WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.400 You're listening to Bill Handle on demand from KFI AM 2 00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:05.000 six forty. 3 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:09.720 This is KFI Bill Handle here on Tuesday Taco Tuesday, 4 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:15.119 September the third. Some of the stories were looking at 5 00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:22.320 Britain is suspending some arms exports to Israel because well, frankly, 6 00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:27.719 Israel is losing a lot of support among the world 7 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:30.800 because the number of Palestinians that have been killed by 8 00:00:30.920 --> 00:00:37.000 Israeli attacks over forty thousand now and reaching into that war. 9 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.399 The latest that happened over the weekend is the demonstrations 10 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:48.439 in Israel. Hundreds of thousands of protesters hit the streets 11 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:55.399 against what Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back and said, We're not 12 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:59.840 going to cut a deal with the Jamas, with the 13 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:04.159 Arrists and Hamas because they're not doing enough. They're the 14 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:09.400 ones that are stopping the negotiations from going forward. 15 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:12.680 And he's just saying no, he's saying he will not 16 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:13.319 give in. 17 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:19.439 And what set off the latest was six hostages, including 18 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:25.079 one America. One American were found dead, and it's they 19 00:01:25.079 --> 00:01:27.519 were found dead, It's not as if they were killed 20 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:32.040 during the initial raid October seventh, when the terrorist group 21 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:36.760 overran the border and massacred twelve hundred Israelis. 22 00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:39.439 This has to do with six that. 23 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:43.560 Were being held in tunnels, and what looks like happened 24 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:49.519 is Israeli forces raided the tunnels and as Israeli forces 25 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:54.920 got near the tunnel entrance itself, it looks like what 26 00:01:55.000 --> 00:02:00.799 Hamas did is execute the hostages minutes before the Israeli 27 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:04.760 forces were able to enter the tunnels. And that seems 28 00:02:04.760 --> 00:02:08.520 to be a new level of horrificness that's going on. 29 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:12.599 And what the protests are about is simply saying, cut 30 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:15.719 a deal with Hamas, no matter what they want, you 31 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.120 cut a deal. Hamas wants the end of the war, 32 00:02:19.319 --> 00:02:25.639 Israel to leave Gaza completely. Israel says we have to 33 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:29.039 maintain a presence there because Hamas has said over and 34 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:33.759 over again, October seventh will be repeated over and over 35 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:36.199 again until Israel is destroyed. 36 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.439 That's kind of fun. What does a government in Israel 37 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:39.960 do with that? 38 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:43.960 And the families of the hostages, and you can't blame 39 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.960 them because these are family members, saying it doesn't matter 40 00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:48.719 what Hamas wants. 41 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:51.960 You cut the deal, you get our hostages back. And 42 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:53.599 that to out netting. 43 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:58.599 Who's holding firm, holding firm, and what makes it even worse, 44 00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:02.560 and this is where it's a new level. Hamas has 45 00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:08.039 said any attempt to rescue the hostages will then cause 46 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:11.280 the immediate death of those hostages. We will kill them 47 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:17.919 and they will return to Israel in coffins. Well, Israel 48 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:21.560 has exploded and it's going both ways. 49 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:22.280 There are plenty of. 50 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:26.919 People that back up Natanyahu, and he certainly has a point, 51 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:29.960 and he said we cannot let Hamas continue on. 52 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:32.680 The problem is Hamas will continue on. 53 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.280 There are those who are saying we should cut a 54 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:43.800 deal because Israel has degraded Hamas's ability to create any 55 00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:47.080 kind of a war, any kind of an attack on 56 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:50.960 Israel like it did. It will not happen again. Israel 57 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:55.560 will be prepared. Others say that it doesn't matter. You 58 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:57.280 have to kill these people, you have to cut off 59 00:03:57.319 --> 00:04:01.560 the head. And both sides have point, they really do. 60 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:03.960 And Hamas is saying. 61 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:05.199 We're willing to negotiate. 62 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:11.719 For example, instead of five hundred Palestinians for each hostage, 63 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:17.040 each civilian hostages were now down to only fifty Palestinian 64 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.680 prisoners released, some of them, by the way, convicted of murder, 65 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:28.480 some of this which convicted of planting bombs, planning the 66 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:31.639 attack on civilians to try to kill as many as possible. 