The conversation also highlights congressional polarization, low approval ratings, and concerns about legislative effectiveness. They conclude by advocating for independent redistricting commissions, campaign finance reform, term limits, and the need for candidates who represent all constituents rather than partisan extremes.
Always good to have you. Connor, glad to have you on the show. You got a lot of insights on the redistricting fight. I understand there's a court case now that the Virginia Supreme Court is looking at. I think one of the things that's interesting about that redistricting fight is both parties are both parties have reasons why they did what they did, and I think it's an interesting, interesting argument on both sides. But I feel like you've kind of maybe made down the center on this one. So I'm glad to have you on, and it's all yours. Let's let's roll through the redistricting what you've seen. Yeah, So I found this really interesting and I was you know, as we've we've talked, I was really intrigued to get kind of your insight coming from you know, I live in a blueberry up north in Winchester, Virginia. You're down here in the more rural area, and I know that with the redistricting, the rural area got kind of screwed in this one. And what's fascinating to me is as things have rolled out, you know, there is a Supreme Court case going right now to challenge the validity of the vote, there are grounds with which that vote could or that case could overturn the vote. There are procedural errors that may have been made. There are language errors on the ballot that may have been made. I know a big one that's popping up, as they called it fairness in voting or something, and that kind of is perceived to be misleading because it actually creates an unfair Virginia. But in looking at it, I was intrigued to get your feedback on it because it's one where through all of the conversations there's this aspect of more almost cherry picking or almost which shocker, people cherry pick stuff. Cherry pick and Jerry Mander. Yeah, you know, but this I think it's this not a full understanding of the scope to which this is both nationally, uh historically and then at the state level, what really is happening here, Like what really this fight is about, what really this vote was about on the big the big picture. So I kind of jumped in and did a little breakdown and then you know, playing you in this one and getting getting your feedback on it. So what's interesting to me is I think that there are two really good arguments that both have a strong. Basis and credibility. You've got your Virginian argument, and you've got your national, historic, and and congressional argument. Okay, And so to start with, if this was just a Virginia thing exclusive to Virginia, I don't think there's any question that this would be an unequivocal no vote. You know, I understand people's arguments both sides, but it's the If this was just Virginia trying to gerrymander its districts to work out Republican voices in Congress and replace them with Democrat voices in Congress, I don't think there's any argument to be made in support of it. If you truly believe in a balanced representation. Now we will always have the people that just want their side to win regardless, and that's where it kind of gets blogged down. But when it comes to Virginia, this isn't This isn't a good look. If it was just. Virginia, we went from a six' five somewhat balanced congressional. Representation arguments can be made that how things are set, up cutting up Northern virginia And, richmond it might skew that a little, bit but overall compared to other states that have. Jerrymandered it's not. Bad it's not the, best but it's not. Bad and that is now being. Moved if this vote goes through and gets, certified they're going to take four seats away from The republican, representation making it a ten to one congressional representation for the state Of virginia for The. House the important thing THAT i think wasn't brought up enough during the run up to this vote is that there was a built in expiration date to this. Redistricting this was A virginia ballot measure that had within it this map expires at the next, census which will be twenty. Thirty so by the time all this goes into play in, midterms it's about three and a half four years that will be under this new, map and it is set to expire and go back to an independent biparty in redistricting commission in twenty thirty to re establish more partisan or less partisan. Districts balance it. Back so based on The democrat, side what was the purpose of because like my view of it obviously is with This General, assembly it was very very slanted towards Aggressive it's not like the state Of virginia is way at far off AS i, mean even on this ballot measure it was what fifty fifty one. Forty, YEAH i think it was about a two percent splitsh to. ME i made a comment Where i'm, Like i'm actually super impressed and super proud Of virginians as a whole who got. Out AND i think three million AND i think the population is almost eight million or. Something, yeah SO i mean, alms almost half of the population. Voted SO i think it's an engaging. Conversation it was ABOUT i guess when one point six million voted yes and about one point five million voted. NO i THINK i think the problem THAT i see more than anything with all of the conversations we're having IS i think we don't dive deep in deep. Enough and it's probably a weird thing for me to say from a redistricting, standpoint but from my, standpoint both, sides for, example the mayor Of New, york for, example very very far. LEFT i think we would agree this it's far. Left and, Yes i'm sure there's a lot of people In New york that are that adopt that. Viewpoint BUT i also think there's a lot of people that aren't and, so but they knew that they that was let's take it to that. Extreme SO i think one of the problems THAT i see for, Candidates republican candidates is we look at it and we go. Well in the governor's, race it was because of. This AND i think you AND i have discussed this with the balance of government and things like, that AND i think think things happen on a national. LEVEL i Think Donald trump is a very polarizing, figure AND i think that this jerrymandering, VOTE i think the reason The yes has carried it is the motto of Stop trump at all. Costs, YEAH i mean that's, so and That'll i'll jump here in second to the national. Argument WHAT i think is important to note about The virginia vote, again one point, six one point four or five, ISH i don't know the exact, numbers but those are. Ballpark what's important to note here is unlike an electoral college or a presidential, vote that's a winner take all, system meaning if it's a million to a million and one, vote the million and one. Wins this was fully a popular. Vote so you'll see a lot of stuff Of, Oh richmond And nova dictated this, thing, which, sure those are the population centers Of, virginia but this was not based on voting District this was not based on congressional. Districts this was a straight up you. Voted AND i. Voted you voted, NO i voted, yes we canceled each other out, done and. So SOON i voted. No pretty sure you all. Right but it's that thing where LIKE i just like to remind people, that, like this was a popular. Vote the vote itself wasn't, popular but it was a popular. Vote whoever had the most won the. One it was a you, know who had the most points at the end of the. Day and so when people, say like you always see the maps where it's all this red and then the blue bits of, It it's, like, yes but that's misrepresentative because land doesn't, Vote cows don't, vote chickens don't. Vote