look, jerry mandering is a is 188 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,440 Speaker 3: a huge issue. But what are people going to do 189 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 3: a whole signs of saying stop the jurymander when we're 190 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 3: about to do counter jerrymandering. I mean, look, you gotta 191 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 3: do what you have to do. But if Democrats are 192 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 3: having rallies, there's a lot of other stuff that should 193 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 3: be having rallies. Why are people not on the streets 194 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 3: about these other things? Yeah, I mean, I don't think 195 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 3: that's wrong. Time is running short, and I think part 196 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 3: of the problem is there's so much stuff that's going 197 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 3: on here. You know, it's sort of easy to sort 198 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 3: of just set your hair on fire and to lose 199 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 3: some perspective. Look, I mean, Trump is deeply unpopular, But 200 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 3: have you seen the numbers for the Democrats lately? 201 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 5: No? 202 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 2: I know. 203 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 3: And this is why I'm cranky, Molly. This is why 204 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 3: I'm a little bit cranky. Is every time you raise 205 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 3: the question why are the Democrats numbers so low? What 206 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:40,679 Speaker 3: do they need to do to improve their image to 207 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 3: the public, we get this massive sort of bubble reaction. 208 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 3: Stop talking about Democrats. We can't talk about democrats, can't 209 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 3: engage in any sort of introspection. Look, folks, if it's 210 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 3: all on the table, we ought to act like. In fact, 211 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 3: it's all on the table. I agree. 212 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 2: I also think that it's we're thinking about, for example, 213 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 2: like what is getting people voters excited? 214 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 3: Like Mandani is getting voters excited. 215 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 2: You may not like it, but he's getting those ones 216 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 2: and twos out there. And I think the question is like, 217 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 2: who are the people who are speaking a voter? 218 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 3: Well, okay, so there are a lot of bright shiny objects. Look, yeah, 219 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 3: mendummi is speaking to voters in New York City. Showed 220 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 3: me one swing congressional district anywhere in the country where 221 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 3: the bright shiny objects could be elected. And I think 222 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 3: this is part of the problem. There are a lot 223 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 3: of really solid Democrats out there who are winning in 224 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 3: purple areas, and yet my guess is that most people 225 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 3: don't know their names. Why are we not talking about, 226 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 3: you know, Abigail Spenberg, or why are we not talking 227 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 3: about the people who've actually won these elections in places 228 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 3: where there are a lot of Trump voters. Instead, there 229 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 3: is this obsession with going with the brighton shiny objects, 230 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 3: who again are doing maybe valuable things, but could not 231 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 3: be elected outside of these very very narrow little confines here. 232 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 3: I see what you're saying. What do you think is 233 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: the play for Democrats? Look, I don't give them an advice, 234 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,679 Speaker 3: and they don't want advice from me. But I think 235 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,199 Speaker 3: the play is how about win elections? How about win elections? 236 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 3: How about do things that are popular? How about figuring 237 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 3: out how to get a majority instead of you scratching 238 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 3: your ideological id. Now for all the people going, well, 239 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,079 Speaker 3: you know, shut up about that. No, seriously, the existential 240 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 3: crisis is right on us. In the twenty twenty sixth election, 241 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 3: you know, either Democrats will have a controlling majority or 242 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,839 Speaker 3: they will not. So the question is what do they 243 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 3: need to do to win those swing districts and there's 244 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 3: only a handful of them now. I do think I 245 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 3: understand the logic. I think that Democrats need to be 246 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 3: aggressive tit for tat on the redistricting. I mean, this 247 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 3: is crucial. But on the other but also, you know, 248 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 3: let's pay more attention to the people in fact who 249 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 3: won elections in these swing states, so in swing districts, 250 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 3: as opposed to folks that have eighty seven percent Democratic 251 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 3: districts who have like big tech talk followers. I mean, again, 252 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 3: I understand that that can excite people and get people's interests. 253 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 3: But the problem is, and you've seen this in the past. 254 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 3: I know you've lived through this. You know, there's a 255 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 3: problem with the bright shiny objects. They suck up a 256 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 3: lot of money, They divert a lot of money into 257 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 3: unwinnable races or racists that are not competitive. They tend 258 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 3: to dominate the attention in the attention economy, and more importantly, 259 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 3: they tend to then become the face of Democrats, you know, 260 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 3: perhaps misleadingly, but the identity of the party. And the 261 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 3: problem is, I mean, trust me, you're not going to 262 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:39,079 Speaker 3: get a Democratic Socialist of America elected in Michigan or 263 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 3: Pennsylvania or Wisconsin or any of these states that in 264 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 3: fact will determine the future of American politics. Now, New 265 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 3: York City is New York City. What happens in New 266 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 3: York City stays in New York. But don't confuse the 267 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 3: fact that he's a good politician who is charismatic with 268 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 3: an agenda that I have to tell you is basically 269 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,719 Speaker 3: a trumpest wet dream to go around the country and say, 270 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,319 Speaker 3: look who these Democrats are. No, no, no, the Democrats. 