1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,719 I daily show prep with all of the links, become 6 00:00:18,719 --> 00:00:22,359 a patron, go to dpeatclendarshow dot com. Make sure you 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,920 hit the subscribe button. Get every episode for free right 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,320 to your smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,039 much for your support. Union County Crime Stoppers Barbecue. By 10 00:00:31,039 --> 00:00:33,359 the way, we're here doing the whole program. Brett Winterble 11 00:00:33,439 --> 00:00:36,399 will be here also doing his We raise money for 12 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,880 the Crime Stoppers organization. This is how they fund the 13 00:00:41,039 --> 00:00:43,759 rewards for tips that come in that help solve crimes. 14 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,759 So you can come and eat to beat crime. You 15 00:00:47,799 --> 00:00:49,560 can use that by the way. Well y'all, yeah, there 16 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,479 you go. That's State Senator Todd Johnson from Union County 17 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,960 here and District thirty five. Welcome back. So I think 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,079 this is our annual fifteen minute chat. 19 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: This is our inverse. 20 00:01:00,119 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: That's right. So because you were here last year and 21 00:01:04,079 --> 00:01:06,239 I guess you did. You just participate in the event 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,079 inside the big room. 23 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:08,519 Speaker 3: There I did. 24 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,599 Speaker 2: It's This is one of the most well attended events 25 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,319 in Sweet Union County every year. It's a place where 26 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,920 if you really really despise being around politicians, probably want 27 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,079 to stay away, but the calls is definitely worth it. 28 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,319 So anybody and everybody comes here for this event. It 29 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:26,640 is as you can see, I think the facility holds 30 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,760 seven hundred people. It's packed all the time, and it's 31 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,280 constantly in and out. Cars are lined up, and actually, 32 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:33,560 you know, a lot of times we have to go 33 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:35,599 to this stuff and the barbecue is not that great. 34 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,439 Speaker 3: This event has really really good barbecues. 35 00:01:38,519 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 2: Some they all say that though, but this one is 36 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:42,799 really good though, It's really really good. 37 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,719 Speaker 1: So yeah, I'm curious, is it, like what comes first? 38 00:01:46,799 --> 00:01:49,480 Is it the barbecue, the politicians, the media? 39 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 3: Right? 40 00:01:50,359 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: Like which one? Because I like they all need each other. 41 00:01:54,079 --> 00:01:56,719 It's like this symbiotic relationship. Right. 42 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,519 Speaker 2: Well, you know, we have a saying in Raleigh. You know, 43 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,840 we eat with staff and the bureaucracy, and these governments 44 00:02:02,879 --> 00:02:05,400 a lot of times they think they are the ones 45 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:06,359 making the decision. 46 00:02:06,439 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 3: So many times we have. 47 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,439 Speaker 2: To remind them you've got to eat the barbecue to 48 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:11,439 make that decision. 49 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: And so that's a saying we like to I have 50 00:02:14,439 --> 00:02:17,000 not heard that one, although they could be forgiven for 51 00:02:17,039 --> 00:02:20,039 sometimes thinking that because they like, in their defense, they 52 00:02:20,039 --> 00:02:21,960 do draft a lot of the bills. Sure right, they 53 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,479 do a lot of that kind of work. And some 54 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,639 of them are subject matter experts in some fields. So 55 00:02:28,599 --> 00:02:30,439 I could kind of see where somebody might think that 56 00:02:30,479 --> 00:02:32,199 they may be in charge after a little while. 57 00:02:32,319 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, providing guidance, guidance and advice is appreciated, but when 58 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,800 it comes to the final decision, mate, right, the elected 59 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,360 official has to make that call. 60 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: So all right, So the new session you all got 61 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,960 sworn in last week, you're fixing to go back. This 62 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,280 will be the long session, So this is the bigger 63 00:02:48,319 --> 00:02:50,520 one where you're going to be dealing with budget stuff 64 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:55,520 and obviously the hurricane in western North Carolina, Hurricane Helene, 65 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,560 that recovery and response. And I asked you before we started, 66 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:05,039 you're not on because they created a legislative oversight committee, right, 67 00:03:05,759 --> 00:03:07,639 And I think is that House and Senate. 68 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 2: Members typically what they would do with a non standing committee. 69 00:03:10,159 --> 00:03:12,680 It's a joint committee, but they can meet individually or 70 00:03:12,719 --> 00:03:15,159 as a group with the House and the Senate to 71 00:03:15,199 --> 00:03:18,159 come up and see from the state's response, oversight what 72 00:03:18,199 --> 00:03:20,560 we're doing at the state level right wrong, and try 73 00:03:20,599 --> 00:03:23,080 to expedite the recovery efforts in the West. 74 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:25,479 Speaker 1: And so you're not on that companty, not on that committee. 75 00:03:25,479 --> 00:03:28,759 Speaker 2: Now, with the non standing committees, they can change, you know, 76 00:03:29,039 --> 00:03:31,000 they may plug some more folks in if they need 77 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,039 some more brains in there to kind of get in 78 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,520 there and do some of the legwork. But as it 79 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,840 stands today, which it can change over the next week 80 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,439 and a half, as it stands today, I'm not. 81 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:40,599 Speaker 1: Do you think it's going to change. 82 00:03:40,719 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 3: I don't know. 83 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: Is that something you would want to be a part 84 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:43,719 of or. 85 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,919 Speaker 2: I always welcome the chance to provide input, especially on 86 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,280 something like that. I don't know that you would find 87 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:53,360 a member of the General Assembly that doesn't have family, friends, 88 00:03:53,759 --> 00:03:57,039 some tie to western North Carolina. So everyone has been 89 00:03:57,039 --> 00:03:59,960 affected in some way or another, and so the ability 90 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:01,719 to get in there would would be something that I 91 00:04:01,719 --> 00:04:02,319 would definitely. 