CSPAN2 — Washington Journal Adam Brandon
20260806 003300 UTC
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[00:00:04] .ORG. >> ON THURSDAY, NASA ASTRONAUTS
[00:00:07] JESSICA MEIR AND ANIL MENON STEP
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[00:00:15] INSTALLATION OF ITS SEVENTH
[00:00:17] ROLL-OUT SOLAR ARRAY. THE NEW HARDWARE WILL INCREASE THE
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[00:00:30] AT 8 A.M. EASTERN ON C-SPAN 3
[00:00:34] C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE APP,
[00:00:40] AND ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG. ON
[00:00:43] THURSDAY, THE SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL
[00:00:47] AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WILL VOTE ON A RESOLUTION TO HOLD DR. ANTHONY
[00:00:50] FAUCI IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS. THIS COMES AFTER HE INVOKED THE
[00:00:53] FIFTH AMENDMENT OVER 100 TIMES LAST WEEK. WHEN QUESTIONED BY MEMBERS OF THE SAME COMMITTEE
[00:00:57] ABOUT HIS HANDLING OF THE COVID
[00:00:59] 19 PANDEMIC. WATCH LIVE AT 8:30
[00:01:01] A.M. EASTERN ON C-SPAN C-SPAN
[00:01:04] NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE APP AND
[00:01:10] ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG.
[00:01:14] >> WELCOME BACK TO WASHINGTON JOURNAL. WE'RE JOINED NOW BY
[00:01:15] ADAM BRANDON. HE IS CO-FOUNDER
[00:01:19] OF THE INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, ALSO CO-FOUNDER OF INDEPENDENT CENTER. ADAM,
[00:01:22] WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. >> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
[00:01:25] >> SO WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND WHERE DO
[00:01:28] YOU GET YOUR FUNDING? >> GREAT. SO I'LL START OFF BY JUST SAYING, I ORIGINALLY, I'M
[00:01:32] WITH THE ORGANIZATION, THE INDEPENDENT CENTER. AND IN APRIL
[00:01:36] OF THIS YEAR, I HAD A BREAKFAST WITH SENATOR JOE MANCHIN AND HIS
[00:01:39] DAUGHTER. AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT POLITICS, AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT WHAT THEY COULD DO TO
[00:01:43] MAKE AN IMPACT. AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT OUR PLAN TO GET
[00:01:46] INDEPENDENCE ELECTED. AND IT KIND OF MATCHED UP WITH THEIR
[00:01:49] VISION. SO FOR THE NEXT 100 DAYS, OUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
[00:01:53] KIND OF MERGED IN CREATING SOMETHING CALLED THE INDEPENDENT
[00:01:55] LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. AND OUR GOAL IS HOPEFULLY, BY THE END OF THIS
[00:01:59] YEAR OR BY THIS ELECTION CYCLE,
[00:02:01] 100 DAYS TO GET 2 OR 3 INDEPENDENTS ELECTED AROUND THE
[00:02:05] CURRENT PARTIZAN SYSTEM. SO ACTUALLY GETTING INDEPENDENTS
[00:02:08] ELECTED WHO ARE NOT RUNNING AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WHOSE
[00:02:11] GOALS ARE TO COME TO THIS TOWN AND NOT CAUCUS WITH EITHER PARTY
[00:02:15] AND BE TRULY INDEPENDENT. >> OKAY, SO YOU ARE GOING TO BE
[00:02:18] ACTUALLY FUNDING CANDIDATES. CORRECT. SO WHERE'S THIS MONEY
[00:02:22] COMING FROM? >> SO RIGHT NOW, IT'S COMING FROM ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. WE HAVE FORMER REPUBLICAN DONORS,
[00:02:25] FORMER DEMOCRAT DONORS. WE'RE
[00:02:28] TALKING WITH SOME DIFFERENT CORPORATIONS. WE'RE TALKING WITH
[00:02:31] DIFFERENT FOUNDATIONS ON BOTH THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT. IT
[00:02:34] SPREADS THE ABSOLUTE GAMUT. >> SO BUT WHAT'S THE PITCH
[00:02:37] THERE, ADAM? BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WITH VOTERS,
[00:02:40] IT'S LIKE, THIS IS A LONG SHOT
[00:02:43] BECAUSE IT'S A VERY MUCH A TWO PARTY SYSTEM. SO ARE THEY GOING
[00:02:46] TO GET BANG FOR THEIR BUCK WHEN THEY'RE DONATING TO THESE.
[00:02:49] >> HEALTH CARE SYSTEM? THAT IS NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN IT. IT'S IN
[00:02:52] CRISIS. WE ARE HITTING $40
[00:02:53] TRILLION IN DEBT. THAT IS MY
[00:02:56] BIGGEST ISSUE. EVERYONE WE HAVE, WE ALL IDENTIFY ALL THE PROBLEMS
[00:02:59] WE HAVE WITH IMMIGRATION. YET THERE'S SOME PRETTY SIMPLE SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING.
[00:03:03] YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THESE ISSUES TOGETHER. THE MOST IMPORTANT
[00:03:06] ISSUES FACING AMERICA. YOU TALK TO ANY OF THESE CALLERS. THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT GAS PRICES.
[00:03:10] THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT AFFORDING A HOME. WHAT IS EDUCATION IN THE
[00:03:13] AGE OF AI? AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THESE SERIOUS ISSUES. SO
[00:03:17] WHAT WE'RE HOPE IS YOU BRING IN PEOPLE WHO CAN WORK WITH REPUBLICANS, WORK WITH
[00:03:21] DEMOCRATS, TRY AND FIND WHERE WE AGREE, MOVE LEGISLATION FORWARD,
[00:03:24] AND START SOLVING SOME PROBLEMS. THAT IS WHAT IS IN THESE DONORS INTERESTS.
[00:03:27] >> OKAY. BUT LET'S TALK A LITTLE
[00:03:29] BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU, UM, HOW
[00:03:33] YOU DEFINE AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY A LOT OF CANDIDATES
[00:03:36] WILL SAY, NO, NO, NO, I'M INDEPENDENT. I'M GOING TO MAKE
[00:03:40] MY OWN DECISIONS. BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY VOTE WITH THE
[00:03:42] SAME PARTY. >> THAT'S THE PROBLEM. I'M
[00:03:46] INDEPENDENT, YET I VOTE 80, 98% OF THE TIME WITH MY PARTY. WE ARE ACTUALLY ASKING A
[00:03:49] COMMITMENT, AND THE CANDIDATES WE WILL BE BEHIND WILL BE SUPPORTING A PLEDGE THAT, AGAIN,
[00:03:53] WHEN THEY COME TO WASHINGTON,
[00:03:56] THEY WILL NOT CAUCUS WITH EITHER PARTY. THAT IS THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE HERE.