271 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 3: The Democrats who are winning elections are not you know, 272 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 3: are not DSA members. 273 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 2: Trust me, So the affordabilitating argument, those seems like a good. 274 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 3: Wine, doesn't it. 275 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: Yes, absolutely, And that Spamburger's running on that too. 276 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, and inflation tipped up two aur percent to die right. 277 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 3: One of the mistakes I think a lot of folks 278 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 3: made was to make fun of people who thought that 279 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 3: inflation was a big issue before twenty twenty four, and 280 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 3: a lot of pieces people were talking about you know, 281 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 3: you must be igorant or you haven't seen this chart. 282 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 3: The lived reality for most Americans is that inflation matters 283 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 3: a lot. So, yes, affordability is important. Now does that 284 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 3: mean that you want government run grocery stores? Does that 285 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 3: mean that you want price controls? No, not necessarily right. 286 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: I do think when we talk about affordability, though Trump 287 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: did say he was going to make things cheap. 288 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 3: Of us, this is what they Democrats need to talk about. 289 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 3: Need to talk about this over and over again, and 290 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 3: they need to turn the tables on Trump, who is 291 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 3: imposing massive taxes on middle class taxpayers. Tariffs are sales taxes. 292 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 3: Sales taxes are by definition regressive, and they're deeply unpopular. 293 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 3: And the polls would suggest that people are getting this 294 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 3: right now. So Democrats need to hammer away on that. 295 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 3: They need to hammer away on the police state, they 296 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 3: need to hammer away on all of this stuff. But affordability, 297 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 3: turn that around, because this was the issue that Donald 298 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 3: Trump wrote Road to Victory on. And I have to 299 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 3: tell you, just go ask somebody who's been at a 300 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 3: grocery store lately whether or our prices have come down. 301 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: Trump is mapped at the Goldman Sacks numbers. And again, 302 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: this goes back to your idea that democrats made a 303 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: huge mistake, and I think they did by saying that 304 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: inflation wasn't real when people were feeling it was real. 305 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: And this is what Trump is doing though, right where 306 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: he's saying those Goldman Sacks numbers are real, y'all when. 307 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 3: Voters are going to feel them firsthand. I mean, I 308 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 3: don't know how you've covered for that. Okay. So this 309 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 3: is a really great point here because there's two things 310 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 3: going on here. Number One, unurse how Donald Trump has 311 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 3: erased the difference between government and the private sector that 312 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 3: he is now dictating to private companies who they should 313 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 3: hire and what they should say. Socialism, right, well, this 314 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 3: is like state capitalism. This is like this is what 315 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 3: if Democrats were doing anything like this, this would be 316 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 3: called socialism. And so for voters who actually kind of 317 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 3: do believe in free markets, you have two things going on. 318 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 3: Number One, he's afraid of the facts. He's afraid of 319 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 3: the statistics. He's covering these up like he's covering up 320 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 3: the Epstein files. I mean, you can you actually can 321 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 3: link these things together. The truth is that Donald Trump 322 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 3: does not want you to know, but going after Goldman 323 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 3: Sachs because of what their economist is saying, Now, if 324 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 3: he's going to go after every economist that says that, 325 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 3: you know, tariffs, their tax isn't bad for the economy, 326 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 3: he's going to have to, you know, push for the 327 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 3: firing of a lot of economists. In fact, he's going 328 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 3: to have to like fire all of the economists, not 329 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 3: just Goldmanzac. But it's going to be interesting to see 330 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 3: whether Goldman Sacks caves in or tells him to go 331 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 3: pound sand. 332 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: Say, Goldman Sacks fires it's economists because they don't like 333 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: the numbers. It's like with the law firms that caved 334 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: for Trump. You don't want those lawyers. 335 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 2: You don't want to be at a bank that doesn't 336 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 2: have good numbers. 337 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 3: No, you don't. And see, this is the thing is 338 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 3: that in the markets and in the world of Goldman Sacks, 339 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 3: there are reality checks. I mean, there's a lot of 340 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 3: other things that go on. I mean, let's not be 341 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 3: naive about it, but there are reality checks. And if 342 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 3: you're an investor and you want to know what is 343 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,199 Speaker 3: the inflation rate, what is the jobless rate, where's the 344 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 3: economy going? You want to have numbers that at least 345 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 3: you can trust. Right, you may not care about the 346 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 3: other guy having reliable numbers, but you want your numbers 347 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 3: to be reliable. And if Goldman Sachs surrenders on this, 348 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,880 Speaker 3: basically they're saying, hey, by the way, pay no attention 349 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 3: to what we say about any of these things going forward. 