#2222 - John Fetterman

50:14It's not fair And it I got lucky. It's not because I'm like I'm so much stronger or or better It's like no no. I just got lucky on that and I promise you you're not going to regret staying in the game and You can get better and that is probably I think in my My opinion that's about 75 % of of getting back better. What have you done to to help what has helped you? My my family That's that's really what like every every person needs to have like That emerge I call that like an emergency break It's like you know you're out you're out of control You know you're having that the darkest conversation you'll have with yourself And you have to have something to stop that otherwise it's you're gonna go over the edge And and everyone needs to have that if whatever that is whether it's your family whether it's your wife or your husband or whether it is Or this that there has to be some it has to get better.

51:22It's gonna get better You know, that's why I say stay on the game and I'm not an expert. I'm not trained in that But when people reach out to me and say well, I feel like this and And I'm like hey, it's like you know help works. I promise you it will get better And I can't guarantee what your path will be But what I can say is is that stay in that game and you were gonna find your way on that path And you're never going to regret it's like oh, you know, big It's it's just The the finality the finality of that and Your Some things you can make a bad choice and you know, well that might set you back in life But but that's the that's the one the one choice you can't come back from and you will leave people in your life that They'll never understand or you wish you could reach back and you could let them know uh, and it Stay away from that kind of blackness because uh, you're I promise you you would regret And if you can't come back So what what has helped you counseling medication like what it what it what are the things he got you back on track other than just your family I uh The The election uh and everything I was convinced that I've lost everything Uh I had you know, it was difficult to to fully speak and My my kids they got pulled into the social media kinds of invective and Uh, it's like I've I've destroyed my my health.

53:06I've I've and now I've Against you know odds I I won and now am I going to be able to do this job and and you know Would I have been better off if if I didn't survive And I got to that that kind of a dark place, but um And then I just had this like that spontaneous where it's like My kids it's like no, I love you like oh my gosh Like when they were visiting uh, I didn't want them to visit me at Walter Reed I was like why would they want to be around this right uh, but they they did and it was like this kind of spontaneous kinds of love And and it it just was like a shot and it's just like I can come back.

53:54I can come back I thought it's like well, why would they want this mess back Uh and and and then you know just working through a lot of those things and other kinds of Techniques and things it was like but that was probably the single most transformative event where it's like I realized that I can come back to my life Otherwise, it's like I thought I've lost everything would I be able to even do my job And it's like do I even have a career? I mean I'm talking about uh, like uh, that was a significant national story when after I signed myself in and that pulled my kids in through that I mean this idea and After we announced that we're signing in and there were news trucks outside their house and And they had they had the trauma of thinking that dead could have lost after the stroke and now he is it's just it's they It's put them through so much and that's why I was convinced that they probably don't want me around And then I made the I made the stupid mistake of I I went on social media and things I'm like And just I read some of that shit.

55:05I mean it's just it's It's just oh my god millions and millions of views in videos and it's just like you know going after my family and it's saying you know Uh, you know, hey, he's a vegetable. He's you know, he's a retard and You know sling sling blade and all kinds of things and it wasn't It wasn't the individual kinds of insults. It was the volume and just how widespread it it was and I'm like Who jumps online to go after a stranger that's never really done anything to you personally Well, I think it's not just individuals. I think it's targeted I think there's a lot of that stuff especially when there's something that is significant as a senate seat And I think there's yeah, well, I mean it's like if I have a hundred if I have a hundred million dollars to convince you that you're a terrible person and you're the worst thing ever and that that that inspires a lot of people and they hey That's the mission.

56:03It's like he clearly he must be those things and you know, we're now there is no there's no tap out There is no tap out. It's like even after we won after I won in some sense it actually accelerated Right, it's not the the war's not over. It's just begun No, oh no, no and the the second the second you step in the that kind of arena on the federal level for for like a senate seat if it fits like a purple state like Pennsylvania You know, I promise you there will be tens and tens of millions of dollars and their mission is to turn you into the worst thing in the world And whoever survives that's the one that's going to be in that seat and I still will never understand why someone You know independently wealthy kinds of people will spend you know incredible amounts of money and I try to people There's no glamor here Like I like I'm in on a 500 square foot apartment and I'm like here with my phone I'm like hey grubbub.

57:01What's it tonight? Mm -hmm and then it's like I'm like I watch you know T on Netflix and things and I I ask I ask My colleagues I'm like hey is there kind of secret society like you know like you know crazy parties or you know sitting around with cigars and you know, you know, you know, that's then I like well, no, I kind of have the same version of that That's the perception though right the perception you get the perception is we get it into a club Yeah, the the control the world. Yeah, that we all have really kinds of dialogue on West Wing You know like talking like how this you know kinds of turn you know And really it's it's just like and and I describe that as a lot of it's just bad.

57:42It's just bad performance art Yeah, yeah, thanks. That's usually what it it is. It's just bad performance art and Some people like if you're if you're in a safe in a safe state or a safe seat You and especially if you have the resources and they're incredibly wealthy people they buy a house and they move their life there so you're able to kind of things but Like I don't have those resources and I'm in a very very probably ultimate purple And so I spend more than 50 % of my time away and I miss my kids. It's it's it's rough For for that. I mean I signed up for that But I promise you there's no glamour in that well, there's certainly no glamour if you're honest But I think there's a lot of people that look to Certain members of the government that have jobs that pay a hundred 50 170 thousand dollars a year, but somehow or another acquire hundreds of millions of dollars over the course of their career Usually through some kind of insider trading Well, yeah, of course.

58:51I mean, I don't own any of those stocks or anything indefinitely like if if you have any kinds of impact Or you know that there's something seven is coming. Yeah, I mean yeah, it's like you you need to know how is that legal It's well, no, we should have the kind of legislation to make sure that you're not like if you are on congress You shouldn't have any kinds of stocks because you are going to be passing kinds of laws et cetera, et cetera That you know, you have to separate that there really shouldn't be a part of that kinds of a thing and I mean, I'm all out I'm open All of us we have to have our our wealth and our you know all that there and I and if I'm not the the the the poorest I have probably the the bottom five and you know other people there are worth hundreds of millions of dollars So you know, we can't have that situation where You know if you're going to be involved on those kinds of legislation that you can't be enriched by those kinds of and there has to be some kind of influence That seems simple that seems like Law logical like most people would agree to that.

59:59Yeah, there's a lot of and there's a lot of inertia It's the same thing. I think if any one of us we're being honest Money is destroying our democracy and that that's that some people that might sound right no It's a cliche, but it's it's a hundred percent though. I think most people who are objective would agree with you It I promise you it is it is absolute. It is a scourge of American democracy and Money is king and what's that money for that money is for tearing you apart and that creates more More and more kinds of instability and cruelty and then now Well, when I went through when I was in graduate school for that stuff I mean there wasn't a social media and there wasn't all you know There wasn't podcasts.