people. Do and so if the place is where the people are voted certain, ways that's that's the popular. Vote and it just gets frustrating. Sometimes the interesting part of all the conversations IS i look at it AND i Think i've talked to the people on the conservative, side and they, say in this election national election in twenty twenty four When Donald trump was. Elected he was elected because he went in and won Traditional democrat like was up four or five, points because they went into those population, centers into the municipalities and the concentration of, people and he pulled five or six percent more. Vote it wasn't the russ belt or anything. Else he ran on stuff that appealed to those. Areas and that's what that is my. Point on a state wide, Levels like for, me this should be a wake up call For republicans and they should say we don't need to run people that only get elected in bright red. Areas we need to represent every single person and put candidates up to do. That AND i say that very very BECAUSE i know a couple of the, people not like personal friends or anything like, that some of these guys that are in, there and they're they're phenomenal human. Beings AND i hate that the rules have changed this far into it because they have a history and they have to work through that and it affects a lot of different families and things like. That but like from my, STANDPOINT i think The National Republican party in The Republican party In virginia should not be shocked in a governor's race when they lose like they lose when they have a, candidate is that is so far off, center if that makes, sense that they're hard to. ELECT i think she's a phenomenal human, being but you look at her historical record and it's not. Good it's not good for people that are in the, middle that are. Undecided, well and so what's interesting about, it and this can be you, know we can circle back to this one either later at a different. Day but what's interesting when you look at The spamburger campaign and the voting results THAT i think speak to your point about the polarization of our current president is while she may not have won every district In, virginia all but four districts pulled back. Center she pulled voters from the right back either center or to the. Left so you saw this leftward skew of six or ten OR i think she won by fifteen, points which that's not a close. Margin that's a. Whoopin' and so you look at it and you go to, me what that shows is that people who who agreed with the campaign promises Of Donald trump are feeling some kind of way about where they are right now because enough of them WERE i think there were four voting districts that stayed read that didn't come back back substantially. Centered so that brings me to you, know we can kind of take that as the jumping point to the national, explanation because you, know if we are limiting our scope of what's happening in this redistricting conversation to Just, virginia it's a dishonest. Conversation it's a disingenuous. Conversation because where my side of things will say is that this started summer of twenty twenty. Five this started With texas With god Under Greg, abbott who was looking to redraw maps and when mid district or mid decade, redistricting which is not a common. Thing it has happened once before By Texas republicans in two thousand and, three two thousand and, three two thousand and. Four but when you look at the series of, EVENTS i look at, this where normally when we have these types of, conversations it's more, subjective oh, well this kind of played, in or this kind of played in to. ME i see this much more as a as a point to point, timeline because you can so you can look at you, know twenty twenty, Five, Texas Greg abbott's looking at redoing the maps to gain to work Out democrats and gain more congressional. Seats our president reaches out and say we are entitled to five more seats In texas and supports. It says you must Read there were billboards up that said you must. Redistrict my side used them in this, campaign used his own words of you must read disc because he said it now your side and what they also Used obama's word saying redistricting is. Bad you know he. Did he, did in fact say. That but you look At texas and you, Go, okay their legislature And i'm sure plenty of people will watch this and sit and, go, oh, well it wasn't constitution or it wasn't in their constitution and this like it wasn't illegal to, them and fine, whatever totally, okay they didn't have to get a. Vote but the fact of the matter Is texas legislature chose to redraw, maps eliminating four or Five Democrat democrat elected representatives for the people Of texas From. Congress in response to, That california put a ballot measure Up prop, fifty allowing its people to, vote WHICH i know is kind of a it would have gone blue, anyway but it's still you're letting the people. Choose and they, said we will readistrict our areas to Counter texas only If texas. Proceeds we put the vote to. Make sure we have our people's approval for, it but we are only going to do this If texas goes through with. It texas, Did california. Did from, There North, Carolina, Missouri, Ohio utah all tried to do What texas did and through, legislature not a vote of the, people redraw their. Maps, Interestingly utah is actually one that kind of shot themselves in the foot because they were already set up in a way so misrepresentative that they actually ended up losing a. Seat they were four and oh gop Two. Democrats they're actually NOW i think they're about to be three to one because state judges looked at it and, go, no this isn't this isn't, Fair like this isn't how it's supposed to, Be and they actually ended up shooting themselves in the foot and losing a. Seat But North, carolina but. When we, say AND i think that's one of the most valid points in all of these, conversations they're not losing a. Seat they are just having to compete at a different. Level is that more accurate way of saying because like you can say so In, utah it wasn't like it is in this congressional. Race the person that is running is not running in the same. District it is a different district that is more inclusive of the other. SIDE i see what you're, saying because technically they're not losing a seat because. It's still it's you still have the ability to, compete and same, thing the same thing In, Virginia like you can say all you, want just like in THIS i think one of the really cool things about what you're saying is people get to. Vote and you can, say, well they didn't have it In, virginia but people get to, vote and based on their, vote you have a winner and a. LOSER i, mean one side carried the. Other that's the way our country is set. Up and so like from my standpoint WHEN i look at it from from my my sense of, direction my sense of direction, says it's like it's almost it's like there's a penalty called you still it's first and fifteen because you've got a five yard. Penalty stop. Complaining run the, play, yep and The republicans still have a chance to run the. Play it's just going to be a. Game they have the game fifteen yards for a first down as opposed to the ten. Yards so let's, Okay so let's look at this because you're spot on Where so, technically if you look at state representation to your exact, point we'll use a Use. Virginia there are eleven congressional districts In. Virginia the whole idea with setting it, up they're supposed to be based on population equal. Population let's say we have for, simply let's say we have eleven million people In. Virginia we, don't but. For, math it's it's a million, each. A million in each, district even and that's how it. Votes wherever they go