350 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 3: That's bad for business. Yeah, it's bad for everyone. Yes. 351 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 2: It's also this idea that there's this sort of unreality 352 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 2: that Trump can inhabit and the rest of us will 353 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 2: somehow be you know, like there's like inflation is going 354 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 2: to be inflation. I mean this article on the Wall 355 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 2: Street Journal about Argentina talked about that just because they 356 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 2: said the inflation rate was four percent and it was 357 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 2: really twenty five percent. 358 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 3: Ers, Like, you can't fake something like that. It just 359 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 3: exists right, By the way, this is something that's relatively 360 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 3: easy to explain. It's like firing the weather man, you know, 361 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,239 Speaker 3: in the middle of a tornado because you don't want 362 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:35,479 Speaker 3: people to know, you know, what's happening or how much 363 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 3: damage has been caused. And yet Donald Trump is doing 364 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 3: that across the board. I mean, they're firing the experts 365 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 3: in public health, they're firing the experts in jobs numbers, 366 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 3: They're finding the experts and I mean, you just name 367 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 3: the field, and so at a certain point people are 368 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 3: going to go, okay, and we trust you know, who 369 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 3: can we trust here? So if Democrats cannot find a 370 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 3: way to point out that, you know what a fraud. 371 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,360 Speaker 3: Trump's populist appeal was that he is a president of 372 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 3: the elites for the elites, and that he's covering for 373 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 3: the elites in things like the Epstein story, but that 374 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,159 Speaker 3: he's also covering up information that affects people's lives. Now, 375 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 3: by the way, you know, the Bureau of Labor Statistics 376 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 3: not only comes out with these reports on jobs numbers, 377 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 3: they determine what the inflation numbers are for social security, 378 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 3: cost of living increases, and there are real world consequences, 379 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 3: and you cannot mess with some of that stuff. 380 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 2: I mean, it just strikes me that it's completely crazy. 381 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 2: So let's talk for a minute about we have this 382 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 2: DC federal whatever police state thing. What do you make 383 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 2: of this besides the fact that it's obviously quite bad 384 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 2: and not at all good. 385 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 3: Well, there are two things. You know, some all have 386 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 3: an unpopular opinion coming in a moment, But I think 387 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 3: that people ought to have no illusions about the fact 388 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 3: that this is a test run for what he might 389 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 3: do in cities all across America. And this is one 390 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 3: of Donald Trump's wet dreams is to have American soldiers 391 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 3: on the streets of cities like Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, 392 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 3: and New York. So this is I think the beginning 393 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 3: of something that's going to be much bigger. Given the 394 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 3: fact that we're also going to have ten thousand more 395 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 3: Ice agents, where are they going to go and what 396 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 3: are they going to do? So that's number one, it's 397 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 3: very very dangerous. And I think I said this yesterday 398 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 3: on MSNBC. Yes, this is a distraction from the Epstein files, 399 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 3: but sometimes the distraction can be substanti in and what's 400 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 3: happening right now, you know, has broken the glass in 401 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 3: a lot of ways. Now, the question is is he 402 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 3: going to normalize this? Are Americans going to accept a 403 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 3: police state in the nation's capital. Will they accept a 404 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 3: police state in New York and Baltimore, Chicago and Los 405 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 3: Angeles as well, Because then we've crossed into really uncharted territory, 406 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 3: at least in our lifetime. The second point is that 407 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 3: obviously he's done this based on this bogus again, using 408 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 3: bullshit numbers of crime. You know, crime was upcrime is 409 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 3: a problem in DC, but it is down sharply. So 410 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 3: his rationale for doing this is based on false numbers. 411 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 3: But having said that, one of the traps that Democrats 412 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 3: need not to fall into is don't pretend crime in 413 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 3: public safety are not a real issue. Don't make the 414 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 3: same mistake. Don't say that it's a non existent crisis. 