1:00:43There wasn't all kinds of things So that made it more difficult, but but now there's all of those things and and social media is an accelerant and count you know just unlimited money and that has what you know like I'm sure you you know you're you're an athlete and You know if you've heard that NFL players it's like wait would you want your son to play and sometimes say when I wouldn't want that for my son And and it's like I'm relieved that my oldest is like he is no interest in being in politics and that so It's I can't imagine it's gonna get better until you know we address this idea that unlimited money is unlimited uh Attack and it's on an unlimited cruelty and hyperbole and just all kinds of Poisoning the the well that you know half of us are gonna hate your guts and the other half.

1:01:41Hey, that's my team Yeah, so well I strongly feel that the internet should remain the way it is in terms of people being able to Post on social media anonymously if they so choose But the problem with that is it can be captured by money and it can be captured by these Enormous groups that have bot farms whether it's uh state actors whether it's other countries other nations That are doing that to try to attack our our system and to try to promote certain narratives or whether it's our own country itself doing it Because I think we do it too and I think that packs do it and it's just People hook themselves up.

1:02:25It's like you you self -select your cocoon. Yes, you know, and like uh I'm a big fan of apple news And it's like 13 bucks a month and and but I read everything across the spectrum You know very very left and very very right in between and and I think it's really I think that's your responsibility especially if you're an elected leader uh to To Be challenged to challenge yourself on the ideas and it's like clearly one side doesn't have all the answers and the other side can't be a hundred percent wrong and and it's just like being challenging and living or taking in other kinds of perspectives I think that's a responsibility because otherwise if you only just cocoon yourself into and it's just it turns into one gigantic circle jerk and and and that's why it just Turns people to just kind of dig in and it's like hey, you know, the problem is them and we yes Well, it's a problem with human beings in general So we tend to be very tribal and we tend to commit to an ideology whether comfortable.

1:03:27Yes, sure Especially when you're in a neco chamber everyone's agreeing with you you get social credit from Saying the things that these people all agree with and you you feed off that But it's when it's being captured by it's not just these people exchanging ideas It's also a bunch of people that are manipulating people's ideas You know, I don't know if you've ever paid attention to like uh Renate the rest of his work with the internet research agency with what they Would they uncovered what what they were doing was Using this was like during the 2016 election using social media And it was a lot of Russian troll farms and troll farms in other countries It's it's possible but but but but to be honest I That that election wasn't turned on I think Russian in interference.

1:04:17No, I'm not I What what happened in 2016 was trump You know he plugged into like kinds of uh of an energy or you know like it was just like kind of looking To make that kind of a of a connection there Well, he's a legitimate outsider. This is the appeal the appeal is that people think that this system is completely rigged and It's captured by money and special interests and enormous corporations and then here's a guy who's outside of this system Completely and the evidence of that is how the system turned against him and how you got to see people On television every night talking about rush a gate talking about how he's a puppet of Putin Talking about the steel dossier talking about all these different things that turned out to not be true And it it further I never bought into some of that kind of a stuff because if anyone that spent any time on the ground In one of those states.

1:05:13It's like it's very clear that wasn't because of some some small kinds of I'm the tweets and things like it whatever It's it's it's undeniable and and also uh Remember like he was uh, you know, the Republican party was like hey, this is a joke and I remember Jeb Jeb Bush You know and he would he had like a hundred or two two hundred million dollars and and he just went by he ticked him off uh and and even then people thought he was gonna win but uh he did but but remember though Overall though that was 75 ,000 votes. That's a mathematical like You know, I mean think of that a hundred one hundred sixty million votes 75 ,000 spread across three large states including my own That transformed American politics and then the world as well and it just came down to 75 ,000 voters in those three states And that's that's how it where that's where we're at Yeah, it's um it's an extraordinary time in that regard, right?

1:06:19I mean Well, I mean if I charted territory Well, I reference a movie if you like a bullworth I remember the movie. Yeah, and you know, it was a Warren Bede and he was a senator And he kind of have like a breakdown and he started saying provocative things He used to get up in front of his audience and and kind of like Like the gaff of accidentally speak you know telling the truth. Yeah, and It was kind of like it was an absurd I mean When I was in grad school that was like put up as like well, I mean people enjoyed that and now that became a term in politics saying oh We affect even president Obama's like hey, we all want to secretly go full bullworth full bullworth And but but that's what really he channeled in where he would say You know, it's kind of like he projects kind of like well, I don't give a fuck And just say all those kinds of a thing and and people have responded to those kinds of things And and there you know a lot of people these that's the that's the bug But you have to understand that that for enough people that's the feature.

1:07:24Yeah, and and that's kind of what they want and whatever that is it describes uh A brand that you know, it's it's not I don't admire that but you still have to kind of Marvel at the level to say Crazy guys are things that that you I'm oh well, I guess maybe we're both old enough to remember when Uh George in the George Bush Al Gore he is like oh God this guy and that moved the polls people are like he rolled his eyes at Bush, you know like things and like You know like it used to be much more stayed and now think of what's been said now right all of the stuff and and I don't think people aren't paying attention some of the Whatever the latest outrage is Yeah, it's um, I think one of the europeans is that You speak like a normal human being you speak like a person who actually cares about these issues and you Seemingly speak from the heart you don't seem polished which is a good thing and I think people I wish I wish I was more handsome You know, I don't think that's good.

1:08:37Oh, no, I know I know I it's like I'm honest. Yeah, I'm honest I I think I'm in I'm in touch with you know what I'm limited. I wasn't blessed with a model looks and But it's not looks it's the polish of speaking like a congressman like a senator like a presidential candidate But it's this kind of bullshit way of communicating that's you know authentic that even though it's effective even though It's polished and smooth People never get a sense of who that person is as a human being Trump is not polished. He's not polished in that sense But you get a sense of who he is as a human being. There doesn't seem to be a veil There doesn't seem to be this this disconnect between a human being and the thoughts You might not agree with him.

1:09:25You might think he's crass or rude But at least you know that he's the guy that's talking these are his thoughts and you People trust that way more than they trust someone who's you know polished but full of shit. Yeah, no, it's it's that scar face. It's like you know word and balls Yeah, I'm not you know, and that's you're losing politically if you're telling people to not believe what their eyes are seeing Right, you know like these kinds of issues and and it's like I'm not gonna lie or I'm not going to toe a line If I don't if I don't believe if I don't believe in that that So But in terms of of the the conversation I think it's like it's it's all I've got and And it's not because they don't care.

1:10:13It's actually I'm very committed and I really do care But but I think people are you know like I think authenticity that's the that's the less that's really that's one of the less Meaningful currency in this shitty business So I was having a conversation this morning with a friend of mine and we were talking about voter ID And he was shocked that you don't need voter ID in I believe it's 15 states 15 states require no ID 20 I think it's 24 or 25 states require ID But only I think 11 of them require you to have photo ID This is a weird one in this election that I've tried to look at As objectively as possible and I can't see any reason why you would not need ID to vote unless you wanted people to vote That aren't qualified to vote Yeah, well, I mean like I honest honestly I would I would like to remind everybody and it's it's not like a talking point It's actually it's an effect that the voter fraud is incredibly incredibly rare it's really hard to To get away with that successfully and in 2020 at scale you mean Yeah, it's not scalable.