92 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: Will you served with Josh Stein right he was, he 93 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:06,680 was gone. 94 00:04:06,439 --> 00:04:08,599 Speaker 2: Before he was going, right before I got there. 95 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: Okay, do you think that he's because I like one 96 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,840 of the things he said, he's not going to use 97 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:19,639 encore or rebuild NC that complete mass. Yeah, that was 98 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,319 supposed to, you know, help Matthew, Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane 99 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,360 Lawrence victims. 100 00:04:26,399 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 3: And as I. 101 00:04:27,439 --> 00:04:29,519 Speaker 1: Understand that there are still people to this day from 102 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,480 Hurricane Matthew that have not been put back into their 103 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,800 homes yet. South Carolina seemed to figure it out within 104 00:04:35,879 --> 00:04:39,360 like two years. That in ours was like eight years 105 00:04:39,439 --> 00:04:42,439 running now, so they're not They're not going to run 106 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,759 it through Encore North Carolina Office of Recovery and Relief. 107 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,240 I think something like that or Resilience. Yeah, that's a classic. 108 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,160 So they're going to do it through what the Governor's office. 109 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,519 Speaker 2: Now, I am not one hundred percent sure because they 110 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,279 we've just based all at his The head of the 111 00:05:02,399 --> 00:05:04,600 ENCOREPS was terminated. 112 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:06,759 Speaker 1: Was she let go or did she quit? Do we 113 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:07,279 know yet? 114 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 2: I think I think it was a termination. Okay, I'm 115 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,079 pretty sure it was a termination and not going down 116 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,920 that rabbit hole. But but it's we're looking forward to 117 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:20,079 a fresh start. We are hopeful that Governor Stein, I really, 118 00:05:20,439 --> 00:05:23,240 in my in my soul believe that he's gonna he's 119 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,639 gonna not repeat the sins of the of the end 120 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,040 Core debacle because if you talk to our friends like 121 00:05:28,079 --> 00:05:31,120 Senator Danny Britt, Senator Michael Lee, these guys down in 122 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,879 eastern North Carolina that have you know, her, they're kind. 123 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 1: Of used, I hate to say used to these but they. 124 00:05:36,759 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 3: Get more of them. 125 00:05:37,519 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 2: Sure, and just hearing the horror stories where they have 126 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:44,000 literally have constituents that are living in hotels for six, seven, 127 00:05:44,079 --> 00:05:47,160 eight years, still waiting on this. And the thing that 128 00:05:47,399 --> 00:05:51,360 really frustrates me is the money's there, the money has 129 00:05:51,399 --> 00:05:53,680 been appropriated. You just get the money out the door. 130 00:05:53,759 --> 00:05:56,319 Unlet's get help to these people. Six to eight years 131 00:05:56,399 --> 00:05:56,839 been long. 132 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,439 Speaker 1: Enough, right, It's like that's your sole jaw right as 133 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:02,399 the end care or rebuild and see like that's your 134 00:06:02,439 --> 00:06:06,879 one job. Similar complaints we've heard about FEMA. The way 135 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,199 they've been running the operation, if you can even call 136 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:11,920 it that in western North Carolina. 137 00:06:12,439 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 3: Not great. 138 00:06:13,879 --> 00:06:18,759 Speaker 1: I understand lots of challenges. I was willing to give 139 00:06:18,759 --> 00:06:20,680 them a chance to get in there and see how 140 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:25,319 it was going. So I guess, first off, what's your 141 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,720 assessment or what are you hearing right now about the 142 00:06:27,759 --> 00:06:31,680 way that FEMA has been managing. 143 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,959 Speaker 2: Sure, I'll tell you we are very fortunate in North 144 00:06:34,959 --> 00:06:36,920 Carolina to have some And I'm speaking on the Senate 145 00:06:36,959 --> 00:06:40,560 side because that's who I have relationships more with. Our 146 00:06:40,639 --> 00:06:46,160 delegation in Western North Carolina, bipartisan. They do a phenomenal 147 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,519 job and have been on the ground since this hurricane hit. 148 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,360 Keep in mind, these folks had their homes affected as well. 149 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:54,720 Yeah and so, but they're out in their communities and 150 00:06:54,759 --> 00:06:57,439 they are really working hard on this and it was 151 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,639 really nice. One of the best Kumbaya moments we've ever 152 00:06:59,639 --> 00:07:02,560 had in this Senate was the first time back after this. 153 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,279 It was just a surreal moment, and I wish we 154 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,399 had more of them. But everybody was singing in one 155 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,600 singing in one song, and they were everybody was really 156 00:07:10,639 --> 00:07:13,279 focused on the people of western North Carolina. But at 157 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,439 least from the delegation that's on the ground, what I 158 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,920 hear in terms of FEMA is write us a check 159 00:07:20,759 --> 00:07:23,519 and get the hell out of here. Like the way 160 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,759 they hit, their response to things, it just the red 161 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,279 tape and the bureaucracy is just not effective. Whereas the 162 00:07:30,319 --> 00:07:33,279 people of Western North Carolina. Keep in mind, these are 163 00:07:33,279 --> 00:07:36,959 mountain folks. These are self sufficient folks. They're not looking 164 00:07:36,959 --> 00:07:39,560 for a handout. They're looking for a little assistance on 165 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,120 the financial side. But they're not waiting on the government. 166 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,800 A lot of these folks got out and started doing 167 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,639 their own stuff right away, and so it is not 168 00:07:48,759 --> 00:07:51,759 they would they would not receive a passing grade FEMA. 169 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,279 That is based on the feedback from our delegation in 170 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:56,399 eastern North Carolina. 171 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,759 Speaker 1: What about doing just like block grants. 172 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 2: That exactly do a block grant, send it to and 173 00:08:01,959 --> 00:08:04,879 you could even run it through. We could create a subcommittee, 174 00:08:04,879 --> 00:08:06,480 we could There's plenty of ways to do it. To 175 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,079 have an administration of it, or you've got some I 176 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,639 have no problem with private administration. I mean, we've got 177 00:08:11,639 --> 00:08:14,720 some great organizations. I think about Smaritan's Purse or a 178 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,480 number of different organizations that could easily administer the funds. 