415 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 3: Say look, we also want to fight crime, we also 416 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 3: want public safety, but this is not the way to 417 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 3: do it. This is not the way by bringing armed soldiers, 418 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 3: you know, into your community. Let's figure out a way 419 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 3: to solve this. So again, there that has to be 420 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 3: the balance. Acknowledge the problem exists, make a credible case 421 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 3: that you can also solve these problems in ways that 422 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 3: do not crush and trample the constitution. Because the complete 423 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 3: denial issue is not going to work on crime anymore 424 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 3: than to work on inflation. So that's my cautionary note, 425 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,479 Speaker 3: and perhaps the unpopular opinion that you know, crime in Washington, 426 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 3: DC is a problem, is a problem. They're getting a 427 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 3: handle on it, but let's not pretend it does not exist. Right, 428 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 3: that makes sense. 429 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 2: Charlie Sikes will you come back sometime soon, any time. 430 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 2: Kendall Scudder is the chair of the Democratic Party of Texas. 431 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,120 Speaker 2: Welcome to Fast Politics. 432 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 3: Kendall. Hey, I'm just tickled to be here. Thanks for 433 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 3: having me on. We're delighted to have you. 434 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 2: So explain to us what you do, what your Texas 435 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 2: job is. 436 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 3: Tell us your job, Well, my volunteer job. 437 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 2: By the way, right, the whole State Assembly is volunteer, right, So. 438 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 5: The state Assembly, they get paid about six hundred bucks 439 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 5: a month. And I'm the chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, 440 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 5: so I'm the only statewide elected Democrat in Texas, and 441 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 5: I have zero Republican constituents, and I am not a 442 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 5: part of the legislature, but I am one hundred percent volunteer. 443 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 5: So my job is to run kind of the party 444 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 5: strategy of how the state Texas Democratic Party functions and 445 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 5: it's elections, and then also to work with our legislators 446 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 5: and try to get good stuff done for people in 447 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 5: really tough situations that were presented with here to. 448 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 2: Say, can you explain how often you meet and what 449 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,959 Speaker 2: it looks like and what is happening right now? 450 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 5: To understand what's happening, you have to understand how Texas 451 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 5: was founded. It was founded by a bunch of people 452 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 5: that hated the government, and they wrote our constitution and 453 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 5: everything to try to limit the ability of the government 454 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 5: to function. They wanted there to be near unanimous decisions 455 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:32,359 Speaker 5: in order for things to get done, and it's why 456 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 5: Democrats in Texas have had so much success at blocking things. 457 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 5: So as a result, our legislature only meets for six 458 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 5: months every two years, so they meet from January to 459 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 5: the end of May, so Bob, but it's about Sometimes 460 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 5: it goes into Jude for about five months and so 461 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 5: they just finished that. They do it in odd years, 462 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,160 Speaker 5: and then the governor has the ability to call special sessions, 463 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 5: and those special sessions are not allowed to go longer 464 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 5: than thirty days. So if you hit thirty days, it's 465 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 5: over and they have to call a new special session. 466 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 5: Everything that you worked on in the first session is 467 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,120 Speaker 5: debt and you have to start a back over from scratch. 468 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 5: And so what we're seeing right now is that the 469 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:13,239 Speaker 5: Democrats are utilizing a tool that's also written in our 470 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 5: constitution of a quorum break. 471 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 2: Wait just stop for one second, I want you to 472 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 2: So Abbott calls a special session Governor Abbott calls a 473 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:25,160 Speaker 2: special session. He says it's going to be about flood relief, 474 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 2: but you show up and it turns out, so tuck 475 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 2: us through that. 476 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 5: On July fourth, there was a gigantic flood in Texas, 477 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 5: killed one hundred and thirty seven people, predominantly children. Who 478 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,440 Speaker 5: was a terrible situation. And so they called a special 479 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 5: session to address flood reliefs. And the governor has the 480 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 5: sole ability to put what we do in those special 481 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 5: sessions on the dockin, and so showing up, thinking we're 482 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 5: doing flood relief, he adds drawing political districts, redrawing our 483 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 5: maps to this special session. So Democrats participate in this 484 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 5: special session for two weeks. But in that two week period, 485 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 5: there has been one hearing on flood relief and eight 486 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 5: on redrawing political districts. And in that redrawing, it would 487 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 5: mean that it would take a black Texan five votes 488 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 5: to equate the vote of one white Texan. It would 489 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 5: take a Hispanic Texan three votes to equate the voting 490 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:20,679 Speaker 5: power of one white Texan. 491 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 3: And so we're not going to participate in it, and 492 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 3: we left. 493 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 2: And also, more importantly, the first map, the twenty twenty 494 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 2: one map is in court because it is. 495 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 3: Such a bad map for diversity. Is that right? 496 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 5: Well, even beyond that, you're correct, it's still in court. 497 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 5: So the Voting Rights Act was passed sixty years ago. 498 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 5: Every single time that maps that have been drawn in 499 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 5: Texas since the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the 500 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 5: state has been found guilty in courts. 