67 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:33.839 We want them all back. 68 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:40.120 Haya Sinhwar, who heads the militant group Hamas heads the 69 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:46.319 military arm was one of the prisoners returned when negotiations happen. 70 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:50.839 Remember Ghilid Shalit or Ghilad Shalit, who was that soldier 71 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:55.079 was captured by Hamas. After six years, he was returned 72 00:04:55.680 --> 00:05:01.600 for one thousand Palestinian prisoners that were held them. Sinwar, 73 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:07.600 who came back to head the Palestinian military. Natanyahu has 74 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:11.680 pledged total victory. He says it's their fault. Will have 75 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:15.920 a cease fire if that includes the release of some hostages, 76 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:19.759 a partial pull out of Israeli troops, a release of 77 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:22.639 some prisoners held by Israel. But we're not going to 78 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:26.639 have a full withdrawal. It simply isn't going to happen. 79 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:32.480 And of course Hamas is saying that they offer great 80 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:35.639 flexibility inclusing their demand. 81 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.560 Well, here's great flexibility. 82 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:43.399 Any attempt to free those hostages will cause the immediate 83 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:45.240 death of any. 84 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.759 Hostages that are in that area. 85 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:53.959 And to show you what kind of absolute animals Hamas is, 86 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:58.279 and even those of you who are in favor of Hamas, 87 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:02.399 arguing that they had no choice because of the oppression, 88 00:06:02.600 --> 00:06:06.399 because of the years of being treated as second class 89 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:10.680 citizens in Israel and being just oppressed, and they have 90 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:14.000 no land and Israel has taken it all. Okay, you 91 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:17.639 have a point. How do you defend number one? The killing, 92 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:20.680 the massacre of twelve hundred and the holding on to 93 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:26.600 bodies of dead Israelis for negotiation purposes. 94 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:29.120 Won't even return the. 95 00:06:29.079 --> 00:06:31.800 Bodies to the families so they can lose, so they 96 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:32.560 can be buried. 97 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:36.240 I mean, where do you go with that? Now? 98 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:40.240 Is Natanyahu going to collapse? Is the government going to collapse? 99 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:41.120 Is he going to fail? 100 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:41.879 Who knows? 101 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:47.519 But the pressure not only internationally, but the pressure domestically 102 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:52.800 is growing more and more in Israeli families, as I said, 103 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:55.639 are saying it doesn't matter what Hamas wants. You cut 104 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:58.600 the deal with them, you get our hostages back. 105 00:06:59.360 --> 00:06:59.879 We don't care. 106 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:05.879 Well again, they have to have a pass, even though 107 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:08.360 I don't believe in it. I don't believe Israel shit 108 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:12.000 cave on this. I don't have a family member. It's 109 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.759 easy for me to say, sitting here in Los Angeles 110 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:20.759 behind a microphone Costco as you know, is my favorite 111 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:23.360 place to go to. As a matter of fact, I'm 112 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:27.360 doing a Costco run today. And in addition, when you 113 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:30.480 go to Costco, in addition to getting a palette of 114 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:37.040 toilet paper or paper towels, or getting bags and bags 115 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:41.160 of frozen food and frozen burritos, you'll notice they have 116 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:46.879 a pharmacy and people are well. 117 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:48.920 Are those of us who go to. 118 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:54.120 The pharmacy know that it is well? It's Is it 119 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.199 a secret? Not really. 120 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:58.519 You'd think there'd be lines and lines, and they're not. 121 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:06.439 But it turns out that Costco pharmacy, the price of pharmaceuticals. 122 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:08.240 Is low low. 123 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:14.279 For example, I take ambient zulpidem and I was out 124 00:08:14.279 --> 00:08:17.199 of it. I had my prescription and the Costco was 125 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:19.639 too far away, so I called the local CBS and 126 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:23.800 the local Walgrens. At Costco, thirty pills cost me eleven 127 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:30.319 dollars ninety nine cents. At CVS, it was one hundred 128 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.799 and twenty five dollars. At Walgrens it was one hundred 129 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:39.200 and forty dollars. This is for thirty generic pills. And 130 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:45.679 so what is happening is Walgreens and CVS and ride 131 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:53.919 Aid are basically imploding. They are imploding, they're cutting costs, 132 00:08:54.399 --> 00:09:00.519 they're closing stores. Now, this reflects challenges in an industry, 133 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:04.159 and these challenges we're brewing four years and they're shutting 134 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:10.480 down stores. Walgreens in June said a quarter of the 135 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:14.799 company's eighty six hundred US stores were underperforming and a 136 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:16.360 good number of them are going to be closed down. 137 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:19.080 One of the other things, CBS has a store every corner. 