179 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,360 And of course we could provide oversight at the state level. 180 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:24,600 But when you've got in the federal government, you think 181 00:08:24,639 --> 00:08:27,480 about all the things we have issues with. They're not 182 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,240 they're not set up to be successful. They're not going 183 00:08:30,319 --> 00:08:31,680 to be nimble, they're not going to be able to 184 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,039 address that immediate need. 185 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 3: And you can't. 186 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 2: You know, when your home's gone, you have no power, 187 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,080 you have no running water, you have don't have any 188 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,240 of these things that we take for granted. It's not 189 00:08:42,279 --> 00:08:44,799 a matter of hey, I can just sit back and wait. Now, 190 00:08:44,879 --> 00:08:48,120 these are essentials to survival, and so you need to 191 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:49,559 be as nimble as possible. 192 00:08:51,519 --> 00:08:53,799 Speaker 1: You mentioned something there and I just blanked, Oh, the 193 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,519 if rather than the block grants. One of the other 194 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,159 things that I've heard is bogging down the system is 195 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,679 the and you mentioned red tape, it is building codes regulations. Sure, 196 00:09:07,799 --> 00:09:11,759 what can the state legislature and then with I guess 197 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,720 the support of the governor, I guess what can they do? 198 00:09:14,759 --> 00:09:19,639 What can y'all do to you know, give reprieve because 199 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,559 you know, even without going through all of the different 200 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,320 building codes and why they were done, let's just assume 201 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,679 they were all done for the best of intentions and 202 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,240 for safety and all of that. But now it's an obstacle, 203 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,600 and it's an obstacle for first order needs of shelter. 204 00:09:34,879 --> 00:09:38,279 So what can the state do to speed that up 205 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:39,279 to get stuff built? 206 00:09:39,279 --> 00:09:40,799 Speaker 2: Well, Pete, I know you well enough to know that 207 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,480 you'll agree and at least understand what I'm saying. Okay, 208 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:45,960 this may be a shocker to some folks, but the 209 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,000 building codes and regulations that we have now are not 210 00:09:49,159 --> 00:09:51,679 the bare minimum of what you need to provide safety 211 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:53,679 and security for the folks that are at is. 212 00:09:53,799 --> 00:09:55,639 Speaker 1: Not actually shocking today. 213 00:09:55,919 --> 00:09:58,879 Speaker 2: So to that point, there is a way that we 214 00:09:58,919 --> 00:10:02,600 can pull back some of the that still keeps folks safe, 215 00:10:02,799 --> 00:10:06,399 keeps people property safe, a number of different things where 216 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,080 it's not a matter of endangering the public. You're not 217 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,039 going to endanger the public. We have to look at 218 00:10:13,039 --> 00:10:15,960 these regulations and there's a lot of conversation around that 219 00:10:16,039 --> 00:10:19,360 because when you here's a good four example. You take 220 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:24,919 Mitchell County. Mitchell County has one water treatment plant and 221 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,440 it serves every single member of that county, every single 222 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:32,559 citizen of that county. That water plant was completely destroyed. 223 00:10:33,159 --> 00:10:36,440 Under the current regulatory format, it would take six to 224 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:41,600 ten years to get another one online. That's unacceptable. You 225 00:10:41,639 --> 00:10:43,759 can't go without water for six years, so they're having 226 00:10:43,799 --> 00:10:47,000 to use temporary sources in the meantime. Certainly, there's a 227 00:10:47,039 --> 00:10:48,919 way that we can look at that, look at the 228 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,960 regulations and again keeping the environment in mind, keeping keeping 229 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,080 public safety of mind, all of that. But a way 230 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,639 to pel that back to expediate that is that that 231 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:03,720 may not even beah, there you go, expdise We just 232 00:11:03,759 --> 00:11:04,360 make it a visit. 233 00:11:06,159 --> 00:11:08,519 Speaker 1: Too much time in Raleigh? Can you stick around for 234 00:11:08,919 --> 00:11:09,440 a couple of minutes? 235 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: All right? 236 00:11:09,759 --> 00:11:09,919 Speaker 3: Yeap? 237 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,759 Speaker 1: That's Senator Todd Johnson, District thirty five, State Senator from 238 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,720 Union County here at the Union County Crime Stoppers Barbecue. 239 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,679 Here's a great idea. How about making an escape to 240 00:11:19,759 --> 00:11:23,240 a really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina. 241 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,519 Just a quick drive up the mountain and Cabins of 242 00:11:25,519 --> 00:11:29,919 Asheville is your connection. 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Call or 258 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,559 text eight two eight three six seven seventy sixty eight 259 00:12:24,879 --> 00:12:27,000 or check out all there is to offer at Cabins 260 00:12:27,039 --> 00:12:30,600 of Ashville dot com and make memories that'll last a lifetime. 261 00:12:30,879 --> 00:12:34,759 This is the Union County Crime Stoppers Barbecue, the thirty 262 00:12:34,759 --> 00:12:37,120 third annual as a matter of fact, and it helps 263 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,879 to fund a great organization and the rewards that are 264 00:12:40,919 --> 00:12:44,200 offered for people to call in the tips so you 265 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,000 can help solve crimes while you stuff your face. So 266 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,559 and it's very good. I've been assured by Senator Todd 267 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:54,600 Johnson is with me here Senate District thirty five, State Senate, 268 00:12:54,879 --> 00:12:59,480 that this barbecue is really really good. I think that's 269 00:12:59,519 --> 00:13:07,159 the direct Okay, So I mentioned Governor Josh Stein. He 270 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,919 came out of the state legislature at a time when 271 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:15,120 Republicans were not this ineffectual minority. They were, in fact, 272 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,759 the majority. So he's got some relationships there. Do you 273 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:24,480 have an expectation that he will govern relationally with the 274 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,799 legislature differently than Roy Cooper has. 275 00:13:27,799 --> 00:13:30,759 Speaker 2: Well, you know, Governor Cooper was also in the Senate, 276 00:13:30,759 --> 00:13:34,000 but it was many, many years ago, different set of people, 277 00:13:34,759 --> 00:13:37,879 completely different political landscape at that time. 278 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, Democrats controlled the entire state career, had their own 279 00:13:40,799 --> 00:13:41,919 machine running. 