501 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 3: Of violating the Voting Rights Act. 502 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 5: So one hundred percent of the maps that the state 503 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 5: has ever drawn have been in violation of Rachel Jan 504 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 5: jerrymanderin laws. And so we're still fighting the last where 505 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 5: it looks like a court's about to come back and 506 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 5: rule that they violate. 507 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 3: In racial cherry majory lolots. 508 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 2: I would love it if you could talk to us 509 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 2: about what the Texas breakdown is because we think of 510 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:15,160 Speaker 2: it as a red state, and that is largely because 511 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 2: you have such low voter engagement. 512 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 3: But talk us. 513 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 2: Through what the state looks like and also just sort 514 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 2: of the percentage. Trump says he won that state by 515 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 2: a lot, but he actually did right. 516 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 5: So in Texas, we are a majority minority state. White 517 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 5: folks are not even the plurality. Hispanic folks are the 518 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 5: plurality in Texas. So when you think of a Texan, 519 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 5: a lot of people think of me, some guy with 520 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 5: a thick accent, usually wears big hats, a belt buckle, 521 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 5: walks around saying Howdie, partner. That's not the average Texan. 522 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 5: The average Texans is actually a forty year old Latita. 523 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 5: And so the maps have just been drawn by those 524 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 5: white guy caricatures that you're talking about, and they have 525 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,360 Speaker 5: drawn them in a way to favor themselves over others. 526 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 5: And Texas also is one of the lowest turnout states 527 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 5: in the country. There are literally county and precincts of 528 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,879 Speaker 5: the state of Texas in a presidential year where the 529 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 5: turnout did not go over thirteen percent. And so you're 530 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 5: talking largely about heavily Hispanic communities where let's just call 531 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 5: it what it is, Democrats haven't done a good job 532 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 5: reaching out and doing the work they're supposed to do there. 533 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 5: And if you're not communicating with people and you're not 534 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 5: throwing down for them, they're not going to show up 535 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 5: for yet. And so I got elected as the chairman 536 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,919 Speaker 5: back on March twenty ninth, and one of only a 537 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 5: handful of millennials leading the state Party right now, and 538 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 5: I've made a promise that we're throwing down and we're 539 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 5: going to show our base that we're worth showing up 540 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,880 Speaker 5: and voting for. Because in this most recent election, one 541 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 5: point one million Democrats that voted in twenty twenty stayed 542 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 5: home in twenty twenty four. It's not like we don't 543 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 5: have the numbers to do it. It's that our base 544 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 5: just doesn't feel the confidence in showing up and voting 545 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 5: for us, or don't feel like we're worth. 546 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 3: It, and we have to That's on us. We need 547 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 3: to do right, make it better. 548 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 2: One of the things that we spend a lot of 549 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,479 Speaker 2: time talking about here is like what breaks through? So 550 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 2: like Harris had all this money but was unable. 551 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 3: To break through. 552 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 2: Do you think all of these people leaving the state 553 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 2: has broken through? Do you think like I was on 554 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 2: a panel and this more conservative pundit was saying, well, 555 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:23,680 Speaker 2: they have to serve their constituents, But do constituents understand 556 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 2: that them leaving the state is actually serving them? 557 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 3: So talk us through what it looks like on the ground. 558 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, I would make an argument that these 559 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 5: Democrats that have broken KR are serving their constituents Gina Hennahosa, 560 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 5: State Representative Hinnahosa out of Austin. She reported that they've 561 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 5: had seven hundred people reach out to her office and 562 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 5: six of them have told her that they want her 563 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 5: to come back, so she's doing the work of her constituents. Also, 564 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 5: they still have their offices operating, and so when they 565 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 5: were served to be removed from office by Greg Abbott, 566 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 5: they were served to their offices because their offices have. 567 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 3: Not been abandoned. They're still doing. 568 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 5: The constituency services. So I do think it's breaking through. 569 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 5: I've seen some polling that has happened since this has 570 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 5: gone into effect, and a majority of Texans believe that 571 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 5: the state government should be doing the work of the 572 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 5: flood victims and flood mitigation and not drawing political districts. 573 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 5: It's our responsibility as Democrats to make sure they see 574 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 5: who is bringing up these political districts and who's trying 575 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 5: to do the work of the people in the state. 