1:11:35Yeah, it's like I mean It's like and usually it's it's kind of local kinds of communities and people that either know that person or it's not It's never going to be organized in a point where you can pack you can pack A box or you can't Determine that that kind of a thing. It's it's just that you know after election election election It's just never been I know in 2020 out of Over millions of votes in 2020 in Pennsylvania there were five or six You know once and what happened is that that they they turned out to be the Republicans and they used their deceased They're dead moms, you know to vote for Trump through that and and that that was that was documented and they were all they were all They were Caught they were charged they were convicted and all those votes that would have been six votes out of all of it So do you think that that's the only voter fraud that exists?

1:12:33Well, people also we need to remind that you know The voter database their cross checks against deaths and you know who's moved or what's their status are like? Oh like you know all that's cross checked back and forth back and forth back and forth So it's it's it's a living kinds of thing where it's can continually updated and all of those kinds of things and it itself checks And remember also in 2020, you know Trump they was like yeah way there's there's cheating There's all these things are happening and remember there's probably a 57 58 red counties and all of those commissioners that are in charge of that They're like hey, no there was not there was not and even in Georgia even in Georgia Uh governor camp governor camp uh like hey, you know Georgia, you know, it was very close But it was it was honest there was no there was no kinds of fraud in that That's a Republican but other than Making things A little bit easier to cheat What would be the logic behind not having voter ID Like what I've tried to look at this is objectively as possible I can't find any reason while you would not require someone to be able to prove that they're the person They say there are when they're putting in their ballots It's it's not a hill that I'm saying I we have to die on that too.

1:13:51I again But it's a vulnerability clearly right? Well, well it's also there big some people may not believe that And a lot of these kinds of communities, you know ones that I that I live in For some people they they're not gonna they don't they don't have an ID necessarily Or they've lost it or whatever and you know, but you need one to get a driver's license You need one to get a cost they don't have a need one yeah They would have to get an ID or it it costs X amount of dollars Or those kinds of a thing it's it's a barrier and it usually tends to skew more towards People that are you know coming from those kinds of communities and and the Republicans understand that they're usually gonna They're gonna skew towards democratic voters through that uh and So that that's kind of the argument On that and there's never been any evidence that there is widespread kinds of of voter fraud and that's but we really didn't have widespread mail -in ballots to the extent that it was Done in 2020 we really didn't have those were all those were and you know those five or six, you know dead moms that were voting Those were all those were all Well actually one one guy One guy went in he voted you know, and then he went up to his car and he put on sunglasses in a bob cap And he walked and he's like hi hello I'm here to vote and the guys like you were just here.

1:15:16What are you doing? And then they called the police uh and and then it's like yeah he was trying to double vote Did you see the story about the Chinese National who was arrested because he voted and then he tried to get his ballot back And that's how they they caught him it's possible Yeah, this is thinking that just happened and unfortunately once he's voted Even though he was not eligible to vote his vote is going to count Um textus removed some I mean there's lawsuits about it But Texas removed somewhere in the neighborhood of a million people that were ineligible to vote that could have been voting Well everybody knows who's voting and who's not voting on that and then that's why what do you mean by that?

1:15:59What do you mean by everybody knows? Well and and remember also too Dominion you know people On on the Trump side they all said that that dominions was corrupt and and then they and that cost fox 800 million dollars they had to pay 800 million dollars about defamation first saying that there was it was rigged or if it's not and there was no evidence And they had to just acknowledge that that this was the honest thing so but dominion is it's a computer program right? It's a it's a computer like that's what you're doing you're doing electronic voting. Yeah, that that was that was a system that You know mostly and often it was red states that were using those do you remember well that is true because do you remember the documentary hacking democracy?

1:16:42Did you ever see that? Again, there's always going to be people that are going to try to it to have an influence on that right But did you see that documentary it was about the the Republicans doing it? I haven't seen that documentary documentary during the Bush administration and one that they they showed that the die -bold machines And die -bold was a significant contributor. I believe to the Republican party They showed in the documentary that you could use a third party input to change the results And they they actually proved it in the documentary and people are pointing to this is oh my god the Republicans are cheating And the Republicans have used this to try to rig the election for George Bush Was it HBO documentary?

1:17:24I'm not accusing I've never accused the Republicans Like well for in 2016. I know I'm not I did what I'm trying to say is that this is not a thing that's only been Leveled against the the Democrats using it This is not like an accusation that only applies to Democrats in the past the similar accusation was applied to Republicans Yeah, well, I mean I I think we can all agree that we need to have a secure just like our border We need a secure border and we need an absolutely secure Voting's voting system as well too. I mean that should never be considered controversial right and in 2016 A lot of Democrats were were outraged that that we lost but but I never claimed that there was you know The Republicans cheated or do all those kinds of a thing And it's like you know the problem the problem for accusing that there was voter fraud is is that if you don't like the the outcome Right, you know, so and I have never witnessed a An election if they've won that they claimed well there might be you know Yeah, no, we're not cheating so that right so I think that's that's kind of that's that's I think that's kind of the underlying Truth about that and and of course You know, I think I was the first Democrat saying hey though we need a secure border We you know, it's a significant issue and if I thought there was any kinds of issues and I've been very vigilant Throughout I've been actively involved in those kinds of things and I've never witnessed those kinds of a thing The what do you mean by issues like what kind of issues you're talking about you talk about people letting people in in order to get votes Uh, well, I it's not there's not that level kinds.

1:19:13I don't think there's that level kinds of organization But there is an organization that's moving these people to swing states Well, there's a significant number of these people that are illegal immigrants that have made their way to swing states And then there's been calls for amnesty There's been calls for allowing these people to have a pathway to citizenship and allow them to vote The fear that a lot of people have is that this is a coordinated effort to take these people that you're allowing to come into the country Then you're providing them with all sorts of services like food stamps and housing and setting them up and then providing a pathway to amnesty and then you would have voters that would be significantly Voting towards the Democrats because they're the people that enabled them to come into the country in the first place First place and provided them with those services This is a big fear that people have and that you're rigging this system and that this will turn all these states into essentially Locked blue like California is Well, I you know, it's well Immigration is always going to be a tough issue in our nation You know, I had as a professor in grad school Alan Simpson Alan Simpson and he was He was a United States senator.

1:20:34He was Wyoming And he was he was he was actually approach a choice for public And I mean how rare that would be well, it doesn't exist now And he said you are never going to have any meaningful immigration kinds of legislation He's like because both side That's useful for them and it's going to be back and forth back and forth and he said that 25 years ago Useful meaning the debate having it always Yeah, it's useful for the other it's useful and he he said I they were never going to be and he said that in 1999 and I was I voted for for the border deal and that and that went down and and that's I mean he said that 25 years ago and that was absolutely true now that that they had an opportunity to do a comprehensive border bipartisan and that went down because Trump He he declared that that that's that's a bad deal after it was negotiated with with the other side But what didn't that deal also involve amnesty and didn't that deal also involve a significant number of illegal aliens being allowed into the country every year I think it was two million people Still the same sort of situation and their fear is exactly what I talked about at these people will be moved to swing states And that that will be used to essentially rig those states and turn them blue forever Uh, well, I I'm not I'm not really sure if that's that's What what's what's in play?

