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 my daily show prep with all of the links, become 6 00:00:18,719 --> 00:00:22,359 a patron, go to dpeteclendarshow 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 00:00:27,399 --> 00:00:28,359 much for your support. 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:31,519 Speaker 2: It's a great honor to be sitting in for a 11 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,759 Pete this afternoon chat with you, taking your calls at 12 00:00:33,799 --> 00:00:36,920 seven oh four five seven oh eleven ten. That's seven 13 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,000 oh four, five seven oh eleven ten. We're talking about DOGE, 14 00:00:40,359 --> 00:00:44,679 the Department of Government Efficiency, as well as other agencies 15 00:00:44,759 --> 00:00:48,920 within the new administration. Spent some time earlier talking about 16 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,560 Robert F. Kennedy Junior and some of the work going 17 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,840 on over at DHHS, the Department of Health and Human 18 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:59,240 Services estimated to be cutting about ten thousand employees there. 19 00:00:59,359 --> 00:01:01,759 A lot of this, of course, is happening at all 20 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,840 levels of the federal government and all of these different cabinets, positions, 21 00:01:05,879 --> 00:01:09,640 all of these different secretaries, whether it's EPA or HHS. 22 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,319 These cuts, these changes are happening at a rapid rate. 23 00:01:13,879 --> 00:01:16,319 Before we get back to the Brett Baar interview, I 24 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,359 want to jump back to our phone lines. Alex is 25 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,040 hanging online one Alex, Good afternoon. You're on the Peak 26 00:01:21,079 --> 00:01:22,000 Counter Show with Nick Craig. 27 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 3: Go ahead, Yeah, I just had a couple of the 28 00:01:25,439 --> 00:01:29,159 points you were talking about the transparency of the dose 29 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,159 efforts and that being the gold standard, and why it's 30 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:33,159 not the gold standard. 31 00:01:33,439 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 2: Yes, sir, I have a couple. 32 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 3: Of issues with the transparency. One of them is like 33 00:01:38,079 --> 00:01:40,280 they're putting a lot of information out there, but it's 34 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,959 been shown that a lot of that information is inaccurate 35 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,200 and they're having to continually go in and correct it. 36 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,599 The second point is that the actual results of the 37 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:51,760 cuts that they're making, when you look into what the 38 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,560 effects are on actual real people in the world, a 39 00:01:54,599 --> 00:01:57,120 lot of those results are harmful, whether it's just people 40 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,280 losing their jobs and. 41 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,879 Speaker 2: Outside of people on hold on hard outside of people 42 00:02:01,879 --> 00:02:04,319 losing their jobs. Talk about the harmful, the harmful of 43 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:05,120 facts and results. 44 00:02:05,359 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 3: I mean some of this sure, like some of the 45 00:02:07,879 --> 00:02:10,919 stuff like the USI aid cuts being one of those, 46 00:02:11,479 --> 00:02:13,280 like I understand there's a lot of things in other 47 00:02:13,319 --> 00:02:15,280 countries and that I don't think we should be spending 48 00:02:15,319 --> 00:02:17,919 money on. Like I agree with the principle of that, 49 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,479 but the speed with which those cuts were made without 50 00:02:22,479 --> 00:02:25,240 making an effort to try to help people find other 51 00:02:25,319 --> 00:02:28,479 ways to address those issues and stuff, it's kind of 52 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,000 abandoning a lot of people that we had agreements with, 53 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,639 commitments that we had made. Like if you made a 54 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:35,719 two year contract to help somebody, I think you should 55 00:02:35,759 --> 00:02:37,639 honor that to your contract. If you don't want to 56 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,400 do that anymore, after your two years is up, you 57 00:02:40,439 --> 00:02:42,639 don't do the contract again, you know. But I think 58 00:02:42,759 --> 00:02:47,199 just yanking it out immediately almost or in some cases 59 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,919 literally overnight, just cutting off all of their funding and 60 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,280 leaving people hanging around the world, I think causes a 61 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,199 lot of problems, and it is causing real harm to 62 00:02:55,319 --> 00:03:00,400 actual people in some of those places. The third point 63 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:05,240 was is to me indegative of what is happening at 64 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:10,800 the at the in the Trump administration with Musk as well. Yeah, 65 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,120 they're putting a lot of information out, but I feel 66 00:03:13,159 --> 00:03:16,360 like a lot of it is self dealing. And let 67 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,560 me tell you why. The first one is they're putting 68 00:03:18,599 --> 00:03:20,639 a lot of information out, but they're putting that information 69 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,400 out on truth Social, which is a for profit company 70 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,759 that Trump's affiliated with, and on X, which is a 71 00:03:26,759 --> 00:03:28,919 for profit company that Musk owns. 72 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: All that's on the doge website though too. 73 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 3: Right, Well, yeah, but like everybody's going to the doge website. Now, 74 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,000 everybody's getting that information off of. 75 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,879 Speaker 2: X and sure, but it's but it is all available 76 00:03:40,879 --> 00:03:43,120 on doze dot gov. I mean, just because people are 77 00:03:43,159 --> 00:03:45,360 reading it, and of course you're sharing it on X 78 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,039 because it's a social media platform. But there is an 79 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,080 official website, doge dot gov that's got all of that 80 00:03:51,199 --> 00:03:51,560 on there. 81 00:03:52,159 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 3: Right, But every headline, whether you think it's brilliant or 82 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,280 whether you think it's outlandish, every headline is causing people 83 00:03:58,319 --> 00:04:02,560 to go to their for profit social media platforms, which 84 00:04:02,639 --> 00:04:06,680 earns them money. And I'm not saying that that's necessarily 85 00:04:06,879 --> 00:04:09,319 like corruption. I'm just saying, well, you know, but you're. 86 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: You're alluding to it, But you're alluding to it. So 87 00:04:12,039 --> 00:04:12,840 where should it be. 88 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 3: They every time they create a headline, they make money, 89 00:04:16,199 --> 00:04:17,000 and so. 90 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,839 Speaker 2: So where should so where should the information then be relayed? Alex? 91 00:04:19,879 --> 00:04:21,879 I mean if if if if putting it on dosee 92 00:04:21,879 --> 00:04:24,439 dot gov is not enough, I mean what should the 93 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,959 Should the federal government be buying advertising on television radio 94 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,000 stations to promote I mean how else would you get 95 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:30,920 the information out? 96 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 3: I'm okay with the being out there, but are they 97 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:35,240 are they intentionally doing it? 98 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 2: But how I'm asking you. 99 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,319 Speaker 3: On other but are they putting out information on other 100 00:04:40,399 --> 00:04:42,519 platforms besides the ones that they own? 101 00:04:42,959 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 2: The dog dot gov is a federal government website. I 102 00:04:45,639 --> 00:04:49,040 mean nobody, I mean you and I own it. Sure, 103 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,319 So where else should they put the information? 