576 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 5: And I think that this is a winning point for us. 577 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 5: I genuinely do, because Texans, really we don't like authority 578 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 5: very much. We have a reputation for that, and I 579 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 5: think that Texans seeing these democrats standing up and finding 580 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 5: back throwing down against folks that are refusing to help Texans. 581 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 5: I think it serves our brand in this state really well, 582 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 5: and we have a lot of brand repairing to do. 583 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 5: Last point I want to make on a quorum break 584 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 5: is that this is constitutionally protected. They rode it in 585 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 5: the state constitution that you could do a quorum break 586 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 5: because they didn't want the minority to ever be you know, 587 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 5: ruled over by a majority in an authoritarian way. Because 588 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 5: again the framers of Texas didn't like the government. And 589 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 5: so it takes two thirds to get a quorum in Texas, 590 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 5: whereas in other states it largely takes fifty percent. And 591 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 5: so if you've got a problem with the quora break, 592 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 5: don't take it up with me. Take it up with 593 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 5: Sam Houston, the father of Texas, because he's the one 594 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 5: who wrote it about me. 595 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 2: So tell me what you think happens now, because this 596 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 2: special session ends on August nineteenth, tell me what the 597 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 2: play is now. 598 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:31,240 Speaker 5: I think I can go a couple of different ways. 599 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 5: What Republicans are trying to do is see if they 600 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 5: can get the federal government to come in with the FBI, 601 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 5: start putting legislators in handcuffs of Hollando beyond to Austin. 602 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 3: They didn't do anything illegal. 603 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 5: They've done nothing illegal. They violated no federal laws. It's ridiculous. 604 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 5: All they can do is probably try to intimidate some legislators. 605 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 5: So what I foresee if I if I were a 606 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 5: pundit making a gamble here, I'd say, they're going to 607 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 5: run out this special session and then Greg Abbott's going 608 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,240 Speaker 5: to call another special session, and Democrats at that point 609 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 5: have to make a decision. Are we going to come back? 610 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 5: I can participate in on a special session? Are we 611 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 5: going to stay out? I would say, if it were 612 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 5: up to me, if they're putting redistricting on it, or 613 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 5: say it out. If you want to do the work 614 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 5: of the people at Texas, make that the only thing 615 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 5: on the agenda. It's the only thing that matters right now. 616 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 5: We don't work for Donald Trump. We work for the 617 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 5: people of Texas. And so I would say that Democrats 618 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 5: should stay out as long as it takes. 619 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, how long can this keep going? 620 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 5: There's some debate about that, and the Secretary of State 621 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:28,760 Speaker 5: isn't giving people definitive answers because they're trying to do 622 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 5: work on behalf of Donald Trump here. I think there's 623 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 5: a pretty solid legal argument that once you get through 624 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 5: filing here, filing for offices, those maps should be set. 625 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 5: But there has been precedents in the past where they 626 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 5: have delayed the primary from happening so that they can 627 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 5: do these redistricting redraws on maps because of court cases. 628 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 5: So I would think that if the Democrats could hold 629 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 5: firm through filing, we should be fine. 630 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 3: When is filing. 631 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 5: Filing opens in November and closes at the beginning of Discember. 632 00:31:57,800 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 3: So pretty soon, pretty soon. 633 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 5: If you don't have families at home, jobs waiting for 634 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 5: you finds every day. But in the grand scheme of things, 635 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 5: you know, my granddaddy had to fight in the Vietnamese jungle. 636 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 5: His daddy fought on the beaches of Normandy, and I 637 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 5: think it's a very small price to have to pay 638 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 5: for democracy. 639 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 3: That's how we view it. 640 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, you don't have to agree with this, but you know, 641 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 5: if I have to sell my house, I'm willing to 642 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 5: do it because I love this country. And we'll find 643 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 5: a way to pay for it and make it happen. 644 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 5: Because this is the fight. 645 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 3: And people want you to do what you're doing. 646 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 5: Right, especially people in Texas. I mean, these constituents of 647 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 5: these members are making it very clear that they want 648 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 5: them to do this, and these members are ready to 649 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 5: do it. They signed up for a job that's basically 650 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 5: volunteer already, and so for them to have to be 651 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 5: away from their jobs, they already have arrangements to have 652 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 5: another job because they have to do that with the legislature. 653 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 5: So it puts them kind of in a unique position 654 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 5: to be able to kind of work remotely or whatever 655 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 5: they need to do. So it still becomes a monetary problem. 