1:22:04I think it's really like it's important that we have to have an honest conversation But doesn't that seem logical though if you have a significant number of people that are being moved into swing states That have come across the border illegally and then you've provided them with all these services You provided them with food stamps EBT you've provided them with housing You could if you gave those people amnesty and allowed those people to vote and it was very organized You're talking about 75 ,000 votes over a few counties that switched everything over to the Republicans You could see how you import 10 million people over the course of four years illegally and then move a significant number of them to swing states and then provide them with all these services And then give them a path the citizenship You could essentially rig those states Undeniable immigration is changing our nation.

1:22:55I mean, I haven't spent a lot of time in Texas But it's very clear that that immigration has has remade Texas and I think it's generally it's it's for for a good thing And like my wife my wife Brazoian and she was she was her family was a documented And she was seven years old when she was brought here and and I and I'm the big pro pro immigration A guy that there was but it's also has to be true that we need a secure border And we have to work this out because we are pretending that you have millions and millions of people You know living in the shadow and they are here and we have to work together and figure out a way to get forward because they're here And it seems incredibly a difficult kind of logistics thing and I think it's it's also un -American to To round everybody up and who in the vast majority of them were just Living legal lives and doing the lot of the jobs that other people here would never do I think we can agree on that with JD Vance actually talked about that the other day when he was here He was explaining how there are CEOs of large corporations that want these people to come across because they need cheap labor And the way to get cheap labor is have people that are illegals working for less than What would be our minimum wage?

1:24:13Well, I'm not a I mean a minimum wage really it's I think it's it's most incredibly difficult and and violent kind of jobs like you know like and and that's like that's You know me jobs that a lot of people don't want a lot of those those are kind of really rough processing Yeah, yeah, very you know rough right and this is a thing that's been said about Springfield Ohio That these Haitians that have moved to Springfield Ohio this people are complaining about them But the people that have employed these people of saying listen these people are taking jobs that other people that lived in this community Don't want they work very hard and they're very happy that they have this pathway to be in America now I think most people that come here come here because they want a better life for their families and America is essentially a country that was founded by immigration I'm I'm a grandchild of immigrants my I'm here because of immigration on this is we we all were yeah This is a immigrant country essentially yeah, and it's like I it's again and like The the Haitians the Haitians you know that they're referencing in Ohio in Springfield I mean they're not eating dogs.

1:25:15They're not eating pets and those kinds of things now It's reasonable. I mean I've said the same thing that we have to have a secure border But it didn't even apply to to that situation that was all a legal situation. That was M. N. D. M. N. S. D. Excuse me um, and that's because Haiti was was it was uh, it was terrible yeah, terrible situation terrible situation and and to me they were doing those jobs and and Republicans, you know, even their they were they were Republican governor was saying like these are good workers right This is not the problem. They aren't eating geese And it's just like you can be very pro pro border like I am or you can be very you know strict on immigration But you don't have to demonize or try to turn a group of people in that they're eating your dog.

1:26:01Well they're eating ducks and eating they look I'm sure some people have done that you know You know why I know that because some people do that in places that are just Americans ducks are edible and some people want to eat a duck And it's just like you're not gonna stop it but that's not the major problem that people face So this is the pro side of it right the pro side of it is you give a pathway to people That are from very unfortunate circumstances and I think we would both agree that if we were living in those countries And there was a pathway to citizenship in the United States All you had to do is make it across the border.

1:26:35We would both do it It was better for our families. It was better for our future If we were living in a place that had no hope and no future And all you had to do is make it to America and and you could work we would all do it I would do it you would do it I bet everybody listening to this would do it if they found themselves in that circumstance That's the best aspect of it the best aspect of it is Good people that are ambitious that want a better life, which is how this country is founded The worst aspect of it is Venezuelan gangs are taking over apartment buildings in Aurora, Colorado and San Antonio, Texas That's the worst aspect of it is that they're letting in gang members and Venezuelans emptied out their prisons and essentially According to the president of a real boat lift, you know, it's the whole right.

1:27:19Well, it happened in Cuba the same kind of deal Empting out their prisons and instructing these people to make it to America This is a significant problem with the open border Yeah, and that's why we need a secure border And there's also and it that all of this is about a truth is that America is a beacon for to the world Millions of people the demand to become a citizen here to participate in our amazing society The demand outstrips the the space there and we're there we're already the very pro immigration We we allow more kinds of a path more than any other nations in the world on that And people are willing to die and they put themselves at risk just to kind of get here to be over this but here So America isn't the problem America is America is is one of the great hopes in the world and that's why so many people want to come be a part of that and and that's why it has to have an effective border and it's like if you know We had a real issue here and we wanted to address that and that's why you know my my former Professor said that you're never going to have the kind of a deal because it is useful for both sides to weaponize that and to demonize one side or turn the other thing in there because it's a serious important issue It's a political talking point that's they're always going to use that's what you're saying yeah, it's it's useful I mean it's it's weapon it's weapon it's weaponized and that's why you have to have an honest conversation Right, I think I've always you know I I Was reaching out saying that was referred to HR one and that that was like kind of like the dream kind of immigration law Coming out of the house and I was like hey if that border deal goes down Then it's like hey, we should continue to have that conversation right now.

1:29:01We you know, it's like their parts of their parts But what's contradictory is that say if you're coming from Canada or Europe and you're a highly skilled College educated person who wants to live in American become United States citizen the path to citizenship is incredibly difficult It's hard you have to go up for review you have to show that you're doing something that Americans can't do you have to be a person of significant talent or ability There's something about you that we want you in here yet if you just make it across the border and walk in People want to give you amnesty and they want to allow you a path to citizenship quickly without any of those whoops You don't have to take tests you don't have to go up for review The not only that but once you get here once you apply for amnesty There's a significant weight period where you're allowed to maintain Your residents in this country.

1:29:57It's between seven and sometimes longer years Yeah, well, we have to figure out what's what's the way well? That's kind of crazy though, isn't it? But the fact is we have we have an issue we have millions of people here And you know the vast majority of them are are living legal kinds of lives and of course What would you do if you were the president let's imagine president federman has to deal with this issue You want to address the American people. What do you think should be done again? Having that I would have the same conversation to the congress and to American people like I'm having right now is well too Like I you know, I think it's two things can be true at the same time You can be very pro -immigration I wouldn't have the beautiful family that I have if it wasn't for you know challenges and issues with immigration But then we have to figure out a way that we can marry a successful way that we can we can combine You know, I think I personally I do think immigration is is really one of our our secret weapons I think that's what makes America.