280 00:13:41,799 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 2: And Governor Stein has served with a number of the 281 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,600 members that still serve today. So I think there'll be 282 00:13:47,639 --> 00:13:50,480 some relationships there where at least communication won't break down 283 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,200 like it has in the past between the legislature and 284 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:54,240 the executive branch. 285 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: So hopefully we're hopeful for that. 286 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,919 Speaker 2: And I kind of equate the new governor with the 287 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:04,639 legislature is kind of a new marriage. I think there 288 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,919 will be a honeymoon period. My hope is that that 289 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,639 honeymoon will be a very extended honeymoon period, at least 290 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:13,320 through the long session and let's get to the point 291 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,919 where we can continue to work together for the betterment 292 00:14:15,919 --> 00:14:18,720 of North Carolina. But I'm sure at some point in time, 293 00:14:19,639 --> 00:14:21,559 I look at the break point, probably going to be 294 00:14:21,639 --> 00:14:24,240 around budget time, so that carries us into say June 295 00:14:24,279 --> 00:14:27,960 or July maybe, but at least until then, I think 296 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,200 it'll be a good unified effort of trying to work 297 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,039 together and at least kind of doing the courting in 298 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:34,720 the courtship. 299 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: Speaking of the budget, the need for the disaster relief, 300 00:14:41,519 --> 00:14:44,919 right North Carolina's got the Randy Day Fund. The Republicans 301 00:14:45,279 --> 00:14:47,519 funded this thing, even though Roy Cooper kept trying to 302 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:51,600 raid it for all sorts of regular ongoing operating expenses. 303 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,039 Republicans have guarded it, They've filled it. And so now 304 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,159 this is what is being looked at to use to 305 00:14:58,639 --> 00:15:02,240 pay for the of the disaster relief. That's not going 306 00:15:02,279 --> 00:15:02,879 to be enough. 307 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: No, And and so for the six years that I've 308 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,440 been in the legislature, I know every time we talk 309 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:13,000 about appropriations, uh, my caucus, I'm Republican in the Senate, 310 00:15:13,039 --> 00:15:15,080 and so the center of Republican Caucus as well as 311 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,039 the Republican House caucus, we literally get our teeth kicked 312 00:15:18,039 --> 00:15:20,320 in by folks. And you need to give more money here, here, here, 313 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:20,639 and here. 314 00:15:20,679 --> 00:15:21,519 Speaker 3: Why are you being. 315 00:15:21,399 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 2: So so such a scrooge and holding all this money back? 316 00:15:25,399 --> 00:15:28,120 You hate people you hate people, you hate orphans. You 317 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:33,000 have americacation pie, I mean puppies, you pick it, you 318 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,679 ate them. All that being said, we live on a coast. 319 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,480 We know that we're gonna have earthquakes. We are not well. 320 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:41,559 We do have some money. Yeah, we know we're going 321 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:46,559 to have hurricanes. Flooding is actually this was just a 322 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,039 major flood, but flooding occurs in western North Plina quite often, 323 00:15:51,039 --> 00:15:53,200 and so we were trying to be good stewards of 324 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,759 the taxpayer dollar, the money, at least in our caucus, 325 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:59,200 we do not look at this as our money. This 326 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,039 is the taxpayer money, and we try to spend it 327 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,559 and save it accordingly. When you think about a state 328 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,320 budget that's in the range of thirty five billion with 329 00:16:08,399 --> 00:16:12,159 a bee, the damages estimated damage, and keep in mind 330 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,039 these are government estimates, so they're going to be undershot 331 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,919 by a little bit. Is around sixty billion dollars. So 332 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,000 if you took all the money for two years, you 333 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,639 cover it maybe. And so there's really no way for 334 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,639 us to fully fix western North Carolina. We're going to 335 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,840 rely heavily on the federal government. So what we've tried 336 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:35,360 to do and thus far we've appropriated about one point 337 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:38,600 two to one point four billion of that six billion 338 00:16:38,679 --> 00:16:40,360 rainy day fund that we were able to build up. 339 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,360 The question we get is, why aren't you just sending 340 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,000 it all there? Just go ahead and send it unlet's 341 00:16:46,039 --> 00:16:49,360 get that going. The problem is is if you get 342 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,639 too far ahead of the federal government, they will say, Okay, 343 00:16:52,679 --> 00:16:56,080 North Carolina, you've got it. You guys got it under control. 344 00:16:56,200 --> 00:17:00,000 Good luck. Or you have an issue where not all 345 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,039 federal but some federal money requires a match six to one, 346 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,240 eight to one, nine to one. So you go to 347 00:17:06,279 --> 00:17:08,519 these small towns, take a small I know, I mentioned 348 00:17:08,559 --> 00:17:12,880 Mitchell County, Spruce Pine, Pine, Spruce Pine can't come up 349 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,519 with a million dollars. There's no way that a million, 350 00:17:15,559 --> 00:17:16,880 not a billion, eight billion. 351 00:17:16,759 --> 00:17:19,319 Speaker 1: Wooden pipes, right, wooden water pipes. 352 00:17:19,559 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 2: They can't come up with the match needed for their community. 353 00:17:22,759 --> 00:17:24,559 That's where we're going to come in as a state 354 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:27,920 and help these communities and counties in towns be able 355 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,599 to pay that federal match. So we're trying to get 356 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:34,480 money deployed for the immediate need, but also be prudent 357 00:17:34,519 --> 00:17:36,799 with the remainder of that and then also look for 358 00:17:36,839 --> 00:17:38,759 the next storm, we got to be mindful of the 359 00:17:38,799 --> 00:17:42,079 next one as well, so trying to thread that needle 360 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:43,960 to where we don't get too far ahead of FEMA, 361 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,240 but then also that we don't leave our friends out 362 00:17:46,279 --> 00:17:50,079 west without help, because it's this along red recovery will be. 363 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:52,519 You know, I've been in here six years. If for 364 00:17:52,559 --> 00:17:54,599 some reason I'm crazy enough to stay four or six 365 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,440 more years, we will still be working in western North Carolina. 