1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: It's now time for Cannabis Talk one oh one with Blue, 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Joe Grande and Mark and Craig Wasserman the Pot Brothers 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: at Law. We're the world's number one podcast for everything cannabis. 4 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to Cannabis Talk one oh one Monday 5 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: is Blue. Alongside of me is Mark and Craig Wasserman, 6 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: the Pot Brothers at Law and Joe Grande, the world's 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 1: number one source for everything cannabis. And Joe let us 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: know what's going on in the show. Well, first off, 9 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: we want to thank everybody out there for listening to 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: the show and hopefully once again you had a great 11 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: four twenty and all that good stuff and all around 12 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 1: the world a hundred and thirty plus countries and counting, 13 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: you're listening to this talk show and know what, we 14 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: greatly appreciate it. If you ever want to call up 15 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: and leave us a voicemail, is the number That number again, 16 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 1: Craig in Spanish, Because I haven't heard you say it 17 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: in Espanola so long. I just I really miss you, 18 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: to be honest with you, so I want to hear 19 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: your voice and I want you to say it in Spanish. 20 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: Zetto zetto and you know the number. Give us a call. 21 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: Make sure you check out our Instagram pages for the 22 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: day of news, learned the script and so much more 23 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: at Cannabis Talk one oh one at Pot Underscore Brothers, 24 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: Underscore at Underscore, law Markus at wast Law, Craigs at 25 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: wast Law, Dog Blue is that one, Christopher writes, and 26 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: I am at Joe Grande fifty two. And before we 27 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: get to this very special guest, nothing like having a 28 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: senator on. I hope the Senator is gonna join us 29 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: in Las Vegas at the G four Live Events May 30 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 1: twenty one to the twenty three. I want to see 31 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: him get jiggy with it out there at the pool party. 32 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 1: Travis Barker and the Senator with his shirt off and 33 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: his hands in the air. Wait when I'm like, you 34 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: just don't care, smoking a little bliganty and making it happen. Captain. 35 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: Either way, if he's not gonna be there, we're gonna 36 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: be there. So you make sure you go out there 37 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: to the G four Live events. And without further ado, 38 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: before I start off, I want to say a happy 39 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: belated happy birthday to you, Senator. I know your birthday 40 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: just passed and we have yes, yes, yes, we have 41 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: the Senator of Washington, d C. Senator Paul Strauss. You 42 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: can follow him online at send Paul Strauss. That's s 43 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: E N P A U L S t R A 44 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: U S S. And of course, like I said, he's 45 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: from the District of Columbia. Unbelievable things that you're doing 46 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: to try to make the fifty first state. You're supporting cannabis. 47 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: Mark has been in many rooms with you on clubhouse 48 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: talking and Mark said, we got to bring the senator 49 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: on the show. Yes, thank you for coming on with 50 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: us today. Sir, it's a it's a pleasure to be here. 51 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me. So let's start off with the 52 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: I want to know first off, the cannabis relation. How 53 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: have you been so supportive of it? And do you 54 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: get a lot of heat from fellow senators in Congress 55 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: and everybody else out there. Well, the District of Columbia 56 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: has some broader issues besides just cannabis, but the cannabis 57 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: ties into it a lot. So to to understand, we 58 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: are the capital of the United States, but the people 59 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: that live here don't have the same rights that people 60 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: who live in the fifty states do, and so we 61 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: are trying to change that, and we're trying to change 62 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: that through statehood. And a lot of the attention focuses 63 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: on you know who who or how we might vote 64 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: once we get voting senators, because right now DC residents 65 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: vote for me, and I can't vote for them when 66 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: I go to the Senate. But for us in DC, 67 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: it's really an issue about self determination and testing our 68 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: own laws and passing our own destiny. And so there 69 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: have been several times where Congress uses its authority over 70 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: the people of Washington, d C. To overrule the clear 71 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: will of DC voters when it comes to cannabis laws. 72 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: First and foremost, UH, in the late nineteen nineties, we 73 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: had we wanted to have a referendum, and Congress overruled us, 74 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: saying we couldn't even vote on whether it's too decriminalize 75 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: marijuana back in the day. UH, And they actually stopped 76 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: an election in mid process and prevented votes from being counted. 77 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: That we're duly cast by Americans. We did have a 78 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: successful referendum some years ago to legalized cannabis here in 79 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: the District of Columbia, but a Congressman from Maryland named 80 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: Andy Harris was able to use his power as a 81 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: Maryland Congressman to change the will of the voters here 82 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: in Washington, d c. And so, while voters in the 83 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: fifty States can decide what kind of laws they want 84 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: to have in the capital of the United States, here, 85 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: the American citizens who live here, who pay taxes, who 86 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: serve this country in the military and civilian government, Uh, 87 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: we don't have the same rights. And so when we 88 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: vote and have a referendum and pass a law, it 89 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: doesn't have the same effect is when citizens of the 90 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: fifty States do. And so that's really the fight that 91 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: I'm I'm so glad to have an opportunity to talk 92 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: to you about today. Uh, because it's it's it's about cannabis, 93 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: but it's really so much more than that and the 94 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: issues we can't it's it's it's all laws that that 95 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: that that that requirement comes from the District of Columbia. Correct. Yeah, 96 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 1: they pretty much the local government or the voters themselves 97 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: pass the law. Uh. Members of Congress can just change 98 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 1: and they've done that on a lot of issues, and 99 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 1: they've had terrible consequences. We had a sterile needle exchange 100 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: program that was so effective in fighting HIV and hepatitis 101 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: C and other blood borne viruses. Uh, and conservative members 102 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: of Congress stopped us from funding this successful program, and 103 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: we began to see UH infection rates creep up just 104 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: as we had made progress on it. And so literally, 105 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: they they they they they've done things that have UH 106 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: made made people in Washington D City c sicker. UM. 107 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: So it's a real it's a serious issue for us. 108 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 1: Let me ask you this for our listeners out there. 