1:30:54Yeah, so strong. I agree with you. Yeah, I do that's made it ambitious people who want a better life I mean, that's literally how we're founded I mean, do you see people trying to to live illegally in India or Russia? You don't see people trying to pick into Nation's like that. I mean, that's to get I mean, it's in some sense It's in a weird way. It's like kind of a kind of a It's a significant but a good problem to have because we have so we're such an amazing nation. Yeah, agree But if I'm if I'm president federman, I'm like hey, we got to figure this out. We got to figure this out I'm not going to demonize.

1:31:26I'm not going to demonize the Republicans and say that you're xenophobic or I mean The second you start calling somebody. Oh, you're a xenophobic. You're it's like within the conversation is going to shut down And I'm saying I It's like for a serious conversation requires serious people and the second the second and that's when you talk about unlimited money And it's like suddenly you're like I mean, I had I had gigantic billboards saying federman equals you know open borders and federman You know like it's just like you know, I get turned into you know like a Marxist. Yeah, yeah, just that's all these kinds of things And it's just like and of course that was never true And then when I have the opportunity because you know as a senator and we have that kinds of legislation in front of me I'm like yes, we need to have a serious ones and now people are like we're shocked They're like oh wait a minute.

1:32:17I thought they told us that he was all like border and Open it up and whatever and it's just not true That's the problem with people building a fake narrative around your actual opinions And I think people have been shocked by you and we've actually talked about it on the podcast over the last couple of years You say very reasonable things very reasonable honest things That's the thing and it's rare in the politicians I'm eager to talk to anyone and it's like I like I mean I was thrilled to be here and I've been a long time fan of yours And thank you and it's like these are the kinds of You know like we parts of times we become too fragile They're like oh, they're not allowed to talk about this things.

1:32:58They're not allowed to have these kinds of conversation I never understood why that That's that's really a problem, but But it's like when people discover it's like well, hey, he seems to be kind of reasonable or may I disagree? Some things but he's not what a hundred million dollars, you know Train me to think that that's what right the propaganda so like what do you think could be done if you were president Federman, let's bring it back to that What would you do about the border like how do you secure the border but also allow a pathway for people to pursue their hopes and dreams of the United States Yeah, I would I would have you know for me.

1:33:37I would have started with the HR2 And there are Elements that are they're just not palatable to there are members of my colleagues that you know that they come from You know more more deep blue states and that becomes it's not a palatable to some people So how do you secure the border? How would that be done? Well, I mean it's it's just it's got a half it has you know the best border deal is the is the only one that can pass And and if you know to you know HR2 HR2 was described as like kind of like you know I joke I called that the the only fans list of what Republicans went for for immigration Why would the only fans wish list you know kind of like this is what we all want you know But you know, it's like the only fans, but this is what this is what we want And that was never going to pass what do you mean by that?

1:34:30That was never gonna pass that was never gonna pass That was like what every Republicans on the house, you know the hard the hardliners that that that's what it was And they passed it because in this cycle the Republicans have the majority in the house And now they they put that up and that's never gonna pass in the Senate because we have control And then that that kind of got Side lined and then when everything kind of came together and that was the a deal That was for Ukraine for Israel and for China, you know, there's stuff in there and then And then the Republicans tied the border to To passing that and and there were some people that were frustrated saying hey no, no, that's that's That's one of the more frustrating things about bills is that you can take a bill about an issue say energy or whatever immigration And attach a bunch of other stuff like support for foreign aid support for Specific wars or whatever it is you could throw a bunch of stuff in there that really shouldn't be in there And then you have these bills that are 2000 pages long and no one's really reading them I thought well I thought it was reasonable.

1:35:42I thought it was reasonable to have that conversation Like yeah, let's have that conversation right. I mean because for me it was about security And for that aid that aid bill that was for me and I think that was that was our global war on democracy Right, you know, whether it's Ukraine whether it's in Israel and China and clearly what their intent for China is on Taiwan And and all that's coming and and that's really what's under assault It's undeniable that democracy is under under attack and that's why I'm like hey, we got to stand and we got to push back against that And now and now and like hey, and we need to have a secure border So let's put everything together and we reached that we we actually reached that and and it took months It literally took months But give me your utopian version of it like let's assume that you could just get this past What would you do?

1:36:31What would you do to secure the border but also provide a pathway to people that want a better life It's only going to have to be a negotiating way that's palatable to both sides I understand that but what would you do if you knew you could just get something through without this negotiation What do you think could be done? What's the best version of it? What's the utopian version for John Fetterman? Well, again, I think eventually if you are living your best lives And you're following the law and you're you know, and you really just showed up because hey, I have no path for for a life that I would want for my kids You know, it's like and that's to me that's very American And remember what's in this in them what's inside the the Statue of Liberty It's like send us you know our our tired huddled masses too It wasn't just hey send in the PhDs and the you know and those kinds of things I mean, that's what really made our nation and you know the steel industry the steel industry You know in my part of the state that came from it was European it was all kinds of immigrants They all came in they couldn't build the houses fast enough and that was all foreign labor and they a lot of them were sacrifice because it was an incredibly dangerous business In the steel industry yeah, and that that built our nation and that became part of our society And that's really every every kinds of wave you know and that and to me America has to be open and a path for anyone That's are playing by the rules because the group that you're from or the part of you all started the same kind of a process It's inevitable that that's that's the enduring truth and that's what made America special and they made us make us strong I agree with you so but what could physically be done to secure the border I mean the wall was sort of dismissed during the Trump administration But it was also discussed during the Obama administration even Bill Clinton talked about the importance of having secure borders What could be done physically to secure the border Yeah, well again because that it's like That that becomes that becomes like a third rail you know we can't talk about this or But let's just I understand that politically, but let's just assume that that's not an issue.

1:38:46What would you want to do? Well, it's like I would want to make sure that we first we have to acknowledge the truth It's like immigration has been an issue because America is an amazing country and they're coming from broken countries where they've all recognized that there's not a meaningful path for them to have a quality of life And they're willing to risk their lives and sometimes they even drown and it's like I can't imagine Turning turning like could you imagine turning your children over to a coyote and you know, they're gonna you know go like Like if you're trying to leave Imagine I like hey in in Pennsylvania.

1:39:23It's like walking to North Carolina with your kids on your back I mean, it's like these are desperate kinds of situations Right, and it wasn't an invasion in that sense It was just people wanting to have a part of the American dream And acknowledging where that's at and it needs to have a path Otherwise, you're gonna have to round up and that's not realistic and there's not the resources and and that's gonna be incredibly disruptive and it's gonna be damaging economically is as well too So how do you provide a pathway while also the medic and with them in my respect? How do you provide a pathway while also securing the border?

1:40:00Well, we well to me. I think we can You know chew gum and walk at the same time while on this and it's not gonna be perfect It's gonna be messy and it's not gonna be But what would that look like Whether there's a where it's actually a barrier or you know hiring you know thousands and thousands of more agents and whatever that it takes on that and and it's like The best border deal in that situation is the best one that can that can be that can pass Right because otherwise I you know like boy if I could wake up with a perfect head of hair or you know, I could you know It's like you know, but it's it's like you know Practicing the possible and we were as close as we've ever gained in in in years and years and that never came to Into I understand what you're saying that it has to pass But what I'm saying is imagine that wasn't the case what could be done Like if we could all agree we put politics aside and say you know what Everything John Federman is saying makes total sense We have to put that we do need a pathway for these people It is a beautiful part of America the reason why people come here in the first place is because it's the land of opportunity But yet we also have to keep Venezuelan gangs and prisoners from coming across and murderers and gang members and cartel Yeah, and we have to we have to weed them out and we have to we have to deport them You know, we absolutely it's like this is so how do you find them and how do you deport them?