104 00:04:52,199 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 3: Are they putting things out on YouTube videos? Are they 105 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,800 putting things out in statements to the evening news like 106 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,560 we're absolutely this information of it? 107 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's it's transitting. I mean it goes 108 00:05:03,639 --> 00:05:05,959 on doge dot gov and you know there are press 109 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,399 releases and information and then that gets scooped up by 110 00:05:08,399 --> 00:05:10,040 the media and it's and it's reported. 111 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 3: The main point of that is that every time they 112 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,639 can create a headline, it does result in them making 113 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:20,319 personal money. There's an incentive there for them to continue 114 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:22,720 to create headlines. I mean, Trump himself has said there's 115 00:05:22,759 --> 00:05:25,720 no such thing as bad press, anything that gets my 116 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,279 name in people's mouths, is good for the Trump brand, 117 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,040 and he's still living up to that. The other thing 118 00:05:31,319 --> 00:05:33,600 concerned to me is that I just I'm worried that 119 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,079 these are a bunch of super rich people that are 120 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,839 looking out for themselves instead of us. I feel like 121 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,759 they've sold us a product that turned out to not 122 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,600 be what they promised it would be and what we 123 00:05:45,639 --> 00:05:46,360 wanted it to be. 124 00:05:47,079 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 2: Like what, I hear you, and I and I appreciate 125 00:05:49,879 --> 00:05:53,480 what you're saying. So what if you were running Doze 126 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,120 for the day, Alex, if you were in charge of 127 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,079 Doze just starting at midnight tonight, what would you do 128 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,279 differently tomorrow to to to fy some of those issues 129 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:02,040 that you're describing. 130 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, no one that's going to be overseeing, 131 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,720 whether you think it's they have the authority to or not, 132 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,399 is beside the point. No one who's doing this should 133 00:06:14,439 --> 00:06:17,480 be in a in a conflict of interest with government contracts. 134 00:06:17,759 --> 00:06:20,120 And Musk is in a conflict of interest with that 135 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:24,079 he is overseeing departments that he himself has for profit 136 00:06:24,199 --> 00:06:26,480 contracts with, and that is a massive but all. 137 00:06:26,319 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 2: Of that had to be disclosed. I mean, when you 138 00:06:28,399 --> 00:06:31,519 become an employee of the government, even a special employee, 139 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,000 you are required to submit information to the federal government. 140 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,680 And talking about all of those disclosures, that is all 141 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,519 screened and that is all approved by onboarding within the 142 00:06:41,519 --> 00:06:42,279 federal government. 143 00:06:42,879 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 3: But that speaks to what you're saying about how transparent 144 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,240 they're being and how they're just putting it all out there. 145 00:06:48,319 --> 00:06:51,120 Just because we know about it doesn't make it right. 146 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,680 He is, but it's not illegal, very I know, but 147 00:06:54,759 --> 00:06:57,519 he's very public that he has a conflict of interest. 148 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,399 We know that he's got contracts with SpaceX and government 149 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,160 all this kind of stuff. Just because he's saying it's 150 00:07:03,199 --> 00:07:05,519 there does not make it right. Just because he says 151 00:07:05,879 --> 00:07:08,360 if he if there's a conflict of interest, I'm sure 152 00:07:08,399 --> 00:07:11,439 people will say something, and people have been saying something, 153 00:07:11,519 --> 00:07:13,959 and they're just ignoring people saying stuff. And he's just 154 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:14,839 doing what he wants to do. 155 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: Anyway, I don't want he's not doing what he wants to. 156 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,759 I mean, he's a special government employee. He's not He's 157 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,160 not Jesus Christ. I mean he's not. He doesn't have 158 00:07:22,199 --> 00:07:25,399 the ability to to do whatever he wants. He has 159 00:07:25,439 --> 00:07:28,079 to go through the channels and In most cases, DOGE 160 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:32,360 is not doing anything. They are pointing out to agencies 161 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,240 what needs to be cut, and then it's the agencies 162 00:07:35,279 --> 00:07:37,680 that are doing it. Doze does not have the authority 163 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,639 to change things. Really, no, they don't. I mean they do. 164 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:42,800 That's not how it's set up. 165 00:07:42,879 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 3: Elon Musk can't walk in, not in charge of anything. 166 00:07:46,079 --> 00:07:47,000 Is that what you're telling me. 167 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,839 Speaker 2: No, that's not what I'm saying. You're you're purposefully trying 168 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,560 to flip my words. Elon Musk does not have the 169 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,839 authority to cut money from for example, HHS. What he 170 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:58,240 does have the authority to. 171 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,399 Speaker 3: Do just own the news saying we cut this, and 172 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:03,720 we cut that, and I cut this and I cut that. 173 00:08:03,839 --> 00:08:06,519 Speaker 2: Because he's bringing the information. 174 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,879 Speaker 3: So he is not making any cuts, and those is 175 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:12,079 not making company. 