656 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 5: But I have confidence that, you know, people who love 657 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 5: this country around the country are going to come in 658 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 5: and support and do everything they can to make sure 659 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 5: that we're holding the line. 660 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 2: Here because these five seeds really are I mean, Trump 661 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:14,720 Speaker 2: really wants this to be that he cannot lose the. 662 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 5: House, right and Republicans already have a twenty six seat 663 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 5: jerrymandering advantage in Congress, right, So the way they're doing 664 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 5: this now, he's just trying to avoid accountability. But it 665 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 5: is not a coincidence that in this redraw, every single 666 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 5: black member of Congress from Texas has either been drawn 667 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 5: out of their district or has been put in a 668 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 5: heavily Republican district that doesn't just happen on accident, and 669 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 5: so you can't even make an argument. But this isn't 670 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 5: a racial gerrymander. It is so blatantly a racial gerrymander. 671 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 5: They're just trying to run it through Republican courts so 672 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:51,040 Speaker 5: that when it's done here, they can take it to 673 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 5: other states and say, look it, they did it in Texas, 674 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 5: you can do it here too, and just get rid 675 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 5: of all minority representation, make Congress wider than it was 676 00:33:58,520 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 5: pre reconstruction. 677 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 2: And that's the goal here is some kind of reconstruction. 678 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 2: Tell us what you think about what Newsome did where 679 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 2: he said, you know, we're going to take five if 680 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 2: you take five. I mean, do you think that speaks 681 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 2: to Abbot or do you think that Abbot is so 682 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 2: on the Trump train it doesn't matter. 683 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 5: I don't know that it speaks to Abbot, but I 684 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 5: do think it speaks to the Republican institution as a whole. 685 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 5: Who may say, you know, maybe we won't push this 686 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:26,320 Speaker 5: as hard as we were going to, but I'll say, 687 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 5: maybe this makes me some far lefty. 688 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 3: I don't know. 689 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 5: I'm not happy because I think that they need to 690 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 5: go harder. I'm sick and tired of Democrats always playing defense. 691 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 5: We put us in a situation where we're holding the ball, 692 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 5: so run with it. And instead they're saying we're going 693 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 5: to respond to Texas. Don't respond to Texas. Draw every 694 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 5: single district you possibly can, because the only way you 695 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:50,040 Speaker 5: get non part of the redistricting committees on a federal 696 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 5: level is to bring Republican lawmakers to heal. 697 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 2: Right, Kendall, such a good point, far lefty Kendall from 698 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 2: I know. One of the things I'm struck by is 699 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 2: in Nebraska's first district, they try to take away that 700 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:09,120 Speaker 2: one vote, that one electoral vote. I just wonder if 701 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 2: there is a real blowback when these Republicans try to 702 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:14,280 Speaker 2: take away representation. 703 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 5: Well, the big blowback is you can't jerrymander the state lines. 704 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:21,880 Speaker 5: And I have a whole litany of statewide races that 705 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 5: are coming up next year in a state that if 706 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 5: you look at a tenure trajectory, Texas is trended in 707 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:28,839 Speaker 5: the right direction. I know we took a step back 708 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,440 Speaker 5: in the last election, but we're still trending the right 709 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:34,560 Speaker 5: way and so they can't jerrymander the state lines. But 710 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 5: I do want to make a point here. It's really 711 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:40,360 Speaker 5: easy for us looking at this as just a numbers 712 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 5: game and saying take a seat, leave a seat, whatever 713 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 5: you can do here. This has real repercussions for people's 714 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 5: ability just to use the government when they need it. 715 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:51,399 Speaker 5: So use Austin as an example. In Austin, now they 716 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 5: draw North Austin all the way in with Midland and Odessa, 717 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 5: which is three hours away. So if somebody in North 718 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 5: Austin needs to go get a passport, or if they're 719 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:05,080 Speaker 5: having issues with some of their federal documents, they now 720 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:08,359 Speaker 5: have to go to talk to someone in Midland Odessa 721 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:12,319 Speaker 5: to get help with that. South Austin they have tied 722 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 5: it in with East Texas out almost to Living Step, 723 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:18,400 Speaker 5: which if you're not familiar with Texas, that's closer to 724 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:20,919 Speaker 5: Louisiana and it is Austin. So there's just some real 725 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 5: off repercussions of just regular people trying to get service 726 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,399 Speaker 5: from the government. It's not all red and blue. At 727 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 5: some point, it's like what does government look like? And 728 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:31,279 Speaker 5: now you have to drive three hours to see your 729 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 5: congress person if you need help How is that helpful 730 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 5: to anybody? 731 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 2: Their goal is to make it so the government doesn't 732 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:40,719 Speaker 2: work for anyone, that's right, and tax cuts for billionaires. 