1 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,319 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to WIKA f Daily with 2 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: Meet your Girl Danielle Moody recording from the Home Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: You know, I remain really startled taken aback, if you will, 4 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: by President Joe Biden's comments with regard to the COVID 5 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: nineteen pandemic being over that. Don't you see people aren't 6 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,279 Speaker 1: wearing masks anymore, and they're you know, healthy, and you know, 7 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: everything is fine, and that. Yeah, we have some things 8 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: that we need to do with regard to I don't know, 9 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: maybe stopping or halting or minimizing the five hundred deaths 10 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: that are still happening a day, which is resulting in 11 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: about three thousand deaths per week to the COVID nineteen virus. 12 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: To me, when we are no longer having a nine 13 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: to eleven type catastrophe each and every week, that to 14 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: me would signal that we are quote over the pandemic. 15 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,559 Speaker 1: If President Joe Biden had followed up his statement by saying, 16 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: this is no longer a pandemic because COVID nineteen has 17 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: become endemic to America because of the fact that we 18 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: had governors and a president prior to him that called 19 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: the COVID nineteen virus a hoax that didn't want to 20 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: roll out vaccines, that made it seem as if it 21 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: was a government conspiracy to get your DNA and data 22 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: that maybe twenty five percent of the population wouldn't still 23 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: be unvaccinated and people wouldn't still be dying. That if 24 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: we had banded together right and made this the cause 25 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: of this nation to have a healthy, robust health infrastructure, right, 26 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: then we could then say to ourselves, oh, yeah, job 27 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: well done, mission accomplished. But that's not where the fuck 28 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: we are. And that's also not what the President of 29 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: the United States said. Right now people are having to 30 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: pay out of pocket once again if you don't have 31 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: insurance to be able to get the next round of 32 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 1: booster shot. Why because all of the federal money that 33 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 1: was put out for the COVID nineteen response has dried 34 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: up and Republicans say they're not going to give people anymore. 35 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: How do you turn around and make this some type 36 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: of campaign when the President himself has just said that 37 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 1: the pandemic is over and so any relief aid right 38 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: that now, this White House, this administration was looking to get. 39 00:02:57,639 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: How do they think that they are going to get 40 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: that when they have gone on the record on national 41 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 1: television and said all is well. That is, of course, 42 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: until we head into yet another winter season under COVID, 43 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: where we know that that five hundred deaths that we 44 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: have just become so okay with begins to spike once again, 45 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: or as other scientists and doctors have been saying, but 46 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: again haven't been publicized, that there is probably a new 47 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: variant that is coming. This is not hyperbolic, folks. This 48 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: is called follow the fucking pattern. Follow the pattern, right. 49 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: So the fact is that we can spend over two 50 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: goddamn weeks following a colonizer to her grave, but we 51 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: can't spend any amount of time educating the public on 52 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: the fact that, yeah, we are actually still in the 53 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: midst of a national health crisis, and why that crisis 54 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: has been exacerbated is because we have never had a 55 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: strong fucking health infrastructure in this country to fucking begin with. 56 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: That it has only been strong for those that have 57 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: either worked for corporate overlords right or have been able 58 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: to fund their own healthcare out of their pocket. Either way, 59 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: that means that it has been money that has allowed 60 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: you to have the healthcare that you have needed because 61 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: remember when the black man, when the black president came 62 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: out and said that he wanted to give Americans healthcare, 63 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: they decided to protest him. I swear to god, you know, folks, 64 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 1: there are days when I'm just like, this bullshit is 65 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: just too fucking much, right, Like you understand the power 66 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: of messaging, the power of words. We know that we have. 67 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: And what Nathan will tell us in a bit coming 68 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: up in our conversation is that we have been fighting 69 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: multiple wars in this country, the war of messaging with 70 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: regard to COVID to get people to understand that how 71 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: this virus was couched and presented by Republicans was a 72 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: fucking lie that cost hundreds of thousands of lives. That's right. 73 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: It was the Trump administration, backed by the Republican Party 74 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: that is the reason why hundreds of thousands of Americans 75 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,239 Speaker 1: died by the time that Joe Biden was sworn into office. 