WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.759 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 2 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:08.359 I Am six forty the talkback question today. If you're 3 00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:11.000 on the iHeart video app, just hit the microphone icon 4 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.839 that allows you to leave us a message later on 5 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:16.480 the show here at the six o'clock hour. There's been 6 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:20.440 a shift worldwide. There's a global shift in the views 7 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:24.559 on spankings, but in the United States the majority of 8 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:27.399 adults still support spanking. So the question is, were you 9 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:32.000 spanked as a kid, and then do you did you 10 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:34.359 spank your kids or do you spank your kids. I'm 11 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:36.159 just curious about what you have to say, and a 12 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:37.520 few of you had thoughts. 13 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:41.039 Oh boy, oh boy, the threat of getting spanking spanked 14 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:44.719 was always there. Yeah, and the way till your father 15 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:47.479 gets home was the worst of the worst. But my 16 00:00:47.560 --> 00:00:49.560 mom did spank me every once in a while. I 17 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:52.359 always had it coming, and even as a little kid, 18 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:55.240 I felt so bad because my mother would just be 19 00:00:55.399 --> 00:00:58.759 crying if I don't know why you did this to me. 20 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:00.560 Ami feels so horrible. 21 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:03.520 Oh man, it didn't even I didn't think about the 22 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:05.400 spanking part of it because she felt so bad. 23 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:07.159 Yeah, mine did the same thing. 24 00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:10.280 My mom crying while she's spanking you. 25 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:10.840 Yeah. 26 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:14.159 I actually respect his mom for that. I do because 27 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:19.560 I think far too many people start spanking because they've 28 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:21.840 they don't know what else to do, and they just go, 29 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:24.319 I gotta get control, so they just start spanking, right, 30 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:28.359 And it sounds like his mother was thoughtful about it, 31 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:32.519 and I'm sure it's she was probably spanked as a child. 32 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.319 You know, we learned from our parents. Doctor Wendy will 33 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:38.439 tell you about that later on in her show. But 34 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:41.200 I think his mother was probably like, I don't want 35 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:43.599 to have to spank you. But this is what I 36 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.120 know is discipline goes so well. 37 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:49.359 I get that I am Dutch in Indonesian and for 38 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:53.079 all of the Dutch and Dutch indos in southern California, 39 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:56.599 I had the wooden spoon. It wasn't a hand, yeah, 40 00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:59.280 you know, it wasn't a sandal. It was the wooden spoon. 41 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:03.159 Let's I want to get into your Dutch Indonesian thing 42 00:02:03.159 --> 00:02:05.840 in a little bit, Andrew, because I feel like you 43 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:10.080 probably were some sort of descendant of an explorer. But 44 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:14.680 aside from that, I had the same thing, except my 45 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:17.240 mother started breaking the spoons off on my keyster. 46 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:18.599 Oh wow, hit. 47 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:22.400 Yeah, she broke too many spoons. And so then my 48 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:25.879 folks were having some remodeling done and she had the 49 00:02:26.439 --> 00:02:29.800 carpenter cut her out a paddle that fit her hand, 50 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:32.639 and she kept that on top of the refrigerator. 51 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:34.639 She didn't do the whole drill the holes through it. 52 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:37.319 Wait wait a second, hold on, Yeah, your mom had 53 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:38.800 a custom paddle made. 54 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:42.960 Yes, wow, yeah, and that was she named it. That 55 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:46.159 was Peter paddle. And you're not making this up. I'm 56 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:48.599 not making this up. No, your mom leveled up. Wow, 57 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:50.879 yeah she did. But she also, like this guy's mom, 58 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:53.919 she says that she could never hit us more than 59 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.360 three times because she felt so horrible about it. So 60 00:02:58.080 --> 00:02:59.479 I think my mom was in the same boat where 61 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:01.759 it was. She kind of felt like, I have to 62 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:05.240 do this because this is this is the means of 63 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:08.319 getting the behavior out of you that I that I desire. 64 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:10.080 And so did you ever have the ghost stand in 65 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:14.360 the corner or sit at the table like or write 66 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:15.120 sentences out? 67 00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:15.919 None of that. 68 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:19.080 I did that in school, But you know, I do remember. 