176 00:08:11,839 --> 00:08:15,399 Speaker 2: And that that's that's what's going on. Elon Musk does 177 00:08:15,439 --> 00:08:18,360 not have the authority to go into an agency and 178 00:08:18,399 --> 00:08:21,319 physically adjust their budget. He's not doing that. 179 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 3: Those is not doing that. 180 00:08:24,079 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 2: Not not not under my understanding. They are providing the 181 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,759 information to the agencies, They get access to their computer 182 00:08:30,879 --> 00:08:34,399 systems that are invoicing systems, whatever it might be, and 183 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,799 then they say, hey, this is all of the stuff 184 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,320 that we found, and then it's those agencies that are 185 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,120 doing the cuts. That's that's how I understand it. 186 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 3: The Department of Education is cutting itself. 187 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:49,799 Speaker 2: Correct, I mean Secretary McMahon is overseeing that. Did you 188 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:51,679 not watch the press conference with her last week? 189 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:52,799 Speaker 3: But so all? 190 00:08:53,039 --> 00:08:55,039 Speaker 2: No? No, no, no, not sure, Alex. I mean you're 191 00:08:55,039 --> 00:08:56,759 you're making the claim that they're not doing Did you 192 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,639 watch her speak last week when Trump signed the executive order? 193 00:09:00,759 --> 00:09:02,600 My question is if no, no, no, you've been not 194 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,919 answering my question. Hold on, hold on, you've been You've 195 00:09:04,919 --> 00:09:07,399 been talking, and I'm asking you. I mean, did you 196 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:09,000 watch the press conference last week? 197 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 3: I did not? 198 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: Okay, Well, then how can you How can you call 199 00:09:13,399 --> 00:09:15,960 in and say that and make those comments about the 200 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:17,000 Department of Education? 201 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 3: To me, it feels that if all of it, it doesn't 202 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:22,200 matter how it. 203 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,279 Speaker 2: Feels to you. The question is did you actually listen 204 00:09:24,279 --> 00:09:26,000 to the information? Is the answer yes or no? 205 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:28,919 Speaker 3: I did not listen to that press conference? 206 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 2: Okay, So then how can you have an opinion. 207 00:09:31,159 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 3: Listen to it? 208 00:09:32,039 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 2: Yeah? 209 00:09:32,279 --> 00:09:36,159 Speaker 3: You shouldn't have an opinion based on the pattern. It 210 00:09:36,279 --> 00:09:39,799 is broad spectrum across all of these government agencies, that 211 00:09:39,919 --> 00:09:43,200 the people at these agencies are filing lawsuit after long 212 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,159 sleep because of the cuts that those is making to 213 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:47,279 these agencies. 214 00:09:48,039 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 2: It's the it's the those recommendations that is being made 215 00:09:51,759 --> 00:09:54,840 to the agency heads who are Trump's cabinets picks that 216 00:09:54,879 --> 00:09:58,039 are following through on his agenda. That's the processor. That's 217 00:09:58,039 --> 00:09:58,679 what's happening. 218 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 3: I feel like if you think that Elon Musk and 219 00:10:02,399 --> 00:10:04,960 those are not the ones calling the shots, that feels 220 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:06,080 like itself. 221 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,279 Speaker 2: But we're not discussing whether they're calling the shots or not. 222 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,600 You're indicating and making the point that Elon Musk himself 223 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:16,240 has the authority to make these wide sweeping changes within 224 00:10:16,279 --> 00:10:19,200 the government. And that's just not true. He is making 225 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,799 the recommendations and the cabinet officials who happen to be 226 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,919 in agreement with Trump and Elon Musk are following through 227 00:10:25,919 --> 00:10:28,960 on the recommendations. There is a huge distinction there. 228 00:10:29,919 --> 00:10:32,559 Speaker 3: Well, it's to me it's semantics, because well. 229 00:10:32,639 --> 00:10:34,799 Speaker 2: But it's not semantics. Alex, I appreciate the call. I 230 00:10:34,799 --> 00:10:36,399 got to hit a break, Alex, I appreciate the call, 231 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,159 but it's not semantics. I mean, it's very clear Elon 232 00:10:39,279 --> 00:10:42,240 Musk does not have the authority the cabinet does. The 233 00:10:42,279 --> 00:10:45,840 secretaries have the authority, the president has the authority. The 234 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,679 recommendations are made, and it look turns out, as we 235 00:10:48,759 --> 00:10:51,720 have seen over the last seventy some odd days, the 236 00:10:51,759 --> 00:10:56,039 administration is working lock and step. The administration is working together. 237 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,960 All of the various secretaries, all of the cabinet people 238 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,559 have the same goal in mind. So they're all working together. 239 00:11:02,879 --> 00:11:05,399 They're taking the recommendations and they're going, Wow, I can't 240 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,440 believe we're spending eight hundred million dollars on a survey 241 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,600 about trees. That's so unbelievably stupid. Let's stop doing that. 242 00:11:12,879 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: All right. So spring is here a time of renewal 243 00:11:15,519 --> 00:11:20,039 and celebrations. You've got graduations, weddings, anniversaries, and the special 244 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,639 days for mom and dad. Your family's making memories that 245 00:11:22,639 --> 00:11:24,799 are going to last a lifetime. But let me ask you, 246 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,159 are all of those treasured moments from days gone by? 247 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,879 Are they hidden away on old VCR tapes, eight millimeter films, 248 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:36,399 photos slides? Are they preserved? Because over time, these precious 249 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,559 memories can fade and deteriorate, losing the magic of yesterday. 250 00:11:40,799 --> 00:11:43,919 At Creative Video, they help you protect what matters most. 251 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,000 Their expert team digitizes your cherished family moments and transfers 252 00:11:48,039 --> 00:11:50,879 them onto a USB drive, freezing them in time so 253 00:11:50,919 --> 00:11:53,960 they can be enjoyed for generations to come. I urge 254 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,120 you do not wait until it's too late. This spring, 255 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:00,720 celebrate your past. Visit Creative Video today and let them 256 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,080 preserve your legacy with the love and care that it deserves. 257 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,080 Creat a video preserving family memories since nineteen ninety seven, 258 00:12:08,279 --> 00:12:11,399 located in Minhill, just off four eighty five. Mail orders 259 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,360 are accepted to get all the details that create a 260 00:12:14,519 --> 00:12:16,679 video dot com. 261 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 2: We're talking about Elon Musk. We're talking about the Department 262 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,840 of Government Efficiency, and it's just kind of going off 263 00:12:22,879 --> 00:12:25,000 the last call. We were talking with Alex about his 264 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,440 concerns with DOGE. And there's nothing wrong with having concerns. 