76 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: Because if in fact, we had a president and a 77 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: party that gave a fuck about the lives of people, 78 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: we would never have gotten to the number of deaths 79 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: that are now have exceeded the million mark. Ever, but 80 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: we don't talk about this anymore, and what Jonathan and 81 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: I will talk about is not only the president's remarks, 82 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: but Jonathan will talk and walk this fine line between capitalism, 83 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: the poll of capitalism, and public health, which is where 84 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: we find ourselves because there is nothing more important than 85 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: the almighty dollar, and there is nothing that is a 86 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: bigger driving force in this country than the greed of 87 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: the rich and the white. There are days, folks when 88 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, you know, things don't seem that bad, 89 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: and then there are weeks when I'm like, God, this 90 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: shit is just unrelenting and it's never going to end. 91 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: As we had into mid terms, which are still pretty 92 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: much a motherfucking toss up, right, Like, we honestly don't 93 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: know where midterms are going to end up. And frankly, 94 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: you know how I feel about Poles. Right right now, 95 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: Abbott is up in the polls in Texas, and I'm 96 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: sure that those polls were taken before he'd started to 97 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: start trafficking motherfuckers across the country, right, And maybe if 98 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: the media actually referred to the heinous dehumanization that we 99 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: are witnessing across our screens, maybe then those poll numbers 100 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: for Republicans would go into the toilet but that's not 101 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: what corporate media overlords want, right, These are the people 102 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: that they want to bring on their air waves so 103 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: that they can show both sides. It is up to us. 104 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: It is up to us taking our health in our 105 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: own hands. It is up to us to take the 106 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: importance of our democracy into our own hands. Because folks, 107 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: if you were sitting around and waiting on any leader 108 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: to tell you what to do and how to do it, 109 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: at this stage, you're gonna be waiting a long time. 110 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: Because understand that people in power are motivated by different factors. 111 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: Your motivation in order to keep yourself safe and healthy. 112 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: It's about your health and safety. Your boss doesn't give 113 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: a fuck about that. That's why they went to the 114 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:41,359 Speaker 1: CDC and they said, cut down, cut down that quarantine 115 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: from ten days to five. People can come back to 116 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: work in five days. Just wear a mask, doesn't matter 117 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 1: if you're going to kill over or pass out you 118 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: have a migraine that makes you feel like your brain 119 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: is coming through your fucking skull. So long as you 120 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: can remain in front of that computer or standing up 121 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: at that cash register, no one is going to care 122 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: about you more than you care about yourself. That's the 123 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: message here. So if you care about your health and 124 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: well being and productivity, then you need to make your 125 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: health a priority. And it doesn't look like waiting around 126 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: for those people to tell you what you need to 127 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: do in order to stay safe and healthy. We know 128 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: that masks work. We know that winter brings a darker 129 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: time in the COVID nineteen pandemic. So folks, you make 130 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: sure to keep yourself safe and those around you. We 131 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: have all of the tools now, we don't need their 132 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: rhetoric and bullshit to tell us what it is that 133 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: we should and shouldn't be doing. Coming up next, my 134 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: conversation with our very own doctor Jonathan Metzo. Hey there, 135 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: I want to tell you about another podcast I think 136 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 1: you'll love. The Brown Girl's Guide to Politics, hosted by 137 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: a Shanty Gooler, the president of Emerge. BGG, is the 138 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: one stop shop for women of color who want to 139 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: hear and talk about the world of politics. Join a 140 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: Shanty this season as she talks to incredible women of 141 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: color who are changing the face of politics and tackling 142 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: some of the most important issues basing the United States, 143 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: from reproductive justice to voting rights, to climate change and more. 144 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: Tune in every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts, get 145 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: a behind the scenes look at Comedy Central's The Daily 146 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: Show On Beyond the Scenes, an original podcast from The 147 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Every week, host Roy Wood 148 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 1: Junior goes deeper with the notable guests and experts from 149 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: the Emmy Award winning series. Together, they use comedy to 150 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: tackle current topics from gentrification to gun laws and take 151 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: a closer look at how and why these topics matter. 