69 00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:21.319 I don't think she even remembers this. There was one 70 00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:23.400 time that I was I must have been I don't know, 71 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:26.719 five years old or something. And I remember that she 72 00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:29.039 told me I had to sit in the chair for 73 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:33.439 fifteen minutes, and I remember that being the worst fifteen minutes. 74 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:35.680 And it was a comfy chair. It wasn't like I 75 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:38.879 was sitting in a hard wooden kitchen chair. But just 76 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:41.360 the fact that I couldn't move, I couldn't I wasn't 77 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:43.879 allowed to speak, and I couldn't move for fifteen minutes, 78 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:46.960 that was worse than any spanking. Looking back on it now, 79 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:49.240 I mean, I'm sure I would have chosen the chair 80 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:51.919 nine times out of ten, or probably ten times out 81 00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:53.960 of ten back then because the fear of the spanking. 82 00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:57.360 But honestly, that was worse sitting in the chair. 83 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:00.840 When I was growing up, I got spank my my mother, 84 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:04.560 my father, and both of my grandmothers. 85 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:06.879 In fact, one time my grandmother broke the yard stick. 86 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:10.560 Oake me yard stick, amateur. Some kids need it, some 87 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:13.240 kids don't. I was definitely a kid that needs a spanking. 88 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:16.360 Sounds like they just lined up like the scene from 89 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:22.759 Airplane to spank that one. Mom, Dad, grandma, grandma, everybody 90 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.399 bring their own. It's it be my own stick, all right. 91 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:30.639 And then finally, yeah, Chris, you got me thinking about this. 92 00:04:31.160 --> 00:04:37.360 Uh Menindez brothers with this whole spanking or no spanking situation. Now, 93 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:41.160 I'm wondering did they get spanked too much or not enough? 94 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:44.759 What caused them to be these killer freaks? 95 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:49.560 I don't know. Can you give me some input on that? 96 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:52.480 Yeah, I mean according to them, it's the sexual abuse 97 00:04:52.600 --> 00:04:54.959 is what did it, which is I think worse than spanking. 98 00:04:56.439 --> 00:05:00.720 But yeah, that's what That's why there may be a 99 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:03.959 re sentencing hearing. I don't know, but that's what they say. 100 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:05.720 I'm not going to weigh in as to whether or 101 00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:07.560 not it's true. I don't have any idea. I wasn't there. 102 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:12.800 Speaking of spankings, there's a Wisconsin judge who's definitely getting 103 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:14.360 a slamp on the wrist. I don't know that she's 104 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:17.240 going to get a spanking for it. Because this Wisconsin 105 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:23.639 judge was protecting an undocumented immigrant and the undocumented immigrant 106 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:28.519 was in her courtroom when Ice showed up, and she 107 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:32.319 helped usher the undocumented immigrant out of the back door. 108 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:35.079 I'm not so sure. 109 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:37.560 Because you've probably seen the protests around this, I'm not 110 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:39.319 so sure this is the hill people want to die of. 111 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:43.040 According to a federal criminal complaint. Judge Dugan is charged 112 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:47.040 with two counts of obstruction, including concealing a man illegally 113 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:50.639 to prevent his arrest. The thirteen page complaint alleges Dugan 114 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:55.240 helped Eduardo Flores Ruiz, an undocumented immigrant, avoid arrest by 115 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:58.360 ICE agents at the court building on April eighteen. 116 00:05:58.079 --> 00:05:58.439 Uh huh. 117 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:01.639 Flores Ruiz was before for Judge Dugan for a criminal 118 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:05.160 court appearance after he was accused of domestic battery following 119 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:08.439 an alleged fight with a roommate. The Department of Homeland 120 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.360 Security says Flores Ruiz entered the US illegally twice, and 121 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:16.240 agents were outside Judge Dugan's courtroom waiting to arrest him 122 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.399 on an administrative warrant. Witnesses told federal investigators that when 123 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:23.720 Dugan learned ICE agents were outside her court she became 124 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:28.360 visibly angry, calling the situation absurd. The complaint says Judge 125 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:30.560 Dugan then told the arrest team to go to the 126 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:33.839 Chief Judge's office to speak with them about the permissibility 127 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:37.959 of making the arrest inside the courthouse. According to the complaint, 128 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:41.879 Dugan then allegedly escorted Flores Ruiz out of her courtroom 129 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:44.240 through a jury door to a non public area. 130 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:46.680 Oh she pulled a look over there trick. 131 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:49.680 Yeah, but these are courthouses. There's got to be security 132 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:51.399 footage of something. 