138 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:19.960 It's like Starbucks. 139 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:22.799 I don't get it. 140 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:24.879 You have a CVS and then a quarter mile away 141 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:29.440 you have another CVS, and I guess people go to 142 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:37.720 CVS not as much because the cost has gone up. 143 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:40.799 At the same time, they're trying to cut costs and 144 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:43.840 they're between a rock and a hard pat place. One 145 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:48.600 of the things that is makes up drugs so expensive 146 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:52.600 is well, first of all, you've got giants like Amazon 147 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:56.919 and Walmart that's going on for drugs, certainly Costco and 148 00:09:57.000 --> 00:10:02.080 other places where you get pharmacy pharmaceutical So what do 149 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:02.440 they do. 150 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:04.200 Well, here's what happened. 151 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:10.120 The companies depend on something called Pharmacy Benefit Managers PBMs, 152 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:14.759 who have control over how much pharmacies get reimbursed for 153 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:19.759 the drugs they sell to customers, and they basically are 154 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:24.679 the middleman between insurance companies and the pharmacies. And they 155 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:30.279 were there to help lower prices. Well it's turned around. 156 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:35.120 What they're doing now is helping to increase prices. Our 157 00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:43.679 system is broken, completely broken. The big pharmaceutical companies make 158 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:48.559 all their money in the United States. Why because they can? Okay, 159 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:51.960 this is the old philosophy is why do dogs lick 160 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:57.039 their gonads? Because they can? And that's precisely the point 161 00:10:57.080 --> 00:11:01.279 in this country. Go to any other country, you'll see 162 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:06.320 the same drug packaging is just in a different language, 163 00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:10.679 and you're going to pay a third, a fifth, a 164 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:12.639 tenth for the same drug. 165 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:14.720 Why because it's controlled in those other countries. 166 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:17.080 And here we go back to why I believe we 167 00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:20.600 need a single payer, which is another way to describe 168 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:25.120 national health. I've always used the example of France and 169 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:29.960 Germany and Italy and the UK. The government negotiates, there 170 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:34.759 are any middlemen. The government negotiates And can you imagine 171 00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:40.039 how much power when you have any entity representing thirty 172 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:46.519 million people talking to a pharmaceutical company. Yeah, well here 173 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:49.320 we don't have that. Not only do we not have that, 174 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:54.679 Medicare for the first time is able to negotiate prices 175 00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:58.960 from the pharmaceutical companies for those of us who are 176 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:03.840 over sixty five. Before that, it was illegal for Medicare 177 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:10.519 to negotiate prices on behalf of Medicare patients. Impossible. You 178 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:16.240 couldn't do it by law. So it's now turning around. 179 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:22.799 And as I said, Costco is where I go because 180 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:23.639 look at that price. 181 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:26.399 And I use ulpidem but also antibiotics. 182 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.320 You know, when I go to the dentists because I 183 00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:30.759 had my heart thing, I have to take antibiotics. 184 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:33.519 When I get my teeth cleaned, I go to Costco. 185 00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:37.759 It's eight bucks for a whole bottle full of antibiotics. 186 00:12:38.360 --> 00:12:42.759 Thirty bucks at a Walgreens or Ride Aid. By the way, 187 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:44.960 Rite Aid is the one that's in the most trouble. 188 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:48.879 The other day, I went to Rite Aid and I 189 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:50.039 wanted to get. 190 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:53.240 A toothbrush because I was out for some reason. 191 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:56.080 My toothbrush broke, and so I'm going in there and 192 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:00.000 the place was empty, empty. 193 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:01.639 There was no one in the store. And this is 194 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:05.080 a big store, and I couldn't see anybody. 195 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:08.120 Can you imagine going to a major pharmaceutical, a major 196 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:11.480 pharmacy a major drug store and they sell everything else, 197 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:16.440 of course, and there's nobody in there. How does a 198 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:23.600 business stay alive, Well, they don't, they don't. Ride Aid 199 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:29.919 has filed for Chapter eleven bankruptcy. They did that in 200 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:33.320 twenty twenty three, and they just announced plans to shut 201 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:38.320 down eighteen more locations because you've got creditors. Lawsuits are 202 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:42.799 happening over the opioid prescription. That's also what's killing all 203 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:48.559 of them, and all three of the big ones Walgreens, CVS, and. 204 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:50.399 Ride Aid, although I don't know how big Rite Aid 205 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.080 is anymore. 