265 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:30,639 I mean, there's nothing wrong with saying I don't like 266 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,080 what's going on. But what I'm truly shocked by, and 267 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:35,919 you heard the comment a little bit earlier from Elon 268 00:12:36,039 --> 00:12:38,519 Musk on the interview last night with Brett Baer is 269 00:12:38,519 --> 00:12:42,000 the information is just not accurate. I mean, the amount 270 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:46,279 of misinformation surrounding Doge. The Department of Government Efficiency and 271 00:12:46,279 --> 00:12:49,480 what's going on is staggering. And what makes it so 272 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,840 crazy is all of the information is readily available. We're 273 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:58,559 not getting the information from anonymous sources. This is not 274 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,559 coming from leaked information with inside DOGE. They publish all 275 00:13:02,639 --> 00:13:05,279 of this stuff online where you can literally go and 276 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,840 read all of it for yourself. There is a website 277 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:12,240 DOGE dj a ge dot gov doge dot gov that 278 00:13:12,399 --> 00:13:16,519 shows everything that's going on. When they find that there 279 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,279 are tens of thousands of people that are over one 280 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,799 hundred and fifty years old that are still listed as 281 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:27,240 alive in receiving payments within the Social Security system administration system, 282 00:13:27,399 --> 00:13:31,519 they're publishing that information online and so it's hard for 283 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,360 me to argue that this is not a good thing. 284 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:37,919 It's hard for me to say this amount of transparency 285 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:43,120 isn't good. What more could you possibly want. The concern 286 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,840 is that some of the information is being published on 287 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,840 X and somehow what Elon Musk is enriching himself. That's 288 00:13:49,879 --> 00:13:54,360 a straw man argument. I mean, it's being promoted all 289 00:13:54,399 --> 00:13:57,679 over the Internet, and just because X happens to be 290 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,639 a very popular platform right now, I don't think Elon 291 00:14:00,759 --> 00:14:04,279 Musk is getting rich posting on the at doge account 292 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,879 on AX. I just don't think that that's the case. 293 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:09,720 I really find it. I would find it hard to 294 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:13,879 believe that he is personally enriching himself at a major, 295 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,720 major scale by publishing information on AX. I just I 296 00:14:17,759 --> 00:14:20,639 don't think that's the case at all. So let's transition 297 00:14:20,679 --> 00:14:23,639 away from Elon Musk. One of the other individuals on 298 00:14:23,679 --> 00:14:28,039 the DOGE team is the co founder of Airbnb. He 299 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,279 is working within the Department of Government Efficiency. He was 300 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:33,759 one of the DOGE guys on the panel last night 301 00:14:33,799 --> 00:14:36,240 with Brett Bher. Brett asked him some questions and then 302 00:14:36,279 --> 00:14:39,360 he started talking about the retirement system. Take a listen 303 00:14:39,399 --> 00:14:44,240 to this, Joe Gabiam besides Elon, you're one of several 304 00:14:44,279 --> 00:14:48,720 billionaires here, co founder of Airbnb, and you wanted to 305 00:14:48,759 --> 00:14:49,200 help out. 306 00:14:51,759 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 4: I bumped into Anthony and Elon probably back in February, 307 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,799 and they tell me something about a mine that's dealt 308 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:01,240 with retirement, and they said that it needs somebody to help 309 00:15:01,279 --> 00:15:04,960 out to fix retirement in the government. I love the challenge, 310 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,000 so I jumped on board. And it turns out there 311 00:15:07,039 --> 00:15:11,759 is actually a mine in Pennsylvania that houses every paper 312 00:15:11,799 --> 00:15:15,720 document for the retirement process in the government. Now picture this, 313 00:15:15,519 --> 00:15:20,080 This giant cave has twenty two thousand filing cabinets stacked 314 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,720 ten high to house four hundred million pieces of paper. 315 00:15:24,519 --> 00:15:26,480 It's a process that started in the nineteen fifties and 316 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,879 the largely hasn't changed in the last seventy years. And 317 00:15:29,919 --> 00:15:32,399 so as he dug into it, we found a retirement 318 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,679 cases that had so much paper they had to fit 319 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,480 it on a shipping palate. So the process takes many months, 320 00:15:39,519 --> 00:15:41,879 and we're going to make it just many days. We'd 321 00:15:41,919 --> 00:15:44,480 be digitized or absolutely so this will be an online 322 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,000 digital process that will take just a few days at most. 323 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,879 And I really think, you know, it's an injustice to 324 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:55,480 civil servants who are subjected to these processes that are 325 00:15:55,519 --> 00:15:57,399 older than the age of half the people watching your 326 00:15:57,399 --> 00:16:01,679 show tonight. So we really believe that the government can 327 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:05,759 have an Apple Store like experience beat if we designed great, 328 00:16:05,759 --> 00:16:07,879 easier experience modern systems. 329 00:16:08,039 --> 00:16:12,519 Speaker 2: Because right now it's by hand. Yes, the retired process 330 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,879 is all by paper, literally, with people carrying paper in 331 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:19,440 Manila envelopes into this gigantic mind so they can I mean, 332 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:23,159 how insane is that we live in twenty twenty five. 333 00:16:23,799 --> 00:16:27,200 And I've heard this before. It takes literally months to 334 00:16:27,279 --> 00:16:31,080 retire from the federal government. All of the information is 335 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,919 sitting in Iron Mountain, which is a mine in Pennsylvania 336 00:16:34,039 --> 00:16:36,399 that stores all of these documents, and it's all done 337 00:16:36,399 --> 00:16:41,279 on paper. The system essentially hasn't changed in seventy years. 338 00:16:42,559 --> 00:16:45,919 When you talk about inefficiencies, this is another one of 339 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:50,440 the shining examples. How can anybody in the age that 340 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,039 we're living right now with the amount of technology, by 341 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:56,360 the way, not that's just available, but the federal government 342 00:16:56,519 --> 00:17:00,120 spends hundreds of billions of dollars a year on technology. 