133 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:51.920 I'm sure. 134 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:55.240 But even if there's even if there's footage, she still 135 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:58.560 was just trying to delay the actual the practical action 136 00:06:58.639 --> 00:06:59.199 of old deal. 137 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:03.160 Well alleged. I mean, like you said, it's probably footage. 138 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:07.000 An attorney representing the judge issuing a statement saying, in part, 139 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:10.399 Hannessy Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law 140 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.319 and the principles of due process for her entire career 141 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:16.399 as a lawyer and a judge. Judge Dugan will defend 142 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:19.439 herself vigorously and looks forward to being exonerated. 143 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:20.680 All right, I'm sure she will. 144 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:25.759 However, we've heard a bunch of stories about people being 145 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:29.480 picked up who don't have any criminal history, about family 146 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:33.000 members being deported, about people who have asylum that are 147 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:33.720 being deported. 148 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:38.199 We've got two people anyway that have been ordered brought back. 149 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:42.560 Which of course the administration so far as is planting 150 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:43.120 those orders. 151 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:45.720 But I don't know that this is the guy. 152 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:49.639 I mean, the guy's been deported twice and he's in 153 00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:52.759 court for beating the hell out of his roommate. I mean, 154 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:56.000 when we talk about immigration and fixing the system and 155 00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:58.240 we say let's deport the bad guys and keep the 156 00:07:58.279 --> 00:07:58.839 good guys. 157 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:01.839 Pretty sure somebody has been deported twice. 158 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:03.839 And then is in court for beating the hell out 159 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:05.240 of their roommate is one of those that you go 160 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:07.600 probably not one of the best and the brightest. 161 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:09.279 I just don't know that that. 162 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:10.680 I mean, I understand the rule of law. 163 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:15.199 I understand the practical the the practical the ideological argument, 164 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:19.120 the theoretical argument, the philosophical argument, all of that. I 165 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:23.279 get it. I get it, But I don't know that 166 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:26.439 this is the one that's gonna that's gonna focus people. 167 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:32.360 I just don't think this is gonna focus people very well. Meanwhile, 168 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.120 I feel kind of guilty because a number of people 169 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:38.679 got arrested, and I think it might have been my fault. 170 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.480 I'll tell you why that is. Next. 171 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:43.840 Chris Merril caf I AM six forty. We're live everywhere 172 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:44.799 on the iHeart Radio app. 173 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:48.639 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 174 00:08:49.960 --> 00:08:53.240 Chris Merril CAFI AM six forty more stimulating talk on 175 00:08:53.320 --> 00:08:55.519 demand anytime in the iHeart Radio app, you'll find this 176 00:08:55.600 --> 00:09:00.000 show under the featured Segments podcast I appreciate The producer 177 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:03.320 Kaila keeps telling me to remind people of that. Thank 178 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:06.879 you kill You're very nice. Coming up here in the 179 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:09.840 six o'clock hour, there's a story about how views on 180 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:14.759 spanking have shifted globally, but in the United States, the 181 00:09:14.759 --> 00:09:17.320 majority of people still support being able to wallop your 182 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:20.919 kid if you think they need it. So were you 183 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:24.600 spanked as a kid and did you or do you 184 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.320 spank yours? Now that's our talkback question. If you're on 185 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:32.799 the kfi ise iHeartRadio app the KFI page on there, 186 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:35.960 you'll see the talkback button. Just click on That allows 187 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:38.559 you to record a message and if it's worth a crap, 188 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:39.679 we might play it on the air. 189 00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:42.240 It's not, well, that's why you didn't hear yourself. 190 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:45.200 Hey guys, jen X here checking in. Yeah, when I 191 00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:47.720 was younger, my mom would get this wooden spoon out 192 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:49.720 and she would spank me with it, and I deserved it, 193 00:09:50.039 --> 00:09:52.559 and I'll never forget she busted that spoon in half 194 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:55.320 one time and I just couldn't stop laughing. I thought 195 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:58.159 it was the funniest thing. And then like a week later, 196 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:01.080 she had like this, like a set of of twelve. 197 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:07.080 All my outstanding really the wooden spoon. Yeah, but they 198 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:09.080 never they never broke one on your highnie though. 199 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:10.440 Huh No. 200 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:13.399 But my mom decided to carry the tradition on to 201 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:17.559 my younger brothers, okay, a ten year difference, and one 202 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:21.360 of them did break the wooden spoon. Huh and same reaction. 