1:41:30Well, what's that how do you find them and how do you deport them? Well, again, that's just like taking taking some kind of an inventory of like who's actually here on this and we have to figure out who's actually here on those kinds of a thing And and and there are going to be you know, it's statistically that's a fact that out of ex a million people for example You know, it's it's a fact that statistically that some That thinks terrible things are going to be perpetrated by those things And you know statistically in some sense that that native Americans not you know like not not not the I know, but with American citizens, you know and the criminality if if anything the criminality is slightly higher You know in in immigration communities as well and some of the most pro pro American kinds of views That's that's that's projected in those kinds of communities.

1:42:24I mean just like the community that that brought my my wife and their family to this to this country And and that's that's kind of where we're at and I think what we're seeing now in in this cycle There are more and more Latinos that are you know, they're changing their views on some of the they're like hey, we do need We do need a secure border on that. It's not necessarily assumed that because you are a member of a demographic that that it's It has to it's all it's not necessarily consistent that it's going to be strong blue kinds of But we all want safety right We all want safety. We all want to minimize crime Yeah, of course, yeah So you want a secure border to keep criminals from coming over here That's the major the the major impediment uh, of course and and a secure border with more and more resources put on that and and that makes uh, it's But it's it's impossible to make sure that of course you're going to have members of the immigration community that are going to commit kinds of terrible kinds of crimes and you're going to see and those are going to be talked about in the popular media as well.

1:43:31It's a undeniable and I mean they're incredibly tragic and it's it's It's a fact and that's actually the truth of the American story immigration made our nation And there were hard truths and we have a hard truth right now and we need to have a secure border And we have to find a way to celebrate our Emigrations and in the kinds of what immigrations and the contributions that they made to this nation Uh, and also to weed out or to minimize the kinds of negative kinds of things and those kinds of resources because we can't possibly support Uh, an unchecked kinds of a situation that we had and I described that if you had 300 ,000 people showing up at the border Well, that's the side of Pittsburgh, you know in a month like where are they going to go?

1:44:15You know, how are we going to give them an American dream Already because they're all going to need to need certain kinds of resources And and that should never be a controversial to say it's like we can't that's not sustainable And if it's like if we want for every immigrant their American dream It's impossible if it's if it's unchecked like that and it shouldn't be controversial to Anyone politically. No, it's just reasonable. You're saying it's reasonable Um What could be done and who do you think is going to do a better job to boost our economy? Well, I I think it's undeniable too and uh, you know, I'm certainly not going to discount some of the the experience of some people that have been hit by Eggs or other things are you know inflation but but right now Our economy right now.

1:45:09It's it's really it's the world's a Envy throughout all those things by any metric. It's our unemployment the stock market And you know the hundreds of thousands of new jobs that are being created throughout all those things and our our inflation Now has been kind of eased back into to check but it's undeniable that there was an incredible uh uh Inflation that hit certain kinds of families hard through those things and I think that the next kinds of wave whether it's AI Or those other kinds of innovations whether that it's it's green energy or those kinds of a thing That's going to continue to to juice our Our economy.

1:45:51Well AI is a big fear right because AI is going to come with automation and automation is going to come with Removing jobs challenge on my walk here Well, I didn't walk here, but I saw I saw a waymo a waymo drove by me and there was unlike wait me there's no one in there No one in there. There was no one in that car. Did you see the that's the first time I ever jam Yeah, that's the first time I've ever seen a car And had literally no human was in that vehicle and I was like wow There's a bunch of them around Austin and there was a traffic jam in Austin where they all got together Intersection and no one knew what to do.

1:46:23Yeah, all the robots were just like clogging up this intersection. Yeah Like we a lot of that came from Pittsburgh too and you would see those kinds of cars But it always had a human in there But that was the first time I saw like a robot car driving around in Austin and yes That creates there's a lot of dislocation that's possible and that's just the beginning It's going to be shipping. It's going to be truckers I mean that was a big issue with the longshoreman and the teamsters that we're going to go on strike Yeah, please have some more water Thank you welcome. I mean that was a that was a big part of one of their demands was that you know They see what's going on in China.

1:47:03They see that they're using Automation to completely control shipping yards that it's all done with machines and computers now And this is going to displace a lot of people. This is something that Andrew Yang talked about in depth when he was running for president Because he was talking about the need for Some kind of universal basic income to provide people with you know Money and food and housing because jobs are going to be non -existent in a lot of different sectors a lot of different markets A lot of different things that have traditionally been done by people specifically driving Driving is going to be a gigantic one.

1:47:40It's all going to be done by computers Yeah, well, I mean Universal guaranteed income. I'm not sure. I don't know because you're going to have to have That's a lot of resources to provide a lot of that and and that creates all kinds of other issues and dynamic But I'm not afraid of I'm not afraid of technology But it's also acknowledging that there are going to be kinds of changes in those things and and I'm a big believer in technology Takes us into a more productive kinds of economy and they're going to help solve some of the challenges that we have in our society For those kinds of things, but I think we have to find the perfect balance that we we don't stifle innovation But we also but we also have to remember that there are going to be people that might be left behind or they're not They're gonna struggle.

1:48:26I mean, hey, I was mayor for 13 days and I live in a community that was left behind by some of those things And now the steel workers the steel workers I live across the street from The steel mill and then it was announced that napon was buying us steel and Basically all those steel workers were they were done You know, they used euphemism saying well, we're gonna honor current label Sumy -laid -laid deals with that's a euphemism saying as soon as that's up you're done right and then that's going to be you know thousands of of union jobs and if you think it's going to be easy for those men and women to To pull down six figures or those kinds of an income.