[00:04:00] >> ARE THERE CERTAIN POLICIES THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR? IN
[00:04:04] OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO WILL
[00:04:08] SAY THAT THEY ARE PRO-LIFE OR
[00:04:11] PRO SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL OR ANY OF THESE HOT BUTTON ISSUES?
[00:04:15] >> WHEN WE STUDIED INDEPENDENCE AND WHO THEY ARE, INDEPENDENCE.
[00:04:19] AND IT'S ABOUT, GALLUP SAYS IT'S 45% OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. SOME POLLS ARE PUTTING IT
[00:04:22] OVER 50. WHAT IS DRIVING THIS
[00:04:24] CHANGE IS A GENERATIONAL SHIFT. UP UNTIL THIS POINT IN THE LAST
[00:04:28] 20 YEARS, BABY BOOMERS HAVE BEEN THE DRIVING DEMOGRAPHIC IN THE
[00:04:32] COUNTRY. WE ARE NOW ENTERING A PERIOD WHERE MILLENNIALS, THOSE
[00:04:35] IN THEIR 30s AND 40s, ARE GOING
[00:04:37] TO BE THE LARGEST VOTING BLOC IN THE COUNTRY. AND SO THEY HAVE
[00:04:41] SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VALUES AND PERSPECTIVES. SO IT HOLDS A LOT OF THESE INDEPENDENTS TOGETHER,
[00:04:44] PARTICULARLY THESE MILLENNIAL INDEPENDENTS, IS ON SOCIAL
[00:04:48] ISSUES. THEY TEND TO BE VERY LIVE AND LET LIVE THE SOCIAL
[00:04:51] ISSUES. THEY JUST WANT TO CALM DOWN. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GAY, MARRIAGE IS SETTLED. AND ON
[00:04:55] ECONOMIC ISSUES, THEY WANT CHOICE. AND THIS IS THE
[00:04:57] GENERATION THAT ALSO REALIZES
[00:04:59] ALL OF THIS DEBT IS GOING TO BE FALLING ON THEM. SO THEY
[00:05:02] ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE SOME PROGRESS ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES. SO IF YOU LOOK AT IT,
[00:05:06] THEY KIND OF BORROW FROM THE LEFT, THEY BORROW FROM THE RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE
[00:05:09] LOOKING FOR, IS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR POLITICIANS THAT ARE WILLING TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH BOTH
[00:05:13] SIDES, TO COME UP WITH THE SOLUTIONS.
[00:05:16] >> IF YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES,
[00:05:19] INDEPENDENT VOTERS, AND CAMPAIGN
[00:05:21] 2026 AND 2028, FOR THAT MATTER,
[00:05:24] YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL NOW.
[00:05:26] ADAM BRANDON IS OUR GUEST.
[00:05:29] REPUBLICANS ARE ON 202748 8001.
[00:05:32] DEMOCRATS. 202748 8000. AND
[00:05:34] INDEPENDENTS. 202748 8002 ADAM,
[00:05:38] I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT
[00:05:41] UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO'S JACOB KNASEL SAID AND HAVE YOU REACT
[00:05:44] TO IT. SO HE SAID THIS. THE
[00:05:46] SUPPORT FOR THESE INDEPENDENT
[00:05:49] CANDIDATES TENDS TO EVAPORATE WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN THE VOTING BOOTH AND THEY'RE THINKING
[00:05:52] THROUGH THINGS. IT'S JUST BECAUSE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES
[00:05:55] HAVE A VANISHINGLY SMALL CHANCE
[00:05:57] OF WINNING. PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT THEM IN THE ABSTRACT. BUT ON THE
[00:06:01] DAY OF THE ELECTION, THEY'RE TYPICALLY MORE WILLING TO PULL
[00:06:04] THE LEVER FOR THE LEAST BAD IN
[00:06:08] THEIR EYES. MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATE. >> BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM. DEMOCRACY IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE
[00:06:11] ABOUT VOTING FOR THE LEAST WORST OPTION. WHY CAN'T WE ACTUALLY
[00:06:15] VOTE FOR CANDIDATES THAT WE ACTUALLY LIKE, THAT WE ACTUALLY
[00:06:18] FIND THAT THIS PERSON REPRESENTS MY COMMUNITY. AND WHEN I LOOK AT
[00:06:21] SO MANY OF THE PROBLEMS HERE IN WASHINGTON, THE PROBLEM IS NOT
[00:06:25] WE KEEP SENDING GOOD PEOPLE TO THIS TOWN, BUT THE SYSTEM, THE
[00:06:29] WAY WASHINGTON WORKS WITH THE PARTIES AND THE COMMITTEES, IT
[00:06:32] JUST GRINDS THEM UP. AND SO I, SO THE, THE, THE ACADEMIC HERE.
[00:06:36] YEAH. THAT'S THE WAY THE RULES WERE. BUT THINGS ARE CHANGING.
[00:06:39] THINGS ARE CHANGING VERY RAPIDLY. >> ARE THINGS CHANGING, THOUGH,
[00:06:42] BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE A VERY, VERY SMALL CHANCE OF WINNING?
[00:06:45] >> WELL, UNTIL WE DO, UNTIL WE WIN. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOSH, HERE'S THE
[00:06:49] FUTURE. BUT LOOK, THE SAME THING WAS SAID IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY
[00:06:51] AND THE TAXI INDUSTRY. WE ARE ENTERING AN ERA WHERE MASS
[00:06:55] DISRUPTION IS HAPPENING IN EVERY PART OF OUR LIFE. IT JUST
[00:06:59] HASN'T HAPPENED IN POLITICS YET. BUT I BELIEVE IT WILL START TO
[00:07:01] HAPPEN IN THIS YEAR, IN 2026.