152 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 1: Listen to Beyond the Scenes from The Daily Show with 153 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: Trevor Noah on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever 154 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:55,599 Speaker 1: you get your podcast New episodes every Tuesday. Folks, you 155 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: know that whenever we have the opportunity to sit down 156 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: with our in house doctor, doctor Jonathan Metzel, I am 157 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: beyond thrilled, particularly when Jonathan over the weekend, President Biden 158 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: joined sixty Minutes in Detroit for the first car show 159 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: in three years since the pandemic. During the course of 160 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:21,200 Speaker 1: that interview, he was asked if the pandemic was over 161 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 1: and Joe Biden, our president who came into office as 162 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: tens of thousands of people were dying, as we did 163 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: not have a vaccine, there were no shots in arms, 164 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: hospitals were overwhelmed and collapsing. He pledged that he would 165 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:46,199 Speaker 1: fight this virus until it was eradicated. Well, we're not 166 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: at the dire place that we were Jonathan in twenty 167 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: twenty and in twenty twenty one when Joe Biden came 168 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: into office. However, we are not clear as far as 169 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: I can see, what cleared would be, as if we're 170 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: saying mission accomplished, the pandemic is over. So I want 171 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: to get your initial reactions to Biden's statement and what 172 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: you were hearing from your friends in the medical community 173 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 1: about that. Well, let me be clear, first, I don't 174 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: know what when. I don't know what went on in 175 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: that statement, And I don't know if it was just 176 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 1: Biden learning something out or if that was part of 177 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: a strategy. And so that would be something I would 178 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: want to know first of all, as kind of what 179 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: was the impetus behind that. We're doing a big event 180 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: at Vanderbilt today where we are actually having two pretty 181 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: big time COVID doctors speak, and I'm going to ask 182 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: that question in particular, and so I don't know, I 183 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: don't know, and and so part of The issue, of course, 184 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: is the pandemic of horse is not over. And not 185 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: only is the pandemic not over, but our public health 186 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: infrastructure is is failing. The lead story in the New 187 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: York Times this morning was about how we're not tracking 188 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: illness the way we should be, not tracking variants the 189 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:03,719 Speaker 1: way we should be. There's probably going to be a 190 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: new variant at some point soon because we're vaccinating against 191 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: the other variant, and so, you know, I think that 192 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,239 Speaker 1: part of the issue is and we're not tracking monkeypocks, 193 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: we're not tracking polio. And the article in the Times 194 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: this morning was about how, you know, decades of neglect 195 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: about what should be a functioning public health system, and 196 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: so part of the issue, of course, is just a 197 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: statement of fact. The pandemic is in no way over. 198 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: If you believe that, just talk to anybody who's suffering 199 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:35,679 Speaker 1: from COVID right now and they'll tell you that the 200 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,680 Speaker 1: thing isn't over. And so I think that is a 201 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 1: statement of fact. But I do think it's it's important 202 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 1: to think about what might have gone behind a shroment 203 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: like that. And I don't know the answer, except I 204 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: will say that, like it's where I have this weird life. 205 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: As you know, like I go back and forth between 206 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: New York and Nashville, and so in my Nashville life, 207 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: which is where I am now, the economy is booming. 208 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: We've actually just reached skyscraper max here that you can't 209 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: you can't put any more cranes in Nashville because there's 210 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,839 Speaker 1: so many cranes dotting all the things that are you know, 211 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: every place is open, there's surplus of all all the stuff. 212 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: So there's been a massive move of capital, of investment. 213 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: A lot of New York firms are moving down here, 214 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: and part of the issue here is like they were 215 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: just much as people know, I'm in the South. We 216 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: you know, it's like good for you on COVID. We're 217 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: not showing our economy. We are not paying attention to 218 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: this in a way. We had a lot of death here, 219 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: a lot of infection, a lot of resistance. But I 220 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: can say that the economy is in part booming because 221 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: of a lot of things, tax policy, some lack of foresight. 222 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: I feel like on behalf of places like New York 223 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: that pushed a lot of infrastructure to move down here. 224 00:14:56,640 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: But I contrast that with my New York life, where 225 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: Mayor Adams, for example, is practically begging people to come 226 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: back to workplace. Midtown is kind of still very under capacity. 