343 00:17:00,559 --> 00:17:02,240 With all of the money they spend, I mean, they 344 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,839 spend eight hundred million dollars just on some stupid survey 345 00:17:04,839 --> 00:17:08,759 about trees. But all of the hundreds of billions of 346 00:17:08,799 --> 00:17:13,200 dollars that they spend on technology, their retirement process is 347 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:17,359 still one hundred percent manually done by paper. And I'm 348 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,279 supposed to believe that government's just chugging along away at 349 00:17:20,279 --> 00:17:23,720 one hundred percent. There the status quo is where we 350 00:17:23,799 --> 00:17:28,079 need to continue. How is that appropriate for you? How 351 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,920 are you opposed to that? Being a quicker process, a 352 00:17:32,039 --> 00:17:35,720 more efficient process. Not only is it a huge waste 353 00:17:35,759 --> 00:17:41,000 on the taxpayers that fund these completely antiquated systems, but 354 00:17:41,079 --> 00:17:43,240 how about the civil servants. You just heard there from 355 00:17:43,279 --> 00:17:46,359 the airbnbs of one of the co founders of Airbnb. 356 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,359 What a slap in the face to the civil servants 357 00:17:49,519 --> 00:17:52,160 that have given their entire lives working for the federal government. 358 00:17:52,279 --> 00:17:54,000 Oh hey, it's going to take you eight months to 359 00:17:54,039 --> 00:17:56,319 retire so we can run a bunch of paperwork back 360 00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:00,519 and forth between some iron mountain mine in Pennsylvania. I mean, 361 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,480 there's no more bigger slap in the face than that. 362 00:18:04,279 --> 00:18:08,720 But that's the status quo, that's the system. That is 363 00:18:08,839 --> 00:18:13,119 what we have deemed is acceptable from our federal government. 364 00:18:14,559 --> 00:18:17,799 And I say that because nothing's been willing. Nobody's willing 365 00:18:17,799 --> 00:18:20,160 to change it. Nobody in the past has been willing 366 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,359 to change it. We have gone through administration after administration 367 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:28,240 after administration that has said this is okay, this is 368 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:34,839 totally acceptable, normal and reasonable paper retirements, no digitization of 369 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,319 it at all. We're just gonna store it all in 370 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,400 a mine somewhere in Pennsylvania. And who cares if it 371 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,279 takes you eight months to retire. We have said that 372 00:18:45,279 --> 00:18:48,480 that's okay. We have told our government this is an 373 00:18:48,519 --> 00:18:52,960 appropriate thing to go forward. I mean, it's completely remarkable. 374 00:18:52,559 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 5: All right. 375 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:54,759 Speaker 1: If you're listening to this show, you know I try 376 00:18:54,759 --> 00:18:56,519 to keep up with all sorts of current events, and 377 00:18:56,599 --> 00:18:58,640 I know you do too, And you've probably heard me 378 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:02,880 say get your news from multiple sources. Why well, because 379 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,599 it's how you detect media bias, which is why I've 380 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,960 been so impressed with ground News. It's an app, and 381 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,079 it's a website, and it combines news from around the 382 00:19:12,079 --> 00:19:14,759 world in one place so you can compare coverage and 383 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,720 verify information. You can check it out at check dot ground, 384 00:19:19,039 --> 00:19:22,079 dot news slash pete. I put the link in the 385 00:19:22,079 --> 00:19:25,319 podcast description too. I started using ground News a few 386 00:19:25,319 --> 00:19:28,039 months ago and more recently chose to work with them 387 00:19:28,079 --> 00:19:30,839 as an affiliate because it lets me see clearly how 388 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,400 stories get covered and by whom. The blind spot feature 389 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,079 shows you which stories get ignored by the left and 390 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,200 the right. See for yourself. Check dot ground, dot news 391 00:19:41,559 --> 00:19:44,680 slash pete. Subscribe through that link and you'll get fifteen 392 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,799 percent off any subscription. I use the Vantage plan to 393 00:19:47,799 --> 00:19:51,240 get unlimited access to every feature your subscription then not 394 00:19:51,319 --> 00:19:54,279 only helps my podcast, but it also supports ground news 395 00:19:54,319 --> 00:19:56,960 as they make the media landscape more transparent. 396 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,880 Speaker 2: For noon, we were talking about just before the break, 397 00:20:01,079 --> 00:20:03,480 the Department of Government Efficiency and we heard there from 398 00:20:03,559 --> 00:20:09,000 the co founder of Airbnb about modernizing technology and bringing 399 00:20:09,039 --> 00:20:11,640 things into the modern age. This ties in with a 400 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,880 big announcement made in North Carolina earlier this week. It 401 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,799 surrounds artificial intelligence. To get some more details on that, 402 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,359 this afternoon, Teresa Opeka from Carolina Journal dot Com joins 403 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,759 us on the Pete Calendar Show. Teresa, AI's been all 404 00:20:25,799 --> 00:20:28,119 the rage over the last couple of years. Walk us 405 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,799 through this announcement out of the State Treasurer's office. 406 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,519 Speaker 5: Sure, thanks so much, Nick for having me this afternoon. 407 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:38,680 So yeah, that took place yesterday at North Carolina Central 408 00:20:38,759 --> 00:20:43,359 University Student Center. In fact, they are opening their Institute 409 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:48,519 for Artificial Intelligence and Equity Research in May. So the 410 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:50,960 treasure Briner figured that was a good place to make 411 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:54,880 the announcement. So what he did he said, he's partnering 412 00:20:55,559 --> 00:20:58,839 for our twelve week agreement with open AI that he 413 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,319 says it's going to modernize systems and streamline the data process. 414 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,559 Is all while providing more efficient and effective services for 415 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:10,680 taxpayers and local governments while saving money. So basically he said, 416 00:21:10,839 --> 00:21:13,559 you know, first off, there is a fine red line 417 00:21:13,599 --> 00:21:16,440 between what they can do this when information can be 418 00:21:16,519 --> 00:21:20,119 shared with AI versus like say state health plan information 419 00:21:20,599 --> 00:21:23,079 anything like that, that's a no go because it's got 420 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:26,599 all private information. You've got HIPO rules. What they're looking 421 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,960 at is the Local Government Commission, the local and like 422 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:35,960 the different municipalities across the state, and also their other 423 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,480 where they look for getting cash back as far as businesses, 424 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,799 things like that nature stuff that is not public or 425 00:21:43,839 --> 00:21:46,759 not private rather but public information where they can go 426 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,720 in and you know, actually make things more efficient. Like 427 00:21:50,799 --> 00:21:53,839 for instance, local Government Commission, there's audits that are done 428 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:55,480 every year, right, this is the time of the year 429 00:21:55,519 --> 00:21:59,880 when the local governments get their audits into the state treasurers. Off, 430 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,279 there's hundreds and hundreds of pages. What this could do 431 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,079 is take all those hundreds of pages, put it into 432 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,599 AI and basically spit out any like red flags. Say 433 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:14,039 there's five red flags that the commission might see that 434 00:22:14,519 --> 00:22:17,319 here's a warning you're going to be over extending yourself 435 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,000 or you're going to be in financial trouble. Versus going 436 00:22:20,039 --> 00:22:23,079 through all those pages of information. It's supposed to cut 437 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:27,200 down waste and really speed up the time and efficiency 438 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:27,880 of the department. 