206 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:55.559 They don't have the same financial positions where CBS is 207 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:59.480 the strongest. They are looking at their footprint, how big 208 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:05.200 there's are, what their business model is, the lowering margins 209 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:08.879 and changing consumer trends. And at the same time, when 210 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.600 you talk about drugs that are new on the market, 211 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:16.720 the astronomical cost of drugs. 212 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:19.600 And it's to the point where. 213 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:22.240 Every single drug that's out there you see on TV 214 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:28.519 if you can't afford the drug, Astrozenica or Eli Lilly 215 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:31.720 will help you get the drug. 216 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:33.559 What does that tell you when. 217 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:38.399 Every single commercial says if you can't afford the drug, 218 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:41.279 that's pretty much everybody isn't it. 219 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:47.000 But they don't tell you on those commercials because they. 220 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:49.360 Will tell you how wonderful you are and you're dancing 221 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:53.039 around and you're having a great time, and thirty seconds 222 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:55.679 of that commercial are the disclaimers. 223 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:59.000 You will die, you will lose your limbs, you. 224 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:02.360 Will have a hacking cough, your stomach will fall out 225 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:05.799 of your body. Whatever they do, they have to tell 226 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:08.639 you that. What they don't tell you is how much 227 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:10.120 a course of that drug is. 228 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.720 That they don't tell you. 229 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.919 For example, the drug and I don't see the commercial 230 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:18.879 anymore that cures hepatitis C. It's not just a vaccine. 231 00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:24.879 It is an outright cure. After you got hepatitis C, man, 232 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:26.200 that was when you look at that. 233 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:27.440 And you go, what a breakthrough. 234 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:30.840 What they didn't tell you is the eight week course 235 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:34.200 that it took. You have to do an eight week course. 236 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:36.960 I don't know how many injections per eight weeks. That 237 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:44.600 cost a very affordable one hundred thousand dollars. But if 238 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:47.240 you can't afford it will help you. I don't even 239 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:51.559 know what that means. All right, Now, here's a job 240 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:56.480 for you, and that is working for the California highway patrol. 241 00:15:56.679 --> 00:16:01.679 One in six of those jobs are vacant, even in 242 00:16:01.799 --> 00:16:06.240 light of historic raises and a new hiring campaign. By 243 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:09.320 the way, one in six are vacant, much higher than 244 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.600 in twenty sixteen, and the last two years have been massive, 245 00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:18.039 massive races raises. Gavin Newsom agreed to a new contract 246 00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:21.720 with the union that represents the officers that's expected to 247 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:24.039 cost four hundred and eighty million dollars over the next 248 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:31.120 three years because of raises enhanced pay incentives. He's been 249 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:35.519 promoting a recruiting program called CHP one thousand, and he 250 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:37.960 launched that in twenty twenty two to hire hundreds of 251 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:43.519 new officers. So let's go and examine how much money 252 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:47.559 you can get. Let's start with twenty twenty three officers 253 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:49.600 got an eight percent wage increase. 254 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:53.120 That's their biggest raise in twenty years. Now. 255 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:56.320 There aren't too many of us that have gotten eight 256 00:16:56.480 --> 00:17:03.679 percent wage increase. Matter of fact, CONO and I much 257 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:06.880 what kind of wage increase have we gotten in the 258 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:10.599 last four or five years. 259 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:11.119 Nada. 260 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:15.039 No, it's got to the point now and by the way, 261 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:18.720 iHeart isn't alone in this. Corporations have come to the 262 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:22.559 point where you know, you just get a stay at 263 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:26.680 your job is considered a raise, and that is so 264 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:30.720 many corporations are doing that because they're simply demanding. 265 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:32.519 More of their workers. 