1:49:06It's like you know how Yeah, how insensitive to say well, hey learn coding or whatever. It's like well. Hey, it's no. It's not Um, coding is useless anyway when AI learning to code is gonna be useless. Yeah, exactly That's how quickly things change kind of like it's basically kind of like a fuck you like good luck Yeah, well such a it's a dumb fuck you too because even when they said learn to code like that was like you know They're saying I could learn to five. I'm not gonna learn But here's the thing even if you did that's how quickly things change even if you did now they're telling kids learning coding in universities Is not necessarily going to be a pathway to a job because all coding is going to be done by artificial intelligence Yeah, well, but but you know I they never even told us that they were going to sell that And then I was a staffer sent me a picture on CNN saying that they're they're selling us t I'm like fuck that and so I just went up on my roof and I had a video saying hey, I promise I'm going to do anything I can to to jam that up and it's like that's what we did and we worked with the White House And then suddenly all of that got jammed up and suddenly I'm so surprised wink on wink But nippon found extra billions of dollars to make the kinds of upgrades to to secure us a future for those facilities in the Mon Valley And and to me it's about following the union way of life You know to me steel is national security and to me if you turn your back on the working Union families I mean that it's like this it's those are really hard to replace those things And so for me two things are true at the same time You know that our economy has evolved but when we have an opportunity to stand for the union way of life And we can't ever just out out Out source, you know our steel industry right like that I refused to do that So and that's why we're in that situation right now that it's like hey, it's like that That's what's true about some of these industries one of the things that I was reading that was really crazy And I'd love you to find out how much of this is accurate Jamie One of the things was this guy was explaining how scrap metal in the United States The ship to China Where they make things with it instead of making things here because and then we buy what they make with our scrap metal Which seems to me kind of insane There was the death of American manufacturing is a significant problem that we faced And it was really highlighted during COVID right where there wasn't ships coming in because everything was kind of locked down for a while And people realized like hey So much of what we need particularly computer chips and Medicine so much of what we need is being made overseas I agree and then that's and that's why you know Congress came together in President Biden led the the whole chips the whole chips, you know legislation And it's like we got to make our we got to mix shit in America right and it's like of course the future is in those kinds of industries and those things So we got a we have to protect the American economy for that thing And and that's why that's a bipartisan kind of of a push for that and and the The and covid that relieved a lot of vonder of vulnerabilities It's like where a lot of these things come from or So but but going going forward on that it's like we can never just surrender that American manufacturing that we can't assume and we can't allow that to turn Completely outsourced no, it would be horrible and it would be nice to bring things back And it's also you know one of things we've been discussing a lot is that so many of the things that we need today like particularly phones are being made in an unethical way like where we would never allow the working conditions that exist in these factories overseas Where American corporations are having their products made in a way that you would never legally be able to do in America And yet they're doing this just to make more money and that well let me let's also talk about rare rare rare Rare earth mineral stuff.

1:53:23I mean yeah the Chinese have strategically just you know snapped up that that markets I mean that's really that's a significant security issue We have we're gonna have to we're gonna have to address that and thankfully Thankfully we have identified of some large deposits. I think it was Nevada But but rare earth kinds of minerals and that's a serious security issue because the new economy and a lot of the new technology Is gonna the depend on those kinds of incredibly I think a lot of kinds of minerals that some people have never even heard in their life have no idea what that even Why that's important right and then oil as well.

1:53:56I mean we have significant oil reserves in the United States apparently We have more oil than other countries do. It's just a matter of accessing it So are you in favor of drilling for oil and fracking and all these different things to yeah 100 % and and that that that That's what's also true is especially what happened after after Russia and invaded and it was very clear that Europe had have Russians kind of buy the short hairs that a lot of their Europe was they were dependent on some of the Russian gas and that's a fact too and You know, it's also it's also what's true is that fossil fuels are part of our energy stack You know our energy has to evolve whether that's hydrogen or nuclear now even nuclear that conversation's re -emerging You know, I grew up in South Pennsylvania.

1:54:52Maybe you've heard of Three island sure three mile I had to evacuate when that happened Yeah, I had to evacuate wow because they they could they could have turned you know, we could have never returned I mean that was really tense Now they're reopening that because micro Microsoft is going to buy the electricity because now that's going to be nuclear To to run the the data centers and those things and an important conversation So if you are committed and I think it's you know, I do believe That you really have to make sure that nuclear is part of that conversation too because you know zero Zero kinds of admissions and that's dependable kinds of energy that doesn't depend on the wind or the sun But ironically some people pretend that You have to have a conversation so but you know for the foreseeable future that fossil fuels are part of our stack and for me Energy security is in it's very important You know national security.

1:55:53I mean like if we can't if we can't power our economy Then it's kind of that's a significant risk for our economy in our American way and and now we I think We're a net exporter of energy So I think that's a that's a good thing I think that's a great way to be And it's being honest about that and the path forward and and I think we you know Everything has to be on the table because we have to have a portfolio that produces the in the kinds of energy that we're going to need to power our economy Another significant issue that a lot of people are concerned about is government interference in Online censorship and what what was exposed during the Twitter files That the FBI had contacted the original owners of Twitter and prevented that or instructed them that the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation was trying to get certain accounts banned that we're talking about COVID vaccines and the dangers of side effects and what the actual research was showing and that this was A significant interference in the first amendment and that these corporations That we're running the social media companies were being directly influenced by the federal government and they were using this power to silence People from speaking out against certain things.

1:57:18This is it This is very concerning to a lot of people this idea that the government would infringe on our ability to Be whistleblowers to expose issues that have been hidden from the American people because of greed and money and politics What do you thoughts on that? Well, of course, I mean, I'm a I'm a free speech kind of person And and I think social media is it's it's kind of difficult to control there There's a difference between misinformation or just outright lying Or it's an agenda of a foreign nation that's trying to to sow all these kinds of sentiments and those kinds of of things and and it's kind of difficult to police all those things and it's a lot of It's an ongoing kind of of a situation so But I'm always going to try to err on the side of free speech And then there's incredibly more and more kinds of platforms just like one I'm on right now talking about these kinds of things And I'm not you know, clutching my pearls if there's having conversations that I may or may not agree or disagree on what's being talked about those things But I think people are also there's also a level of responsibility to be You know to discern what you're hearing.

1:58:35It's like I think of that's true or I think that's trash Or it's like those kinds of thing and just because always asking myself in what I'm read is that just true Or is there a perspective where is it coming from who's behind those kinds of a thing So I mean it's it's a difficult kind of what's the the appropriate kind of balance But it's absolutely It's also a fact that there are bad actors behind some of those kinds of Conversations or some of those kinds of Misinformation as well too and absolutely Insightment incitement is not free speech Yeah, and encouraging people for for Violence or those kinds of a thing.

1:59:15I I mean, it's it's it's a lot of it's dangerous. Yeah And but the what the fear is that the government was interfering when you had 51 former intelligence agents that were Testifying that the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation when it seems pretty clear that they knew that to not be true And that Twitter actually listened to these people and they did block that and it did probably have a significant impact on the 2020 election Yeah, well, but the other thing that had a significant impact was in 2020 I forget his name, but he had to investigate you know, Clintons about the Call me yeah, like you know two weeks out.

1:59:56That was like the ultimate October surprise as well And that undeniable that had a significant impact as well too. That was a 2016. Yeah, it absolutely it absolutely did as well too So I mean, that's why there's both sides and they have made agendas to suppress some kinds of a thing or to Bring something to the front and it's undeniable that it can have an impact on that as well too I never went down either of those you know rabbit holes whether it was the Clinton emails or if it was the Hunter Biden's kind of of laptop So but it hasn't really changed overall the dynamic that in our cycles the last three cycles It's really it's about for me It's about a referendum on what we want a vision for America.