109 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: How is it that the citizens of Washington, DC can vote? 110 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: Is that something that's in the constitution? How does that 111 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: even why is that even like that? Well, thanks for 112 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: asking one. The people of Washington, DC get to vote. 113 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: They even get to vote for an office called U. S. Senator, 114 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: which is the office that I occupy, and they get 115 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 1: to vote for members of the House of Representatives. Uh. 116 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: But but those are non voting delegates. And I'm called 117 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: sometimes a shadow senator because I don't have the same privileges. 118 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: So my election works pretty much the same way any 119 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: other senator would work. They go to the polls, they 120 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: vote for me. I was the Democrat, I had a 121 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: Republican opponent. I had some people from some of the 122 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: other parties and they picked the candidate they want, and 123 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: that part of the process looks the same. It's the 124 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: after part of the process when the people who DC 125 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: voters elect don't have the same rights, don't have the 126 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: same privileges when they go to the Congress to advocate 127 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: on behalf of their constituencies. It is not in the constitution. 128 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: What the Constitution says is there has to be a 129 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: small part of the United States that constitutes the seat 130 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: of government. And it's set a limit, a size limit. 131 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: It can't be over a hundred square miles, but it 132 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: could be smaller and under that in that federal district, 133 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: Congress gets to have exclusive legislative jurisdiction, not the people 134 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: that live there. And so what we're advocating is to 135 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: shrink the seat of government to a part that we 136 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: now call the National Capital Service Area and allow Congress 137 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: to exercise the exclusive jurisdiction over their federal part of Washington. 138 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: But we have over seven hundred thousand Americans who live there. 139 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: That's more people than live in the state of Wyoming. 140 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: That's more people than live in the state of Vermont. 141 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: It's about the same as Alaska, Delaware, the Dakotas. So, uh, 142 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: they want the same rights, We want the same rights. 143 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: And so the idea is to shrink the seat of 144 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: government to what's really just is the federal part of 145 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: Washington and allow all of the Americans who live in 146 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: the surrounding area to join the Union as the state. 147 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: But the Constitution didn't disenfranchise us. Congress did in eighteen 148 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: o one when they passed a law that took away 149 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: the right to vote for voting members of Congress and 150 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: voting U S. Senators that had existed since the district 151 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: was created in seventeen nine and continued until eighteen o one. 152 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: And we have been fighting for that long to get 153 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: our rights back since then. You know, it seems almost 154 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: like a no brainer. What's the biggest what's the pushback 155 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: you're getting the people are saying, no, we don't want this. 156 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:32,599 Speaker 1: What's the arguments that they're putting forth against this. The 157 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,959 Speaker 1: arguments against this are very stupid and in some cases 158 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: outrageously falls. There was a congressman from Georgia that said 159 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,599 Speaker 1: that we shouldn't be a state because we didn't have 160 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: car dealerships here. It's in the Congressional record it's also 161 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 1: false we happen to have car dealership here. Um. And uh, 162 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: it's of course not a constitutional requirement that you have 163 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,079 Speaker 1: car dealerships. We just happened to have them. So I 164 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: pointed out because it's both stupid and false. Um. People said, 165 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: there's a Senator from Arkansas, Tom Cotton, and he said 166 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: that we shouldn't have the rights of a state because 167 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 1: even we have more people than Wyoming. The people in 168 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: Wyoming are good old regular people and they do logging 169 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: and and kind of heavy they're they're in the timber industry. 170 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: And apparently in the District of Columbia, we're not cutting 171 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:29,079 Speaker 1: down enough trees for Senator Cotton. Um. But is there 172 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: one I mean, if you want to break it down 173 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: to parties or whatnot that are against having, you know, 174 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: enfranchising the people of the of Washington d C. I mean, 175 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 1: what's their argument against not doing this? And is it 176 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: gonna take a majority or a simple majority? Those are questions. Look, 177 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: there's one party that we know is trying to stop 178 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: people from voting all over the place and making it 179 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: harder to vote. Is that the Republicans? Possible for us? 180 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: That would be the Republican Party you got it. Uh. Look, 181 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: let's let's face it. The District of Columbia is unique 182 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: as a jurisdiction that pays full federal taxes. But there 183 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,559 Speaker 1: are other parts of the United States where the people 184 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: don't have equal rights. And it's d C, Puerto Rico, Guam, 185 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,839 Speaker 1: American Samoa. And if you look at these places, it's 186 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:17,839 Speaker 1: all of the parts of the United States where the 187 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: population happens to be majority non white, the black coal right. 188 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 1: And we know that that's just not a coincidence. And 189 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:27,719 Speaker 1: we know that the Republican Party has motives that go 190 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 1: beyond the perceived love of card dealerships, the logging industry, 191 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 1: or their own bizarre interpretation of the Constitution. We know 192 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: that they don't want certain people being able to vote 193 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,199 Speaker 1: because they don't like how they're going to vote or 194 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: how they think we're going to vote. And that's really 195 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:49,319 Speaker 1: what it comes down to. We have an overwhelmingly majority 196 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: city of ethnic minorities, and right now we would probably 197 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: be sending to voting U S senators who would be 198 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: very ideologically different than people like Senator Cotton from Arkansas, 199 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: Senator McConnell, and the Republicans that are trying to hang 200 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: on to power. UH in a evenly divided Senate, so 201 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: we would break that log jam. And they know it. 202 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: But that's exactly why the American people need dcs send 203 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: two more voting senators to the Senate so that we 204 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: can actually pass some of the laws that are just dying. 