266 00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:35.240 So there aren't too many of us that have gotten 267 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:39.640 eight percent raise. In twenty twenty two, they got a 268 00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:41.119 six percent raise. 269 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:43.480 Okay, and you have. 270 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.799 Twenty twenty two to six percent raise and twenty twenty 271 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:47.440 three another eight percent raise. 272 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:48.720 Are you ready for this? 273 00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:53.039 Rookie CHP officers, which is why you may want to 274 00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:56.440 line up to get this job, can expect to earn 275 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:00.640 up to one hundred and seventeen thousand dollars first year 276 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:04.240 on duty, according to the CHP. Now, I'm assuming that's 277 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:09.720 an insane amount of overtime. But even the Legislative Analyst 278 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:15.640 Office can't explain why the vacancy rates skyrocketed by ninety 279 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:20.759 four percent between twenty fifteen and twenty twenty three. Twenty nineteen, 280 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:24.119 five percent of the positions were unfilled today over sixteen 281 00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:29.480 one in six. Now, part of the problem is that 282 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:31.799 and that's just the way it works with the CHP. 283 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:36.559 I got to tell you this agency is really sweet in. 284 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:37.880 Terms of the workers. 285 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:43.279 They have what is called a favored Nation clause in 286 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:49.880 their contract. By law, CHP officers are based their raisins 287 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:52.599 are based on the average compensation at five other law 288 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:57.640 enforcement agencies La County Sheriff's LAPD, San Diego, Oakland, San 289 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:03.880 Francisco PDS and you put all those together the average wage. 290 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:07.319 Then the CHP gets a raised the next year. 291 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:11.440 So if LAPD gets a raise, it raises the average. 292 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:15.839 And for some reason it's hard to get cops. And 293 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:19.599 I don't know why. Well, maybe because cops are hated. 294 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:23.359 That may be one thing, because it's considered more dangerous 295 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:29.400 than it was before. Officer Krupski on the street is 296 00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:32.279 no one knows who the cop is. They used to 297 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:35.079 have walking cops who had their own neighborhood and everybody 298 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:40.160 in the neighborhood would know who they are. Every local 299 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.160 donut shop a cop would walk in. Of course, they 300 00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:44.799 wouldn't pay for donuts, which is why all police officers 301 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:46.599 looked like they had dandruff. 302 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:51.440 They don't. It was powdered sugar. And there aren't too 303 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.559 many people that just love cops. 304 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:56.640 I do when a cop shows up, I feel safe, 305 00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:58.759 But then I'm not a young black man in my 306 00:19:58.799 --> 00:19:59.759 twenties either. 307 00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:04.640 Where there is. What's real is driving while black. 308 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:06.920 I totally believe that, even though cops and I have 309 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:13.480 a huge disagreement on that. So you've got these raises 310 00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:16.880 that are automatic based on favored nation. When that goes 311 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:20.319 up and other agencies, you average that and the CHP 312 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:28.200 goes up. Also, the retention contracts, officers with more than 313 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:32.079 twenty seven years of experience now get an incentive for 314 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:36.799 ten percent of their base wages. So if a rookie 315 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:40.279 officer is making one hundred and seventeen or one hundred 316 00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:43.440 thousand dollars a year, you would think that a veteran 317 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:44.240 would be making. 318 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.240 One hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year. I think 319 00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:46.799 that's fair. 320 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:50.599 Well, they get fifteen thousand dollars to stay another year, 321 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:56.039 more money for motorcycle cops, more money for officers who 322 00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:57.759 work with police dogs. 323 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:00.079 I think a couple of. 324 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:05.960 Reasons why there aren't enough officers out there, and HP 325 00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:12.160 is just a poster child for this, is that the 326 00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:15.759 love for police officers has for the most part disappeared. 