[00:07:03] AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS TO GET 2 OR 3 INDEPENDENTS ELECTED ACROSS THE
[00:07:07] LINE, AND THAT JUST BLOWS THE DOORS OPEN IN 28. WHEN PEOPLE
[00:07:10] REALIZE YOU CAN GO AROUND THIS
[00:07:14] PARTY DUOPOLY OF DYSFUNCTION AND ACTUALLY GET REALLY GOOD AMERICANS ELECTED. >> SO CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME
[00:07:17] OF THOSE CANDIDATES THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING? >> WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND IF YOU
[00:07:20] LOOK AT THE SENATE, YOU LOOK AT SETH BODNER IN MONTANA, YOU LOOK
[00:07:23] AT GO UP TO ALASKA, BILL HILL,
[00:07:26] KEVIN KILEY, WHO USED TO BE A REPUBLICAN WHO BECAME AN INDEPENDENT IN CALIFORNIA,
[00:07:30] MICHAEL BRIDGFORD, WHO'S GOING TO BE RUNNING ONE OF THE MORE
[00:07:33] SHOCKING RACES IN IOWA'S FIRST DISTRICT. I MEAN, THERE'S A HANDFUL RIGHT THERE. AND
[00:07:37] THERE'S ABOUT TEN OTHER RACES THAT WE'RE WATCHING. RICK BENNET UP IN MAINE, WHO'S
[00:07:40] RUNNING AS AN INDEPENDENT JUST ACROSS THE COUNTRY. YOU'RE
[00:07:44] GOING TO HAVE MORE INDEPENDENTS ON THE BALLOT. BUT AGAIN, FOR OUR STRATEGY TO WORK, ONLY 2 OR
[00:07:47] 3 NEED TO PUNCH THEIR WAY THROUGH.
[00:07:51] >> SO THIS IS WHAT GALLUP SAYS. THIS IS FROM JANUARY OF THIS
[00:07:55] YEAR. IT SAYS NEW HIGH OF 45% IN
[00:07:57] THE U.S. IDENTIFY AS POLITICAL
[00:08:00] INDEPENDENTS. MY QUESTION IS, ARE THEY ACTUALLY INDEPENDENT?
[00:08:04] YES. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT LINE, AND SOMETIMES
[00:08:07] PEOPLE CALL ON THAT LINE, AND
[00:08:10] THEY'RE VERY MUCH ONE PARTY. >> VERY I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE
[00:08:13] SOMETIMES WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INDEPENDENTS, THESE ARE. I WISH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WOULD BE
[00:08:16] MORE TO THE LEFT. I WISH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WOULD BE MORE TO THE RIGHT. AND INDEPENDENTS.
[00:08:20] REMEMBER, WHEN WE'VE DONE OUR RESEARCH, THERE'S A CERTAIN
[00:08:24] VALUE SET THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY TEND TO BE, AGAIN, MORE SOCIALLY
[00:08:27] TOLERANT ON THE LEFT, MORE ECONOMICALLY RESPONSIBLE ON THE RIGHT. THAT'S THE LINE THAT
[00:08:30] KIND OF HOLDS THEM TOGETHER. BUT WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN THE MAP,
[00:08:33] THERE'S 435 CONGRESSIONAL
[00:08:35] DISTRICTS, REALLY ONLY 20, ONLY
[00:08:38] 20 CAN ACTUALLY FLIP ONE WAY OR
[00:08:41] THE OTHER. AND WHY IS THAT? AH, LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. THOSE DISTRICTS ARE PLURALITY TO
[00:08:45] MAJORITY INDEPENDENT. YOU LOOK AT A PLACE LIKE MONTANA, YOU THE
[00:08:49] DATA SHOWS IT'S NOT NEARLY AS REPUBLICAN AS PEOPLE THINK IT
[00:08:52] IS. IT'S ACTUALLY MORE INDEPENDENT. AND SO ONLY IN A
[00:08:55] HANDFUL OF DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY DO INDEPENDENTS HAVE A
[00:08:59] CHANCE TO WIN. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE RUNNING. IN. BUT THERE'S
[00:09:02] ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD BECOME A CRITICAL MASS THAT HERE IN
[00:09:04] WASHINGTON, THEY COULD CHANGE THE VERY WAY THE BODY WORKS,
[00:09:07] ESPECIALLY IF THINGS BEING SO NARROWLY DIVIDED. IF YOU HAD 2
[00:09:10] OR 3 INDEPENDENTS IN CONGRESS
[00:09:12] RIGHT NOW, THEY WOULD CONTROL
[00:09:15] CONGRESS. ONLY 2 OR 3, BECAUSE OF THE NARROW MAJORITIES.
[00:09:18] >> LET'S TALK TO SOME CALLERS. STEVE IS ON THE INDEPENDENT LINE
[00:09:21] IN NEW JERSEY. HI, STEVE. YOU'RE ON WITH ADAM. BRANDON.
[00:09:25] >> HI INDEPENDENT ALL MY LIFE.
[00:09:28] MATTER OF FACT, I GREW UP IN THE
[00:09:32] 60s, AND THE IDEA OF JOINING A PARTY WAS SO FROWNED UPON BACK
[00:09:35] THEN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF BEING INDEPENDENT WAS
[00:09:38] SORT OF. YOU DID. BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, I MEAN, I'M
[00:09:42] LISTENING TO YOU, AND I LIKE
[00:09:45] YOUR ENTHUSIASM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M LOSING HOPE. I PICK UP, YOU
[00:09:48] KNOW, I TURN ON THE TV THIS
[00:09:51] MORNING AND I, I SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE JEWS ARE MORE
[00:09:55] UNWELCOME IN AMERICA WITH THIS
[00:09:57] EL-SAYED THING. AND I JUST AM.