205 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: Every time the House passes a law, it dies in 206 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: the Senate. And that's not working for the American people 207 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: over here. What does it take change What does it 208 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: take the change it? It takes a simple act of Congress. 209 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: And so just yesterday the House of Representatives Oversight Committee 210 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: passed HR fifty one, which is the DC state had built. 211 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: It's going to go to the floor of the House 212 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 1: next week. Nancy Pelosi has promised to bring it up 213 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: to a vote leader majority, leader, standing lawyer. He's going 214 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: to bring it up to a vote. UH. And we 215 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 1: expected to pass the U S House to pass last year. 216 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: We expected to s to get and here we have 217 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 1: this battle in the United States Senate where we have 218 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: forty five Senate co sponsors, but we need fifty one 219 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: of them to pass this bill. And then, depending on 220 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 1: how the fellowbuster plays out, we may need sixties senators 221 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: to vote to close debate and what we call a 222 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: cloture resolution just so we can have a vote and 223 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 1: hopefully get fifty one Senators to pass the bill. So 224 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: we are we we are closer than we've ever been. 225 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: You know, I've been in this fight since nine when 226 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: I took over for Reverend Jesse Jackson. He used to 227 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: hold my seat. Uh, and and it has taken us 228 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: decades to get to this point. But we're here. We're 229 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: not giving up. We're continuing the fight, and uh we've 230 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: got a majority cent. As you brought up as you 231 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,719 Speaker 1: brought up Jesse Jackson, Senator, I'm curious. You know you 232 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 1: succeeded him and took his seat. Did Jesse Jackson give 233 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 1: you any words of encouragement? And what did he pass? 234 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: Be you know the baton? Do you and say keep 235 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: hope alive? Absolutely? Reverend Jackson was uh someone who inspired me. 236 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 1: He was the very first candidate I voted for for 237 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: president when I was old enough to vote for president. 238 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: And so the idea that uh I could uh stand 239 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: in his his shoes and continue his work uh to 240 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:19,839 Speaker 1: advance democracy and equality, UH and bring some justice to 241 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: the people of of Washington. D c Uh is something 242 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 1: that it's an opportunity that humbles me, but it inspires 243 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: me at the same time. What is wrong with those 244 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: six other Democratic senators that don't want to go along 245 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: with the programmer? Um, well, let's we we uh. We 246 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: have two senators from Arizona, newly elected Senator Mark Kelly 247 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: uh the astronaut and Consenator Christen Cinema. Um. You known't 248 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: get them on the show and ask them what their 249 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: what their deal is. But Arizona, Arizona is a very 250 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: narrowly divided state. It has been a deep, deep red 251 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: conservative state. This was the place that senters Barry Goldwater, 252 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 1: it senters John McCain, um it. It has been historically, uh, 253 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,679 Speaker 1: super conservative. And so the idea that we have two 254 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 1: Democratic senators from Arizona that Arizona sent uh it's electoral 255 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: votes to President Biden is a recent phenomena, and I 256 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: think they're cautious and a lot of that has to 257 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: do with ustinating to do more work with the people 258 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: of Arizona, to get out there and help make a 259 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: case in wife statehood needs to happen to the people 260 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: of Arizona. You have angers King and Maine. He is 261 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: not actually even a Democrat. He's and he caucuses with 262 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: the Democrats. We'd like to get him on board. Uh. 263 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: Maine is a split state. Uh. One of their senators 264 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: as Republicans, who's in Collins. Maine splits its electoral Uh 265 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: it's too congressional district. Uh. And Uh, it split its 266 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: electoral votes. And so you actually have a congressional district 267 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: that voted for Donald Trump, but Senate Democratic House member, 268 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: So Maine is kind of on the fence, evenly divided. 269 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: You have New Hampshire right near their Senator Jean Shahem, 270 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: she sponsored the bill once before. She's not on it yet. 271 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: We're hoping to get her back. Uh. And then you 272 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: have Joe Manchin, who you know right now has a 273 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: lot of power. I mean, the Constitution says that you 274 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: have to be the president to be able to vitaill legislation. 275 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: But Senator Ranchon has pulled off this unique constitutional miracle. 276 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: Whereas a senator from West Virginia, he has the kind 277 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: of veto power that you normally only get as the 278 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: chief executive. And so I think he's reluctant to give 279 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: that up. Uh. Let's face it, though he represents a 280 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: conservative state Uh, they did not vote for for President Biden. 281 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: They will seventy pro Donald Trump. Uh. And and right now, look, 282 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: we need Joe Biden a little bit more than than 283 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: he needs the Democratic Party, to be quite honest. Uh, 284 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: if we didn't have him in the Senate, we wouldn't 285 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: have been able to pass the stimulus. We wouldn't even 286 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: be as close as we were. We'd be probably in 287 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: week twenty five of the Hunter Biden laptop hearing or whatever. 288 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: Lookans would be wasting the country's time on so um, 289 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 1: I have I have faith that eventually centaer Mansion can 290 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: be made to understand to do the right thing. I've 291 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: had the privilege of speaking with him on a lot 292 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: of issues. I think he's a fair minded guy. And 293 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: so um. I mean, I just think let me get 294 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: forty nine before we pressure him to be number fifty 295 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: understood understood. I just I mean, they're there. Only argument 296 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: is we don't want more voters. I mean, are there 297 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: economic arguments? Are there? You know, because you're can be 298 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: a conservative Democrat. You know as far as economics go, 299 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 1: What what's the argument? I mean every state, you know, 300 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: I don't we don't want competition. I mean it doesn't 301 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: make any sense other than Republican. And that's it. They 302 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: want to narrowly hang on to power. And they know 303 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: that if every American Hatch fans to vote in a 304 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: free and fair election, uh, for the time being, they 305 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: probably would be out of power. And that's really what 306 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: it's all about. There are no solid economic arguments. Well, 307 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: we pay over four billion dollars to the federal treasury 308 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: right now. Uh. We pay higher taxes in the aggregate 309 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: than twenty two other U. S States, despite being small 310 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 1: geographically to fight with being a small population per capita, 311 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 1: we pay more taxes to the federal government than end 312 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: the state. And so when we become a state, we 313 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: will continue to be a donor state. Right now we're 314 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: a donor territory. Uh So no, the economic arguments don't 315 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: support it. What what Hold on, Craig, Hold on, Craig, 316 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: We're gonna come back with that. Craig, let's break real quick. 