227 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: Public transit is under capacity, and I think there's a 228 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 1: kind of fiscal disaster looming for New York just about 229 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: not having enough writers in the subway and not having 230 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: enough taxpayers and not having enough people utilizing the services 231 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: that were built for a lot of people. And so 232 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: if there is a strategy, which again I have no idea, 233 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: I do think that just in my mind, comparing what 234 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: I see in Nashville every week with what I see 235 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: in New York every week, New York really needs a 236 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: kind of boost in a way about just kind of 237 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: getting people back into circulation. And so maybe it was 238 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: an attempt economically to say, look, we know COVID is 239 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: going to be with us, but it's also like Midtown's 240 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: going to collapse, and we're not going to have money 241 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: to pay for structures, and we're going to be facing 242 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: some pretty direct consequences if we don't, if we don't 243 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: get kind of back to work in a way. And 244 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: so that's my only guess about why he might have 245 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: said that, and it's pretty stark. Yeah good, Yeah, I mean, 246 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: here's the issue that I continually have and have had 247 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: throughout this entire pandemic which is still happening, which is this, 248 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: I don't want decisions about public health being made about 249 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: through the lens of capitalism. I don't want public health 250 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: decisions being made because we have a midterm election that 251 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: is looming. And these are the things that we all 252 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: said when Donald Trump was president, right, that the reason 253 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: why Biden became president was because we wanted to be 254 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: able to trust our institutions to be making decisions about 255 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: our best interests through a lens of actually what our 256 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: best interest is. And so the reality is what has 257 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: happened in New York. And you're absolutely right, because I 258 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: don't ride the subway anymore. Right, I do my work 259 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: from home because I have the ability to do that. 260 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:09,680 Speaker 1: And even when I am in when I am in circulation, 261 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: in population, I choose not to use the subway. Right, 262 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 1: I either walk to where I'm going, or I will 263 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: or I will grab a car, right because for me, 264 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: I'm like, you know what the mask mandate has done. 265 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: The subways were disgusting anyway, and frankly, like I don't 266 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: feel like putting myself at risk in a city where 267 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:33,360 Speaker 1: you have, you know, Frankly, tons and tons of homeless 268 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: people that have taken over the subways in a way 269 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: on certain lines, I don't feel like I need to 270 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,479 Speaker 1: put myself in the mix there, right, and I know 271 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 1: that I'm not the only one. Then you have the 272 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: push here where a lot of people, a lot of 273 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: office workers, had the privilege and the ability over the 274 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 1: last three years to leave New York but still incurr 275 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: in New York salary. So they have moved to places 276 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: like Tennessee in North Carolina and South Carolina and to 277 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,199 Speaker 1: different places that have a lower cost of living, but 278 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: they're still banking their New York salaries and are able 279 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: to live a much fuller life and because their money 280 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: goes further. That's a testament to the fact that New 281 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: York does not push rent control in the way that 282 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: it should. It does not push housing in the way 283 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: that it should. For middle income people, it's either you 284 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,439 Speaker 1: need to be absolutely broke or you need to be 285 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: a billionaire to be able to live in New York. Right. 286 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: So I think that there are economic issues that have 287 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 1: always been at play, but that for instance, Mayor Adams 288 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:41,360 Speaker 1: and the mayors that came before him, right, they were 289 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: always keen on linking arms with those billionaires and millionaires 290 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: and saying, oh, we'll just allow this gentrification, gentrification to 291 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: come in until those people pick up their money and 292 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: decide that they want it stretch somewhere else. So my 293 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 1: issue with Biden and with this just apparent shrugging off 294 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 1: as as we are preparing for yet another COVID winter 295 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: is like, we clearly don't ever learn anything, right, and 296 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 1: the assumption is that our memories are going to be 297 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,880 Speaker 1: short term. I mean, I am going to push back 298 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: a little bit on the I mean, it's a different 299 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,679 Speaker 1: ballgame under the current administration than the previous one, just 300 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 1: in terms of I mean, the Biden response and the 301 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: Trump response to the pandemic are not are not the 302 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 1: same in any way the same. You know, the grownups 303 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:35,959 Speaker 1: are kind of running the show right now. But again, 304 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 1: there are there are issues here. And you know that 305 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: Congress didn't pass any COVID funding, right and so and 306 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: so people are going to have to pay for vaccines, 307 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: for COVID tests for um uh. You know, there's just 308 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: the economics of the pandemic and the public health of 309 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: the pandemic locales are just going to have to put 310 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,879 Speaker 1: the bill. There's not the kind of federal money that 311 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: there was before because of decisions made of the federal one. Again, 312 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 1: I have no idea what wood Biden was thinking, but 313 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: but I do think that I do think that we're 314 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: just facing a reality right now with the pandemic. UM. 315 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, like the attitude down here in Nashville 316 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: is like, we're just gonna have to live with this thing. 