[00:10:01] UM, SO FRUSTRATED. I MEAN, TO A
[00:10:04] POINT WHERE I'M REALLY THINKING OF MOVING OUT OF THIS COUNTRY TO
[00:10:08] ISRAEL, NOT SO MUCH, BECAUSE OF
[00:10:10] ISRAEL, BUT BECAUSE OF THE
[00:10:12] INTOLERANCE OF CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE, WHICH IS GROWING AND
[00:10:16] GROWING AND GROWING. UM,
[00:10:20] TOWARDS, TOWARDS ME, AND I
[00:10:23] THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE
[00:10:28] PROBLEM WITH, WITH THE USE OF WORDS WHEN YOU CALL SOMEONE
[00:10:32] YOU'RE IMMEDIATELY GIVING THEM A POSITIVE SPIN ON WHAT THEY'RE
[00:10:34] SAYING. AND FOR SOME REASON, JEW
[00:10:37] HATRED IS, IS PROGRESSIVE. AND I
[00:10:40] THINK THAT IS THE PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, AND PEOPLE DON'T
[00:10:44] READ. YOU KNOW, I HEARD A CALLER
[00:10:46] JUST RECENTLY SAY THE DEMOCRATS
[00:10:49] AND THE CIVIL WAR, AND HE OBVIOUSLY WAS WRONG, JUST ON
[00:10:52] FACT SO, I MEAN, SO MUCH OF THE
[00:10:55] PROBLEM IS SORT OF THE MEDIA SPIN ON EVERYTHING. IF I SAY
[00:10:58] SOMETHING, IF I'M PRO-ISRAEL,
[00:11:01] I'M I'M A PRO-TRUMP, OR I'M A PRO THIS OR PRO THAT, IT'S,
[00:11:04] IT'S THIS DESIRE BY THE MEDIA TO PUT US INTO BOXES. AND IT'S
[00:11:08] WORKING. UNFORTUNATELY. >> WELL, ALL. >> RIGHT, STEVE, TO THE CALLER, LOOK, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
[00:11:12] A LOT OF THESE TRENDS. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO. YOU SHOULD
[00:11:15] NOT HAVE TO HAVE, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO A MOSQUE OR A SYNAGOGUE, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE
[00:11:19] TO HAVE SECURITY. YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE SECURITY WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO SCHOOL. I MEAN, THE FACT THAT THIS IS PART OF
[00:11:23] OUR LIFE IN AMERICA TODAY IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I DECIDED TO
[00:11:26] LEAVE TEAM RED AND COME OVER
[00:11:28] HERE INTO THE INDEPENDENT SPACE,
[00:11:31] WHERE YOU JUST THINGS LIKE ANTI-SEMITISM JUST DOES NOT WORK
[00:11:34] IN THE INDEPENDENT SPACE. THE INDEPENDENT SPACE IS A PLACE
[00:11:37] THAT'S A BIG TENT, WHERE THESE AMERICAN VALUES OF WHERE WE ALL
[00:11:40] KIND OF AGREE UPON. THAT'S WHERE I SEE THIS COMING TO. THIS IS
[00:11:44] WHY I AM SO PASSIONATE THAT WE NEED TO STEP BACK FROM THE, FROM
[00:11:47] THE HARD RIGHT AND THE HARD LEFT
[00:11:48] IN AMERICAN POLITICS. BUT AGAIN, MY POINT IS THAT THIS IS BEING
[00:11:52] DRIVEN. THE CHANGE IN THE RISE OF INDEPENDENTS IS A
[00:11:55] GENERATIONAL CHANGE. SO, SIR, DON'T MOVE JUST YET, BECAUSE
[00:11:59] THIS NEXT GENERATION THAT IS UPCOMING, THESE MILLENNIALS AND THESE WHO ARE GOING TO BE THE
[00:12:02] PLURALITY ELECTORATE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THEY'RE PROBABLY
[00:12:05] THE MOST SOCIALLY TOLERANT GROUP IN AMERICAN HISTORY RIGHT NOW.
[00:12:08] AND WHAT THEY ARE EXPECTING IS A DIFFERENT CHANGE IN AMERICAN POLITICS, WHERE BOTH SIDES, YES,
[00:12:12] YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OPINIONS. YES, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR VALUES. BUT
[00:12:16] YOU KNOW WHAT? WE HAVE A COMMON CRISES THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. LET'S FIGURE OUT WHERE WE
[00:12:19] CAN AGREE UPON AND LEGISLATE FROM THERE. AND THAT IS WHAT THE
[00:12:22] INDEPENDENT REVOLUTION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
[00:12:25] >> ANGELA, IN CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT. GOOD MORNING.
[00:12:29] >> GOOD MORNING TO YOU AND YOUR GUESTS, AND GOOD MORNING
[00:12:32] AMERICA. I WAS BORN IN 1960 IN
[00:12:35] LOUISIANA, 1947. MY GRANDFATHER
[00:12:38] MOVED TO HIS FAMILY AFTER
[00:12:40] PLANTATION. HE SAID HE WANTED DOCTOR LAWYERS. I CAME TO
[00:12:44] CALIFORNIA IN 67 MOTHER WAS NOT
[00:12:47] ON WELFARE IN LOUISIANA, BUT
[00:12:49] WHEN SHE GOT TO CALIFORNIA, THEY
[00:12:51] PUT HER ON WELFARE. I REGISTERED
[00:12:54] AS AN INDEPENDENT AT 18 YEARS
[00:12:55] OLD. IN HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE I
[00:12:58] DO AGREE WITH WHAT SOME OF THE
[00:13:02] REPUBLICAN PARTY WANTS. LET'S GET UP AND GO TO WORK, PUT MONEY
[00:13:05] INTO THE SYSTEM, EARN YOUR WAY IN AMERICA, GET A GOOD
[00:13:09] EDUCATION, GO OUT AND GET A
[00:13:10] CAREER. I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHERE
[00:13:15] WAS COMING FROM. YEAH, THEY DID HAVE RACISM AGAINST THE BLACK.
[00:13:18] WE DID HAVE CIVIL RIGHTS. BUT
[00:13:21] HERE'S MY QUESTION TO YOU. I'M
[00:13:23] 66 YEARS OLD NOW THAT THE NEW
[00:13:31] INDEPENDENT PARTY IS A SOCIALIST
[00:13:33] GROUP, WHAT ARE YOU MEANING BY THAT? BECAUSE YOUNG PEOPLE
[00:13:37] SHOULD BE WORKING, PAYING INTO
[00:13:40] THE SYSTEM. ENTREPRENEURS. SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? I
[00:13:43] DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS NEW SOCIALISM THING THAT'S COMING ON.