317 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: We'll come back with another question from Senior Craig Washerman. 318 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 1: It's Cannabis Talk one on one. We have the Senator 319 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: of Washington, Washington, D C. Paul Strauss will be right back. 320 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 1: Make sure you check out a G four Live presented 321 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,959 Speaker 1: by the bud Tender Awards with Cannabis Talk one oh one, 322 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: I Heart Media and Travis Barker. Go to G four 323 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: live dot com to register while exhibitor space is still available. 324 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: Welcome back. We have Senator Paul Strauss with us and Craig. 325 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: I think you had a question what was that Yetta 326 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 1: follow up question? I mean we and before we get 327 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 1: into cannabis issues, which we know you're a huge supporter of. 328 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: We tell our listeners all the time they can go 329 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,920 Speaker 1: to a normal they can go to Americans say faccess. 330 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,680 Speaker 1: You can find your senator. You can email him a letter. 331 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: It's very simple. Some of these these sites have pre 332 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 1: letters already done, or you can add your own. You 333 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: put in a zip code and there is and you 334 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: can inundate the senator with Hey, if you don't go 335 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 1: our way, we're gonna vote you out. If you don't 336 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,159 Speaker 1: vote you know, if you don't vote this way, this 337 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: is what we're gonna do. What people do because this, 338 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: to me, I mean it sounds like something that it's 339 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: not on the forefront of people in you know, of 340 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 1: Wyoming or or West Virginia. I mean, no one, I 341 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 1: don't think that. That's what's crazy to me. The constituents 342 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: of these states where where the where the politician is saying, no, 343 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: we don't want the competition. We want to hang on 344 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: to power. Both constituents probably have no clue that this 345 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,479 Speaker 1: is even an issue. I mean, there there's a lot 346 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: of educating we we we need to do still, and 347 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: that's why I appreciate the opportunity on your shows and 348 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: talk to folks who are out there, uh putting relevant 349 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: information out to voters. Um. But look, you've heard the 350 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: phrase call your center. That's what we need you to do. 351 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: If you live in the targeted states we talked about, 352 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: like Arizona, West Virginia, Maine, or New Hampshire, then obviously 353 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: call your senator tell them to get on the bill. 354 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: If you live in a state where you have Republican 355 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 1: senators that are against the bill, uh, tell them to 356 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: switch and support simple democracy. You know. And is it 357 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 1: that simple, though, Centator? Is it that's simple to say? 358 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: When you sit there and say that to our listeners. 359 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: I mean, can they literally four one one senator in Arizona, 360 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: senator in you know, New Mexico, And then they call 361 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: and they say hello, and they go, uh, like, what 362 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: is the bourbons that needs to come out of that 363 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 1: individual's mouth. It's it's even easier. First of all, all 364 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: of the senators we share a common phone number. Two 365 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: oh two, two to four three one to one. It's 366 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 1: easy to remember. What's that number again? Say it again, 367 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: two zero two two to four one. That is the 368 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: switchboard of the United States Senate. You can call up 369 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 1: and ask for any senator you want, especially yours, because 370 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: that's who's gonna take your call, and uh, make a call, 371 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: get transferred, even if you get a recording, leave a message, 372 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: Those get tracked. When I get calls from voters, I 373 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: take that very seriously, and I take it more seriously 374 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: when I get a call from a real voter than 375 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: I do an email or one of these automated things. 376 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: Not that that doesn't help, you know, we want everything, 377 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: but a live phone call from a real voter to 378 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: a real senator's office. Uh matters. I got a question, Senator. 379 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: When you receive a letter, phone call, email, are you 380 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: actually required to get back to that person in some way? Well, 381 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:17,479 Speaker 1: if you want to, if you want to stay in office, 382 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 1: you are. It's not a legal requirement, but it's a 383 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: public responsibility, and those senators get people who are paid 384 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 1: by all of our tax dollars, including those of us 385 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: in d C, to open that mail, read that mail, 386 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: and answer that mail. So the short answer is yes, absolutely. Uh. 387 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: The other thing is you could write to any US 388 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 1: senator at the addressed United States Senate, Washington, d C. 389 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: And it will get there. Uh. You know, the ZIP 390 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: code is two oh five one five. It's not hard 391 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: in these days of the internet to get the exact 392 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 1: suite number. But one of the things that Harry Truman 393 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: loved when he first got elected to the Senate is 394 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:00,040 Speaker 1: that he could you know, uh the address uh a 395 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: Senate office building. And he said his constituents could write 396 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: to him by putting addressing the envelope to Harry Truman, 397 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: s ob Washington, d C. And that's funny, that is great. Well, 398 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna repeat that number two O two two to 399 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 1: four three one two one. I think we got a 400 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: little freeze right here on our zoom. But it's just 401 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 1: interesting to see what these guys are doing over there. 