is how they they they. Happen that's not how it works because of things like cracking and packing and using voter results to manipulate districts to pretty much understand what the. Outcomes there's never a, guarantee. But there's a pretty good. Ability is if you look and you, say, okay you know most of Northern virginia votes. Blue so if we just if we just made Northern, Virginia, Arlington, alexandria that area one, district that would be packing because you're packing all the blue votes into one, district meaning you have a pretty good bet that that's going to. Present BECAUSE i read a book that was written by somebody in An obama's. STAFF i think he was a speech, writer and that's one of the things he said is that they it isn't especially in some of the larger, states there isn't the same level Of so the two senators In california they were or let's just Say virginia will do it, easy easy mass they represent basically seven million, people say three point five per, person what is Californ california's population is, huge and so like their voice is the. Same and that's how my understanding of the way The constitution was set up in The United states was the representation The senate was always supposed to be the more stable they have a longer, term but still by, population it's still supposed to be representative of that. Population, now but not in The. Senate i'm saying in The house Of, representatives it's supposed to be based on. Population, yes and it shouldn't and well that's. Why so that's. Why and that's WHAT i thought was really interesting about that book is like that was how we started annex and other countries and buying other. States republicans And democrats have been at this a long time and years back when we did different purchases of. Land that's how they set it. Up they, Said, Okay utah has four would get four New house Of representative. Members now we'll allow you to buy this state which has this. Amount does that make? Sense, Yeah so there's there's also sort of when states were first being, made THEY i think it was two hundred thousand people or six hundred thousand somewhere in there was the minimum number of. POPULATION i think it was two hundred thousand that you needed to be to count as a, state otherwise you're a. Terroritort and that's why They, yeah but that's why they divided them up and everything else they, so so jerrymandering and like maneuvering and everything else has been going on since we started An so. It's, Eldridge, jerry and it's actually kind of a funny. Story he, WAS i, Believe massachusetts governor and tried to rework these districts and allegedly someone's, like, oh that one district looks like a, salamander and they're, like, no that's a jerry mander. Jerry so that was seventeen something. Something so it's been around the. Beginning so as much as everybody's screaming like this is a huge, site this has never happened, before it, has, well it's been happening for it in some. Form, yes the two parties have always looked at an edge and they've always whoever's in power is the one that tries to drift. Things they're. Direct, Yes so in the Fear i'm What I'm i'm summarizing the fear Of democrats In virginia is you already are screwing, us like we are controlling the state on the statewide. Government, yeah but you're you're you're kicking our, Ass, nashed you, know other than our two, senators you're kicking our. Ass so when it comes to, Jerrymandering senate does not play a role in. It there's one hundred of. Them each stake gets. Two that's their thing that's done. Right for The, house there's four hundred and thirty five members of The house divided based on. Population you've Got california has fifty. FOUR i Think wyoming has like. Two we have thirteen or, sorry eleven two senators, eleven and so it's based on your state. Populations, now so WHEN i, say, uh we're losing a, seat what it means is districts are being drawn in a way that moves known voter counts into a position where one party more than likely has an advantage over the. Other so it's it's cut up cracking and, packing, packing putting everyone into one. District cracking is starting a whole bunch of district if you look at the, maps, now starting a whole bunch of districts in Northern virginia and then peeling them ount so that the population center here negates a whole bunch of other rural. Areas so that's that cracking. Area but a candidate that ran central on either side could potentially. Win that could THE i mean the. GOAL i, Mean i'm not saying that everybody had a pure. Motive but in response to, this there is a possibility to run a candidate that is more, central BECAUSE i, mean we run we run statewide candidates all the. Time. YEP i, Mean i'm not saying it's going to be, easy AND i think we're at a disadvantage on The republican. Side but like from my, STANDPOINT i don't think it's all the gloom and. Doom. No, well and so here's the counter, that or not the, counter but the kind of to your point of that, Is so if you have a district that's eighty percent blue twenty percent, red and you're trying to figure out a way to take a district that's sixty percent red forty percent blue and make it more competitive or, whatever you might rework those district lines so that you pull twenty percent off of that eighty twenty so it becomes a sixty. Forty and then you put that in another district that now that one's sixty forty in favor of blue based on voter reports and blah blah blahlahlah voter rolls and. Whatnot so you've now just taken a seat because you've now made a district that was originally leaning, red you've worked it in a way that you now have more in theory blue votes in that district to pull it to the other, side losing the. Seat and So when you do, that, though you can put yourself in a position called dummy, mandering where you make the states too. Close it might be a fifty five in favor Of, red forty five in favor of, blue meaning that for my side to, WIN i only have to pull about six percent of your voter base my. Way and now it's fifty one meters forty nine. You and that's where you start to See. Florida actually today past put maps up that cut a little close to that margin that might be you, know it could result in a position and to your point about the, president like in a position where you are at a time of our president is very divisive and he's pushing his own, party kind of the more Centrist republicans away because of the things he's. Doing, well, now if you dilute your districts Of republican voters too, low and some of Those republican voters are disenfranchised by what's happening in The White, house it's not the policies we, want it's not what you. Promised, well now they might vote blue in this Next house congressional, election and so you've diluted the power of your districts too. Much in efforts to win and you might actually lose that. Seat you might be counterproductive to what you're. Doing so back to the big national. Picture If, Texas North, Carolina, Ohio, missouri and Now florida did what they wanted to do with redistricting And democrats did absolutely nothing to push, back in, theory they would net somewhere between twelve and Fifteen republican favorable. Seats it's not, guaranteed but because of how they drew, them it would technically be A republican positive, seat meaning at this next election, cycle those seats would go red rather than. Blue so the reason Why california And virginia got involved Was. California texas put up about four or. Five california was able to counter, Those North, Carolina, missouri And ohio net. Four virginia was able to counter. Those the wild card now Is, florida Where republicans might still net potentially two, seats