327 00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:19.480 It has become more dangerous to be a police officer, 328 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.039 although statistically I don't know if that's true or not. 329 00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:27.799 But we hear about the ambushes. Cops are considered the 330 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:33.519 bad guy, especially in minority communities. Today, if a cop 331 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:38.599 is called to a domestic violence call, the assumption is 332 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:40.599 or they're fearful of. 333 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:44.880 Getting shot being ambushed. I don't know. 334 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:47.960 If you've been stopped by a cop lately, when they 335 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:51.440 go up on the street, you will see that the 336 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:56.240 cops are a lot less friendly and they're more apt 337 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:00.240 to be just more cognizant of what you're doing, doing 338 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:01.480 what your hands. 339 00:22:01.160 --> 00:22:02.480 Are doing than they did before. 340 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:06.680 Also, I think the good news is I don't believe 341 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:10.359 that they have lowered their standards. I do not believe 342 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:13.079 that police forces have lowered their standards. 343 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.279 The LAPD says, well, no. 344 00:22:16.440 --> 00:22:20.240 The CHP said that it received more applications to its 345 00:22:20.279 --> 00:22:22.480 academy in the first half of this year than in 346 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:25.559 saint period in twenty twenty three. And I have talked 347 00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:28.599 to many police officers. It is not easy to become 348 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:35.160 a cop. Standards are very high, the psychological testing. You know, 349 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:37.519 for example, you want to be a cop because you 350 00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:41.000 like shooting people. You want to be That's what I 351 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:45.279 why I can't be a cop because you know, frankly, 352 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:49.920 I would go out of my mind. At a point 353 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.880 there was one very highly placed officer that for years 354 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:57.119 invited me to do a ride along with the police. 355 00:22:57.119 --> 00:22:59.480 Occasionally you can do that people in the media and 356 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:01.440 some people in the police. You can do a ride along, 357 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:05.960 actually sit in a police car and drive and when 358 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:10.279 they go, when they have a call, you're there. And 359 00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:12.920 if there is a call where someone with a weapon 360 00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:17.640 is involved, you're there. And they tell you get behind 361 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.839 the car. I mean, they are not going to stop 362 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:22.799 simply because a civilian is there in the car. 363 00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:25.279 And I would never ever go. 364 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:30.119 You know why I would never go because I would 365 00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:34.799 always ask can I kill someone? Will you let me 366 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:39.799 shoot someone? And it was always no, you cannot. All 367 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.519 you can do is ride along. So then why I'm 368 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:44.759 not interested? You know, why would I go on a 369 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:49.720 ride along if I can't actually kill someone. The point 370 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:52.640 is you've got kids that don't know what the hell 371 00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:53.279 they want to do. 372 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:57.680 You know, how about the CHP's it's a pretty good career. 373 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.440 The money is very good, the best and if it's 374 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:03.440 very good, and you have to go over the hump. 375 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:05.720 And I think at some point the police are going 376 00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:09.759 to come back to being admired and loved by the 377 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.799 general population. 378 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:13.680 I would think so. And I want to end with this. 379 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:19.119 When I see a cop, I feel safer unless I'm 380 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:19.759 being pulled over. 381 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:27.079 I just like it. In the meantime. I once asked 382 00:24:27.640 --> 00:24:28.119 Moe A. 383 00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:32.519 Kelly, who is African American, and I asked him, when 384 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:35.680 you see a cop or you're pulled over, what you 385 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:38.160 think he said? He says, I think there's going to 386 00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:41.880 be some kind of an altercation, or at least I'm 387 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:45.160 going to be looked at very differently than you would, Bill. 388 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:51.559 And I believe that. By the way, I totally believe that. Okay, 389 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:56.680 A quick word about the state and the plan to 390 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:02.240 fund our transportation system. And I'm talking about the roads. 391 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:07.319 I'm talking about public transportation. Thirty nine million people rely 392 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:12.480 on it every day. And so what and who pays 393 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:16.839 for all of that? Well, the main source of funding 394 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:22.359 is gas tax revenues. And what is going on, Well, 395 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:26.319 people like me are buying evs and that means we 396 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:31.240 don't pay gas tax. I don't use gasoline. Now, there 397 00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:34.240 is a special registration fee of one hundred and eight 398 00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:35.480 dollars a year. 399 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:41.480 However, if you drive a car that is an eternal 400 00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:42.319 combustion engine. 401 00:25:42.359 --> 00:25:45.559