402 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: And like he said, the senator, I mean, bottom line, 403 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: if you want to stay in office, you guys, that's 404 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: what they gotta do. And and like you just said, 405 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 1: Mark calling that number once again two oh two to 406 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: two four three one two one, and we'll put that 407 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: phone number in the description on the podcast. And what's 408 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: really dope about that? You guys, there's an you want 409 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: to write a letter because some people are old school 410 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 1: want to write that letter. I mean, I love this 411 00:22:54,040 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: United States Senator Washington d C to Washington State Senate. Senate, sorry, Senate, okay, 412 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: let me write that down better to Senate Washington d C. 413 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 1: The zip code two zero five one five, two oh 414 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: five one five. Things like this just didn't treat me 415 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 1: because you know, it's not too often you get to 416 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: talk to a senator. And I mean, these guys, there's 417 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:21,959 Speaker 1: there's fifty states, hopefully fifty one. If these guys can 418 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: do that, I'm instill baffled that because I had no 419 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: idea that the District of Columbia Washington, d C. Did 420 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:31,400 Speaker 1: not have the same rights as every other state in America. 421 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: I did not. Well, that's even more baff Washington DC 422 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: is well, no, we have technical difficulties. And we were 423 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: tap dancing and talking for a minute. But it was 424 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: just great, Senator that and I just want to be clear. 425 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: You said United States Senate is the letter head that 426 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: they would write a letter to Washington d C. Two 427 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:57,440 Speaker 1: zero five one five correct, That is correct. Uh. And 428 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: and and even the post office under that it DeJoy 429 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: will still be able to get that man out to 430 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:08,120 Speaker 1: do them mostly. So keep keep those cards and ladders coming. Uh, 431 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,199 Speaker 1: keep the phone calls coming. And uh. You know all 432 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: those senators have offices too in the home state. So 433 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: when they're on recess, which is an awful lot, you know, 434 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 1: it's it's uh uh senators have offices in their home 435 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: states as well that you can find out. So uh please, Senator, 436 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,199 Speaker 1: I'm curious. You know, your childhood growing up in Brooklyn 437 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,439 Speaker 1: and in the upper east side of Manhattan, and then 438 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: you're getting there to become a lawyer, having your practice 439 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,959 Speaker 1: that specializes in real estate, business and family law. How 440 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: does it go from all that to going senators? What 441 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: I feel like I want to really do? Walk me 442 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:50,199 Speaker 1: through that. Well, Um, you know, when you're a senator, 443 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: you represent people, and so it's really the same thing 444 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: I do as a lawyer. Uh. You advocate for and 445 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 1: you represent on behalf of and so you're just doing 446 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: it instead of a courtroom. You're doing it in another 447 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: branch of the government. I was interested in politics at 448 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 1: a young age. I interest I was working on political 449 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 1: campaigns actually started when I was nine years old. I 450 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: was a kid. I got to go down to campaign headquarters. 451 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: And back then, campaigns were low tech. You'd fold envelopes, 452 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 1: you'd put stamp bomb. Do you think things that nine 453 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: year old kids could do? Uh? And I got a 454 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,440 Speaker 1: lot of positive reinforcement because I was energized at it. 455 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,639 Speaker 1: I was happy to be doing it. And I Uh, 456 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:34,959 Speaker 1: I stuffed a lot of letters. I put a lot 457 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: of stamps on him. I hung a lot of posters 458 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 1: on polls. I put a lot of bumper stickers on cars. Uh. 459 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 1: Later I learned that you're supposed to get the permission 460 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 1: of the guy that owns the car before. That's Cailla style. 461 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:51,439 Speaker 1: That's a great star right there. But I learned, and uh, 462 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: you know, I actually by the time I got to college, Uh, 463 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: I was able to run for and win my first 464 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: office here and wat Shington d C. Because you know, 465 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: we're we're a community that makes voting easy. So you're 466 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: able to register to vote in your dorm room, You're 467 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,120 Speaker 1: able to register your fellow students to vote at UM. 468 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: Back in my age, they were talking about raising the 469 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: drinking age from eighteen one, which motivated college students on 470 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 1: to get involved politics and ways that had not happened before. 471 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: And so we registered a record number of college students 472 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: to vote in d C. And the kids that you 473 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 1: vote for me and student government began to vote for 474 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 1: me for real government office. Uh. And I was able 475 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: to begin a political career as commissioner, which is a 476 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: municipal office. We dealt with land use and zoning. I 477 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: did that for about ten years, becoming the chairman of 478 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: the commission when I was only twenty three. And by 479 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 1: the time I was finally old enough to run for senator, 480 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: because you've got to be at least thirty, I was 481 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: able to get elected at at thirty one. But I've 482 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: never been able to cast a vote on behalf of 483 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 1: my constituents who have done Uh. It's been so wonderful 484 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 1: and continuing to vote for me, uh, which is pretty 485 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: generous of them, considering my my terrible voting record of 486 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: never voting once any piece of legislation. So we appreciate 487 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: that support UM, but we need to make this change 488 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 1: and and it's been my life's work, uh to advocate 489 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 1: and for those that can't speak for themselves. And right 490 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: now that's everybody in the capital of the United States. Remember, 491 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: this is a city where we have monuments to democracy 492 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 1: and freedom all over the place. But we denied democracy. 493 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 1: We deny that freedom to the people who live here, 494 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: who are American citizens. That's wrong. It's not what the 495 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 1: founding fathers envisioned. We allowed the capital to be set 496 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 1: up here. It was supposed to be um uh, unique 497 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:57,679 Speaker 1: and special. But h the Constitution didn't disenfranchise Washington voters. 498 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: Congress did. And it's time for us to rectify that wrong. 