ignoring the dummy mandering part of. Things and so the national, conversation and we talked about this a little bit before going, on was if you look At, Virginia republicans have lost their, voice And i'm not in favor of. THAT i generally kind of liked a more balanced state because you get a true representation of what the state. Wants so explaining what it looks like to lose your voice when you say. That, so looking at the state Of, virginia if votes go the way they, do it means that In congress we will have Ten democrat congressional representatives and One republican congressional reps reresentative meaning and Two democrat. Centers but that doesn't really apply in The house until bills go one where they. Are but for The house, alone what that means is if there's a policy That virginia is in favor, of you, know whether it be health care or paid family medical leave or these things that are more liberal, policies More democrat, policies it means that In virginia we've got ten yes votes for liberal. Policy So republicans In, virginia as much as half of the state might not want to be part of The Green initiative for energy, efficiency doesn't. Matter we have eleven. Votes if it becomes a national, thing virginu will vote yes for it and it will pass because of Virgin, well it won't, pass But virginia will bring ten yes votes and one no vote to the. Table so when you lose your WHAT i mean when we say you lose your voice is that our your desires is how you want things, done being equally represented In. Congress why you. Want that is because if you want something AND i want, something ideally we would have as close to a fifty to fifty split Within congress as possible because that would force, conversation that would force the ability Of, hey you, know you're actually A republican, representative but you kind of like green, energy so you might vote for my green energy. Bill Or i'm a, liberal BUT i kind OF i understand the need for a little less or you, know tax breaks or, whatever little less government oversight on pick a, sector SO i might sign on to your, bill and it creates bipartisan. Legislature which is what you. Want you want everyone working together for the betterment of the. Country what we have right now is a heavy Lean REPUBLICAN i forget the exact, split BUT i think it's like two thirty something to like to ten to seventeen something like. That there is A The republicans have the advantage in The, house meaning they can pass whatever they want because they mostly need on most, legislature they need a simple majority fifty one percent of the vote and it goes. Through, well if you have more than fifty one percent of the seats in The, house you can pass whatever you. Want my big example is the one big beautiful bill that pretty much got pushed through The senate and The house just On republican. Votes, so as someone who opposed multiple aspects of, it my, voice my representation was not. Heard No democrats were, involved No democrats were. Used it just got pushed. Through so when we say losing our voice anyone left or, right it means that what you want out of your state or your representation is not happening because it's just not present in The. HOUSE i think the biggest like for, me, HONESTLY i don't know that there are any representative is on either. SIDE i think there are so few on either side they're Like fetterman From pennsylvania that's, like, no this is, right and this is what we're gonna this is What i'm going to. Do AND i think that's the. PROBLEM i think. We have gotten to a point where it's more party line. Yeah and a policy. Yeah BECAUSE i, like for, me WHEN i look at it AND i think about, it AND i think we are, putting we are taking people that are just what you, said they're not in a position to negotiate because they're, like, no this is the district THAT i represent is extremely conservative or extremely. Liberal so there's no reason it doesn't matter to. Me it doesn't matter the ten to one because, LIKE i don't think from What i've, seen there are very few people that are having conversations like we are having that are, Like, okay this is what's, important so we need to have this. Conversation it is, no we're gonna take this and ramon down your wrote and that everybody's getting their one liners in of, like well you need to do, this you need. And historically you see, that you, know you look at The Affordable Care act kind of. Happened that was a More democrat Controlled house IF i remember, correctly and it kind of just got pushed through the one big beautiful bill Exclusively republican legislature that got pushed through with No and that's the divisiveness is that it's not it's not a conversation in there. Anymore and so you'll, see Like fetterman's a weird one because As Democrats democrats hate him because not necessarily because he's, wrong but because The democrats are in a position where they need every vote they have to kind of run some form of interference to make it a, conversation to compromise on. Things and because he keeps jumping for what AND i respect him for voting how he, believes but what that does when we are in a position of party line, legislature party line, politics it throws a wrench into things because that's one vote that it's a wild. Card you can't count on it one way or the. Other and so and a lot of, that you, know we can bring it back to jerrymandering in a, way but a lot of. That you need to be in a position where states are. Representative now where it gets. It but is it representative or is it more symptom of the people that got me here expect this from, Me and So i'm going to have to go along the LINES i. Don't we always used to joke about people that went into a certain law enforcement agency and we would joke like they just unscrew their, brain dump what they want in, there and then screw it back. On and that's how they make them because they all think, alike AND i THINK i feel like there's no place in either party for someone who is, like, now this is WHAT I i, believe this is what's best for my, district and So i'm gonna go do. This it's too, MANY i think. Everybody they can go up with the purest and, motives but at the end of, it they are run into this, wall and the wall, says you're going to have to do this to get on the committee that you want to be. On you're gonna have to do, this this and, this and you have to. Play you think you're going up there for one, thing and when you get up, there you're playing by somebody entirely, different one hundred. Percent and it's a. You, Know i'm gonna call it a cancer of the system that we're currently in because ideally what you want for EXACTLY i think truly there are more people that would fall into that presentation if the margin was, closer if you only had to sway a few people one way or the, other you would see a lot more people voting how they truly felt on, policy because it would involve compromise and working together and adding little bits here and. There i'd like to think that that's. True BUT i THINK i think IT'S i think IT'S i think it's just the fear of losing WHAT i, think and SO i think they've obtained. Power they're in, power and the only way they can lose that power is they go against the big power that has got them to that. Position and it's it's too. Terrifying and THAT i, MEAN i think that's a federal's a classic example because he obviously doesn't. Care he dresses however he, wants and he represents his his. State AND i think for, ME i THINK i think it's just. Courage it really, is and and AND i And i'll get on a. Soapbox as far as law, enforcement if the leadership in law enforcement took a stance and said this is what law enforcement looks, like this is what you