366 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:58,720 This is not a two year fix. 367 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: We are at a time. State Senator Todd Johnson. Thanks 368 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,440 a lot for stopping by, although to be fair, I 369 00:18:05,559 --> 00:18:08,000 was just here at this other more important event that 370 00:18:08,079 --> 00:18:10,480 he went to. But you're welcome anytime. 371 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:11,519 Speaker 3: On the show. See you next year, Pade. 372 00:18:11,519 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: Okay, all right, well let's not make it a year. 373 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,720 Good to see us, sir, Thanks so much. All right, 374 00:18:15,799 --> 00:18:18,480 I hope you had a happy holiday season. But tell 375 00:18:18,519 --> 00:18:21,039 me if something like this happened at your house. Your 376 00:18:21,079 --> 00:18:23,559 family and friends are gathered around, maybe y'all are in 377 00:18:23,599 --> 00:18:27,200 the living room, you're laughing, swapping stories, reminiscing, and then 378 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:31,200 somebody says, hey, dad, remember those old VHS tapes? Did 379 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,839 you ever get them transferred? And then the room gets 380 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,440 all quiet. All eyes are on Dad, who says, oh, 381 00:18:37,519 --> 00:18:39,519 you know, well, I've been meaning too, but I just 382 00:18:39,559 --> 00:18:42,559 having gotten around to it. Look, don't let those priceless 383 00:18:42,559 --> 00:18:45,519 memories sit in a box for another year, all right. 384 00:18:45,599 --> 00:18:48,440 Create a Video has been helping families in the Charlotte 385 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:52,319 area preserve their history since nineteen ninety seven. Simply bring 386 00:18:52,319 --> 00:18:55,240 in your old cam quarter tapes and Creative Video will 387 00:18:55,279 --> 00:18:58,680 transfer them to a USB flash drive for just fourteen 388 00:18:58,759 --> 00:19:01,440 ninety five per tape. A big collection. They've got a 389 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:04,799 discount for you. And next year, instead of talking about 390 00:19:04,839 --> 00:19:09,319 those memories, imagine gathering the family to watch them together. 391 00:19:09,559 --> 00:19:12,240 Talk about a memorable gift. So do what I did. 392 00:19:12,279 --> 00:19:15,839 Trust the experts at creat a Video, conveniently located in 393 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:18,759 mint Hill right off I four eighty five and online 394 00:19:18,839 --> 00:19:21,799 at create a Video dot com. I want to welcome 395 00:19:21,799 --> 00:19:25,240 to the program, Congressman, Reverend, Reverend Congressman, when do you 396 00:19:25,279 --> 00:19:28,119 go by Mark Harris District eight? What do we do? 397 00:19:28,799 --> 00:19:29,680 Reverend Congressman? 398 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 4: I answered it just about anything these days, That's what 399 00:19:32,039 --> 00:19:32,720 everybody says. 400 00:19:32,759 --> 00:19:34,519 Speaker 1: But like, which do you pick? 401 00:19:34,559 --> 00:19:35,319 Speaker 3: Which did well? 402 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: Which is the like? 403 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,759 Speaker 4: No, they call me congressman, pastor, it is fascinating congressman 404 00:19:40,759 --> 00:19:44,799 passed in fact on the floor and really without in 405 00:19:44,839 --> 00:19:48,160 the conference, a number of my colleagues will come up 406 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:50,759 and uh just say pastor to refer to me as 407 00:19:50,799 --> 00:19:52,319 pastor right off the bat. 408 00:19:52,519 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: Okay, all right, well, I mean I'm just always curious 409 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:59,079 when people come in with multiple honorifics or degrees or 410 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:03,240 whatever like which what gets top billing kind of. So 411 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,599 we were talking about this before we came on the year, 412 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:12,839 and there's been a change to the inauguration from the 413 00:20:13,039 --> 00:20:15,839 for the planning, and so as I understand it, they 414 00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:20,880 are moving the ceremony inside the rotunda at the Capitol. 415 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:23,759 Speaker 4: That's right, That's what I've understood, and canceled the up 416 00:20:23,839 --> 00:20:26,359 door swearing it and have canceled the parade. 417 00:20:26,599 --> 00:20:28,319 Speaker 1: Oh, they've canceled the parade now as well. 418 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 3: It's correct. 419 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:31,839 Speaker 1: So earlier i'd seen that the parade had not been canceled. 420 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 3: Well, that was the latest i'd heard. 421 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 4: My chief had texted me, so that could have changed, 422 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:37,839 but yeah, that was less. 423 00:20:37,759 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 1: Well, the first order, the first notice I got was 424 00:20:40,759 --> 00:20:43,279 just that they were moving inside quote unquote, and that 425 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,200 was all. And then I got the other thing. Okay, 426 00:20:46,279 --> 00:20:48,680 it's part of it's going to be in the retunda. 427 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:50,440 I was like, well, that's not going to hold the 428 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:52,359 whole crowd. But then they were also going to have 429 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,640 Capital One Arena and they're going to fill that up, 430 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,000 and I guess put it on the jumbo trons and stuff. 431 00:20:58,079 --> 00:20:59,759 Speaker 3: Correct, that's what I understand. 432 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,599 Speaker 1: Okay, So, but is that enough room to fill or 433 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,319 is that enough room for the crowd size? 434 00:21:08,039 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 4: Well, nobody really knows, you know. I had heard numbers 435 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,279 the end of this week. The folks were saying they 436 00:21:14,279 --> 00:21:18,000 were maybe expecting a million people to be there. But 437 00:21:18,079 --> 00:21:20,880 then we also started hearing from people as the forecast 438 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:22,440 came out, and it is going to be. 439 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 3: Bitterly, bitterly cold. 440 00:21:23,759 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 4: I mean, like eight degrees that morning of the inauguration 441 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,960 is low for Sunday night, So when you start, people 442 00:21:31,039 --> 00:21:33,000 are going to be coming out before the sun comes 443 00:21:33,079 --> 00:21:34,799 up to get in line. So they were going to 444 00:21:34,839 --> 00:21:37,839 be out there for hours in single digits. And then 445 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:39,759 the high for the day is maybe twenty one or 446 00:21:39,799 --> 00:21:43,279 twenty two degrees, So it was going to be bitterly cold. 447 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:45,799 And so I can only assume that they felt like 448 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:47,160 that it was going to put too many. 449 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 3: People at risk. In that case. 450 00:21:48,519 --> 00:21:51,279 Speaker 4: So no, it's not going to be enough room to 451 00:21:51,519 --> 00:21:56,400 hold all the ticket holders because every congressional office, for instance, 452 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,960 we had four hundred and seventy some request for about 453 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,039 one hundred and seventy tickets that we were granted, and 454 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:07,759 only a handful of those were actually seated. A lot 455 00:22:07,799 --> 00:22:12,839 we're standing. But again, there's no way that that arena 456 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:15,440 is I don't know what the arena holds. I'm gonna 457 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:17,799 guess fifty sixty thousand. I'd say that's a good bet 458 00:22:18,519 --> 00:22:19,559 that's gonna be it. 459 00:22:19,799 --> 00:22:25,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, So is it possible that the frigid temperatures are 460 00:22:25,279 --> 00:22:28,519 indicative of the underworld freezing over? 461 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:32,160 Speaker 3: I felt that way. 462 00:22:32,319 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 4: Right after our swearing in, a snowstorm hit Washington, d C. 463 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,240 And we had twelve inches of snow, which was pretty amazing. 