203 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:22.799 He laughed so hard. 204 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.759 Oh man, that's when your mom went out and got 205 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:27.480 one of those nice stainless steel sets. 206 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:31.919 No. No, the worst. 207 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:34.559 Part about the wooden spoon breaking is that mom was 208 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:38.120 mad at me after that until she got another wooden spoon, 209 00:10:38.759 --> 00:10:41.200 not because she didn't get to fulfill the rest of 210 00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:44.559 the punishment, but because then she didn't have the wooden 211 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:46.759 spoon to cook with, so that she had to use 212 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:49.240 like a different like, you know, the slotted spoon or 213 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:51.879 something she didn't want, So it was kind of a 214 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:52.480 double whammy. 215 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:56.799 It was not her, Chris, Yeah, my mother withheld the fiber, 216 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:06.679 withheld the fiber. Do you know what that means? No, Kayla, 217 00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:09.440 do you know what that means? Is that is that all? 218 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:14.279 He said? No idea, Chris, Yeah, my mother withheld the fiber. 219 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.440 Does that mean that his mother made him constipated? That's 220 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:20.600 what I would That's what I would think to the. 221 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:23.519 Bathroom, I get it right, because fiber makes you, makes 222 00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:26.919 you go a lot. So maybe he was staying so 223 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:30.240 hard that the fiber was like did not work. 224 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:34.600 No, No, that that seems pretty made up. Andrew, I 225 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:35.519 don't know if that makes sense. 226 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:39.600 I'm trying to reach I'm trying to decipher what he's 227 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:40.200 trying to say. 228 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:42.120 Love when I love when good comedy you have to 229 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:44.639 kind of connect a two C and you have to 230 00:11:44.840 --> 00:11:45.759 sort of fill in the blank. 231 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:48.039 But I'm not finding the blank in that one. Yeah, sorry, 232 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.559 my bad man. His mom didn't starve him. I think 233 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:51.960 that that's that's the most important thing. 234 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:58.600 Yeah, okay, Yeah, Chris epilogue, the spanking no spanking thing 235 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:03.679 and Menendez and the sexual whole scene and ah god, 236 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:06.720 the whole thing is just so disgusting. But I just 237 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:11.440 want you to think about this particular perspective. Maybe spanking, 238 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:14.320 what's part of this sexual abuse. 239 00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:15.080 Or whatever their claiming. 240 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:18.200 I mean, you know, in today's world, it's things possible. 241 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.039 Well it was the eighties world and it was still 242 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:22.080 anything was possible. 243 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:24.720 So I don't know, I don't know. I feel kind 244 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:25.000 of bad. 245 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:26.399 Did you guys happen to see the story about the 246 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.840 day laborers that got picked up? And I feel like 247 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:32.240 this was a suggestion I made a couple of months ago. 248 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:35.480 I said, if you just want to go and find 249 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:38.799 people to deport, just cruise through the home depot parking 250 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:40.240 lot and. 251 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:43.240 Lo and behold, several cars abandoned at this home depot 252 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:46.480 parking lot in Pomona after a group of day workers 253 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:50.320 were rounded up and taken into custady Tuesday. Fabian Paco 254 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:51.600 was also a day worker. 255 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:52.480 He says he. 256 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:54.720 Knows some of the people, but doesn't know where they 257 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:55.200 are now. 258 00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:56.559 Yeah, they're being the same. 259 00:12:57.639 --> 00:12:59.720 I feel kind of bad because I thought, I mean, 260 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:01.440 if you just want to have some easy wins, you 261 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:03.360 want to start patting your numbers a little bit, just 262 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.360 zip on through the home depot parking lot. 263 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:14.639 And sure enough they did. So, Uh, that's my bad. Yeah, 264 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:16.759 you gotta stop giving advice on this show, man. 265 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:19.759 I know it, I know it. My bad, My bad, 266 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:23.519 Sorry about that. I feel feel kind of horrible about that. 267 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:25.799 All right, we'll do the tariff tango here in just 268 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.039 a few moments. And we'll find out if you have 269 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:32.639 a small business, just how badly or how well might 270 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:33.440 you be affected. 