can expect from law, ENFORCEMENT i think it would totally change the way the general public views law. ENFORCEMENT i think we're getting cute and going, like, hey this is very. Entertaining you, know look at what we're doing On, facebook and we're not saying, like, hey our primary responsibility is to keep you. Safe we are going to go into this. Neighborhood it's a violent, neighborhood there's a chance that we're going to have a violent encounter with, someone but that violent encounter occurs away from your home as a general, Citizen so as a, citizen you don't have to worry about that same person because just because we went into that, neighborhood we don't have a. Wall they can come into your house any time and they. Will, YEAH i mean there are people out there that that's what they. Do AND i think if law enforcement leadership did a better job of, saying, LIKE i, know this doesn't look, good but at the end of the, day this is necessary and this is what needs to be. Done AND i think it's the same way on this now on a national, level it's, like, Hey i'm, Sorry, republicans the rules have, changed step, up have the courage to put people in there that can win and and because to, ME i think they're set up to do that based on what you're saying is if we get a central candidate that appeals to both sides and it's shown the ability to work on both, sides and they put him through, There i'm not saying somebody in name only like the lieutenant, governor because they wanted somebody that, well this is the first openly gay cabinet member or whatever they call, it like executive, member executive ticket for The, republicans like that's a. Name only in my, opinion it's you, know because if it was really that, important they were talked about the entire, thing it was just kind of an ad lib. Thing by the, way he's, this, Yep and so like for, ME i actually get a candidate out there that believes it has has a moral. Compass And i'm not saying everybody, doesn't But i'm saying has a moral compass and says this is what my history has. Been whether it's somebody that's run for local elections or something that has shown a history of working across the. Aisle take somebody in on a school board or A republican In fairfax or something like that that has proven their ability to work With, democrats and that's who they need to run with in my. Opinion, yeah, no, Absolutely and that's to your point of of you, know you, know cops are there for. Reason congress is there for a, reason and it's to do the bidding of the. People and they. Don't they can't do. It they can't even do a budget you were talking earlier of like they had to have like a assassination attempt to fund and it's just it's just. Ridiculous AND i know you have a different view of, that BUT i mean that's you have to have something major happen to like draw the attention back to be, like, hey could you imagine if you, like how pissed off we get when the mail man doesn't deliver our. Mail that's their one job deliver us our. Mail if you had a, congress The house Of, representatives what is their one job fiscal responsibility to have a budget and they can't even do. That. Yep, well and so you, know to kind of circle it back for a, second because you brought up a point that we might be able to touch on here in. A little, bit touch on, them roll. It but so to finish with the with the representation. Points so, anyway long story, short the national picture due to jerry, mandering the reason why states Like california And virginia got involved was essentially just too offset What texas And florida And missouri and all that we're doing to try and keep inevitably when we come up on mid, terms it's looking more and more like The democrats are probably going to do a pretty good sweep just because of the state of things right, now that divisiveness and that polarizingness of the. Administration right, now the general consensus seems to be they're going to be in a pretty good position to at least pull it back more even and so to kind of prevent, that a lot OF gop states are trying to eliminate blue strong blue seats to try and make that not. Happen seemingly that seems to be the national, approach and So california And virginia got involved to try and mitigate that, bleeding so to. Speak now where it gets interesting is when you look at. This you, KNOW i can sit here and say it started in twenty twenty. Five it started With, texas this series of Events, Texas, California North, Carolina, Zurio, Ohio, Virginia. Florida that started in twenty twenty. Five and people arena say no twenty twenty one with ill Or New york And. Illinois, sure that was four years, ago and that was The New york attempted. It their stuff got shot down and they were forced to redistrict more. Fairly ILLINOIS theirs went Through, MARYLAND theirs went Through but what gets really hard or what becomes, difficult like so many of these, subjects if you start playing the yeah but you guys game is you can sit there and, say, yeah you're. Right democrats tried to pull some stuff in twenty twenty. One you also had stuff happen in twenty twenty. Six you had The Red way or The Red map in twenty or two thousand and, three which was or two one two thousand and, two which Was republicans realizing that down ballot, races The house, seats the state level races were getting kind of ignored and if they could control, those they could. BECAUSE i, MEAN i think that's HOW i think that's how Young kin came in on, that because they they start, playing they realize, like, hey if we Have republican, governors we can do. This and so previously you had one other at least in the modern era mid district or mid decade, redistricting and that Was texas in two thousand and. Three you have these moments going back where if we're playing the yeah butt, game we can keep going all the way back to seventeen. Whatever, yeah and. So RECOGNIZE i think at the end of the, day LIKE i think it's just, understood like you can call it, Whatever like both sides can call it whatever they, want but they're like for, ME i would like for my, side WHAT i would like to say to my side is start running candidates that represent all the, people not just Your like people need to understand when they run for, office if this is my new, district run somebody in that district that can like be a representative of all. That and it's not going to be one extreme to the. Other AND i think so there's there's one key difference in this story, though and this is the part where from the national picture THAT i think is more so in my, favor which is as much as every side doesn't and as much as you're absolutely right that ideally you want to run the candidate that represents the the district that they're in and not someone who will represent the will of whoever's pulling the strings In, Congress. I'm not even saying the pulling the. STRINGS i think this is the WAY i look at it, is you have one hundred, voters, right forty of them are far, Right, okay forty forty of them are far, left right and then you got twenty that are LIKE i like this part of this, PART i like, this and so like for, me is it does not make sense to sit there and run a candidate that is, Like i'm gonna go far left or far right SO i don't lose my core BECAUSE i feel like both parties are doing. THAT i think both parties are like running into the far edges of both sides because those are the loudest. Sides the far left side is, allowed the far right side is. Loud the general POPULATION i don't think feels like, that. BUT i don't generally. Know but it's easier to pitch to that. Side it's. Easier but that's you're running for, office like it's. Not this isn't a. Pitch it is like it. Is but think about