1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:05,519 Speaker 1: Hey, Matt and Noel, riddle me this. What do nickelback, 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: traffic jams, and root canals have in common? Uh, photograph No, 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: all things that are unpleasant. Uh, judges say they will 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: allow it. Yes, well done, guys. Also, nickel back, root canals, 5 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: and traffic jams in all had higher approval ratings than Congress. 6 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 1: That tracks. Congress is definitely the most unpleasant of all 7 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: of those things. This week's classic episode, we wanted to 8 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: share with you thing we worked on called Congress one 9 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: oh one. It's no secret that it seems like whatever 10 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: way the political winds blow in these United States, a 11 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: ton of people just hate Congress right for one reason 12 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: or another. Yeah, there's this thing that happened last year. 13 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: I can't remember what it was, this thing something with 14 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: Congress and people being upset. I can't remember. You'll have 15 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: to look it up. You'll have to look it up. 16 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:16,559 Speaker 1: That we made this episode in way before uh people thought. 17 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: That was way before the mainstream public thought something like 18 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: January six would occur. But even back then, the mainstream 19 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: world didn't trust Congress, didn't often approve of them, And 20 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: in this episode we attempt to answer why. From UFOs 21 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: two ghosts and government cover ups, histories world with unexplained events. 22 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: You can turn back now or learn to stuff and 23 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: don't want me to now. Welcome back to the show. 24 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: My name is Matt, and I've known and and Ben 25 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: and most importantly you are here listeners. That makes this stuff. 26 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: They don't want you to know. If you're listening to 27 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: this the day it comes out, then we hope you 28 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: had a happy Thanksgiving. Wait, if you're listening to this 29 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: the day it comes out and you celebrate Thanksgiving, we 30 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: hope you had a good one. That's correct. If it 31 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: was just Thursday, we hope that worked out. Do you guys, 32 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: have you ever this is just a question. Sure, have 33 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 1: you guys ever deep fried a turkey for Thanksgiving? And 34 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: do you celebrate Thanksgiving? I've been witnessed to said turkey 35 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: deep frying. Yes, it was good. I mean, you know, 36 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: it's a fried thing. I could you know, my god, 37 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: it wasn't extra moisty, just pretty moist. Oh, Edward, you 38 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 1: have to be careful when you deep fried turkey. Right, Yes, 39 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: there's a there's a certain set of procedures and the 40 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: tastiness of the turkey all hinges on on that and 41 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: you don't want to throw a frozen turkey into oil 42 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: that is extremely hot because you will be blind when 43 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,519 Speaker 1: you know fires. Yeah. Actually it's funny because you see 44 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: this thing on my hand. Listeners, I'm holding up my 45 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: right hand for the guys here, and there is a 46 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,399 Speaker 1: series like four or five puncture wound looking things on 47 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: the side between my index finger my thumb, and it 48 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: looks like a bite, right, yeah, but it's not right. No, 49 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: it's it's actually from trying to fry a turkey cutlet 50 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: because it's a grease bite. It's a grease bite, a 51 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: bit by the grease. Speaking of grease, Yes, you know 52 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: what they say about the squeaky wheel, right, it gets 53 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: the grease, it puts the grease on its skin. Ah, 54 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: and or else it gets the vote. Again. Yes, today 55 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: we are talking about something that correlates to our most 56 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: recent video Congress. We're talking about Congress today, ladies and gentlemen. 57 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: Uh So, the first question, First things first, why why 58 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: do we why do we have a Congress? I guess 59 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: I can take this one. Um So, the United States 60 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: federal government, being real proper here was purposely separated in 61 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: three distinct bodies entities. If you will, legislative, executive, and judicial. 62 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: This is all kind of basic civics class stuff. Under 63 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: this arrangement, each branch was given the ability to check 64 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: and balance the other, so it's sort of like one 65 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: hand watching the other, etcetera, so that no branch becomes 66 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: more powerful than the other, which is called separation of 67 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: powers um and it's the basis of the entire American 68 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: system of government. Also applies in all cases except for one, 69 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: which is the presidential pardon. Yeah, the separation of powers 70 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: is extremely important when looking at how the United States functions, 71 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: how it was formed, and how it was formed and 72 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: how it functions, and the that that whole idea of 73 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: the presidential pardon being one of the only things that 74 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 1: is an exception to these three powers working together to 75 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: try and make sure nobody has too much of it. 76 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 1: That is a unilateral decision the president can make of 77 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: for his own reasons. Yes, in the only situation. There 78 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: have been some controversial ones. Uh. You may have heard 79 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: a couple of times, at least recently with the past 80 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 1: three or four presidencies. People who are maybe acquaintances or friends, 81 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: may even family who have been pardoned from not to 82 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: mention that turkey that he pardoned. I mean, let's come 83 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: full circles every year yards. I wonder is it the 84 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: same turkey. I think it's just a stand in for 85 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: all turkeys, you know. That might be it. That might 86 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: be it. But there is one other thing that is 87 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: kind of in a nebulous world outside of these these 88 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: three powers working together, and that is the executive order, 89 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 1: which interestingly is it's almost like a suggestion to the 90 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: other uh powers, right to the other three, that the 91 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: Executive Office can say, hey, we we would like this 92 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: to happen. But an executive order cannot be given to 93 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: the actual citizens of the United States, like uh President 94 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: Barack Obama and say X, and then each citizens within 95 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: a state have to do that or each state has 96 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: to do that. Yeah, it can. It also cannot be 97 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: UM cannot be directed at Congress or at the Supreme Court. 98 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: So you can't say, sign an executive order saying that 99 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 1: now there will be eleven and a half justices and 100 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: one of them will just do twenty hours a week. Yeah, 101 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 1: So it's given. Sorry, just to clarify, it's given to 102 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: an agency, right right, It's like the E p A, 103 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: the d O T, something like that. Uh. And the 104 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: the reason that we have this complex sort of rock 105 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: paper scissors system is to enforce a a kind of 106 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: check and balance idea. And what that means, which every again, 107 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: as Knoll said earlier, this kind of early civic stuff, 108 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: it means it is meant to keep one branch from 109 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: controlling everything. However, you know, I know there are a 110 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: lot of people in the audience will say, well, yeah, 111 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: that's good. That's a part of the beauty of our democracy. 112 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:14,239 Speaker 1: Funny story, you guys. Technically the US is not really 113 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: a democracy, is not a direct democracy. A democracy originally 114 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: is a form of government where people decide policy matters directly. 115 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: So every time the US would make a decision, all 116 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: all three hundred what thirty plus million of US, we 117 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: get together and say, well, you know, I guess um 118 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: got this bill here about standardizing the size for straws, 119 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: and uh, I feel like they should be a democracy 120 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: like that, or a pure democracy. Even some people call 121 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: it a dramatic direct democracy. That may be something that 122 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 1: you remember hearing about when the Occupy Wall Street protests 123 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: were happening, and you would actually have groups of people 124 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: who would make proclamations, but they would take turns. Did 125 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: you guys ever go down to one of those. It 126 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: was fascinating to see it working at least somewhat working 127 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: on principle, But I cannot imagine that functioning on you know, 128 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: with three hundred something million people trying to do this right. Yeah, 129 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: there's uh. And that's what the founding fathers of the 130 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: US thought as well. But then if we're not a 131 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: true democracy, what kind of government are we? Who is 132 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: this tiny scamp? Well, well, never mind, I'll answer your question, lad. 133 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: The US is technically speaking a republic because what we 134 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: do is we vote or other people to go and 135 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: be our representatives, right to have our opinions. So we'll say, okay, 136 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: this person represents a trapload of people in for months. Yeah, 137 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: but they're all kind of the same, right, so it 138 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: makes sense that one person would represent them. Sure. Yes, Uh, 139 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: if you live in the US and you vote, you're 140 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 1: only really voting for that representative. And we talked about 141 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: how you'd have to vote for every decision of policy. 142 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: The founding fathers thought that democracy direct democracy was a 143 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: terrible idea. Instability, crime, dogs and cats, sleeping together, revolutions, 144 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: mob rule. That is one of the biggest problems that 145 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: could happen. I mean, especially if gosh, it's so horrible 146 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: to even think about, but the disparities in levels of 147 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: education and understanding throughout humans, I mean, mob rule is terrifying. No, 148 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: I think we take for granted that that we have 149 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: not really had to experience too much of that. Yeah, no, 150 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: you're right, we we really do. I don't think I've 151 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 1: experienced mob rule in any situation. I mean, there's there's 152 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: like a going to a concert, for example, where you 153 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: get let this picture you're going to a contract, and 154 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: get swept up in a mosh pit. You're not into 155 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: it at all, but you just you kind of have 156 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: to just go limp and go along for the right. 157 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: That's probably a simple version of what mob rules. And 158 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: then yeah, that's good, that's good. And then there's reddit, 159 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 1: oh yeah, shots fired, Yeah, jerk actions. So we could say, 160 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: if we had an adjective, we could call some different 161 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:17,319 Speaker 1: kind of democracy, maybe a representative democracy, because we elect 162 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: representatives and those are the people that we're going to 163 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: talk about today. Interestingly enough, though, it could also be 164 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: called a constitutional democracy because the Supreme Court, according to 165 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: the Constitution, appointed for life, not elected. Never fired, say 166 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: whatever they want, and it's a law that's a little weird. 167 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: I mean, history is going to look back on that 168 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: as at the very best to compromise. So, uh so, 169 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: how did this all work out? These people that we 170 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: you know today? Democracy is off used to describe a 171 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,839 Speaker 1: government that gets its power from the people and is 172 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: accountable to those people when it comes to use of 173 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 1: the power. And if that's the thing, right, if the 174 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: folks that we're all sending to washing each election, our 175 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: are our conduit to the hallowed halls of power, how's 176 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: it working out? How do people feel about Congress? Well, 177 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: ben people hate them, That's true. Here's a good stat 178 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: I love this with every ounce of my being. Um So. 179 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,199 Speaker 1: According to five thirty dot com in public policy polling, 180 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: Congress held a staggering approval rating. Now, if you're not 181 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: into polls, that might just kind of roll right off you. 182 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: What does that even mean? Here are some things with 183 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: a higher rating. One jar jar banks, two dog poop, three, 184 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: traffic jam, four cockroaches five completely unfair in my opinion, 185 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: Brussels sprounse I love Brussels, huge fan of Brussels sprouts, 186 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: and six nickelback and you know, I'm almost tired of 187 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: ragging on Nickelback. I think it's it's gotten. They've really 188 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: been through a lot. They really have. Really guys really didn't. 189 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: No one's making me listen to their music. Just look 190 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: at this photograph. Look how sad the singer of Nickelback looks. 191 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 1: I know, I feel like Sarah mclachman's they come in 192 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 1: on the side of that photograph. I was at a 193 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: Halloween party in two thousand thirteen and there was a 194 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 1: house mix of music that was going on, and there 195 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: was a tiny little computer in one of the corners, uh, 196 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,199 Speaker 1: in this living room area that was playing the mix, 197 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: and Chandler Are, a co worker, would go over and 198 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: throw a Nickelback song in the mix, and the owner 199 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: of the house got so angry, and not in a 200 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,839 Speaker 1: jokingly like funny, ha ha ha, that's funny that you're 201 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: doing that. He was so pissed because he did it 202 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: four or five times after. I've never seen someone so 203 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,959 Speaker 1: upset about some music. And again, this guy probably prefers 204 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: Nickelback to Congress. Yeah, you know. And also it's strange 205 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 1: because a lot of people don't participate in voting. Uh. 206 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 1: Every four years, people will turn out to vote for 207 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: the president. However, that is not that's not playing the 208 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: game to the full set of rules. Right. You're supposed 209 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: to vote for the person who is supposed to represent you. However, 210 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people don't do that. So with so 211 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: there is a little bit of irony in there. You know, 212 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: would would people vote for Brussels sprouts? I think I would. 213 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 1: I think they're tasty, especially if you pair them with 214 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: a little honey honey preserves. So we'd like to talk 215 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: about a little bit today is why people often don't participate. 216 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: I feel like it's useless to vote, and why why 217 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: Congress is so very very unpopular. So what is it, guys? 218 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: What don't people like about Congress? You're right, it is 219 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: crazy that that that is our real power as a 220 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: citizen at three citizens of the United States right here 221 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: and you're listening if your sis't, I mean, that is 222 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: our at least on paper, that is our power. It's 223 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: a very important right on paper. Absolutely well. One of 224 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: the reasons that people don't vote, and for a while 225 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: there I didn't vote, is apathy because it feels like 226 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter, especially if you live in an area 227 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: the way votes are counted, if you live in an 228 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: area that is predominantly one way or the other way 229 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: because we have a two party system, or if it's gerrymandering. Yeah, yeah, 230 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: jerrymandering is a huge issue. It honestly doesn't matter what 231 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: my opinion is if I don't fall in with the majority. 232 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: I mean, we live here in Atlanta, which by all 233 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: accounts is, you know, something of a cultural hub. There's 234 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: a lot of you know, film activity that goes on here, 235 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: a lot of music, a lot of interesting culture. But 236 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: it is a sliver of the overall, you know, makeup 237 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: of of Georgia, and we can vote till we're blue 238 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: in the face and it's not really gonna keep things 239 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: from turning red. Well yeah, well but that again, it 240 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 1: doesn't really matter what side drawing, because you could say 241 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: the same thing about certain areas in New York, right. 242 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just like and from the opposite direction, 243 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: of course. But I think that for me, at least 244 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: in my experience and for a lot of people, I know, 245 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: that feeling of apathy that you can't actually do anything 246 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: in it. It's a meaningless power not personally agree that 247 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: that is definitely a factor Yeah. And then another thing 248 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: I think that a lot of people don't like about Congress, 249 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: if we're talking about the average voter, is that there's 250 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: a disconnected it doesn't seem representative, you know, like the 251 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: average age. Remember the House of Representatives is around fifty seven. 252 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: And for the vast majority of our listeners, many members 253 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: of the House of Representatives and Congress are going to be, uh, 254 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: financially in a much different place. Was that stat you 255 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: mentioned about the the income of a member of Congress, Yes, 256 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: where they're they're put in the fifth percentile, I believe, 257 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: of all incomes inside the United States. And that's just 258 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: what they get paid for being a member of Congress 259 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: and for or you know, in the Senate in particular. 260 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: Isn't that about what the president makes? The president makes 261 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 1: about four thousand Because I just have this memory if 262 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: when from when I was a kid and my mom 263 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: told me how much politicians made, and I remember thinking 264 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: that doesn't seem like much, you know, like I would 265 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: think they'd be jillionaires. Well turns out well, And the 266 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: thing is that there are a lot of benefits, amazing benefits, right, 267 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: got a lot of opportunities to become Yeah, especially then 268 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: if you're on the board of a couple of things, 269 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: you know. I mean there's I believe there's certain restrictions 270 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: on some of that, but as we're going to find 271 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: out a little later, there are ways around it, which 272 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: I think brings us to another point about why that 273 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: sort of related to the apathy about why people are 274 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 1: distrustful of Congress is there's I think a pretty palpable 275 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: sense that these folks aren't necessarily in it for the 276 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 1: greater good. They're in it for their quote unquote constituents, 277 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 1: and they're in it for their special interests, you know, 278 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: and kind of like you know, to um propel their 279 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 1: financial you know, interests, or their you know, or their career, 280 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: their quest for power, their consultancy. So the yeah, this 281 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: this brings us to some disquiet things, right, who are 282 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 1: the true constituents? One thing that we've joked about on 283 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: this show before is, you know how race car drivers 284 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: wear sponsorship patches. That would be great if elected representatives 285 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: had to wear those two you know, I remember this, Yeah, 286 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: that's a great idea. I'm i am less and less 287 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 1: jovial about it as we go on, because it seems 288 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 1: like a better and better idea just fantastic, you know. Well, yeah, 289 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,159 Speaker 1: but the way a just this is my frame of reference. 290 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: A UFC fighter or an m m A fighter has 291 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 1: a big banner that has all their things on it. 292 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: If they when they go and make a speech, you 293 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 1: just had to be behind them at all times. Yeah, 294 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: what's wrong about that? They have to really go fine 295 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: with the print on something. So maybe just make a 296 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 1: bigger banner, right, So yeah, maybe just make a bigger banner. 297 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: Maybe that's the problem with this country, right, ladies. And 298 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 1: you can create jobs doing that. I'm just saying that's true. 299 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: I was just thinking about the graphic designers who would 300 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: be working on that. Here's the thing though, with Congress. 301 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: A lot of the rank and file voters amongst uh, 302 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 1: you know, that's a group that we put ourselves amongst. 303 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 1: A lot of the rank and file voters see Congress 304 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 1: as somewhat above the law. And this came to head 305 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: with an insider trading scandal. For a long time, insider 306 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 1: trading was just fine with Congress. Well yeah, I mean 307 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: when you could keep it quiet and nobody's really talking 308 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 1: about it. The with the nature of lobbying, you've always 309 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:17,199 Speaker 1: got hand holding, right, and negotiations going on between the 310 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: congressional body. I mean, it's just a hot tip, right, 311 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 1: maybe I got a hot tip. But but it becomes 312 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: a problem then because when we're talking about constituencies, then 313 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: are they really looking after the people they represent? Are 314 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: they're looking after the people the hand that is giving 315 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: them some money. And that's how a lot of unfortunately, 316 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: that's how a lot of voters see it. Without knowing 317 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: every single congress person, I can't really say, I can't 318 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: really speak to it, but it is a popular and 319 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:53,640 Speaker 1: widespread opinion that these representatives or these elected officials are 320 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: not representing the people so much as um the powers. 321 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 1: And we came. We we we saw this really great thing 322 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: the intercept published back in what may or something this year. Uh. 323 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:12,719 Speaker 1: You may recall that, you may recall that a few 324 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: years ago, UH, Congress got in trouble with insider trading 325 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 1: stuff that we were mentioning. However, h lawyers last summer 326 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: filed a brief claiming that an SEC Security Exchanges Commission 327 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: investigation of insider trading had to be blocked on principle 328 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 1: because lawmakers and their staff are constitutionally protected from such 329 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: inquiries given the nature of their work because they are 330 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: constantly in contact with these lobbying groups. Remember that thing 331 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: about checks and balances was also because insider trading probes 332 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: would violate the separation of powers between the legislative and 333 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: executive branch. It seems so counterintuitive to me. It just 334 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: seems like it's a rule to keep there from having 335 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 1: to be any rules. But there was this thing called 336 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: the Stock Act in two thousand twelve that was passed 337 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: by Congress, and it was it meant to try and 338 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: enforce some of these things right to stop insider trading. However, 339 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: at the moment that that that it actually started being 340 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 1: acted upon, it was like whoa, whoa, whoa, wha. Hold on, guys, 341 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: we come on, now, come on now we're Congress. Can 342 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: I tell you a horrible, a horrible joke that I 343 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: thought I wrote that you thought you wrote. I'll explain. Okay, 344 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 1: knock knock, who's there? Two? Two? Who? Actually, guys, it's 345 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: to whom you son of a I'm sorry. It's such 346 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: a terrible joke. Uh and it has it has nothing 347 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: to do with what we're talking about, and it's just 348 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 1: a little bit of levity there in place of uh 349 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: an ad until we hear back from what was that 350 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: what was that other group called Illumination Global Unlimited? Yeah, yeah, 351 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:19,360 Speaker 1: like I'd like to refer to them as I gu Yeah, 352 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: well we'll talk about it later. I don't want to 353 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: talk about kind of thing. Okay, Yeah, moving on. Here's 354 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: where it gets crazy, because, as you might have guest, 355 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen, Congress is the subject of a lot 356 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: of conspiracy theories, some big, some small, some I think 357 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: completely true, and then some that are kind of wild, 358 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: and then suddenly there are somewhere in between. Yeah. And 359 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: these are apart from the general stories of corruption that 360 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: you'll hear on a micro and macro scale all across 361 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: the internet. Oh yeah, we're talking about stuff like JFK 362 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 1: Ladies and gentleman John F. Kennedy. Uh, and the how 363 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: Select MIDI on assassinations? Right the h s c A. Yes, 364 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: investigated both Kennedy and Martin Luther King big deal. Yeah, 365 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,199 Speaker 1: And it's something that we've talked about for on numerous episodes, 366 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: and it's a fascinating time when those things were when 367 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:25,360 Speaker 1: the House Committee gosh, what is it, the Select Committee 368 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: committed on assassinations? Okay, yeah, when they were doing their thing, 369 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 1: just because for people who are reading along at the time, 370 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: again not me eight three over here. Um, they you're 371 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,360 Speaker 1: following along with this news and it just seems like 372 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: there is information that or you're not getting all of 373 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: the information right, yes, or that it is changing. And yeah. 374 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 1: So the h s c A actually met from nineteen 375 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:56,440 Speaker 1: seventy six to eight and then finally in seventy nine 376 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: issued his final report that concluded that Kennedy was probably 377 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: assassinated by the mafia and that the CIA was lacking 378 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: in its investigation, right. Yeah, that the CIA did not 379 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:13,719 Speaker 1: actually in assist even in the limited role they were 380 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: required to assist in and a lot of people had 381 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:23,120 Speaker 1: the here's the thing. So they did say that they 382 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 1: believed there was a conspiracy to assassinate John F. Kennedy. 383 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: They said that they did not think any anti Castro 384 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: groups or necessarily internal groups were involved. They couldn't find 385 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 1: out who Oswald was connected to. And he's got some 386 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:44,399 Speaker 1: very interesting adventures before that before that year when he 387 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: performs the assassination. Yes, some very strange traveling. And many 388 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: people have studied this or looked at it in either 389 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 1: an attempt to prove their pre existing opinion or in 390 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,360 Speaker 1: an attempt to find out what actually happened. So this 391 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 1: is one of the crown jewels, I would argue of 392 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: the reason historically people don't necessarily trust Congress, regardless of 393 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,880 Speaker 1: what political stripe you like to paint yourself with, regardless 394 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: of your philosophical differences on the nature of federalism, etcetera. Uh. 395 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:22,400 Speaker 1: You know, if you get the idea that your own 396 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: government is is shooting your heroes, well yeah, we're gonna 397 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: trust them. Strangely enough, though, in this instance, this is 398 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,959 Speaker 1: the House of Representatives saying that, hey, your government is 399 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 1: like may have had a hand in this, or at 400 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 1: least there was a conspiracy, right they they don't give 401 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: you anything. Well in the next the next thing is 402 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: what I think makes the Congress seem even less trustworthy, 403 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: right because this the report in nineteen seventy nine, It 404 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: not only consisted of the full report, but also twelve 405 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: volumes of appendencies on both assassinations and uh, and that 406 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: was published by Congress. I did have one quick question. 407 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,680 Speaker 1: I just was wondering if either of you know how 408 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: many pages this report was. I'm just always kind of 409 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: amazed at how massive some of these official documents are. 410 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 1: And you know, when you think about how easy it 411 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: is to kind of slide things in there when there's 412 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: that much just absurd overload of information. Interesting that you 413 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 1: say that, Um, they say slide slide in there because 414 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,919 Speaker 1: it's a it's about one page, uh, serial sided, so 415 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 1: they can slide underdoors. No, it's twelve twelve twelve volumes. 416 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: And then they had a single volume summary report. So 417 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 1: without getting an exact page count for you, it's, uh, 418 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: it's a dictionary, got it. You know, it's huge. Um, 419 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 1: And I would say that in a lot of people 420 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: probably didn't read the whole thing, got someone to read 421 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,160 Speaker 1: it for them, or got someone to read them for them, 422 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: which is pretty common. There. What I was going to 423 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: finish with with you, however, just to throw this back 424 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: in just mentioning that there are there's still a lot 425 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 1: of information that we that exists, that was found during 426 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 1: this House Select Committee on Assassinations that is still locked 427 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: away and it will be released if the sitting president 428 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 1: decides that it will be released. And it's this date 429 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 1: that will just continually be pushed back until the president 430 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,640 Speaker 1: decides that, hey, it can come out this year. How 431 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 1: does that work. I mean, if it doesn't occur to 432 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 1: a president to even consider it, someone just like put 433 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: in front of him and say, hey, how about this thing. 434 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 1: He's like, yeah, you know, let's keep pushing it a right, Well, 435 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: what I'm feeling spunky today, Let's let's let's go ahead 436 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 1: and let it out there. I would say it's a 437 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 1: highly calculated decision because you know, some people know what's 438 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: included in those documents, and depending on how it's going 439 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: to affect things posed each presidents since this commission, Yes, 440 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: based on what's going on politically, you know, um, strategically, Yeah, 441 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 1: probably not the best idea to let this album. Same 442 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: thing with aliens. Dude, here it is, says Matt Sprain. Yeah. 443 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 1: So it's strange because we we talked a little bit 444 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: about this, and without going too far into a JFK 445 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 1: episode or something, Robert Blakely, who was the chief counsel 446 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: of the committee, UH changed some of his views and 447 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 1: in a two thousand three interview, he is he strongly 448 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 1: comes against the CIA and says that I think all 449 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: of their statements and representations are suspect, and I think 450 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 1: the CIA was obstructing justice and I'm just gonna read 451 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: this quote if I can as cool. I no longer 452 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: believe that we were able to conduct an appropriate investigation 453 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: of the agency and its relationship to Oswald. We now 454 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: know that the agency withheld from the Warren Commission the 455 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: CIA mafia plots to kill Castro. Had the Commission known 456 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: of the plots, that would have followed a different path 457 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 1: of in its investigation, the agency unilaterally deprived the Commission 458 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: of a chance to obtain the full true which will 459 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: now never be known. Jeez. So I don't want to 460 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: go like with the rest of the quote. But Congress 461 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 1: was fighting to Congress is an entity fighting itself, you know, 462 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: because when when we talk about these reports and this 463 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: secrecy and the secret interpretations of laws and stuff, there 464 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: are a lot of people in Congress who are fighting 465 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 1: against it and saying, hey, this is ridiculous. How can 466 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: we hold people, um, how can we hold people culpable 467 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: for a thing that is not like they're not allowed 468 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 1: to know about. That's a bizarre thing. And it brings 469 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: us to one of the last points. So I want 470 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: to go on too long. Uh. Mass surveillance, Mass surveillance, 471 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: because when it's decided that mass surveillance can happen. Guess 472 00:29:54,480 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 1: who makes those decisions? Guys? Is it? No? Nope, I 473 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: wish I wish you was. Well, no, no, I don't 474 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: who makes who makes those decisions? I can have to 475 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: let go of this particular delusion of grandeur. Well, the laws, 476 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 1: obviously are are decided by the Senate and by the well, 477 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 1: by the House of Representatives and then the Senate. And 478 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 1: it's one of those things where these are our representatives 479 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:29,160 Speaker 1: deciding whether or not our stuff is private, truly private 480 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: or not. And this gets into a huge conversation about Hey, Ben, 481 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 1: what's the future of privacy? Yeah? Are you doing it? 482 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 1: I mean we can't. I think we have several times 483 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 1: one about it. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's a strange and 484 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: horrible thing to think about how quickly privacy is just 485 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: not going to exist very very soon, and how how 486 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: recent it was historically. I would say go back to 487 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: I think it was wasn't our conversation about the deep 488 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 1: Web where we really got into some of that stuff. 489 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: That might be a really good episode to listen to 490 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 1: if you're interested in this. M agreed. I have a 491 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: question for you guys before we close this out. We 492 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: did have another story about someone in Congress being obsessed 493 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: with conspiracy theories, which which we might have to hold 494 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: for a later day. There were just a lot of 495 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: searches for it. Uh. But I have a question for 496 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: you guys, all right, Uh, would you like to hear 497 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: a laundry list of things your congress person won't tell you? 498 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: It was up the show? Okay? I found this as 499 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: we were as we were going in. All right, So 500 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 1: this is by a couple of former senators in former 501 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 1: House reps. In many cases, lobbyists write the bills. Yes, 502 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 1: we've heard this right, John Oliver. Five or ten lobbyists 503 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 1: per congress person for a high profile issue. And then 504 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: let's see most to the staffers on the hill or 505 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 1: in their early to mid twenties. Why is that? I 506 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: guess that the people who will work the hours is 507 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: that in interns? Yes? Uh. And then as soon as 508 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: someone gets to Washington, whether a Republican or Democrat, their 509 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: party pulls them into a retreat and apparently tries their 510 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: best to brainwash them, like all progresses built on beating 511 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: the other party. Yeah, party lines, man, And you can 512 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: see that happening and getting increasingly increasingly more so. Over 513 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: the years, and your calls and emails do matter, probably 514 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: more than you think. Every one of them is assigned 515 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: to a database and or there's a database that tracks 516 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: everyone rather and then when somebody's going out to vote, 517 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: they'll ask for that number of how many people are 518 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 1: for it or again it um And let's see, it's 519 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 1: against ethics regulations to make fundraising calls from a congressional office, 520 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: so a lot of people go to another office just 521 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: down the street. You know, I've seen, I have seen 522 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: when we were in d C. Ben, do you remember 523 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: seeing all of the other official offices for congressmen but 524 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: not officially congressional offices, right, yes, yes, And it's it's 525 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: weird because there's so much there's so much stuff going 526 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 1: on that is accepted as traditionally the rule of thumb, 527 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: but is not necessarily in an in an explicit written 528 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: form in a legal document. Anyway. Those are just a 529 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: few things that I thought were important to know. I 530 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 1: just want to say, I'm just imagining. Okay, So we 531 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: already know that a huge amount of time for any 532 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,959 Speaker 1: elected official is spent campaigning for the next time they 533 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 1: have to come up for election, right right, and now, 534 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: I'm just imagining all of all of our elected officials 535 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: having to leave the office like they have to go. 536 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: It would be like taking a smoke break and having 537 00:33:56,080 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: to walk, you know, to another building or something. But 538 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: every time when an election season comes around, instead of 539 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: focusing on what their representatives want or need to be passed, 540 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 1: they're just in the other office doing their thing. But 541 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 1: I guess they can do congressional stuff from that office, right, Yeah. 542 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 1: And then they're also it's true, and they're also um, 543 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 1: they're also members of Congress who are just busting their 544 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 1: humps to make a positive change or to accurately represent 545 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:28,800 Speaker 1: their constituents, by which I mean the people who voted 546 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 1: them into office. And then if you have a list 547 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 1: of those people, we would love to hear it. Well. 548 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,600 Speaker 1: I I also think it's just it's easy to beat 549 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:40,440 Speaker 1: up Congress. You're right, it's an easy target. It's an 550 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:46,280 Speaker 1: easy target. Also, it's uh for the right person, it's 551 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:51,799 Speaker 1: it's a tremendous responsibility and it's a tremendous opportunity. But 552 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: are you what's that? Are you? Oh? I would never 553 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 1: get elected, you know that. I don't know get elected. 554 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 1: I don't know, No, would get elected. I don't know 555 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 1: if I would get elected vote for you? Yeah, I 556 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 1: think a lot of people would vote for just to 557 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:10,480 Speaker 1: watch the world burn. See what you do up there, man, Yeah, 558 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 1: that'll be my That'll be my slogan. Uh, let's let's 559 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: wing it right if you let's see what happens. I 560 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,760 Speaker 1: can I can imagine you being in a public office. 561 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:27,200 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how to feel about that statement now, No, 562 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: like not. I think you're extremely diplomatic, thank you, And 563 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 1: I think you could actually work with people. I think 564 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 1: you could get your way been. I think you couldn't. 565 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 1: You could unite the aisle way too nice. Here's what 566 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,720 Speaker 1: we do, here's what we do. Okay, So I'll agree 567 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,719 Speaker 1: to run for office if one of you guys will 568 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: help me out and run for the same office and 569 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: the opposing party. Okay, so we can still get whatever 570 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,400 Speaker 1: we want. I'll be I'll be the craziest. Well know 571 00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:59,600 Speaker 1: that it doesn't matter who gets elected. Man, we can 572 00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 1: still be what we were going to do and the 573 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: other ones in the right hand either way. It's like 574 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: donating to both parties. Okay, alright, that's what the Koch 575 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 1: brothers do, right it is. I think it is George. 576 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: Does George Soros do that? Or just pretty sure? I 577 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:15,719 Speaker 1: don't know what it's I don't know what it's like. 578 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 1: I haven't been in that rarefied air yet. It's like 579 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 1: any bet, right, I mean, you got a bet a 580 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,439 Speaker 1: little over here, a little over there. The payout's gonna 581 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 1: make up the difference, you know. I think you're on 582 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 1: the right track. Yeah, for that air up there. You know, 583 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 1: I've I've never gambled in like a casino. I mean, 584 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 1: that's good. It's done. Like I've done Russian roulay, you know, 585 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:38,920 Speaker 1: just a lot. All right? You said you ran a 586 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: Russian relay. I did. I ran a Russian relay and 587 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:44,640 Speaker 1: I don't speak Russian. So it was hilarious. It must 588 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:47,600 Speaker 1: have been tricky. It was tough. It was tough. Gauys, 589 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:49,839 Speaker 1: we're gonna get out of here, nol. You've been kind 590 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,040 Speaker 1: of you've been kind of quiet. To do you want 591 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 1: to have the final word? Oh? Real quick, you guys 592 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 1: already know this. We say it every time. We'll just 593 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:00,040 Speaker 1: cut past the small talk Facebook, Twitter, conspiracy stuff of 594 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 1: a website stuff they want you to know what it's 595 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 1: where you can see all our podcasts, the last word 596 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: goes to you, Mr Brown. I guess I would just 597 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, I would encourage people to cut through the 598 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: apathy and try to do some research and figure out 599 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:18,000 Speaker 1: what issues are the are most important to you, and 600 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 1: you know, castor vote accordingly. Just be part of the 601 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 1: process if you can. I mean, I understand that it's 602 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 1: it seems futile at times, and I feel the same way. 603 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:30,759 Speaker 1: But we you know, if you look at what's going 604 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:33,000 Speaker 1: on in other parts of the world, we are very, 605 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: very lucky to be in a situation where we even 606 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:39,160 Speaker 1: have the guys of any kind of voice. So take 607 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:42,920 Speaker 1: that for what it's worth. Excellent. Well, it's very optimistic. 608 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 1: You know. That's a pretty good way to end the episode. Huh. 609 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 1: I think it. I think we're done, and that's the 610 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:53,120 Speaker 1: end of this classic episode. If you have any thoughts 611 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:57,120 Speaker 1: or questions about this episode, you can get into contact 612 00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,319 Speaker 1: with us in a number of different ways. One of 613 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,160 Speaker 1: the best is to give us a call. Our number 614 00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:04,800 Speaker 1: is one eight three three std w y t K. 615 00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: If you don't want to do that, you can send 616 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:10,440 Speaker 1: us a good old fashioned email. We are conspiracy at 617 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:14,080 Speaker 1: I Heart radio dot com. Stuff. They don't want you 618 00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:16,759 Speaker 1: to Know is a production of I heart Radio. For 619 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart 620 00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 621 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:22,760 Speaker 1: favorite shows.