[00:13:47] >> OKAY. ANGELA. >> RIGHT. >> SO WAIT, JUST THERE'S A LOT THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO
[00:13:51] SAY THEY'RE NUMBER ONE. I THINK IT'S TIME TO START TAKING A
[00:13:54] LOOK AT OUR SOCIAL SAFETY NET, BECAUSE I, OF COURSE, DON'T
[00:13:57] LIKE A SYSTEM THAT'S SET THAT INSTITUTIONALIZES
[00:14:01] INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY. WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS TO
[00:14:04] FIGURE OUT IF YOU NEED HELP. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT HELP. BUT THEN WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING
[00:14:08] YOU BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE. AND AGAIN, I THINK A LOT OF THESE
[00:14:11] ISSUES ON HOW YOU COULD REFORM WELFARE ARE GETTING STUCK
[00:14:14] BETWEEN THE PARTIZAN FOOTBALL, BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HOPING
[00:14:18] INDEPENDENTS CAN COME WITH A NEW, CLEAR VIEW AND BE LIKE, LOOK, PART OF THESE SYSTEMS, YOU
[00:14:21] NEED TO KEEP THIS, YOU NEED TO
[00:14:23] FIX THIS. BUT WE NEED TO START CHANGING OUR SYSTEMS FROM WHAT OUR WELFARE IS NOT SOMETHING
[00:14:27] THAT TRAPS YOU, BUT ACTUALLY HELPS ADVANCE YOU INTO YOUR CAREER. SO TO GET YOU TO WHERE
[00:14:30] YOU ARE WORKING.
[00:14:32] >> DAVE IN MICHIGAN INDEPENDENT.
[00:14:34] HI, DAVE.
[00:14:37] >> OH, CONGRESS, UH, WHEN THEY
[00:14:44] MAKE DECISIONS ON POLICY AND LAWS AND RULES, REGULATIONS
[00:14:48] COMES DOWN TO ONE VOTE, A
[00:14:53] POPULAR VOTE. NOW, WHAT HAPPENS
[00:15:01] IF WE TAKE 15%? IF IT COMES DOWN
[00:15:04] TO 15% OF EITHER DEMOCRAT OR
[00:15:07] REPUBLICAN, UH, VOTING ON A
[00:15:10] CERTAIN POLICY OR WHATEVER, AND
[00:15:16] THEN THAT SWAYS THE VOTE, NOT OF
[00:15:22] EITHER SIDE. I'LL TAKE MY ANSWER OFF THE AIR. THAT'S THE WAY I THINK.
[00:15:25] >> OUR STRATEGY, SIR, IS THAT IF YOU GET JUST A COUPLE OF
[00:15:28] INDEPENDENTS ELECTED WHO ARE NOT IN EITHER PARTY, WHAT THEY COULD
[00:15:30] SERVE AS THAT FULCRUM THAT ACTUALLY STARTS BRINGING PEOPLE
[00:15:33] TOGETHER. AND I AM IN CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH SITTING
[00:15:36] MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, BOTH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT, WHO HAVE SAID IF 2 OR
[00:15:40] 3 INDEPENDENTS ARE ELECTED, THEY WILL LEAVE THEIR PARTIES TO GO
[00:15:43] CAUCUS. WITH THIS INDEPENDENT BLOC. AND SO WHAT WE BELIEVE
[00:15:47] WOULD END UP HAPPENING IS THAT A LOT OF MEMBERS WHO ARE COMING
[00:15:50] HERE TO WASHINGTON, THEY'RE
[00:15:54] TRAPPED. THEY WHEN YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AT A BAR OUT AFTER WORK, THEY FEEL
[00:15:57] TERRIBLE THAT THEY DON'T THEY CAN'T OFFER AMENDMENTS. THEY
[00:15:59] CAME HERE TO DO THINGS, AND THEY'RE TRAPPED BY THE PARTIES.
[00:16:03] SO IF YOU JUST CRACK THAT FACADE JUST A LITTLE BIT, THAT OLD
[00:16:06] CHILDREN'S RHYME, THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES. IF YOU SHOW, YOU
[00:16:09] CAN GET ELECTED AND ACTUALLY SURVIVE IN WASHINGTON, NOT BEING IN EITHER TWO PARTIES, I BELIEVE
[00:16:13] YOU'LL SEE A JAILBREAK OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM BOTH THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT.
[00:16:17] REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT STARTING TO COME TOGETHER ON SOME OF THESE COMMON SENSE ISSUES THAT WE KNOW
[00:16:21] WE NEED TO START TO SOLVE, WHETHER IT'S OUR DEBT AND
[00:16:25] DEFICIT OR HEALTH CARE. THESE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO START SEEING MOVEMENT ON RIGHT NOW IN THIS COUNTRY.
[00:16:28] >> SO, ADAM, HOW DOES A THIRD PARTIES WORK IN THIS? LIKE,
[00:16:32] WOULD YOU SUPPORT SOMEBODY FROM THE GREEN PARTY, FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY? >> I'M SO GLAD YOU BROUGHT
[00:16:36] PARTIES, BECAUSE WHEN I STUDY CHANGE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, IT
[00:16:40] DOESN'T COME FROM PARTIES. YOU
[00:16:42] HAD THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,
[00:16:45] YOU'VE HAD THE SUFFRAGETTE
[00:16:49] MOVEMENT. MOVEMENTS CHANGE, AMERICAN POLITICS. SO WE ARE NOT
[00:16:50] TRYING TO BE A THIRD PARTY THIRD
[00:16:55] PARTIES. IT'S KIND OF LIKE, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO DEFEAT PARTIZANSHIP WITH ANOTHER PARTY? WHAT? WE'RE TRYING TO DEFEAT
[00:16:58] PARTIZANSHIP WITH IS A CITIZEN LED MOVEMENT. AND TO BE VERY. >> CLEAR, WOULD YOU SUPPORT A
[00:17:01] PARTY LIKE THE GREEN PARTY? >> NO, NOT. WE'RE GOING TO
[00:17:04] SUPPORT INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES, BECAUSE BE VERY CLEAR. ONCE YOU START GETTING INTO PARTIES,
[00:17:08] PEOPLE START BREAKING OFF INTO
[00:17:13] THEIR GROUPS. YOU CAN BE AN INDEPENDENT REPUBLICAN AND JOIN US. YOU COULD BE AN INDEPENDENT
[00:17:15] DEMOCRAT AND JOIN US. THERE IS NO NECESSARILY IT'S A BIG TENT
[00:17:19] BASED ON, AGAIN, BASED ON THESE COMMON SENSE OF VALUES, OF, YOU
[00:17:23] KNOW, SOCIALLY, LET'S BE LET'S BE GOOD TO EACH OTHER. AND ON
[00:17:26] ECONOMICS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, $40 TRILLION IN DEBT THAT'S GOING TO
[00:17:29] DESTROY THIS COUNTRY. SO YOU KIND OF HAVE THOSE ETHICS, THOSE
[00:17:32] VALUES THAT KIND OF BRING US TOGETHER, THIS COMMITMENT TO ACTUALLY WORK ACROSS THE AISLE.