499 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:07,159 Speaker 1: Wait now, now we can segue into cannabis because now 500 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:11,679 Speaker 1: the lightbulb just went off and people probably didn't realize 501 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 1: the hearing years ago when the people of Washington, d c. 502 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: Decided to legalize or decriminalize your cannabis and it didn't 503 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: happen because Congress wouldn't allow it. And and now that 504 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: makes a lot more sense having this whole situation explained 505 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,399 Speaker 1: to us. Oh that's why they like they voted on it. 506 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:36,959 Speaker 1: What the heck? What? What what's going on? Now? Now 507 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: we get it? Well, it is is it Because we 508 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: voted on it uh in a in a certain way, 509 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: and uh the representative from Maryland that tried to stop 510 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: did such a bad job of actually doing it. It 511 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: is legal. So what we have right now is, if 512 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: you're in residential Washington, d C. The use of cannabis 513 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: under certain conditions legal. You can grow up to a 514 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 1: certain number of plans I think it's for Uh. You 515 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: can have it gifted to you, you can give it 516 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 1: to somebody else. But what you can't do is pay 517 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: for it in any way. So UM, if you're trying 518 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 1: to understand, you can't enjoy it outside. You can't get anything, 519 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: uh a value in exchange for it. It can't be 520 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: regulated in a way that would make it safe. It 521 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: can't be taxed in a way that would provide services 522 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: to the city. So UH, that's really what we're fighting 523 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 1: for right now. We have been able to UH vote 524 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: to uh to make it legal. UH. And Congress did 525 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: not act quickly enough to overturn that referendum. They would 526 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: need to do so by a majority vote. But what 527 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: they do is appropriation bills. Because our entire budget is 528 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: controlled by Congress. They pass a special law that says 529 00:29:56,680 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: that the elected legislatories can't pass any regulation to make 530 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: the practice safe, issue licenses to set up a revenue 531 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: stream that would fund um services for the city like 532 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: they do in Colorado, like they do in Alaska, like 533 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: they do in so many states Washington State for example. Uh, 534 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 1: that have gone to regulate this in a rational way. 535 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: Do we see that though going federally legal? I mean, 536 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: as we say all this and we think it, and 537 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: you're they're working for the you know, United States citizens, 538 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: and so are so many other But thank you so 539 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: much for your service to do you feel in your 540 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 1: gut fast forward to how fast can this go federally legal? 541 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 1: I mean, there's only three states now that have no 542 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: type of anything cannabis that they're doing. What does your 543 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: gut say? I think you're gonna see the model that 544 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: marriage equality is probably a good model to look at. 545 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: You had individual states moving on it, uh and eventually 546 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,160 Speaker 1: there was enough momentum to uh make it federal and 547 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 1: of course the courts guaranteed it from an equal protection standpoint. 548 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: So I think you need to fight this battle in 549 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 1: more and more states. But when this gets on the ballot, 550 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: voters want to vote for it when you leave it 551 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 1: up to politicians to make the decision. Uh, they don't 552 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: have their heads out of the More people voted for 553 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: green than anything that more people have voted for cannabis 554 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 1: than any president than anything else that's ever been on 555 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: the on the ballots. Well, I gotta tell you, I 556 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 1: one of one of my points of pride is as 557 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:38,840 Speaker 1: popular as the referendum was here in d C. I 558 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 1: actually got more votes than weed. Uh say a lot, 559 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 1: because a lot we were on the same and and 560 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 1: and you know, people in d C like it so uh, 561 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: I like pretty excited about they like their cannabis, and 562 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: they like their senator. But the majority of the United 563 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 1: States wants it, and you have stubborn old senators who 564 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: just want to buck their con stituents. It's just it's 565 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 1: amazing to me that every state that has legalized in 566 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:08,560 Speaker 1: one form or another, that state senator isn't marked to 567 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: the capital, or that that United States senator isn't marked 568 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 1: into the capital saying I, you know what, I don't 569 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: agree with this, but my constituents wanted and that's what 570 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 1: we gotta do. It's just it mind boggles me that 571 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 1: they're still able to get away with that. Well, you know, sadly, 572 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: it doesn't boggle my mind because people want sensible gun 573 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: laws and we can't get that done, and people want 574 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: all kinds of uh sensible rules passed. UH. And the 575 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: United States Senate is where all these great ideas go 576 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: to do it has become a dysfunctional institution. Let's let's 577 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: look at some numbers for a minute. Right now, eighteen 578 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 1: percent of all Americans have fifty two United States Senators, 579 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: and so most Americans happen to live in cities, They 580 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: live around cities, and most of the Senate tied to 581 00:32:55,320 --> 00:33:00,959 Speaker 1: rural interests, to interests that don't reflect the typical American. Uh. 582 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 1: You know, you have fifty close to forty nine million 583 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 1: people in California, they have two U. S. Senators. You 584 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: have four hundred thousand people in Wyoming. They've got the 585 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 1: same voting to U. S. Senators. And so the area 586 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: where you the biggest disconnect are uh, the United States 587 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 1: Senate in the electoral college. Because either I think they 588 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 1: inherently violate the principle of one person, one vote, which 589 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: should be the basis of a democracy, and so we 590 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: really need to reform the Senators an institution. We need 591 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 1: to pass some kind of compact so that the electoral 592 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 1: college doesn't overturn the will of voters. You know, Donald 593 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: Trump never won the popular vote in any election, but 594 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: he was put into office because of the electoral college. 