439 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 2: Teresa, you've been following state government for quite some time, 440 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,680 and I know you've had the pleasure of clicking on 441 00:22:33,759 --> 00:22:36,559 a link available somewhere on a state government website, only 442 00:22:36,599 --> 00:22:39,720 to be opened up to a three hundred page PDF 443 00:22:39,799 --> 00:22:42,240 that you've got to skim through to try and look 444 00:22:42,279 --> 00:22:44,920 at all the information. Yet this is happening. I think 445 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,440 there's what eleven hundred entities that submit audits to the 446 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,359 Local Government Commission the LGC every year. That's a taxpayer 447 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,359 time and money that is being used to sift through 448 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,279 those reports. I mean, you talk about efficiency, this sounds 449 00:22:58,319 --> 00:23:00,240 like it could be a massive project for this date. 450 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:05,519 Speaker 5: Oh, absolutely absolutely, you're right. In a teracher Brianer said yesterday, 451 00:23:05,519 --> 00:23:08,640 we have eleven hundred towns, counties, municipalities and we could 452 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,839 do an even better job making sure they're not in 453 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:15,079 financial trouble by using this open AI agreement. And of course, 454 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:17,680 like you said, the price is right, they're doing it 455 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,200 for free. Open AI is given this a shot for 456 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,079 the twelve weeks to see how this is going to 457 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:27,319 go for them, so it's not no cost taxpayers or 458 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:30,319 no cost to the state. But you're right, there's like 459 00:23:30,839 --> 00:23:33,720 case in point, you know, story about audits. You see 460 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,680 audits all the time, especially now Dave Bollock took over 461 00:23:36,799 --> 00:23:40,000 the office. There's quite a few pages you've got to 462 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,480 sift through and get all the information. So stuff like 463 00:23:42,519 --> 00:23:45,880 of that nature. Anything has got all this information that 464 00:23:46,079 --> 00:23:48,680 they could just go ahead and help this be the 465 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,799 process along. It's going to be very helpful, you. 466 00:23:51,759 --> 00:23:54,599 Speaker 2: Know, Teresa. The whole AI discussion is a rather interesting 467 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:59,480 one we've seen, and you know, there's actual artificial intelligence 468 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,640 and then there's more algorithm you know, compute, machine learning 469 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,680 kind of things that take place. AI unfortunately is more 470 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:09,079 of a buzzword now than anything else. But when you 471 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:12,440 look at specifically this partnership and really the rise and 472 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,119 the use of new technology within government, do you see 473 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:19,319 that as overall a positive or negative thing going forward? 474 00:24:22,559 --> 00:24:26,079 Speaker 5: You know, that's a good question. It could definitely, well, 475 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:28,720 it's just mentioning what we just talked about, you know, 476 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,160 the efficiency for it going through all this to maybe 477 00:24:33,319 --> 00:24:36,440 be things be the process up. That's definitely a good thing. 478 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,279 But you might see some bad things on the way. 479 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,519 One thing yesterday that Treasurer Brianer said right now, it's 480 00:24:44,559 --> 00:24:47,480 not the loss of any expertise or anybody's jobs in 481 00:24:47,519 --> 00:24:51,039 the short term or as they go along. Didn't say 482 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,759 that on the long term that there wouldn't be job cuts. 483 00:24:53,799 --> 00:24:55,920 Now I'm not saying that there are, but he said 484 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,200 right now short term now we're not. You know, there's 485 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:02,079 no cutting of jobs. But you wonder how AI is 486 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,599 going to possibly take over some roles and different different 487 00:25:06,279 --> 00:25:11,000 you know, Medium's state government also talking about that as well. 488 00:25:11,279 --> 00:25:14,079 So that might be a bad point if you want 489 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,160 to say it, but I think overall it should be 490 00:25:16,319 --> 00:25:20,119 a good new facet to the world of state government 491 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:21,400 and for other entities. 492 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 2: You know, I've heard some of those similar concerns about 493 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:28,559 the potential long term impacts, specifically looking at individuals that 494 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,240 no longer are needed in those positions, if some of 495 00:25:31,279 --> 00:25:34,440 that's to be done by computers, and specifically what we're 496 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,759 talking about with open AI going forward. And while obviously 497 00:25:37,839 --> 00:25:40,319 Teresa there is a concern of that, I don't know 498 00:25:40,319 --> 00:25:42,440 that I see that big of a difference between what 499 00:25:42,559 --> 00:25:44,519 we could be seeing in the future with the use 500 00:25:44,519 --> 00:25:47,720 of AI, and then the invention of the computer and 501 00:25:47,759 --> 00:25:51,160 the innervation of that into business where you used to have, 502 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,960 you know, in the whole departments of typists with typewriters 503 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,599 that would repeat the same memo over and over and 504 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,400 over again. If you had a meeting and you needed 505 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:01,880 thirty five copies of something, you had to have those 506 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,920 manually typed up by somebody. Computers come along, printers come along, 507 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:08,480 and now you just click print thirty copies and it's done. 508 00:26:08,519 --> 00:26:10,759 I mean, the workforce changed then, and I presume it 509 00:26:10,799 --> 00:26:12,400 will change going into the future. 