317 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: We'll have to learn to live with this thing. And 318 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,719 Speaker 1: I can just say that it just doesn't feel like 319 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: there's the shortage here in terms of um, in terms 320 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: of like I drove to work this morning and they're 321 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: like the entire skyline and this is a there are 322 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: many things having to do here. But I would just 323 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 1: say that the economy down here really never shut down. 324 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: I mean it did in a way, but but it's 325 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: not like there's any push to try to get people 326 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: back to work here, because I mean some they are, 327 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 1: but but you compare compare that with New York, and 328 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: I keep I really I'm saying the same thing I 329 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: just said. But but like in New York, if the 330 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: subway collapses, because people like me and you don't take 331 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: the subway. Who who gets hurt by that? Right? It's 332 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 1: it's not me and you, right, it's people, low income 333 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,360 Speaker 1: people who need to get to work. In a way, 334 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 1: So if public transit falls apart, new York falls apart 335 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: in a way, because so many parts of the city 336 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: are dependent on I mean the minute. The minute low 337 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: income people have to pay thirty five dollars each way 338 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 1: to get to work on an uber, there's no more 339 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 1: New York. And so in a way, I just feel 340 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: like New York. It's in part about housing, but it's 341 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 1: also just there are there are many many fiscal holes 342 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: that New York is in right now. I've just this 343 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: has been on my mind so much. And this was 344 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: true before the pandemic. I mean the twenty seventeen tax bill. 345 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 1: The twenty seventeen tax bill, basically all the tax deductions 346 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: that people could get for having their business in New 347 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: York went out the window. It led to a massive 348 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 1: move of businesses to places like Tennessee or Dallas or Miami, 349 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: which had no state income tax. And so I understand, 350 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 1: I mean to talk about the pandemic. I think it's 351 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: super important, but I just think a place like New 352 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 1: York is going to have to get creative again about 353 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 1: how it can lure people back in a way that 354 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: will let it build its tax base to support stuff again, 355 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 1: because cities and states are going to have to pay 356 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 1: for the pandemic and the absence of federal funding. And 357 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: so I don't know. I'm really nervous about this, to 358 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: be honest, and I hope I'm probably making no sense 359 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 1: right now except to say that. I mean, I just 360 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: think that right now the economy and the pandemic are 361 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: so connected. Again, I have no idea if that's what 362 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: Biden meant, but it's just been hard to see. I 363 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: think that I think that what Biden meant is exactly 364 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 1: what was said. That we have midterm elections coming in 365 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: less than fifty days or something something around that number, 366 00:22:56,680 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: and Democrats are in a good position because of how 367 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: Republicans have been going after abortion. He's like, let me 368 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: tip this over the edge and you know, allow people 369 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,919 Speaker 1: to feel like the pandemic is over. This is about money. 370 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: It's about money, it's not about public health. And so 371 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: my concern is not necessarily about the collapse of New York. 372 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: I think that New York will continue to be New York. 373 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,359 Speaker 1: I think that each and every generation provides a different 374 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: iteration of what this city looks like. When you talk 375 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: to people that grew up in New York in the 376 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: seventies and eighties, it doesn't look like that now, right. 377 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 1: It looks far from it in a lot of ways, 378 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 1: a thousand times better because of you, because of crime 379 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 1: and better infrastructure and better investment in all of these things. 380 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 1: And then in some areas really terrible because people of 381 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,719 Speaker 1: color have been pushed out because they can no longer 382 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: afford to live here, right, And so I think that yes, 383 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: there needed to be a push and pull and a balance. 384 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: But what we also have to understand is that there 385 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: is no I mean, I know that many operations are 386 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: pushing their people back to work, that pushing them back 387 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,880 Speaker 1: into offices, but their reasoning for that is honestly bullshit. 388 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 1: The reasoning really is because they are leasing buildings that 389 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: are costing a ton of money that they have no 390 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,719 Speaker 1: one inside of. But to turn around and say that 391 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 1: people need to be in the office is bullshit, because 392 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: none of their businesses collapsed because people have been working remotely. 