595 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: In the United States Senate maintains a grip on power 596 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:52,720 Speaker 1: with that same dysfunction. Fifty Democratic senators represent nineteen million 597 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: more Americans than the fifty Republicans. Uh, and fifty two 598 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 1: senators represent only eight percent of people if you add 599 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: up the pop relation of the smallest age. So uh, 600 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,160 Speaker 1: DC stated maybe the only way we begin to chip 601 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:09,240 Speaker 1: away at that dysfunction. Um. But uh, it doesn't boggle 602 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:13,279 Speaker 1: my mind because it's our reality. Sensible gun control, the 603 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:18,280 Speaker 1: John Lewis Voting Rights Act, reforms, and policing every issue 604 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: that is on the minds of people that that moves 605 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 1: their hearts and minds dies in the United States Senate 606 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 1: because in Ashon and uh, you know, the truth is 607 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,759 Speaker 1: as bad as my so called voting record is because 608 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: I'm not allowed to vote on legislation, it's not as 609 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: bad compared to other senators used to be because they're 610 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,239 Speaker 1: not voting on anything. So you know, you've got really 611 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: a whole chamber of shadows senators as it were, because 612 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: the senator is not doing its job and they should 613 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 1: his voters off. That's exactly what's got to happen, as 614 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: people got to get off their ass and vote and vote. 615 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:55,799 Speaker 1: I mean, at least this this last election, we saw 616 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 1: that people did get off their rears and one out 617 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: and voted as hard as it wasn't and that has 618 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:04,000 Speaker 1: to continue, not just in a general election, in the 619 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:07,719 Speaker 1: midternal election, in your city elections. It's people have to 620 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: realize that it makes a difference. Like we're saying earlier, 621 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,560 Speaker 1: we had interviewed previously a few times Dana Warbocker and 622 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 1: you know, love him, like him, hate him whatever. He said. Look, 623 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 1: you want to change the politicians, mind call their office 624 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: like you said, call, call, call and call some more. 625 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,400 Speaker 1: And uh, I have to urge our listeners. And you 626 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: know you wanna make change, you gotta have your voice 627 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:36,439 Speaker 1: heard and call to zero two to two four three 628 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:39,360 Speaker 1: one two one. That will get you at any senator, 629 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: any senator and senator who are talking to right now 630 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:46,359 Speaker 1: is from Washington, d C. Paul Strauss. Paul is they're 631 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:51,400 Speaker 1: like a quote unquote like secret elected official cannabis section 632 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 1: in government over there, like, hey guys, let's go to 633 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: this pub or let's go to this hangout? Are coming 634 00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,279 Speaker 1: to my house? Fuck it? That's all light up? Is 635 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:04,960 Speaker 1: there like a up of cats in Congress? That's smoke? Um, 636 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 1: it's a pretty socially conservative bunch. And and and as 637 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:11,520 Speaker 1: uch as I'm an advocate, you know, my interest is 638 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:16,480 Speaker 1: really democracy, will of the people. Um we uh, you're 639 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:20,960 Speaker 1: more likely to find them enjoying a couple of good cigars. Um, 640 00:36:21,239 --> 00:36:24,800 Speaker 1: which is actually my favorite cigar right now. Is actually 641 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:29,960 Speaker 1: more illegal is the Cuban cigar for number two Monty Crystal, 642 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:35,560 Speaker 1: I'm a Romeo and Juliette Guy. Okay, well, I love cigars. 643 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:37,799 Speaker 1: I have one every day, That's how much I love them. 644 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:39,840 Speaker 1: So it's so great to have you on. And I 645 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: also want to ask you before we got to break 646 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,280 Speaker 1: real quick. A day that will be remembered in American 647 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: history forever. January one? Were you actually working at the 648 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:54,360 Speaker 1: house when they stormed it? We were, we were working, 649 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 1: but we were watching fromably because there's some COVID limits 650 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 1: the house and senators still in in in a telework thing. Uh. 651 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: I was not at the building that day. I was 652 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:09,400 Speaker 1: certainly in the city. Uh. And it was a frightening 653 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 1: uh time. Uh. And UM I could tell you, you know, 654 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:16,800 Speaker 1: one of the things we have is uh we have 655 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 1: these official license plates. Was really great when you're trying 656 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 1: to park where the heck you want, um, but not 657 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: when you're being chased. When when you're being chased by 658 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:27,960 Speaker 1: an angry mob that's that's threatening to kill you and 659 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 1: hang Mike Pence and and uh you know, of all people. Uh, 660 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: it was a scary It was a scary time. UM. 661 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,720 Speaker 1: But let me just say this, the Metropolitan Police Department, 662 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 1: the National Guard, and the citizens of Washington, d C 663 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 1: were the ones that came to the aid uh and 664 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:49,799 Speaker 1: liberated that building. And it's a significant event for us 665 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:53,360 Speaker 1: because for generations we were told that d C shouldn't 666 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:57,000 Speaker 1: be a state because back in three under the Articles 667 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 1: and Federation, the Continental Congress was stor earned by some 668 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:04,400 Speaker 1: angry soldiers who weren't paid from the Revolutionary War. Uh. 669 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 1: And it was one of the reasons why making DC 670 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:09,560 Speaker 1: not a state was deemed to be in the security 671 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:12,320 Speaker 1: interests of the capital because some angry mob could disrupt 672 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:16,440 Speaker 1: legislative proceedings well, we're not a state. That certainly happened, 673 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:18,760 Speaker 1: and it was the DC Police in the DC National 674 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 1: Guard that came to their rescue h and will continue 675 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:25,320 Speaker 1: to come and provide services to the seat of the 676 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:28,040 Speaker 1: federal government once we become a state, but can do 677 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: so quickly without the need for all of these levels 678 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:33,680 Speaker 1: of approval. And I was like almost four years later 679 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 1: that happened to think of that. When you look at 680 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:38,480 Speaker 1: that timeline, it's Cannabis Talk one oh when we've come back. 681 00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:40,920 Speaker 1: We got the high five with the Senator of Washington 682 00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:43,840 Speaker 1: d C, Paul Strauss. Make sure you check out G 683 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:46,560 Speaker 1: four Live at Mandalis Bay in Las Vegas, May one, 684 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:51,000 Speaker 1: presented by the Bud Tender Awards. Cannabis Talk one oh one, 685 00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:55,719 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio, the Pot, Brothers at Law, callyf X, Connector, 686 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:59,160 Speaker 1: and Turping Warehouse will all be broadcasting live. Go to 687 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:15,839 Speaker 1: G four live dot com now to register, take a hit, 688 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 1: get lit, and sit back and enjoy Cannabis Talk one 689 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:22,080 Speaker 1: oh one with Blue Joe Grande to Pop, Brothers at Law, 690 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: and we are here my favorite time of the show 691 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:28,239 Speaker 1: with guests Washington d C Senator Paul Strauss. It is 692 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:31,839 Speaker 1: time for the Cannabis talk one on one High five Joe. 693 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:34,480 Speaker 1: I just love this right now because you know he 694 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:37,600 Speaker 1: grew he was born in Brooklyn, you know, grew up 695 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:41,120 Speaker 1: in Manhattan. I just can't imagine the stories this guy has. 696 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,680 