464 00:22:38,559 --> 00:22:41,400 So it could be it's all freezing over. It's a 465 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,200 whole few day. I think of it from the spiritual 466 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,079 sense of a purification that's going to come from the 467 00:22:47,079 --> 00:22:49,160 snow that covers everything. 468 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: So speaking of things of biblical proportion, the hurricane that 469 00:22:54,559 --> 00:22:59,200 hit western North Carolina, obviously that's of great importance. At 470 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,400 the state level. We were talking to Senator Todd Johnson 471 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:03,960 about that at the national level though, like the state 472 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,359 of North Carolina does not have the money to pay 473 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:09,039 for all of the recovery that's going to be needed. 474 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:11,680 The number, like he threw out there was like sixty 475 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:16,039 billion dollars. So where do we stand as far as 476 00:23:16,079 --> 00:23:17,759 you know, And I know you're new and you just 477 00:23:17,759 --> 00:23:20,319 found out where the office is learning, where the water 478 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:23,599 cooler is and the president's shape machine. 479 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 3: But. 480 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,839 Speaker 1: Where do you think where do you think we are 481 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:32,480 in getting enough support for the kind of aid that's 482 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:33,400 going to be required. 483 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 4: Well, I can assure you, Pete that western North Carolina 484 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:41,160 is not being forgotten. Obviously, we're in a situation right now. 485 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,400 Lots of problems with FEMA. I think everybody recognized, lots 486 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:49,759 of problems with FEMA money being spent on illegal immigrants 487 00:23:49,759 --> 00:23:51,559 and all of the things that went on with that. 488 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,079 That then suddenly they say, we don't have the money 489 00:23:54,079 --> 00:23:57,000 that we need to take care of the victims of 490 00:23:57,039 --> 00:24:01,279 Hurricane Helene. So I know, back in December there was 491 00:24:01,319 --> 00:24:05,720 a large disaster relief amount that was passed as part 492 00:24:05,799 --> 00:24:10,680 of that cr that went forward. But again, the big 493 00:24:10,759 --> 00:24:14,640 question as we've watched these wildfires happening in California, and 494 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,720 everybody's saying, O, FEMA's running out there making commitments. We're 495 00:24:17,759 --> 00:24:20,759 going to be here, there and everywhere. At the same time, 496 00:24:21,079 --> 00:24:24,400 you're getting word that letters are going from FEMA to 497 00:24:24,839 --> 00:24:28,519 some families that were cutting you off no more support. 498 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:31,960 I was part of a letter that was written by 499 00:24:32,039 --> 00:24:35,440 Chuck Edwards. Chuck contacted us in the delegation. And that's 500 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,880 one thing, by the way I'll say I'm very excited 501 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,240 and proud about, is we are communicating very well as 502 00:24:41,279 --> 00:24:44,640 a delegation. We're trying to have regular meetings where we 503 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:47,759 actually meet together. Just this past Wednesday we had one 504 00:24:47,759 --> 00:24:50,599 of those meetings and talked about what was happening. 505 00:24:50,319 --> 00:24:51,640 Speaker 3: In western North Carolina. 506 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:56,599 Speaker 4: I'm involved from a church standpoint, interestingly enough, in some 507 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,359 of the rebuilds with Baptist on Mission Samaritan's per that 508 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:02,960 have been at the forefront. But we signed a letter 509 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:05,680 I think all of us in the delegation did that 510 00:25:05,759 --> 00:25:10,079 went to FEMA urging them to not send their personnel 511 00:25:10,279 --> 00:25:13,759 out of Western North Carolina until the job was finished. 512 00:25:14,079 --> 00:25:16,960 And so Senator Tillis, I know, has been trying to 513 00:25:17,079 --> 00:25:20,960 weigh in on that. Senator Bud as well, So I 514 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,559 think we're all working together to make sure that it 515 00:25:23,559 --> 00:25:25,960 stays at the forefront. Of course, you've got the Speaker, 516 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:28,960 Mike Johnson that made it very clear that we're not 517 00:25:29,079 --> 00:25:31,640 just going to be sending money to California without there 518 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:35,359 being some conditions, and that sort of seemed to trigger 519 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,279 a little bit of a response from Governor Newsom, who's 520 00:25:38,319 --> 00:25:41,839 firing back about these are people's lives. But I think 521 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:44,920 the Speaker has been very clear, and interestingly enough, within 522 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:48,400 our conference, I think that the members from California have 523 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,880 been clear that they don't really feel we should be 524 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,359 putting money in without conditions placed on it for how 525 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:56,400 that money would be spent. 526 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:01,039 Speaker 1: My guest is Congressman Pastor Mark Harris from North Carolina's 527 00:26:01,039 --> 00:26:05,319 eighth congressional district, first termer, first and a half turmer. 528 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,480 Maybe maybe because you kind of won last fight. Anyway, 529 00:26:08,799 --> 00:26:10,960 can you stick around for another segment? Sure? Okay, cool, 530 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:12,960 All right? If you're listening to this show, you know 531 00:26:13,039 --> 00:26:15,000 I try to keep up with all sorts of current events, 532 00:26:15,039 --> 00:26:17,119 and I know you do too, And you've probably heard 533 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:21,200 me say get your news from multiple sources. Why, well, 534 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:23,960 because it's how you detect media bias, which is why 535 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,200 I've been so impressed with ground News. It's an app, 536 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,599 and it's a website, and it combines news from around 537 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,039 the world in one place, so you can compare coverage 538 00:26:33,279 --> 00:26:36,000 and verify information. You can check it out at check 539 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,480 dot ground, dot news slash pete. I put the link 540 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:43,599 in the podcast description too. I started using ground News 541 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,359 a few months ago and more recently chose to work 542 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:48,400 with them as an affiliate because it lets me see 543 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:52,279 clearly how stories get covered and by whom. The blind 544 00:26:52,319 --> 00:26:55,079 spot feature shows you which stories get ignored by the 545 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,880 left and the right. See for yourself check dot ground, 546 00:26:59,079 --> 00:27:02,759 dot news slash pete. Subscribe through that link and you'll 547 00:27:02,759 --> 00:27:05,960 get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use the Vantage 548 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:09,440 plan to get unlimited access to every feature. Your subscription 549 00:27:09,559 --> 00:27:12,240 then not only helps my podcast, but it also supports 550 00:27:12,279 --> 00:27:15,559 ground News as they make the media landscape more transparent. 