think about right, now who when you look at presidential popularity right, now how he's how he's, viewed it's anywhere between THIRTY i think thirty three percent approval and forty percent. Approval but what is the one group of his approval base that has barely, Faltered and that's the maga. Republic, no that's the far. Right so WHAT i mean by that, is if you solidify your, base it's easier to try and pull people a little more your, way appeal to a couple more. Things Then i'm in the, middle And i'm trying to pull far left and far right to me because based on your, number if it's forty and forty and, twenty If i'm starting with a forty percent, BASE i only need to gain eleven. Percent that's where They're that's that's What i'm. Saying that's where you're. OFF i feel like The canadate it should. Be I'm i'm, representing whether you voted from me OR i still have a responsibility to provide governance and provide you. Representation if this is important to, you if might, not as long as it doesn't go against WHAT i believe ethically and everything, ELSE i still need to hear that AND i need to take it. In you look at, it you, know. Affordabildings, yeah and everyone opposing view. Four dollars a gallon at the gas tank or at the pump like that affects everyone. Equally do me a favor and look up what the approval rating For congress is right, now BECAUSE i think it's. Low, YEAH i think it's like twenty six. Percent or. Something it's. Low, yeah and So Congress congress is viewed AS i WOULD i would, argue not, Knowing i'm just going to go out on a limb and say that this Current, congress one hundred and nineteenth or one hundred and Eighteenth congress is viewed as the most Ineffective congress we have ever, had at least in the modern. ERA i just want people to. F, that like they want to, Say Donald, trump, this spamburger, this but like you're elected, representative less than ten percent of the population approves on both sides the proofs of what you're, doing, correct you are the. Problem so if. They're a, redistricting look at yourself as the, problem be part of the. Solution you got ninety percent. Well and so so this goes back to so you look at it and you go Thank this is with the redistricting WHERE i feel there is a fundamental difference between the left and the, right and. It's this the. Right the GOP's position on redistricting is. Positional we're for it if it benefits Us, Texas, Florida. Missouri we are against it if it's A democrat state trying to do. It we had the president himself come out and, Say Virginia State Supreme, court you have to overturn this injustice of the, people yet Supported. Texas so to. ME i look at it as THE gop side tends to be more. Positional if it's good for, us it's. Good if it works against, us it's. Bad whereas The democrat, side while still doing these things that they're. Against And i'll come back to, this is more is more reactive in, it because yes they do, it yes at, least And i'm going to talk more in the modern, air more in my lifetime of, awareness you, know the two thousands and. On absolutely they do. It but if you look at right Now, California, virginia that is directly in response to other people's. Actions and the reason WHY i say that The democrats are in a slightly different situation or different vote than The republicans is because they've tried to get rid of it on three instances in the last decade twenty, sixteen twenty twenty, one and in twenty twenty, Five democrats have put forward legislature to outlaw jerrymandering and commission and use independent redistricting commissions across the. Board but what does that mean when you're on the losing end of that and you, go, well that doesn't. Apply SO i, MEAN i understand what you're saying that you can put up and, say, well The democrats wanted to do, this but yet they're the ones that did the exact same, thing and it's hypocracy on both. SIDES i was driving down here trying to think of what so you, had what analogy you had like two and a half. Hours so this is WHAT i came up with, it and let me know how it, works all. RIGHT i came down here with what analogy would best represent what that. Means, Okay so the premise is both sides do. It one side thinks it's bad and tries to stop, it but they do it. Anyway so that's. Hypocritical. Right, so So republicans use jerry. Mandering they say they're against, it but they haven't done anything to try and prevent. It democrats have tried to prevent. It they put legislature up in twenty, sixteen twenty twenty, one twenty twenty five to try and prevent, it but then they still do. It so even though they're the ones screaming jerrymandering, bad they're still the ones doing it, right and that's. Hypocritical you're talking about The republicans Are. No both are, Okay But i'm more so focusing on the argument That democrats say jerry mandering is, terrible but then they still do. It that's a hypocritical statement or. Stance, Right so here's my. Analogy you're A Georgia bulldogs, fan, right, Yes so if you, were THEY'RE sec, right, YEAH. Sec the only conference in the country pretty. Much but if they're sitting there and they, go, okay the twenty twenty seven recruiting classes coming, out and they, really Who's alabama the big rival For georgia or, GENERALLY. I, mean the whole country Hates, georgia but that's the whole. Hunt the whole distry Hates alabama. Too, well that's just because they. Win but let's, say, so let's say we're sitting there and you're looking at Alt, georgia you're The georgia, recruiter and you're looking At, alabama and you realize they found a. Loophole they found a little way to what technically could be considered a violation OF ncaa recruiting rules that isn't, closed but it's still, there and they're using, it and they're taking your four and five star. Recruits they're picking that quarterback you, want they're picking that running back you, want and you're looking, here, going, guys that's. Illegal they can't do. That and everyone's, saying, yeah it's, bad but there's nothing against it right. Now and you're going before THE ncaa commissioner or whatever and say and putting forth, like, hey let's ban, this we need to close this, loophole we need to ban this, rule and it's. No he's kind of An alabama. Fans he's, like, oh, no it's. Fine it doesn't actually violate. Anything and you, know fundamentally it's. Wrong and you're getting your ass beat By alabama every year because they're doing this and they're taking your. Players so you get to a point and you, go all, right, Well i'm going to use that. Loophole i'm against, it But i'm tired of getting my butt kicked every single, time So i'm going to use it to get that. Quarterback i'm going to use it to get that running. Back that's what The democrats are. Doing they're opposed to this version of just cracking and. Packing modern. Democrat my era Of, democrats this cracking and packing and brutalizing the districts just to cut out. Seats but they realize if they, don't they're just going to keep getting beat up on and they're never going to have a chance to outlaw it in at the federal. Level So, GEORGIA i probably should switch. This But, georgia my folks are sitting here going we know that what About alabama's doing is. Wrong alabama's not going to do anything to get rid of it because they're benefiting from. It we know that right now the people in power in THE ncaa are kind of looking the other way because it's either not the fight they want to, have or the dude that is in charge of THE ncaaa is From, alabama went To. Alabama he's a role tied. Guy So georgia sits there and goes as much as we know that this is, wrong as much as we want this, ended the only way we stand a chance of