[00:17:36] AND IF YOU DO THAT, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE CITY. >> LET'S TALK TO ERIC NEXT.
[00:17:40] HE'S A DEMOCRAT IN WASHINGTON, D.C.. GO AHEAD. ERIC.
[00:17:44] >> YEAH. GOOD MORNING SIR. GOOD MORNING. UH, JUST TO JOE MANCHIN
[00:17:47] TURNED ME AWAY, PERIOD, BECAUSE I WATCHED HIM. I WATCHED WHAT
[00:17:51] HE'S DONE. YOU KNOW, AND AND
[00:17:53] JUST LIKE LIKE ME. SO I'M A
[00:17:57] PROGRESSIVE, WHICH IS. I'M NOT A SOCIALIST, AND I'M NOT. I'M
[00:18:00] NOT A PERSON THAT HATE OTHER
[00:18:24] WOULD NOT BE A REPUBLICAN ON. THE FACT IS, BECAUSE THEY
[00:18:26] ELECTED DONALD TRUMP. IT'S LIKE
[00:18:29] DONALD TRUMP IS A CROOK. HE, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T EVEN SAY HE'S
[00:18:33] A RACIST. HE JUST, CAPITALIST, YOU KNOW, A MONEY GRABBER. YOU
[00:18:37] KNOW, I WOULD WAS JUST
[00:18:43] DISRESPECTFUL TO BARACK, PERIOD. I, YOU KNOW, JOE MANCHIN THE
[00:18:47] FUNNIEST PEOPLE EVER. >> ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET A RESPONSE. >> YEAH. I PERSONALLY HAD A VERY
[00:18:50] GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH JOE MANCHIN. I THINK IT IS VERY
[00:18:54] INTERESTING. IN MY NEW PROJECT, HOW WE HAVE FORMER REPUBLICANS, FORMER DEMOCRATS, ACTUALLY
[00:18:58] CURRENT REPUBLICANS, CURRENT
[00:18:59] DEMOCRATS, ALL WORKING TOGETHER
[00:19:02] ON THIS. AND WHEN YOU GET INTO A ROOM, SOMETIMES I WORRY TOO, OKAY, IS THIS GOING TO WORK? BUT
[00:19:05] IT IS WORKING BECAUSE WE ALL FIND THE VALUES THAT WE ARE
[00:19:09] AGREEING UPON, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE AGREE UPON. AND ACTUALLY, I THINK THE FACT THAT
[00:19:12] WITHIN OUR OWN EVEN ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE SO MANY
[00:19:15] DIFFERENCES IS A STRENGTH. THAT'S WHAT AMERICA IS. JUST COME TO YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER. THERE'S GOING TO BE
[00:19:20] PLENTY OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS, BUT YOU'RE STILL THE SAME FAMILY. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT
[00:19:24] WE ARE. WE'RE TRYING TO LIVE THOSE VALUES INTERNALLY. AND THEN BY LIVING THOSE VALUES
[00:19:26] INTERNALLY, WE'RE HOPING TO SHOW THERE IS ANOTHER WAY BEYOND
[00:19:29] THIS PARTISAN MESS THAT WE HAVE. >> IN CLOSED PRIMARIES. YOU HAVE
[00:19:33] TO EITHER BE A REPUBLICAN, A REGISTERED REPUBLICAN, OR A
[00:19:36] REGISTERED DEMOCRAT. UH,
[00:19:40] INDEPENDENTS, REGISTERED INDEPENDENTS CANNOT VOTE IN THOSE PRIMARIES. TALK ABOUT THAT. >> OH, NOW, THIS IS A PASSION
[00:19:43] ISSUE FOR ME, TOO. WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU HAVE LESS THAN 10% OF
[00:19:46] AMERICANS, I BELIEVE ABOUT 7% OF
[00:19:47] AMERICANS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE
[00:19:50] PRIMARY PROCESS, CHOOSING ALL OF OUR CANDIDATES. AND THIS IS
[00:19:53] PUBLICLY FUNDED PRIMARIES THAT THAT THAT TAXPAYERS PAYING FOR.
[00:19:57] YET AS AN INDEPENDENT, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY STATES AND
[00:20:01] LOCALES, THEY CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS. AND TO ME, IF THE PARTIES WANT TO CLOSE UP
[00:20:05] THEIR PRIMARIES, THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THEIR OWN PRIMARIES AND NOT HAVE THE TAXPAYER DO IT. BUT
[00:20:08] PART OF THIS EFFORT IS PRIMARY REFORM AND ELECTION REFORM.
[00:20:12] IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE FIGHTING BACK ON THIS GERRYMANDERING
[00:20:15] NONSENSE THAT I THINK IS GOING TO CONTINUE. EVERY ELECTION. WE'RE GOING TO START REDOING
[00:20:18] THESE DISTRICTS. UNLESS WE STOP THAT. BUT PRIMARY REFORM, WE'RE
[00:20:22] HOPING, BY GETTING INDEPENDENTS ELECTED, WE CAN SHOW AMERICANS
[00:20:25] THERE'S A HIGHER QUALITY. A CANDIDATE, AN EARLIER CALLER IN
[00:20:28] THE PREVIOUS SHOW WAS TALKING ABOUT PUTTING MORALS BACK INTO POLITICS. I THINK WE NEED TO
[00:20:31] RAISE OUR STANDARDS, AND I'M HOPING BY DOING THAT THROUGH INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES, WE CAN
[00:20:35] HELP DRIVE SOME OF THE CONVERSATION. ON GREATER REFORMS.