Speaker 1: And he's a fellow lawyer like yourself. He slap stickers 697 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:48,839 Speaker 1: on bumper cars without getting permission. You know. There there's 698 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:52,120 Speaker 1: everything about you, Senator Paul Strouss that I just like 699 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,360 Speaker 1: and love. You could follow him online on Twitter and 700 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:58,880 Speaker 1: everything else at send Paul Strauss. That's s E N 701 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 1: P A L S T R A U S S. 702 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:04,440 Speaker 1: And once again the number that he gave out to 703 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:07,480 Speaker 1: call and speak to any senator two zero two two 704 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:11,360 Speaker 1: to four three one two one. Question number one for 705 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 1: the high five, Senator, which just sounds fucking crazy, to 706 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,160 Speaker 1: be honest with you, to say we're doing the high 707 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:19,759 Speaker 1: five with a senator. How old you the first time 708 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:21,680 Speaker 1: you smoked cannabis? And where did you get it from? 709 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:26,279 Speaker 1: I think it was the ninth grade. And uh, I'm 710 00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:34,080 Speaker 1: not gonna out. Uh. I haven't seen them in a 711 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 1: in in in a while. Congress. They to the best 712 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:42,839 Speaker 1: of my knowledge, they're not currently serving an elected law. 713 00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:48,360 Speaker 1: Ninth grade two? What's your favorite way to use cannabis 714 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:54,880 Speaker 1: um outside the three mile limit of the territory? Now, 715 00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:58,879 Speaker 1: I I it's been a actually uh when you did? 716 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:05,160 Speaker 1: I went. When I did, Uh, I would roll him 717 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:08,719 Speaker 1: up the old fashioned way, um, good old joint. But 718 00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:14,399 Speaker 1: uh it has been uh it's been some time since 719 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:18,279 Speaker 1: ninth grade, probably not that long. Do you think do 720 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 1: you think your constituents would care? Oh? Absolutely not. I 721 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:25,200 Speaker 1: don't think they care, uh one way or another. I 722 00:41:25,239 --> 00:41:29,399 Speaker 1: I but I I I'm motivated by this issue because 723 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:32,920 Speaker 1: I love democracy. Um. But you know, I also ever 724 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:34,920 Speaker 1: since I've been on Clubhouse, I've been getting a lot 725 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:38,560 Speaker 1: of great advice from a couple of lawyers. Are always 726 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: telling people that uh to know that they're rights and 727 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 1: uh uh times it's best not to talk about your days. Yeah, 728 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:49,920 Speaker 1: and you know, I go see our boy Lonnie the 729 00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:52,359 Speaker 1: street lawyer out there in Washington, d C. He'll hook 730 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:54,120 Speaker 1: you up with some stuff. He's a good friend of ours. 731 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:57,920 Speaker 1: Question number three of the High Five with Senator of 732 00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:02,240 Speaker 1: Washington d C. Paul Strouss. Craziest place you've ever used 733 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:11,200 Speaker 1: or smoked cannabis? No? Did we freeze center there? There? 734 00:42:11,239 --> 00:42:14,560 Speaker 1: I am? Yes, perfect he was smoking. Let me reset 735 00:42:14,640 --> 00:42:16,719 Speaker 1: that one more time. Question number three of the High 736 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,240 Speaker 1: five with Senator of Washington D. D. C. Paul Strauss, 737 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:26,200 Speaker 1: craziest place you've ever used or smoked cannabis? Um again, 738 00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:30,480 Speaker 1: I think, uh, aren't there smart lawyers that are always 739 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:34,839 Speaker 1: saying your mother than welcome to invoke the fifth? Yeah, 740 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:38,520 Speaker 1: just invoked the fifth. We'll go to the next list. 741 00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:41,359 Speaker 1: Let's please say it was the secret room. That'd be awesome. Right, 742 00:42:41,560 --> 00:42:47,400 Speaker 1: we do that, right, all right? Question number four of 743 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:50,759 Speaker 1: the Cannabis Talk one on one High five. Whenever it 744 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: was you did get high, whenever that was what would 745 00:42:54,080 --> 00:43:03,600 Speaker 1: your go to Munchie's be? Oh it's it's uh, I 746 00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:06,200 Speaker 1: I really don't remember. I mean I have to think, 747 00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:10,799 Speaker 1: you know or something, but I I uh, the next one, 748 00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:14,720 Speaker 1: the next one, it will be a fun answer. Yeah. So, Senator, 749 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:18,280 Speaker 1: if you could smoke cannabis with anyone dead or alive, 750 00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:26,359 Speaker 1: who would it be and why? Uh? Um? That Uh, 751 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:31,359 Speaker 1: that's gonna take some thought. Um free Jimmy Carter back 752 00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:36,800 Speaker 1: and say, hey, I worked on your um, you know 753 00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:39,920 Speaker 1: I I would like to get those felling fathers in 754 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:42,960 Speaker 1: the room that made such a mess of DC by 755 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:46,719 Speaker 1: not thinking through it's democratic guaranteed. Uh So, I think 756 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:49,239 Speaker 1: George Washington, who picked the site for the city that 757 00:43:49,600 --> 00:43:56,600 Speaker 1: that grew himp right there, Uh you would. Uh, there's 758 00:43:56,600 --> 00:43:59,000 Speaker 1: a lot we have to talk about, starting with slavery 759 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:03,160 Speaker 1: and so many the uh reasons why forcing d C 760 00:44:03,320 --> 00:44:05,000 Speaker 1: to be in the South turned out to be a 761 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:10,600 Speaker 1: terrible legacy for US. Uh so, I I guess uh 762 00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:14,239 Speaker 1: I start with the so called father of our country. Wow, 763 00:44:14,520 --> 00:44:22,200 Speaker 1: that's great. That's better than Snoop. Yeah, that's exactly I mean. 764 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:24,959 Speaker 1: Senator Uh, it's so great to have you on the show, 765 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:27,880 Speaker 1: and we love everything that you're doing. Is there anything 766 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:30,520 Speaker 1: that we missed that you'd like to promote our educate 767 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:34,160 Speaker 1: our listeners out there on something that they should be doing. Look, 768 00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:36,239 Speaker 1: we talked a lot about the Senate because that's where 769 00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:37,880 Speaker 1: the problem is. But the bill is going to come 770 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:41,280 Speaker 1: up in the House very soon. So call your congress 771 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:44,480 Speaker 1: person as well as your United States Senator, telling the 772 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:47,640 Speaker 1: support S fifty one in the Senate, HR fifty one 773 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:50,680 Speaker 1: in the House. That's Spate Washington, d C the fifty 774 00:44:50,760 --> 00:44:55,359 Speaker 1: first state, and then everybody who uh wants to can 775 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:58,760 Speaker 1: come to the new fifty first state uh, and enjoy 776 00:44:58,920 --> 00:45:02,560 Speaker 1: the Democrat addict rates and and privileges and liberties and 777 00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:07,520 Speaker 1: and do really full legal products that uh uh will 778 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:11,919 Speaker 1: be uh enjoyed here in your uh in the news 779 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:15,120 Speaker 1: day Washington in d C. Well, Senator, if you want 780 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:17,239 Speaker 1: to come out to Vegas, like I said May twenty one, 781 00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:19,440 Speaker 1: the three, we're gonna be there at the G four 782 00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:21,960 Speaker 1: Live events. I could just see your face walking all 783 00:45:22,040 --> 00:45:26,600 Speaker 1: over the Mandalaid Bay. Be a good time. Well, uh, 784 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:31,640 Speaker 1: we'll see there there it is, guys, it's Cannabis Talk 785 00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:33,160 Speaker 1: one on one. We want to thank you for listening 786 00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:35,520 Speaker 1: to the show, and remember this if no one else 787 00:45:35,600 --> 00:45:39,040 Speaker 1: loves you, we do. Thank you for listening to Cannabis 788 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:41,160 Speaker 1: Talk one oh one on the I Heart Radio app, 789 00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:44,279 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.