2:00:37Is it a Trump kind of a of a vision or do we have an alternative And I've always been very clear. It's going to be incredibly close and it's going to be incredibly at times very divisive and and here we are now and it's still back to a coin toss and I've always predicted that it would be You know even back to 2016 because you know, we're really going to have a lot settled out before this election It's going to take America in a very too stark and distinctive kinds of directions What do you think about Elon Musk's idea of creating a government efficiency agency? Well, I hey I flagged When Musk when Musk I'd involved I I flagged that anyone can look online I can say that it's like well You know endorsements and and and surrogacy It doesn't really mount for much it doesn't count for much a lot and sometimes but a bit I mean that was a that was a significant And he's getting involved and he's showing up at those kinds of of events I mean you know in some sense I've said this publicly that he's even a bigger kinds of star than then Trump can be And for some people in Pennsylvania like that's Tony Stark Right he's involved in undeniably kinds of of important things like space X or he was one of the original Uh Charter he was into on the charter of open IA You know in that too So I mean that's that's significant and and I don't agree with some of his some of his use and politics But it's undeniable that he can move the needle in some sense of of Convince some people that it's like hey if if he says that he's the right choice for president That that's gonna that's gonna that's gonna resonate in some And some circles in Pennsylvania and and I've I've worn that And acknowledging it it's just like that that's it's just like hey Hey, I know people and they admire him and you may not agree with his politics But you you really it's impossible to ignore that he is gonna have a level of of Impact on that yeah, but what do you think about the idea of trying to make the government more efficient and that this hasn't been audited before And of course I hey, I'm open to any kinds of ideas and all those kinds of a thing on all of that uh One side doesn't have a monopoly on good ideas or important kinds of issues that that are that are matter to them so And it's like The choices and the kinds of things and how he's chosen to participate Especially and very personally in in Pennsylvania.

2:03:19I'm like hey here's where we are. That's part of the dynamic here You know calling it out and acknowledging that I'm not moving against that. I'm not criticizing whatever. It's just like hey, it's happening uh, so um, and that I think that's part of why things continue to get tighter and and that that's that's kind of here Where we are well? I think what a lot of people are excited about with Trump is this possibility of change The the Elon Musk edition is one of them are RFK juniors and other one this idea of making America healthy again removing additives from foods that have shown to be toxic.

2:03:53There are legal in other countries I mean, this is a I think a significant issue that shouldn't be a partisan issue This should be something that we all should be concerned with why do we have Ingredients in our food that is illegal in a bunch of Europeans countries because they found out that these things are dangerous I agree. Well, you know go to McDonald's in in like the UK You know, the the french fries has three ingredients potatoes salt and I think maybe oil Yeah, and look at look at what's in America side on that It's much different. I hey, I support that but if anything if if anything, you know more of And I know I know your city that we're in now Austin has an amazing food kinds of scene and and again, you know If anything more of the crunchy more liberal site were on part of the whole organic kinds of a thing and more impurity and things I don't think that's an issue and I honestly I don't think that that's going to be the kind of mantle that somebody like You know RFK junior that's not his So I think having a more pure and safe and abundant kinds of food in in our country.

2:04:58I absolutely support that And you know, I'm I'm selective what I would I feed I feed my children I mean when we were you know when I was a kid it was like velvita You know like hey now we have real cheese or did you ever have like Ecto cooler like that green like Anna frees kind of color of high sea and some of the kinds of foods that that we had when I was a kid That would be unthinkable kinds of now and I think I think the quality of our food and and kinds of more impure I think that's that's been an ongoing conversation and Organic can't become elitist. It can't be it can't be too expensive and and I fully support making it more and more um More more pure and more safe on that and more available and I would absolutely I would celebrate if if I could buy the same French fries that you get in the UK that yeah, I think there's if you don't need more than three Ingredients I have a buddy of mine who lives in Australia and he came over to America and he loves quarter pounders in Australia Because he said quarter pounders in Australia.

2:06:06It's grass fed meat That's just fried with cheese and a bun and he said he got a quarter pounder over here He's like what the fuck is this he said tastes like shit. It was just It was bland and it didn't take a royal with cheese. Yeah, I don't know what they call it in Australia But he said it's grass fed beef you get like you know, they're not even feeding their cows grain Well, you know a lot of the the grass fed beef in And in our nation are coming from Australia. I mean, it's crazy. Yeah That's that's effect and I'm very pro pro American rancher Well, not only that it's it's really fucked up because you could make it a product of America if you butcher it here So if you import cattle from Australia say yeah, and then you bring it to America and then you cut it up and then package it Because you've cut it up and packaged it is now a product of America So you could write that on the label You know, I had will Harris who runs white oak pastures, which is a regenerative farm This guy spent 20 years and untold dollars Changing an industrial farm that his family had and turning it into a regenerative farm and in doing so provided people with a much more natural and healthy choice and He's also done a great job of exposing these practices.

2:07:32Yeah, I mean grass grass a fed beef I mean, I think that's I think that's very in some sense I mean that's that that absolutely supports the better health. I mean yeah, I was I I followed even before he even appeared on your on your podcast Sean Baker yeah, yeah, like Carnivore and and you know even those kinds of insights helped me personally and allowed me to kind of Drop some of drop some weight through all those things and you know, it's like that's an important conversation too It's like you know and but but Democrats some people think that we're Declared a war on on hamburgers and beef, but we're definitely gonna lose that They're gonna lose that if if that really becomes part of that and I I don't think that's Democrats I think that's very wealthy people that have a financial interest in feeding people fake meat That's what I think it is and I think they've captured I said it it pains me to agree with with DeSantis you know because they passed the you know ban in that and Florida It pains me to agree with him, but it's like I mean I would never feed I would never feed that slap to tell my kids when you can buy You know quality American grass fed American beef like I mean that's that's what I purchased that I used that at Costco I buy the three pack of it and And and I my my oldest son he knows how to to prepare like his own Ribbon and and now he's you know makes that a part of Like a I think it's like a healthy kinds of a diet.

2:09:05Yeah, for sure What other issues do you think we should discuss for wrap this up? Is there anything else that's on your mind that do you think is Significant that needs to be discussed Oh before you wrap up I Well, I think we have a situation where there's the situation on on on Israel or Those there's there's a lot happening about the of the election right now, but but It's really a strange place in our nation right now But I promise you it's gonna be depending on whenever people hear this conversation our world's gonna be about the change or maybe has a change and And so I just hope though. I just hope though that we're gonna be able to respond in a way for an orbital kinds of transfer of power and we are gonna be heading into a more peaceful and a more productive and collaborative kind of Direction throughout that, but we're in an incredibly divisible place right now um, and I just want to be part of a conversation to make sure that that we can be more constructive But it's right now.

2:10:15We're kind of It's a difficult place right now and we're coming down to a coin toss election Yeah, I agree. I hope we can all relax and work together cooperatively Yeah Well, listen man. Thank you for being here. I really appreciate it. Thank you for taking the time to come here and talk It's been great to get to know you and have a conversation with you. No, hey. Well, hey, thank you for having It's it's as a fan. It's great to kind of visit and so thanks for having me so my pleasure. All right best of luck to you Thank you. All right. Bye, buddy