[00:20:38] >> NATHAN, ON THE REPUBLICAN LINE. PATERSON, CALIFORNIA,
[00:20:41] YOU'RE ON THE AIR. GO AHEAD. >> YEAH. GOOD MORNING. I JUST
[00:20:45] WANTED TO POINT OUT ONE THING. YOU KNOW, THAT DONALD TRUMP KIND
[00:20:47] OF RAN AS AN INDEPENDENT INSIDE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. I MEAN,
[00:20:50] HE'S A REFORM CANDIDATE. UH,
[00:20:53] YOU KNOW, ROSS PEROT STYLE, A LITTLE BIT OF PAT BUCHANAN IN
[00:20:57] THERE. AND I THINK AN INDEPENDENT JUST DOESN'T HAVE A
[00:21:00] CHANCE ANYMORE. I KNOW ROSS PEROT MADE A GOOD RUN AT IT. I
[00:21:04] THINK CANDIDATES RUNNING INSIDE THE TWO PARTY SYSTEM KIND OF HAVE THE BEST PATHWAY FORWARD.
[00:21:08] AND I THINK TRUMP SHOWED YOU COULD DO IT. I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT
[00:21:12] TRADE, IMMIGRATION, ECONOMIC
[00:21:13] POPULISM. I MEAN, EVEN TODAY, HE
[00:21:16] CHANGED THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. AND IT HAS MORE OF AN INDEPENDENT STREAK. AND I JUST I
[00:21:20] JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. I THINK THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT,
[00:21:22] BUT I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT SYSTEM.
[00:21:25] >> WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> WELL, I THINK THE CALLER BROUGHT. >> UP SOME GREAT POINTS THERE. I
[00:21:28] MEAN, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM DONALD TRUMP,
[00:21:31] ESPECIALLY HIS USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND TALKING DIRECTLY TO
[00:21:34] THE VOTERS IS A VERY POWERFUL
[00:21:35] TOOL. UH, HOWEVER, IN MY PREVIOUS CAREER, WORKING IN ON
[00:21:39] TEAM RED, I TRIED TO DO A LOT OF REFORMS FROM WITHIN THE PARTY,
[00:21:43] AND THEY JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT THE WAY I WANTED TO LOOK. WE'RE AT $40 TRILLION IN DEBT. I
[00:21:46] WASN'T MAKING ANY PROGRESS THAT WAY. SO I'M TRYING TO CHANGE MY
[00:21:50] TACTICS TO SEE HOW YOU COULD ACTUALLY MAKE SOME PROGRESS ON THOSE DEBT AND DEFICIT ISSUES.
[00:21:53] BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO RUN A CANDIDATES
[00:21:56] FOR PRESIDENT. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WE'RE TRYING TO PICK THESE
[00:22:00] BATTLES THAT ARE SMALL ENOUGH TO ACHIEVE, BUT ARE GOING TO BE
[00:22:02] LARGE ENOUGH TO MAKE A NATIONAL
[00:22:06] IMPACT. >> WEST INDEPENDENT LINE, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. GOOD MORNING.
[00:22:10] >> GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD MORNING. EVERYBODY IS FINE.
[00:22:13] WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS
[00:22:16] CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. UH,
[00:22:18] YEARS AGO, I VOTED FOR JOHN
[00:22:23] MCCAIN BECAUSE OF HE AND RUSS FEINGOLD HAD CHAMPIONED FINE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. THIS
[00:22:27] PROBABLY BACK IN THE 90s, BUT NONETHELESS, UH, UNTIL YOU AND
[00:22:31] YOUR MOVEMENT DO SOMETHING ABOUT
[00:22:35] CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AND THE OPENNESS OF WHO IS FINANCING
[00:22:38] WHAT, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE
[00:22:41] GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL UNITED?
[00:22:46] THIS BIG CASE THAT WENT BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT? WE DON'T
[00:22:50] KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM. AND UNTIL PEOPLE KNOW
[00:22:53] WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE SPINNING YOUR WHEELS. SO I WISH YOU
[00:22:57] SUCCESS, BUT, UH, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF JOE MANCHIN, EITHER. IN
[00:23:01] HIS DAUGHTER, SHE'S MAKING $20 MILLION IN BIG PHARMA AND SO
[00:23:05] FORTH. THERE'S A BIG MONEY RIGHT
[00:23:08] THERE. SO HAVE IT AS YOU WILL
[00:23:12] THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM TO
[00:23:14] ME IS A HUGE, HUGE, UH, OBSTACLE
[00:23:18] TO OVER OVERCOME ALONG WITH
[00:23:19] AIPAC, BY THE WAY, A, ISRAELI,
[00:23:23] WHATEVER IT IS, POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, YOU GOT TO FIX THAT
[00:23:27] BECAUSE OVER AGAIN. >> WELL, TO THE CALLER'S POINT,
[00:23:31] IN EVERY RACE, WE'RE GOING TO BE ENGAGING, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET OUTSPENT IN EVERY RACE.
[00:23:35] THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. THE QUESTION IS, IS I BELIEVE
[00:23:39] THAT THAT THE WAY CAMPAIGNS ARE BEING RUN RIGHT NOW IS CHANGING
[00:23:41] IN MY OWN CAREER, UH, MULTIPLE
[00:23:45] TIMES, WE UPSET CHALLENGERS WITH A LOT OR INCUMBENTS WITH A LOT
[00:23:48] OF MONEY, WITH A VERY TARGETED CAMPAIGN. AND I BELIEVE THAT'S
[00:23:51] WHAT THE CHANGE IS, IS THAT MOST OF THE MONEY IN POLITICS TODAY
[00:23:54] IS GOING INTO TELEVISION ADS. MOST PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN WATCHING TV. IF YOU LOOK AT WHY
[00:23:58] THINGS ARE HAPPENING, WHETHER IT'S MONDAVI, WHO WAS OUTSPENT,
[00:24:02] WHETHER EVEN IN THIS MICHIGAN RACE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
[00:24:05] IN THE SENATE RACE, THE MOST
[00:24:07] LIKELY THE VICTOR IS GOING TO BE THE PERSON WHO WAS OUTSPENT.