551 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:20,319 I'm joined by Congressman Pastor Mark Harris from the North Seat. 552 00:27:20,319 --> 00:27:23,359 How it sticks, That's what I asked you from the 553 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:27,519 North Carolina eighth Congressional District. So we were talking during 554 00:27:27,559 --> 00:27:30,880 the break and the topic of the House Freedom Caucus 555 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,240 came up. Your predecessor, Dan Bishop was a member of 556 00:27:34,279 --> 00:27:36,880 the Freedom Caucus. Is this something that you want to 557 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,079 be in and how would that happen? 558 00:27:39,599 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 4: Well, first of all, a lot of times people ask 559 00:27:42,519 --> 00:27:44,880 me that, and when I ran in the campaign, I 560 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,640 made it very clear to folks that I certainly aligned 561 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:49,119 with the ideas and the. 562 00:27:49,039 --> 00:27:50,559 Speaker 3: Principles of the Freedom Caucus. 563 00:27:50,599 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 4: But the Freedom Caucus isn't something that just members join, 564 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,400 as they would maybe mainStreet Caucus or others. But you 565 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,400 have to actually be invited to it. So I tell 566 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:01,839 people asked this question just this week, are you going 567 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:03,519 to join the Freedom Caucus? And so well, I want 568 00:28:03,519 --> 00:28:07,759 to don't want to presume anything, but you know, certainly 569 00:28:07,799 --> 00:28:09,759 if I was invited to be a part of the 570 00:28:09,759 --> 00:28:12,279 Freedom Caucus, and I would assume those invitations would come 571 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:16,319 up fairly soon. It is certainly an organization that I 572 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:20,640 have had a lot of respect for. Martin Meadows, Jim Jordan, 573 00:28:20,759 --> 00:28:23,759 those guys were folks that I aligned with very early, 574 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,519 even when I was just getting started in running in 575 00:28:26,519 --> 00:28:31,839 this arena, you know, just for fiscal sound government, and 576 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,200 I think that that is so important. I mean, when 577 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:36,759 I was in this peek early on, I remember several 578 00:28:36,839 --> 00:28:39,559 years ago I was talking about twenty one trillion dollars 579 00:28:39,559 --> 00:28:42,039 of debt and how horrible that was what we had 580 00:28:42,079 --> 00:28:45,240 to do. And now we're hitting thirty seven trillion dollars 581 00:28:45,279 --> 00:28:48,400 of debt, and it's just it is so rapid that 582 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,079 it just I think people are just quickly just letting 583 00:28:51,079 --> 00:28:53,799 it go out of their minds, and yet our nation 584 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:55,119 is in peril. 585 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: It's literally incomprehensible. 586 00:28:57,279 --> 00:28:57,519 Speaker 3: It is. 587 00:28:57,759 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: The number is unfit athomable. People cannot understand how large 588 00:29:03,279 --> 00:29:05,079 of a number that is, and we cannot. 589 00:29:05,119 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 3: Look. 590 00:29:05,519 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 4: I'm for We've got extended tax cuts, so please understand 591 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,720 what I'm going to say. But as much as we 592 00:29:11,839 --> 00:29:15,640 grow the economy, we will not grow ourselves out of 593 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:17,319 thirty seven trillion dollars a debt. 594 00:29:17,599 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 3: We have got to cut spending. 595 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,079 Speaker 4: There's going to have to be some places that we 596 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,599 find that's not going to be popular. In some cases, 597 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:27,000 it's not going to be easy, but there are going 598 00:29:27,039 --> 00:29:30,000 to be decisions that have to be made that ultimately 599 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,079 are going to fall on this Congress. And I believe 600 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,960 we do have a rare opportunity with this thing called reconciliation, 601 00:29:37,359 --> 00:29:39,160 that you're going to be hearing more and more about 602 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:41,720 in the coming weeks, and the Speaker has set us 603 00:29:41,759 --> 00:29:44,960 on a course that is very aggressive as far as timetable. 604 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:47,119 By the end of February, we're going to have that 605 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,759 top line budget number. By the time we get to 606 00:29:49,759 --> 00:29:53,000 early April, we're expecting to have a reconciliation bill passed 607 00:29:53,039 --> 00:29:56,119 out of the House. So no regular order, well, I 608 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,319 think there's going to come regular order at some point. 609 00:29:59,559 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 3: I know that's the main thing. 610 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:05,359 Speaker 4: Thereafter we need to have twelve appropriation buildings that we passed. 611 00:30:05,279 --> 00:30:08,759 Speaker 1: Going through committees, going cashing the outs, the spends and 612 00:30:08,799 --> 00:30:09,440 the asks and. 613 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 4: Every absolutely and listen, I'm blessed to be on three committees. 614 00:30:12,759 --> 00:30:16,720 I'm going to be on Judiciary Committee, I'm on Agriculture Committee, 615 00:30:16,799 --> 00:30:20,680 and I am on Education and Workforce. Those are three 616 00:30:20,799 --> 00:30:23,480 great committees to be a part of, and the subcommittees 617 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:25,960 that are part of that are important as well. And 618 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,039 one of the things I've seen in AG obviously, so 619 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,240 much of that budget is spent with SNAP and that 620 00:30:32,319 --> 00:30:36,519 program that we have seen the Biden administration just exploded 621 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:38,519 the eligibility for that. 622 00:30:38,519 --> 00:30:40,799 Speaker 1: That's not where the most money is, right, I mean, well, 623 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,920 the most money in spending is where well, you're. 624 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 4: Going to get in, you're going to get into Medicare 625 00:30:46,079 --> 00:30:50,720 and Social Security, those mandatory spending, right, And that's true. 626 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:55,119 But again you can't discount the billions I mean billions 627 00:30:55,119 --> 00:30:58,640 with a B dollars that I mean two hundred and 628 00:30:58,759 --> 00:31:03,720 fifty one million dollars just expansion and snap from twenty 629 00:31:03,759 --> 00:31:06,759 twenty one coming out of COVID. So I think we're 630 00:31:06,839 --> 00:31:10,599 taking every committee is taking a serious look at areas 631 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:13,799 where we can claw back. I mean this whole energy deal, 632 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,119 of the Green New Deal, the Dibden in the administration 633 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:18,559 put intact. Fortunately a lot of that money hasn't been 634 00:31:18,599 --> 00:31:21,079 spent yet and if we can claw that back, that's 635 00:31:21,119 --> 00:31:23,200 going to be an important piece of it. So it's 636 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:26,480 going to be an exercise, no question. You raise the 637 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:28,960 devil in the details is meant? 