competing and maybe ending up in a position to do something about it is if we also use. It is if we also set it up in a, situation because Otherwise alabama is just going to keep running the score up on. Us and win in national. Titles so ideally where this all circles back in twenty twenty, five After texas started doing its, Thing Alex, PADILLA i want to, Say congressman Or senator out Of arizona put forward a bill ban just outlawing jerry mandering and wanting independent, commissions redistricting commissions at every census for every. State so WHERE i Think democrats put the money where their mouth is is if they go the way, things hopefully for, them they want them, to which is they take over The. House is when they do, that the very first thing or within the first couple things they need to do is don't Impeach. Trump that's not you're just going to. Play do it like your first series of events is every single thing that The republicans have looked at you and, said you, say you don't like, this but you still do. It put the legislature in the very first thing That Alex padia anti jerrymandering, bill put it on The house, floor pass it through The house With democrats if they have the, power Force republicans to put their money where their mouth is and either vote in agreement with it and, say, hey you're, right it's. Wrong let's end. It we're all on the same page. Here it's just because right now we are just in a race to the bottom on this thing is it is just getting worse and. Worse and so first, thing single. Issue put this, Up, hey put your money where your mouth. Is are you really against jerry mandering or are you only against it when we do it and pass it through The. House make The senate do the same. Thing make The senate vote yes or no on whatever it, is and see where people truly. Stand because at the end of the, day the only, way you, know there's so much of these conversations where it's, well we're doing it because The republicans did. It The republicans are doing it because The democrats did. It, well at some point someone has to step up and be the big kid in the room and, Say, okay enough is. Enough we might take the out on this or, whatever but we have to. Stop republicans have been empower for a year. Now, House, senate presidency claim to hate jerrymandering when people do, it have done nothing to stop. It But democrats have to your point, earlier this is that circle back of people being elected and then doing the bidding like being kind of at the whim of others because they feel like they have to do. It in that twenty twenty one legislation put forward by The, democrats part of it was Overturning Citizens united and trying to cut out dark, money these corporate super packs funding candidates for The, house for The, senate for the, president for all of, that because when you look at the funding of political, figures it's hundreds of, millions tens of millions of. Dollars and Then Citizens united pass and it's hundreds of, millions billions of dollars into this, funding and that's where all that corporate money comes. In and that's where it's, like, HEY i got you, elected so now you have to vote no on THAT epa bill that would make me have to spend one hundred million dollars to fix my pharmaceutical plant In, Floyd, michigan Or, Flint michigan or. Wherever and so where you look at is you start. Seeing so the twenty twenty one got overturned Because Jerry mannering was part of this big campaign reform, bill campaign finance reform bill that was it had VOTER id in, it it had getting dark money and super packs out of, it Overturning Citizens united, ending jerry, mandering all this kind of, stuff and so it was easy to be, like, oh it was just part of a bigger bill that people were. Against but the twenty twenty, five twenty sixteen were more single issue, Bills and so to, me it's we're at this moment in history where everyone seems to be pretty much opposed to jerry. Manderin whoever wins In november has the opportunity to sit there and, say as much as there are these other, things, like we can start doing these single, issues we can start recognizing Because, California, virginia a handful of other, States, MASSACHUSETTS i, think Maybe New. York surprisingly not many red states use independent commission independent redistricting commissions essentially taking you, know ten people from the, left ten people from the, right and a couple people down the middle to approve these these new maps for states to make them more. Fair because the hard thing, too that you run into when it comes to These my brother loves to bring this, up is you look at states Like massachusetts or the areas where you, know thirty percent of the state Is, republican but they have zero representation or one representative in The. House and where things get really, hard and this is kind of a fault within the, system is if you set up a map to be equally. Proportioned you, know again one hundred thousand people and seventy thousand of them Are republicans and thirty thousand of them Are. Democrats if you do it, evenly you're probably going to end up with ten districts that have seventy Percent republican thirty Percent, democrat just by the nature of the. Numbers and so that, state while it has legal maps that are as they are supposed to, be which is based on, population you're going to have zero representation From. Republicans so there is a certain degree of gerrymandering that is necessary if you want to make sure That republicans in a state have a, voice because there are certain hurdles you just cannot overcome if the state population voting, wise isn't closer to fifty to, Fifty because then you, know LIKE i, said if you're in a seven the thirty, state that unless you put it, all you pack it all, together it's going to get overwhelmed in almost any district you. Make that's where That Independent Commission so. My personal opinion on that, IS i think the problem is that both sides are trying to appease the far sides and they're they're allowing them to set the. Agenda So i'm gonna throw your curveball here at the very, end go for. It what are three things on a national level that you THINK, i as A, republican would that you feel like you could get the majority Of democrats to support and the majority Of republicans to support three nationwide things. That both people would be both sides were privately before if it was a standalone. Issue, Yeah so no, attachments because that's part you're spot. On part of the problem is you attach. Things people attach things and it screws things. Up AND i Think i'm gonna put this out there BECAUSE i learned it from reading a, book WHICH i know everybody's surprised and know how to. Read it's not all they don't realize their picture, books. Yeah sticker. Books but one of the THINGS i think is really interesting about The house Of representatives is every New congress rewrites their laws and, bylaws and they can they can totally change the way they do things every. Year every every two, years when the New congress is, seated they rewrite the laws sometimes some of them boiler. Plate, well the bylaws Of, congress, yeah on how it's, operated so they could they could totally change within the. Constitution as long as they stay within the, constitution their bylaws on majority and all the other stuff on how things are done can be. Rewritten so do you want these three things to be three national policies. Or three three national? Policies BECAUSE i had one that was three policies For. Congress, no just three national policies that you feel like both sides could get. Behind So i'll give you my. THREE i think public. SAFETY i think public. Safety people across this country do not feel safe