510 00:26:13,519 --> 00:26:15,559 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, you're right, You're right. And I want to 511 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,640 backtrack to something you said earlier before you were talking 512 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,079 with me. I know for a fact I'm originally from 513 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:26,400 Pennsylvania and they are their Department of Unemployment. Only fifteen 514 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,839 years ago, I think it has been updated. They were 515 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:33,680 using DOSS programs for their unemployment database. How I know 516 00:26:33,759 --> 00:26:37,599 this I know someone very close who worked there. So yeah, 517 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,880 so when you come down with Doss, highe writers, whatever, 518 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,119 you know, we have integrated into what We've got a 519 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:46,880 computer on our cell phone right before you had the 520 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,599 flip phone. As with anything, I think a lot of 521 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,440 people are hesitant to change. You're hesitant to expand you know, 522 00:26:53,599 --> 00:26:56,519 on other things that are going on, thinking you have 523 00:26:56,599 --> 00:26:59,519 to work out all the different bugs and things that 524 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,680 might you know, might trip some people up or might 525 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,559 be a hindrance, but overall it probably is going to 526 00:27:05,559 --> 00:27:07,240 be a good thing. You just have to get used 527 00:27:07,279 --> 00:27:10,279 to it, make sure it's going to run correctly. Obviously, 528 00:27:10,319 --> 00:27:12,680 I think they're doing this. They're taking the precautions at 529 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:15,839 the Treasurer's Office to make sure everything is running correctly. 530 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,960 But you're right, you know, we have modernized so much 531 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:21,720 and it's only only been for the best really when 532 00:27:21,759 --> 00:27:24,640 you think about it as far as efficiency and looking 533 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:26,559 over all these systems, well, and. 534 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 2: I think as we go into the future, and obviously this, 535 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,400 as you mentioned, this is a twelve week pilot program, 536 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:33,960 which I'll note, as you did, is at no cost 537 00:27:34,039 --> 00:27:36,559 to the North Carolina taxpayer. A smart move there by 538 00:27:36,599 --> 00:27:38,519 open AI if they really want to kind of dig 539 00:27:38,559 --> 00:27:41,720 their claws into this and potentially get this long term, 540 00:27:41,759 --> 00:27:45,559 potential more long term contract with the State Treasurer's Office. 541 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,599 To me, Teresa, this frees up resources that allows this 542 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,039 office or any other office in the state, if they 543 00:27:51,039 --> 00:27:55,119 are to adopt similar technologies or similar platforms to allow 544 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,200 them to then start working on other projects and begin 545 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,160 digging into other things that may have seemed impossible in 546 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,200 the past due to a lack of manpower. 547 00:28:04,599 --> 00:28:07,400 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, absolutely, if it frees up the time. And 548 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,799 one thing that treasurer said yesterday, he knows for a 549 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:15,319 fact other offices, the state agencies in North Carolina are 550 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,559 looking into open AI using it as well. They're kind 551 00:28:18,559 --> 00:28:20,640 of like, you know, leading the way at this point. 552 00:28:21,319 --> 00:28:25,400 But it would get you use the buzzword efficiency, but 553 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:29,519 it will make things more efficient and hopefully, you know, 554 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:31,480 that's all going to be for the best for the 555 00:28:31,559 --> 00:28:36,039 taxpayer and for like local governments, whatever agencies that are 556 00:28:36,079 --> 00:28:39,240 working on different different issues. It is a good thing. 557 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,799 Speaker 2: So you're right, Teresa, you've got some more details in 558 00:28:42,839 --> 00:28:44,960 your story this morning. I know you're you and the 559 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:47,759 folks over at Carolina Journal are tracking some additional news. 560 00:28:47,799 --> 00:28:49,880 A busy week coming up in the legislature next week. 561 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:51,599 Where can folks read that story and keep up to 562 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:53,200 date with North Carolina news. 563 00:28:54,079 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 5: Sure they can head on over to Carolina Journal dot 564 00:28:56,759 --> 00:29:00,400 com and also check us out on x Also, we've 565 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:04,160 got our weekly show, The Debrief on YouTube. So we're 566 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:06,240 lots of places, but the main place to check out 567 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,160 the story is Carolina Journal dot com. 568 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 2: Teresa, thanks so much for the update this afternoon. Greatly appreciated, 569 00:29:11,759 --> 00:29:15,240 Teresa Opeka, Carolina Journal dot com. A very interesting story 570 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:18,240 out of North Carolina. The Treasurer's office doing a twelve 571 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,480 week pilot program with Open Ai'll be very curious to 572 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,160 see what the post mortem on all of that looks like. 573 00:29:25,119 --> 00:29:28,559 Keep obviously updates over at Carolina Journal dot com. 574 00:29:28,599 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: Here's a great idea. How about making an escape to 575 00:29:31,319 --> 00:29:34,799 a really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina. 576 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:37,079 Just a quick drive up the mountain and Cabins of 577 00:29:37,079 --> 00:29:41,440 Asheville is your connection. 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The whole show's 601 00:30:53,319 --> 00:30:58,359 been focused on government efficiency, talking about new technology, a 602 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,119 lot of things going on right now in government, and 603 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,440 I want to heart back on the conversation we were 604 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:07,720 just having with Teresa Opeka from Carolina Journal dot com 605 00:31:07,799 --> 00:31:12,000 This announcement from the North Carolina State Treasurer's Office Brad Briner, 606 00:31:12,319 --> 00:31:15,319 that they're entering into a twelve week agreement with open 607 00:31:15,359 --> 00:31:20,640 AI to increase some of the efficiencies within the Treasurer's office. 