393 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: And so they tell you this perpetual lie because capitalism 394 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,159 Speaker 1: forced us to believe that we needed to be in 395 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: a cubicle for eight to ten hours a day in 396 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: order for us to do our jobs. And now that people, 397 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: particularly young people, are hip to the idea of no, 398 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: I can actually do this job while I'm living my 399 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: life and not the other way around, I don't want 400 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: to go back to this place. So yeah, people need 401 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 1: to start being really creative. But I think that telling 402 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 1: the public right before winter that a pandemic is over 403 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: when it's still killing three thousand people a week was 404 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: probably one of the most irresponsible things to do. Well again, 405 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: I'm curious about the story of where that comment came from, 406 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: and I wish it would have been articulated in a 407 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: bit better way. I mean, I certainly think that this 408 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:20,159 Speaker 1: is a false statement that the pandemic is over. I 409 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 1: think that's right. I also think that Jonathan he could 410 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: have said, and I've seen this on Twitter many times, 411 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: the pandemic aspect of COVID nineteen is over because it's 412 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: become endemic. Because it is because now it is a 413 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: fabric of our society. Because when we had the opportunity 414 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 1: to eradicate it, we didn't, and so now, we can't 415 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:48,719 Speaker 1: pause life right for something that is showing no signs 416 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: of going away. We have had to adapt that. Again, 417 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: is a totally different narrative than just saying, look around, 418 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: no one's wearing a mask. People seem kind of healthy. 419 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: This is what he said. And so let's so, how 420 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: are you going to convince Republicans to vote for a 421 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen package that they didn't want to vote to 422 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: vote for when we had tens of thousands of deaths 423 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: a day. How are you going to do that now? 424 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: When you just said the pandemic is over. So what 425 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: do you need the money for? Yeah? I mean again, 426 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: it's not like there's no money. It's that states and 427 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: cities are going to have to pay for things that 428 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: the federal government was paying for. And so, and we 429 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: know that they're not going to right the Red States. 430 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 1: We know that New York right now. I think one 431 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 1: of the other things that I saw City MD, which 432 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 1: was one of the outlets in New York, one of 433 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 1: the places where people were going to get their testing 434 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,919 Speaker 1: on a regular basis now is sending bills in the 435 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:46,439 Speaker 1: hundreds of dollars to New Yorkers saying, oh, well, you 436 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: owe us all this money back, right like, which sounds 437 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: like a class action lawsuit to me at some point. 438 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:57,720 Speaker 1: But the reality here is like this president, yes, is 439 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:00,919 Speaker 1: he better than Donald Trump one hundred and fifty thousand percent, 440 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: But it was still what he said was reckless. What 441 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: he said was reckless at a time when we have 442 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: kids that are back in school, when we know that 443 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: winter is coming, and that every winter season since we've 444 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: been living with COVID has incurred devastation. Yeah, again that's 445 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: a statement of fact. And again I very clearly and 446 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,359 Speaker 1: personally wish that this thing, whatever, whatever the message was, 447 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: it would have been said a bit more clearly. You know, 448 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: Fauci at different times has said the pandemic phase of 449 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: this is over, and he gets a lot of pushback, 450 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:42,640 Speaker 1: and so hopefully there'll be some more clarity coming out 451 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: about this going forward. And I certainly don't think I mean, 452 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: it's funny we're having this big panel here at Vanderbilt today, 453 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: and when I set the panel up like six months ago, 454 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: even then I thought like, Okay, we'll be after the 455 00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: pandemic or things like that. But it just seems like 456 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 1: this thing just keeps reinventing itself. We have no idea 457 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,360 Speaker 1: where where this thing is going, as you and I've 458 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: been talking about for quite quite some time here, But 459 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: I don't know. I just I guess I'm going to 460 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: I think this is a very productive tension for you 461 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 1: and I to keep in the front of our conversations 462 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: going forward, because I do think that the number of 463 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: people who live in New York, for example, really matters 464 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:30,239 Speaker 1: to the tax base of New York to to you know, 465 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 1: how people get jobs and benefits and pensions from the 466 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 1: city to The more people you have, the more you know, 467 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: the more people who fill out the census, the more 468 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 1: congressional representation you have. Like there are a whole range 469 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,720 Speaker 1: of reasons why I think it's important right now for 470 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 1: New York to protect itself because there is a lot 471 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: of power and authority and capital flowing down here to 472 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 1: the south, and so I think these things really matter. 