271 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:34.519 That is next. 272 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:37.320 Chris merril can't f I AM six forty. We're live 273 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.720 everywhere on the iHeart Radio app. 274 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:44.679 You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand. 275 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.519 AM six forty more stimulating talk on demand anytime in 276 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.440 the iHeart Radio App. 277 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.519 I'm Chris merrill U. 278 00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:52.559 If you have been to any of the tourist destinations 279 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:55.440 of late, you may have noticed traffic is a little better. 280 00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:58.879 Overseas visitors to the US, excluding Canada and Mexico, we're 281 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:01.360 down twelve percent this March compared to March of twenty 282 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:04.519 twenty four. One country in particular is causing concern for 283 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:07.240 California tourism. Any countries you're not seeing as much of 284 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:08.120 that you used to see. 285 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:12.960 A lot of yeh, Canadians not seeing a lot of Canadians. 286 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:14.799 And when they do come down here, they got friction, 287 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:18.840 you know, they got a little bit conflicts. Canadians with friction. 288 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:20.240 Whoo. 289 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:24.679 Sometimes they don't even say thank you more than once 290 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:25.159 or twice. 291 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.360 Visits from Canadians were down twelve percent in February from 292 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:31.600 twenty twenty four. According to Visit California, vendors we talked 293 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:35.159 to are hoping for an improvement, but not necessarily expecting one. 294 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:37.799 According Latin Karment Diggers and NBC four Naws. 295 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:38.879 So Canadians are mad. 296 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:40.720 Not only are they upset about the whole fifty first 297 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:43.159 state thing, but they're all so a little miffed about 298 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:46.919 the tariffs. Remember those tariffs that went into effect early 299 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:51.000 on with Canada, Mexico and China. Those those are still 300 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:56.000 in effect, and in fact, so are the other initial tariffs. 301 00:14:56.039 --> 00:15:02.240 It's the the reciprocal to recip tariffs. I know, it 302 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:04.759 feels like exceptional all of a sudden. Joining us right 303 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:08.120 now is Ben Johnston. He is the COO of Capitis, 304 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:09.960 which is a small business lender in marketplace. 305 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.240 Ben, pleasure to have you here. 306 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:14.360 I think there still is some confusion about the tariffs 307 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:15.240 because there still are. 308 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.399 We do have tariffs on globally. 309 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:22.159 What are you advising to small businesses right now? This 310 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:24.480 has got to be This has got to be a 311 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:26.480 I don't know, confusing time. 312 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:31.399 It's a confusing time and it's an expensive time because 313 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:34.240 for a lot of small businesses, tariffs are driving up 314 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:38.200 the cost of goods across all of the products that 315 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:41.679 they're buying and selling. So this means higher cost to 316 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:48.000 purchase equipment used in production, upgrade facilities, purchase inventory. Since 317 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:52.840 a lot of small businesses I've used end up financing 318 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:57.360 these expenses up front, that means higher financing costs for 319 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:01.240 them across the board as well. So we're seeing wholesalers 320 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:07.600 and retailers really impacted by this. Manufacturers, construct contractors who 321 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:11.799 are importing wood and cement, armers who have to import 322 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:19.360 fertilizer and machinery, Restaurants who need to import fruits and vegetables, seafood, wine, 323 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:22.679 all the stuff that you know makes going out so exciting. 324 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:26.960 And then they're dealing many businesses they're dealing with counter 325 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:33.120 tariffs as well. So small businesses that export goods overseas 326 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:38.600 are dealing with China's counter tariffs that they've put in. 327 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:41.840 They've imposed retaliatory tariffs of one hundred and twenty five 328 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:47.240 percent on most US items. They've suspended imports on certain 329 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:53.600 agricultural products, and they've imposed export controls on rare interals 330 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:57.639 which our companies are using. So you know, we're seeing 331 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:01.039 a lot of impact on small business across the board, 332 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.880 and you know, there are some things that small businesses 333 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:08.599 can do to try to lessen this impact, although you know, 334 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:11.359 I really don't think there's a silver bullet out there 335 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:15.799 for small businesses. One we like to tell our small 336 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:20.559 businesses if you can look for domestic substitutes. Now. Admittedly, 