[00:24:10] THERE'S A COMMON THREAD IS THAT MONEY IS LOSING ITS VALUE IN
[00:24:13] AMERICAN POLITICS. I MENTIONED THIS GENTLEMAN, MICHAEL BRIDGEFORD, WHO'S RUNNING IN
[00:24:17] IOWA'S FIRST DISTRICT. EACH OF HIS, THE REPUBLICAN AND THE DEMOCRAT, ARE PROBABLY GOING TO
[00:24:20] HAVE $25 MILLION APIECE. HE MAY
[00:24:22] HAVE $3 MILLION. I STILL THINK HE WINS BECAUSE HIS MESSAGE IS
[00:24:26] BETTER. AND THEN THE TACTICS OF BEING ABLE TO CONNECT DIRECTLY
[00:24:29] TO, ESPECIALLY THESE MILLENNIAL VOTERS, UH, YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT. AND
[00:24:33] AUTHENTICITY IS THE NEW CURRENCY IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
[00:24:37] INDEPENDENTS HAVE AUTHENTICITY IN THE TWO PARTIES DON'T. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO
[00:24:40] HELP US. EVEN THE FINANCIAL SCALES. >> LET'S TALK TO PETE IN
[00:24:44] DALLAS, TEXAS, INDEPENDENT LINE. GOOD MORNING PETE.
[00:24:47] >> GOOD MORNING COMMENTS. ONE IS
[00:24:53] THAT THE INDEPENDENTS, I THINK, SHOULD COME OUT STRONGLY FOR
[00:24:56] TERM LIMITS. ABSOLUTELY,
[00:24:58] ABSOLUTELY. YES. FOR, UH, FOR
[00:25:01] CONGRESS THE TWO SENATE
[00:25:07] REPRESENTATIVE TERMS. AND SECONDLY, I THINK C-SPAN SHOULD TAKE TWO CALLS FROM
[00:25:11] INDEPENDENTS. AND THEN ONE CALL
[00:25:13] FROM, UH, REPUBLICANS AND ONE
[00:25:15] CALL FROM DEMOCRATS IN ORDER TO
[00:25:18] BE BALANCED IN THEIR TO THE, UH.
[00:25:22] >> SO, PETE, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN PEOPLE CALL ON THE INDEPENDENT
[00:25:24] LINE THERE? REALLY? I MEAN, MAYBE THEY THINK, BY THE WAY, I
[00:25:27] LOVE THIS. >> CALLER. >> BUT THEY'RE KIND OF NOT.
[00:25:30] WHAT DO YOU THINK, PETE?
[00:25:32] >> WELL, THEY'RE TWICE AS MANY INDEPENDENTS AS THERE ARE
[00:25:36] REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS FROM
[00:25:41] INDEPENDENTS FOR EVERY CALL FROM DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. ALL RIGHT.
[00:25:44] >> THANK YOU. >> LET'S I JUST GOT TO SAY, THIS IS THE. >> 250th ANNIVERSARY OF THE
[00:25:47] COUNTRY. AND IF YOU GO BACK 250 YEARS AGO, WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL
[00:25:51] ADDRESS, YOU GO BACK TO SOME OF THE OTHER FOUNDING FATHERS
[00:25:55] STATEMENTS. THEY WARNED ON
[00:25:56] PARTIZANSHIP. I MEAN, THAT'S WHY WASHINGTON WARNED US THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HE WARNED
[00:26:00] US ON WHEN HE WAS LEAVING OFFICE
[00:26:02] WAS THAT PARTISANSHIP IS WHAT DESTROYS REPUBLICS LIKE OURS.
[00:26:05] AND SO TERM LIMITS ARE SO IMPORTANT. THE CITY, CINCINNATI,
[00:26:09] OHIO, IS NAMED AFTER A ROMAN GENERAL, CINCINNATUS, WHO LEFT
[00:26:13] HIS FARM, SERVED ROME IN A MOMENT OF CRISIS, WAS A DICTATOR. AND WHAT DID HE DO
[00:26:17] WITH ALL THAT POWER? HE WALKED BACK TO HIS FARM, AND THAT'S
[00:26:20] WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO, IS INSPIRE A NEW TYPE OF CITIZEN TO
[00:26:24] GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS. TODAY. THE PREVIOUS CALLER WAS ABOUT
[00:26:27] MONEY. WE BELIEVE THAT, YES, IT'S GOING TO TAKE MONEY FOR
[00:26:30] THESE CANDIDATES TO WIN, BUT IF THEY'RE AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE, THEY'RE GOING AROUND THE SYSTEM. I DON'T THINK IT'S
[00:26:34] GOING TO TAKE NEARLY AS MUCH MONEY AS MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S
[00:26:37] GOING TO TAKE TO WIN. SO, AND THEN WE WANT THESE PEOPLE TO COME HERE, LEGISLATE. THIS IS
[00:26:41] ONE OF THE REASONS WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GET INTO COMMITTEES AND,
[00:26:43] AND INTO PARTIES AND THEN GO
[00:26:46] HOME, COME SPEND A COUPLE TERMS HERE, REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN GO HOME. AND THEN
[00:26:50] LET'S BRING IN SOME NEW BLOOD. SO I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE ABOUT THE NEED FOR TERM
[00:26:53] LIMITS
[00:26:58] >> YOU'RE WATCHING C-SPAN 2,
[00:27:03] DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED.
[00:27:08] >> AMERICA CELEBRATES >> [MUSIC] >> 250 YEARS, AND C-SPAN IS THERE TO MARK EVERY MOMENT FROM
[00:27:11] THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO THE VOICES >> [MUSIC]
[00:27:15] >> SHAPING OUR NATION'S FUTURE. FROM FAMOUS SPEECHES.
[00:27:17] >> GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME
[00:27:22] DEATH. >> TO BATTLE. REENACTMENTS AND
[00:27:24] VISITS TO KEY HISTORIC SITES
[00:27:26] ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE BRING YOU
[00:27:29] UNPRECEDENTED, ALL PLATFORM COVERAGE, EXPLORING THE STORIES,
[00:27:33] SIGHTS, AND SPIRIT THAT MAKE UP
[00:27:35] AMERICA. JOIN US FOR REMARKABLE COAST TO COAST COVERAGE
[00:27:39] FEATURING KEY EVENTS FROM OUR PAST THAT MAKE POSSIBLE THE
[00:27:43] UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES OF OUR FUTURE, CELEBRATING OUR
[00:27:46] NATION'S JOURNEY LIKE NO OTHER
[00:27:47] NETWORK CAN. AMERICA 250 OVER A
[00:27:52] YEAR OF HISTORIC MOMENTS,
[00:27:54] C-SPAN, OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER OF AMERICA.