473 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,479 Speaker 1: And and there's a there's a pandemic medical war going on, 474 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: and there's a pandemic fiscal financial war going on, and 475 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: I just think you have to kind of see both sides. 476 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: I'm I'm not I'm speaking for Biden. I have no 477 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: idea what was in his comment, but I would also 478 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: say that there's a reason why. I mean, the New 479 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: York Public Transit has a ten billion dollar deficit in 480 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 1: six months, New York Infrastructure twenty twenty four has a 481 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 1: twenty five billion dollar deficit. Like that's going to change 482 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: New York if that's not if that's not figured out. 483 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: And so I just think that I agree with you, 484 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: there's creativity and energy and goodwill and resilience in New York. 485 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: But I would also say that twenty five billion dollars 486 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: deficit will change light conditions of life for a lot 487 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: of people, and so and so I think there's going 488 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: to be a balance here. And again I'm not talking 489 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: about what Biden said. I'm just saying, you know, I 490 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: mean my heart is with New York. Like I went 491 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 1: New York to like be the center of the world, 492 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: which it is, um but I think that it's just again, 493 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: these worlds I'm living in. I live in a world 494 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 1: where there is no pandemic and everybody ignores it, and 495 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:09,959 Speaker 1: I live in a world where there people are facing 496 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 1: it on a daily level in a much more realistic way. 497 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: And so I don't know, I feel I feel torn 498 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: between two worlds right well, but I mean like as 499 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: as as your friend, I would tell you, like, I 500 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 1: think that that's like a perfect um op ed to 501 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: write because I think that as we are moving, you know, 502 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: I I after Biden said what he said, I am 503 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 1: concerned about what is going to happen in the fall 504 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: and winter. Um, particularly here in New York, but also 505 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: around the country. UM, you know, I am very concerned 506 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 1: with how you know, we know that new variants pop 507 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 1: up all the time. It doesn't just magically go away 508 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 1: because we've decided to stop facing something. And so all 509 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: I will say with folks as we wrap up our 510 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: conversation today is that you know, you don't need the 511 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: CDC or the President of the United States to tell 512 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: you what you know is actually right. And so if 513 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: you are still concerned and rightfully so, wear your mask right, 514 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 1: continue to wash your hands. If you haven't gotten a booster, 515 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: go and get a booster, and continue to take care 516 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: of yourself because you know at the end of the day, 517 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: what it is that you need outside of what politicians 518 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,479 Speaker 1: are telling you that you need. And so at this 519 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: point in time, we need to all be taking our own, 520 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 1: our own consideration of our health in our hands and 521 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: not allowing other people to dictate how we move. So 522 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, remember I was in Scandinavia this summer, 523 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 1: and I am not trying to sound like an apologist here, 524 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 1: you know, I'm just I feel like this is an 525 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: important conversation for us to be having. I will say, 526 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: when I was in Copenhagen the summer, for example, nobody 527 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: wears a mask there, nobody, but it's like ninety nine 528 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: vaccinated and everybody lines up for the booster and that 529 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 1: kind of stuff. So there's just like a lot less 530 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: severity and transmission, and so the stakes are just a 531 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: lot lower. And so you know, our attitude about the 532 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 1: pandemic is not separate from our investment in public health infrastructure, 533 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 1: which has completely fallen apart. Also, and I think resources 534 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: in our in our pathological zero some formulation are linked 535 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: to who wins elections and who gets to allocate resources. 536 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: So all these things are tied up together right now. 537 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 1: And so I don't know the answer except I know 538 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 1: that things can always get worse. And on that note, job, 539 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: as always, thank you for making the time to join 540 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: us on wekay F. We appreciate you. That is it 541 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,320 Speaker 1: for me today, Dear friends, on Woke app as always, 542 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: Power to the people and to all the people. Power, 543 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck. Get a behind 544 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,040 Speaker 1: the scenes look at Comedy Central's The Daily Show on 545 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 1: Beyond the Scenes, an original podcast from The Daily Show 546 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: with Trevor Noah. Every week, host Roy Wood Junior goes 547 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: deeper with the notable guests and experts from the Emmy 548 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 1: Award winning series. Together, they use comedy to tackle current 549 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 1: topics from gentrification to gun laws, and take a closer 550 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: look at how and why these topics matter. 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