337 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:24.839 this is pretty hard given how integrated most global supply 338 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:29.559 chains are today, and most manufacturers can't easily find a 339 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:34.599 substitute being manufactured in the US, and even if they can, 340 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:38.200 well everyone's looking for that right now, so you can 341 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:41.599 expect the cost of those US manufactured goods to be 342 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:45.640 going up as well. Another thing we're telling people is 343 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:51.440 to seek suppliers from lower tariff countries if at all possible. Obviously, 344 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:55.279 China at one hundred and forty five percent tariffs, that's 345 00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:58.759 a that's a huge number. Mexico and Canada are somewhat 346 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:02.319 more reasonable for most products that are around twenty five percent, 347 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:05.839 and then the rest of the global economy is resting 348 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:10.400 around ten percent right now. So there are some opportunities 349 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:15.200 for supply chain arbitrage out there, but it's really tough 350 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:18.680 to make some of those those changes, especially when you're 351 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:21.519 not sure how long those tariffs are going to be 352 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:25.480 in place, and if these are in fact final tariffs. 353 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:27.759 Ben Johnsin is a hang on, Ben, let me just 354 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:30.400 bring everybody up to speed here. If they're just joining us. 355 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:33.079 Ben Johnson is the chief operating officer as a capitist, 356 00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:34.880 and they're a small business lender in a marketplace. 357 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.079 Can they play? 358 00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:40.000 Can people play the game and import from not China 359 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:43.599 by making the you know, the Chinese goods that they 360 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:47.720 need and then having them shipped, say to Singapore first 361 00:18:47.799 --> 00:18:49.480 and then come to the United States. 362 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:54.000 Well, technically that could be possible, but there has to 363 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:58.119 be some material work done in Singapore in your example, 364 00:18:58.519 --> 00:19:05.440 before it can be legally renamed, retagged, and brought into 365 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:09.920 the United States. So it's you know, I think people 366 00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:12.039 are trying to play that game, and I definitely think 367 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:16.559 people are trying to cheat the system by relabeling things 368 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:18.960 and shipping them to different parts of the world. But 369 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.200 if you want to do it legally, that is a 370 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:26.079 much more challenging option. 371 00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:30.240 Ben, you talked about some of the small businesses that 372 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:33.160 are delaying excuse me that you know they're upgrades the 373 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:35.799 materials that they need in order to upgrade their facilities, 374 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:37.680 whether it's a planned whether it's a restaurant, whatever that 375 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:38.000 might be. 376 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:39.799 Those costs are going up. 377 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:42.680 Are their businesses you're that you're seeing are slowing expansion 378 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:46.319 as a result of the the I mean there's an 379 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:48.680 increased cost now, but also all that uncertainty. 380 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:49.200 That's the word. 381 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:50.799 I mean, that's going to be the word of twenty 382 00:19:50.839 --> 00:19:53.599 twenty times, uncertainty, right, I mean, are they delayed? 383 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:54.920 Are they delaying that? 384 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:59.839 It's certainly the word of the hour. I think responsible 385 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.359 businesses are pausing a lot of their growth plans for 386 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:08.960 the moment and trying to understand what the tariffs are 387 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:13.039 going to be and mean for them long term. They're 388 00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:16.559 exploring their supply chains and trying to figure out where 389 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:21.119 to position their supply chains for the future. But right now, 390 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:25.599 given so much uncertainty around tariffs and interest rates and 391 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:28.319 the state of the global economy, I think a lot 392 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:32.240 of people are putting expansion plans on pause, and they're 393 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:35.519 just trying to retrench and make sure that their core 394 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:40.839 goods that they're selling are profitable and that they can 395 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:43.319 maintain their bottom line as they are today. 396 00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:46.319 Is there anybody, and maybe this is harder for small businesses. 397 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:48.480 Is there anybody that's eating some of the cost on 398 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:53.279 the tariffs? I've heard about early on that you may 399 00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:55.759 have some companies that say, well, we'll absorb this to 400 00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:57.720 start with, but we can't do that forever. Are you 401 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:01.279