733 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 2: One of the questions I wanted to ask you is 734 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 2: I have interviewed just a ton of people about Texas, 735 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 2: including James tell Rico, you know, everybody, and it seems 736 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 2: to me is that you guys have this crazy oil 737 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 2: money that is fucking everything up. 738 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:02,000 Speaker 3: So last year Paxton is. 739 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:07,600 Speaker 2: A flander, respect man, but his wife, she also serves 740 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:11,479 Speaker 2: in this state house. She wants a divorce. Now there's 741 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 2: all sorts of stuff there. Paxton is also primary in 742 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,920 Speaker 2: John Cornyn. The polling seems to say that he has 743 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 2: a pretty good shot. This is all being bankrolled the 744 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:25,200 Speaker 2: Paxton impeachment. Everyone who is going to vote to impeach 745 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 2: and I think there were quite a few talk us 746 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:31,400 Speaker 2: through the Paxston impeachment and where big crazy oil money 747 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 2: comes into play. 748 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,240 Speaker 5: Everybody always asks me this when we start talking about Texas, 749 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 5: like what's going on there? Why can't y'all seem to 750 00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:40,359 Speaker 5: get it over the edge. Here we have sixty six 751 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:44,160 Speaker 5: billionaires in the state. Okay, largely they're often West Texas, 752 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:48,799 Speaker 5: where there's tons of oil, and they're dumping piles and 753 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 5: piles of money into the state, a state that has 754 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:55,240 Speaker 5: twenty media markets. So not only are we uniquely large, 755 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 5: not only are we uniquely populated, it's uniquely expensive to 756 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 5: peak here because there's so many media markets here to 757 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:05,640 Speaker 5: be able to compete yet, and so when they're dropping 758 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,839 Speaker 5: piles of cash, Abbott just dropped a million dollars worth 759 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 5: of ads, like it was method against our members when 760 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,319 Speaker 5: they vacated. And it's because of these guys in West 761 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 5: Texas who they're not just rich guys, they're Christian nationalists 762 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 5: who go to churches where women aren't allowed to sit 763 00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:23,840 Speaker 5: on the front pews, and like their perception of the 764 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 5: world is one hundred years ago, and they're trying to 765 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,399 Speaker 5: get our public schools and our entire public society back 766 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,000 Speaker 5: to that. And that's kind of what we're raging and 767 00:38:33,040 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 5: fighting against. But it's just endless amounts of money and resources. 768 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:38,680 Speaker 5: So when people try to help the state of Texas, 769 00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 5: they'll give money to personalities like whoever's at the top. 770 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:43,759 Speaker 5: We have some great candidates, some great talent here, but 771 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:47,640 Speaker 5: what they never resource or our institutions that are here permanently. 772 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:47,879 Speaker 3: And are here to fight. 773 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 5: And so as the chair of the Texas Democratic Party, 774 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:52,399 Speaker 5: I try to direct everybody to Texas Democrats dot Org, 775 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:55,040 Speaker 5: where we're actually trying to build this apparatus that can 776 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:55,800 Speaker 5: compete and fight. 777 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:59,239 Speaker 3: But I mean, there's just ungodly amounts of money here 778 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 3: that we're waging war gets and the fact that we're 779 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,240 Speaker 3: making progress it gets all of that is a testament 780 00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:07,040 Speaker 3: to how scrappy all our activists on the ground. Dog Kendall, 781 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:09,160 Speaker 3: thank you, thank you, thank you. 782 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:12,359 Speaker 2: I would invite you back, but I hope that you. 783 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 3: Don't have to come back. Oh maybe you will. Well, 784 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,400 Speaker 3: I'd love to come hang out y'all. Are you're just 785 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:19,239 Speaker 3: a who? And thank you so much for having me 786 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:27,239 Speaker 3: on And I appreciate it no more perfectly. Jesse Cannon Welly. 787 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:31,239 Speaker 4: Just earlier we were talking about Senator Mike Lee from Utah, 788 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:35,040 Speaker 4: and over in Utah, there's some fuckery going on with 789 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:37,839 Speaker 4: trans people. I'm real shocked to hear it. 790 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 2: Their own study found the gender firm and care benefits 791 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:44,279 Speaker 2: chance youth. Will they lift the treatment ban, Oh, call 792 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:46,600 Speaker 2: on me, Call on me. No, they won't because they suck. 793 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:48,919 Speaker 2: By the way, can we also talk about the fact 794 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:53,080 Speaker 2: that they want to overturn Overfeld. Yeah, I mean it 795 00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:57,160 Speaker 2: is like we are going back to the nineteenth century. 796 00:39:57,280 --> 00:39:59,919 Speaker 3: Team. It's Gilded Age all the way down. 797 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:03,800 Speaker 2: Look, these fuckers want to take us back to the past. 798 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 2: We always knew this was what the game plan was, 799 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:08,759 Speaker 2: and here we are, ladies and gentlemen. 800 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:12,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, everybody's going to really really enjoy when 801 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:16,719 Speaker 4: that same sex marriage gets made illegal again and see 802 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:17,360 Speaker 4: what they wrought. 803 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:23,000 Speaker 6: Yeah, that's it for this episode of Fast Politics. Tune 804 00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:28,759 Speaker 6: in every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday to hear the 805 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:33,000 Speaker 6: best minds and politics make sense of all this chaos. 806 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,160 Speaker 6: If you enjoy this podcast, please send it to a 807 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:38,600 Speaker 6: friend and keep the conversation going. 808 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening.