1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. I don't welcome to 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: stephone never told you protection of I heart radio. All right, 3 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: and I've got a question today and it's really simple, 4 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: and I think you've already answered out a few times, 5 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna go ahead. Voted for the special runoff 6 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: in the state of Georgia because today, yesterday, you know 7 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: we're gonna put the state. Today's twelve fift or December, 8 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: and yesterday started the early voting. But have you started voting? 9 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: Have you started voting? Have you voted? I have both 10 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: started and completed my voting process. I got my absentee ballot, 11 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: which I was nervous about because I requested it like 12 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: literally the day after the general election ever ago, and 13 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: it kept checking like where is it? Where is it? 14 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: Where is it? What if it ain't go through? And 15 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: I was like, no, it's there, it's there, it's coming. 16 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: So I finally got it. Uh. I got it last Wednesday, 17 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: and I've mailed it in on Thursday. There's a ballot 18 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: drop off bucks to hear me and I get to 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: see like everybody, there's a pretty long line people waiting 20 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: to go vote in person. Um, so yeah, I feel 21 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: good that I'm glad that it's done because I was 22 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: very concerned about it, and also I know a couple 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: a couple episodes is not correct. A month or so ago, um, 24 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: I was telling that story of how I got that 25 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: kind of passive, aggressive, threatening postcard about like I'm going 26 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: to check in on your voting record, and I was like, 27 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: whoa I got? I got a postcard from a sixteen 28 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: year old and she said, you know I can't vote, 29 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: so please vote, and here are the issues that matter 30 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: to me. And I know that was really See sometimes 31 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: make you feel like, yeah, okay, our features, Okay, we're 32 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: gonna be okay. Someone someone has talked to this person 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: how important it is and they are ready, and I 34 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: love that. Yeah. I have not voted yet. My actual 35 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: plan is to do so on Thursday, because i've after 36 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: I did the volunteering and watched how it had been 37 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: in how the long waits to be fair. Atlanta opened 38 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: up the stadiums, so it's made a lot easier and 39 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,399 Speaker 1: a lot more accessible. So it's gonna be a little 40 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: less because I've already seen people put in like it's 41 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: only thinking fifteen minutes to go in and out and 42 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 1: all that, but just in case, because the day that 43 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: I did observe it was when people would line up 44 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: right before, like thirty minutes before was open, so they 45 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: already had sixty people in mine. So it took two 46 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: hours for them to all get through. So I'm like, 47 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna do that. That's that's not the part 48 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: I want to do. But yes, I will be because 49 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: I was like, you know what I'm gonna I want 50 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: to kind of go out there safe of course and 51 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: get mu sticker I do miss must. I know, I know, 52 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: I know, but we'll get it. Yeah, it is, but 53 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: I definitely have started researching a little more. But speaking, 54 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: and why are we talking about all these things, you 55 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: might ask, Well, we have our friend back Melody Bray, 56 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: host of Civic and overall knowledge guru of what is 57 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: happening with voting and Georgia elections specifically. Um. Yeah, and 58 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: as are already I think you can tell we do 59 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: have a special runoff in the state of Georgia. UM. 60 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 1: And people are still campaigning and yes, we actually getting man, 61 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: I think I like six pieces of mail yesterday that 62 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: we're all the different from. Yes, and you know what, 63 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,959 Speaker 1: thank you people for the ones that have volunteered knowing 64 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,399 Speaker 1: that this is how they're helping. But man, it's a lot. 65 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: It's every commercial. It's like a political ad, you know, 66 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: not that I get like a lot of commercials, but 67 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: in between YouTube, Yeah, it is like I will play 68 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: my little phone games and because I refused to pay, 69 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: it gives me the ads and half of them have 70 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: been like ofs off or produced or laft And I'm like, 71 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: what is what is happening? I'm like, I can't imagine 72 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: Oh man, like I'm not, I can't imagine it without it. Now, 73 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: I'm like what I feel like it's going to be 74 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: a void when that goes away, you know what I mean? Um, 75 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: so welcome melody. Have you been getting all these males 76 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: male pieces as well? Oh my gosh. Yeah. At one 77 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: point I went to my mailbox and I felt like 78 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: they were about to shut down my mailboxing when it 79 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: gets full, and they just like put a piece of 80 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: twine over it because I hadn't gone in a week. 81 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: But yeah, that's what happens when four hundred million dollars 82 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: in advis alone come into a single state in a 83 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: matter of weeks. It gets a little crazy. When you're 84 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 1: watching Jeopardy. You know it because all the ads and 85 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: then a little dash of Jeopardy you are correct. Um, 86 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: And I would say I would hope that eventually, if 87 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: your mail had stacked up like that, someone would come 88 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: and check and make sure you weren't dead. I can 89 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: do it. I mean, I'm going to say, you're going 90 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: to do that for me. I'm not the male person. 91 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: I'm not going to know if your mail overflows. Old Brady, Yeah, 92 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: I am old day where we're like still alive. Everyone. 93 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 1: If Peaches my dog has the chance to eat my 94 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: face off, that means someone hasn't checked up on me. 95 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: And I'm mad at everyone. I'm going to hunt everyone. 96 00:04:55,080 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: How dare you allow that to happen? As gotten really dark, 97 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: So just kind of making a quick review of what 98 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: is happening in the state of Georgia. Um, we've had 99 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: many of many of people coming through and campaigning. VP 100 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: Pence has come through when to do a rally for 101 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: the Republican incumbents, and of course now Biden is coming through, 102 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: who has officially been again for the fifth time, I 103 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: don't know, announced as the elected president or elected president 104 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:36,679 Speaker 1: president than as president with other way as president elect um. 105 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: Even Miss McConnell has congratulated them as well. But of 106 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: course we've had see two recounts and the original account. Uh, 107 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: we've had the electoral votes being counted, but we have 108 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: another lawsuit. I believe I saw for another recount, a 109 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: third recount, which is that's right U. And even the 110 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: Georgia's State Supreme Court. After the Supreme Court was like, 111 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: now we're not leaving. Listen, we don't want to hear this. 112 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: This is just being dismissed. Don't even bring it to us. 113 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: The Georgia States Supreme Court overtarged and denied it as 114 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: well as of this week. I think, yeah, and in 115 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: the one that's here in Georgia's in our state Court 116 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: of Appeals. But the thing that people aren't even really 117 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: paying attention to. I feel like on those cases is 118 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: that the cases are being filed by non like elections lawyers. 119 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 1: They It's the equivalent of if you're thirteen year old 120 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: watched a lot of matlock and decided that they wanted 121 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: to be a lawyer, copy and pasted some things from Wikipedia, 122 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: and then just bloaded them up into a helicopter and 123 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: dropped them over random courts. It's the hypos, you know, 124 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: as an attorney, the amount of procedural issues that are 125 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:56,799 Speaker 1: in these cases. No court has actually ruled on anything 126 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: that any of them are saying. They're all like, please 127 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: pay the filing fee, Like literally, okay, we can't, you 128 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: can't do this. So hopefully this will come to an 129 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:12,239 Speaker 1: end sometime soon, and if it doesn't, it will certainly 130 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: come to an end on January. Right. But you know, 131 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: there's a whole conspiracy theory and I'm not gonna get 132 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: too into it about the fact that they're waiting until 133 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,119 Speaker 1: that point to have And again, this is a tweet 134 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: I read, but it was within this whole reddit of 135 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: what's happening and how they're trying to have a big 136 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: victory at the end. And I say they being the 137 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: Republican Party, Trump Party, uh, saying that the President of 138 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: the Senate swear to God us how they said it 139 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: was going to come in and vote them out and 140 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: do the alternative electoral votes and say those were the 141 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: established votes and those are the real votes, and we'll 142 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: announce that President Trump will be running the country again, 143 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: will actually come back and being the elected official when 144 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: it's actually the day he's supposed to be sworn in 145 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: when Biden is supposed to be sworn in. Have you 146 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: heard these Um, I don't live in Republican fever dreams. 147 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 1: That's just not that's just not a real thing. So 148 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: it's become like and we're not going to talk too 149 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: much more, but I just find it so fascinating because 150 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: I guess we're in the thick of it, because that's 151 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: one of the big questions of what we're talking about 152 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: is if Georgia were to actually have a runoff and 153 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: both of the Democratic candidates were to win, which is 154 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: the big ifs um, it would flip us in it, 155 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: which would be shocking, um in a lot of ways. 156 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: But that whole idea that these people who are hanging 157 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: onto these fraud election theories are moving on from it 158 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: was stolen, is going to be changed, The Supreme Court 159 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: is going to change it. Oh no, they didn't do it, Okay, 160 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 1: that's so and so like it becomes a bigger, bigger 161 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: fantasy of how they're gonna win out in the end. 162 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: It's such a weird like, Wow, I don't know, I 163 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: don't know. I'm maybe that I didn't pay attention. Maybe 164 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,479 Speaker 1: I didn't pay attention as much. But I don't remember 165 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: this level of conspiracy theories in past elections. Does that 166 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: just not pay attention now? I mean in modern times, 167 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,439 Speaker 1: I can't speak to you know, things that went down 168 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: in the eighteen hundreds, but in modern times this is 169 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,359 Speaker 1: and you can talk about like the proliferation of conspiracy 170 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: theories because we are also Internet based now, like it 171 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: is rife for this type of fodder. Crazies can find 172 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: crazies now and they have their own websites. We saw this. 173 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: But yeah, and speaking all all of this kind of 174 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: can you kind of give us a rundown on what 175 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: happened in Georgia with the presidential election? Yeah? So um 176 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: presidential side uh, Biden eked it out by about thirteen 177 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: thousand votes UM. Our sixteen electoral votes went in yesterday 178 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: officially with Stacy Abrahams announcing it UM that Georgia is 179 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: going for Biden. UM. And so the idea that we 180 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 1: as a very southern state UM decidedly went blue and 181 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: thousand is I mean, it's close, but it's not so 182 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,559 Speaker 1: close that it triggered thoughts that maybe if they did 183 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 1: recounts something what happens. So that's what I mean by 184 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 1: you know, by a good enough margin. Um. I mean 185 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: that's historic, Like we just lived through a moment in history. 186 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: The question, you know, will this next cycle in two 187 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 1: years from now or four years from now still hold. 188 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: That's an open question based on what's going on down ballot. 189 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: But the idea that Georgia, in the middle of all 190 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 1: these other red states, including Florida, uh went for Biden 191 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: is huge, right. And I will say I watched the 192 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: video I think like four times of Stacy Abrams counting 193 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: that last electoral vote in my lapping, and I was like, 194 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna bathe in this moment. This is I 195 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:00,719 Speaker 1: just want to be here, like, okay, we just make 196 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: this here. I just want it right here, because it 197 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: was such a nice like to see the official official, 198 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: to see Stacy Abrams at the at the podium, like 199 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: all of those things just felt so right. For the 200 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: lack of better terms, I mean, it's rare that in 201 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: a short period of time you see somebody vindicate themselves, 202 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 1: you know, like her, for her to be the person 203 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: who did so much of the work to put Georgia 204 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: in that position to then be the one to make 205 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: the vote and announce it. Um, it's just it's just 206 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: a cool I'm sure it was a cool experience for her. 207 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: It's so amazing. Yeah. And and going off of that, um, 208 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: because she's been in a lot of the national conversation 209 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: about how how did this happen in Georgia? What do 210 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: you think? Why is it that Georgia? Um, if not 211 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: is blue, then at least as purple. Now, yeah, I 212 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: mean I do shy away from saying that Georgia is blue. 213 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: I say it voted blue for president, but when you 214 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: look down the rest to the ticket, it was very red. So, um, 215 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: we're a purple state. And for those who paid attention 216 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: to politics here that wasn't necessarily a surprise. Um. There 217 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: were uh, you know, there's a for instance, Cobb County, 218 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: which is a little north of Atlanta, still part of 219 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: our metro Atlanta area that for decades was a firm 220 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: red bastion of like a Republican stronghold. Um. And Stacy 221 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: Abrams was able to take that uh in sorry, um 222 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: as like kind of the canary in the mind saying 223 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: there is a sea change coming. If one of the 224 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: whitest historically white counties in the metro Atlanta area is 225 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 1: now going to vote for a Democratic black female. Um. 226 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: That's a that's a big deal. We've had some major 227 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 1: demographic changes that could push us toward uh going blue 228 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 1: down ticket, but it's still an open question whether ass 229 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: Off and Warnock really will be able to pull us off, 230 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: particularly in a runoff context. For Republicans come out for runoffs. Um. 231 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: The entire reason the runoff rule exists is because, uh, 232 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 1: the Republican Party said, we don't want black candidates to 233 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: win things, so we're going to make sure that we 234 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: create this rule to give our folks a second bite 235 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: at the apple. UM. So it's it's an uphill battle 236 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: for both of them. You know, I didn't even think 237 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: about that with the runoffs because it it didn't it 238 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: didn't make sense to me completely, Like why does it 239 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: have to be quite understand that? But okay, this is 240 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: how it's been, so I didn't even question that is 241 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 1: a thing. Um. And you know you're talking about Cobb County. 242 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:51,559 Speaker 1: When you look specifically, it has changed dramastically. The demographics 243 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 1: obviously has changed drastically. With the fact that way back 244 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: when when we lost our original house member house yeah, 245 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: original house number, and he went to work for Trump. 246 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: Um it was the special run off with Karen Handel 247 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 1: and John ass Off, and Assof lost to handle. But 248 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 1: then she lost to Lucy macbeth, who was one of 249 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: the first black women to be able to be in 250 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: Cobb County like that to represent and she won again 251 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: as this recent election, thank goodness, UM and her whole 252 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: platform has been based on gun control because her son's 253 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: death in Florida, which is an amazing story in itself. 254 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: I remember just thinking when she won, that was one 255 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: of the most biggest victories, one of the biggest victories 256 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: that I was like, Wow, things are changing in Georgia 257 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: to see that she had actually won, because especially in 258 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: Cobb County because areas, if I remember correctly, they have 259 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: a law that if you were a landowner you have 260 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: to own a gun. Yes, so if you read the 261 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: policy to be a landlord owner in Cobb County, you 262 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: were supposed to own a gun. Like that's automatic. I 263 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: guess to the finger property, I don't. I don't know, 264 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: So that was a whole other It was a different time, 265 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: but I guess yeah, still exists though. That's I just 266 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: had a recent a coworker who a while ago bought 267 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: the house of like a year ago in that area, 268 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: and he was like, Samantha, let me just at the 269 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: closing table. Military so it wasn't so unusual for him 270 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 1: to have a gun, but he was just like, this 271 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: is the most absurd thing I've ever seen. Why are 272 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: they making people have guns? But yeah, obviously I don't 273 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: think they enforced that, but whatever. But yeah, UM, one 274 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 1: of the biggest platform was bombed doing an action that 275 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: that nonprofit group really pushed for her because she was 276 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 1: so much a big proponent for gun control, of violence 277 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: against children, UM, gun deaths for black men essentially that 278 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: that was happening in her story was so personal. But 279 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: it's like organizations like that that we have seen make 280 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: big changes again in Georgia. Can we talk about some 281 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: of the organizations like UM, like we've mentioned them before, 282 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: New Georgia Project, which was started by in Fought Uh 283 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: Fair Fight Action, which is a Stacy Abrams she had 284 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: kind of started creating that mente, which is Tanya Asian 285 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: American Advocacy Fund uh GALLEO, which is the Georgia Association 286 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: of Latino Leged Officials. And that's just a few a 287 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: small handful of some of some of these organizations. Can 288 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: we talk about how they've made an impact? Yeah? Absolutely. 289 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: I mean Georgia has a deep kind of history of 290 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: being a grassroots Uh, that's how we do politics here. 291 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: I would also say in Atlanta specifically, that's why Atlanta 292 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: has so many black representatives UM at the local level 293 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: and then at the state level. UM. So they're kind 294 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: of living into that legacy. And those organizations they didn't 295 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: pop up this cycle. You know, they've been hitting the 296 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: ground and in the before times when we could knock 297 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: on doors. You know, they've been knocking doors for cycles 298 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 1: now UM and building an online presence and building and 299 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: in person coalition. So do you essentially be put have 300 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: all the stars aligned with the Trump effect motivating people 301 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: to volunteer more, and those groups already positioning themselves to 302 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: then kind of just drop those volunteers in, mobilize them 303 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 1: and get them out. That effectively provided the opportunity for 304 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: Biden to win here. And to me, I mean, there's 305 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: no science behind this necessarily, but you know I was 306 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: I was definitely involved in the get out the vote 307 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:33,120 Speaker 1: effort and on the overall conference calls, I would say 308 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: ninety eight percent of the people on the call were 309 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: women or or identified as women, UM, and a lot 310 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: of women of color. UM. And the amount of organization, 311 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: the level of communication, the level of collaboration, removing ego 312 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: and saying like, hey, let's split up geographic regions. If 313 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: both of us are a kind of playing in the 314 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: same sandbox. You take the right, I take the left, 315 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 1: and let's divide and conquer. I attribute that a lot 316 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: to women of colors, seeing we have something a goal 317 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: that we all need to achieve. How can we work 318 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,679 Speaker 1: together to make this happen? Right? It to me it 319 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: was a beautiful thing, particularly in the middle of a 320 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: pandemic with such a lack of relation and connectedness, to 321 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,400 Speaker 1: be able to connect with, you know, women who look 322 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: like being UM. It was just a wonderful thing to 323 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 1: be able to take part of. Right and it is. 324 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: It's it's You're correct in saying that this is not 325 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: a new thing. This is even though they are now 326 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 1: finally getting recognition, they're actually being called out by name 327 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: and being recognized as the leaders of this finally. UM. 328 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: They have been around, which is kind of why the 329 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: last election went as smoothly as it did. UM. And 330 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: we're seeing where some of the current representatives and some 331 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 1: of the current administration are because they worked too well 332 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: and got a lot of people out there. And we 333 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: kind of a few facts. For the state of Georgia. 334 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 1: There were more than five million voters, which is a 335 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: million more than twenties sixteen, and there was seven point 336 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: two million registered voters. So there's a big gap on 337 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: who actually voted versus who was registered to vote. That's 338 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: a big conversation in itself, but it still was an increase, 339 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: which was six point six million registered in twenty sixteen, UM, 340 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 1: and I think that's really phenomenal to look at those numbers. 341 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 1: How much of that increase, And it's because of these 342 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: grassroots organizations, UM, not only communicating with people, like you 343 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: were saying, knocking on doors, and people have been knocking 344 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: on doors and I'm like, don't come to my door. 345 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: I get it. Still pandemic. I'm scared, UM. But it's 346 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: an amazing thing to see that they're doing this. But 347 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 1: they're also bringing awareness to close voting polls UM areas 348 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: that might have issues with name and cards and knowing 349 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 1: your rights and how to report these things. Like the 350 00:19:56,040 --> 00:20:01,199 Speaker 1: last election before the presidential election was a mess. I mean, 351 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: especially from the state of the definition of a cluster. 352 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 1: Mm hmm, right, and that's kind of how you uh 353 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: in your organization. Georgia fifty five project came about, correct. Yeah. 354 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: I mean we started as just individuals who saw, um, 355 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: the issue folks being in line, and like, I'm gonna 356 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:23,959 Speaker 1: get some of my friends and go to Costco and 357 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: buy food and drink and bring it to folks so 358 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: that they don't feel like they need to, you know, 359 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: get out of line. And some of the other women 360 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: were doing the same and in a very you know, 361 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: millennial fashion, like we were connected on Instagram of people like, hey, 362 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 1: you should check out these folks and combine resources. Um. 363 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 1: So after the June primary, which literally the last person 364 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 1: in line uh in June that we served they got 365 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:58,159 Speaker 1: out of line at twelve forty one am. Yeah, just 366 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: that's wow, just unacceptable. After that, we were like, well, 367 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,880 Speaker 1: nothing is going to change between June and November, right, 368 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,439 Speaker 1: so maybe we should try and figure out how to 369 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: either get people out of line or prepared to be 370 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: able to serve people in line. Um So that's what 371 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: the Georgia fifty five Project does, right, And that's exactly 372 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: what we saw it actually allowed for a public spotlight 373 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: and kind of like a shaming factor of Georgia. Get 374 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 1: it together. This is what's happening, And unfortunately we're seeing 375 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,919 Speaker 1: similar tactics happening with Cobb County. That's what we were 376 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: talking specifically, which is a very like battle Ground County 377 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: if that can be a thing as well. Because they 378 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: have shut down several of the polling places. Um. I 379 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 1: think the number initially was a lot higher than what 380 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: is actually happening. Yeah, they cut the number by half. Um, 381 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 1: but and issued a list which was had four locations 382 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: that were in North Cobb traditionally the wider, more affluent area, 383 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: and only a single location in South Cob um and 384 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: the Georgia and double a CP put them on blast 385 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: and uh within a day and a half they restored 386 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: the remaining polling locations. Um. So now they have a 387 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: full a full gamut of early voting locations. Again. So 388 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: with that, do you think it's because of the actions 389 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:23,680 Speaker 1: like that, because of the way they are making sure 390 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: that they're not only holding people accountable, but actually taking 391 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: them to the courts. Um, that that are finally in 392 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 1: the spotlight, like Grasswood organizations are finally in the spotlight. Yeah, absolutely. 393 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: I mean I think it's a combination of UM. Right now, 394 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: election coverage is the thing, you know, so uh, there's 395 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,359 Speaker 1: a lot of journalists. I mean, we have people of 396 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 1: contactings from foreign country is wanting to talk about Georgia's elections, 397 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: which is just bizarre. I like, you know, we're not 398 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: the Republic of Georgia. This is just the state UM 399 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:00,399 Speaker 1: in the south. But so I think that that is 400 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 1: one aspect of it. But I do believe that the 401 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 1: reason that November three here in Georgia, I believe the 402 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: average way time was about three minutes across the state, 403 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: which is a massive difference from the last person getting 404 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: out of line in June at one am. Because put 405 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: being nationally put on blast from all the outlets makes 406 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: people even though our Secretary of State is a Republican, 407 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: he also wants to keep his job. You know, there 408 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: is an incentive there, uh to not be you know, 409 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: publicly shamed. So I think that there is an aspect 410 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: of that of just the news coverage, but the role 411 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: of a group like Fair Fight Action for instance, like 412 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: people know of them about get out the vote. But 413 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 1: for those of US attorneys, we know that they're the ones, 414 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: along with the Georgia Double A CP, really driving a 415 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 1: lot of these court cases or cases that are filed. 416 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: Assuming this eight for helping voters, they are coming in 417 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 1: alongside the defense side and right filing what's called amikas 418 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 1: briefs and UM trying to provide as much support as 419 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: possible for voters here in Georgia. We do have a 420 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: little bit more for you listeners, but first we have 421 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: a quick break for work from responsor we're back, Thank 422 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: you so er, And what are some of the other 423 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: things that these grassroots organizations do? And then also why 424 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 1: is fundraising so important? While fundraising into that, I mean, 425 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: you started at the beginning saying you couldn't even get 426 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: to the mail in your mailbox, right, but those things 427 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 1: are hella expensive, particularly the more targeted UM and advisor 428 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 1: even more than that. And for these small, little grassroots organizations, 429 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 1: I mean these people, a lot of them, this is 430 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: not their full time job, this is not even their 431 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 1: jobby job, like, this is just they care about the 432 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 1: issue and they're doing this on a volunteer basis, and 433 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: so they're either paying for this stuff out of pocket 434 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: or they're going to have to fundraise for it. So, 435 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 1: for instance, you know right now, um, I'm working with 436 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: a group called Rides to the Runoffs and they're trying 437 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,880 Speaker 1: to provide one to one almost like an uber service 438 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 1: for folks who are don't have transportation or have accessibility 439 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: issues to get them to the polls. Well, to get 440 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 1: people wheelchair accessible vans that costs money. So this small 441 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,199 Speaker 1: grassroots or is trying to raise money in order to 442 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: be able to rent those vans to get people who 443 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: are in wheelchairs to the polls. Like So, to me, 444 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: that's just such a it's such a compelling reason to 445 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: give money to these organizations. They are doing the work 446 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,440 Speaker 1: and they shouldn't be expected to pay for this out 447 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: of their paychecks. It's just a ton of money that's 448 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: being flown around in Georgia right now. Uh. And for 449 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 1: an organization like like Georgia for instance, since we don't 450 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 1: have any overhead on these grassroots organizations, the money just 451 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: goes a lot further as well, right Yeah. And then 452 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: some of the things that they do are such like 453 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: voter registrations and being set up in different places, which 454 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: I can't imagine. I think we would talked about it 455 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: before doing this. Like what I'm saying people coming to knock, 456 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, don't come to my health as a pandemic happening. 457 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: But the fact of the matter is it it has 458 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,400 Speaker 1: to happen because people don't have accessibility to be able 459 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: to know even how to fill out registration cards half 460 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: the time, or registration formed to be able to vote 461 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: right or not knowing that. Oh I thought I already 462 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: requested an absentee ballot. I mean I have to request 463 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: one again, like I figured they you know, in Florida, 464 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,919 Speaker 1: they send it to you automatically for instance, once you 465 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: request Once your request keeps rolling. If people don't know 466 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: that and they're sitting there waiting for their ballot and 467 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,919 Speaker 1: they don't get it. So we were effectively forced to 468 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: go door to door. And when you're going door to 469 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:18,879 Speaker 1: door with materials in hand, like those materials cost money 470 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 1: to be able to do UM voter registration, voter education 471 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: of informing people on absentee ballot requests and how to 472 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: do that early voting information like we'll set up in 473 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 1: historically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and effectively just being a resource for 474 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 1: people out there UM to ask any and every question 475 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:45,440 Speaker 1: that they that they have uh, and then providing people 476 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: with some substantive things like rides to the polls. All 477 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: of those things costs. They cost money, uh. And the 478 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: amount that your listeners, I'm sure you know, have been contributing. 479 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:00,679 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna go ahead and say thank you very 480 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: much because we need everything we can get here. Joy right. Um. Oh, 481 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 1: you were talking a little bit about this previously, about 482 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 1: how you had worked at the Marta station. I love 483 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: that story, so can you. So Marta is our public 484 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 1: transit um system here in the metro and we set 485 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,439 Speaker 1: up a table every day or we have uh since 486 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: June or a little bit after June. Uh. That provides 487 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:31,160 Speaker 1: that voter education people. And it's the same folks week 488 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: to week. So people speaking to become familiar with our 489 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: volunteers and with our signage. So they might come one 490 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 1: week and ask a question, fall into like oh this 491 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 1: internet hole and can't find an answer. They come back 492 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: the next week because they know us now and ask 493 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 1: this question. So this one man, who um was in 494 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: his mid sixties, had never voted before, and the initial 495 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 1: interaction with him was what's your plan to vote? And 496 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: he was like, I'm not voting because what is it matter. 497 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: Things don't change. I'm sixty something years old, I've never 498 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: voted in my life, you know, what's the point. And 499 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 1: after building up a rapport with our volunteers, this man 500 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:15,479 Speaker 1: ended up registering to vote and voting for the first 501 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: time ever in his sixties in this election. And you 502 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:22,479 Speaker 1: know here in Georgia, in most states, you get like 503 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 1: that little vote sticker that says I voted um. And 504 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:31,959 Speaker 1: he was so proud of, you know, voting, that he 505 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: would just where transfer that sticker from clothing to clothing, 506 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: and each time you would pass by the table, this 507 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,479 Speaker 1: little wrinkled sticker would be on his shirt, and you know, 508 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: he would come by and say hello and then go 509 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: catch us trying to go to work. The pride of 510 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:52,280 Speaker 1: that man is the reason that these grassroots organizations exist. 511 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: It's the one to one contact with a voter and 512 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: that personal connection that can motivate people to do something 513 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: that otherwise wouldn't have. Hello, that's what And I'm like, yes, 514 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 1: that sticker is really important. I agree with him. Yeah, 515 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: it's true. I have like a little bookcase that I 516 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: stick them all on. By the way, Annie, we we 517 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: do have vote stickers for people who did absentee because 518 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 1: we know that the sticker is part of the deal. 519 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: So I will get you and I vote by mail sticker. Yeah, 520 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 1: and I have one from my last one too, and 521 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: I don't want to be lived out. I know. She 522 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: just said, No, that's about right, that's about right. Don't 523 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 1: get spoiled talking about how important these materials are. Oh yeah, 524 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 1: that's right. Forgot yea, that ship has sail too bad. Um. 525 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 1: So there's always been this history of of black women 526 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: working in these grassroots organizations and working in politics and 527 00:30:56,040 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: working to change things, and it seems like in this election, um, 528 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: people are listening. Why do you think that is? And 529 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: do you think that's going to stay? Yeah, I mean 530 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: that is a great question. The the optimist in me 531 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: argues with the realist in me a lot and definitely 532 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: does on that question as well. You know, we're we're 533 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: talking about being in the middle of a pandemic, um 534 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: being quarantined a lot of us having a lot more 535 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: of our attention on this election and therefore on the 536 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: people who are working in it. And so my worry 537 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 1: is that we suddenly believe that all of a sudden, 538 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: black women are being hurt and respected when in actuality, 539 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: it's just they spoke when no one else was speaking. 540 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: So my question would be, you know, in two years 541 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: on the next cycle, when everything's back to normal, when 542 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: we're all out of restaurants and concerts and festivals and 543 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:10,120 Speaker 1: all these things, and they're still speaking, will we give 544 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: them the chance to cut through the noise and listen 545 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: at that time? Um? So it's it's clear to me 546 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: that we're listening right now, even with you know, all 547 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: the racial upheaval over the summer as well providing a 548 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: backdrop for it. But I just don't know whether that 549 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 1: will be sustained. Um. And the realist in me says 550 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: that out of comfort comes complacency. So I don't know 551 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: how to answer that question. Annie's that's that's the bottom line. Like, 552 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:49,960 Speaker 1: I feel like we need to have another conversation, you know, 553 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: in twelve to eighteen months, to see what's going on 554 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: when the next black man gets shot in the streets. 555 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: Are we still marching because the last one who just 556 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 1: did there was no marches right already, and we're still 557 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 1: in a pandemic, Like I feel it winding down, right, 558 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:11,320 Speaker 1: But that's just me. I don't know. Yeah, And that shooting, 559 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 1: the reason shooting with the gentleman being at the door 560 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: of his home having a concealed weapon that he had 561 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 1: a license to carry. Um, and no one's really talking 562 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: about it. It's been kind of silent except for the 563 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: black community. That's what it seemed like and those near 564 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: that community. Uh. And it's an unfortunate thing. And when 565 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: you look at and we're not gonna get do into it, 566 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: like the police records of the man who shot him 567 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: is not pretty. That dude was once or twice for 568 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 1: hostile behavior. I mean the idea that, like I what 569 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 1: I think will happen, and I hope that I'm wrong, 570 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 1: but I think that the perceived foe of Trump being 571 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: ousted makes people feel like we've won something right and 572 00:33:56,200 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: we've forgotten that the actual foe is racist them, and 573 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 1: we have not won that that was still here and 574 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:09,520 Speaker 1: it will still be here. Um yeah, yeah, And it's 575 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: absolutely true because in essence, the racism we see and 576 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:17,440 Speaker 1: attributing to Trump, it's not new. It's just they're just louder. 577 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: It's just they're just you know, and perhaps you know 578 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 1: folks will at me on that, but we we we 579 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:32,279 Speaker 1: got what was a symptom of the illness. Um, he 580 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:35,399 Speaker 1: is not he is not the problem, right, And that's 581 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 1: one of the big questions too, is I mean, this 582 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:41,439 Speaker 1: is a whole other tangent because you're correct and even 583 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: seeing now the performative level of social justice is ripe. Um. 584 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 1: We're seeing it in Google, We're seeing it in incorporations, 585 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,720 Speaker 1: We're seeing it and all these organizations where they're ousting. 586 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 1: They hired black women, but they're slowly ousting them or 587 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:56,799 Speaker 1: silencing them, and we see it, we're reading it. And 588 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 1: the only way they're getting any kind of accountability is 589 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:02,279 Speaker 1: being called out or called in I think is the 590 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 1: new term, so many terms. Um. But what all we're 591 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 1: also noting is the fact that this whole level of 592 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: decency normality, which we would think is just politeness, is 593 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,759 Speaker 1: getting so much praise. And we see this when we 594 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:21,120 Speaker 1: were already like, okay, remember we have to hold them accountable, 595 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 1: A and b um. And right now the only people 596 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: I'm truly seeing is uh like AOC and Corey Bush, 597 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 1: who are coming out like, uh, we're not gonna play 598 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: this game where we're gonna have to check in in 599 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:34,960 Speaker 1: all the reality. But we're also noting the fact that 600 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: already and this is have been happening, that we're excusing 601 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: behavior such as the Republicans behavior in allowing this kind 602 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:46,799 Speaker 1: of chaos and saying, oh, it's okay, we're going back 603 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:48,960 Speaker 1: to normally, we're gonna work with them. They're just they're 604 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,400 Speaker 1: they're just caught up in the moment. Excusing their behavior, 605 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 1: which again is going to have to be once again 606 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:58,360 Speaker 1: is erasing the work that many women of color have 607 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 1: done through through being stalked, through being harassed, Like you 608 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 1: see what's happening, Like Stacy even is still getting harassed. 609 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: I just saw a post with b Wyn who was 610 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:12,359 Speaker 1: one of our Atlanta Georgia Housewife presentatives UM who she 611 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 1: went out and blasted the people who are trying to 612 00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 1: say there's voter fraud and went through like name checking 613 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:21,720 Speaker 1: her them. It was beautiful. But on her Twitter, people 614 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:24,000 Speaker 1: are like, you're an idiot, you're a moron. You're doing 615 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:26,439 Speaker 1: these things and you're trying to destroy the country, like 616 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 1: but no one's calling them out. Like it's kind of 617 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 1: that level of like, Okay, this is the work that's 618 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: been happening, and we're giving credit pseudo credit, but we're 619 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:40,239 Speaker 1: slowly easing back into making the whole work shift back 620 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 1: onto women of color, black women specifically, Like that's what 621 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 1: it seems like. Yeah, for you know, for folks like 622 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:52,719 Speaker 1: be your Stacy, you know, a s C the like myself, um, yourself, Like, 623 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 1: we don't have the luxury of not calling them out 624 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:02,800 Speaker 1: because we're going to be under some level of threat 625 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:06,839 Speaker 1: whether we do or we don't, right, you know, it's 626 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,800 Speaker 1: either going to be an overt threat or a covert threat, 627 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:13,160 Speaker 1: whether we choose to speak up or not. And so 628 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:16,840 Speaker 1: the question is, are those folks who are posting black 629 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: squares on their Instagram? Are you truly an ally right? 630 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:24,359 Speaker 1: And if you are, then you will do more than 631 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:28,400 Speaker 1: a blackout on a random Wednesday. Right. Are you actually 632 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 1: love lifting or are you just literally be like, well, 633 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,799 Speaker 1: I'm not as bad as those people, yeah, or you know, 634 00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:37,839 Speaker 1: even so for instance, and listen, I love our volunteers, 635 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:42,439 Speaker 1: We have some of the most dedicated super volunteers, um. 636 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,879 Speaker 1: But every cycle when we are wanting to do pop 637 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:50,880 Speaker 1: ups in historically disadvantaged neighborhood lots of people of color, 638 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,200 Speaker 1: there are folks who are all about like, oh, I 639 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:57,799 Speaker 1: support black people, but when you ask them to physically 640 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:01,439 Speaker 1: move themselves and stand in a black neighborhood for two 641 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 1: hours and interact with black people. Recruiting them to do 642 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 1: that is very different than recruiting them to do the 643 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:11,560 Speaker 1: same thing in the white area of town. And that's 644 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 1: just a reality of of of what it is. Um. 645 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: So yeah, and it's and it's unfortunate. I know we've 646 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:26,320 Speaker 1: all got to push through and that in that discomfort. Um, 647 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 1: but people of color have had to push through in 648 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:32,359 Speaker 1: the discomfort of moving into spaces of people who don't 649 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:35,560 Speaker 1: look like them their entire lives. We all could do 650 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,400 Speaker 1: that for two hours for the sake of changing the 651 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 1: landscape of what our country looks like and providing rights 652 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:49,319 Speaker 1: to our brothers and sisters who live around us. Right, oh, man, 653 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:54,919 Speaker 1: I mean this political season has just been I don't 654 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 1: know what's the word, like there's moment somebody up and down? 655 00:38:57,840 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: Like chaos is the only thing I can think of 656 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:04,760 Speaker 1: the so many emotions ranging for this season, specifically in Georgia, 657 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:08,280 Speaker 1: because we've seen and been around and doing so many things. Um, 658 00:39:08,360 --> 00:39:09,719 Speaker 1: what are some of the things that we do need 659 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:11,320 Speaker 1: to pay attention to? And how do you think that 660 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:14,359 Speaker 1: or how do you think the grass root organizations will 661 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,000 Speaker 1: affect this particular election as we are now hitting the 662 00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:20,719 Speaker 1: early voting stage. Sure. Um, So one of the things 663 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:24,040 Speaker 1: that's already coming down the pike in Georgia is UH 664 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:31,080 Speaker 1: suppression efforts by our state legislature. UM, because they've realized 665 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:33,759 Speaker 1: that an increased voter turnout because of the work of 666 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:39,520 Speaker 1: these grassroots organizations, increased voter turnout means that more people 667 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:45,040 Speaker 1: who are Democratic or independent vote, and so they've already proposed, 668 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 1: you know, they get rid of absentee voting unless you 669 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:52,320 Speaker 1: have a new to disability, UM, get rid of absentee 670 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,480 Speaker 1: ballot drop boxes meaning you have to mail it in 671 00:39:55,520 --> 00:40:00,440 Speaker 1: and rely on the mail. UM, reduction of early voting days, 672 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:03,840 Speaker 1: reducing early voting days on Saturdays, so that if you 673 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:07,279 Speaker 1: are a working person who has a Monday to Friday job, 674 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:09,360 Speaker 1: you would not have an option to vote in person 675 00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:12,839 Speaker 1: and you'd have to rely on the mail to vote absentee. 676 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:15,919 Speaker 1: But only if you're disabled. You know, like just at 677 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 1: stacking these things up, this is the stuff to look 678 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:21,600 Speaker 1: out for. And the key is, and I'm sure this 679 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:24,880 Speaker 1: applies in every state in the Union. The key is 680 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:27,319 Speaker 1: that they are doing this in January when it's not 681 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:31,520 Speaker 1: a vote year, right, Okay, so we've already when everybody 682 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:35,160 Speaker 1: stops paying attention, right, is when they're going to do it. 683 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:40,799 Speaker 1: And it's those grassroots organizations who will be ringing the 684 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:44,160 Speaker 1: the alarm bell that this is happening. We've got to listen. 685 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,719 Speaker 1: We've got to listen and take note of who these 686 00:40:47,719 --> 00:40:50,399 Speaker 1: folks are so that when they're on the ballot two 687 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 1: years from now, our memories are not so collectively short 688 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:57,480 Speaker 1: that we forget that they did this to us just 689 00:40:57,560 --> 00:41:01,200 Speaker 1: two years prior. We you have a little bit more 690 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 1: for you, listeners, but first we have one more word 691 00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:21,520 Speaker 1: from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you sponsor. So 692 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:26,000 Speaker 1: oddly enough, my family knows David Ralston, who is a 693 00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:30,520 Speaker 1: big Georgia politician. Yeah. Yeah, that's a whole other story. Um, 694 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:33,680 Speaker 1: and he just tried this is why it gets uncomfortable 695 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:38,439 Speaker 1: at Christmas. But he just tried to pass it where 696 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:41,080 Speaker 1: they can overturn the electoral votes, like the popular votes 697 00:41:41,520 --> 00:41:44,239 Speaker 1: can be dismissed, and they could do it for the 698 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:46,680 Speaker 1: benefit of the people. Quote unquote is what he said, 699 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:49,800 Speaker 1: and which completely floored me because I was like, wait, 700 00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:53,919 Speaker 1: so you want to dismiss what people want to say, 701 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:56,920 Speaker 1: I know better, like essentially is what you're trying to 702 00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:00,440 Speaker 1: Like that's and you really think every one's going to 703 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,840 Speaker 1: be okay with this? Well, I mean that's kind of 704 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:06,279 Speaker 1: the entire foundation of the electoral college, right, like, Like 705 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:09,359 Speaker 1: it's not like he's pulling this concept out of a hat, 706 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:13,160 Speaker 1: like that's that is what arguably, if you're like an 707 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:17,040 Speaker 1: originalist or a strict constructionist of how you interpret the Constitution, 708 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:21,240 Speaker 1: the entire system was set up saying like us, slowly, 709 00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:24,719 Speaker 1: mere mortals don't necessarily know what we're doing, and if 710 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:28,080 Speaker 1: we don't, then we've got this fail safe um that 711 00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:30,520 Speaker 1: this electoral college can just take care of what needs 712 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 1: to take you be taken care of. UM. I would 713 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:37,160 Speaker 1: hope we're past that, but it would seem that some 714 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:44,400 Speaker 1: don't agree. Um. And you know, I also want to 715 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:49,320 Speaker 1: kind of key in on what's happening with the January election, 716 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:53,120 Speaker 1: and I've loved it because they are targeting younger voters UM. 717 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:57,600 Speaker 1: As in fact, Georgia votes were actually pasted by voters 718 00:42:57,680 --> 00:42:59,840 Speaker 1: under the age of thirty, which is three percent higher 719 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:03,080 Speaker 1: than the national average UM for Biden, and there's an 720 00:43:03,160 --> 00:43:07,120 Speaker 1: estimated twenty three thousand possible eligible new voters just turning 721 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:09,680 Speaker 1: a team for the CITATE election, which is phenomenal. And 722 00:43:09,719 --> 00:43:14,480 Speaker 1: we're seeing different strategies that has not come into play 723 00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:18,360 Speaker 1: until recently, such as using twitch um the game among 724 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 1: us I've been trying to uh yeah, and some of 725 00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:25,640 Speaker 1: the influencers are actually like YouTubers and twitch stars and 726 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:28,040 Speaker 1: people I've never heard of, Like who are these people 727 00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:30,799 Speaker 1: who all go by screen names? Which is a whole 728 00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:34,600 Speaker 1: another phenomenon in itself. Um like AOC did a lot 729 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:37,520 Speaker 1: of work by talking about how to register to vote, 730 00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:40,920 Speaker 1: why it's important, but through a video game essentially, and 731 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:44,560 Speaker 1: then in Atlanta itself versus we had Stacy Abrams, you know, 732 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:47,000 Speaker 1: pop up to have a little shout out and talk 733 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:49,440 Speaker 1: about how to register to vote for who was it? 734 00:43:49,760 --> 00:44:01,840 Speaker 1: Was it Gucci Gucci getting They had to be like 735 00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:06,280 Speaker 1: they were like people remember the text or the tweets 736 00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:08,399 Speaker 1: where people are like, oh, there might be a fight 737 00:44:08,520 --> 00:44:16,640 Speaker 1: like a literal because they're like, y'all don't understand. They 738 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:22,640 Speaker 1: don't like each other. Yeah, all the organizations are really 739 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:26,560 Speaker 1: like even New Georgia Project, which you mentioned previously, like 740 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:31,000 Speaker 1: they have kind of taken up the mantle of getting 741 00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:34,600 Speaker 1: out the young vote, and they're all like they're all 742 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:38,360 Speaker 1: up in high schools, high school events, like doing whatever 743 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:41,359 Speaker 1: they can to get that seventeen and a half year 744 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:44,680 Speaker 1: old voter to the pole. Right. I mean, it is 745 00:44:44,719 --> 00:44:48,480 Speaker 1: a fantastic tactic because I remember, uh, and I don't 746 00:44:48,520 --> 00:44:51,080 Speaker 1: know about y'all remember voting, and I'm really ashamed for 747 00:44:51,080 --> 00:44:52,840 Speaker 1: the vote that I casted, But you know that was 748 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,040 Speaker 1: way back when I changed my mind. Since then, but 749 00:44:55,200 --> 00:44:57,760 Speaker 1: as an ant year all getting my ballot at college 750 00:44:57,800 --> 00:45:00,239 Speaker 1: and filling it out and filling like, oh us to 751 00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:04,560 Speaker 1: see adulthood, you know, and how important it was and 752 00:45:04,560 --> 00:45:07,239 Speaker 1: the decisions I made, but also not understanding everything I 753 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:09,200 Speaker 1: was doing too. But you know, it is, it's a 754 00:45:09,239 --> 00:45:13,520 Speaker 1: whole thing. And to actually be able to have a 755 00:45:13,560 --> 00:45:16,040 Speaker 1: platform such as Twitch and such as versus, like all 756 00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:21,280 Speaker 1: of these things to educate the young voters, it's phenomenal. Yeah, 757 00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:25,239 Speaker 1: and getting creative to you know, um, if it's not 758 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:27,359 Speaker 1: on a game or on a phone, they're not going 759 00:45:27,400 --> 00:45:33,640 Speaker 1: to hear you. True. Yeah, Um, something else we want 760 00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:35,960 Speaker 1: to talk about. You know, it's been a very very 761 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:37,680 Speaker 1: long year. I can't believe it's coming to it in 762 00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:40,759 Speaker 1: but something that happened this year was also the census 763 00:45:42,080 --> 00:45:46,719 Speaker 1: that that was ten years ago. It was a really 764 00:45:46,719 --> 00:45:52,080 Speaker 1: long time ago. Um, why is the census so important? 765 00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:57,520 Speaker 1: Oh man, Okay. So the census essentially determines where our 766 00:45:57,560 --> 00:46:01,240 Speaker 1: country is going to be headed for the next decade. 767 00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:05,640 Speaker 1: Um allocation of funds on the state level, which is 768 00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:09,680 Speaker 1: a biggie um. And that allocation constitutionally is supposed to 769 00:46:09,719 --> 00:46:14,880 Speaker 1: be per person as opposed to per citizen. So for 770 00:46:15,239 --> 00:46:19,280 Speaker 1: you know, areas of of Georgia that have a massive 771 00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:24,920 Speaker 1: immigrant population, um, whether they're here legally or illegally, they 772 00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:28,480 Speaker 1: would still count and the state would still get funded 773 00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:32,520 Speaker 1: for that. That's why even Brian Kemp, our governor, was 774 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:36,960 Speaker 1: advocating for an extension of the census deadline, because even 775 00:46:37,000 --> 00:46:39,440 Speaker 1: he knows his budget is going to do is going 776 00:46:39,440 --> 00:46:41,120 Speaker 1: to be affected by how many people are on that. 777 00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:45,160 Speaker 1: So that's one big one um. Another bigg eas Congressional 778 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:48,880 Speaker 1: districts um, how those are drawn are coming up and 779 00:46:48,960 --> 00:46:53,759 Speaker 1: that is based on census data. And so you know, 780 00:46:55,160 --> 00:47:00,440 Speaker 1: gerrymandering is alive and well and figuring out a ventually 781 00:47:00,560 --> 00:47:05,640 Speaker 1: how to drop people into particular pockets to diminish the 782 00:47:05,760 --> 00:47:09,920 Speaker 1: value of their vote um. The census plays into that um, 783 00:47:09,960 --> 00:47:15,640 Speaker 1: and then allocation of of reps on the federal level um. 784 00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:19,560 Speaker 1: All of that goes into electorally, Like, it's just pretty 785 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:23,280 Speaker 1: much everything the federal government does where they're allotting, whether 786 00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:27,200 Speaker 1: it's electoral college delegates, how many you know, how much 787 00:47:27,200 --> 00:47:29,440 Speaker 1: money you get. All of those things come down to 788 00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:32,759 Speaker 1: the census, which only happens once every ten years. So 789 00:47:32,840 --> 00:47:36,080 Speaker 1: if you miss the boat on that, you're just gonna 790 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:41,279 Speaker 1: have to wait another ten years and hope for the best. Right, Oh, 791 00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:46,000 Speaker 1: those are big stakes one simple things, you know. And 792 00:47:46,280 --> 00:47:48,160 Speaker 1: I felt like the census was so short to fill 793 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:50,239 Speaker 1: out for some reason. I was like, this is gonna here, 794 00:47:50,280 --> 00:47:52,000 Speaker 1: I go. I was cracking my knuckles or whatever, and 795 00:47:52,040 --> 00:47:56,200 Speaker 1: it was like one minute later, like oh yeah, and 796 00:47:56,320 --> 00:47:57,960 Speaker 1: these was a little bit like even the weight it 797 00:47:58,080 --> 00:48:04,080 Speaker 1: was termed fairly racist. How to tell me more about that, well, 798 00:48:04,120 --> 00:48:06,799 Speaker 1: just kind of like being able to identify. They left 799 00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:09,279 Speaker 1: a couple of things out and even like the terms 800 00:48:09,280 --> 00:48:12,960 Speaker 1: that we're like, that's kind of outdated, but okay, you 801 00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:16,880 Speaker 1: know what I'm meaning just coloring all the boxes, You're like, 802 00:48:17,080 --> 00:48:21,239 Speaker 1: I'll be all of these things. I guess. But also 803 00:48:21,400 --> 00:48:23,279 Speaker 1: this is like a nineteen thirties term. Can we go 804 00:48:23,320 --> 00:48:30,719 Speaker 1: ahead getrit of that one? Thanks? It's fun times, Yeah, 805 00:48:30,760 --> 00:48:33,920 Speaker 1: it's fun times. It is your face says it all, Samantha, 806 00:48:34,160 --> 00:48:39,799 Speaker 1: so much fun times. Um, Well, thank you so much 807 00:48:39,840 --> 00:48:41,719 Speaker 1: for being here, Melody. Is there anything else you want 808 00:48:41,719 --> 00:48:44,200 Speaker 1: to add, Like something listeners can do if they're listening 809 00:48:44,239 --> 00:48:46,800 Speaker 1: to this and like I want to help, um, ways 810 00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:49,680 Speaker 1: they can do that? Yeah, I mean absolutely, those those 811 00:48:49,680 --> 00:48:55,120 Speaker 1: grassroots organizations like find one that seems to serve the 812 00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:59,000 Speaker 1: folks that is closest to your heart, your passion, um 813 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:02,480 Speaker 1: and support them. That can be monetarily, They're all. They're 814 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:06,200 Speaker 1: certainly gonna welcome that. But one of the easiest ways 815 00:49:06,360 --> 00:49:09,560 Speaker 1: is social media. Like a lot of the low hanging 816 00:49:09,640 --> 00:49:13,520 Speaker 1: fruit for us um is being able to get the 817 00:49:13,600 --> 00:49:16,359 Speaker 1: word out on social and we all know how these 818 00:49:16,400 --> 00:49:19,799 Speaker 1: algorithms work. The more likes, the more comments, the more 819 00:49:19,920 --> 00:49:25,480 Speaker 1: shares pushes us up in people's feeds. So like comment share, 820 00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:28,680 Speaker 1: um if you're you know, you're like, man, I'm tapped 821 00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:32,880 Speaker 1: out on money. But go find Georgia fifty project on Instagram. 822 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:35,799 Speaker 1: Go find new Georgia project and spread the word on 823 00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:42,640 Speaker 1: their behalf. Um, that's a that's a big way to help. Awesome. Yes, 824 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:46,319 Speaker 1: I love it, and I know our listeners they're they're 825 00:49:46,360 --> 00:49:50,839 Speaker 1: the best, so I'll do it. Yes, yes, do it. Um. 826 00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:54,440 Speaker 1: Where can the good listeners find humility? They can find 827 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:58,600 Speaker 1: me uh anywhere that podcasts or listened to. Uh. I 828 00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:01,920 Speaker 1: have a local Atlanta lytical podcast called Civic s I 829 00:50:02,000 --> 00:50:05,760 Speaker 1: V I K. And you can also follow Georgia Project 830 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:11,600 Speaker 1: at Georgia fifty five project, on stud or Twitter. Yes, 831 00:50:11,800 --> 00:50:14,239 Speaker 1: go do it. Leave a light comment, do the thing, 832 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:20,040 Speaker 1: do the thing. We look forward to having you back 833 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:23,479 Speaker 1: sometime in the future. Uh. And in the meantime, listener, 834 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:26,200 Speaker 1: if you want to contact us, you can our emails 835 00:50:26,239 --> 00:50:28,160 Speaker 1: Stuff Media mom Stuff at i heeart media dot com. 836 00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:30,680 Speaker 1: You can also find us on Instagram at stuff I 837 00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:32,960 Speaker 1: Never Told You or on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast. Thanks. 838 00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:35,439 Speaker 1: It's always to our super producer Andrew Howards. Oh, thank 839 00:50:36,360 --> 00:50:38,520 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening Stuff I Never Told 840 00:50:38,560 --> 00:50:40,520 Speaker 1: These protection of iHeart Radio For more podcast from my 841 00:50:40,600 --> 00:50:42,680 Speaker 1: Heart Radio is the I Hear Radio app, Apple podcast 842 00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:45,000 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Do all 843 00:50:45,000 --> 00:50:45,480 Speaker 1: the things