608 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,519 I think this is phenomenal. Now, this is not to 609 00:31:23,599 --> 00:31:27,559 mean that there are no concerns, questions, and legitimate concerns 610 00:31:27,559 --> 00:31:32,440 and questions with artificial intelligence, which unfortunately is a buzzword 611 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,960 right You see now if you watch television, every single 612 00:31:36,039 --> 00:31:40,400 company is seemingly throwing AI into something or another. It's 613 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:44,400 a phenomenal buzzword for marketing right now. Some of it 614 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:49,279 is actually artificial intelligence, other is just computer algorithms, which 615 00:31:49,519 --> 00:31:52,799 by definition are not AI. So there are still serious 616 00:31:52,839 --> 00:31:56,279 concerns about AI. And rightfully so, it's a relatively new 617 00:31:56,319 --> 00:31:59,720 technology and it's kind of unknown exactly where it's going 618 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,279 to live us. Do we get to incredible levels of 619 00:32:02,279 --> 00:32:04,640 efficiency or do we end up in a Terminator movie 620 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,640 with a sky that system trying to take everything over. 621 00:32:08,599 --> 00:32:11,039 But really, one of the things that you hear is 622 00:32:11,039 --> 00:32:14,319 that while people are going to lose their jobs, people 623 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,359 are going to lose their jobs because of AI. And 624 00:32:17,799 --> 00:32:20,440 while that is likely to be the case. While that 625 00:32:20,559 --> 00:32:24,480 is probably true, this is no different than any other 626 00:32:24,759 --> 00:32:28,720 technological advance or modernization that has taken place throughout the 627 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:33,039 entirety of human history. And the greatest example of this 628 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:36,319 happened not that long ago. I mean, you look at 629 00:32:36,319 --> 00:32:42,079 the invention of the personal computer IBM, Big Blue bringing 630 00:32:42,319 --> 00:32:47,039 computers in mainframes into offices back in the sixties and seventies. 631 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:54,000 You talk about increasing efficiency within business, within government, it 632 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:58,039 started with IBM. It started with these huge mainframe computers 633 00:32:58,079 --> 00:33:02,519 that costed millions of dollars that were installed that allowed 634 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:07,519 spreadsheets and finances to be tracked electronically. It was a 635 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:11,759 huge innovation and with that people did, in fact lose 636 00:33:11,799 --> 00:33:17,519 their jobs. The job descriptions shifted and changed as computers 637 00:33:17,519 --> 00:33:21,400 got smaller and cheaper and better than they started landing 638 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:25,400 on people's desks. Now across every single office in the 639 00:33:25,599 --> 00:33:29,440 entire country there is a computer or a hookup for 640 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:32,359 a laptop sitting on desks. They're all over the place, 641 00:33:33,319 --> 00:33:36,000 and just sitting here, I mean, there's dozens of computers around. 642 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:40,640 So the question is, and I know the concern is real, 643 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,720 and I appreciate it. The question is how do you 644 00:33:43,759 --> 00:33:46,519 get ahead of that right in the free market? How 645 00:33:46,519 --> 00:33:50,359 do you set yourself apart from everybody else with the 646 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:54,960 use of this technology. The systems can't run by themselves. 647 00:33:55,599 --> 00:33:58,759 People are going to have to know how to use them. 648 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:03,039 Individuals that are going to decide to adopt this technology 649 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:05,680 are going to decide that, hey, this is something that 650 00:34:05,759 --> 00:34:08,599 I need to take serious. This is something that I 651 00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:10,239 need to use, and I need to learn how to 652 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:15,039 master this craft of artificial intelligence. I need to craft 653 00:34:15,119 --> 00:34:17,880 the use of open AI and really hone in on this. 654 00:34:18,159 --> 00:34:21,159 Those will be the people that stand out right. This 655 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:24,719 is no different than any other technological advance that we've 656 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,000 seen in human history. Now it's happening at probably a 657 00:34:28,039 --> 00:34:31,760 quicker rate than some other sort of innovations and inventions 658 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:36,880 of the past. Sure, but the root idea of innovation, 659 00:34:37,679 --> 00:34:41,559 the idea of things becoming cheaper and easier to do, 660 00:34:42,079 --> 00:34:48,280 that's not new. That's not inherently unique in any meaningful way. 661 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:51,960 It's happened all throughout human history. Business and government has 662 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:56,800 always adapted to new technology. It's been happening see literally 663 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,000 forever I mean like and when I say I mean 664 00:34:59,159 --> 00:35:03,119 literally for and so I think this is a good 665 00:35:03,119 --> 00:35:06,159 idea coming out of the State Treasurer's office. The fact 666 00:35:06,199 --> 00:35:09,440 that it doesn't cost North Carolina taxpayers a cent. I mean, 667 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,480 sign me up for that smart moved by open ai 668 00:35:12,639 --> 00:35:14,880 to give this service for free with the hopes of 669 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:18,320 eventually getting probably a very lucrative government contract. Let's be 670 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:21,239 honest about it. They've got their incentive as well. But 671 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:24,280 to me, this is a great idea And props to 672 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,800 Brad Briner in the State Treasurer's office for moving forward 673 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:31,400 on this, for bringing this technology forward and saying, hey, 674 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:34,360 this is happening. The world is still revolving around us. 675 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:38,039 We have two options. We can either sit static, sit dormant, 676 00:35:38,039 --> 00:35:40,119 and allow the world to change, or we can get 677 00:35:40,119 --> 00:35:43,119 on the bandwagon. We can try this out, do a 678 00:35:43,199 --> 00:35:46,360 twelve week pilot program and see what the end result is. 679 00:35:47,079 --> 00:35:49,599 And if I've learned anything about Brad Briner over the 680 00:35:49,679 --> 00:35:51,679 last couple of months, the three months that he's been 681 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:54,559 in office, he's done a really good job at bringing 682 00:35:54,599 --> 00:35:58,280 information to the people of North Carolina, providing public and 683 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,800 transparent information. So I'm pretty confident that we will learn 684 00:36:02,159 --> 00:36:05,320 in just a couple of months how this program worked. 685 00:36:06,039 --> 00:36:08,440 It's a very very interesting stuff. You can again read 686 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:14,440 the details this afternoon over at Carolina Journal dot com. 687 00:36:14,559 --> 00:36:16,880 Speaker 1: All right, that'll do it for this episode. Thank you 688 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:18,920 so much for listening. I could not do the show 689 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:21,480 without your support and the support of the businesses that 690 00:36:21,559 --> 00:36:24,639 advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, please support 691 00:36:24,679 --> 00:36:26,320 them too and tell them you heard it here. You 692 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:29,000 can also become a patron at my Patreon page or 693 00:36:29,079 --> 00:36:32,719 go to thepetecalarshow dot com. Again, thank you so much 694 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:39,599 for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.