in their own homes and their own. COMMUNITIES i think it requires a conversation on mental health and all the different. Things but if you bring people to the table with that central theme of, LIKE i want you as An american to feel safe inside your, home so public. Safety the second one THAT i think of is. PRESS i feel like people should be able to get behind a free press that is not like extreme on both. Sides you know it should be Because i'm reading a book About iran and how things get so sideways inside their country because they've suppressed the press and they've suppressed what is supposed to be going, out and that's how they control what they. Do AND i THINK i think these big news organizations are doing us a huge disservice because like what we talked about earlier with The epstein files is like the if they decide it's not, important you're not gonna hear. It it's not gonna be national news they. Decide and the other one is, healthcare BECAUSE i think healthcare is one OF i think it's a shame that our country is like a third world country at this point because of the healthcare system that we. Have we have, hospitals you're you're making appointments and it's it's months out before you get to, them and we ARE i feel like our healthcare is at a at a third and there's plenty of blame to go on both. Sides BUT i feel, like if you really got into, IT i didn't mention immigration BECAUSE i feel like that is LIKE i don't feel like anybody has the appetite to deal with, that, honestly BECAUSE i feel. Like, WELL i think the thing that's hard with with your, Three SO i actually agree with pretty much the three that you, Said, yeah so what are you The, well so the The the interesting thing with that is it becomes like healthcare as we've experienced in the last. Year it's not a simple. Subject it involves so many. Others so to your scale of, THINGS i would say campaign reform both with you, know you look at, districting you look at, finance you look at how balloting and like campaigning is actually, done equal representation and all that kind of, stuff making sure people have access to, things make election day federal. Holiday that type of. Stuff so campaign, REFORM i think a lot of people could get behind term limits or caps at LEAST i think a lot of both sides would pretty well. Get maybe we should build it in is until you're until you're at a fifty percent of approval writing you can't run for. Reelection, well so there there was funny you say. That Warren buffett did a thing said the thing way way long ago that was like if. The debt TO gdp ever exceeds like five percent or, something no one On congress would be allowed to run, Again like you'd have to completely. Overall he's, like you would get it fixed real quick if people are about to lose, Anyway SO i, think, yeah, healthcare, well so to not use, yours well you. CAN i, mean if we agree on, something THEN i. Agree with you on. Healthcare to, me, VETERANS i think we do them a. DISSERVICE i think the we complain, about you, know mental health and all these types of things that greatly affect the veteran, community and then we underfund THE va and support services for. Them SO i would Say veterans, AFFAIRS i think we could get behind improving that term limits you campaign final and campaign finance. Reform and THEN i would say if we go to Specifically congress one THAT i Would i've heard people, say AND i really do get behind. It is. You your congressional salary is the mean salary of the district you. Represent so if your, district if the average income of your district is one hundred thousand, dollars you make one hundred thousand. Dollars if the average income of your district is thirty thousand, dollars you make thirty thousand. Dollars and if that's not, enough work to make it better in your district for your, people make them earn what their people. Earn so one of the Things i've always liked about, You, connor is your performance. Based you want to see a government that's performance. Based and you know there you have that side of you that saw the you know in the way you're, raised is helping other people in social programs and things like. That but like at the end of, it WHICH i think most people are, missing WHICH i think that's Why congress is at ten, percent is. They're. FAILING i want to say that the one hundred and Eighteenth, congress this last, one they passed fewer. Laws AND i get that there was a shutdown in there and all this other, stuff but they passed fewer laws than any Other congress ever they. Did that's the whole. Problem they did less of their job than any other. Coin BUT i think that's the whole. Issue the whole issue is is that we as a, population take all the jerrymandering and everything, else have just accepted that our government is an other. Failure, absolutely and it's. Not it's not for the people in. It and THAT i think jerry manner just distracts us from the fact of, like 'all suck at your. Job, well and it's one where IT'S i view jerrymandering As this is you trying to hold on to a position you no longer deserve to have by rigging the. System if you are so terrible that you have not done the job of your people and you get voted, out you should not be able to rework your district to be more favorable to. YOU i don't disagree you're done like you. DON'T i don't get to BUT i. DON'T i don't get As. GEORGIA i don't get to be losing To alabama thirty five zero at halftime and then go recruit all of THE nfl players from The Atlanta falcons to come play for me SO i can win in the second. Half, No AND i, think BUT i think that's. Uh LIKE i, said at the end of the, DAY i think we can go back and forth as far as like who did what and everything, Else but at the end of the. Day someone has to be the one to just say. Enough, Yeah AND i think the general population needs to step up and say and stop looking at all these flashy things that are attracting your, attention this wiar assassination, Attempt jerry, managering and everything, else and look at the fact of like what exactly is our what are our elected representatives bringing back to, us because as far As i'm, concerned they're not doing. Well AND i think it's it needs to be the push from the people to, whatever write the, emails, send make phone, calls whoever it may. Be talk to your representatives as you. Can but sit there and for, me as someone who you, KNOW i do lean left of, center AS i told you, earlier Apparently i'm A Rockefeller. Republican but that's a whole OUTDATED. R AND r rest and. Relaxation BUT i look. At it AND i go for, me what will be a major failure and THAT i will and fully be just as aggressive, against is If democrats, win if they win The, house and specifically if they also win The, senate if they start that Next congress just doing or start, whatever just doing petty, stuff trying to get vengeance on the administration for wrongdoings or. Whatever while that may be necessary at some, point to, me the important thing is to come out and say we've been saying that this this administration is not doing right by the, people so now we. Are if they come out and they don't and they just go on, VENDETTA i don't. Know the one THING i think about. IS i don't think either side. Is it's a vendetta as much it is a smoke screen to help you ignore the fact they're not doing their. Job so all, right, Buddy, yeah, man you had two and a half hour lead time on me to figure things. OUT i guess on your ride home you'll figure out other things for. The Next we're just solving world, problems that's. Right it's easy to do it from these comfortable, chairs and it was like taking care of. Us so, ANYWAY i appreciate you coming, on AND i hope everybody has a good. Week