638 00:31:29,079 --> 00:31:31,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean that's the I mean, because you can 639 00:31:31,359 --> 00:31:35,759 even what is Ramaswami or musk I forget who one 640 00:31:35,759 --> 00:31:38,599 of them said, Look, yeah, we probably can't We're not 641 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:40,359 going to be We're not. We can't find two trillion 642 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,519 dollars right in the budget to cut like, it's probably 643 00:31:44,519 --> 00:31:47,960 not going to be there. So without touching some of 644 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,720 these other programs that are the quote third rail in politics. 645 00:31:51,799 --> 00:31:54,279 Speaker 4: I think the key is going to be when we 646 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:57,440 get to that point. And again I'm new we've not 647 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,200 gotten to that point yet in the conversations I've a 648 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:00,559 part of. 649 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:02,720 Speaker 3: But I think we're going to have to look. 650 00:32:02,519 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 4: At ways to make adjustments to the program for the 651 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:12,119 future so that benefits are not hurting people that are 652 00:32:12,119 --> 00:32:13,920 dependent on those today. 653 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 3: Right in the near future. I think that's the whole 654 00:32:15,759 --> 00:32:16,079 key way. 655 00:32:16,119 --> 00:32:19,519 Speaker 1: And I have never heard a proposal ever in twenty 656 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:26,359 plus years that has called for cuts to existing benefits, right, 657 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:30,519 it's always future generator. Like because I'm gen X and 658 00:32:30,559 --> 00:32:33,480 I remember getting into the workforce, I knew at that 659 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:36,440 time Social Security is not going to be there for me. 660 00:32:37,039 --> 00:32:39,200 So that's why ever since I had a job that 661 00:32:39,279 --> 00:32:40,960 had a four to one K, I've been putting money 662 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,839 into the four to one case because I knew. And 663 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,200 I still don't ever plan on my retirement plan. Like 664 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:48,200 I talked to my financial guy and I'm like, don't 665 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,359 ever count anything from Social Secure, So I don't. Yeah, 666 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:53,119 I don't know if anything's going to be there, so but. 667 00:32:53,079 --> 00:32:56,359 Speaker 4: I'll promise you this, somebody is going to be left 668 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,839 hold in the back if we don't do it now. 669 00:32:59,079 --> 00:33:01,319 When you get to twenty thirty four, and you're not 670 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,640 that far away from that at all, somebody is going 671 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:07,119 to be having to explain to everybody why they're taking 672 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:11,559 twenty percent cuts and benefits then, not because of any policy, 673 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:15,200 just because the money is not there, right and we've 674 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,359 got it. We've got to look at those serious challenges. 675 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and yeah, and giving people an option, 676 00:33:21,279 --> 00:33:26,000 that's the like, that's my would be my recommendation is 677 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:28,440 to give people the option to say, let me take 678 00:33:28,559 --> 00:33:31,519 some of this that is being diverted out and put 679 00:33:31,519 --> 00:33:33,799 it someplace else that will make up more that will 680 00:33:33,839 --> 00:33:34,839 make me more money in the law. 681 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:38,119 Speaker 4: I've always felt that made the most sense. Especially the 682 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:42,039 younger people are the opportunity to make some decisions in that. 683 00:33:42,519 --> 00:33:44,680 So I think all of those ideas are going to 684 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:47,440 be on the table. I think the President is committed 685 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:50,359 that we're going to protect those that are are depending 686 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:54,720 on Social Security now and there Now, we've got to 687 00:33:54,759 --> 00:33:57,279 protect those benefits, but we do have to begin to 688 00:33:57,279 --> 00:34:00,720 make plans for the future, and I think we go forward, 689 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:02,400 we're gonna have to look at that but I think 690 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:06,599 in this immediate future, with a reconciliation, we are gonna 691 00:34:06,599 --> 00:34:09,159 look at shrinking the size of government, shrinking some of 692 00:34:09,199 --> 00:34:12,119 the spending. I just think to get the votes that 693 00:34:12,159 --> 00:34:14,440 we have to have on the Republican side, you're gonna 694 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,159 have to do that because you've got it. Reconciliation allows 695 00:34:17,199 --> 00:34:18,559 you to get through. 696 00:34:18,639 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 3: In a quick Yeah. 697 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 4: Does not need sixty votes, so nobody can filibuster. Fifty 698 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:24,760 one votes passes. 699 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 1: It's how we got Obamacare. 700 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 4: That's how we got Obamacare. It's how we got the 701 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:30,119 Trump tax cuts in twenty seventeen. It's true because we 702 00:34:30,159 --> 00:34:33,280 had the trifecta. Yeah, so this is this is a moment. 703 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:36,119 You've got to be wise as a serpent, innocent as 704 00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:37,880 a dove in this very moment. 705 00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:42,280 Speaker 1: Congressman Pastor Mark Harris, North Carolina District eight, good to 706 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:44,920 see again. Good to see you're looking well, and best 707 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:47,159 of luck up there in the swamp. We appreciate you, Thank. 708 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:48,239 Speaker 3: You very much. Appreciate you. 709 00:34:48,559 --> 00:34:50,840 Speaker 1: All right, that'll do it for this episode. Thank you 710 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:52,920 so much for listening. I could not do the show 711 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:55,440 without your support and the support of the businesses that 712 00:34:55,519 --> 00:34:58,639 advertise on the podcast. So if you'd like, please support 713 00:34:58,639 --> 00:35:00,320 them too and tell them you heard it here. You 714 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,960 can also become a patron at my Patreon page or 715 00:35:03,079 --> 00:35:06,679 go to dpetecalanarshow dot com. Again, thank you so much 716 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:10,280 for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.